Attendance Second Quarter:
Good (less than one day absent) = 113 students, 24%
Perfect for the quarter = 88 students, 19%
Perfect attendance for the semester = 42 students, 9%
These students will receive a certificate in their report cards, denoting their achievement. All of these students were recognized by their classmates in grade level meetings on Monday, January 9, 2012.
Dear Randolph Families and Staff,
Randolph Elementary School is planning a Multi-cultural Fair for Friday, April 20, 2012. As we prepare for this event, we will be assembling a cookbook of favorite recipes of our Randolph families and will also feature student art work on the cover and throughout the book.
Food brings us together. It keeps us connected and tells stories of family and community. We encourage all students to submit favorite recipes so that part of their family story is represented in our Randolph community cookbook. Favorites may be a grandmother’s famous holiday cookie, dad’s game day steak marinade or the go-to school night casserole. All recipes are important in telling this story. The name listed with the recipe will be included as the contributor in the book.
There are THREE ways to submit your recipes:
1. Go to http://www.morriscookbooks.com/dc/tns10/RecipeCollection.pdf
Print out the form, write or type your recipe on the form, and send it back to school to Mrs. Mahoney.
2. On Wednesday, look for the blank recipe form to come home with your child. Write your recipe on the form and return it to Mrs. Mahoney.
3. After looking at the form, you could type your recipe in the body of an email and send it directly to Mrs. Mahoney at smahoney@lps.org
The deadline for collecting all recipes is Wednesday, Jan. 25!
We want to be sure to order plenty of copies! You may reserve copies of the cookbook at this time to ensure your family receives a copy. Cookbooks will be available mid to late April. Reserve your copies now!
Chris Devilliar
Multicultural Committee Co-chair
Love and Logic Moment
Why is sibling rivalry such a perplexing issue for so many parents? Simply because we can’t make our kids love each other. That’s completely out of our control.
Listed below are just a few of the many things we can control:
- Whether we do extra things for kids who are battling with each other.
It’s perfectly reasonable for a parent to say, “This is such a bummer. I’m tired-out from listening to you arguing with each other. I don’t have the energy to drive you to your friends’ houses.”
- Whether we allow certain items to remain in our homes.
A friend of ours said to her kids, “This is so sad. Every time you guys play with that game you get in a fight. I gave it away so it wouldn’t be a problem anymore.”
- Whether we allow their fighting to interrupt our responsibilities and time.
Have you ever noticed how kids tend to argue and bicker with each other when you are trying to do something that requires your complete attention such as trying to talk on the phone? If you feel secure that your kids won’t harm each other, it’s probably best to say, “This is really draining my energy. You guys need to work this out or go your separate ways.”
- Whether we give them “bonding opportunities.”
When your kids start to battle with each other, experiment with saying, “Sounds like you guys need some bonding time.” Then assign them some chores to give them an opportunity to feel the love.
In my DVD, How To Make the Best of Sibling Rivalry, I give a variety of additional tips for upping the odds that your home will remain a peaceful place.
Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.
Dr. Charles Fay
Early Kindergarten Entrance
The Nebraska Legislature has changed the law governing when children begin kindergarten in public schools. Starting in the 2012-13 school year, students may enter kindergarten if they turn five years of age on or before July 31, a date that was previously Oct. 15. *However, if your child was born between August 1 and October 15, he or she is eligible to participate in a free assessment conducted by Lincoln Public Schools to determine possible early entrance to kindergarten.
**Common questions and answers
Is my child eligible?
- Your child must turn 5 years of age between August 1 and October 15 (a copy of a birth certificate will be required). Children who are good candidates for this process are those who demonstrate academic achievement as well as social, emotional and physical maturity appropriate for kindergarten placement.
How do I have my child participate?
- You can obtain an application packet from your neighborhood school starting Jan. 30, 2012. You need to fill out an application and register with the neighborhood school at least one week prior to each round of testing. Application and birth certificate are due at registration.
When, where and how will my child be assessed?
- Your child will be assessed on pre-academic skills/cognitive skills and social/emotional development. Trained teachers will conduct the 45-minute assessment.
- When you register your child at your neighborhood school, you will also schedule the time and date of your child’s assessment.
- The assessment will take place at the LPS Student Service Building (Hawthorne) at 300 S. 48th St. (Please use the northwest entrance.) Assessments for early kindergarten entrance will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on the following dates: March 12-16; Saturdays in April: April 14, 21 and 28; and July 9-13.
What will happen the day of testing?
- Your child should arrive at the LPS Student Services Building at the scheduled time. You will be asked to wait in the outer office while your child is taking the assessment, and you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire. Parents are not allowed in the testing room.
- Administering the assessment will take 45 minutes.
How will I find out if my child is eligible for entrance to kindergarten?
- A letter will be sent with the results/determination no more than 3 weeks after the assessment.
- If the child is eligible for entrance, the parent makes the final decision to register the child for kindergarten. Even if a child is found eligible, he/she is not required to attend kindergarten this fall.
For more information contact:
Lincoln Public Schools Student Services, 402-436-1654.
CALENDAR
Jan. 16 NO SCHOOL
Jan. 17 REPORT CARDS GO HOME! (Tuesday)
Jan. 17 UNL 297 students begin practicum in classrooms at Randolph
Jan. 17 Building Flex Session by Technology Planning Committee: Web Resources 4-5:00 in the media center; send samples you’ll share to Trish Murphy by Jan. 12th.
Jan. 18 Instructional Conferences: Dr. B meets with teachers in gr. 1
Jan. 18 Elementary Principals Council meets at Cavett a.m.
Jan. 18 Teachers’ Community Meeting 4:00
Jan. 19 Instructional Conferences: Dr. B. meets with teachers 5, 3, Kdg.
Jan. 19 Young People’s Concert at Lied Center for Grade 4
Jan. 20 Instructional Conferences: Dr. B. meets with teachers 4, 2
Jan. 23 Great Expectations Team meets 8 a.m.
Jan. 23 Symphony Math 3:45 grades 3, 4, & 5 (1 hr building flex available)
Jan. 24 Staff meeting
Jan. 24 District staffing conference
Jan. 24 FAMILY READING NIGHT, grades K-1-2
Jan. 30 SCIP meets
Jan. 30 Elementary Principals’ Curriculum meeting—afternoon
Jan. 30, 31 State Writing Assessment Grade 4
Jan. 30 Literacy Resource Sharing 4:00 (Kristin C. and Laura O.) 1.5 hours building flex available.
Jan. 31 PLC early out at 2:18
Feb. 13 Nebraska Trumpet Ensemble (NTE) will play for second grade during Expressive Arts time at 12:55
Feb. 15 Test Prep Session by Kristin C. after school
Sad vs. Mad
My friend, Dr. Charles Fay, has been known to repeat this phrase: “Sad, not mad.”
What does that really mean? Does it mean anger is bad? Does it mean that we should never be angry? I hope not!
Is this little reminder a phrase to help us take better care of ourselves? I hope so!
Angry, wrathful responses send messages that the problem is ours. These reactions put the focus on us (and how upset or mean we are) instead of keeping the focus on the child’s unfortunate choice.
When we are sad for kids rather than mad at them, see how the message changes:
Instead of kids thinking “Upset adults are pretty scary” or “Upset adults are pretty entertaining,” might they conclude, “When they are sad for me, it is because I have a problem.”?
In the audio Keeping Cool When Parenting Heats Up, Charles teaches a variety of ways to stay calmer. Two of these include:
- The ability to practice responding with empathy when kids misbehave.
- The ability to delay (solutions, consequences, even conversations) until we’re all thinking again.
The bottom line: We take good care of ourselves. We don’t own kids’ problems by reacting with anger and wrath.
If we do well to show sadness and concern vs. anger and frustration, what will kids feel in the aftermath?
Sad, not mad.
Sad about the results they created…instead of mad at “mean, old us.”
Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing this fantastic journey with us. Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.
Jedd Hafer
THANK YOU, TEACHER
Thank your teacher today. In honor of Nebraska Teacher Recognition Day – Tuesday, March 6 – Lincoln Public Schools and KFOR/KFRX Radio collaborate to thank our educators with the annual Thank You Teacher contest.
Children, teenagers and grownups can pay tribute to a teacher who has made a difference in their lives – by nominating that teacher for recognition from the Thank You Teacher contest. Five teachers will be chosen and honored at a breakfast on March 6 at the Governor’s Mansion, where the five students who submitted the winning nominations also will be invited to attend and read their winning letters. The winners will all receive gift bags and prizes awarded by KFOR/KFRX and their sponsors.
Anyone who lives in Lincoln/Lancaster County can nominate a teacher in any of five categories: preschool-grade 2, grades 3-5, middle school, high school and retired. In addition to a written description, explaining why a teacher made a difference in your life, entries should include the teacher’s name, grade level and school (or contact information), as well as the nominator’s name, address and phone number.
Nominations should be postmarked or sent by Friday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m. and mailed to: Thank You Teacher, Communications, LPS District Offices, 3801 S. 14th St.: Lincoln, NE 68502. ** Entry forms can also be found on the LPS website and you can submit nominations online at: http://lps.org/go/recognize.
The event is part of Nebraska Teacher Recognition activities. Sponsors include Lincoln Public Schools, KFOR/KFRX, the Lincoln Education Association and the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools.
For more information contact Mary Kay Roth, 436-1609, mkroth@lps.org.