Rusch January 2019
A GREAT PLACE TO BE: EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CHANCE, EVERY DAY
Mr. Meyer's Message
Story structure encourages our brains to think in sequence, expanding our attention spans:
Stories have a beginning, middle, and end, and that’s a good thing for your brain. With this structure, our brains are encouraged to think in sequence, linking cause and effect. The more you read, the more your brain is able to adapt to this line of thinking. Neuroscientists encourage parents to take this knowledge and use it for children, reading to kids as much as possible. In doing so, you’ll be instilling story structure in young minds while the brain has more plasticity, and the capacity to expand their attention span.
Reading changes your brain structure
Not everyone is a natural reader. Poor readers may not truly understand the joy of literature, but they can be trained to become better readers. And in this training, their brains actually change. In a six-month daily reading program from Carnegie Mellon, scientists discovered that the volume of white matter in the language area of the brain actually increased. Further, they showed that brain structure can be improved with this training, making it more important than ever to adopt a healthy love of reading. (source: oedb.org)
If you have been thinking about volunteering at Rusch and would still like to do so, please stop by the office and ask to speak with Mr. Meyer or Mrs. Mann and we can get you involved in a way that works for you! On behalf of the staff and the students at Rusch, I wish you all a happy new year! I look forward to what 2019 brings for you and your family and for our entire Rusch Elementary School family!
Sincerely,
Mr. Meyer
DATES TO REMEMBER
Jan 2~ School Resumes
Jan 8~ PTO meeting ~ALL ARE WELCOME 5:30-6:30 PM
Jan 18~ End of 1st Semester
Jan 21~ No School
Jan 25~ Report Cards Sent Home
Office News
Our School Day is 8:00-2:55. Students are considered late/tardy after 8:00 AM.
All tardy students must be walked into the main office and signed in by a parent/guardian.
If you need assistance with cold weather clothing, please call the office.
For planned absences, please contact our office for pre-authorization forms.
If your child will be absent please contact the main office by 8:00 AM. 608-742-7376
Please refrain from parking in the front of the school during arrival and dismissal times.
Chaperones or volunteers need to complete an annual background check online at least two weeks prior to volunteering. Please use this link to locate the form. http://www.portage.k12.wi.us/district/volunteer-opportunities.cfm
If you need help with this process, please call Rusch office at 742-7376.
3rd Grade
Fun in the Snow
2nd Grade Donates to the Community
Rusch Family Pride Organization
Winter Concert
Advanced Learners Opportunities/Events
December 7 - Creative Arts Festival Grades 3/4
January 11 - Math 24 tournament - Grade 4
January 18 - Math 24 tournament - Grade 5
24 Tournament Rules
February 5 - Regional Spelling Bee
February 8 - Writing due for the Young Author's Contest
February (end) - Math Matters Competition
March 5 - Regional Math 24 Tournament
April 3 - Youth Art Madison
April 25 - Creative Arts Festival Grades 5/6
May 28 - Young Authors Conference
LEGO Club application forms can be picked up by your child in the office. Adults are always needed to facilitate groups of students. Your child is automatically placed in a club (yours!) if you volunteer.
Holly Kobza
K-5 Learning Coach (GT & Tech)
2600 Woodcrest Drive
Portage, WI 53901
608-742-5531
Cafeteria
Please click on the link for January Lunch Menu.
Please ask the office for Free and Reduced applications any time throughout the year.
Please remember in order to purchase any a la carte items (e.g. milk) there must be enough money in your child's account to cover that item.
Family Resources
Nursing
Handwashing
Germs are commonly spread through direct contact or by sprays from coughs or sneezes. Washing our hands at key times throughout the day is very important to stop the spread of germs. Please work with your child to practice good handwashing skills that includes the use of soap. Be sure you focus on both the fronts and backs of hands, between the fingers and fingertips. Keep nails trimmed and clean. Fingernails longer than ¼ inch are known to harbor more dirt and bacteria, so a nail brush may be needed.
Key times students are encouraged to wash hands at school include:
after using the restroom
before eating lunch or snack
when dirty, such as after recess or art
after coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose
any time a child wants to
before preparing food
Handwashing helps to keep our fellow students healthy. Many students have chronic health concerns causing a lowered immune system. These students are no different than others, but are challenged with staying healthy on a daily basis. Let’s all step up the hand washing, for ourselves and others!
Here is a poster that sums up handwashing as a family activity. http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/hygiene/hwfamily.pdf
Spelling Bee
Student Council
Phy Ed.
Thank you to Karate America of Portage for coming in to lead karate classes for the students!
Art
Music
Hello Rusch Parents and Families!
Now that the winter program is over we can all take a deep breath and relax in the music room. In January the 3rd grade students will be learning how to play the recorder, always a loud and exciting time! The 4th graders are about to start their musical instrument unit, they will be seeing some band instruments in person and discovering how they make sound. It's back to business as usual for everyone, so we will also be reviewing music room rules and procedures.
Looking forward to a great rest of the school year!
-Miss Janes
Stitch Club
Backpack Program
The goal of the program is to provide nonperishable food items for students to take home on the weekends and long breaks during the school year.
The Backpack Program hopes to reduce food anxiety so that students can have more positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes in school.
For more information about this program please visit https://sites.google.com/portage.k12.wi.us/portage-community-schools-back/home
Rusch Elementary School
Website: portage.k12.wi.us/rusch
Location: 117 W Franklin St, Portage, WI, United States
Phone: 608-742-7376