May 2015 Newsletter - Mukwonago Area School District

Rolling Hills Elementary
W322 S9230 Beulah Road, Mukwonago, Wisconsin 53149
May 2015
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Newsletter
From the Principal
Mrs. Casey Blochowiak
Hello Families,
May 5 & May 11
Kindergarten Screening
On May 15, 2015 we will be celebrating 15 years at Rolling Hills. Celebrating this milestone provides an opportunity to think about those who make our school great.
May 14
The students at Rolling Hills truly make our school a great place to be. One of my favorite
time of the day is greeting students at the main entrance as they enter our school. Our students are excited about learning and are engaged in their learning. I have also been impressed by their kindness and respectfulness.
Grade 5
Science Fair
May 16
PTO Basket Raffle
& Dance
May 21
Don Skrepenski Track &
Field Day @ MHS
(For Grades 4-6)
May 25
MEMORIAL DAY
NO SCHOOL
Rolling Hills is fortunate to have wonderful parent volunteers. Each and every day I observe parents working in our school. Thank you to everyone who so generously shares their
time with our school during the school day, at PTO meetings and at other events with our
students. Simply put, our volunteers add to the top notch education students receive at Rolling Hills.
The staff and teachers at Rolling Hills are dedicated and committed to their student’s success. We have worked together this year to deepen our knowledge of teaching and learning
practices. Next week is staff appreciation week, and I hope you will join me in showing
thankfulness for the many staff members who positively contribute to our school.
Rolling Hills has also benefited this year from community involvement. During our Mix-ItUp lunches this year local VFW members, Kiwanis members, MHS and PVMS student
groups, and members of the MASD School Board joined our students for lunch. These individuals took time out of their days to meet with our students and help them learn about treating each other with respect and kindness. Additionally, many local groups and businesses
recently contributed to the PTO Basket Raffle (which will take place during the school
dance on May 16th). This is the school’s final major fundraiser for the year and funds raised
are used to purchase educational materials, such as chromebooks, for our students. Without
these generous contributions our fundraiser would not be possible.
I look forward to seeing families at our upcoming end of the year events. Our 15th Anniversary Celebration, School Dance, Olympic Day/New Games Day, concerts and the end of the
year assembly are great opportunities to celebrate a fantastic year. I cannot wait to see what
the next 15 years holds for Rolling Hills!
Sincerely,
May 28
Olympic Day /
New Games Day
Casey Blochowiak
Principal
5-15-15
Appropriate Dress Policy — Spring Reminder
With the transition back to warmer weather, it is good for everyone to review the district’s guidelines
for appropriate dress at school.
The Mukwonago School Board District’s Personal Appearance, Dress and Grooming Policy (JBA) can
be found below. The policy is attached to this newsletter. Parents of 4th-6th graders should pay special
attention to the following restrictions:

Tops must:
Fully cover undergarments
Cover front, back, and sides of body (no cleavage)
Meet the top of shorts, skirts, or pants (no midriff)

Bottoms must:
Fully cover undergarments
Meet the following requirements for length:
- Skirts/dresses must be mid-thigh or longer
- Shorts must be at least the following length; when student’s arms/hands are
at his/her sides, the shorts must extend past the tip of the student’s longest finger.

Clothing that is determined due to its size or style to be either distracting or disruptive to the
educational environment is not to be worn.
Please understand that the district’s policy is chiefly concerned with distracting conditions for students
in classrooms, and we hope to work closely with students, staff, and parents.
6-Flags/Read to Succeed Readers6
Six Flags reading tickets were earned by many Rolling Hills students. Tickets are usually delivered to
school in May. They will be good for select dates during the 2015 season, chosen by 6-Flags. Lost,
stolen, or damaged tickets cannot be replaced. We also had many students who met monthly goals for
personal pan pizzas from the Book It! Pizza Hut Reading Program. Congratulations to the readers, parents and teachers who encouraged them!
Kiwanis 6th Grade Students
Congratulations to the Mukwonago Kiwanis Club 6th Grade Students of the Year!
MacKenzie Waschow, Kylie Stark, Noelle Tylicki (top row)
Mackenzie Yergens, Elijah Bennett, Tyler Smith (bottom row)
These students showed great work in a variety of areas,
including grades, test scores, leadership, behavior, work
habits, and school and community involvement. All six
students were interviewed by Kiwanis Club members and
did a fantastic job!
Olympic Day / New Games Day—May 28
LACE UP THE SHOES AND BRING ON THE FUN! The Olympic/New Games Day at
Rolling Hills is quickly approaching. We’re hoping for good weather.
Olympic Day on May 28th (r ain date May 29) will include all 4th, 5th, and 6th gr ader s and will pr ovide competitions in running races – 50 yd. dash, 100 yd. dash, ¼ mile dash, relay races, shuttle, 1 lap relay and medley relay. Running events will start after the opening ceremonies at about 9:15. Students will run until approximately 11:30. Field
events will be in the afternoon including the high jump, triple jump, standing broad jump, shot put, Frisbee throw, softball throw and mile run. Students will be in a minimum of one running event and multiple field events. Children should
bring good shoes and a great attitude!
New Games Day on May 28th (r ain date May 29) will include Kinder gar ten, 1 st, 2nd and 3rd grade. In the morning (9
-11:30 a.m.), the students will split up into 12 stations and play games with their classes. You may see flying shoes, Hula
-hoops, bare toes and more! Looking for fun ? this should be it!
Lunch Accounts
Rolling Hills has many student lunch accounts with negative balances. As we approach the end of the school year,
perhaps this would be a good time to bring those students
up to date. Please remember that all lunch balances, no
matter what the amounts might be, are carried over to the
next school year. Sixth grade student accounts will follow
them to Park View Middle School. Thank you in advance
for giving your attention to this matter.
Elementary Track & Field Day
The Annual Don Skrepenski Track and Field Day for 4th,
5th, and 6th graders will be held at Mukwonago High
School. Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 21.
Registration forms were distributed the last
week of April and are due back Thursday,
May 14.
Student Council News
Are you ready for a challenge? Student Council presents its spring community service campaign: The
Red, White & Blue Challenge! Our campaign will r un Monday, May4th – Friday, May 8th. Each
classroom has been assigned to a team as follows:
RED TEAM:
6-Atkinson, 5-Korth, 4-Herrera, 3-Nellis/Fehly, 2-Collins, 1-Hinz, K-Coats
WHITE TEAM: 6-Uhlers, 5-Linse, 4-Neist, 3-Gorman, 2-Napierala, 1-Wene, K-Hughes
BLUE TEAM:
6-Falk, 5-Ziegler, 4-Butalla, 3-Christiansen, 2-Butler/Chapman, 1-Sweet, K-Shea
Please discuss with your child(ren) ways to support the Red, White & Blue Challenge! Which team will
contribute the most? Show your team spirit and support by donating coins, cash & checks (made payable
to Rolling Hills) to benefit three worthwhile causes which directly impact Rolling Hills’ students:
Cure JM Foundation™: Cure JM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for
Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) and Juvenile Polymyositis (JPM), the rare and life-threatening autoimmune diseases collectively known as Juvenile Myositis (JM). Our mission is to provide support for families coping with JM, raise awareness of JM, and fund research that will ultimately lead to a cure.
Friends of Autism: In Wisconsin, at least one child is diagnosed with autism every day. Autism is now
the most prevalent developmental disability - affecting more children than cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, hearing loss, and vision impairment. In fact, more children will be diagnosed with autism than
with childhood leukemia, diabetes, and cancer combined. Friends of Autism was established in 2000 as
the only autism charity in Wisconsin dedicated to raising money to fund autism research, awareness, and
education. Friends of Autism is powered by volunteers and relied upon by parents and professionals
throughout the state.
Variety – The Children’s Charity of Wisconsin: The Children’s Charity of Wisconsin is “Providing lifeenriching assistance to Wisconsin children challenged by physical disabilities.” The Children’s Charity of
Wisconsin mission is that all children, regardless of ability, are able to actively participate in their communities and experience all of the joys that come with being a kid.
Remember, by working together, we can truly make a difference in the lives of others.
5-15-15
On May 15, 2015 we will celebrate 15 years at Rolling
Hills. We are marking this occasion with an all school
assembly at 2:30 p.m. Join us and our students in saying
"Happy Birthday" to our fantastic school.
Mukwonago School District Staff Recognition & Award Winners
Mrs. Jennifer Nellis, our third grade teacher, was honored as the Mukwonago
Rotary Club’s teacher of the month in January. Mrs. Nellis spoke to the Rotary
members about the Rolling Hills character education program—Step Up. Mrs. Nellis
serves as the Building Behavior Committee Co-Chair and is a leader in helping Rolling
Hills students treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Congratulations to Mr. Keven Bischel for being recognized by the Rolling Hills’ staff
and the District Staff Awards committee as the recipient of this years Volunteer of the
Year Award. Mr. Bischel serves as Vice President of our PTO, coordinated Cookies
with Santa and VIP breakfast and heads up Market Day sales. He also volunteers with
our Math Olympiad program. The generous gift of his time is much appreciated by our
students and staff.
We are also very pleased to announce that Mrs. Tiffany Coopman, has been also
recognized by the Mukwonago School District and staff as the outstanding
Specialty Teacher K-6. Mrs. Coopman inspires a love of reading in Rolling Hills students and works to ensure the library is a place students want to come and learn.
Thanks to Mrs. Coopman’s work with our students and teachers technology plays a
more prominent role in our school.
A Note from Band and Orchestra . . . . .
The 4th-6th grade orchestras and 5th & 6th grade bands will be performing in their
Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 pm in the
Rolling Hills gym. The students have been working very hard and are excited to
share their final performance with you!
MASD Employment Opportunities
Custodial and Food Service Positions are now available within the Mukwonago School
District. Consider joining our District Team today. Information can be found on our
website at www.masd.k12.wi.us
Vacancies may become available over the summer months, so please keep a close watch
on our website under DISTRICT / Employment Opportunities / Support Staff.
School Counselor’s Note
Sleepless in Mukwonago…Simple Things to Consider
Do you have a child who can’t fall asleep at night? Or doesn’t seem to be getting enough rest? There could be
many reasons for this, so let’s start with the simple things. First, are they getting too much soda/caffeine or
refined sugar close to bedtime? Or, do they have “screen time” playing active/stimulating games right before
or when already in bed and then want to keep playing? If your child has a phone/device that allows him to text,
is he taking it to bed and then texting friends late into the night? Is your child’s room dark enough so light
sources aren’t keeping her awake? Are they falling asleep when they get home from school, but then get a
‘second wind’ as a result so they can’t fall asleep at their normal bedtime? If any or all of these are true, start
with the one that you think is the biggest problem and reduce that factor, eventually eliminating it, and see if
that helps.
Another factor to consider is physical activity levels. Is your child not getting enough physical exercise during
the day? If they’re not, he or she may not feel tired enough physically to go to sleep. Encourage your child to
be more active during the day. You can go for a walk or bike ride together after dinner and this simple activity
could benefit everyone.
Does your child have difficulty falling asleep because he or she keeps thinking about or worrying about things?
If your child is involved in many after school activities, first consider whether he or she is over-scheduled, with
no down time, and is having difficulty keeping up with all of that, in addition to schoolwork. Then, help him/
her decide which activity they might need to cut back on. Does your child worry about whether or not she did
all her homework, or worry that she will forget something? Determine if it’s a case of being disorganized or
being procrastinators, and help create a plan to deal with either of those issues. Do such things as creating a
checklist, making better use of their assignment notebook or planner, or establishing a study area to work at and
routine to follow.
If your child extremely responsible and does everything he needs to do, but still continually worries about if
everything is accomplished? A simple suggestion to try: have a notebook and pencil by his or his bed so if he
can’t stop thinking about these things he can grab the notebook, write down all that he is thinking about, and he
might be able to relax enough to sleep. He can even share with you what he wrote; you might gain some insight from those writings. Sometimes quiet music or sounds (ocean wave sounds, for instance,) can give a
child something to focus on instead of her thoughts. You may also remind him/her to take some “belly
breaths” (some deep breaths) to help relax.
If, after trying several of these strategies, the problem continues, it is always important to talk with your pediatrician or family doctor to consider possible medical problems that may need to be addressed. Please do not
hesitate to contact your school counselor for more information.
Submitted by:
Mrs. Elina Kats
Rolling Hills Guidance Counselor
NO REASON TO BE BORED in 2015…..
KEEP THE READING GOING ALL SUMMER LONG!
Students who read over the summer maintain their reading levels. If your child struggles with reading, this fact
is crucial. Unfortunately, if they do not read over the summer, they will slide backward in their reading abilities. Students in current grades K-3 will continue to have access to RAZ-kids.com over the summer, and Mrs.
Huenink’s students in grades 3-6 will have access to Reading Plus all summer!
Most students still enjoy the feel of a good book in their hands; however, the number of websites offering
books for children is exploding. So, find the type of book your child likes, at your child’s reading level (no more than five
mistakes per hundred words) and you’ll have the right recipe for summer reading!
NAME
URL
Navigation/”Click On….”
ACTUAL CHILDREN’S BOOK SITES
WI Digital Library
(Public Library
Free digital books!)
http://dbooks.wplc.info
“Account” - Free
books with your public
library card!
RAZ KIDS
www.raz-kids.com
Grades K-3 have an
account under their
teacher’s name.
Click on your teacher’s “classroom”.
Bookflix
http://bkflix.grolier.com/
---Mrs. Huenink, Reading Specialist
UN: rollinghills
PW:bookflix
Starfall
www.starfall.com
“I’m Reading”
ABCya!
http://abcya.com
Reading/Phonics
Children’s Storybooks
Online
www.magickeys.com/books/
“Free storybooks to
read”
The Rosetta Project
www.childrensbooksonline.org/
International Children’s
Library
http://en.childrenslibrary.org
GENERAL READING RESOURCES: PARENTS
K12 Reader
http://www.k12reader.com/
Printable Instr. Resources
Scholastic Books
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/
Parent Page
READING/ACTIVITY SITES
Read/Write/Think
http://www.readwritethink.org/bright-ideas/
PBS.ORG
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/
reading-tips/summer-reading-tips/
Reading Rockets
www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents
Kid Friendly Sites
www.allsafesites.com – Lots of educational sites!
May Calendar
May
5
Grade 6 Badger Testing
5
6
6
7
11
12
12
12
13
13
13
14
14
14
15
16
18
18
19
20
21
22
25
26
27
28
29
30
Grade 5 “Swing into Spring” - 1:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Grade 6 Badger Testing
Girl Scout “Project Hope” Donation Collection - 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Grade 4 Badger Testing
Grade 5 Human Growth & Development Program 1:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Grade 3 Badger Testing
Grade 4 Field Trip to Madison—7:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Grade 5 “Swing into Spring” - 1:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Grade 3 Badger Testing
Grade 1 Field Trip, Greenfield Park—8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
PTO Meeting—6:30 p.m., Library
4N SCRIBE Wrap Up—1:30 to 2:30 p.m.,, Library
Grade 5 Science Fair
PVMS Visits Grade 6 Students—10:45 a.m.
15 Year All-School Assembly (All School Step Up Club) - 2:30 p.m.
School Dance & Basket Raffle - 6:00 p.m. (Gym & Library)
Grade 3 Field Trip (Trek Bike & Van Holtens Pickles Tour—8:30 to 2:00
“Senior Salute” - 3:15 p.m., Library
Kdg.(Shea) Field Trip—9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Band & Orchestra Concert - 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Don Skrepenski Mukwonago Track & Field Day—4:00 p.m.
Grade 6 War Connection—1:10 to 3:30 p.m.
NO SCHOOL—Memorial Day Holiday
Grade 5 Field Trip to Camp Edwards Water Education Day—8:35 to 3:05
Grade 1 Field Trip, Betty Brinn Museum—8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Olympic Day & New Games Day (Rain date 5/29)
4– Neist Field Trip to Stute Homestead Nature Trail—12:00 to 2:30 p.m..
“Rolling On” Community Bike Ride
Community Activities
Project Hope
Does your child like pizza? Here is a way that YOU can help your child’s class, community, and
get pizza!
This year once again the Girl Scouts of Rolling Hills Elementary are asking you to donate a pair (or more) of clean, unused socks to help our group donation to the Hope
Center. Every single pair of socks donated helps out your community.
Now, what is the Hope Center? The Hope Center is a place that gives to people/
families that don’t have everything needed, such as clothing. That is why we are asking you to
donate socks. Also, if there are any household goods, used clothing, furniture, or anything that you have just grown of, that will be put into a truck and also donated.
When your child brings in a pair of socks to donate, there should be a box near their classroom to
put the socks in. If you can’t find it, ask your teacher. The sock drive goes from Monday, May 4 th
to Friday, May 8th. If you have other items, on May 6th from 2:30-4:30 p.m., you can come to
the Rolling Hills front parking lot (follow the signs) and drop them off. There is also an alternate
drop off 8-9 am May 6th at Rolling Hills. For this drop off you will need to park and bring your
items in to the front entrance of the building. We ask that you bring no heavy or large items for
this first drop off.
How does my child’s class win the pizza party? It is very simple. The class with the most socks
in the box (other items not included) will win the class pizza party. Last year we had over 1,700
brand new pair of socks donated! Wow!
Submitted by Ellie Henning
“Little Miss Lioness”
The Mukwonago Lioness Club presents the crowning of “Little Miss Lioness”. Girls in kindergarten
through sixth grade from the Mukwonago School District are eligible. Participants must be able to
ride in the annual Father’s Day Parade on June 21, 2015 at noon in Mukwonago. The winner will be
chosen at random through a drawing.
Deadline for entries is May 11. Forms may be picked up in the Rolling Hills office.
Community Activities
Community Activities
Community Activities
Click on the Mukwonago District Community Bulletin Board ,
http://www.masd.k12.wi.us/district/communityboardmasd.cfm
for additional information and upcoming community events.