Newell Family Sunday Message 04/28
April 28th, 2024
Newell Families,
So much talent! Thanks again to all who planned and helped with the Talent Show! What a great afternoon! Believe it or not... May begins this week! NSCAS Make-ups are getting finished and MAP testing is done. This week we'll switch over to DIBELS testing to see how well our students in every grade have grown in reading this year. Tuesday we will have our grand opening of our playground and students will be able to play on it Tuesday! And Field Day is Friday!! It's going to be a busy but exciting week!
- Mr. Balcom
Photo of the Week
So proud of the students who performed in our Talent Show last week!
Announcements
Grand Opening of the Playground!!!
Tuesday morning at 10am we will plan to have all students and staff outside at the rebuilt playground for a Grand Opening Celebration. Parents you are welcome to come if you'd like to take pictures (please remain outside). The weather forecast is looking great! We are predicting to be done by 10:45am. Students will begin playing on it Tuesday!
Field Day Information: Friday May 3rd
Station Times (Outside)
Students will rotate around the playground completing various activity stations.
- 9:00am - 10:10am
- 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, and 5th Grade (4th Graders running the stations)
- 10:15am - 11:25am
- Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade (5th Graders running the stations)
Field Day Lunch Schedule (normal schedule)
- 11:10 to 11:35 - Kindergarten (may start a couple minutes late)
- 11:20 to 11:45 - 3rd Grade (may start a couple minutes late)
- 11:45 to 12:10 - 1st Grade
- 11:55 to 12:20 - 2nd Grade
- 12:20 to 12:45 - 4th Grade
- 12:25 to 12:50 - 5th Grade
Field Day Races (Outside on South Field)
Grade levels will compete in various races on the south field.
- 1:30pm - Parents may bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on while they watch.
**On Field Day, students will remain at school until 3:05pm. AFTER the races ALL students will return to their classrooms. To ensure the safety of all students, if you are leaving early with your child, you MUST check them out at our front office.
Field Day - Parent/Staff Lunch - Food Truck
We are excited to announce that Rico's Kitchen will again be onsite and selling lunch for staff and parents on Field Day! Grab some delicious food before the races begin! They accept card or cash.
Teacher of the Year Nominations are OPEN!
The Grand Island Public Schools Foundation is now accepting nominations for the annual Teacher of the Year Awards. Nomination form and details may be found at the Foundation website linked below.
Join us in honoring the great people we have here at GIPS!
INFORMATION: https://trst.in/T28wK7
👥 Newell PTA Corner 👥
This section includes updates and important information from our amazing Newell PTA! More information is always available on our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/NewellElementaryPTA
👥 Next PTA Meeting
Monday, April 15th at 6:00 pm at Newell.
PTA's mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
Your voice matters and we want you to be involved!
Click Here to Join: https://forms.gle/4KW6E9KYYnZN4PMaA
👥 PTA on Facebook
Make sure to like our Newell PTA Facebook Page so you don't miss out on any information!
👥 Box Top for Education School
Did you know our school is a Box Top for education school? It’s super easy to help our school raise extra funds!
- Download the Box Top for Education app!
- Choose our school— A B Newell Elementary School
- Go grocery shopping!
- Scan every receipt just to make sure you’re not missing anything!
- Repeat steps 3&4 as often as you need to!
📆 Important Dates Coming Up 📆
Tuesday April 30th
- Playground Grand Opening at 10am
Friday May 3rd
- Field Day for all students. Stations in the morning and races in the afternoon.
Monday May 6th
- Kindergarten Open House
Tuesday May 21st
- 5th Grade Recognition in the evening
Wednesday May 22nd
- Last day of school. 11am Dismissal.
Photo Gallery
This is the Way!
Enjoy these photos from last week!
Click to zoom in.
♻️ REPEATED MESSAGES ♻️
Important messages we've sent previously.
♻️ Students Who are Sick
Parents, there is a lot of illness going around. Please monitor your child for symptoms.
Description of Fever:
- A fever is a temporary increase in body temperature, usually caused by an illness.
- In most mild, two to five day, childhood illnesses, fever is lowest in the morning, rises in the afternoon, and will be the highest in evening and night. As the child begins to recover, morning temperatures will be normal with fever still present later in the day.
Management:
- Students with a temperature of 100 F or more may be sent home from school.
- Students may return to school when their temperature has remained below 100.0 for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.
♻️ Weather Updates and School Cancellations
Social media posts as well as a phone call, email or text message will inform you of urgent announcements and weather emergencies. Please be sure our office has your most current telephone and email information.
♻️ School Times:
A regular school day begins at 8:00am and dismisses at 3:05pm, Monday through Friday. Students may be dropped after 7:30am. Students must be picked up by 3:15pm.
Please make your child aware of his/her after school plan. If transportation or daycare plans change, please call the office so we can let your child’s teacher know. Thank you.
♻️ Breakfast
We start our school day right at 8:00am. It is VERY important that your child is in class ready to learn at 8:00. Breakfast is served from 7:30am to 7:50am. We are unable to serve students breakfast after 7:50am. If your child needs to eat breakfast at Newell, plan to have them on campus with enough time to get to our breakfast line by 7:50. Students arriving after 7:50 should go to their class lines.
♻️ Updates from GIPS Nutrition Services
- Meals: Breakfast and Lunch are served at school each day. Breakfast begins at 7:30am.
- Meal costs can be found HERE.
- Funds should be added to the student account through LINQConnect, or check or cash can be given to the cafeteria staff.
- Free and Reduced meal applications can be found on LINQConnect or picked up at the school office or the Kneale Administration building.
- Ala carte items may be purchased as long as students have money on account or in hand. Students are encouraged to select a meal first for the best nutrition.
♻️ Visitors:
ALL visitors need to check in at the office and wear given identification while in the school. All visitors must ring the buzzer at door #1. Our staff is busily working with students during the school day. If visiting Newell to speak with a staff member, you may be asked to make an appointment at a later time.
♻️ Birthday Treats:
Birthdays may be celebrated in each child’s classroom. Families are NOT required or expected to provide treats or gifts. However, if you want to offer treats, please provide healthy snacks that are individually packaged. Cupcakes, cookies, donuts, etc. will not be allowed.
♻️ Student Cell Phones:
As cited on page 34 of the GIPS Student Handbook:
"Students in grades Pre-K-5 are discouraged from bringing ECDs (Electronic Communication Devices) to school."
If you need to send an Electronic Communication Device with your student, the handbook states:
"Phones should be kept either turned off, or on silent following the rules specified by the classroom teacher."
At Newell students either keep their phones off or silent in their backpacks or they bring their phones to our secretaries in the office at the beginning of the day to keep them safe, also off or on silent. Note: your child will not be able to send or read messages or calls during the school day.
If you have questions please reach out to Mr. Balcom.
The full handbook is online here: https://www.gips.org/Page/105
Have an amazing week!
Nate Balcom- Principal
Heather Glause - Secretary
Cheryl Brax - Attendance Secretary
Jami White - Social Worker
Tiffanie Oswald - Nurse
Yolanda Seiler - Spanish Interpreter