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BUSTER’S BULLETIN!
A publication of Basswood Elementary School
January 2015
A note from principal smith:
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing winter break.
As we head into the New Year, I want to share a couple reminders. I continue to ask for everyone’s help if
you drop off or pick up your child. Please drop off and pick up your child from the curb in front of the school,
pulling as far down the curb as possible. PLEASE have your child exit and enter your vehicle from the
sidewalk side so we can avoid children walking where traffic is moving. Also, please join the line of cars via
Vicksburg or the West side of the parking lot, avoiding cutting in line on the East side of the school. If you
choose not to use the curb, please park in the lot and walk your child in or meet them on the school side of
the lot to pick him/her up. I would like all families to avoid dropping off their child in the lot and having them
walk across the crosswalk without a parent. This causes safety concerns and also major congestion issues in
the lot.
Another reminder is about the variety of communication tools we offer from Basswood. Here are many ways
you can learn about our school and get answers to your questions:
Basswood Website: http://schools.district279.org/bw/
PTO Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BasswoodElementaryPto
Principal Twitter Page: @patricksmith111
Wednesday Electronic Envelope – e-mailed out every Wednesday.
Bussing App (keep track of late busses on bad weather days using a smartphone App:
http://site1.district279.org.webguideforschools.ca/#school/344)
Basswood Elementary App: http://apps.appmakr.com/basswoodelementary
I am very thankful to have such a wonderful community of families. Your support has been
second to none and I continue to look forward to working together in order to help your child
achieve his or her dreams!
Dream big!
January:
5
9
12-16
15
19
23
27
30-5
30
Back to school!
School Spirit Day: Sports Day!
School Supply Drive
4th grade field trip: Physics Force Presentation/UofM 9-11:45am
NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
School Spirit Day: Hat Day!
PTO Meeting 6:30-8pm (Media Center)
Scholastic Book Fair
Families Helping Families Annual Spaghetti Dinner 5-6:30pm
Coming up in february:
2
3
4
5
6
9
10
12
13
16
20
24
NO SCHOOL – Staff Workshops
K-6 Conferences
PTO Read-a-thon Kick-Off
2nd grade visit from the Naturalist
K-6 Conferences
2nd grade visit from the Naturalist
School Spirit Day: Western Day!
K-6 Conferences
Group Activity Pictures (morning)
School Spirit Day: Red, Pink, and White Day!
NO SCHOOL – Conference Release Day
NO SCHOOL – Presidents’ Day
School Spirit Day: Crazy Sock Day/PJ Day!
4th grade visit from Boston Scientific
PTO - Math & Science Night 6-8pm
Office Hours: 8:00–4:00
School Hours: 8:50 -3:20
To report your child
absent or tardy to school,
please call and leave a
message at
763.494.3858 ext 1
Homework will be
available after 2nd day of
absence.
Patrick Smith, Principal
15425 Bass Lake Road
Maple Grove, MN 55311
763.494.3858
Email me:
[email protected]
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto
An Invite to your family from the Basswood Staff!
Basswood “Families Helping Families”
SPAGHETTI DINNER
Friday, January 30, 2015
5:00pm to 6:30pm
Basswood Cafeteria
Last January, Basswood staff members worked together at our 7th annual Spaghetti Dinner, and
raised $1500.00 for our “Families Helping Families” project. This program helps Basswood families
in times of crisis (illness, death) in a timely and consistent manner.
The dinner last year was a great community building event at our school. The staff had a fun
evening, working together, and serving the Basswood students and families that attended. We are
hopeful that the 8th annual dinner will be an even greater success, with even more school wide
support. Please plan to join us!
If you have questions regarding this program or have ideas of how you could support this
wonderful cause, please feel free to contact Patrick Smith, or Jane Williams, our Volunteer
Coordinator.
Please plan to join us for a great evening on Friday, January 30. The Scholastic Book Fair
will be open until 7:30pm and Basswood Gives Back, a family community service project, will take
place in the gym from 6:30–7:30pm.
*** Watch for dinner information in upcoming Wednesday envelopes! ***
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto
Notes from Tricia & Joann in the office!
Contact us! [email protected] or [email protected] or 763.494.3858
Calling in student absences
This is a friendly reminder that any student who is going to be absent or late for school for any reason must be
called in by a parent or guardian. Please make sure you state your child’s name, their teacher, and the reason for
the absence. If the school does not receive a call, someone will be contacting you. Please use the main office
number at 763.494.3858 and extension 1 to report your child absent or late for school.
Students coming late to school
When a student is late coming to school, they either need a parent to come into the building to check them in,
bring a signed note from the parent explaining why they are late, or call the school office prior to the student
arriving late. If this does not occur, the school office will contact the parent. Our goal is to have good
communication between parents and the school.
schoolview
SchoolView is an online service that provides the opportunity for parents to view information about their child’s
attendance and lunch account as well as updating their phone numbers and email addresses. Junior and senior
high parents may access information about academic performance (test scores, assignments, grades, etc.) and
elementary parents have access to their child’s report card and attendance. You can also add money online to your
child’s lunch account. Stop in at the Basswood Office with a valid driver’s license, passport, or state ID card and
get signed up. It only takes about five minutes!
Conference times
K-6 conferences are February 3, 5, and 9. Times for all conferences are 7:30-8:30am and 3:40-6:40pm. We will
be scheduling conferences online again.
Notes from donna wood, cashier!
Contact me! [email protected] or 763.315.6417
Happy New Year!!
Here are a few reminders for the New Year:
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Please remember to put your child’s lunch number on all checks. Make checks out to ISD 279.
All charges should be paid as soon as possible.
A good way to check on your child’s lunch balance is to either go on School View, or give me a call, between
9:15am-2pm. My number is 763-315-6417.
Water and Juice are not included in the cost of a hot lunch. Water is an additional 50 cents, and juice is an
additional 40 cents.
You can sign up for School View, if you don’t already have an account, by coming into the front office and
showing your ID to get an access code.
Have a wonderful January!!!!
Winter fun!
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto
Notes from the Counselor corner!
Becky paurus, licensed school counselor
Contact me! [email protected] or 763.315.7664
Dear Families,
As the busy holiday season comes and goes, life can become stressful and hectic. To adults, childhood can seem like
a carefree time. But kids still experience stress. It is common and natural for children to feel anxiety, stress, and
worry. Often, the stress we feel as adults can be transferred to the children around us.
Symptoms of Stress in Children
It is not always easy to tell when a child is feeling stress, but there are symptoms:
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Behavioral changes (mood swings, acting out, change in sleep patterns, etc.).
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Physical effects (stomachaches, headaches, feeling ill)
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Difficulty concentrating or completing schoolwork
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Spending a lot of time alone
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Nightmares
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Overreactions to minor problems
How to Help Your Child Cope with Stress
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Designate a special time to spend with your children
Help and encourage your child to get proper rest and good nutrition
Provide a safe place where children can talk about their worries (ask open-ended questions)-Avoid any urge to
judge, blame, lecture, or say what you think your child should have done instead. The idea is to let your child's
concerns and feelings be heard.
Exercise, go for walks, do yoga or stretching together
Have your child write in a journal
Anticipate potentially stressful situations and prepare children for them
Read a book or play a game with your child
Contact your doctor or a counselor for additional assistance
Relax together in a darkened room with colorful lights or soft music playing
Another great way to reduce feelings of worry or stress is guided imagery. Below is an example of a short story you
could read to your child. As children listen to the story, they begin to draw mental images, use sensory input, think
about the concept presented, and learn to relax.
Guided Imagery: Blue Makes Me Feel Calm, taken from “Imagine That” by Janis L. Silverman, M.A.
Close your eyes and think blue. Imagine the most perfect blue sky surrounding you, hugging you, and welcoming
you. Picture a clear aquamarine blue ocean. Think of walking on an enormous blue glacier made of ice crystals.
Travel the waves of the ocean, see the icebergs and gaze at the sky. Let yourself completely relax. Bring the
calmness into your head and mind. Focus only on this quiet moment, and sense the stillness as the icebergs float
away.
Welcome back!
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto
Notes from lisa lucio, Registered Nurse!
Contact me! [email protected] or 763-315-7670
Parents/Guardians of 6th grade students
Immunization letters will be sent home in January to any 6th grade students
who are still in need of additional immunizations before entering 7 th grade
for the 2015-2016 school year. To help the Registered Nurse at MGJH,
please turn any updated information in to me during this school year
and I will update their health file.
**NEW—Changes to Immunization Requirements
Meningococcal is now required PRIOR to 7th grade
TDAP-Booster
Hep B-3 doses
Varicella (Chickenpox)-2 doses
Prone to Nosebleeds?
They tend to occur during winter months and in dry, cold climates. Adding moisture to the air with a
humidifier, using an ointment inside the nose, and saline nasal spray will help keep the nose from drying out
and trigger more bleeding.
Tips for reducing nosebleeds:
 Use a humidifier in your room/house to get moisture into the air.
 Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline), Neosporin, A & D ointment inside your nose to prevent dryness.
 Use nasal lubricant spray, or a saline nasal spray to keep your nasal passages moist.
Influenza A
Do your part in preventing the spread of the flu!! You can make sure your kids get the flu shot, keep them
home when they are not feeling good, follow the district policy of 24 hours without fever, vomiting or
diarrhea and encourage good hand washing!
Change of Clothes
With winter upon us, it would be a great idea to send a change of clothes in case of “accidents” and/or wet
clothes from the playground. Also, just a reminder that the Health Office does not provide mittens, hats,
snow pants, boots, etc. to children who have forgotten these items at home.
Helpful hints
Please be aware these personal care items are NOT available in the health office, however, you can send
any of these needed items with your student to keep in their desk/locker/backpack: Cough drops, Lip
Balm, Lotion, and Hand Sanitizer
Notes from jane Williams, volunteer coordinator!
Contact me! [email protected] or 763.315.6419
Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you enjoyed a fun holiday and a restful break.
An important volunteer opportunity will take place later this month – the Scholastic Book Fair will be held
January 30 – February 5. Please watch the Wednesday envelope email for information and for the volunteer
SignUpGenius link.
Also, please plan to be at Basswood on Friday evening, 1/30/15. We will be holding our eighth annual Families
Helping Families Spaghetti Dinner, along with the Book Fair and Basswood Gives Back. This is a great
family night at Basswood – mark your calendar now, and don’t miss the fun!
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto
january 2015 Gifted Education News!
Marji Olson
[email protected]
Blog: http://blogs.district279.org/olsonmarji/
Erin Haynes
[email protected]
Needs Based Classes (NBC) Information
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There are no Needs Based Classes for grades 3 and 4 in January due
to CogAT testing. Grades 5 and 6 Stock Market Game groups will
meet briefly 3-4 times this month to continue with their investing.
NBC’s will resume in February with the start of winter classes.
They are:
o Grades 3, 5, and 6 – Non-Verbal
o Grade 4 - Quantitative
Acronyms and abbreviations:
GE= Gifted Education
NBC= Needs Based Classes
CBS= Cluster Based Service
Cognitive Abilities Testing (CogAT)
If your child has been nominated to take the CogAT test, please look for a letter to come home with details
about the days and times your child will be testing.
*Gifted Ed teachers will also continue to collaborate with classroom teachers in planning for
differentiated instruction as well as go into kindergarten, first and second grade to teach
enrichment lessons.
Young Scientist Roundtable 2015: An enrichment opportunity for ALL families
Your FREE participation in each month’s Young Scientist Roundtable is funded by Gifted Education 279. Future
dates are listed below.
Tuesday, January 6
"New treatments for Spinal Cord Injury"
Dr. Ann Parr, University of Minnesota - See more at:
http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/ysr#sthash.Q2Iv1mi5.dpuf
Future Dates
January 6
February 2
March 2
April 7
All presentations take place at Wayzata Central Middle School at 7:00 p.m. Watch the YSR website
for updates! www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/ysr
call: 763.494.3858
visit: schools.district279.org/BW/
facebook: facebook.com/basswoodelementarypto