Nighthawk News
Northside Elementary / December 2023
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Principal's Message
Greetings Northside Families,
Happy December! It seems like the temperatures have finally made a permanent drop so I’m sure snow will be flying in no time. Remember to shop early for snow gear (winter coats, hats, gloves/mittens, snow pants, boots). Every year the exponential growth of my kids’ feet seems to surprise me. You think after a decade of parenting, I’d catch on by now :-)
In the month of December, we’ll be talking to our scholars about KINDNESS. One of our core agreements at Northside is to “connect with kindness” in everything that we say and do. We talk about what that looks like across multiple ways we learn/move at school.
As a parent, I’m always searching for tips on how to do this well. My number one goal as a mom is to have created kind humans. This article, Are you raising nice kids? A Harvard psychologist gives 5 ways to raise them to be kind, has some nice tips for how to grow the following characteristics in your kids. Check it out!
Make caring for others a priority
Provide opportunities for children to practice caring and gratitude
Expand your child’s circle of concern.
Be a strong moral role model and mentor.
Guide children in managing destructive feelings
One area we continue to see popping up at school in our upper grades is students having no filter when communicating with one another via cell phones in the evenings/over the weekend and then hurt feelings/big emotions bubble up at school because of the words kids chose to share with one another. I can’t stress enough, if you are giving your child a cell phone at this age, you need to be checking it regularly to see what their communication is looking like. This article has nice guidance on How to Use Parental Controls on Your Child’s New Cell Phone.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership,
Mrs. Jillian Block - Principal
Mrs. Brooke Coy-Tchouani - Associate Principal
Pledge of Allegiance
Did you know that under state law public schools are required to fly the US flag and offer students the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Here's the link to the state statute 118.06 if you want to read about it yourself.
When given the opportunity to say the pledge, we do tell the students that if their family states the pledge, they should speak the words with us. If their family does not, they can just sit quietly. If your family is one that does not say the pledge, we encourage you to have a conversation with your child so they can follow your family's wishes.
Dates to Remember
- 12/4 Monday, Multilingual Learners ACCESS Language Test
- 12/7 Thursday, 5th Grade Orchestra Concert, 6pm, SP East High School
- 12/11 Monday, No School (4K-12); Staff Professional Development
- 12/12 Starts Tuesday, Bring your Family to Lab Week
- 12/12 Tuesday, Northside SCO (SCONES) Meeting, 6:30pm at Northside
- 12/18 Monday, Wear Northside Gear
- 12/19 Wear Animal Print / Outfit
- 12/20 Wear Flannel
- 12/20, Celebrate Smiles, Dental Program Mobile Unit
- 12/21 Wear Red & White (Candy Cane Day)
- 12/22 Wear Pajamas, Robes, Slippers
- 12/25 -1/1 Winter Break
- 1/2 Tuesday, First day back from Break
Multilingual Learners ACCESS Language Test on Dec. 4th
The ACCESS testing window opens this month. Multilingual Learners will begin taking the ACCESS language test on December 4th. The test consists of four sections: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep so they can perform their best on the test. See the attached schedule for more information.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Joe Hartmann or Bryan Grau.
PE News
In December, we will review throwing and add some catching skills. We will end the month with our bowling unit.
With the weather changing, please remember to have PE shoes at school for your students.
Thank you so much to the families that were able to come in and see all that your students are learning in PE class. The students love having their families at school. We may do it again later in the year.
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Mr. LaFleur 1-608-834-7111 or jslafle@sunprairieschools.org
Mr. Headington 1-608-834-7158 or mheadi@sunprairieschools.org
Musical Notes
Coming up this month in Music:
K-1 Grades - Continue working on the beat with hand percussion and experiencing music by
Listening, dancing, singing and playing hand percussion instruments.
2 Grade - Continue to develop the Flute recorder playing Skills, reading music, singing and playing the third song.
3-5 grades - Continue to develop the Ukulele playing skills playing and singing the forth song.
December Artist of the Month is Johan Sebastian Bach
Please reach out to Mr. Edi with any questions.
What's Happening in our Art Studio?
In the month of November, we have been exploring new techniques and new art ideas.
Kinder- Has started discussing what people make art about(feelings, stories, their imagination, and things they can see)
1st- Has started learning about the reasons why people make art. As we dig deeper into why people make their artworks, they are thinking about why they are making their artworks.
2nd - Has created hanging recycled sculpture artworks to go on display at the Crosse House in Sun Prairie.
3rd- Has created a 3 ft collaborative cardboard sculpture with all students in 3rd grade.
4th and 5th- Have been learning about artist Tom Jones’ photography and exploring new ways to make art with skill builders.
Coming in December….
Skillbuilders to learn about making Zines and using art vocabulary to describe artworks.Art in the community!
Please come out to see our wonderful artists work!
Donations welcome!
We love to use materials that you may not need or were going to throw away anyways for our art making! Donations we are currently seeking for our art studio:
- toilet paper and paper towel tubes
- pop tabs
- plastic lids
- corks
- yogurt cups
- fabric scraps
- yarn
- old craft materials
- plastic grocery bags
Please reach out to Ms. Henker with any questions.
Library & Makerspace Updates
Please join us for Bring Your Parent to Lab Week from Tuesday, December 12-Monday, December 18 to enjoy coding and robotics time with your Scholar (Lab Schedule Link).
Read on for a few updates about Library and Makerspace:
- Makerspace/Lab Lessons: In December we will continue learning about coding and robotics - be sure to pop in from December 12-18 during your Scholar's Lab time to check it out (Lab Schedule Link)!
- Nellie's Network: Be sure to watch Nellie's Network posted Monday-Thursday on our Facebook page. A special thank you to ChiaLia, one of our 5th graders, for creating our new logo! Check it out below.
Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, Kelly Nieft
Health Office Reminders
Celebrate Smiles at Northside starting December 20th. Please check your student's backpack for a Celebrate Smiles form. Celebrate Smiles is a dental program operated by Access Community Health Centers and their mobile unit will be coming to Northside starting December 20th. More information is on the form regarding the services they provide. Please complete and return the form whether you choose the services or not. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nurse Joy in the Health office at 608-834-7106.
Vision and hearing screening. In February, all students in kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grades will have a vision screening done at school. Kindergarten students will also have a hearing screening done at this time. If you have a child in another grade that you would like us to screen or you do not want your child screened, please call the school health office at 608-834-7106.
With winter comes snow and wet clothes. Please make sure to have an extra set of clothes for your student in their locker, classroom, or backpack. If you have clothes you'd like to donate to our nurse's closet (especially Kinder - 2nd grade size), we would appreciate the extra items.
Is your contact information on file current? It is important to have accurate phone numbers on file with the school in case we need to reach you during the day.
If your child needs any medication during the school day, a Prescription Medication Consent Form
must be signed by the medical provider. An Over the Counter Medication Consent Form will need to be signed by a guardian(s). Forms are also available in the Health Office. Students are not to carry medications with them in their pockets or lockers. Medications need to be kept in the health office and be labeled with the student name.
If they are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home:
- Fever of 100.4 or higher Your student's temperature should be below 100.4 without the assistance of medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
- Active vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Rashes along with fever and redness
- A positive Covid test within the last five days. See PHMDC or call the Health Office at 608-834-7106 for more information.
- Students with communicable diseases requiring antibiotic treatment (pink eye, strep throat, etc) may return after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment or 24 hours symptom-free.
Please call Nurse Joy in the school health office at 608-834-7106 or email jmfoust@sunprairieschools.org, if you need assistance.
Community Schools Site Coordinator Update
Hello families,
Updates and Resources for December:
During winter break we are often looking for fun things to do with our kids. Your Community School site coordinator will be sending home a calendar of events going on in Sun Prairie with lots of fun activities for your family to engage in over the break. Watch backpacks for more information.
Just a reminder that we have gotten all of the blue caregiver forms and have reached out to families to address the needs that have been listed. If things have changed please feel free to let me know and we can get you a form or you can simply reach out with the needs you have. We know that this time of year is a celebratory one for many and it can also come with hardship and sadness. We are here to support you through that time too. The Community Room has hats, coats, mittens, boots, snow pants and other items if your family is looking for those things. Please reach out if you need groceries as well. We have dry goods, refrigerated and freezer items. You can place a personalized order and we can get that filled for you through the Food Pantry.
We are working with local churches to put together a bag of groceries that can be sent home with your child on Fridays. We hope to start this in January. We will give these to families who mentioned they are in need of groceries. If you would like one of these bags and have not indicated this please contact: Stacey Christenson: slchris@sunprairieschools.org or 608-8904 (call or text).
The Community room has lots of nearly new baby clothes. If you are looking for some, please contact Stacey Christenson: slchris@sunprairieschools.org or 608-8904 (call or text).
The Toys for Tots Distribution will be on December 12th from 4-7 pm at the Boys and Girls Club in Sun Prairie. If you did not get registered for any of the holiday assistance programs please contact Stacey Christenson for some supplemental gifts.
Please contact Stacey Christenson for more information.
Social Emotional Learning
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) News!
At Northside, we want your child to be successful in school and that means supporting and encouraging their whole development. While excelling in academic classes is important, children also need skills to take on learning challenges, make good decisions, manage strong emotions, and get along with others. All students at Northside will be learning these skills through the Second Step curriculum taught by their classroom teacher and Guidance lessons taught by Ms. Feltz, School Counselor.
Bullying Prevention Unit
Ms. Feltz, School Counselor, has been visiting all classrooms (K-5) in October to November to deliver lessons from the Bullying Prevention Unit (from the creators of Second Step!).
What is my student learning in the Bullying Prevention Unit?
Family Letter Overview English I Spanish
Units 3 & 4 - November
Refusing Bullying & Bystander Power (Grades K-3)
Bystander Responsibility & Bystanders to Cyberbullying (Grades 4-5)
Kindergarten English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
1st Grade English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
2nd Grade English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
3rd Grade English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
4th Grade English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
5th Grade English Unit 3 Unit 4 I Spanish Unit 3 Unit 4
Family Stress During the Holidays?
The holidays can be a great time to get together with friends and family to celebrate our yearly traditions, but it can also be a great source of stress for many families for many different reasons. Here are some tips to prepare for the holiday season with your family.
Helping to Make the Holidays Kid-Friendly
Advanced Learner Program (ALP) Updates
Greater Dane Anthology Project
Greater Dane Writing is underway! The final due date is December 8th. If your 5th grade student is entering the competition, please make sure they submit their writing into “The Greater Dane Anthology Project” Google Classroom. Artwork and cartoons will be submitted on paper to Mrs. Tucci and don’t need to be entered into google classroom. Judging will happen in January.
Math 24
4th and 5th graders have been meeting on Wednesdays (4th) or Fridays (5th) to sharpen their Math 24 skills and gear up for the local competition in February. More information to come in the new year!
Math Meet
In January, 5th Grade students will have the opportunity to try out for the Math Meet. The tryout consists of a paper and pencil exam with different math challenge problems. The top students at Northside will get the opportunity to participate in the Sun Prairie Math Meet in March. The top students in Sun Prairie will get the opportunity to move on to the Regional Competition.
Contact Jessica Tucci at jstucci@sunprairieschools.org or (608) 834-7138 with any questions.
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SCONES (Family/Caregiver Community Group)
Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 12/12, 6:30pm at Northside
SCONES School Community Organization of Northside Elementary School
Bus Delays / Emergencies & Crossing Guard Week
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Please give the bus drivers space. It is important to stay clear of the bus loading zones. No parking in the bus zone on W. Klubertanz by the 4K-3rd Grade door #8 or the open area near the shipping dock on the parking lot side. Thank you!
Crossing Guard Recognition Week
January 8-12, 2024 is Adult Crossing Guard Recognition Week in Wisconsin. Please take a moment to thank the hard-working men and women who help ensure the safe passage of our youngest, most vulnerable children walking between home and school every day.
Bus Delays and Emergencies
Please remember that buses may be slightly delayed when we are experiencing snow and icy conditions. Anything within 5 minutes of the scheduled arrival time is considered “on time.”
If your child’s bus is delayed and/or evacuated for any reason (bus breakdown, emergency, etc.) students must stay with the driver and wait for further instructions. If another bus is dispatched, students are to ride that bus and only get off at their assigned stop.
Cafeteria Connection
Here are some facts about the Sun Prairie School Breakfast Program:
The breakfast program is a federally assisted meal program. It has been operating in public and nonprofit private schools since 1965. School participation has slowly but steadily grown over time. In the early 70’s .5 million children participated and in 2016 approximately 14.6 million children ate breakfast at schools.
The School Breakfast Program is administered by the USDA at the federal level and Department of Public Instruction at the state level. Local schools have agreements for this program with both the state and federal government.
What are the nutrition requirements for school breakfast?
Schools must meet Federal nutrition requirements. Learn more here - SBP meal requirements.
The Sun Prairie Area School District Student Nutrition Manager, Rebecca Blyth, says, “Decisions on specific menu foods and how they are prepared along with following meal patterns is critical. Popularity, new menu items, likes and dislikes are always considerations when creating menus. Our goal is to get more students to eat breakfast everyday.”
Breakfast options available depend on the school site. We serve breakfast in the classroom , cafeteria based breakfasts and grab n go second chance breakfasts for late arrivals at some schools. The price for breakfast is $1.40 all ages, free or reduced. Review our delicious and nutritious menus found posted on the School Nutrition Services website Menus.
Our Student Nutrition Services Team would like families and children to understand the link between diet and good health by starting your day with school breakfast. SPASD Student Nutrition Director, Barb Waara, states “Our students are still growing and starting everyday with a nutritional breakfast is essential in helping children develop mentally and physically. We know that children learn better when they are well nourished and their stomachs are full. Our meals are a healthy option, affordable and a great way to start your day.”
If you have any questions regarding your students food service account please contact us at nutritiondepartment@sunprairieschools.org.
Reporting Student Absences
Please call us at 608-834-7100 and press 1, to report a student absence. If you email your student's teacher, please include ckrusch@sunprairieschools.org. It is important to keep your contact numbers up to date in case of an emergency and for safe arrival calls.
2023-24 Elementary School Hours
Mornings: 7:30am (Drop Off / First Bell) 7:40am (Attendance Taken)
Dismissal: 2:40pm (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)
Thursday Early Dismissal: 1:30pm