Creekside Elementary
February 2020_____________________Home of the Coyotes
Principal Message
Greetings Creekside Families,
Happy Winter!!! The snow seems to have arrived. Fingers crossed that it doesn't translate into any missed school days. We are super excited to be digging into Black History as our PBIS theme this month and can’t wait to expose our students to African Americans who have shaped the past and present through amazing accomplishments in a variety of fields. Our culminating event will be an assembly on Thursday, February 27th from 8:55-9:55am. We’d love to have you join us!
As we ended the first semester, we also took stock of how our coyotes are responding to our instruction. We have seen an 18% increase in students testing in the proficient/advanced categories on STAR Reading and a 17% increase on STAR Math. For our students who tested below level in the fall, 74% are on track to make more than 1 year’s growth (which is what they need to do in order to close their achievement gap) on STAR Math and 66% on STAR Reading. We are proud of the growth our students have made, but will never be satisfied until every single student is meeting accelerated growth goals and testing in the proficient/advanced range. We have lots of ideas about how we will change things up so that students not meeting our growth targets will make up ground in the second semester. We need families to do their part though and make sure your students are READING every night at home. This can include students privately reading, reading to siblings or listening to stories that parents are reading to them. It truly does make a difference. Thank you in advance for making sure your home is full of READING!
Mid-year is also a nice time to give everyone some friendly reminders about school procedures:
Please remember that if you are picking up or dropping off your children (and NOT leaving your car), you should be using the parent pick-up lane, not the back parking lot. There is no parking in the parent pick-up lane at any time. All cars need to be parked in a stall so that lane can be free for fluid drop-offs and pick-ups throughout the school day. If you are walking your child into the building in the morning or meeting them inside at the end of the day, you should be using Door 10 (cafeteria) , not Door 1 (office). There is already a lot of congestion in the hallways by the front office at the end of the day with students exiting. Please help us out and meet your child in the cafeteria like our procedures ask you to.
If students bring cell phones or other electronic devices to school they are to be kept in their lockers. Cell phones that are being used during the school day will be taken away and a parent/guardian will need to pick that up from the office. Please remind your students of this expectation.
Any parent/guardian that would like to attend field trips will need to have a background check on file. You can pick that form up in the Creekside office. We have lots of field trips that take place in the spring, so please make sure to have that check completed if you would like to accompany your child.
Keep asking your children about the incredible work they are doing in school. Even if they aren't forthcoming right away, they have lots to tell you!
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Jillian Block, Principal
Mrs. Jacquie Gouldthorp, Associate Principal
Creekside Celebrates Black History Month
BLACK HISTORY, NOW!
Dear Creekside Families,
February 2020 will include a focus on Black History as Creekside celebrates Black History Month. This celebration began in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson as a recognition of the need for including Black History in schools.
This years’ theme, “We Are the Ones: Black History Now!” is drawn from the work of poet, activist, and scholar June Jordan, who was an outspoken advocate for the rights of the oppressed. Her work teaches us that it is “we”: the children, parents, grandparents, teachers, and community: who are the future. It is up to us to celebrate our achievements, and learn from our past in the present.
Please save the date: February 27th, 2020, from 8:55-9:55am for a Creekside assembly featuring student performances, public speakers, and student activists. We would love to have you in the audience that day to celebrate the history, the present, and the future of our children. Want to do more? Consider supporting our African American Read-In, and join us as a guest reader following the assembly. More details coming soon!
Questions? Please reach out: Brianne Pitts, Instructional Coach, brpitts@sunprairieschools.org 608-834-7779
2020-2021 Kindergarten Registration
The Sun Prairie Area School District has a simple process for transferring 4K students into 5K for the next school year. Students already in SP4K will automatically be enrolled in 5K at the assigned elementary schools based on the current home address (see map). Families who are Open Enrolled into an SP4K program will be contacted by our Business Office about plans for 2020-21.
If your child currently does not attend a Sun Prairie 4K site and plans to attend 5K, be sure to begin with the Enrolling Students page and go to "Begin the Enrollment Process" for instructions.
Note from the Nurse
We have come to the time of year to expect cold and flu symptoms. Some of these are unavoidable but there are several things you can do at home to help prevent illness and keep everyone feeling healthy. Here are some tips to remember:
-WASH, WASH, WASH YOUR HANDS! This is the best defense against illness. Encourage your student to wash, especially before eating, using soap and warm water. To ensure they are taking enough time to adequately kill germs, have them sing the ABC song while scrubbing.
-Get plenty of rest. School-age children should get 9-11 hours of sleep each night.
-Drink lots of fluids and eat a balanced diet - especially breakfast!
If your student has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, he/she should not come back to school until the temperature is normal for 24 hours without medication.
When calling your student in absent please include the symptoms of how your student is ill as well as any diagnosis from the doctor such as strep throat, influenza, or pink eye or any other diagnosis. We do keep track of and monitor illnesses.
Contact Nurse Amanda if you have any questions
Phone: 608-834-7706
What's Happening on the Playground
Jack Frost is tag teaming with Mother Nature. We have been having snow and some really cold days. When the temperature is below zero, with the wind chill, we are inside. As soon as the temperature gets above zero we head outside for recess. Please make sure that your kiddos have warm clothes for cold recesses.
We are looking to update our inside recess supplies. If you have any gently used puzzles...our little Coyotes love large piece floor puzzles, board games, Legos, craft kits. coloring books, checkers or chess, we would love these for our collection. Our Coyote Scholars thank you!!
See you on the playground...or in the cafe/ classrooms for inside recess.
Kobussen's Transportation News
Bus Driver Recognition Week
February 10-14, 2020 is School Bus Driver Recognition Week in the State of Wisconsin. Be sure to thank your child’s bus driver for all they do to get our students to and from school safely every day!
Families with Rural Stops
If your child’s bus stop is at your house and your child or children are the only students assigned to that stop, please notify Kobussen no later than 6:30 AM if your child will not be riding the bus that day. This helps drivers stay on time and avoid driving to locations if there are no students to pick up. Call Kobussen at 825-8700, option 1 to let the dispatcher know if your child will not be riding.
When your child is riding, please make sure he/she is visible to the driver from the road.
Bus Pick-up Times
Please remember that your child should be ready and waiting at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. This will ensure your child doesn’t miss the bus if the route is running slightly ahead of time. Anything within 5 minutes of the scheduled time is considered on time.
Check Out The Year Book Contest Entries
To order your yearbook this year see info below in the Library News!
Congratulations to our top two winners(most votes)!!
Fynn Lahti and Jackson Palm (front and back covers)
Also, a shout out to the runner up Elaina Nicodemus (featured on an inside page)
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
Library/Lab News
We are in the middle of our annual blitz chess tournament (we'll have grade level champions and then an overall school champ).
Yearbook season is in the air. We just voted on yearbook covers. If you are interested in ordering a yearbook, you can put an order in online (else paper forms will be sent home later this spring). Cost is $13 for the basic soft-cover version, and the deadline is Apr 13th.
https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectStudent?isAdvertisementOnly=False&jobNumber=12555020
Testing season is not far off. The FORWARD exam is a statewide assessment for grades 3-5 (and up). We will be practicing and reviewing math concepts and essay writing soon during lab time. If you'd like to view sample questions, please visit the DPI website at: https://wbte.drcedirect.com/WI/portals/wi
Reminder, please promote reading at home by asking questions about what your student is reading (and learning). On the digital front, in case you missed the link earlier, our symbaloo page (with various websites we use at school) is located at the following URL: https://sites.google.com/sunprairieschools.org/creeksideresources/home
News from CAFE (CS Parent Group)
Upcoming dates to put on your calendar!
CAFE meeting is Tuesday Feb 11th from 6-7:30 pm, all are welcome! We will discuss the Coyote Dash. Please attend the meeting to learn about volunteer and/or sponsor opportunities.
February 13th from 6 pm-8 pm Cookies and Canvas Night at Creekside. Join us as CAFE hosts a paint night, kid's edition. Watch for a flyer and Class Dojo post for more information.
The Coyote Dash is scheduled for Thursday March 19th from 9-12. We will need volunteers to make the day a success, so save the date!
February PBIS
We are Accepting • We are Resilient • We are Risk-takers • We take
Ownership of our learning and choices • We Work collaboratively
Self Control Teaching
Midyear Arrow PBIS Document
District Update: Voluntary Placement and "Grandfathering"
“Grandfather” Provision Policy Change
When the School Board has approved boundary changes in the past, Grandfathering has historically been a practice as a part of Procedure JC-R. Grandfathering will now be reviewed each time there is a boundary adjustment.
Grandfathering related to a family move during the school year is addressed in Policy JC, allowing for the option that students finish the current school year in their current school without an educational disruption. Grandfathering beyond the current year will not be allowed.
Voluntary Placement Process for Siblings Only
Families with students who have received Voluntary Placement approval will be allowed to apply for younger siblings to attend the same school. No new applications will be accepted for voluntary placement.
McKenzie Boys And Girls Club
The club is currently accepting applications for individuals to attend programming at the Sun Prairie location.
Please also note, the club will also be offering Summer Camp. Applications will be out in May.
Preschool Application
After School Application
Non-School Day Programs
If you have any questions please contact:
Kathryn Hagel
Sun Prairie Club Director
232 Windsor Street
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
(P) 608-661-4751
(F) 608-257-7570
Email: khagel@bgcdc.org
Website: www.bgcdc.org
Creekside February Calendar
February 11- Kindergarten 100 Day Celebration
February 11- 5th Grade Cross Country Ski Trip, 8:30am-12pm
February 12- 4th Grade Cross Country Ski Trip, 8:30am-12pm
February 13- 3rd Grade Cross Country Ski Trip, 8:30am-12pm
February 20- Coffee Chat/Parents and Principals, 7:45am
February 21- NO SCHOOL
February 24- Kindergarten Field Trip to the Overture, 11:30am-2:30pm
February 27- Black History Assenbly, 8:55am-9:55am