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Classroom Placement for Next Year – Parent Input Forms Parents wishing to provide input as we begin the process for classroom placement for the fall are encouraged to go online or contact the school office for the Parent Input Form. Keep in mind that this

is NOT an opportunity for parents to request a teacher. If you feel that there are special

circumstances that warrant consideration, include that information on your form. Essentially, this is an opportunity for parents to share their children’s characteristics/needs and for the school staff to use that information to appropriately place students into classrooms for the fall. Again, this process is not intended for parents to name their child’s teacher for next year, but to provide input to us as we make those decisions here at school. Copies of the Parent Input Form are available in the office or in “Quick Links” on the Countryside webpage. All elementary schools in Edina will be using the same form and the same process. Completed forms will be accepted until Friday, March 28

th.

Conferences in April Conferences are coming up in April. Each grade level has both scheduled time blocks, along with some flexible hours available. Below is a recap of the dates grade levels will be using in larger time blocks for scheduling their time with parents. Please refer to communications from your child’s teacher to schedule specific time slots.

� Kindergarten – April 17 and 24

� Grades 1to 5 – April 15 and 22

� Continuous Progress – April 15, 17 and 24

Drop Off and Pick­Up – West Loop is Not an Option

Some parents are accessing the loop at the west end of the bus corral for drop off and pick­up. Please be aware that this is not recommended and this practice has begun to cause problems with the flow of bus traffic, along with compromising the safety of students in this area. Parents are asked to NOT drop off or pick up students in this area, as well as making U­turns in the bus area. In the coming days/weeks, staff members will periodically be present this area. Thank you in advance for using our designated areas and procedures.

Birth Grade­5 Academic Program Study ~ part of the Next Generation of Edina Schools Strategic Plan 

We need to hear from you! Earlier this year, as part of the district’s Birth to Grade 5 (BG5) Study, EPS staff, students and families were surveyed to collect ideas and feedback for the enhancement and evolution of our

The Cougar Newsline MARCH 7, 2014

Countryside News

Message from Principal Bergman

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early learning and elementary programs. These ideas, along with data gathered through 

research, site visits and best practices from schools both locally and around the world, have 

been incorporated into a variety of options for our learners, looking through the lenses of school 

program, structure and culture. 

Your feedback on the draft options is very important to the design process and in advancing the 

district’s strategic work. You are invited to attend one of the upcoming sessions as noted below. 

BG5 STUDY COMMUNITY DIALOGUES: EPS Parent/Family Sessions NOTE: We have identified target audiences for each session, but all EPS families are encouraged to attend one of these sessions:

Celebration of Cultures Updates – Tuesday, March 25 4:30­6:30 The Celebration of Cultures is just around the corner!  Come try a bite of banitsa, suski or kimchi while 

you enjoy an Indian dance, Russian songs and a Turkish performance.   There will be foods from 

throughout the world and performers from Europe, Eastern Europe, Haiti and Asia. 

Your family can participate in the following ways: 

1) Work with your student to create a display  

� Registration forms were sent home last week.  They are available on the Countryside 

webpage under “Quick Links”. 

� Help students create their Celebration of Cultures presentations in the Media Center during 

lunch/recess. You may be asked to help find resource materials (books, etc) or to guide in 

the creation of presentation boards.  Supplies will be provided.  Please sign up at:  

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090F4EAFA92BA31­presentation/16005342 

2) Perform a song or dance from your heritage 

Please contact Ingrid Yelkin at Ingrid.Yelkin@Parknicollet.com 

3) Bring a food item to share with the other Countryside families 

Please contact Dina Scholl at dinascholl@aol.com  

4) Volunteer during the program 

Please sign up at:   www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090F4EAFA92BA31­

dayofevent/16005342 

5) Help your child enter the drawing for fun International Prizes (see below) 

6) Simply come, learn and celebrate!  Everyone is welcome! 

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All students will bring home a Celebration of Cultures worksheet on Friday, March 7th.  The worksheet 

will also be available online on the Countryside webpage under “Quick Links.”  Help your child complete 

the fun activity and bring it to the Celebration of Cultures on March 25th.  Completed sheets will be 

entered into a drawing for fun prizes including coins, jewelry, souvenirs and treats from countries near 

and far!!!  There will be over 25 winners.  A child does not need to make a display to be eligible, but the 

worksheet does need to be turned in during the Celebration of Cultures.  The winners’ names will be 

called during the Countryside News program on Wednesday, March 26th.   

Please join us for this evening of learning; a time to celebrate the diversity that makes 

Countryside children and families so amazing!!! 

Questions? Please contact Ingrid Yelkin at Ingrid.Yelkin@Parknicollet.com or Maggie Conway at 

Maggie.Conway@earthlink.net  

 

 

Small Donated Treasures or Tokens Needed for Celebration of Cultures             This year for the Celebration of Cultures we are offering a prize for students who complete a 

worksheet).  It is quick and fun… the child/family simply needs to connect greetings to a language (i.e. 

Sveiki – Latvian and Bonjour – French).  They can use any resource…. Even ‘phone a grandparent’ 

            We would love to provide as many children as possible with one token for successfully completing 

the exercise.  Children DO NOT need to prepare a display to be eligible.  All Countryside students are 

eligible, they simply need to complete the worksheet and turn it in during the Celebration of Cultures. 

 If you have something small around your home that represents any culture that you no longer have a 

use for we’d love to trade a tax deductible form for it. 

   We are looking for simple items ­ something that would spark a child’s interest in learning more 

about other people, places and cultures.  So far we have a few coins, candies and treats from Arabic 

nations, jewelry from Nicaragua, Jamaica and Africa.  If you have something small/simple (souvenirs, 

coins) that would fuel a child’s curiosity to learn and understand more about their world… we would 

love to pass it along to our next generation of ambassadors, leaders and culturally aware citizens! 

If you have an item or two, please place it in an envelope or bag with Ingrid Yelkin’s name on it 

and leave it in the office.  Please leave donations by Friday March 14th.   

 

 

We are itching for spring! 

Karen Bergman, Principal 

 

 

Mark Your Calendars: 

Tuesday, March 25      Book Fair, Celebration of Cultures 

Friday, March 28      Last chance to submit Parent Input Form 

Monday, March 31­April 4    Spring Break – No School 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dear Countryside Family, BOOKIE MONSTER WINNERS The students listed below each received a $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card. The next drawing will be March 28th. Each time your student returns or renews all his or her library books, they get a ticket to enter in the drawing.

BOOKIE MONSTER WINNERS Feb. 28th: Mara in Ms. McClure's class Ellen in Mr. Lindsay's class

Peter in Ms. Pool's class Tehya in Ms. Gross' class

Elena in Ms. Dittmar's class Ryder in Mr. Monseth's class

SAVE THE DATE! Our Book Fair is now scheduled for March 25th. What are we doing in Media? Kindergarten-2nd grade is working on finding just right books and using the computers. 3rd is focusing on finding books in their Lexile and using the catalog to find those books, conferencing with Ms. Mestler about reading, as well as what it means to be a Digital Citizen. 4th grade is working on their state research in Google Docs. 5th grade is working on their Works Cited for their disease project and will be researching careers. Keep Reading! Ms. Mestler

Health Office Update

We are seeing a significant increase in strep throat during the month of February and into March. We’ve had 30 new cases reported in 2 weeks.

Here are some tips to prevent the spread:

1)Please keep your child at home for 24 hours after they start medication for strep.

2)Encourage good hand washing and no sharing of food or drinks.

3)Throw away your child’s toothbrush if they’ve been diagnosed with strep.

4) Please report any new cases to the attendance line or health office.

Tracey Hickey, R.N.;Licensed School Nurse

Countryside Elementary,952-848-4747,FAX-952-848-4701

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The Celebration of Cultures is just around the corner! March 25th 4:30-6:30pm. Come try a bite of banitsa, suski or kimchi while you enjoy an Indian dance, Russian songs and a Turkish performance. There will be foods from throughout the world and performers from Europe, Eastern Europe, Haiti and Asia.

Your family can participate in the following ways:

7) Work with your student to create a display

� Registration forms were sent home last week. They are available on the Countryside webpage under “Quick Links”.

� Help students create their Celebration of Cultures presentations in the Media Center during lunch/recess. You may be asked to help find resource materials (books, etc) or to guide in the creation of presentation boards. Supplies will be provided. Please sign up at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090F4EAFA92BA31-presentation/16005342

8) Perform a song or dance from your heritage

Please contact Ingrid Yelkin at Ingrid.Yelkin@Parknicollet.com

9) Bring a food item to share with the other Countryside families

Please contact Dina Scholl at dinascholl@aol.com

10) Volunteer during the program

Please sign up at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090F4EAFA92BA31-dayofevent/16005342

11) Help your child enter the drawing for fun International Prizes (see below)

12) Simply come, learn and celebrate! Everyone is welcome!

All students will bring home a Celebration of Cultures worksheet on Friday, March 7th. The worksheet will also be available online on the Countryside webpage under “Quick Links.” Help your child complete the fun activity and bring it to the Celebration of Cultures on March 25th. Completed sheets will be entered into a drawing for fun prizes including coins, jewelry, souvenirs and treats from countries near and far!!! There will be over 25 winners. A child does not need to make a display to be eligible, but the worksheet does need to be turned in during the Celebration of Cultures. The winners’ names will be called during the Countryside News program on Wednesday, March 26th.

Please join us for this evening of learning; a time to celebrate the diversity that makes Countryside children and families so amazing!!!

Questions? Please contact Ingrid Yelkin at Ingrid.Yelkin@Parknicollet.com or Maggie Conway at Maggie.Conway@earthlink.net

PTO News

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During the Celebration of Cultures 

Located In the Countryside Entryway by the Office 

*Find your favorite books, posters, free Scholastic e­reader app, and more 

*Make Selections for Spring and Summer Breaks 

*Collection for Scholastic “All for Books” Charities 

*Online Book Fair: March 20­April 4, 2014 

*Visit our Book Fair Website for more details 

http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=countrysideedinamn 

*Profits from the Book Fair support the Countryside’s Media Center to purchase New Books 

Cash, Checks, Credit Cards Accepted 

Any Questions Please Contact: 

Kelly Wellborn 952­303­3557 kdwellborn@sbcglobal.net 

Krin Reid 952­935­5249 krinandsam@aol.com 

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Countryside Carnival is April 25th

It is almost Carnival time again and we need your help to make it a success! The carnival is our school's biggest single fundraiser and we need at least 1 volunteer from each family to make it run smooth! There are over 200 shifts available in different areas. Sign up with a friend and we will place you together.

Please sign up for a shift using the link below (*the code on the fliers sent home is inactive at this time). You can also go to the Countryside web page to sign up under announcements.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PDEbPLSxxZlgMLijs_MI5dWl7bc03hoeq4qubYjjvR4/viewform

For questions please contact Catherine Lopez at CountrysideCarnival2014@gmail.com or send a text to 612-481-3754

Thank you for volunteering!

Please be sure to check out the Edina Community Opportunities for Youth page on Facebook 

at http://goo.gl/uhmmL 

"Get connected with EPS Social Media. Stay up to date with the latest information coming into and going out of Edina Public Schools. “Like” us on Facebook, follow Superintendent Dressen on Twitter @EdinaSuper and read stories from The Mill Blog www.edinamill.blogspot.com"

Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

Boy Scout Troop 68 is hosting a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, March 8th, 7:30- 11:00am at Good Samaritan Church. Individual tickets are $5.00 or $15.00 per family. This breakfast is both a fundraiser and a chance for students and parents to get to know the troop which is from the Countryside neighborhood. Proceeds help support the Boy Scout troop fund their activities throughout the year.

Community News

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Growing Up Workshop: Mothers and Daughters Connection Saturday, March 8, 2014 9:00 – 12:00, Room 350 $40.00 per pair, Edina Community Room Call (952)848-3908 with any questions or Click here for additional information or Register online at: edina.thatscommunityed.com/ search/growing+up Edina PCN Presents: Learning From Mistakes: Moving Outside Your Comfort Zone Monday, March 10the, 7-9PM at Creek Valley Elementary School Gymnasium For addition information, see the end of this newsletter. Edina Parent Communication Network invites you to join us for our second annual Open House. Wednesday, March 12, 12:00 PM, Edina Community Center, Room 351 Light lunch will be served Learn what PCN is all about Gain a voice in topic & speaker selection Connect with other dynamic members of the community Joining PCN as been an enriching experience for me and my family. As a parent of young children, PCN has allowed me the opportunity to learn about resources within Edina that I may have otherwise waited much longer to discover. PCN is a strong, informed and passionate organization because of the breadth of experience and knowledge its members bring to the table. I love knowing that I’m helping to strengthen our parenting, our teaching and the community through my participation in PCN. Belinda Erlin 2 years of volunteer service Volunteering for PCN has given me the opportunity to come together with really amazing people from all the different schools in Edina. There is a longevity in the commitment of the volunteers that is really unique. It is not unusual to meet people in this organization that have been involved for 3, 4, 5 years or even longer; That speaks to the level of professionalism that this group brings every year. I feel that my volunteer service has been purposeful and that my time has been well spent. This is a

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wonderful organization to give your time and talents. Kelli von Heydekampf 9 Years of Volunteer Service

2014 “Foot in the Fair” Program

Edina Art Fair and Edina Public Schools

The Edina Art Fair sees the value in partnering with the community and really appreciates youth and the arts. And for the third year, we are seeking to display original works of Edina Public School students between 1st and 12th grade for an exclusive art exhibit called Foot in the Fair. If you are interested, please take a photo of the original work and submit jpeg image to footinthefair@hotmail.com and include the following; students’ name, grade, school and art teacher. The maximum size for work displayed at the fair can be no larger than 12”x 18”. This year only two dimensional pieces can be entered. All entries are due by April 15, 2014. Any entries submitted after this deadline will not be considered. All entries will be juried by the Edina Art Fair committee and only a limited amount will be selected for the fair. All work must be made between the 2013-2014 school year and done within Edina Public Schools. You will be notified by email to the email address that submitted the photo if art was selected by the beginning of May and further instructions and details will be given at that time. All art chosen for the fair will be juried by the Edina Art Fair committee; work will be divided by elementary schools and junior and high schools, ribbons will be given to each of these categories. Only one photo entry per student.

For more information on the Edina Art Fair, please visit our website at www.edinaartfair.com or email Megan Rakos at footinthefair@hotmail.com.

Student Wellness Challenge – Saturday, April 26, 2014

o Student Wellness Challenge (Saturday, April 26, 2014) This free and fun event is full of engaging activities for the mind and body and geared toward current 5th through 9th grade students and their families. Learn about the importance of exercise and the mind-body connection while discovering ways to beat stress and have a sharper mind. Look for more information coming soon!

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FREE TAX PREPARATION! Tax Assistance is available for

income qualifying households.

Call the Edina Resource Center at 952-848-3936 for:

� local tax clinic locations � dates and times � what to bring to the tax clinic

Remember the Earned Income Tax Credit & MN K-12 Education Subtraction

Edina Community Education Youth and Adult programs

Notice our new look? Our new logo represents all the community programs that Edina Community Education has to offer. Visit our new website to see it all! edinacommunityed.org Register online at edina.thatscommunityed.com or call 952-848-3952. Don’t forget we offer no-school-day camps, dance classes, piano lessons, fencing, cooking and much more for everyone in your family.

*Edina Community Education is a program of Edina Public Schools.

News and Updates!

Edina PCN Presents:

Learning From Mistakes: Moving Outside Your Comfort Zone

Paul Bernabei, Director of Top 20 Training, provides training seminars and materials to empower youth and adults to develop their potential and the potential of others. He has been a teacher, counselor, coach and administrator in Minnesota schools for over 35 years and has co-authored three books. He and his Top 20 team have trained over 300,000 educators throughout the United States. Attendees will:

• Understand the beliefs students form about themselves from the

messages they receive when they make a mistake.

• Learn what keeps students stuck in their comfort zone.

• Discover more effective ways students can respond to their mistakes

and the mistakes of others.

This forum will prove engaging for parents, grandparents, teachers and children ages 9 and older accompanied by an adult.

www.edinapcn.com

Monday, March 10, 2014

Creek Valley Gymnasium! 7-9 PM! FREE!