Who knew school was quite so adventurous? Although last week's closure was a surprise, our staff sprang into action to make sure all students got home quickly and safely. I posted a complete account of the events on our listserv. If you didn't see it and would like more information, visit the listserv @ http://groups.google.com/group/mcnear-elementary-school/.

Morning Roundtable Meeting

This year we are looking for ways to increase communication with families about the academic and social programs on campus. One idea we're trying is Morning Roundtable Meetings. Two times this year, we will hold a morning meeting to discuss important topics at McNear. The meeting starts at 8:30 and will last an hour. Part of the meeting will focus on a pre-selected topic and part will leave room for some open forum discussion. If you have a burning question or a brilliant suggestion, this might be your chance to share it. Our first meeting will be next Monday morning, February 1, 2010 in the McNear Library. This meeting will focus on our math program and whatever else comes up. This discussion will continue to move us towards our goal of clear and open communication at McNear. We understand that many are working at this time but will make sure to take notes of the discussion and post it on the website.

PTA Meeting

On February 2, 2010, the SSC, PTA, and ELAC will have a special joint session. The school site plan has been approved by our School Site Council. This meeting will be our opportunity to share it with the entire community and discuss important aspects of it. Attending will be especially important since it will be your opportunity to clearly see the direction we are headed as a school, what it will take to get there, and how you can be part of helping make it happen. The meeting will be from 6:30 until 8:00.

I hope you will be able to take advantage of one or both of these meetings. Your involvement makes all the difference at McNear.

Onward,

Mrs. Bussey is very excited to see so many children talking about reciting a poem in this year’s Poetry Slam on Friday night, March 5. However, very few permission slips have been turned in so far and they are required for your child to participate. If you didn’t keep your permission slip from the last newsletter, you can pick one up in the office. They are due back no later than Friday, February 5th. Auditions will take place February 11th and 12th at lunch recesses.
 

The importance to reading aloud cannot be overemphasized. The subject of reading generates more than 1,200 research projects annually. According to the U.S Department of Education’s Commission on Reading, “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.” Research and practice show that this one simple activity is the best way to prepare children for learning to read and to keep them reading as they grow. I believe that reading aloud promotes literacy, and encourage all of our families to read early and often to their children.

Each class at McNear School visits the library weekly, and I read to all students. I read both picture books and chapter books; sometimes children as young as five have the capacity to enjoy a lengthier story with only occasional pictures. The kindergarteners are currently enjoying a book 154 pages long. Students in grades 1- 6 may check two books out of the library each week and they are due back the following week. Parents may also check books out of the library and many families do so. This can be an excellent way to supplement the books your student selects and I am happy to make recommendations for read alouds or read alones for kids of all ages. Come in and talk with me before school any morning except Mondays if a recommendation would be helpful. There are lots of terrific books for everyone!

Congratulations to all our Nov/Dec Turkey Time Box Top Contest Winners! There were 7 winners, one from each grade. Kindergarten - Owen McCaffrey, 1st Grade - Joe Pardini, 2nd Grade - Alaina Williams, 3rd Grade - Brady Wade, 4th Grade - Jacob Rollstin, 5th Grade - Karla Rubio and 6th Grade - David Iversen.

This month's contest is McNear's Box Top Super Bowl. Turn in 10 Box Tops to score a touchdown for your team. Every student on the winning team wins a prize. One student from the winning team will win a football! Turn in Box Tops by Thursday, February 4th! Prizes will be given out on Friday, February 5th! Go Box Tops!

 

McNeil Consumer Healthcare (Johnson & Johnson), is voluntarily recalling lots of OTC products. Consumers reported an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that, in a small number of cases, was associated with temporary and non-serious gastrointestinal events: nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. This precautionary  action is voluntary and has been taken in consultation with the FDA. Products included in the recall: Motrin, Junior Strength Motrin, Benadryl, Tylenol, Children’s Tylenol, St. Joseph’s Aspirin, Tylenol PM and Rolaids.

Link to lot numbers: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM197813.pdf.

Instructions for returns, disposal or reporting adverse reactions: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm197746.htm.

 

Petaluma City Schools’ Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) identification cycle occurs annually in the month of January. The cycle for GATE identification includes information gathering from multiple sources. Students are qualified through a committee process that analyzes multiple criteria, including standardized test scores (California Standards Tests), teacher and parent observations and anecdotes, the student profile, and the results of the Ravens Progressive Matrices.
 

The Ravens Progressive Matrices assessment is a nonverbal, untimed group test that consists of 60 tasks with multiple choice answers. This test assesses ability without requiring the student to read, write or be fluent in English. In order to be successful in this test, students rely on a wide range of reasoning and problem solving skills.
 

As outlined in our district’s GATE plan, with parent permission, students in grades 4th-6th are administered the Ravens Progressive Matrices by their school’s GATE liaison during the week of February 1-5.

Parent and teacher information, Ravens Progressive Matrices scores, and the 2010 California State Tests (CSTs) results are all factored into the committee’s recommendation for GATE identification. Parents will be notified by mail, as soon as the CST scores are received by the district, and a final recommendation has been made. We anticipate notification will be mailed out to parents/guardians by July 30, 2010.

For your 4th, 5th, or 6th grade student to be included in this year’s Ravens Progressive Matrices administration, please pick up a form in the office, complete the form, and return it to the office.

 

A huge thank you to all the McNear families who participated in the Holiday Giving Program! The response was tremendous and so appreciated. A heartfelt thank you to Brandi Gordon and Marlene Martinez for their hard work in organizing this.
 

Wet weather seems to be the topic of conversation these days. I try to remind the students that rain is a good thing and we need it. Unfortunately it also means that our students are cooped up in their classrooms. It has been nice to see a more creative use of their free time, lots of drawing and building. I haven’t expected them to sit through yet another lesson from me, so we have been using our time to learn some new indoor games and play some of their favorites. All in all they are not showing too many signs of cabin fever…well at least not until later in the day anyway.

I know in my last article I mentioned the posters being hung in the hallways but I am holding off because of the weather. I would hate to see all that hard work have a short lived show-off period! Hope you are all staying safe and dry.

 

The McNear Spelling Bee was held today, January 25. The two finalists from today’s Spelling Bee will participate in the Sonoma County Regional Spelling Bee.

The following class finalists participated in the school wide competition today:

Room 12, Mr. Norstad: Jacob Dunbar, Robbie Dooley

Room 17, Ms. Rose: Caroline von Raesfeld, A.J. Shaheen (Alternate: Ford Stolp)

Room 16, Ms. Turko: Nikolas Kotsaris, Alex Foreman (Alternate: Zoe Decker)

Room 13, Mrs. Heaslet: Sarah Aronow, Tyler Long (Alternate: Mikah Reeder)

Room 7, Mrs. Bockhold: Phoebe Goulden, Juliet Emerson-Colvin, Christine von Raesfeld (Alternate: Chris Montoya)

Room 8, Ms. Smaciarz: Lilly Reinstein, Austin Longerbeam (Alternate: Joely Smithwick)

Room 11, Mrs. Colunga: David Iversen

 

All classroom volunteers are required to have a current TB test on file. TB tests are good for 4 years. Letters have been sent out to parents who signed up to be classroom volunteers and who do not yet have TB tests on file. If you received a letter, please be sure to get tested as soon as possible. TB clinics are held monthly at the District Office for free TB tests; the next clinic will be on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at 200 Douglas Street. You must return to have your test read on Friday, February 19, 2010, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. If you have not yet had a TB test, please stop by the office to pick up the necessary paperwork and plan on attending this next clinic.

 

Hello Everyone,

I am the new school nurse at McNear and have been working with your children since August, 2009. We started the year with only 3 nurses, and one of the nurses was new to school nursing. Two of us were busy in the fall, mentoring and trying to cover all the needs of the Petaluma School District students. Special Services finally hired a fourth nurse in November which has helped tremendously. I am usually at McNear one day per week.
 

I have been busy reviewing existing health conditions and monitoring children with chronic disease. I also document incoming student immunizations and physical exams for kindergartners and 1st graders. I review all medication which is given at school. Since October, I have been testing vision and hearing on 2nd and 5th graders, which is a State mandate. Currently, I am testing the K’s, which are always fun and requires a lot of patience. I am also involved with special education testing and participate on the Learning Team. The office staff does more first aid than I do, but I am available to oversee it. There is always a school nurse on-call, in the event of an emergency.
 

I keep a calendar with my work schedule in my office. Please feel free to stop by anytime I am on campus, or leave me a note about any concerns that you may have. I am happy to be assigned to this school and have enjoyed working with the staff.