Washington Elementary News Post
December 19, 2016
Pride Time Lesson Set for Monday, December 19th
Review Habit #2 - Begin with the End in Mind (I plan ahead. I think about how my choices affect my future) Students will share progress on goals established last month from the “begin with the end in mind.” Key Question: "How did you do on your goal?"
Habit #3 - Put First Things First: What does it mean? Following this habit looks like this? I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized. I stay focused until I finish a task. (Time Management, Responsibility)
Click here to see a video lesson on how to Put First Things First. Take a few moments today and this week to discuss how to put habit #3 in to practice at home and at school.
Positive Behavior and Intervention System (PBIS Update)
- 10 individual students participated in bottle flipping with Mr. Baier.
- Ms. Peterson's 3rd grade class participated in a STEM activity in small groups.
- Ms Fitzloff's kindergarten class participated in a memory game.
Information Dates!
No school: December 23, 2016- January 2, 2016
PTO Meeting: January 9, 2016 6:30-7:30pm
Family Fun Night: January 13, 2016 (6:00-7:30 pm)
No school: January 16, 2016
Read, Read, Read! Winter Break is Here! December 23rd - January 2nd
Winter Break Goal: 100% on Target for Reading Practice
We Know That Only Two Variables Impact Reading Growth:
Expert Coaching (Teachers and Support Staff)
Reading Practice (Student w/ support from staff, and families) Students learn best when they are reading fun, fast and easy books. Books of high interest at a level above current color level can certainly be read with the support of an adult.
Our first 3 Habits of Happy Kids are great language to use with with your child at engage in reading practice over the break. Habit 1 (Be Proactive), Habit 2 (Begin with the End in Mind), and Habit 3 (Put First Things First).
To stay on target, students need to read at least one step per day during the break. We encourage student to get 2 steps per day. Each step is 15 minutes.
A Plan for No school, Late Starts and Early Dismissals Due to Weather.
In the event of an early dismissal due to weather, Washington will dismiss at the time announced for elementary buildings. Please make sure you have an up-date early dismissal plan shared with your child's classroom teacher.
If our school district is scheduled for a late start due to weather, do not drop your child off at school. There will not be supervision available until 30 minutes before school starts.
Winter Activity Keeps our Bodies and Brains Ready for Learning!
Dear Families,
Winter is such a great time of the year for students. With the right winter clothing, students can enjoy the outdoors. It is our goal to help students find joy in winter activity. The plain truth is that living in Minnesota can mean six months of cold and winter-like weather.
We will make every effort to have students go outside for morning and noon recess. We know the fresh air (oxygen) to the brain, movement and social play opportunities are necessary to help our students be learning ready. We need to work together to be proactive and be sure students have the appropriate winter clothing to enjoy the time outside. I can assure you that students will be cold outside without a proper coat, gloves and a hat. Please make sure to discuss the expectations to wear proper outdoor winter clothing. The sweatshirt with no hat or gloves is not adequate winter clothing. If you have a specific need for winter clothing, please let us know. We have people willing to donate, if necessary.
Because we live in Minnesota, it is our intent to go outside unless the temperatures present a safety risk. We use the National Weather Service Wind Chill Advisory Chart to guide our decision. See chart below. If wind speed and air temperature are in the light blue area, as indicated on the chart below, we will go outside. Additionally, I am on the playground daily and monitor the weather changes accordingly.
Thank you for your support in helping ensure our students learn to be active year around.
Shane Baier,
Principal
Thank you Heart Heros!
A special 'Thank You' goes out to the students who participated in Washington School's JUMP ROPE FOR HEART event.
Washington PTO sponsored this GREAT event and it would not have been possible without parent and student dedication. Students had lots of fun jumping rope with their classmates all day long!
Our school's performance was TERRIFIC! Washington students raised over $7000.00 for the American Heart Association cardiovascular research and educational programs. That is the best ever for Washington!
Once again, thank you for helping to make Jump Rope for Heart a huge success! What a terrific way to help our Mankato Community!
* * Top earning student was CHARLES BASS from Mr. Miller’s class! CONGRATULATIONS !
Attendance
Help Support Your School!
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!
Washington Elementary PTO Meeting Minutes
11-7-16
Meeting Attendees: Chelsey Brielmaier, Shane Baier, Diane Winegar, Jennifer Brunz, Sarah Peterson, Casey Neitzel, Tracy Opie, Amy Cain, Dustin Ehlers, Prycilla O’Malley, Gina Vanselow, Stacy Carpenter, Heather Olson, Annette Wurdinger, Abby Brady
October Meeting Minutes: Will be posted on the PTO website which is part of the Washington Elementary website. Meeting minutes approved. Jennifer B. motion, Amy C. 2nd
Treasurers Report: See attached.
Teacher Report:
Amy Cain discussed the Literacy night that was held on October 27. Had 93 students and 86 parents attend! Had very good feedback from those that attended.
Teachers thanked the PTO for the Wildcat t-shirts and the scholastic book donations.
Mock voting for the presidential candidates will take place on November 8 with the entire district.
Principal Report: Shane Baier stated the school just finished going over the First Habit (part of the Leader in Me Leadership in Excellence culture). Will be starting Habit 2 soon.
Trying harder to include refugee families in school events.
Online sign up for Parent-Teacher conferences went well.
Shane stated that he has been spending most of his time during lunch and recess out on the playground. He has been helping to resolve any conflicts that happen on the playground so that teachers do not need to spend classroom time dealing with conflicts.
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.
Requests for funding:
No requests for funding made.
Committee Reports:
Yearbook: Nothing to report at this time.
Book Fair: The next book fair will coincide with the February 9, Family Fun Night since Febraury is “I Love to Read Month.”
Fundraising: Jennifer submitted 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: 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 have been created to coordinate food being donated. It was decided that the meals would be November 15 will be sandwiches, November 17 will be walking tacos and November 21 will be soups.
Events:
Walk –a-Thon: A date needs to be determined. Planning meetings will begin soon. May 19th is a tentative date as it is the “equivalent” to the date last year.
Upcoming Family Fun Nights: January 13, February 9, March 9 and April 20 (math night)
Misc.
Childcare was provided by Mankato East students.
Meeting adjourned.