Monday Morning Message
January 15, 2024
About Us: Rainbow Elementary School
Principal: Mrs. Maria Stauffer
Assistant Principal: Mr. Jeff Kuciapinski
Attendance Office: (rbattendance@casdschools.org).
The mission of the Coatesville Area School District, rich in diversity and committed to excellence, is to create innovative educational experiences, which are funded by the taxpayers, supported by the community, delivered by dedicated teachers and administrators, to ensure all students will become responsible, contributing global citizens.
Research shows that attendance is critical to student achievement. We want to emphasize the importance of your student’s attendance in both a virtual setting and a brick and mortar setting. If your student is absent or you plan for your student to have an early dismissal, please email excuse notes to rbattendance@casdschools.org within three days of the absence.
Email: staufferm@casdschools.org
Website: https://www.casdschools.org/rainbow
Location: 1113 West Lincoln Highway, Coatesville, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 383-3780
Facebook: facebook.com/coatesvilleSD/
Twitter: @CASDRainbow
Rainbow Students Follow the Wildcat Code!
1.Be respectful
2. Be responsible
3. Be safe
This Week's Schedule Rotation
1/15 No School
1/16 Day 2
1/17 Day 2 12:30 Early Dismissal
1/18 Day 4
1/19 Day 5
January Lunch Menu
A Message from Mrs. Stauffer
Today CASD schools are closed for observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (MLK Day), a federal holiday that takes place every third Monday of January.Rainbow students have learned who Martin Luther King, Jr. was and why his leadership was so critical to the civil rights movement. We all enjoy a day off school, but it’s also important to understand the inspiration for the holiday.
How much do you and your Rainbow student know about Dr. King and MLK day? Below are a few interesting and little-known facts:
- Did you know Dr. King was actually born as Michael Luther King Jr? When Dr. King was five, his father visited Germany and found inspiration in the Protestant leader Martin Luther. When he returned to the United States, he changed both his and his son’s names to Martin Luther King.
- His famous “I Have a Dream” speech almost went unheard. The sound system was sabotaged just before Dr. King went onstage. Fortunately, Attorney General Robert Kennedy was able to get the Army Corp of Engineers to resolve the issue.
- Dr. King is well known for his many inspiring speeches. However, he wasn’t always a great speaker. In fact, he got a “C” in public speaking during his first year at seminary school. By his final year, he improved to get straight-As and be named class valedictorian.
- The idea to memorialize Dr. King with a federal holiday was first mentioned by Congressman John Conyers in 1968 just four days after King’s death. However, the day wouldn’t become a reality until 1986.
- The holiday still wasn’t observed by all 50 states until 2000, a full 32 years after King’s death and 14 years after the holiday was declared by the federal government.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Stauffer
Early Dismissal 1/17
Wednesday, January 17th, is a 12:30 early dismissal for Rainbow students. If your student is parent pickup, make sure that accommodations have been made for a 12:30 pick-up. Only Breakfast will be provided in the morning. Please be sure mark your calendar!
Good Luck Rainbow Spellers!
Congratulations to all of our super spellers who are participating in the District Spelling Bee on January 18, 2024. We look forward to seeing your spelling skills. Good luck!
Rainbow Science Fair
Congratulations to all of our budding scientists for a job well done! There were many interesting and innovative experiments, inventions and research projects!
Thank you to Mrs. Elicker our STEM teacher for organizing Rainbow's Science Fair and for supporting our students. A big thank you as well to our judges:
Mrs. Messenger, Mr. Alessandro, and Mr. Tordone.
The District Science Fair will be held in February in the CASH Cafeteria
2024 Science Fair Results
In the 3rd grade category:
Honorable Mention:
- Milk Into Plastic by Camren Grier
3rd Place:
- Balloon Powered Car by Bella Gibbs
2nd Place:
- Lemon Energy by Mia Lopez
1st Place:
- Can Color Affect Taste by Daniel Sheller
In the 4th grade category:
Honorable Mention:
- Flower Power by Haliey Christino, Oliva Smith, Raine Hopkins
Slime Recipes by Vicky Serrano & Samantha Ortiz
3rd Place (TIE):
- What's Poppin'? by Jalin Bailey
Up, Up, Egg Away by Aidan Winans
2nd Place:
- Which Potato Molds Fastest by Alanys Morales-Lopez
1st Place:
- Foil Ball Launcher by Lennex Winkler, Chanel Studemire, & Kali Thompson
And in the 5th grade category:
3rd Place:
- Gummy Bear by Lola Santiago & Brielle Wesley
2nd Place:
- Volcano by CJ Andrews & Josiah Stewart Cobbs
1st Place:
- Bubble Bath Mania by Jazlynn Rivera-Foster, Leah Pinkerton, & Kimberly Garcia
Pokemon Cards
Dear Rainbow Families,
Pokemon cards are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, but unfortunately, they are sometimes problematic when brought to school. Recently, the Rainbow staff and I have addressed many issues with missing cards, disagreements about trades, and damaged cards. Sadly, the issues have been upsetting to children and their families, and they have taken up time that is dedicated to instruction.
To alleviate these issues, we are requesting that Pokemon cards remain at home. I know that some children greatly enjoy playing with them, but the issues associated with playing with them at school have been significant. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to create the best learning environment for our students.
Kind Regards,
Mrs. Stauffer
Message from the PBIS Team
Teach, Remind, and Reward Expected Behaviors with Positive Feedback
In addition to teaching, rewarding, and reminding, you may need to CORRECT behavior.
When a child makes an error, provide a quick correction or redirection. For example, if you observe your child showing disrespect to others:
1. Quickly correct or signal the error, (“That was not respectful”)
2. Re-state the expected behavior, (“We speak kindly to each other to show respect”)
3. Provide an opportunity for positive interaction, (“Let’s try that again. How would you show respect?”)
4. Provide the child positive feedback, (“That was a kind thing to say.”)
Redirections can be even quicker (“Remember, you need to wash your hands before coming to the table. Please go wash your hands.”). The goal is for a correction or redirection to be calm, brief, and provide an opportunity for the child to practice the desired behavior. In addition, it’s important to maintain a 5-to-1 ratio and use more reminders than corrections.
• Maintain a 5-to-1 ratio. It's easy to get into the habit of correcting, but the goal is to maintain a ratio of 5 positive interactions or praise statements for every 1 negative interaction or corrective statement.
• Remind instead of correct. Instead of correcting behavior after it happens, we can remind children what we would like to see before a behavior is expected. For example, we can put a sign in the bathroom near the sink to “Wash your hands.” Children can even help create these signs and brainstorm what signs might be needed.
• To decrease undesired behavior, you can also teach alternatives. To decrease an undesired behavior, like touching one’s face, you can teach your child to do something else. For example, children can be given a fidget that they can play with that keeps their hands away from their face or taught to use a tissue to touch their face.
PTO Corner
Let your imagination soar! The yearly Rainbow Yearbook Cover Design competition kicks off now! Please submit your designs to the Rainbow PTO by January 26, 2024. Find all the specifics in the flyer below!
Interested in what the PTO is up to? Please connect with us on Facebook, Instagram @Rainbow_Elementary_PTO_CASD and through our PTO Website at https://www.runpto.com/u/casd_res_pto/
2023-2024 Code of Conduct and Technology Handbook
The purpose of the Elementary Discipline Code is to assist students in developing a positive attitude toward self-discipline, regular attendance and socially accepted behavior. The Elementary Discipline Code is intended to ensure that each student has the opportunity to benefit from the maintenance of a learning environment that is safe, conducive to learning and is free from unnecessary distractions. Below you will find a button for the Elementary Discipline Code. You can also access the Elementary Discipline Code by clicking here. Please review the document with your student
Title Information
Your child attends Rainbow Elementary School, which receives Federal Title I funds to assist students in meeting state achievement standards. Throughout the school year, we will be providing you with important information about this law and your child’s education. Please review the attachments informing you about your right to request information about the qualifications of the classroom staff working with your child.
In Case you Missed it!
Message from the School Nurse
Dear Parents,
These winter months are cold and flu season, in addition to COVID-19. Chester County has seen a peak in influenza and RSV. It is a great time to remind our school community of the measures we take to keep students healthy and prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
· We reinforce the following with our students: wash hands frequently, eat healthy meals, drink plenty of water, get at least 8 hours of sleep per day, and stay home if you are sick.
In addition, we request that you, as parents, join us in keeping our school healthy by keeping your child home when he/she is sick. For example,
· Students are to be fever-free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school.
· Students with vomiting or diarrhea are to be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
· Students with blisters and/or honey-colored crusts should remain home until cleared by a doctor or until after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment.
· Students with pink eye “conjunctivitis”/eye drainage may attend school once they have been on medication for 24 hours or receive clearance from a doctor stating it is non-infectious.
· Students with symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19 should follow the CDC Guidelines for Exposure and Isolation.
January and February are typically the months with the highest number of cases of illness. Notices of exposure to illnesses are not sent home in backpacks.
Instead, consistent healthy habits, remaining home when sick, and exclusion of ill students by school nurses are utilized to control the spread of communicable illness.
Thank you for reinforcing these healthy habits with our students. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our school nurse.
2024 Winter/Spring Garden Club
Please review the available slots in the link below and click on the button to sign up. Include the STUDENT NAME and GRADE in the signup slot, parent email, and parent emergency phone number. If you are signing up more than 1 child from the same family you need to fill out a separate slot for each child. Please do not put parent name. We need student name and grade level for attendance.
We will be meeting 1x per month. We are meeting on January 30, February 27, March 5, April 16, and May 14. You only need to sign up for the January 30th meeting and you will be a member of the Winter/Spring Garden Club. We are limiting Garden Club to 20 members.
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up your CHILD. Thank you!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4EA9A92DA5F49-47027118-rainbow
If you have any questions or if you would like to be a parent volunteer for the Winter/Spring 2024 Garden Club, please contact Dr. Chrisman: chrismanj@casdschools.org