Rocket News
February 2020
A letter from your Principal
Dear Rocket Parents/Guardians,
Happy February Rocket Families! I hope this newsletter finds you well. We are in our second week of the second semester and excited about the week’s ahead. At last Friday’s Rocket Rally, we talked about the gift of a fresh start. We talked about the opportunities that a fresh start brings. Whether your previous semester was a great one or you know that you could have done better, a fresh start is an opportunity to set new goals and look forward to what the future holds--academically, socially and emotionally.
We are excited for February for many reasons. For one, we get to recognize and celebrate the many accomplishments of our African American leaders while also highlighting current and historical events to celebrate Black History Month. In addition to learning more about Black history throughout the month, we are holding our 4th annual Cultural Week from March 2-6. This week consists of African American storytellers, Indian food sampling, spirit day outfits—wear an outfit that represents your culture/heritage, and many classroom activities. Again this is a great opportunity to talk to your Rocket about what’s going on at school.
Some of the resources that your Rocket will be viewing are found on our Royal Oaks library media page. I’ve linked them below if you are interested in learning more. This short (1:30) Google video is a great reminder of the many accomplishments African Americans have contributed to this country--past and present. You can view it here.
As always, our doors are open—stop by and see us!
Royal Oaks Black History Webpage:
http://myhretanya.wixsite.com/royaloakslibrary/black-history-month
Royal Oaks Cultural Week Webpage:
http://myhretanya.wixsite.com/royaloakslibrary/cultural-week
Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.
The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by black Americans and other peoples of African descent.
Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.
Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme.
The Black History Month 2020 theme, “African Americans and the Vote,” is in honor of the centennial anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment (1920) granting women’s suffrage and the sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) giving black men the right to vote
Crossing Guard Appreciation Week
Royal Oaks appreciates our Crossing Guards for keeping our Rockets safe every day. Throughout the week, Helping Hands made them cards and signs. They also delivered hot chocolate and muffins.
February is American Heart Month!
On Wednesday, February 12th from 9:30am- 12:00pm, 5th graders will spend 45 minutes learning Hands Only CPR and how to work an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Please join us on February 7th and wear RED to school!
Royal Oaks Kindness Retreat
Sun Prairie B.E.A.M. Awards
Nurse Lori is in need of the following items! Please drop off in Nurse's Office.
We are in need of:
Girls leggings sizes 5, 6, 7, 8.
Girls sweatshirts/hoodies sizes 7/8, 10/12, 14/16
Boys socks sizes medium and large
Cases of 8 oz. water bottles
Advanced Learner Program
Advanced Learner Program Update
From Mrs. Plesac
February 2020
Math 24 Club: With the addition of 2 new schools, we have many more participants for Math 24. We have decided to have a local Math 24 competition to determine the top 15 for each 4th and 5th grade in Sun Prairie. All students who are interested in competing have been invited to compete against local Sun Prairie students. The top 15 scoring students will then compete at the regional level at UW Madison on March 16th. Our local Math 24 competition will be at Meadow View on the morning of February 6th.
The Yahara River Writers Project:
Thank you to all of the 5th grade students who submitted art and writing to the contest! All of us at Royal Oaks are so proud of you all! Congratulations to the following participants whose work will be published in our district’s anthology. This anthology will be published this spring and all winners will receive a copy of it.
For Poetry:
Kadence Bowman-O'Kimosh
Olivia Qinton
Gabriela Ponce
Rithvik Chandrasekaran
For Editorials:
Trisha Khadanga
Aikam Aulakh
For Short Stories:
Sofia Farooqui
The COVER of the anthology will be artwork done by:
Brie Gearing
These winning pieces will also go on to the next regional level of competition. These students will know if their work is selected in late March. Good luck to everyone and congratulations for all of your hard work. This anthology will be given to these students at the end of the year.
Next Parent Learning Session: March 18th at Meadow View Elementary from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Information will be about transitioning from school to school and grade to grade. Child care will be provided.
Local Math meet Grades 5-8: All 5th graders at Royal Oaks will be taking a Math Meet screener the first week of February. I will help classroom teachers administer both the written and mental math portions. The 30 top scoring 5th grade students in the entire district will be invited to participate in the SPASD local math meet on Thursday, March 12th. More information will follow in the upcoming weeks.
Heart filled wishes,
Katie Plesac
Advanced Learner Teacher
834-7218
Bus Information
Bus Driver Recognition Week
February 10-14, 2020 is School Bus Driver Recognition Week in the State of Wisconsin. Be sure to thank your child’s bus driver for all they do to get our students to and from school safely every day!
Families with Rural Stops
If your child’s bus stop is at your house and your child or children are the only students assigned to that stop, please notify Kobussen no later than 6:30 AM if your child will not be riding the bus that day. This helps drivers stay on time and avoid driving to locations if there are no students to pick up. Call Kobussen at 825-8700, option 1 to let the dispatcher know if your child will not be riding.
When your child is riding, please make sure he/she is visible to the driver from the road.
Bus Pick-up Times
Please remember that your child should be ready and waiting at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. This will ensure your child doesn’t miss the bus if the route is running slightly ahead of time. Anything within 5 minutes of the scheduled time is considered on time.Traffic Safety
Rocket Families!
As we start the second semester, we thought it would be a great opportunity to share/remind everyone of the importance of traffic safety around Royal Oaks at drop off and pick up times.
As we often share with your Rocket(s), repetition is the key to learning. Here are some reminders for you to help "keep our Rockets safe"!
Drop Off:
- Please pull all the way forward in the lane closest to the school. Even on cold days please pull all the way forward. Students can walk back to the front door if there is indoor recess. The only exception is for students who have physical needs.
- Please do not stop at the front door. Students participating in tutoring, clubs or eating breakfast can walk back to the front door. Stopping at the front door only slows down drop off.
- Please do not get out of your car. If your child requires assistance to get out of the car, please park in the parking lot and walk them safely to the sidewalk.
- Please make sure your Rocket is ready to exit the car when you get to school. "Good bye", "Have a good day" and "I love you's" are really important, but please try to have them done by the time you get to the drop off.
- Always have your child exit out of your car on the SIDEWALK side of the car.
- Help our Watch DOGS out in the morning by attending to these rules.
- Please do not drop off at the back gate. Please park your car within the designated parking lines and then walk your child to the gate. Please do not leave your child/children unattended near the bus drop off lane.
Pick Up:
- The biggest request we have is to display as much patience as possible at pick up. Unlike drop off where traffic is staggered, pick up is all at once. Driver patience is absolutely necessary.
- If you are picking up your Rocket outside of the pick up lane, please park your car, come into school, and walk your child safely to your car. We do not want students crossing traffic without an adult.
- An interesting observation over the years is that by 3:15 (the bell rings at 3:10) the drop off lane is usually empty. A couple minutes and some patience makes a big difference.
If you have grandparents, friends, or any one other than you dropping off or picking up your child, please forward this email to them. It is helpful if we are all on the same page in regards to safety at drop off and pick up times.
If your Rocket is eligible to ride the bus, we strongly encourage it. In the fall and spring we encourage kids to ride their bikes or walk to school if parents/guardians are comfortable with that. The less traffic around school the less likely we are to have traffic concerns.
Supervision on the playground starts at 7:45. Students dropped off before 7:45 are not supervised. The bell rings at 8:12. Students need to be in their classrooms by 8:20.
Lastly please be aware of speed and cell phone use during drop off and pick up--SAFETY first. No texting or calling in a school zone please--we need attentive drivers.
We thank you in advance for your diligence in making drop off and pick up as safe as possible for all our Rockets.
Thank You.
Royal Oaks Staff
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student’s sex (gender identity, gender expressions, and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession, or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. Harassment is a form of discrimination and shall not be tolerated in the District. It is the responsibility of administrators, staff members and all students to ensure that student discrimination or harassment does not occur. (SPASD District Policy JB)
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Spanish, please contact us at 608-834-6620. Si un estudiante, padre ó guardian prefiere tener esta información traducida en Español, por favor contactenos en el 608-834-6620.
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Hmong, please contact us at 608-834-6630. Yog tus me nyuam lub xiv los yog niam thiab txiv/tus neeg muaj cai saib xyuas tus me nyuam xav tau qhov ntawv ntawm no ua lus Hmoob, thov hais rau peb paub rau ntawm 608-834-6630.