becoming.

As we approach this time of Thanksgiving, we are called upon to reflect on that for which we are grateful. I have much in m y p e r s o n a l a n d professional life for which I give thanks, but in particular I am grateful for the Oak Park staff who understands and never loses sight of the importance of each of your children, and for a gracious fourth grader who reminded me of why this job is so fulfilling and important.

Sincerely,

Ginny Kruse

Dear Oak Park Families,

Too often, a trip to the principal’s office is about a behavior concern. When that happens, my job is first to listen and then guide students toward a respectful resolution, often following up with a phone call home. This week, a trip to the principal’s office was a special treat…especially for me.

At our October Chipmunk Cheer Assembly, all students who received a “chipmunk cheer” during the month had their name put in a drawing. If their name were drawn, they could select from a variety of privileges. Those options included such things as going to the front of the lunch line for a week, having an extra recess for their class, lunch with a staff member of their choice, or getting a homework pass for one night. I was fortunate in having a student select lunch with me as her privilege. It w a s a wo n d e r f u l opportunity to sit in a relaxed setting and have a conversation where the

focus was on the student as a person, not as someone who was sent to the office. I learned about this student’s interests, activities she enjoyed, and plans she had.

There are times, when we get so caught up in our jobs of parent, or teacher, or principal, that we temporarily lose sight of the “person” in our child or student.

Each day, 484 individual learners come through the doors of Oak Park Elementary with lives outside of school…with interests, and dreams, and act ivi t ies that contribute to who they are and who they are

Message from the Principal

Ginny Kruse, Principal

November 16, 2012

Important

Numbers!

Main Office

351-8600

Attendance Line

351-8601

Health

Office

351-8602

MN Central (Busing)

430-3311

outside of our district to e x p a n d c u l t u r a l understanding and support academic achievement.

Oak Park student Maeve Thomas met with new friends from Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet School. At the Wellstone Community Center, Oak Park third grade students met their partner class for the first time. They worked as friendship groups building teams, relationships, and trust.

Stillwater Area Public Schools is one of ten member school districts that comprise the East Metro Integration District. This collaborative, involving St. Paul and nine suburban school districts, supports voluntary integration among East Metro urban and surrounding suburban schools.

Through this partnership our s t u d e n t s h a v e t h e opportunity to learn with students from other schools

Donation Request

I Love to Read Month is

February! We are asking

for donations of new

Polar Fleece so we can

make hats and scarves

to give away at Books

and Bingo Family Night.

If you would like to

contribute, please drop

off your fleece in the

office by December 21st.

Thank you!

Page 2

Ms. Gwenn Frederick, ASD Teacher

I was born in Baltimore, MD while my dad was stationed there in the army. I grew up in North Dakota and moved to Minneapol is af ter graduating from high school. From there I met my husband (of 11 years) and we moved to Portland, OR where we both went to college. I have a BA in Human Communication and am one credit shy of a Master’s Degree in Special Educat ion f rom the University of St. Thomas. In my free time I like to read, cook, do yoga, shop, travel, hang out with friends and family and spend time with my golden doodle, Bailey. We live in St Paul across from the Como Zoo where we can hear the lions roar and the wolves howl! I am enjoying my first year in Stillwater and want to thank everyone for making me feel so welcome.

Mrs. Lisa Bonhus, First Grade Teacher

My name is Lisa Bonhus and I am so excited to be joining the wonderful staff at Oak Park Elementary! The 2012-13 school year will be my 20th year of teaching and my 12th year with Stillwater Area Schools. I have taught preschool, kindergarten, kindergarten/first grade multi-age classes, and first/second grade multi-age classes.

I graduated from St. Cloud State with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a d o u b l e m i n o r i n Kindergarten and Reading Instruction. I also have a Mas t e r ’ s De gr e e i n Education from St. Mary’s in Winona. I live in River Falls, WI with my husband John and our son Sam, who is in third grade. We are very fortunate to have a family cabin in Cumberland, WI

where we spend a good deal of time during the summer. We always end our summers with the Rutabaga Festival! My hobbies include reading, cooking, snowmobiling, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers. My other main hobby is driving my son to football and hockey practice and watching his games. I cannot start my day without coffee!

I am truly blessed to have a career that I love so m uc h! He lp ing m y students learn how to read and write and blossom in every possible way is so rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else and I am so happy to be working with the wonderful Oak Park kids and staff this year!

Stillwater and St. Paul Schools Classroom Partnership

Quarter 1

report cards are

available in

Skyward Family

Access. Call OP

office at

651-351-8600

if you need

assistance.

a s i m u l a t e d w o r k env i ronm ent . The intended outcome of PAES is to provide students with a realistic assessment of an individual’s aptitude and interest in specific job related tasks. Each day students are exposed to employment related tasks associated to one of five b r o a d v o c a t i o n a l classifications. Vocational

Five Elements Needed to Engage Boys

with Literacy – Part II

Page 3

Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES)

Sti llwater Area Public Schools supports special education students currently in grade 12 through transition age (18-21) uti l izing the Pract ical Assessment Exploration System (PAES). PAES is a career exploration lab structured in a way that a f fords s tudents the opportunity to sample a variety of job related tasks in

friends were doing. They also measure their success based on what their teachers told them. For example, if their teacher tells them that they are reading a sixth grade book and they are in fourth grade. And finally, boys determine their success by the rewards they get. This can be an external reward like a certificate or popcorn party; or boys will articulate that they felt good when they finished a challenge.

Fun: Fun can be achieved in a variety of ways and it centers around boys’ personal interests, active engagement, and success. It can be found in many situations, such as in interactions with teachers. Boys gave the following e x a m p l e s : “ M y k indergarten teacher always reads to us, and we always have great fun.” “My teacher explains stuff to us in a funny way. “ “[My teacher] told us stories about his life; it was so fun.” “The teacher always finds something fun to help us and help us do it and makes us focus on it, and

it’s really fun.”

The idea of fun also connected to the boys’ reading selections. Boys often select visual, humorous, and active texts such as graphic novels, 39 Clues, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or books with titles such as Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies From Outer Space.

Our next issue will cover the last of the five components, “purpose.”

In the last issue of the Oak Leaf, “interest,” the first of f ive considerations to engage boys in reading, was i n t r o d u c e d . T h e s e suggestions come from the research of Heather Blair and Kathy Stanford from the University of Alberta. This issue of the Oak Leaf looks at the four other points from their research.

Action and Success: Boys’ personal interest in text is connected to the active emotional, mental, and physical engagement they experience and to the amount of success they e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e engagements . Boys reported interest in scary movies, action reading, magic, and war games and people in battles. Not only do they like to read and write about action, but they also really want to get into the action themselves, to do stuff, and they don’t want to have to wait. Boys want to be challenged, but in situations in which they feel confident of success or at least improvement. Often boys measure their success in relation to what their

classifications include: Computer/Technology, P r o c e s s i n g a n d Production, Construction/Industr ial , Consumer Service, and Business/Marketing. On any given day students may be asked to create a PowerPoint presentation, wire a household circuit, or make a cheesecake. Upon completion of the

P A E S a s s e s s m e n t , students may have a more clearly defined idea of where they would like to focus their post-secondary education and training. It is recommended that students interested in enrollment, first complete the Work Experience seminar or consult with their case manager or IEP team. Participating in the PAES program is an IEP team decision.

Oak Park Spirit Wear

c o m i n g s o o n !

The online store will be

available on Wednesday,

N o v e m b e r 2 1 s t

at www.shoprudy.com .

PTA Pie Fundraiser

Pies will be available for

pick up at Oak Park

Noon to 7 p.m. on

Wednesday, Nov. 21.

We wish you all a

wonderful upcoming

Thanksgiving weekend

with family and friends!

Nov. 19: PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 22-23: NO SCHOOL—Thanksgiving

Nov. 30: Hinderlie’s Wax Museum of Early Explorers, 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 4: Science Fair

Dec. 6: Mrs. Hansen’s class field trip

Dec. 7: Mrs. Martin’s class field trip

Dec. 11: Mr. Junko’s class field trip

Dec. 12: Mrs. Tate’s class field trip

Dec. 12: Second Grade field trip

Dec. 13: Band/Choir/Orchestra Concert, 1:15 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 14: Kindergarten field trip

Dec. 18: Ms. Jolley’s class field trip

Dec. 19: SJHS Band visits, 10:15 a.m.

Dec. 20: Mrs. Ulland’s class field trip

Dec. 24– Jan. 1: NO SCHOOL—Winter Break

Jan. 2: Return to school

Jan. 7: PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Dates to Remember: Page 4

Please join us for our monthly

Parent –Teacher Association

Meetings:

Jan. 7—6:30 p.m.

Feb. 4—6:30 p.m.

Mar. 18—6:30 p.m.

Apr. 15—6:30 p.m.

May 20—6:30 p.m.

All meetings are held in the

Media Center.

P.T.A. Meetings