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News and events
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December, 2023
December 14 -- PTO Meeting (6:00 pm)
December 15 -- First Grade Field Trip to Elf the Musical Jr.
December 25 - January 2 -- No School! (Winter Break)
January 15 -- No School!
Message from Principal Zimmerman
Hello Lincoln Families!
It’s hard to believe we are already at the end of the first trimester of the 2023-2024 school year! It has been so wonderful to watch your children grow and thrive this school year! Our monthly all school assemblies have allowed us all to gather and celebrate being together and also to review our character traits each month. In November, we learned about “gratitude” and how we can appreciate and be thankful for all that we have, both at school and at home. In December, we are all learning about “empathy” and how we can be supportive of others in our community and at home. I am so grateful for our staff, students and families, all of whom make Lincoln such an amazing school and community!
As we move into December, please remember that there is no school from December 25, 2023 through January 2, 2024. We look forward to welcoming our students back on January 3.
Best wishes for a warm and enjoyable December and a happy New Year! See you in 2024!
Michelle Zimmerman
Principal
Report Cards Online
Student report cards for trimester 1 are now available online. Families can view report cards from A-HConnect (view detailed instructions):
Login to A-HConnect.
Click on the ‘My Student Information/ParentVUE’ icon.
Select a student from the dropdown menu.
Select ‘Documents.’
Select and view the applicable report card from the ‘Documents’ window.
The report card will open in a new tab where the capabilities to download or print will be available.
To view from the ParentVUE app (view detailed instructions):
Go to the AppStore or Google Play and search for the ParentVUE app.
Enter your zip code when prompted, and select “Anoka-Hennepin School District” from the menu options.
Confirm ‘yes’ and select ‘Already Activated,’ if prompted.
Use login/password to login.
Select a student from the student list.
Select ‘Documents.’
Select and view the applicable report card.
Click the share button to save or share the PDF.
If you need assistance logging in or forgot your password, call 763-506-HELP (4357) or email 506help@ahschools.us. For questions about the report cards, please contact the main office at your child’s school.
Tri 2 Reminders
PARKING
Please use the visitor parking spots or an available spot in the parking lot when you need to enter school at Door 1. There is no parking along yellow curb in front of school (Door 1) other than for those vehicles assigned to those spots at the end of the school day.
STUDENT PICKUP
The safety and security of the children at Lincoln is our highest priority. As part of our school security system, any individual who arrives to pick up a student from Lincoln must present a valid driver's license or state identification card. Thank you for your cooperation with this requirement.
STUDENT DROP OFF
All student drop offs should be in the car loop in back of school until 9:00 am. If students are going to breakfast, they can enter Door 5. Students should not be dropped off in the office prior to 9:00 am.
Outdoor Recess Guidelines
All students are expected to be outside before school and during recess. With the weather turning colder, please dress your students for the daily weather conditions. During the winter months, students should have warm coats, hats, mittens, snowpants and boots. The district guideline for outdoor play is 0 degrees (-10 degrees windchill).
Lincoln Elementary Arts Jam
Our first Arts Jam of the school year was a success! Nov. 21 was a fantastic day filled with artistic exploration, creation, collaboration, and personal expression. Thank you to our Lincoln staff and to our countless volunteers for coming together to create something magical for our students!
The following is a write-up by the district showcasing the day:
The Arts Jam at Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts allows both students and staff the opportunity to showcase their artistic exploration and diverse talents. On Nov. 21, the first Arts Jam of the year had the school fully immersed in all areas of the arts.
The school integrates and infuses the arts into everyday learning, but the Arts Jam allows students to participate in four focused sessions where they can explore multiple areas of the arts, which include visual art, music, technical arts, literary arts and theatre. The activities allow students to try something new or gain a deeper appreciation for a specific area of the arts. View photos from the Lincoln Arts Jam.
What they’re saying: Fifth grader Norah DeBiaso said, “We normally get to do a lot of arts, but today, we get to have a day focusing on just what our school is meant for.”
Hear from more students and see what the Arts Jam provides students.
Middle School Information
Deadlines approaching for middle school specialty and magnet offerings
Anoka-Hennepin offers a specialty and a magnet school at the middle school level that are designed to provide families with additional choices at no cost and as an opportunity to explore interest areas in depth. Deadlines are approaching to enroll at the specialty or magnet schools.
Magnet school - Anoka Middle School for the Arts
Offered to students districtwide in partnership with the Northwest Suburban Integration School District (NWSISD).
Transportation is provided.
The application window is open for the 2024-25 school year and closes Dec. 31, 2023.
Specialty school - Jackson Middle School - A Specialty School for Math and Science
Students may enroll at the specialty schools using an in-district transfer process.
Families are responsible for providing transportation.
Applications are accepted between Dec. 1, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024 for priority consideration.
Both schools are offering in-person tours upon request. View more information about middle school offerings and how to apply.
Kindergarten News
In reading, some topics we will cover this month include: Rules to Go By, Sounds Around Us & The Places We Go. Words we have learned so far: I, can, we, see, the, a, like, to, and.
In math, we will continue to work on number sense (counting to 50, back from 10). We will order and compare numbers from 1 to 10, solve addition and subtraction problems within 10 and compare objects to see which is longer, shorter or the same length.
As the weather gets colder (and snowier!), please be sure your child has all their winter gear at school every day and shoes to change into for the school day. We want students to stay warm at arrival, recess and dismissal. Thank you!
Ms. Johnson, Mrs. Karsnia, Mrs. Ovitt, & Mrs. Peterson
First Grade News
Hello First Grade Families,
We have made it to December, and we successfully saved the turkey's from becoming thanksgiving dinner! Your students created all sorts of disguises to save our turkey friends and they turned out fabulous! We attached some photos of some pretty neat and creative turkey friends below!
This December we are focusing on...
ELA: Communities and finishing up our short vowel words. We are also starting a new curriculum for our word work portion! Your students are so excited about it and so are the teachers, other schools in the district have seen great growth and change in students' scores, so we look forward to working hard. Please note that there may be some changes in spelling tests/words and information that comes home, Please watch for information from your students' teacher about what to expect.
Math: We are focusing on creating tens and teen numbers!
Mark your calendars....Elf Jr. Field Trip: December 15th, 2023
Have a great December!
Mrs. Hustad, Ms. Schwartz, Mrs. Skinner & Ms. Walz
Second Grade News
Happy December! Winter is here and we would like to remind you to have your child bring warm clothes everyday. This would include boots, snowpants, coat, hat, and gloves. We will plan to go outside each day if it is not too cold. Please label all of their gear with their name. Be sure to also send their gym shoes each day.
During the month of December we will wrap-up our second Wonders unit. The big idea for unit 2 is: Animal Discoveries – How do animals play a part in the world around us? We will continue working on our How To Genre Writing. During the month of December the focus of instruction will continue to be addition and subtraction within 100. We will use efficient strategies, represent problems on a number line, and solve story problems. Check out the math unit newsletter for more information. Just a reminder to log into your Parent Vue account to see your child's report card.
Mrs. Coubal, Mrs. Howman, Mrs. Pitzl & Mr. Robertson
Third Grade News
It’s hard to believe we just finished the first trimester! The students are learning so much! This month in math the students are learning to add and subtract multi-digit numbers and learning how to round and estimate their sums and differences. In ELA, we are still working on Unit 2. The students are reading folktakes, historical fiction, and expository text.
Mrs. Luongvan, Mrs. Arendt, Mrs. Olson
Fourth Grade News
Hello Fourth Grade Families!
We have been so busy in fourth grade. We are finishing up the first science unit in our new curriculum. Students are engineering safe ways to keep an egg in their model car so that it doesn't crack upon collision. In Math, we are working with fractions and decimals in unit 3. So far we have learned about fractions through many hands-on experiences including an egg-carton model, paper folding, and geoboards!
After winter break, we will move onto addition strategies in Unit 4. In reading class this month we are halfway through unit 2. We have read folktales, dramas, and narrative nonfiction stories in the first 3 weeks of this unit. Our comprehension skills we are focusing on include the theme and the main idea of the stories. In this unit we will begin exploring topics for our Explanatory Essays. We will learn about the features of an Explanatory Essay and what needs to be included in our writing. Please continue to study the spelling words that are sent home each week.
Have a wonderful end of the year!
Ms. Carlson & Mrs. Nye
Fifth Grade News
This month 5th Grade is excited about the culmination of our dance residency. Heart of Dance has been here with us twice a week since the beginning of the school year. We have learned dances like the Rhumba, Meringue, Tango, Foxtrot, Swing, Walz, Polka, and STOMP. It has been an awesome experience and on December 20th we will be showcasing our dance skills to end our residency in the Lincoln Gym. 5th Grade families are invited to join us at 2:00 for this performance. Thanks to Ms. Whitcomb for bringing this residency to Lincoln and a BIG thank you to Ms. Ella from Heart of Dance for all of her amazing dance instruction.
Mr. Gamache, Mrs. Gaspar, Mrs. Mercer
Lincoln Arts
5th grade has almost completed their Heart of Dance residency! To celebrate, they are presenting their learning in a culminating event on Wed., Dec. 20 from 2-3 PM in the Lincoln gym. Students will showcase their curriculum connection travel brochures, which highlight the country of origin of one of their dances, and demonstrate the social dances they have learned. An INVITATION was sent home with all 5th grade students. We hope you can attend!
Integrating the Arts into the general classroom curriculum provides students an opportunity to connect with each other and the world authentically and personally (among other things). Mrs. Gaspar’s 5th graders demonstrated this as they explored Dia de los Muertos, learning about family traditions from Spanish-speaking students in class, and decorated calaveras, or sugar skulls. Students also showed their gratitude for our veterans by writing free-verse poetry, learning about why poppies are a symbol of remembrance, and creating Thank You Veteran Wreaths.
Band/Orchestra/Choir
Students in Band, Orchestra, and Choir received a rehearsal calendar for December/January. You can find the calendar HERE, as well as in your child’s Seesaw class. We will continue to meet every digital day 1. Please note that we have a few upcoming performances!
January 25 -- Band/Orchestra Recitals
(Fill out this GOOGLE FORM to sign up for 1 of these recital times.)
6:00-6:30 PM
6:45-7:15 PM
7:30-8:00 PM
February 1 - Winter Choir Concert (6:00 pm)
Lincoln Volunteer Program
To date, our 145+ volunteers have given 1,080+ hours of their time to help our students! They worked with our students, completed clerical projects, helped with PTO, took yearbook photos, etc. Lincoln’s Volunteer Program wishes all our volunteers and our families a warm, safe, and happy winter/holiday season! And thank you for being a Lincoln Volunteer!
Volunteer Opportunities- Complete Lincoln Volunteer Forms and contact the VSC today!
* K-Skillbuilder
* Helper- Art / Clerical / Lost-n-Found
* Reading (online training) / Math Groups (online training) / Destination Imagination
* PTO Fundraising (Co-Chair, Box Tops) / Events Co-Chair / Events Photographer
* Events- PTO Winter Warm-up / Cultural Event
* Girls on the Run (Winter training/Spring sessions)
Tips for working with students
* Call students by name, be friendly, caring, enthusiastic, patient, and kind
* Praise success
* Be honest with students. It’s OK to say “I don’t know”
* Be comfortable with silence. Allow students time to think & form answers
* Do not give any student materials on your own without first discussing it with the teacher
* Accept students as they are. Be sensitive to differences in background, cultures, & religion
* Never make a promise you can’t fulfill
* Do not eat candy, snacks or gum unless it is part of programming
* Be dependable and prompt
* Keep calm in an emergency
* Maintain your sense of humor
* Enjoy yourself
Catalyst tips for volunteers
Adults can help everyone stay focused and minimize learning disruptions by:
* Taking a moment to observe what is happening in the room right now. Assess the situation and determine when and how to interact with students and other adults in the room to support learning. This might mean waiting a moment if the teacher is in the middle of instruction.
* Moving around the room slowly and calmly. This will help everyone stay focused on their learning instead of shifting their focus to you.
* Being aware of the impact of eye contact. Eye contact during a positive interaction can foster connection with students. At the same time, eye contact for some students can be uncomfortable and others may see eye contact as an invitation to stop their work and come see you, even if you aren’t there to see them.
* If you’re here to pick someone up, walk over to them to let them know you are here. By walking over to them instead of calling their name from the doorway, students will be less distracted. If you are unsure of who the student is, check with the teacher privately.
If you have any questions or need information, please let me know.
Diana Orr / Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC)
Diana.Orr@ahschools.us / 763-506-3130
Tuesday 8a.m. - 3p.m. / Wed. and Thurs. 8a.m. - 2:45p.m. (schedule may vary- Out Winter Break)
Volunteer handbook - Manual para voluntarios / Safeguard Privacy / Field Trip Chaperone Guidelines
PTO News
Thanks to all the Lincoln Families who supported PTO over the last month with donations for Fill the Fridge, participation in the Lions Night Out Fundraiser at Chuck E. Cheese, and ordering from our Lincoln Lions Pride Apparel Fundraiser! We appreciate your continued support of the PTO!
Coming up in January is the next School/PTO Event. Save the date for the Warm Up with Arts and Culture Event on the evening of Thursday, January 18th. There will be ice skating, snowshoeing, crafts, and food.
Mark your calendars for two Lions Night Out scheduled for the end of January.
Tuesday, Jan. 23rd at Cafe Zupas! from 4-9pm.
Tuesday, Jan. 30th at Urban Air from 4-8pm.
We can’t wait to see you at these FUNdraisers!
Upcoming Meetings:
December 14 and January 11
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Conference room at Lincoln
Enter on South St (door 6)
Childcare available for potty trained children during the meeting. Or join us virtually with the meeting code: https://meet.google.com/uzr-oofz-wgt
Community Education
Community Ed offers a variety of classes for students both at Lincoln and throughout the district.
For all after school Community Ed classes at Lincoln, students check-in for their class in the gym when the bell rings at 3:30. Families will pickup their student at the end of the class at Door 6 (South Street).
Questions about Community Ed? Please contact Tricia Josephs at tricia.josephs@ahschools.us or 763-506-3112.
Parent/Family Resources
Parent Engage 360 podcast- aims to provide parents/guardians with knowledge from experts and tools needed to support their children.
Anoka-Hennepin Schools realize the importance of parent engagement in maximizing student success. We hope that providing timely and helpful information through this series will strengthen that bond between school and home with resources parents/guardians can use and share with others.
Tune in via Podbean, Apple Podcasts, District Website, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio, & Samsung Podcasts. New podcast: Episode 37: Free School Meals, Educational Benefits and Nutrition [Also check out Episode 36: Parent Involvement in Schools]
Parent Involvement [PI] Facebook- has info on what's happening in the district and PI (fundraisers, events, volunteering, PI team activities, etc.).
PI Free training workshops- gives parent/teacher organizations, booster clubs & nonprofits a boost as they help support the efforts of Anoka-Hennepin students, schools and community. Next Workshop: Why Can’t Everyone Just Get Along? Get tips on how to communicate effectively & increase your group's productivity, Wed, Dec 13th, 6:30 - 8p.m., ESC, 2727 N. Ferry St., Anoka - Enter door 7, virtual option available, Register here
The Bolster (subscribe)- a newsletter for PTO’s and Booster Clubs that shares resources, ideas, and tips to improve their organization.
Parent Resource Center (PRC)- is located at the AHSD Educational Service Center (ESC) and lends library materials to parents, families, and staff. Families are welcome to browse our library-
Online: PRC library/Use Library Name: AHPRC (no password required)/ Visit us on the Web / Follow on Facebook and Instagram
Stop-in: Use the self-service check-out and return. Enter Door 1 on the west side of the ESC (2727 N. Ferry St, Anoka, MN 55303)
Phone: 763-506-1587 or 763-506-1278 to discuss your resource requests. Selections can be delivered to your school and sent home with your child.
Parental Advisory Committee for Racial and Ethnic Equity (PACREE)- helps create racial and ethnic equity in the Anoka-Hennepin School District by creating successful students with a sense of belonging. This committee empowers parents from racially and ethnically underserved communities to advocate for their students.
Meetings held 5 - 7 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of the month, virtual, Sept-May, (No Dec & March). For more info, contact Darron Sherrill, Assistant Director of Student Services- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 763-506-1151, Darron.Sherrill@ahschools.us.
LINCOLN SPIRIT WEAR
Lincoln spirit wear is available online for all families to purchase. If interested in purchasing spirit wear, please visit our vendor Innovations Plus. Items are available for purchase 24/7 and can be shipped to your home or to the school.
This e-newsletter is published by Lincoln Elementary School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.