Newsletter – February, March, and April 2015

Newsletter – February, March, and April 2015
A message from Mr. Dambeck, Principal
It’s hard to believe that we are already one month into the new year and at the half way mark of the
school year. The teachers and staff are all continuing to work together with a focus on making sure that
each of our Juniata students are making progress and striving to reach their fullest potential
academically and behaviorally.
Winter certainly has taken a strong hold on the area, I urge all students and parents to use caution when
coming and going home from school, this also means that we need to make sure children (even 6th
graders) are properly dressed for the temperature or weather conditions. This also means making sure
that your children are not showing up at school or the bus stop too early. We don’t want to expose
students to the outside conditions any longer than necessary.
In an on-going effort to help keep parents informed about Juniata, I have set-up an account with
Remind.com. This allows me to send one-way text messages to anyone that signs up. I have been
utilizing this to “remind” students and parents about things like hat days, fundraiser pickup, or evening
events. If you havn’t already signed up, all you have to do is send a text message to 81010 with the
message @junfamily to start receiving these one-way text messages with information about Juniata.
Please continue to support your child with assignments, projects, and studying as we begin the third
marking period. Make sure that you visit ProgressBook often to check your child’s progress. Just by
doing these few simple things nightly you can help your child be more successful: check homework and
assignment book nightly, study a little bit each night leading up to a test, complete homework / study in
a comfortable and quiet place with good lighting and little distractions. Finally, make sure that your
child is getting a good night sleep and eats a healthy breakfast so they have the rest and energy they
need to be a productive student all day long.
Please remember that one of the most important parts of the learning process is regular attendance at
school. Please make every attempt to be on time, even 10 minutes late could result in a student missing
out on important instruction. Parents are required by law to send in an excuse for each absence
explaining the reason why the child missed school. These excuses must have a valid reason (sick) and be
turned in within three school days of returning to school. When valid excuses are not present, students
are marked illegal. Multiple illegal days could lead to the development of a Truancy Elimination Plan
and/or possible monetary fines from the local courts; this is why it is so important that you provide the
school with an excuse for any absences.
As always, if you have any questions or I can be of any help please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Erik Dambeck
SNOW MAKE-UP DAYS
The first snow day (January 26) will be made up
on:
Friday, March 20 which is a 5B
2014-2015 PSSA SCHEDULE
3rd – 6th Grade PSSA ELA
April 13-17
3rd – 6th Grade PSSA Math
April 20-24
4th Grade PSSA Science
April 27 – May 1
Please make sure to mark these very important
dates on your calendar. Please make every
attempt
to have your child in school during the testing
days. All testing will take place in the morning,
so please make sure your child is on time, as
well, once the testing session starts they will
not be permitted to enter their classroom and
will have to wait in an assigned location until
testing is complete. Additionally, they will need
to make up the missed section at a later time.
Tips for PSSA Success
Good attendance is a must – taking the test
with your classmates and teacher is easier than
a make-up session.
Reassure your child that the PSSA is only one of
the many ways we look at children to measure
their ability – it’s not the whole picture. We
want children to work hard and do their best!
Express a positive and supporting attitude
about the PSSA and help build your child’s
confidence that they have the ability to do well
on the test.
Realize that putting too much pressure and
emphasizing the test can result in an increase in
test anxiety and prevent your child from
performing at his or her best.
The Night Before the Test
1. Make sure your child gets a good
night sleep.
2. Consider talking about the test to
reassure and encourage your child
to do their best.
3. Let them know that you understand
tests can be hard, but it’s a chance
for them to show how well they can
do.
4. Be very encouraging, but don’t dwell
on the test as this might make them
worry.
The Morning of the Test
1. Get up a little bit earlier to avoid
rushing around and being late.
2. Make sure your child eats a good
breakfast, at home or at school, but
don’t force them to eat.
3. Get your child off to school on a
positive note and encourage them
to do their best.
After the Test
1. Talk to your child about the test and
continue to offer encouragement –
even if they say it was hard.
2. Reward your child in someway for
doing their best on the test.
GROUP PICTURE DAY
Provine School Pictures, Inc. will be
at
Juniata
Elementary
on
Wednesday, February 18th to take
classroom group pictures and Spring
Fever pictures.
Please be sure if purchasing a group
picture your child brings in the
envelope with money enclosed on
February 18th.
APPOINTMENTS AND EARLY
DISMISSALS
Please remember that a note is to
be sent into the teacher when your
child is going to be picked up during
the school day for an appointment.
Make sure to include on the note
your child’s first and last name, the
time you will be picking your child
up and the name of the person who
will be picking them up – this will
help with the continued safety of all
our students.
Please make sure that you are keeping
your child’s cafeteria account up-to-date.
Balances of negative $5.00 or more may
cause your child to be placed on a cash
only status as outlined by the District
Charge Policy. Payments to your child’s
account can be made in the form of cash
or check, with checks being made payable
to the Altoona Area School District. Be
sure to include your child’s first and last
name on the check and/or their ID
number.
VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY
The Valentine’s Day party in each classroom will
be held on Thursday, February 12th at 2:00 P.M.
Please check with your JEO Head homeroom
parent for details regarding volunteering and
donations. The only parents/guardians that
are permitted to help with the parties are
people who have already been pre-approved by
the classroom teacher and the Juniata JEO.
MUSIC CONCERTS
Early dismissals are only acceptable
for health related appointments.
All City Strings Spectacular
JUNIATA CAFETERIA NEWS
All school year the AASD string students have
been diligently practicing and preparing for the
2015 All-City Strings Spectacular Concert that
will take place on February 20th in the AAHS
Auditorium at 6:30 p.m...
The Spring
Spectacular and All-City Strings Concert s are
combined into one awesome district-wide
string extravaganza.

This concert features fifth and sixth grade
students from across the district that
auditioned and will be performing several
pieces in the string spectacular portion of the
program.

Band Bash
The Altoona Area School District Music
Department is presenting a ‘Band Bash’ evening
event Thursday, March 19th for every Altoona
Area School District Band Member in grades 4 –
12. This event will be held at the AAHS
Auditorium, at 7:00 p.m.
We hope to see you at these musical events.
You are in for three very entertaining and
enjoyable evenings.
A MESSAGE FROM THE
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR – Mr.
Koch

Help your child develop realistic,
reachable goals and encourage
him/her to have a plan for
achieving those goals. Talk with
your child about rethinking goals
and plans when something
doesn’t go as expected and not
quitting or giving up.
Help your child recognize his/her
strengths
and
develop
confidence in his/her abilities.
Help
your
child
develop
perseverance by encouraging
him/her to continue a task even
when it is difficult. Provide
support but resist the urge to
jump in and rescue your child
when
something
becomes
challenging.
We are all presented with difficult situations
and obstacles in our lives. Let’s work together
to foster an attitude of resilience in our
children.
KINDERGARTEN & FIRST GRADE
REGISTRATION
Kindergarten and first grade registration for the
2015-16 school year will take place at Juniata
on Tuesday, March 3rd from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00
P.M.
To register your child for kindergarten he/she
MUST BE FIVE YEARS OF AGE ON OR BEFORE
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015.
What parents need to bring—
BOUNCING BACK
Resiliency is the capacity to “bounce back”, to
rebound in the face of adversity, when dealing
with everyday life situations or bigger problems.
As counselors, we encourage you to foster a
resilient attitude in your child by working with
him/her on the following skills:
1. Proof of age is required by State
Law and this MUST be presented at
time of registration.
An Official
certificate of birth is preferred. If
this is not available, parents should
bring
a
hospital
certificate,
baptismal certificate, or the
ORIGINAL notarized statement
indicating name, date of birth and
place of birth.
2. Parent or guardian Photo I.D.
3. If an adult other than the parent is
registering the child, a copy of
guardianship paper or a sworn
affidavit must be presented at
registration. This copy will be kept
by the school district.
4. Current
custody
applicable.
papers,
if
5. Proof of Residency – Current lease,
Current
utility bill (No
water bills accepted) or Photo I.D.
with correct address.
6. It is MANDATORY that all children
starting
school
have
their
immunizations of:
Diphtheria and Tetanus (4 or more doses of
DPT, Td, DT or any combination of these with
the last dose given after the age of four.
Poliomyelitis (3 doses of oral vaccine or 4 doses
of inactivated vaccine).
Measles, Rubella and Mumps (2 doses of
measles vaccine preferably given as a second
dose of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR).
The Measles, Rubella and Mumps inoculations
must be given at age 12 months or older.
Hepatitis B vaccine (3 properly spaced doses).
Chickenpox vaccine (2 doses as per Dept. of
Health requirement) or date of disease.
Please contact the PA Department of Health,
Cricket Field Plaza at 946-7300. Immunizations
are given there by appointment only or contact
your child’s pediatrician.
PARENTS: YOU MUST BRING YOUR CHILD’S
SHOT RECORD WITH YOU AT THE TIME OF
REGISTRATION.
CHILDREN WILL NOT BE REGISTERED WITHOUT
PROPER AUTHORZED FORMS
DATES TO REMEMBER
February 6
February 12
February 13
February 16
February 18
February 20
February 20
March 3
March 6
March 8
March 17
March 19
March 20
March 27
April 2
April 3-6
April 10
April 13-17
April 17
April 20-24
April 27May 1
School Spirit Day
Wear School Colors
Valentine’s Day Party
Teacher In-Service – NO SCHOOL
President’s Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Provine Group Pictures
All City String Spectacular
AAHS Auditorium – 6:30 PM
Twin Day
Juniata Kindergarten Registration –
Conference Room
– 8:00 am – 5:00
PM
School Spirit Day – Wear School
Colors
Daylight Savings Time - Turn your
clocks ahead 1 hour
Green-Out Day
Band Bash - AAHS Auditorium –
7:00 PM
Snow Make-Up Day (5B) SCHOOL IN
SESSION
rd
End of 3 Marking Period
Report Cards go home
Spring Break – NO SCHOOL
Crazy Hair Day
PSSA ELA/Grades 3, 4, 5 & 6
School Spirit Day – Wear School
Colors
PSSA Math/Grades 3, 4, 5 & 6
Grade 4 PSSA – Science