Newsletter 09.17.15 - Ursa Minor Elementary School

URSA MINOR
WENDY BRONS, PRINCIPAL/ 336 HOONAH AVE, JBER, AK 99505/ 907-428-1311
A Message from the Principal
September 17, 2015
Alert!
Dear Ursa Minor School Community,
!
School
It is hard to believe, but we are already
halfway through the first quarter! The
students have been doing a wonderful job.
I appreciate their efforts in not only
learning their academics, but also working
together. I must say, I have had very few
office referrals, which is wonderful
because that means our students are in the
classroom, learning.
Closure
!
Last night, as I was returning from the
Cross-Country Running Jamboree, I saw
snow on top of the mountains! This is the
time to start preparing for cooler weather
and winter. Students will need snow pants
or snowsuit, a warm coat or jacket, boots,
gloves/mittens, a hat, and a face-mask or
gator. Just as a reminder, students go
outside to -10 degrees Fahrenheit for a
twenty-minute recess, so it is very
important that they have the appropriate
gear for our climate to be comfortable. I
also want to say congratulations to our
Ursa Minor Bears X-Country runners. It
was great to see so many runners and their
families come out to this Healthy Futures
Event. Your efforts and sportsmanship
were outstanding!
Continued on page 2…
• • • SEL Star Winners • • •
Week of September 4th:
K Matthew Johnson
1 Na’Zariyah Inman
2 Kayden Simmons
3 Bella Hollandsworth
4 Isiah Neals
5 Marshall Davis
6 Jascinda Cross
Week of September 10th:
K Gracie Humphrey
1 Fiona Wier
2 Ja’Niyah Kimble
3 Frederick Cook
4 Dakota Birdhead
5 Nicholas Wilkins
6 Tank Hanson
!
District Launches Text Message
Notifications for Parents and Community!
Parents and community
will also have the option to
members can now sign up to
send messages about
receive SMS text message
information or events specific to
notifications from the
their school. This texting option
Anchorage School District! The
is only available through an
district will send text notices of
school closures and buses that
have excessive delays. Schools
opt-in process. For directions
on how to receive these text
message alerts, see page 3!
!
PICTURE DAY! !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
ASD SCHOOL BOARD
President: Eric Croft
Vice President: Kameron Perez-Verdia
Clerk: Kathleen Plunkett Treasurer: Bettye Davis
Tam Agosti-Gisler
Don’t forget! Tuesday, September 22nd
is Picture Day! Make sure to bring your
order form and your best smile!
Pat Higgins
Natasha Von Imhof
Superintendent: Ed Graff
A MESSAGE FROM
THE PRINCIPAL
CONTINUED…
WELCOME BACK FROM THE NURSE!
The summer went by way too fast for
me! But by the end of August, many
students are ready to get back into a
routine and see all their friends again,
and I was ready for school, too! It
feels good to be back in the swing of
things.
!
Let’s Talk About Colds!!
Kids, on average, can get 6-10 colds per
year. Adults average 2-4 colds per
year. Common symptoms:
1. Cough
2. Sore or scratchy throat
3. Runny nose
4. Sneezing, watery eyes
5. Headache
6. Mild fever
7. Earache
The viruses that cause colds commonly
enter your body through 3 places: your
eyes, your nose, or your mouth. Most of
the time, we carry these germs on our
hands and then touch eyes, nose, or
mouth without much thought. Children
can learn to wash their hands with soap
and water, catch a cough in a tissue, or
sneeze into their sleeves.
The cold virus spends about a week in
your body, and then is done. Here are
some things you can to do make the
week more tolerable:
•
Drink lots of fluids
•
Gargle warm salt water for a
sore throat
•
Take ibuprofen or Tylenol for
pain
•
Use a humidifier in the
bedroom
•
Wash your hands frequently
and well (sing happy birthday
twice) to reduce the spread of
germs
•
Get extra rest
•
Clean surfaces that are
frequently touched by hands—
toys, tables, light switches,
telephones, doorknobs, etc.
and wash towels frequently
!
STAY TUNED FOR FLU CLINIC
INFORMATION!!
The JBER Immunization clinic staff will
come to Ursa Minor to provide flu
immunizations for students, parents and
siblings. Last year over 180 persons
received their flu vaccine at our clinic.
Watch Ursa Minor Facebook page AND
the newsletter for the date!
As we are halfway through the quarter, it
is a good time to check your child’s Zangle
account regarding grades and assignment
completion. If you have any questions you
may contact your child’s teacher.
Teachers should be sending progress
reports home soon, especially for the
intermediate grades. Be sure to contact
the teacher if questions or concerns arise
by calling the school at (907) 428-1311 or
by using email.
!
Ms. Emily Richardson is our new Military
Family Life Counselor (MFLC). Today, we
are sending home an opt-in permission slip
form for your child, along with more
information on how she can support your
child here at school and your family.
Please read the front and back of the
form for more information.
!
Lastly, today is Constitution Day or
Citizenship Day. All of our teachers have
planned lessons for our students to learn
more about our Constitution. Check with
your child to see what they have learned
about the United States Constitution!
!
Enjoy the fall days,
Wendy Brons, Principal
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We want to say thank you to our
volunteers who help make Fun Fridays
possible! Thank you Bridgette Gann,
Deanna Bonnes, Tatum Dougherty, and
Christina Hansen!
KEEP COLLECTING
Email: ursaminorpta@yahoo.com
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SIGN UP FOR TEXT
ALERTS
You can sign up with a mobile device, but may find it
easier to complete using a desktop computer with a
larger view.
Directions
1. Go to the website https://asp.schoolmessenger.com/
anchorage/subscriber
2. Click on “Sign Up Now”
3. Enter name, email, and a password to create an
account
4. Check your email to activate account
5. Add cell phone number to receive texts
6. Follow the steps to confirm you cell phone number
7. IMPORTANT: Under types of announcements, choose
all of these options: Emergency 2, Informational 1,
and Informational 2
8. Save your changes
School Closures
To receive school closure information, select Anchorage
School District from the list of schools.
General School Information
To receive general school announcements, select school
names from list of schools. Reminder, if you want to
receive school closure information, you must also select
Anchorage School District from the list.
Late Buses
To receive notice when buses are running significantly
late, select bus routes.
• Pickup Bus is the morning route from home to school
• Drop Off Bus is the afternoon route from school to
home
• If you do not want bus information, select the N/A
option at the end of the list
!
The Anchorage School District is not responsible for any costs
incurred for receiving text messages.
Change in Alaska State TB Policy for the 2015-­‐16 School Year !!!
!
TB skin tests are NO LONGER ROUTINELY REQUIRED for all new-­‐to-­‐district and kindergarten students. The new TB Risk Assessment questionnaire was distributed with the new registration paperwork. Parents completed these at the time of registration. The state of Alaska now requires the TB skin test or blood test ONLY for students WITH A POSITIVE RISK ASSESSMENT. Your school nurse will notify you if your student needs the skin test. Why attendance matters
A missed school day is a lost opportunity for
students to learn. There is a direct correlation
between students who attend school regularly and
higher achievement levels. As attendance drops, so
does the number of students proficient in reading,
writing and math.
Approximately one-quarter of students missed
at least 10 percent of school days last year, that
equates to more than two absences per month.
This is a serious concern because regular school
attendance is essential for students to be successful
learners. We expect students to attend school on
time every day.
To help parents better track their child’s absences,
we are making improvements to student report
cards. We hope this will be helpful as you are
planning activities for the coming school year.
Additionally, the district offers an online option
to track your child’s attendance via ParentConnect
(https://parentconnect.asdk12.org). This website
will give you valuable up-to-date information
about your child’s attendance, assignments and
grades.
If your child is absent for one day or multiple
days, please let the school know. We will work
with you and your child to make up missed
school work. We can also help develop an action
plan to support your child’s regular attendance.
We also welcome you to let us know if there
are things we can do differently or how we can
support your child’s learning.
URSA MINOR
WENDY BRONS, PRINCIPAL/ 336 HOONAH AVE, JBER, AK 99505/ 907-428-1311
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
1
THURSDAY
2
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
3
4
5
10
11
12
17
18
19
25
26
Open House
6-7:30 pm
6
7
8
9
PTA Meeting
3:45
Labor Day
NO SCHOOL
Math Night
6-8 pm @ ASD
Center
13
14
15
16
Constitution
Day
Grandparent’s
Day
20
21
22
Picture Day!
27
28
29
23
24
Autumn
begins
30
BREAKFAST REMINDER: Students should arrive at the school no earlier that 8:25 if they are
eating breakfast here. Before that time, there will be no adult supervision.