Bird School News
April 2022
A Note from Principal Toepfer...
Hello Bird Families,
We certainly have been having April showers (rain and snow) and they are sure to bring beautiful May flowers. The rain last Friday had us moving our Blue Jay Shuffle indoors. Can you believe it has been over two and a half years since we have held a Blue Jay Shuffle? The energy, enthusiasm and excitement students, staff and families brought to the event were outstanding. It was so nice to have an event like that at school again! Enormous thanks goes out to CH Best, DJ Jason Brent - one of our Bird parents, family volunteers and our t-shirt sponsors!
May is our last month of school and our Blue Jays will continue learning and growing all the way to the end!
Sending love to our families!
Sincerely,
Nicole Toepfer
608-220-8826
Student Services Message
Social Emotional Learning Spotlight: STEP process
Students are learning about being problem solvers in the final unit of Second Step this month. They’ll be using the STEP process: Saying the Problem, Thinking of Solutions, Exploring Outcomes and Picking a Solution. In Life Skills, our Kindergarten classes explored different jobs by using Career Costumes – the rest of the grades will focus on career exploration throughout the month of April.
In April and May our 5th graders will be doing activities that help them transition from elementary school to middle school, including meeting with a middle school counselor and practicing how to use combination locks. If you have a 5th grader, keep your eyes open for emails about the August middle school transition activities
April News from the advanced Learner program:
Yahara News: Regional Yahara judging is complete for this year. We want to congratulate PJ Baumgartner for being named one of the top 10 entries in their division for all 5th grade students in Dane County! PJ received top 10 recognition for their editorial, Discrimination Against LGBTQIA+. PJ will be honored at a celebration in May with other top ten finalists and will have their work published in the Dane County Yahara River Writers Anthology for 2021-2022. We want to also congratulate Carly Kudrle who will have her short story published in our local Sun Prairie Yahara Anthology. Students can participate in the Yahara writing contest through 8th grade.
ALP Parent Learning Session: The next ALP parent learning session will be on Tuesday, April 19 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The topic being discussed is transitioning between grade levels with emphasis on transitioning to a new building and providing updates on summer opportunities.
Zoom Link: April Parent Learning Session
Mrs. Payne
Community Schools News
Moving over the Summer?
Bus Evacuation Drills
Per state law, the district is required to practice bus evacuation drills twice a year. Bus evacuations will be held the last week in April, and could be delayed on the days the drill occurs.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to exit the school bus by the back door. Please talk with you children about doing these steps safely:
● Keep calm
● Listen to the driver’s instructions
● Beginning with the last seats, move to the back door
● Do not push or shove
● When you get to the back door, sit on your bottom and scoot to the edge ● Slide off the edge slightly pushing yourself out away from the bus
● Keep your knees bent
● Walk quickly away to the safe spot designated by your driver
● Wait for further instructions from your driver
Parents, please remember that if your child’s bus is evacuated for any reason (bus breakdown, emergency, etc.) students are not allowed to leave the scene. Students must stay with the driver and wait for further instructions. If another bus is dispatched, students are to ride that bus and only get off at their assigned stop.
Simulacros de Evacuación del autobús
Según la ley estatal, el distrito debe practicar simulacros de evacuación del autobús dos veces al año. Las evacuaciones de autobuses se llevarán a cabo la última semana de abril y podrían retrasarse los días en que se realice el simulacro.
A veces es necesario salir del autobús escolar por la puerta trasera. Hable con sus hijos acerca de seguir estos pasos de manera segura:
● Mantenga la calma
● Escuche las instrucciones del conductor
● Comenzando con los últimos asientos, muévase hacia la puerta trasera ● No empuje ni empuje
● Cuando llegue a la puerta trasera, siéntese boca abajo y deslícese hacia la borde ● Deslícese del borde y empújese ligeramente para alejarse del autobús ● Mantenga las rodillas dobladas
● Camine rápidamente hacia el lugar seguro designado por su conductor ● Espere más instrucciones de su conductor
Padres, recuerden que si el autobús de su hijo es evacuado por cualquier motivo (avería del autobús, emergencia, etc.), los estudiantes no pueden abandonar la escena. Los estudiantes deben permanecer con el conductor y esperar más instrucciones. Si se despacha otro autobús, los estudiantes deben viajar en ese autobús y solo bajarse en la parada asignada.
Community Caregiver event from the Sun Prairie Wellness Coalition:
Vaping Evolved: What Parents Need to Know
Date: Tuesday, May 3
Time: Presentation/Q&A from 7-8 PM, doors open at 6:30 PM
Location: Mckenzie Family Boys & Girls Club
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
No student may be unlawfully discriminated against in any school programs, activities or in facilities usage because of the student’s sex (gender identity, gender expressions, and non-conformity to gender role stereotypes), color, religion, profession, or demonstration of belief or non-belief, race, national origin (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, homelessness status, sexual orientation, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. Harassment is a form of discrimination and shall not be tolerated in the District. It is the responsibility of administrators, staff members and all students to ensure that student discrimination or harassment does not occur.
(SPASD District Policy JB)
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Spanish, please contact us at 608-834-6620. Si un estudiante, padre ó guardian prefiere tener esta información traducida en Español, por favor contactenos en el 608-834-6620.
If a student or parent/guardian would prefer to have this information translated into Hmong, please contact us at 608-834-6630. Yog tus me nyuam lub xiv los yog niam thiab txiv/tus neeg muaj cai saib xyuas tus me nyuam xav tau qhov ntawv ntawm no ua lus Hmoob, thov hais rau peb paub rau ntawm 608-834-6630.
NEW NOTICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES ON SEX DISCRIMINATION, THE DISTRICT’S TITLE IX COORDINATOR, AND PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING OR FILING A COMPLAINT OF SEX DISCRIMINATION
The Sun Prairie Area School District (“District”) does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that the District operates. Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate in any education program or activity extends to cover, but is not limited to, District students, certain admissions processes, and District employment. To access the relevant policy and procedures you can go to the District’s website. For inquiries regarding how Title IX and the federal Title IX regulations apply to the District please contact the District’s Title IX Coordinator, (the Director of Student Policy & School Operations, 501 S. Bird Street, Sun Prairie, WI 53590, 608-834-6624 or by email at titleixcoordinator@sunprairieschools.org.)
About us
Website: www.sunprairieschools.org/ch-bird
Location: 1170 North Bird Street, Sun Prairie, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 834-7300
Facebook: facebook.com/chbirdelementaryschool