Rusch May 2018
A GREAT PLACE TO BE: EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CHANCE, EVERY DAY
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
It is hard to believe that we are at the end of the school year. May is filled with a lot of work and fun. We have our final testing window that opens this week for our kindergarten through fifth grade students. Just like we emphasize the importance of the forward exam and good test taking skills with students, we will again be focusing on the importance of these assessments. This is really a chance for all students to show us how much they have grown from the beginning of the year, using the same assessments.
As we begin wrapping things up this year we also begin planning for next year. This week a class placement form will be sent home with our K through fourth grade students. This is an opportunity for you, as the person who knows your child best, to give us insight on what type of classroom your student would learn best in. We do not accept teacher requests, however, we do try to match students with teachers that will best meet their needs. If you are moving or planning on leaving Rusch, please let the office know.
Thank you for partnering with us to make this a great year for your child. We appreciate all you do at home to help your child be successful emotionally, behaviorally and academically. We also appreciate you getting your child to school when he or she is not sick. It is because of all of you, and our amazing staff and students, that we are being recognized by the state in mid-May as a Title I School of Recognition for Beating the Odds. This is a proud moment that we share with our entire community. It truly does take a village!
If you have any feedback you would like to share on how we can become even better, please do not hesitate to let us know. Enjoy the warm weather and see you for the fun activities we have planned this month!
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 8 ~ 4th Grade Field Trip~ Food For America
May 8 ~ 3rd Grade Field Trip
May 9 ~ Spring Music Program, 1:30 PM in the Gymnasium
May 10 ~ 4th Grade Field Trip to Madison
May 14 ~ Seal A Smile 2-5th Grade
May 18~ HS choir Performs at Rusch
May 18 ~ 5th Grade Safety Patrol Trip
May 21-25 ~ Book Fair
May 22~ All School Movie
May 22 ~ 5th grade visits Bartels Middle School 1:00 PM
May 22 ~ PAA Graduation Walk 2:00 PM
May 23 ~ 5th Grade Field Trip to IMAX
May 24 ~ 4th Grade Surgeon's Quarters and Agency House
May 24 ~ Buddy Family 2:00
May 25 ~ Attendance Auction
May 25 ~ Goal Gala/ Pride Day
May 28 ~ No School
May 30 ~ Carnival! K-4 Rally Awards
May 31 ~ Kindergarten/1st Grade Field Trip
May 31 ~ 5th Grade Celebration
June 1 ~ 2nd Grade Field Trip
June 4 ~ Last Day of School
July 9- Aug 9 ~ Online Registration for 2018-2019
Aug 14 ~ 2-6 PM On-site Elementary Registration at John Muir
Office News
Cafeteria
There will not be a salad option for the remainder of the school year!
Reminder about lunch accounts:
Beginning May 11, 2018, your child must have a positive balance in order to eat school breakfast or lunch.
Please ask the office for Free and Reduced applications at any time during the school year.
Here is the link to the May Menu! http://www.portage.k12.wi.us/district/lunch.cfm?memberid=15&month=5&year=2018&view=cal_view&categoryid=306&submit_button=View+Menu#d268378
Kindergarten
We cannot believe that the end of the year is almost here! We've been having a blast with our Plants and Animals unit. We can talk about the things plants and animals need! We've taken care of pill bugs and created environments where they can thrive. So cool!
1st Grade
We can't believe we are this close to the end of the year! First grade is ready to start a 26 day long ABC countdown -- be on the lookout for more information! First graders are working hard to finish strong with 4th quarter goals for Goal Gala. We are also excited for the upcoming carnival and end of the year field trip.
2nd Grade
As Second Grade looks ahead to June, we are reminded that we have our final STAR Assessments in both Reading and Math taking place in May and that it is so important that we all finish the year strong! Finishing strong means that we keep practicing the things that we need to get better at, stay focused, and give our very best effort until the very end of the school year!! Remembering that assessments are opportunities to "show us what you know" and a celebration of all you have learned this year :)
Please remember that most second graders have 4th Quarter goals connected to their AR point goals and success rate (85 or higher) percentages. In order to reach this quarter's AR point goals, second graders should be reading for 30 minutes at school and 30 minutes at home. Please encourage and support this very important reading practice time at home and remember to sign your child's Reading Log every day. All second graders reached their 3rd Quarter goals and earned attendance to our Rusch Goal Gala celebration! Woohoo!! We are looking forward to the same level of success at the end of this quarter as well! Read On Second Grade!!
3rd Grade
Third grade will be going on their end of the year field trip on May 8th to the Crane Foundation and Ochsner Zoo/Park. In our final month of school we will be working on equivalent fractions and perimeter. Students recently have finished their opinion writing. Over the summer we hope you will take advantage of the library program and continue to have your children reading!
4th Grade
4th grade has a busy end of the year coming up. They have begin taking over the responsibility of Safety Patrol and are doing well keeping the school safe.
4th grade will also be broadening their horizons in the next few weeks! See below for some of our fun trips and activities coming up:
April 27th they boarded the STEM shuttle and worked on several STEM activities. Click the link to learn more: http://www.stemshuttle.com/index.html
May 8th We will be going on the 2018 FFA Food for America field trip to Krejchik's Farm in Caledonia.
May 10th we will be going to see The Miraculous adventure of Edward Tulane at the Children's Theater in Madison, then heading to James Madison Park for lunch and some free time.
May 24th Surgeons Quarters and Indian Agency House Field Trip.
May 25th is Family Lunch and 4th quarter Goal Gala. More information will be coming home!
June 1st We are looking into a fun, end of the year trip! More information to come!5th Grade
The fifth graders are all done with their Forward Exam. I am so proud of them! They really took their time and showed perseverance with completing both their math and reading sections.
The students cannot believe the year is almost over. They said it is the fastest year yet with everything that they have learned and been involved with. Please have your son/daughter continue to be a voracious reader because not only are their Accelerated Reader points due on May 18, but they will also be completing their STAR math and STAR reading tests in May.
Over the summer please have your child continue to read and visit the Portage Public Library. This will not only help with their comprehension, but it will also help with increasing their vocabulary as well.
Below is a list of important dates to remember:
May 9 - 1:30 p.m. Spring Concert
May 14 - 15 Seal-A-Smile
May 18 - 5th Grade Safety Patrol Trip
May 21 - Band Visit
May 22 - Visit to Bartels Middle School at 1:00 p.m.
May 23 - 5th Grade Field Trip to the IMAX
May 25 - Goal Gala
Family Lunch Day
Attendance Auction
May 30 - Rusch Carnival
May 31 - 5th Grade Celebration
Physical Education
In PE students will be finishing up the school year working on their striking skills with activities such as badminton and baseball. They will also test out their speed and jumping talents in our track and field unit.
Our NFL Play 60 team was also selected to bring 5 representatives to Green Bay and Lambeau Field for a Leadership Reward Summit. Rusch was one of only 34 other school across the state to attend this summit. #FUTP60
Art Club
Art Club will conclude on May 1. Some students have been working lately on beading while others are honing their drawing skills by drawing animals.
Art Class
Stitch Club
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Submitted by Terri Steinhaus OTR/L
Happy May!!! April is Occupational therapy (OT) month-Sorry that I missed the April newsletter but I figured it is never too late:)! Please allow me to introduce myself and my profession.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a health profession that helps people from birth to old age participate in their daily activities, from the time they wake up in the morning to the time they go to sleep at night. It is a type of therapy that provides both a holistic and individual treatment approach based on need. The goal is maximal independence in all areas of life including physical and emotional areas. Our educational background includes medical and mental health.
The official OT association (AOTA) was founded in 1917 and the profession was officially named in 1920.
What does an occupational therapist do in the schools?
Occupational therapists work alongside the IEP (Individual Education Plan) team members to help students from age 3 until 21 years of age succeed in the school environment. They work in all areas including focus/attention, sitting/body positioning to optimize learning, dealing with emotions and stress, body regulation, sensory integration, reflexes, fine motor skills including printing/coloring/cutting, dressing, toileting, bathing, organization, feeding, technology, behavior, strength/endurance, and navigating the building, to name a few!
Occupational therapists also work closely with parents to help the transition of skills from the classroom to the home and beyond.
I work in the building 2 days/week (this year it has been Mondays and Fridays). Tara Sosalla, COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), has also worked with me in the past. Being a part of the Rusch team has been a gift. Thank you for letting me be a part of this wonderful learning team!
Sincerely,
Terri Steinhaus OTR/L
Music
We're all doing lots of singing and instrument playing in the music room right now, to get ready for the spring program. A reminder that the spring program date has been changed to Wednesday, May 9th at 1:30 pm in the gym. I will be sending you more details soon. Hope to see you there!
-Miss Janes
Nursing
Wrapping Up and Planning Ahead
At the end of each school year, parents/guardians are asked to pick up any unused medications from the school office. Please make arrangements now for the last days of school for picking up your child’s medication. Medications not picked up by June 8, 2018 will be disposed of properly through the Portage Police Department’s Medication Disposal bin.
The beginning of each school year is really busy for families, clinics, and schools alike. Children entering kindergarten and 6th grade in the fall of 2018 will need to have immunizations. Kindergarten students should also have an eye exam by an eye doctor prior to December 31, 2018. Scheduling appointments for medication renewals, sports physicals and well child exams should take place now for the most flexibility. Remember that Portage has the St. Vincent de Paul Free Medical Clinic on Wednesday mornings if you do not have health insurance. Be sure to include eye examinations and dental check ups while you have your calendar out.
Health plans and medication forms for the fall will be mailed to families in July. The blank medication form is always available on the website under Nursing Services, Medication.
http://www.portage.k12.wi.us/district/medication.cfm
Contact your school nurse for assistance with clinic locations, phone numbers, assistance programs, community resources for care or questions you have. The main school office staff can connect you with the correct school nurse. Stay well!
BackPack Program
Staff at Rusch Elementary are teaming up to provide food to children for the 2017-2018 school year. The Backpack Program is a free program that provides kid-friendly, non-perishable food, for students most in need, to eat over the weekends. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior, and achievement of every student that participates.
Items distributed in the program could include: cereal, peanut butter, juice, fruit cups, soup, vegetables, and granola bars to name a few. Bags will be distributed to student participants on the last school day before the weekend or break. Any child who is in need is eligible to receive these weekly bags of food.
Please carefully consider your family’s economic status to determine if food assistance is needed by your child(ren). The goal of the program is to provide food to children who are hungry on a regular basis.
This program has been funded this year through donations, grants, and a private donation. It is staffed by Rusch teachers and volunteers.
If you feel your child(ren) could benefit from this program at any time during the school year, please email Mrs. Schoenborn at schoenbornn@portage.k12.wi.us. We will do our best to ensure that this program is confidential as students will not be identified as participating. Our staff will put a bag filled with food in your child(ren)’s backpack before school is let out for the weekend.
Columbia County Resources
Columbia County Health and Human Services
Food Pantries
2nd Harvest Mobile Food Pantries (open to all Columbia County residents)
2nd Monday of every month at 11:00am at the Columbia Co. Fairgrounds, Wauona Tr/Griffith St. Everyone welcome. No ID’s needed. Bring your own carts/baskets to carry your food.
St Vincent De Paul Food Pantry
Located at 1311 West Wisconsin Street in Portage
Monday–Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–8pm and Saturday 9am–5pm
*You will need to bring photo ID, proof of residency and your own bags. Applicants are eligible every 30 days.
Park and Recreation
806 Silver Lake Dr, Portage, Wi, 53901 (608) 742-2178
Family Resource Center
2946 Red Fox Run, Portage, WI 53901 (608) 742-8482
Provides a variety of family services, including scheduled playgroups, parenting support and information series, workshops, and family visiting program. Staff are available to answer questions or provide resources to help families. All services are free.
Dental – Free or Low Cost Services - Seal-A-Smile
Susan Lorenz R.N. M.S. Columbia County Health Officer at 608-742-9227 susan.lorenz@co.columbia.wi.us
The Columbia County Seal-A-Smile dental sealant program is available at no charge whether or not your child is covered by dental insurance. The program will bill Medical Assistance or BadgerCare if your child is covered by these programs.
Free Immunization Clinic
2:30pm-5:30pm (10/10, 11/14, 12/12 - 2016) No appointment is necessary – Birth parent or legal guardian signature required. Bring immunization records.
Library Programs
Contact the library in your community to inquire about special programs for children and families, such as story hour or summer reading programs.
Portage Public Library 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage 53901 (608) 742-4959 Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-8:30; Fri 9-6; Sat 10-4 Sat hours between Memorial Day & Labor Day are 10-1 Contact: info@portagelibrary.us Website: http://www.portagelibrary.us/
There are many more resources available to our community, feel free to check out the Columbia County Health and Human Services Website: http://www.co.columbia.wi.us/columbiacounty/Portals/7/Resource%20Guide.pdf
Rusch Elementary School
Website: portage.k12.wi.us/rusch
Location: 117 W Franklin St, Portage, WI, United States
Phone: 608-742-7376