the PENN NEWSLETTER
5/17/2019
PENN PRIDE: we have. we are.
Music has been in the air.
Panthers on the run!
Our 5th & 6th grade students represented our pride with pride. We're proud of them.
Thanks to Ms. Fishman and all the ICCSD PE teachers who make this event possible.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
Please join us for Penn Elementary night at the Cedar Rapids Kernels! This fun and exciting event for students, staff, families, and friends will take place on Monday, May 20th at 6:35 PM. Gates open at 5:30 PM and students who attend the game may be selected to participate in on-field activities and contests. Penn families can buy tickets at a special reduced rate of just $8.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Kernels ticket office at (319) 896-7560, or online at this link. (Please select the special Penn area of Section 114 when ordering tickets online.)
For more info check out this flyer.
Celebrating our PALS
Dear Penn Families,
The Iowa City Community School District is currently working with Rize Creative Group on the filming of a Districtwide video. On Monday, May 20, their team will be at Penn Elementary for a portion of the day capturing necessary footage for the video. While there will be no speaking roles, there is the possibility that your child may be directly or indirectly part of a scene within the final edited product. Please note, if you have elected in PowerSchool for your child’s image to not be used in photos or videos by the District, we will be sure to honor this request.
The District has worked with this group on multiple occasions, and they have been very respectful of our students and staff throughout their filming, while also being careful to minimize the disruption to the learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns about the filming of the video and/or your child’s involvement, please contact the District’s Coordinator of Community Affairs, Kristin Pedersen, at (319) 688-1000 or by email at pedersen.kristin@iowacityschools.org. Thank you!
Looking ahead to 2019-2020
More staffing assignments:
Mrs. Zacek, school counselor - Grant
Kris Hynek, Student Family Advocate - Grant and Wickham
Jess McCusker, School Facilitator - Grant and Garner
Students: A lot of students will be moving to Grant next year, and students from Lincoln and Wickham will be joining the Penn Pride. Penn currently has 640 students, and is project to have about 440 students next year.
Teachers:
Congratulations to Catherine Young who is retiring!
Kayla Dietzel and her family are moving as her husband begins his career as a dentist.
Several teachers are also moving to Grant. We are excited for these teachers who are becoming Grant Grizzlies: Jenny Lorch, Alys Thoensen, Abby Papesh, Andrea Pieper-Askelson, Kristin Schmidt, Matt Wisniewski, Drew Landolt and Noah DeLong.
At Penn, we are excited for some new assignments and a lot of rearranging around the building and we spread out a bit. I'm sharing assignments as we know them now with the caution that there could still be changes.
K: Traci Meyers, Val Calderwood, Cassie Strunk
1st: Sherri Clemence, Jen Rose, Vicky Cupp
2nd: Carrie Glick, Kanndi Dick, Carla Chabal
3rd: Ashley Bonnet, Nicole Luense, Angie Shive
4th: Lisa Roberts, Kathy Durband
5th: Curtis Butler, Ashley Duthie
6th: Dennis Newell, Jodi Krueger
Special education: Alexis Otte, Chrissy Dodds, Jill Happel, Gina Folkerts
from the school nurse
Required immunizations
Per Iowa law, junior high students must have a meningococcal vaccine (to prevent meningitis, a bacteria that infects the brain, blood and spinal cord) and a Tdap booster (to prevent tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis/whooping cough). Please check your child’s immunization record or call their health care provider to find out if they had the Tdap booster and meningitis shot and make an appointment if needed. Johnson County Public Health also provides the immunizations at no cost to children with or without health insurance. Please call 319-356-6042 to make an appointment. Please turn in an updated “Certificate of Immunization” before the new school year begins. Your child may not be able to attend school without these required vaccines.
SPORTS PHYSICALS
All students who are interested in playing a sport in junior high MUST have a current pre-participation “sports” physical exam on file at their school. You can turn this in prior to the start of their sport season (or at the start of the school year). A physical exam is good for 13 months from the date of the exam before expiring. Please schedule an appointment with your health care provider now to ensure that your child will be allowed to practice and play when school starts in August. If your child does not have health insurance, free medical care (including sports physicals) is available through the Healthy Kids School-based Health Clinics. Call the Clinic Coordinator at 319-631-3204 (Se habla español; Français parlé). The Clinic is open during the summer.
DENTAL SCREENING FOR 9th GRADERS
Iowa law requires that all 9th graders have a dental screen done by a dentist or dental hygienist between the beginning of 8th grade and spring of their 9th grade year. Ask your child’s dentist/ dental hygienist to complete the Iowa “Certificate of Dental Screening” form. Please return the completed certificate to your child's school office. If your child does not have dental insurance coverage or you cannot pay for dental care, contact the Johnson County Public Health I-Smiles Coordinator at 319-356-6045 for assistance.
All forms are available on the district website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Page/1146
LAST DAY of SCHOOL
The last day of school will be May 31. This is just a half day of school and we'll dismiss at 10:55.
8:15 - 6th grade Celebration in the gym. Parents and special guests are invited
9:00 - 10:30 Fun Activities on the playground. Families are welcome. You will not need to check in at the office, but should just meet your child on the playground.
10:30 - 10:55 Students will return to their classrooms for a closing activity with their teacher and classmates. Parents may wait outside (weather permitting) for dismissal.
"Pay to Ride" Bus Option
If you live less than 2 miles from Penn you will not be routed for bus transportation. However, you can fill out the attached “Pay to Ride” form to apply for busing.
If there is room on the bus, the District can provide a bus for your student through the “Pay to Ride” program.
If your family is on free lunch, there is NO CHARGE!
If your family is on reduced lunch, the fee is $260 per student per year.
If your family is NOT eligible for free or reduced lunch, the fee is $438 per student per year.
Please know that seats on the bus will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. So please get your application in as soon as possible!
The deadline to apply is June 3rd. Please use this link: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Page/17325 to access the application form.
The application can be turned into Penn no later than May 31st.
If you have questions or need help with the form, please contact the office at 688-1150.
Info from ICCSD
Attendance Zones
The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors approved new elementary attendance areas for the 2019-20 school year. The new boundaries were approved during their November 27 board meeting. The updated maps can be found on the District website at the following link: www.IowaCitySchools.org/DistrictMaps. In addition, the District’s Attendance Area Look-Up links have been updated to reflect the approved boundary changes. The Attendance Area Look-Up links provide school information specific for your home address. The links can be found on the District website at the following link: www.IowaCitySchools.org/AttendanceAreaLookUp. Junior high and high school students may also be impacted by these changes. Please be sure to check the Attendance Area Look-Up link above to determine if changes to the elementary boundaries have affected your student.
- Elementary Roadmap - Please be sure to regularly check the timeline of events over the remainder of the year. This can be found here.
Info for Future Grant Grizzlies
Looking Ahead
- May 22: Library books are due
May 31: Last Day of School
9:00 - 10:30 Fun on the playground, families welcome
10:55 Dismissal