Union Elementary Weekly Update
April 20, 2018
Spreading Joy with Song
Engineers in Training
Party Planners
Upcoming Union Events
April 16-May 4: ISTEP+ Multiple Choice window for grades 3 and 4
Week of April 23rd: Fourth Grade Art Displays in Lobby
April 26: First Grade Field Trip to Holliday Park; Fourth Grade Music Program, 6:30 PM
April 27: Third Grade Biography Parade
April 29: Spring Spruce Up
April 30-May 4: Spring Book Fair
April 30-May 11: NWEA Testing
Week of April 30th: Second Grade Art Displays in Lobby
May 1: Dads Club Meeting, 7 PM in Teachers' Lounge
May 3: Second Grade Music Program, 6:30 PM
May 3 and 4: Fourth Grade Trips to ZMS
May 4: Third Grade Math Fact Celebration
May 6: Dads Club Golf Outing, 4 PM at Woodwind Golf Club
May 7-11: Staff Appreciation Week
May 7, 8, 9,10, 14, 15: First Grade Young Authors Showcases at Barnes and Noble
May 10: Fourth Grade Talent Show Auditions, 2:30-4:15
May 14: Third Grade Specialties Fair; Board of Trustees Meeting at ESC, 6PM
May 15 and 16: Third Grade Zionsville History Field Walking Tour
May 15: Fourth Grade End of Year Celebration, 2:30-4:30
May 16: Fourth Grade Young Hoosiers Wax Museum
May 18: Kindy 500
May 21: Fourth Grade Talent Show Practice, 2:30-4:15; School Focus Group by District Leaders, 6:30 PM in Union cafeteria
May 22: Field Day; Fourth Grade Talent Show Parent Performance, 6:00 PM
May 23: Field Day Rain Date; PTO Meeting, 7PM (location TBD)
May 25: Last Day of School
Thank you!
- To our PTO and Dads Club for generously funding teacher wishes. We are so grateful for your support!
- To all of our preschool parents and special guests who attended our Dads Club PreSchool Breakfast. Hope you had fun!
Safety Reminder
Counselor's Corner
Some Food for Thought on “Praise”
There is some research indicating that when we praise kids for being “smart” it can inhibit their desire to attempt challenging tasks. Kids don’t want to tarnish our image of them being “smart”. A more effective form of praising is to focus on efforts and process rather than intelligence or abilities. Here are some suggestions for ways to do this!
PTO News
BOOK FAIR
Book Fair in 2 weeks! The Spring Theme is PETS.
It's so doggone cute, you and your kids won't want to miss it!
Book Fair hours will be April 30-May 4 during lunch periods. There will also be special evening hours on that Thursday too.
You don't need to be a Purr-fessional to volunteer! Sign up for a shift and get your paws on your favorite books before they sell out!
(Yep, the jokes will be there all week, folks)
Use the link below and sign up for a convenient one hour slot for parents on the go. If you have more time to spare please considered doing your shifts back to back.
There are paw-lenty of open slots. Please help if you can.
http://volunteer.scholastic.com/#/signup/folGDclh6
BOX TOPS
Don't stop now, keep the Box Tops coming! The final contest of the year ends on May 1st!
UPCOMING MEETING
This year's last PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, May 23 in the evening and I promise you won't want to miss it. Details and location coming soon.
It isn't too late to join in the fun, if you want a spot on the board the coveted Treasurer position is still available.
JOG A THON
Would you like your company name or logo on the back of more than 3000 T-shirts?! If so, sponsorship opportunities are available for our upcoming September 26th, 2018 Jog-A-Thon! Our sponsors receive their name or log on the back of each student shirt, depending on the sponsorship level. The T-shirts are used by all five Zionsville elementary schools, and in addition to event day, shirts are worn for spirit day and fields trips! All donations are tax-deductible. Please send an email to unionjogathon@gmail.com if you're interested.
Dads Club News
Calling all Dads! Join us the first Tuesday of every month for our monthly meeting. Check out our calendar on the Dad’s Club webpage and our Facebook page Union Elementary Dads Club. Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 7 PM in the Teachers' Lounge. We are looking for volunteers for next year so that we can continue to provide students and families with unique and fun events that have become traditions of our Union School community. Please consider coming out to learn more!
Dads Club Golf Outing
Please see the attached entry form for the 19th Dads Club Golf Outing which is taking place at 4PM on Sunday, May 6th (rain date is May 20th) at Woodwind Golf Club. For those of you that did not attend last year, we had a great time while showcasing the game of golf.
Please note the following additional event information…
Players
- This is a family friendly event promoting the game of golf and allowing all people to be introduced to the game
- 4-person scramble
- $35/player
Sponsors
- We are seeking a beverage (non-alcoholic) sponsor, $100
- We are seeking a food sponsor, $200
Volunteers
- Seeking a beverage cart driver that can deliver drinks to all of the players
Please contact me with interest in, or inquiries about, any of the provided information. We think this will be a great day and a great way to help Union Elementary!
Best Regards,
Steve Poole
Principal
GavMar Resources, LLC
(M) 317.402.0374
Class Placement
We are beginning to make plans for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Although at this time we can't say with certainty how many sections of classes we'll have in each grade level, it is safe to assume that we will continue to grow!
Before the end of the year, Mrs. Karnuta, Mrs. Kay and Mrs. Raycroft will meet with each grade level team to place students into tentative classroom groups. We take a great deal of information into consideration when we place students into classes. Placements will be based on information the teachers provide about a child's classroom performance, assessment data, individual learning and social/emotional needs.
We also invite your input, so if you have additional information about your child that we need to consider, please complete the form linked here to provide us with those details. We request that all information be submitted by May 4th so we have time to meet with families should we need additional information.
Please know that this is not an opportunity to request a particular teacher, only to share your thoughts on the learning style of your child. An appropriate submission would contain information focusing on your child's learning style and the environment in which you feel they work best.
Creating our classroom groups is an intricate balancing process. Our priority is to place all of our students in the optimal instructional environment based upon each individual child's strengths and needs. Due to growth, our final class lists may not be known until early August. In the mean time, if you have any new neighbors move in during the coming weeks, please check to see if they have visited with us to register their children for school! This will help immensely in our planning.
Second Grade Project Based Learning- Helping Animals in Need
First Grade Project Based Learning- Be Kind to Nature
The sea, the trees, oh nature is amazing! Would you want to know more about nature? If you answered yes, please buy a t-shirt from Mrs. Boggs first grade class. It is for a good cause. We want to watch nature in our outdoor classroom even when we can't go outside. We are going to buy an outdoor camera with the money from our t-shirts. The cost of a t-shirt is $15. Remember: Be Kind To Nature!
Contact Mrs. Boggs for more information
Cub Scout Pack 105
ZMS Z-Run
Union Families:
If you are looking for a fun, family, fitness activity for April, your future middle school is having their annual ZRun event at the end of this month. If interested, please keep reading for event details and the link to register.
ZRun Info - Saturday, April 28, 9:00AM, at ZMS
About the event:
5K run/walk on Zionsville Rail Trail and city streets, or a 1-Mile Family-Dog walk through Mulberry Fields Park. This event is sponsored by the Zionsville Middle School PTO. The funds secured during this event support Zionsville Middle School PTO sponsored programs throughout the year including educational grants, teacher and student appreciation events, and special projects.
Entry Fees:
* Pre-Registration Individual Fees for the 5K or 1-Mile are $20.
* A Group/Family may sign up for the discounted fee of $20 each for the first two entries and $15 for each additional entry.
Shirts are guaranteed for pre-registration by March 20 only, but there are many still available at this time!
Event day pricing is $25/ person; Group/Family are $25 each for first two and $20 for each additional entry.
Special Note: Race Day shirts will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis - Shirts and/or correct size shirt are not guaranteed on the day of the event.
Event Schedule:
7:45 AM to 9:00AM: Registration
9:00 AM: 5k run/walk
9:05 AM: 1-Mile Family-Dog walk
10:00 AM: Awards
https://secure.getmeregistered.com/get_information.php?event_id=128854
Transportation News
Background Check Information
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR VOLUNTEERS
We value partnerships with our families and welcome parents and guardians to serve as volunteers in our schools. Each ZCS building offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.
Examples include:
- Field Trip Chaperones
- Out of Town/Overnight Chaperones
- Tutors
- Volunteer Coaches
- Classroom Helpers (PTO parties/room parents)
- Library Helpers
- After Prom Workers
- Field Day/Jog-A-Thon Volunteers
- Book Fair Sales/Athletic Ticket Sales
During the school day, all volunteers are expected to sign in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Non-disclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check. Necessary background check paperwork is available on the ZCS website at the Volunteers/BRAVO link and should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the intended volunteer date. Volunteers must also view the state mandated confidentiality/bullying video, provided on the Volunteer/BRAVO website. The volunteer will pay the fee* for the full background check which will expire after 5 years. The link to apply for the full background check can be accessed on the Volunteers/BRAVO link on the ZCS main webpage. For more information, contact the Volunteer/BRAVO Coordinator.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR VISITORS
During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign-in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a visitor badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times.
Examples Include:
- Lunch Guests
- Classroom Guest Speakers
- Classroom Special Events (Grandparent Day/Famous Hoosiers/etc.)
- Parent/Teacher Conferences
We ask that all visitors schedule an appointment to meet with teachers, counselors, administrators and all other staff members so that we may best serve everyone. Visitors other than parents/guardians must be prearranged and organized through the main office.
*ZCS thanks all volunteers for generous support of our youth and schools. Thank you, too, for supporting assurance of student and staff safety by completing and paying for a volunteer background check.
Union Elementary School
Email: jraycroft@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://uni.zcs.k12.in.us/
Location: 11750 E 300 S, Zionsville, IN, United States
Phone: 317-733-4007
Twitter: @ZCSUnionElem