Pierce Elementary School Volume 21 Issue 3 PRINCIPAL’S CORNER This year, the Iowa Core Standards continue to drive our work. These state standards, with increased rigor and complexity, have had a major impact on teaching and learning in our school. The standards are based on, and connected to, college and career readiness skills for the 21st century. These academic standards are important because they help ensure that all students, no matter where they live or what school they attend, are prepared for success in college and the workforce. Standards provide a clear roadmap for learning for teachers, parents and students. These clearly defined goals help families and teachers work together to ensure that all students succeed. Developing critical thinking skills prepares students for whatever their futures may hold. Your child’s teacher should have provided you with a “Parents Guide to Student Success” to assist you in becoming more familiar with the grade level standards for your child (ren). If you have not received that please contact the school and if you are interested in finding out more you can visit www.corestandards.org Mrs. Davidson, Principal “LET’S BE FRIENDS” By Mrs. Collier Isn’t it great to have a friend? Someone to talk to? Go to the movies with? Have fun with? The second and third graders are performing a music program on November 6th called “Let’s Be Friends”. The songs are all about friends and will include instruments, movements and fun! The third graders need to meet in the Pierce gym at 5:10 pm for their 5:30 performance. The second graders need to meet in the gym at 6:40 pm for their 7:00 performance. Both 2nd and 3rd graders should wear a short sleeved shirt and dark pants to the afternoon rehearsal on Nov.6 and also to the evening performance. The students will put on their “Panthers Rock” shirt on top of their other shirt. PIERCE MISSION Exceptional learning for all in a safe, caring environment. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • RULES FOR GOOD HEALTH: Wash your hands with liquid soap and warm water. Wash your hands before preparing or handling food. Wash your hands after using the bathroom. Wash your hands after playing outdoors. Wash your hands after playing with pets. Wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands. Take a bath or shower daily. Keep cuts and scrapes clean. Avoid contact with anyone who is contagious. Eat a variety of good, healthful food. Be sure to eat breakfast. Brush your teeth after waking up and before going to sleep. Don’t share drinking or eating utensils with others, and don’t eat or drink things that other people have already put their hands or mouths on. Get plenty of rest. School age children need between 8-10 hours of sleep. Do some type of physical activity every day See your doctor and dentist regularly for checkups. Get the shots you need. 2014 AMERICA READS On October 17th, students of Pierce Elementary participated in the 18th annual America Reads event. The highlights of the week included special morning announcements about selected authors, book trivia, and every class having community readers to share a story with them on Friday. We had a lot of fun and hopefully along the way lots of Pierce Panthers were inspired to keep on reading! FACTS ABOUT INFLUENZA There are several types of influenza viruses. Influenza A and B cause respiratory illnesses. Symptoms begin suddenly 1-5 days after exposure and usually last for 2-7 days. Symptoms include fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. It generally occurs in the late fall and winter. Anyone can get influenza, but those at highest risk for severe illness are the elderly, the very young, and those with chronic medical problems such as diabetes and asthma, or heart or lung conditions. It is spread by coughing or sneezing. Treatment is rest and lots of fluids to drink. Since there is more than one type of influenza, it is possible to get it more than once a year. There is a vaccine for Influenza. Those people at particular risk for getting a serious case of influenza should get the vaccine yearly. What can you do to prevent the spread of influenza? Children (and adults) who are ill with fever and cough should stay home. Cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. This is generally done by coughing/sneezing into your sleeve/ elbow. Consult your medical provider to determine if he/she thinks you and your family should receive the Influenza Vaccine. DATES TO REMEMBER NOVEMBER 2014 3 .......... School Food Drive and Toys for Tots Drive begin Running Club 8:00-8:45 4................................................................EDP 3:50-4:50 Board Game Club 3:45-4:45 5.......................................................Lockdown Drill 2:00 6...............................................Third Grade Musical 5:30 Second Grade Musical 7:00 EDP and Running Club do not meet today Check Virtual Backpack online 10..........................................Conference Window Opens Running Club 8:00-8:45 4th Grade to CR Symphony 11........................................ Kindergarten Turkey Tuesday EDP 3:50-4:50 p.m. 13.................................Family Conference Night 4-8 PM Book Fair Check Virtual Backpack online 14.......................................................................Book Fair Food Drive and Toys for Tots Drive ends 17...................................................................... Book Fair PTA Meeting 12:00 - IMC 18............................... Family Night Conferences 4-8 PM Book Fair NO EDP 19..............................................................EDP 3:50-4:50 20.............................................. EDP 3:50-4:50 (last day) Panther Press home Check Virtual Backpack online 21............................................Conference Window closes 4th grade Medical Ambassadors visit fourth grade 24-28.................................. Holiday Break - No School Everybody, Every Day! Good Attendance Matters WE NEED YOUR CHILDREN HERE SO THEY CAN LEARN It is very important for children to be on time to school and to remain here all day. We certainly understand that there are some appointments that can only be scheduled during the school day and that emergencies sometimes arise, but by coming in late or leaving early students miss instructional time and the important morning and end-of–the-day procedures and routines. While those times may not always seem like critical instructional times, they are actually very crucial times for students. The activities that go on during these times help students develop personal responsibility and reinforce social skills and self-management. We appreciate your efforts to keep your child in school all day, every day. DEVELOPING STRATEGIC READERS: A PARENTS’ GUIDE Parents are vital links with the school in helping their child develop into a strategic, skillful reader. Here are some suggestions you can use at home to develop these important skills that your child will need throughout his lifetime: • Occasionally read aloud to your child without showing him the pictures. Asking questions about the story will encourage him to listen carefully to the words. • Use picture books for the whole family to enjoy and discuss together. Many of them have themes and messages that support the values you want to instill in your children. (Mrs. Annis can recommend many great titles for you to check out through the Pierce IMC.) • Practice the skill of prediction every day. When reading a book, ask your child what he thinks will happen next. You can do the same thing during commercials when watching a program with a plot. • Before reading books about a subject, ask your child what he already knows and what he wants to know. After reading, ask what he’s learned and what he still wants to learn. • Think aloud. Model your thinking and problem solving for your children. • When reading or watching television ask your child to pick out the important information, summarize, list details, or give an opinion that he can support. • Ask your child how the story might change if the story setting was different, i.e., Cinderella in the future. • Have your child summarize a story. This is different from just retelling a story. This skill requires a student to decide what’s important and put those important ideas into a logical sequence. • Make increasing vocabulary an everyday priority for your child. Use increasingly more sophisticated language and ask your child to tell you what he thinks a word means in context. • Have your child read at least 20 minutes every night. Experts say that children must be exposed to 1,000,000 words per year for adequate vocabulary development. Parents should model silent reading skills for their child at the same time the child is reading. • Build a home library so that children always have books to read and enjoy. Follow the District on and , @crschools, FAMILY CONFERENCES ON NOVEMBER 13TH AND 18TH 4:00-8:00 PM November is always conference time at Pierce School. We look forward to meeting with every Pierce family this month. Our goal is 100% participation!! Teachers have set aside time to meet with each family so “make it a date”. We have conveniently arranged conference times on two nights with parents having the opportunity to sign up for the time that works best for you. Below are some general hints for having a successful conference: • Ask your child if there is something that they would like to discuss. • Arrive promptly or a few minutes early. If you are unable to attend, please be considerate of the teacher’s time and let them know. • Avoid lengthy discussions about topics that are not related to the conference. • Be open-minded to suggestions from the teachers. • In split family situations, we urge parents to conference together with your child’s teacher so that each parent receives identical information. If at all possible, put aside any personal differences for the benefit of the children. • Do not stay longer than your allotted time… there may be others waiting. We can’t wait to share all the wonderful learning of our students from the first trimester! PROPER WINTER DRESS As cold weather approaches, students need to be reminded by parents of what they should be wearing to school. Hats, mittens or gloves and a winter coat are essential for all students to wear during winter weather. Body heat is quickly lost when hats are not worn. For recess, please see that your child has boots, gloves, hats and snow pants so they can enjoy the outdoor fun. If you are unable to supply these things for your child please notify our counselor, Mrs. Cobert, for assistance at 558-2373. 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. You should contact the Pierce Elementary office at phone number 319-558-2373. WORKING TOWARD POSITIVE BEHAVIORS This year begins year four of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) at Pierce Elementary. Year four is a continuation on our work with the guiding words – Respectful, Responsible and Safe. We will be working hard to improve behaviors in the common areas of the hallway, bathroom, cafeteria and playground. We are also continuing our work within the classroom as well. This year’s main focus will be on respect. We hope that by the end of the year, all students will know what respect is and feel that they are respected at school. Pierce will continue with the celebrations for earning tickets. We have already reached our 10,000 mark and the students were able to “Spin the wheel” to determine an all-school reward. Check out our “Respect Highway” in the cafeteria...it reflects our ticket progress as a building. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LEARNING AT SCHOOL! FOOD DRIVE/TOYS FOR TOTS This year, Pierce students will be involved with two holiday community service projects. These two projects include the annual Pierce Food Drive and the addition of Toys for Tots. Both community service projects will be happening from November 3rd to November 14th. Students are invited to donate to one or both of these worthy projects. Please place your non-perishable food items and new, unwrapped toys in the collection boxes at the main entrance of the building. Both projects will directly impact students at Pierce and in our local community. Thank you in advance for your generous contributions. Teaching our children to give to others is an important life lesson we are pleased to promote. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR FALL FUNDRAISER Thank you to each parent who made the effort to contact co-workers, relatives, neighbors, and friends to support our school fundraiser. We have so many extra learning opportunities at Pierce because of PTA fundraising. It might be easy to assume these activities will always be available but the following sampling of PTA funded items only happen because of your fundraising support: Roller Skating-all month in January Planners for 3rd-5th graders Rock Star T-shirts for all students Grandparents’ Day snacks Red Ribbon Week pencils Field trips-$6000 worth! Parent phone directory Your caring concern for your child’s educational experience is a large factor in making Pierce a great school. TIPS TO GET READY FOR COLD AND FLU SEASON Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water. Frequent hand washing is the most important, and perhaps the easiest step you and your family can take. Be sure to wash and disinfect surfaces regularly—including computer keyboards and mouse, video games, remote controls, telephone headsets, desks, kitchen countertops, doorknobs, and even kids’ plastic toys. Sneeze and cough into your arm at the elbow—not into your hands. Moderate the humidity level in your home. Do not let winter heating dry out your sinuses. Check with your medical provider about getting an Influenza Vaccine. COUNSELING CORNER: “NO NEED TO WORRY” As the school year gets rolling and the stakes get higher, you might notice that your child seems a little bit worried. You might have observed that your child seems to be suffering from frequent stomach aches, abstract injuries, or an increased desire to avoid school. All of these signs can point to anxiety. The upside is that you are not in this alone; anxiety is not at all uncommon in children and, in most cases, there is plenty you can do to help your child through it. The most important thing to remember is to take your child’s worries seriously. Not knowing where to sit on the bus, for example, may not be a big concern in the adult world, but to your child it may be monumental. If you treat their worry as a valid concern and work with them to find ways to remedy it, then they will be more likely to open up to you in the future. Sometimes your child may not know why they are worried; they may just feel some general anxiety. This can be a scary experience for both your child and for you. In these situations it can be helpful to provide your child with some basic relaxation strategies, such as taking deep breaths or counting backwards from 10. The things that work for you just might work for them. For more information on childhood anxiety, as well as resources to help your child, please visit any of these websites: http://www.worrywisekids.org/ http://www.anxietybc.com/parent/index.php http://kidshealth.org/ 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. THE BOOK FAIR IS COMING, THE BOOK FAIR IS COMING Our BookHouse book fair is just about to begin. We invite you to come out and see the quality books they have to offer. The BookHouse is a local book store in Marion which strives to get great books into the hands of your children. Please mark your calendars now to attend the book fair from November 12-18. There will be many affordable books and products for your child. Remember: Books make GREAT gifts. Shop for now or for holiday and birthday gifts for your child. The proceeds from our book fair will be used to purchase books for the Pierce Library. Come out and see the many great books that are being offered. You will have the opportunity to purchase books for your child’s classroom or the school library through the Teacher Wish List Program. Gift books are always appreciated. Thanks for supporting this very special event! We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions pertaining to our book fair, please contact Mrs. Annis or Mrs. Batterson in the library. Brooke Baker is in charge of lining up volunteers to work at the book fair. Book Fair Hours Wednesday November 12 3:20-4:30pm Thursday November 13 8:30-8:45 am and 3:20-8:00 pm Friday November 14 8:30-8:45am and 3:20-4:30pm Monday November 17th 8:30-8:45am and 3:20-4:30pm BOOK Tuesday November 18 8:30-8:45am and 3:20-8:00pm FAIR 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. NO SCHOOL NOVEMBER 24-28 PROGRESS REPORTS IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT The Cedar Rapids Community School District continues to use a standards-based progress report at the elementary level. A standards-based progress report identifies what a student should know and be able to do in a specific subject at a particular grade level. The progress report is designed to give parents/guardians more information about how their child/ children are progressing in School. During the 2009-2010 school year, a committee of elementary teachers, curriculum facilitators, and administrators worked to align district curriculum standards and expectations with the Iowa CORE Standards. The product of the work was the creation of student learning expectations for Kindergarten-fifth grade students. Student and parent friendly “I Can” statements were also developed to help inform parents and students of the expected learning at each grade level for each student learning expectations, (SLE’s). The SLE’s and “I Can” statements were then aligned with the elementary progress report at each grade level. The student progress report provides one piece of information about a child’s progress in school. Other very important evidence of student learning includes, but is not limited to: student work samples, student led conferences, and standardized assessment data. When viewing your child’s progress report you will notice the following marking key, which provides indicators for student achievement: 1-Student shows limited or no progress and does not meet grade-level expectation 2-Student shows progress but is not meeting expectation 3- Student meets expectation (consistently and independently) 3+ - Student exceeds expectation (makes applications and inferences beyond expectation) X- not assessed/not applicable Please keep in mind that the expectation is for students to meet the grade-level expectation by the end of the school year. The acquisition of, and scaffolding of many skills and learning opportunities throughout the year will support your child/ren as they work towards proficiency. The SLE’s “I Can” statements, and standards based progress report are designed to ensure consistency of expectations across the district, to assist teachers and students in focusing on the essential learning, and to help parents gain more specific information about their child/ren’s progress. However: if you find that you have any questions or concerns about the progress report, please share them with your child’s teacher. November 12 French Toast Sticks & Scrambled Eggs November 19 Chicken Nuggets w/ French Bread Daily Milk offered includes 1%, skim, or skim chocolate November 7 Loco Chicken Fajita Sides: School Planned Fruits and Vegetables November 6 Submarine Sandwich Sides: Applesauce Side Salad Roasted Chickpeas Sides: School Planned Fruits and Vegetables November 20 Pizza Sub Cheese Pizza Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick Fish Wedge Friday Alternate November 28 No School Holiday Break November 21 School Planned Menu November 14 Ham & Cheese Toastie Sides: Pineapple Side Salad Roasted Chickpeas Sides: School Planned Fruits and Vegetables November 13 Beef-A-Roni w/ Garlic Bread Sides: Fruit Cocktail Side Salad Roasted Chickpeas November 27 No School Holiday Break Thursday Alternate Yogurt with Muffin Wednesday Alternate November 26 No School Holiday Break Sides: Applesauce Baked Beans Baby Carrots Sides: 100% Juice Fresh Celery Steamed Carrots Sides: Mandarin Oranges Baby Carrots Cucumber Slices November 5 Asian Chicken Salad w/ Chow Mein Noodles November 2014 Elementary School Lunch Menu All meals include milk, fruit, vegetable, grain, meat/meat alternative November 11 Soft Shell Tacos w/ Lettuce, Cheese, Salsa November 18 Turkey Gravy w/ Mashed Potatoes & Hot Roll Tuesday Alternate Chicken Patty Sausage Pizza Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick Beef Honey BBQ Rib Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick Cheese Pizza This institution is an equal opportunity provider Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick Pepperoni Pizza November 25 No School Staff Progress Day Pumpkin Bar Sides: Fresh Fruit Green Beans Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Sides: Apples Refried Beans Fresh Cauliflower Sides: Fresh Fruit Peas Mixed Vegetables November 4 Spaghetti & Meat Sauce w/ Breadstick A Minimum of One Fruit or Vegetable is required for a reimbursable meal November 3 Crazy Chicken Wrap Sides: Pears Corn Fresh Celery November 10 Fish Sticks & Hot Roll Sides: Mandarin Oranges Broccoli Mashed Potato & Gravy November 17 Taco Nachos on Corn Chips Lettuce, Cheese & Salsa Sides: Orange Smiles Refried Beans Corn November 24 No School Staff Progress Day Monday Alternate Hamburger/Cheeseburger Sun Butter & Jelly + Cheese Stick Cheese Pizza P May Contain Pork
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