Stillson Spirit - Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District

Stillson
Spirit
November 2014
Principal’s Notes
Stillson Elementary
17250 County Hwy J
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone 715-726-2412
FAX 715-720-3745
Office Hours 7:30 am-3:30 pm
Dates to Remember
Nov. 4-5 WKCE Testing for
4th Graders
Nov. 4-15 Stuff-A-Truck
Nov. 5 LATE START
Nov. 8 Stillson Holiday Arts &
Crafts Show
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Nov. 19 LATE START
Nov. 24-28 Thanksgiving Break
No School
Special points of interest:

Looking
Ahead
Dec. 3 LATE START
Dec. 11 3rd Grade Music/Art
Program 8:10-8:45
Dec. 15 Stillson Singers Winter
Concert @ Chi-Hi
5:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 LATE START
Dec. 18 Stillson Holiday Open
House/ Sing-a-Long
6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Dec. 23-Jan. 2-Christmas Break
No School
Jan. 5-School Resumes
Stillson Holiday Arts & Crafts Expo
STILLSON HOLIDAY ARTS & CRAFTS EXPO
When: Saturday, November 8, 2014
Where: Stillson Gymnasium
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
NO ADMISSION FEE (Donations welcome)
Are you starting your Christmas shopping?
Looking for that perfect something to fill an empty space in your home/yard?
There will be MANY crafters, vendors, concessions and a bake sale FULL of yummy goodies!
We have a variety of crafters from all of the major Craft sales
that are already established in the area.
Come check them all out in one location!!
Music Notes from Mrs. Kuehl
Gordy’s Stuff-A-Truck
We are currently dealing with the largest need at our local food pantries then we have ever
experienced. That is why Gordy’s County Market and the Chippewa Falls School District
have partnered in a community wide effort called, Stuff-A-Truck. The importance of this
event grows each year as the need for food increases.
Stuff-A-Truck helps replenish all the shelves of our local food pantry, here in Chippewa Falls.
November 4-14, 2014 donations will be collected at Stillson Elementary. Students may bring
nonperishable food items as well as specific non-food items to fill collection boxes at the
school. Classrooms will be collecting donations.
In addition, cash donations are welcome. For every $1.00, seven pounds of food can be
purchased for the food pantry.
Weather Reminders
Nutrition from the Kitchen
by Diane Rasmussen
From the Health Desk
From the Health office of Nurse Julie and Nurse Kerrie
Vision and hearing tests will be done during the month of
November:
Kindergarten vision and hearing
1st grade vision only
2nd grade hearing only
3rd grade vision only
Hand Washing
Hand washing presentations were done in the kindergarten and
1st Grade classrooms during the month of October. Good washing habits are the number one
way to prevent the spread of illness. Please practice hand washing with your children at
home.
Over-the-counter medications
If you choose to have an over-the-counter medication for your child at school, you must fill
out and sign a permission form allowing us to dispense it. No medications, including cough
drops, will be dispensed without the proper paperwork. Medications must be brought into the
office by a parent or guardian. You can find the policy for medication administration and parental permission to administer medication form on the Chippewa Falls Public Schools website under Nursing Services.
Please keep the health office informed when your child has been diagnosed with a contagious
illness and/or has not been feeling well.
Kerrie Smithberg, our school nurse, will be at Stillson on Fridays. Peggy Crank, our health
assistant, is in the building from 7:45 am to 1:00 pm daily.
Resources of the Month
by Shannon Larson
Ruby’s Pantry
Ruby's Pantry located at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1120 Cedar Street in
Eau Claire is "a hand up, not a hand out." Registration and distribution occurs on the first
Thursday of the month from 4-6 p.m. Often families will leave with over $100 or more
worth of groceries. Some of the food includes meat, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, bread,
cereal, pizza and many more items.
You are given an "opportunity for dignity" by donating $20 to help cover the operational
cost. Ruby's Pantry has no government funding. It is primarily funded by the
contributions of guests. Please bring cash to simplify bookkeeping and two large boxes or
laundry baskets for your food.
King’s Closet
The King's Closet is a clothing store that offers FREE clothing to men, women and
children and is located at 310 South Barstow Street in Eau Claire, WI. The King’s Closet
is open the first Saturday of the month from 9am - 1pm and every Thursday from
10am - 5pm.
Annual Notice of Special Education Referral & Evaluation
Procedures
OUR 3 BS: BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL AND BE RESPONSIBLE
Students are acknowledged for following our Stillson expectations by receiving a blue ticket from
any staff member in our building. These tickets are collected in the classroom
and turned into the office every Friday for a drawing. The tickets are entered
in the drawing. The names are announced on Channel 7 News on Monday
morning. Then the students come to the office to pick a prize. This year 2nd,
3rd, 4th, and 5th graders also have the opportunity to save their tickets and
work toward a bigger prize. This new way of collecting blue tickets is an extra
incentive for our older students.
These are the names that were drawn for September:
Kindergarten-Lauren, Collin, Talen, Jace, Jozie, Gavin, Brayden, Peyton, Aden, Connor, Jill,
Evee, Tegan, Madelynn, CJ, Brystal, Brayden, and Madden.
1st Grade-Alex V., Ryan, Brooke, Renner, Andrew A., Lauren S., Evan, Nathan, Aron, Katelyn,
Kaiden, Gabby, Vanessa, and Sophia.
We also had students redeem blue ticket prizes off the award menu. Congratulations:
Logan H., Ezra L., Niah S., Makenna B., Isabella H., Devin H., Andy O., Logan S., Koan H.,
Conner A., Sohpia C., Jackson B., Kendall H., Cole P., Ella S., Allie D., Kendall L., Megan M.,
Dean H., Beckett T., Sara C., Lyric K., Lillian S., Adrian T., Kaylie, Elijah A., Maggie, Holly G.,
Aubrey S., Ava M., Anna B., Bret C., Sydney T., Jacob G., Emilye, Connor B., Brayden P., Maurice
H., Marshall M., Wyatt S., Isabella S., Jaynee, Ashley J., and Katie F.
Counselor’s Corner
by Judi Gunderman
It was really great to meet and talk with so many parents during Parent/Teacher
Conferences! We are all part of the “Stillson Family” and want to work together to help your
child succeed in school and in life.
November and December are Group Months as part of our
Comprehensive School Counseling
Program. Social skills, coping skills and conflict management are a main focus for our
groups. If you would like more information, please feel free to call me at 715-726-2412 Ext.
5504 or e-mail gunderjm@chipfalls.org
Parents of 4th Graders: Please be watching for a scheduling form for our special
4th Grade Counselor Plan-ning Conferences. The conferences will be scheduled
from Jan.-June 2015. This conference is for ALL 4th Graders and their parents/guardians.
We will share their “learning portfolio” that includes information about their learning styles,
goals, and future plans. During the last four years, we have had 100% of our students participate. That’s fantastic! I am looking forward to meeting
with every student and parent/guardian this year as-well. This is an
important part of our Comprehensive School Counseling Program.
As always, please feel free to contact me at 715-726-2412, Ext. 5504 or
email me: gunderjm@chipfalls.org
Every child is important and I would like to help in any way possible.
Happy Thanksgiving time!
Mrs. Judi Gunderman-Stillson Counselor
Chippewa Area Mentor Program
Hunting Season is around the corner…
As you prepare for hunting season, keep in mind the Chippewa
Area Mentor Program is also hunting for bucks (Male Mentors that
is!). Our waiting list for male mentors continues to grow. There are
currently 20 boys waiting to be matched. These boys are just
looking for a “guy friend” to hang out with, someone they can look
up to and aspire to be like. All it takes is 30 minutes per week to
help a child feel important and cared about.
Please contact Ashley Yakesh by phone 726-2400 ext. 2516 or email yakeshae@chipfalls.org
You can also visit our Facebook Page to learn more.
www.facebook.com/ChippewaMentorProgram
Follow Stillson on Twitter
Stillson Elementary now has a Twitter account.
Follow us @ststingers to stay up to date on the most current
school news!
(http://twitter.com/ststingers)
Speech/Language Screening for Three Year Olds
Fresh Food Distribution Sites
Chippewa County
Fresh Food Distribution--2014
Sponsored by Chippewa Area Food Pantry, Inc.
Free fruits, vegetables, dairy products and bakery goods are available to Chippewa
County residents who use local food pantries.
DATE: Third Tuesday of the month
(Jan.21, Feb.18, Mar.18, Apr.15, May 20, June17 ,)
(July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 17, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 , Dec.16 )
TIME: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Chippewa River Industries (CRI), 1000 Lake Wissota Drive in
Chippewa Falls. CRI is in Chippewa County’s Industrial Park that is located
north of County Hwy. “I” which runs past (St. Joseph’s Hospital.)
To participate:
1. Ask for an identification number from the food pantry you use.
2. Bring a large box or a small grocery cart and bags.
Testing Reminder
Our 4th grade students are scheduled to take the WKCE Science and Social
Studies assessments on November 4th and 5th in the morning.
It is very important that your son or daughter be in school during this time.
Students not in school on the scheduled testing days will be scheduled for a
make-up test prior to the close of the testing window (Oct. 27-Nov. 7).
The WKCE assessment measures the knowledge and skills your student(s)
should have acquired by the time they reach each grade level. Their performance on the assessment will not affect any of their current grades. Please
encourage your son or daughter to take the test seriously and do the best they can. The results of these
tests will be used to help school staff make determinations or placement in classes to best support your
child(ren).
Cartridges for Cash
We are collecting empty inkjet and toner cartridges to turn in for cash! We have partnered
with a company that will pay us for our empty cartridges and issue a check for their value on a
monthly basis.
Most empty inkjet cartridges are worth $1 to $2.50 each, and some laser cartridges are worth
up to $8.00! Our “paycheck” could add up fast, so please help by
bringing all the cartridges you use!
Here’s how you can help:

Don’t put empty cartridges in the trash!

Please bring all empty cartridges to the LMC.

Bring empty cartridges from home and add to the collection (and our check!)
They will also take our recycled and refurbished cartridges to dispose in a safe and
environmentally friendly way.
5th Grade Families-Save the Date
5th Grade Families, Please SAVE THE DATE for 6th Grade
Orientation!
The Chippewa Falls Middle School will hold two 6th grade orientation nights in
February. February 2nd will be for 5th grade families who will be having their
first child attend Chippewa Falls Middle School. February 3rd will be for 5th
grade families who are not new to the middle school and have had an older sibling attend previously. Both events will run from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
and will be held in the middle school auditorium.
The events of orientation include:
* an introduction to the school and transition process
* an explanation from music teacher of difference performance options
* sign up for 6th grade classes
* a self-guided tour hosted by WEB Leaders
The staff of the middle school is looking forward to seeing all 5th grade
families at orientation!
Southview Elementary Open House
WHEN: Monday, November 17th
TIME: 5:00-7:00 pm
WHERE: Southview Elementary School - 615 A Street
WHY: To celebrate our new and renovated space with our community members who made our
school possible.
We are thrilled to offer an open house for our community to see the expansion of our newly
renovated school! There will be a ribbon cutting at 5:00 pm to welcome guests to Southview
featuring our Southview Singers who will perform the school song. Following the ribbon cutting,
guests will be invited to go on a self-guided tour and talk with staff members. Light refreshments
will be provided in the cafeteria and slideshows of the process will be played in various locations
(cafeteria, conference room, and library). Community members are invited to stop in anytime
between 5:00 - 7:00 pm on Monday, November 17th.
Posting Pictures on Social Media Outlets
Our students are given the opportunity to expand their learning outside of the school walls
on field trips throughout the school year. We appreciate the support we get from families to
act as chaperones so that the events can take place. We also realize there are many exciting
things happening at school that are captured by digital cameras and etc. These things are
wonderful and contribute to the education your child is receiving.
We ask that out of courtesy and respect, and for the safety of our students, that if you
choose to post pictures on social media outlets, you do not tag the pictures with names of
students other than your own. Than k you for your cooperation and your consideration of
others.
How to Communicate With the District
Annual Notices
Be sure to read the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District Annual
Notices Required by Law by clicking on the following URL:
http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/board/AnnNot.pdf
Public Attendance at School Events
The Board of Education welcomes the attendance of members of the community at athletic and other public events held by the schools in the District, but the Board also acknowledges its duty to maintain order
and preserve the facilities of the District during the conduct of such events.
“Upon request to the Building Administrator, submitted 24 (twenty-four) hours in advance, the
District shall make reasonable accommodations including the provision of informational material in an alternative format as necessary for a disabled person to be able to participate in this activity.”