Longfellow Newsletter

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Dear Longhorn families,

Can you believe next week starts the month of April!? Only a few more months until our school year wraps up! Please note we will be administering the state wide Conditions of Learning Survey as well as Iowa Assessment in the next few weeks of April. Our PTA penny wars is off to a good start! Keep sending in those pennies! The latest tally is listed below!

Our 3rd and 4th grade music program is next week and talent show practice starts.

Please join our PTA zoom on Tuesday to find out the latest happenings and how to get involved with our Teacher Wishlist, Carnival and Teacher appreciation week.

Have a great weekend! Go Longhorns!

Principal Webb

We are excited to announce that our school will be participating in the "One School, One Book" activity, and the chosen book for this year is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. This past week we sent home a book with each family unless your family preferred to follow along online. Here is an online option: https://iowacityschools.mackinvia.com/3858049

Or you can look the book title up on Google or YouTube as it is recorded on there as well.

We read about 2 chapters a day each week starting this past week. On April 18th we will host our reading night for families to experience fun reading events and activities to celebrate the completion of the book. Happy Reading!

Hello 5th/6th Grade Families!

Welcome to South East Middle School! We look forward to working with your child. We had our parent webinar this week on Wednesday. Here is the link to the webinar if you weren’t able to attend. We also want to share out the Q&A here from the webinar so that you can see some of the questions that were asked along with their answers. Finally, we’re sharing the presentation here should you wish to go back and review it at any point.

Additionally, now that your child will be transitioning to Middle School, the district provides transportation to qualifying families as required by the State of Iowa. To qualify for busing you must live more than two miles from South East via the most direct path.

If you believe your student qualifies and your child does not already receive busing to their elementary school you must fill out a bus application (attached) and submit it via email to Esme Davis at davis.esme@iowacityschools.org or drop it off at your child's school to be submitted. If you are unable to complete this application please reach out to your child's school for assistance. This should be done before the end of this school year. Applications submitted in August may not result in your child being routed on a bus before the first day of school. You can also find the link to that application here, along with more information about district provided transportation.

If you have any questions or want to know if your child will qualify for transportation please contact South East and we will answer any questions.

Sincerely,

Michelle Cook, SEJH Principal

Good Afternoon 5th Grade Parents!

We had our 5th grade parent webinar, and we got some feedback that students filled out an interest form for music and many parents have had questions about which course their student signed up for. With this in mind, we are sending out a Google Form here for you to sign your student up for the music course(s) that they're committed to taking for the next year. Please complete by March 29th.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Michelle Cook, South East Middle School Principal

Hanna Collins & Brian Ingram, South East Middle School School Counselors

Families:

South East is working hard on incoming 6th grade schedules and really needs to know enrollment for incoming 6th grade music classes. If you have not already, please fill out the google form below to indicate which music class(es) your student is wishing to enroll in for next year. This is the official enrollment form and we need every student to fill this out. Please note, you will not be able to switch from an ensemble (band, orchestra or choir) to music applications throughout the year. You also cannot choose to join an ensemble in the middle of the year. If you need assistance filling out this form please let us know.

6th Grade Music Class Form

See attached flyer regarding a cross country camp in June for 4th-12th graders.

Current rankings:

1st place: 2nd grade

2nd place: Kindergarten

3rd place: 1st grade

4th place: 6th grade

5th place: 3rd grade

6th place: 4th grade

7th place: 5th grade

Penny wars will be continuing all of next week with Friday, April 5th as the final day!

We are excited to announce that the Longfellow Talent Show is set for April 25th!

We are seeking performers, emcees, and stagehands

Any student interested in performing or working backstage will be included, as long as a guardian has signed them up - see the sign up form below:

Talent Show Sign Up Form: https://forms.gle/fMGxUQJgqSk9a3zW9

Important dates:

April 4th and 5th: "show your talent” sessions; during school hours. Think of this as a rough draft performance and an opportunity to confirm interest. Students should be signed up before these dates.

Wednesday, April 24th: Rehearsal - sound check and run through of full show. Directly after school 3-5:30 pm

Thursday, April 25th: Show! 6 pm (students involved in the show will be called early.)

Please direct any questions to fanniehungerford@gmail.com

We are so excited for another wonderful evening celebrating all Longhorns!

The purpose of the Celebration Rock is to promote school spirit at Longfellow Elementary School. Parents, caregivers, students & staff have the opportunity to “Rent the Rock” to recognize a student’s birthday, show school spirit, thank or recognize a teacher or staff member, mark congratulatory events, etc. It is a great way to spread positive messages and increase excitement in our community! 100% of the funds raised through the Celebration Rock will be used by the school or PTA for events and for school improvement for our amazing students!

Click here to sign up!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our schools are getting ready to administer an annual school climate and culture survey called Conditions for Learning to students in grades 3-12. This survey administration is required by the state’s plan to meet a federal law called the Every Student Succeeds Act. Our schools will conduct the survey during the month of April. All Iowa public school districts will use the Conditions for Learning Survey (Survey) to improve safety, student engagement, and the overall learning environment so that all Iowa students have optimum conditions for learning. Our work to improve safety, student engagement, and the overall learning environment will have a lasting impact on the future.

Iowa measures conditions for learning by asking the real experts each year - our students. This is their chance to make their voice heard, and we intend to listen. Studies have shown this work matters. Improving skills such as solving problems, working out conflict, and working with other people in a group has led to double-digit increases in achievement test scores, improved classroom behavior, and improved attitudes.

All public schools in Iowa will use an online survey to assess the conditions for learning in their school for students in grades 3-12. Student responses will be confidential, and individual response data will not be available to anyone in the survey platform or in reporting. The Iowa City Community School District will receive aggregated data annually at the building level to support the alignment of professional development with identified culture and climate needs.

We will ask your child to simply fill out a confidential Survey. The Survey will focus on issues ranging from student safety to positive student relationships, to school rules and how they are enforced. A high rate of participation by students in completing the Conditions for Learning Survey is important for obtaining the most complete school climate data for our school. Support from you in communicating to your students that this is their chance to be heard and to be part of the effort to improve conditions for learning at their school is critical.

Thank you for partnering with us to improve conditions for learning in our schools throughout the state. Included is an overview of this opportunity, as well as:

1. An information summary about the Survey
2. A written refusal form if you do not want your child/children to participate in completing the Survey

Please let us know if you have any questions and thank you again!

Sincerely,

Matt Degner
Superintendent
Iowa City Community School District

We know you want to show Longfellow staff how much you appreciate them! So let's do everything we can to fulfill their classroom wish lists! There are items at many different price points - so please take a look and purchase something if you can.

Purchase off the wishlist - and send it directly to the school:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/M0R6HP16VPDO?ref_=wl_share

Items in high demand that can be purchased anywhere- dropped off at office:

Disinfecting Wipes

Tissues

Pencils in bulk

Expo markers

Markers

Card stock-any color

Headphones

Glue sticks

Next meeting is April 2nd at 6:30pm on zoom.

PTA is gearing up for the annual Carnival this spring look for more information to come! Teacher Appreciation happening in May!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Beginning in 2019, the Iowa legislature determined that all students in Iowa would be assessed each spring using an online test called the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). This assessment is developed by Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa, delivered and supported by Iowa-based Pearson, for the state of Iowa. The assessments are aligned with the Iowa Core standards and provide a clear and accurate assessment of student learning outcomes. Student growth, proficiency, and readiness indicators are reported.

All students in grades three through eleven are required to take this assessment. This year, there is no option for a remote administration of the test, so all students, including OLP students, will need to attend school on-site to complete this administration. The state does not allow for parents to opt their children out of participating.

The schedule below provides a general overview of testing dates. More specific information will be provided by the school principals as the date nears. Makeups can begin the week of testing and continue through the following week.

April 15, 2024

April 22, 2024

The grade levels, tests, and recommended administration times are provided below:

Reading

Language Arts and Writing

Math

Science

To ensure that your child is fully prepared to take these assessments, please assist with the following:

1. It is very important that your child be present during these test administration dates. 2. All students in 3rd-11th will need to have their fully-charged, school-issued Chromebook for all days of the testing. The assessment cannot be taken on a personal device.
2. No other electronic devices will be allowed during the test administration time including cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc.
3. Students should get plenty of rest during the week of the assessment and eat a good breakfast each morning.
4. You may assist your child in a practice assessment which can be found online at iowa.pearsonaccessnext.com, under the “Test Preparation” tab.

If you have any questions about the assessments, please contact our District's curriculum office.

Sincerely,

Carmen Gwenigale
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Iowa City Community School District

April 1st-April 5th - Penny Wars continues!

April 2nd - PTA Meeting

April 4th - 3rd/4th grade music share at 9:15am

April 9th - 3rd grade field trip

April 10th - No School

April 11th - Iowa City Youth Choir Spring Performance for 3rd-6th graders at 10:15am

April 15th-18th ISASP Testing

April 18th - Kindergarten Round-Up 2:30-4:00

April 18th - One School One Book Reading Night 6-7pm

April 19th - No School

April 25th - Spring Book Fair 2-6pm

April 25th - Talent Show 6-7pm

April 26th - Spring Book Fair 3-7pm

April 29th - Leagues at 2:10pm

April 29th - Band Concert at 6:15pm

April 30th - 1st grade field trip

May 1st - 3rd grade field trip

May 4th - Carnival 2-4pm

Longfellow Elementary School

Every student counts. Every moment matters.

ADDRESS: 1130 Seymour Ave., Iowa City, IA 52240

PHONE: 319-688-1135

FAX: 319-688-1136

Kelli Webb, Principal

Maranda Harrison, Principal Secretary

Caitlin Hauskins, SFA

Sasha Frauenholz, School Facilitator

Non-Discrimination Policy:

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact the Director of Equity, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, (319) 688-1000.