Newell Family Sunday Message 01/12

Newell Families,

Welcome back, Newell Elementary families! We hope you had a joyful holiday season. It was great seeing the students back on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! As we return to school, let's embark on a new year of learning and growth together. Wishing everyone a successful semester ahead!

- Mr. Balcom

We encourage student leadership at ALL levels, including Kindergartner Rayan leading her class in choral reading during a CKLA Skill lesson!

All students will take their DIBELS Reading Benchmark Assessment in the coming two weeks

Testing on Friday January 17th

• 1st Graders
• 4th Graders
• 5th Graders

Friday January 24th

• Kindergarteners
• 2nd Graders
• 3rd Graders

This short assessment gives teachers and staff a snapshot of how our students are doing in reading skills after half a school year of instruction! Results will be shared at Parent Teacher Conferences in February.

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 upcoming SECA Lessons!

Here is a preview of what your children will be learning in SECA Class with Mr. Kresnik in the coming weeks:

We would love to invite you for a weekend of fun “Storming the Island” at our Jr. Islander Show Choir Camp! Members of the Islander Show Choir and their directing team will lead you in a weekend full of singing, dancing, friends and FUN!! You will perform on the GISH stage during the Islander Show Choir Premiere Night on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Please invite all of your friends and enjoy a fun weekend!

GISH Show Choir: Storming the Island 2025 Jr. Islander Show Choir Camp

Saturday January 18th and Sunday 19th

3rd - 8th Grades

Registration deadline is Tuesday, Jan 14th.

Sign-up Here: https://gipsfoundation.org/how-to-help/online-orders/gish-show-choir-jr-islander-show-choir-camp.html

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.

Take the night off from cooking and support our Newell PTA. Tuesday January 21st at Freddy's from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

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!

Monday January 13th

• 6:30pm - Newell PTA Meeting

Tuesday January 21st

• 4:00pm to 8:00pm Newell PTA Dine-to-Donate at Freddy's

Friday, January 31st

• No School for Students

Monday February 10th

• Dismissal at 2pm
• Parent Teacher Conferences

Tuesday February 11th

• Dismissal at 2pm
• Parent Teacher Conferences

Wednesday February 12th

• Dismissal at 2pm

Thursday February 13th

• No School For Students
• Parent Teacher Conferences 8am to 11:00am

Friday February 14th

• No School

Friday February 28th

• No School for Students

Monday March 10th - Friday March 14th

• No School - Spring Break

Thursday March 20th

• Spring Picture Day (All Grades)

Friday March 28th

• No School for Students

Looking Far Ahead:

Monday April 7th

• Kindergarten Field Trip to Stuhr Museum

Friday April 18th

• No School

Monday April 21st

• No School

Friday April 11th

• 4th Grade Field Trip to Lincoln

Thursday May 1st

• Field Day for all students. Stations in the morning and races in the afternoon.

Friday May 2nd

• No School for Students

Tuesday May 20th at 6pm

• 5th Grade Recognition in the evening. Location: Newell Gym

Thursday May 22nd

• Last Day of School
• 5th Grade Tunnel Walk at 10:45am (parents are welcome)
• Dismissal for all students at 11am.

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