URSA MINOR

WENDY BRONS, PRINCIPAL/ 336 HOONAH AVE, JBER, AK 99505/ 907-428-1311

A Message from the Principal...Dear Ursa Minor School Community,

Isn’t it wonderful to see the light earlier in the morning and later in the evening? There is more snow now than earlier this winter, so this is a great time to get outside and enjoy our Alaskan outdoors. Don’t forget that Fur Rondy is going on February 27 through March 8! It is a true Alaskan event. I know you will find something fun and interesting to see or do!

I am still working on improving the parking lot situation, especially for the afternoon pick-up. I appreciate your patience as we work through this. I have asked the military police, as well as the JBER Traffic Engineer, to come and look at the situation and offer suggestions. Also, kudos to those of you who continue to walk your child to school!

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Parents, Guardians and Grandparents,

This week our kindergarten classes will be learning about cooperation and the activity is helping each other cross a pretend river. We will have a discussion focused on what worked, how did we help each other, and what can we do differently next time. The Social and Emotional Learning standards for this lesson are, “I am aware of the supports I have

around me,” and, “I will interact well with others.”

First graders will be learning about “feeling faces” and how we communicate our feelings to others. We will come up with a word list of feelings and discuss how we can describe our feelings to others so they will know what we want and need. The SEL Standards for this lesson are, “I am aware of what I am feeling,” and, “I care about the feelings and viewpoints of others.”

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The Counselor’s Corner

• • • SEL Star Winners • • • Week of January 30th: K Ryan Stott1 Carson Nyulassie2 Dominic Humphrey3 Caleb Cooper4 Lilly Newbill5 Tyke Bloom6 Kirsten HedrickWeek of February 6th: K India Young1 Ryan Barker2 Logan Sayer3 Trevor Formy-Duval4 Evan Dunn5 James Ryan6 Franco Cooper

ASD SCHOOL BOARD

President: Eric Croft

Vice President: Kameron Perez-Verdia

Clerk: Kathleen Plunkett

Treasurer: Bettye Davis

Tam Agosti-Gisler

Pat Higgins

Natasha Von Imhof

Superintendent: Ed Graff

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Bake Sale!

Student Council is putting on bake sale to raise money for the End of Year Picnic! Please join us on Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19 from 12:40 pm-4:30 pm for a sweet treat!

Bake Sale

A Message from the Principal Continued...

We are now gearing up for the Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP), which determines if students are making a minimum of a year’s growth according to the Common Core State Standards. Tuesday, March 24, fourth grade will take the science portion only. We will be following the designated AMP testing window; therefore, third grade will be taking their computerized math and language arts tests the week of March 30. Fourth grade will be taking their computerized math and language arts tests the week of April 6. Fifth grade and or fifth/sixth grade classes will take their computerized math and language arts tests the week of April 13. Mr. Herrick’s class will be taking the computerized math and language arts tests the week of April 20.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!Wendy Brons, Principal

We  are  entering  the  height  of  -lu  season.    And  contrary  to  rumors  out  there  it  is  NOT  too  late  to  get  your  -lu  immunization,  either  -lu  mist  or  shot.    Get  your  child  immunized  and  yourself.

You  may  have  heard  that  the  -lu  virus  has  mutated  (shifted  or  changed)  since  the  -lu  vaccine  was  produced.    There  are  4  different  strains  covered  in  this  season’s  vaccine,  and  one  of  them  has  shifted.    That  means  that  the  effectiveness  of  the  vaccination  may  be  reduced  for  that  one  virus,  but  GETTING  THE  VACCINE  IS  STILL  THE  MOST  EFFECTIVE  WAY  OF  REDUCING  YOUR  CHANCES  OF  GETTING  SERIOUSLY  ILL  FROM  THE  FLU.

Flu  vaccines  help  reduce  missed  work  and  missed  school.    

How  do  you  know  if  you  have  the  -lu?    Common  In-luenza  symptoms  are  

• Headache• Stuffy  nose• Cough• Vomiting• Diarrhea  • Fever

STAY  HOME  IF  YOU  ARE  SICK!    

Children  are  really  good  at  spreading  germs.    How  can  you  help  stop  the  spread?    Handwashing  is  at  the  top  of  the  list.    Warm  water  with  plenty  of  soap,  wash  for  20-­‐30  seconds,  rinse  and  dry.  (Sing  “Happy  Birthday”  twice)Covering  your  cough  or  sneeze  comes  next.    

When  should  you  wash  your  hands?

• Before  eating• Before  and  after  preparing  

food• Before  and  after  caring  for  

someone  that  is  ill  or  being  around  someone  that  is  ill

• After  using  the  bathroom• After  sneezing  or  coughing• After  touching  anything  in  a  

high  traf-ic  area  that  may  have  been  touched  by  many  different  hands  such  as  

Grocery  cart  handles Counter  tops Phones Handrails

May  as  well  use  the  wipes  near  the  carts  in  your  grocery  store!  

SPREAD  GOOD  HEALTH  HABITS,  NOT  GERMS!!!        STAYING  HEALTHY  THROUGH  THE  FLU  SEASON  IS  POSSIBLE!!!

URSA MINOR PTA

KEEP COLLECTING

Fun Friday Snacks $0.50

Fun Fridays willbegin as soon as

our new popcornmachine arrives!

Email: ursaminorpta@yahoo.com

Dates to remember...

Feb. 9-13 - Valentine Grams Sale

Feb. 13 - Domino’s Fundraiser

Feb. 17-19 - Book Fair

Mar. 18 - Spring Pictures

Mar. 20 - Daddy Daugher Dance

NURSE NEWS

Second  and  third  graders  will  be  learning  a  story  titled,  “The  Maligned  Wolf”  which  has  similarities  to  “Little  Red  Riding  Hood.”  Students  will  be  comparing  and  contrasting  both  stories  along  with  discussing  different  points  of  views.    The  SEL  standards  for  this  lesson  are,  “I  care  about  and  respect  the  individual  differences  of  others,”  and,  “I  care  about  the  feelings  and  viewpoints  of  others.”

Fourth,  -ifth  and  sixth  graders  will  be  learning  about  different  points  of  view.    Students  will  learn  that  when  we  have  con-licts  with  others,  it  is  important  to  understand  another  person’s  point  of  view  in  order  to  help  problem  solve  a  con-lict.    Students  will  be  looking  at  pictures  that  have  other  pictures  hidden  inside  a  larger  picture.    The  SEL  standard  for  this  is,  “I  care  about  the  feelings  and  viewpoints  of  others.”

Wishing  you  well,Tina  VictoryGuidance  Counselor

HEALTH CLASS UPDATE

Parent Satisfaction SurveyHow is our school doing? Are we welcoming and inviting? Do we have high expectations? Does your child feel safe at school?

Please let us know by completing a simple survey of our school’s climate and connectedness. The results of this survey help us gauge how we’re doing as a school and as a district. Our goals and areas of focus are based on your responses, so it’s important to us that you complete this survey. We appreciate your time and consideration.To take the survey, please visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/2015FamilyClimate OR fill out and return a paper copy, which can be found in our main office.

The Counselor’s Corner Continued...

Please visit the following links online to read an in-depth parent bulletin about your child’s specific grade-level Great Body Shop topics that are covered during February in Health classes at Ursa Minor. Simply click on the grade-specific link and scroll to the appropriate unit.

Kindergarten: Unit 8 Getting Sick http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_GrK.pdf1st Grade: Unit 8 Get Well Soon http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr1.pdf2nd Grade: Unit 8 Germs! They make you sick http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr2.pdf3rd Grade: Unit 8 Things You Might Catch http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr3.pdf4th Grade: Unit 8 All About HIV http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr4.pdf5th Grade: Unit 8 About Blood and HIV http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr5.pdf6th Grade: Unit 8 AIDS: What you need to know now http://www.asdk12.org/depts/HealthPE/health/GBS/GBS_Parents_Gr6.pdf

Additionally, during the month of February, students will have a guest speaker from STAR during one of their Health classes. STAR Educators present the following information in Pre-Kindergarten through Sixth Grade Classrooms. STAR’s Education Department strives to present up-to-date and age-appropriate safety information to as many children as possible each year. We all want children to be safe at home and at school...personal safety presentations provide kids with tools they can use to protect themselves from many childhood related dangers such as sexual abuse, bullying, and how to keep themselves and their friends safe.

During STAR presentations children learn:•   The three kinds of touches: “safe,” “ouch” and “secret”     •   The difference between a “secret” touch and a “clean and healthy” touch•   The safety rule “No, Go, Tell”… say “no” in a loud voice, “go” away as soon as it’s safe to do so and “tell” a trusted adult   •   Identify trusted adults from home, school and community

These lessons give children a better understanding of safe versus unsafe behaviors and a common language to ask for help when it's needed.

URSA MINOR

WENDY BRONS, PRINCIPAL/ 336 HOONAH AVE, JBER, AK 99505/ 907-428-1311 “Like” us on Facebook

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

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Kindergarten Science Day 9:30 - 11:00

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Photoscreening for new to district students

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PTA Meeting @ 3:45 in library

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Domino’s Fundraiser

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NO SCHOOL Presidents’ Day

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Pennies for Patients begins Assembly @ 2:50

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HALF DAY Parent/Teacher Conferences

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HALF DAY Parent/Teacher Conferences

Math/Science Night 6-7:30

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NO SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Conferences

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Graduation for DARE @ 2:15

Deadline for Climate and Connectedness Surveys

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***Valentine Grams Sale ***Valentine Grams Sale***Valentine Gram Sale***

Book Fair Book Fair Book Fair