Dear Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the Fall Season. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued partnership in your child's education. Your support and involvement make a significant difference in their success, and I am truly thankful for that.

I have some important announcements to share with you. Firstly, please mark your calendars for our upcoming 2nd Grade Music program, which will take place on November 29th at 6:30 pm. Our students have been working hard to prepare for this special evening, and we are excited to celebrate the holiday season. Additionally, I wanted to remind you about the 2nd grade field trip scheduled for November 17th. Classroom teachers can share more information as well.

In terms of recent celebrations, we just wrapped up Acts of Kindness Week, and it was a tremendous success. I would like to extend a thank you to Jim Cosgrove, also known as Mr. Stinky Feet, for his wonderful presentation on respect and rhythm. Our students thoroughly enjoyed his visit and learned valuable lessons about being kind to one another. See below for some pictures from our assembly and check out our Facebook page for some videos.

Lastly, I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and a restful Thanksgiving Break. This is a time to cherish with loved ones, reflect on our blessings, and recharge for the remainder of the school year. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such dedicated families like yours.

Thank you once again for your continued support, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Warm regards,
Mr. Troast

Last month, I highlighted our Intervention time (WIN) and this month I would like to focus our attention on the Why!

Academic intervention plays a crucial role in supporting elementary students' learning and development. It is designed to provide targeted assistance to students who may be struggling academically, ensuring they receive the necessary support to succeed. There are several reasons why elementary students may require academic intervention.

Firstly, academic intervention helps identify and address any learning difficulties or gaps in a student's understanding. Every child learns at their own pace, and some students may require additional support in specific subjects such as reading, writing, or math. By identifying these areas of weakness early on, our staff at Cottonwood can implement targeted interventions to help students catch up and build a solid foundation for future learning.

Secondly, academic intervention promotes early intervention for students at risk of falling behind. Research shows that students who struggle academically in the early grades are more likely to face long-term challenges in their academic journey. By providing timely and appropriate interventions, educators can prevent these difficulties from escalating, allowing students to thrive academically.

Lastly, academic intervention fosters individualized instruction and personalized learning experiences. Every student has unique strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. By implementing intervention strategies tailored to each student's needs, educators can ensure that students receive the support and guidance necessary to reach their full potential. This individualized approach helps create a positive learning environment where students feel empowered and motivated to succeed.

We have emphasized the importance of academic intervention which is essential for elementary students as it helps address learning difficulties, prevents long-term challenges, and promotes personalized learning experiences. By providing the necessary support and interventions, we can support our students to overcome obstacles and achieve academic success.

This November, PTO presents a Pie In The Face Fundraiser for Sunflower and Cottonwood Elementary schools! Staff members from each school have volunteered to get PIED if they win the most donations! Donation jars will be set up at the front of each school with a tracker chart to see who is in the lead each day! Students can bring change to school every day during the donation week so they can help determine the WINNER! This should be a lot of fun for the students and a great way PTO can raise funds for school field trip bussing, subsidizing costs of field trips, staff hospitality, student/parent class meet-ups, family-friendly events, and MORE!

Each month we recognize students for being positive towards each other and staff. Students are nominated for a variety of reasons, but each one represents one of our core values at Cottonwood. For the month of October, we had over 40 students nominated by staff at Cottonwood. Awesome job, Panthers!

Kindergarten: Reese Mason and Liam Yackle

1st: Ayleen DonJuan and Ensley Ramirez

2nd: Zaydin Reynolds and Katerina York

Our 2nd-grade music program is fast approaching! Please make sure you save the following information:

What: 2nd Grade Music Program

When: November 29th at 6:30 pm

Where: Paola High School Gymnasium

• November 11th: Veterans Day
• November 13th: Picture Retakes
• November 13th: November Board Meeting at 6:00 pm
• November 13th-17th: American Education Week
• November 17th: 2nd-grade field trip to Kaleidoscope
• November 22nd-24th: Thanksgiving Break
• November 29th: 2nd Grade Music Program

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me: corey_troast@usd368.org or call the school at 913-294-8050

Email: corey_troast@usd368.org
Website: https://www.usd368.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Cottonwood%20Elementary
Location: 709 Hedge Ln, Paola, KS 66071, USA
Phone: 913-294-8050