LINCOLN SCHOOL NEWS FEBRUARY 2010

Respectful, Responsible, and Ready To Learn

 

FEBRUARY IS “I LOVE TO READ MONTH” – Reading is the cornerstone of education. Please take extra time during February to read with your children, to your children, or listen to them read to you.  The library staff of Lincoln School has put together a calendar of events with activities that promote reading during this month. We would ask that you encourage your child to participate in as many of these as possible. Post it where it can be easily seen.

 

RESTRUCTURING – As many of you may have seen in the newspaper, the board is considering the possible restructuring of Lincoln and Jefferson Schools. The consideration is to make Jefferson the district’s K-2 school with Lincoln holding grades 3-5. A community listening session is planned for Tuesday, February 2 @ 7:00 in the DCHS cafeteria regarding this proposal.

 

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES – In regard to Parent-Teacher conferences, we would ask you take a special note of the dates. Conferences this year will be held midway between the 2nd and the 3rd quarters rather than at the end of the 3rd quarter. Lincoln School Parent-Teacher Conferences will be Monday and Tuesday, February 22nd and 23rd. Midterm grades will not be sent home before conference meetings.

 

“BUG” STUDENTS – Congratulations to fourth grade student Saige Dorwart. She is the second quarter “BUG” student of Lincoln School.  A “BUG” (Bringing Up Grades) student must bring up one or more grades without going down in any subjects or maintain an A average from the previous quarter.  The Glendive Kiwanis Organization honors students at an assembly and treats them to pizza.  A special thanks to Mr. Bob Anderson, Mr. Chuck Rushing, Mr. Ed Turnquist, and Mr. Jim Germann for presenting this award.

 

ADDRESS & PHONE CHANGES – If you change addresses or phone numbers during the school year, it is extremely important that you provide the school with this change. We need to be able to reach you in a timely manner in the event of illness or other emergency. Additional expense is also incurred when mail is returned or redirected. 

 

                                                                                                                                                     

 

 

READING ACHIEVEMENT – At an assembly on Thursday, January 21, 124 Lincoln students received recognition for reaching their individual reading goals for the second quarter. Mr. Gary Badley and Teresa Rankin distributed a Presidential dollar to these students for their achievement. Ten Presidential coin collector kits, also provided by Stockman Bank, were presented through a drawing of all eligible students. Reading goals for the third quarter have been established and another recognition assembly will be held near the end of March.

 

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION – Although it does not seem possible, it is once again time for us to beginning preparing for our enrollment this fall. Part of this preparation is to secure necessary information on our enrolling Kindergarten class. With this in mind, we are scheduling Kindergarten registration and screening for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 13 & 14 during our “Child Readiness Round Up.” You will need to provide a birth certificate and a record of current immunization.

While this notice will reach those of you who currently have students enrolled in school, we realize that this newsletter will not reach those with first time students in the district. We would appreciate you passing this information along. As we get closer to registration, the above dates and times will be forthcoming in the local news media.  

 

VOLUNTEERS/GUESTS – Please be reminded that all volunteers and guests must sign in at the office. Volunteers must complete a volunteer information sheet before reporting to a classroom. As a courtesy, please inform the classroom teacher if you are unable to fulfill your obligation or if there are any changes in your initial commitment. Since we place a high priority upon an uninterrupted learning experience, we ask that you would respect the teacher’s time while they are involved in instruction. School personnel should handle most communication to students and teachers during instructional time. If it is absolutely necessary for you to speak with a teacher or your child, office personnel can direct you as to the best way to handle your situation. In most cases, the teacher or child will be summoned to the office. 

 

DROP OFF & PICKUP POINTS – As the weather has become colder, we are having an increasing breakdown of drop off and pickup locations. Yellow bus zones on Valentine Street should not be used and drop off at the front doors on Nowlan Street should not be used unless your child is late for school! We would ask that you might consider planning your morning more effectively if this is a persistent problem. We are very concerned about the safety of your child and other students as they attempt to cross streets in and out of traffic. Drop off and pickup points have been designated for Taylor and Power Streets. We would ask that you would honor these designations. School personnel are on duty and will make sure that you child gains immediate access to the school on cold weather days. Duty monitors will even be on duty beyond the 8:05 bell so that students can gain entrance to the building using playground entrances. Only after 8:10 should the front door be used.

 

 

 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY BEE – Lincoln School’s final competition for the National Geography Bee was held on Tuesday, January 12. Of the ten fourth grade students participating Saige Dorwart was the winner. Her qualifying test for the state competition has been submitted, and we are awaiting news of the results sometime in March. Congratulations Saige!

 

CHARACTER COUNTS – Respect is the pillar of character for February and March.  Children can offer a “hand of friendship” to other people by remembering these five points (one for each finger) about respect.  The word “PALMS” will help us remember these key ideas:

            “P” is for property – We should respect and not damage or take property of others.

            “A” is for autonomy – We should respect a person’s right to be themselves within the limits of our laws, to have their own

            likes and dislikes.  They have a right to be different.  We are not all the same.  “A” is also for authority.  It is important to

            understand the need for authority and the importance of respecting it.  Respecting authority will keep our community safe.

            “L” is for liberty – We would respect the rights and freedoms of others.  My freedom is not any more or less important than

            someone else’s.  What I do should not deprive someone else of his or her freedoms.

            “M” is for mind – We should be open minded enough to respect the ideas and opinions of others.  It doesn’t mean we agree,

            but we can still respect others and allow differences of opinions.

            “S” is for selfless – Respect means that sometimes we put the wants and needs of other people or “the greater good” ahead

            of ourselves.

 

MANNERS OF THE WEEK:  February 1 – 5 - Do not interrupt.   

   February 8 – 12 - Remove hats or caps when entering a building.

  February 15 – 19 – Use “please”, “thank you”, and “excuse me” frequently. 

   February 22 – 25 – Use a polite tone of voice. 

  March 1 – 5 – Respect other people’s property, belongings and projects.

                                               

DATES TO REMEMBER

February 9 – Dental Screening for Kindergarten, Grades One. & Three

February 22 & 23 – Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:00 – 7:00 p.m.)

February 25 – Early Out – Students dismissed at 1:05 p.m.

February 26 – NO SCHOOL