Fairview News
November 2, 2009
Nancy Beck, Principal
November 2, 2009
Nancy Beck, Principal
The school year continues to go well. You are encouraged to contact your child’s teacher or the principal if you have questions or concerns about your child’s education or things happening here at school. Write down your questions or concerns so you can discuss those at Parent Teacher Conferences.
Cold weather has arrived and appropriate clothing is now a must. Please send your child to school with appropriate clothing --- boots, hats, mittens, a warm coat, and snow pants if needed. Please label your children's clothing. Also, remember shoes to put on once the student gets to school! It also helps if you have your child practice putting on and taking off their outdoor clothing independently -- remember the children must do that for three recesses each day. We will go outside unless the temperature is below 15 degrees.
Remember to check the TV stations and/or radio station (KGRN, 1410, is the local station) for weather-related school closings. If you question the weather or if you think we might have a late start or early dismissal, please watch or listen for the announcements. If you cannot listen to the radio or watch the TV, perhaps you have a friend or relative that can call you once they hear the news. You can also get automatic alerts to your email. Check the Grinnell-Newburg website for more information. We want everyone to know of the late starts, early dismissals, or school closings.
Thanks to everyone for observing the buses only rule for the front drive right before and after school. By keeping the front drive clear of other vehicle traffic we keep our bus students and walkers safer. We will continue to have this rule even as the weather gets colder or snowy. Please do not drive in the front drive from 7:30 - 8:15 a.m. or 2:45 - 3:15 pm. I know it’ s an inconvenience, but it is safer for all.
Grinnell College Students Alternative Break
Seven Grinnell College students spent the day at Fairview Elementary on October 21, 2009, as an alternative college break. Grinnell College students take many different trips during the fall college break and these students chose to stay in Grinnell and volunteer at the school. The college students assisted classroom teachers with paper work, prepared materials and activities, listened to students read, and read to students. The elementary students enjoyed having the college students in their classrooms and the teachers appreciated the extra hands in the classrooms.
Counselor’s Corner
Did you know that every Fairview child will be in a small group with Mrs. Magurshak sometime this school year? These groups give children time to practice skills taught in large group Guidance lessons taught by Mrs. Phillips in the classroom.
What are the skills that children learn in Guidance lessons and practice in the small groups? Kindergarten children are learning how to be Star Students. The skills Mrs. Magurshak works on with them are “Listening to the Teacher” and “Knowing the Difference between Tattling and Telling”.
In First grade the children are working on Friendship. The skills practiced with Mrs. Magurshak are “How to Introduce yourself with a Handshake” and “How to Make up with a Friend when you are Angry”. Second grade students are working on Respect. The skills practiced with Mrs. Magurshak are “Asking to use something that belongs to someone else” and “Stating two rules which help students learn and two rules which help students be safe”.
Your child’s small group will meet for five sessions, and then other children will have their turn in the small groups. One other good thing about the small groups is that they give the counselors a chance to get to know your child better and to assess how each child is doing on learning these skills. The small groups are an important component of a comprehensive counseling program that we have been able to add because of having the C.A.R.E.S. Counseling grant in this district. For more information about small groups, you may contact Mrs. Magurshak or Mrs. Phillips @ 236-2760.
Scrubby Bear
Molly Corrow from the American Red Cross, Iowa Rivers Chapter, and Scrubby Bear (Annie Jensen), visited each classroom at Fairview and talked with students about the importance of hand washing to decrease the spread of disease. Scrubby Bear taught students about germs that carry disease, helped each student learn the “Scrubby Bear way” to wash their hands, and taught students a song to help them remember how to wash the “Scrubby Bear way”. This is the second year Scrubby Bear has come to Fairview to help students learn ways to stay healthy. Ask your child to tell you about Scrubby and how to wash hands to stay healthy.
Iowa Core Curriculum
Several groups of teachers are attending training this year on the Iowa Core Curriculum. Teachers are going to Marshalltown for six days throughout the school year to learn about the Iowa Core Curriculum and effective teaching strategies. When the teachers on the committee return they share information with the other teachers in the district. You will be hearing more about the Iowa Core Curriculum this year and in future years. The elementary teachers are just getting started working on the Iowa Core since it does not have to be implemented in the elementary schools for several more years. Watch for more information as work on the Iowa Core continues.
HyVee Shop and Share
We are again participating in the HyVee Shop and Share from the first through the tenth of November. Take your coupon to HyVee when you shop and the school will receive 3 % of your purchases. You can pick up coupons at the school or email nbeck@grinnell.k12.ia.us and I will send you a coupon.
Teacher’s Wish Tree
Look for the Teacher’s Wish Tree on the front bulletin board, take a leaf, purchase the item, and return the item and the leaf to the office. We will see that the teacher receives the wished for item. Thank you for the donations!
Upcoming Events:
November 4, 5, 6 Parent Teacher Conferences
NOON DISMISSAL ON NOVEMBER 4
NO SCHOOL for ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ON NOV. 6
Week of November 9 2nd grade MAP testing
November 10 PTO, 7 pm, Fairview planning center
November 11 School Board, 5:30 pm, City Council Chambers
