South Union Rail
Respectable, Responsible and Ready to Learn
Greeting from our Principal Dr. Szakacs
November 2018
Dear Parents and Citizens of South Union School Community:
I hope the November Parent Newsletter finds you well. The school year is moving right along. We are so pleased with the progress our students are making academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally in and outside the classroom. We are committed to developing the whole child at SU and we take this responsibility very seriously. In addition, we cannot do this work without your support. Your support of SU helps us keep all of our students safe, healthy, happy, and enjoying their school experience.
The month of November is filled with the joy of fall, Thanksgiving appreciation, hunting season (for those students and families that like to hunt), Family Math/Literacy night at SU, and the kick-off to the holiday season. Wow, so much to look forward to in November. In order to stay up-to-date on all the fun things happening at SU, please continue to look at your child’s Friday Folder. Every Friday, each classroom teacher sends home a folder with your child, which is filled with classroom and school news. The weekly news keeps you informed and provides information on your child’s progress at school.
Support services provided at SU. I wanted to make you aware that SU is a full-service school providing a host of services that support our students and families: nursing care, counseling and mental health services for student and family, Success services – student and family partnerships, ELL community outreach, and Special Education services. In addition, we provide after-school tutorial service for students who are selected, PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization that meets on a monthly basis to enhance parental involvement), and we have a wonderful community volunteer reading program – Everybody Wins. This reading support program allows community members to listen to students read books.
Election vote November 6, 2018. I highly encourage every parent to get out and vote. Please take the time to study each candidate and gain an understanding on what they do or do not support. As an advocate for public education, several of the candidates have various opinions about public education and its value to the public at large. I am pleased to share that many positive things happen on a daily basis in public schools across this great nation. Let us see how the voting goes on the sixth and what affects will the results have on public education moving forward. Thank you for supporting SU!
Be safe. Be well. Be you.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Bill Szakacs
Principal
South Union Elementary School
Des Moines Public Schools
A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out and helped make our Skate Night such a success! We had a lot of fun and hope that you did too! :)
Popcorn Friday
Friday, Nov 2, 2018, 08:00 AM
South Union Elementary School, South Union Street, Des Moines, IA, USA
Math and Literacy Family Fun Night
*Dinner will be served from 5 to 6 pm with activities beginning at 5:30 pm. We hope to see you there! :)
Thursday, Nov 15, 2018, 05:00 PM
South Union Elementary School, 4201, South Union Street, Des Moines, IA, USA
Book Fair
Thursday, Nov 15, 2018, 05:00 PM
4201 South Union Street, Des Moines, IA, USA
WE NEED YOU
Picture Retake Day
Color Day is FRIDAY!
Do your holiday shopping using Script!
An Encouraging Word from our Dean
At South Union we as a building have a goal to support our students through positive behavior and interactions. We use our school wide token economy, known as rail bucks and our weekly rail cart visits, as a way of supporting this school wide goal.
Students are taught expectations for our building and are able to earn rail bucks when they are meeting those expectations.
For example, we have been practicing our cafeteria routine and the lunch procedures. Our students are well aware of when it’s time to begin to transition from lunch to recess. When students demonstrate the appropriate voice level, the ability to follow directions, and are able to exit the cafeteria safely this is a time when the on duty teacher has an opportunity to recognize a student’s great behavior by giving them a rail buck.
Rail bucks are used as currency for students to purchase items or experiences within our building. Some of the fun things that students are able to purchase with Rail bucks include: a special shout out to a friend over the school wide announcements, lunch with a friend or teacher, A phone call to a special loved one recognizing their positive school accomplishments, special pens, stickers, bouncy balls, etc.
The rail cart visits our student's classrooms' on Friday. A great way to help foster the school home connection is to ask your child about what they are saving for, what behavior or academic goals they have, and how many rail bucks are they working towards earning. Another great conversation starter to foster the school home connection is to ask them what they spent their rail bucks on.
Together we can help support high expectations and achievement for all of our students at South Union. If you would like more information about other systems we have in place for students please contact the school.
We look forward to our continued partnership and success for all students at South Union!
Julie Plant, M.Ed
Dean of Students DMPS
Email: julie.plant@dmschools.org
Website: https://southunion.dmschools.org/
Location: 4201 South Union Street, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-8409
Kindergartner's in Mrs Pope's classroom integrate their learning experience with everyone's Fall favorite - Pumpkins!
Ms Belt's First Grade and their homemade Spider Hats!
Cold and Flu Season is Upon Us!
Got questions? You are always welcome to contact Rose at our Front Office at (515) 242-8409