Attendance Line Number - 490-3062

October 28, 2005

Shepardson's Home Page: http://schoolweb.psdschools.org/she/

In this issue...

(Table of Contents)   (Top) PRINCIPAL REFLECTIONS

Report cards came home this week. I would hope that in all cases there are no major surprises. Papers that come home regularly provide parents with a fairly clear idea of how your child is performing this year. Sometimes the first report card of the year is a bit surprising since the expectations at this new grade level are higher than the previous year. We do need to keep expectations high yet reasonable and your understanding and support are critical as we support your children in achieving high goals. If you have questions, please contact your child's teacher. They may even be expecting your call.

Homework is one means of practicing skills learned at school, of developing good habits for later school years when it is critical to their academic success, and of extending the time needed to develop mastery of skills. The amount of time a child is in school is a relatively small part of their day and year. I recently received a listing from the National Association of Elementary School Principals entitled "Tips for Building Good Study Habits." Below are the basic tenets that families may want to review to ensure their children are given the best level of success at home.

1. Make a homework spot. If possible, a desk/table and chair, good light, pens and pencils, and a dictionary. When a child sits down, he is ready to work! No excuses!

2. Set a homework time. It is more likely to become a habit and get done if you have a designated time.

3. Use a homework notebook. Most teachers have students use a spiral or some form to record homework daily. Students need to remember to bring it home and use it when putting the needed materials in their backpack at the end of the day.

4. Make notes as you read. It is easier to remember the important things if you write them down as you read

5. Make your own flash cards. This is a good way to study lots of things like vocabulary, math facts, history facts, etc. Write a word or question on one side and the definition or answer on the other.

6. Do your hardest---or least favorite---homework first. Save the easiest assignment or the one you like best as the reward for getting everything else done. This strategy works for adults too!

7. Write down your questions. When you think of questions at home, write these down to ask the teacher the next day. Then you don't have to remember that question. Always a good habit to write notes to yourself.

8. Look up new words. If you find a new word, make a note of it. Either look it up then or later but be sure and look it up. It will help you understand what you are reading and help you remember this word the next time it appears. Increasing your vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your academic performance and your image with others. Work hard to learn new words every day.

9. Test yourself as you read. Imagine what questions your teacher might ask you about what you are reading. If you can come up with questions that is also a great sign that you have been paying attention to what you've read. If not, then it is also a clue to reread it for better meaning. A great strategy to use all the time.

As I read about what their future is likely to be, I am in awe of what their world will be like. In this country, lower skilled jobs are being sent to other countries. For your children to be prepared for their future, they must have the best education possible, be able to think creatively and critically, and recognize that on going learning must always be a part of their life. Elementary years are the ones that allow them to learn with the best climate of caring and understanding. Teachers know and care about their students as if they were their children. They want each one to exceed at high levels!

I believe strongly that every child comes to school anxious to learn! When the learning process is difficult or too easy is when any of us find it difficult to keep our motivation high. Please help your child recognize the value of learning these basic skills upon which all the rest of our educational system is based. They need your gentle understanding and positive encouragement especially when times are tough. (Try to remember a time when you found something difficult.) Sometimes they just need more time to learn something or, more often, they need to learn or practice it in a different way.

Working closely with the teacher will allow you both to better understand your child's learning needs. Email has become a more common and efficient communication tool between parents and teachers. Email addresses are on the website and in the directory. We too want each child to reach or exceed the goals we set. Shepardson is so fortunate to have families who truly value education! Together we can help your child reach the stars!

Have a special and fun weekend with your children!

-	Mary Kay Sommers
	email: msommers@psdschools.org

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CALENDAR

October 28, 2005

NOVEMBER 2005			NOVEMBER 2005
1	Tue	Pictures retakes-8:45 am	10	Thu	SIT 4:00-6:00 pm
1	Tue	PTO Meeting-7:00 pm	23-25	Wed-Fri	Thanksgiving Break
3	Thu	Family Picture Night 4:30-8:00 pm-Media Center	DECEMBER 2005
8	Tue	6th Grade Music Program 7:00 pm-Gym	1	Thu	Barnes & Noble Book Fair Night

(Table of Contents)   (Top) ATTENTION SIXTH GRADE PARENTS

Due to unavoidable technical difficulties with our school's sound system, the sixth grade music program originally scheduled for October 25 will now be held on NOVEMBER 8 AT 7:00 PM.

Please send a note with your child if he/she will be unable to attend.

We are very sorry for the change.

Mrs. Everett

(Table of Contents)   (Top) ORIGINAL WORKS ART FUNDRAISER

The orders have been sent and should be back by the middle of November!! The late orders will not be sent in until the beginning of December and those orders will be returned after the new year. We are allowed one free late order, so if parents want to order additional items after the first order arrives in November, they may do so. If other parents want to participate in the late order they can do so, using their child's artwork completed here at school or use artwork they did at home. Please remember the size must be 8" x 10 1/2".

Thank you to everyone who has participated in this fundraiser, the response was overwhelming! We collected over $8000 in orders; I do not know yet what the amount is that I will receive. I need to thank Janet Brull for the wonderful display in the media center and the many hours she put in collecting the orders, tabulating the orders, making phone calls for incomplete orders, and preparing the orders for shipping. I couldn't have accomplished this big task without her. I, also, want to thank Julie Iven, Lisa Rutherford, and Yoshiko Kuno, a retired volunteer, for helping Janet prepare the orders for shipping. Their dedication to helping is priceless.

Thank you, again, for your support of this project. I am anxious to see all the beautiful items that you have ordered!

Lori Pibal

(Table of Contents)   (Top) COUNSELOR CORNER

I'm back with another article for the Shepardson Newsletter. Last year, I reported to you that I had assembled a Counseling Advisory Committee, created to assist me with the evaluation and direction of the counseling program at Shepardson. Members of this committee include myself, a classroom teacher, a professor in the Education Department at CSU, three Shepardson parents and a former Shepardson parent. We established three goals at the end of last year.

• Create a tri-fold brochure outlining the services provided by Shepardson's Counseling Program

• Develop an effective survey that will assist us to accurately evaluate issues surrounding students respecting students at Shepardson

• Deepen the community's understanding and involvement in the Shepardson STARS Character Education and Positive Behavior Program.

In this article I would like to briefly explain the Shepardson STARS Program in hopes that you, as parents, will be able to use common vocabulary and similar practice as we work together to create a safe and caring learning environment for our students. As you know we are the Shepardson Stars, and our mission statement can be encapsulated in the phrase "Working together we can reach the stars." We used that same star theme as we decided upon the five character traits we encourage all students to practice in their daily lives; Self-Control, Truthfulness, Appreciation, Responsibility and Service. There are STARS posters in every classroom and other common areas throughout the school showing definitions for each of these traits. Self-Control means being able to manage our words, actions, and emotions by ourselves without supervision. Truthfulness means being honest with our words and actions and choosing to do what is right. Appreciation means accepting our differences, being polite and kind to others, and demonstrating a positive, caring attitude. Responsibility means choosing to do our best, being accountable for our behavior and learning, and accepting the consequences of our actions. Service means being a good citizen by helping when needed and cooperating with others to achieve a common goal.

As we guide students through each school day, we make it a priority to clearly explain, in advance, our expectations for appropriate behavior. For the first few weeks of school, classes have "Teach To's" where all children are actually shown the proper way to listen during instruction, line up, walk in the hallway, sit in an assembly, act during recess or in the bathroom or in the bus line, etc, etc. After these expectations are clearly explained, we then hold children accountable for that behavior. We verbally reward students for their STARS behaviors, and occasionally children will be recognized with a STAR STUDENT slip that gets taped on Mrs. Sommers' office door. If we need to remind a child to behave more appropriately, we try to "redirect" their behavior verbally, but only once. If the inappropriate behavior continues, we respond with either a pink ticket for common areas or a refocus if the behavior interrupts academic time. We track pink tickets and refocuses (refoci?) closely. Most Shepardson students (90%) will complete an entire school year without receiving a single pink ticket or refocus. We do expect that some students will occasionally make poor choices (as do we all), and we have found that one reminder is usually all it takes to help get them back on the right path. If an individual student begins to accumulate a number of pink tickets or refocuses, it is obviously time for more concentrated interventions to help them make better choices. At these times parents are informed and asked to assist.

This is a very brief summary of our positive behavior program. If you are interested in learning more, we have more detailed materials here at school for you to look at or to make copies for your own use. It is said that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it. As I reviewed the STARS program with both 5th and 3rd grade students this fall, I challenged them to teach someone at home about one or all of the traits. It is also said that we remember only 20% of what we hear. Hopefully some students did hear my challenge and some of you did have a lesson on STARS behavior. If not, ask your child if they remember what the letters in STARS stands for and let that lead you into a short discussion about appropriate behavior at school or anywhere.

Until next time. Happy trick or treating.

By Rea Kreider, Shepardson Counselor

(Table of Contents)   (Top) YOU CAN STILL PICK UP A SHEPARDSON SCHOOL DIRECTORY

(Table of Contents)   (Top) THANK YOU TO ALL SHEPARDSON VOLUNTEERS

(Table of Contents)   (Top) PTO CORNER

Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 1st at 7:00 p.m. (committee work) followed by the 7:15 p.m. Board Meeting in the Shepardson Library. For more information please contact: Jennifer Burkhart @ 225-1873. NEW FACES AND INPUT ARE WELCOME SO PLEASE JOIN US AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SHEPARDSON!

(Table of Contents)   (Top) BRACELETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE JEFF SEE FOUNDATION

One of our Shepardson Families has fallen upon difficult times. The See Family has been a part of Shepardson for many years - from the time their children attended Shepardson to the years Carol See served as our kitchen manager. Sadly, Jeff See has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Shepardson, along with O'Dea Elementary, is selling inspiring bracelets in order to send support to the Jeff See Foundation, to help in their time of need. If you can help, please send a donation of $2.00 with the order form below. A bracelet will be sent home with your child in their Friday folder unless other arrangements are requested.

Thank you!

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