Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Activities Week 1 of February

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 4

* Reminder: January Health & Safety Challenge: Be Better
Take the opportunity to set personal and family goals for the new year!

1. Keep track of time spent watching TV and time spent exercising. Try to decrease screen time and increase time getting exercise each week!
2. Make daily family dinners a time to connect and strengthen your family.
3. Set personal and family goals to be better.

The drawing for January will be soon so make sure your challenge paper is turned in.

* Early Out is Wednesday, February 2nd!! School dismissed at 12:55 PM.
AM Kindergarten: 8:25 AM – 10:25 AM, PM Kindergarten: 10:55 AM – 12:55 PM

* Bookmobile will be Thursday, February 3rd.

* Birthday Table for all students with February Birthdays will be Friday, Feb. 4th. Make sure to return your lunch forms if eating at the school!

* You can still purchase a YEARBOOK! They are $10 if you order before January 28th, after that you can purchase a yearbook for $12 until they are sold out. You will need to give your order form and money to Mrs. Spackman in the office and checks are to be made out to McKinley Elementary.

* Remember The Box Tops Competition for the month of January is the 2nd Grade classes (last day for 2nd graders is Monday, Jan. 31st) and for February will be the 1st Grade classes! You can bring in the following items: Box Tops, Cream of Weber lids, Campbell’s Soup labels, empty Elmer’s glue stick tubes/glue bottles and empty Neosporin tubes. Make sure Box Tops are cut out along the dotted lines and the soup labels are just the UPC with the point value. Bring in as much as you can and put them in the collection container in your classroom. THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE WINNING CLASS! Good Luck!

* ATTENTION ROOM PARENTS: Please be aware that the 100th day of school is being celebrated on Tuesday, February 8th and the Room Parents are in charge of a class activity and treat for that day. Please talk to the teacher and find out what works best for them and then get those thinking caps on and come up with something FUN!

* Mark your calendars for Family Math Night at the school on Wednesday, Feb. 9th!

* There will be a meeting at McKinley planned by the School District on Tuesday, Feb. 15th at 7:00 PM to discuss the “tentative” boundary changes that will be made due to the new Garland and Fielding schools. These changes will affect our school so please plan to attend to receive more information and give input. THANKS!!!

* Doodle 4 Google

It’s time again for the doodle 4 Google contest! Last year we had a state finalist, congratulations to Tucker Porter for that award!

The theme for this year is “What I’d like to do someday…..”

We will have several days of computer time to work on these doodles, they may work on them at home also, but they need to be turned in by the first week of March! I will give each child a practice paper and a paper with the Google logo on it, which will be the paper that is turned in.

You may look online at www.google.com/doodle4google for more info.

Rules

• The student doodle should be presented on a white, landscape sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper.
• The Google logo in the student doodle should be clearly visible and recognizable.
• The student doodle should be done in pencil, crayon, felt tip, paint, or by using computer drawing or design software.
• We do not accept entries that use additional materials to create 3D effects.
• While we encourage your students or children to use the work of Dennis Hwang, our original doodler or other previous Doodle artists and winners as inspiration, we remind participants not to recreate or plagiarize previous designs.
• We keep all of the original artwork and do not send it back; if you want a copy of your student or child’s doodle, make a color copy of it before you mail it in.

Judging

Doodles will be judge based on the following:

• Artistic merit: based on grade group and artistic skill
• Creativity: based on the representation of the theme and use of the Google logo
• Theme communication: how well the theme is expressed
• Appropriateness of supporting statement

McKinley Students: Get your creativity cap on and DOODLE something fun!!!

Thanks,
Mrs. Zundel

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Activities Week 4

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 24 - JANUARY 28

* Book Fair Schedule (on the stage in the gym):
- Tuesday, Jan. 25th from 3:00 – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, Jan. 26th from 3:00 – 7:00 PM
- Thursday, Jan. 27th from 3:00 – 7:00 PM
- Friday, Jan. 28th from 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

* Parent Teacher Conferences Schedule:
- Wednesday, Jan. 26th, School dismissed at 12:55 PM (Kindergarten students will have their short schedule like on the 1st Wednesday of the month) – Conferences run from 3-7 PM that evening.
- Thursday, Jan. 27th, Normal school schedule - Conferences run from 3-7 PM that evening.
- Friday, Jan. 28th, No school for Kindergarten students only – Conferences held as needed for the parents and students of Kindergarteners.
- You will receive a note with a scheduled day/time for you and your student to meet with their teacher. THANKS!

* It is YEARBOOK time!!! Yearbook info is coming home and the yearbooks will cost $10 if you order before January 28th, after that you can purchase a yearbook for $12 until they are sold out. You will need to give your order form and money to Mrs. Spackman in the office and checks are to be made out to McKinley Elementary. We need your photos: If you have any photos that you have taken for individual class activities or for school functions that you can share to be put in the yearbook, here is how to submit them: (1) E-mail them to Tracy Joseph at tracylou77@hotmail.com. (2) Put the images on a CD and drop them off in the office labeled YEARBOOK. (3) If you have actual prints, you will either need to scan them onto a disc or make an extra print of them to drop off in an envelope to the office because CDs and photos cannot be returned. If you have any questions, you can contact Tracy Joseph at 854-7350. All photo submissions must be turned in by January 28th!!! THANKS so much!!!

* The Box Tops Competition for the month of January will be the 2nd Grade classes. You can bring in the following items: Box Tops, Cream of Weber lids, Campbell’s Soup labels, empty Elmer’s glue stick tubes/glue bottles and empty Neosporin tubes. Make sure Box Tops are cut out along the dotted lines and the soup labels are just the UPC with the point value. Bring in as much as you can and put them in the collection container in your classroom. THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE WINNING CLASS! Good Luck!

* ATTENTION ROOM PARENTS: Please be aware that the 100th day of school is being celebrated on Tuesday, February 8th and the Room Parents are in charge of a class activity and treat for that day. Please talk to the teacher and find out what works best for them and then get those thinking caps on and come up with something FUN!

* Mark your calendars for Family Math Night at the school on Wednesday, Feb. 9th for all students and their families.

* There will be a meeting at McKinley planned by the School District on Tuesday, Feb. 15th at 7:00 PM to discuss the “tentative” boundary changes that will be made due to the new Garland and Fielding schools. These changes will affect our school so please plan to attend to receive more information and give input. THANKS!!!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Activities Week 3

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 16 - JANUARY 20

* Please note that there will be no school on Monday, Jan. 17th in honor of Human Rights Day.

* Early Out is Wednesday, January 19th!! School dismissed at 12:55 PM.
AM Kindergarten: 8:25 AM – 10:25 AM, PM Kindergarten: 10:55 AM – 12:55 PM

* Bookmobile will be Thursday, January 20th.

* It is YEARBOOK time!!! Yearbook info is coming home and the yearbooks will cost $10 if you order before January 28th, after that you can purchase a yearbook for $12 until they are sold out. You will need to give your order form and money to Mrs. Spackman in the office and checks are to be made out to McKinley Elementary. We need your photos: If you have any photos that you have taken for individual class activities or for school functions that you can share to be put in the yearbook, here is how to submit them: (1) E-mail them to Tracy Joseph at tracylou77@hotmail.com. (2) Put the images on a CD and drop them off in the office labeled YEARBOOK. (3) If you have actual prints, you will either need to scan them onto a disc or make an extra print of them to drop off in an envelope to the office because CDs and photos cannot be returned. If you have any questions, you can contact Tracy Joseph at 854-7350. All photo submissions must be turned in by January 28th!!! THANKS so much!!!

* Congratulations to Mrs. Madson’s class who won the Box Tops Competition in December for the 3rd Grade. WAY TO GO!!!

* The Box Tops Competition for the month of January will be the 2nd Grade classes. You can bring in the following items: Box Tops, Cream of Weber lids, Campbell’s Soup labels, empty Elmer’s glue stick tubes/glue bottles and empty Neosporin tubes. Make sure Box Tops are cut out along the dotted lines and the soup labels are just the UPC with the point value. Bring in as much as you can and put them in the collection container in your classroom. THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE WINNING CLASS! Good Luck!

* A Dime a Day Ongoing Fundraiser: Help us raise money for the end of the year field trips by donating 10 cents a day. We are setting a goal of $4,500 which will cover the bus expenses for class field trips. There will be a jar in the front office where anyone can donate as much as they would like.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Activities Week 2

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 10 - JANUARY 14

* Happy New Year!!!! We're excited to welcome Ms. Sederholm as a new 4th Grade Teacher. We wish Mrs. Archibald the best in her new adventures and will miss her greatly!

*
January Health & Safety Challenge: Be Better
Take the opportunity to set personal and family goals for the new year!


1. Keep track of time spent watching TV and time spent exercising. Try to decrease screen time and increase time getting exercise each week!
2. Make daily family dinners a time to connect and strengthen your family.
3. Set personal and family goals to be better.


If you accept this challenge, make sure to sign the form that was sent home and return it to the box by the office. THANKS!

* Community Council Meeting – Monday, Jan. 10th at 3:15 PM in Missy Michaelis’ Room

* PTA Board Meeting – Tuesday, Jan. 11th at 3:10 PM in the Teacher’s Lounge

* Tryouts for the School Play will be Tuesday, Jan. 11th at 3 PM. If your student would like to try out, they will need to read over the guideline/information sheet that was sent home and then the parent will need to sign the permission slip and return it as well as the student prepare a short poem with expression and a short song for that day. Parents: Please pick up your child at 4 PM.

* PLEASE COME TO LITERACY NIGHT on Wednesday, January 12th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the school for students and their families. It will be themed, “Exploring Books” and is going to be a lot of FUN!!! The Literacy Team is looking for a few parents that could help that night. If you are available to help, please contact Lynette Bullen at the school.

* The Box Tops Competition for the month of January will be the 2nd Grade classes. You can bring in the following items: Box Tops, Cream of Weber lids, Campbell’s Soup labels, empty Elmer’s glue stick tubes/glue bottles and empty Neosporin tubes. Make sure Box Tops are cut out along the dotted lines and the soup labels are just the UPC with the point value. Bring in as much as you can and put them in the collection container in your classroom. THERE WILL BE A PRIZE FOR THE WINNING CLASS! Good Luck!

* Please note that there will be no school on Monday, Jan. 17th in honor of Human Rights Day. Mark that on your calendar!

January Health & Safety Challenge

Each month there will be a personal challenge to help you be healthy and safe this year. If you discuss and accept this challenge with your parents, you can bring back a slip to be entered in a drawing for monthly rewards. You can also do your part to earn a “Blow Up Toy” Activity Day for the whole school at the end of the year. We are excited to see the fantastic students and staff at McKinley Elementary get fit and have fun this year!

January Challenge: Be Better
Take the opportunity to set personal and family goals for the new year!


1. Keep track of time spent watching TV and time spent exercising. Try to decrease screen time and increase time getting exercise each week!
2. Make daily family dinners a time to connect and strengthen your family.
3. Set personal and family goals to be better.


Saturday, January 1, 2011

January Principal's Message

HAPPY NEW YEAR – A NEED TO SUCCEED!

Happy New Year! Can you believe its 2011? The school year is nearly half way over and we have many school items that need to be taken care of. We are now down to the knitty gritty of testing and accountability for teachers and students. This is an excellent time to sit down with your child to make new goals for school improvement and dedication.

Making resolutions for the New Year can be a fun family activity. After all, everyone has goals for improvements for the new year, and talking about them and then working to make sure they're achieved is a great family or team activity.
Set a special "group goal setting time" for kids by cutting some paper strips and have each child write three goals they would like to see achieved. Kids only need to be able to talk for this one. Start with a special family activity (special meal, game night, park fun, family football or whatever). Then, have each person speak of wishes they hope will come true in the new year for other members of the family. The end goal is quality time and communication.

Goal Setting Begins Early
A goal is a vision of the best possible outcome. It's usually something big that we want or need to accomplish. It's written, measurable and shared with others. The rewards and consequences of the goal should also be clear. Depending on your child’s age, there are various ways to address these criteria.

Track Progress
Each time your child completes a task, recognize this accomplishment. After a pre-determined number of successes, there should be a reward. However, don't wait to celebrate their achievements. Throughout the process, discuss how they are doing on their goal.

Planning to Succeed
As your child grows; the goals will get bigger and more complex. They will need to be divided into achievable tasks. Again, you'll want to help your child develop a visible system for tracking their progress, reflecting on their achievements and rewarding them for working toward their goal.

Succeed As A Team
A real test of the goal setting process will come when your child is asked to work in a team to accomplish a task. This may be the first time your child is faced with the situation of someone else not meeting their obligations. When this happens, it will be a valuable and stressful learning experience for your child. As a rule of thumb, assume a task will take 2 ½ times longer than you expect.


By incorporating goal setting into your child's world as early as possible, you'll be providing them the tools they need to succeed.

Mr. Chadaz

January Calendars

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