STEEBY STAR
March 28, 2019
Important Dates
Apr. 8-26 Cereal collection (full, sealed boxes please)
Apr. 15 Board of Education meeting, 7 PM at Pine Street Elementary
**Apr. 17 NEW DATE 2nd Grade Concert - 6:00 PM at the Fine Arts Center; 4th Grade Concert - 7:15 PM at the Fine Arts Center**
Apr. 17 Half Day, 11:45 Dismissal
**Apr. 18 NEW DATE Literacy Night 6:00-7:00 PM**
May 1 Half Day, 11:45 Dismissal
May 3 Half Mile Run, 9:30 AM
May 3 4th grade Visits Pine Street Elementary, 1:25 PM
May 13, 16 & 17 Hearing and Vision Testing (by Allegan County Health Department)
May 20 WEPA meeting, 6:30 PM
May 20 Board of Education meeting, 7 PM at the Middle School
May 24 Field Day (See Principal's Corner for information)
May 27 NO SCHOOL, MEMORIAL DAY
Principal's Corner
Spring Testing
Our Spring NWEA(Local assessment) testing window is from May 6 to May 24. Our Spring MStep(State assessments for 3rd and 4th graders) testing window is from April 29 to May 31. Your child does not test every day during this time, but will test for approximately 2-3 hours(with breaks) during that time, for at least 4 days. Your child's teacher will be sending out testing dates soon. We ask to please have your child present, well rested, and make sure they've had a healthy breakfast on those days.
Cereal Drive
The Allegan County Food Pantry Collaborative, of the Allegan County Community Foundation, is holding it's 3rd annual cereal drive during the month of April, and has asked all school buildings in Allegan County to participate. The goal is to raise one box per child, per week of Summer vacation. With approximately 2,500 children as potential recipients, that equates to approximately 25,000 boxes of cereal! This is certainly a lofty goal. Steeby will be participating to help work towards this goal by having a cereal drive from Monday, April 8 through Friday, April 26. We will be collecting unopened boxes of cereal, which could also include oatmeal. Mr. Haverdink will be buying pizza for the classroom that collects the most boxes!!
How to Assist Children to Become Better Readers, and Enjoy Reading More
Boost your child’s reading comprehension with these five tips. The older your child gets, the more complex their school reading will become. They’ll need strong reading comprehension skills to do their best in school. To help your child understand what they read, encourage them to:
1. Read aloud. This slows down reading and helps your child “process” words.
2. Read to relax. Encourage your child to read enjoyable books for fun.
3. Reread. Reading things more than once familiarizes your child with new concepts and vocabulary.
4. Supplement reading. Look for interesting, non-intimidating materials related to what your child is learning in school.
5. Discuss reading. Ask questions that encourage thinking, such as, “Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?”
1/2 Mile Run
Of Friday, May 3, Steeby will hold it's annual 1/2 Mile Run! This will take place in the morning. Each grade level will be running at separate times. The running and presentation of 1st-10th place awards will take place during the following general time frames:
3rd grade-9:10-10:00
2nd grade-10:00-10:50
4th grade-10:50-11:40
There will be additional information coming from school as we get closer to the date.
Field Day
On Friday, May 24, Steeby will hold it's annual Field Day activities! 2nd grade will partake in the AM, while 3rd and 4th will swim at the high school in the AM. 2nd grade will complete the day in the PM on a regular schedule, while 3rd and 4th grade participate in Field Day activities in the PM.
There will be additional information coming from school as we get closer to the date.
Retirement
As some of you may have heard, at the end of this 18-19 school year, I will be retiring from service as a public school educator. I have served for the last 17 years in Wayland, and have truly enjoyed my time as an administrator here. The Wayland community is passionate about the learning of it's students, and I am proud to have been a part of that! I will miss working with the students, staff, and parents of this great community and school!
The search is currently beginning for a new Steeby Elementary Principal. Once the process is complete, this announcement will take place towards the end of May.
Your partner in education!
Mike Haverdink-Principal
RJ Steeby Elementary
Wayland Union Schools
269-792-2281 ext. 1310
Lost and Found
A Note from Music Class
Hello Steeby families! First, my apologies for changing the dates for the Steeby concerts. I truly felt that the students deserved more consistent music time before putting on a performance for you. If you have not heard, both concerts have been moved to April 17. The 2nd grade’s performance is at 6pm and the 4th grade’s performance is at 7:15. Both performances will be at the FAC (Wayland High School). Please have your student at the FAC 15 minutes early and I strongly suggest having them wear something nice. For those attending only the 2nd grade concert, I ask that you be diligent about leaving following the performance to make room for the 4th grade families. 4th graders will need to bring their recorder to the concert.
Please email me any questions you have truswelle@waylandunion.org
Sincerely,
Mr. Truswell
Media Center News
March was Reading Month. Students used weekly reading calendars to read in different locations, different genres, etc. All reading times were logged by the students and turned in to the Library for tracking. The students read a total of 101,233 minutes during the month of March! One class from each grade level was selected as the top readers and will receive a popsicle party. Those winning classroom were: Mrs. Fortier's 2nd grade classroom reading a total of 10,890 minutes; Miss Johnson's 3rd grade class reading a total of 8,113 minutes; and Mrs. Green's 4th grade class reading a total of 8,756.
Literacy Night is in April this year. Literacy Night is on April 18th at Steeby Elementary from 6-7 p.m. It is a FREE event for Steeby families. Literacy Night has a dinosaur theme this year. We will have guest readers, a flash light reading room, a dino mask making room, a dinosaur themed computer lab activity, a bookmark making room and snacks in the cafeteria. It will be a fun evening! I hope you can join us for a Dino-Mite Literacy Night on April 18th!
In media next month we will be reading and writing poetry! April is poetry month!
Nicole Barnes
Media Teacher
Physical Education Fun
Kids Heart Challenge is over and the students raised a total of $8984.60. A big thank you to the parents who registered their kids, we were able to hit the 100 participants mark! To celebrate all their hard work on signing up and raising donations, we have been doing exciting things in Physical Education. The classes in the gym have been doing an obstacle course! The classes in the cafeteria have been doing jump rope competitions with winners receiving prizes from previous years jump rope for heart events. Our students of the month are:
2nd grade- Kahlan Pease and Dominic Snider
3rd grade- Evelyn Zwiers and Clayton Teunissen
4th grade- Aliza Wassenaar and Nathanial Hyde
-Michael Weber
Physical Education Teacher
Supercat Winners
Grace Dietz; Konner Hendricks; Jessalyn Foster; Romeo Azzarella; Sofia Ortega; Vivian Gless; DJ St. Andrew; Madelynn Thurston; Santi Sal; Carter Bultje; Ryan Reeves; Keagan Vantil; Lillian Rozela; Arianna Longstreet; Bryson Smeenge; Brody Vigansky; Aubrey Messer; Caylen Khodl; Taylor Schieber; Katlyn Lapham; Logan Bishop; LeaLynn Bouwman; Hannah Hoevenaar; Justin Springs; Kadence DuShane; Wyatt Holloway; Eli Weaver; Marissa Hilton; Lucy Chlebana; Ronnie Didion Classroom Winner: Ms. Hoskins' 3rd grade class
Supercat Winner for the week of 3/11/19
Harper Eckerly; Logan Battenfield; Kahlen Pease; Aeden Sutherland; Alex Condon; Luke Warsen; Jackson Martin; Madison Schultz; Rosie Stack; Mackenzie Schwarz; Ari Haughton; Owen Chachulski; Hanna Usselman; Jillian Sennker; Jayden Harnish; Hannah Schultz; Janessa Mandujano; Jaxon Keena; Grey Savas; Tyler Huttenga; Karis Lail; Marissa Ainsworth; Lauren Modreske; Brooke Trumbull; Athena Ramirez; Nolan Farrish; Jackson Byers; Hoyt Borgic; Tyler Tappendon; Logan Hurley Classroom Winner: Ms. Hoskins' 3rd grade class
Supercat Winners for the week of 3/18/19
Riley Horter; Mason Chase; Macy Stewart; Dominic Weaver; Henry Lyons; Eliza Bollone; Lilly Spicer; Nolan Markoski; Brayden Ambriz; Carter Bultje; Jeremy Mulero; Landon Atwell; McKenna Lewis; Kyan Lawrence; Skyla Cupit; Gracelynn Jorden; Lennon Nesbit; Brody DeWinter; Carter Peacock; Kate Stack; Jimmy Jeffery; Cora Nummer; Trenton Hawke; Nathan Cazala; Eli Warsen; Miley Cooper-Hughes; Olivia Broughman; Keira Laker; David Lodenstein; Payton Naegele Classroom Winner: Mrs. Green's 4th grade class
Supercat Winners for the week of 3/25/19
Henry DeWeerd; Grace Dietz; Madison Hart; Auri Marston; Emma Laur; Molly Nielson; Elyana Jurkowski; Katelynn VanNess; Ella Jevicks; Emmie Steen; Ryan Reeves; Makayla Chapin-Dyer; Peyton Prenatt; Abree VanDenBrink; Cameron Thomas; Aeden Steketee; Nate Ellis; Xavier Garcia; Will Lodenstein; Taylor Schieber; Paul Jackson; Luke VandeZande; Evan Biesbrock; Nolan Beattie; Alex Hubbard; Kristi Kuyt; Ayva Mulder; Finn Mitchell; Blake Gardner; Katie Sullivan Classroom Winner: Mrs. Terrell's 2nd grade class