Coralville Central Newsletter
November 11, 2022
A Note From Mr. Gahan
Hello Coralville Central Families,
If you have not signed up for a conference time with your child's teacher there are still time slots available. Please reach out to the teacher or call the office for assistance. Conferences can be done in person or via Zoom. It is always our goal to have 100% parent/teacher participation.
We hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!
Andy Gahan
Principal, Coralville Central Elementary
Message on Vaccines
Important Info from Ms. Becca!
If you are unable to purchase your own winter gear here is a way to request from our school.
*Please note that there will not be enough snow pants or boots for everyone so students who walk to and from school will receive this gear first*
Sign up for a Thanksgiving Break Food Bag.
This can be picked up on November 21st from Coralville Central or delivered to your home.


Attendance Information
- Starting in preschool and Kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10%, or about 2 days a month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
What You Can Do
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor or another parent.
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
- Keep in mind that complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
Bell Schedule M, T, W, F 7:55 - 2:55 Th 7:55 - 1:55
Students are marked tardy/absent if not in their classroom by 7:55

From the Library - Devin Redmond

Breakfast - SUCH an important meal!
Here are some ideas to keep on hand if your student needs to eat something quickly or even on-the-go in the morning:
- Carnation instant breakfast
- Toast
- Nutri-grain bars
- Pop-tarts
- Frozen waffles
- Granola bars
- Mini muffins
- Yogurt
If your student eats lunch at school breakfast, they may come to school at 7:30.
We appreciate your help with this, as it is very hard for students to focus in class on an empty stomach.
Kelly Joseph, BSN, RN-BC
NURSE NEWS--Important, Please Read!
As RSV continues to headline the news and spread around schools and the community, it is important to be aware of the symptoms and what to do if your student is diagnosed with RSV. Please consult with your doctor on when it is ok to return to school if your student is diagnosed with RSV.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
What is RSV?
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a virus that can cause infection of the upper and lower respiratory tracts in people of all ages. The infection can be minor, producing cold-like symptoms or major illness such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small air passages in the lungs). RSV commonly occurs in Iowa from December to April.
Who gets RSV?
Babies (especially those born early), people with immune system problems, people with heart or lung problems, and older adults have a higher risk of getting severe disease with RSV infection. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants under one year of age. Severe lung disease and weakened immune systems.
What are the symptoms of RSV?
RSV infections cause symptoms like those of a common cold: a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, wheezing and coughing, a low fever and earache. Babies may have additional symptoms that include lack of appetite, disrupted sleep, little interest in things going around them, and being fussy. Rarely, some babies may also have apnea, a condition in which breathing stops for about 15 - 20 seconds.
Are there medicines I can give if I get sick with RSV?
For children with mild disease, no specific treatment is necessary other than symptom relief. Children with severe disease may require oxygen therapy and sometimes mechanical ventilation. Your doctor may give additional medications.
How is RSV spread?
Infection spreads from person to person through close contact with infected persons or contaminated surfaces or objects. The virus is most often spread by getting droplets containing the virus on your hands and then touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
How long is the infected person able to spread RSV?
Infected persons can usually spread the virus for 3 - 8 days; however, in young infants, the period for spread may be as long as 3 - 4 weeks.
What should I do to protect myself and my family from RSV?
- Wash your hands often during the day. If you cannot wash your hands, alcohol-based hand cleaner may be used.
- Stay away from others you know are ill. You are less likely to become ill if you stay at least 3 feet from someone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Do not share items such as cups, glasses and eating utensils.
- Throw tissues away right after they are used.
- Clean and disinfect toys shared by multiple children.
Can I get RSV more than once?
Yes, infection can occur repeatedly throughout life, sometimes even during the same season.
Is there a vaccine for RSV?
Currently no vaccine is available. Research is underway to develop a vaccine.
Iowa Dept of Public Health Reviewed 9/15 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Fact Sheet 1
Kelly Joseph, BSN, RN-BC
And the word of the month is... Gratitude!

Volunteers for school & field trips
PBIS Team
PBIS - YES! Celebrations!
A big part of PBIS are the celebrations. When classrooms receive tickets, the tickets are placed in a central area so everyone can see them. Our hope is the visual will remind kids to keep following expectations and working together as a community of learners.
So far this year, our celebrations have included Chalk the Walk and a Scavenger Hunt on the playground- though apparently the “bread” was hard to find- LOL! This November, the celebration will be Turkey Bowling! One year, a student thought you bowled with actual frozen turkeys. That is NOT the case, but the kids do bowl and aim for pins that have a turkey face on them!
Sending a special thank you to the Celebrations Committee! You work hard to make the events fun for everyone.
Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is currently looking for volunteers to help teach JA curriculum at Coralville Central throughout the remaining school year. JAEI is a non-profit organization who partners with the Iowa City district to provide volunteer-led programs centered on work and career readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
- What Volunteers Do: They go into classrooms and teach students how money works, how education leads to career success, and how to start and run a business.
- Experience Needed: None. Volunteers don’t need to know anything about those things because JA provides the full lesson, materials, talking points, and training to make the classroom experience successful. They just ask that volunteers provide their time, stories to share, and enthusiasm for the content they are teaching.
- Time Commitment: The time commitment is minimal – it’s about 30-45 minutes, once a week for 5 – 6 weeks.
- Where is the Need? We currently have openings in grades K, 1 and 5 at Coralville Central starting in the new year (February and April).
Please reach out to Katie Langrehr (klangrehr@jaeasterniowa.org) if you are interested in volunteering or would like more information. Feel free include your school/grade-level/teacher preference. Thank you for supporting students in Iowa City!
Please let me know if you have any questions at all, or if you are unable to include this for any reason. I appreciate any help you can offer!
Thank you,
Katie Langrehr | Education Manager
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
319.862.1100 | klangrehr@jaeasterniowa.org
Check out our Corridor volunteer opportunities here!
Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | JAEasternIowa.org
One Book Two Book
One Book Two Book Writing Opportunity/Contest
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ag7sEsnAbSrlfcdFpm-uOCuEXuYdfvQ/view?usp=sharing
Click above for information regarding a community-wide writing opportunity/contest for all students in grades 1-8.
The deadline to submit is Monday December 12, 2022.
Student Support Team
Our building has a student support team (see below) that we utilize when a student is in need of extra support. If you are looking for additional support for your student--academically, behaviorally or emotionally, we encourage you to first email your child's classroom teacher. Once you have done so, your teacher will fill out the necessary referral form to request supports. Feel free to contact the team members below with any additional questions.
Our student support team consist of Mr. Gahan (principal), Mr. Easley (counselor), Miss Becca (student and family advocate), Ms. Doster (special education teacher), Tennille Nelson (school facilitator), Bonnie Winslow Garvin (GWAEA Psychologist), Kim Anderson (GWAEA Social Worker), Meaggan Bermingham (Instruction Design Strategist) and like members who come together weekly to discuss students and individual needs in our building.
This teams definition:
A problem solving team that collaborates with teachers to support an identified student who is experiencing barriers to learning that may include academic, behavioral, and/or social-emotional needs. This is after implementing strong tier 1 supports in your classroom, with the help of PLC and family input. The team will brainstorm interventions and collaborate with teachers to determine next steps. Frequent evaluation of the intervention and follow-up will occur.

High Reliability Schools
In order to achieve our goals of excellence and equity for all students, we have adopted a new school improvement model called High Reliability Schools. High Reliability Schools is a framework that supports fulfilling our vision of equitable outcomes for all students. It gives us a common language to name what we’re doing, assess our current reality, align our initiatives, and determine where to go next. It is a vehicle that allows us to balance shared responsibility and autonomy to make decisions that best meet the needs of all our students.
We are excited to get this work started and we are excited to partner in this process with all of you! We value the voice of our school community and we want to make sure that your experiences are reflected in our High Reliability Schools implementation. Throughout the year, there will be multiple opportunities for our students, families, and staff to provide feedback that will inform the work that we do. Please stay tuned for information on these opportunities. We look forward to partnering with you on this exciting new adventure!
For individuals that have received the Covid-19 vaccine, we strongly encourage you to get the booster. Boosters are now available for those ages 12 and older. For individuals five years of age and older who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine, this vaccine locator may be used to find a provider near you.
