Welcome to Pinecrest Elementary
October 2017
About Us
Main Office: 651-480-7280
Nurse: 651-480-7286
Kids' Campus: 651-480-7296
Hastings Bus Company: 651-437-1888
Website: pinecrest.hastings.k12.mn.us
Location: 975 West 12th Street, Hastings, MN, United States
Phone: 651-480-7280
Thanks for all of your support in helping our students get off to a great start this school year! We love hearing about all of the reading you are doing at home! It is so important that reading is incorporated in your daily routines. At school, students have enjoyed hearing about the "Book of the Week". Watch our homepage, as more great books are shared by students and staff!
Dates to remember
29 - Early dismissal at 11:15
October
2 - Kindness in Chalk
16 - Evening Conferences
17 - Evening Conferences
18 - NO SCHOOL - Morning Conferences
19 & 20 - NO SCHOOL (Teacher Association Days)
26 - Picture Retakes
FALL CONFERENCES
Elementary conferences are scheduled in the evening of Monday, October 16th and Tuesday, October 17th and during the morning of Wednesday, October 18th.
PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF EXPECTATIONS
1) We must make conservative driving decisions. Always Be Patient!
2) Whenever possible, prepare your child(ren) to exit the vehicle on the curbside.
3) Please pull up as far as you can, so other cars can drop off behind you.
4) Do not park your car along the curb and come into the building. If you need to come into the building for any reason, please park in one of our parking lots.
5) As the cold weather approaches, make sure you have clear visibility out all of your windows.
Drop off times are from 7:40 am-7:55 am. Children should not be dropped off before 7:40. If you need to drop off before the 7:40 bell, you can enroll your child in Kids Campus. Further information about Kid’s Campus can be obtained from the district’s website, the Pinecrest webpage, or from our office. Please note, if your child is going to breakfast, you may drop off at 7:30 am and have them go directly to the cafeteria.
END OF DAY PICK UP FOR STUDENTS
In order to minimize interruptions to the classroom, students should not be picked up early unless it is an emergency. On those occasions when it is necessary to pick your child up during the school day, please go to the school office to sign your child out. The office secretary will call the classroom and have the student sent to the office. Teachers will not release students unless the office gives prior approval. This practice has been established to help protect your child.
DISMISSAL SAFETY
We want to make sure all students are safe at dismissal. Recently there has been an increase in the amount of families adjusting their child’s dismissal plan, particularly, mid-day. We can get up to 30 phone calls a day indicating a change in students’ dismissal procedures. Sometimes half of those calls arrive 20 minutes before dismissal. Getting everyone on the same page at the end of the day has some inherent challenges. Consistency with your child’s dismissal plans reduces stress on all parties involved. Keeping the same plan, day after day, helps us maintain safety throughout dismissal.
We understand that there are times when events occur that need to change dismissal plans. In those instances, it is recommended to have a note a day in advance, and the day of. We thank you for your advanced planning and communication.
EXAMPLE: What If My Child Is Going Home From School With A Friend?
Many children want to go home with a friend after school. If this is the situation with your child, you will need to send a note to their teacher. We will not allow a child to deviate from their regular going home route without a note giving your permission. If your child intends to ride a bus home with their friend, the bus driver also requires a note. If you follow these expectations your child will have a pleasant and easy time going home with a friend.
VOLUNTEER NEWS
The next meeting is scheduled at 5:30 pm, on Tuesday, October 10, at Pinecrest Elementary.
Dates To Remember:
- Box Tops Contest: October 2-17. Please collect your box tops and attach them to the collection sheet that will be sent home with students. Winners will be announced early November. Additional Sheets can be found here: Collection Sheets
- Book Fair: October 16-18. A Sign Up Genius link will be posted to the Pinecrest Elementary PEP Facebook page and emailed to those who selected to receive information on the volunteer form.
- Staff Luncheon: October 16. As with book fair, a Sign up Genius form will be posted to the Pinecrest Elementary PEP Facebook page.
- Movie Night: Friday, November 10. There will be a pizza party prior to the movie. Pizza will be pre-ordered.
Join our https://www.facebook.com/pinecrestpep/ for important Sign-Ups and News.
If you are interested in getting involved and have not completed the registration form, please Pinecrest Volunteer Registration
BUS SAFETY TRAINING
All District 200 K-4 elementary students received school bus safety training on a school bus in late September. Hastings Bus Company drivers conducted the training. They have developed lesson plans that correlate with the bus safety curriculum classroom teachers cover each fall.
DRESS FOR THE WEATHER
When the temperatures start to dip into the 40’s and 50’s, we do require students to wear a light jacket or sweatshirt outside. When winter arrives, winter clothing will be required.
FIELD TRIPS
Occasionally your child's teacher will extend classroom instruction and activities through field trips. Many field trip activities include an admission fee for students. Please be aware that you may be asked to cover the cost of the trip.
Before going on a field trip, teachers will send home permission slips to be signed by their parent or guardian. Permission must be granted prior to attending an activity. We believe that students need to provide their parents/guardians with the forms and to have them returned at least one day prior to the trip.
CLASSROOM DIRECTORIES
KIDS CAMPUS EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING
If the Hastings Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather conditions, the Kids Campus Program will also be closed.
If school is delayed two hours in opening, Kids Campus will be open at the regular time (6:30 am).
If school closes two hours early, then Kids Campus sites will close two hours early
(4:00 pm). Parents will be called and notified by Kids Campus staff to pick up their child.
Please pick up your child by 4:00 pm or authorize someone else to pick up your child by that time. Please listen to the radio and TV for school closing announcements.
FOOD & NUTRITION SERVICES NEWS
October Menu Highlights
October is National Farm to School Month! We are proud this year to have delicious SweeTango and Honeycrisp apples from Whistling Well Farms right here in Hastings!
On October 5th, we will be featuring a “Midwest Menu” with many foods being produced locally! That day, we will serve a grass-fed all-beef hot dog from Thousand Hills Cattle Company in Cannon Falls, Parmesan Roasted Red Potatoes from Wingard Farms in Elk River, and apple slices from Wescott Orchards in Elgin (served with caramel dip!)
October 12th is the 2017 Great Lakes Apple Crunch! We encourage everyone to crunch into an apple at noon.
NutriSlice Menus Special Diet Filter
Parents and students with food allergies who still want to eat at school can utilize the Special Diets Filter. To utilize this feature, click on the “Filter Allergens” button at the top right of the online menu screen. You must agree to the Terms & Conditions prior to continuing. Then, you may check the box of any of the Top 8 food allergens and the online menu will cross off any menu item that contains that allergen. Starting in October, you may also print this customized allergen-friendly menu by clicking the Print icon button at the top right of the page. If you still have questions regarding your student’s special dietary needs, please contact Kim Harren at 651-480-7126.
If a standard horizontal menu is preferred, simply utilize the new “Printer-Friendly Menu” button underneath the Special Diets Filter button on the right side of the menu.
To access NutriSlice, visit your school’s website and scroll down halfway to find the Lunch Menus bubble. Or visit www.hastings.nutrislice.com
Breakfast and Lunch Prices
Click here for a cost breakdown of meals for each month
Breakfast Prices
Full Pay Meal Prices:
Kindergartners FREE
Grades 1-4: $1.30
Reduce Pay Meal Price:
All grade levels: FREE
Adult Meal Price:
All grade levels: $1.80
Extra Milk or Milk Only $0.50
Lunch Prices
Full Pay Meal Prices:
Grades K-4: $2.70
Reduce Pay Meal Price:
All grade levels: FREE
Adult Meal Price:
All grade levels: $3.80
Extra Milk or Milk Only $0.50
MUSIC NOTES
We have had a great start to the year as we looked at our Basic Needs and how each one of us has those same basic needs of fun, belonging, power (a feeling of accomplishment and self-worth), and freedom(the opportunity to make choices). We also looked at our family beliefs and discovered that they fit right in with what we believe at Pinecrest Elementary School. We all believe it is important to Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe and Be Ready to Learn. We are so happy to have Ms. Nelson working with us this fall. She comes to us from the Winona State University and will be with us until October 18th.
Our students in Kindergarten are discovering their voices and many of the different sounds they can make with their voices, as well as matching pitch. We are focusing on the concept of steady beat and using our bodies, instruments, and icons to demonstrate that we have mastered this concept.
Grade 1 has reviewed high and low, fast and slow, loud and soft, the steady beat, and our different types of voices as well as the different types of instruments. We are currently working on short and long and will be getting to sound and no sound.
Grade 2 has reviewed the concept of the steady beat, along with the strong and weak beats. We have now started working on our rhythm reading. We have read “tah”, “rest” and “ti-ti”. Soon we will be looking at melodies as well. In addition, we have learned some Japanese, Spanish, and Swahili.
Grades 3 and 4 are reviewing canon echoes, steady beat and reading the rhythms of “tah, ti-ti, rest, half note, whole note, half rest and whole rest. Be sure to ask your student what the word “ostinato” and “canon” means. We have already sung in 2 parts using both of these types of harmony.
We are excited for our Pinecrest Choir to get going again! Rehearsals occur every Tuesday at 7:15am in the Pinecrest Music Room. We are preparing for our first big performance for the Children’s Orchestra Concert on Thursday, October 26th at 6:00pm in the High School Auditorium. Everyone is welcome to attend and this show is a ton of fun!!
We are looking forward to a great year of music-making!
Fine Arts Happenings Around the District
High School Vocal Concert - October 16th - 7:00 pm - HHS Auditorium
Homecoming - October 6th - 7:00 pm - Todd Field
Children’s Orchestra Concert - October 26th - 6:00 pm - HHS Auditorium
Community Education Recreational Opportunities
TO REGISTER: Call 651-480-7670 or register online at www.HastingsCommunityEd.com
Mon Oct 2 – GROUP HYPNOSIS For Weight Loss or to Stop Smoking/Chewing, (adults) 5:30-9 pm, Tilden Com Ctr, $65/each or $115/both sessions
Mon Oct 2-Dec 11 – LOW GLYCEMIC EATING & BELLY FAT REDUCTION Series (adults), 6:30-8 pm, Tilden Com Ctr, $99
Sat Oct 7-Dec 16 – learn to skate (hockey or figure skating for children ages 3+), 10- 11:30 am, Hastings Civic Arena, $150
Fri Oct 13 – Church of felons, live film preview first time in Minnesota (ages 16- adults), 5:30 pm doors open, 6:30 pm event begins; HHS, Aud., $5-advance or $8-at the door
Sat Oct 14 – kidcreate halloween hoopla (ages 5-12 yrs), 9 am-2:30 pm, Hastings High School-C121, $69
Tue Oct 24 – HEARTSAVER CPR FOR INFANT & CHILD (adults), 6-9 pm, Tilden Com Ctr, $55
Tue Oct 24 – STAMP-A-STACK “BIRTHDAY” CARDS (ages 12+), 6-8:30 pm, Tilden Com Ctr, $9
Sat Oct 28 – PROFICIENCY & PREPARATION FOR STEAM AND HOT WATER HEATING BOILER LICENSE TESTING (adults), 8:30 am-2:30 pm, Hastings High School-C124, $99
Sat Nov 4 – HISTORIC CEMETERY WALKING TOUR WITH HISTORY OF ST. PAUL (ages 15+), 9 am-3:30 pm, will be provided information on where to meet in St. Paul, $35