Reading Elementary Rockets Report: January 2017

Sunday, January 29, 2017

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Jan. 29, 2017

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

We had new students join us last week, and we'd love to have more! We've got the kind of school that parents dream about having - your child feels safe, cared for, learning is individualized, and does not/can not fall between the cracks in the "large education assembly line!" We need help to market our school and get the word out! We need to grow to stay alive and vibrant! Please contact the school if you'd like to help with this!

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

Ski Runner parent/community volunteer drivers - Pete Seaman, Sue Mulder, Kurt Allen, and Matt Maxham!
All of you who have clipped and sent in Box Tops!
The PTO for all they do to support our school!

Other Items of Interest:

Afterschool Program - THIS Wed., Feb. 1, there will ONLY be "Bookmaking" with Amy Harkins. The teachers must attend the Act 46 forum being held at the SU.

Snow Delay Protocol - During the midweek I sent out a NEW delay protocol being initiated by the SU. If you did not receive a copy, please contact Libbet.

Non-Ski Runners Field Trip - For those students who have no participated in the Ski Runner program, we will be having a field trip on Fri., Feb. 17, to the Springfield Bowling Alley. "Orange" permission slips came home last week, so please sign and return to the office. The PTO has graciously agreed to support this trip and parents are asked to send spending money only.

Do You Know An RES Alumni? - Our library media/tech classes are conducting a survey and creating a digital living history to represent the past and present of Reading Elementary School and we need your help! Did you attend Reading Elementary School? Do you know someone who did? If you did, then please complete the survey and ask other alumni, to complete the attached SURVEY. Students will be researching their town and school history and preserving it digitally. Check out what we've done so far at RES PAST AND PRESENT.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

Come to a Reading Elementary School Board Meeting!
Come read to the students or volunteer to help in the library!

LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENU FOR THIS WEEK:

Please send in your payment if you have not already done so. Lunch accounts should be paid in full each month. If you need help complete the Free/Reduced Paperwork, we are here to help! ALL APPLICATIONS are kept confidential. Thank you!

Mon., Jan. 30 - Chicken Sesame Noodles, Pineapple, Broccoli, Cauliflower; Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & the Regulars
Tues., Jan. 31- Denver Omelet Cups Oranges, Rainbow Peppers, Butternut Squash, WG English Muffin; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs - The Regulars
Wed., Feb. 1 - Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Apples,Bean Salad; Breakfast: German Pancake- The Regulars
Thurs., Feb. 2 - Spaghetti with meat sauce, Pears, Spinach with Carrots; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Egg - The Regulars
Fri., Feb. 3 - Tuna sandwiches, Tangerines, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers Cherry tomatoes ; Breakfast: Fried Eggs - The Regulars

Happening this Week:

Mon, Jan. 30 -

Mindfulness Training continues in Classrooms
Library/Media Tech - do you have any library books to turn in????

Tues., Jan. 31 - VINS visits Pre-K & K
Wed., Feb. 1-

NO After School Program 2:45 - 5 PM except Bookmaking
Physical Ed. day - please have students bring appropriate footwear!
PTO Meeting 6 PM

Fri., Feb. 3 - Ski Runners

Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events:

Fri., Feb. 10 - Ski Runners
Sun., Feb. 12 - PTO Pasta Night 4 - 7 PM
Fri., Feb. 17 -

Ski Runners
Non-Ski Runners - Bowling Field Trip

Mon., Feb. 20 - Fri., Feb. 24 - NO SCHOOL
Fri., March 3 -

NAEP - 9:30 - 11 AM
Last Day Ski Runners

Thoughts to Ponder:

LIFE AT READING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Beautiful morning - waiting for students to come!

Learning with Mrs. Drinker

LEGO Engineering Afterschool

Sunday, January 22, 2017

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Jan. 22, 2017

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

We understand how busy families are and homework is just one more think on the to do list. Teachers ask that students read every night. Reading at home with families is a great way to support your students reading skills, especially if you read with them AND they read independently. Sometimes try reading one paragraph and have your child read the next, and then talk about what you've read after a page. The 5 W's are great for discussion and then prediction is so important - what do they think is going to happen next? Reading together is a great memory to make!

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

Ski Runner parent/community volunteer drivers - Pete Seaman, Sue Mulder, Kurt Allen, and Matt Maxham!

Other Items of Interest:

Mindfulness - Thanks to a very generous grant from the Ottauqueechee Foundation, we will have "mindfulness" classes provided on Mondays. There's lots of studies to show the positive effects on children and adults. The Ottaquechee Health Foundation has been generous in providing a wellness curriculum to our students. Susan Mordecai will be coming in once a week to guide the students with a mindfulness practice program. The practices aim to improve focused attention, body awareness, kindness towards self and others, and ways to develop over-all self-awareness. Susan holds a VT teaching license, and has completed several researched based programs that have been developed for the classroom setting. In addition, Susan holds a Masters of Education, as well as a Masters in Educational Psychology. Susan began training as a Mindfulness Educator in 2010, and began teaching mindfulness practices in public schools in 2011. It was in 2014 that she left the position as a full-time Special Educator to offer mindfulness/social emotional learning curricula to students as well as adults.Here's a LINK to a parent.com article about mindfulness for your information.

Dreambox - Reading Elementary students can now access DreamBox Learning from any computer, 24/7 using this LINK. This is an online, Intelligent Adaptive Learning program that helps students achieve better, faster math profiency. Older students are asked to do a minimum of 15 min. at home. The teachers and families can monitor the student's progress. There is a letter attached with more details on how to access the family dashboard.

NAEP - Attention 4th grade parents - On Fri., March 3, 4th grade students will participating in the NAEP Assessment. Letters were sent home with students last week. For more information on the NAEP assessment, please visit For more information about NAEP, please visit the website at:WEBSITE. If you have questions or would like to review booklet that includes sample subject area and student questions, please contact me at 802-484-7230, or via email at cknight@wcsu.net.

Library Books - We are still missing many library books - thanks for helping them come back in! Can you please check around your houses and make sure they come back in?

Report Cards - Report cards are coming home on Wed. If you have any concerns about your child's progress, please contact your child's teacher directly before contacting the office.

Water Violation - There is a letter being sent with the Blackboard Connect e-mail that we are required to share with all families. Please read and call the school with any questions.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

\Come to a Reading Elementary School Board Meeting!
Come read to the students or volunteer to help in the library!

LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENU FOR THIS WEEK:

Mon., Jan. 23 - Beef & Broccoli, Oranges, Whole Grain Rice; Breakfast: Oatmeal & the Regulars
Tues., Jan. 24- Chicken Toes, Grapes, Carrots, Potatoes & Iceberg Lettuce, Five Grain Medley; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs - The Regulars
Wed., Jan. 25 - Vegetable Chili, Cottage Cheese, Tangerines, Whole Grain Tortilla; Breakfast: Pancakes- The Regulars
Thurs., Jan. 26 - Mexican Style Beef & Whole Grain Rice, Pears, Peas & Green Bean, ; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Egg - The Regulars
Fri., Jan. 27 - Fish Plate, Applesauce, Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes, Whole Grain Wild Rice; Breakfast: Omelet - The Regulars

Happening this Week:

Mon, Jan. 23 -

Mindfulness Training begins in Classroom
Special Board Meeting 6 PM

Wed., Jan. 25 -

Report Cards sent home
After School Program 2:45 - 5 PM

Thurs., Jan. 26 - Screenagers Viewing at Woodstock 6 PM
Fri., Jan. 27 - Ski Runners

Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events:

Wed., Feb. 1 - PTO Meeting 6 PM
Fri., Feb. 3 - Ski Runners
Fri., Feb. 10 - Ski Runners
Sun., Feb. 12 - PTO Pasta Night 4 - 7 PM
Fri., Feb. 17 -

Ski Runners
Non-Ski Runners - Bowling Field Trip

Mon., Feb. 20 - Fri., Feb. 24 - NO SCHOOL
Fri., March 3 -

NAEP - 9:30 - 11 AM
Ski Runners

Thoughts to Ponder:

LIFE AT READING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Lots of learning in Gr. 3/4

Morning Meeting - What a great way to start the day with Pre-K

Kindergarten in PE

Writing questions about the White House in Kindergarten

Bookmaking with Mrs. Hawkins

Lego Engineering in the After-school Program

The 1st Gr. lead us in the Pledge of Allengience.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

RES PRINCIPAL'S BLOG - ROCKETS REPORT - Sun., Jan. 15, 2016

Dear Reading Elementary "Rockets" Families & Community Members:

NO SCHOOL MON., JAN. 16 FOR STUDENTS

Kudos and heartfelt thanks to:

Ski Runner volunteer drivers - Pete Seaman, Matt Foley, Sue Mulder, Kate Allen, Boolie Sluka, and Matt Maxham!

Other Items of Interest:

Not Feeling Well? - We greatly appreciate the effort that it takes to get your child up and here on time. We often hear from students, "My mom/dad said that I could try it, and if I didn't feel better to come see Teacher Libbet and I could go home." It really helps us at school if you reassure your child that they will feel better once they get to school and the day will fly by and they'll be home before they know it. Our TLC policy is 1) take their temperature 2) lay down for 5 min, 3) if it's tummy ache, then maybe a Tums or Ginger Ale for nausea, and then back to class. IF your child started the day with a complaint to you, give US a heads up and we'll keep an even closer eye on them than we already do. We promise to call you if we feel that they are ill. Usually the only way to make a child feel better when they've been told they can call Mom/Dad if they are sick, is to call and send them home. Attendance is crucial - you can't "make-up" labs and class discussions, so learning is OPTIMAL when students are in the classroom.

Library Books - We are still missing many library books - thanks for helping them come back in!

Act 46 Study Committee - The committee will be meeting again this Wed., Jan. 18, from 6:30 - 8 PM at the WCSU Central Office. Hope you'll join us!

OTHER WAYS TO HELP READING SCHOOL

\Come to a Reading Elementary School Board Meeting!
Come read to the students or volunteer to help in the library!

LUNCH & BREAKFAST MENU FOR THIS WEEK:

Mon., Jan. 16 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Staff at the SU for Staff Development.
Tues., Jan. 17- Chicken Vegetable Curry w/Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes , Tangerine, Spinach, Whole Grain Corn Chips; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs - The Regulars
Wed., Jan. 18 - Minestrone, Cheese Sticks, Apples, Whole Grain Noodles; Breakfast: French Toast w/Bacon - The Regulars
Thurs., Jan. 19 - Fish Tacos, Kiwi, Carrots, Cabbage & Iceberg Lettuce, Whole Grain Tortilla ; Breakfast: Hard Boiled Egg - The Regulars
Fri., Jan. 20 - Pita Pizza, Applesauce, Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes, Whole Grain Wild Rice; Breakfast: Omelet - The Regulars