Bulldog Bulletin
New Britton - September 11, 2015
Principal's Message
Dear Bulldog Families,
Wow! For a short week, we have been busy learning at New Britton! Please be sure to ask your student about his/her school day. As we were dismissing yesterday from school, I heard the following comment from a kindergarten student – “I am an author!”. She went on (beaming) to explain that she finished her first writing piece and got to share it with others! As I was sharing my “Pasta Math” answers to problems written by Mrs. McGee’s first graders, I was so impressed with the students’ math conversation regarding data. We are working to create many opportunities for students to share their academic thinking and work with others, and these are just two examples of the many that I saw. During classroom visits, I witnessed students involved in deep thinking, collaborating, communicating with others, problem solving, explaining their thinking, making connections, and writing for a variety of purposes. Your student has been busy this week! Please be sure to read classroom communication, school newsletters, and follow us on Twitter @NBEBulldogs to see our amazing work! Thank you for sharing your amazing thinkers with us.
As always, thank you for partnering with us in education.
Sincerely,
Lori Mankin
Rotation Days
Monday: Day 4
Tuesday: Day 5
Wednesday: Day 6
Thursday: Day 1
Friday: Day 2
Calendar of Events
September
15: PTO Meeting in the Library, 7:00-8:00
18: Mum pick-up
18: Movie Night, 6:30-8:30
21: Room Parent Meeting, 7:00-8:00 in Media Center
22: Dining Out for Dollars at DQ, 4:00-9:00
23: Picture Day
October
2: Half day for students; car riders dismissed at 11:55, bus riders dismissed at 12:01
9: Grading period ends
14-21: Book Fair
16: Movie Night, 6:30-8:30
22-23: Fall Break; no school
28: Square One Art sale begins
29: 2nd Grade Music Program
Plan ahead by checking out the New Britton calendar
Cafeteria News
Week 3 (Light Blue)
*see the full menu at: http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=2205121834271841&page=menus
Due to the seating capacity of our cafeteria, the number of parent lunch guests is limited to 2 per grade level. Please remember to call before 9:30 to reserve your seat.
When sending lunch money in with your student, please remember to include the Student ID number on all envelopes and checks. Thank you!
Information on Free and Reduced lunch applications can be found at: http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?page=lunchapps&sid=2205121834271841
Do you enjoy working with children in a fun, upbeat environment? Are you looking for a part-time position with flexible hours? If you answered yes to these questions, then please consider becoming a Cafeteria Monitor at New Britton! Hours are daily from 10:30-1:45. Questions regarding this position should be directed to our Cafeteria Manager, Lori Burbich, at lburbich@hse.k12.in.us. To apply, please submit an application through Hamilton Southeastern Schools Human Resources.
Important Information
Book Rental Collection
Financial Assistance is available for families. Please log into your Skyward account, then click on Food Services. Further instructions can be found on the HSE Food Services website.
Catch of the Week
Be there. Be present. Listen carefully to others around you. Be involved with others around you. We practice the FISH philosophy at New Britton: Be There, Make Their Day, Choose Your Attitude, and Play Safely.
The following students are being recognized for exhibiting these elements of FISH philosophy in their classrooms:
Kindergarten - Kallen Poston, Nash Wilkinson, Allison Briggs, Caleb Via, Charlotte Smith, Bianca Jones, Drew Spicer, Claire Emerson, Natalie Baylor
1st Grade - Annabelle Havens, Rishitha Vathaluru, Kate Ellis, Clark Johnson, Lauren Lee, Darian Girton, Ella Dragoo, Sam Barnett, Carter Crutchfield, Celia Ayers, Caylee Cerezo
2nd Grade - Tessa Wendzel, Carolyn Roberson, Ava Shields, Leo Sartino, Brooke Boeldt, Annika Johnson, Philip Zink, Chase Divens, Jack Butts, Carson Donsbach, Nathan Baylor, Molly Smith
3rd Grade - Ellie Booster, Ryann Solesky, Hector Garcia, Suzan Cernero, Chase Frank, Andrew Martinez, Jordan Stout, Claire Schofield, Allison Scheu, Maci Blake, Corinne McClanahn, Kason Fitzpatrick
4th Grade - Olivia Weyel , Ethan Paul, Brooke Johnson, Wesley Dennett, Tori Sanchez, Elenore Daniels, Rylan Christianson, Thomas Bender, Ella Alberti, Bailey Liner, Juan Cuahuizo-Ocelotl
Picture Day is September 23rd!
Author Visit
Author Tyler Whitesides will be visiting 3rd and 4th grade students at New Britton on Thursday, September 24, 2015. Barnes & Noble would like to make copies of his books available to your children for purchase. To reserve your copy, please fill out the form that was sent home on Thursday and send it back to Mrs. Crane, along with a check made payable to New Britton, by Thursday, September 17th. Thank you!
Counselor Cove
NBE Counselor
Homework Help for Parents
Children whose parents are involved in their education do better in school. A key way to be involved is by knowing what your children’s homework is and what they are doing in the classroom. The BLACKBOARD and SKYWARD networks are a great way for parents to see what is going on in the classroom. These are programs that the teachers discussed at Meet the teacher night. As a parent you need to visit BLACKBOARD and SKYWARD regularly – I check my children’s every week. Your child’s homework is always an interesting topic. Many times you may not know what they have or even what they are doing, but the one fact is that knowing what your child is doing for homework is different then doing your child’s homework. Here are some questions to ask to help with the homework dilemma:
Ask your child
- What is your homework today and may I see your homework planner/daily sheet? This assists you to get them into the habit of pulling out that tool and looking at it. Many students believe they will remember, but when they get home from school they have forgotten. This is just like adults that go to the grocery and have forgotten their list. We inadvertently always forget something we needed.
- Do you understand the assignment? If not, did you ask the teacher before you left school? This gets the student into the habit of clarifying what needs to be done with their teacher.
- Do you have a classmate you can call for help or can we look it up in BLACKBOARD? Both of these ideas are great resources for students to use. Hopefully it won’t happen a lot, but when you have forgotten something or just don’t get what is being asked then a call to a classmate or looking up on BLACKBOARD can clarify.
- When is this assignment due? If it is a long term assignment like a book report then you can help them divide up the work and see if any extra supplies are needed.
- Where do we need to put the assignment when it is done? Get your student into the habit of cleaning up and putting things away in a go folder or return to school folder at the end of homework time. Have your student get this organized and placed by the front door so that you don’t have to do this with the hustle and bustle of the morning routine.
Ask yourself
- Does my child have a quiet place with good lighting to do homework? Many students like to use the kitchen table to study. If the TV is on, phone is ringing, little brother is hanging on Mom’s leg crying while making dinner then the kitchen table is not the best place for your child to study.
- Do I have the necessary supplies that he/she may need (paper, pencils, scissors, crayons, dictionary, etc)?
- Does my child have the necessary organizational tools? Do we need an assignment calendar or file folder to put things in?
- Do I look over my child’s homework? Remember this is looking over the assignment, discussing what may need to be redone or looked at again, and then sending them back to do it themselves. Homework is for the student.
- Do I look over the teacher’s comments on assignments and discuss these with my child?
- Do I congratulate and display my child’s accomplishments?
Please take a look at the many resources under the Academics & Guidance tab on the NBE website or put this link http://www.hse.k12.in.us/NBE/academics/support.aspx in your computer browser to get you right there.
Chaucie's Place
NEW BRITTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is partnering again this year with Chaucie’s Place, a child advocacy organization in Hamilton County, to bring Smart Steps: A Body Safety Program for Children to our Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grade students. Smart Steps is a child sexual abuse prevention and education program that empowers your child to say “NO!” to any unwanted touches that make them uncomfortable from anyone.
The Smart Steps education program will be taught at NBE on October 20.
We invite you to attend a Chaucie’s Place Parent Night to learn more about the Smart Steps program. Fall Creek Elementary will be hosting on Tuesday, September 15th from 6:00pm-7:00pm and Sand Creek Elementary will be hosting from 6:00-7:00pm on Wednesday, September 23rd. These meetings are open to all parents and/or guardians of Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grade students. Please be advised that Parent Night is not open to children. To learn more about Chaucie’s Place visit: www.chauciesplace.org.
New Staff Spotlight
"I’m in my sixth year of teaching, but first year in third grade and first year with Hamilton Southeastern Schools. I taught fourth and fifth grade for the previous five years in Lawrence Township. My wife is the director of patient relations for IU Health North and IU Saxony, and we live in Fishers with our two children, ages 4 and 2, and our dog, Lucky. I’m originally from South Bend and graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula. I worked as an editor and reporter in Greenfield, Wyoming and New Mexico before changing careers and going into education. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, the outdoors, watching and playing sports, and reading. I also enjoy math/science/technology because it allows us to learn new things or look at something known in a new way."
PTO NEWS
Mum pick-up is Friday, Sept. 18th from 5:30-7:30 in the horseshoe drive. We will be loading your cars in the horseshoe drive in a drive thru fashion. Please consider dropping your students off for movie night and pulling around to pick-up your mums. A VolunteerSpot has been sent out to help with the mum fundraiser.
Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/iaBHYm
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!
Please sign up for New Britton Elementary Mum Fundraiser!
*Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.
Mark your calendars for the first Movie Night of the year on Friday, September 18th. The reservation form went ( is going) home with your student this week. The cost is $5 per student (only New Britton students are eligible to attend). We are showing the movie HOME for the first Movie Night. If you want to save time and money, sign up for Movie Club. You will get attendance for all 7 movies for the price of 6. Plus you will automatically get an admission ticket without completing the reservation form each time. Email Troy Frank (troy@indianaequitybrokers.com) with any questions.
Our first PTO Meeting is next Tuesday, Sept. 15th from 7-8 pm. We will be providing childcare for children who are potty trained. Please e-mail Sarah Johnson at johnson10874@sbcglobal.net to reserve a spot. The childcare will be provided by FHS Key Club students. We will be passing our budget for the year and require as many participants as possible, so please consider attending. Please see the attached agenda for the meeting.
Two Great High Schools, One Awesome Community!
Mudsock Meals - HSE
Hungry? We have you covered all day on September 11th. Load up on good food for a good cause! Gandolfo’s will be donating 10% of proceeds all day and Bubba’s 33 will be donating 10% on food purchases from 4pm until Midnight. Both require the flyers, which can found on the Foundation's website.
Community Activities & Events
- S.P.O.R.T.S News
- Fall Decorations Workshop
- Glow in the Park
- Putt-ing Kids First
- The River 5K Trail Run
- FHS Show Choir Clinic
- Fishers Youth Hockey
- Library Card Sign-Up
- Fishers Marching Band Invitational
- Fishers High School Drama Department Presents Charlotte's Web
- Fishers Public Library September Programs
- Fishers Boys Basketball Travel/Camp Registration and Important Dates
*Permitted use of school newsletters as required by the Equal Access Act is not an endorsement of this group or this group’s beliefs by Hamilton Southeastern Schools or the Board of School Trustees.
Contact Us
8660 E 131st St, Fishers, IN 46038
Fax: 594-4139
New Britton website: http://www.hse.k12.in.us/NBE/home.aspx
HSE website: http://www.hse.k12.in.us/ADM/home.aspx