Coralville Central Newsletter

Dear Coralville Central Families,

The Coralville Central Barnes & Noble Book Fair is coming up on Saturday, December 7, and we’d love your support! This is a great opportunity to start your holiday shopping while also helping our school library.

Here’s how it works:

• If you shop in-store or online on December 7, a portion of your purchase will be returned to the Coralville Central Library as a Barnes & Noble gift card.

• We use these funds for books and other literacy-related materials that benefit all of our students.

Online Shopping Dates:
The online shopping opportunity runs from December 7–11.

How to Participate Online:

• Share our Book Fair ID# 12819587 with friends and family—even those out of town can participate!

• Enter the ID# at the bottom of the payment method page when shopping online to ensure your purchase supports our library.

Thank you for your continued support of the Coralville Central Library. We appreciate all you do to promote literacy and a love of reading in our school!

Andy Gahan

Here is the policy for all students' personal devices.

Personal Devices (i.e. cell phones, smart watches, tablets, personal laptops, etc.):

• ALL cell phones and other electronic devices, including smart watches, must be turned in at the start of the day.
• Phone calls can only be made from a school phone with adult supervision.
• If you need to contact a parent about an issue at school, you must first speak to a teacher or another adult about the situation.
• If it is discovered that a student has not turned in their device, parents will be called to pick it up from the office.

The district will not be held accountable for lost or stolen items brought to school by a student.

A further note, this policy extends to field trips. NO PERSONAL DEVICES WILL BE ALLOWED ON ANY FIELD TRIPS.

Our Lost & Found is already overflowing!!

Please remind your student to check for missing items often. It is EXTREMELY important to remember to label coats, jackets, sweatshirts, lunch containers, water bottles, etc. That way we can give the items back to its owner.

Starting in October, all unclaimed items will be donated at the end of each month.

Our kindness and empathy lessons have come to an end this week. Have your students come home talking about how they can be kind and empathetic?

I hope so! I have noticed so many grade levels mastering this skill and it brings joy to everyone around them.

I know I say this every unit, but in the next few weeks leading up to winter break and following, we get to celebrate DIVERSITY. We will talk about differences among our classes, touch on neurodiversity, and celebrate diversity among our families.

Doing Good Together has some ways you can honor, recognize, and celebrate diversity at home as a family. Here are some of their ideas;

From the Library : Devin Redmond

• While I don't love the cold weather, I do love that snowy low temperatures make it perfect for cozy reading. We have a great list of recommendations from kids and adults if you need some ideas for books to check out at the public library. I tell the kids that a main reason why I love libraries is because it is a public space where you aren't expected to spend money: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGW1p2B7o8/6N8BXsc7HT_VoR9V7DTaQQ/view
• If you like podcasts, there are some great book ideas here: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/arts-life/2024-11-27/2024-holiday-book-guide-for-kids-and-teens
• Kindergarteners are choosing books from the shelves now rather than being limited to Bessie. (Ask your kinder what Bessie is!) Kindergarteners are also learning that each book has a special place in the library where the book "lives."
• 1st and 2nd graders are learning about comics and graphic novels.
• 3rd-5th graders are still plugging along on AI lessons.
• Wasn't Bingo for Books so much fun?
• What can I do to help your family form a reading habit? It's a great goal to have your kids sit with a book for 20-30 minutes a night! But if you need to start at five minutes a night, do that!

Devin Redmond (she/hers)

Teacher Librarian

Coralville Central Elementary : ICCSD

Instagram @cclibrary

Facebook @coralvillecentral

Twitter @devinred

A reminder that the K-2 Music Concert is on Wednesday, December 18th. The students will be singing at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts from 6:00-7:00. It will be a fun-filled, musical evening!

Please bring your students to the lower level of the library to meet with their classmates (arrival time is 5:45-5:55).

Our first band concert of the year will be Wednesday, December 18th @ 7:00pm. It will be in the auditorium at West High School. The kids have been learning so much and are so excited to play for an audience!

First & second grade artists in Ms. Harper's art class learned about the artist Gustav Klimt's work, The Tree of Life, and created their own mixed media trees. Watch for them coming home soon!

Hello Coralville Central families,

With fall upon us, it is important that all students are dressed for the weather which means having a good, warm coat. If your student needs a coat, feel free to contact me, Mr. Mendoza--Student Family Advocate. I'll work hard to ensure your student has a coat that will fit them and keep them warm throughout this fall/winter season.

Thank you!
Mr. Mendoza

Student and Family Advocate

Coralville Central Elementary

Iowa City Community School District

Email: mendoza.michael@iowacityschools.org

Office #: 319.688.1100 Ext. 4513

We are seeing a lot of illness at school right now. In particular, students have typical cold symptoms, including cough and congestion that lasts 2-3 weeks. Here are some tips to help provide relief for your child or yourself. Don't forget to encourage frequent hand washing!

• Drink warm fluids such as tea, warm apple cider/juice, or water with honey or lemon helps to thin mucus drainage down the throat, can often be irritating to the upper airway and cause continual coughing.
• Nasal saline can also help to thin mucus in the nasal passages and help make it easier to blow any mucus out of the nose.
• Using a humidifier, standing in a warm shower, or even just standing in a bathroom with a closed door and a warm shower running, can help settle a cough and ease nasal congestion.
• Popsicles and cool water feel good on a sore throat.
• Giving 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp of honey will help settle a cough. However, do not give honey to children under 1 year of age.
• Ibuprofen will help swelling that may present in the nasal passages and throat. See the package for dosing information.
• Finally, when possible, ensure children are getting a lot of rest, as this is essential for healing.

School begins promptly at 7:50 AM. Any student arriving in the classroom after 7:50 AM
is late to school. Currently we are having a large number of students arriving to school late. Please know these minutes are counted in their absenteeism and can result in consequences.

Confused about attendance that is marked Unexcused?

Anything that is not a state exempt absence (Religious, Medical, Family Medical) is coded in Infinite Campus as Unexcused because it is counting the minutes missed from instruction.

Students are allowed up to 8 Medically Exempt (MEDX) absences per trimester. Medical absences after 8 must have a note to be exempt.

The District is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for our students. Due to the increase in food allergies and concerns with childhood obesity, changes have been made to the district's Wellness Policy regarding classroom snacks, birthday treats, and classroom celebrations. Some elementary schools are celebrating without food, so please check with your child's school to find out their practice.

When food is served to students in the classroom as a snack, birthday treat, or during a classroom celebration, the following rules apply (ICCSD Wellness Policy 507.9):

• allow only fresh fruits/vegetables or purchased foods with the ingredients listed (no homemade foods).
• allow only foods that meet the Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks. The only exception to this would be food-tasting related to district-approved curriculum lessons.
• not allow foods with peanuts or peanut butter, or foods that were made in a factory where cross-contamination may occur.
• food that does not meet the guidelines will be sent home.
• a list of acceptable foods (Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks) will be made available to parents and teachers at the beginning of the school year (and can be found on the district web site).

Examples of Acceptable Foods:

• Veggie straws or chips
• Skinny Pop or Boom Chicka Pop popcorn
• Cheddar Goldfish or Annie's Cheddar Bunnies
• Gluten-free pretzels or pretzel chips (example: Snyder's brand)
• Carrots
• Applesauce
• Fruit leathers
• Benton's animal crackers (Aldi)
• Apples, bananas, cuties
• Pirate's Booty
• Mott's, Welch's or Annie's fruit snacks

**Snacks MUST be individually packaged.

**All snacks MUST be PEANUT/TREE NUT FREE and MUST NOT be made in a facility that processes nuts. The packaging should not have any NUT Allergy Warnings.

Read the ingredient label for any allergy warnings.

**Snacks that are not on the approved list will be sent home.

**Non-food items are always preferable so all students may safely enjoy a treat. Some examples include:

• Stickers
• Washable tatoos
• Bubbles
• Pencils/erasers

• Monday, December 9th - 2nd Grade Literacy Day
• Wednesday, December 11th - 5th Grade Field Trip (Heartlanders Hockey)
• Wednesday, December 18th - K-2 Music Program @ Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (6:00-7:00pm)
• Wednesday, December 18th - 5th Grade Band Concert (West High)
• Monday, December 23rd - Friday, January 3rd--NO SCHOOL, Winter Break

We had 11 students participate in the Totally Tweens Annual Chess Tournament at the Iowa City Public Library on November 9th. They each played 5 rounds/games and everyone had some great matches and lots of opportunities to learn. Five Central students took home trophies.

Kye - 2nd place (under 3rd grade)

Zach - 1st place on tiebreaks (3rd grade)

Jiyan - 2nd place on tiebreaks (3rd grade)

Rick - 2nd place on tiebreaks (4th grade)

Cooper - 3rd place (5th grade)

Central Chess Club is open to all students. We meet on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 in the school library and our goal is to have fun, learn chess, and frame losses as an opportunity to learn. Students do not need to know how to play chess to join the club!! Come join us!

For any questions, please email coralvillecentralchess@gmail.com.

If you need to come into Coralville Central for any reason, please come to the front of the school and ring the doorbell. We will let you in and then you need to come into the main office and sign in. Thank you!

ALL parents of Kindergarten and 1st grade students - please make sure that your student has an extra change of clothes in their backpacks EVERYDAY in case of accidents. Please also make sure they are season-appropriate (for this time of year--please send sweats, leggings, or shorts).

The link below is the description of the expectations for drop-off and pick-up at Coralville Central. Thank you for following these guidelines. We want everyone to make it safely and on time.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a schoolwide framework to make schools safe and promote positive behavior.

There are a few important principles we work from here at Central:

• Identify the behaviors expected in all settings
• Active teaching
• Ongoing recognition of appropriate behavior
• Clear, consistent consequences for inappropriate student behavior
• Additional support for students with more significant needs
• Collecting and using data to make decisions

Some questions you could ask your students might be “How do you know how to act in the lunchroom? Or the restroom? Who taught you the rules for the playground? How do you know you’re doing a good job following expectations at school?”

Looking for information on Securly, our web filtering tool? Find all
the information here www.IowaCitySchools.org/Securly.

If you have any questions, feel free to let me know. Thank you!

CONTACT: (319) 688-1000 | pedersen.kristin@iowacityschools.org
EXPLORE: www.IowaCitySchools.org
FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Mobile App

Technology continues to evolve and play a key role in learning. One recent emerging technology claiming to transform education is artificial intelligence (AI). As the district explores both the potential and pitfalls of AI, we wanted to gain your insights. The questions within the survey will help us better understand your knowledge of AI, what concerns you may have, as well as what hunches you have about its ability to enhance student learning. In addition, your expertise will assist in the creation of guidelines for both teachers and students as they use artificial intelligence in the classroom. Your anonymous feedback will play a crucial role in ensuring artificial intelligence is not only accessible but used responsibly and effectively to enrich student learning experiences. We greatly appreciate your time and thoughtful responses to the probing questions.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevjjZDHHv9QfHLmy9ek2YhScTmen739_hMp4Q_9Hdc4XdmLA/viewform

Please make sure you review the district student handbook for questions on policies, etc.

https://www.iowacityschools.org/Page/14338

Students, Families, and Employees - The Ombuds Office is here to help! Visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/Ombuds to learn more!

In order to achieve our goals of excellence and equity for all students, we have adopted a new school improvement model called High Reliability Schools. High Reliability Schools is a framework that supports fulfilling our vision of equitable outcomes for all students. It gives us a common language to name what we’re doing, assess our current reality, align our initiatives, and determine where to go next. It is a vehicle that allows us to balance shared responsibility and autonomy to make decisions that best meet the needs of all our students.

We are excited to get this work started and we are excited to partner in this process with all of you! We value the voice of our school community and we want to make sure that your experiences are reflected in our High Reliability Schools implementation. Throughout the year, there will be multiple opportunities for our students, families, and staff to provide feedback that will inform the work that we do. Please stay tuned for information on these opportunities. We look forward to partnering with you on this exciting new adventure!

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 Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations, 1725 N Dodge St, Iowa City, IA 52245, 319-688-1000, howard.eric@iowacityschools.org.