Newell Family Sunday Message 12/08

Newell Families,

This week will be super busy with preparing for our Winter Program on Tuesday evening (see below) and Math MAP testing as well (also see below). I look forward to seeing you all Tuesday at Walnut Middle School!

- Mr. Balcom

On cold mornings many of our students enjoy Open Gym with Mrs. Goosic! Shooting hoops and getting their blood moving is a great way to start the day!

Dear Parents and Students,

Tuesday, December 10, is the K-5 grades Winter Program. The Winter Programs will take place in the Walnut Middle School Auditorium and we will be having three program times:

• The program for grades K-1 will start at 5:30 pm. Grades K-1 students need to meet their teachers in the cafeteria at Walnut NO LATER THAN 5:15pm so we can get organized for the performance.

• The program for grades 2-3 will start at 6:30 pm. Grades 2-3 need to meet their teachers in the cafeteria at Walnut NO LATER THAN 6:15 pm so we can get ready for the performance.

• The program for grades 4-5 will start at 7:30 pm. Grades 4-5 need to meet their teachers in the cafeteria at Walnut NO LATER THAN 7:15 pm so we can get ready for the performance.

Please be aware if there are no teachers in the cafeteria when you arrive, then please have your child sit with you until the teachers are there. At the end of their program there will be a short intermission for families to leave if they want. However, if you have a child performing in one or both of the other performances, please plan on staying.

Please have your child use the restroom before leaving them in the cafeteria area. It may be a good idea for parents to take their child’s coat with them so it will be easier to get ready to leave after the program. The students have been working hard and each program will last around 30 minutes. Please honor our students by staying for the entire program you are attending so our kids have a wonderful audience experience. When leaving the program, be sure to tell your child’s teacher you are leaving with their student.

We hope this will help you plan for an entertaining evening with your family. The kids are so excited to show everyone how great they sound! I know a lot of programs are scheduled and you may have other family members involved in them. Hope you can join us!! Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season!

Kelly Allan

Newell Music Specialist

Grades K-5

Students in Grades K-5 will take their Winter MAP Math Tests this month. Your child’s teacher will provide a schedule of testing days. Make sure your child gets good sleep and has breakfast on testing days.

Assigned Tests:

• Kindergarten: Math MAP Test
• 1st Graders: Math MAP Test
• 2nd Graders: Math MAP Test
• 3rd Graders: Math MAP Test
• 4th Graders: Math MAP Test
• 5th Graders: Math MAP Test

*All students will take their DIBELS Reading Benchmark Assessment in January.

Each week we'll let you behind the scenes on what students are learning at Newell.

This week we are looking at 5th Grade Jobs!

For the past few years we have been working to build up leadership amongst our Fifth Grade students. To that end we’ve begun offering student jobs to all our Fifth Graders. Each fall our new group of students will have the chance to fill out job applications. They choose their top three jobs and write a short explanation why they would be good at the jobs. Mr. Balcom along with the 5th Grade teachers then assign jobs to the students.

This year our 5th Grade Jobs are:

• Reading Buddies
• Little Free Librarians
• Safety Patrol
• Hospitality Coordinators
• Groundskeepers
• Morning Announcers.

Almost 75% of our 5th Graders have volunteered for a job. Currently the are learning and training in their new roles and we appreciate how they are stepping up to lead!

Photo below shows one of our Morning Announcer Teams practicing to lead the school announcements over the PA system.

This section includes updates and important information from our amazing Newell PTA! More information is always available on our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/NewellElementaryPTA

We will not have a meeting in December. Our next PTA Meeting will be Monday, January 13th from 6:30 – 7:30pm! We will meet in the commons area at Newell. We will plan fall and winter events, as well as family game night and fundraisers. A spanish translator will be joining us as well.

Make sure to like our Newell PTA Facebook Page so you don't miss out on any information!

https://www.facebook.com/NewellElementaryPta/

Did you know our school is a Box Top for education school? It’s super easy to help our school raise extra funds!

1. Download the Box Top for Education app!
2. Choose our school— A B Newell Elementary School
3. Go grocery shopping!
4. Scan every receipt just to make sure you’re not missing anything!
5. Repeat steps 3&4 as often as you need to!

Tuesday December 10th

• Winter Vocal Music Program at Walnut Middle School
• 5:30pm Kindergarten and 1st Grade Winter Program (arrive by 5:15pm)
• 6:30pm 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade Winter Program (arrive by 6:15pm)
  
• 7:30pm 4th Grade and 5th Grade Winter Program (arrive by 7:15pm)
  

Friday December 20th

• Elf on the Shelf's Annual Visit to Newell
• Winter Classroom Parties (1:45pm to 2:45pm )

Winter Break - No School

• December 21st - January 7th (students return January 8th)

Keep up with our FULL Calendar of EVERYTHING going on here: http://bit.ly/newellcal

Enjoy these recent photos!

Click to zoom in.

Messages that are important all year long!

Your child’s education and well-being is important to us. If your family or child is experiencing difficulties at home, we would love to be able to provide additional support at school. We understand that you are not always able to share details and that’s okay. If your child is coming to school after a difficult night, morning, or weekend, send a message or note with the words, “Handle with Care.” Nothing else will be said or asked. This will let us know that your child may need extra space, time, patience, and help during the day.

Parents, there is a lot of illness going around. Please monitor your child for symptoms.

Description of Fever:

1. A fever is a temporary increase in body temperature, usually caused by an illness.
2. In most mild, two to five day, childhood illnesses, fever is lowest in the morning, rises in the afternoon, and will be the highest in evening and night. As the child begins to recover, morning temperatures will be normal with fever still present later in the day.

Management:

1. Students with a temperature of 100 F or more may be sent home from school.
2. Students may return to school when their temperature has remained below 100.0 for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.

Social media posts as well as a phone call, email or text message will inform you of urgent announcements and weather emergencies. Please be sure our office has your most current telephone and email information.

A regular school day begins at 8:00am and dismisses at 3:05pm, Monday through Friday. Students may be dropped after 7:30am. Students must be picked up by 3:15pm.

Please make your child aware of his/her after school plan. If transportation or daycare plans change, please call the office so we can let your child’s teacher know. Thank you.

We start our school day right at 8:00am. It is VERY important that your child is in class ready to learn at 8:00. Breakfast is served from 7:30am to 7:50am. We are unable to serve students breakfast after 7:50am. If your child needs to eat breakfast at Newell, plan to have them on campus with enough time to get to our breakfast line by 7:50. Students arriving after 7:50 should go to their class lines. Breakfast is FREE for ALL students!

ALL visitors need to check in at the office and wear given identification while in the school. All visitors must ring the buzzer at door #1. Our staff is busily working with students during the school day. If visiting Newell to speak with a staff member, you may be asked to make an appointment at a later time.

Birthdays may be celebrated in each child’s classroom. Families are NOT required or expected to provide treats or gifts. However, if you want to offer treats, please provide healthy snacks that are individually packaged. Cupcakes, cookies, donuts, etc. will not be allowed.

As cited on page 34 of the GIPS Student Handbook:

"Students in grades Pre-K-5 are discouraged from bringing ECDs (Electronic Communication Devices) to school."

If you need to send an Electronic Communication Device with your student, the handbook states:

"Phones should be kept either turned off, or on silent following the rules specified by the classroom teacher."

At Newell students either keep their phones off or silent in their backpacks or they bring their phones to our secretaries in the office at the beginning of the day to keep them safe, also off or on silent. Note: your child will not be able to send or read messages or calls during the school day.

If you have questions please reach out to Mr. Balcom.

The full handbook is online here: https://www.gips.org/Page/105

Have a wonderful week!

Nate Balcom- Principal

Heather Glause - Secretary

Kathy Schulte - Attendance Secretary

Jami White - Social Worker

Tiffanie Oswald - Nurse

Yolanda Seiler - Spanish Interpreter