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Pierce Elementary School
Volume 21 Issue 9
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER
Dear Parents,
This issue of our newsletter is the final Panther Press of the 2014-15 school year and it is dedicated to the Pierce fifth grade students. Staff has watched with pride as they have grown each year
that they have been here at Pierce and I have certainly enjoyed getting to know them during my
first year in the building. We have worked hard to support these students in becoming proficient at
grade-level curriculum. Just as importantly though, I hope that we have helped every one of them
become the type of person that you would like living next door to you. Kindness, respectfulness,
and thoughtfulness will take a person a long way in life.
I have had the privilege of working with a group of great PTA folks this year. Our President,
Stephanie Cory, has been a huge advocate for our school and has worked tirelessly on several projects. As vice-president, Linda Raid has been here every time we need her. Brooke Baker, Secretary,
keeps our meeting minutes and Cydney Lovell, Treasurer, has kept track of every penny. I can’t
thank this Board and our PTA members enough for everything they have done this past year. It
has been a pleasure working with you!
I would like to thank the wonderful Pierce school community for making me feel welcome as I
have settled into the building this year. I look forward to many rewarding years ahead supporting
the Pierce school community as your principal.
Have a fabulous summer! Carla Davidson
Principal
2015-2016
SCHOOL HOURS
8:55-3:45
PIERCE MISSION
Exceptional learning for all in a safe, caring environment.
DATES TO REMEMBER
MAY 2015
1...................................................Pierce School Carnival
4...............................................Running Club 8:00-8:35
5...............................National Teacher Appreciation Day
Fire Department Safety House-3rd Grade
7........ Mrs. Kucera class and Miss Pearson 4th Graders to
Ushers Ferry 9:15-1:45
Instrument tryouts (5th grade)
Running Club 3:55:4:30 (last day!)
Check the Virtual Backpack
8..............................................................NO SCHOOL
9...............Lace Up for Learning 5K and 10K Walk/Run
at Kingston Stadium
12..... Mrs. Gillihan and Mrs. Walz’s (Gripentrog) classes
to African American Museum and Cedar Rapids Public
Library 9:15-1:30
13......Mrs. Castelluccio’s class to Ushers Ferry 9:15-1:45
14... 5th Grade to Fun Run at Noelridge Park 9:00-11:00
(includes all of Miss Pearson’s class)
Mrs. Orr’s class to African American Museum and
Cedar Rapids Public Library 9:15-1:30
First Grade Musical at 5:30 PM
Kindergarten Musical at 7:00 PM
Check the Virtual Backpack
15................................ Old Creamery Theatre 9:30 a.m.
18...............................PTA meeting at noon in the IMC
19................................Hiawatha Public Library presents
Summer Reading Program
Pierce Night at Super Skate 6:00-8:00 PM
20...........................................EARLY DISMISSAL 1:30
2015/16 Kindergarten Visit 2:30-4:00 PM
21................................ Raindate for Fun Run (5th grade)
Check the Virtual Backpack
22.........................................Kindergarten Outdoor Day
25............................................................NO SCHOOL
26................ Mr. Verge, Mrs. Stecker, and Miss Pearson’s
5th graders to Indian Creek 9:00-2:30
27........ Mrs. Sepulveda’s class to Indian Creek 9:00-2:30
28..............Notes updated on CRCSD Virtual Backpack
Pierce Pals at 9:10 AM
29....CR Kernel’s Summer Reading Assembly 10:00 AM
First Grade to Coralville Fossil Beds 9:00-2:00
SCHOOL DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP
We have been having some challenges lately with early school drop-off
and late school pick-up. Some students
have been arriving as early at 8:10 a.m.
Students should not be arriving until
8:35 AM because adult supervision is not
provided until that time. Dropping off
students prior to 8:35 AM can contribute
to behavior issues and safety concerns. The only exception to
this would be if your student is eating breakfast at school. If
they plan to eat breakfast, they can arrive at 8:20 AM. In the
afternoon, students should be picked-up between 3:55-4:10 PM.
Some students have not been picked up until 4:15-4:30 PM
Once again, staff supervision is only provided until 4:10 PM.
Thank you for your assistance with this challenging situation.
LOCKDOWN DRILL
Last month we practiced a drill that may be used in response
to an animal or person presenting a danger to the people in our
building…a lockdown drill. The office will respond to this type
of danger by announcing via the intercom that everyone needs to
go into lockdown. Once inside
a safe, locked room, staff will
move students to the least visible
corner of the room. Students
and staff remain this way until
the threat of danger has passed.
A second announcement of, “All
clear” will then be made. If a
situation like this would ever
happen, we have been assured we
would get the immediate support of the Cedar Rapids Police
Department and the Linn County Sheriff’s Department. Please
take some time to talk to your child to assure him/her that we
practice these drills to ensure that Pierce School is a safe place.
FAMILIES LEAVING PIERCE
If your child will not be attending Pierce next year, please
call the school 319-558-2373 and inform Mrs. Plante. This
information will be important as we plan for next year.
JUNE 2015
3.............................Second Grade to Wickiup 9:00:2:00
First Grade to Twin Pines Park 10:00-2:00
Fifth Grade Celebration 1:30-2:30 PM
4.......................................................................Field Day
Kdg-2nd in the morning
3rd-5th in the afternoon
5.............................................EARLY DISMISSAL 1:30
Follow the District on
and
,
@crschools,
FUN RUN
On May 14th, all Pierce fifth graders (will include Miss
Pearson’s fourth graders as well) will participate in the annual
H.O. Maxey Fun Run/Walk at Noelridge Park. Students
will have the opportunity to run or walk alongside students
from other Cedar Rapids elementary schools. This is a
non-competitive event and meant to be fun for all. The run
is two miles while the walk is one mile. All students who
have an inhaler prescribed should be sure to have them at
school. Students will carry their own inhalers while on the
run/walk. The Fun Run is not a competitive activity, but is
designed to promote interest in physical activity, especially in
the cardiovascular benefits of exercise. Preliminary warm-up
activities with stretching exercises will precede the run/walk.
Students must wear gym shoes. Water will be provided at
the finish. Students should dress for the weather.
All students must have a signed permission form
to participate in this fun event. Any parents willing to
volunteer at the Fun Run should contact Mrs. Langhurst at
558-4614 or [email protected].
ART NEWS
Pierce Student work in the community Congratulations to Ellen B. and Braxton P. for having art work selected by the “Murals and More” committee. Banners were
made from their art work which will be displayed on 3rd Street by the NewBo area in Cedar Rapids this summer. They were
honored at a reception at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
56 students from Pierce will have art work on display at the ELSC during the month of May. If your child will have work
on display they will receive a note giving more information about the display and how to view it.
Pierce students have artwork on display at Lindale mall every month. I will be saving some art work for the summer months
however it will be returned to the students in the fall. Once again, if your child will have work on display at Lindale Mall your
child will receive a congratulatory note.
Way to go Pierce Artists!!!!!!!
OLD CREAMERY THEATRE
The Old Creamery Theatre players will visit Pierce on May
15th and present an awesome assembly for all students. The
skits typically feature original stories submitted by Iowa students
in grades 1-6. The short plays and songs make all of us think
about how to make great character decisions every day. These
messages tie directly into the language that teachers use with
students in the CRCSD “Doing Our PARRT” social skills curriculum. Some of the major themes include: including others,
honesty, teamwork, and respect. There are always many great
messages embedded in the presentation and we feel fortunate
to be welcoming them back to Pierce this year. OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
(Excerpts from a Poem by Dr. Seuss)
Congratulations, 5th graders!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can make good choices whenever you choose.
With your head full of brains and your shoes
full of feet, you’re too smart to go down any
not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out
of town.
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high achievers who soar to high
heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the skills.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take
the lead.
On and on you will hike.
And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your
problems whatever they are.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
((100% guaranteed.)
PIERCE
FEST ON MAY 1
At Pierce, spring brings one of our most attended events of
the year…FUN FEST! This PTA event is designed for children
and their families to have some fun at school in a carnivaltype atmosphere. The support you give to the PTA through
attendance at this event (along with fall fundraising) will help
provide Pierce students the many opportunities appreciated in
the past years. Our students enjoy unlimited field trips, roller
skating for a whole month, and a gorgeous library full of new
books just to mention a few of the items the PTA provides. I
hope to see all families at the FUN FEST on Friday, May 1st
to have some fun and to show support for the programming
here at Pierce. A special thank you to all of the volunteers
from the Pierce School community and First Assembly Church
who make this night possible! Wrist Bands can be purchased
in advance for $8 and will be available that evening as well.
STAFF APPRECIATION MONTH
By Mrs. Davidson, Principal
May 4-8 is National Staff Appreciation Week. During
this week we will pause and take some time to thank all of our
dedicated staff here at Pierce. We have some wonderful support staff throughout our building. From the secretaries who
assist in a number of ways every day to our Para Professionals,
kitchen staff and custodians, everyone goes above and beyond
to help create a positive school experience for you and your
child. Within that week, May 5th is National Teacher Appreciation Day. I cannot say enough about the highly skilled
group of teachers that educate your children each day. Their
compassionate and caring approach to education brings out
the best in our students and contributes greatly to the academic
and social successes we have achieved. Next time you are in
the building, please take a moment to thank a teacher or any
other staff member for all that they do. I consider myself very
fortunate to have so many hard-working, dedicated people
enhancing our classrooms and our building on a daily basis.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The following staff members were recognized for their years
of service to the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
10 years:
15 years:
20 years:
25 years:
Kecia Lauer, Nikki Pearson, Sean Armstrong
Penny Boenish
Laura Ernzen, Dee Hubler
Loraine Osborn
Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (employment only),
marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (students/program only) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure
for processing complaints of discrimination. District employees with questions or a grievance related to this policy should contact Jill Cirivello, Director of Human Resources, 319-558-2421;
[email protected]. Students and others should contact Ken Morris, Manager of Student Equity, 319-558-1504; [email protected]. The District mailing address is 2500 Edgewood Rd
NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-1015.
PACT NEWS
PACT (Program for Academic and Creative Talent) classes provide curriculum enrichment experiences to meet the needs of
high ability students. Students are challenged to think creatively, think critically, and solve problems. This spring students are
working hard in their PACT classes.
Catch the Wind is the name of the class for 2nd and 3rd grade Prime Time students. Students have learned about simple
machines, wind energy and the engineering design process. They designed sails to move a raft across a track using wind energy
and were quite successful. Their final project will be to design a windmill that uses wind energy to lift a load. A guest speaker,
Meteorologist Kaj O’Mara, from KCRG talked with our Prime Time students about wind.
Fourth grade Pieces of Poetry students, have learned elements of poetry and used them to write their own poems. Fourth
grade math students in Math Challenges have added problem solving strategies to their toolkit of math skills and used them to
solve complex problems. They even created their own logic puzzles.
Fifth grade Greek Mythology students researched mythological Greek Olympians and created their own trading cards on
one of the characters. They have been really surprised at the connections between Greek mythology and modern day symbols,
names, and vocabulary. Fifth grade Math Olympiads students participated in the Math Olympiads for Elementary Students
contest this year. They enjoyed celebrating Pi Day in March.
ND PIERCE
OU
AR
DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICY WILL
CREATE CHANGES AT PIERCE
FIFTH GRADE CELEBRATION
On June 3, we will be celebrating our fifth grade class. I
ask that all fifth grade students dress up that day for the class
picture that will be taken at 9:30 AM. This picture will hang
in our halls for many years. At 1:30, parents are invited to view
our fifth grade memories boards, take pictures, and have cake
and punch. After this event, students will receive their school
yearbook and have time to share autographs.
FIELD DAY – JUNE 4TH
Field Day is Thursday, June 4th. Students in grades K-2
will be in the morning and students in grades 3-5 will be in the
afternoon. Students will enjoy 15 different stations of games
and activities on their Field Day as well a water station and a
Popsicle station. Students should dress appropriately for the
weather and wear gym shoes. Every school year, many dedicated volunteers provide a fun and energetic afternoon activity
time for the children at Pierce Elementary. This is a wonderful
opportunity for any of you who haven’t found your niche as a
volunteer yet this year…it’s only for a little while and it’s only
for one day! You get to spend time with your child and his/her
classmates on a day that all of the students really look forward
to. As always, your support is appreciated!
Please contact Mrs. Langhurst at [email protected]
or 558-4614 if you are able to help out with Field Day.
CRCSD Wellness Policy 610.1 will create some
changes at Pierce beginning in the 2015-16 school year.
Making you aware of these changes now gives you the
opportunity to plan for the fall when the entire school
community will follow these guidelines:
Snack will be allowed in grades K-3 but will be
discontinued in grades 4-5.
All snacks must meet the District Recommended
Nutritional Guidelines for healthy snacks. *Guidance
will be provided at fall open house
Food will no longer be a part of student birthday
celebrations. Each grade level will have a matrix of
student choices for their special day (Playing a learning game, share and tell time, etc). These matrix may
vary slightly from grade level to grade level but they
will not include a food treat option.
Food will be allowed at the 3 yearly classroom parties. (October, December and February) Party food
must also meet Nutritional Guidelines for healthy
snacks with one treat allowed per party.
**Please note that according to the new District
policy, any food items brought into the building
that don’t fit the District Recommended Nutritional
Guidelines must be returned home with the student/
adult. Your child’s classroom teacher will be providing
more information next fall. Thank you in advance
for helping us to foster healthy habits with all of the
Pierce students.
BOXTOPS
Don’t forget to collect your box tops over the summer. It
is amazing how much money is added to the PTA budget just
from these little pink squares—we love it when it is pure profit!
“ALL ABOUT ANIMALS”
By Mrs. Collier
Did you know that hummingbirds can hover in midair
by rapidly flapping
their wings 12 to 80
times per second? You
can learn interesting
facts like these while
enjoying songs that are
“All About Animals”!
Kindergarten and first
grade students will be
performing a music
program by that name
on May 14th in the Pierce cafeteria. The first graders will perform for parents at 5:30 pm. The kindergarten students will
perform for parents at 7:00 pm. All students are encouraged
to wear an animal costume! If someone doesn’t have a costume
or forgets to bring it on May 14th, there will be a construction
paper headband with an animal face on the front to wear!
VIRTUAL
BACKPACK
The District offers an online Virtual Backpack
site to support the efforts of community organizations wanting to share information about
educationally-based programming.
Individuals or organizations wishing to post
material on the Virtual Backpack submit items
electronically and approved materials will appear online for families to access.
Organizations will find a link to submit flyers
for consideration on the District homepage at
www.cr.k12.ia.us . Families can access the
Virtual Backpack from their school Web site.
WHAT IS A PAW PASS?
This year we introduced a “PAW Pass” to classrooms across
the building. The PAW Pass is another component of PBIS
for classroom acknowledgements. If an entire class is spotted doing the 3 R’s (respect, responsibility, and ready) in the
hallway/bathroom/recess/cafeteria they will be given a PAW
pass. These special passes are announced every morning and
then displayed on a bulletin board in the main hallway. The
PAW passes help students see that working together as a class is
powerful and important to the overall climate of our building. It is also a helpful way to recognize all students as opposed to
a select few. At the end of each trimester, the grade level with
the most PAW passes earns a special treat from Mrs. Davidson.
Students are learning that they can accomplish great things
when they work together as a classroom community!
INCOMING KINDERGARTEN
SPRING VISIT
May 20
2:30-4:00 PM
Please join us for the kindergarten informational meetings. You will have the opportunity
to meet the kindergarten teachers, the principal,
and the counselor. We will be getting to know
your child better during their classroom visit.
PROMPTS TO HELP STUDENTS WRITE
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
The last day of school will be
June 5th, 2015. As in past years,
dismissal time will be at 1:30 PM.
END OF THE YEAR MEAL TICKET POLICY
At the end of the year any monies left in a fifth grader’s
lunch account will be transferred to his/her middle school account. Accounts of students in grades K-4 will remain active.
Any monies not used will stay in the account and are available
for starting the 2015-2016 school year. Parents of students
who are leaving the Cedar Rapids Community Schools will
need to send a note to
Food Service informing them of the move.
Accounts for these
students will be closed
out and the money
will be refunded. No
charges may be left on
any accounts at the
end of the year. Food
Service staff clears
their books on June
14, 2015.
Reading and math homework is pretty straight forward. At
home, students sit down with a good book and either read out
loud to a parent, practice reading with a parent, or read silently.
For math, kids sit down and work on computation and story
problems for the next school day. Writing is a little tougher to
do at home. Here are some tips to help students learn how to
write and communicate rich thoughts rather than just focusing
on all the little things that need to be fixed – grammar, spelling, and paragraphing. These fixable things come at the end
of the writing process. What students need to learn first is how
to put strong ideas on the paper. Parents, you can be writing
partners! Here are some questions to keep your child’s writing
flowing across the paper:
How will the story go? (Talk about the characters, plot,
problem and solution before ever putting pencil to paper.)
How will a story or report start?
What comes next?
How do you want the piece to end?
What is the most important fact or moment in the story
or report?
What do you think will be tricky about writing this piece?
Do you want to tell everything at once or let out details
bit by bit?
What do you want your reader to know right away?
What are you saving for the ending?
How are you going to tailor this piece to fit your audience?
Do you have to explain any hard vocabulary?
Is there a particular perspective or point of view you want
to convey?
Will you acknowledge other points of view in your paper?
Parents and family members, if you have any questions
regarding how to help and support elementary students with
their writing please contact your child’s teacher or our Pierce
Instructional Strategist, Janet Fosdick, at [email protected]
Cedar Rapids Community School District takes your safety seriously and welcomes your input. Please contact your
building principal/administrator and report any safety concerns that you may have. Thank you for helping us keep staff
and students safe.
HOLA, PIERCE STUDENTS AND FAMILY!
We have been busy in Spanish.
In Kindergarten we can count all the way up to 20 and answer “Como estas?” (How are you?). We
have been learning different ways to tell how we are feeling and can recognize 8 shapes. Our favorite
is “estrella” (star). Check out our shapes dance on the youtube channel!
In first grade, we have learned all about the Mexican painters, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. We
have been working hard on our days of the week and love to sing our new “Mochila” song. If you want
to check out the video it is also on our youtube channel.
In second grade, we just got back from our “trip” to Puerto Rico. We visited many places with the
help of Google Earth such as: El Morro, El Castillo San Cristobal, El Viejo San Juan, El Yunque and
El Luquillo. We even had a chance to write a postcard home to our family telling them what we have
learned about Puerto Rico.
In third and fourth grade, we have been focusing in on Spain. Some of the traditions we have learned
about are eating 12 grapes at midnight for New Years, the true meaning of a siesta and the Reyes Magos
or Three Kings who bring presents to the children in Spain around Christmas time. We have learned
about famous artists and architects such as Picasso and Gaudi. Recently we enjoyed taking a tour of the
royal palace in Madrid and met the new royal family, through video of course! Right now we are learning
more vocabulary for city places and our favorite way to practice this is through “Donde estoy”: a game
where you find Senorita Schwartz or Maestra Erin hidden underneath places in the city. Our Spanish
alphabet is helping us to piece sounds and words together like museo (museum) and banco (bank).
Hasta luego for now!
See you later!
Search Youtube: Cedar Rapids FLES >Kindergarten or First Grade or Second Grade
“Shapes Dance” (Kindergarten)
“En mi mochila” (1st grade)
“Classroom Objects Rap” (2nd grade)
“Spanish New Year” (3rd/4th grade)
***Spanish celebrations! We recently won a grant from Century Link for 12 iPad minis that we
will be using soon in Spanish class to do digital storytelling and enrich our cultural understanding. We
can’t wait to start the learning process with the help of some new technology. Thank you Century Link!
May 19
Soft Shell Tacos w/ Lettuce,
Cheese & Salsa
Sides: Applesauce
Refried Beans
Broccoli
May 18
Fish Sticks & Hot Roll
Sides: Pineapple
Sweet Potato Fries
Peas
P May Contain Pork
Hamburger/Cheeseburger
Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick
Cheese Pizza
Monday Alternate
May 25
Holiday
No School
Beef Honey BBQ Rib
Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick
Cheese Pizza
Wednesday Alternate
Sides: Pineapple
Sweet Potato Fries
Baked Beans
May 27
Chicken Nuggets w/
French Bread
May 20
French Toast Sticks &
Scrambled Eggs
Sides: Fresh Fruit
Fresh Celery
Tater Tots
Early Dismissal
Sides: Mandarin Oranges
Cucumber Slices
Mixed Vegetables
Sausage Pizza
Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick
Yogurt with Muffin
Thursday Alternate
Sides: Mandarin Oranges
Side Salad
Roasted Chickpeas
May 28
Macaroni & Cheese
Sides: Pears
Side Salad
Roasted Chickpeas
May 21
Beef-A-Roni w/ Garlic Toast
Sides: Peaches
Side Salad
Roasted Chickpeas
May 14
BBQ Turkey Sandwich
Sides: Pineapple
Side Salad
Roasted Chickpeas
www.schoollunchheroday.com
Cheese Pizza
Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick
Fish Wedge
Friday Alternate
Sides: School Planned Fruits
and Vegetables
May 29
Mini Corn Dogs
Sides: School Planned Fruits
and Vegetables
May 22
Submarine Sandwich
Sides: School Planned Fruits
and Vegetables
May 15
Loco Chicken Fajita
May 8
No School
Staff Progress Day
Sides: School Planned Fruits
and Vegetables
May 1
Mini Corn Dogs
Daily Milk offered includes 1%,
skim, or skim chocolate
May 7
Beef Teriyaki Dippers w/
Buttered Noodles
Energy
Blast
May 13
Asian Popcorn Chicken Salad
w/ Chow Mein Noodles
This institution is an equal opportunity provider
Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick
Pepperoni Pizza
Tuesday Alternate
Chicken Patty
Sides: Fresh Fruit
Corn
Fresh Cauliflower
May 26
Stuffed Cheese Sticks w/
Marinara Sauce
Sides: Fresh Fruit
Baby Carrots
Green Beans
May 12
Spaghetti & Meat Sauce w/
Breadstick
Super
Strength
May 6
Sloppy Joe on a Bun
Sides: Pears
Corn
Mixed Vegetables
Memory
Boost
May 11
Fruit Parfait w/ Granola
Sides: Cinnamon Apples
Fresh Cauliflower
Tater Tots
Sides: Fresh Fruit
Sweet Potato Fries
Baked Beans
Sides: Applesauce
Fresh Celery
Mixed Vegetables
Speed
Burst
May 5
Italian Dunkers w/ Meat Sauce
Laser
Vision
May 2015
Elementary School Lunch Menu
All meals include milk, fruit, vegetable, grain, meat/meat alternative
May 4
Chicken & Cheese Deli
Immunity
A Minimum of One Fruit or Vegetable is
required for a reimbursable meal