February 2017


Notes from the Principal......
Greetings, Tanner Families,

 The second half of the school year is officially underway.  We had an excellent first half and I look forward to what is to come these last two quarters.  Our students continue to work hard each day.  They transitioned back from the winter break quite nicely.  They are busy in the classrooms and are excited about the fresh snow they can play in during recess.  

Our staff has been a part of some great changes the past couple of months.  We have all converted our email system to gmail.  We will now be sending communications from our new emails.  You should see them coming through with an address that looks similar to this:  thoresone@kaukaunasd.org - but with the sender's last name and first initial.  Our previous emails from @kaukauna.k12.wi.us will no longer be used.  If you feel you have sent emails to staff using the old or new address and you have not heard back, please call the office.  Unfortunately, some of these emails are landing in SPAM folders.  Thank you for your patience with us as we work through any glitches that we may encounter.

 We look forward to seeing all of you during the parent/teacher conferences coming up at the end of the month.  Thank you for your continued support for Tanner and your child's education!


NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
4K & 5K registration for the upcoming school year has started. Here is some important information to help in the process:
4K and new to Kaukauna 5K registration - Registration packets were mailed on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Letters were sent home to eligible 4K (those who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2017) and new to Kaukauna
Kindergarten (those who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2017) students.  Forms will need to be returned to the Tanner Early Learning Center office by Friday, February 3, 2017. In order to plan for classroom and staffing needs, it is crucial that we receive this information now.  If you know of anyone with a child turning four or five and did not receive a packet, please encourage the parent to call Tanner Early Learning Center at 766-6150.

SCHOOL CONFIRMATION FORMS
Please look for a School Confirmation Form sent home to all current K-3 students.  This form fulfills the
registration process for next year.  On the form, you will see the attendance area in which you reside.  Families have the opportunity to confirm this school placement, request a placement at one of the charter schools or indicate that you will be moving next school year.  If you would like to request open enrollment within the district (attending a different school than what is identified on the top of the form) you may contact the school office and request the form to complete.  The window for this process is February 1 – March 1, 2017

4K SCREENING
This spring, the Kaukauna Area School District will again initiate a voluntary 4K screening on June 2nd, June 5th, June 6th and June 7th.  Registration packets have been sent home to eligible 4K (those who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2017) students. In order to plan for classroom and staffing needs, it is crucial that we receive this information as soon as possible.  Children not yet school age that may have delays or other difficulties are also eligible to be screened at this time to help determine if development testing/special services might be needed.  Parents with specific developmental concerns may contact Lisa Sheppard anytime at 766-6150.

PARENTS—PLEASE PASS INFORMATION ON
If you know anyone who has children age 0 to 18 who are not currently enrolled in the Kaukauna Area School District but live within the district’s boundaries, please direct them to our website to fill out a Census Update form.  They can get a copy by visiting our website at www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us.  Click on ”Prospective Family & Staff” and then click “How to Enroll”.

SUMMER SCHOOL
Information and guidelines for Summer School 2017 has been posted on the District Website.
For information or questions—contact:
Erin Kape
Administrative Assistant
1701 County Road CE
Kaukauna, WI  54130
Phone:  920-766-6100  Ext.2002
kapee@kaukaunasd.org

LATE ARRIVALS/ABSENCES/PICK UP CHANGES
Please call the office promptly when you know your child will be late to school.  This will help us with the hot lunch count as it needs to be called into the central kitchen by 8:30 am for lunch that day.  When your student arrives late, please bring them into the office.  We will check the student “in” for attendance and give them a hall pass to take to their teacher.

We request that parents/guardians call the automated absence line at 759-6159 before 8:00 am each day your child is unable to attend school.  This voice mail service is available for your use before and after school hours.

If you are changing how your child will be getting home after school, you can send a note to the
eacher of call the office with the information.  If it is a last minute decision, it is important that you let the office know that you will be taking your child.  Please do not take them out of the bus line.  We need to know that your child is safe with you so stop in the office to notify us!


IN OR OUT FOR RECESS

The guideline that we use for inside recess is as follows:  If the temperature is 0 or below, with or without wind chill, students WILL NOT go outside for recess.  We feel this practice better addresses the potential safety concerns of our students and Educational Assistants during the coldest part of the school year.  Additionally, thank youp for sending your child(ren) to school with hats, gloves, snow pants and boots each day as these items make recess much more enjoyable. Please realize that the students are outside
several times a day and the thin knit mittens tend to get wet quickly. If you can, please send waterproof mittens/gloves or a few pairs of mittens so your child does not need to wear wet ones.  Also, please help us by putting your child’s initials on their winter apparel.  It becomes difficult for the children to identify their items when there are numerous items that are the same color and size.

BAD WEATHER NOTIFICATION
School closings ... The following radio and television stations are notified of school closings or delays:

Television
WBAY - Channel 2
WFRV - Channel 5
WGBA - Channel 26
WLUK -  Channel 11

Radio
WAPL - 105.7 FM
WEMI - 91.9 FM
WIXX - 101.1 FM
WNCY - 100.3 FM
WGEE - 99.7 FM
WKFX - 104.9 FM
WSGC - 1050 AM
WHBY - 1150 AM
WGEE - 1360 AM
WNFL - 1440 AM

2-HOUR DELAY SCHEDULE
In the event of a 2-hour school delay—please use the
following time schedule:
              9:35—Playground supervision begins—students begin arriving
              9:45—Students enter building
              9:50—School begins
PM 4K follows normal PM schedule.
Contact from Automated Messenger System
Infinite Campus has the ability to use the system to make emergency contacts with parents regarding school closing or other information during the school day. If the superintendent would determine that district schools would be closing early for some reason parents will receive an automated message giving them details. It is very important that your contact information in Infinite Campus is up to date. If you have questions regarding your contact information please call the Tanner School Office.


News from Mrs. Hamilton, Literacy Coach
Getting Your Child to Talk About Books
Reading aloud daily to our children is the number one way to support their journey into reading conventionally. Not only does it help build a long-time interest and appreciation in books, but it also supports the development of critical oral language development.
It’s also talking about books with kids that really can make a profound impact for them. The payoffs are huge for kids in terms of reading comprehension skills, listening skills, speaking skills, and the ability to sustain attention.
We were excited to have such a wonderful turnout for our Cozy-Up and Read Event that was held last week. Thank you for taking the time to learn ways to support your child’s literacy development, and for reading with your child at school.
The following prompts were provided to those in attendance, and I wanted to include them here for those of you who were unable to make it. Getting the talk going about books will support your child in many positive ways. Thank you for your support!



Before Reading Prompts for Fiction:
  • What do you think the book will be about?
  • Is this book a fiction story or an informational book? How do you know?
  • What are you wondering about this story?
  • Look at the front cover and make a prediction.
During Reading Prompts to Stop and Check for Understanding:
  • What are you wondering about?
  • What has happened to the characters already?
  • What do you predict will happen next?
  • How do you think the characters are feeling? Why?
After Reading Prompts:
  • Who were the characters?
  • What happened in the story in the beginning, the middle, and at the end?
  • What was the problem? The solution?
  • Does this remind you of something you’ve read or experienced?

Before Reading Prompts for Informational Books:
  • What do you think the book will be about? What will it teach us?
  • What do you already know about this topic?
  • What are you wondering about this topic or story?
  • Does this remind you of another book you have read?
During Reading Prompts to Stop and Check for Understanding:
  • What have you learned about the topic so far?
  • Name something new you have learned about the topic.
  • What are you wondering about now?
  • What do you think that word means?


After Reading Prompts:
  • What was the author teaching us about? What did you learn?
  • Why do you think the author wrote this book?
  • Show me a ‘cool’ feature the author used to teach us about the topic (photograph, label, chart, diagram, etc.

News from Mrs. Sundelius, School Nurse


Please be mindful when you are sending in snacks, birthday and special occasion treats. 
How much sugar is healthy for your child?  The new recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) suggest children should consume less than six teaspoons of added sugars per day. What are added sugars? Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared.  This does not include naturally occurring sugars such as those found in low fat dairy items and fruit.  Some common names for added sugars are: dextrose, sugar, sucrose, brown sugar, glucose, corn syrup, honey, nectar, molasses….
You will be able to tell what the total sugar content of a product is by reading the nutrition label.  However, it is difficult to calculate how much of the total sugar in a product is a natural sugar and how much is added.  One way to estimate how much added sugar is in a food item is to see how far up on the ingredient list of that food a sugar (see names above) appears.  If a sugar ingredient name is listed in the number one or two spot on the ingredient list the food item will have more added sugar than a food item that has a sugar listed down further on the ingredient list.
Eating foods high in added sugar throughout childhood is linked to future risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.  Additionally children who consume a lot of high sugar foods tend to not eat as much healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy items.  Children need these healthy foods for good body and brain growth. 
How can you help your child and all children meet the AHA recommendation for daily added sugar intake?  Please be mindful when sending in snacks and special occasion treat.  Try to send in healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, string cheese, low fat dairy treats, whole grain crackers…  There are many healthy pre-packages treats available.  Remember to pick one that does not have a sugar listed in the number one or two spot in the ingredient list.  Some high added sugar items to avoid are: regular soda, sport drinks, cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts and of course candy.  Also remember that children learn from example.  So try to make an effort to eat healthy yourself. 




Art News from Mrs. Siegel
First graders were read the book, Frog on a Log, by Leyland
Perree, and then the artists painted the 3 secondary colors by mixing the 3 primary colors onto a white paper.  These 3 painted papers were then used to create a “frog on a log” collage.  Students glued the sky (background) and water or grass (foreground) and found the horizon line.  They then drew and cut their frog shape (after lots of practice).  The log was created from brown paper, and white charcoal pencils and black Sharpies were used to add details and texture. Students really worked on using their fine motor skills with cutting and gluing.

 Art News from Mrs. Sheth
The hall near the art room is warmed with bright colors from our spider webs created by a few Tanner classes! In class we are now starting to look at the element of art: Shape! We have read the story Clink by Kelly DiPucchio. Clink is a very special robot who can play music and make toast. Students are in the process of making their own robots using shapes. Students will have fun coming up with how their robot looks, what their robot “does”, and where their robot lives. 




Tanner Library Media Center News
From Miss Brown
Tanner Technology:
Students at Dr. H. B. Tanner Early Learning Center are excited to be using Technology! Here at Tanner we use Tablets in 4K and 5K, iPads in 4K-1st Grade,  Chromebooks in the Chromebook Lab, and in Chromebooks in 1st Grade classrooms! Here is a video of students at Tanner using Technology!


Tanner Library:
As the year progresses your student might forget to return a library book, and that is okay. Here is what we do at Tanner to help you and your student when a book is forgotten to be brought back.
  1. We print off 2 copies of a friendly reminder slip (one for you and one for the library) with their name on it and the book title(s) that is/are missing highlighted, along with a stamp that states “Tanner Library: Please Return”. We understand that life gets really busy and library books can often be forgotten, that is why we send home a friendly reminder slip.
  2. We check everywhere! We check the student’s backpack, classroom, and the library to make sure the book was not forgotten somewhere at school or misplaced in the library.
  3. Students are still able to check out one more library book. Until the missing book is found or contact has been made by the library staff to the parents and/or guardians.


If you receive a note home about a missing book please look around your home for the book. Often times they can be found between home and school. If you find it great, just send it with your student to school the next day and they will be able to bring home another book. If you cannot find it please send a note to school. We will check again, and a member of the library staff will be in contact with you shortly. You will never be assessed a fine or fee without contact from a member of the library staff.  
Thank You and Happy Reading!


Gym Update from Mrs. Otto
January was filled with lots of assessments and review activities for our 1st graders and Kindie friends!!  We re-checked lots of basic skills and did some assessment checks.  We also worked alot this month on our upper body strength. The fitness challenge for this component is a long hang on the bar for a sustained amount of time or knee ups from the hang position.  Along with the testing and reviews we had some fun upper body challenges and used the rings, parallel bars, partner challenges, exer-bugs and more!  

We also worked on overhand throwing w/ a fun new activity, bug busters!  You may have seen it on the internet!  Big Hit with the Kids!!  Other movement exploration activities this past month included rolling, cartwheel machines, leaping and lots of jumping activities.

Both the Kindies and 1st graders will be participating in Jump Rope for Heart on Friday, Feb. 10th!!  This is a great extension of our Healthy efforts here in the Tanner Gym!!

Our 4K friends were busy in January as well.  We focused on log rolling in various forms, on the wedge, on the mat w/partners and in the barrel.  We also worked on upper body strength w/ the rings, parallel bars, chin up bar and the wheelbarrow walk.  The exer-bugs are a great upper body and bilateral coordination activity too!!  The kiddos also worked on eye-hand activities w/ paddles, stomp and catch boards and bouncy balls.
We will be doing lots of jumping activities in the next few weeks too!!  

Music notes from Mrs. Stangel

In Kindergarten and first grade we have been reviewing keeping a steady beat with some of our favorite rhythm stick, bean bag and tambourine songs and activities. We’ve been reviewing short and long sounds, and we’ve been practicing reading rhythms using ta, ti-ti and rest. We sang songs about Martin Luther King Jr., Groundhogs Day, the 100th Day of School, and Valentine’s Day.


In 1st grade, our composer of the month was Franz Schubert. Even though Mr. Schubert died when he was only 31 years old, he composed over 600 songs, 8 symphonies, sacred works and numerous piano solos. We learned about the life and music of this famous Austrian composer.  Did you know that he died before he couldn’t complete his 8th symphony?  That is why it is known as the “Unfinished Symphony.”  We listened to the opening section and famous melody of this symphony and followed a listening map to the form of the piece.
Classroom Guidance from MRS. CHARNESKI

During the month of February, I will be visiting all of the K-1 classrooms and talking with students about Self Knowledge and Self-Esteem! In each grade level we will learn about valuing our own unique talents and abilities.  We will discuss the concepts of individuality, positive thinking, and positive attitudes.  Kindergarten classes will see a short video called Lovable Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTQ8CxrANw4 .  We will discuss ways to build self-concept and positive thinking and we will complete a take-home activity.  First grade will have similar discussions, read a short story and create “Me Valentines” while thinking of all of the things they like about themselves! I will also be visiting our 4K kiddos to share a fun story about
Friendships and Social Skills! 


In addition, we will be starting some Friendship/Social Skills small counseling groups this month as well as Family Change groups for children experiencing divorce or other family changes.  If your child is invited to participate they will bring a letter home in backpacks explaining our group goals and activities!  J

Kaukauna Area School District presents
America’s Most Practical and Entertaining Parent Seminars
LOVE AND LOGIC PARENTING
A training program designed by the Love and Logic® Institute, Inc.

Would you like to have more fun parenting?
Would you like to feel more relaxed at the end of the day?
Then this course is perfect for you…whether you are parenting, co-parenting, step-parenting or single parenting!!

Answers to:
·         “How do I get them out of bed in time to catch the school bus?”
·          “How can I stop my children from bickering and fighting?”
·          “How do I get my children to help with the chores without an argument?”
·          “Is there a way to discipline my toddler in public without creating a scene?”
·          “How can I get my teenage daughter to come home at the agreed-upon time?”
·          “How do I get him to stop spitting his peas and whining at dinner?”
………and many other day-to-day parenting frustrations.

Parenting is the world’s most difficult job. Thousands of parents have completed this non-judgmental course in a relaxed setting. They learned practical parenting skills and used them immediately. You can too!

Offered to: Kaukauna Elementary Parents
Evening Class: Tanner Early Learning Center 2500 Fieldcrest Drive Kaukauna, WI
Thursdays:  Mar. 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd from 6:00-8:00
Cost: $5 for the cost of the manual (paid the day the seminar starts)
FREE CHILDCARE and SNACKS PROVIDED!!

To REGISTER:
Please contact Carol Wall or Jean Stein @ 766-6150 wallc@kaukaunasd.org ,  steinj@kaukaunasd.org or Kristin Charneski @ 766-6150  charneskik@kaukaunasd.org

Please include the following information to register: name, phone number, names and ages of your children, what schools they attend, and whether you will take part in the childcare (evening class) and their age(s).

Feel free to discuss this opportunity or ask questions of any of the following Kaukauna School District employees who are trained in Love and Logic:  Kristin Charneski (Elementary Counselor at Tanner) and Karen Wirth (School Social Worker at Victor Haen, Quinney/NDLC and RVMS)


We look forward to seeing you there for some fun evenings of learning and sharing together!!



PBIS UPDATE
For the month of February, students will be learning about what fairness looks like and sounds like. We will be focusing on playing by the rules, taking turns and sharing, including everyone, treating people fairly and being honest. Thanks to the PAC, students have sleds, shovels, and buckets available during recess to have some winter fun. If you have any extra large plastic ice cream buckets that you would be willing to donate, please send them to school. Our students enjoying filling the buckets and making creations in the snow.  

 Students have also been working on being "Bucket Fillers".  Classrooms have discussed what it means to be a bucket filler and have completed different activities as a class.  Some of these activities are hanging in the lobby.  Check out our special projects during Parent/Teacher conferences this month.
HEAD START
Always accepting applications
WHAT IS HEAD START?
UW Oshkosh Head Start is a preschool program serving children and families in Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet and Shawano counties at NO COST TO YOU.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Low-income families with children who are 3 or 4 years old by September 1st of enrolling year.  Families with children with disabilities are also encouraged to apply.
OPTIONS INCLUDE:
Half day programs
Extended day programs
Child Care Collaboration
HOW DO I APPLY?
For more information, call 1-800-624-4436


Fieldtrip Reminders
 2 -   Conger to 1000 Islands 12:30-3:00 pm
 3 -   Resch to 1000 Islands 8:00-10:30 am & 12:30-3:0 pm
 8 -   Mader and McDaniel to 1000 Islands 8:00-10:30 am & 12:30-3:00 pm
 9 -   Mrs. B and Nelson to 1000 Islands 8:40-11:15 am
 9 -   Neumann and Gloudeman to 1000 Islands 12:30-3:00 pm
10 -  Meerdink and Warden to 1000 Islands 8:00-10:30 am & 12:30-3:00 pm




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