Ruschies Rock! Review
January 2022 - Vol IV
Calendar of Upcoming Events
January 14 (Also count day for attendance)
January 21
FIRST SEMESTER ENDS
January 21
NO SCHOOL - Inservice
Monday, January 24
A Message From the Principal
Our Winter Testing Window will begin soon. I am so excited to see the growth that our students are making! Thank you so much for working with your child to help him/her improve on his/her reading and math facts.
Thank you for continuing to partner with us through this pandemic. We appreciate your understanding and support.
We continue to work on social skills of empathy. I presented lessons on the damage of name calling to our fifth graders and spoke to them about the importance of standing up for others and not being a bystander when they see their peers treated disrespectfully.
Mrs. Gulrud
Email: gulruda@portage.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.portage.k12.wi.us/schools/rusch/
Location: 117 West Franklin Street, Portage, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 742-7376
A Message from your Dean of Students
Greetings and Happy New Year!
I hope that your winter break contained numerous opportunities to unwind and relax. As we return with a new month and new year insight, we will continue reinforcing last month's social-emotional skill of empathy and build upon it as we explore its connection to this month's character trait of caring for others. Because reflecting on your character is essential to experience personal growth and accountability, students will receive several opportunities to reflect on the character trait of caring and how they display it to others throughout the month.
Students demonstrate a caring character when they exhibit kindness, act compassionately and with empathy, show concern for the well-being of others, express gratitude, and grant forgiveness. There are many ways in which you can help your student further develop these skills at home, including:
- Write a thank-you note to someone in the community who did something very caring.
- Talk about an experience where you performed a random caring act for others and the
results it produced.
- Develop a list of dos and don'ts for caring behavior. Discuss what happens when people
live by these guidelines and what happens when they don't.
- Imagine you received $20,000 to spend charitably. Talk about what you would do with it
and why. Discuss the effects it would have on the people you would be helping.
As always, if you have any questions or need any assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Ms. VanderSchaaf
Dean of Students
Thanks to Rusch Family Pride Organization
Winter Weather is Here!
SUPER READERS
Closings and Delays
District families will be notified via automated phone and/or email messages when there will be a delay or school closing.
Students and parents are encouraged to listen to local radio and television stations for further updates. If school is delayed for 2 hours, keep listening because school may be canceled entirely if the weather does not improve.
It is very important that your child’s school has the most current phone numbers and email addresses in order to receive messages. Call Rusch main office with ANY changes: 608-742-7376.
Message from Administrator Joshua Sween
"Remember that if it becomes necessary to close schools due to inclement weather, we will do our best to make that call by noon the day prior to an event. That will give us time to prepare technology and work for virtual or remote learning and allow families to make the necessary arrangements as well. There may be some instances where surprise weather situations come up and it will be necessary to cancel school the morning of the event. If that happens it will be considered a true snow day and there will be no expectations of learning on those days. They will also need to be made up at the end of the year in the second week of June.
Office Open at 7:30
Hockey in Gym Class
Learning how to use a hockey stick
Shoots and scores!
A Message from the Counselor
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a wonderful winter break. Throughout the month of December, we continued learning about problem solving and conflict resolution. In grades K-1, we completed our “Big Deals and Little Deals” lessons and learned how to tell if a problem is big or small, as well as strategies for solving small problems. Some strategies include: using gentle words, walking away, and ignoring.
In grades 2, 3, and 5, we continued learning strategies for solving conflicts as well as had opportunities to practice skills through role plays, team challenges, and scenario practice. In fourth grade, we watched a movie called “Chrissa Stands Strong” and discussed bullying. Please continue to encourage your student to use their problem solving strategies when they are faced with “kid sized” problems or conflicts. It is also important to discuss safe adults at home and school to talk to when they do have a big problem.
As a school, we have been focusing on the topic of empathy. Empathy, or the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes and feel how they feel, is an important skill for friendship, preventing bullying, and solving conflicts. Though it is always important, we put a special focus on it in December and will continue to build on the topic as we move into our Feelings and Kindness lessons in the coming weeks.
I hope you are all staying safe, warm, and healthy. Please reach out if there is anything I can do to help your student or family!
Take Care,
Angie Kenas
School Counselor
NURSING NOTES
We are expanding our Portage High School located covid-19 testing site days & hours. This is still a non-public testing site, but we will have testers onsite Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on days school is in session. This does include our inservice Mondays as staff will be expected to be in-house. This does not include holiday breaks or if we close due to inclement weather.
Here is a handout how/where to register:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x5ZDwnwoARR0NMJa3TB5ug-DDozQEpHB/view
School Located COVID-19 Testing Location
Portage Community School District is partnering with Accelerated Clinical Laboratories to provide PCR COVID-19 testing for district family and staff households. This service is being provided as a courtesy through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services K-12 Testing Program at no cost to participants and will be located at the Portage High School.
Testing will be available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. beginning Tuesday, December 7, 2021. No service will be provided during school vacations or inclement weather days.
Pre-registration, including parental consent if necessary, is required and can be accessed through COVID Connect system.
This testing site is drive-thru access only at Door 35 of the Portage High School. * To get to Door 35, drive past the high school’s main entrance and turn left into the far driveway on the east side of the building. Pull up to Door 35. Park your car and knock on the door. Be ready to present your registration QR code provided during pre-registration for each person at each visit.
Sitio Para Pruebas De COVID-19
El Distrito Escolar de Portage se ha juntado con Accelerated Clinical Laboratories para hacer pruebas PCR de COVID-19 para las familias y personal dentro del distrito. Este servicio se proporciona como cortesía de parte del programa Wisconsin Department of Health Services K-12 Testing sin costo alguno a los participantes, y se llevará a cabo en Portage High School.
Las pruebas se van a hacer lunes a la viernes desde las 9:00 de la mañana hasta las 3:00 de la tarde empezando el martes, 7 de diciembre. Estos servicios no serán disponibles durante días de vacación o descanso por motivo de mal tiempo.
Se requiere registrarse con anticipación, incluyendo el permiso de un padre si se requiere, por medio del sistema COVID Connect system.
El acceso al sitio es solamente en auto por medio de la Puerta 35 de Portage High School. * Para llegar a la Puerta 35, pase la entrada principal de la high school y doble a mano izquierda en la última entrada del lado este del edificio. Acérquese a la Puerta 35. Estacione su auto y toque en la puerta. Tenga a mano su código QR que recibió durante el proceso de registrarse para cada persona en cada visita.
Book Fair Profits
Optimist Tri-Star Basketball Contest - Feb. 19th
Getting young people involved in sports, and community activities is a GREAT way for kids to build self-esteem, meet new friends and develop new skills. On Saturday, February 19, 2022, the Portage Optimist Club will be hosting its annual Tri-Star Basketball Contest. We hope you and your children will participate in what will be sure to be an enjoyable morning!
Local Tri-Star Basketball Contest
Saturday, February 19, 2022
9:00 a.m.
John Muir Gym
2600 Woodcrest Drive, Portage, WI
The contest is composed of three basic skills tests in passing, shooting, and dribbling for boys and girls from ages 6 to 13. Each participant will be evaluated individually within his/her own age bracket and gender group.
To register, click on this link and complete form -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s4FeDmJjaCNYnzmww_KEpJh9OOp1u0NBrJ2SIEG9wKo/edit?usp=sharing
Mini Course Day - Offer your time and talents
We are hoping to have a Mini Course Day on Thurs., May 12 (rain date May 19) from
8:30-2:30 pm. Students rotate through stations and might for example do art projects, outdoor games, karate, flower arranging, theater games, learn about therapy dogs, etc.
If you have any skills or contacts and would like to lead a session or have an individual we could reach out to and contact to provide a session, we would appreciate your help. Adult volunteers have to pass a background check and then would mask and social distance while presenting.
Please email Mrs. Gulrud if you are interested in helping or know of a resource.
Thank you for your support,
Angie Gulrud