Happy Friday to All of You!
Martin Luther King Weekend
“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain
awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
School Supplies
Now that we are almost to the midway point through the year. Please replenish your students' school supplies. We have noticed that the kids are running out of pens, paper, glue sticks, and pencils.
PTO
We have a PTO meeting scheduled for next Thursday, the 19th. We are moving up the meeting for CV parents to 5:45 PM as the high school principals will be here at 6:30 PM. The 6:30 PM meeting is open to MV parents as well.
Exclusion Days
Exclusion days are fast approaching. On February 15th in accordance with the state ordinances any child whose records are not updated in the school will be excluded until said records are updated.
End of the 1st semester
The end of the 1st semester will be on February 2nd. Please continue to encourage your students to do the very best job they possibly can. At the end of the semester we will have our usual incentive activity for students with no missing work, less than 4 tardies, and zero behavior referrals for the 2nd quarter. Remember, the semester grade will be an average of the 1st and 2nd quarters.
Do Your Best
With state testing beginning this week counselor Susan Clayton and myself have been talking to the students within Social Studies classes about the importance of doing one's best. We have also been speaking to the kids about high school, college and careers. It is never too early to start talking about this and for the kids to begin thinking about their futures. In high school, students will need to pass reading, writing and math AND they need 26 credits to graduate. It is important that they begin to realize that the choices they make now, and the effort they put in now, can have a direct effect on their potential to graduate.
State Testing
We began our first round of state testing this week. I will let you know what classes are testing the following week so you can re-enforce the importance of eating breakfast, and getting a good night's sleep beforehand. Attendance is obviously very important! The following teachers will be testing their reading classes next week:
-Mrs. Halstead (Tuesday)
-Mrs. Williams (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
-Mrs. Tofte (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
What Parents Can Do At Home
• Acknowledge test-taking anxiety as normal, but stay positive.
• Encourage your child to think positive thoughts like “I can do this!”
• Give compliments for effort: “I’m proud of how hard you have studied.”
• Go over the test-taking tips with your child.
• Adequate rest makes a difference! Make sure your child goes to bed at a reasonable
time; being active earlier in the day (not right before bed) can help kids get to sleep.
• Nutrition also influences how well children do on test; a good breakfast is important, but a large meal right before the test can be distracting.
• Your child should wear comfortable clothing for long test-taking periods.
• Help your child learn how to relax. Some find it helps to take a few deep breaths before starting the test; others like to imagine a peaceful place like the beach or park.
Canned Food Drive
The week of January 23rd through the 27th we will be having our annual canned food drive with all canned food items donated to FISH. More details will follow later.
PBIS Lessons
We had our latest conversations with the students this past Wednesday in Wolf Reading. Wolf Reading was a great venue to have these conversations because of the time and because all the teachers have a Wolf Reading period. Not only did we engage the students in a dialogue about anti-bullying and being safe, respectful and responsible, but we also used this opportunity to learn more about our kids personally. I truly enjoyed my conversation, and my kids remarked that they wish we could do this more often.
Absences
Please be cognizant that we are extremely vigilant in regards to attendance. The following is the list of reasons the state provides as excusable absences:
-Student illness
-Illness of an immediate family member
-Emergency
-Doctor/Dental Appointment
-Death of an immediate family member
-Court summons
-Satisfactory arrangements, made in advance with the school for other reasons
Parent Volunteers
If you are looking to volunteer for the school please contact Mary Reohr at reohrm@newberg.k12.or.us. We currently have volunteer opportunities in our after school homework club, and in our classrooms.
After School HW Club
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:30 PM. A late bus is provided.
It is supposed to snow on Sunday and Monday. With any snow and ice there is also the potential for a school delay or school closure. If a delay or closure happens, communication will go out via a one-call. Updates will also be on the district website.
Upcoming
1/16/12-No School MLK day
1/19/12-PTO 5:45 PM for CV parents only/ 6:30 PM HS Principals will be here and it is open to MV parents.
1/23-1/27-Canned Food Drive
Have a great weekend!
