Jackson Jottings
December 2019, Volume 3
December Calendar at a Glance
- 9th - Gingerbread House Night (A-L 6-6:45 and M-Z 7-7:45)
- 20th - WInter Party Day
- 23rd-Jan. 1st - NO SCHOOL, Enjoy Your Break!
2020-21 Middle School Attendance Areas Update
We would like to thank all of you who have reached out with questions, feedback, attended an input session or visited our information booths at conferences . Your feedback is important. The Shakopee School Board is expected to make a decision on 2020-21 middle school attendance areas at its December 9 meeting. In the meantime, we want to continue to hear from you. Please visit our website to submit questions, comments and to learn more: shakopee.k12.mn.us/Page/9929.
DROPPING OFF KIDS
Please drop off your kids by the lower area stop sign in the upper lot. For the safety of all of our students, please remain in the line of cars and let children out of the right side of the car onto the sidewalk. If you are dropping by upper entrance please stay in line of cars, have your child get out on the sidewalk side, and do no pull any further ahead than the last sign before the entrance (there needs to be enough room for our upper buses and school vehicles to pull in right by entrance). If you park in the lot, please walk your children across the driveway to the sidewalk. Students should not be walking from the parking lot through the crosswalk unaccompanied.
Please do not drop off before 8:10 AM. Thank you!
Would you like to be a volunteer?
Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who have shared their time and talents so far this school year. We are so appreciative of all you are able to do for our staff and students. December is a busy month with lots of projects. If you have any time to stop in the workroom and help out with a project we would greatly appreciate any amount of time you have. We are also able to send projects home with students if that is easier for you. Please let us know.
Thank you again to all the volunteers and all you do for Jackson!
Jennifer Klecker
Jackson Volunteer Site Coordinator
952-496-5802
Nurse Notes by Nurse Andrea
This is the time of year when students and staff are out more often due to the flu. Here are some things you need to know about the flu.
What is Influenza (Flu)?
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. One way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.
Flu Symptoms
Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- fever* or feeling feverish/chills
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- muscle or body aches
- headaches
- fatigue (tiredness)
- some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever*
How Flu Spreads
Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes.
Period of Contagiousness
You may be able to spread flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
- People with flu are most contagious in the first 3-4 days after their illness begins.
- Some otherwise healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.
- Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time.
Preventing Seasonal Flu
CDC recommends everyday preventive actions (like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent handwashing) to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory (nose, throat, and lungs) illnesses, like flu. You may also get a flu vaccine each year. Flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illnesses and the risk of serious flu complications that can result in hospitalization.
More information is available at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me!
Andrea Richards
School Nurse
952-496-5804
Art Lines from Mr. Olson
Greetings from the Art Department!
Warning!!! Art class can be messy! SEND AN ART SHIRT WITH YOUR STUDENT!
Well, it looks like winter is upon us! To brighten the season, we have been working on some fun, exciting, and challenging projects.
The Kindergarteners are learning how to form a pinch pot using clay.
The first graders have been learning how to attach pieces of clay while making a snowman. They will be home just in time for winter break!
The second graders have finished their Van Gogh style paintings and are now learning about complimentary colors.
The third graders have been working on understanding how to show foreground, middle ground, and background in their artwork. They are now learning about positive and negative shape in art.
The fourth and fifth graders have finished their contour line drawing unit. They are now in the middle of their own clay unit. Each student is constructing a container that represents their personal interests.
We hope everyone has a great month and that you all enjoy a well-deserved winter break!
Sincerely,
Mr. Olson
AND
Mrs. Hall
Jackson Art Specialists
FUN PROJECTS FROM ART
Music "Notes"
December is a fun time in music class to honor and celebrate many different
holidays around the world. Here are the December “I CAN” statements for each
grade level which is based upon the National Music standard. I’ve also listed a
few highlights of songs/games/activities each grade level will be doing to
address this standard.
Kindergarten
I CAN show a steady beat. (MU: Re 7.2.Ka)
- Holiday songs using classroom instruments, such as bells, drums and woodblocks
- Hanukkah song and dance
- Holiday rhythm games
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
- Listening and moving to songs about sleigh rides
1st grade
I CAN create rhythm patterns. (MU: Cr2.1.1b)
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
- Hanukkah song and dance
- Sasha Russian folk dance
- Activities to create and perform holiday rhythm patterns on classroom instruments
- Listening and moving to songs about sleighrides
2nd grade
I CAN perform music at various tempi. (speed of the beat) (MU: Pr 6.1.1b)
- Preparing music for their music program, The Nutcracker Suite on Friday, December 6th!
- Learning about the tempo of Nutcracker ballet pieces
- Hanukkah song and dance
- Holiday rhythm games
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
3rd grade
I CAN describe how music affects my mood. (MU: Re8.1.3a)
- Reflecting and discussing Veteran’s day music program and how music can affect our mood
- Hanukkah song and dance
- Dreidel game
- Holiday rhythm games and activities
- Trepak Russian dance cup passing game
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
4th grade
I CAN count rhythms. (using traditional number counting) (MU: Pr4.2.4b)
- Introducing recorders!
- When oh When Hanukkah song
- Dreidel game
- Snowflake rhythm game
- Trepak Russian dance cup passing game
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
5th grade
I CAN analyze holiday music using music vocabulary. (MU: Pr 4.2.5a)
- When oh When Hanukkah song
- Dreidel game
- Listening and analyzing other holiday music using element of music vocabulary
- Snowflake rhythm game
- Trepak Russian dance cup passing game
- Che Che Koolay (African call and response) to honor Kwanzaa
UPCOMING MUSIC DATES:
- Friday, December 6th - 2nd grade Nutcracker Suite program, 2:00p.m.
- Tuesday, February 4th - 4th grade attend Jack Brass Band concert at SHS
- Friday, February 21st - 1st grade Music program, 2:00p.m.
- Thursday, February 27th - 5th grade students to Ordway Performing Arts Center for Taiko drumming program
- Friday, March 13th - Kindergarten Music program, 2:00p.m.
- Wednesday, March 18th - 3rd grade students to Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis
- Friday, April 17th - 4th grade “Minnesota Musicians” program, 2:00p.m.
- Monday, May 11th - 5th grade Music and Band program, 6:30p.m.
- Wednesday, June 3rd - Jackson Talent Show at 1:30p.m.
By: Sari Flatness
A "Note" from Band
Band students have been working on their first full band arrangement song: Jingle Bells. We’ve been having fun working and perfecting each section of the song, and the bands are coming along nicely! Please encourage each band student to be taking their instruments home at night!
Ms Lund will be returning to Jackson the beginning of December so please give her a warm welcome back (her email is jlund@shakopee.k12.mn.us).
I’d like to take this opportunity once again to thank all of the students I’ve had the privilege to work with, as well as the wonderful staff here at Jackson Elementary. My last day at Jackson was Nov. 26th.
Thank you for these wonderful three months!
Mrs. Markovich
Please mark these scheduled concert dates on your calendars:
Saturday, March 21st — All District Band Concert at 4:00 pm (Shakopee Senior High) AND Monday, May 11th — Jackson 5th Grade Music Program at 6:30 pm (Jackson Gym).
Physical Education Fun with Mr. Casey, Mrs. Tanberg, & Mr. Koening
November and December will be busy and exciting months in Physical Education. First off, we have been busy with our Volleyball unit. Students are developing Volleyball skills such as: the underhand serve, bumping, passing and setting. Students also are learning recreational Volleyball games. These games are: “deck tennis”, and the game of Volleyball. These are great games in which students can get a few friends or family members together and Just “PLAY”!
We will also be busy playing low organized games, activities and BOWLING!! These games improve movement performance, teach students how to interact appropriately with their peers, how to manipulate objects with speed and accuracy. Students will also identify responsible decisions about using time, rules and following through with the rules resulting in good sportsmanship.
We also are also encouraging students to participate in the 12 Days of Fitness. This is an activity that will be sent out in December. Please encourage your child to be active during the winter months and especially over winter break.
If you have any questions please call or stop by and visit our Physical Education Class, you are always welcome!
Mr. Jeff Casy (jcasey@shakopee.k2.mn.us)
Mrs. Susan Tanberg (stanberg@shakopee.k12.mn.us)
Mr. Dan Koenig (dkoenig@shakopee.k12.mn.us)
If anyone has some old tennis shoes that they would like to donate to the Physical Education Department it be greatly appreciated. We have students who do not have tennis shoes to wear for physical education and we would like to give them a pair. Please make sure the tennis shoes are clean and free of rips and tears.
Greetings from the Learning Commons!
BOOK FAIR:
Thank you so much to all the families that visited the book fair during conferences! It was so great to see all the familiar faces purchasing books to add to their home libraries and to donate to classroom libraries. Because of all the purchases you made, we were also able to buy new books for our school library! This helps put more books in kids’ hands, which is always our goal.
OVERDUE BOOKS:
At conferences, you may have received an orange paper from your child’s classroom teacher regarding overdue library books. If you did NOT receive one, this means your child has no missing or overdue books! If you did receive one, please help us by searching at home for this missing book. If it cannot be found, the cost to replace the book can be found on that orange paper. Thank you for your help in keeping our library books safe and making sure they get returned so other students can enjoy those books, too!
MEDIA CLASSES:
K-2: The younger grades spent some time talking about online safety. We discussed how to go places safely online, the difference between safe and unsafe apps/websites, and what information should be kept private online. This past cycle, we have been talking about Thanksgiving. We read Thanksgiving books and did Thanksgiving activities on SeeSaw. I had a blast getting to hear some of your family Thanksgiving traditions!
3-5: We have been continuing our discussions about Digital Citizenship in media. This includes how to be safe online and how to be responsible with technology. We have also been using Canvas during these lessons. Canvas is a learning platform that is used daily at the middle and high school levels. It is a great way for students to share their thinking online. Our goal with Canvas is to help students get more familiar with this platform each year so they are more prepared for the transition to middle school.
By: Betsi Arvin
Media Specialist
barvin@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Learning Commons: Digital Learning Highlight
In the month of December, students will learn a little about computer science. Each grade level will use grade-appropriate programs to learn how to code and create. The basics of computer coding help students develop a variety of skills including the ability to properly sequence, use cause/effect-type thinking, and visualize their end goal. Students also learn to be logical thinkers, pay attention to details, and develop more patience and resilience as they encounter problems. Many of the programs we are using are free and available on a variety of devices (Apple, Android, computers). If your child enjoys the activities, you can continue letting them work and build at home.
Which coding programs are we using?
- Kindergarten and 1st Grade – ScratchJr (App available for Apple and Android devices)
- 2nd Grade – Meeper Bots
- 3rd and 4th Grade – Google CS First (web-based using Scratch; kids will have a login that they continue using at home.)
- 5th Grade – Tynker (App available for Apple and Android Devices)
Curious how computer science is impacting our world today? Watch this video to learn more.
Natalie Weatherman (Digital Learning Coach)
PTO NEWS
Hello Jackson Families!
How is it December already? The school year is flying by! November was a fun and busy month for the PTO and December won’t be any different. We’ve got one of our family favorite events, Gingerbread Night, on December 9th. Cost is $2 per gingerbread house. If you haven’t signed up, please do so by sending money and child(s) name in an envelope marked Gingerbread Night PTO. Families with last names beginning with A-L should come from 6:00-6:45. Families with last names beginning with M-Z should come from 6:45-7:30.
Our no-cook dinner night this month is at the Shakopee Applebees on Wednesday, December 18th from 4-9:00p. Bring in your flier (which we will be sending home in folders about a week before the event) or show your server a photo of the flier and Jackson will receive 10% of your bill. You can also use curbside to go just make sure to show them the flier.
A huge thank you to everyone that came out to our no-cook dinner night at Culvers in November. We had so many adorable volunteers that did a fantastic job and made it a super fun event!
We also should thank Jimmy John’s, Marcos Pizza, and HyVee for giving us discounts to provide delicious meals for our staff working extra hours for conference nights.
Our Blizzard of Wishes is in full swing. If you would like to fulfill a wish for one of your favorite teachers, simply look for their name on our Blizzard of Wishes posters outside their classroom, cluster, or in the front entry way and take a slip to fulfill one of their wishes for their classroom.
We wish you all a wonderful month and a safe and happy holiday season! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at jacksonPTO28@gmail.com.
As always thank you for supporting our Jackson Community!
Kjersta Hoffman
PTO President