NEWSLETTER October/November 2018

Dear Van Buren Families, We’ve had a fantastic start to the 2018-2019 school year! HERE ARE A FEW OF THE AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING AT VAN BUREN:

CHINESE FALL CAMP!

Van Buren had the amazing opportunity to host 9 Chinese students and 1 Chinese teacher for an entire week. They joined in with all classroom activities, and we welcomed them and said farewell with a wonderful ceremony, celebrating the United States and China! We hope to do this again, and would love your help as host families.

BUILDING STUDENT LEADERS!

Van Buren is a PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) school that promotes and rewards positive behavior through focusing on and developing the strong leadership skills every student has within them. Students are learning and reviewing the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and applying them to their own lives. Our first 2 Habits are BE PRODUCTIVE & BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Ask your child about them.

PERSONALIZED EMPOWERED LEARNING!

Students have spent time developing SOPs (standard operating procedures) with their teachers, to reinforce our Eagle Expectations throughout the school. Now that expectations and routines are set, students are unpacking standards, learning to create individual academic and behavior goals, and taking a part in monitoring their progress. Students are an active part in their learning and engagement couldn’t be higher!

BOOST GROUPS!

To provide additional daily support in Reading and Math for all grade levels, staff has been busy assessing student academic strengths and areas for growth. Using the STAR online assessment, along with other grade level assessments, we have been able to gather baseline data on each student to help us develop small, specific skill groups to BOOST students in the areas they need the most support. Boost groups occur daily, for 1/2 hour in Reading and 1/2 hour in Math. Additional staff members assist to make our groups smaller in size and support student learning at every level.

EAGLE REWARDS!

Students earn Eagle Bucks throughout the day as they are “caught being good.” Once a month students can spend their bucks at the SCHOOL STORE, purchasing prizes, or time with staff members. Class rewards consist of Eagle Wings which once 15 are earned, a class chosen reward is earned. Students continue to review and practice daily, our Eagle Expectations; showing respect for themselves, others and property.

SCHOOL CLUBS!

We are extending student learning through offering before/during/after school clubs for all to enjoy. Our STEM in the A.M. club (starting in January) will allow students to begin their day stretching their brains as they decode, analyze and apply skills to solve real world problems. YOGA on Thursday mornings gets our kids off to a relaxed and focused start!

WALKING club and Flag Football after school keeps our students energized and fit. And, GIRL POWER club will help our girls grow into strong, confident young ladies. Look for more to come on our clubs!

PTA!

We’d love for you to join us at our next PTA Meeting on Thursday Nov. 1 at 6:00p.m. in our teacher’s lounge. Our first Scoopie Night at Culvers was a big success! The big Halloween Dance will take place on the evening of Oct. 23.

We are looking forward to meeting with all of you at our Parent/Teacher/Student conferences on Oct. 24 & 25. Remember, No school for students Oct. 24-26.

With Kind Regards,

Mrs. Stephanie Pajerski, Principal

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10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Need more information about Van Buren? It;’s probably on our website in Van Buren’s 10 Things You Need to Know. You can find out even more by checking out our district-wide Elementary Parent handbook

OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION

• OFFICE HOURS: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• GENERAL OFFICE TELEPHONE NUMBER: 608.743.7100
• ATTENDANCE LINE 24 HOURS A DAY: 608.743.7130
• FAX NUMBER: 608.743.7110

TELEPHONE & AFTER SCHOOL MESSAGES

Thank you everyone for your awesome job of communicating your child’s after school plans. We realize that emergencies and change of plans happen. If you need to call the office to leave a message for your child, please call the office prior to 2:30 p.m. After that time, it becomes increasingly difficult to locate the classroom to give messages.

Lunch Times

K & 1	11:05 -11:50
4 & 5	1:45 - 12:30
2 & 3	12:25 - 1:10

UPCOMING CONFERENCES INFORMATION

• NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OCTOBER 24, 25 & 26
• Wednesday, October 24th 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Conferences
• Thursday, October 25th 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM / Conferences
• Friday, October 26th NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS

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FROM THE TEACHERS

Physical Education

Hello Van Buren family and friends!

Our students are doing a wonderful job so far in physical education class. We are learning about the importance of physical fitness as well as enjoying various games/activities. During the months of September and October, our students will take part in two separate units, soccer and football. Each unit is two weeks long and consists of six 30-minute long P.E. classes. In the middle of October, our students will learn about physical fitness and balancing a healthy lifestyle while testing our muscular strength and aerobic endurance in fitness testing. 4th and 5th grade students should be on the lookout for a "Flag Football Club" which will start the first week of October! Also, if any families have extra gym shoes that no longer fit their child who would be willing to donate to our "extra gym shoe box" in the gym we would greatly appreciate it! Go Eagles!

Mr. English

4^th Grade

It has been HOT in the pod lately at school, but we are beating the heat working hard in 4th grade! We have completed our first set of STAR testing and students have set goals for themselves both academically and behaviorally. Classes have worked hard on creating SOP’s and reviewing classroom expectations.

Field Trips coming up: November 8th JSOL (all day) -- Many chaperones needed for this trip

Chaperoning: Please make sure if you want to chaperone anything this year that you fill out a Volunteer Application. They take a few weeks to process, so the sooner the better. If anyone else in your family would like to chaperone, they will also need to fill one out. Contact your homeroom teacher for a copy of the form or grab one from the office!

Math: Students should work on Math facts daily. Flashcards and online games are helpful in increasing fluency. Students should know all of their multiplication facts already, but many still need to work on them more.

Reading: Students benefit from reading more at home and having books read to them. Please try to fit a little of this into your busy lives. Most kids really enjoy this time either reading to someone or having a story read to them, too. Ask them questions about stories to help deepen their comprehension (who, what, where, when, why, how questions)

Kindergarten News

In reading students are building their stamina of “read to self” time to be able to eventually read for twenty minutes. We have learned that we read using the words, pictures, or can retell a story. Kindergarten students are practicing letters, sounds, rhyming, and other phonemic awareness skills daily. We have begun to introduce sight words. We will be learning 100 words this year. We have been expressing our writing through pictures and labeling.

Kindergarten students are working on skills in math of sorting, patterning, counting by 1’s to 100, writing numbers, and identifying shapes.

All school rules, by using SOP’s have been introduced. We practice and reinforce daily.

Fire safety with a visit from the firefighters will happen in October. Also we are working on weather, seasons, and learning about families. Wow we are busy these first few months! We look forward to seeing all families the end of October for conferences.

Early Childhood

In Early Childhood we are working on learning our alphabet, starting Jolly Phonics, learning colors, and counting to 10! We are having lots of fun getting to know what school is like!

First Grade

First grade has gotten off to a great start this year. Students have adjusted well to all the changes that first grade has to offer. We have been writing and reviewing classroom and school wide S.O.P.s (Standard Operating Procedures). Students have been earning Eagle Wings for following hallway expectations. First graders are taking their STAR Assessments for Early Literacy and Math on their IPAD. We want to thank you for helping us teach responsibility by having your child return their Take Home Folders each day and two library books weekly! Conferences will be Oct. 24th and 25th; look for notes to come home early in the month. Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have. Happy Fall!

Mrs. Campion

Miss McCool

Mrs. Raby

2^nd and 3^rd Grade

Our 2nd and 3rd graders are off to a great start this year! We have been busy making SOPs for many areas in the classroom and throughout the school. Students are showing that they are Van Buren leaders by following these SOPs all day long! Teachers ask that you read with your child as much as you can! Practicing math facts is an important skill too! All 2nd and 3rd grade teachers use Class Dojo. Not only does Dojo monitor your child's behavior, but teachers also post pictures and send messages. It is a great way to communicate in the school day! We are excited for an awesome year!

Art Room

Welcome back to a wonderful new school year. I am so excited to have all of my students back in the art room. We are all so excited to be creating again. All students EC-5th grade are eagerly creating a new design for their Square 1 Art projects this year. Projects are due Oct 7th and fundraiser packets will arrive Oct 22nd. You will have until Nov 5th to order products which will arrive Nov 26th, just in time for the Holidays!!! The square1art.com website is the best way to order due to ease and product availability. There is much more to choose from than in the paper packets. And no money handling!! All of the money raised will be used to order more unique materials and create more choices for centers for the art room. We’ve had some amazing things added to our centers the last few years including; Ozobot center, duct tape center, tie dye center, acrylic canvas painting center, and a beading center. I can’t wait to share with you what they’ve made!

PTA will also be having our artists create designs for our Marco’s pizza boxes again this year. More details will go home in November. Due to such a high order rate, and a little bit of confusion, we will also be extending it out to 2 days this year instead of 1!

I also would like to welcome any collectable objects to be shared with the art room. Send in anything such as plastic Welch’s juice containers, ice cream buckets and lids, paper towel/ tissue tubes, buttons/beads/gems, plastic baby food containers, or anything you think the students would enjoy creating with. If you’re ready to purge that junk drawer and find anything interesting….send it our way!

Band & Orchestra

Greetings from the band room! 5th graders who are participating in band or orchestra should have their instruments and books by now, but if they don't, please make sure that happens as soon as possible. We are starting to work on our first few notes and are playing simple songs. Please make sure you are always encouraging your child through the challenges of this fun and exciting new endeavor. As always, you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Mrs. Rush or Ms. Heling.

Winter Sing Programs

This year all students will perform their Winter Sing on:

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Kindergarten	8:45 – 9:15
1st Grade	9:45 – 10:15
2nd Grade	10:45 – 11:15
3 rd Grade	11:45 – 12:15
4th Grade	1:00 – 1:30
5th Grade	2:00 – 2:30

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SAFETY ALERT!

Students must not arrive at school before 8:05 a.m. There is no supervision provided until 8:05 a.m. Students must enter the building through their grade level entrance doors unless they arrive at school after 8:15 a.m

COLD WEATHER REMINDERS

Please dress your child for Wisconsin Winters. Students will be going outside each day unless the temperature and / or wind chill is 0 degrees or below. Students will not be allowed to stay in unless they have a medical excuse from a doctor.

Please label all of your child’s winter outerwear. This includes boots, snow pants, hats, mittens, scarves and jackets.

If you are missing items, please feel free or encourage your child to check the lost and found or by the entrances of the doors they enter in the mornings.

Breakfast

We’re excited to offer a universal program at no charge to all Van Buren students, (BIC). BIC is served in the classrooms and is free for all students. Each student receives a breakfast snack, milk, and juice. Please note that students should NOT be on campus until 8:05 am.

VISITOR AND VOLUNTEER INFORMATION:

The staff at Van Buren Elementary School would like to inform everyone that visits and volunteers are always welcome here. We would like to remind everyone of the proper procedures.

All visitors are asked to talk to the classroom teacher about your intended visit. Please give 24 hour advance notice when requesting to visit a classroom and state the reason for the visit, we ask that you limit your visit to one hour.

All volunteers are asked to please come to the office and receive a green volunteer application. This form will need to be filled out and returned to the office for principal approval and then forwarded on to the Educational Services Center for a background check. We have many ways to utilize volunteers for anyone willing to donate their time and talents. Stop in the office for an application if interested!

SCHOOL HOURS

Adult supervision is provided on school grounds from 8:05 a.m. until the first bell rings at 8:15 a.m. Students should not be arriving at school earlier than 8:05 a.m. unless they are participating in a special activity (i.e. Safety Patrol, Breakfast Helper etc.) Also, please note, students will not be allowed in the building during inclement weather until 8:05 a.m. unless the temperature and /or wind-chill are 0 degrees or less.

If you have any specific school business, after you drop your child at the outside door, you can use Door 1 to check in at the office

Students should leave school and playground when dismissed at 3:08 p.m. they should go immediately to after school activities or home. 8:05 Student drop-off 8:15 Students enter (upon bell) 8:20 School day begins 11:05 – 11:50 KG/1 Lunch 11:45 – 12:30 4/5 Lunch 12:25 – 1:10 2/3 Lunch 3:08 Students dismissed

INFINITE CAMPUS PARENT PORTAL

Staying informed with what your child is doing in school has never been easier! You can access much information on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, such as your child’s attendance and grades. You can keep your contact information current, update your emergency contacts, and pay fees. Here are a few Instructions on specific tasks. Click the links below.

Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Updating Family Member Information

Managing Family Member Information

Managing Preferences  

Managing Payment Information

Making an Online Payment

Van Buren Calendar

Van Buren Facebook / PTA Facebook

Student Council Theme Days 2018-2019

The following Theme Days were selected by Van Buren Student Council members.

• October 17th (Hat Day)
• November 14th (Twin Day)
• December 12th (PJ/Slipper Day)
• January 16th, (Sports Day)
• February 13th (Super Hero Day)  
• March 13th (Crazy Hair Day)
• April 3rd (Career Day)  
• May 15th (Fancy Dress Up Day)
• June 5 (Student/Teacher Switch Day)

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MOVING???

If you will be moving from your current home address, please contact the Washington school office at 743-7200 as soon as possible to determine what paperwork you will need to fill out for your child to continue attending his/her current school. Please note: if you are moving to an address outside the School District of Janesville in most cases your child is eligible to continue attending the School District of Janesville as long as you complete the appropriate paperwork within the required timeline.

If you have any questions about school placement for a particular address, please contact Open Enrollment Specialist Deen Hartley at 743-5152. The New Student Enrollment Office is open year round.

If you are the parent of an elementary student and will be moving over the summer months when the elementary schools are closed, please contact Open Enrollment Specialist Deen Hartley at 743-5152 or the New Student Enrollment Office at 743-5072 or 743-5153 to complete the appropriate paperwork.

Request for School Transfer/Placement (Intra District Transfers) within the School District of Janesville Attendance Areas

Due to Move:

If you move within the School District of Janesville during the school year and wish to remain at your current school, please ask the school office for a Request to Remain in Current School Following Move to New Attendance Area Form (blue). Complete the form and return it to the school office.

Due to Parent Choice:

If you wish to apply to have your student transferred/placed in another school within the district next school year (2019-2020), please ask the school office for a School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow). Completed forms will be accepted from December 1 through December 15, 2018 only. Submit your Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow) to your home school attendance area office. Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/ Placement Within the School District will be notified of approval or disapproval by January 15, 2019. Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District for incoming Kindergarten students will be notified of approval or non-approval after they have enrolled their child during the Kindergarten Enrollment period with the New Student Enrollment Office. If you have questions, please contact the school office of your home school attendance area.

Open Enrollment or Public School Choice

If during the school year, you move outside the School District of Janesville and you wish to remain at your current school please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152 and request a tuition waiver form within two weeks of your move. This will allow you to be eligible to attend your current school for the remainder of the current year tuition free. To continue attending the School District of Janesville after the 2018-2019 school year, you will also need to complete an open enrollment application. Application instructions are provided to the School District of Janesville by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and should be available by late January 2019. This year applications will be accepted February 4 – April 30, 2019.

If you have questions regarding Open Enrollment or Public School Choice, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743- 5152.

Public School Open Enrollment Timelines

The State of Wisconsin has announced the application period for open enrollment (also known as public school choice) begins in February for the following school year. Open Enrollment laws permit children to attend a public school in a school district other than the one in which they live.

The open enrollment application period for the 2019-2020 school year is from February 4, 2019 – April 30, 2019. Parents are encouraged to apply on-line at dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment. Although on-line application is recommended, paper applications may be obtained from the Department of Public Instruction or any school district after February 4, 2019 and must be delivered (hand delivery is recommended) to the nonresident school district during the application period. Paper applications to attend Janesville must be submitted to the Open Enrollment Specialist in the New Student Enrollment Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 30th (a postmark does not constitute timely submission). Applications turned in prior to February 4th will be returned as not valid and must be resubmitted after February 4th but before April 30th at 4:00 p.m.

Enrollment in a requested school or program is subject to space and other limitations and is not guaranteed. Transportation is the responsibility of the parent. Habitual truancy may result in recommendation for the student to return to their home district.

Under School District of Janesville board policy, students who attended the district under open enrollment the previous year are not required to reapply for the following school year.

An application is required for each sibling in the family. For example, if a family has one child in elementary school that has been approved for open enrollment and a new student entering kindergarten next year, the student entering kindergarten must apply for open enrollment in order to attend the School District of Janesville.

Parents will be informed in June whether their open enrollment applications have been approved or denied. The student’s school or program placement will be provided in June.

If you have questions, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152.

Kindergarten Enrollment 2019-2020 School Year School District Residents

If you have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2019 and they are not currently enrolled in a School District of Janesville Pre-school for Janesville (P4J) or Early Childhood (EC) program it is time to enroll in the Janesville Public School District.  Enrollment will take place at the Educational Services Center located at 527 S. Franklin St. (administration building) in the New Student Enrollment office.  You may enroll anytime during the two week period.  

Weeks of December 3–7 and December 10-14         

• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.    M/W/F both weeks
• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m     Tuesday, December 4, 2018
• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m     Thursday, December 13, 2018
• 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.    Thursday, December 6, 2018
• 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.    Tuesday, December 11, 2018

If you cannot attend the enrollment period please come in as soon as possible to enroll after December 14, 2018.  Enrollment in the district is required for participation in orientation.  When you enroll, you will need your child’s birth certificate for proof of age, proof of residency (top portion of a utility bill, or current lease) to determine school assignment, immunization records and photo identification.  If you have questions on general enrollment, please contact the New Student Enrollment office at 743-5072 or 743-5153 during regular office hours, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Requests for School Transfer/Placement within the School District (yellow forms) for incoming kindergarten students should be submitted through the enrollment process.  Forms are available at all schools, as well as at the Educational Services Center.  If you have questions regarding this process contact Deen Hartley at 743-5152. 

The status of requests will be determined by January 15, 2019 if they are turned in by December 14th.  If you have a student currently attending a school under a School Transfer/Placement within the School District, it does not automatically qualify your kindergarten student for attendance at the same school; however, siblings are generally assigned to the same school.  

In order for your kindergarten student to attend the same school as a sibling, you must submit a request during the Kindergarten Enrollment time frame.  

If you know of a child in your neighborhood or from community activities that would be entering kindergarten for the 2019-2020 school year, please pass this enrollment information on.  

Non-District Residents

If you are a non-resident of the School District of Janesville and have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2019 and would like your child to attend the School District of Janesville you must also apply for OPEN ENROLLMENT.  The timeline for Open Enrollment is February 4 to April 30, 2019.  

Currently open enrolled non-residents in a P4J or EC program do not need to re-apply. If you have questions regarding the Open Enrollment process, please contact Deen Hartley at 743-5152.

School District of Janesville CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH CHILD FIND ACTIVITIES

The School District of Janesville is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find.

This agency conducts the following child find activities each year in the form of Early Childhood and Speech and Language Developmental Screenings. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed.

The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child’s academic performance, behavior, and health. This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record.

Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records.

• "Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled.
•  "Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records. Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education. At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed.
• "Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student.
• "Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent. Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health record is treated as a patient health care record under sections 146.81 to 146.84, Wisconsin Statutes. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under section 252.15, Wisconsin Statutes.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and section 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to education records:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information.

Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records. Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask [Name of] School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorize disclosure without consent. The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and section 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m), Wisconsin Statutes. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent.

The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office,

U.S. Department of Education,

400 Maryland Avenue,

S.W,

Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Dear Parent/Guardian: Under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” federal law schools receiving federal Title I funds are required to notify parents of their right to ask for and receive information on the qualifications of their child’s teacher(s). Specifically, you have the right to request the following:

⇒ Whether your child’s teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which he or she teaches.

⇒ Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.

⇒ The baccalaureate degree major of your child’s teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher.

⇒ Whether your child is provided services by instructional aides and, if so, their qualifications.

 

Principal Message..From Mrs. Pajerski

As the weather begins to change and snow starts to fall, students and staff begin to feel the excitement of the winter season!  Preparations for our musical performances are underway.  Mrs. Madarik, our wonderful music teacher, has been working hard with all of our learners to create spectacular performances.  This is a great way to kick off the Holiday Season!  Please join us on Wednesday, December 19 to enjoy the shows.

PTA is a wonderful way to get involved in your child’s education.  Meetings are usually the first Thursday of each month, at 6p.m. in our teacher’s lounge.  Please join us for our next PTA meeting on Dec 6.

The holiday season is a time of year to give thanks and focus on the most important things in our lives.  In education, my “Whats”, things I stand for and believe in, and what drives and motivates me to do what I do, are simple.  RELATIONSHIPS!  I love children and will do anything to help them succeed.  I believe that ALL students CAN learn and have the RIGHT TO LEARN.  We all come from different backgrounds and bring different experiences to the table.  These experiences shape us into who we are and who we want to be.  As an educator, it is my job to find the good in every child, seek out their strengths, and provide opportunities for them to build self- confidence and make a difference in the world.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s life.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS...  

Children, along with everyone, need to feel appreciated, important and special.  By listening, sharing personal real-life experiences and respecting students, trusting relationships begin to form.  My hope is to continue to build genuine relationships with not only our students and staff, put with all of our families as well.

Van Buren continues to make community connections and build relationships with our local businesses.  This November, we were the lucky recipients of a $10, 000 donation from Dollar General.  To recognize Van Buren for the important role we play in developing the youth of tomorrow, DG wanted to show their appreciation for the work our staff does each and everyday to support all learners.  We are so appreciative and humbled by this donation.  We 

have no idea at this moment what the $ will go towards, but with ideas from staff and students, we will keep you posted when a decision is made.

Don’t forget to put our 50 year celebration on your calendars...April 11, 2019.

I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing holiday season and look forward to the New Year working with you!

Warm Holiday Wishes,
Mrs. Stephanie Pajerski, Principal

Kindergarten News

Kindergarten has been busy creating SOP’s for routines and procedures. We’ve been working on respecting ourselves, others and property. 
Students have been learning all 26 letters and sounds.  We are putting sounds together to label pictures, spell words and to make sentences.  Students will continue to read books pointing to words as they read.  We will work on telling and identifying details of a story. 

Students will focus on; numbers 0-20, write these numbers, and use them to add.  We will work on numbers that are greater and less. 

December/January can be so much fun with holidays and projects, but don’t forget to get lots of sleep and be ready for school each day.

No School Days

December Winter Break Begins December 24, 2018.  School Resumes
January 2, 2019
January January 21, 2019 Martin Luther King Day

2019-2020 Kindergarten Enrollment News

If you have a child turning 5 (five) years old prior to September 1, 2019 and they are not currently enrolled in a School District of Janesville Pre-school for Janesville (P4J) or Early Childhood (EC) program it is time to enroll in the Janesville Public School District.  Enrollment will take place at the Educational Services Center located at 527 S. Franklin St. (administration building) in the New Student Enrollment office.  You may enroll anytime during the two week period. 
Weeks of:December 3–7 and December 10-14

• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.    M/W/F both weeks
• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m     Tuesday, December 4, 2018
• 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m    Thursday, December 13, 2018
• 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.    Thursday, December 6, 2018
• 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.    Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Cold Weather Reminders

Please note, students will not be entering the building during inclement weather until 8:05 a.m. unless the temperature and /or wind-chill are 0 degrees or less. All students should go to the doors they enter each morning. Please dress your child for Wisconsin Winters.  Students will be going outside each day unless the temperature and / or wind chill is 0 degrees or below.  Students will not be allowed to stay in unless they have a medical excuse from a doctor. Please label all of your child’s winter outerwear.  This includes boots, snow pants, hats, mittens, scarves and jackets. If you are missing items, please encourage your child to check the lost and found or by the entrances of the doors they enter in the mornings.

School Hours
8:05 Student Drop-off
8:15 Students Enter (Upon Bell)
8:20 School day Begins
3:08 Students Dismissed

Whats Time is Lunch
11:05 - 11:50 KG/1
11:45 - 12:30 4/5
12:25 - 1:10 2/3

Moving?

If you will be moving from your current home address please contact the Van Buren school office at 608-743-7106 as soon as possible to determine what paperwork you will need to fill out for your child to continue attending his/her current school..

EarlyChildhood News

Early Childhood is working on a new letter theme each week. So far, we have learned up to the letter I! We have been talking about Thanksgiving and going on "Turkey Hunts" to match letters and sounds together, along with counting. 

UpComing Events:
December 12th PJ / Slipper Day
January 16th Sports Day

First Grade News

We would like to thank families for meeting and sharing important and helpful information about your child at our fall conferences. The first graders have been very busy with reading, math, and writing.  In math, students have been telling time to the hour and half hour, counting 10’s and 1’s and working on addition and subtraction facts. We have began using Xtramath.com to help student with their addition and subtraction fluency. Look for a letter coming home about this. The first grade teachers want to make sure that you are noticing the extra books for reading and sight word cards coming home that can be used to support your first graders learning while at home.  If you have access to the internet, websites that may be used at home are abcya.com, Startfall.com and Raz-kids.com.  These are excellent sites for giving extra reading and math practice at home.  If you need assistance, the first grade teachers are willing to help out.  We want to remind you that our Winter Sing is Wednesday, Dec. 19th from 9:45-10:15 a.m.  The cold weather has approached us quickly.  Thank you for sending the children with winter coats, hats, and mittens or gloves!  Snow pants and boots will be needed soon. 
Thank you!
First Grade Teachers

We Put The Fun in Fundraising

Chuck E. Cheese, Buffalo Wild Wing, Scoopie Nights, Chipotle Nights, Marco’s Pizza Nights, Scrip Orders, Lifetouch Picture Days, Holiday Hoopla.  

Art News

Thank you, thank you so much for your support of our Van Buren Artists!  You are all amazing!  We had another successful Square 1 art fundraiser this year.  Our art program earned $743.10  this year.  The funds will be used to replenish our choice centers with things like organizing bins, colorful and patterned duct tape, acrylic paint, hot glue sticks, and accessories for our Shrink Art Station, etc.  We will also be purchasing Swatch Out pieces for our Puzzlets Boards for students to practice their coloring mixing!!!  I’m so excited to see all of the products you’ve ordered! As winter approaches we will be getting ready for our winter programs in art class.  All grade levels will be having their program on Dec 19th so all kindergarten through 5th graders will be busy creating things to decorate our backdrop and ourselves!! Congrats to 5th grader Kaylinn Simery who will be having her artwork published in our Janesville Gazette.  I have watched her grow over the years and she has developed a love for dance and art as you can see in this beautiful drawing she created for Square 1 Art.  Great Job Kaylinn!

Request for School Transfer/Placement (Intra District Transfers) within the School District of Janesville Attendance Areas

Due to Move:If you move within the School District of Janesville during the school year and wish to remain at your current school, please ask the school office for a Request to Remain in Current School Following Move to New Attendance Area Form (blue).  Complete the form and return it to the school office.

Due to Parent Choice:If you wish to apply to have your student transferred/placed in another school within the district next school year (2019-2020), please ask the school office for a School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow).  Completed forms will be accepted from December 1 through December 15, 2018 only.  Submit your Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow) to your home school attendance area office.    Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/ Placement Within the School District will be notified of approval or disapproval by January 15, 2019.  Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District for incoming Kindergarten students will be notified of approval or non-approval after they have enrolled their child during the Kindergarten Enrollment period with the New Student Enrollment Office.  If you have questions, please contact the school office of your home school attendance area.

 Open Enrollment or Public School Choice

If during the school year, you move outside the School District of Janesville and you wish to remain at your current school please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152 and request a tuition waiver form within two weeks of your move.  This will allow you to be eligible to attend your current school for the remainder of the current year tuition free.  To continue attending the School District of Janesville after the 2018-2019 school year, you will also need to complete an open enrollment application.  Application instructions are provided to the School District of Janesville by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and should be available by late January 2019.  This year applications will be accepted February 4 – April 30, 2019. If you have questions regarding Open Enrollment or Public School Choice, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152. 

Public School Open Enrollment Timelines

The State of Wisconsin has announced the application period for open enrollment (also known as public school choice) begins in February for the following school year.  Open Enrollment laws permit children to attend a public school in a school district other than the one in which they live. 

The open enrollment application period for the 2019-2020 school year is from February 4, 2019 – April 30, 2019.  Parents are encouraged to apply on-line at dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment.  Although on-line application is recommended, paper applications may be obtained from the Department of Public Instruction or any school district after February 4, 2019 and must be delivered (hand-delivery is recommended) to the nonresident school district during the application period. Paper applications to attend Janesville must be submitted to the Open Enrollment Specialist in the New Student Enrollment Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 30th (a postmark does not constitute timely submission).  Applications turned in prior to February 4th will be returned as not valid and must be resubmitted after February 4th but before April 30^th at 4:00 p.m.

Enrollment in a requested school or program is subject to space and other limitations and is not guaranteed. Transportation is the responsibility of the parent. Habitual truancy may result in recommendation for the student to return to their home district.

Under School District of Janesville board policy, students who attended the district under open enrollment the previous year are not required to reapply for the following school year.

An application is required for each sibling in the family.  For example, if a family has one child in elementary school that has been approved for open enrollment and a new student entering kindergarten next year, the student entering kindergarten must apply for open enrollment in order to attend the School District of Janesville.

Parents will be informed in June whether their open enrollment applications have been approved or denied.  The student’s school or program placement will be provided in June.

If you have questions, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152.  

Student Council Corner

The Van Buren Student Council has decided to sponsor a community outreach program through a Toy for Tots Collection.    It is exciting to offer this opportunity to our Van Buren families as a way of reaching out to children and families in need within our community. 

Any student wishing to donate an unwrapped toy may bring it to school and place in the designated box in the school office.  Donations will be accepted starting December 3^rd and continuing through December 7^th.  All donated toys will be given to the Janesville Salvation Army for distribution to families in need within our community.

Van Buren students have always given generously to collections of this type, and we look forward to a successful collection this school year.  If you have any questions regarding this activity please contact Leslie Bauer at 743-7126. 

Grades 2 and 3 News

Unit 2 is busy learning this month.  We have worked very hard on our mindfulness.  Everyday after recess we take a "reset".  Ask your child what it is!  This has been very helpful getting us back on track and in our "green" learning zone.  Second graders are busy learning telling time, solving money problems, place value, and learning measurement.  Be sure to practice at home on these skills.  In Reading, we are working on answering who, what, where, when and why questions. about our stories. Third grade is working on Multiplication facts.  Keep working on them at home to get them memorized.  In Social Studies, Third grade is learning about the three branches of our Government.   Reminder to make sure to record and return your Book it Reading calendar.  The expectation is 15 minutes 15 times.  Mark your calendar for our Winter Sing coming up on Dec. 19th.  We look forward to singing for you.  

From the Band Room

Greetings from the Band Room. Band students have been working very hard to prepare for their first concert on December 4 at Edison Middle School. Your band student should have brought home a note, so please check their band folders if you have not received it. After our concert, we will starting learning new notes and concepts from our book. We will also start preparing for Mini Pep Band, which will be on Thursday, January 24. Please keep encouraging your student to practice every day, and working towards checking off all of their songs. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact Mrs. Rush.   

5th Grade News

Fifth grade is looking forward to our Christmas sing on Wednesday, December 19. We are also looking ahead to several field trips this spring. A note was sent home earlier this year, so that you can make payments toward your student's trips throughout the year. These can be paid online as well. Please let us know if you would like to be a chaperone. These positions are first come, first served, so please get your volunteer form in! As always, we would love if you were reading with your child at home and helping him/her to practice math facts.

A Word from Mr. English

Hello Van Buren family and friends! 
Our students are doing a wonderful job so far in physical education class. We are learning about the importance of physical fitness as well as enjoying various games/activities. Students have participated in a football unit, soccer unit, physical fitness testing, and tennis unit! During the months of December and January, we will be doing a dance unit, tumbling & gymnastics unit, bowling, and floor hockey! Each unit is two-three weeks long and consists of six-nine 30-minute long P.E. classes. In February, we will do a two-week basketball unit and volleyball unit. At the end of February we get the opportunity to learn about the human heart as we do the "Heart Course Obstacle Course!" If any families have extra gym shoes that no longer fit their child who would be willing to donate to our "extra gym shoe box" in the gym I would greatly appreciate it! 
Go Eagles!

4th Grade News

Fourth graders enjoyed a day of hiking in the woods at JSOL in November. We are looking forward to our tour of the Capitol on December 12! We would like to thank our families for all of the support and encouragement that you give your student. Please encourage your child to read daily and to practice there basic math facts.

Winter Sing Programs

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Kindergarten	8:45 - 9:15
1st Grade	9:45 - 10:15
2nd Grade	10:45 - 11:15
3rd Grade	11:45 - 12:15
4th Grade	1:00 - 1:30
5th Grade	2:00 - 2:30

 

Principal's Message
Dear Van Buren Families, Warmest greetings to you and your family! We are busy working hard on our second trimester goals. It?s great to see so many students attending our after school clubs, stretching their brains, coding, and sharing their talents. With trimester two ending on February 28, it will soon be time for parent-teacher-student conferences! This is a great opportunity for you to collaborate with your child?s teacher and hear from your child about the progress they are making!! Conferences will be held on Wednesday, March 6, and Thursday, March 7, 2019. Look for a message through class dojo to come home soon where you can sign up for a time through the SIGNUPGENIUSlink. Parents will be asked to update any contact information on our emergency cards and on Infinite Campus during your visit. Progress reports will be sent home on Tuesday, March 5 . Please take some time to discuss your child?s progress with them. Your praise for their hard work and your assistance with goal setting helps motivate our students to do their best in school! We are always looking for ways to improve our school and encourage family involvement. We hope you are able to attend our next PTA Meeting on March 14 at 6:00p.m. Other family events we hope you can attend: 2/22 6:00-8:00 pm Van Buren Family Fun Night at Edison Middle School 2/28 1:00-3:00 pm Grandparent?s Day/Scholastic Book Fair 2/28 5:30-7:00 pm Seusstastic Family Night at VB/Scholastic Book Fair 3/12 4:00-8:00 pm Culver?s Scoopie Night Look for more information to be coming home about these exciting family events! This year Van Buren turns 50 years old!!! Please m ark your calendars to attend our 50 YEAR CELEBRATION/FINEARTSFAIR on Thursday, April 11 for the Open House from 4:00-7:00pm . Ours student s and staff will be there to showcase what Van Buren is all about. Thank you for your continued efforts in getting your child to school on time each day. We value your partnership in educating your child and preparing them for a bright future. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you are having. I am always here to listen and support you and your child in any way that I can. Stay warm! Spring will be here before we know it!! With Kind Regards, Mrs. Stephanie Pajerski, Principal

Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 4:00 pm? 7:00 pm (No School for Students) Thursday, March 7, 2019 8:00 am-7:00 pm (No School for Students) Friday, March 8, 2019 (No School for Students & Staff).

Transfer Requests
Request for School Transfer/Placement (Intra District Transfers) within the School District of Janesville Attendance Areas Due to Move: If you move within the School District of Janesville during the school year and wish to remain at your current school, please ask the school office for a Request to Remain in Current School Following Move to New Attendance Area Form (blue). Complete the form and return it to the school office. Due to Parent Choice: If you wish to apply to have your student transferred/placed in another school within the district next school year (2019-2020), please ask the school office for a School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow). Completed forms will be accepted from Decem ber 1 through Decem ber 15, 2018 only. Submit your Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District Form (yellow) to your home school attendance area office. Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/ Placement Within the School District will be notified of approval or disapproval by January 15, 2019. Parents applying for a Request for School Transfer/Placement Within the School District for incoming Kindergarten students will be notified of approval or non-approval after they have enrolled their child during the Kindergarten Enrollment period with the New Student Enrollment Office. If you have questions, please contact the school office of your home school attendance area.

Open Enrollment or Public School Choice
If during the school year, you move outside the School District of Janesville and you wish to remain at your current school please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152 and request a tuition waiver form within two weeks of your move. This will allow you to be eligible to attend your current school for the remainder of the current year tuition free. To continue attending the School District of Janesville after the 2018-2019 school year, you will also need to complete an open enrollment application. Application instructions are provided to the School District of Janesville by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and should be available by late January 2019. This year applications will be accepted February 4 ? April 30, 2019. If you have questions regarding Open Enrollment or Public School Choice, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152.

Public School Open Enrollment Timelines
The State of Wisconsin has announced the application period for open enrollment (also known as public school choice) begins in February for the following school year. Open Enrollment laws permit children to attend a public school in a school district other than the one in which they live. The open enrollment application period for the 2019-2020 school year is from February 4, 2019 ? April 30, 2019. Parents are encouraged to apply on-line at dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment. Although on-line application is recommended, paper applications may be obtained from the Department of Public Instruction or any school district after February 4, 2019 and must be delivered (hand-delivery is recommended) to the nonresident school district during the application period. Paper applications to attend Janesville must be submitted to the Open Enrollment Specialist in the New Student Enrollment Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 30th (a postmark does not constitute timely submission). Applications turned in prior to February 4th will be returned as not valid and must be resubmitted after February 4th but before April 30th at 4:00 p.m. Enrollment in a requested school or program is subject to space and other limitations and is not guaranteed. Transportation is the responsibility of the parent. Habitual truancy may result in recommendation for the student to return to their home district. Under School District of Janesville board policy, students who attended the district under open enrollment the previous year are not required to reapply for the following school year. An application is required for each sibling in the family. For example, if a family has one child in elementary school that has been approved for open enrollment and a new student entering kindergarten next year, the student entering kindergarten must apply for open enrollment in order to attend the School District of Janesville. Parents will be informed in June whether their open enrollment applications have been approved or denied. The student?s school or program placement will be provided in June. If you have questions, please contact the Open Enrollment Specialist at 743-5152.

3rd Grade News
3rd grade is excited for the new year! Students should be continuing to learn their multiplication facts - remember they need to be memorized by the end of the school year! We are studying economics and the difference between wants and needs in Social Studies. In Science we will be working with simple machines. Please continue to have your child read on a daily basis! This spring will bring the Forward WI exam as well as a field trip to the Francis Willard School and Tallman House. Thanks for your continued support at home! Together, we make a great team!

Spring 4th & 5th Grade Track Meets
5th Grade - Tuesday, May 21, 2019
4th Grade - Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Rain Date - Thur sday, May 23, 2019

Van Buren Robotic Eagles are State Bound on February 23, 2019

Winter Weather Reminders
Reminder, students will not be entering the building during inclement weather until 8:05 a.m. unless the temperature and /or wind-chill are 0 degrees or less. All students should go to the doors they enter each morning.

2nd Grade News
Second graders are busy learning and setting new goals this month. We are completing our STAR Reading and Math tests to see what growth we have made. We are also retesting our sight words and reading fluency. Don't forget to complete reading logs at home. We currently have our book it program and the Six flags reading sheets to complete. IF you need another one, please let your teacher know. Reading at home for 15-20 minutes 3-5 times a week makes a huge difference in your child's reading level! Second graders will have a mystery reader during their LMC time this month. We can't wait to see who it may be!

Art News
WOW! What amazing artwork all of the students did for our winter program this year! Because we had a k-5th grade program, our whole school had fun creating winter themed projects and decorating our hallways of Van Buren to make a winter wonderland. It was so great to see them all dressed up, singing their hearts out, and excited for their family and friends to come and visit. Now that the holidays are over, our 3rd graders did an amazing job working on our annual Martin Luther King Jr. project. Students each created ?Soul Stones?using small clay pieces and pressing them into the soles of their shoes. THe Piece supports Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?s message: THe time is always right to do what?s right. Our VB learners added their footprint to show their unique, kind ?souls?as they collaborated and took action by taking steps to do what?s right! It was displayed at the MLK celebration at Blackhawk Technical College and then moved to the ESC. Come check it out at our 50th anniversary celebration and art show on April 11th, 2019. Van Buren Elementary's 3rd grade learners, with the guidance of Amazing Art Teacher, Ms. Mory, created a Soul Stone Mosaic, using the actual soles of each of their shoes. the piece supports Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's message: the time is always right to do what is right. Every Van Buren learner added their footprint to show their unique, kind "souls" as they collaborated and took action by taking the step to do what's right. # VBRocks #learnersandleaders.

PE News
Hello Van Buren family and friends! Our students are doing a wonderful job so far in physical education class. We are learning about the importance of physical fitness as well as enjoying various games/activities. Students just got done participating in a 2-week Basketball Unit and 2-week Floor Hockey unit after Winter Break. During the months of February and March, we will be doing a Bowling Unit, Heart Course Obstacle Course where students learn about the structure and functions of the human heart, and also a 2-week Volleyball Unit. Each unit is two weeks long and consists of six, 30-minute long P.E. classes. Also, if any families have extra gym shoes that no longer fit their child who would be willing to donate to our "extra gym shoe box" in the gym I would greatly appreciate it!
Go Eagles! Mr. English

4th Grade News
Fourth graders enjoyed a exploring the State Capital in early December and are looking forward to our upcoming trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum in February! We ask that you have your child read daily and practice their basic math facts. These skills are critical and will help build your child's confidence as they continue to learn more complicated skills. Thanks for all you do to help your child succeed!

1st Grade News
It has been a great start to the New Year in first grade! We started 2019 with STAR testing. We are excited to see how the students have grown since the beginning of the year! Students are starting to become independent readers. We are proud of how hard they are working on the reading strategies. The more your child reads the more fluent your child will be in reading. We would like your child to read at least 10 minutes each night. It is also important to ask your child questions about the book that he/she has read. Please remember to check your child?s take home folder each night for important notes. We also want to remind you to send your child?s library books back each week so they may check out new ones. Please ask your child if they are in need of any new supplies - especially headphones. It may be a good idea to keep an extra pair of socks in their backpacks for these wet days! Thank you for all you do to make your child an independent and responsible student.
Stay warm! Mrs. Campion Miss McCool Mrs. Raby

Kindergarten News
In the months of February and March our kindergarten students will get to celebrate very important dates: Valentines Day, presidents day, and the 100th day of school! We have many fun and educational activities the students will engage in to celebrate these important days. In reading, we will continue to work on reading our sight words and blending CVC words. Counting and skip counting by 10?s and 5?s to 100 along with writing numbers are goals we are mastering this time of year.. The playground is very wet and muddy so we appreciate an extra pair of shoes at school. This helps keep the classroom clean.

Music News
Thank you for attending our Holiday sings in December. I hope that you found the day enjoyable. I know that I love getting to see all of you and the guests that you bring with you. Now that we are done with our sings we are going to get busy learning the many enriching concepts of music. Third , fourth, and fifth graders will be playing the ukulele, recorder, and the keyboard. I know that some fourth and fifth graders will have their own recorders and that is great. I will be sending a note home to all third, fourth, and fifth graders when recorder time gets closer. On these instruments, the students learn basic playing techniques, how to read rhythm and pitch patterns, and hopefully develop a passion for the gift of music. Kindergartners and first graders are learning about pitch (do,re,mi,fa,sol,la,ti,do) and how to sing properly through fun vocalization activities and breathing activities, Please feel free to Dojo me anytime you have questions about music class. I have the best job! Thanks for sharing your children with me.

Band News
Greetings from the Band Room! With Mini Pep Band behind us, the Van Buren Band will go back to working in our books. We have a lot of new concepts that we will be working on in the up coming weeks. We will start to work on new time signatures, ties, and repeats. There are also some new notes in our future. As we move into more difficult topics, please continue to encourage your student to be practicing often at home to make sure they are really understanding what we work on in lessons. As always, don't hesitate to contact Mrs. Rush if you have any questions or concerns

Early Childhood
Early Childhood is working on counting to 20, matching numbers 1-10, identifying colors and 2D shapes. E.C has been learning a new letter each week and we are now on the letter, "m." We have two new twin students Major and Grayson who joined our class middle of January, too.