| Attendance Line Number - 490-3062 | March 25, 2004 |
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| Attendance Line Number - 490-3062 | March 25, 2004 |
We're on the final countdown! After the refueling from Spring Break, which was wonderful, we find it hard to finish all our typical plans while also assessing this year's accomplishments and planning for next year. It's also the time to begin thinking about placement of students into classrooms for next year. We want to know your child's needs so we can do our best to create our most productive groups of students. In May, current classroom teachers, who know the children best, and the counselor are the ones who will spend hours making these critical placement decisions. Although we don't accept parents requesting certain teachers, we are committed to making a placement decision that will indeed be a successful learning experience for your child. Please read the article that talks about this process especially if you feel your child's teacher is not fully aware of your ideas or if you just want to ensure that we have the needed information to make the best decision for all students to be successful. This spring a team of six Shepardson teachers will complete all of the requirements for an English as a Second Language Endorsement. They have been attending intensive classes for over a year during the school week, on weekends and in the summer. District officials share how unusual it is to have six from one school be so interested in this arduous commitment. I believe they represent what is commonly found at Shepardson--- a highly dedicated team of teachers who are anxious to find even better strategies to meet the needs of our diverse students. We have already learned from these colleagues and look forward to their continued sharing. Our congratulations go to this team of highly trained professionals! Sue Harbour, Shelley Aust, Bev Addington, Becky Avery, Colleen DelMonte and Lindy Granger (who moved to Support Services this year). Enjoy the spring days with your family!
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| CALENDAR | March 25, 2004 |
| MARCH 2004 | APRIL 2004 | ||||
| Fri | March 26 | End of Quarter | Tue | April 6 | PTO Meeting 7:00 pm |
| APRIL 2004 | Thu | April 8 | NO SCHOOL - Teacher Workday | ||
| Thu | April 1 | SIT Meeting 4:00 - 6:00 pm | Fri | April 9 | NO SCHOOL - Conference Comp. Day |
| Sat | April 3 | Odyssey of the Mind Competition | Fri | April 16 | Hawaiian Day! Aloha! |
| Mon | April 5 | Report Cards Distributed | Tue | April 20 | 3rd grade music program 6:30 pm |
| Tue | April 6 | 4th grade music program 6:00 pm | Tue-Fri | April 20-23 | Scholastic Book Fair at school |
Youth Art Month is being celebrated at the Lincoln Center, March 5 to April 1. The purpose of Youth Arts is to celebrate the achievement of students studying the arts in their schools, to encourage & stimulate thought and action about the importance of the arts in a student's education, and raise awareness that the impact of the arts on our lives is profound and universal. Each art teacher in the district could submit eight students' artwork for the show. From Shepardson the following students will have their work displayed at the Center for this celebration. They are Kacie Binder, Katie Elder, Sarah Gloor, RJ Dowswell, JiHo Lee, Reecie Dern, Laney Murrary, and Carlee Mekelburg.
Gallery hours: M-F 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat. 12 - 6 p.m. Admission is free.
It's now official! The Poudre School District Foundation's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Excellence in Education Award recipients for the 2003-2004 school year. The Foundation is honored to have this opportunity to continue the tradition of recognizing excellent educators who demonstrate a commitment to learning and student achievement. Mrs. Brownie Hayek, fourth grade teacher, was one of the six teachers selected for this prestigious honor. We are so proud of her and pleased that she will be honored for dedication to children and to school-wide success. She will be formally recognized at a banquet on April 19th. Congratulations, Brownie! You will represent Shepardson with your heart and soul for all of the children you have served. |
Our goal is to create the best heterogeneous classrooms that match students' needs and strengths with those of the teachers whenever possible. We invite parental input throughout the year so your child's needs and your expectations are clearly known by the classroom teacher prior to the placement process. We know that the best learning and teaching environment occurs when teachers and parents are working together and parents are supportive of the instructional design and of the teacher.
If you feel your child's teacher is not aware of your concerns, then you may choose to complete a Placement Information Form for Student Placement to ensure that we understand the needs of your children from your perspective. Please contact the office for this form. We do not accept specific requests for teachers but will address the needs of your child. These forms are due in the office no later than May 1st.
How does this placement process work? Classroom teachers will meet with the counselor in May to create the most balanced and workable groups, ones in which we believe that each child will be successful. Since we also know that the dynamics of a group can impact instruction, we spend many hours until we are very comfortable. It is time consuming and is in no way a random process. We appreciate your input, patience and understanding. We want to ensure that both students and teachers will be highly successful next year.
Our goal is to have class lists and supply lists sent home with each child on the last day of school.
After staff training days in February, Shepardson decided to coordinate our efforts to concentrate our focus on the six traits used to teach and measure writing performance. We are using some strategies found to be highly successful in improving student writing. Next year we will focus on one trait a month which will include a book that all students, staff and parents will be invited to read for reflection to better understand that trait. Students' writing will be featured in several ways. The specials teachers are also finding creative ways to support the development of these skills. We will keep parents informed through the newsletters. The last three months of the year will be a review time and will feature two of the traits. We are anxious to start and to involve parents in this learning process.
Six Analytical Writing Traits... you've heard the phrase used around school, but what does it mean?
| The Six-Traits are: | Ideas: the topic being written about | |
| Organization: the sequence of the writing piece, from beginning to end | ||
| Conventions: editing-spelling, grammar, and punctuation | ||
| Voice: personal stamp, personality, style, and flavor | ||
| Sentence Fluency: listening to the sound | ||
| Word Choice: playing with the language |
When evaluating students' writing, six separate aspects can be identified, rather than grading a writing piece holistically. Thus, a student's strengths and weaknesses can be identified, without sending the message he/she isn't a good writer. To involve everyone-students, staff, and parents- in the Writing Process and the use of the Six Analytical Writing Traits, we will be highlighting a Trait a month. The month of April starts us off with review of Conventions and Word Choice. As a school, through bulletin boards, S.T.A.R. News, and classroom activities, each class will be focusing on these Traits in writing. Each month the Trait will change, and the activities along with it.
Now that it's more like spring, we encourage parents to remind their children of safe practices.
We've been given some information about an event that happened near Shepardson (Centennial and Fernwood) but did not result in a formal alert. Two males in a red convertible were videotaping two junior high school age females as they were walking down the street. One of the males began running after the females. The females did not recognize the males. The girls did exactly the right thing, running away toward a safe place and the boys did not follow. When they arrived at one of their homes, their parents called the police.
Please also remind your children that police may be called whenever inappropriate actions occur at the school site, such as being on the roof, entering the building after hours, and other questionable actions. Our school neighbors are very protective of the school and will not hesitate to call police. Fortunately, such action is a rare event here. Nearly all of the time, this neighborhood is a safe and caring community.
Four members of the Shepardson Choir participated in the District Honor Choir concert on Tues. evening at the Lincoln Center. Those members were: Sarah Bunn, Tori Kauffman, Collins Wang, and Kimeon Young. Singers from all across the district rehearsed together for five weeks under the director Neil Johnson. Mr. Johnson is not only the choir director at Rocky Mountain High School, but a composer as well. One of the pieces the honor choir sang at their concert was the premier performance of a song written by Mr. Johnson called "One Voice More". They did a wonderful job at it was an experience they will always remember. Congratulations!
The Elementary Honor Choir is scheduled to air March 26, 27, and 28 at 2 pm. Once subsequent dates are scheduled, they can be found on the Channel 10 schedule at the PSD website.
Colorado Ski Country USA is conducting an art contest and all fourth graders are welcome to participate. Colorado Ski Country USA is looking to fourth grade students to create the 2004-2005 Fifth Grade Passport cover.
WHAT TO DRAW? We're looking for your idea of skiing or snowboarding. What do you think of when you visualize skiing/snowboarding at a Colorado resort? What does skiing and snowboarding mean to you? Ski magazines make great references.
GUIDELINES: The piece of art should be a minimum of 5x7 inches and no larger than 9x12 inches. Markers, paint, and crayons are all acceptable mediums. Bright colors are best. The artwork should be drawn on white paper and unmounted. Vertical works best.
DEADLINE: Submit artwork by June 1, 2004 to:
Art Contest Entry
Colorado Ski Country USA
1507 Blake Street
Denver, CO 80202
WINNERS: The winner's drawing will become the cover of next year's Colorado Fifth Grade Passport. The winner will receive a ski or snowboard package donated by Colorado Ski & Golf and will be announced prior to the beginning of the 2004-05 ski season. Three runners-up will receive two lift tickets to a Colorado resort.
Starting April 5th, breakfast will be served in our gym from 8:20 to 8:30 am. A variety of items will be offered, including yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal, toast, cinnamon rolls, and pop tarts along with milk and orange juice. A set of menu items is provided each day. A monthly menu is available upon request.
April 5: Cereal, graham crackers
April 6: Donut, cheese slices, 1/2 can fruit
April 7: Trix yogurt, pretzels, 1/2 can fruit
April 8-9: NO SCHOOL
Students who come to BASE Camp may also plan to have breakfast through this program. Please communicate your intentions with the staff there.
Students arriving by bus will be allowed to walk directly to the gym for this service. At 8:30 a.m. all students will leave the gym for their classrooms. Late-arriving bus students may need to bring the rest of their breakfast to the classroom to finish. Physical education classes begin shortly after that in the gym.
Prices are 75 cents per student and 30 cents per qualified reduced student.
Come join us.
It is amazing to me that we are already back from spring break and that we are starting the 4th and final quarter of the school year next Monday. This year is flying past! I need to present a variety of information in this edition of Counselor's Corner, so please bear with me.
Attached to this newsletter you will find a flyer regarding the purchase of quality helmets at very reasonable prices. Thanks to Shepardson parent Lara MacRill for bringing this offer to our attention, and thank you PTO for supporting this project. If your children's helmets have mysteriously shrunk over the winter, or if your children are riding without helmets, this is a great chance to upgrade or purchase, and at a considerable savings. Simply complete the order form, make checks payable to Shepardson PTO and return to school by Monday, April 12th. Allow about 3 weeks for delivery. This is not a fundraiser, but simply a great deal.
We are proud to announce the return of the 2nd Annual Shepardson 4K Walk/Run. This year's event will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2004, and, from this time on, will be called "The Cindy Mueller Run for the M&M's." Mr. Neal informs us that this is just one week prior to this year's district track meet and, in addition to being a fun family event, it can be a great training run for kids competing in the track meet the next week. Like last year, there will be t-shirts and ribbons for every participant and plenty of prizes as well. Registration flyers will be ready soon. So mark your calendars and watch for future details.
Now, from more of a counselor perspective, I want to inform Shepardson parents that during the last few weeks teachers have become increasingly aware of students using words such as "gay" or "lesbian" and I have had an increased number of conversations with students about this. In the past, use of these kinds of words in any derogatory manner was considered a Code of Conduct and dealt with accordingly. However, due to the recent events in our country, and the resulting increased news coverage along with increased usage of any vocabulary surrounding the issues of same-sex marriage, we have taken a slightly different course of action. Rather than these incidences resulting in Code of Conduct referrals, we have been taking a bit more time to discuss and educate students to the sensitivities around these issues and, for cases where these words were used in a derogatory way, warnings have been given. Repeat offenders will be given Code of Conduct reports. As parents, please be aware that we are seeing an increase in incidences around these issues and we ask that you support us by having what you feel are the appropriate conversations with your children at home. These are indeed interesting times in which we live.
The Scholastic Book Fair is due to arrive April 20th - April 23rd. The Fair hours will be from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm on Tuesday, and 8:00 am-6:00 pm Wednesday- Friday. Your children will be bringing home their wish lists on Tuesday, so make sure you watch for them. We are also offering Gift Certificates this year! You can purchase a gift certificate for your child or for your child's teacher before the fair and they can spend it at the fair! Several letters will be coming home in the coming weeks. Please watch for them; they will provide all the information needed for the fair this year.
Preschool Parents- we will be offering a special preview just for preschoolers on Tuesday, April 22nd from 3:00- 5:00. There will be coloring pages, word searches, and refreshments. Join us!
Door Prize at the Family Event
We will be hosting a Family Event night for families to come and shop together on Tuesday 5:00pm- 8:00pm. We will also hold a door prize drawing worth $25.00 in books for your child and $25.00 in books for your child's classroom! We look forward to seeing you there!
Volunteers Needed!
As usual, we will need many volunteers to help out at the book fair this year. If you are interested, please contact Leigh Ann Dilley at 377-3919
Next PTO meeting is Tuesday, April 6
7:00 p.m. in the Shepardson library
All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend!
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PTO Board Member and Committee Openings
If you are interested or would like to know more about becoming involved with Shepardson PTO, we encourage you to attend one of the next two meetings. It can give you a great insight on what PTO does and how you might be able to contribute. In the last newsletter we enclosed a note describing positions that will be available for next year and a form to complete for those who are interested. There are also forms at the front window as you walk in. Please take the time to review it and consider becoming involved, even if it is a one-time event!
If you have questions you may contact the nomination committee:
JoAnn Caddoo at 226-3103
Jennifer Burkhart at 225-1873
Maria Smailes at 223-3756
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College Funding Night Helpful!
We hosted our first College Funding Night on March 11. For many of us it was good information on how to get started and where we should put our money to best suit our individual family needs. We will plan to host another one next fall.
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Sock Hop Organizational Meeting
We will have a meeting to begin organizing the Sock Hop prior to our next PTO meeting, Tuesday, April 6. We will meet in the Shepardson library at 6:00 PM. If you have signed up to help or would be interested in helping, please attend this meeting! If you are unable to attend or have questions, please call JoAnn Caddoo at 226-3103.
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REACH Week
Thank you to those who participated! We will have final numbers in the next newsletter. Prizes will be distributed next week. If you have a problem or questions about your prize, please call Maria Smailes at 223-3756.
Listed below are upcoming PTO sponsored events and functions:
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For questions, comments or concerns regarding PTO please contact: JoAnn Caddoo, PTO President at 226-3103 or coloradocaddoo@msn.com Jennifer Burkhart, PTO Vice-President at 225-1873
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