Next

Week’s

Calendar

The week begins with Day 2 Tuesday 9/13 PTA Meeting 6:30pm Wednesday 9/14 3rd Grade CRFD 1st Visit Friday 9/16 Early Dismissal 2:15

Inside this

issue:

PTA Link— PTA 101

2

Volunteer 3

Virtual Backpack 3

Meet Fendi 4

Volume 3, Issue 1 September 9, 2016

All Students are Ready, Responsible and Respectful

News Bytes Important Upcoming Dates

September

Friday, 9/30 — Team Sports Day—(Wear favorite team)

October

Monday, 10/3 — Staff Learning Day—NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Tuesday, 10/4 — Stomp out Bullying Day (Wear Blue to school)

Tuesday, 10/11 — Fall Picture Day

Tuesday, 10/11 — PTA Meeting 6:30pm

Friday, 10/21 — America Reads Day

Tuesday, 10/25 — Conferences 4:00pm—8:00pm

Thursday, 10/27 — Conferences 4:00pm—8:00 pm

Friday, 10/28 — Staff Progress Reporting — NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Get Involved — Join PTA! WELCOME to all new and returning families at Viola Gibson Elementary! I am very ea-ger to work with a wonderful group as the PTA President, and am looking forward to a very exciting and productive year!

As the new school year begins, the PTA asks for your support so we can continue to make our school year both enjoyable and exciting for students, teachers, and parents. Your mem-bership allows the PTA to support the students and staff by providing educational and rec-reational needs. The PTA uses our resources, both monetary and volunteer hours to sup-port our school staff.

For the PTA to truly represent the school, we need YOUR help! Many parents believe they can’t participate in the PTA because they don’t have the time to attend meetings or be at the school during the day. We need volunteers in many forms, whether its 30 minutes, or a few hours, our children value any time that is spent making a difference for their school. If you have never volunteered before, or have questions about volunteering, please don’t hes-itate to email me or any of the PTA board members. We have several opportunities throughout the year, and welcome everyone who would like to volunteer!

The Viola Gibson PTA meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm to discuss events, plan fundraisers, and share ideas. This is a perfect way to find out what is happen-ing at our school, and contribute to making Viola Gibson the great school that it is. I also encourage you to like our Facebook page so you can keep up with all of the events that are happening in our group.

We look forward to meeting you all, and encourage you to not only join our association, but also get involved!

Thanks in advance for your support! — Andrea Rahe, PTA President

Page 2 Gibson Gazette

PTA Link

Welcome to PTA 101

Definition: A group of parents, teachers and community

members who work together to support our students and

PTA Fundraisers:

PTA Membership Dues (only

$8!)

Hy-Vee Coupon Books

Hy-Vee Receipt Collection

Box Tops for Education

SCRIP

School Supply Kit Sales

VGE Chick-Fil-A Nights

PTA-Sponsored Events & Activi-

ties:

Talent show

Spring Carnival

Teacher Appreciation Week

Where do the funds go?

Class Study Trips

Upgraded Computer Lab

Equipment

Classroom Equipment per

Teacher Requests

What can I do? Volunteer!

PTA Volunteer Coordinator

Spring Carnival Coordinator

Yearbook Coordinator

Gibson Day (or night) at CR

Sporting Event

Teacher Appreciation Week

Click here for PTA

meeting minutes

and agendas!

Click here to “Like”

us on Facebook!

Page 3 Volume 3, Issue 1

Virtual Backpack Links Here are this week’s additions to the Virtual Backpack*. Missed something?

Access earlier “VB” posts by clicking the link below.

To visit the CRCSD Virtual Backpack, click here

Asbestos Information Letter Parenting Young Children-Cedar Rapids Public Library Parenting Young Children-Starry Elementary School Parenting Young Children-STEM Play and Learn: Parent PLUS Register Now for FALL CLASSES in Music and Art Jr Cougar Baseball 7U Tryouts Jr Cougar Girls Basketball Registration 1st - 8th grade YMCA Youth Sports Registration Winter 2016-17

*The posting of this flyer in no way suggests en-dorsement of the program by the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

U Iowa Language Treatment Study Informational

Flyer

Ushers Ferry Harvest Festival

Daughters of American Revolution Essay Contest

KCRG-TV9 A+ for Education

Special Education Parent Listening Session

Kids Movie Night - The Jungle Book

Recreational Programs for Children and Adults with

Special Needs

Recreational Programs for Children and Adults with

Special Needs

Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Fall Programs

Piano/Voice Lessons

We love our volunteers! Viola Gibson is very proud of our outstanding volunteer program. Viola Gibson families

are encouraged to be active participants in supporting our school.

Volunteers are assigned only upon the request of the teacher, principal or other school

personnel for volunteer service (per District Volunteer Handbook). Though the use of

volunteers is restricted to those activities requested, approved and supervised by a district

employee, we do try to assign volunteers where they wish to serve.

To volunteer, call the Viola Gibson Coordinator(s). They will work with you to set up a

schedule that is best for you. Volunteer Coordinator: Sara Radke 378-8321 Volunteer

Coordinators may also be reached at: vggatorvolunteer@ gmail.com

Phone numbers

Main Office

319-558-2920

Attendance

319-558-2565

Counselor

319-558-1694

Viola Gibson

Elementary

6101 Gibson Dr. NE,

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

52411

Check out our

new Website!

http://

gibson.cr.k12.ia.us/

.

The Gibson Gazette is a

weekly school eNews-

letter sponsored by your

PTA for the students,

parents, staff and sup-

porters of Viola Gibson

Elementary.

All submittals are

welcome and will be

used at staff’s discretion

and as space allows.

All submittals and ques-

tions should be directed

to the following email

address:

gibsongazette@gmail.com.

Submittal deadline is

Friday for publication

on the following

Thursday.

Page 4 Volume 3, Issue 1

Meet Fendi Viola Gibson’s Favorite Dog Fendi is a certified therapy dog from Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services (CARES) program in Concordia, Ks. Chris Nelson went to Concordia to train with Fendi in October 2015. More information about CARES can be found at this we bsite: http://www.caresks.com/. She stays in Chris Nelson’s office and visits classrooms. She has many purposes at Viola Gibson. Research shows having a dog at school increases a child’s connectedness to school and decreases absenteeism. She is also available to comfort students when needed and reward students for good behavior. She loves to have kids read to her or do math problems. She listens and give unconditional support to everyone.

I have been to all the classrooms introducing Fendi to all the students. You will notice when we are in the hallway they will ask, “Miss Nelson, may I pet Fendi?” I want students to understand that you should always ask before petting any dog, for their safety as well as the dogs. We also talked about the difference between therapy dogs and medical dogs. If a dog is wearing a red vest, that usually means the dog is working and you can’t pet them.

Like the students at school, Fendi has her school behavior and home behavior. At school she is calm; at home she cuts loose as you can see from this video: http://safeshare.tv/x/FdPZZunLgSs ☺

Connect

Remember to save your Box Tops and Hy-Vee Receipts!