RAMSEY MAGNET SCHOOL

OF SCIENCE September 27, 2013

W. 1351 Kathleen Ave. Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 Phone (208)765-2010 Fax (208)769-0747 ramsey.cdaschools.org

View elementary district policy handbook at www.cdaschools.org

Dear Families, What a busy first few weeks of school! Classroom teachers have worked hard to establish learning commu-

nities in their classrooms, and things are humming along nicely here at Ramsey. We’re looking forward to touching base with all of you at our annual Open House / Back-to-School BBQ on October 2nd, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. At 5:30, please meet in your student’s homeroom class. Send your school-aged children out to the playground, but please keep your toddlers and pre-school students with you. Teachers will give a short presentation, and dinner will follow. We’ll send out a flier early next week with a few reminders.

The preliminary results of our annual PTO Jog-A-Thon are exciting. As of Monday morning, we had collected $21,000 - - WOW! Thank you all for your support! Our next PTO meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the Ramsey Science Lab. At this meeting we’ll set the 2013-14 budget, so feel free to join this decision-making group. Remember, free childcare and snacks are also provided.

Finally, in an effort to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness, Ramsey students and staff “painted Ramsey gold” on Thursday. The outpouring of generosity and support for our 1st grader who is battling leukemia was unbelievable! We donated $ 2500 to the Landon Burt Donation account at Idaho Independent Bank. What an incredible reminder of our “Big School, Bigger Heart” philosophy. Thank you!

A big thank you to the following donors for making our “Paint Ramsey Gold” day such a huge success! Alligator Performance Stan-Craft Boat Co. Aspen Homes Ginno Const. Co. Jack and Judith Gustavel George Gee Automotive Co. Idaho Independent Bank Ground Force Manufacturing Century 21 Saturday Night Inc. Minute Press First Class Signs Satay Bistro ~ Zi Spa Minute Press ~ Staples Jamba Juice Pyramid Printing The Edmundson Family

CROSS COUNTRY IS UP AND RUNNING We have over 200 runners this year! Our first meet was on Friday, September 20th, and the kids did awesome. The big “district” meet (all 10 elementary schools) was Thursday, September 26, at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Our last meet will be against Dalton on Octo-ber 3rd at Woodland. Once again there is information on the Ramsey website about this meet. A flyer also went home. This meet is our fundraiser!!! We offer pizza, a drink and a dessert for a small donation (suggested donation $2.50 per person). Maura Durrant is our coordinator for this event. We are asking all cross country families to donate pop (6 or 12 pack) and/or boxes of snacks (Little Debbie cakes, granola bars, etc.). Please bring donations to the Ramsey school office. If you have any questions, you may contact Mrs. Burt at tburt@cdaschools.org

NO SCHOOL K-12 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY

WHEN A STUDENT IS ABSENT If your child is not going to make it to school, please call our office at 765-2010 and let us know. You can also email the information to tsymbal@cdaschools.org. If we don’t hear from you, we will be calling!!!

HAPPENINGS AT RAMSEY... Sept. 30 Book Fair starts in the Library 30 First LEGO League 8:00-10:00 a.m. Oct. 2 Open House / BBQ - Fall Title Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. Start in classrooms! 3 Ramsey / Dalton Cross Country Meet at Woodland Middle School 4:30-6:00 p.m. 3 Last day for the Ramsey Book Fair 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the library 3 Mobius Assemblies 9:20-11:15 a.m. 4 NO SCHOOL K-12 Staff PD Flex Day 7 First LEGO League 8:00-10:00 a.m. 8 4th Grade Field Trip to the Resort 9:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 10 Club Think begins 3:30-4:30 p.m. 11 Club Think 8:00-8:45 a.m. 14 First LEGO League 8:00-10:00 a.m. 14 Child Find Development Screener at Harding Family Center 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 14 PTO Meeting in the Science Lab 7:00-8:00 p.m. Free child care available. 21 First LEGO League 8:00-10:00 a.m. 24 Ramsey Skate Night 6:00-8:30 p.m. 28 First LEGO League 8:00-10:00 a.m. 31 Halloween Parade and parties Nov. 1 4th Grade to Mobius Science Center 9:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Spokane 4 PTO Meeting in the Science Lab 7:00-8:00 p.m. Free child care available. 8 Picture Retake Day 8 Ramsey Night at Triple Play Night 11 NO SCHOOL K-12 Veterans’ Day Special Chorus - Every Thursday from 7:55-8:45 a.m. Strings - Every Monday from 10:55-11:40 a.m. and every Wednesday from 10:45-11:30 a.m.

COUNSELOR CORNER This school year the Coeur d’Alene School District has adopted a new bully prevention program for kindergarten through second grade called Second Step. This program teaches skills in the following areas: 1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus attention, listen carefully, use self-talk to stay on task, and be assertive when asking for help. 2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings. Students also learn how to show compassion. 3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings. 4. Problem-Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way. Both first and second grades have already begun this program. Please ask your kids how to use their attent-o-scope, talk with them about listening (not only with their ears but also their brains), and find out where we can look for clues to how some-one is feeling. Ramsey third through fourth grade students will begin a bully prevention program called Steps to Respect next week. As defined by this program, “Bullying is unfair and one-sided. It happens when someone keeps hurting, frightening, threat-ening, or leaving someone out on purpose.” Students will learn the three “R’s” for responding to bullying: recognize, refuse, and report. Using this model, our kids will learn how to identify bully behavior as compared to a conflict with another student. They will also learn the effects bullying may have on an individual, strategies they can use if bullied, and what to do if they witness bullying. Ramsey students are encouraged to report bully behavior to an adult as soon as possible if someone is afraid, in danger, or hurt. The students can report to playground duties, to their teachers, or to the office staff. In addition, a mailbox at the front office allows for the students to anony-mously report bully behavior. Thank you for talking with your children about how they can help keep Ramsey a safe and happy place for all of our students.

Mandee Hiebert, Counselor/Psychologist

NEW OFFICE STAFF MEMBER Justin Gorrie moved to Coeur d’Alene in the summer of 2013 from Irving, Texas, where he taught 4th grade. Prior to that, he substitute taught, volunteered for over 2 years in the country of Namibia (in sub-Saharan Africa), worked in the mortgage industry, and even attended Gonzaga Law School for a short period. Now, Mr. Gorrie will be joining the Ramsey staff as the new Behavioral Specialist. He is excited for the challenge and opportunity to serve the community of Ramsey Magnet School in this new capacity.

FALL IS IN THE AIR

CALLING ALL WATCH D.O.G.S.

Ramsey’s Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) will begin Monday, October 7th. Those of you who are

new to Ramsey might be wondering . . . “What is Watch D.O.G.S.?” It is a nationally recognized K-12 program that invites fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures to volunteer at least one day (all day) at their child’s / student’s school. Watch D.O.G.S. perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including greeting students in the morning, assisting with loading of buses and cars in the afternoon, monitoring the lunch room, playing on the playground, and helping in the class-rooms with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards, spelling, etc. Ramsey students and teachers love Watch D.O.G.S.!! If you are interested in partici-pating in this great program, sign-ups will be held at our Open House on October 2nd from 5:30 – 7:30, or you can call Justin Gorrie at 765-2010 to register and check for available dates.

VISITORS TO RAMSEY In order to ensure the safety of our Ramsey students, we need to have ALL visitors check in with the office and receive a visitor pass. Please bring your driver’s license or photo ID if we have not already scanned you into our Raptor screening program. Any parent in the hallways who has not checked in at the office will be asked by staff to go back and sign in. Thanks for your help with this!

Nondiscrimination Notice The Coeur d’Alene School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability in any educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance or in employment practices. The District provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance with this nondis-crimination policy may be directed to the Director of Special Services or Director of Human Resources at the District Administrative Center, 1400 N. Northwood Center Ct., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814-2472, (208) 664-8241.

BIG “THANKS” TO U.S. BANK

U.S. Bank has partnered with Ramsey for the past 8 years to bring the Junior Achievement program to our classrooms. Dozens of people from U.S. Bank volunteer to teach 30 minute lessons once a week for 5 weeks in grades 1-5. These adults serve as mentors to our elementary students as they guide the children through lessons on needs vs. wants (grade 1), community (grades 2 and 3), economics (grade 4) and our nation (grade 5). Students learn that businesses need workers with skills that are in demand such as science, technology, engineering and math. We are grate-ful for this partnership. U.S. Bank’s dedication to our students is obvious through their commitment in time and resources. Thank you, U.S. Bank!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS Birthdays are a very special time in a child’s life. If your child is having a birth-day party and has invitations, they should not be passed out at school unless every student in the class is invited as it is hurt-ful to the students who aren’t invited and inevitably disrupts our learning time. It is preferred that you mail them to the families involved. Also, please remember that there are several sex offenders living in the school community. Pay close atten-tion to where your child is going and where they are spending the night. A link to check on sex offenders is http://www.isp.idaho.gov/sor_id/search.html

Child Find Developmental Screener for

2013-14 School Year Location: 411 N 15th Street at the Harding

Family Center. To schedule an appointment call

(208) 666-6762. This is for children 0-5 years

old.

Oct. 14th 9:00-3:00

Nov. 18th 9:00-3:00

Feb. 10th 9:00-3:00

Mar. 10th 8:00-2:00

RAMSEY BOOK FAIR Monday, September 30 - Thursday, October 3

Book Fair Hours 8:00 - 4:00 p.m. Come in at any time to purchase books!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 OPEN ALL DAY 8:00 A.M. TO 7:30 P.M.

Come in before or during the Open House / BBQ The proceeds from this fundraiser are used to purchase new books for the Ramsey Library! Thank you for supporting our school and students.

“NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK” More than 32 million children eat school lunch everyday across the USA. To celebrate the healthy lunch choices in Coeur d’Alene schools, we will celebrate National School Lunch Week: October 14-18, 2013. The theme, “School Lunch Across the USA” will include events and activities that promote the benefits of healthy school lunches. The federally-funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides nutritionally balanced, healthy meals to students every day. The program, which has been serving the nation's children for over 60 years, requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards by: • Ensuring students are offered both fruits and vegetables every day of the week. • Offering whole grain-rich foods. • Offering only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties. • Limiting calories based on the age of children being served. • Reducing amounts of saturated fat, trans fats and sodium.

Becky Elmore, Dietitian Coeur d’Alene School District #271

~ CAR LANE ~ Parents, thank you for your patience at morning drop-off and after school pick-up. Occasionally we have a parent “ignore” the rules because they’re in a hurry that day for various reasons. Our

rules cannot be ignored because ALL kids’ safety is our priority. Your continued cooperation is appreciated.

SCHOOL PLUS HELP WANTED School PLUS is looking for part time child care assistants. If you are interested, please call the School PLUS office at 208-769-0700.

INDIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE The Coeur d’Alene School District’s Indian Education Committee is hosting a Information Night for parents of Native American Students on October 11, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at NIC. It will be held in the Lake Cd’A RM-SUB. Food and activities will be provided.

ASSEMBLY FEES A big THANK YOU to every-body who promptly paid the $5 assembly fee and a friendly reminder to those who have not paid yet. You can send the payment with your child, OR you can pay online in Skyward Family Access E-Funds.

SCIENCE SPONSORS If you or your company wants to support hands-on science education at Ramsey Magnet School of Science, becoming a Science Sponsor is an excellent option! Your funds will be used to promote hands-on, inquiry-based science opportunities. Sponsors will also receive recognition, advertising, and tax benefits. A big “THANK YOU” to the following companies and individuals who are 2013-2014 Ramsey Science Sponsors: Coeur d’Alene Rotary, JLee Designs, Little Baby Bumblebee (Einstein level sponsors). Please call the Ramsey office for more information.

TITLE I READING PROGRAM

Title I is a federally funded reading support program. We work with students who are in need of extra help to master reading skills. Funding for our program is based on the percent of students attending Ramsey who qualify for free or reduced lunches. We work with students who are not meeting state and district reading bench-marks. Our students benefit from instruction focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension within a small group setting. Progress is closely monitored to ensure the instruction is meeting the needs of the child. Parent involvement is critical to student success. We encourage parents to be active participants in their child’s education. As a school-wide Title I school, we are able to receive additional training, resources, programs, and staff-ing to benefit all reading groups, from below to above grade level. School-wide programs do not have to identify particular children as eligible for services. Having school-wide status helps us to assist all of our students and enhance our reading program as a whole at Ramsey. This means that any student who could benefit from additional help using Title I resources, whether for a two week skill group or a year-long remediation plan, can receive the help needed. The goal of the Title I Reading program is to provide students with the basic reading skills they need to succeed in their regular classroom and meet state proficiency levels. Our program services students in first through fifth grade. Title I teachers and the regular classroom teacher (all meet “highly qualified” status per No Child Left Behind) work together to meet the needs of identified students. Title I teachers provide the necessary tools and knowledge to support your child to become a proficient reader.

Ramsey’s Mission: At Ramsey Magnet School of Science our mission is to meet each child’s needs by providing a unique educational experience, inspiring critical thinkers and lifelong learners. Ramsey’s Vision: To achieve Ramsey Magnet School of Science’s mission we will work collaboratively with parents and the community to: � Provide a positive, safe, nurturing culture to support all students. � Foster independent thinkers who develop a curiosity about the world around them and a passion for lifelong learning. � Guide students’ learning using an inquiry based approach to teaching science where concepts and ideas are integrated across the curriculum. � Incorporate high level questioning and investigation to engage and empower our learners. RAMSEY: BIG SCHOOL ~ BIGGER HEART

SCHOOL BREAKFAST School breakfast starts at 9:30 on Monday mornings and 8:30 on Tuesday-Friday mornings. Students should not arrive before these times if they are eating as there is no supervision until then.

5TH GRADE P.A.S.S. Perfect Attendance Spells Success

Parker Toyota and Horace Mann Insurance have again partnered to encourage and reward Perfect Attendance for 5th grade students in the Cd’A, Post Falls & Lake-land School Districts. The purpose of the program is not to encourage students to attend school when sick or contagious to others. If they have fevers or flu-like symptoms, they need to stay at home. Please make sure your child understands this. Perfect Attendance guide-lines to earn a bike include: full attendance for all three semesters, no tardies to school and no early releases. We recognize that families sometimes have important

events that may cause a tardy or absence. This is a family choice, and we must follow consistent policy for awarding these bikes. Thank you Parker Toyota & Horace Mann Insurance.

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS If you feel you would qualify, call our office and we can send a form home with your child. Also, our school has qualified so that ALL Ramsey students are able to eat breakfast for free!!!