Happy Halloween and other treats...

The following is an email from Dean Katt our Superintendent about Dr. Jean McCally. 

I have some sad news to share with everyone.  Dr. Jean McCally passed away early Saturday morning.

Jean has been an inspiration to many of the USD 290 staff over the past 14 years.  She worked in the Paola school district for 8 years before coming to the Ottawa school system as the Garfield Elementary Principal for three years.  Jean then served as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for 11 years, where she was instrumental in developing many innovative programs and a progressive curriculum that has benefited thousands of Ottawa students.   She was a true educational leader that always put kids first.  She will be sorely missed by everyone in the educational community. 

USD 290 will not have school on Friday November 4.  The number of staff attending the service is too great to provide coverage of all the classrooms.  All staff will be off on Friday and leave request will not be required. 

The district office will be open for a short time Friday morning for the Chamber of Commerce Coffee that is scheduled for 8:00 AM.   

Service arrangements are as follows: 

Funeral services for Jean McCally, age 47, of Ottawa, who died October 29, 2011, after a two year battle with breast cancer, will be held at the Ottawa University Chapel, 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 4, 2011, interment will follow at Highland Cemetery.  Mrs. McCally will lie in state at the Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday prior to her visitation. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8:00 Thursday evening at the First Baptist Church, Ottawa.  The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure or University of Kansas Cancer Center, c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral, 325  S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.  Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com. 

Dean Katt

USD 290

Superintendent of Schools

1404 South Ash St. Ottawa, KS 66067

(785) 229-8010

Tonight is Halloween.  Please remember that there is school tomorrow and students need plenty of sleep.  Please also try and limit their sugar intake tonight.  I am asking that no candy be brought to school.  (Unless there is enough for everyone.)

Most of all be safe and have fun!!

Spelling list is at the end of this blog post.  I will post it on Spelling city later tonight or tomorrow. 

1. cellar

2. flavor

3. cougar

4. chapter

5. mayor

6. anger

7. senator

8. passenger

9. major

10. popular

11. tractor

12. thunder

13. pillar

14. border

15. calendar

16. quarter

17. lunar

18. proper

19. elevator

20. bitter

Challenge Words

21. stellar

22. clamor

23. tremor

24. circular

25. adviser

Free Cell Phones!!! This is not spam!!

Hi Everyone!

Below is an awesome link to the Reachout Wireless government program that allows for individuals/families to receive a free cell phone (and maybe some of you already know about it).
To apply, a person needs to qualify by being enrolled in Medicaid, Food Stamps, SSI, TANF, Section 8, LIHEAP, and the National School Free Lunch Program.
A person may qualify if they fall under the Federal Poverty Guideline.
Check the web site out below, or call the toll free number at: 877-870-9444.
I called to try and get more applications, but they only allow the individual/family needing the phone to apply. They do not send out applications to agencies...
People can also apply online.
Please pass this information on to whoever you think can use it, or feel free to have any families contact me that you know of, and I will be happy to assist them in getting a phone.

https://www.reachoutmobile.com/

Thankls!!

The letter sent home by Mrs. Cannady about the Music Program

October 20, 2011

To the 4^th & 5^th grade Parents/Guardians,

The 4^th and 5^th grade classes have started preparations for their fall musical, “Go West!,” A Musical Celebration of America’s Westward Expansion.  Auditions for Speaking Parts & Solos have already taken place during class time.  All students were given the opportunity to audition for a part during music class, and all students who want a part will get a part.  Speaking parts are completely voluntary.  Those with speaking parts will receive a copy of their scene and lines with this letter.  Please help your son and/or daughter memorize the scene they are in, who they follow and their speaking lines. 

The performance date is set for Thursday, November 17^th, and will feature the 4^th & 5^th grade students in the musical, “Go West!” For the program, the students will need to arrive by 6:20PM on the risers in the Garfield Gym.  The program will begin at 6:30PM in the gym and should conclude by 7:10PM.  The program is a graded assignment.  If your son/daughter will not be able to attend for any unforeseen circumstance or falls sick the day of the performance, then please send a note, call or email, and I will make sure that your son/daughter has the opportunity to make up the 100 points for the night performance and 50 points for the school performance during the day. 

Students who are portraying actual characters with speaking parts need to dress similar to that character. These students have been asked to research their character here at school and/or possibly at home.  Students are to find out how said character dressed and any information pertaining to said character. 

Students without speaking parts should come dressed either in nice dress clothes or as any historical figure we are discussing in the musical; Pioneer, Cowboy/girl (Cowpoke), Gold Miner, Railroad Worker, Native American, Steamboat Traveler, Train Engineer, Texan, Townsperson, Trapper Man/Woman, Farmer, Sailor, Mountain Man/Woman.  (If no special attire can be found, then a plain, simple shirt and pants will work just fine.  No sweat pants or holes in jeans please.)

All students are working extremely hard learning songs, choreography & speaking parts, and we are looking forward to sharing it all with each of you!  We’ll see you on the 17^th!  If you have any questions please call or email me at school, 229-8060 ext. 4621/ cannadys@usd290.org.  The best time to reach me by phone is 9:00 – 9:40AM.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Cannady

K-5 Music

4-5 Honors Choir

Garfield Elementary

Last full week of October

First I want to say thank you to everyone who made their parent teacher conferences.  This is very important for both your child and myself.  I had several very good conversations with you, and appreciate everything you are doing at home to make your child successful.

This week is red ribbon week. During red ribbon week we promote being drug free.  It also doubles as a type of spirit week.

Monday: Wear Team Apparel
Tuesday: Wear red, white, and/or blue
Wednesday: wear Garfield apparel
Thursday: wear tennis shoes
Friday: wear your favorite clothes.  (it is also our jammie party day, so you could wear your favorite jammies)

Our students were able to earn enough party points to get their class party.  We will have a game/extra recess/pajama party on Friday.  If your child has had 3 or more strikes, (4 tally days), they do not get to participate in the class point party.  The couple of students who do not get to participate in the class party will have work that they can catch up on and other things to do outside of our room. Students may wear their pajamas and bring a game to play.  I will lock up any personal player devices (Nintendo DS, PSP, gameboy, iPod touch, etc) in my cabinet so it will not be stolen out of lockers.  They also have the option of bringing a board game to play.  Any games brought to school must be rated E for everyone or 10 and up.

Friday afternoon at 2:45 is our Harvest party.  You are welcome to attend and hang out.  Jessica Slocum is the room mom.  If you have any questions please email her at jslocum30@gmail.com  I believe she is reminding everyone what they signed up to send with their child/bring.  I will also include it here.

Napkins: Shane Gibbs
Plates: Jamie Walters
Salty Snack: Jamie Keiter and Shelly Mason
Healthy Snack: Shelly Frank and Rachel Smith
Sweet Snack: Marilyn Grube and Tina Edwards
Volunteers that have signed up to be in the room for sure are Leslie Miller, Shelly Mason, Angela Roberts, and Jessica Slocum.  Others are welcome to come in as well.

Spelling Test is also on Friday.  No one passed the pretest so everyone has to take the test on Friday. The nature of this weeks list does not allow for me to put them on spelling city.  Spelling city does not recognize the words that are really 2 separate words.


Spelling Unit 9:

wildlife
uproar
home run
headache
top-secret
teammate
wheelchair
light bulb
well-known
throughout
life preserver
barefoot
part-time
warehouse
overboard
post office
outspoken
up-to-date
awestruck
newscast

Challenge Words:
motorcycle
overseas
quick-witted
stomachache
bulletin board
                                                                                                                                                                 

Tuesday, Oct. 4th

Yesterday a letter from Mrs. Wormington went home about the situations we have been experiencing in 5th grade.  Please make sure you find and read that.  For your convenience I am also putting it here on the blog.  I have several students who have missing math work.  I'm willing to work with them after school on this  Fri, and next Mon, Tues, and Thurs.  Next Thurs is the last day for students to get things done and turned in.  That Friday there is no students because I am working on grade cards.  If your child needs to stay please email me so that I can make sure I am here. 

I just now uploaded spelling words to spelling city.  Sorry I did not get to that yesterday. 

The letter from Mrs. Wormington:


October 3, 2011

Dear Parents,

I wanted to make you aware of three concerns that were discussed with all of the fifth graders on Friday.  The first concern addresses behaviors that have been challenging the ability for each classroom to have an effective learning environment.  in the Elementary Handbook, the students received an explanation of the expectations/guidlines under the Student Conduct/Discipline section.  it reads in the handbook;

                                                               Student Conduct/ Discipline

Students may be disciplined for any of the following reasons:

Willful violation of any published adopted student conduct regulation;

Conduct which substantially disrupts, impedes, or interferes with school operation;

Conduct Which  endangers the safety or substantially impinges on or invades the rights of others;

Conduct which constitiues the commission of a felony;

Conduct which constitutes the commission of a misdemeanor;

Defiance of school authority;

Disruption or interference with school operation;

Possession of a weapon at school, on school property or at a school-sponsered event.

Violation of any provision of the behavior code may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension and/or expulsion.

The meaning of the two areas of conduct that are underlined was the focus.  Behaviors that disrupt, impede, or interfere with learning are blurting out, interrupting the speaker, talking during instruction, arguing with the teacher, or any inappropriate comments or actions that are deemed disrespectful.  These behaviors invade the rights for others to obtain an effective learning environment as outlined by the students and their teachers at the beginning of the year.

The teachers will be developing a contract to reflect the expectations for an effective learning environment.  We will ask each student and parent to sign and agree that they understand the expectations.  Please look for this to come home before the end of the week.

The second area of concern is the jelly bracelets that some students are wearing.  You may or may not be aware that these bracelets have an inappropriate meaning attached to them.  Apparently, each color bracelet has a different sexual meaning.  if someone snaps a colored bracelet off of the wearer; it results in one of them performing an act with the other.  now, just because your child is wearing the bracelets, does not mean he/she is attaching the meanings, but the "talk" is out there.  I am discouraging that these bracelets be worn at school.  The conversations become a distraction to learning.

The third area of concern is that there is some talk among students that involves content with sexual innuendos.  These are turning in to rumors that become concerning to the students involved.  I sent a strong message that this will not be tolerated at Garfield Elementary.  Any student who spreads a rumor becomes part of the problem.  the students were instructed to tell a teacher, the counselor, the principal, or a parent if thy are told a rumor.  They don't tell another student.  Their response should be, "I don't spread rumors." Any future problems with rumors of this nature will be investigated and documented as a bullying incident.

Please have conversation with your student about each of these concerns.  Keeping an open line of communication with your student will be instrumental in helping him/her to deal with the content that they may or may not be read to be exposed to at such an early age. 

I appreciate your support with all of these concerns.  Please don't hesitate to call if you have any questions.  

Amy Wormington

Princiapl

Spelling

1. earth

2. peer

3. twirl

4. burnt

5. smear

6. further

7. appear

8. worthwhile

9. nerve

10. pier

11. squirm

12. weary

13. alert

14. murmur

15. thirsty

16. reverse

17. worship

18. career

19. research

20. volunteer

21. yearn

22. engineer

23. interpret

24. dreary

25. external