Happy New Year and Bless all

Dear Tzu Chi Academy Families,

Happy New Year!!!

While we count our blessings, please also share some to the needs and to those who are suffering.

Best Wishes to All.

Love,
The Admin Team

證嚴法師說故事

Stories told by Master--The Farmer and His Ox
證嚴法師聽到一則真人真事，深受感動，說的是一位鄉間老農夫與牛的溫馨故事。有一位老­農夫，從年輕時就養了一條牛，為他耕田，每天，農夫與牛日出而作，日落而息，形影不離­，農夫待牛如家人一般，可是，農夫年紀愈來愈大，沒有力氣耕種，也沒有力氣照顧牛，就­想為牠找新主人，還開出條件，不能讓牛勞作，更不能殺牠。新主人同意後，就將牛帶回家­。一段時間之後，老農夫放心不下，去看牛，結果竟看到牛被綁在樹下，老農夫看了好心疼­，就向新主人把牛要回來。可是，老農夫還是沒有力氣照顧牛，就再放出消息，尋找牛的新­主人，這一次，老農夫要求寫下切結書，寫明不能讓牛勞作，不能殺牛，更要讓牛自由活動­。新主人聽了很感動，就答應老農夫的要求，還一字不漏的簽下切結書。

watch the story here

11/08/2014 教師精進研習日

11/8 學校不上課，然而老師與教務團隊可沒休息，一大早就道會所報到，準備上這學年的第一次教師研習。
從  上人開示清淨在源頭，知孝行孝，到淨化人心多付出，引出了四位老師參加總會25週年教育20年的營隊分享，慧雯老師體會到以身作則應以親身力行為重，郁文老師分享佛法與興趣的結合去體會孩子的內心世界，並且用孩子的角度與高度去啟發他們善念以及改變世界的能量，進一步了解佛法中強調「助人」的意義。
玉如老師則分享如何鼓勵孩子日發好願儲存幸福撲滿的實踐，提醒孩子們平凡的幸福就在平時的生活裏，而能時時感恩。最後是悅嬿老師的營隊分享，在出發當天於機場收到沒有參加營隊的師姐卻親手為他們做的三明治午餐，感受到那份"法喜"，那份善的循環能夠改變大環境的力量，進而督促自己也鼓勵所有的老師們。參加營隊時，和師姐們相處，跟著營隊學員進出，耳濡目染下，收穫最多的是自己，回來後連學生與同事都感受到她的改變，更砥礪自己要多練習提起正念，給別人好的回應，體會源源不絕的法喜。
課程更精彩的還在後頭，筆者將陸續做後續報導。感恩！

日期: 11/8/2014
活動時間: 9:00 - 13:30
參加人數: 25人 (含17位老師, 8位行政教育志工)
撰文: 林佩華
攝影: 謝如宜

請點擊連結觀看靜態拍賣物品： 

http://www.gogofinder.com.tw/books/yufeng728/4/ 
看看有那些您喜歡的東西，也請您記得帶現金或支票來喔~~

School Safety policy & support to your children

Yesterday we received shocking news about gun violence at one of our region’s public schools. Our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by the shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

Another act of gun violence so close to home is scary and this news is always difficult to hear, but I want to reassure parents that our school continues to work actively for our children’s safety.  As our school grows into today’s size, it is particularly challenging for our safety crew to recognize the outcomers. Therefore, I am here to plead for your help to reinforce our school uniform policy and visitor policy. By this means, please have your students to wear uniform to school, also when you come to volunteer please do sign in at front desk and wear the volunteer vest at all time. This way can effectively assist the safety crew to distinguish strangers from our community. Besides staff and safety crew, I also sincerely invite you to mindfully look out unusual people or things while you are at school in a way to help our school the safest place for our children. Feeling safe as well as secure in a school community are fundamental to a successful learning environment for children and we can work hand in hand in our commitment to this.

To support your child at home, below, please find excerpted from the American Psychological Association guidance for responding to violent events.

Limit exposure to news coverage

Parents should monitor how much exposure a child has to news reports of traumatic events. Research has shown that some young children believe that the events are reoccurring each time they see a television replay of the news footage.

Talk to your children

Should children learn troubling news, psychologists who work in the area of trauma and recovery advise parents to use these events as an opportunity to talk and listen to their children. It is important, say these psychologists, to be honest. Parents should acknowledge to children that bad things do happen, but also reassure them with the information that many people are working to keep them safe, including their parents, teachers, and local police.

Young children may communicate their fears through play or drawings. Elementary school children will use a combination of play and talking to express themselves. Adolescents are more likely to have the skills to communicate their feelings and fears verbally. Adults should be attentive to a child's concerns, but also try to help the children put their fears into proportion to the real risk. Again, it is important to reassure children that the adults in their lives are doing everything they can to make their environment — school, home and neighborhood — safe for them.

Know the warning signs

Most children are quite resilient and will return to their normal activities and personality relatively quickly, but parents should be alert to any signs of anxiety that might suggest that a child or teenager might need more assistance. Such indicators could be a change in the child's school performance, changes in relationships with peers and teachers, excessive worry, school refusal, sleeplessness, nightmares, headaches or stomachaches, or loss of interest in activities that the child used to enjoy. Also remember that every child will respond to trauma differently. Some will have no ill effects; others may suffer an immediate and acute effect. Still others may not show signs of stress until sometime after the event.

For more information, visit the APA Help Center

Pei-Hwa Lin & Hui-Ting Wang, Vice Principals

Tzu Chi Academy, Seattle

10/11 No school

Teachers & volunteers attending teacher professional retreat and 25th Anniversary of US Tzu Chi Foundation in San Dimas, California.

here is the US Tzu Chi website: http://www.us.tzuchi.org/us/en/

9/27 Parent & Staff meeting

10:45 am, cafeteria
        parents gradually got in the cafeteria waiting for the meeting to begin.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
        meeting started with principal Min-Min welcoming all parents and introduced her experience in Tzu Chi and her dedications to Academy, Min-Min reminded our parents to yield front parking space for our teachers for teachers carrying lots materials to school and for respects. Following is vice principal Pei-Hwa to address how to stay connected with school, consistent electronics polices as in public schools, and accredidated language credits transfer to high school transcripts. Next, another vice principal Cindy went over textbooks, materials, and humanistic classes. She also invited interested parents to join teacher training for future teaching positions. Students Affairs team lead Mei-Shan explained the range of services this team provides and acquiring parents volunteer in making all those services maintained and managed.
        Due to the increase of students of this school year, registrar Demi told our parents the growing of school has greatly stretched to space and teachers' load. She sincerely pleaded all to support and encourage each teacher to motivate and nourish both students and teachers. On side of the growth, we all face the traffic flow in & out of school. Therefore, Ai-Xin dad also our new safety team lead, Dennis Su presented traffic guidelines for all participants and asked for everyone's cooperation and considerations for others.
        Last, our team lead Allen Su notified all the whole year event plan and call for volunteers too.

The meeting PPTs and emergency evacuation map have been uploaded to the blog website, under 'Administration' section.

date: 9/27/2014
time: 11:00-12:00
place: school cafeteria
attendees: 160
reporter: Pei-Hwa Lin
photo: Mabel Su

9/27 行政與全校家長座談會 Parents & Staff meeting

親愛的家長們:

提醒大家這星期六有行政與全校家長座談會.

學校行政人員將於9月27日早上11:00-11:50與家長們舉行座談，除介紹各組行政志工外，並宣布一學年的重要活動，同時也希望和家長雙向溝通。此座談會於本校餐廳舉行，敬邀所有家長務必參加，以了解學校未來一年的運作重點及所需家長支援與配合的內容，共同為我們的學生打造快樂學習的經驗。

Dear Parents:

This is a reminder.

             School Satff & Parents Meeting

For: important announcement regarding school policies and planned activities for the coming school year. This will be a great opportunity to communicate concerns in children’s education.  Your input is important to us.

Date: September 27

Time: 11:00am - 11:50pm

Location: school Cafeteria.

2014-2015 開學通知 Welcome Letter (English version follows)

二O一四年八月二十三日

親愛的家長和同學：

    大家好！新的學年又要開始了, 西雅圖慈濟人文學校定於九月六日開學，請於當日至Tillicum Middle School (16020 S.E. 16th St. Bellevue, WA 98008) 上課，上課時間是9:00AM-12:00PM。基於維護學生安全為由，請每位學生務必穿著制服上衣，藍色長褲，並攜帶本通知書，女生請梳整頭髮別上有校徽的藍色髮飾，志工將憑通知書或制服辨識後，方可讓你進入教室區上課。 鑒於學生安全與教室秩序的因素，本校不開放旁聽或試聽，如有見到不能辨識為本校學生或成人在校園走動時，請大家能協助引導到餐廳，由行政志工負責接待。

    給孩子們一個溫馨活潑又安全的學習環境，一直都是本校行政志工努力的目標之一，學校亟需家長們共同為這個目標努力，好讓未來的這一年會是收穫滿滿又愉快的一年。為了能達到這份期許，煩請家長們務必撥冗參加下列的座談會：

一、班級親師座談：各班老師和家長於9月13日溝通教學理念及需要家長配合協助的事項。座談在各班級教室舉行，時間如下： 

     第二節 09:40-10:20    六年級、七年級、八年級、九年級、十年級

     第三節 10:30 -11:10   二年級、三年級、四年級、五年級

     第四節 11:20-12:00    幼幼班、注音班、漢語拼音班、一年級

二、行政與全校家長座談會：學校行政人員將於9月27日早上11:00-11:50與家長們舉行座談，除介紹各組行政志工外，並宣布一學年的重要活動，同時也希望和家長雙向溝通。此座談會於本校餐廳舉行，敬邀所有家長務必參加，以了解學校未來一年的運作重點及所需家長支援與配合的內容，共同為我們的學生打造快樂學習的經驗。

                      

感恩您的配合與護持！

敬祝閤家平安!

                                                                     

                    

校長     黃銘銘^法號慈啟 恭敬合十

9/13 Students had a great time when parents met teachers

It is parent and teacher meeting day!
第二週, 親師座談 - 學校邀請家長和孩子的班級老師會談, 了解整學年的教學計劃, 並且邀請家長到教室內當班爸爸、班媽媽，更鼓勵家長承擔愛心爸媽, 協助校園安全的維護工作。

當老師和家長們開會時, 行政團隊安排活動照顧學生, 讓老師能安心跟家長溝通。其中, 校方邀請到剛從華大畢業的慈青汪德欣來和九、十年級學生分享如何在高中準備升大學的計畫, 學生們聽得津津有味, 而且非常樂於發問, 連志工都聽到捨不得離開。

七、八年級的學生則聚在餐廳製作靜思語海報, 由志工先解說, 學生們分組完成, 學校將定期展示孩子們的作品

低年級的學生, 有的學手語, 有的製作敦親睦鄰卡, 孩子們的作品將會安排時間, 由學生一一送給學校附近的鄰居。

9/13 is the day of curriculum day.

親師座談分三個年段舉行，請家長按照學生的年級時間到就讀班級教室與老師對談

一、這星期六第二節課是高年級的親師座談.9:40 - 10:20 AM

安排九年級 & 十年級 (共 27 位同學 ) 到401教室, 我們邀請了一位剛從華大畢業的大姐姐, 也是去年華大慈青社長汪德欣(Theresa)來分享如何從高中準備升學

 七年級 & 八年級學生 (共 29 位同學) 請到餐廳集合, 我們請如宜師姐帶領他們做"三好"的海報. 此海報將會布置在校園一整學期.  請提醒學生帶彩色筆

二、這星期六第三節課是中年級的親師座談. 10:30 - 11:10 AM

我們安排二年級~五年級學生做小手工藝, 成品將會作為我們另一活動- 敦親睦鄰用, 或是配合支會  21周年慶義賣活動.  請提醒學生帶彩色筆

三、這星期六第四節課是低年級的親師座談. 11:20 - 12:00

感恩幼幼兩班 的老師準備了活動給孩子們.
注音班 : 學習手語, 作為配合支會 21 周年慶活動的暖身準備. 
一年級兩班 : 我們安排學生做小手工藝, 成品將會作為我們另一活動- 敦親睦鄰用, 或是配合支會  21周年慶義賣活動

First Day of School is September 6th, 2014

Are you ready for another new school year?
It is coming....

Look forward to seeing you at school on September 6th!!

教師暑期研習

趁著暑假期間，老師們與行政志工其實也沒有放鬆，忙著學習還要備課。
今年的新教師也完成了暑期培訓的課程。
9/6 就要開學了，大家都準備得差不多了吧?!
行事曆已經上傳，可於本網頁右邊的行政訊息中找到檔案連結
開學通知預定在 8/23寄到您註冊時登記的電子信箱中, 如果您目前的電子信箱住址更改, 請儘速email 通知校方, tcseattleschool@gmail.com, 感恩!

敬致人文學校家長及孩子們，

空難、氣爆......

災難頻傳心不捨，縱生慨嘆又如何？

戒慎虔誠敬天地，時時觀照多用心。

無常不遠在身邊，您我皆應生警覺，

清楚生命當何往，即能掌握當下念。

誠摯呼籲大家一起為受難者及其家屬祈禱，讓我們的善念凝聚，共振傳達我們的祝福

【祈禱】

 - 行政團隊  感恩合十

探索孩子內在的聲音

                        

  每個孩子都是父母親的寶，也都內心純潔天真，可是隨著孩子年齡漸長父母親與孩子的心靈交匯卻更遠。台灣北捷的槍殺事件、西雅圖太平洋大學槍擊案，在在都讓人驚駭這些孩子的心靈怎麼都充滿了暴力！到底是社會治安問題?還是家庭與學校的教育問題?如何在這不幸的事件中，針對孩子的心靈能深層進一步的關心和探索?

六月是學校最忙碌的期末結業，儘管如此學校仍兼顧家長的特別需求，在非常緊奏、擠壓的時段，決議六月七日的早上九點四十到十點四十分，安排一場演講: 「探索孩子內在的聲音。」特別邀請心理學家 管以雯博士蒞臨演講。

生活點滴分享 愛的存款要多多

管博士開門見山地說:「每個孩子都沒有問題」，若有問題一定要找醫生診斷。博士問大家一個問題，如何讓孩子願意分享? 看見在座的家長豎起長長耳朵準備聽取第一手資料。管博士說: 「如果小時候與父母關係很好分享就容易，但因不同的孩子有不同性情，有的孩子需要一些引導。若孩子有回應問答時，父母的傾聽、同理心、正向回復也決定分享內容的深廣。尤其建立好關係是最最重要。」

”傾聽”對任何人都是需求的，它讓不平的情緒得到發洩的管道。”分享”在人與人之間更是交心與否的關鍵。

血濃於水的親情，能分享和順暢的溝通，沒有負擔和壓力的愛是必要、必存的元素。

理直又氣和  節外生枝少

管博士說:「小朋友在學校一定要有朋友，如果落單容易被欺負，同時家長也要常去學校幫忙，間接知道孩子的狀況。若孩子在學校被欺負一定直接去找校長、副校長，千萬不要直接去找對方。舉例說:她的個案的一個小孩在學校被欺負，家長直接到學校找對方咆哮，結果不但沒幫忙反而讓校方警告不准到學校。學校有霸凌的現象讓孩子沒安全感，一旦有這樣的事情發生，家長要幫助孩子處理，不然孩子會以為家長沒辦法了，就用自己的方式，可是情況可能會更糟，但處理方式一定先找校方談，談話現場最好也有counselor在。」

疏導負情緒  輕生念頭滅

每個人都會有情緒起伏。如何引導孩子釋放情緒是相當重要的關鍵。管博士說:「當孩子情緒沒被疏導，衝口說出要去「死」，請不要假裝沒聽到，而且當場要辭正嚴明的說:不可以去死，要徹底打消孩子去死的想法。同時要和孩子深切的談一談，為什麼有這樣的思考? 另一方面若聽到孩子說:最近某某人不太對勁。家長的敏感度要高、多關心一些，或許能減少不必要的悲劇發生。」管博士同時也建議孩子在外面走路，不要只顧聽耳機或看手機，應該注意周圍的人來人往，若發現有人眼神不太對，要離遠一點，畢竟生命可貴，不要一時的輕忽讓自己處在危險中。

管博士的演講回響熱絡，Q & A時段提問問題的家長踴躍，會後向管博士單獨請教也若干人。這一場「探索孩子內在的聲音。」對一個家庭來說該是相當值得注意的課題。 因為每一個個體的生命都是獨一無二的尊貴和難得。但應運多元性社會型態讓人的生活不僅緊奏和繁忙，也存在不少的壓力，有時一家人團聚的時間，也因工作或功課忙幾天內說不上幾句話，連最普通的談心、話家常都可能要事先預約！人與人之間因缺乏溝通、分享，心的距離就會相形漸遠，彼此不信任和猜忌也會加深，相對不必要的誤會和傷害也會發生。在探索孩子的內心聲音同時，也讓我們停下腳步省察:為什麼人與人之間的真誠變少了?為什麼孩子與我們之間心距離漸遠?

地點:西雅圖慈濟人文學校

日期:2014/06/07

時間: 9:40 ~10:40

參加人數: 約60人

撰文: 謝慈尹

June Announcement

親愛的家長您好

很快地這學期將近尾聲了，以下有三項活動敬邀您參加：

  一、      本周六(6/7) 9:40 - 10:40 談「心」茶會

有鑒於最近發生的台北捷運與加州槍擊案都是年輕人不尋常心理所引起, 造成年輕人自己以及家長們很大的不安, 因此學校有邀請管以雯博士 - 執業的心理學家來和家長們互動, 看如何幫助孩子們排解對此悲劇所造成的不安, 以及平時要如何注意孩子們有不尋常的舉動

    二、      本周六(6/7)早上早上各班結束期末考後，學校將舉辦親子運動會，時間是11:00 AM，地點在學校大草坪，歡迎家長一起來跟孩子慶祝完成一年的學習。

    三、      下週六(6/14)是最後一週，將舉行結業式暨第八屆畢業典禮，除了頒發各項獎勵外，同時發下學期成績單與暑假作業，會點名計算出席，今年舉辦的地點改在Bellevue High School Performing Art Center

地址是10416 SE Wolverine Way, Bellevue, WA 98004

Google map here

時間: 9:00-11:30 AM, 學生應於9:00前到Performing Art Center前門與班級集合入場

敬祺

平安

人文學校行政團隊 恭敬合十

如蓮心願感恩月邀請函

日期：May 10, 2014

地點：School Gym

第一場: 9:30 – 10:30

第二場: 10:50 – 11:50

16020 SE 16^th St, Bellevue WA

西雅圖慈濟人文學校敬邀

Tzu Chi Academy, Seattle

如蓮心願感恩月

在慈濟，五月是感恩月，感恩父母、感恩眾生、感恩佛陀。感恩您長期以來與我們一起愛全校的孩子，為孩子們無所求的付出。

藉這感恩月的來臨，每個孩子之前都領過一個愛心竹筒，不論錢多錢少，要募的是天天您與孩子一個善念，我們將在這天讓竹筒回娘家，敬邀您闔家蒞臨，讓孩子向您道聲感恩，更與您一起匯聚愛心，福慧雙修共善緣。

May is the Month of Gratitude in Tzu Chi.  We are grateful to our parents, grateful to all sentient beings, and grateful to Buddha.  Thank you for your long term support and unconditional giving to all the students at Tzu Chi Academy.

Every student have had previous adopted a “Bamboo Bank.” Regardless of the amount of donation, we hoped to encourage you and your child with cultivating a kind thought every day.  On the day of the event, we would like to welcome the Bamboo Bank home.  We sincerely invite you with your whole family to come to the “Appreciation event” and allow your child an opportunity to thank you.

行善行孝不能等

~證嚴法師靜思語~

Two things should never wait: doing good deeds and being good to our parents.

- Jing Si Aphorism by Master Cheng Yen –

Please bring back your child’s bamboo bank.

Two seats per family.

孩子要貼近您，敬請攜帶您的護手乳液。

Please bring hand lotion to receive the service from your student.

「佛誕節、母親節、全球慈濟日」三節合一慶典

        慈濟基金會西雅圖支會為慶祝浴佛節、母親節、慈濟日「三節合一」，訂五月十一日星期日舉辦二場慶典活動，藉以感念「佛恩、親恩、眾生恩」，並慶祝慈濟四十八週年。上午場次將於10:00am – 12:00pm假西雅圖支會 (12639 NE 85th St., Kirkland WA 98033)舉行 ，下午場次將於3:00pm -4:30pm假華埠社區中心 (719 8th Ave S Seattle, WA 98104) 舉行。

        活動將透過莊嚴的「浴佛典禮」與「繞佛繞法」，呈現宗教人文之美，啟迪人性之善，促進人心淨化，增進社會祥和，消彌人間災難。當天同時結合志工手語演繹及人文學校學生表演節目來感念母恩，現場將設置靜思文物、素食品嚐、發願樹、親子手工藝、人間菩薩大招生等攤位，同時備有結緣品和會眾結緣。

2014-2015 Registration open for current students

2014-2015 在校生註冊開始 – 名額保留至5/17

Dear Parents of Current students,

Here is the link to the registration form for the current students only!

https://tzuchiacademyseattle.org/register2014/

Registration completed by 5/17, there will be $10 discount each current student. There is no sibling discount.

All available space will open to new students after 5/18/2014.

Once you click the link above, please enter student's name & birthday to pull out your student's info and then you will received an email which includes a designated link for your student to register, please do not share that link to others for your own privacy. Please submit tuition payment in check to our registrar to complete your registration. She will be at school cafeteria each Saturday.

If you have trouble to pull out your student's info from our database, please send email to tcseattleschool@gmail.com, describe the problem and we will respond as soon as possible.

All new coming students have to contact our registrar to ensure there is space available before using this system.

Thank you for supporting our Green action online registration system.

Gratefully,

Administration

4/19/2014 

恭喜!!!本校學生參加 “中華文化之旅基金會”學藝競賽榮獲歌唱比賽第二名及背誦比賽第三名

更感恩!!!將所得獎金全數捐給慈濟基金會

快樂小種子隊
注音福慧:  Maria Knauss
注音福慧:  施敬德  Sydney L. Shih
注音福慧:  紀梅   Jean Brockenbrough
一年知足:  黃子祐  Asuke Huang
一年感恩:  鄭凱益  Daven K White
二年知足:  汪珍駿  Thomas J. Wang
二年知足:  翁斯敏  Charlotte Middleton
二年知足:  連雅彤  Johanna Lian

二年感恩:  唐蕾    Hoda Abdel-Aleim
二年感恩:  李守芬  Emma De Guzman
二年尊重:  陳愛沙  Natasha Quay
二年尊重:  紀漢    Chase Brockenbrough

二年尊重:  薛育媛  Gwenyth Seet

二年尊重:  Joseph Knauss

五年善解: 林宇涵  Arie Yuhan Lin

六年誠正: 施萱琳  Shirlyn Shih

愛心種子隊

     二年尊重:  曾子瑄  Iris Tseng
     三年善解:  姚博彰  Andrew Yao
     四年善解:  薛育凱  Asher Seet
     四年善解:  紀琳    Sydney Brockenbrough
     五年善解:  黃子恩  Annabelle Huang
     五年善解:  姚博瀚  Preston Yao
     五年善解:  薛育卓  Ethan Seet
     五年善解:  郭葳    Jacqueline Simpson

     五年善解:  海娜    Hannah Knauss