Cougar Chat - February 2010

       

Letter from Mrs. Green

 

Dear Parents & Guardians,

At the January 11th School Board Meeting, Jennie Wilson received six Standard of Excellence Awards for our performance last year on state assessments!  Jennie Wilson was also awarded the Governor’s Achievement Award as a top performing school in the state of Kansas.  There were only 42 elementary schools in the entire state to receive this prestigious award.  I am so proud of our students and staff!  Everyone at Jennie Wilson works hard so the students perform to the best of their ability and their hard work pays off!  The awards we received are:

·        Building Level Standard of Excellent in Reading

·        Building Level Standard of Excellence in Math

·        Standard of Excellence in Third Grade Reading

·        Standard of Excellence in Third Grade Math

·        Standard of Excellence in Fourth Grade Reading

·        Standard of Excellence in Fourth Grade Math

The third and fourth graders will be starting State Assessments before long.  This will be a time of stress for them and they will need your support.  If you have a third or fourth grade student, just help them to remain calm and make sure they are getting enough sleep.  The teachers are busy reviewing with the students and making sure they know the material they will be tested over.  It would really help your child if they get some pep talks from you!  It’s nice to know someone believes in you!

The state assessment time nearing also reminds me of how important it is for all students to be reading aloud.  Taking time to read aloud with your student regularly improves their reading skills.  Discussing the book with your child also helps their reading skills.  It doesn’t really matter what the questions are.  The discussion will help your child think about the book and that is what is important.  There is also an added benefit to reading with your child.  It helps improve your relationship with your child!  Any time you spend with your child is precious!      

Keep reading and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Green

 

 

February Calendar

 

            3rd        3rd Grade Field Trip - GCCC

            4th        2nd Grade Field Trip - GCCC

            5th        Teacher Inservice - NO SCHOOL

          10th        Spring Portraits

          11th        PTO / Site Council Meeting @ 5:30pm

          11th        Valentine's Day Parties @ 3:15pm

          12th        Workday / Inservice - NO SCHOOL

          16th        Parent/Teacher Conferences - 4:00-6:20pm

          17th        Kindergarten Field Trip - Garden City Airport

          18th        Parent/Teacher Conferences - 10:00am-7:00pm

          19th        Parent/Teacher Conferences - 7:30-9:30am

          26th        Parent/Principal Tea in the JW Art Room @ 8:00am

 

 

Health Notes

For the next 3 months the school nurse will be putting health information in the school newsletter. This is meant to reach the entire family and to encourage healthy habits at home.  We hope that you’ll take the time to discuss the importance of making healthy choices with your entire family.

DID YOU KNOW?

*Americans are the heaviest of people in developed countries.  The U.S. surgeon general has called obesity a national epidemic.

*61 % of Americans are overweight.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

We need to exercise more.

We need to eat smaller portions.

We need to eat more vegetables and fruits, and less fatty foods.

We need to avoid use of tobacco.

WE NEED TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES!

HEALTHY CHOICES:

Exercise: 

In order to keep in good health, one must be physically active.

It is recommended that adults exercise for at least 30 minutes daily or most days of the week.  Children need 60 minutes a day. The activity can be spread out throughout the day.  If you are strapped for time, try taking a 10 minute walk three times a day. Other ideas include:  riding your bike, use the stairs, mow the lawn, scrape the snow off the sidewalks, play actively with children, cleaning counts too J.  Encourage your family members to exercise with you.  Make the healthy choice to be physically fit.

Note:  If you have a health condition, it is necessary to check with your health provider before starting a new exercise plan.

Nutrition:

* In talking about nutrition with children in the classrooms, I have found that many children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables.  These are so important to maintain and improve health.

* Eat a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables.  Different colors offer different benefits.  For       example, red fruits and vegetables help maintain a healthy heart, memory function, and urinary tract health.  Green fruits and vegetables aid in vision health, and maintain strong bones and teeth.  Yellow and Orange fruits and vegetables help to keep your heart healthy, maintain and improve vision health, and boost your immune system.  Blue and Purple fruits and vegetables help with memory function and with healthy aging.

* Check out MyPyramid.gov for great information on the new food pyramid and on nutrition for your entire family.  

Tobacco Education:

If you smoke and are trying to improve your health, it is a great idea to quit smoking.  Not only will it benefit your health, but can also improve the health of those around you.  Second hand smoke also has serious side effects for those who are repeatedly exposed. Consider calling the toll-free Kansas Tobacco Quitline to assist you in your endeavor to stop smoking:  1-866-KAN STOP (1-866-526-7867).

 

PTO Pickle Sales

The JW PTO has started a new fundraiser for the school.  We are selling pickles every Thursday right after school.  The pickles are $1 each.  Bus students can NOT eat them on the bus but we will put them in baggies for them to take home to eat them. 

 

Jump-Start Students of the Week

Week 14 (Nov. 16-20):  Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes:  For showing the courage and compassion to be more empathetic and caring toward others.

Week 15 (Nov. 23-27):  Be Unique:  For showing the courage to feel good about being unique and respecting the differences in others.

Week 16 (Nov. 30-Dec. 4):  Do the Right Thing:  For showing the courage and strength of character to do the right thing even when it isn't the easy thing to do.

Week 17 (Dec. 7-11):  Be a Friend to Everyone:  For showing the courage and compassion to be unselfish and willing to reach out to others.

Week 18 (Dec. 14-18): Be Responsible:  For showing the courage and strength of character to take ownership of his/her actions.

Week 19 (Jan. 4-8):  Seize The Day:  For showing the courage to make active choices, instead of sitting back and reacting passively.

Week 20 (Jan 11-15):  Listen to Others:  For showing the compassion and care to really pay attention when someone is talking.

 

Jump-Start Themes for February

Week 23 (Feb. 1 - 5):  "Share Your Time”

Week 24 (Feb. 8 - 12):  “Believe”

Week 25 (Feb. 15 - 19):  “Try Something New”

Week 26 (Feb. 22 - 26):  “Think Before Acting”

 

Parent Tips on Bullying

Discovery:  A good night’s sleep helps a child be prompt, prepared, and able to produce quality work.

Bullying:  Work with the school counselor, teacher, principal and peers to develop bully resistant skills such as walking away, standing up for another person, reporting to an adult, or refusing to watch or join a bully.

 

Relay for Life Fundraiser

The Jennie Wilson Relay for Life Team is conducting a recycling fundraiser with the Green School Fundraiser Group.  There is nothing to buy and nothing to sell.  We will be collecting old, unwanted, damaged or non-working electronics.  All items will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations and 100% of the proceeds will help us support the American Cancer Society at the annual Relay for Life event in May.

There is no limit to how much we can earn!  If you have any of the following items at home you would like to donate, please send to school with your child and place in the collection box.

·                     Cell phones

·                     Ink jet printer cartridges

·                     Radar detectors

·                     Handheld Game Systems

·                     Digital Cameras

Thank you for supporting this worthy cause!

 

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tues., Feb. 16th        School for all grades          4:00-6:20pm

Thurs., Feb. 18th       No school - All grades       10:00-7:00pm

Fri., Feb. 19th            No school - All grades       7:30-9:30am

An extremely important part of your child’s education is for you to attend parent/teacher conferences.  You will have the opportunity to visit with your student’s teacher to learn about their progress and also identify ways in which you can help with their education at home.  We will be sending notes home with your child the week prior to conferences notifying you of the time set up for your meeting.  If this time is not convenient for you, please call the office at 805-7750 to reschedule.

 

 

BoxTops for Education

Students are doing a great job collecting Box Tops!  The classroom winner for November/December is:

1st Place         Miss Spanier         Early Childhood        265

2nd Place        Mrs. Nelson          3rd Grade                146

3rd Place         Mrs. Schlappe       3rd Grade                  92

 

So far the Early Childhood classes have collected 956 BoxTops for the school year!

Please continue to collect Box Tops and send them to school with your child, as the classes have a monthly contest to see who has collected the most.  The winning classroom will receive the honor of keeping the traveling trophy in their room for a month!!  It would also be greatly appreciated if you would trim your BoxTops.  This will make it much easier for them to be sent in.  Thanks!

 

 

February PE Days

Students will have PE on the following days:

Tues., Feb. 2                 Mon., Feb. 22

Thurs., Feb. 4                Wed., Feb., 24

Tues., Feb. 9                 Fri., Feb., 26

Thurs., Feb. 11              Tues., Mar. 2

Tues., Feb. 16               Thurs., Mar. 4

 

 

PTO Movie Nights

The JW PTO will be hosting Movie Nights for JW students at the school.  The first movie night will be on Monday, January 25th from 4:00-5:15pm.  The cost will be $2.00 per person.  Cookies and a drink will be served. The second movie night is planned for Monday, February 22nd.  We will be sending home permission notes with the students before each movie night.  No student will be allowed without a signed permission note.

 

 

School Cancellation

In the event that it is snowy and/or icy on a school day, please watch for school cancellations.  Closings are broadcast on BBS - Channel 21, KBSD TV - Channel 6, KUPK TV - Channel 13, KSNG TV - Channel 11, as well as radio stations KBUF, KIUL, and KANZ.  All closings are also listed on the district’s website: www.gckschools.com.  If school is dismissed early or starting late, these will also be placed on the stations listed above.

 

 

Early Childhood News

January was a fun month, learning about Penguins, Snowmen, and winter. The kids really had a lot of fun doing all of the different snow crafts and penguin crafts last month.

In February our class will be reading One Very Best Valentine’s Day, Go Away Big Green Monster, and Green Eggs and Ham. We will do several projects based on Valentines Day with hearts and the color red. We will also do a unit on Monsters the week of Parent Teacher Conferences. The last week in February and first week of March we will celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday by reading Green Eggs and Ham and creating several projects based around Dr. Seuss.

The Early Childhood Classes will have a Valentines Party where the kids will play Valentine Bingo, Pin the Chocolate on the box, and a few other games. We will also pass out Valentines to each other in our class.

 

 

 

Word of the Month:  Produce

 

 

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