Clarendon Avenue Elementary School

Hi Families!

The month of September flew by at Clarendon! We worked very hard on showing the Cougar Code (respectful, responsible, and safe) behaviors so that we can focus on learning. I was impressed each and everyday with student focus, targeted learning, and engagement in all of the classrooms!

As we move into October, we will keep our focus on our Cougar Code and also add a target on Friendship. I've LOVED celebrating students earning Super R.O.A.R.S in September and can't wait to see who might earn one in October!

October also brings on our annual PTG's event and fundraiser - the GLOW RUN! We will begin hyping students for this event on Friday, Oct. 4th and fundraising will begin on Monday, Oct. 7th. Read below for more information.

On behalf of myself and everyone here at Clarendon, we are honored to work with you and your children!

Brandy Hart, Principal

Clarendon is a PBIS school. PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support! Read more in the parent brochure pictured below and also linked as a PDF.

Super R.O.A.R.S are a recognition given to students showing above and beyond efforts in the Cougar Code. Showing the Cougar Code means we see consistent respectful, responsible, and safe behaviors. We use the above matrix to help us select Super R.O.A.R recipients. At school, we celebrate a few students each day on our morning announcements.

Dear Families,

I am ready for another year at Clarendon! I am the full-time School Counselor! I teach all grades K-6th Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in their classrooms. 1st-6th grade will have SEL every other week. Kindergarten will have SEL EVERY week this year. We are available to meet one-on-one with students and in small groups to work on strategies and problem solving skills for social, emotional, and academic concerns.

To start off the school year, we have reviewed our common vocabulary for identifying feelings and strategies when coping with our feelings using the program Zones of Regulation. Every classroom is now able to identify what feelings are in the Blue zone, Green zone, Yellow zone, and Red Zone. We learned that we do our best learning when we are in the Green zone. All feelings are okay and all zones are okay, but when we are in the Blue, Yellow, or Red zone, we can use a strategy to help get back to the Green zone.

We introduced some new vocabulary related to the Zones of Regulation too. We learned about the size of the problem and the size of our reaction. If the size of the problem is small, then the reaction should match and be small. We also talked about medium problems and big problems and the size of our reactions. Most problems that students have at school are small problems and students are learning the skills and strategies to solve these small problems. Please ask your child about the Zones and continue to practice strategies at home.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, don’t hesitate to reach out! It is my hope to work with families, as well as teachers, other school staff, and community partners to best support your student(s) here at school. I am looking forward to another great year at Clarendon!

Mrs. Megan Johnson
Clarendon School Counselo

johnsmeg@masd.k12.wi.us

Each month, the Mukwonago School District seeks out and recognizes staff that have gone above and beyond in serving the districts mission and vision. We call these awards, The Vision Keepers!

In the month of September, 15 vision keepers were recognized throughout the district.... Clarendon had THREE of those 15 recipients! Congrats to Holly Adams, Megan Johnson, and Melanie Von Thun for showing excellence. We are all thankful and and grateful to have you on our team!

We're excited to announce a meaningful partnership to make recess safer and more enjoyable for all Clarendon students. This year, we're collaborating with Playworks Wisconsin, an organization To improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. [Learn More About Playworks Wisconsin]

This partnership aims to create a recess environment where safety is a priority, and students can actively participate in creative and energetic activities. With the support of our staff, we'll introduce new and engaging games every month, ensuring students understand the rules of games before new ones are incorporated while still allowing the space for kids to be kids.

To facilitate these activities, we've acquired new, high-quality playground equipment. To maintain a safe and consistent environment, we ask that students refrain from bringing personal items to the playground. If your child recommends additional playground equipment, we're open to suggestions.

Why Choose Playworks? Our Cougar Code expectations of “Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe” closely aligns with Playworks' mission: to enhance the health and well-being of children by providing more opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

We have launched at CES! We have selected 30 students to serve as our Jr. Coaches. Jr. Coaches have a leadership role in the building and especially at recess!

Our school board approved a revised referendum resolution to address our needs at Park View Middle School. The solution would involve over 200,000 square feet of new construction and over 30,000 feet of renovated space in the existing school to create a 6th-8th grade school that meets our current and future space needs and provides improved and enhanced academic opportunities for our middle school students.

The revised plan is based on community feedback and has a reduced tax impact for our residents from the April referendum – $24 annually per $100,000 of fair market property value or $96 on a $400,000 home. This is about a third of the impact of the April proposal.

Join us at one of our upcoming Park View Middle School Tour and Open House sessions to view the school for yourself and to learn more. Evening sessions begin at 6 p.m. on October 8 and October 16.

Or, visit our Referendum website for more information!

If you would like to schedule a conference with a Specialist Teacher(Library/Technology, Art, Physical Education and/or Music), please send an email to your preferred teacher(s) and they will contact you to set up a meeting time.

Please use this link for more information: Specialist Conference Letter.

This year's school-wide fundraiser is our COUGAR GLOW RUN. The program kicks off with a pep rally on October 4th and ends with the Glow Run on November 1st. Fundraising will be held October 7-23rd. During the weeks leading up, families are encouraged to gather donations with your student for this super fun event. As students hit each fundraising goal, they will be rewarded with many fun activities such as a pajama party or a movie day. The exact incentives will be sent home and displayed at Clarendon on our Pledge-O-Meter.

This year our goal is to raise $20,000 to support our school’s field trip budget, contribute to teacher’s classroom needs, and host more PTG sponsored events.

Picture Retake Day is scheduled for Friday, November 1, 2024.

STUDENTS THAT NEED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED

If students have not been photographed this school year, please be prepared to have a photograph taken on retake day.

If you want a retake of your student's original portrait, please return the original package in its entirety to the photographer on retake day. A replacement package will be printed and delivered to the school with your student's new image. If you did not purchase photos from the original picture day and want a retake, please have the student's picture taken.

You can check online to see which library books your student has checked out! Go to our school website, www.masd.k12.wi.us and if you scroll down there is a “Family & Student Login” button (yellow computer icon button). Use the “Destiny” icon for library software. Then choose your child’s home school and log in on the top right corner.

Your student should login with Google (their username is their network log in name, 4 letters of their last name and 4 of their first - ex: John Smith would be smitjohn@stu.masd.k12.wi.us) Students in Grades K-3 have their password set by their teacher and by students grades 4 and up set their own password. Your child is very versed on using this login information on websites on Chromebooks at school so you can ask them!

Once logged into Destiny, you can go to the tab on the top labeled “MY INFO” and it will show the items checked out, date, and due date. Please let your child’s LTS (Library Technology Specialist) know if you have any questions. Thank you!

Students should not arrive at school before 8:20 am. Supervision begins at 8:20 am.

Please discuss safety measures and appropriate behaviors with your child before they walk or ride their bicycle to and from school. Students who ride their bikes to school must park them in the bike rack located on the south side of Clarendon near the swings.

Students who walk or ride their bicycle must go directly home after school to check in with parents.

Bus Route Information

Transportation information will be available before Open House. Your student's transportation information will be updated in Infinite Campus. You can login to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal by clicking here. Once in the Portal, please click "More" on the left hand side, and then on "Transportation."

Your student's transportation information includes their bus route number, time of pick up, and location of the bus stop. Drop off information is also included.

Concerns with Transportation

If you have a concern with your student's transportation, please go to our transportation website and follow the information under "Bus Transportation Concerns".

Apply for Transportation

If you are not currently receiving bus transportation but would like to, please go to our transportation website and follow the information under "Apply for Bus Transportation Service". Please note that seating will be limited based on availability for open enrolled students who reside in other school districts but would like to ride MASD routes.

At the bus stop, each child is the responsibility of his or her own parents/guardians. Sending children to a bus stop unsupervised may lead to problems. Speaking with your neighbors and developing some type of rotation system for regular and consistent supervision is strongly recommended.

Please remember to send appropriate shoes for P.E. class. Many students are coming to gym with sandals instead of gym shoes. Thanks for your help-Mrs. Portz.

• Oct 1-3rd Grade Field Trip to Marcus Ridge Cinema New Berlin
• Oct 3-4th Grade Field Trip to Madison, WI
• Oct 7-Glow Run Fundraising Begins
• Oct 7-Fire Prevention Week
• Oct 8-PTG Meeting 6:30 pm in the library
• Oct 8-4K & 5K Field Trip to Mukwonago Family Dentistry
• Oct 10-4K & 5K Field Trip to Mukwonago Fire Station
• Oct 10-Fire Prevention Assemblies
• Oct 14-Spanish Club Begins
• Oct 17 & 23 Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-7 pm
• Oct 21-Spanish Club
• Oct 24 Parent/Teacher Conferences 8-11 am
• Oct 23-Last Day to Fundraise for the Glow Run
• Oct 24 & 25-No School
• Oct 29-Spanish Club
• Oct 31-4th Grade Walking Field Trip Historic Tour of Mukwonago
• Oct 31-6th Grade Field Trip to Jay's Lanes

Magnetic Calendars are available in the main office while they last.

Hello! I am so excited to be your child’s ALP teacher this year. I love to learn and enjoy helping students learn in any and every way I can. One of my passions is helping extend students in their work and getting students to think deeply!

About Me - My name is Mrs. Melanie von Thun (pronounced von Toon). I live in Mukwonago with my husband, three boys (17 ½, 8 ½, 7), and our two dogs. It’s a loud house! ;) We also spend a lot of time on the baseball field (and all sports!) watching all the boys play! I’m excited to see what this year has in store for all of them!

This is my fifteenth year teaching. I have worked in several districts (West Allis-West Milwaukee, Merton, Franklin) and grade levels (K, 1st, 4th, 5th, intervention) prior to coming to Mukwonago. The last five years I have been at Big Bend Elementary. I also just finished getting my Master’s Degree in Education this past summer. I really think learning is a lifelong journey and I love to be right there with the students learning more everyday. Seeing how much growth they make over the course of the year is amazing!

Teaching Philosophy - Every child can and will learn. I will do everything in my power to help your child learn. In the classroom, I am committed to helping your child make academic, social, and emotional growth. My enthusiasm for learning and teaching becomes infectious and students can’t help but dive right in with me! I teach to help all learning styles. This way all students will have the same level of access to the material that we are learning in the classroom. I like to do a lot of hands-on and small group work to make sure I’m reaching students at their level.

Schedule - This year I will be at Clarendon all day Monday, all day Tuesday, and in the morning on Wednesdays. I will be at Big Bend Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday and Friday.

Communication - Most communication about things we are doing during the week will come through email. I will also make phone calls throughout the year. If you ever want to meet, talk, or go through anything you have seen, heard, or are wondering about, please let me know. I am more than happy to help! You can reach me by email vonthme@masd.k12.wi.us or phone (262)-363-4401 ext. 21405 (BBES) or (262)-363-6286 ext. 24214 (CES). I look forward to getting to know all of you!

Items that are found without identification will be placed in the Lost & Found located in hallway outside the gym. Please mark your child's name in all outerwear, lunch boxes, and personal sports equipment brought for recess, etc. If your child has come home without all his/her possessions, please have your child check the lost and found located in the hallway outside the gym for sweatshirts, coats, hats, gloves, etc. Small items (jewelry, keys, etc.) will be located in the office. Items in the Lost & Found at the end of the school year will be donated.

• Elementary Hot lunch (including milk) is available daily for $3.20. The cost of ala carte milk is $.50. Funds should be deposited to your child's Infinite Campus food service account. You may check the balance at any time by accessing the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. You will receive an automatic low balance or negative balance phone call when your child needs money added to his/her account. Payments may be made online through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, or paid by check made out to MASD and sent to the school office. Our free/reduced-price lunch application is also available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal for families wishing to apply for assistance. The food service department has several part-time job openings available throughout MASD. If you are interested in joining our school nutrition staff, please contact Christina Oswald at 262-363-6200 ext 25601 or oswalch@masd.k12.wi.us.

The free/reduced-price lunch application is available through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. The primary household has the option to share the permissions (waiver) with other fees issued districtwide when completing the annual update. This option is selected yes/no on the household tab in the annual update, if this is not selected, no fees will be waived. Secondary households can apply for meal benefits, however only the primary household can apply for the fee waiver.

The lunch menu may be found on the district website under Families - Lunch Menu - Elementary "Refrigerator Menu". You may also click button below to see the lunch menu.

Please note that due to availability and/or staff shortages, some menu items may change throughout the month (rare, but could occur). Please use the online version for the most up to date information.

As part of our district's website revision, the old version of the app will no longer be updated. Users are asked to delete the old app. A new version of the MASD app is in the works and more information will be shared when it is ready for use!

The Wisconsin Student Immunization Law recently changed. New vaccine requirements for Varicella and MenACWY (meningitis) were added which may affect your child's compliance with the law.

Please see the following summary of changes to the Wisconsin school immunization requirements linked below for the 2024-2025 school year for schools. The summary explains the differences between the prior requirements and the newly updated requirements. For summary of changes please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p03370.pdf

In Wisconsin, if a parent does not wish to have their child vaccinated, they may seek either a religious waiver or personal conviction waiver. This is noted in step 4 of the Child Care Immunization Record attached here.

For immunization requirements, please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/reqs.htm

Technology information for families can be found at this link: Family Technology Resources

Internet Safety

Mukwonago Area School District has various options available to Parents/Guardians related to Internet Safety and monitoring student activity. For more information on how parents/guardians can take advantage of available options, please click this link.

November 4, 2024 from 8:15a-6:00p

Brooklife Church (857 S Rochester St, Mukwonago)

Gina Berka at 262-363-6300 x24201 or by email at berkagi@masd.k12.wi.us

Newsletters will be sent to you via Shoutpoint Messenger each month with a mid-month reminder of important dates. Please remember to keep your information up to date on the parent portal. Please take time to review the important information that is included in the monthly newsletter.

• MASD is proud to partner with the Wisconsin Department of Justice to use the new Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO) confidential reporting system. SUSO allows students and parents to report weapons, threats of violence, bullying, sexual harassment, threat of suicide, drugs, and any other activity that could potentially endanger students, staff, and property. By using SUSO, students and parents can help keep schools safe, and it’s completely confidential.

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that ensures the right of students to go to school even when they are homeless or don’t have a permanent address. The Act aims to reduce barriers that have prevented many homeless youth from enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. The Mukwonago Area School District is committed to building and creating a supportive community for all families and students.

Visit Resources for Homeless Students and Families

Parents struggling financially may apply now to receive 2024 Christmas gift assistance.

Visit https://www.christmasclearingcouncil.org/application for program information and application links.

Deadline to apply is Nov. 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

To qualify, a family must:

• Live in Waukesha County, WI or be caring for a Waukesha County foster child.
• Have custody of the children they are applying for.
• Provide proof of financial hardship (such as qualifying for free/reduced lunch).
• Have children ages 0-18 (will accept older if still enrolled in high school.)

Did you know that public entities in Wisconsin can auction off surplus items online? The Mukwonago Area School District has items live right now!

Click here to view our items or click here to visit the main Wisconsin Surplus Online Auction website.

As a service to our community, don't forget that MASD hosts a virtual Community Bulletin Board that is regularly updated with information from organizations providing services or activities. Be sure to bookmark the page and watch Key News for Families all year long for updates!

School Hours

8:30 am - 3:35 pm Monday through Friday

Website: Clarendon Avenue Elementary School
Location: 915 Clarendon Avenue, Mukwonago, WI, USA
Phone: 262-363-6286
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masdclarendon