Riverside Report November 30, 2012

School Mascot: Bruno School colors: Blue & White School Motto “Put Your Best Foot Forward” The Riverside Report is published and distributed to inform interested individuals about the education of our youth. Riverside Phone Extensions: Main #: 359-2417 • 5322 Mrs.

LesStrang, Principal

• 5321, Joan Erdman, Secretary

• 5323, Gloria Degner, Student Health Assist.

• 5308, Stefanie Teske, Psychologist

• 5326, Dianna Reinardy, Guidance Counselor

• 355-4118, School Cancellation Hotline

Staff phone extension numbers and email addresses are available on the D.C. Everest District website (www.dce.k12. wi.us).

Dates To Remember December 3 – January 12 Gifted & Talented Nomination Period Tuesday, December 4 Homework Club, 3:35-4:30pm Thursday, December 6 Chess Club, 3:35-4:45pm Homework Club, 3:35-4:30pm Monday, December 10 Parent Information Meeting regarding Gifted & Talented Nominations/Program, 6:30pm @ Admin. Bldg. Tuesday, December 11 Popcorn Day Homework Club, 3:35-4:30pm Thursday, December 13 Chess Club, 3:35-4:45pm Homework Club, 3:35-4:30 pm Tuesday, December 18 Winter Concerts: Kindergarten, 5:30 pm 1st Grade, 6:45 pm Wednesday, December 19 Grand Theater Field Trip, 2nd Gr., 10:00am Thursday, December 20 Winter Concerts: 2nd Grade, 5:30 pm 3rd Grade, 6:45 pm Friday, December 21 Last Day of School before Winter Break December 24-January 1 No School, Winter Break Wednesday, January 2 1st Day of School after Winter Break

THANK YOU PARENTS!

Thank you to all our parents who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences. We had an excellent turnout which is always great to see! Parent involvement truly makes a difference in a child’s education. Thanks also to the parents who organized and all those who donated food for the meals for the staff on conference days—it was fantastic and very much appreciated.

WINTER CONCERT SCHEDULE

The kindergarten through 3rd grade students at Riverside are looking forward to sharing their musical skills with family and friends at their annual winter concert. Following are the dates and times for the performances. (Students should arrive no later than 15 minutes

before the concert.) Tuesday, December 18th

Kindergarten, 5:30 PM 1st Grade, 6:45 PM

Thursday, December 20th

2nd Grade, 5:30 PM 3rd Grade, 6:45 PM

(The 4th and 5th grade students will present a spring program to be held on April 18th at the Middle School.)

“Giving a Little Makes a Big “Giving a Little Makes a Big “Giving a Little Makes a Big “Giving a Little Makes a Big

Difference!!!”Difference!!!”Difference!!!”Difference!!!” The fifth grade

students at

Riverside are

organizing a

school-wide loose

change collection

to donate gifts to

less fortunate children during the

Holiday season. The students will be

collecting everyone’s small change

from the 3rd to the 10th of December.

They will be buying gifts for girls and

boys of all ages. We would

appreciate it if each class would

collect loose change for these

children. So please help brighten a

child’s Christmas. Remember,

“Giving a little makes a big

difference.”

Additionally, we are so

fortunate to have an amazing PTO.

The PTO has agreed to match any

donation given by the students of

Riverside up to $500! This will allow

us to purchase twice as many gifts

and to help make this an amazing

Christmas for so many other children.

Thank you PTO and thank you

Riverside for your charitable giving!!!!

PTO News . . .

All Riverside students/families are invited to attend the reward party for our fall fundraiser! The sledding party is scheduled for Thursday, January 24, from 6-9:00 pm. For families who sold three or more Bluejay cards, the students attending Riverside get in free. The cost for all other students and siblings is $6.00. Cost for adults is $8.00. Also, hot chocolate and hot cider will be available. The PTO will be selling hot dogs/chips for $1.50 and bottles of water for 50¢ each.

Also, because Riverside met its goal for the fall fundraiser, all students will be able to attend the Rick Smith Jr. Magic Show to be held at Riverside!

HOT LUNCH NUTRITION STANDARDS On July 1, 2012, new federal nutrition

standards for school meals went into

effect. Under these standards:

• No more than 10 percent of calories

can come from saturated fat and

schools must eliminate added trans-

fat.

• School meals must meet age-

appropriate calorie minimums and

maximums. For this reason,

condiments such as ketchup may be

available at some meals as it is

included in the calorie count. If it

would cause the calorie count to

exceed the maximum amount,

ketchup would not be available.

• Schools must gradually reduce

sodium levels in school meals.

• Cafeterias must offer larger servings

of vegetables and fruit with every

school lunch, and children must take

at least one serving.

• Schools must offer a wide variety of

vegetables, including at least a

weekly serving of legumes, dark

green and red or orange vegetables.

• Milk must be fat-free or 1%

(flavored milk must be fat-free).

• Within two years, all grains offered

must be whole-grain rich.

News from Miss Kimme’s Kindergarten Classroom Miss Kimme wanted her kindergarten students to see how different cultures celebrated during the Thanksgiving season. The Hmong culture celebrates Hmong New Year for a few weeks in November and December and her goal was for the students to see the many parallels between Hmong New Year and Thanksgiving.

Miss Kimme started the unit by talking about Hmong quilts (Pan Dau) and how each told a story about a time in Hmong history. The kindergarteners then created their own Pan Dau quilt piece that told the story of their family.

Students then learned about how Hmong people (just like the pilgrims) had to leave their country for a better life. They mapped out how the Hmong people and the Pilgrims traveled to the United States. Students then viewed pictures of villages in Laos, Thailand, China, etc. to see the stark differences Hmong people faced when they arrived. They then watched a video on how the pilgrims were famished by their journey and were facing starvation when they reached land.

This led to the reasons of why we celebrate Thanksgiving and Hmong New Year in both cultures to celebrate the harvest. The kindergarteners were taught the three main things that happen at each event; family, food, and fun. They played the ball toss (a traditional Hmong game that happens at the Hmong New Year celebration), listened to Hmong music, and experienced a miniature model of a qeej that is played during the New Year celebration. For Thanksgiving, students shared the things they each enjoyed eating at Thanksgiving, some of the family games they played, and which relatives they got to see.

The class created Hmong hats to wear towards the end of the unit and to bring home to their families. Pha Nhia Van Pietersom, ELL Associate at Riverside, was kind enough to bring her plethora of Hmong New Year outfits to wear and pass around for the children to experience. Mrs. Van Pietersom talked to the students about the different meanings behind each outfit, why there were coins that were sewn in, and the difference between the outfits she had. She let them feel how heavy each piece was and also let the kindergarteners try on some hats, skirts, purses, vests, and jackets.

Students also studied how pilgrims looked/dressed in paintings so they could create our own version in class. As a summation of all the learning that occurred, students created a class Venn diagram comparing Hmong New Year and Thanksgiving. The kindergarteners shared all of the interesting facts they had learned about both subjects and best of all shared the similarities they now see between cultures.

Nomination Process Begins

The D.C. Everest School District is currently seeking nominations for the 2013-2014 Gifted & Talented Magnet Program. The nomination period runs from December 3, 2012 through January 11, 2013. Parents and teachers are encouraged to nominate students in 1st through 4th grades who have demonstrated advanced academic capabilities. Riverside Elementary houses the D.C. Everest District’s Gifted & Talented Magnet Program, which services selected students in 2nd through 5th grades. In addition to an accelerated curriculum, emphasis is placed on the higher level cognitive skills, problem solving, logic, and creativity. Students selected for placement in the program need to acquire academic knowledge quickly, apply this knowledge in creative and productive ways, and demonstrate a strong desire to learn. A PARENT INFORMATION MEETING will be held on Monday, December 10th, at 6:30 pm in the D. C. Everest Administration Building, 6300 Alderson Street, Schofield. The intent of the meeting is to overview the program and to address your questions and concerns. If you have any concerns before the meeting, please feel free to contact the Gifted & Talented Magnet Program staff at Riverside School (715-359-2417). Nominated students are tested in reading, mathematics, intelligence, and creativity. As a supplement to the standardized test scores, all students will be evaluated with a self-directed learner profile. Students in grades 3 and 4 will be asked to submit a self-selected portfolio of classroom work. The results of the screening form the child’s profile, which illustrates the child’s academic potential. The District’s Gifted & Talented Screening Committee reviews the profiles to determine if the child needs an accelerated program. Parents are notified of the results in April. To nominate a child, please complete the Gifted & Talented Magnet Program nomination forms. All parents of 1st grade students will receive the forms in the mail. Parents of 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students may request the forms from their school office. If you do not receive your nomination forms in the mail, please request them from your school office. Completed forms need to be returned to your school office by January 11, 2013.