Lewiston Elementary
October 2023
Buddy Reading in Mrs. Robinson's Room
Attendance
If your child is going to be absent, please call the Lewiston Office before 8:00am. When leaving a message, be sure to leave your child's name, their teachers name and the reason for their absence.
- Our doors open at 7:40am
- Students arriving after 8:00am will be marked late.
- Students arriving after 9:00am will be marked absent for the AM.
- Students leaving before 2:00pm will be marked absent for the PM.
- Please provide a doctor note when absences are due to an appointment. These will always be excused.
Students arriving after 8:00am must be brought in and signed in by an adult.
If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact the office at 608-742-2524.
From The Office
We have been experiencing some chilly morning temperatures. This is just a friendly reminder to start sending warmer clothing to school. We would suggest sending your child to school with layers so they are able to stay comfortable through the morning and afternoon temperature changes.
Please be sure to let Mrs. Little in the office know of any important information regarding your student. To ensure the safety of the students it is important for the office to know where the students are at all times, including after they leave on the bus or a change in who will be picking them up.
It is also important to inform the office before 2:00 PM if there are changes to the way your child will be going home. The office is very busy at the end of the day and it becomes increasingly difficult to accommodate last-minute transportation changes after 2:00 PM, so the earlier you can communicate the changes, the better.
To ensure the safety of all PCSD students, parents/guardians must provide a note or call the office directly to communicate any changes to a child's end-of-day transportation arrangements.
Thank you!
Mrs. Little
Email: littlea@portage.k12.wi.us
Phone: (608) 742-2524 Ext. 5001
Mrs. Kibby's Class - Homecoming Dress Up
BUSSING
Bus Changes
We know things change throughout the year. If your child's bus route changes, please make sure to contact both Riteway and the Lewiston Office. Thank you!
Riteway Phone Number: (608) 745-1501
Lewiston Office: (608) 742-2524
Bus IDs
Students should be using their bus pass to ride the bus again this year (even students who normally don't ride a bus as we use these for field trips, too). The pass is scanned and allows the system to track who is on the bus. New students and kindergarteners will receive their passes when Galley photo sends us ID cards with the photo.
Replacement lanyards and badge holders are available in the office. Students should fasten the badge to their backpack using the lanyard to keep from misplacing it. Students will need this bus pass whenever they ride. If you need a replacement pass, contact the Lewiston Office and the cost is $5.
The Here Comes the Bus App is a free app that enables the user to see the location of your child’s school bus on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The app allows families to see real-time updates of where a bus is along its route, to create a custom notification for when the bus reaches a certain point in its route and to receive notifications if there has been a schedule change. If you wish to sign up for scanning notifications of when your child scanned on and off the bus, the district code is 29776.
The app is available from the App Store or Google Play. Download instructions and additional information can be found at www.herecomesthebus.com.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
October
2: Butter Braid Fundraiser Starts
5: Parent Teacher Conferences 4-7 PM
6: Early Release 12:45 PM
10: Parent Teacher Conferences 4-7 PM
13: Early Release 12:45 PM
16: Butter Braid Money and Forms Due
20: Early Release 12:45 PM
24: K-2 Field Trip to Creek Bed Farmacy
26-27: No School
Early Release Days
October 6, 13, 20
November 3, 17
December 1, 8, 15
January 12, 19
February 2, 9, 16, 23
March 1, 8, 15
April 12, 19, 26
May 3, 10, 17, 24
Students are released at 12:45pm
Butter Braid Fundraiser Reminder
All orders and money are due on October 16, 2023.
Delivery will be November 15, 2023 between 2:30-3:00pm.
A Message From The Math Department
Welcome Back!
The math department is excited to see our marvelous mathematical students back for another exciting school year. At the elementary schools, we will be in our second year of the Bridges Mathematics curriculum. Most of our students will be familiar with it as we used it in our 4K-5 classrooms last year. The Bridges curriculum contains three parts. The first part is called Number Corner which is a mathematical focus calendar time with specific routines and activities to practice and introduce new skills. The second part are the Bridges Lessons where students do hands-on activities that focus on grade level standards. The third part are Workplaces in which students do explorations and games to encourage them to build their math identity. At the beginning of each unit, your child's classroom teacher will be sending home a Unit overview letter with strategies to help support your child, plus frequently asked questions.
We encourage you to explore mathematics at home with your child so your child has a positive experience with it. Games, cooking, building, shopping are all great ways to engage your child in math.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions about your child's mathematical development.
Have a great school year!
Matt Dietzenbach (District Math Specialist) & Kathy Tofson (Elem. Math Coach)
Goldfish and Gummy Worm Celebration
October is Keeping Kids Safe Online and Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Image screenshot from: https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety
Did you know that the WI Department of Instruction has valuable resources for parents, students, and teachers at their Internet Safety website? As we celebrate cyber safety this month, it is a great time to catch up on what is available to our students and how to spot potential dangers. Resources such as guides to the latest technology, age based media reviews, and Speak Up, Speak Out are available through the parent/guardian section of this site: https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/parents. If you are a podcast fan, be sure to catch the DOJ Podcast found here: https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/DOJ-podcast on Protecting Students Online too. You can also get your students involved and start up great conversations with these Safety Month Contests:
Elementary Bingo Fun: https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/keeping-kids-safe-online-month-october/elementary-contest
Middle School Public Service Announcement Contest https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/keeping-kids-safe-online-month-october/middle-school-contest
High School Digital Breakout https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/keeping-kids-safe-online-month-october/high-school-contest
Thank you for your support of our learning community and your students’ safe use of technology all year through!
“Students must be healthy to be educated and educated to be healthy.”
-Author unknown
Greetings from the school nurses! As we settle into the 2023-24 school year, the school nurses would like to share some basic school health information:
Research shows that students are better learners when they are healthy. Once school starts, it’s not uncommon to see an uptick in illness across the student population. If your student is not feeling well, it’s likely they will struggle to participate in their school day. We ask for you to review Portage Community School District’s Student Health Exclusion Guidelines. If your student meets criteria to stay home from school, please keep them home and contact your student’s school to report the absence. If your student has COVID 19 or they are showing symptoms of COVID 19, please see our COVID 19 protocol.
You might wonder, “What are some ways to keep my student healthy and ready for school?” The school nurses have a few recommendations to encourage healthy habits for your student(s):
- Sleep/rest: Ensure your student gets plenty of rest each night. Adequate amounts of sleep will help your student remain focused at school, improve their performance in class, and lead to lifelong health benefits. The CDC recommends that students ages 6-12 years old get 9-12 hours of sleep per night and students ages 13-18 years old get 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
- Breakfast: Good nutrition is important for a growing mind! This is why it’s important for your student(s) to start their day off right by eating breakfast. Many studies show that students who have eaten breakfast have higher energy levels, are able to concentrate better, have better standardized test scores, and miss less time out of the classroom. Breakfast is offered at school daily. Please visit our Food Services website for additional information.
- Handwashing! Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness. Encourage your student(s) to wash their hands frequently throughout the day, especially after using the restroom and before and after eating. More information about hand washing and key times to wash hands can be found on the CDC website.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to the school nurse if you have questions about your student’s health.
Valerie Hon, MSN, RN, LSN, NCSN
Making Play Doh in Mrs. Kimball's Room
At The Public Library
Around Portage
Lewiston Elementary
Email: vanderschaafc@portage.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.portage.k12.wi.us/schools/lewiston/
Location: W11195 WI-127, Portage, WI 53901, USA
Phone: 608-742-2524