Sitka School District / Home...Author: Julie Fitzsimmons Created Date: 9/5/2014 2:42:38 PM
Transcript of Sitka School District / Home...Author: Julie Fitzsimmons Created Date: 9/5/2014 2:42:38 PM
CONNECTION
Keet Gooshi Heen “Working together for school success”
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to Keet Gooshi Heen! We have had a great start to the school year, and it has been fun to see the
enthusiasm in our students’ faces each day. This week, students and staff settled into life at Keet with
lessons on playground, lunch room, and bus behavior, student conduct, and classroom routines. Establishing
school-related routines at home is also important. Please set aside time each night for homework and/or
reading with your child. It is equally important for students to come to school each morning well-rested and
well-fed. Together we can help ensure each child’s year is fun and successful.
Student Drop-Off A reminder to parents/guardians that students are to report directly to the playground in the morning no
earlier than 7:45 am, as we will have no adult supervision until that time. In an effort to minimize delays
and maximize safety, our student drop-off area has been expanded. When dropping your child off each
morning, please do the following:
Pull forward as far as you can in the designated student drop-off area. This will allow the
maximum number of parents to drop students off at a time.
Have students ready with their backpacks and other school supplies when being dropped off.
Have your child exit the vehicle from the passenger side and walk directly to the sidewalk. This
will keep them from having to walk in between cars in the dark and rain.
This is a high-traffic area in the morning, so please use caution, and encourage your student to use sidewalks
and go directly to the playground. We ask that you do not drop your child off on the District Office side
of the building to help avoid congestion with bus traffic, limited parking availability, and limited space to
turn around. Thank you for your continued efforts to help everyone have a safe and sane start to their day.
Don’t forget to save your Campbell’s Soup labels and Box Tops for
Education points. Send these items to school with your child, and we will
put them to good use! My hope is that the 2013-2014 school year will be
a great one for all! Please contact me with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Casey Demmert, Principal
September 2014
Letter from the Principal...
Home & School
Page 2 Keet Gooshi Heen
Counselor Corner Working Together for School Success Mrs. Diana Twaddle & Mr. Chris Voron
KGH School Counselors
School Rules
During the first week of school,
each class had a lesson on school,
playground, and bus rules. The lessons
encourage students to be respectful,
responsible, and safe throughout their
school day.
KGH Student Success Program
The Early Support Program (K-2) and
Student Success Program (grades 3-5) offer
a prevention and intervention program to all
students at Baranof Elementary and Keet
Gooshi Heen, especially for those students
whose academic performance may be
affected by special circumstances. Our
programs also address life-skill issues such
as making and keeping friends, decision-
making, and peer pressure.
Some of the groups that will be offered
at KGH this year include: social skills,
friendship, self-esteem, new students, anger
management, divorce/family structure, and
individual counseling. Students may be
referred by a teacher or a parent for any of
these groups or for a specific need.
You can reach the Early Support
Program coordinator (K-2) by contacting
Jeanine Brooks at 966-1321 and the Student
Success Program coordinators (Gr. 3-5)
Diana Twaddle and Chris Voron at 966-
1213. Diana Twaddle and Chris Voron will
be job sharing this year. Feel free to contact
either of them to chat about
supports for students.
OLWEUS Bullying Prevention
Our school cares about the safety and
well-being of our students. We want to
make sure our school is a positive place for
students to learn. To meet this goal, we are
continuing to use the Olweus Bullying
Prevention Program (OBPP) this year.
The goals of OBPP are to reduce bullying
problems and prevent new bullying
problems from happening. The program
works to make relationships better among
students. Teachers, students, and staff at
KGH use a weekly class meeting model to
help foster community,
problem– solving skills, and
positive relationships. More
information about this
program can be found at:
www.olweus.org
Breakfast Club
Breakfast is offered at Keet Gooshi Heen
each morning for students who missed their
morning meal.
Time: 7:45-8:00
Location: Room 14
Cost: $1.50
If your child qualifies for Free/Reduced
lunch there is no cost for breakfast.
Applications for Free/Reduced lunch are
available in the main office or on the district
website.
Attendance Guidelines
When your child is absent, please call
your child’s teacher before 8:00 a.m.
using the direct number for the
classroom or front office number at
747-8395. If your child is absent and we do not
hear from you, we will attempt to contact you when
we get attendance reports from teachers. (We don’t
want something to happen to a student on the way
to school, with neither the parent nor the school
knowing about it.)
If you are going on a trip or for another planned
absence from school, please try to let the teacher
and the office know at least a week ahead of time.
Early Release Guidelines
If you need to have your child picked up before the
end of the day (doctor/dentist appointments, etc…),
send a note or call the office at 747-8395. If you
are authorizing someone else to pick up your child,
please tell us who that will be, as well as when and
why. In order for the school to release your child to
someone other than a parent or guardian, that
person needs to be on your child’s emergency
contact list on file with the office. (Please do not
call the classroom as the message may not be
received in time.)
Parents’ Corner
Keet Gooshi Heen Page 3
Monday—Thursday: All Grades: 8:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m.
Friday Schedule: All Grades: 8:00 a.m.—1:30 p.m.
Lunch: 2nd Grade: 11:20—12:05
3rd Grade: 11:35—12:20 4th Grade : 11:50—12:35 5th Grade: 12:05—12:50
2014-2015 School Hours
Cost for Hot Lunch
$2.90 Daily Lunch
$.45 Milk
$58.00 Monthly
You can receive negative lunch balance statements for your child by email from KGH. If you would like to be
added to the email request list for negative lunch statements, please email your request with your child’s name
to: [email protected] Any questions, please call Julie Fitzsimmons at 966-1245.
The Sitka School District accepts credit card payments to school lunch accounts. To make a pay-
ment using your credit card, stop by the KGH office.
We are excited about this opportunity as we look for ways to better serve you.
We discourage students from bringing valuables
to school as we cannot guarantee loss or damage.
CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONICS
are not only valuable and can be lost or damaged,
but can interfere in the classroom.
Therefore, students are required to leave them in
their backpacks turned off, but a better idea is to
leave them at home.
Page 4 Keet Gooshi Heen
New Places and New Faces
at KGH
Mrs. Jill Lecrone
2nd-Grade Teacher
Mrs. Angie Hill
Para-professional
Mrs. Heather Gluth
Para-professional
Mr. Matt Burrows
3rd-Grade Teacher
Mr. Tyler McCarty
Special Education
Mrs. Andrea Dekoekkoek
Special Education
Mr. James Lecrone
Para-professional
Ms. Dianne Chong
ESL Para-proffesional
Ms. Allison Gabbert
Para-professional
Page 5 Keet Gooshi Heen
New Places and New Faces
at KGH
Mrs. Courtney McArthur
Para-professional
Mrs. Jennifer Tulloh
Para-professional
Mrs. Barb Webb
Para-professional
Mr. Francis Lawless
Para-professional
Mrs. Suzi Wilson
Para-professional
Mr. Chris Voron
3rd-5th Counselor
Ms. Nichel Kernin
Para-professional
Mrs. Nita Pickett
Kitchen Staff
Mr. Cliff Chandler
AmeriCorps
Su
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Mo
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Tue
W
ed
Th
u
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Sa
t
1 N
O
SC
HO
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Labor D
ay
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School
Board M
eeting S
HS
6pm
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frican
Choir C
oncert ( w
/M
usic Movers)
PAC
6:3
0pm
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outh Flag
Football begins
17 Y
outh
Karate classes
begins
18 C
omm
unity
Photo N
ight
MP
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-7pm
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GH
School P
icture D
ay
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Autum
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begins
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20th A
nnual
Running of the
Boots
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Septem
ber 2014
Keet Gooshi Heen Page 6
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Science News Keet Gooshi Heen student scientists are ready to crack open their science notebooks for another
exciting year of investigations in life, earth, and physical science! We’ll use the same skills that
professional scientists use as we investigate our world in weekly science lessons: questioning,
collecting data, observing, researching, measuring, inferring, predicting, classifying,
experimenting, reading, writing, and communicating.
Second graders will begin the year in life science learning about habitats. Third graders will begin with
physical science and a study of matter. Fourth graders will begin with earth science and the rock cycle, and
fifth graders will study the human body (and a squid’s body) in life science.
If you would like to learn more about the KGH Science Program, please contact Rebecca Himschoot at
Please start thinking about the KGH Project Fair,
which will take place on March 12th this year!!
Science Saturday is scheduled for January 24th, and volunteers are
already being sought for the 4th grade BioBlitz on May 20th.
KGH’s Fall Fun Fundraiser
Nothing more easily raises classroom funds for Keet Gooshi Heen than a 'Magical
Holidays' gift and wrap catalog fundraiser. KGH students will again be selling products
for our school’s fall fundraiser. This year, we will be working with the Believe Kids
company.
A gift and wrap school fundraising catalog is a way to offer a wide number of top-
selling products in catalogs including jewelry, holiday items, gift wrap, gift bags, and
much more. Catalogs will be coming home at the end of September.
The products will arrive at the beginning of November. Your child will need to deliver the items within a few
days of receipt. This should allow adequate time to mail out items for holiday gifts, too.
The money collected from sales is spent in the classrooms. If your classroom sells $1000 of merchandise, that
class keeps $500 less the actual cost of shipping (3.4% last year). In prior years, classrooms have used the
money collected by students in their rooms for items such as special art and project supplies, field trips,
science classes, magazine subscriptions, bus transportation, swimming trips, etc.
Anyone with questions can contact Stephanie Peterson, or email her at [email protected]
Did You Know?
Children need to run, jump, and play, getting a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity every day for
proper growth, development, and good health. Parents have the most important role in assuring their children
lead an active and balanced lifestyle. Children learn by example: if you enjoy and participate regularly in
physical activity, so will your children. So set an example:
Participate in physical activities with your children, such as taking a walk, riding a bike, playing active
games.
Schedule times throughout the week for your family to be physically active together.
Limit time spent in sedentary activities such as watching television and playing computer games.
Buy toys and equipment that promote physical activity.
Emphasize the importance of having fun and learning; avoid a "push to win."
You can also be an advocate for quality physical education in your school system. Physical education is the
foundation for a physically active lifestyle.
Thanks and have a great school year!
Mr. Krupa
Page 8 Keet Gooshi Heen
ALSO: Box Tops and AC Lakeside receipts help your class earn a free bus trip and earn
money for the school. Turn them in to your teacher or the school office.
Bus Rules/Behavior Expectations
KGH staff and Prewitt’s bus company are working together to improve the bus-riding
experience for both students and drivers. Together, Prewitt’s and KGH staff will provide
students the opportunity to learn the bus rules and behavior expectations during the first week
of school in a clear, organized, age-appropriate manner.
We are asking families to help us with the following things:
Remind your children that the number one job of the bus driver is to deliver children to
school and home safely. To do this, bus riders must be respectful of the bus rules to
ensure safety.
Please discuss these rules/behavior expectations with your children.
Students are to follow all school/bus rules at the bus stop and on the bus.
At the bus stop, wait for the driver to signal you before moving toward the bus.
No throwing objects, eating, spitting, littering, or yelling.
Stay in your seat at all times.
Let the bus driver know if you are having a problem that you cannot solve
on your own.
Be respectful and helpful to the bus driver and other students.
The bus is an extension of their classroom. Students should behave on the
bus as they would in their classroom.
If your child is missing items, check both KGH and Prewitt’s Lost and Found.
Sitka Elks Lodge #1662
SOCCER SHOOT
Saturday, October 4th, 2014
At Blatchley Middle School Gym
This Community Event is Free!
All Boys and Girls ages 4-13 (determined by the age
of the contestant as of August 1, 2014)
Time age
10:30am 4-7
Noon 8-9
1pm 10-11
2pm 12-13
Registration/Event will take place at Blatchley
Middle School Gym. Please bring gym shoes!
2014 Fall Indoor Soccer
October 11 - December 13
Blatchley Middle School gym
9:00—10:00 am for 4-5 year olds
10:00—11:00 am for 6-7 year olds
11:00—Noon for 8-10 year olds
Noon—1:30 pm for middle-school age
1:30—3:00 pm for high-school age
$50.00 fall registration (if child was NOT enrolled in
the summer outdoor soccer program)
$30.00 fall registration (if child was enrolled in the
summer outdoor soccer program)
$20.00 for shin guards (are required
in the youth indoor soccer program)
Youth Flag Football
For Ages 6-12
At Krueger Field
Tuesday: Sept. 16-Saturday Oct. 18
Weekday Practice times: 6:00-7:00 pm
Saturday Game Times: 1:00-3:00pm
Fee: $65.00
Monday, September 15 Parents
Meeting @ Krueger Field 6:00
pm. Registration is open at
Community Schools.
The African Children’s Choir Community
Concert is September 14 at 6:30pm at the
Performing Arts Center. Some 5th graders
(last year’s Music Movers) will be
performing with the African Children’s
Choir.
Karate Classes
Sept. 17-Nov. 17
Beginners: age 6 to start $125.00
Advanced: Blue Belt and higher $150.00
Location: Baranof Gym
Monday and Wednesday Evenings
Beginners 5:45-6:30
Advanced 6:45-7:45
Page 9 Keet Gooshi Heen