For more great pictures go to: http://coolidge.cr.k12.ia.us

Coolidge courierCOOLIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 2016

BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS IS AWESOME IN EARLY LEARNING!

We have spent this month learning about feelings and friendship, using the Zones of Regulation to guide our understanding. Students have done a great job of applying their learning across settings, from center time to story time to small group time.

As we look ahead to the coming weeks, we are looking forward to our field trip to Indian Creek Nature Center to learn about wild cats and dogs! We are always grateful for opportu-nities to relate student learning to real life! Let the adventure continue…

FIFTH GRADERS EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKYThe fifth grade classes are excited about studying their new science unit called “Sun,

Moon, and Planets”. The unit focuses on Earth’s place in the solar system.Students have observed shadows during the day and how they change from sun rise to

sun set. Even though the sun looks like it’s moving across the sky each day, the Earth is actually moving at 1,675 km per hour. That’s really fast! How-ever, the Earth is so large we don’t even notice it!

Using physical models to represent the Earth and the moon, we measured how far they are from each other by making a scaled representation. The moon is 238,900 miles away from us. That was 3.2 meters on our scale model. The sun is 92.96 million miles away. That’s really far! It’s good that we are the third planet from the sun. If we were closer, we would really be melting.

Finally, students got to look at the planets and how they are placed in the night sky. Did you know that there are dwarf plan-ets? Your grandparents might be confused when you tell them that Pluto isn’t really a planet but a dwarf planet. That’s not what they learned in school.

The exciting thing about the night sky is that new discoveries are being made all the time. Maybe one of our fifth graders will make a discovery in the future. We’ll have to wait and see!

The District offers an online Virtual Backpack site to support the efforts of community orga-nizations wanting to share information about educationally-based programming.

Individuals or organizations wishing to post material on the Virtual Backpack submit items electronically and approved materials will ap-pear online for families to access.

Organizations will � nd a link to submit � yers for consideration on the District homepage at www.cr.k12.ia.us . Families can access th e Virtual Backpack from their school Web site.

VIRTUAL

BACKPACK

Non-Discrimination PolicyIt is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (employment only), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (students/program only) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. District employees with questions or a grievance related to this policy should contact Jill Cirivello, Director of Human Resources, 319-558-2421; jcirivello@cr.k12.ia.us. Students and others should contact Ken Morris, Manager of Student Equity, 319-558-1504; kmorris@cr.k12.ia.us. The District mailing address is 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-1015.

IMPORTANT DATESMARCH3..............................................................SCRIP sent out4............................... KINERGARTEN/ EARLY Learning/

AK registration - ELSC 4.................... Coolidge Pride Day – wear black and gold7....................................................................SCRIP Due11.................. Coolidge Pride Day – wear black and gold14-18 ..............................SPRING BREAK – NO Classes24............................................................SCRIP sent out25....................................No School – Teacher Inservice28..................................................................SCRIP Due

Follow the District on , @crschools, and

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGEThank you to those who made it a priority to be

at your child’s conference this last month. We al-ways aim for 100% attendance, but as I am writing this we are still making up conferences. Thanks to the flexibility of teachers and families for making the conference this winter happen.

I encourage you to watch the website or Canvas Calendar closely as some dates may change as the spring semester continues. We try to communi-cate these alterations in the calendar in these two ways as well as the weekly email that is sent out to the whole building.

Please note that our Preschool, Alternative Kindergarten and Kindergarten registration day is March 4th at the ELSC, we hope that everyone can make it that day to sign up. We will extend an invi-tation to the new Kindergarten students and fami-lies to visit us this spring. More information will be coming out as this date gets closer.

Mr. O’Connell

GOT MAIL? WE DO IN AK!

Over the last few weeks, our AK Dramatic Play center was made into a working Post Office; com-plete with mail hats, blue satchels for delivering letters and stampers for canceling the stamps. In this center, students had the opportunity to dress up as a clerk, purchase stamps as a customer, write letters to friends, as well as stamp and mail them. After emptying the big blue post office box, students used their letter and name recognition skills to sort the mail into the student’s mail pock-ets to be delivered to their classroom mailboxes. It was fun for all of us to discover something special in our mailboxes at the end of the day.

Our Post Office theme also led itself to numerous discussions, great books, and writing opportunities for our students. We read a variety of fiction and non-fiction books about mail and how the Post Office works. Now, we are moving on to explore the ocean! AK is thinking warm thoughts in hopes that spring will soon be here!

SAFETY CONCERNSCedar Rapids Community School

District takes your safety seriously and welcomes your input.  Please contact your building principal/administrator and report any safety concerns that you may have.  Thank you for helping us keep staff and students safe.

FIRST GRADE SCIENTIST: First graders have been busy learning about

many of our Earth materials in our 2nd Foss Kit/unit in Science. (Pebbles, Sand and Silt). Students have been doing many hands-on experiments with volcanic rocks, river rocks and other earth materi-als. We have discovered there are other materials smaller than sand- silt! Students were able to see that rocks can be sorted by size/type: Pebbles, gravel and sand. We will also learn more about other natural resources such as water and soil, as we get further into this unit. We have had students bring in a favor-ite rock to start a class rock col-lection. This was a great way to compare all the different proper-ties of various types of rocks. We have continued to use the skills of a good scientist in this unit as well: observing, measuring, clas-sifying, predicting, making models and testing through experiments. Students will be able to share their Science Journals at home, as these will be included in their data binders. Science is a favorite time of the day in first grade!

IOWA ASSESSMENTS--All students in 3rd-5th grades will take the Iowa

Assessments. February 29-March 4th. Here are some things we encourage all students to do as our testing window gets closer:

Come to school every day, and on time as we start our tests by 9:30 each day

Get plenty of sleepEat breakfast at home or at schoolDo your personal best---stay calm, relaxed and

focusedIf you have any questions regarding the testing,

please give us a call at Coolidge and talk to either Mrs. Rummel or Mr. O’Connell.

USEFUL URL’S AND AMAZING APPSToontasticThis is a great iPad app for digital storytelling. Kids select their characters and backgrounds and

add their voices to create a story.http://www.teacherplayground.com/2012/07/cuberts-cubefree-until-31st.htmlThis site that allows students to polish their writing skills by working with and getting

feedback from others.MailyThis is a free iPad app geared towards younger kids to teach them how to email in a

safe environment.http://www.famigo.com/This site allows you to select many free apps and games for your child to use for the computer or

the iPad/iPod.http://www.iowaaeaonline.org/index.htmlThis is an excellent site for students and parents to visit. It has many resources for doing home-

work and it also provides clip art, weather and various educational magazines. When visiting the site the User ID is: 1053cool password: aea10

http://www.moo-o.com/This is an entertaining site that puts kids right in the middle of the story and helps nurture their

love of reading.

ATTENDANCE-Thank you for doing your part in getting students to school on time, every day. If your child is sick,

please do not send them to school. Your support allows us to provide consistent instruction to students. Daily attendance gives them the opportunity to learn and the best chance to demonstrate academic growth. Congrats to Mrs. Carney and Mr. Hackenmiller’s classes for having the highest percentage of stu-dents in attendance at school for the month of December. Congrats to Mrs. Sankot and Mr. Hackenmill-er’s classes for having the highest percentage of students in attendance at school for the month of Janu-ary. See the chart of all the K-5 classrooms. It is also hanging in the front of the building near the office.

Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

Determan 95.8 96.2 96.4 94.6 95Morningstar 98.9 95.2 97.2 92.3 96.4Rooney 96.3 96.3 97.5 93.9 96.9Carney 98.2 96.6 94.4 97.7 95.6Jennings 95.8 95.7 96.6 94.7 96.7Mitchell 97.6 95.1 97.6 97.5 97.4Englert 97.3 95.6 96.3 90.9 96.8Sankot 98.3 97.1 96.2 96 98.5Lodge 98.6 99.1 98.3 97 97Hackenmiller 98.7 98.3 98.8 99.3 99.2Schenkelberg 97.8 97.9 96.8 95.6 97Lang 97.8 98 96.6 96.3 98.9Russ 95.2 97.7 95.9 98.4 97.5Blocker 99.3 97.3 97.2 98.5 98.2Broghammer 96.4 98.6 95.7 97.4 98.1Christoffersen 97.9 97.4 97.1 93.5 97.4

MATH PROBLEMS OF THE MONTH

1. History Repeats The Winter Olympic

Games have occurred every four years since 1924, except 1940 and 1944. How many Winter Olympic Games have been held? How many Win-ter Olympic Games have occurred since you were born? The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jump and speed skating. How many other events can you name that happened in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia?

2. Do You Get a Kick Out of Sports?Conduct a survey to discover the most popular

sport among your classmates. Collect data from your classmates and then organize your data into a bar graph to represent your survey results. What patterns do you notice in the graph? Discuss your results with your classmates.

KINDERGARTEN HISTORY: YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY

There have been lots of onesies, teething rings and baby blankets being brought to kindergarten lately. What seems like a ‘far cry’ from the math facts and sight words the students are studying, Coolidge kindergartners are digging into history. By ‘bringing history home’ the children learn that history is “a story”. In the unit the History of Me, students are first exposed to history by studying their own. As a class they create a timeline that stretches across the floor. Each section of the timeline represents one year of their life to date. Families help their kindergartner choose ‘artifacts’ and complete a written history. Students share their history with their classmates as they compare the items they needed or clothing they wore as an infant to their needs now. The children compare the size they were when they were born, first words and favorite foods. The children even enjoy seeing and discussing the artifacts from their kindergarten teacher’s “history of me”. Our youngest historians are become expert at their own history, timelines and artifacts. In just a few weeks they will extend their understanding of history to the present, long ago and long, long ago as they compare their own history/experiences to those of children long ago. Looking back as they move forward in their under-standing of history.

MEADOWVIEW OUTINGStudents from Mrs. Carney’s 1st grade classroom spent an afternoon with Meadowview residents

creating Valentines wreaths during the month of February.  Many smiles were shared as well as many hearts.

Mar

ch 2

01

6

Elem

enta

ry S

choo

l Lu

nch

Men

u

All m

eals

incl

ude

milk

, fr

uit,

veg

etab

le, gr

ain,

mea

t/m

eat

alte

rnat

ive

Mar

ch 1

M

arch

2

Mar

ch 3

M

arch

4

Fi

sh S

ticks

& H

ot R

oll

Sid

es:

Man

darin

Ora

nges

G

reen

Bea

ns

Baby

Car

rots

Ham

& C

hees

e To

astie

S

ides

:Pe

ache

s Co

rnM

ixed

Veg

etab

les

Mac

aron

i & C

hees

e

Sid

es:

Pear

sSi

de S

alad

Roa

sted

Chi

ckpe

as

Ital

ian

Dun

kers

w/

Mea

t Sa

uce

Sid

es:

Scho

ol P

lann

ed F

ruits

an

dVe

geta

bles

Mar

ch 7

M

arch

8

Mar

ch 9

M

arch

10

M

arch

11

W

alki

ng T

aco

w/

Lett

uce,

Che

ese

& S

alsa

S

ides

: Fr

uit

Cock

tail

Taco

Fie

sta

Bean

s

Corn

Spag

hett

i & M

eat

Sauc

e w

/ Br

eads

tick

S

ides

:Pe

ache

s M

ixed

Veg

etab

les

Gre

en B

eans

Slop

py J

oe o

n a

Bun

Sid

es:

Fres

h Fr

uit

Swee

t Po

tato

Frie

sM

ixed

Veg

etab

les

Turk

ey G

ravy

w/

Hot

Rol

l S

ides

:Ap

ples

auce

Mas

hed

Pota

toes

& G

ravy

Si

de S

alad

Scho

ol P

lann

ed M

enu

Sid

es:

Scho

ol P

lann

ed F

ruits

an

dVe

geta

bles

Mar

ch 1

4

Mar

ch 1

5

Mar

ch 1

6

Mar

ch 1

7

Mar

ch 1

8N

o S

choo

l H

olid

ay B

reak

No

Sch

ool

Hol

iday

Bre

akN

o S

choo

l H

olid

ay B

reak

No

Sch

ool

Hol

iday

Bre

akN

o S

choo

l H

olid

ay B

reak

Mar

ch 2

1

Mar

ch 2

2

Mar

ch 2

3

Mar

ch 2

4

Mar

ch 2

5

Chic

ken

Nug

gets

&

Ric

e Pi

laf

Sid

es:

Appl

esau

ceBa

ked

Bean

s St

eam

ed B

rocc

oli

Pizz

a Q

uesa

dilla

S

ides

:M

anda

rin O

rang

esCo

rnW

inte

r Bl

end

Vege

tabl

es

Scra

mbl

ed E

ggs

&

Fren

ch T

oast

Stic

ks

Sid

es:

Cinn

amon

App

les

Stea

med

Car

rots

Ta

ter

Tots

Pig

in a

Bla

nket

S

ides

:Pi

neap

ple

Side

Sal

ad

Mix

ed V

eget

able

s

No

Sch

ool

Sta

ff P

rog

ress

Day

Mar

ch 2

8

Mar

ch 2

9

Mar

ch 3

0

Mar

ch 3

1

Chee

sy P

otat

o So

up w

/ H

ot

Rol

lS

ides

:Ap

ples

Peas

Baby

Car

rots

Soft

She

ll Ta

cos

w/

Le

ttuc

e, C

hees

e &

Sal

sa

Sid

es:

Pear

sTa

co F

iest

a Be

ans

Mix

ed V

eget

able

s

Stuf

fed

Chee

se S

ticks

w/

Mar

inar

a

Sid

es:

Pear

sSw

eet

Pota

to F

ries

Gre

en B

eans

Beef

Ter

iyak

i Dip

pers

w/

Butt

ered

Noo

dles

Sid

es:

Man

darin

Ora

nges

Side

Sal

ad

Peas

& C

arro

ts

Mon

day

Alt

ern

ate

T

ues

day

Alt

ern

ate

Wed

nes

day

Alt

ern

ate

Thu

rsd

ay A

lter

nat

e Fr

iday

Alt

ern

ate

Ham

burg

er/C

hees

ebur

ger

Su

n Bu

tter

& J

elly

+ C

hees

e St

ick

Ch

eese

Piz

za

Chic

ken

Patt

y Su

n Bu

tter

& J

elly

+ C

hees

e St

ick

Pe

pper

oni P

izza

Beef

Hon

ey B

BQ R

ib

Sun

Butt

er &

Jel

ly +

Che

ese

Stic

k

Chee

se P

izza

Yogu

rt w

ith M

uffin

Su

n Bu

tter

& J

elly

+ C

hees

e St

ick

Saus

age

Pizz

a

Fish

Wed

ge

Sun

Butt

er &

Jel

ly +

Che

ese

Stic

k

Chee

se P

izza

PM

ay C

onta

in P

ork

Th

is in

stitu

tion

is a

n eq

ual o

ppor

tuni

ty p

rovi

der.

Lin

k to

Non

disc

rimin

atio

n St

atem

ent

on D

ept.

Web

site

.

Dai

ly M

ilk o

ffer

ed in

clud

es 1

%,

skim

, or s

kim

cho

cola

teA

Min

imum

of O

ne F

ruit

or V

eget

able

is

requ

ired

for a

reim

burs

able

mea

l

COUGAR LUNCHEONCongratulations to the following students who attended the Cougar luncheon on February 3rd: Grace Pei-

ffer, Evan Besler, Gabe Hiles, Vanessa Taylor, Carlee Kluth, Ian Boeding, Claire Smith, Daniel Ramos, Brian Pregon, Levi Long, Annabelle Prignitz, Haidyn Ulrich, Hayden Habhegger, Fatima Torres, Kami Tylee, Avery Morris, Braylon Evans, Robbie Fritz, Paisley Baker, Tony Tuttle, Natalie Hartgrave, and Sydney Procter, Ben Goudy, Regan Gaines, Parker Chyma, Ashton Marlin, Addison Loomer, Skyann Heintz, Halle Yoder