february newsletter

February 2012 SPARTAN SCOOP

DATES TO REMEMBER…… February 6 2 HOUR LATE START February 14 Mega Party & Valentine Parties February 17 End of 2nd Trimester February 20 NO SCHOOL (2nd Snow Make-up Day) February 26-March 3 Read Across America February 28 Report Cards go home A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL….. By Lisa Miller

Bullying Prevention a Priority

Our main focus at Grundy Center Elementary is student learning, and to that end, attention is also devoted to building a positive learning climate. Below is a brief summary of the components that are in place to provide a strong framework for positive behaviors and for bullying prevention. Maintaining a culture of shared responsibility and respect for all is paramount in reducing negative behaviors and bullying at our school.

SCHOOL-WIDE THEME: For the past two years, the theme at Grundy Center Elementary has been “Bucket-Filling”. A concept that has taken off across the country, bucket-filling is a visual representation that kids can connect with: when you are kind and respectful, you “fill” others’ imaginary buckets, and when you are unkind, you “dip” into their buckets. Books about bucket-filling are read to students, and plastic blue buckets are in each classroom. Teachers use the buckets in different ways throughout the year, but the emphasis is always on how we can fill each others’ buckets. COMMON AREA EXPECTATIONS: In the fall of 2007, the elementary staff developed Common Area Expectations for all common areas including the playground, lunchroom, hallways, restrooms, and large group assemblies. Staff members review, discuss, and revise these on a yearly basis before school starts in the fall. These expectations explicitly describe behaviors expected in common areas around the school, positive supports and teaching expectations teachers provide, and possible consequences and reteaching opportunities when infractions occur. These expectations ensure that students know what’s expected and PRACTICE appropriate behaviors, and that teachers reinforce and recognize students for getting it right. This process also ensures that all staff members are on the same page with rules and their enforcement. Students hear a consistent message from all staff members about what’s expected. Common area expectations are taught at the beginning of the year, and reviewed after holiday and other breaks during the year.

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GRUNDY CENTER ELEMENTARY

903 9th Street Grundy Center, IA 50638

319-825-5461

LISA MILLER,

PRINCIPAL [email protected]

MARY HINDERHOFER, COUNSELOR

[email protected]

TIM BURBRIDGE, AT-RISK COORDINATOR [email protected]

DORINDA NEDERHOFF, ADMINISTRATIVE

ASSISTANT [email protected]

CHARACTER COUNTS CURRICULUM: Students are exposed to the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. These terms are used regularly and though lessons are not taught formally at every grade level, the framework is part of the school culture and attention is given to each pillar and what it stands for. GUIDANCE CURRICULUM: The Guidance Counselor provides lessons for students on self-esteem, friendship, feelings, bullying, diversity, and Good Touch/Bad Touch. Small groups are often formed to help students build social skills. Individual counseling is also available, as needed. SECOND STEP CURRICULUM: Purchased in 2008, this program includes classroom lessons taught regularly by the homeroom teacher. The main focus of the K-5 curriculum is empathy for others and violence prevention. Through the use of high quality poster-sized photos, discussion starters, and role-playing, students improve their problem-solving skills as they contemplate real-life situations that they may face in the future. GRADE LEVEL BUDDIES: Each year, grade levels are paired with another grade level. They meet regularly during the year, spending time together on a fun activity and focusing on positive behaviors, or perhaps doing a service project together. Several grade level pairs have done such things as collecting perishable items for Operation Threshold, or making cards for nursing home residents. The grade level buddies time encourages older students to mentor and build relationships with younger students. This also creates empathy for students at different grade levels. SCHOOL-WIDE ASSEMBLIES: Assemblies are held several times per year with the elementary principal. At these assemblies, student birthdays are recognized, student achievement is emphasized, behavioral expectations reviewed, and holidays like Constitution Day and Veterans’ Day are observed. Outside speakers are also brought in. For example, in the spring of 2011, Stacey Lundgren, Lead Presenter from Bucketfillers for Life paid us a visit. In September of this year, Ronald McDonald put on a free assembly centered on Bullying Prevention, and in October, ventriloquist Kevin Horner put on an entertaining show with an important message. At the conclusion of the show, students took a pledge not to bully others, and to speak out to protect others if they witness acts of bullying. BUILDING INCENTIVES: At least once or twice per year, an incentive is developed to promote positive behavior(s) and to encourage students to focus on demonstrating respectful behavior to others. In past years, the incentive has included the display of turkeys/feathers at Thanksgiving time, or adding stripes to a candy cane by their classroom doors in December. Currently, a January/February incentive is underway where students are filling poster-sized buckets with paper snowballs. Snowballs are presented to individuals or classes that are demonstrating kindness, respectful behavior, and/or a specific behavior the class has identified as their focus. CHARACTER/CLIMATE BUILDING TEAM: This team of teachers has been in place for the last two school years. Their responsibility is to brainstorm and develop ideas for implementing the school-wide theme (Bucket-Filling). The Character/Climate Building Team kicked off the Snowball/Bucket incentive mentioned above. This team also implemented a monthly staff gathering called PAWS – Positive After Work Social. This meeting includes snacks, observing an inspirational video, and a short social time. The 20-minute gathering gives all staff members a chance to connect and strengthen relationships. Enhanced communication between staff members pays off in more coordinated services to students.

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FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT’S DESK…… “The Good Life in Grundy Center” is our community motto. I believe it has helped us to focus efforts in a positive way to ensure our town is strong, vibrant, and growing. Because of our wonderful journey so far, we have more exciting adventures ahead in the near future! This year, our school enrollment is up and that matches the results of the 2010 census for our community as well. With growth comes the need to expand programs and facilities to meet the needs of our students and residents. Our Elementary building is currently filled to capacity, and we have a need to add another section of third grade for this coming school year and another section of fourth grade the following year. We anticipate having strong numbers in our in-coming kindergarten classes and foresee a need to have three sections of every grade level in order to keep class sizes between 18-25. If we relocate our current fifth graders, we can make this happen! This building was constructed in 1996 to be a two-section K-5 elementary and had 4 empty classrooms. Being out of space is a good problem to have in a small, rural community! The administration and school board has investigated many options for our fifth grade location. We researched using a portable building that would include three classrooms to sit on the west parking lot of the elementary, renovating the upper elementary, and utilizing the empty classrooms in the middle school. Many schools in Iowa and around the world organize their 5th-8th graders in their middle school because it is developmentally appropriate. We also feel this is the best long-term solution that will provide the highest quality of educational opportunities for all of our students--including the fifth graders. The fifth grade classrooms will be located on the far east end of the building and will allow us to create their own space and independent schedule. They will be able to eat lunch and go to recess with the sixth graders. Many hours of planning and thoughtful decisions are being made to ensure our students are safe, challenged academically, and provided opportunities to grow in a healthy and stimulating environment. Long-term we also know we are going to need more classrooms at the middle school as the elementary students progress through school. In March, the board will hear recommendations to approve a building project that will utilize the PPEL funds that were voter approved last September. Since the elementary building will be paid for in May, we still anticipate your property taxes going down even though we are starting a new project. In January we had both a structural engineer and architect visit our schools and discuss some basic possibilities. Due to the placement and building design of the elementary, it would be difficult and costly to complete an addition in that location to maintain a K-5 structure. Our current 6-8 Middle School has easily accessible space for an addition that can be used in a variety of ways that will benefit both students and community organizations. We will be adding classrooms on the southeast corner of the building directly north of the stadium (track and football field.) A separate addition will be done on the southwest corner of the building to provide for a new band room by the auditorium that will also be used as a Storm Safe Room for the school and community. The old band room will be renovated for middle school art and vocal music teachers traveling from the elementary building. During the project we will also be creating a playground space that will include a full-size basketball court, green space, and new tennis courts that can be used for recess and enjoyed by the community. The administration and board feel this project will enhance our educational system and add value to our community at that same time. As the board makes decisions regarding the relocation of our fifth grade classrooms and potential building projects, please know we are putting the needs of students first. We are also balancing those needs by being fiscally responsible with the goal of keeping Grundy Center Community School District strong for future generations of Spartans. We appreciate your support! If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns I encourage you to contact me. With Spartan Pride~ Mrs. Cass Murra


Visual Phonics in the Kindergarten Classroom You may be wondering what your child is doing with their hands as they are sounding out words. We have introduced Visual Phonics into our classrooms. Some of you may be familiar with a strategy called Visual Phonics, or have been hearing about it from your children. This strategy uses hand shapes to show students the sound a letter makes. These hand shapes, along with a written symbol, show the sound of a letter. Each teacher uses Visual Phonics to review the letters and connect them to their sounds. Sometimes, two or more letters combine to make one sound. Working with your child in learning Visual Phonics will give them another way to remember the sounds of the letters. It will also be helpful when they begin to decode or sound out new words. When decoding a word, encourage your child to “keep their voice going” until the end of the word. Example: “man”-start your voice on the “m” and don’t let it stop until you have reached the “n” sound...m-a-n. If you have any questions, feel free to contact a teacher. Thanks for your help!

Mapping Our Community By First Grade The First Graders have just completed their unit on maps. During this unit they looked at different kinds of maps, how maps are made and used the map key to identify things on the map. They played some games using North, South, East and West to help them practice their directions. Each class designed a 3-D map of their community showing their houses and the businesses in our community. Later this year the First Graders will go in small groups and visit different businesses. Their job as a reporter will be to report that information to the rest of the class. We hope the children will have fun learning about their community.

Second Graders Set Goals It’s a new year! The second graders were asked to write three goals to help make 2012 a better year at school. Here are the top five goals they came up with:

1. Get better at reading/Read more at home or school/Read more fluently. 2. Work on math facts to do better on tests, especially subtraction. 3. Help others/Be nice to others/The Golden Rule/Make new friends/Be a better friend. 4. Listen better/Follow directions/Fill buckets/Do my chores and jobs. 5. Be more active/Eat healthy foods. 6. We will be working hard the rest of this school year to help the second graders reach these goals!


COMPREHENSION READING STRATEGIES By Third Grade Third Grade has been working on a couple of comprehension reading strategies that they have been excited about! One of them Mrs. Blohm’s class is working on is “Make a mental picture in your head”. This is a good strategy to use when recalling details in the text. Making a mental image assists readers in understanding what they read by creating images in their mind. Remind your child at home that when making a picture or mental image, readers put themselves in the story or text by making a mind movie. Another strategy Mrs. Geiter’s class has worked on is inferring while reading a text. They learned to be detectives and look for clues in the text to understand the meaning of the story. At home you can model your thinking as you read. Modeling is one of the most effective teaching strategies.

Fourth Grade Experiments

The fourth graders have been busy experimenting in science. We have been learning about magnets and magnetic force. The students started with experiments showing how magnets can attract and repel. The students discovered magnets have north and south poles. They worked with creating temporary magnets by touching a nail to a magnet and then hanging paperclips off the nail. Students also learned about the strength of magnetic force by doing an experiment dealing with breaking the force. Students used a scale, magnet, washers, and spacers. By the end of students’ exploration they were able to explain that the more spacers between magnets, the less force the magnets had to hold up the washers. Finally, students created electromagnets. This experiment taught students that a battery could provide electricity to make a nail magnetic. The students had a lot of fun doing their own experiments, learning about magnets, and finding out new things. They have just started their next unit of electricity. Watch for their upcoming “shocking” results!

IMC NEWS…….. Looking ahead to February, the IMC will be very busy. We will be featuring books to help celebrate Black History Month, Presidents Day, and Valentine’s Day. We will also have a guest speaker at the end of the month to help us start to focus on our Read Across America week the first of March. We will again have Mr. Dan Wardell from IPTV come and read to our students. Our students will remember him from last year and some will remember him from his visit this past summer at Kling Library. The morning he spends here will be fun-filled as well as educational. We have also received 149 new books to add to the collection. These books are currently being processed so they can be available for check-out soon. Books have also been ordered for the 2012-13 Iowa Children’s Choice Award. This year a set of Goldfinch Award books were also ordered for our younger students. The Children’s Choice Award and Goldfinch Award books were purchased from the profits of the fall Book Fair. Thank you for helping to make these purchases possible.


NEWS FROM THE ART ROOM By: Mrs. Leverton

5th graders have been busy working on a variety of concepts and ideas in art class. The most recent project that students were introduced to incorporated the idea of weaving. Students have been learning about the key terms important to this type of art form: warp, weft, and loom. Students will be making their own cardboard loom and will then begin a weaving of their own. 4th graders are working on a new portrait. Students are using oil pastels to create a portrait of a snowman from a “worm’s eye” view. From this perspective, students will draw this portrait as if looking up at the snowman, from a “worm’s” perspective. Students are also working to portray movement and shadows within this piece. 3rd graders are learning about optical illusions. Students discussed what optical illusions are and viewed several examples of them. Students are to trace and cut out a large circular shape, divide the circle into 8 equal parts, create their own repeated design in each section, and select complementary colors to fill in their drawing. Their optical illusion will then be fastened to a piece of black paper. Students can then spin their circle to see the effect that has been created with color and design. 2nd graders have finished their royal portraits and are now continuing to work with the ideas of facial shapes and proportions. Students first talked about a few different 3D shapes: cube, cylinder, sphere, and cone. Students will practice making these shapes with modeling clay. Then 2nd graders will use those shapes to mold and create a face. Students will then be using air-dry clay for the project and will later paint the clay face. 1st graders have been busy learning about the artist Monet. Students have seen several examples of his water lily paintings and have discussed what they notice about this particular form of art. Students are using a variety of materials to create their own water lily scene; everything from water color paint, crayons, construction paper, and even coffee filters. Kindergarten has just finished their lesson on Pablo Picasso and has recently started a new lesson that deals with the rainforest and red-eyed tree frogs. To begin the lesson, students were read the story, “The Umbrella” by Jan Brett. Students were shown on a globe a few locations of rainforests, as well as learning about the different animals that live there, in particular the red-eyed tree frog. Students are learning about the complementary colors and have selected a set to design and color in their very own frog picture. Kindergarten will cut out their frog shape when finished designing and coloring their image. Soon students will be creating a flower for their frog to rest upon using colored construction paper and markers.


What is an “Aerophone?” By Mrs. Dirks

What is an Aerophone? If you don’t know the answer to that, ask one of the fifth graders and they will be able to tell you! The fifth graders have completed a unit on World Instrument Classification in music class. Besides learning what Aerophones are, they learned about four other groups: Chordophones, Electrophones, Membranophones and Idiophones. The instruments found in the orchestra also fit into these groups, but some instruments do not fit in the “families” that play in an orchestra that most of us learned about in elementary music classes when we were kids. So what is an Aerophone? It is any instrument that uses vibrating air to create the sound, such as a Bagpipe. We were fortunate enough to have a local gentleman, Ken Mutch, show us his Bagpipe and tell us about the history of the instrument and play it. The kids all agreed that it sounds LOUD! We all agreed it was really cool to see and hear one for real and not on YouTube! The final project the students worked on was a presentation of a world instrument that they researched on their own or in a small group. They were asked to tell the classification of the instrument and why it fits that classification, the country of origin, and provide pictures and video clips of the instrument if possible, so that we can hear and see what they are like. The students created their presentations on google presentations, with the help of Mr. Gingery, the elementary technology teacher. I would encourage you to have your child show you their presentation on their home computer. They’ll be able to teach you what the other world classifications are!

Kdg. & 3rd Grade Spring Concert Date Change By Mrs. Dirks

Due to a conflict for using the auditorium, the date for the Kindergarten and third grade music program has been moved to Tuesday, April 3rd, in the High School Auditorium. The times for the two grade levels will be staggered to accommodate the number of parents and grandparents for these two large classes. The Kindergarten will perform at 6:30 PM and the third grade will begin at 7:30 PM. More information regarding the program for these two grades will be sent closer to April 3rd.

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FIGHT FOR AIR STAIR CLIMB TO HONOR COACH IVERSON The Grundy Center Cross Country team is planning to run the ‘Fight for Air Stair Climb’ on March 4 in downtown Des Moines. Sponsored by the American Lung Association, the Climb involves running up to 66 flights of stairs to fundraise for research, awareness, and patient assistance for those who suffer from chronic lung illness. The team is taking part in the Fight for Air Stair Climb to honor their longtime coach, Sam Iverson, who was diagnosed with a lung illness this past fall. Sam is the husband of longtime elementary teacher, Carol Iverson. As part of their fundraising efforts, the Cross Country team is taking orders for goodies: 1. Super Bowl Sub meal – Order a sub, chips, and treat to be delivered Sunday, February 5. Cost $6. Sub orders are due Friday, Feb. 3. 2. Valentines Day gifts – Select from a carnation, a decorated cookie, a cupcake displayed in a Valentines’ box, or a bear/mylar balloon combo. Cost for the items range from $1 to $5. You may order an item to ‘surprise’ a high school or middle school student, who will receive an email telling them to pick up their gift after school. Or, you may pick up gifts at the high school commons after school. Valentines orders are due Friday, Feb. 10. Order forms are in the school offices. The Cross Country team appreciates your support!

Eat Wings Raise Funds Buffalo Wild Wings is partnering with the community to support the Grundy County Memorial Hospital Foundation. On Monday, February 27 and Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Buffalo Wild Wings will hold a special ‘Eat Wings Raise Funds’ event. On these two days, Buffalo Wild Wings will donate 10% of all pre-taxed food sales (less alcohol and promotional discounts) from all guests that present the GCMH Foundation fundraising flyer. You can enjoy a dinner out with family and friends while supporting the Grundy County Memorial Hospital Foundation. Take the flyer below with you on the dates listed to support the GCMH Foundation in this fundraiser.

(Flyer on Page 9)

Grundy County Memorial HospitalFebruary 27th and February 29th, 2012• All Day Event

6406 University Avenue. Cedar Falls, IA 50613






On Friday, January 27th, Grundy Center participated in the Coaches vs. Cancer program. The basketball games that evening were designated as “Pink Out” and all were encouraged to wear pink. A total of $1692 was raised for the American Cancer Society. Way to go, GC !!

Where in the World Would You Escape to During an Iowa Winter? By Fifth Graders South Carolina- I want to go to South Carolina, because I’d like to visit an old friend of mine, plus I want to see my old dog. I would go swimming at the beach again. I would get there in a suitcase that is going on a plane. I would leave holes in the suitcase, and help myself to the plane food while they are looking away. -Trae Redix Puerto Vallarta- It has amazing hotels with great breakfast, lunch, and salad bars, plus beaches, and pools with fish in them (not the pools), and I even saw baby turtles. by Caleb Kuiper Disney World- They have fun rides, movies, and food! I would stay at the very top or bottom of my hotel, because at the top you can look out the windows and see all the places around the hotel. I would like the bottom floor, because there you can jump on the beds! It’s a mostly sunny place, and you could also go for walks and go swimming! by Brady Appel Colorado- For my escape I would go to a luxury hotel in Colorado. I would go there because it is very pretty. I love to go see all the mountains and everything else. Colorado is the best state ever. by Sydney Mathews England- I want to try fish and chips. I want to see Buckingham Palace. I want to hear their cool accent. -by Tanner Phillips Wyoming- I love to see tall mountains, and to ride my horses in them. I also love when we get to stay in this awesome house we have rented. -by Jessica Ayers Hawaii- I want to escape to Hawaii, because it’s too cold here, I love the ocean, it’s warm there, and there is nothing like their beaches. -by Sarah Lindeman Washington, DC- I want to go to Washington, DC, because I would love to sleep in the White House, and meet the President and the First Lady. -Lawson Ash Florida- My escape would be to Florida, and specifically to Disney World. I would love to see the characters, ride on roller coasters, and I would get a pineapple smoothie. -Brianna Brown Tennessee- I would escape our Iowa winter to Tennessee. I would go to Dick’s Last Resort Restaurant, go zip-lining in the Smoky Mountains, and go explore downtown Gatlinburg. -Hailey Wallis

Grundy Center Elementary

Notes From the Nurse and PE Staff:

The Blue Zones Project - Live longer, better!

An exciting component of the Healthiest State Initiative is the vision to transform 10 Iowa communities into Blue Zones Communities. Grundy Center has submitted an application with hopes of selection as one of those communities.

Blue Zones are places in the world where people live healthy, happy lives well into their 90s or even 100s. They share nine lifestyle habits - Power 9™ - responsible for their remarkable results. Power 9™ shows you how to live longer through specific lifestyle habits.

The Power 9™ behaviors are divided into 4 categories: Move Naturally, Right Outlook, Eat Wisely, and Connect. During the next few months we will look at each of these categories as we all try to live better, together!

Move Naturally – Gain 4 Years 1. Just Move The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it. They live in places where they can walk to the store, to their friends house or places of worship, their houses have stairs, they have gardens in their yards.

Consider making things a little inconvenient. Make that extra trip up or down the stairs instead of loading things at the top or bottom to take up later, walk up stairs versus taking elevators or moving walkways, park far from the entrance, walk a dog, do your own yard and house work, get rid of some the time saving electronics and power equipment that have “simplified” your life.

©Copyright 2009 by Blue Zones, LLC. All rights reserved.

Watch for more information about Power 9™ in future articles. For more information go to: www.bluezonesproject.com

903 9th St. Grundy Center, IA 50638 Phone: 319-825-5461 Fax: 319-825-6817

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february newsletter

Documents

common area expectations

grundy center elementary

elementary staff

school culture

common areas

positive behaviors

teaching expectations

schoolwide theme