November From The Principal. Bethke. Elementary School

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "November From The Principal. Bethke. Elementary School"

Arthur Cross
5 years ago
Views:

Bethke Elementary School To honor and inspire academic excellence to prepare the whole child for success in a 21st century world. Principal Ann Alfonso aalfonso@psdschools.

In this month of giving thanks, we as a staff want to express our deepest thanks to our families and community for supporting Bethke.

The first week of November is Safety Week in PSD. We will have a surprise lockdown that week to practice our safety measures here at Bethke.

We have a wide variety of clubs underway and more starting this month! It s fun to see our kids engaged in meaningful, exciting enrichment opportunities!

1 Bethke Elementary School To honor and inspire academic excellence to prepare the whole child for success in a 21st century world. Principal Ann Alfonso aalfonso@psdschools.org Assistant Principal Jay Gallagher jgallagh@psdschools.org From The Principal Happy November! In this month of giving thanks, we as a staff want to express our deepest thanks to our families and community for supporting Bethke. We appreciate the endless hours of volunteering, doing homework with your kids, reading together, and attending school events. Together we make Bethke as wonderful as it is so thank you! The first week of November is Safety Week in PSD. We will have a surprise lockdown that week to practice our safety measures here at Bethke. We passed our evacuation drill in October with flying colors! We look forward to a fourth grade musical this month celebrating giving thanks as well as honoring our veterans. We have a wide variety of clubs underway and more starting this month! It s fun to see our kids engaged in meaningful, exciting enrichment opportunities! Good luck to our Bethke Lego Robotics team competing this month! We are fortunate at Bethke to have such amazing teachers. After celebrating Terri Keyworth last month at the PSD Foundation, this month we celebrate Jamie Drage who is being honored by the Fort Collins Rotary for being an outstanding teacher of the month! Thanks to the Rotary for recognizing the work that teachers do. The end of the first trimester will be November 9. There will be no school for students on November 12 so teachers have time to complete report cards. Report cards will come home the 16th in your child s Friday folder. It s going to be a great month at Bethke! Honoring all learners, Ann Alfonso, Principal 5100 School House Dr. Timnath, CO Office Phone (970) Attendance (970) Bethke Website Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Poudre School District.

PTO News We want to give a shout-out to all our wonderful volunteers. Since the beginning of the school year, volunteers have logged 553.58 hours! The book fair was once again a huge success.

We will be having another book fair in the spring and will get to keep 70% of all sales. Tired of cooking? Be sure to visit Macaroni Grill on November 6th for affinity night.

All t-shirts will be $15 and flyers to purchase will go out in the Friday folder. Remember, all parents are invited to attend PTO meetings. Our next meeting will be Monday, November 5, at 6:30 pm.

2 PTO News We want to give a shout-out to all our wonderful volunteers. Since the beginning of the school year, volunteers have logged hours! The book fair was once again a huge success. Sales totaled $14, and our profit was $7,944.10!!!! Every teacher was able to get $75 to spend on books for his/her classroom. We will be having another book fair in the spring and will get to keep 70% of all sales. Tired of cooking? Be sure to visit Macaroni Grill on November 6th for affinity night. Mention Bethke and the school will get 20% of your total bill. The spirit wear is here!! We have only one design for this year. All t-shirts will be $15 and flyers to purchase will go out in the Friday folder. Remember, all parents are invited to attend PTO meetings. Our next meeting will be Monday, November 5, at 6:30 pm. We will be voting on teacher grant requests and could use your participation in that exciting PTO program. We would love to see you there! PTO Board Jill Maasch, Leea Guy, Naima Haddad Gomez, Lisa Laake, Lynné Diaz Inclement Weather Alert Remember to look for the yellow flags on the two main playground entrances. When the flags are out in the morning, we will be having inside recess before school. If the flags are not out, it will be outside recess as usual. There is no student supervision until 8:15 am on school mornings. Whether we are inside or out, please do not leave students before that time. Jay Gallagher Assistant Principal Page 2

Counselor s Corner The Counselor s Corner Christie McPhail, Bethke Counselor I have just finished teaching a 5-week unit in 3 rd and 4 th grade centered around conflict resolution and problem solving.

Choose a strategy that will help you get your feelings under control so that you can think clearly. 2) Share, Listen, Check: The first speaker shares the concern using an I- statement (I feel when.

3 Counselor s Corner The Counselor s Corner Christie McPhail, Bethke Counselor I have just finished teaching a 5-week unit in 3 rd and 4 th grade centered around conflict resolution and problem solving. These are the steps we learned and practiced: 1) Cool off: Before you can problem solve, you need to be calm. Choose a strategy that will help you get your feelings under control so that you can think clearly. 2) Share, Listen, Check: The first speaker shares the concern using an I- statement (I feel when. Can you please?). The second person listens respectfully, then checks for understanding by asking questions or repeating back what was said. The second person then shares and the first listens respectfully and checks for understanding. 3) Take Responsibility: Each person owns their part of the problem or states what he/she could have done differently. 4) Brainstorm Solutions: Both people come up with ideas that could solve the problem without causing any more hurt feelings. 5) Choose a Solution: Decide together on a compromise or win-win solution that works for everyone. 6) Affirm, Forgive, Thank: Shake hands, thank each other, or say something nice about the relationship to end the process on a positive note. If you have a student in 3 rd or 4 th grade, ask them to explain these steps and share examples. We had so much fun with this unit! If you feel that your child would benefit from school counseling services, please call or cmcphail@psdschools.org. Page 3

Arty Facts In the Art Room As always, we are having a blast creating beautiful works in the art room!

First grade students are working on clay owls, in second grade we are making model furniture from cardboard. Third grade students are making Macchia Bowls inspired by glass artist Dale Chihuly.

No matter the project, they always amaze me with the beautiful work they produce! Original Works ONLINE!

4 Arty Facts In the Art Room As always, we are having a blast creating beautiful works in the art room! Throughout November kindergarten classes will be learning all about color: primary, secondary, warm, and cool. In first through fifth grade, we are making a variety of sculptures. First grade students are working on clay owls, in second grade we are making model furniture from cardboard. Third grade students are making Macchia Bowls inspired by glass artist Dale Chihuly. In fourth grade we are making masks and pinch pots, and in fifth grade we are working on coil pots. It is such a privilege to be working with our Bethke artists. No matter the project, they always amaze me with the beautiful work they produce! Original Works ONLINE! Original Works is a great fundraising program where families can buy their student s artwork professionally printed on products like mugs, mouse pads, t-shirts, magnets, and more. This year families can purchase Original Works products online. Students will receive a letter with a personalized code that you can use to access your child s work on the Original Works website. These letters will come home in Friday Folders in mid-november. The deadline for online orders is November 21. By buying Original Works products, you are not only encouraging the artist in your child, but also helping raise money for our school. Thank you in advance for your support! Holiday Art Show at Foothills Mall Stop by Foothills Mall in Fort Collins this holiday season to see amazing artwork created by Poudre School District students, including many Bethke artists. The art show will be on display from November 7 until January 18. Thank you for supporting the arts at Bethke! Lydia Richardson, Art Teacher Page 4

Fitness News With chilled fingertips and frosty ears, the 5K runners warmed their bodies and our hearts as their determination and perseverance were prevalent throughout the 3.1-mile course.

I would like to send out a huge thank you to Megan Halloran for organizing all the many volunteers and for all the parents who cheered, directed, and supported this effort.

5 Fitness News With chilled fingertips and frosty ears, the 5K runners warmed their bodies and our hearts as their determination and perseverance were prevalent throughout the 3.1-mile course. Daryan, a 5 th grader with the time of about 21 minutes 33 seconds, lead a group of 86 student runners (plus many supportive parents and staff), around the course to finish the Run Series. I would like to send out a huge thank you to Megan Halloran for organizing all the many volunteers and for all the parents who cheered, directed, and supported this effort. The final numbers of participants for the Run Series are: 1K students, 2K students, 3K students, 4K students, 5K - 86 students, and 73 students ran all 5 races. Congratulations and keep the legs moving! Snack challenge is coming November 1 November 9. Students are encouraged to bring fresh fruits or vegetables to eat during snack time. The class with the highest percent of participants will be awarded an extra recess. It is always a little more difficult for the students to eat healthy between Halloween and Winter Break, so the wellness committee is promoting healthier choices. Please do not let your children pack Halloween candy for a snack because we hope to keep their brains ready to learn. David DiSalvo, a science writer and public education specialist states, Research indicates that a diet high in added sugar reduces the production of a brain chemical known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Without BDNF, our brains can t form new memories and we can t learn (or remember) much of anything. Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of Halloween candy a year -- that is equivalent to six Titanic ships. The average American consumes 3.4 pounds of candy over Halloween. Kids eat up to 7,000 calories on Halloween -- that is equal to 13 Big Macs. Have fun on Halloween and then please come to school nourished and ready to learn! Terri Keyworth P.E. Teacher Page 5

Keyworth was honored by the PSD Foundation for

6 Fitness News CONGRATULATIONS, Mrs. Keyworth! Mrs. Keyworth is Excellence in Education! On October 29, Mrs. Keyworth was honored by the PSD Foundation for her amazing work at Bethke, where she honors all Bobcat learners in her physical education classroom. We love you, Mrs. Keyworth! Page 6

Music Notes 4th Graders Perform in November! The 4th graders will be performing their musical celebrating Thanksgiving and Veteran s Day on Thursday, November 15, at 2:30 and 6:30 pm.

We will use these photos in a special tribute to these members of our Bethke family. Bethke Talent Showcase Applications are Due November 16!

7 Music Notes 4th Graders Perform in November! The 4th graders will be performing their musical celebrating Thanksgiving and Veteran s Day on Thursday, November 15, at 2:30 and 6:30 pm. Please be sure to mark this date on your calendar. Please note that the deadline to send in Veteran photos and information is Friday, Nov. 9. We will use these photos in a special tribute to these members of our Bethke family. Bethke Talent Showcase Applications are Due November 16! The Bethke Talent Showcase will take place on Thursday, January 24, at 2:00 and 6:30 pm. Third, fourth and fifth graders may apply to audition to be in this show. You can find detailed information about the talent show guidelines on my website, under the talent show tab. Applications have been available online, in the music room, and in the front office since October 2. All applications are due back on or before Friday, November 16. I will not accept late applications. Auditions for the talent show will take place during the school day before Winter Break. All applicants must audition for the talent show. We will announce the acts that will be in the show prior to Winter Break. Spring Show Choir 4th and 5th Graders I m very excited to start meeting with our Spring Show Choir in January. This choir is open to all interested 4th and 5th graders. Applications will be available online, in the office and in the music room starting on Monday, November 26. Applications are due on or before Friday, December 7. This group will start meeting on Thursday, January 17. We will meet on Monday and Thursday mornings from 7:45-8:30 am. More details will be available on the application. If you have any ques-tions, please Mrs. Adams. Page 7

Music Notes (continued) Jingle Choir The Bethke Jingle Choir will perform at the Timnath Tree Lighting on Friday, December 7. This event is a great evening of holiday fun.

8 Music Notes (continued) Jingle Choir The Bethke Jingle Choir will perform at the Timnath Tree Lighting on Friday, December 7. This event is a great evening of holiday fun. Our choir will sing right after Santa lights the lights! In addition to this performance, we will take a mini-holiday tour, performing at several assisted living homes and at Foothills Mall in Fort Collins on Friday, December 14. Make plans to come out and see us sing! The last rehearsal morning for Jingle Choir is December 6. Allison Adams Music Teacher 5th Grade Choir performed October 25. They were fantastic! Page 8

Literacy Mrs. Schupp s and Mrs. Hewitt s Tips for Helping Your Child with Writing at Home: Adapted from: by Great Schools Staff March 18, 2016 Provide authentic writing opportunities for your child.

9 Literacy Mrs. Schupp s and Mrs. Hewitt s Tips for Helping Your Child with Writing at Home: Adapted from: by Great Schools Staff March 18, 2016 Provide authentic writing opportunities for your child. Have your child write his own thank-you notes, party invitations and letters to family. Let your child make the grocery list. Finding a pen pal for your child would make writing real. Helping children make the connection between writing and the real world will increase an interest in writing. Be a writing role model. Make sure your child sees you as a writer. Point out times that you use writing to communicate with others. Discuss authentic writing in the community such as articles and letters in the newspaper, on billboards or in written advertisements. Discuss the purpose of the writing and the target audience. When your child writes, you should write. You can schedule a day of the week that you will turn off the television and share your writing. Look for additional tips in future newsletters! Literacy Mrs. Hewitt Mrs. Schupp Page 9

Our student council members were able to go to CSU and participate in the CANStruction event on October 10 th.

10 StuCo News Thank you to everyone that participated in the Cans Around Bethke food drive last month. Bethke helped to support the largest food drive in northern Colorado and collected 1,981 cans for the Larimer County Food Bank! Our student council members were able to go to CSU and participate in the CANStruction event on October 10 th. At the event your representatives worked together to build a structure out of the donated cans. The structures were scored on the following rubric items: creativity, theme (CANStruction s Theme - Appetite for Humanity), effort, and being structurallysound. Bethke came in FIRST place for our structure! Way to go Student Council! Also, please follow our website for more upcoming events, pictures, and spirit days! -Bethke StuCo, Mrs. Rayls and Ms. Mocke Page

11 Yearbooks! Order your yearbook now! All orders will be taken through our online ordering link: Pictavo Community. You can enter the school code 78694, or enter city, school, state and search. Yearbooks are $25 and will be published in full color and include homeroom portrait pages as well as candid photographs of each class. Contact Mrs. Pegg with any questions. Mrs. Pegg Kids Care Club Kids Care Club welcomed many new faces at our last meeting so glad kids are interested in giving back to our community! We put together a beautiful assortment of fleece scarves that will be displayed at the FoCo Café for the patrons to take and enjoy. With the weather getting much cooler, these scarves will keep many in need nice and warm. We will be delivering the scarves to FoCo Café on Saturday, November 10, at 10 am. If your child participated in creating these scarves, please join us in delivery. We will meet at FoCo Café, 225 Maple Street, Fort Collins. It will take about minutes. If you are unable to make it, that is fine. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 12, at 3:15 pm in Mrs. Berger s room. We will work on creating care packages for Harmony House. We hope to see you all very soon! Mrs. Haselby and Mrs. Berger Page

12 Bethke Elementary School Newsletter Page 12 IMPORTANT REMINDER! Student absences MUST be reported to the attendance line at Teachers DO NOT share information about student schedules with the front office. If a student is marked absent and no information has been provided to the attendance line, policy requires that parents are called to confirm the safety of their children. PTO Fundraiser! Affinity Night November 6

13 Bethke Elementary School Newsletter Page 13 PTO SPIRIT WEAR NOW AVAILABLE! $15/each Orders due Friday, November 9 NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Order forms sent home in Friday folders, also available in the Front Office.

14 Bethke Elementary School Newsletter Page 14

15 Bethke Elementary School Newsletter Page 15

16 Bethke Elementary School Newsletter Page 16

Bethke Elementary. Honoring All Learners

Bethke Elementary. Honoring All Learners Bethke Elementary Honoring All Learners Page 1 Bethk e Elemen tary Decemb er 2015 Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Poudre School District. The vision of Bethke Elementary is