Join the Ptarmigan Student Council and the Ptarmigan Parent Club on April 10th at 5:30 pm for Movie Night. You can vote on the movie and preorder pizza here! We limit the amount of pizza we order, so make sure you pre order to be sure we have enough for everyone!
We will also be hosting a Bloom Night on April 29th at 5:30 pm. Join us in celebrating a year of growth, dinner is provided!
Finally, we will be hosting a clothing drive from April 13th - 18th. Please drop off any clean clothes, shoes, towels or linen of any size at the Big Brothers Big Sisters box in front of the school. We will use these donations to create a community closet for kids in need next year. Every kid deserves clothes that fit and shoes without holes. Together we can make sure every Timberwolf is taken care of.
If you have any questions, please contact Leela Turso at leelacozette@gmail.com.
Parent Club
Hello Ptarmigan Families,
Warm weather is hopefully here to stay for a while. Come on Sunshine and Good Times J. With all the snow and ice break up occurring please make sure students have wet/waterproof gear, the nurse’s office is running out socks, pants, and shoes to help cover children who have been playing in newly formed puddles. If rain boots and other rain gear items aren’t an option, please send your child with a change of clothing until things dry up.
There has been a lot of discussion about the potential eruption of Mt. Spurr and what may happen with school in the event of an eruption. Please refer to the ASD website for the updated information and plan. We are aware and we are prepared:
Hot topic Health information from the Nurse:
Constipation and Tummy Aches
Another common complaint to the school nurse is a stomachache. And while big emotions (anger, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety) hunger and illness cause stomach troubles, constipation is a frequent and usually preventable cause among school-aged children. This is more common for those who are new to “going to school” like PreK and Kindergartners. It can be stressful for young children to think about pooping in a public place like a school restroom with other children in the stall next door. Many will avoid pooping at school and wait until they are at home, but often the urge to go has already passed. They become distracted or busy with play-and soon forget. When children put off pooping for a better time, it can lead to constipation which can cause painful or difficult bowel movements…which causes them to avoid pooping even more because it takes more time, or they fear the discomfort/pain.
Children with constipation can feel heavy or tight in their stomachs, experience cramping and twisting sensation in their lower abdomen, and even have nausea and vomiting due to blockage in their bowels. It is helpful to monitor or ask about your child’s poop, if you suspect they have frequent stomachaches.
Ask. A normal bowel movement should be happening every day or every other day. One of the first questions to ask during a stomachache assessment is “did you poop today?”, if they say yes, follow it up with questions, “was it hard or did it hurt to poop?” “was it a lot or a little?”. The Bristol Stool Chart is a handy little chart for children to show a parent, nurse, or healthcare provider which was most like their last poop. The Bristol Stool Chart can help your child identify the characteristics of their poop. Here is a link: https://pediatricsurgery.stanford.edu/Conditions/BowelManagement/bristol-stool-form-scale.html
It important to note If your child has worrisome symptoms like severe pain, or rectal bleeding call your child’s care provider for guidance.
If your child has mild symptoms and you suspect constipation you can try one of the following, especially if the child indicates he/she/they have been constipated for a short time:
4-6oz of juice once or twice a day (prune, apple, or pear)
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate at least 32oz of water or non-milk, non-soda liquids per day
Offer a well-balanced diet including whole grain foods, fruits, and veggies
If it is something new and they are willing to try it, make sure to praise them and encourage them to eat from these food categories frequently, It general takes trying a new food 8-10 times before giving up.
Limit constipating food like cow’s milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream
Fiber supplements or laxatives may be recommended by your health care provider-it is best to ask them for the dosing and brand recommendations J
Positioning can be helpful. Use a stool or step to replicate a “squatting” position
Schedule time to poop about 30mins after breakfast and/or dinner. This is the most natural time to “go” and can become a normal non-school time for BMs (bowel movements) to ease social anxiety.
When to seek help
Concerning sings may include severe pain or bleeding with constipation. In addition, call your care provider if you notice concerning weight loss, blood in stool, repeated or ongoing constipation, pain with bowel movements, or swollen belly and/or vomiting related to constipation.
As always, please reach out for any questions or concerns. I am here to help.
Warmest Regards,
Cassandra Espinoza BSN-RN PMH-BC
Ptarmigan School Nurse
Phone: 907-742-0417
Fax: 907-742-0425
Ptarmigan Families,
Earth Day- Tuesday, April 22nd is Earth Day. We will be learning about what happens to our trash, recycling, and ways we can help our environment.
Spring & Gardening- As the weather gets warmer, the days get longer, and the snow starts to melt, students will be learning more about gardening and different plants. We will focus on how living things grow and what living things need to grow. We will have discussions about what plants need, parts of a plant and if students have ever planted something before. Students will learn where the plants and gardening books are in the nonfiction section of our library.
Open Library- Open Library will continue throughout the rest of the school year Monday and Wednesday 2:20-2:30. Come on down to exchange your books or get help with finding a resource!
Iditaread - Well done to all of our students who participated and made it to Nome! This is a fun activity we will continue to do in future.
TumbleBooks & Explora - TumbleBooks is a resource including eBooks, animated eBooks, and videos for kids in kindergarten through 6th grade. The videos are in English, Spanish and French. This resource is available on the SLED database paid for by the Alaska Dept. of Education and Early Development. I hope you can use this to access digital resources. Explora for grades K-5 is a wonderful resource for research for kindergarten through fifth grade. This is a free resource for students to use to access health and education-based databases.
Sora- Don’t forget digital resources are also available through SORA. SORA can be accessed through your student’s clever account. Students can check out eBooks and audiobooks. Don’t forget to return to the digital shelf when you are finished reading!
Mrs. Giammalva and Mrs. Gaither
Teacher-Librarians
“April showers bring May flowers.” Let’s hope we get a gentle rain this month as we say goodbye to snow. I fondly remember many Easter egg hunts with my children in freshly fallen snow. Either way, May will bring the beauty of flowers!
Kindergarten
Speaking of flowers... our Kindergarteners will be learning the song "Each of Us is a Flower" and exploring American Sign Language. Be sure to ask your child to sing it for you! They’ve also been exploring the rhythm of different dinosaur names. In April, we'll be focusing on songs about rain and the joys of springtime.
1st Grade
First graders will continue their rhythm reading and begin exploring barred instruments. The students will be working on strengthening their rhythmic skills and learning new musical concepts.
2nd Grade
Our second graders will be singing and composing using So-Mi-La and Do-Re-Mi patterns. They will also continue to study dynamics and begin exploring different tempo markings. We’ll be working with songs in 2/4 and 3/4 time signatures as well.
3rd Grade
This month, we’re excited to begin recorder playing with our third graders! The recorder is a wonderful instrument that brings all of their musical skills together. Ptarmigan has enough recorders for all third graders, but if you’d like to purchase one for your child, I recommend checking out Yamaha or Angel on Amazon, as they are reasonably priced. I’ve also discovered a handy tool called the Muteflute, which reduces the recorder’s sound by 80%—perfect for at-home practice! Let me know if you’d like more information.
4th Grade
Fourth graders will continue to develop their recorder skills this month. Although we started a bit later this year, we still have plenty of time to work on creating rhythms and melodies on the recorder. We’ll perform these pieces for each other as we continue to improve our skills.
5th Grade
As our fifth graders prepare to transition to 6th-grade orchestra, band, or choir, we will focus on barred instruments like xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. It’s time to explore and create with these fun instruments!
Mark Your Calendars!
April 17th: The Ptarmigan Choir will present “Pirates the Musical!” The students have been working hard to learn their lines, choreography, and blocking. The songs are now memorized, and they are ready to bring the musical to life. Join us for a fun and exciting performance as our little “Stowaway” works with the King of the High C’s and all the Ptarmigan Pirates to become a real pirate!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Mrs. Benton
Classroom Music Specialist
