Coralville Central Newsletter

Dear Coralville Central Families,

As we approach the end of the school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've had together and celebrate the many accomplishments of the year. Thank you for your support and partnership throughout this school year. Your involvement and encouragement have been instrumental in making this year a success for Coralville Central. We are incredibly proud of the progress our students have made academically, socially, and emotionally. Their hard work and resilience have truly shone through. From the Spring Music Concerts to the various classroom projects and field trips, our students have had numerous opportunities to learn, grow, and create lasting memories. The involvement of our families and community in Coralville Central events and activities has been outstanding. Thank you for being such a vital part of our team. While summer is a time for rest and relaxation, it's also a great opportunity for continued learning. Encourage your child to read regularly, explore new hobbies, and engage in educational activities to keep their mind active. As your families and friends enjoy summer activities, please remember to stay safe, whether at home or on the road.

We want to celebrate two wonderful groups of students who will be heading to Middle School next year. The best of luck to our 5th and 6th graders on their new journey. I know they will represent Coralville Central very well and be outstanding leaders in our Community. Please come back and visit, we will miss you all.

Also, a shout out to our beloved Staff that is moving on. We cannot thank them enough for their time and dedication to Coralville Central over the years.

Tami Jensen - 1st Grade - Retiring

Kara Belk - ELL - ELL, Twain Elementary

Anna Canton - Kindergarten - Preschool, Lincoln Elementary

Danielle Burnett - Kindergarten - Title, Weber Elementary

Matt Lesan - 4th Grade - Principal, Lincoln Elementary

Ashley Stogdill - Behavior Interventionist - Borlaug, BI

Nafisa Mustafa - Special Ed Para - Moving

Carrie Borchert - 6th Grade - 6th NWJH

Cassie Foerstner - Special Education - Special Ed, Des Moines

Mara Jones - Para - Moving

Taylor Nagle - Special Education - Other avenues

Again, I hope that everyone has a fabulous summer!

Andy Gahan

Gahan.andy@iowacityschools.org

319.666.1100

Monday, May 27th - No School (Memorial Day)

Tuesday, May 28th - K-2 Music Program at Coralville Center for Performing Arts (make-up from 5/22)

Tuesday, May 28th - 6th grade visits NorthWest Middle School (9:15-10:15am)

Wednesday, May 29th - 5th grade visits NorthWest Middle School (9:15-10:15am)

Wednesday, June 5th - Kindergarten Graduation (10:00am)

Wednesday, June 5th - 6th Grade Graduation (12:30pm)

Wednesday, June 5th - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (1 hour early release)

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.

Please always check the Lost & Found and encourage your student to do so as well.

All items left in Lost & Found will be donated by May 30th.

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 (now that it's warmer, please send sweats, leggings, or shorts).

Please spread the word to former students and families. All are welcome to send Mrs. Jensen a card for her upcoming retirement.

https://coralvillepubliclibrary.org/summer-reading-challenges/

We have some extra yearbooks available. If your student would like one, please send exact amount ($7.50) in cash or check as no change will be given. It is first come, first serve. There is a limited number.

LAST CHANCE! If you want your child to take their Chromebook home for the summer, you must read through these expectations: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19yzaU-zRJkomY0kIdm1vT_ViNwlNWjqwAKDoI_B2l5g/edit?usp=sharing and then fill out this form: https://forms.gle/EySaxnFdPPEszgZm8.
If you want us to keep the Chromebook here at school, you do not have to do anything.

Reminder : Please sign you and your kid up for the Coralville Public Library Summer Reading Program!
Friends, it’s so important that we encourage reading, that we model it as adults, and that we keep our minds working during the summer. If a kid reads (or we read to them) for 30 minutes a day for a 75-day vacation, that's 2,250 minutes of reading over the summer! What a great goal to try to achieve!
I am also a firm believer that if you have a big stack of picture books (free from the public library) within reach, kids WILL read them! Even the big kids at Coralville Central still check out the picture books.

I will be at the CPL on Wednesday, May 29 from 5-6:30pm. Find me, and I will add your name to a drawing for a Barnes and Noble gift card. There will be a drawing for kids and one for adults.
Whoot! Let’s do this!

There will be a summer reading log coming home. Pair it with the public library summer reading programs. If your child fills it all out, they will have read over 2000 minutes this summer. Think about how much better any of us would be at anything if we practiced daily for 30 minutes. I am a big fan of small habits.

Devin Redmond (she/hers)

Teacher Librarian

Coralville Central Elementary : ICCSD

Instagram @cclibrary

Facebook @coralvillecentral

Twitter @devinred

Enjoy the Summer!

I will miss you all!

Take some time to practice some Mindfulness this Summer!

Becca Bender

School Counselor

Coralville Central

319.688.1100

Summer Sun Safety: Protect Yourself from UV Radiation

Taking steps to protect yourself from the sun is a year-round responsibility. Protect yourself and others from the sun with shade, a shirt, or sunblock (SPF15+) all year long.

Benefits

Beneficial effects of UV radiation include the production of vitamin D, a vitamin essential to human health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food and assists bone development. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 5 to 15 minutes of sun exposure 2 to 3 times a week.

Risks

• A sunburn in a sign of short-term overexposure, while premature aging and skin cancer are side effects of prolonged UV exposure.
• Some oral and topical medicines, such as antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide products may increase skin and eye sensitivity to UV in all skin types.
• UV exposure increases the risk of potentially blinding eye diseases, if eye protection is not used.
• Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to serious health issues, including cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer are basal cell cancer and squamous cell skin cancer. Typically they form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms because these body parts are the most exposed to UV radiation. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to UV radiation.

To Protect Yourself from UV Radiation

• Stay in the shade, especially during midday hours (10:00am - 3:00pm).
• Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs.
• Wear a wide brim hat to cover your face, head, ears and neck.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.
• Wear sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher, for both UVA and UVB protection.

https://blogs.cdc.gov/yourhealthyourenvironment/2018/06/25/summer-sun-safety-protect-yourself-from-uv-radiation-2/

PBIS Empowers Students to Play a Central Role in their Education
Schools implementing a PBIS framework define positive expectations like respectful and kind and teach students skills to help create the environment they want to see. (Source: https://www.pbis.org/pbis/why-implement-pbis)

Our building has a Tier 2/Tier 3 Team (see below) that we utilize when a student is in need of extra support. If you are looking for additional support for your student, academically, behaviorally or emotionally we encourage you to first email your child's classroom teacher. Once you have done so, the teacher will fill out the necessary referral form to request supports. Feel free to contact the team members below with any additional questions.

Our Tier 2/Tier 3 Team consists of Mr. Gahan (principal), Miss Becca (counselor), Mr. Mendoza (student and family advocate), Ms. Doster (special education teacher), Tennille Nelson (school facilitator), Bonnie Winslow Garvin (GWAEA Psychologist), Noah Catron (GWAEA Social Worker), Meaggan Bermingham (Instruction Design Strategist), Ashley Stogdill (Behavior Interventionst) and like members who come together weekly to discuss students and individual needs in our building.

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

Designate ICCSD Honorees!

We our amazing Iowa City Community School District teachers, staff, and volunteers! Let’s recognize them!

The 2024 Districtwide Parent Organization (DPO) Honoree Recognition Form is live!

The ICCSD DPO Teaching Scholarships for ICCSD Students was established in 1954 in honor of Kate Wickham, who taught in the Iowa City Schools from 1902 to 1939. Since then, students planning a career in teaching have been awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships. These scholarships are made possible by donations from Parent Teacher Organizations, individuals, and area groups in honor of individuals who have contributed to our schools.

For each $50 contributed to the DPO Scholarship for Future Teachers Fund you or your organization(s) are entitled to designate one Honoree. Traditionally, Honorees have been current or retiring teachers, administrators, staff, and exemplary volunteers who have contributed to the education of ICCSD students.

We will celebrate both the seniors’ winning scholarships and the Honorees at the DPO Honoree & Scholarship Reception at the ICCSD Education Services Building on Wednesday, April 10th at 6PM.

Honoree Nomination Deadline: March 31, 2024, at 11:59pm

DPO Honoree Recognition Form: Honoree impact statements at the reception in April, when we award the scholarships.

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

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.