Kindergarten Orientation is Here Kindergarten Orientation is scheduled next Thursday, April 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the gym. If you have any neighbors in the attendance area who have 5 year olds, please make sure they know about the night. Any questions, please give the office a call.

Continuing Quest to Ensure Student Safety You will notice cones in staff parking lot at morning drop off time. I am using these as a reminder. We do not want that parking lot used to drop off students or to turn a car around. With the volume of traffic and the rush in the morning, it is just not safe. I would also inform everyone that we have a rather unique handicapped parking spot in that lot. It begins on the black top and continues onto the concrete next to the Kenneth entrance. We do have a handicapped staff member so it is important not to park in that spot “just for a minute” while you run into the school. Thank you for your consideration.

Summer Activity: Learning Beyond the Classroom ReadWriteThink.org has a site designed to help children and teens continue to build their literacy learning outside of school. It offers activities for children ages 4 to 18. The site includes booklists, reading logs, book review podcasts, and best practice videos to help caregivers and tutors make the most of summer reading and writing opportunities. To see all these features and more, you can visit http://www.readwritethink.org/beyondtheclassroom/summer. It is a nonprofit website maintained by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Wellness Committee Meeting Notes April 16, 2008 Welcomed a new Wellness Committee member.  Reviewed committee goals and present tasks for our new member. Discussed a school wellness walk for students, staff, and adult volunteers on May 20^th. The walk will entail walking from school to a nearby school to hand off a baton. The committee suggested the following options: a PE class could walk it over during class, small group walk over, whole school walk it over… The committee will make a decision when all details are known. The committee reviewed the grant funding.  They still have $125 dollars to spend for non food rewards for classrooms and staff to give students.  This completes the grant goals and uses the remainder of the money. The committee reviewed options for staff wellness activities and health education with students. Next Wellness meeting:  May 14, 7:30 a.m.

Tree Expertise Sought A tree was donated as part of our playground project. The gift certificate is for Gerten’s. I would greatly appreciate someone to help pick out a good tree and a good location on the grounds. If you have any expertise in this area, please contact the office to let me know. I would like to have the tree delivered and installed before the end of the year! Thanks for your help.

PTA Seeks Grills Our Spring Carnival falls on Friday, May 30 this year. We plan to have hot dogs, burgers, and chicken. The PTA would like to borrow three propane grills that night to serve the community. If you have a grill and are willing to loan it, please contact chairs Danica Linssen (651-698-1060 or djlinssen@yahoo.com) or Andi Chang (651-690-0216 or andi@simon-associates.com).

Dealing with Change Change is a part of life for everyone, and it’s important for children and families to learn how to cope with it. Whether it is moving to a new home or community, a divorce or death in the family, a hospitalization or illness, or even just a friend moving away, the stress of a sudden change can be overwhelming for a child and grown-ups too. Small stresses can accumulate and overwhelm. However, there are many things families can do to help.

• Listen. Sometimes children just need to talk about what’s trou­bling them. You don’t have to know all of the answers; what’s important is that you let them express themselves and you show that you are there for them.
• Let outsiders in. There are times, such as during a divorce, when children might feel more comfortable talking to some­one other than their parents—a family friend, a trusted teacher or school coun­selor, or someone else they feel close to. Although some parents might object to their children confiding in others and “airing dirty laundry,” the stress that a divorce exerts on a child can be overwhelming. Put your children’s health before your own issues and let them confide their fears and concerns to someone they trust.
• Know that they know. Many parents be­lieve they can keep their children in the dark about changes such as a job loss or illness, but children hear more and know more than parents expect. The best approach is to acknowledge that they have probably heard something and talk to them about it. Assure them that you’ll be there for them if they have ques­tions, and that you’re doing all you can to keep things as normal as possible.
• Be aware of troubling behaviors. If your child’s behavior is suddenly different, it’s a sign that he or she is having difficulty coping. Some of the signs that your child needs extra help coping are changes in appetite (either overeating or not eating), changes in sleep (insomnia or constant fatigue), aggressive behavior, constant whining or weeping, depression, bedwetting or thumb sucking, nervous tics, and a withdrawal from things he or she used to enjoy.
• Keep routines. Children need to have routines in their life; they’re comforted by them. Do your best to maintain as many of their routines as possible—the same bedtime ritual, for example. And make sure that, even if they’re changing households, they get to hold on to some familiar and loved objects—you might be surprised what they choose as a special memento.
• Information helps. There are books on almost every situation a child could be faced with. Find children’s books at your child’s age level that discuss what they’re going through (the Mister Rogers series is particu­larly good for young children). If your child is moving to a new situation, get as many photos and as much information as possible. Try to do walkthroughs ahead of time and keep your attitude positive, even if you, yourself, have secret concerns. Stress that there will be new and exciting things ahead and you’re sure it will be a good change.
• Stay connected. If the change involves a move, either within your family or by a close friend, make sure to assure your children that there are many ways to keep in touch, and that you’ll help them stay close to the people who are important to them. From exchanging photos in the mail or online to talking to each other in (supervised) chat rooms, your children will learn that being close doesn’t always mean living close by.

Finally, remember that you can’t protect a child from change. Coping with change is a learning skill your child needs to master. By providing a listening ear, giving your child the information needed, and staying positive, you are helping your child grow stronger and better prepared for the future, whatever it may bring.

Focus on Success Sessions Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) staff members are asking families and other community members to define success in five upcoming community sessions April 18-May 7, 2008 themed “Together With Families: Focus on Success.”

The purpose of the Focus on Success sessions is to have conversations about how individuals, families, and communities view educational success from their perspective--and how similarities or differences affect how we support students, communicate with families, and hold each other accountable.  Discussion will include what we expect of our children, our schools, our families, and ourselves regarding education.

The meetings are part of the district’s Strategic Plan for Continued Excellence which was created with substantial community input.  Information gathered from the input sessions will be used to shape part of the district’s Shared Accountability Framework, related to shared expectations, which will be completed and published in May.  In addition, session input will help inform plans to better communicate with and provide support to families.

Community input sessions are scheduled for:

• Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Rondo Red Atrium, 560 Concordia Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55103

• Tuesday, April 29, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Mounds Park All Nations, 1075 East Third Street, Saint Paul, MN  55106

In cooperation with SPPS parent advisory committees, language-specific community input sessions are scheduled for:

• Somali session: Friday, April 18, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at SPPS headquarters, 360 Colborne St., Saint Paul, MN  55102

• Hmong session: Monday, April 21, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at SPPS headquarters, 360 Colborne St., Saint Paul, MN  55102

• Spanish session: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at SPPS headquarters, 360 Colborne St., Saint Paul, MN  55102

For more information about the sessions, contact the Office of Community Relations at (651) 767-7110.

District Budget Input Session An SPPS Budget Input Session will be held at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, at 360 Colborne St.--immediately following the Board of Education meeting. The purpose is to get feedback on the district’s proposed budget for the 2008-09 school year prior to Board action about the budget in June 2008.  The budget input session will include a brief budget presentation followed by facilitated break-out sessions in English, Hmong, Spanish and Somali. The proposed budget will be presented to the Committee of the Board of Education on Tuesday, May 6th.

2008-09 School Comprehensive Improvement Plan Nears Completion Thanks to all families and staff for your input into our plans for next year. The plan is nearly complete. The committee took all feedback shared through input sessions, emails, and Site Council meetings to generate this newest draft. It focuses on the key areas required by the No Child Left Behind act and the areas we know that we need to support our students. Look at the website under SCIP Input for a copy of the current draft.

08-09 Class Placement Reminder If you wish to provide input for class placement, you may write me a letter describing:

• Characteristics of teachers with whom your child has worked well in the past,
• Your child’s strengths in learning, and
• Any concerns about your child’s education or special needs.

Please do not request the name of a particular teacher as it may not be possible to honor such requests. Your child’s current teacher and I will team together to create classes for next year. Our goal is to create the best quality experience for each child. Only letters received by Friday, April 25 will be considered.

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