Cooks Chronicle
November 2018
Principal's Chat
Teacher Feature of the Month by the Cooks Corners Media Club
Miss Staal is the first lucky Teacher of the Month! She is one of the new kindergarten teachers from the Red House, or Viribus House (which is all about strength).
We (Clara & Lucy), asked Miss Staal a few questions about her and here are her answers!
We asked what her favorite grade was in elementary school, and she said 5th grade because she had an awesome teacher and she got to put on a play for the whole school. We also wanted to know if this was her first year teaching. Her response was “Yes, it is!” and she graduated college in May.
Then, we inquired if her class was doing any special projects this year, and she gave a surprising answer! Kindergarten rotates classes usually in the afternoon, and the kids are taught by all 3 teachers.
Miss Staal’s favorite color is pink. Her favorite season is summer because she gets to go outside, and her favorite holiday is Christmas. We asked what her favorite subject was, and she responded “I love teaching reading to little kids!” Since reading is her favorite subject, we asked what her favorite type of book was, and she said she likes to read picture books to her students but read historical fiction on her own. Finally, we discovered that if she had to teach any grade she would teach kindergarten (of course!) because she likes “teaching the little kids in their first year of school.”
Cooks Corners is very happy to have her here. We hope you enjoyed this article about Miss Staal! Thank you for reading, and goodbye.
From, Clara Warren and Lucy Terhorst
News From The Power Up Cafe
Congratulations to Cooks Corners very own Marin Anderson in 4th grade for naming the Grain Power Up Pal - GRAHAM Grain! The other newly named members came from other students from Valparaiso elementary schools.
Grain - GRAHAM GRAIN
Fruit - FUJI FRUIT
Vegetable - REGGIE THE VEGGIE
Protein - POPPY PROTEIN
Dairy - BONES
Thanks to all who submitted their ideas! There were over 500 entries from all the Valparaiso Elementary Schools.
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN MENU for our Thanksgiving Dinner:
A turkey dinner will be served on Monday, November 19th.
As always, please contact the office by 9am to make a lunch reservation and have exact money ready $3.45 per visitor lunch.
Eat well, Vikings! Grow Strong!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Thank you,
Johanna & Mary Ann
Birthday Book Club and Media Center News
The Library Birthday Book club is off to a great start this school year! We already have over 25 members! And that means lots of new books have been added to our Library collection for everyone to check out and enjoy! Our first members of the year are: Ms. Cox, Cayden Steighner, Chase Warring, Sloane Connors, Aubrey Fernandez, Mckayla Waters, Eliza Blastick, Marin Anderson, Milo Glickauf, Emma Mulcahy, Clara Warren, Ellie Mulcahy, Addison Talley, Andrew Chen, Sarah Beato, Coe Krischke, Andrew Fanelli, Annalise Galvez, Mrs. Maddack, Carlyle Freeman, Zoey Freeman, Easton Worsham, Amelia Nguyen, Malia O’Keefe, Adam Warren and Natalie Campbell. Our 25th member is Adam Warren!
Each time there are 25 new members in the Birthday Book Club names are drawn from amongst all current members for prizes, and this time our prize winners are: Addison Talley, Sarah Beato, Ellie Mulcahy, McKayla Waters, Natalie Cambell, Zoey Freeman, Adam Warren, Marin Anderson, Sloane Connors, Aubrey Fernandez and Cayden Steighner! They each received a goodie bag of prizes including a book to keep! Thank you to everyone for joining and making all those wonderful new books a part of our Library! If you would like to join too and have your name added to our Library Book Worm that is growing longer every day, and your picture on the Birthday Book Club Bulletin Board, forms are available in the office, or in the Media Center.
I would also like to thank Mrs. Amber LaGard and her fabulous PTO team that made our recent Scholastic Book Fair a HUGE success! The students loved going to the Enchanted Forest Wonderland that they created for book fair and giving me their input for what books they would love to see in the Library. The Library is thrilled to be the recipient of $750 worth of new books thanks to all their hard work!
Happy reading everyone!
Ms. Lori Cox, Librarian
Spell Bowl Team
Congratulations and great job to our Spell Bowl Team! They placed 4th in our regional competition on November 15th! State wide scores are expected to be released on November 16th. Stay tuned!
Robotics Club
Calling all volunteers! We need your help to host a great robotics tournament on Saturday, December 8th. If you have high school aged students, they are also welcome to volunteer. Students make great refs! If you or your student are able to volunteer please use the SignUp Genius link below!
Cooks Corners Choir
Our upcoming choir performance of "This Is Our Story" will be held on Monday, December 10th, at 7:30 p.m. at Valparaiso High School.
Come on out and enjoy the performance!
Weather Attire
Now that winter has arrived, please be aware of the following guidelines for proper weather attire.
50-60 degrees: sleeves, long pants
40-50 degrees: jackets, long pants
30-40 degrees: heavy winter jacket, long pants, hat & gloves
20-30 degrees: heavy winter jacket, long pants, hat & gloves, boots*
20 degrees & below: heavy winter jacket, long pants, hat & gloves, boots*
*Snow play: snow pants and boots are required if a student wants to walk and/or play in the snow. Without boots or snow pants, students will be allowed to go outside, but will only be allowed on the blacktop during recess.
Each grade goes outside for recess every day, unless the temperature or wind-chill is below zero. Please remember to make sure that your child remembers to dress according to these guidelines. Not having the proper attire will result in a loss of recess.
If you are in need of clothing or shoes for your child, please contact our social worker and she would be happy to help accommodate your needs.
Teaxtbook Rental
Textbook statements have been sent home and are now due. You are able to make payments online through your Skyward account, or by sending payment with your child in an envelope labeled "tuition" with your child's name. Payments can be made with cash or check made payable to Cooks Corners Elementary.
Volunteers Needed
We are looking for volunteers that may be able to volunteer 1-2 hours of their time to assist our Instructional Aides with supervising students on the playground for recess, and sometimes indoor recess depending on weather, or during lunches in the cafeteria.
If you are interested, please click on one of the links below to sign up.
www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4eaaab23a3f85-recess1
Happy Birthday
When it is your child's birthday, be sure and ask them what they got to do in the office that morning because it was their birthday.
11/1: Adrian Romero & Mrs. Pollack
11/2: Devon Alsman, Milo Glickauf, Nathan Krolik, Addyson Krolik, Micah Courtney
11/4: Landon Hall & Mrs. Porter
11/7: Mrs. Koehn
11/8: Chaycen French & Mrs. Maddack
11/9: Elise Peterson, Alaina Rausei, Samuel Thorgren
11/10: Emily Golding
11/11: Hayden Jenczalik, Andrew Fanelli, Carson Kinsey & Mrs. Rigsby
11/13: Jaxon Pulido
11/14: Caitlin Burns
11/15: Leviticus Kuchta, Christian Huerta Reyes
11/17: Camden Worsham, Ethan Stokes-Lopez
11/19: Mrs. Gonzales & Miss Erler
11/20: Coe Krischke
11/21: Molly Carney
11/23: Holly Koudelka
11/24: Maximus King
11/25: Elliot Urschel
11/27: Caroline Burns
11/28: Audrey Donahue
11/30: Emmalie Letta
PTO News
Thank you to everyone who was able to come to the November meeting! We had a good turnout and voted to fund more teachers to the RCA. They will be going at the end of November and beginning of December. Look for more updates on their visits and how they are implementing ideas in their classrooms in the future.
Also, thank you to Brynn Willett, Kristin Ripley, Nicole McGee, and Amber LaGard for chairing the Readathon, Fall Fest, and Book Fair events that were so successful! If you have any feedback for us on those events, please let me know.
Jes Warren
PTO President
Next Meeting
There is no December PTO meeting! Our next meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019.
Any questions, please email Jes Warren at ptocookscorners@gmail.com!
Dine Out Night
Come out to Chipotle on LaPorte Ave. in Valpo on Nov. 28 from 5-9pm! Tell them you are supporting Cooks Corners and a portion of the proceeds will be given to our PTO.
It's a win-win for everyone! Dine out and raise money!
Let all your friends and family know! See you there!
December Holiday Parties
Holiday parties will be from 2-3pm on Wednesday, Dec. 19.
Pictures and Yearbook
Have any good pictures of field trips, Fall Fest, Book Fair, lunch, or classroom? Please send them for consideration in our yearbook! Email them to: cookscornersyb@gmail.com.
Spirit Wear
The Spirit Wear order is in and was distributed this past week. If you need to contact us about your order, please do! Many thanks to Kim Anderson for a great job again this year! Everything looks fantastic!
Spell Bowl Team
Good luck Spell Bowl Team!!
PLANNED ABSENCE POLICY
Upcoming Dates
Every Mon. (10/8-11/26)/(12/17-3/4): Chess Scholars - ends @ 4:20pm
Every Wed. @ 3:20pm: Drama Kids - ends @ 4:20pm
Every Wed. @ 7:45am: Choir
Every Wed. @ 3:15pm: Robotics - ends 5:00pm
Every Fri. (10/5-12/7)/(12/14-2/22): Let's Build It - ends @ 4:20pm
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11/13-11/19: Major Saver Fundraiser
11/15: Spell Bowl Competition@ BFMS - 5pm (Good Luck Cooks!!)
11/17: Robotics Scrimmage @ Heavilin
11/19: Thanksgiving Turkey Lunch
11/20: House Meeting
11/29: Movie Night for Purple (Caring) Family @ Cooks - 6pm
11/21-11/23: Thanksgiving Break - No School
11/27: 4th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
11/29: 5th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
11/30: Caring Assembly
12/4: 4th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
12/6: 5th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
12/7: 3rd Grade to VHS for Nutcracker
12/8: Robotics Tournament @ Cooks
12/10: This is Our Story choir performance @ VHS - 7:30pm
12/11: 4th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
12/13: 5th Gr. Girls Basketball - ends 4:30pm
12/14: VHS Varsity Singers perform @ Cooks for students/staff
12/20: 1/2 Day for Students - dismissed at 12pm; lunch still served
12/20: End of 2nd Grading Period
12/20: House Holiday Party & Strength Assembly w/ School Sing-A-Long
12/21: No School (weather make-up day)
12/22 - 1/6: Holiday Break
1/7: School Resumes
1/11: Report Cards Available
1/21: No School (Martin Luther King Day)
Bus Driver Job Announcement
Are you looking for an amazing part-time job that has the same scheduled days off as your children? Would you like to join a wonderful community of drivers and aide assistants who would love to have you come on board? Then you should consider becoming a school bus driver for Valparaiso Community Schools! We have friendly and dedicated trainers who will work with you every step of the way. You will receive paid training from them, all while helping you obtain the necessary licensing (Commercial Driver’s License).
Great pay, great hours, great people.
Stop by the transportation office located at 55 Evans Avenue for an application Monday-Friday, between 8:00 am – 3:00 pm; or you can call us at 219-531-3121.
We look forward to welcoming you to our team!