Eagle Express
September 24th, 2018
From Your Plank South Leadership Team
Plank South Families,
We hope you all had a great first weekend of fall! We are officially settled into school routines now and it was a real joy this past week to see the great learning already happening in each classroom!
Two events of note this week that you might ask your child about. One fun event this week to be aware of is the Fun Run this Friday! All 4th graders in the district go to North Ponds Park for what is always one of the most memorable events of elementary school. Back at Plank South all kids have a chance to "move a mile" back on our grass track by the playground during the day. We play music on the speakers, occasionally a flash mob dance party breaks out, and the kids have another positive experience with health, movement, wellness, and time outside!
Be sure to check out the PTSA messages below for all the happenings and dates around Plank South, but be sure to mark your calendar with these dates when school is closed or schedules are altered!
- Friday, October 5th: No School, Superintendent's Conference Day.
- Monday, October 8th: No School, Columbus Day.
- Thursday, 10/18, Friday, 10/19, Friday, 10/26: Half days for Parent-Teacher Conferences. School starts on time and buses leave at 11:20 am.
Have a great week!
Your Plank South Leadership Team
Scott Wilcox & Jen Sullivan
Karuna, the Plank South Therapy Dog!
Each year we want to make sure we reintroduce Karuna (Her name means compassion), the Plank South Therapy Dog, to our Plank South community. Karuna joined us last year and there were many precious moments between students and Karuna. Her magic was just right to help students for countless situations. Whether she was consoling a student who was injured or upset , listening to a student read to her, motivating students to do their best, visiting classrooms or greeting students as they arrived, she brought comfort, joy, and smiles. We are excited to have her back with us this year.
Below is some information on Karuna that we hope will help you understand her role in our school.
- Karuna is a Cavapoo. She has a hypoallergenic coat and is certified through Therapy Dogs International.
- As a Therapy Dog, Karuna is a tool to help support students’ social, emotional and learning needs, as well as being a joyful presence for all at Plank South School. Therapy dogs have been shown to decrease stress, help support students with anxiety, help de-escalate students in distress, and motivate students who face learning challenges.
- Therapy dogs have proven to be effective in helping students with Autism, language impairments, ADHD, and motor impairments.
At Plank South, we are excited to have Karuna be part of our 18-19 school year to enhance the climate and culture for all.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Julie Erbe, School Psychologist or Scott Wilcox, Principal. Julie can be reached by emailing her at Julie_Erbe@webstercsd.org or calling 670-4060. Scott can be reached by emailing him at Scott_Wilcox@webstercsd.org or calling 671-3190
From the PTSA
“Save Around Town – Rochester” Coupon Book Sales Ending
Fall Fundraiser order forms, with money, are due by Monday, Septembmer 24th! Payment options: Cash or Check (payable to Plank South PTSA)
As a reminder, this fundraiser is the PTSA’s ONLY fundraiser and the proceeds allow us to fund most of our activities throughout the year. Also, don’t forget that we can sell coupon books for other cities!
Please keep in mind that sample books are not free and if not sold, should be returned to the school on Monday. If you sell 1 book, use the sample book to fill the order. If you sell more than 1 book, the additional books will be sent home with your child the first week in October. For large orders, we will contact you to make arrangements to pick up your order.
If you have any questions regarding the Coupon Books, please email Nicole Mau (nmau@rochester.rr.com) or Lisa Hilfiker (dhilfiker@frontiernet.net).
Box Tops and Tyson A+ Labels are Due This Week – Thursday, September 27th
Don’t forget to cut out those Box Tops and Tyson A+ Labels! And did you know that in addition to cutting out box tops, the Box Top program offers several other easy ways to earn money for Plank South Elementary? Check out our website here to learn all about it.
Plank South Spirit Wear Sale 9/24/18 – 10/5/18
Don't miss out on our Spirit Wear sale – there's one week left! Show your school spirit by purchasing a Plank South t-shirt or sweatshirt featuring our logo. This sale is NOT a fundraiser, but a great way to show our Plank South School Spirit. You can click here to access an order form or order your gear online by clicking this link. https://planksouth2018.itemorder.com A sample shirt is on display in the school office.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
- We have open positions on the steering committee and for coordinator positions. Click here for more information.
Upcoming Events
- Monday, 9/24 – Coupon Book Sales due
- Thursday, 9/27 - BOX TOPS & Tyson A+ Collection Day
- Friday, 9/28 - 4th Grade Fun Run at North Ponds Park (Rain Date 10/4)
- Friday, 10/5 – Spirit Wear Orders due
- Friday, 10/5 – NO SCHOOL
- Monday, 10/10 – NO SCHOOL
- Thursday, 10/11 – PTSA Meeting 7pm
- Tuesday, 10/16 – 5th Grade Roller Skating
- Tuesday - Wednesday, 10/16-10/17 – School Pictures