April 2011 SPARTAN SCOOP

A Note from the Principal... by Lisa Miller We are happy to announce that the elementary has hired a new kindergarten teacher for the fall of 2011. This opening came about after the untimely death of our teacher, Clint McMartin, last fall. That position has been filled by one of our retired teachers, Kathy Ross, for this year. (Thank you, Mrs. Ross!) We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Meghan Norman to our staff for the coming year. She is currently in her third year of teaching kindergarten at Southdale Elementary in Cedar Falls. Mrs. Norman and her husband, Jed, reside in Grundy Center. We are anticipating the same number of sections per grade level for next year that we have now. Our projected numbers for the 2011-2012 school year are: (subject to change) THREE SECTIONS PER GRADE Kindergarten 60 First Grade 51 Second Grade 59 TWO SECTIONS PER GRADE Third Grade 50 Fourth Grade 50 Fifth Grade 56 We are very fortunate here in Grundy Center that our numbers are holding steady and rising slightly at the elementary level. Our current fifth graders are our smallest group, with 41 students. We have welcomed kindergarten groups of between 50 and 60 students for the last few years. Research has shown that keeping class sizes small in the low grades pays off in terms of greater long-term success for students. Early intervention, or intervening with alternative teaching strategies and small group or individual attention, is crucial for students who struggle with learning to read in the early grades. We have highly qualified teachers in every position in our school, and I am confident that they have the skills and the drive to ensure that every child succeeds. Thank you for working with us to make that happen for your child! DATES TO REMEMBER……… April 1 NO SCHOOL – Parent-Teacher Conference Comp Day April 7 1:30 & 7:00 pm - 3rd & 5th Grade Music Program & 5th Grade Band (H.S. Aud.) April 11 2 Hour Late Start April 15 5th Grade to Gallagher-Bluedorn April 22 Midterm April 22 NO SCHOOL – Good Friday April 25 2 Hour Late Start

GRUNDY CENTER ELEMENTARY

903 9th Street Grundy Center, IA 50638

319-825-5461

LISA MILLER,

PRINCIPAL lmiller@spartanpride.net

MARY HINDERHOFER, COUNSELOR

mhinderhofer@spartanpride.net

NATALIE NESBITT, COUNSELOR

nnesbitt@spartanpride.net

TIM BURBRIDGE, AT-RISK COORDINATOR tburbridge@spartanpride.net

DORINDA NEDERHOFF, ADMINISTRATIVE

ASSISTANT dnederhoff@spartanpride.net

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT’S DESK…… By Cass Murra Student Achievement Student learning has been the priority in every classroom every day. I am very proud to announce the Grundy Center School District achieved each of the three annual improvement goals that it set for this school year! Since we use the Iowa Test of Basic Skills/Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITBS/ITED) and those assessments were given in February, we have the results back and are very pleased with how well students performed. In late April and early May, the students will take the MAP tests in reading, math, science, and language arts. These scores will be compared to their score from early September to monitor individual growth over the course of this school year. You will find the full Annual Report with all of the test score data in the newsletter in June as well as on our School Web Site. Please encourage your child to do their best on the MAP tests since we use these to help make educational decisions for next year that are specific to your child! Budget We will hold a hearing for the certified budget on April 11 at 5:00 p.m. in the boardroom prior to the regular meeting where the budget will be approved. The proposed tax rate is the same as last year. Since we dipped heavily into our savings last year due to the 10% across-the-board state cut, we have added a little to our cash reserve levy and that just balances out the fact that the assessed valuation of property in our district increased. With the valuations up, we could increase the cash reserve levy without having to increase the total property tax rate. We anticipate a year from now being able to decrease the tax rate because we will complete payments on our elementary building. The budget is based on the state providing NO new money, which was the governor’s proposal. If they change their mind and pass a high rate of Allowable Growth, the tax rate may be slightly less for next year. The school board made difficult cuts a year ago, which has helped to stabilize our budget for the time being. Our enrollment is also steady and even slightly increasing and that is good news! Next year’s kindergarten class appears to be slightly larger than the graduating seniors. In 2011-2012, our biggest classes will be K-5 and 12. The schools around us, and in most of the state, are facing the opposite trend. The administrative team and the school board feels confident that we will be able to weather this economic storm and remain competitive while offering a great education to students and families! With that being said, we will also retain our current philosophy of being very conservative with our spending and future planning as we maintain our high expectations. If you have any questions regarding our student achievement, budget, or school opportunities please contact me at the Administration Building at (319) 825-5418.

SPARTAN SCOOP

SPARTAN SCOOP

Ready to Read! By Kindergarten The Kindergartners were excited to showcase their reading skills for an audience through a Reader’s Theater performance at the end of March. Each kindergarten class performed small group stories, as well as large group chants. Each child had a part that they were responsible for reading aloud. Much practice was done to be ready for our show! This is an exciting time of year, as they are getting ready to transition to first grade! Daily reading at home is always beneficial to your child’s progress. We encourage daily trips to the IMC for new books to read each day. Our public library is also a great resource for books. These students are really ready to read!

First Graders Are Friends With Frog and Toad First Graders enjoyed learning about frogs and toads by reading the book, Frog and Toad Are Friends. We wrote what we know and what we want to know about frogs. We made the frog life cycle, sequenced the months of the year (to go with the “Spring” story), played a frog strategy game in math, and sequenced one of the stories. We performed a play to the story, “The Swim”, and wrote a riddle in a letter and had a friend guess who we were. We designed a swimsuit for Toad to display in the hallway. We ended the unit by having a “frog day,” when we played a variety of games and learned different frog sounds. We have had a HOPPING good time learning about frogs and toads.

April Music News By Mrs. Dirks

The third and fifth grade students are putting the finishing touches on their spring music concert coming up on Thursday, April 7. There will be a matinee at 1:30 PM in the High School Auditorium for the elementary students and other guests that would like to attend. As usual the center section of the auditorium will have seats reserved for grandparents, parents and other guests. The evening performance begins at 7:00 PM and the concert will be kicked off with the fifth grade band. Here are a few details for parents to know: What to wear – The third graders are presenting, “Dance Hits Through the Decades.” They are welcome to dress up in 50’s, 60’s, 70’s or 80’s attire. If they don’t wish to dress up, jeans and bright colored shirts are fine. The girls are welcome to wear Capri pants, if they choose. Fifth graders are presenting, “Jazz, A Swinging Celebration.” So they look as sharp as they sound, I’m requesting that they wear white shirts and blue jeans or Capri jeans. T-shirts will work fine. Flip-Flop sandals are not safe to wear on stage, sandals that buckle or tennis shoes work best. Meeting time and place for the evening performance – The band students will meet me in the high school commons by 6:45 to assemble and tune their instruments. The third grade should meet their teachers in the high school commons by 6:50 for the evening performance. Fifth graders that are not in band will meet their teachers in the upper east pod until it is time for them to perform. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mrs. Dirks at bdirks@spartanpride.net or call the school and leave a message at extension 375.

SPARTAN SCOOP

Don’t Forget to Drop Everything and READ!! By Second Grade Once again, D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Day will be celebrated across the country on Tuesday, April 12th. Students and adults are encouraged to take a break from their day – drop everything – and read! Its purpose is to promote both the importance and enjoyment that reading brings to our daily lives. Looking for the perfect book to read? Second graders have a few recommendations for you…. Fans of the Franny K. Stein series and science lovers will LOVE these books! Both The Fran with Four Brains (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) and The Frandidate (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist) tell of inventions and scientists. Franny is a young scientist who likes to work on her own and always wears a white dress. She has a pet dog named Igor. In one book, Franny makes three “robot Frannys” that develop minds of their own. ~Reviewed By: Mary & Lucas

If you’re looking for some humor, this book’s for you. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, recently turned into a movie on the big screen, is about a boy named Greg and his family. Greg is in middle school and often gets picked on. He loves video games! Through a diary (or “journal, ” as Greg prefers to call it) and silly pencil sketches, Greg writes about his life. One funny part in the story tells how “eating cheese” sparked a friendship between Greg and a boy named Rowley. To find out more about Greg and his adventures, you’ll want to put your nose in this! ~Reviewed By: Charlie, Nick, Justice, & Jordan

A recent “mystery reader” visiting second grade inspired love for Koala Lou, a children’s book written by Mem Fox. Featuring a cute, little, koala bear named Koala Lou, this book tells about a mother koala that always says, “I love you,” to her child. One day, Koala Lou decided to practice for and compete in the “Bush Olympics.” Even though Koala Lou tried her very best in the competition, she did not win. Do you think her mother still said, “I love you, Koala Lou?” You’ll have to read this book to find out! ~Reviewed By: Libby, Samuel, & Lauren

SPARTAN SCOOP

NEWS FROM THE ART ROOM By: Mrs. Leverton

Kindergarten had the chance to learn a little bit about the artist Andy Warhol and view a few

examples of his colorful works. Students then created a collage based on the complementary colors and arranged their work in the style of this famous artist.

1st graders have been learning about the ocean and have seen several images of ocean life. Students will be adding a clownfish, grunt fish, coral, and a fish of their choice to their scene. 1st graders will be using a variety of materials to create this art piece.

2nd graders have been working on a piece that incorporates their initials. Students are to draw their initials large on a piece of drawing paper. 2nd graders are to create their own patterns and designs within and around their initials. Students are using markers to outline and fill in their work.

3rd graders have been learning a bit about the famous artist Georgia O’Keeffe. This particular artist has done many pieces involving flowers and other objects in nature. Students have been working on their own flower drawing. When students have finished drawing their flower of choice, they will be using warm or cool colors to paint their work.

4th graders have revisited the artist Vincent Van Gogh. Students viewed and discussed one of his sunflower pieces. 4th graders then drew their own piece incorporating sunflowers, but within a landscape scene of their creation. Students are using markers, crayons, and watercolors to add color to their work.

5th graders are working on their coil pottery piece. Many are painting their clay project while others have started the new lesson. The next lesson involves making a plaster mask. Students will be designing their own mask using a variety of materials to add texture to their work. Some of these materials include: paint, beads, feathers, yarn, and sequence.

CAFÉ MINI LESSONS IN THIRD GRADE Understanding cause and effect relationships is a basic thinking skill. It is a strategy used by readers to understand why things happen the way they do in the text and that is exactly what third grades have been studying during their CAFÉ mini lesson time. Students were taught to look for clues words that would help them when reading. When students can recognize cause and effect relationships their comprehension will increase. At home, parents can help! Encourage your child to look for clue words when reading. These clue words include: because, if, then, since, so, therefore, & as a result of. When reading with your child, show examples of cause and effect relationships in the text. This modeling is essential to understanding. Spark conversation about the text by using the following questions:

1. What happened and why did it happen? 2. What were the clue words? 3. Why would this have happened?

SPARTAN SCOOP

The Last Great Race on Earth, Electronically! by Fifth Grade The month of March was the setting again for our fifth graders to study the land of Alaska, featuring the trail taken by the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, also known as “The Last Great Race on Earth.” With the use of our increased classroom technology, this year’s race was more meaningful than ever for our students. Many made electronic connections with mushers, or their family members via social networking, This, supplemented with daily reading of the Anchorage Daily News articles (adn.com), and the vast information, videos, and photos from the access we provided from Iditarod.com made it come alive more than ever. From Anchorage to Nome each team of 16 dogs and their musher cover the 1000+ mile race in just short of 9 to as long as 15 days. This year, John Baker of Kotzebue, Alaska, won in a record-setting time, just under 9 days. Runner-up Ramey Smyth of Willow, Alaska, who arrived an hour later, and also broke the all-time race record. This year’s Spring Break did not cause a lapse in student’s excitement, as almost all kids were well aware of their favorite musher’s progress and completed results which occurred during our off time by following on-line at home or the library. Students brainstormed in retrospect about the various information they enjoyed or learned. Here are a few of their thoughts... It was fun to follow and cheer for my favorite musher Cain Carter. He was a rookie, and is only nineteen, so he is kind of my brother’s age.- Chloe Pelzer I don’t know what I liked best, but I will always remember how my racer Mitch Seavey, a former winner, was scratched from the race as he accidentally cut himself severely opening a bale of hay for his dogs to rest upon.- Zac Osgood I liked how the mushers cared for their dogs first, before they took care of themselves. -Hannah Stahl What I liked best about the Iditarod was how the mushers help each other, and take such good care of their dogs. They show great sportsmanship and congratulate and are happy for the winner. -Jarrod Van Hauen It was an amazing experience, and my musher and his wife (whom I talked to) were very inspiring and good role models. -Jake Bangasser Before the race, I sent an email to Karin Hendrickson, and she wrote back to “have fun following the race.” -Megan Klammer This was a fun project because we got to use computers and the results changed all day long. I will follow the Iditarod next year, too. -Michael Schildroth When he crossed the finish line, Cain Carter said, “I am never doing this again!”- Calvin Mackie

SPARTAN SCOOP

Storm Chaser Assembly

On Tuesday, March 22nd, elementary students received a visit from Eddy Weiss, storm chaser. This visit was sponsored by the Grundy Center Public Library and the Grundy Center Fire Department. Mr. Weiss gave two assemblies at the elementary – one for grades K-2, and another for grades 3-5. He taught the students many important facts about storms and bad weather. Probably the most important message he shared with students was ...”What do you do when there is a storm warning issued?” “TAKE COVER!” Though Mr. Weiss chases violent storms like tornados, he stressed that bad weather is serious business and that students should always remain indoors and go to a safe place like the basement when warnings are sounded. Students participated in a tornado drill at the elementary on Thursday of that week. Spring weather is always unpredictable, so we are taking the necessary steps to be prepared. Thank you to our local fire department and library for making this event possible!

Summer City Rec Softball/Baseball, Jr. Golf & YMCA Registration Scheduled for April 4th

Summer Rec Softball and Baseball Sign-up for Grades 3rd-6th will be held at the High School Commons on Monday, April 4th from 5:30-7:00. Cost will be $35.00. Anyone interested in working as an umpire for softball or baseball games can also sign up at this time. Jr. Golf will be $25.00 for lessons on June 7, June 10, June 14, & June 17; 12:30-2:00 for Grades 4-5 and 2:30-4:00 for Grades 6-8. YMCA T-Ball and Summer Program sign up will also be available.

April Spartan Scoop The physical education department is proud to announce the 2011 Sports Stacking champions.

This year’s results have been sensational with many school records broken! Upon completing our Speed Stack Unit in PE, our 4th and 5th graders competed in school

championships. The students vied for three different school championships (3-6-3/ 6-6/ and Cycle).Those who posted the 10 best times in PE class (during our unit) qualified to compete in the finals at lunch time in front of their peers and stack (no pun intended) their times up against the best in school history. Talk about pressure! This is always a nervous, but exciting time for students.

Results are as follows:

Student 3-6-3

Matthew Sternhagen 3.85

Garret Weldon 4.47

Carsen Hamann 5.14

Colton Sandell 5.23

Jake Bangasser 5.60

Leah Montalvo 5.62

Michael Schildroth 5.66

Marshall Stanley 6.19

Drake Thran 6.59

Chasyti Erickson No Time

Student Cycle

Chasyti Erickson 13.09

Matthew Sternhagen 13.20

Jake Bangasser 13.44

Michael Schildroth 14.45

Carson Hamann 15.70

Chloe Pelzer 16.35

Everett Eggleston 17.79

Garrett Weldon 18.33

Calvin Lufkin 18.92

Brady North 20.30

Student 6-6

Matthew Sternhagen 3.40

Jake Bangasser 4.15

Chasyti Erickson 4.65

Garret Weldon 5.33

Amber Laube 5.41

Everett Eggelston 5.60

Tyler Ehrhardt 5.65

Nicole McNeil 6.78

Lawson Ash 6.94

Marshall Day 8.12

SPARTAN SCOOP

Moving into the top 10 Grundy Center School history this year in the 3-6-3 was Matthew Sternhagen, who moved into the 1st place spot, held since 2006 by Riley Ackerman. Garret Weldon moved into 2nd place in school history. In the 6-6 Matthew Sternhagen , once again had a school record performance beating the 2008 record held by Kristy Sevcik; Others moving into the top 10 in school history wereJake Bangasser, 4th place, and Chasyti Erickson, 8th place. In the Cycle stack Chasyti Erickson broke a record held by Nick Mauer (2007); while Matthew Sternhagen moved into 2nd place; Jake Bangasser, 3rd place; and Michael Schildroth, 6th place showing the strength of this year’s field of stackers. In addition, 2nd and 3rd grade students competed in 3-3-3 and 3-6-3 competitions in PE class to crown our speed stack champions. The results are as follows:

Student 3-3-3 Time

Ethan Murra 3.93

Titus Catron 4.20

Kyah Luhring 4.48

Aleasia Clay 4.50

Jenna Bonorden 4.53

Logan Strickler 4.65

Jack Kelley 4.66

Cale Hendricks 4.67

Abby Hamann 4.72

Hunter Hawk 4.73

Student 3-6-3 Time

Ethan Murra 5.41

Jenna Bonorden 5.59

Kyah Luhring 6.07

Cale Hendricks 6.12

Hunter Hawk 6.15

Jack Kelley 6.24

Jacque Kuester 6.26

Anessa Smith 6.36

Abby Hamann 6.73

Tanner Vanzuuk 6.78

YMCA IMPORTANT DATES……….

• Friday 4/1/2011 - Schools Out Fun Day o For Grades K-5 o 6am - 6pm o $23/day for Members; $28/day for Non-Members o Please register by Wednesday 3/30/2011

• Saturday 4/9/2011 - Parent's Night Out o For Grades K-5 o 5pm - 9pm o $5/child for Members; $10/child for Non-Members o Cost includes dinner, gym time, arts/crafts, and a movie o Please register by Wednesday 4/6/2011

SPARTAN SCOOP

Read Across America Fundraiser By Mary Rickert We would like to thank all of the parents, grandparents, and other relatives or friends who helped make our Read Across America Fundraiser a huge success this year. The third, fourth, and fifth grade classes raised about $3,142.00 this year! These funds will be used to support our reading program and to purchase new books for our school library. Representatives have been chosen from each classroom to assist in selecting the new books for our IMC. This year the representatives will be: Lauren Dirks, Andrew Warnell, Josie Holke-Farnam, Austin Knaack, Jarrod VanHauen, and Chasyti Erickson. The representatives will be meeting with Mrs. Hoop, Ms. Doubet, and Mr. Williams in the next few weeks to select and order the new books. If you have any books that you would like to see added to our IMC collection please give your requests to one of the representatives. The representatives will be reporting back to their classrooms to let them know what books have been ordered. Great job reading. You have demonstrated great citizenship skills!

Left to right: Jarrod VanHauen, Chasyti Erickson, Andrew Warnel, Lauren Dirks, Josie Holke-Farnum, and Austin Knaack.

Guest reader, Matt Miller, as Cat in the Hat!

Grundy Center Elementary

From the School Nurse….. Going to the playground is a fun experience for children and parents. However, there has been a dramatic increase in playground-related injuries over the past 20 years. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission statistics, it is estimated that nearly 200,000 playground-related injuries requiring emergency room visits occur each year. The National Program for Playground Safety recommends that parents become proactive in playground supervision. Here are ways that you can make play at playgrounds safer:

• Make sure adult supervision is present at the playground. More than 40% of playground injuries are related to inadequate supervision.

• Guide children to play on age-appropriate equipment. Children are developmentally different. Equipment designed for children ages 5-12 is too big for children ages 2-5.

• Survey the play area and make sure it is free of apparent hazards. Look for pieces of broken glass or metal lying around. Avoid areas of congestion among play equipment where children could collide or fall on each other. Make sure there is fencing to prevent children from running in front of cars on the street or in the parking lot. Be sure that metal equipment is in shaded areas.

• Check the playground surface for cushioned surfacing beneath equipment and its fall areas. Falls to surfaces are responsible for more than 70% of playground injuries. Acceptable surfaces include fiber/mulch, pea gravel, or sand with a depth of 12 inches for equipment up to 8 feet in height. Cushioned surfacing should extend 6 feet in all directions from the perimeter of the equipment.

• Examine equipment. Steps and handrails should be in good condition and have appropriate grip sizes for children. Platforms should be surrounded with a guardrail that is 29” high for young children and 38” high for school children. There should be no dangerous protrusions, open S hooks or catch points, loose or worn hardware, or exposed moving parts. Any opening should be less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches in size.

• Survey types and quality of swings. Swings should have soft seats and be on a separate framework than other equipment with only 2 swings in each bay. They should be at least 24 inches apart and 30 inches from supports. The fall zone should be 2 times the height.

• Check out the slides. Slides should be well anchored, have firm handrails, and steps with good traction and drainage holes. There should be no spaces between the slide platform and the slide bed. Metal slides should be shaded or covered.

• Review the see-saw area. Handles should be secure and easy to grip. There should be a soft bumper under the bottom of the seat and all pivot points should be covered.

• Inspect merry-go-rounds. They should be firmly anchored and have handles that can be grasped easily. The underneath surface should be positioned so children cannot slide underneath. The gear box should be covered. A governor should be attached to control the speed.

903 9th St. Grundy Center, IA 50638 Phone: 319-825-5461 Fax: 319-825-6817

We’re on the Web!

See us at: www.spartanpride.net