Helman News
October 19, 2020
Dear Helman Families,
We've completed our fourth week of school under the CDL model and I am so proud of the dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and families. Comprehensive Distance Learning is truly a team effort and, together, we can still have a great year of learning and community.
In the coming weeks we are looking forward to a Virtual Move-a-thon, ground-breaking for our new building, and parent-teacher conferences.
In an effort to continually improve our Comprehensive Distance Learning program, we are asking all families to take a few minutes to complete the survey below. Your input is very valuable to us!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.
Warmly,
Michelle Cuddeback, Principal
Helman Move-a-thon This Week!
2020 Helman Moveathon
October 19-23, 2020
Every year Helman students, families, friends, and teachers team up to raise money for our classrooms. The annual Walkathon is when students get to do their part for the PTA. This fundraiser provides money for classroom enrichment grants as well as basic school supplies, books, science projects, playground equipment, after-school art, reading support, technology, school improvements, field trips and more. While school doesn’t look quite the same this year, funds will be used to help PTA support Helman during distance learning!
WE CAN DO IT! This year we are aiming for 100% student participation in our goal to raise $7,000 for Helman Elementary School.
HOW CAN I SHARE WHAT I DID? Here is a short video explaining how to log your activities on the Helman School Canvas page.
PRIZES! Please register your participating student’s information by Monday, October 26th to be entered in a prize drawing for Walkathon participants. There will be a raffle winner from each class! The grand prize is a gift certificate for Treehouse Books!
Here’s how you can help: You get to run, walk, skip, hop, dance, bike, and move your body. PE time with Mr. H can even count towards participating in the Moveathon.
Here’s how others can help: You may ask friends, neighbors and family to pledge a fixed amount for all the moving you're going to do! Or, if they really want to encourage you to do a lot of moving, they can pledge an amount per minute of activity.
DONATE ONLINE at helmanpta.org/walkathon-donation/ Share the link and spread the word!
Checks should be made out to Helman PTA and may be dropped off in the lockbox outside the office or mailed to the school:
Helman PTA
℅ Helman Elementary
The Helman PTA really supports our school - please consider asking for a generous pledge.
Helman Campus Bond Update
Please see below for a fly-though of the new building and a rendering of the new playground space.
Parent Teacher Conferences
As with most things this year, conferences are going to look a little different. In order to provide the additional training time needed for teachers prior to school to be ready for Comprehensive Distance Learning, we had to make the difficult decision to reduce the number of conference days, and therefore the number of individual conferences we are able to have.
We regularly review progress and attendance for all our students to ensure that they are on-track academically, their individual needs are being met, and they are making positive behavioral choices.
While we wish we were able to conference with each family, this is not possible this fall. Teachers will reach out to some families to set a conference for 10/29. The goal of this conference is to team with your family to put supports in place for increased success moving forward.
As always, if you have a specific question or concern you would like to discuss with your child’s teacher, please do not hesitate to reach out to them via e-mail or office hours.
Please find the updated ASD calendar below.
The 12th Annual Monster Dash Run for Education has gone VIRTUAL this year!
What does that mean?
Register for the race of your choice, get your “in the bubble” friends and family together for your own mini-Monster Dash event! Run your own course, or one of the suggested courses we’ll be posting on our website, at a time of your choosing from Oct 23 to Nov 1.
Online Contests for registrants: Costume Contest for kids and adults – even your pets! You can submit your photos in different categories by age brackets. We’ll also have contests for best race or finish line photos, and best video submissions, too. We won’t be able to give prizes for fastest times, but just by uploading your time to the race registration site, you’ll be eligible for awesome prize drawings.
Online Auction! Check out the many gift cards and auction packages available for bid at the Monster Dash Online Auction (on event website beginning Oct 16) – even if you’re not participating in the race! Auction Open Oct 16-31.
Race Packets will be given out at our drive-up Packet Pick-up events. Everyone’s packet will include a race bib, crepe paper finish line, and finisher’s medal – plus kid’s packet will include some Halloween activities and a trick-or-treat bag of candy and Halloween toys.
Giveaways: Each youth is eligible to choose a science kit or realistic sea or land creature from Blue Marble! Adults: choose a hat from Sunday Afternoons, while they last.
Check out the website below for more info and ideas – we’re still adding details and ideas so check back often!
Register:
- Online at www.ashlandmonsterdash.com
- Youth 18 and under cost $10 for any race
Adult registration fees range from $15-$25 depending on race
Scholarships are available for low-income families. - Race t-shirts may be pre-ordered thru Oct 21
Website: www.AshlandMonsterDash.com
Email: asf@ashland.k12.or.us Phone: 541-482-8197
Site Council at Helman
We will meet via Zoom the last Tuesday of the month from 3-4 pm this school year. For security reasons, Zoom link will be sent prior to the meeting.
During this time, we will look over the district's strategic plan, our own school improvement plan, and discuss ways to improve upon the student learning and family engagement during this most challenging time. If you are interested, email me at michelle.cuddeback@ashland.k12.or.us.
Technology Support
If you need tech help, please reach out directly to our amazing Tech Department here to request help or give them a call 541-201-2600.
If you need to borrow a device from the District to access Distance Learning, please complete the recent survey emailed to you. If you already filled out the District survey, you should hear soon for a time to pick up a device. If you have not completed the survey or your tech needs have changed, please contact Malinda for assistance.
EXTRA HELP ON WEDNESDAYS
School ends at 12:00 on Wednesdays, but we realize your child may have learning to catch up on outside of that time.
Our skilled team of educational assistants are available 12:30-1:30 every Wednesday on Zoom for additional support.
To access this help, simply have your child log in to their teacher's Canvas Course and click on the Educational Assistant's Zoom link. Here they can access individual and small group help sessions.
LIBRARY CHECKOUT
Students and families can log onto our digital library catalog (Destiny) to browse books and put selections on hold. A video explaining how to do this is available on Canvas in your student's library course.
We have planned our "front door service" to overlap with the hours when the cafeteria is providing lunch. Books can be picked up and returned during this time. Social distancing and face coverings required.
Please see the chart below to see what day of the week your child's class has front door service. Parents and guardians may check out books, too! If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Becky at becky.sniffen@ashland.k12.or.us.
Kinders may have one book out at a time.
1st and 2nd graders may have two books out at a time.
3rd, 4th and 5th graders may have three books out at a time. This is in addition to any textbooks or group reads assigned in class. As always, students may have only one OBOB book checked out at a time.
Parents/guardians may have out 10 books at a time.
$$$ for Helman
Please complete the Federal Meal Program application every year.
The income thresholds for qualifying have been raised. If you did not qualify before, you might now!
WHY?
Helman directly benefits from every family that qualifies! Without these funds we would see significant cuts in Educational Assistant positions, Math Intervention services, and Reading Intervention services. Thank you for your help!
- This information helps the district qualify for additional federal funds
- Helps qualify families for utilities benefits
- Helps us identify families in need when other benefits become available such as the gift cards that were donated and distributed to families in the Spring
Application for free or reduced meals can be found at: https://family.titank12.com
If you have any questions or concerns or need to set up a delivery for your children, please contact Nutrition services at nutritionservices@ashland.k12.or.us or call 541-482-2811 x 1116
FREE MEALS THROUGH ASD NUTRITION SERVICES
Free meals offered a the following locations between 11:00am and 1:00pm Monday-Friday:
Bellview Elementary: 1070 Tolman Creek Road
Walker Elementary: 364 Walker Avenue
Helman Elementary: 705 Helman Street
Ashland Middle School: 100 Walker Avenue
Ashland High School: 201 S. Mountain Avenue
Bus drivers will also provide meal pick-up at the following locations:
- on the Mountain routes along Hwy 66 to Pinehurst, Dead Indian Memorial Road to the summit and Hwy 99 to Colestin Road.
- Human Bean at the north end of Ashland
- Maple street behind the hospital
- Lithia Park
- Home delivery vans for families that qualify
Delivery schedules at these locations are still being developed. If you are planning to pick up from one of the bus route locations, please contact the Transportation Department at 541-482-3174 to get your name added to the route delivery list.
HELMAN PTA FOOD BACKPACK PROGRAM
We at the PTA know full bellies help kids to learn and thrive. Sign up below for this PTA program and your child can receive a food backpack each Friday. The backpacks contain nutritious foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including soups, cereal, pasta, peanut butter, dried fruit or applesauce and, when possible, fresh produce, bread, and snacks. Though the program is intended to help those children whose families find it difficult to have enough food for the entire month, all children are eligible for this program.
To sign up and request a weekly backpack, visit:
If your family does not need a weekly food backpack but you would like to donate food or money to the program, please contact becky.sniffen@ashland.k12.or.us. The program is funded through the Helman Elementary School PTA and through generous gifts from the Ashland Food Co-op, Ashland Emergency Food Bank, the Maslow Project, and from contributions from our Helman community. Thank you!
Helman Elementary
Vision: Helman school is a safe, loving community where each child is honored as an individual, challenged to take risks, develop friendships, reflect on their growth, push themselves to reach their potential, and embrace the wonder that leads to lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
Email: michelle.cuddeback@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: http://www.ashland.k12.or.us/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=45
Location: 705 Helman Street, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: 541-482-5620
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Helman-Elementary-School-1557046364532003/