Rockbrook Express
Rockbrook's Monthly Newsletter | May 2020
Principal's Welcome
As our week draws to a close we want to thank all of our families for their commitment and hard work during Extended Learning. This week was the final week of formal lessons. Next week your child's teacher will be communicating some fun activities to wrap up the year with the emphasis being on less structured opportunities, as we often have during a typical end of school year.
On Wednesday morning we will be sending out our Virtual Awards Assembly and on Wednesday afternoon we invite you to come to our Reverse Wave Parade (click for details), where teachers will line the sidewalk in front of our school and families can drive by, wave, and say hello.
Finally, Friday is our first opportunity for families to drop off school items and collect personal items. Please see our procedures to assist with this process. While next week serves as the beginning of the summer break, please know that you can still reach out to us if your family is in need of support. Resources are being sent home for summer learning, both in your child's personal items bag and in this newsletter, and we hope you will consider keeping minds and bodies active in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Mr. Higginbotham
Reverse Parade 05/13 @ 2PM
Pop Your Trunk or Hatch
Bulldog of the Week
Report Cards
Rockbrook Summer Reading and Math Challenges
iPad Updates
In preparation for a few changes that will happen this summer, we need all students to run all available updates on the iPad.
To update:
Open up Settings
Tap on General
Tap on Software Update
Install any updates that are there.
Repeat the process until it says that your software is up to date.
Westside Technology Use and Care
Due to a drastic increase in the number of physically damaged iPads this week, we are asking you to be especially careful in the treatment, handling, and storage of student iPads. When the iPads are not being used, please identify one specific safe place in your home where iPads should be stored on a regular basis. These safe places should be out of the way of normal kid/parent/pet activities that might cause damage. These spaces should be off the floor, away from casual seating/sleeping areas, and away from drink/food. Thank you for helping us take care of our technology."
Paul D. Lindgren, Ph.D.
Director of Technology Westside Community Schools
Technology Repair Requests
Check Out The Fun Ways Kids & Teachers Celebrated May 4th - Star Wars Day!
Student Lunch Accounts
Rockbrook 2020-2021 Teacher Updates
Happy Retirement Ms. Warming!
And check out the inspiring video produced by Westside to honor its retirees including Mrs. Warming!
Welcome Ms. Hillary Ibarra - New Rockbrook 6th Grade Teacher
We are excited to welcome to our team at Rockbrook 6th Grade Teacher Hillary Ibarra. Ms. Ibarra comes to us from Scottsbluff Public schools where she has worked as a 6th Grade English Language Arts Teacher.
Ms. Ibarra will be joining us for the start of the new school year and we wanted to offer a chance to introduce her. We are excited to get to know her in the coming months and for the new opportunities, she will offer our students and staff at Rockbrook. Welcome, Ms. Ibarra!
Wishing Ms. Smith (Resource) Well in Pre-K
We want to wish Ms. Amanda Smith well as she makes a difference in the lives of our Westside Pre-school students next year. Ms. Smith worked this year as a 3rd Grade Special Education Teacher as well as part time at Paddock Road. Ms. Smith will be taking a position at Underwood Hills for next year and we know she will have a great impact there just as she did for us.
“ I have loved my short time at Rockbrook, working with the 3rd grade teachers and getting to know all of the children has been a great experience, and I will certainly miss the teachers, all of the wonderful students, and families I have had the pleasure of working with next year. I will also miss working alongside all of the amazing Special Education teachers at Rockbrook, the Special Education team always made me feel welcomed, and always helped make sure all of my students were taken care of when I was out of the building. I hope that all of the students and staff have a great 20-21 school year, I will miss all of you so much, thank you all for making my time at Rockbrook a great experience!“
Welcome Mr. Jerod Schoneman - New Rockbrook Resource Teacher
"Thank you for the opportunity to join the Rockbrook family. I am extremely excited to be joining the team at Rockbrook Elementary. I am coming up on my fourth year of teaching. I have previously been teaching sixth grade in St. Paul. During my time in St. Paul, I had the opportunity to coach Jr. High track as well as Jr. High boys basketball. I have a really deep passion for coaching youth sports which allows me to continue my love and enjoyment of all different sports. In my free time, I enjoy golfing, hiking, and being on the lake with family and friends. I am lucky to be married to my wonderful wife, Taylor, who is also joining the Westside district as well this upcoming school year. We are extremely excited to be welcoming a baby boy this summer as we grow our family. I look forward to meeting everyone this upcoming school year."
Well Wishes for Ms. Henningsen
Welcoming Again Ms. Sindt
Westside Assessments and Benchmarks
Due to extended campus learning with COVID-19, classroom instruction and many reading interventions were interrupted. Each classroom teacher, special education teacher, and family has been doing their best to continue to support the learning of all our students. As we enter into the summer, it will be especially important this year to continue learning in the area of reading as teachers will not be sending home daily work. We want to highlight a variety of ways you can help your child with their reading skills and access other programs over the summer. This link outlines opportunities to continue learning using apps located on the iPad that will be available through June 26th and without technology throughout the summer.
Best wishes for a safe, healthy, and fulfilling summer!
Honoring Our Retirees
Kindergarten Parent Materials
2020-2021 Elementary School Day Start Time Adjustments
Extended Read-A-Thon - Time to Wrap it Up
Camp Out For Reading
Extended Reading Minutes Calendar
Book Drawings
ARTSONIA - Your Child's Custom Art Work Products
We know that many of you use our Original Works programs for special family gifts, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. Unfortunately, these orders are currently delayed as is our ability to send in any student art for inclusion. While we will continue to work with this company we wanted to make sure and make you aware of similar offerings through ARTSONIA.
To order from Artsonia, please go to Artsonia.com and click on "Parents" in the top left corner. You will log in with the account you created when you approved Artsonia for your student. If you do not remember your login details, please email Mrs. Johnson at johnson.bryn@westside66.net and she can send you your student's code.
Rockbrook Elementary Staff Contacts
Garret Higginbotham, Principal higginbotham.garret@westside66.net
Dustin Carlson, Kindergarten carlson.dustin@westside66.net
Ann Miller, Kindergarten miller.ann@westside66.net
Tammy Lewis, 1st Grade lewis.tammy@westside66.net
Amber Whitney, 1st Grade whitney.amber@westside66.net
Jan Kyle, 2nd Grade kyle.janis@westside66.net
Elizabeth Raphael, 2nd Grade raphael.elizabeth@westside66.net
Sarah Davenport, 3rd Grade davenport.sarah@westside66.net
Melodie Rice, 3rd Grade rice.melodie@westside66.net
Jill Conyers, 4th Grade conyers.jill@westside66.net
Michele Madson, 4th Grade madson.michele@westside66.net
Laura Chouinard, 5th Grade chouinard.laura@westside66.net
Lisa Smith, 5th Grade smith.lisa@westside66.net
Camille Akers, 6th Grade akers.camille@westside66.net
Cynthia Warming, 6th Grade warming.cynthia@westside66.net
Jennifer Cramer-Brink, Special Education brink.jennifer@westside66.net
Rhonda Josten, Special Education josten.rhonda@westside66.net
Marcia Manzo, Special Education manzo.marcia@westside66.net
Amanda Smith, Special Education smith.amanda@westside66.net
Lisa Davis, School Psychologist davis.lisa@westside66.net
Hallie Sharkey, Speech Language Pathologist sharkey.hallie@westside66.net
Bryn Johnson, Art johnson.bryn@westside66.net
Cathy Montgomery, Library montgomery.catherine@westside66.net
Barry Glanzer, Physical Education glanzer.barry@westside66.net
Nolan Pribnow, Music pribnow.nolan@westside66.net
Mike Freeman, Band freeman.michael@westside66.net
Viktoria Matheson, Strings matheson.viktoria@westside66.net
Linda Safranek, Reading Coordinator safranek.linda@westside66.net
Liz Langford, English Language Learners langford.elizabeth@westside66.net
Jenny Henningsen, Excellence in Youth henningsen.jennifer@westside66.net
Katie Sindt, Excellence in Youth sindt.katie@westside66.net
Angie Calderone, Occupational Therapist calderone.angela@westside66.net
Carolyn Hansen, Physical Therapist hansen.carolyn@westside66.net
April Anderson, School Social Worker anderson.april@westside66.net
Upcoming Events Postponed
Welcome to Rockbrook Elementary - Home of the Bulldogs
The mission of Rockbrook Elementary School, a diverse community of learners, is to foster learning by providing a quality educational experience within a secure and challenging environment.
Rockbrook School Design Goal:
At Rockbrook we will increase student engagement and achievement through Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
Email: veldhuis.courtney@westside66.net
Website: http://rockbrook.westside66.org
Location: 2514 South 108th Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 402-390-6475
Facebook: facebook.com/RockbrookElementary
Twitter: @Rockbrook66