Van Brunt Elementary
December 2016 Newsletter
I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday! This can be such a busy time of year and it can be challenging to keep the good routines going! We appreciate your continued support in helping to make your child's time at Van Brunt happy and successful. We are so thankful for the positive relationships with families!
Students are excited to share the special things they are doing over the holidays. I am hearing so much about time spent with family and enjoying the "little things". Hanging out with pets, playing games, and reading with family members are some of the highlights...sleeping late was also a treat for some! The time we spend together is so important and meaningful.
I continue to be so proud of the what I see every day at Van Brunt. The hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and families is evident in so many ways. Our fabulous PTO provides great opportunities for our students, our staff positively connects with students each day, our students give their best, and our families are the cornerstone of their child's success.
Thank you for making Van Brunt a great place to work and learn! Have an enjoyable holiday season!
Lisa Sawyer
Van Brunt Principal
Congratulations to our November POPS Winners!


Van Brunt Veterans Day Program
Van Brunt celebrated Veterans Day by having an assembly which included creating a "Wall of Fame" where students wrote the name of service men and women that they personally knew, Mr. Appel shared his experience of serving in the Army, and students thanked our veterans with cards and high fives. Thank you to all of our veterans for your service!
PTO News The PTO will be hosting a potluck at the next meeting on December 6th. We would love to see you there to enjoy the festivities! If you plan to come, please bring a dish to pass and RSVP to the PTO so they can order enough ham, rolls, and beverages. You may also bring a gift for the gift exchange. $5 limit for adults and $2 limit for kids. RSVPs can be emailed to horiconpto@yahoo.com | Winter Weather The weather is getting colder! Please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate winter clothing. In case of inclement weather, and school is delayed or closed, you will receive a message from School Messenger. You can also listen to local radio stations (WBEV-AM 1430 WXRO-FM 95.3 WBKV-AM 1470 WBWI-FM 92.5 WMDC-FM 98.7) or TV stations ( WTMJ-TV (NBC 4) WITI-TV (FOX 6)WISN-TV (ABC 12) WDJT-TV (CBS 58) MADISON WMTV-TV (NBC 15) ). | Presents for Paws The Van Brunt Student council will be organizing a collection of items for the Dodge County Humane Society. A letter with more information will be coming home with your child. The collection will take place from December 5 through December 21. |
PTO News
Winter Weather
Reading Corner
Discovering as We Read! Readers were busy learning about nonfiction text. They were finding a variety of text features in their books and sharing with the class. It's amazing how much they know about how to read nonfiction! | Molly, the READ Dog! Some of our students enjoy reading with Molly and her owner, Marcey. This is a time to learn as well as relax with a furry friend! | Modeling What Readers Do! There are so many ways to read with a partner. Our first grade readers learned about these ways and then had an opportunity to practice. |
Discovering as We Read!
Molly, the READ Dog!
Math Corner
Math Talk Our mathematicians enjoy working and talking together to solve math problems. There is so much learning going on as students share their thinking and talk about different approaches to the same problem. | Higher Level Thinking! It's amazing the high level of thinking our students are showing each day! During math time, students moved from desk to desk solving for the missing number in the problem. This required focus and thinking, | Learning Together! Small group work really helps move our learners. Students have the opportunity to reinforce or learn new skills with the support of the teacher. |
Math Talk
Higher Level Thinking!
Important Dates:
Wednesday, December 7: Early Release for Students 12:53
Thursday, December 8: Grades 5/6 Choir/Band Concert 7:00 Van Brunt Gym
Thursday, December 15: Grades K-2 Concert 6:30 Van Brunt Gym
Thursday, December 15: Grades 3-4 Concert 7:15 Van Brunt Gym
Monday, December 19: Board Meeting 7:00
Wednesday, December 21: POPS Grades 3-6 2:30
Thursday, December 22: POPS Grades 4K-2 2:30
Friday, December 23: Early Release 12:53
Monday, December 26 - Monday, January 2: No School, Winter Break
Tuesday, January 3rd: School Resumes, WELCOME BACK!!