Happy New Year!
I hope all of you were able to enjoy some time off with friends and family over the holidays. The bitter cold was certainly less than desirable. Our family spent many hours inside playing Uno, Slap Jack, Garbage (another card game), playing Barbies, and watching movies. As we played Uno (multiple times), it was a great reminder of how developmentally appropriate this game is, especially for our friends here at Tanner. Uno truly allows a child to recognize numbers and colors. It teaches them how to wait patiently for their turn. It works on those fine motor skills of picking up a card, holding cards, dealing cards, and also encourages the use of strategies. I enjoyed playing these games and the laughter that came along with it. I encourage all of you to spend some time playing a game of Uno with your family this month, especially if the bitter cold temperatures continue.
January marks the half way point. We will complete Quarter 2 on January 19. We have enjoyed watching the students grow academically, physically and emotionally all year. This month we will assess students once again as another means to monitor academic growth and determine where additional support may be needed. Our goal is for 80% of our students to be meeting grade level benchmarks by the end of the year. I believe that with the hard work of our staff and students and your support from home, we will definitely reach that goal.
Thank you for your continued support for Tanner School and your child’s education.
Liz Thoreson, Principal
Community Flyers and Events
Meet our new staff!
Featured new staff member this month: We are excited to have Miss Hofmann teaching Special Education with us this year! Here is some fun information about Miss Holly Hofmann:
Where did you grow up? - "DePere"
Where did you go to college? - "University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee"
What is your favorite food? - "Sushi"
What do you enjoy most about Tanner? - "Most of all, I enjoy the poeple! Tanner has such a kind and welcoming staff and great kids!"
Registration Information
2018-2019
Where did you go to college? - "University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee"
What is your favorite food? - "Sushi"
What do you enjoy most about Tanner? - "Most of all, I enjoy the poeple! Tanner has such a kind and welcoming staff and great kids!"
Family Fun - "I have two beautiful nieces and one more coming in February!"
2018-2019
Believe it or not, it’s time to begin 4K & 5K registration for the upcoming school year! Here is some important
information to help in the process:
4K and new to Kaukauna 5K registration - Registration packets will be mailed on Wednesday, December 27th. Letters will be sent home to eligible 4K (those who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2018) and new to Kaukauna Kindergarten (those who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2018) students. Forms will need to be returned to the Tanner Early Learning Center office by Friday, February 2, 2018. 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.
Informational Meetings – We will be offering Informational meetings to assist parents in making decisions about the school choices that are offered in Kaukauna. The focus will be to share both the similarities and the differences among our elementary options. The Kaukauna Area School District has five elementary options, including two charter schools.
Tanner Early Learning Center: 4K-grade 1
New Directions Learning Community Charter: 4K- grade 4
Park Community Charter School- K-4
Victor Haen Elementary: grades 1-4
Electa Quinney Elementary: grades 2-4
The dates and times of these meetings are listed below for your reference. They are an excellent opportunity for you to gather information about the elementary options in KASD. We hope to see you there!
Elementary General Informational Meeting- An informational meeting for parents about the elementary options
offered in the Kaukauna Area School District will be held at Tanner on Thursday, January 11th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. There will be a brief, general presentation followed by rotations to learn more about each option. You will hear about the
programs at Tanner Early Learning Center, Electa Quinney, Haen, Park Community Charter School and New
Directions Learning Community Charter School. This meeting is designed for parents. There will be an opportunity to have your child visit their school prior to the start of the school year.
Tanner Early Learning Center – Open House for 2018-2019 4K students will be held on Monday, January 15th and Thursday, January 18th from 4:30-6:30 pm, Friday, January 19th from 8:00-9:00 am and Monday, January 22nd from 11:30 am–1:00 pm. Please stop in and visit during any of these time slots. These events will offer an opportunity to see classrooms and meet the teachers.
New Directions Learning Community (NDLC) – Informational sessions for parents will be held at New Directions on Tuesday, January 16th from 6:00-7:00 pm, Monday, January 22nd from 10:00 am–1:00 pm and Thursday, February 1st from 6:00-7:00 pm . At the info session there is an opportunity to learn more about our school and to take a tour. Join us for an information session to learn more about our school and an open house to tour the school and meet our staff. Hope to see you there!
Park Community Charter School (PCCS) – Informational sessions for parents will be held at PCCS on Wednesday, January 17th from 8:00 am and 12:30 pm. Join us for an opportunity to meet the Principal, tour the building while students are in session, and attend a Brain Smart Start in the classrooms. Brain Smart Start is a key part of our school wide Conscious Discipline program. Brain Smart Starts will be held at 8:00 and 12:30 in our kindergarten classrooms with tours by our principal to follow each.
Early Childhood Development
Parents often wonder if their child’s functioning is within normal expectations for their age. While no two children are alike in their skill development or social functioning, the following guidelines may be helpful:
By one year, most children will do things such as:
Pull to a stand and walk with assistance.
Say one or two simple words (ma-ma, da-da, etc.).
Pick up small objects with thumb and first two fingers.
Drink from a cup when it is held for them.
Enjoy playing “peek-a-boo” or “patty cake”.
By two years, most children will do things such as:
Run reasonably well.
Use 2-3 word sentences (more juice, no go bye-bye, etc.).
Point to animals or objects in a book.
Bring a familiar object from another room when asked.
Play near other children, and use toys meaningfully.
By three years, most children will do things such as:
Dress self with minimal help.
Speak in short sentences.
Nest objects of different sizes, and match objects by color.
Imitate lines and circles on paper.
Begin to play with other children.
By four years, most children will do things such as:
Catch a large ball tossed underhand.
Ask many types of questions.
State full name and age when asked.
Copy a plus sign.
Enjoy pretend play with other children.
If you suspect that your child may have delays or other difficulties, you can arrange for a free screening to help determine if developmental testing and special services might be needed. Special school services can begin at the time of a child’s third birthday, and are provided at no cost to the family. County services are available for infants and toddlers with special needs. Residents of the Kaukauna Area School District may contact Lisa Sheppard at 766-6150 for further information.
News from...
Mrs. Sundelius - school nurse
Winter Weather Wear
It’s that time of year when the weather is cold and the snow if fun to play in; especially if you are a child. As a general rule your child will be playing outside during recess if the temperature and windchill is above zero degrees. So please dress your child appropriately each and every day. Having an extra set of clothes and mittens in their backpack is also recommended. As the health office has a very limited supply of extra clothes that children can borrow. That way if your child needs to change into clean/dry clothes they have them available and we won’t have to interrupt your day by asking that clean/dry clothes be brought to school.
If you are unable to provide the needed winter wear items for your child, please don’t hesitate to contact the health office at your child’s school.
Thanks in advance for helping all children stay safe in the winter weather and have fun in the snow as only children can.
Mrs. Sundelius - school nurse
Winter Weather Wear
It’s that time of year when the weather is cold and the snow if fun to play in; especially if you are a child. As a general rule your child will be playing outside during recess if the temperature and windchill is above zero degrees. So please dress your child appropriately each and every day. Having an extra set of clothes and mittens in their backpack is also recommended. As the health office has a very limited supply of extra clothes that children can borrow. That way if your child needs to change into clean/dry clothes they have them available and we won’t have to interrupt your day by asking that clean/dry clothes be brought to school.
If you are unable to provide the needed winter wear items for your child, please don’t hesitate to contact the health office at your child’s school.
Thanks in advance for helping all children stay safe in the winter weather and have fun in the snow as only children can.
Art news - Mrs. Siegel
Kindergartners reviewed the funny name to remember the color order of the rainbow and color wheel: Roy G. Biv. They then cut out rectangles, triangles, and rhombuses for buildings in the rainbow order. These were glued to a black paper. Construction paper crayons were used for the swirls in the sky to resemble the “moving” sky like artist, Vincent van Gogh’s, “Starry Night.” Finally, kindergartners used black Sharpies and construction paper crayons to add texture and details to their buildings like contemporary artist, Jessica Hogarth!
Students in 5K Library Skills have been learning about illustrators and illustrations. Students discussed what make award winning illustrations while learning about the Caldecott Award.
On Friday, December 15 the KHS Orchestra played for all of our Elementary Schools. Tanner was their first stop. We enjoyed seeing and hearing all of the beautiful string instruments. We even got a chance to sing along with songs like Frosty the Snowman, Feliz Navidad, and selections from Frozen! In music class we sang some traditional holiday songs, and a few new songs too. We learned about the story of the Nutcracker Ballet and saw a puppet show version with the famous music by Tchaikovsky.
In first grade we’ve been learning the Italian music words for loud, soft, fast and slow. (Forte, piano, presto and largo.) We also learned more about the ancient Ukranian piece, Carol of the Bells. Our composer of the month was Hector Berlioz. Berlioz was a talented composer and author. His music featured lots of contrast and he expanded orchestral scoring for the time. We listened to just a few minutes of his Symphonie Fantastique in which he quoted and varied the Dies Irae. He introduced this theme by using large bells in the percussion section.
Gym news - Mrs. Wells
December is always an exciting month. During the holiday season, we played ‘The Grinch,’ which was one of our favorite activities. The students had to try to get a toy from the top of grinch mountain without getting tagged by a Grinch.
Our Rhythms and Movement unit was also in December. We learned the Hokey Pokey, Chicken Dance, and Cha-Cha slide- just to name a few. At the end of the unit we played ‘Just Dance.’ This activity allowed us to use visual cues to move to the music. It was a blast!
Guidance corner - Mrs. Charneski
January Classroom Guidance-Bully Prevention
January Classroom Guidance-Bully Prevention
During the month of January, I will be visiting all of the 4K-1 classrooms and talking with students about Bully Prevention! In 4K we will be focusing on kindness and respect. In K-1 we will discuss the definition of bullying (negative, hurtful actions toward another person that occur repeatedly over time, usually including an imbalance of power…or in kid terms: “when someone is being mean and hurtful over and over again…even after you ask them to stop”) We will discuss the difference between “Conflict” and “Bullying”. Grades K-1 will be learning about positive ways to handle bullying situations. Throughout all grades, we will be emphasizing the importance of showing good character and kindness by being a “bucket filler”. If we all remember to be kind we can eliminate bullying behavior. As always, feel free to call me at 766-6150 Ext. 3817 or e-mail charneskik@kaukaunasd.org with any questions or concerns.
COUNSELOR CORNER….GOOD TO KNOW!!!
Welcome to a New Year! With the frigidly cold temperatures and the wicked winter weather, I think we all have a touch of “cabin fever” and are stuck with too much indoor activity. However, as you struggle to keep those kiddos engaged, it is important to keep an eye on what they are engaged in. The ever popular video games, YouTube videos, etc. can be a great way to entertain and even help kids learn a thing or two….IF they are playing the right games and videos!
Talking with kids today, we know that they are very technologically savvy. They know more about the computer and video games than we do. This can be a bad thing. It is very important to stay knowledgeable and informed.
1) KNOW THE GAMES YOUR KIDS ARE PLAYING….
Pay attention to the titles and types of games your kids are playing at home AND at friend’s houses.
2) FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE RATING SYSTEM….
The rating system begins at “Early Childhood” for ages 3 and over, “Everyone” is for kids 6 and over, “Everyone +10” is for 10 and over, “Teen” is 13 and over, “Mature” is only suitable for age 17 and above, and finally “AO” is for Adults Only.
3) TALK TO YOUR KIDS AND SET LIMITS….
Know what kind of video game/internet content you are prepared to allow into your home and communicate this to your kids. Just because their friends are playing it may not mean that it is ok for your family.
4) BE AWARE OF THEIR COMPUTER USE…INCLUDING GAME SYSTEMS, SOCIAL NETWORKS (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, etc.) AND I PADS and PHONES THAT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS!
Many times kids can connect directly to the internet and have access to all kinds of information and topics, video and games that may or may not be suitable for children.
FOR VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC go to…
PBIS update...
For the month of January Tanner students will be learning about being Bucket Fillers. We are going to continue being kind and caring by practicing filling the buckets of others. We will listen to a story about bucket filling and then practice this. Did you know everyone has an invisible bucket? Being kind and caring fills our bucket. We want to Bucket Fillers, not Bucket Dippers.
We will also be reviewing our Tanner School expectations for the classroom, hallways, bathrooms, lunch room and playground. We will have a "Reboot" of all these expectations.
We have some new items that will come out at recess during the winter months. We are hoping to get some more snow so that we can use the sleds, buckets and shovels. We love to see the creations! ☺
Summer school
KASD is already busy planning for summer school! Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2017. The combination of parent and staff feedback as well as a large amount of maintenance work to be done within the district this summer, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2018:
For the month of January Tanner students will be learning about being Bucket Fillers. We are going to continue being kind and caring by practicing filling the buckets of others. We will listen to a story about bucket filling and then practice this. Did you know everyone has an invisible bucket? Being kind and caring fills our bucket. We want to Bucket Fillers, not Bucket Dippers.
We will also be reviewing our Tanner School expectations for the classroom, hallways, bathrooms, lunch room and playground. We will have a "Reboot" of all these expectations.
We have some new items that will come out at recess during the winter months. We are hoping to get some more snow so that we can use the sleds, buckets and shovels. We love to see the creations! ☺
Summer school
KASD is already busy planning for summer school! Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2017. The combination of parent and staff feedback as well as a large amount of maintenance work to be done within the district this summer, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2018:
- Location - Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School.
- Dates - All courses will be offered in one session, Tuesday June 12 - Friday June 29, Monday - Friday.
- Strength and Conditioning and Music Lessons/Band Camp will also be held in July.
- Other Valuable Information:
- We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of summer school for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.
- Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee.
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
When there is a 2 hour delay the start time for school will be 9:50 A.M.
Specific announcements regarding Early Childhood will be made on the radio station that morning.
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.
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