TONI WESTERMANN, INTERIM PRINCIPAL SUSAN SCHULTZ ED. D., VICE PRINCIPAL

January 4, 2016

Dear Arthur C. Butler Parents and Guardians,

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as Arthur C. Butler Elementary School’s interim principal during the months of January and February.

Prior to retiring from Elk Grove Unified School District in 2012, I served as an elementary school principal for 12 years and also taught in the district for 7 years before beginning my career in administration. Since retiring, I have worked as interim principal at 3 other Elk Grove elementary schools. I truly enjoyed getting to know the unique “personality” of each of those three schools!

Arthur C. Butler Elementary School has a wonderful reputation as a special place for children to learn, and I am excited to begin my work with you, our teachers, and especially our students. I understand that the transition from Mr. Brenizer’s principalship to your next permanent principal will not be completed until closer to the end of the 2015-2016 school year. My goal is to ensure that the next two months run smoothly for our students and our school, and that the transition is an easy one. I look forward to meeting you during that time, so please feel free to stop by, call or email with any questions, concerns or just to introduce yourself.

It’s a great day to be a Bulldog!

Sincerely,

Toni Westermann, Interim Principal

Notes from the Principal’s Desk

ARTHUR C. BUTLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE

Keep bringing in those Box Tops. This year we

have collected over $1600 in Box Tops! With this support we have been able to keep our library open 3 days a week for

our students.

Butler PTO News January/February 2016

Upcoming PTO Events: Martin Luther King Day 1/18 No school

Track Change Movie 1/29

Lincoln Day –no school 2/8

Valentine’s Dance 2/12

Washington Day=no school 2/15

CEC Fundraiser 2/19

Join the PTO and your

teachers for our fundraiser nights at Chuck E.

Cheese. Proceeds from this fundraiser help support our school.

President – Heather Ut i l e V ice President – Mel issa Bauer Treasurer – Laura Lane y Secre tar y – Jenn y Sheldon

Like us on Face book at https://www.facebook.com/ArthurButlerPTO

Track Change Movies:

We are in need of a new track change movie volunteer team! These 2-4 volunteers would be in charge of supervising students who attend the track change movies each month. If a new team cannot be formed, track change movies may not be possible to provide to families for the 2016-2017 school year. If you are interested, please contact arthurbutlerpto@gmail.com.

Track Change Movie

January 29, 2016

The next track change movie is: THE MINION MOVIE. The cost of the movie is $3.00, this includes a snack of cookie and juice. Ticket orders are due by January 27st.

-BE GREEN AND SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL- Use these great bags for day to day use, library bags, sleepovers,

groceries or sports! Bags are printed with Butler’s school logo and

motto to show your family’s school spirit!

Order forms are available in the office. Buy a Butler spirit bag for $5.00.

Valentine’s Day Family Dance

Date: Friday, February 12th, 2016

Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm Place: Butler Elementary MP Room

Advance Tickets: $ 4.00 – Per person or $ 12.00 for a Family four pack Deadline: Wednesday, February 10th, 2016. At the Door: $5.00 per person

Dress your best and bring the family down for some great music and dancing! Enjoy a FREE ice cream float!

Valentine’s Day Family Dance Friday, February 12th, 2016

Child Name: _________________________ Grade/Track: _______________ Teacher: __________________ Parent Name: Phone:_____________ Parent Signature: ______________________ Number of tickets: # of tickets @ $4 _______ Family 4 pack @ $12 ______ Total enclosed: _________

Please make checks payable to Arthur Butler Elementary PTO

Children must be accompanied by adult.

PLEASE RETURN PAYMENT WITH BOTTOM PORTION TO TEACHER BEFORE DEADLINE

This activity welcomes those with disabilities to participate fully. If you need a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in this or any program, service or activity offered you, please contact Arthur C. Butler Elementary School Administration, (916) 681-7595, at least 48 hours before the scheduled event so that we may make every reasonable effort to accommodate you. {Government Code Section 54953.2; Americans with Disabilities Act 1990, Section 202 (42 U.S.C. Section 12132).]

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Do you have some time or talents to share? Are you interested in volunteering? We have opportunities for YOU! Watch Dog Call List:

Butler Elementary is always looking for Watch Dog Dads to assist. We enjoy your help in the cafeteria, on the playground, at the cross walk before and after school, and in the classroom.

If you are willing, we contact Dads every few weeks to see if you have time to share. Being added to the Watch Dog Call list means you are interested in being contacted by phone. Please contact Butler Elementary to be added to the Call list @ 681-7595

SAFETY REMINDERS Before and After School are busy times for

everyone.

Please remember to follow ALL driving rules.

• Stop at crosswalks and stop signs.

• Cross the street at the crosswalks.

• Drive carefully and slowly.

• No U-turns across the double yellow line.

• Pick-up students when parked at the side of the road, or in our yellow-curbed pick-up zone in front of the school MP room.

Thank you for being SAFE, RESPECTFUL, and RESPONSIBLE drivers

Arthur C. Butler Science & Invention Fair

Arthur C. Butler’s annual Science Fair will be held on the following dates:

A & B tracks: Thursday, February 18, 2016 C & D tracks: Thursday, March 17, 2016 Students may participate in individual, group, or class projects. Experiments need to state a specific problem or question, and they need to show the steps of the scientific method: Question, Hypothesis, Research, Materials, Recordkeeping, Analysis, Conclusion, and Bibliography. A resource page with websites has been included in this packet. Remember that although these are a useful resource for helping students, teachers and parents with science fair ideas, students should create their own project instead of copy someone else’s. All experiments must show evidence of research and an analysis of the result used to support their conclusion. In general this has been a weak area for many projects in the past. All work must be student generated. Students should have a clear understanding of their project. One winner from each grade level will be selected to continue on to the District Competition, April 6th & 7th in the District Office. Off track time, and vacation time is a great time to start thinking about your project. You can do some research and come up with a great question and a plan for an experiment. Any questions? Email cltucker@egusd.net

WANTED

Turn in box tops to your teacher! If EVERY Butler student just brought in 10 per month

# of Box tops Box tops Potential monthly Students at Butler Per Month Value Earning

960 10 $.10 $960.00

-School year potential-

$960.00 X 12 months = $11,520

This amount could buy, classroom supplies, scholarships, books, computer updates, playground equipment, PE equipment,

Kindergarten shed.

www.DonorsChoose.Org Once again we, the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Mrs. Young’s class, have been chosen as recipients for our grant request by Chevron through Donors Choose.org. We asked for 5 Chromebooks for our classroom and our request was fulfilled! We’re SO THANKFUL! Please go onto Donors Choose.Org And look at another project we’re posting soon!

California Department of Education (http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr14/yr14rel45.asp) Page Generated: 5/1/2014 2:44:21 PM Display version

Release: #14-45 April 30, 2014 Contact: Pam Slater E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov Phone: 916-319-0818

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces California Distinguished Schools for 2014

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today named 424 public elementary schools California Distinguished Schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student academic achievement. For the complete list, visit the 2014 Distinguished Elementary Schools Web page.

"I applaud these strong, thriving schools that are making such impressive strides in preparing their students for continued success," Torlakson said. "This award is well-deserved by these school communities for their enduring dedication to high standards, hard work, and unwavering support."

The 2014 California Distinguished Schools Program focuses on California's students' right to an equitable and rigorous education, and recognizes those schools that have made progress in narrowing the academic achievement gap.

To apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria, including accountability measures. Once schools are deemed eligible, the California Department of Education (CDE) invites them to apply to be recognized as a California Distinguished School. The process consists of a written application, which includes a comprehensive description of two of the school's signature practices, and a county-led site validation review process focused on the implementation of those signature practices.

Schools earning the Distinguished School title agree to share their signature practices with other schools and become a mentor to those seeking to replicate their work. An updated searchable database of these Signature Practices will be available later this spring from the CDE. To view the current Signature Practices Web portal, please visit the Distinguished Schools Signature Practices Web page.

Elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternate years. For more information, please go to the California Distinguished Schools Program Web page. Schools selected as California Distinguished Schools will be honored in early June during regional award ceremonies.

Also being honored during the ceremonies are the Title I Academic Achievement Awardees, which will be announced next week; Green Ribbon Schools; Civic Learning Award schools; and schools recognized last fall by the federal National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

In addition to being chosen as Distinguished Schools, 30 schools were given an additional honor of being selected as having an Exemplary Program in either Arts Education or Physical Activity and Nutrition after undergoing a separate application process. These schools will be denoted on the attached list by asterisks—one asterisk for an Exemplary Arts Education Program and two asterisks for an Exemplary Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. The awards, introduced in 2013, reflect Torlakson's goals outlined in his A Blueprint for Great Schools report, which provides vision and direction for California's education system.

# # # #

Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Do you have some time or talents to share? Are you interested in volunteering? We have opportunities for YOU! Watch Dog Call List: Butler Elementary is always looking for Watch Dog Dads to assist. We enjoy your help in the cafeteria, on the playground, at the cross walk before and after school, and in the classroom. If you are willing, we contact Dads every few weeks to see if you have time to share. Being added to the Watch Dog Call list means you are interested in being contacted by phone. Please contact Butler Elementary to be added to the Call list @ 681-7595 Peaceful Playground Obstacle Course Help: Three times a year, during lunch recess, we set up an obstacle course to encourage peaceful non-competitive play. We need help… • Organizing set-up, and take-down of the course and • Playing, participating, and supervising the obstacle course

on Peaceful Playground day. • Building more obstacle course activities like: pvc hurdles to

jump over, pvc-structures to crawl under, tires to walk through

If you are interested in helping during our Peaceful Playground Obstacle Course Days, please contact Susan Schultz @ 681-7595 or slschult@egusd.net

GATE (Gifted and Talented Educations)

1/29 Track Change Movie –Minions

2/8 Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday Holiday

2/12 Valentine’s Dance

2/15 George Washington’s Birthday Holiday

2/19 Chuck E. Cheese Family Night

3/1 Submission DEADLINE for Box Tops

The NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) will be administered for GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) eligible students. Upper grade students will be notified in the coming months by the Gate Coordinator. Students must meet specific criteria to take this test. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders will take the test later in the year. The specific date will be announced as soon as it is confirmed by the district.

I Pledge to be:

Safe, Responsible, Respectful, Every Day, in Every Way

Go Bulldogs!

Current Sheldon High School and Smedberg Middle School newsletters can be viewed by clicking on the desired link below and then click on the “Newsletter” link on each page. SMEDBERG http://www.egusd.net/smedberg/index2.html SHELDON http://www.shs-egusd-ca.schoolloop.com/

Current PTO information is located on the Webpage. You can find it by clicking on the PTO link on the Arthur C. Butler Webpage at:

www.egusd.net/butler

PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF

ARTHUR C. BUTLER Child SAFETY must be the top priority for our whole community and it is something we have to work on together. There have been three incidents involving property damage or injury already this school year due to reckless driving. As a school, we are asking that you please take time to stop and be aware. Please slow down, follow traffic laws, and be considerate of others when you are near our school. U-turns are not to be made. When there is someone in a cross walk, stop and wait. Give attention to others around you, whether walking or driving and be courteous of others. Use caution when approaching school whether walking, driving, or riding a bike. Follow the cones, signs, and teacher directions while in the school parking lot, on the side streets, or at the crosswalk. Elk Grove Police will be patrolling the area and citing people or towing cars if there are violations. So, please take precaution. Thank you for your support on this issue. As a community, we can make a difference!

Arthur C. Butler Elementary School

Paper Drive

Due to our limited budget this year, we are asking for donations of plain white copy paper for our school. The size needed is 8½ 1/2 x 11. If you are able to donate, please turn it to the school office. We appreciate your generous donation and continued support!