Rocket News
January 2023
A Letter from your Principal
Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a great Winter Break filled with family and fun. We are back into the swing of things this week. We celebrated the great choices our Rockets are making at this morning's Rocket Rally! It is so much fun to get together, dance, sing and celebrate how our Rockets are SHOWING Cooperation, Assertiveness, Responsibility, Empathy and Self Control (CARES--Our Rocket Way).
Next week continues another tradition here at Royal Oaks--Culture Week. Culture Week started several years ago as a way to celebrate and learn more about the rich cultures that make up our Royal Oaks community. Though we learn about each other and different cultures all year long, next week is much more intentional and school wide. I am excited for you to hear from your child what he/she learned that day or what she/he experienced. As mentioned in a previous Blackboard communication, we will be creating a video with some of the week's activities and will share it with all of you shortly after the week's events.
Our Vision: To be a high performing district of choice that reflects the cultures of our diverse community.
Our Mission: Futures depend on us to inspire and prepare every child, every day by providing relevant, engaging, and innovative learning experiences in and out of the classroom.
For the past several years, I've shared Jon Gordon's 20 Positive Tips for the New Year. I hope you enjoy reading through them as much as I do. I think they are great reminders of what's important. If you are looking for some quick reads Jon Gordon has many books that speak to leadership and the power of a positive attitude. Many of his books have made their way onto 'Best Seller' lists.
As you can see from the pictures in this month's newsletter, winter is here. Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for the always changing Wisconsin weather.
Thank You for all you do and here is to a hopeful and promising New Year.
Love,
Mr. Ackley
Fun in the Snow
20 Tips for a Positive New Year
1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.
2. Take a daily "Thank You Walk." You can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. Feel blessed and you won’t be stressed.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less foods manufactured in plants.
4. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself with words of truth and encouragement.
5. Post a sign that says "No Energy Vampires Allowed." Gandhi said, "I will not let anyone walk
through my mind with their dirty feet."
6. Be a Positive Team Member. Being positive doesn’t just make you better, it makes everyone around you better.
7. Don't chase success. Decide to make a difference and success will find you.
8. Get more sleep. You can't replace sleep with a double latte.
9. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
10. Look for opportunities to Love, Serve and Care. You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great.
11. Live your purpose. Remember why you do what you do. We don't get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.
12. Remember, there's no such thing as an overnight success. Love the process and you’ll love what the process produces.
13. Trust that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging
experiences.
14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. If you are complaining, you're not leading.
15. Read more books than you did in 2021. I happen to know of a few good ones. : )
16. Don't seek happiness. Instead live with love, passion and purpose and happiness will find you.
17. Focus on "Get to" vs "Have to." Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.
18. The next time you "fail" remember that it’s not meant to define you. It’s meant to refine you.
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.
Click on the link to be able to make a copy for yourself: http://jongordon.com/21tips/
Drop Off, Pick Up and Other Mid Year Reminders
January is a great time to review drop off and pick up procedures with your Rocket. Topics to discuss are general safety:
- Pull forward to avoid back up on Pennsylvania and Thompson (Rockets can walk to front door)
- Stay in your car. If you must exit please park in the parking lot.
- Exit cars on the sidewalk side
- Communicate any change in normal routines to child and teacher
- Get things ready for a quick drop off in order to help traffic run smoothly
- Do not cross traffic. Use crossing guards.
- Review with your Rocket what to do in case mom/dad, grandma/grandpa are running late for pick up or no one is home when they arrive home.
- Students are always encouraged to come to the office to make a quick call or ask an adult for help.
- Discussing safe neighbors or garage codes, etc. are safe choices for students to be reminded of in case of a change in normal routines.
Safety is a priority! Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions.
Royal Oaks Orchestra
Vision Screenings
Guidance News from Mrs. Morriss
We’ll be celebrating Culture Week January 9 through January 13. It is a chance to celebrate the diversity of our Royal Oaks community and for students to learn about their own and others’ cultures. In our first Life Skills classes in January, we’ll be talking about identity, which includes our culture, heritage, and all the things that make us unique and special. Identity is what makes me ME and you YOU! Consider talking to your students about your family’s culture in the upcoming weeks. In the second part of January, Life Skills will focus on goal setting, which is our whole-school SEL focus for the year. Students will set academic goals for themselves or their class.
Believe it or not, it’s time for 5th graders and their families to think about 6th grade course registration. All 5th grade families received an email 12/23/22 with information about registration, including the Middle School Course Guide. In January, 5th graders will meet with their school counselor to go over middle school opportunities and then a registration form will be sent out for families to complete by January 20, 2022. Look for more information the second week of January!
Classroom Spotlight:
January News from the Advanced Learner Program
Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2023!
Greater Dane Anthology Project
The Greater Dane Writing Anthology Project is currently in the process of being judged. Fifth graders did a great job working on their creative writing/narratives, persuasive writing, poetry, cartoons, and artwork. Results of this project will be coming soon!
Math 24
4th and 5th graders have been meeting on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during lunch/recess to sharpen their Math 24 skills and gear up for the local competition coming up in February. Fourth graders will be competing using the double-digit cards and fifth graders will be competing using the variable cards.
Haiku Writing Project
Fourth grade students will have an opportunity to participate in a Haiku writing competition in January and February. ALPs teachers will be visiting classrooms soon with more information.
Fifth Grade Lego Club
Mrs Steege's First Grade Class
Mrs Anderson's Kindergarten Class
A Reminder from Kobussen
Thank You To All Those Who Participated In Our Food Drive
Reminder: School Hours
School begins at 7:40 AM- Attendance is taken
School day ends at 2:40 PM
Early Release every Thursday at 1:30 PM
Attendance Line
Parents/caregivers please use the Royal Oaks Attendance Line to report your student absent. Simply call, 608-834-7200, press 1 to report a student absence.
Please leave a short message with the following information:
· Child’s name
· Teacher’s Name or Grade
· Reason for Absence
· Who is calling
Please do NOT call your child’s teacher.
Thank you for your help!
Lunch & Breakfast
Menus can be found on the School District Web Site or simply click the link below.
Securly’s Online Safety Solutions
Helping students make great choices with technology use is important to us and we know it is important to you as well. As a parent/guardian, you have access to your student’s online activity through an app called Securly.
An invitation email from Securly to download the app has been sent to the email on file in your child’s Infinite Campus account. You can also find the app in your device’s app store (Google Play or Apple App store).
Securly has many features, and you are encouraged to download and explore. In addition to being able to see your child’s activity, you will also be able to monitor and adjust settings beyond the school’s filtering settings.
If you have any questions about how your student is using their school-issued device, you are encouraged to contact your school’s principal.
For questions about Securly’s online safety solutions, please visit www.securly.com/home. For any additional questions, email homesupport@securly.com.
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