DECEMBER NEWS 2013

WA L K E RTO N W I L D C AT C O N NE C T I ON !
WALKERTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PRINCIPALS REPORT
December is here and Christmas music is being played on TV and the Radio. It all comes so quickly! I believe the winter weather is upon us and we need to expect the snow and cold weather to stay. Be sure all are properly dressed for the weather. We already have quite a few winter coats in the lost and found.

The students have had a very productive first semester. Teachers and students all have been working hard. Hard to believe that the first semester is quickly coming to a close.

A HUGE thank you to Mrs. Vicky Tucker for the wonderful Veterans Day Program. We had around 30+ veterans join us to be honored with a song from the 5th/6th grade choir and also from the entire school. Also, thanks for the Change brought in. We were able to give the Ladies Auxiliary over$600.00 to help them begin their Honor Park.

I want to congratulate Mrs. J Hayes and the WES Spell Bowl Team. They competed on Thursday, November 21 at North Liberty Elementary. The WES Spellers came back with a third place finish in their division. Great Job!

Our 5th/6th grade boys basketball teams are in the midst of their season. The boys are all improving and gearing up for their respective tourneys. Come and support the Wildcats!

I want to thank all who donated food items for our annual Food drive and for all willing to help out with the Adopt-A-Family program.

Tim Davis, Principal

Page 2

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

TITLE ONE NEWS

Dear Parents, In December and January we will be taking a close look at the progress your child has made in reading and math so far this school year. Every child in the school will be assessed and we will see if the same children are still eligible for Title I services. If your child tests out of Title I, you will be notified. If your child was not Title I eligible 1st semester but is now eligible, you will get a letter in the mail in January telling you so. For children who were Title I the first semester and continue to be eligible, parents will not be notified. It seems this time of year all of us are looking for gift ideas for children. The most lasting gifts you can give your child are not things that can be wrapped up in pretty paper and tied with a bow. Think about the qualities you like best in yourself, your spouse, your neighbors, and your childs friends. Honesty, responsibility, respect, positive attitude, willingness to cooperate, caring about others are these on your list? Long after the presents under the tree are outgrown, broken, and forgotten, the moral character and values you pass on to your child will not be outdated, too small, or look shabby. As you spend time together over Christmas break, talk about these qualities with your children. Model them in your own life. In doing so, you will be giving your child a gift of building blocks that will last a lifetime. I wish you all a blessed holiday and times to treasure with your family. Mrs. Diane Vermillion, Title I Coordinator

Page 3

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

MUSIC PROGRAM
We are Jingling All the Way Its Christmas time! With some help from MapQuest, Johnnie, Nellie and Susie head out for the North Pole to meet Santa. Just listen for the jingle in Santas heart. But, whats this? Santa has lost his jingle? Have we lost the true meaning of Christmas? The kids will never find him now. Join the journey as the North Pole gang gets everyones help to restore the jingle in Santas heart and find the spirit and joy of the season. Our winter music program will feature our first, second and third grade students in Jingle All The Way, and I am hoping that youre beginning to hear our little elves singing a few of the catchy melodies around the house. Thursday evening, December 12, 2013 7 PM will be our night to shine and we hope youll be there to join the fun. (Student performers should be in their spots on the gym floor by 6:50 p.m.) Speaking parts will be awarded the week of Thanksgiving, so if your first, second, or third grader brings home a permission slip and a copy of a speaking part, please respond as soon as possible so we can start rehearsing our lines together. If your child has received a speaking part I will talk to him/her personally about what to wear. For all others, neat, clean and Christmas-y is the uniform of the day. As always we try to avoid clothing with pictures and writing on them for our special production, but Christmas colors are always welcome. December 12th will be here before you know it, so mark it on your calendar now and well look forward to seeing you at the 7:00 show!
(Mrs. VanDuyne, WES music teacher)

There is a need!
The Nurses room gets requests for a change in clothes for students. However, we have run out of the following: Sizes 5-10 pants for either girls or boys!

So, if you are cleaning out dressers and have extras, please send them in.

If your child has been given donated clothing, please wash and send them back in. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Page 4

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

GYM SHORTS

Physical Activity Can Boost Classroom Performance

While physical activity is known to improve childrens physical fitness and lower their risk of obesity, research also suggests it will help them perform better in school. Regular physical activity is linked to better brain function by increased flow of blood and oxygen to the brain as well as higher levels of chemicals that help improve mood.

We all know that if our children are in their happy place they feel good about themselves and have a positive outlook toward learning. Research data collected suggests concentration, memory, selfesteem and verbal skills were among the improvements in students who participated in regular physical activity. In my opinion, getting kids motivated for physical fitness in todays technological world is quite a challenge.

Overuse of electronic devices leads to sedentary lifestyle and when our physical ability starts to diminish its hard to get it back. I think if our kids can have a more active lifestyle, it will send them to school energized and more attentive in the classroom. Maybe one less cookie will help too, but if you ask your son or daughter they will tell you Im always looking for a good cookie or two. Naughty gym teacher!

Page 5

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

NURSES NOOK!
IMMUNIZATIONS: Letters went home earlier this month informing parents if their child was not up to date on shots. If your child has received missing shots or will get them in the near future, please send a copy to the nurse to update the school records. Here is some information the VACINE letter shared about Chicken Pox disease. California & Pennsylvania are two main areas where Chicken Pox is active. Studies in these states show when the student has had the 2nd Varicella vaccine the incidence of disease has dropped 98% in the last 15 years. There is also an 85% decrease in hospitalizations due to the chicken pox virus. If someone gets the chicken pox disease after receiving the 2nd vaccine the severity is remarkably declined also. Make sure your child has had the 2nd vaccine (unless they had the disease already). WINTER WEATHER: Now that the weather has gotten colder, Ive seen more issues with chapped lips and extremely dry skin. The cold air zaps the moisture out of our skin and if it is not protected the skin begins to dry out. If we do not drink enough water, our skin dries out quickly. So the best way to protect our skin in the winter is to make sure we dress appropriately for the temperature especially wearing hats and gloves and drinking plenty of water. When dressing for snow a lot of the younger students wear boots. Parents, please send shoes in so the students can change. When they wear their boots in school, their feet sweat (and get an odor) so when they go inside their feet get cold quicker. Teachers, please remind students to change into their shoes. FIRST GRADE STUDENTS: The first grade students were seen by the Eye Doctors on Nov 20th. If your child needs to have a complete examination, a referral letter will be sent home before Thanksgiving. If you do not get a letter then your child passed the exam. Third and fifth grade students will be screened by the nurse in December. Letters will be sent home for those needing doctor referrals.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! Nurse Donna

Page 6

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

We believe that children benefit from outdoor recess play. This gives them a chance to get fresh air, exercise, and release excess energy. We monitor
RE CE SS GU IDE L INE S

the official NOAA weather channel from the Michiana Regional Airport daily.

When the wind chill factor reaches less than 15 degrees above zero, the children are kept indoors.

If the temperature is below 50 degrees everyone must have some type of coat. If it is over 50 degrees the choice of whether or not to wear a coat is left up to the child.

For outdoor recess play during the winter months, we recommend the following articles: warm coat, mittens or gloves, boots, snowsuit (extra pair of jeans kept at school), scarf and a hat.

All items should be labeled with your childs name.

Students will be excused from recess only through a doctors written letter.

Page 7

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

STUDENT COUNCIL
The following students are in Student Council with Mr. Hostetler for the school year 2013/2014:

Ashleigh Bolze, Ian Clanton, Jill Clark, Taylor Cuskaden, John Drews, Alex Haney, Mckenzie Hudgen, Mikayla Knowlton, Abby Machnic, Chloee Rozwarski, Weston Salyer, Aaron Sherman, Jillian Szweda, Ariel Tysver, Martha Velasco and Maya Vermillion

This is a great service group! We have just completed our food drive for our local Pantry for Thanksgiving!

EARLY DISMISSALS AND/OR DELAYS!

Please review with your child what your plans are for early dismissals. Does their teacher know? Has it changed?

If we have your cell number and carrier name, you will receive a text.

Also, watch the local news or call 586-3186, the phone message is changed to state the delay.

Girls Basketball will begin in January

5th and 6th grade girls will begin practices on Monday, January 6, 2014.

5th Grade Girls will practice from 3:00-4:15Mondays thru Thursdays 6th Grade Girls will practice from 4:15-5:30Mondays thru Thursdays

All girls must have a physical on file before they can practice!

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

Page 8

Page 9

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

This holiday season, we're accepting receipts from more of your favorite retailers!
That means even more money for Walkerton Elementary School!
For the first time ever, Shoparoo-ers will be able to earn donations from receipts outside the grocery world. From now until the end of December, Walkerton Elementary School will get 20 Roo Points every time you snap a receipt from one of the stores below.

All of your normal grocery-related receipts (including those from your favorite toy, pet, beauty, and baby stores) will still earn Roo Points like they always do we just wanted to help you get even more money for your cause! Happy Holidays from all of us here at Shoparoo!

Snap Receipts from: Macys Kohls JcPenney Sears Nordstrom Dillards Neiman Marcus Best Buy Game Stop AT&T Verizon Apple Radio Shack Home Depot, Lowes, Menards Staples, Office Max, Office Depot

Page 10

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

Page 11

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

CHEERLEADING CAMP!

WWW.JGSC.K12.IN.US

The 2014 Walkerton Elementary School Science Fair will be on January 31! In addition to science fair projects from all grades, we will also welcome projects from families and entire classes. Now is a good time to think about what you would like to do for your project. A detailed list of rules and regulations will be sent home before Christmas break so you can use that time to work on your project. If you have any questions please contact Maria Knowlton at 574-586-7342 or mariaknowlton@gmail.com.

SANTAS COMING!
Dear Parents; The John Glenn band is sponsoring a Breakfast with Santa on Saturday December 14th from 8:0010:00. Santa will be available for photos throughout this time and breakfast will be served. The cost is $5.00 per person and includes breakfast and a photo. Tickets will be available soon from any high school band member as well as from the high school office. Any questions can be answered by Jan Glennon 574-586-3478 or by contacting the band. We look forward to seeing everyone on the 14th. I have been in contact with Santa and he said to tell the children to keep being good.

Page 13

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1

Page 14

V o lu me 1 , Is su e 1
Ins ide Stor y Headline