M OUND E LEMENTARY S CHOOL Developing leaders and high achieving learners today to conquer tomorrow’s challenges. M USTANG M EMO T HURSDAY , A PRIL 23, 2015 # DESTINEDFORGREATNESS IN 2014-2015 Dear Mound Mustang Families, As we continue to learn about the 7 Habits of Happy Kids, I am amazed at the leadership qualities that I see our students using on a daily basis. We have great kids here at Mound. Our staff is working hard everyday to not only teach our students knowledge but to help our kids be the best well-rounded individuals they can be. Developing good leadership and character skills is part of this. Our focus this six weeks of school is: Habit #7– Sharpen the Saw. We will be discussing the importance of taking care of ourselves and finding balance in our lives. This is a very busy time of the year for all of us as we juggle the end of the school year activities. It is important to eat healthy, take care of our bodies by getting plenty of sleep and exercise so that we can do our best at school, activities, and our jobs. S PECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST : -M AY 1-“C OFFEE T ALK ” WITH M S . B ENNETT -P ARENTS / GUARDIANS AT 7:30-L IBRARY -M AY 4-M AY 8 H APPY T EACHER A PPRECIATION W EEK ! -M AY 4 TH -T ALENT S HOW A UDITIONS AT 3:00 PM C AFETERIA -F RIDAY , M AY 8 TH -J EANS AND There are many ways that this habit can be used at home. At times, when my personal S PIRIT S HIRT D AY boys became grouchy or very active, or literally started falling apart, I knew it was be-S ATURDAY , M AY 9 TH C HARACTER M ARCH -BISD cause we were not taking care of ourselves and we were out of balance. Many times, it S TADIUM , 9 AM was because they were tired, hungry, or over stimulated. Refocusing as a family by al-M AY 12, 2-6 K INDERGARTEN lowing extra time to renew our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls always helped us to “Sharpen the Saw” and we were back to “normal” again. It’s important to point out to our R OUND U P FOR 2015-16 K INDERGARTENERS - AT M OUND kids that just as a car has 4 tires, we, as people, also have 4 parts. All of these parts need -M AY 14-T ALENT S HOW time and attention. We have to take care of ourselves to be healthy and happy. D RESS R EHEARSAL , 3:00 PM -M AY 19, T ALENT S HOW I hope to see each of you at the Character March on Saturday, May 9th at 9 am at the 6:00 PM , C AFETERIA BISD stadium. We will celebrate our school of character and leadership, our students of -M AY 20, M OUND CEIC M TG . character, and once again, go for the coveted “Character March” trophy! I am thinking 4 PM “THREE-PEAT” all the way! Let’s show our community how amazing Mound Elementary -M AY 22, 4 TH AND 5 TH is and come together as one school for this morning celebration. Our Honor Choir will also G RADE D ISTRICT F IELD D AY be singing after the march! We are ONE! -M AY 25, N O S CHOOL -Mrs. Bennett, Principal - MAY 28, A WARDS D AY -M AY 29, K-3 F IELD D AY @ M OUND M R . L EWIS ’ L OG -G OOD C HOICES , M OOLAH , AND M ERCANTILE -J UNE 4, E ND OF Y EAR P ARTIES -2 PM We are now into our final six weeks of the 2014-15 school year. It is hard to believe that we have -J UNE 5, L AST D AY OF S CHOOL almost completed another school year at Mound! Summer fever has definitely taken hold on camE ARLY D ISMISSAL AT 11:45 AM pus as well. However, our students, teachers, and staff have done a tremendous job of maintaining focus on learning and helping our students make that year’s growth to be ready for next year! Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. Pirtle, and I handle the disciplinary issues on our campus when the teachers need us to lend them a hand. Here at Mound, we like our focus to be on positive discipline strategies in order to help our students be successful. One of these strategies we have implemented is “Mound Moolah,” which is “money” the students can earn for positive behavior. Last year, we opened a store that students can spend the Moolah they earn. We named the store the “Mound Mercantile,” and it is open for business every Friday morning from 7:15-7:35. The students can come shop for items that range from one Moolah, like pencils, to big money items, like going to see a movie with Mrs. Bennett, which costs 50 Moolah. This item encourages the students to save their Moolah. This is a lesson that we all should probably adhere to! The Mercantile has been a huge hit with the students, and we even have “hired” 5th grade students to work as salespeople and cashiers, which follows Mound’s leadership theme that the students and staff have embraced. -Mr. Lewis, Assistant Principal I NSIDE THIS ISSUE : AP NEWS 1 C OUNSELOR 2 N URSE 2 C LUB N EWS 3 C LASS N EWS 3 PTO U PDATE 4 I NSTRUCTIONAL 4 M USTANG M EMO P AGE 2 Counselor’s Corner-BIG Steps to Middle School The transition to middle school is a big step on the road to maturity. The registration process is complete, but 5 th Graders have other concerns. Researchers have found that students anticipating the move to middle school worry about three aspects of the change: When researchers asked kids what aspect of moving to middle school most concerned them, the top answers related to how things at the new school worked (Akos, 2002). How would they find the right classroom, cafeteria, bathrooms? What happened if they were tardy? Attending camps offered by Middle School counselors will alleviate some of these concerns as students practice routines and become familiar with the middle school setting. It also helps to buy a combination lock for your child and practice using it over the summer. Another area of worry for students moving to middle school is the social scene. Will I see anyone I know? Will it be hard to make friends? Will I have to eat lunch alone? Are the older kids bullies? Ease any loneliness in the early weeks of school by helping your child arrange weekend social activities with neighborhood, church, or grade school friends. Encourage your child to join group conversations. Talk about traits that make a good friend. Practice skills needed for difficult social situations. Will the classes be too difficult with more homework? Are the teachers hard graders? Help your student with time management, organization, and a schedule for study time. Go to back-to-school night, parent-teacher conferences and other events where you can connect with your child's teachers. Finally, help your child be his/her own advocate. Encourage your child to discuss problems and solutions with teachers on her own, but be ready to step in and help as needed. The best way to help your child through this transition is to keep a positive attitude about middle school. You may remember how clueless, awkward, and self-conscious you felt at that age. Empathize with your child and provide assurance that in time the experience will become more comfortable. -Mrs. Pirtle, Mound Counselor N EWS FROM N URSE ’ S O FFICE 2015 Mound “Be Healthy” Challenge: Healthy Choices Today for the Leaders of Tomorrow Wow! We have made it to the final six-weeks of the school year! Our students have worked hard this year to not only increase their academic knowledge but to give themselves the best opportunities for success by making healthy choices! Last six weeks our challenge was a nutrition challenge. Students were challenged to pay attention to the food choices they make by marking their meals and snacks daily on a food tracker. I am thrilled with the initiative our students have taken and am so excited hearing them talk of the healthy food choices they are making! Congratulations to 1st grader, Bridget Perry who won the nutrition challenge and received the “Be Healthy Nutrition Pack,” filled with healthy snacks and tools to keep up the great effort of making healthy food choices! In the final stretch to Summer, I am challenging the students to get active with the Epic Fitness Challenge. Encourage your student to complete the four exercises for the indicated number of repetitions daily. Each week increases the reps to build activity endurance. Have your student mark their activity daily and turn in the form by May 29 to be entered into a drawing for the Epic Fitness Challenge Prize! By end of school, our students will be ready for the most “Epic” Summer ever and will have set the pace for a lifetime of making healthy choices. These activities are good for whole family participation, so get active with your kids and get ready for an “EPIC” Summer! -Amanda Viehmann, RN P AGE 3 C LUB AND C LASS NEWS ART CORNER: PE News Please save recycled items for upcom- Don’t forget our Field Day dates: ing creative art projects. Items needed large empty Kleenex boxes. May 22 at BHS4th and 5th Grades Important Art Club Dates May 4th –Last Art Club meeting May 6th – Field trip to Amon Carter Museum please bring sack lunch! May 29 at Mound for K-3rd Grades Students may wear athletic shorts and their Mound Mustang Spirit Shirt. IDOL Talent Show Tuesday, May 19th 6:00pm Mound Cafeteria Entry Forms Available NOW in the Office! Required Auditions-May 4th and Dress Rehearsal-May 14th *Donations accepted at Show for Mound Scholarship Fund S CHOLASTIC B OOK F AIR BOGO IS COMING ! May 11-15, 2015 Hours: 8:00am-2:30pm Tuesday: 8:00am-6:00pm (Open During Kindergarten Round-Up This will be a great opportunity for the kids to purchase their favorite books for summer reading! ~Shirley Dalby, Librarian Front Drop-Off and Pick Up Drive-Thru Traffic Pattern Change at Mound Coming Soon-2015-2016 School Year! Beginning on the first day of school, August 2015, we will be changing the drop off and pick up procedures in the front of the school. We will have a “drive-thru” lane where the majority of present parking spots are located. Morning drop-off will be through this drive-thru or at the present “horseshoe” area at the back. Afternoon dismissal will be by grade level at the front or back and both will be in drive-thru fashion. Bike riders/walkers will still be dismissed through the front door. Be looking for more detailed information regarding this change in a letter/map form during the last weeks of school. This change will be a positive one for the safety of our students and families as they transport our students to and from school. Mound PTO Update M OUND E LEMENTARY 205 SW Thomas Street Burleson, Texas 76028 817-245-3100 Marla Bennett, Principal Ricky Lewis, Assistant Principal Cherilynn Pirtle, Counselor C HECK US OUT ON THE WEB AT WWW. BURLESONISD. NET C LI CK ON E LE ME NTA RY SCHOOLS AND GO TO MOUND E LEMENTARY! With Ms. Bennett Friday, May 1st Mound Library 7:30-8:15am Updates on What’s Going On at Mound Elementary Planning for Next Year! What’s On Your Mind? All Parents/Guardians Welcome! Hi Mound Mustangs! We just finished up our spring fundraiser. Everyone did a great job and we sold a lot of chocolate bars! We appreciate your support. After all the money is collected, our school, PTO, and art program should profit approximately $7500. Congratulations to our top seller, Kailee Porter and Blake Black, who was runner-up. The game truck and other activities will be coming to Mound on Tuesday, May 26 from 8:30-11:30 for the students that qualified. Our annual talent show will be held on May 19th at 6pm. We hope to see everyone there and wish good luck to all our talent show kids. We will be collecting monetary donations for the Mound PTO Scholarship fund for a graduating BISD senior at this event. We would like to build this fund up for this year’s recipient as well as future graduates of BISD that have attended Mound. If you know of a senior at BHS or CHS that attended Mound Elementary, the scholarship applications are due in the Mound office on Monday, May 4th at 3:00pm. Applications can be picked up in the office or at each high school. Last year, we were able to award a BHS graduating senior $350. As we finish up the year, we would like to remind anyone who would be interested in serving on the PTO board next year, to fill out the PTO nomination letter that will be coming home next week. Open positions will be included in this letter. Please send the letter to the office with your preferred position. We would love for you to consider serving on the board and helping our school and students out. The end of the year parties will be on Thursday, June 4 th at 2:00pm. We are looking forward to a fun event for all classes to celebrate a great year of learning. R EADING A T H OME Helping Children Become Independent Readers When listening to your children read at home, help them catch and correct their own mistakes. Ask questions such as, “Does that make sense? What do you think that word could be?” Talk about the story and help your child think about what words would make sense with the story line instead of sounding out each word. Suggest that your child read to a younger sibling. It will be good practice and a chance for him to inspire a younger listener. Don’t stop reading aloud! Developing readers still need to listen to higher level books that will challenge their thinking and build their vocabulary. It’s important to continue to read during the summer months when children are out of school. This is a great time to read together, check books out from the library and even participate in summer reading programs at Mound and the city library.
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