WKE Weekly Newsletter - December 6 2006

Weekly Newsletter - December 6 2006
IMPORTANT DATES… Dec 12 – PTO meeting, 3:15 pm Dec 12 – Philharmonic Concert, 9 & 10 am Dec 13 – K-5 Dental Screening Dec 22 – Student Recognition Assemblies Dec 25-Jan 1 – Holiday Break, NO SCHOOL 4TH GRADE NAEP TESTING… Our school has been selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. NAEP is given in all 50 states including the District of Columbia to 4th and 8th graders. This year NAEP is conducting three assessments in our state and across the nation: reading, mathematics, and writing (8th grade only). Each 4th grade child will be taking only one of these tests. The NAEP assessment will take place on February 8, 2007 and will take approximately 1 ½ hours to administer. Our 4th grade students will be assessed in reading or mathematics. All responses are confidential and no results will be reported to or about individual students or schools. This means that the names of students who take part in NAEP are not recorded on any of the assessment materials that leave the school and your child’s grades or progress in school will not be affected by participating. NAEP data and results are used in Rhode Island to make decisions regarding education. To help guide these decisions, NAEP asks students questions about their school experience, background, and what teachers teach in the classroom in addition to the subject matter questions. These questions do not address personal beliefs or attitudes. Students may omit any questions or part of the assessment that they do not wish to answer. If you do not wish to have your child participate in the assessment, please contact Nancy Nettik at WKES. All responses must be in writing and received by the school no later than December 15, 2006. We appreciate the participation of each child. Students who participate in NAEP are playing a critical part in painting a picture of what our state’s and country’s school children are learning. For more information about NAEP and for NAEP results, you can visit the RIDE website http://www.ridoe.net/assessment/NAEP/default.htm or The Nation’s Report card website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard. If you have questions, please contact Heather Heineke Agnew at 222-8493 or at Heather.Agnew@ride.ri.gov. A demonstration booklet and examples of test questions similar to those that will be asked on this year’s assessments are available both at the NAEP website and at the school office if you would like to see what the tests look like. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Celeste Ferguson or Nancy Nettik. SALT SURVEYS… Parent SALT surveys were sent home last Wednesday. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and return it to the school in the sealed envelope. Parents not wanting their child to participate in the SALT Survey should send in a note to that affect. Please do not include the note in the manila envelope that we sent home because we do not open them once they are returned to the school. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school at 360-1130. NEW LOOK FOR THE SCHOOL WEB PAGE… Take a minute to visit the West Kingston School website. Thanks to our web master, Dave Brown, the WK web page has a whole new look. PTO NEWS… Vendor Night Our vendor night was held on Friday, December 1st from 6-9 pm. It was a fun night to shop. We had a great line up of 26 vendors who had beautiful items for sale. The PTO also had a raffle of items donated by our vendors and some additional treats. Congratulations to all winners. Many thanks to our talented vendors. Watch for the date next year – you won’t want to miss it! Special thanks go out to Jenn Dunn and Alix Moffatt, our co-chairs, who did a fantastic job of attracting a wide variety of vendors for this great night. Their hard work resulted in a profit of over $1,000 for our PTO projects. Hawk Gear Thanks to all who ordered Hawk Gear. Delivery is expected in December. Items will be delivered to you via backpack express unless you requested alternative delivery. If you did request something special, you will be contacted via phone to arrange your delivery. Any questions, please contact Kathy Fogarty at 782-1919 or Deb Sprague at 792-9131. After-School Art Club The December Art Club meets today and next Wednesday, December 12th, from 3:05-4 pm. Prompt pickup is greatly appreciated by Mrs. Andrews. Special thanks to three parents for volunteering to help with the December classes! Registration forms for the January session will be sent home next week. Shopping/Gift Cards Our shopping card order has arrived. Pick up times will be this week: Thursday, December 7th, 3-6 pm Friday, December 8th, 3-6 pm Tuesday, December 12th, 3:15-4:15 pm at the PTO meeting Please remember that the person who wrote the check to pay for the cards must pick them up (with ID) on the distribution date. Thanks to so many for participating in this project. Please contact Trisha Angeli at 783-7889 or Patty Reardon at 789-5111 with any questions. PTO Meeting Our next PTO meeting will be next Tuesday, Dec. 12th, 3:15-4:15 pm in the library. Babysitting will be provided in the gym. A snack of pretzels and apple juice will be available. We’ll be showing The Polar Express and have a coloring station set up. Please join in. Cultural Arts The PTO will sponsor a cultural arts performance for all students on December 12th. The Whompers ensemble from the RI Philharmonic will present a lively and colorful educational program that illustrates the history and development of folk music in the United States and Europe. This performance is made possible by your donations to PTO fundraisers. Thank you!!! Stop by for the performances at 9 or 10 am if you would like to hear this wonderful music. Celebration Book Club The Celebration Book Club is an on-going book fundraiser for our school library. It is a great way to celebrate a special birthday, holiday or special achievement or event in your child’s life. Flyers were distributed via backpack. Be sure to send yours in if you would like to participate. JUGGLES & BRAINWAVES special shopping days Juggles and Brainwaves toy stores have set aside special shopping days for WKES. These stores will generously donate 20% of your total purchase $ to WKES PTO. The stores will remain open until 8 pm for your shopping convenience. Please be sure to mention West Kingston Elementary when you’re checking out. See flyers in today’s backpack. *Juggles Tues, Dec 12 9:30 am-8 pm* *Brainwaves Thurs, Dec 14 10 am-8 pm* Our sincerest thanks to both of these stores for providing this opportunity to our PTO. Spanish Classes Hola! Registration for our second session of Spanish classes will begin soon. This session will begin the second week in January. Look for registration forms in backpacks next week. Register early because the class is limited to 15 students and it filled up quickly for the last session. Gracias! CHARACTER ED… Those students who received the “Bee Respectful” award this past week are: Olivia P., Nicholas V., Thomas C., Oscar R., Sam K., Olivia S., Hunter T., Gabriel B., Owen T., Jason B., Kyle D., and Michele A. Thanks so much for your efforts to make West Kingston the best it can be. Keep up the good work! SCHOOL STORE… There’s new “stuff” at the School Store. It will be open Friday, Dec 8 (for grades 1 and 3), Friday, Dec. 15 (for grades 2 and 4) and Friday, Dec. 22 (for grades 1 and 3). The 5th graders can go every week because there is only one grade having lunch at their time – the other lunches have two grades at lunch. DRESSING FOR WEATHER… The temperatures are dropping and your children will be going outside for recesses, so please make sure that they are dressed appropriately. Only on extremely cold days will we keep the children indoors. AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES… Please be sure to send a note with your child if they will be staying for an after-school activity. Teachers need to know if students are to stay after school or ride the bus. We have many wonderful activities for students after school, however, this is making it difficult for teachers to keep track of where each child is to go each night. NOTES WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL!!
· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·

Weekly Newsletter - December 6 2006

IMPORTANT DATES…

Dec 12 – PTO meeting, 3:15 pm
Dec 12 – Philharmonic Concert, 9 & 10 am
Dec 13 – K-5 Dental Screening
Dec 22 – Student Recognition Assemblies
Dec 25-Jan 1 – Holiday Break, NO SCHOOL

4TH GRADE NAEP TESTING…
    Our school has been selected to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. NAEP is given in all 50 states including the District of Columbia to 4th and 8th graders. This year NAEP is conducting three assessments in our state and across the nation: reading, mathematics, and writing (8th grade only). Each 4th grade child will be taking only one of these tests.
    The NAEP assessment will take place on February 8, 2007 and will take approximately 1 ½ hours to administer. Our 4th grade students will be assessed in reading or mathematics. All responses are confidential and no results will be reported to or about individual students or schools. This means that the names of students who take part in NAEP are not recorded on any of the assessment materials that leave the school and your child’s grades or progress in school will not be affected by participating.
    NAEP data and results are used in Rhode Island to make decisions regarding education. To help guide these decisions, NAEP asks students questions about their school experience, background, and what teachers teach in the classroom in addition to the subject matter questions. These questions do not address personal beliefs or attitudes. Students may omit any questions or part of the assessment that they do not wish to answer. If you do not wish to have your child participate in the assessment, please contact Nancy Nettik at WKES. All responses must be in writing and received by the school no later than December 15, 2006.
    We appreciate the participation of each child. Students who participate in NAEP are playing a critical part in painting a picture of what our state’s and country’s school children are learning.
    For more information about NAEP and for NAEP results, you can visit the RIDE website http://www.ridoe.net/assessment/NAEP/default.htm or The Nation’s Report card website at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard. If you have questions, please contact Heather Heineke Agnew at 222-8493 or at Heather.Agnew@ride.ri.gov. A demonstration booklet and examples of test questions similar to those that will be asked on this year’s assessments are available both at the NAEP website and at the school office if you would like to see what the tests look like. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Celeste Ferguson or Nancy Nettik.

SALT SURVEYS…
Parent SALT surveys were sent home last Wednesday. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and return it to the school in the sealed envelope. Parents not wanting their child to participate in the SALT Survey should send in a note to that affect. Please do not include the note in the manila envelope that we sent home because we do not open them once they are returned to the school. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school at 360-1130.

NEW LOOK FOR THE SCHOOL WEB PAGE…
Take a minute to visit the West Kingston School website. Thanks to our web master, Dave Brown, the WK web page has a whole new look.

PTO NEWS…
Vendor Night
Our vendor night was held on Friday, December 1st from 6-9 pm. It was a fun night to shop. We had a great line up of 26 vendors who had beautiful items for sale. The PTO also had a raffle of items donated by our vendors and some additional treats. Congratulations to all winners. Many thanks to our talented vendors. Watch for the date next year – you won’t want to miss it!
Special thanks go out to Jenn Dunn and Alix Moffatt, our co-chairs, who did a fantastic job of attracting a wide variety of vendors for this great night. Their hard work resulted in a profit of over $1,000 for our PTO projects.

Hawk Gear
Thanks to all who ordered Hawk Gear. Delivery is expected in December. Items will be delivered to you via backpack express unless you requested alternative delivery. If you did request something special, you will be contacted via phone to arrange your delivery. Any questions, please contact Kathy Fogarty at 782-1919 or Deb Sprague at 792-9131.

After-School Art Club
The December Art Club meets today and next Wednesday, December 12th, from 3:05-4 pm. Prompt pickup is greatly appreciated by Mrs. Andrews. Special thanks to three parents for volunteering to help with the December classes! Registration forms for the January session will be sent home next week.

Shopping/Gift Cards
Our shopping card order has arrived. Pick up times will be this week:

Thursday, December 7th, 3-6 pm
Friday, December 8th, 3-6 pm
Tuesday, December 12th, 3:15-4:15 pm at the PTO meeting

Please remember that the person who wrote the check to pay for the cards must pick them up (with ID) on the distribution date. Thanks to so many for participating in this project. Please contact Trisha Angeli at 783-7889 or Patty Reardon at 789-5111 with any questions.

PTO Meeting
Our next PTO meeting will be next Tuesday, Dec. 12th, 3:15-4:15 pm in the library. Babysitting will be provided in the gym. A snack of pretzels and apple juice will be available. We’ll be showing The Polar Express and have a coloring station set up. Please join in.

Cultural Arts
The PTO will sponsor a cultural arts performance for all students on December 12th. The Whompers ensemble from the RI Philharmonic will present a lively and colorful educational program that illustrates the history and development of folk music in the United States and Europe. This performance is made possible by your donations to PTO fundraisers. Thank you!!! Stop by for the performances at 9 or 10 am if you would like to hear this wonderful music.

Celebration Book Club
The Celebration Book Club is an on-going book fundraiser for our school library. It is a great way to celebrate a special birthday, holiday or special achievement or event in your child’s life. Flyers were distributed via backpack. Be sure to send yours in if you would like to participate.

JUGGLES & BRAINWAVES special shopping days
Juggles and Brainwaves toy stores have set aside special shopping days for WKES. These stores will generously donate 20% of your total purchase $ to WKES PTO. The stores will remain open until 8 pm for your shopping convenience. Please be sure to mention West Kingston Elementary when you’re checking out. See flyers in today’s backpack.
Juggles Tues, Dec 12 9:30 am-8 pm
Brainwaves Thurs, Dec 14 10 am-8 pm
Our sincerest thanks to both of these stores for providing this opportunity to our PTO.

Spanish Classes
Hola! Registration for our second session of Spanish classes will begin soon. This session will begin the second week in January. Look for registration forms in backpacks next week. Register early because the class is limited to 15 students and it filled up quickly for the last session. Gracias!

CHARACTER ED…
Those students who received the “Bee Respectful” award this past week are: Olivia P., Nicholas V., Thomas C., Oscar R., Sam K., Olivia S., Hunter T., Gabriel B., Owen T., Jason B., Kyle D., and Michele A. Thanks so much for your efforts to make West Kingston the best it can be. Keep up the good work!

SCHOOL STORE…
There’s new “stuff” at the School Store. It will be open Friday, Dec 8 (for grades 1 and 3), Friday, Dec. 15 (for grades 2 and 4) and Friday, Dec. 22 (for grades 1 and 3). The 5th graders can go every week because there is only one grade having lunch at their time – the other lunches have two grades at lunch.

DRESSING FOR WEATHER…
The temperatures are dropping and your children will be going outside for recesses, so please make sure that they are dressed appropriately. Only on extremely cold days will we keep the children indoors.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES…
Please be sure to send a note with your child if they will be staying for an after-school activity. Teachers need to know if students are to stay after school or ride the bus.
We have many wonderful activities for students after school, however, this is making it difficult for teachers to keep track of where each child is to go each night.
NOTES WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL!!

· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·