Greetings, Tanner families,
January certainly flew by! I hope you are well on your way to fulfilling your resolutions and that you were able to bounce back into the swing of things after the holidays. The students had a smooth transition back and were quick to continue their hard work in the classrooms each day. When they returned we got started on our winter assessing. All of them have been completed and now we will work in teams to analyze the student data and determine how we can best meet the needs of our students for these next two quarters.
Recently, you should have received your child's report card in his/her take-home folder. If you have not, please connect with your child's teacher. This report card is a snapshot of the progress your child has made this first semester. This report card will be used as a talking point, along with current classroom performance, at the spring parent/teacher conferences.
These next couple of months always seem to bring us interesting weather (snow, rain, freezing temps, warm temps, etc.). As we experience these changes please continue to send appropriate layers of clothing for both indoor and outdoor use. Waterproof mittens are highly encouraged as we now have some fresh snow. :)
Thank you for your continued support for Tanner School and your child's education,
Liz Thoreson, Principal
Community Flyers and Events
January certainly flew by! I hope you are well on your way to fulfilling your resolutions and that you were able to bounce back into the swing of things after the holidays. The students had a smooth transition back and were quick to continue their hard work in the classrooms each day. When they returned we got started on our winter assessing. All of them have been completed and now we will work in teams to analyze the student data and determine how we can best meet the needs of our students for these next two quarters.
Recently, you should have received your child's report card in his/her take-home folder. If you have not, please connect with your child's teacher. This report card is a snapshot of the progress your child has made this first semester. This report card will be used as a talking point, along with current classroom performance, at the spring parent/teacher conferences.
These next couple of months always seem to bring us interesting weather (snow, rain, freezing temps, warm temps, etc.). As we experience these changes please continue to send appropriate layers of clothing for both indoor and outdoor use. Waterproof mittens are highly encouraged as we now have some fresh snow. :)
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 Mrs. Vandermoss with us this year! She is one of our Speech and Language Pathologists. Here is some fun information about Mrs. Vandermoss:
Where did you grow up? - "Appleton"
Where did you go to college? - "University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh"
What is your favorite food? - "Honey BBQ Boneless Wings"
What do you enjoy most about Tanner? - "I have enjoyed the staff and students at Tanner the most. Everyone has been super friendly, helpful and welcoming. The kids are a blast! They make me smile and laugh every day. I am feeling blessed to be here and to have the opportunity to share my knowledge and make a difference in the lives of so many children."
Where did you go to college? - "University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh"
What is your favorite food? - "Honey BBQ Boneless Wings"
What do you enjoy most about Tanner? - "I have enjoyed the staff and students at Tanner the most. Everyone has been super friendly, helpful and welcoming. The kids are a blast! They make me smile and laugh every day. I am feeling blessed to be here and to have the opportunity to share my knowledge and make a difference in the lives of so many children."
Family Fun - "I married my high school sweetheart, Jay, after 11 years of dating, and we have been married for 27 years. We have been blessed with two awesome children, Brooke, 23, and Derek, 20. Brooke graduated from St. Norbert College and is an educator for Kimberly School District. Derek is a junior at UW-Whitewater studying accounting. Jay and I enjoy spending time together being active outdoors. We love to take long walks, hikes and bike rides. We also love to attend outdoor music festivals as well."
Registration Information
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 were mailed December of 2017. Letters were 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.
The Kaukauna Area School District has five elementary options, including two charter schools.
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
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
Pink eye (also called conjunctivitis) is a common eye condition in children. Pink eye is when the clear tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid and the white part or the eyeball becomes irritated and inflamed. This inflammation makes the blood vessels more visible and gives the eye a pink or reddish color. Pink eye can be caused from viruses, bacteria, allergies and other irritations such as an injury.
The viral and bacterial type of pink eye is very contagious and can be spread easily from person to person and especially child to child as children have a more difficult time not rubbing on the irritated eye.
What Are the Symptoms of Pink Eye?
- Redness or swelling of the white of the eye or around the eye
- Increased amount of drainage which may be clear, yellow, white or green
- Itchy, irritated, and/or burning eyes
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Gritty feeling in the eye
- Matter (dried drainage) on the eyelids or lashes especially in the morning
How Do I Stop Pink Eye from Spreading?
- Wash your hands
- Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes; this is hard for young children to do
- Avoid sharing makeup, contact lenses and containers, and eyeglasses
- Keep your child home and follow up with their doctor if your child have any symptoms of pink eye
Art news - Mrs. Siegel
Kindergarten and first graders used their fine motor skills in cutting branches that were glued cropped off the edge of a sky paper. They stamped with green, yellow, and white with a cardboard edge to print the pine needles. Students stamped again with a small, round sponge brush to paint white snowflakes in the background. Finally, after practicing with shapes and lines, students drew one or more cardinals on red paper. Black Sharpies, white charcoal pencils and crayons were used for details and texture on the cardinals. Students also learned about “overlapping” for this project!
UPCOMING ART EVENT:
February 17 - 2:00-4:00- Youth Art Month Exhibition at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neenah – 2 Tanner student will have their artwork on display: Addysen VanDeLoo’s (K-Vanderloop) “Roy G. Biv Starry Night,” and Claire Smit’s (1-B/N) “Primary Turtle.”
Congratulations to these 2 artists!
Thank you, families, who purchased art products from the SQUARE1ART Fundraiser! We ordered cool books for our art room library and added needed supplies to the art room! Thank you!
Library update - Miss Brown
Kindergarten and first graders have been learning library vocabulary words for the month of January. 5K students have been focusing on the difference between Fiction and Nonfiction texts while reading Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep by and Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, In the Snow: Who's Been Here by Lindsay Barrett George, and A Baby Penguin Story by Martha E. H. Rustad. First Grade students have been learning about how the library is organize while defining Spine, Spine Label, and Call Number. During this unit students work in small groups to organize call numbers on the BenQ, partner read ABC books, organize the alphabet, match call numbers to famous authors and more!
Music notes - Mrs. Stangel
In Kindergarten during the month of January we continue to review steady beat and read some ta and ti-ti rhythms. We sang our Bucket Filler song all month to remind us to be bucket fillers each and every day – at school and at home. We sang about Martin Luther King, Jr., and sang some fun add-on songs like Hello, My Name is Joe.
In first grade we are getting more practice with using the fancy Italian words for fast, slow, loud and soft. (Presto, largo, forte and piano) Our composer of the month in January was Philip Glass. Mr. Glass just celebrated his 80th birthday. He lives and works in New York City. His music is very repetitive – we thought it would be great music for video games!
Gym news - Mrs. Wells
January was a very exciting month because we had a lot of “explore” time in our tumbling unit. We were able to explore all sorts of equipment such as the bars, cheese wedge, springboard, balance boards, balance beams, stability ball, rock wall, cargo net, rope swing, and so much more! We learned different tumbling positions, jumps, rolls, and balances. The tumbling unit was all about practice, practice, practice! On our word wall, we added the following words: balance, tuck jump, straddle jump, pike jump, front scale, log roll, front roll, egg roll.
I’m sure you heard all about our “Scare Squad” from Jump Rope for Heart. These monsters are teaching the kiddos about keeping their heart healthy! Our Jump Rope for Heart event will take place on Friday, February 16th! All students will be able to participate whether they donate or not. Donation envelopes were sent home with students at the end of January. If planning to donate, please have your child return the envelope by Friday, February 16th. The donation prices will be handed out after the event. Thank you to all who donate!
I’m sure you heard all about our “Scare Squad” from Jump Rope for Heart. These monsters are teaching the kiddos about keeping their heart healthy! Our Jump Rope for Heart event will take place on Friday, February 16th! All students will be able to participate whether they donate or not. Donation envelopes were sent home with students at the end of January. If planning to donate, please have your child return the envelope by Friday, February 16th. The donation prices will be handed out after the event. Thank you to all who donate!
Guidance corner - Mrs. Charneski
During the month of February, I will be visiting all of the 4K-1 classrooms and talking with students about Self Knowledge and Management/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. All classes will be involved in classroom discussion around these topics and participate in class projects, stories or videos that encourage the development of a positive self-concept.
For some great tips and ideas on developing positive self-concept in your children, see the ideas below!
· Look for Ways to Help Others
When children feel like they're making a difference -- whether it's passing out cups at preschool or taking cookies to a nursing home -- they feel more confident, says Dr. Brooks. It's good for kids to have their own household responsibilities, but it may be even more empowering for a young child to assist you with a project.
· Don't Rescue Your Child
It's natural to want to prevent your child from getting hurt, feeling discouraged, or making mistakes, but when you intervene -- trying to get her invited to a birthday party she wasn't included in, or pressuring the soccer coach to give her more game time -- you're not doing her any favors. Kids need to know that it's okay to fail, and that it's normal to feel sad, anxious, or angry, says Robert Brooks, PhD, coauthor of Raising Resilient Children. They learn to succeed by overcoming obstacles, not by having you remove them.
· Let Him/Her Make Decisions
When your child gets the chance to make choices from a young age, he'll gain confidence in his own good judgment. Of course, kids love to run the show, but having too much control can be overwhelming; it's best to give your child two or three options to choose from. For example, don't ask your 3-year-old what he wants for lunch, but offer pasta or peanut butter and jelly. At the same time, let your child know certain choices are up to you when it comes to safety and values.
· Focus on the Glass Half Full
If your child tends to feel defeated by disappointments, help her be more optimistic. Instead of offering glib reassurances to "look on the bright side," encourage her to think about specific ways to improve a situation and bring her closer to her goals, says Karen Reivich, PhD, coauthor of The Optimistic Child. If she's behind her classmates in reading, explain that everyone learns at her own pace, and offer to spend extra time reading with her. If she's crushed because she didn't get the lead in the second-grade play, don't say, "Well, I think you're a star." Instead, say, "I can see how disappointed you are. Let's come up with a plan for how you can increase the chances of getting the part you want next time."
· Nurture His/Her Special Interests
Try to expose your child to a wide variety of activities, and encourage him when he finds something he really loves. Kids who have a passion -- whether it's dinosaurs or cooking -- feel proud of their expertise and are more likely to be successful in other areas of their life. Quirky hobbies may be particularly helpful for children who have a hard time fitting in at school -- and you can also help your child take advantage of his interest to connect with other kids. For example, if your son likes to draw but most of the boys in his class are into sports, encourage him to do sports drawings. Or he could put together a book of his artwork and show it to the class
In addition, we have several SMALL GROUP COUNSELING sessions up and running, including: Fun with Feelings, Friendship/Social Skills, and a Girls Are Great group! Please call or e-mail if you would like to refer your child for a small group opportunity! 920-766-6150 - charneskik@kaukaunasd.org.
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. Students will be reading a book on fairness and then making a heart that says what fairness is. These will be displayed around their classroom doors. Students will be meeting with their classroom buddy and completing an activity to practice this character trait. We are hoping to get some snow soon so that we can bring out the sleds and other snow toys. Thanks to the PAC, students have sleds, shovels and buckets available during recess to have some winter fun. Our students enjoy filling the buckets and making creations in the snow.
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.
Inclement Weather Closing 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
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.
