Cape Elementary: Seahawk Sentinel
October 1, 2018
Cape's Mission & Vision
Vision: We believe that the most promising strategy for achieving the mission of Cape Elementary is to develop our capacity to function as a professional learning community.
Dear Cape Parents,
Our Cape Elementary family is off to an exciting and busy start this year. Each day we are surrounded by smiling students, caring parents and giving volunteers. Thank you to everyone for your dedication and commitment in making Cape the best elementary school!
Take a look at our October calendar in this newsletter, in your child’s planner or on our website for the many activities happening this month. Our Picture Day is now on Monday, October 8 due to a scheduling conflict with our new picture company, Leonard’s. We will also participate in a College Day on Wednesday, October 3 with all West Zone schools. Report cards go home on October 19. Please take time to review with your child.
Please mark your calendar now for Cape’s third annual Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 27 at 6:00 p.m. This will be a wonderful evening for our Cape families to celebrate fall together. Please look in this newsletter for more information and anticipate a flyer in the next couple of weeks. We are recruiting families to decorate their trunks and also asking for families to donate bags of candy. Please email Ms. Osterholm at NicoleDO@leeschools.net if you would like to decorate a trunk.
Lee County School District parent communication system is changing from ParentLink to School Messenger starting the first week of October. Please make sure Cape has your correct phone number and email. We will continue to communicate events and emergencies through School Messenger.
We are honored and privileged to be part of the Cape family. Every school year brings new opportunities and new challenges, and every year as academic rigor intensifies, parental support and partnership with the school is vital in each child’s educational success during the school year. The most important but simple contributions a parent can make is to ensure children come to school every day and to arrive on time, ready to learn, to communicate openly with the classroom teacher, to read, to listen and to talk with your child about what interests him or her. Thank you for your support, your understanding, and for allowing us to teach your children. They are simply the best, and they are the reason we love what we do!
Sincerely,
Nicole Osterholm and Kristi Sund
Canned Food Drive!
From Our Library
Overdrive is a digital library provided by the School District of Lee County. Students can check out and read books from home. No more….I forgot my AR book at school. Students go to Launchpad.leeschools.net and look for the OverDrive App. Our Cape kids learned how to use this app with Mrs. O’Brien in the library. Happy Reading!
Breakfast!
Free breakfast is served each morning from 7:25 to 7:45 in our Cape Cafe. Students get breakfast in a bag and go to class to eat. If there is a late bus, students will still be provided breakfast. The breakfast menu is located at cap.leeschools.net under the tab Our District then Food & Nutrition.
From Our PTO
Thank you to everyone who supported our Yankee Candle Fundraiser. With your help we were able to raise over $13,000.00 for our school!
We will be hosting our first PTO Book Bingo night on Wednesday, October 10th from 5-7 pm. This is a FREE family event, although food will be available for purchase. Look for the flyer coming home soon!
We will also be hosting a Spirit Night at Zoomer's on Friday, October 19th from 6-9pm. We hope to see you there!
Thanks for supporting Cape PTO!
October Counseling Corner
October is National Bullying Prevention Month
According to national statistics…
• 1 in 7 students in grades K-12 is either a bully, or has been a victim of bullying
• An estimated 160,000 students miss school each day due to bullying
• 6 out of 10 students say they witness bullying at school once a day
• 35% of kids have been threatened online
• 64% of students who are bullied do not report it
• 57% of the time when Upstanders (witnesses) intervene, bullying behaviors stop within 10 seconds
Bullying is a learned behavior. Research shows that bullying behaviors can be stopped, but true change requires consistent education and intervention. Together, we continue to create a culture of kindness and safety at our school.
This year’s theme at Cape Elementary for National Bullying Prevention month is “Stand Up. Speak Out.” Our month-long activities will kick off on Monday, October 1. We are encouraging all students and faculty/staff to wear blue on Friday, October 5, to show our school’s support for the Stomp Out Bullying initiative. Stand united and wear orange (bracelets, tee shirts, shoes, socks, etc.) on Wednesday, October 24 for “Unity Day,” Students will be given opportunities throughout the month to take part in activities and view Public Service Announcements, which will be shown throughout the month on the morning news.
Anti-Bullying Policy:
The Jeffery Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act became a law in June 2008. The School Board of Lee County has approved a Board Policy which states their guidelines for the identification and reporting of bullying, expectations for behavior, procedures and consequences regarding bullying and harassment.
In short, the School District of Lee County will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment between students and/or adults on our school campuses. Our goal is protection of our students, and provision of a safe and nurturing educational environment for all of our students and staff.
If you have questions pertaining to Cape Elementary School’s procedures for handling suspected bullying or harassment, please feel free to contact Miss Boeck, School Counselor.
Attendance...Did You Know?
· Students missing 3 or more days of school a month on average have lower scores in reading and math.
· 4th grade absentee students scored an average 12 points lower in reading assessments than students with no absences.
Find additional information at www.attendanceworks.org
From Our School Nurse
Prepare for Flu Season
Flu season usually starts in the fall and ends in the spring. When there is an outbreak, usually during the winter months, the illness tends to be more pronounced in preschool or school-aged children.
Flu symptoms include: a sudden fever (usually above 100.4°F or 38°C), chills, headache, body aches, more tired than usual, sore throat, dry hacking cough, stuffy or runny nose, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
The flu can last a week or even longer. A child with a common cold usually has a lower fever, a runny nose, and only a small amount of coughing. Children or adults with the flu usually feel much sicker, achier and more miserable.
Prevent the flu by getting your flu vaccine each year!
Watch D.O.G.S. Needed!
Have you seen this Dad at parent drop off? We are looking for D.O.G.S. – Dads of Great Students to greet students getting off the bus, opening car doors and helping with breakfast. Can you give an hour this month? Email Mindy at MelindaD@leeschools.net if you want to be involved with our Watch DOGS!
Safety First!
Cafe Policies & Procedures for Parents/Visitors
· Please wear your yellow visitor sticker and have it visible at all times.
· Please sit either at the side cafeteria tables reserved for visitors or the picnic tables located outside of the cafe. Visitors may not sit at the class-assigned table with other students or invite other students to the visitor table with you and your child.
· Please make sure that if you are taking a photo of your child, no other students are in the background or in the photo. Pictures and/or videos are not permitted to be taken of any students other than your own child.
· Please be mindful of your child’s assigned lunch schedule and arrive on time for your child’s lunch dismissal time along with the rest of their class.
· Please remember that visitors are not permitted to go back to the classroom after lunch unless arranged with the teacher who has received approval by administration.
· Birthdays-
o We recommend small cupcakes or cookies for birthdays
o Treats must be store-bought, nothing homemade
o Lunch attendants cannot help with passing out or cutting cakes
o Balloons and/or party favors are not allowed in the lunchroom
Morning Parent Drop Off
Out Of Field Teachers
Florida State Statute 1012.42 recognizes that teachers at times must be assigned duties in a class outside the field in which the teacher is certified. The following teachers at Cape Elementary School are engaged in training to add the endorsement English as a Second Language to their current certificate:
Kristi Allen
Trisha Bissler
Danielle Fitzsimmons
Miranda Gagliardi
Carrie Troxell
**Alisa Moran (ESOL & Elementary Education)
Trunk or Treat!
Cape Elementary families are invited to this fun and FREE event on Friday, October 26th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. where you can bring your kids in their best costumes to enjoy an evening of decorated trunks and treats! Children walk by car trunks decorated with themes and games and receive treats. Enjoy family fun in a safe, non-scary environment with some of the most creative trunks around... Adding to the fun, hotdogs, pizza, soda, popcorn and ice cream are available for purchase.
Thousands of pieces of candy are needed for this free event, and we need your donations to make it happen! Bring in individually-wrapped bags of candy to the office before October 26.
We need volunteers to host trunks, serve food and help out on the day of the event. Email Nicole Osterholm at NicoleDO@leeschools.net to sign up. Service hours are available for students who volunteer.
Cape T-Shirts for Sale!
We LOVE Our Business Partners
Jim Fischer Realty
Quality Pest Control
Cape Coral First United Methodist Church
Vineyards Community Church
Horace Mann Insurance
Walmart (FM Beach Store)
Culver's
Papa John's Pizza
Wendy's
Publix
Rib City
Cici's Pizza
Applebee's
Dominoes Pizza
Stuff-A-Bagel
Lee County School Board
Board Members:
Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan, District 7 (Chairman)
Pamela H. LaRiviere, District 5 (Vice Chairman)
Mary Fischer, District 1
Melisa W. Giovannelli, District 2
Chris N. Patricca, District 3
Steven K. Teuber, District 4
Jane E. Kuckel, PhD, District 6