Newell Family Sunday Message 10/06
October 6th, 2024
Newell Families,
I'm looking forward to welcoming you all to Parent Teacher Conferences this coming week. If you have a question about your conference time, please message your child's teacher or call the office. On conference nights Door #1 on the west side will be open. And while you're at conferences don't forget to check the lost and found and shop at the Book Fair (this will be our only Book Fair this school year). Reminder we are dismissing at 2pm Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week. See you at Newell!
- Mr. Balcom
Photo of the Week
The Grand Island Fire Department visited Newell last week to teach about fire safety, and we are especially thankful for them this year after the playground burned down. Their visit was a great reminder of the importance of fire prevention and preparedness. Thank you, Grand Island Fire Department, for keeping us safe!
Announcements
2pm Dismissals
No School: Thursday or Friday
There will be no school for students on Thursday October 10th and Friday October 11th.
Pulling Back the Shield: A Peek into Our Learning Adventures
Each week we'll let you behind the scenes on what students are learning at Newell.
This week we are looking at Positive Supports at Newell!
One way that we strive for excellence at Newell is though having HIGH expectations for the behavior of everyone on our campus. All of us are expected to be respectful, responsible, and safe EVERY day! At Newell we encourage and celebrate excellent behavior in a variety of ways:
- Golden Tickets: Every student and staff member can receive a "Golden Ticket" for living The Knights' Way (being respectful, responsible, and/or safe). Each week we draw a Golden Ticket winner from each classroom in our Knights' Way Ticket Drawing. Those 17 winners each Friday sign the Knights' Way Shield; get their picture taken with the Knight; and shop in our Knights' Way Bazaar store. It's possible to earn multiple tickets in a day or even in a class period!
- Positive Office Referrals: Going beyond a ticket recognition, Positive Office Referrals are certificates filled out with specific details by adults on campus and presented to students who are showing a higher level of The Knights' Way. Students who receive a Positive Office Referral come to the Office and celebrate with Office Staff. The Office Staff reads their certificate aloud, proclaiming their awesome deeds, students then ring the Gong of Celebration, and then have their picture taken with the Knight!
- Golden Knights: Each month our Specials Teachers (Ms. Allan, Mr. Hansen, Mr, Kresnick, and Mrs. Spilger) collaborate to choose ONE Golden Knight from each grade (2nd - 5th). These four winners are announced over the intercom and receive a special gift from the Specials Teachers.
- Knight of the Month: Our highest level of recognition! At the end of every month ONE student from each classroom is chosen as the most well behaved student of the month. These 17 EXCELLENT students are recognized with a certificate, a Knighting ceremony in the cafeteria, and they eat lunch at a specially decorated table. Every Trimester the 17 Knights from each month will get a chance to compete in Knightly games... stay tuned for more at the end of First Trimester.
👥 Newell PTA Corner 👥
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
👥 Next PTA Meeting
Our next PTA Meeting will be Monday, October 14th from 6:30 – 7:30pm! We will meet in the commons area at Newell. We will plan fall and winter events, as well as apparel designs.
👥 PTA on Facebook
Make sure to like our Newell PTA Facebook Page so you don't miss out on any information!
👥 Box Top for Education School
Did you know our school is a Box Top for education school? It’s super easy to help our school raise extra funds!
- Download the Box Top for Education app!
- Choose our school— A B Newell Elementary School
- Go grocery shopping!
- Scan every receipt just to make sure you’re not missing anything!
- Repeat steps 3&4 as often as you need to!
📆 Important Dates Coming Up 📆
Monday October 7th
- Dismissal at 2pm.
- Parent Teacher Conferences and Book Fair 3:40pm to 7:20pm
Tuesday October 8th
- Dismissal at 2pm.
- Parent Teacher Conferences and Book Fair 3:30pm to 7:10pm
Wednesday October 9th
- Dismissal at 2pm.
Thursday October 10th
- No School For Students
- Parent Teacher Conferences and Book Fair 8am to 11:00am
Friday October 11th
- No School
Monday October 14th
- Newell PTA Meeting at 6:30pm
Tuesday October 15th
- Newell PTA Dine to Donate at Dairy Queen (Capital Ave) 5pm to 8pm.
Keep up with our FULL Calendar of EVERYTHING going on here: http://bit.ly/newellcal
Photo Gallery
This is the Way!
Enjoy these recent photos!
Click to zoom in.
♻️ REPEATED MESSAGES ♻️
Messages that are important all year long!
♻️ Handle With Care Information
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.
♻️ Students Who are Sick
Parents, there is a lot of illness going around. Please monitor your child for symptoms.
Description of Fever:
- A fever is a temporary increase in body temperature, usually caused by an illness.
- 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:
- Students with a temperature of 100 F or more may be sent home from school.
- Students may return to school when their temperature has remained below 100.0 for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.
♻️ Weather Updates and School Cancellations
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.
♻️ School Times:
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.
♻️ Breakfast
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!
♻️ Visitors:
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.
♻️ Birthday Treats:
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.
♻️ Student Cell Phones:
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 first week!
Nate Balcom- Principal
Heather Glause - Secretary
Kathy Schulte - Attendance Secretary
Jami White - Social Worker
Tiffanie Oswald - Nurse
Yolanda Seiler - Spanish Interpreter