riffenburgh elementary school · 2015. 1. 31. · march 2014 . riffenburgh newsletter. page 2 ....

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PAGE 1 MARCH 2014

From the Principal

Riffenburgh Newsletter

Teacher requests for the 2014-2015 school year As we approach the last two months of the school year, there are many preparations in progress for the upcoming school year. One important area of planning involves developing balanced class groups as students move to the next grade level. There are many factors that are considered by teachers in creating balanced classes, including:

Class size (number of students per class)

Gender (distribution of boys and girls)

Academic ability (comparable among classes at a grade level)

Leadership (some children with leadership qualities in each room)

Individual student needs (learning, behavior, independence)

We also consider parental request for teachers as part of the process. We will try to honor requests as we create balanced class groups using the factors listed above. Parents should indicate their preference for next year to your child’s current teacher in written form (email or note). Please provide your reason for the request, such as the learning style of your child, experience of an older child with the teacher, or a strength of the teacher. We will not place children because of friendships with other students, since all students in a grade level have shared recesses and we hope that students will continue to develop new friends.

At this point, there are no changes in teacher grade assignments for the upcoming school year, although we will be hiring a third teacher in 4th grade. Any parent placement requests need to be given to your child’s teacher by no later than Friday, April 25, 2014, so teachers can consider this input as they develop class lists for the 2014-15 school year. We are confident that all Riffenburgh students will be part of class groups which help support academic and social success.

Riffenburgh Elementary School

Continued

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MARCH 2014 Riffenburgh Newsletter

April 14 collaboration day There will be no school on Monday, April 14, for the last quarterly Teacher Collaboration Day of the year. Riffenburgh staff members will be working on addressing grade level state standards in Math, developing strategies to promote student engagement with learning and continuing implementation of requirements for authorization as a Primary Years International Baccalaureate School. These opportunities to work together as a staff are essential in order to meet the different needs of students at Riffenburgh.

Relocating? If your child is in Kindergarten through 4th grade and you are moving this spring or summer, please let your teacher and/or the Riffenburgh office know about your plans. This information allows us to be plan more effectively for the 2014-15 school year. Thanks.

Summer construction at Riffenburgh Riffenburgh will be completely shut down this summer from the beginning of June through early August for preventive maintenance and improvements made possible by the community’s passage of the 2010 PSD Mill and Bond proposal. We are scheduled to have a new air circulation system installed, along with new doors, windows and carpet in most areas of the building. We look forward to the completion of this summer’s projects and the improvements in Riffenburgh’s appearance and efficiency.

From the Principal, Continued

Caps4Cash

Caps4Cash is a Morning Fresh Dairy Program where schools earn 5¢ per cap collected. ALL Morning Fresh Caps from glass bottles are eligible (Milk, O.J. Egg Nog, etc.). How you can start earning money for your school:

Drink your Milk Save your bottle caps Collect caps from family and friends Bring the caps to school Drop them in the collection can in the entryway!

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Fourth Grade

Our classes just finished exploring an IB unit on magnetism and electricity. We investigated permanent magnets, built electric circuits powered by D-cells (flashlight batteries), and explored electromagnetism. To help your child investigate circuitry, you might provide an old, broken appliance for him or her to take apart. You can explore the appliance together to discover how it is wired and where connections are made. One thing we have reviewed in this unit is safety.

Never put any object other than a certified plug into wall sockets.

Do not open the case of an electrical appliance that is plugged in.

Do not bring magnets near computers, videotapes, or audio recordings.

Fourth graders have been working on a unit in the Treasures reading anthology on working together. Students have been listening, reading, and writing about team work. They have also developed and applied key comprehension skills that good readers use as they read.

During National Engineering Week, engineers visited our classrooms and presented an interesting PowerPoint on various careers in engineering and skills and education needed to be an engineer. Students then had the task of strategically building the tallest tower out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Students learned firsthand about the importance of a good foundation!

P.E.

Can you believe we only have a few months left in the school year? It has really flown by for me, but we still have a lot to do these last few months. Our fourth and fifth graders will be going through fitness testing during the month of April. During these times it is more important than ever to make sure that they have good PE attire so that each child can do his or her best. We are also beginning to prepare for the fourth and fifth grade track meet.

I want to extend a big thanks to all families for their fundraising efforts during Jump Rope for Heart! We raised over $4,000 as a school for the American Heart Association, which well exceeded my goal and was absolutely amazing! Our event was held on Friday March 7 and was a blast!

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Lost and Found

We have some miscellaneous jewelry and eyeglasses in the office. Please stop by to identify any items that may be yours.

Riffenburgh’s Duck Pond

I am excited to announce that Safe Routes to School will be doing a bit of programming during our PE classes as well as putting on a bike rodeo after school on Friday May 2. Kindergarten students will receive a lesson on bike and pedestrian safety the week of April 21st and our fifth graders will receive a lesson on bike safety the following week on May 1st, with a focus on preparing them to bike safely as they transition to middle school. National Bike to School day is also coming up!

PAGE 4 MARCH 2014 Riffenburgh Newsletter

Important Dates

April 2 Talent Show Tryouts for 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders April 8 Paintbox Theater 10:30 – 11:00 April 9 Class Photos April 11 No School K-12 Conference Day April 14 No School K-8 Collaboration Day April 23 Volunteer Luncheon April 25 Family Fun Walk after school April 28 PTO Meeting noon Media Center April 29 4th & 5th Grade, Little Kids Rock and Choir Music Program 2:30 & 6:30 May 2 5th Grade Middle school visit May 2 Bike rodeo 3:30 – 5:30 May 3 4th & 5th Grade Track Meet at French Field

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Make Rules, Set Limits for Using TV & Computer

Research continues to show the harmful effects of excessive screen time on students' academic performance. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new policy statement on children and media. They are encouraging pediatricians to ask parents two media questions at every well-child visit:

1. How much recreational screen time does your child consume daily? Their recommendation is no more than two hours daily.

2. Is there a television set or Internet connected device in your child's bedroom? The answer to this question should be no.

To reduce your child's screen time and help him use it responsibly:

Pay close attention to how your family uses media. Where are the TVs and computers located? How many hours does your child spend in front of a screen?

Make a plan. Take the TV and Internet-connected devices out of your child's bedroom. Then establish a screen-time schedule and stick to it.

Offer choices. Suggest other activities for your child: read a book, run around outside or play a board game with friends.

Teach your child how to be a critical viewer. Encourage him to ask questions about what he sees and reads.

Reprinted with permission from the March 2014 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2014 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: "Policy Statement: Children, Adolescents and the Media," American Academy of Pediatrics, http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/5/958.full


Riffenburgh Attendance Line

Riffenburgh Attendance Line: 488-7936. This line is open 24 hours a day. Please call in absences and tardies before 8:45 am even if you have let the teacher know.

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Jump Rope for Heart

Jump rope for heart is a program we just participated in to raise money for kids and adults that have heart disease. For those students who brought in $5, the received a plastic duck. The more money collected, the cooler the prizes got. If you got an online donation, students got a ninja duck. Great job! Riffenburgh……..ROCKS!

I Work Out

During Spring Break you need exercise here are some ways you and your child can stay fit:

Eat healthy

Run a couple laps at a track

Play ball

Jump a round

Jump rope

Hang out with friends

Plant trees

Ride a bikes

Swim at Epic

Little Kids Rock!

Hello Riffenburgh!! So you have heard about the little kid’s rock concert. It is happening on April 29. We have been working on different songs like Kashmir by Led Zeppelin and Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. The instruments we are using are the guitar, keyboard, and drums, and the base. This will be are second concert this year. We have been going to practices on Wednesday and Thursdays.

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Five steps can help your Child break the

procrastination habit

At one time or another, most kids put off doing homework or chores. Besides driving parents crazy, procrastination can cause kids to do poorly in school.

Help your elementary schooler break the procrastination habit with this simple five-step process. Have your child:

1. Select just one thing to do. Sometimes kids feel overwhelmed. Tell your child to focus on one thing at a time.

2. Time herself. Get a kitchen timer and set it for 30 minutes.

3. Ignore everything else while the timer is ticking. Don't use the phone. Don't sharpen every pencil.

4. Avoid breaks. If your child didn't get a glass of juice before setting the timer, she's out of luck for 30 minutes.

5. Reward herself. Let your child see the link between doing the work and getting to do something she likes, such as playing on the computer or staying up a bit later to read in bed.

Reprinted with permission from the March 2014 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2014 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: R. Emmett, The Procrastinating Child, Walker & Company.

Important Upcoming Dates

April 8-17 Fitness Testing (4th and 5th grades) May 2 After School Bike Rodeo 3:30-5:30 pm May 7 National Bike to School Day May 3 Track Meet at French Field May 20 Field Day

Healthy is Boss

by Max and Ryan Hi, did you know that eating healthy is great for your body? We are here to explain why eating healthy is important. Eating healthy gives you energy and keeps your body going. Another way eating healthy is great is because it makes you strong and makes you get through the day. It’s fun, try it! Some healthy foods are greens, vegetables and fruits. Our school does an ac-

tivity called Schools on the Move. Schools on the Move is an activity that involves getting out of habits like television, sugary drinks, and not eating healthy. It is very fun and makes you get out of bad habits. Have a great day and remember eat healthy.

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Student Council Newsletter

There have been many things going on in Student Council. We have done Candy Grams for Valentine’s Day and Christmas. There will be another school spirit day coming and it is Decade Day! We will dress up like hippies for the 70s. We are also bringing back the talent show. Tryouts are April 2nd. The talent show is May 29th. Only 3rd-5th graders are able to try out. You can do anything that is funny, smart, or school appropriate. Student Council is bustling with activity. See you in the next newsletter. Bye!

Let’s Get Ready for Fifth Grade TCAP!

By Braeden and Makenzie Fifth grade TCAP is continuing after Spring Break! Wish our fifth graders luck! They have studied for the entire year for TCAP. After spring break, be prepared for another two weeks of TCAP!! Make sure you have a bunch of sleep and a good breakfast. This is absolutely important to do every day of TCAP. Your child should have brought home a sheet with all

of the specific dates. Thank you.


Water, Water Everywhere

Thanks you so much for the support you have provided your students with during our TCAP time. The students are doing a great job representing themselves as well as Riffenburgh Elementary. TCAP can be a very intimidating task, but our students are proving otherwise.

We have had such a wonderful time learning about natural resources and how the world is driven by their use during our Sharing the Planet Unit of Inquiry! Though, understanding how our desires demand the use of limited resources on our planet is a concepts we’ll need to continue to learn about, it is time for us to begin our next unit of inquiry, How We Organize Ourselves.

The Central Idea for this unit is: Team members utilize compromise to create systems benefitting all. Duirng this unit, we will explore the relationship between rights and responsibilities we have, and how communities develop systems to improve our world. We’ll also learn a bit about why individuals choose to participate in a commu-nity. Students will be using many forms of fiction and non-fiction text, note taking on important facts, and a variety of technology. They will also be practicing writing an expository (non-fiction) essay.

The final assessment for this unit will be to plan a voyage to Antarctica and propose an idea to improve the ongoing water scarcity problems we face as a society.

Thank you so much for the continued support you give to your students and our staff at Riffenburgh Elementary. It’s always our joy to be a part of your students’ lives.

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News from Mr. Seeber’s Class

Our class has just finished up our unit on the human body. The students created posters related to the various systems of the body. They did an amazing job with this assignment in reflecting their knowledge of the systems as well as adding in their own creativity.

Our new unit has begun and is related to Natural Disasters. We will be looking at how natural disasters affect the world. Students have already related the recent Colorado floods and fires to disasters that have occurred in our own part of the work.

With this new unit, we will also begin using a new tool offered by Poudre Schools District. Discovery Education is a website that allows students to explore various science related topics. In addition, they can access the website at home. We will also collect data on weather here in Fort Collins.

Finally, we are in our state testing time. Please make sure your child is getting rest, a healthy breakfast, and provide positive support for them!

Discovery Education and Fifth Grade Fifth grade has recently begun using the website Discovery Education for its science related units. This website is accessible from home as well. Currently, Mr. Seeber’s class is studying and exploring areas related to weather. Mrs. Bruinsma’s class will also be using this website and every student in PSD has access to some of the interactive activities on the site.

If you are interested in using Discovery Education at home, you will need to begin at the PSD website (psdschools.org). From there, your student can click on the “Students” link in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. On the next screen, select “Library Search” (at the bottom of the menu along the left hand side of the screen.) Finally, students select Discovery Education Streaming from the menu and login using the current PSD login and password.

Daniel Seeber Fifth Grade Teacher Riffenburgh Elementary

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By Becky Carpenter It is almost spring and time for some of the school district’s annual art shows.

I would like to start by recognizing first grade student, Maisy Egan, whose art work was selected to represent Riffenburgh in the “Super Art” show which is on display at the District’s Support Services Center. Maisy’s piece is hanging in the Board of Education meeting room and will be on display with other pieces from other district schools until February, 2015.

Another annual art show to celebrate is the Lincoln Center’s Annual “Youth Art Month” Show. This show always occurs in March to coincide with Youth Art Month. The show was on display in the gallery space at the Creativity Community Center located at 200 Matthews in Old Town. Each school was asked to submit 6 pieces for display in this show. Congratulations to the following students from Riffenburgh who had their art work selected to represent our school: Lydia Genson - 5th grade, Jake Verstraeten - 4th grade, Lotus Green - 3rd grade, Cole Nobe - 2nd grade, Lauren Johnson - 1st grade, and Kainoa Hylands - Kindergarten. This show was on display and open to the public March 5th – March 22nd.

Finally, the annual Poudre School District “Designs and Images” Art show is returning, but on a smaller scale and in a new location. Since the Foothills Mall is under construction, a new location for the show will be at the Hatton Gallery in the CSU Visual Arts Building this year. This is a much smaller venue and so fewer pieces of student art will be on display than the mall venue. Also the district will be splitting the show into two parts. Riffenburgh’s time will be from March 17 – April 6th. Congratulations to the following students who will have their art on display at this show: Bryce Crawford – Kindergarten, Jackson Wind – 1st grade, Kameron Hansen – 2nd grade, Nicholas Orozco- 2nd grade, Quinn Campbell – 3rd grade, Aksel Gulliksen – 3rd grade, Soleia Monser-Gray – 4th grade, Mateya Seese – 4th grade, Ashley Nyquist – 5th grade and Max Johnson – 5th grade.

Art News

http://fort_collins.huntingtonhelps.com/


Wellness

The Wellness team will once again be hosting its Family Fun Walk on Friday April 25 immediately following school. More information as well as a permission slip will be send home in early April. Students must return the permission slip AND be accompanied by an adult to participate in this event.

We are wrapping up the Schools on the Move Challenge and we are very pleased with the participation from our students. T-Shirts will be delivered in early May and winning schools will also be announced at this time.

While it is just barely spring we are already gearing up for next year’s Walk-a-Thon. We are looking at our sponsorship list and feel that there are some gaps. If any family has a great local connection for a prize (big or small) we would love your input. We want to make sure that next year’s event lives up to the high standard set in previous years.

Wellness Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact one of our team leaders: Kristi Bryant: kfranzeb@psdschools. Alex Prigge: [email protected]
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riffenburgh elementary school · 2015. 1. 31. · march 2014 . riffenburgh newsletter. page 2 ....

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