The Eagle Express
Week of: January 22, 2021
A Note:
Go, Pack, GO! So excited for the big game this weekend, and keeping my fingers crossed for a Superbowl placement!
I'm not sure if you are feeling the same thing as me, but this month feels like it flew by in the blink of an eye. We are inching ever closer to spring. With that comes the universal feeling of renewal and rebirth. I'm truly hoping that by the time we hit that springtime mark, we will be renewing the shape of our world and how we can move throughout it.
Holding on to warm thoughts,
Angela Patterson, Principal
Matt Stich, Associate Principal
At a Glance:
- Important Dates
- Second Semester Class Placements
- Yearbook Ordering
- Student Council Updates
- and more!
Out and About
Snow Fun
K5 Math
Jump Rope
Important Upcoming Dates
- January 22nd: Class placement emails sent (see info below)
- January 27th: End of Q2/Semester 1
- January 28th-29th: NO SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS! No new learning will take place today.
- February 1st: Semester 2/Q3 begins
- February 5th: Report cards viewable in IC at 4pm
Second Semester Teacher Assignments - Friday, January 22nd
Today at 4:00, families that requested a change in learning model will receive a communication about their new teacher placements. We look forward to welcoming our students in their new environment beginning on February 1st!
Ronald Reagan students that are not changing their learning model, will maintain their current homeroom teachers (both in person and virtual)
An update for virtual art students: With Mrs. Julie Ibar’s leave of absence, our SDNB art educator team will be providing online instruction for our virtual learners during second semester as follows:
Ms. Seely (based out of PC) = K-2nd
Ms. Schretenthaler (based out of ELM) = 3rd
Ms. Berg (based out of RR) = 4th
Ms. Weber (based out of OL) = 5th-6th
Yearbook Orders
Yearbooks can be ordered online here: https://orders.schoolandsportpics.com/ordering
Use the drop down menu to select Ronald Reagan
The yearbook sale will run until April 1st!
Please reach out to the Ronald Reagan office staff if you have additional questions.
Student Council Updates
- January: Pop top collection for the Ronald McDonald House charity! They also held a "career day" dress up event today, where students could dress up as a career they aspire to in their future
- February Project: Our annual Valentine's Day Sale (see link below for details) will take place the week of February 8th. There are opportunities for virtual and in person learners. Please check out the links below for more info and the sale item list. Money raised goes to playground equipment that supports the entire building.
- February Spirit Day: Save the date for February 26th. This will be our Movie/TV Day! Wear something from a Show or Movie or dress as a character from a show or movie!
A huge shout out to Mrs. Kmichik and Mr. Hierl for leading our amazing 4th-6th grade student council members!
String Fest
One of the consequences of COVID-19 has been the number of performing arts events that have had to be cancelled or reimagined since last March. As a former music teacher, I am incredibly proud of the district's programs, from our theater programs to our choral groups, bands and orchestras. We are fortunate to have dedicated staff and talented students who have found ways to continue to hone their craft through in-person or virtual instruction.
Every January, we hold a district-wide event called String Fest. This annual tradition is typically held at New Berlin West and allows orchestra students across all six buildings an opportunity to come together to perform for the SDNB community. While this year's event looks different, the sound is the same. Instead of an in-person event, the orchestras - with the help of the district's Video Production III students - have videotaped their musical performances to share with our families.
More than 280 students, ranging from 5th-12th grade, comprise the 12 different orchestras represented. You can find a link to the performances here.
I encourage you to take a listen and help us celebrate these talented students! And a huge shout out to our very own Orchestra teachers, Mr. Spitz and Ms. Andrews!
Ronald Reagan Reading Challenge
Did you know that a child who reads an extra five minutes per day is exposed to an extra 282,000 words per year; and, a student who reads an extra 20 minutes per day is exposed to an extra 1.8 million words? Extra reading practice provides kids an engaging free-time activity, helps them grow and improve their reading skills, and will build habits needed for a life filled with reading as they get older.
To help support at-home reading, we have issued the "Under the Big Top Reading Challenge." From now until the end of the school year our goal is to read over 500,000 minutes at home. To reach this goal, all students will have the opportunity to track their at home reading.
We have partnered with BeanStack to help provide us with an online tracking tool. In order to start tracking reading, each student has an account located at https://ronaldreaganes.beanstack.com/ or on their school issued iPad using the “BeanStack” app that is already loaded on their device. The username is your child’s school ID number and the password is “beanstack.”
Once the student is logged into their account they can begin recording their minutes. There are different recording options within the program, however, we are most interested in “minutes read.” This will help us track our total minutes, and will earn students different prizes. We are also interested in tracking the titles students are reading. This allows us to analyze whether our school and classroom libraries are keeping up with students’ interests. There is also the opportunity to record pages read which can be interesting for students, but is not something we are requiring as part of the challenge.
At certain target points, students will earn badges in their account. In addition, they will earn school-based prizes for achieving different levels of minutes. Within the program they will earn a challenge badge for reading 100, 200, 400, 500, 750, 1,000, 1,200, 1,400 1,500, 1,750, 2,000, and 2,200 minutes. In addition to those badges, students who read 1,000 minutes will receive a school bookmark, 1,500 minutes will receive a bracelet, 2,000 minutes will receive a button, and 2,200 minutes will receive a t-shirt.
We understand that not all of our students are independently reading books at this point. If your child is not an independent reader yet, they can log the minutes they have been read to by an adult or sibling.
We are excited for our Under the Big Top Challenge, and hope that all students participate in this school-wide challenge! Please reach out with any questions!
Mr. Stich
Associate Principal
Virtual Spanish Offering
Live Interactive SPANISH in a Virtual Setting!
ALL NEW MATERIAL THIS SPRING. . . Join Futura for a live, interactive Spanish class in real time! From the comfort and safety of your home, your child will learn Spanish in a dynamic, lively manner that incorporates songs and games. There are two options for learning: ‘Vamos a Explorar’ is a theme based class where students will “explore” all in Spanish. ‘Essential Spanish’ will include all the basics to create an amazing language foundation for years to come. Various times and days to choose from to fit your family’s needs for language learning. Please check our website for course details and offerings. https://futuraadventures.com/virtual-learning-registration/ Enroll today! Space is limited.
Masks are Mandatory
FROM THE RE-ENTRY HANDBOOK
Teaching, Re-teaching, & Reinforcing
The first weeks of school will include a heavy emphasis on providing clear expectations, support, and instruction to students regarding required face coverings. This will include the information regarding consequences of repeated refusal to wear a face covering. There will be some leniency during the first weeks of school, which may include things such as reminders to wear masks, teaching students how to properly wear masks, reinforcing the mask mandate, and helping students follow this new procedure and requirement for all students and staff. However, all incidents of refusal will be logged in Infinite Campus. Blatant refusal to comply with the district and state’s mask-mandate during the first weeks of school and when instruction resumes 5 days per week, starting Sept. 21, will result in the disciplinary action, as follows:
First Refusal
Teacher redirection
Parent contact
Infinite Campus documentation
Second Refusal
Infinite Campus documentation
The student will be referred to administration and suspended out-of-school for the remainder of the school day.
A reminder of the consequences for further violations will be provided to the parent and student along with the written notice of suspension per BOE POLICY 5131.2 CONDUCT - CAUSES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION linked here
Third Refusal
Infinite Campus documentation
The student will be referred to the administration.
An out-of-school suspension will be issued and the student will be auto-enrolled in virtual learning for the remainder of the first semester.
The student will be suspended for no more than 5 days until the enrollment in virtual learning and the student’s course schedule is finalized. A written notice of suspension will be provided with a resolution detail of "enrollment in virtual learning."
**If the student has an individualized education plan (IEP) or Section 504 plan, face-covering accommodations should be discussed with the case manager. In the event a disciplinary response is necessary, the administration will follow all federal and state guidelines for discipline, which will include working with the IEP/504 team and potentially proceeding with a manifestation determination process.**
What are the student face covering expectations on the bus? What if a child at the bus stop is not wearing a mask?
No students will be left curbside if they refuse to wear a mask while getting on a bus or while on the bus. If a student doesn’t have a mask, they’ll be offered one by the driver. If they refuse it or refuse to wear it, they will be directed to sit in the front seat and the driver will contact the building administrator as soon as possible.
The first mask offense on a bus will result in a warning and a referral. A second mask offense results in another referral AND a bus suspension for 5 instructional days. A third mask offense after suspension will result in a bus suspension for the remainder of the semester.
Updated Sept. 22, 2020: Per Gov. Tony Evers’ new Emergency Order, all students in all grades (ELP-12) are required to wear masks while in our buildings and on our buses (with the exception of during lunch and other designated “mask breaks”) through at least Nov. 21. We recognize some students will not be able to wear a mask / face covering all day and we will evaluate this on a case-by-case basis. If a child has a medical reason to be exempt from wearing a mask, they must provide a note from their physician to a building administrator indicating the reason for the exemption. The SDNB will address any issues related to students intentionally refusing to follow these safety procedures. The CDC and Waukesha County have shared reasoning why masks / coverings should be worn to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Will staff be required to wear a mask / face covering at school? What about visitors?
All staff will be required to wear masks / face coverings or work behind a plexiglass partition while in our buildings. At this point, families are not allowed in the building, unless it is an emergency. All visitors will be required to wear masks / face coverings while in our buildings.
How is a face covering defined in the Governor’s order?
A face covering is defined as a piece of cloth or other material that is worn to cover the nose and mouth completely. Face coverings include, but are not limited to, bandanas, cloth face masks, a disposable or paper mask, a neck gaiter or a religious face covering. The order states face coverings do not include face shields, mesh masks, masks with holes or openings or masks with vents.
The SDNB suggests all students have a minimum of two face coverings / masks among their school supplies, provided they satisfy the above-definition. The district may be able to provide masks / face coverings to students whose families are unable to provide / purchase them or to students who forget or lose them. The SDNB reserves the right to require students to wear a District-provided face covering if the District determines that a student's face covering does not satisfy the above-definition.
For our younger students, we encourage families to have their child(ren) practice wearing and getting used to masks / face covering prior to the start of the school year. You can make it fun or a game. Perhaps they could pick out their masks or try different ones on to see how they feel and what they prefer.
Please reach out if you have additional questions regarding face coverings.
We're Still Hiring!
- 1 Student Learning Assistant (5.45 hrs per day)
If you know of anyone that might be interested in these positions, please have them reach out to Mr. Stich at matthew.stich@nbexcellence.org
Save the Dates
RR Home & School Association
About Us:
The Home and School Association (HSA) at Ronald Reagan is a collection of Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Teachers and Staff Members working together to make our school a better place. Our mission is to build a strong community at the school and to support students and teachers in their academic efforts. Our HSA funds, organizes and hosts many of the programs and functions held for Ronald Reagan Elementary students. Our general monthly meetings are open to all wishing to attend and membership is free. All Reagan families are HSA members.
Ways To Connect:
Webpage - www.ronaldreaganhsa.weebly.com
Facebook - Ronald Reagan Elementary - Home and School Association (link to join)
Email - rrehsaexec@gmail.com
HSA Executive Board 2020-2021
President: Angela Kloskey - atkloskey@yahoo.com
Vice President: Mari Patterson - mari_p81@ymail.com
Treasurer: Tom Kloskey - tom.kloskey@fisglobal.com
Secretary: Julia Arnold - julia.arnold10@gmail.com
Latest HSA Updates:
Next Dining For Dollars
WHEN: February 22nd; This will be an ALL DAY event!
WHERE: 16005 W National Ave, New Berlin, WI 53151
Save the date! A flyer with more information will be sent out soon!
New Family Breakfast:
HSA would love to get creative this year and still host the new family breakfast (or lunch). We will need creative ways to gather and need a volunteer to plan this event. If you are interested in being the new family breakfast committee chair, please contact Mari Patterson (mari_p81@ymail.com).
We can't host these amazing events without wonderful volunteers to help.
Upcoming HSA Meetings
The HSA holds general meetings once per month. This is a great way to vote on ways to spend the HSA funds, learn about the budget and how the money is spent, help plan events, hear from the administration and see what is happening in your school. Meetings will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams until further notice. Meeting invites will be included in the Eagle Express and on the HSA Facebook page.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
January 27, 2021
March 31, 2021
May 26, 2020
Food for Thought
Whew! That weather got bitter cold FAST :) As a reminder, students will go outside if the temperature and windchill are above 0 degrees. Please make sure you are sending your kiddo in warm enough clothes/outdoor gear for those temperatures! If you are in need of winter gear, please reach out to Mr. Hrenak at todd.hrenak@nbexcellence.org
About Ronald Reagan
Website: https://www.nbexcellence.org/schools/rr/
Location: 4225 South Calhoun Road, New Berlin, WI, USA
Phone: 262-789-6550
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ronald-Reagan-Elementary-267815246680257
Twitter: @ReaganSDNB