The Cougar report. March 2013 Jade Morton, Principal

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1 The Cougar report March 2013 Jade Morton, Principal March 11, 2013 Our Mission: Working together we will be a caring community of lifelong learners. Dear Gannett Peak Parents, Go Cougars! Principal s Corner Our 3 rd grade students will be testing in PAWS March 12th through the 20th. Students will be testing for up to 90 minutes a day during this time. PAWS is Wyoming s state proficiency test that measures proficiency in language arts, math and science (at the fourth grade level). The results of your child s testing will be available in the fall, and the compilation of data will be used to determine if the school makes Average Yearly Progress. We will keep you and your child informed as this process approaches in March. Please ensure your students get plenty of rest and nutrition during this time, encourage them to do their best, and please be sure they are present and on time. If students are absent or late, they will need to make the test up. Research shows that watching television can be detrimental to achievement during testing days. Research also shows the last items a student hears or sees before bed will be what they mostly retain. Thank you for your understanding and support. Once again I would like to thank all parents and guardians for helping us with the drop-off and pick-up situation. Although, because of the design of the parking set-up things will never be perfect, you have made it a much safer process thank you! Sincerely, Jade Morton Spring Pictures will be taken on Wednesday, March 6, Photographs will only be taken of students who bring completed pre-paid order envelope. Students must have their envelope at the me of the photograph. ******************************************* PIE mee ng for March has been cancel due to Parent/ Teacher conferences. The next mee ng will be April 11th. In this issue: Coming Events 2 News from Third Grade 3 Students of the Month 4 Child Identification Week 5 Preschool Parent Information Night 6 Kindergarten Roundup 8 March 10th 2:00 am PALS 9 Reading Connection 10 1

2 Coming Events March 11 thru March 29 Lights On Enrichment Program at North Elementary March 1 School Board meeting at 7:00 a.m. March 4 and 5 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7:30 p.m. March 6 SPRING PICTURE DAY! March 8 No School March 12 and 13 3rd grade Reading PAWS testing days March 19 Board Meeting at 6:00 pm March 19 and 20 3rd-grade AWS Math Testing days April 1-5 Spring Break April 18 Spring Concert at LVHS Auditorium from 7:00-7:45 Classes: Miss Belter, Miss Franzen, Mrs. Nielsen, Mrs. Cartwright, Mr. Trumble, and Mr. McNair. Dear families, The third graders will soon be taking the Proficiency Test for Wyoming Students. The first section of the test will evaluate our student s skills in math and reading. In May they will take the Student Assessment of Writing Skills which is the writing portion of this test. The teachers are working with their students to help them become familiar with the format of the test and reviewing their skills in all areas. Our third graders will take the reading test on March 12 and 13 th and the math portion of the test on March 19 th and 20 th. We will be providing healthy snacks, a water bottle for their desk and special Cougar pencils! There are ways that you can help your student be ready for this test. Eating a healthy breakfast and getting plenty of sleep helps them stay focused as they begin testing. Arriving at school on time and ready to learn will also help them get off to a great start. We have learned that watching TV, especially shows with a violent theme as well as playing violent video games negatively impacts the part of their brain that helps them problem solve and attend to the test. This research showed MRI s of the left brain or problem solving side of the brain. The scans showed very little or no brain activity after playing violent video games or watching violent movies. The left side of the brain did recover after approximately 24 hours. They are now working on research that documents the long term exposure to both these Medias. For more information on this research please check out: The book Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill, subtitled A call to Action Against TV, Movie & Video Game Violence is authored by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Gloria DeGaetano. We are challenging our third graders to avoid watching TV and movies that have violent themes. We are also asking them to avoid violent video games in an effort to help them be ready to give their best effort on these tests. Thank you for your help getting your child ready to take the PAWS test. We appreciate your support! Sue Lee, Social Worker Testing tips: Gather pencils, erasers, calculators and any other materials you will need. Be a good listener. Listen to the directions given by the teacher. If you don t know what to do, ask for clearer directions. Read and follow the directions in the test booklet. Answer each item carefully. Remember the PAWS test is not timed, you can take as long as you need to thoughtfully answer each question. If required, fill in circles darkly and neatly. Completely erase answers if you change your mind. Trust your instincts your first choice is usually the right answer. Source: Parent Education Network of Wyoming 2

3 Third grade classes have worked hard during the month of February. Some classes have begun Walk to Math, where we concentrate in areas needed to reinforce math skills. Classes are going to the Lander Pioneer Museum, studying the history of our awesome town. Posters hang in the hallways showing student learning from the visit. We have begun reading stories about different cultures around the world. Some classes celebrated Japanese culture with kimonos, rice, and chopsticks. Students are reading lots of books, and many have already met their 3 rd quarter reading goal. Some classes will be swimming on March 7 to celebrate goals met. We look forward to meeting with parents and students next week at Conferences, summarizing strengths and areas of concern. PAWS testing will begin March 12, and we hope all students will meet our Turn It Off Challenge!!, by turning off TVs and Video Games March Thanks for your support in this. March On! Mrs. Cartwright s and Miss Franzen s classroom families joined forces with the Lander Valley Education Foundation to spend the day appreciating worldly cultures! With kimonos in tow, the classes learned how to eat rice with chopsticks, write in Japanese, and understand the importance of accepting foreign customs and cultures. Some third graders have been working on Simple Machines Left: Kobee Right: Marina 3

4 Gannett Peak is honoring our Students of the Month. These students were chosen by their teachers because they exemplify the Cougar traits: I m Safe, I m Respectful and I m Responsible! Please stop by Gannett Peak and read about their individual accomplishments on our Student of the Month bulletin board! Congratulations to the following students! Student Teacher Student Teacher Student Teacher Student Teacher Kyra Ms. Meredith William Miss Franzen Michael Mrs. Foxley Delaney Mrs. Perez Cody Mrs. T. Hudson Madison Miss Franzen Madalana Mrs. Foxley Rope Mrs. Perez Kelsey Mr. Trujillo Logan Miss Franzen Payton Mrs. Nielsen Hailey Mr. McNair Autumn Mrs. Williams Rebecca Mrs. Nelson Seneca Miss Franzen Jordan Mrs. Nelson Jade Mrs. Williams Alta Mrs. Nelson Aaliyah Miss Franzen Jordan Mrs. Nelson Josh Ms. Terhune Noah Mrs. Cartwright Annabelle Mrs. Williams Kyleigh Mrs. Nelson Katelyn Miss Swing Lily Mrs. Cartwright Aggie Mrs. Perez Aja Mr. Trujillo Aidan Miss Swing Whitney Mrs. Cartwright Ethan Mrs. Perez Noah Mrs. Kegler Ben Mrs. Hanson Cassidy Mr. McNair Kelton Mrs. Cartwright Emily Mrs. Kegler Robert Mrs. Hanson Smokey Mr. McNair Achashia Mrs. Cartwright Taylor Miss Franzen Anna Mrs. Hanson Elijah Mr. McNair Julie Miss Franzen Jaden Miss Franzen Andrew Mrs. Perez Mia Miss Belter Sam Miss Franzen Savannah Mrs. T. Hudson Dylan Mrs. Kegler Preston Mr. Trumble Carlito Miss Belter Maya Mrs. T. Hudson Aanika Mrs.Kegler Riley Mrs. Nielsen Ross Miss Belter Angelina Mrs. Hanson Daryl Mrs. Kegler Tamya Mrs. Nielsen Blaze Miss Swing Tanisha Mrs. Cartwright Carter Mrs.Kegler Asha Mrs. Foxley Avery Miss Swing Lasterlin Mrs. Cartwright Rebecca Miss Franzen Claire Mrs. Foxley Lily Miss Swing Madison Mr. Trumble Gigi Miss Swing Emily Ms. Meredith Jadyn Ms. Meredith Kaylee Mr. Trumble Marina Mrs. Nielsen Eann Mrs. Nielsen Michael Mrs. Williams Emma Miss Franzen Justin Ms. Terhune Jaeli Ms. Terhune Ashley Ms. Terhune Alyssa Mrs. Cartwright Kolby Ms. Terhune JC Mrs. Nielsen Aurelia Mrs. Perez Kobee Mrs. Cartwright Jasper Mrs. Perez Jonathan Mr. McNair Logan Mrs. Kegler Dylan Mrs. Nelson Kinzie Mrs. Kegler Malaika Mrs. Kegler Ty Miss Franzen Corrin Miss Swing Tiesen Miss Franzen Magdalena Mrs. Nielsen Cante Mrs. Cartwright Gabriel Mr. Trujillo Quinn Mrs. Williams Dashaland Mrs. Cart- Aidan Mrs. Williams Lily Mrs. Perez Falling Star Mrs. Perez Sophie Mrs. Perez Alicia Miss Swing Kaylynn Mrs. Cartwright Families please come and see the cougar traits your child demonstrated to earn this honor on our bulletin board! 4

5 Child Iden fica on Week IS YOUR CHILD HAVING PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL? DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR PRESCHOOLER S DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRESS? March 11-15, 2013 School districts are responsible for identifying and planning for the educational needs of children with disabilities. The law states that all children with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate education in the public school system. If you have questions about your child s development or progress, contact a teacher, counselor, school principal, or Ken Nielsen, Special Education Director at Fremont County School District #1 Schools and Contacts School Phone Number Contact Person(s) Lander Valley High School Susan Archer or Virginia Purdum Lander Middle School Stacey Polson or Bill Lee Gannett Peak Elementary Sue Lee or Casey Widhalm North Elementary Connie Foehrweiser or Yvette Majerus Baldwin Creek Elementary Patrick Muchmore or Casey Widhalm Jeffrey City School Connie Foehrweiser or Yvette Majerus Pathfinder High School Jannette Van Patten Or contact Child development Services of Fremont County Phone Numbers: Lander Riverton Fremont County School District #1, Lander, Wyoming 5

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