I hope everyone enjoyed Halloween and is prepared for the upcoming holiday season. Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it! Speaking of which, we're rapidly approaching the fall break. School will be closed November 25-29.

Our students are continuing to stay ahead of the curve on attendance. We currently have 37 (out of 308) students that are chronically absent. At this point in the year, if your child has missed more than 6 days of school, they are considered chronically absent. We are well ahead of where we were this time last year, but I'm hoping we can continue to improve. Please be mindful of when you schedule trips and medical appointments. We love having your children here, and our increased attendance is paying off with improved performance in reading and math. I hope it's also making a difference with their sense of belonging at school. 😊

I'd like to take a quick minute and thank all of the volunteers that contributed baked goods and/or helped with the bake sale on election day. Our Taft Family Collective made a whopping $4241! Amazing, right?! Our staff would also like to thank all of you that brought in soup, bread, or other treats for parent teacher conferences. That made a huge difference on the long day!

Lastly, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to tell you all how GRATEFUL I am to be at Taft. This is an extraordinary community with amazing children and incredible parents. My time at Taft has been the greatest years of my 34-year career in the Boise School District. Thank you! I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Mr. Lowe

The Boise School District complies with federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as it relates to the release of student directory information to the public. To learn more, log on to www.boiseschools.org and navigate to Parents & Patrons > Parent Information > FERPA Form. Or, please call the Clerk of the Board at 208-854-4123 to obtain a copy of the FERPA form.

This school year, all children in the Boise School District will receive free breakfast. Additionally, our school is now participating in the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), qualifying for free meals, including lunch, for the next four years.

Key Points:

• No Applications Needed: You don't need to complete an application for free or reduced-priced meals for students at our school.

• Other Schools: If you have students at other Boise School District schools that are not CEP, applications may still be necessary for those students to receive free or reduced-priced lunch benefits.

• Complete Meals Only: The free meal benefit applies only to complete student meals. Additional items like milk or a second entrée require money on the student's meal account or cash payment.

For more information on meal prices, menus, and meal applications, visit Food & Nutrition Services at Boiseschools.org.

Heidi Gudmundsen, M.S., LPC

Counselor

Hello Taft Families.

• Kindergarten - We are continuing to work on feelings. We will be focusing on feeling good about ourselves, being helpful and gaining independence and solving problems on their own. We will also be doing a schoolwide kindness lesson with Mrs. Bailey.

• 1st, 2nd - We are continuing to work on the 12 Tools in our toolbox. Here is a link to learn more about the Toolbox tools. We will also be doing a schoolwide kindness lesson with Mrs. Bailey.

• 3rd, 4th and 4th/5th Combo class - We will finish up our Tool Box lessons with students creating their own Tool Box key chain. Here is a link to learn more about the Toolbox tools. We will read the book “Just Kidding” and discuss the difference between being rude, mean and unkind. We will also be doing a schoolwide kindness lesson with Mrs. Bailey.

• 5th Grade: We will be reviewing how emotions show up in our bodies and what things we can do to help ourselves when we have those emotions. We will also create a family solar system. To learn more about the curriculum please go to the Sources of Strength Website. We will also be doing a schoolwide kindness lesson with Mrs. Bailey.

• 6th Grade: We will continue learning about our sources of strength. We will focus on our family support and create a family solar system. To learn more about the curriculum please go to the Sources of Strength Website. We will also be doing a schoolwide kindness lesson with Mrs. Bailey.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call or email me.

Heidi Gudmundsen, MS, LPC

W.H. Taft Elementary School Counselor

208-854-6189

heidi.gudmundsen@boiseschools.org

Boise School District

Pronouns: She, her, hers

www.boiseschools.org/everythingspossible

Facebook | Instagram

Holiday Resources for our Families:

Please contact Heidi Gudmundsen if you have any questions.

Demi Miller

Reading and Math Intervention Specialist

Family Engagement Coordinator

For more information; Taft Family Engagement Plan

Family Engagement Coordinator: demi.miller@boiseschools.org

November Books

National Native American Heritage Month

Brr! It's getting cold outside! Time to cozy up with a good book!

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by, Kevin Noble Maillard Illustrated by, Juana Martinez Neal

Summary: Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.

It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/o6qE1FdpBho?si=5adpmnAUqJUQ8FB_

We Are Water Protectors by, Carole Lindstrom Illustrated by, Michaela Goade

Summary: We Are Water Protectors, issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―inviting young readers everywhere to join the fight.

Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/FLZVQFhFeqE?si=6Vj_7Q3N-b1_cJfi

JoJo Makoons by, Dawn Quigley Illustrated by, Tara Audibert

Summary: Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in an all-new chapter book series by Dawn Quigley celebrates a spunky young Ojibwe girl who loves who she is.

Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.

Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she’s worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore…

Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/G2sdE-pMB6M?si=zbRKpSBrfOLZ9QyS (Part 1)

https://youtu.be/CX1iQ0QwSF4?si=PiTqb8AmVfOQVCU0 (Part 2)

https://youtu.be/uRpLTtKnpDc?si=4tS-b8mNy3AIglay (Part )

Jenny Hirst

Community Schools Coordinator

jenny.hirst@boiseschools.org

Community Schools Coordinator Update!

Clubs!!

Last month, students in the 2nd-6th grade participated in a “working lunch” and brainstormed lunchtime club ideas. A vote was held the next day, and in the following weeks a variety of clubs were launched! It’s been exciting to see new community partnerships develop as these student-driven clubs form: Reuseum is offering a Robot Making club and the 4-H extension office will be offering a Cooking Club. Currently we have Mr Hill’s Sports Clubs including Kickball and Ping Pong (during the month of November). Also, Culture Club is being offered to 5th and 6th grade, Knitting club will start up in November and a new before school Fitness Club starts in the middle of the month! Contact Jenny Hirst if you’d like to learn more about student clubs and ways you might support these fun ways to expose our students to new skills and ideas!

Tanya Brisson

Dustin Hamlin

First Grade

First Graders are Busy This Fall!

First Grade has had a busy fall! We have enjoyed making new friends and learning the expectations of first grade. We are currently working on reading words with short vowel sounds, sequencing a story and narrative writing. In math we are learning strategies to add and subtract numbers to 20.

We enjoy reading to the therapy dog, Taco on Fridays. We appreciate Joanne and Taco sharing their time with us.

We are looking forward to the music program on December 12.

Families are invited to watch the program at 2:00 that day.

We have our Parent Field Trip to the Idaho History Museum in January. Please be watching for more information. This is a fun event that we look forward to every year.

Please make sure you have joined your child’s teacher’s Remind account. This is our primary method of communicating with families.

A big thank you to parents for attending conferences in October. We loved seeing you!

• November 25-29 Autumn Break - No School Pre K-12
• December 18, 19, 20 Secondary End of Semester Testing - Early Release *7-12
• December 19 Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards, No School Pre K
• December 20 End of First Semester - Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards, No School Pre K
• December 23 - January 3 Winter Break - No School Pre K-12
• January 6 Staff PD and Building Work Day; Non-Student Day
• January 7 School Resumes
• January 20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School Pre K-12
• February 17 Presidents' Day - No School Pre K-12
• March 6th Kindergarten Registration 3:45 - 5:30 p.m.
• March 14 End of Third Quarter - Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards, No School Pre K
• March 17-21 Spring Break - No School Pre K-12
• April 18 No School Pre K-12
• May 15 Last Day of School for Seniors, Early Childhood Special Education Programs and Pre K
• May 16 Early Release K-6 to work on Report Cards
• May 20, 21, 22 Secondary End of Semester Testing - Early Release *7-12
• May 22 Last Day of School - Early Release K-12