Knights News
Merryman December 2017 Newsletter
Dates to Remember
December 2 - Merryman students/staff participating in Marinette Holiday Parade 1:00pm
December 4 - NO School - Staff Professional Development Day
December 13 - Sing Along 1:30pm at Marinette High School
December 14 - Seal-a-Smile
December 14 - PTO Meeting 6pm
December 19 - Merryman Spotlight Board Meeting 7pm at Marinette District Office
December 25-29- NO School - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
January 1 - NO School - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
January 8 - Seal-a-Smile
January 11 - PTO Meeting 6pm
January 24 - End of 2nd Quarter
January 25 - PTO Math/Game Night 5:30-7:30
January 26 - NO School - Staff Professional Development Day
From the Desk of Ms. Kostrova
Merryman is buzzing with song as we prepare for the annual concert to be held on Wednesday, December 13th. Students are singing, dancing, and working on speaking parts in order to prepare for the program.
Once again this year, Student Council will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army.
Looking for the perfect gift for your child? How about listening to them read at home! Research shows that children who read nightly do better academically, behaviorally, and socially. Please support your child by taking the time to listen to them read at home.
No school for students on December 4th as this is a professional development day for staff.
December 19th Merryman Students will be featured at the Monthly Board Meeting at 7:00 pm. We hope you will stop by to hear their presentation.
Winter break will be from December 25th through January 1st. Enjoy the time with family.
Burr… it sure is cold outside! Be sure to send your child to school with winter clothing including boots, snow pants, coats, hats, and mittens/gloves.. Need help, contact the school office.
If you haven’t already found us on Facebook please check us out! Also, I encourage you to look at the Merryman Webpage for monthly updates and happenings.
Lastly, please note our updated PBIS Matrix included in this month’s newsletter. We also have a list of behavior definitions for you to look at. Questions, comments, or concerns please contact me at kkostrov@marinette.k12.wi.us or at 715-735-2500.
Veterans Day 2017
Propel Award!
Merryman PBIS Carnival
Recently we had a few updates to our PBIS supporting documentation, you can find the documents linked below.
Compassion
1. Challenge yourself to smile more.
How many times do we walk into a room and see a majority of the people standing around looking bored or cranky? They may glance down at their phones or look up as you walk by, but most of the time people are just neutral. Challenge yourself to smile more. Smile at your neighbor as you drive by, the mailman as he drops off a package, and the lady at the grocery store who scans your groceries. Changing your look from unemotive to something more joyful is a small action that can have a huge impact on someone else.
2. Open the door for someone.
Think about the last time someone help a door open for you. Was it at a store when your hands were full with shopping bags? Was it as you were entering or exiting school? No matter where it took place, chances are you were grateful to the person who held the door for you because it was one less task you had to worry about as you were moving to your next destination. Take a few seconds to open the door for someone else and better yet, remember to smile as they walk by you.
3. Motivate others.
Motivation is often an idea that many people struggle with. With the help from others, encouraging words and positivity can help to uplift someone’s spirit. Use some of these key phrases to help in your motivation, “You did it!” and “How do you feel about that?” Using positive language such as “You can do it!” helps to motivate as well.
4. Practice acts of kindness.
Many of the ideas on this list fall into the category “act of kindness”. Beyond this list, there are many more activities that are considered acts of kindness. Attempt to practice at least two different acts of kindness a day. This could include donating clothes to the poor, time to help serve meals, or maybe just taking a minute to hold the door open for someone else. The possibilities are endless!
5. Allocate time to bond with friends and family.
Life is too short to be “busy” all the time. We all have a tendency to get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle of getting to school, going to work, getting homework done, and trying to catch up on chores around the house. Set aside time to forget about everything you need to do and just spend a few hours catching up with family and friends. It will be time well spent and you will have plenty of time to catch up on your to-do list later.
6. Say encouraging words.
Today’s world is absorbed in negativity. It seems that nothing is ever good enough and the things people do often come up short of perfect. Instead of dwelling on everything people do wrong, use your voice to tell them what they are doing right and encourage them to continue working towards their goals.
7. Share a hug or a handshake.
The power of touch is unique. Sharing a hug or a hand shake can be a powerful but simple way to show compassion. Make an effort to utilize hugs and handshakes in a variety of situations to show others that you care.
8. Incorporate the phrase “thank you” into your daily routine.
Manners matter! We often have a tendency to believe that our gratefulness for any given act is implied, but the reality of the situation is that our thankfulness for most things in life is left unspoken. Incorporate the phrase “thank you” into more of your routine activities. Thank the receptionist at the hair salon for her time, a teacher for their classroom efforts, or a child for their drive to learn. Gratitude is something that should never be left unspoken.
9. Offer to help someone with their to-do list.
To-do lists seem to be endless, however as the saying goes, many hands make light work. Volunteer to help someone out with his or her chore list. Checking any task off that list will feel like a great accomplishment.
10. Nurture relationships by taking time to listen to others.
Sometimes, the easiest way to build a relationship can be done simply by listening. Put forth an effort to just listen to what others have to say around you. Contribute to the conversation, but try not to take it over. It is easy to be the only person talking in a situation, it is much more difficult to listen to the contributions of others.
Every STAR Deserves the Chance to Shine!
1st Grade Super-Stars!
2nd Grade Super-Stars!
Veterans Day Program
Volcano!
Reader's Theater
3rd Grade Super-Stars!
4th Grade Super-Stars!
The 4th graders were very busy during the month of November. We went to the nursing home and sang our Veteran’s Day songs for the residents. We also shared our Book Report in A Bag during Language Arts and started our division unit in Math(KEEP PRACTICING THOSE FACTS). We finished up our Science unit on plants with our plant presentations. Our biggest accomplishment was finishing and sharing our Personal Narrative piece for Writer’s Workshop.
Staff Super-Stars!
Mrs. Koenigs
How long have you been at Merryman?
This is my 4th year!
Which University did you graduate from?
I graduated from UW-Stevens Point.
What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
My favorite thing about being a teacher is to see the growth that the students make. It’s so amazing to see the excitement on their faces when they really start understanding something.
When not at work what do you do for fun?
I love to spend time with my husband and playing with my baby when I am not at school.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Porterfield.
If you could have any super power, what would you choose?
If I could have any super power I would be able to teleport wherever I want, whenever I want.
Mrs. Versaskas
How long have you been at Merryman?
3 years
Which University did you graduate from?
UW-Oshkosh
What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
The excitement kids have for learning is so much fun. I enjoy when a student learns something new and then watching them share that learning with others.
When not at work what do you do for fun?
I spend time with family and friends. We like to go boating, skiing, 4-wheeling, and taking vacations to warm places.
Where did you grow up?
Porterfield
If you could have any super power, what would you choose?
Shape shifting because then I would be able to be anything I wanted to be.
Mrs. Giese
How long have you been at Merryman?
15 years.
Which University did you graduate from?
UWGB
What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
I love helping kids get it and seeing that lightbulb go off!
When not at work what do you do for fun?
I spend time with family and friends outside, upnorth or just hanging out.
Where did you grow up?
Green Bay across the street from Mrs. Rastall.
If you could have any super power, what would you choose?
I would choose to fly then I could go anywhere anytime!
Mrs. Henriksen
How long have you been at Merryman?
My first job was right here at Merryman in January of ‘97, and I’ve been teaching here the 20 years since! About half that time was in third grade and now in second grade. I even have the children of former students starting to come through Merryman.
Which University did you graduate from?
I graduated from UW-Green Bay with a major in English, a minor in Human Development and a K-6 teaching degree.
What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
There are lots of things I love about teaching, but a few of my favorites are: The Merryman staff...they are like a family to me (in fact I like them more than most of my own family LOL) The Merryman families...we have such wonderful students and parents at our school. And seeing things again through children’s eyes...I love how curious and excited students are about things.
When not at work what do you do for fun?
For fun I enjoy going up north to Iron River, MI, to hang out with family. We go boating up there and play board games with the in-laws and cousins. I like cuddling up with my daughters and furry cat to read in the evenings and enjoy designing/decorating spaces in my home. I also love watching my daughters take part in soccer, gymnastics, and taekwondo.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the small town of Armstrong Creek, a little over an hour north-west of Marinette. We went to school in the neighboring town and I graduated with only 12 students in my class. That’s how I got to be prom queen and volleyball captain at only 5’2”! LOL
If you could have any super power, what would you choose?
If I had one super power, I would choose kindness laser eyes. That way, I could stare at people and make their hearts happy, spread smiles all over the world, and ZAP anyone who tried to say anything mean to others and change it into something nice.