Parklane Community Newsletter
January 26, 2023
Panther Message:
Dear Parklane Families,
The new year is rolling along. Students are happily making new learning gains and growing in their academics and social skills. Many students are learning how to be successful students in class, how to work in small groups and how to best participate in whole-class activities. As a school, we are focused on developing children's language skills. A key piece of developing students' language and increasing their achievement is encouraging and facilitating academic discourse skills and vocabulary, such as learning how to stay on topic when discussing content and learning how to take turns when sharing.
Furthermore, students are expected to use academic language when discussing content. This looks like speaking in complete sentences and thoroughly sharing their perspectives and opinions as well. Please help us by speaking regularly with your child at home and encouraging them to use details and adjectives when discussing things like their school day, movies, book or other activities. Thank you for your support in increasing achievement and attendance at Parklane.
Appropriate Physical Contact:
We are having increased incidents of questionable behavior during recess time. Recess is an important time of day when students get to engage in physical activity and breathe fresh air. We consistently review expectations with students and staff regarding behaviors during this time of the school day, but some students continue to experience difficulties. In response, to continue the effort to keep students safe during recess, please review with your child appropriate and safe play behaviors. For example, an emphasis on not hitting or kicking and respecting other students' personal space as keys to fun and safe play.
Eating Areas:
Parklane has one combined area for eating, assemblies, and physical education. This means we have a cafetorium where students eat lunch and enjoy PE class. During lunch, many students are dropping food on the floor and not throwing food wrappers in the garbage. This complicates our transition from lunch to PE and creates a slipping hazard for the students coming in. Reinforcing good behaviors is a team effort, and Parklane staff would appreciate it if parents could help promote good table manners at school.
Black History Month:
Parklane is an amazing school with incredible diversity amongst our student population. This is a huge asset and learning opportunity for students to learn how to learn in a multicultural environment. At Parklane, we honor students’ backgrounds and home cultures. We are an inclusive school with a focus on equity and respect for all. February is African American History Month, and this month was chosen because the second week of February was the birthday of both President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Previously, Black History Month was just a week-long celebration. But, some communities adopted the entire month of February as an unofficial Black History Month. It wasn’t until 1976 when President Gerald Ford recognized and encouraged Americans to participate in a month-long observance. Today, it serves as an important conversation point in schools and in our everyday lives. As a school, we are striving to make sure we not only highlight African Americans during February but throughout the school year. It is expected that throughout the year, students will be exposed to lessons that reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the students in their classrooms. We look to our community and parents to support our students in exploring and celebrating Black/African American History Month at home as well.
*Please do not double park in front of the school during dismissal. Please park and walk up to pick up your students. Please use crosswalks to cross the street in front of our school, do not walk through traffic, and obey the speed limit.
*We will have an SRP-Lock Down Drill next week please read the information below and discuss it with your child beforehand.
*Please make sure to pick up your student at 2:27 PM; everyday students can not be left unattended. Teachers are not able to watch students after school is dismissed
*Please retrieve your student's coats from the lost and found.
*State testing is around the corner for grades 3rd-5th. We would like to have all students participate. But if you choose to opt out your student, please visit our district website to access this OSAS opt-out form.
Strategic Planning
This 2022-2023 school year, Centennial School District is engaged in a comprehensive Strategic Planning process. The strategic plan acts as a roadmap for our school system and where we are heading. The primary purpose of our strategic plan is to align all stakeholders on a shared vision, common goals, and unified direction for our district’s educational efforts for the next four years. Community-wide involvement is vital to the Strategic Planning process; therefore, we are designing the process in ways that will embrace the diverse voices of our district’s stakeholders.
The Centennial School District Strategic Planning Community Forum is on Monday, January 30, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will take place virtually, and you will receive a link to the Zoom meeting directly based on the email you provide in this RSVP here.
Standard Response Protocol
At Parklane, we are reviewing our Standard Response Protocols with staff and students. These protocols are standardized procedures we follow to ensure student safety in a school emergency. We’ll be practicing our Safety Drills in school with students to make sure they’re all prepared if an emergency occurs at school. Please make sure to discuss these drills with your children and help them understand the importance of these protocols.
SUN School
Registration for Winter SUN afterschool classes is now closed, and students will receive notice if they were enrolled:
The Winter SUN term will be January 17 - March 9, Monday-Thursday from 2:30-4:45 pm. Students in Kinder-5th grade are eligible. (Priority for kindergarten enrollment will be given to siblings of older students enrolled in SUN and families with a critical need for childcare.) Afterschool SUN is free and includes one hour of enrichment classes, 30 minutes of homework time, recess, and an afterschool meal.
Cafe con Guerreras Latinas next meeting TBD
Mental Health Workshops with Guerreras Latinas 5-7 pm on Wednesday 2/1, 2/15, 3/1, 3/15?
STEAM Night Feb 23
Inviting VR Company, Bikeworks
Family Yoga class, cooking class
Contact Andrew Neal at 503-593-5222 or andrewn@mfs.email if you have any questions.
Snacks & Wellness Policy
At Parklane, we have several students with food allergies. For this reason, and other issues tied to bringing food into school, we ask that any treats be dropped off in the office and that the teacher is aware that they are being brought to school. Treats for classroom parties and birthdays, therefore, need to be purchased from a bakery or grocery store and must be individually wrapped. In addition, we would like treats to be healthy. No cupcakes, candy, or cookies will be allowed. This is in accordance with our district’s wellness policy.
Food allergies are growing food safety and public health concerns that affect an estimated 8% of children in the United States.
That’s 1 in 13 children or about two students per classroom. A food allergy occurs when the body has a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods. The body’s immune response can be severe and life-threatening, such as anaphylaxis. Although the immune system normally protects people from germs, in people with food allergies, the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.
DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICY Our Wellness Policy has been updated to address the changing health needs and concerns of our students, and to add choices by making sure that healthier options are available for everyone who wants them. Research shows that students are more academically successful when they have access to nutritious foods and physical activity. New additions to the policy include: * Fundraisers – schools can earn money without compromising the health of students, staff, and families, with projects that sell popular foods like fresh fruits, with traditional fundraisers that are activity based such as “Run For the Arts,” or by selling valuable items like wrapping paper or magazines. * Meal times – schools will work to make the healthier option the easier option for students by offering and promoting more choices in the cafeteria and reducing competition from less nutritious foods like chips and sports drinks. * In the classroom – choices will be available when food is provided at a classroom celebration. For example, if there are cupcakes for a party, a healthy option like fresh-cut fruit will be offered as well. Also, food will not be used as a reward or motivation (such as a bribe or for good behavior). * Physical Activity – research shows that students who move, stretch, or engage in learning activities in the classroom also have better academic and behavioral outcomes. Physical activity will be promoted throughout the school day to encourage students to enjoy movement and exercise. * Drinking water – because water is an essential nutrient and one of the healthiest beverage options, the new policy states that students and staff will have access to fresh drinking water throughout the school day, including in the cafeteria. The new Wellness Policy will be reviewed every year by the Superintendent and the District Wellness Committee and will be communicated for the benefit of students and staff. For more information or resources, please contact the District Wellness Committee: wellness_committee@csd28j.org