Elementary/Middle School

August/ September Newsletter

Elementary/ Middle School

August 19, 2008

Welcome

Welcome to a great start for the 2008-09 school year! We anticipate a positive year filled with many opportunities for each student within the Elementary and Middle School. Let’s have a great year!

Box Tops for Education/Campbell’s Labels for Education

This year students will again have the opportunity to participate in the Box Tops for Education Program and/or the Campbell’s Labels for Education Program. Students may collect box tops from General Mills and Partner Participating Products and UPC codes /beverage caps from participating Campbell’s Labels for Education Products. Box tops and UPC codes returned to school will earn points for specific classroom supplies, equipment, etc.

If any parent is interested in assisting with these programs, please contact the Elementary Office at 529-6465. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

Choose What’s Right! Change What Isn’t!

During the 2007-08 school year, the Elementary and Middle School developed and implemented a program designed by Wisner-Pilger educators entitled “Choose What’s Right! Change What Isn’t!” The program provided for the instruction of specific social skills each week to all Elementary and Middle School students throughout the school year.

Beginning the second year of implementation, the program will include three specific areas of interest. The three areas/skills include: manners, conflict resolution, and cooperation.

The first quarter will provide students an opportunity to discuss the skills of making choices and manners to include: tone of voice, greetings, eye contact, listening, facial expression, body language, posture.

Information regarding the implementation of specific skills each month will be included in the Elementary/Middle School Monthly Newsletter. If you should have any questions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.

Before/After School Parking: Elementary

Parents bringing and/or picking up students at the Elementary may do so by parking in the designated parking areas on the east, south, and west side of the building. Please do not double park as it creates unsafe conditions for students walking across the street through multiple rows of vehicles. Your assistance with student safety is greatly appreciated!

The driveway on the north side of the building is strictly used for school buses/vans only. School buses will enter the driveway from the north side of the playground and pick up/drop off students by the north side of the building. The buses will then enter 12^th Street using the alley on the north side of the Elementary. Please do not block the alley. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

Before/After School Parking: Middle School

Any parent bringing and/or picking up students at the Middle School may do so by using the parking on the east and west side of campus, in the south parking spaces available on the west side of the front driveway, and the east bound parking across the street on the south side of the school. The area marked with yellow paint on the east side of the front driveway is strictly reserved for school buses. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

Communication

If you should have any questions and/or concerns, please contact David M. Ludwig, Elementary/Middle School Principal, at the Elementary (529-6465) or the Middle School (396-3566).

A monthly newsletter will be sent home with students at the end of each month. Included within the newsletter will be information regarding Elementary/Middle School events for the following month as well as additional information for parents. Any activity, event, etc. scheduled after the monthly newsletter will be communicated to parents through a news bulletin. Please check your child’s book bag each day for information provided through the office and/or classroom teachers.

An Elementary/Middle School Calendar and Jr.-Sr. High School Calendar will be sent home with students. Information regarding the school menu has been included on the Jr.-Sr. High Calendar.

In addition to the monthly newsletter and calendar, the Wisner-Pilger Public Schools web site will be used as another way of communicating with parents. You may access the web site by using the following address: http://www.wisnerpilger.org

Health Screenings

The school health screenings have been scheduled at the following times:

Elementary Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Middle School Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Any concerns observed during the screenings will be communicated to parents in writing from the school nurse.

Insurance

Please indicate on the form if you do or do not wish to purchase insurance and return to the Elementary/Middle School Office by Monday, August 25.

Late Start

There will be a two-hour late start on Wednesday, August 27 and Wednesday, September 24 due to staff in-service.

Medication

As per State Department of Health regulations regarding medication administered during school, each student must return to school a completed and signed form by parents prior to being administered medication/tylenol during the school day. Enclosed you will find a copy of the medication and Tylenol form. If you should need additional copies, please contact the Elementary or Middle School Office.

Please remember that all medication brought to school must be in the original prescription container or in the over the counter medication container. If your child uses an inhaler or is on long-term medication, a special form is required. Please contact the Elementary/Middle School Office if you need a copy of this form.

Mid-Term Reports

First Quarter Mid-Term reports will be sent home with students on Friday, September 19. If you should have any questions/concerns, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.

No School

There will be no school on Monday, September 1 due to Labor Day.

Open House

Parents, grandparents, friends, etc. are invited to an Open House scheduled at the following times:

Wisner-Pilger Elementary Monday, August 25 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m

Wisner-Pilger Middle School Tuesday, Sept. 2 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences have been scheduled for Monday, September 8 and Monday, September 15 from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

A schedule for conferences will be sent home with students on Friday, August 22. If you have a conflict with the time indicated on the schedule, please contact the Elementary Office at 529-6465 or the Middle School Office at 396-3566 and a new time will be scheduled for you.

The Elementary/Middle School Principal’s time will be divided with the Elementary and Middle School for both evening sessions. If you wish to schedule a conference with the Principal, please contact the Elementary Office (529-6465) or the Middle School Office (396-3566) and a time will be arranged.

Parent Volunteers

Parent volunteers will be needed for the Before School Reading Lab in the Elementary, the K-3 Book It Program, and classroom activities within each building. If you are interested in participating as a parent volunteer, please contact the Elementary office at 529-6465 or the Middle School Office at 396-3566. Your time and effort will be greatly appreciated!

Pioneer Days: Fourth Grade

Fourth grade students will be attending Pioneer Days at the Cuming County Fair Grounds at the following times:

Mrs. Beeson’s Class Thursday, September 25 8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Mrs. Johnson’s Class Friday, September 26 8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Specific information regarding the event will be sent home at a later date.

Safety

We encourage all parents to talk to their children about walking safely to and from school, not riding with or talking to strangers, etc. This would be a good reminder for all students. Your efforts are appreciated!!

School Board of Education Meeting

The September School Board of Education meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 10 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Jr.-Sr. High School.

School Lunch

If your child should have a negative balance for school lunches, we ask that parents provide payment for the following month. Your assistance in keeping a positive balance in the school lunch account is greatly appreciated!

Parents, guardians, grandparents, etc. are invited to participate in the school lunch program at anytime. If you wish to eat a school lunch, please contact the Elementary Office at 529-6465 or the Middle School Office at 396-3566 by 9:00 a.m. so that a meal may be reserved for you.

Students bringing a sack lunch are encouraged to avoid bringing items that need to be microwaved. In addition, we ask parents to send peanut-free items within the sack lunch. This will greatly assist with the safety of our student with a peanut allergy. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Student Identification Data

We would like to have the data updated and returned to school by Monday, August 25. Additional information includes email address, father cellular telephone, and mother cellular telephone number. Please include telephone numbers of friends or relatives in the immediate area in which school personnel may contact in the event of an emergency when parents cannot be reached by telephone.

Student/Parent Handbook

Please note the following change regarding Dress and Grooming on page 26, second paragraph, last sentence which reads as follows: “In addition, we ask that students not wear flip-flops due to safety issues regarding Physical Education classes and recess.” Your support is greatly appreciated!

Please review the handbook, sign the Acknowledgment Form found in the back of the handbook, and return to school by Monday, August 25.

Student Transportation

If your child’s transportation needs should change, please send a note with your child or please call the Elementary/Middle School Office so that school personnel are made aware of any change. (i.e.-Your child will not ride the bus on a particular day. Your child will ride home with his/her neighbor instead of with their mother.)

Yearly Calendar

Enclosed you will find a “Yearly Calendar” of Elementary/Middle School activities/events for the upcoming school year. Please keep in mind that the scheduled activities/events are subject to change. Any changes will be included in the monthly newsletter or news bulletin.