Washington Elementary
October 17, 2016
PRIDE Time; Creating a Culture of Leadership and Excellence
We are excited to launch the first lesson about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We will be using the book, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids , to teach an interactive lesson. We consider the 7 Habits to be the leadership language of Washington Elementary. One way for teachers and staff to partner with you on this initiative is to have you look for ways to use the same language with your kids at home.
Lesson 1, Habit #1: Be Proactive
Pride Time will be held on Monday, October 17th. Each Pride Time group will engage in a lesson about being proactive. I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I have integrity; I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking. The first story students will read about is, “Bored! Bored! Bored!” from “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” By Sean Covey. Following the story, students will participate in interactive activities to learn about the importance of being proactive in school, home and community. The Pride Time groups provide lesson time and an opportunity for students across grade levels to develop mentor/mentee relationships.
What is Pride Time?
Students will be organized into cross grade level groups (Grades K/2/4 and Grades 1/3/5) to build community, build relationships, and offer opportunities for mentorship, leadership and personal growth. The Seven Habits will be the focus of Pride Time, with one habit being introduced each month. This will be building-wide and include all students and staff, with a group ratio of about 2:20 (staff:students). Pride Time has been developed to give people access: adults opportunities to connect and mentor students, and it gives students opportunities to connect with and mentor peers.
Desired Outcomes for Culture of Leadership and Excellence
A safe and supportive environment focused on developing leadership capacity in all students.
A student centered culture with a laser like focus on our primary purpose of student learning
An environment where differences are embraced and celebrated
Healthy relationships where every student has at least one adult advocate and peer friendship.
Develop the skills and mindsets that allow students to lead their own lives, to be able to work effectively with others and make a meaning contribution wherever they go in life. (Stephen and Sean Covey, Leader in Me)
Student benefits
Sense of leadership
Can offer a challenge
Provides/ builds intrinsic motivation for students
Provide lifelong skills
Students feel like they are part of a larger community
Builds relationships: student-to-student, teacher-student
PBIS Update
One of the positive incentives we have for students showing their positive behaviors as defined in our PAWS exceptions, we held our 2nd "OUT OF THE BLUE DAY." Students that demonstrated Providing Respect prior to 9:10 that morning participated in a whole school break break and played board games in our classrooms. If any students weren't showing respect in the time prior to 9:10, Mr. Baier met with the students for a 5 minute reteach lesson and the students joined the class "Out of the Blue Day" activity.
Every Two Weeks, we hold a drawing to select 10 students and one classroom to receive a special incentive for showing their PAWS from the "Wildcat Den. During the two week period before the drawing, students place PAWS tickets awarded by staff in the Wildcat Den. Students receive the tickets for showing one or more the Washington PAWS; Providing respect, Acting safely, Working hard, Showing responsibility.
Mark Your Calendars!
Important Days..
Picture Retake Day: October 24, 2016
Frist day of Excel: October 24, 2016
Family Literacy Fun night: October 27, 2016 6:00pm- 7:30pm
Open Door Dental Clinic: October 31, 2016
PTO Meeting: November 7, 2016 6:30-7:30pm (Media Center)
Two Hour Late Start: November 8, 2016
No School: November 11, 2016
Family Literacy Fun Night!
When: Thursday, October 27th, 2016
Where: Washington Elementary School
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Free pizza will be served from 6:00pm-7:00pm
along with a beverage in the cafeteria.
Students will receive two steps for attending in they Wildcat reading logs.
Come and meet a local authors, writers and an illustrator as they share the process about how a book is designed, written and published.
Mingle through the Interactive Reading Stations in classrooms around the school.
Special Guest Readers from the Mankato Police and Fire Departments.
Three Reading Sessions will be held starting at 6:00pm, 6:30pm, and 7:00pm Media Center
Come and Read with a Hero!
Hope to see you there!!
Safety Models of Empowerment!
There is no cost to attend and it's recommended attendees be age 18 or older. This speaker is being sponsored by Mankato Department of Public Safety to empower individuals and be proactive in providing information about best practice for safety. For questions or more information, contact public safety staff at 507-387-8780.
You can help raise money for Washington Elementary School
It’s easy to support your school with items you already use in your home or receipts from stores you already patronize! Below is a list of the collection programs we are currently participating in.
Feel free to send any of the following to school with your student or there is a set of drawers in the hallway next to the lost and found to drop any of them off.
Each box top through Box Tops for Education is worth 10 for our school. If each student turned in just 10 box tops during the year the school would receive around $400. Watch for Bonus Tops on participating products or as a coupon from your store purchase. Go to www.boxtops4education.com to sign up, enter sweepstakes and to see a list of the participating products. Box tops do expire so be sure to turn them in on time!
Through Kwik Trip’s Milk Moola program, each milk/juice cap and bag top is worth 5 cents. Please remember to rinse the caps and bag tops before turning them in.
With Campbell’s Label’s for Education program, the school can earn points to purchase items for the classrooms and gym/art equipment. Remember when clipping be sure to keep the point value logo and the UPC (barcode) together. The face of the can label is NOT redeemable, only the UPC portion of the label. Go to www.labelsforeducation.com to see a list of participating products.
Save your Hy-Vee receipts from both Mankato locations and they will donate $1 for every $150 spent through the Hy-Vee Kash 4 Kids program. The receipts must be dated during the current school year (Sept. 2016- May 2017) to qualify. Every little bit will add-up!
We have set up our PTO as an organization you can support through AmazonSmile. Once you select us as an organization to support, we will receive 0.5% of the price of your eligible smile.amazon.com purchases. Our unique link can be used to automatically ask to support Washington Elementary PTO. It is: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/90-0542342
Winter Preparedness
Music Notes!
Program Update: Because the 2nd graders have had “informances” in both Kindergarten and First grade and not experienced a traditional program, we have changed our program schedule to include them in the spring program. We will continue with the plan to have “informances” for grades K and 4 in your child’s music class during the week of Feb. 27 - March 3. The spring program on February 10 will now include grades 1, 2, 3 and 5. Thank you for the positive feedback regarding these changes and the new musical experiences for students.
Washington Elementary PTO Meeting Minutes 10-10-16
Meeting Attendees: Laura Bemel, Shane Baier, Diane Winegar, Jennifer Brunz, Sarah Peterson, Marni Moule, Alison Carlson, Chelsey Breilmaier, Angie Davis, Casey Neitzel, Ayleen Leonhard, Tracy Opie, Stephanie Wolff, Amy Cain, Dustin Ehlers, Leah Ries
September Meeting Minutes: Will be posted on the PTO website which is part of the Washington Elementary website.
Treasurers Report: See attached.
Teacher Report:
Amy Cain discussed the Literacy night that will be held on October 27. It will have an author presenting a book, a writer discussing the process of writing and an illustrator. There will also be firefighters and police officers reading in the library as well as other activities and a pizza dinner.
Principal Report: Shane Baier and Amy Cain went over the PowerPoint presentation about Washington/Title 1 school.
PAWS Applause has been replaced by the PAWS den. Teachers/Staff will hand out little applause “tickets” that can be placed into the den and be drawn out for prizes.
Shane suggested PTO involved parents and staff watch the video “Run Hide Fight” which is available on YouTube. It provides useful information in the event of a crisis situation in a public setting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0
Shane informed the PTO that Washington received a grant to help pay for staff training in the “Leader in Me” skills.
The school is starting to incorporate the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. Teachers and the school are incorporating school/classroom jobs to help create leadership opportunities as well as having restructured Student Council to have different focus areas and be able to incorporate more students in each group.
Requests for funding:
Leah Ries made a request for a music oriented rug for the music room. The total cost for the rug would be $794. The school will be able to fund a portion of the rug and her request to PTO was for $300 for the remainder of the cost. Laura made a motion; Marni 2nd. Motion passed.
Angie Davis made a request for a set of multi-cultural baby dolls. Diane made a motion; Chelsey 2nd. Motion passed.
Angie Davis also requested funding for a Kindergarten field trip to the Children’s Museum in Mankato. Not sure of the total cost needed. Jennifer made a motion; Marni 2nd. Motion approved.
Committee Reports:
Yearbook: Nothing to report at this time.
Book Fair: The book fair that was held with the “Open House” on Thursday, October 6 brought in around $3000. Washington receives about 40% of those earnings. PTO was able to purchase over $1000 of books that teachers had requested. Will try to set up earlier for the next book fair so teachers will have more time to pull out books that they would like for their classrooms. Tracy will also make sure that we have at least 2 cash registers for future bookfairs. The next book fair will coincide with the February 9, Family Fun Night since Febraury is “I Love to Read Month.”
Fundraising: Jennifer will be submitting a shipment of Boxtops by November 1.
A flier will come home in Tuesday folders with info about fundraising opportunities at our school (ie. Boxtops, Campbells labels, Milk Moola) Information was presented about AMAZON SMILE program. Information can only be dispersed electronically so it will be posted on Facebook and possibly via e-mail.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/90-0542342
Conference Meals: Diane discussed meals for teachers on the nights of Parent/Teacher Conferences. Conferences will be held on November 15, 17 and 21. PTO will purchase the main course of the meals and request donations of food items from Washington Families. “Sign-Up Genius” pages will be created to coordinate food being donated. It was decided that the meals would be 1)Soups; 2) sandwiches; 3) walking tacos
Events:
Walk –a-Thon: Marni needs to get a date set and is waiting to hear if there are any field trips, etc. that could conflict with a Walk-a-Thon on a Friday in May. Will get a letter drafted to be sent to area businesses and organizations to request donations, etc. for our Walk-a-Thon. Planning meetings will start in the near future.
Upcoming Family Fun Nights: January 13, February 9, March 9 and April 20 (math night)
Misc.
Looking for a group/organization that would be willing to provide free childcare during PTO meetings. If anyone has any suggestions, please pass them along to Jennifer Brunz.
Meeting adjourned.