Rusch November 2017
A GREAT PLACE TO BE: EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CHANCE, EVERY DAY
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
One of my favorite things about Rusch is working with family and friends to bring as many experiences to our Ruschies as possible. During the school day some of our students participate in Safety Patrol and Student Council. We also have a few other students who are part of the Rusch News Crew and others who are in Art Club. Most of these opportunities are for students that are in 4th or 5th grade.
We would love to have more fun opportunities for our students of all ages after school. Some of you may remember the awesome music club we had the last two years. Unfortunately, the leader of the club has moved out of the area. We would love to provide opportunities for our students like that. Do you have a hobby that you would love to share with some of our students? Maybe you could volunteer once a week, once a month, whatever you can to provide more opportunities for our students. When the students were surveyed: some of the clubs they were interested in were gymnastics, dance, music, painting, sports, sewing, origami, building, art, STEAM, etc.
If leading a club isn't your thing, we are always looking for volunteers to come in during the school day to read with students, work on math facts, help teachers prep materials we would love to have you!
Thanks for considering helping our Ruschies to have as many opportunities as possible!
DATES TO REMEMBER
- Nov 9~ Veteran's Day Program @ 8:15 AM in the Gymnasium
- Nov 9~Family Game Night Rusch 4:30-6:00 PM
- Nov 15~ Buddy Families 9:30 AM
- Nov 20~ Butter Braids Pick up @ 2:30-4:00PM in the Cafeteria
- Nov 21~ No Art Club
- Nov 22-27~ No School
- Nov 28~ School Resumes
Office News
Please send a note in your student's folder to school:
- if the way your child goes home changes
- if your child will be picked up early
Please call 608-742-7376 by 7:45 AM if your child will be absent.
Please send back Parent/Student Handbook Verification Page.
Cafeteria
Reminder about lunch accounts:
Please maintain a positive balance.
Pre-payment is needed for breakfast, lunch, and a la carte (milk only) items.
Please ask the office for Free and Reduced applications at any time during the school year. November lunch menu: http://www.portage.k12.wi.us/district/lunch.cfm
Art Club
Art Club students have been working on fall art projects like Halloween paper mache masks and also completed their Art Club T-shirts using a freezer wrap stencil.
Reminder: No Art Club on November 21st
Physical Education
Students have been working on their volleyball skills with bumping, setting, and serving. Please remember to send tennis shoes for PE as well.
Art Class
Hello Parents!
October have been a busy month in the art room! Kids have been...
Painting...and learning how to use and clean brushes.
Drawing...and learning about artists.
Printing....and learning about lines.
Learning & Having fun in the art room!
Please check out the examples below of some talented Portage student artists you may recognize.
Also, go to artsonia.com and click on your child’s school to view more student artwork.
And, am looking forward to attending the Wisconsin Art Education Association fall conference in a week when students have their two-day break. I will be presenting a class on How to make a Twisted yarn necklace. Ask your child if they remember making one of these fun necklaces!
Jen Martens
K-5 Art Teacher
Rusch, Lewiston and Endeavor Elementary Schools
4 & 5 Grade Tree with Positive and Negative Spaces
3 & 4 Grade String Line Design
K & 1 Grade Color Mixing Apples with Texture
2nd & 3rd Raccoon Drawing with Texture
1st & 2nd Gustav Klimt Tree with 'Real' Gold Texture & Jewels
4th & 5th Pumpkin with Warm and Cool Colors
Music
It is program season, so in music we have all been working very hard to prepare songs for Veterans Day as well as the upcoming winter concert. Just a reminder that the winter music concert is on Thursday, December 21st at 5:30 pm in the Rusch gymnasium. We're already off to a great start on the music.
We are so happy to be working on Science and Social Studies this year. We just finished our first Social Studies unit on Maps. We made maps of our shoes and compass roses! We are starting our first unit of Science. It is all about Weather! The students are so excited!
Nursing
When your child is ill
Students have attendance expectations, but if your child is ill, please keep him or her home to rest. The Student Health Guidelines are published in the student handbook. Please review these for expectations of the district. The district medical advisor has participated in the development of the guidelines.
Students who present to the school office with symptoms during the school day will have these guidelines taken into consideration for the action plan. For example, a student who comes to the office complaining of not feeling well will be asked to identify what is not feeling well. Is it a headache, stomachache, fever, cough. Temperature checks are made frequently. Sometimes a few minutes of rest and a drink of water is all that is needed. But we will call you if your child meets a guideline and ask you to take action.
Please remember that students who need medication during the school day must have the medication delivered to the school office by an adult in the original pharmacy labeled container or original package with directions for over the counter meds, and one
medication consent/request form per medication shall be completed and submitted to the office for the nurse to review before giving. Medication forms are online for your convenience. Go to Nursing Services, Medication.
Ask the pharmacist to provide a second bottle for school when ordering or picking up the medication from the pharmacy.
The school nurse is available to you as a resource, please do not hesitate to call for support and guidance. Mrs. Hon covers all elementary buildings and may be reached at 608/742-4867, ext 4131, 608/697-4912, or honv@portage.k12.wi.usBackPack Program
Staff at Rusch Elementary are teaming up to provide food to children for the 2017-2018 school year. The Backpack Program is a free program that provides kid-friendly, non-perishable food, for students most in need, to eat over the weekends. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior, and achievement of every student that participates.
Items distributed in the program could include: cereal, peanut butter, juice, fruit cups, soup, vegetables, and granola bars to name a few. Bags will be distributed to student participants on the last school day before the weekend or break. Any child who is in need is eligible to receive these weekly bags of food.
Please carefully consider your family’s economic status to determine if food assistance is needed by your child(ren). The goal of the program is to provide food to children who are hungry on a regular basis.
This program has been funded this year through donations, grants, and a private donation. It is staffed by Rusch teachers and volunteers.
If you feel your child(ren) could benefit from this program at any time during the school year, please email Mrs. Schoenborn at schoenbornn@portage.k12.wi.us. We will do our best to ensure that this program is confidential as students will not be identified as participating. Our staff will put a bag filled with food in your child(ren)’s backpack before school is let out for the weekend.
Columbia County Resources
Columbia County Health and Human Services
Food Pantries
2nd Harvest Mobile Food Pantries (open to all Columbia County residents)
2nd Monday of every month at 11:00am at the Columbia Co. Fairgrounds, Wauona Tr/Griffith St. Everyone welcome. No ID’s needed. Bring your own carts/baskets to carry your food.
St Vincent De Paul Food Pantry
Located at 1311 West Wisconsin Street in Portage
Monday–Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–8pm and Saturday 9am–5pm
*You will need to bring photo ID, proof of residency and your own bags. Applicants are eligible every 30 days.
Park and Recreation
806 Silver Lake Dr, Portage, Wi, 53901 (608) 742-2178
Family Resource Center
2946 Red Fox Run, Portage, WI 53901 (608) 742-8482
Provides a variety of family services, including scheduled playgroups, parenting support and information series, workshops, and family visiting program. Staff are available to answer questions or provide resources to help families. All services are free.
Dental – Free or Low Cost Services - Seal-A-Smile
Susan Lorenz R.N. M.S. Columbia County Health Officer at 608-742-9227 susan.lorenz@co.columbia.wi.us
The Columbia County Seal-A-Smile dental sealant program is available at no charge whether or not your child is covered by dental insurance. The program will bill Medical Assistance or BadgerCare if your child is covered by these programs.
Free Immunization Clinic
2:30pm-5:30pm (10/10, 11/14, 12/12 - 2016) No appointment is necessary – Birth parent or legal guardian signature required. Bring immunization records.
Library Programs
Contact the library in your community to inquire about special programs for children and families, such as story hour or summer reading programs.
Portage Public Library 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage 53901 (608) 742-4959 Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-8:30; Fri 9-6; Sat 10-4 Sat hours between Memorial Day & Labor Day are 10-1 Contact: info@portagelibrary.us Website: http://www.portagelibrary.us/
There are many more resources available to our community, feel free to check out the Columbia County Health and Human Services Website: http://www.co.columbia.wi.us/columbiacounty/Portals/7/Resource%20Guide.pdf
Helping our Portage Friend reach a Goal
PULLIN’ for Pop Tabs at Woodridge Primary School!
We’re looking for help collecting Pop Tabs for Mercedes Alves, a 5 year old Woodridge Primary student. She is collecting tabs for the Ronald McDonald House in memory of her late brother and has been collecting since February 1st. The Guinness Book of World Records lists the record at 2,782,000 tabs collected in a year and has stood for 12 years. Mercedes has currently collected over 2,400,000 tabs and has until January 31st to beat that record.
She is so close and we’re so excited for her! What’s even more exciting is that Mercedes would be the very first Portage resident in the World Record book!
If you’d like to help, please send your pop tabs into your school by January 12th and Woodridge will send them to Mercedes’ family.
Let’s all help Mercedes beat that World Record in memory of her late brother and have his memory forever remembered in their hearts and the book!
~Please send pop tabs to Rusch with your child. We have a bin set up in the office for collection. Thank you!
Upcoming Events in Portage
Sharing Supper Nov. 27th Wayne Bartels Middle School 5:00-6:30 PM
Sharing Supper came to Portage in 2015. Each supper includes free blood pressure checks, Kids Corner with educational games and activities plus informational booths for guests to learn about services that are available to them in our community. Meals are free and everyone is invited. The Portage Sharing Suppers are held on the last Monday of each month at the Bartels Middle School, 2505 New Pinery Road from 5:00-6:30pm.
For more information regarding Portage’s Sharing Supper, please email portagesharingsupper@gmail.com
Rusch Elementary School
Website: portage.k12.wi.us/rusch
Location: 117 W Franklin St, Portage, WI, United States
Phone: 608-742-7376