2091 North Winn Road
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48858
989.644.3970
OCTOBER NEWS
October 4, 2011
Art Reach Picture Program Judy Aney, Katrien De Vos, Jane Finnerty, Josette Lorenz, Kara Lynch, Sarah Kunik, Amy Steffke, and Steve Steffke have volunteered to be docents for our school. They will be in once a month explaining a different work of art to the children. We are still in need for a volunteer for Grade 2.
Campbell Soup Labels and Box Tops for Education Don’t forget to save those labels and box tops! Contest details coming soon.
Camp The Fifth and Sixth Graders had three fantastic days at camp. They spent time with friends, playing survival games, hiking, rock wall and rope course climbing, and many other activities made this a great experience for all.
Child Protection Program The Diocese of Saginaw mandates that all schools implement a personal safety program. Child Lures: Creating Safe Environments for Children and Youth or the Michigan Model will be used during the month of October to improve self-reliance, raise self esteem and help students master personal safety skills – all while reassuring them that most people are kind, safe and committed to their well-being. Students learn to identify specific lures used in crimes against youngsters and how to employ proven prevention strategies. The program also teaches Internet Safety, Drug Resistance, and School Violence Prevention.
Dictionaries Third Graders in Mrs. Sprague’s classroom received dictionaries from the Kiwanis Club of Mt.Pleasant. They asked the students to look up the work VOLUNTEER, a very important word to the Kiwanis Club and for St. Joseph the Worker.
AS A COMMUNITY GROUNDED IN FAITH,
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKERCATHOLICSCHOOL SEEKS TO INSPIRE ITS STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO LIVE ACCORDING TOTHE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Duties The Sixth Graders are assuming responsibilities in the lunchroom, safety patrol and care of the flag on a daily basis.
Fire Safety During the month of October the students will be practicing how to exit the school safely if a fire should happen.
Kindergarteners will learn all about fire and firemen, how to stay safe during a fire and practice STOP, DROP, and ROLL. Please talk to your child about your safety plan. Where are they to go in case of a fire?
Gift Certificates – SCRIP Why not exchange cash for equal amounts of value in SCRIP gift certificates? Each earns a cash donation to our school. Any questions? If you aren’t using SCRIP, plan NOW to begin using each week as well as for you’re “soon to do” Christmas shopping. Forget to place your bi-monthly order? Stop by the school office to purchase.
Halloween Students will be celebrating Halloween on Monday, October 31, 2011. Parties will begin at 1:30 PM. Students will bring costumes to change into before the parties. Please make sure it is something they will be comfortable wearing home on the bus. No play weapons. Plans for treats and activities will be arranged by teachers in contact with parents.
This is a fun season in which Kindergarteners will learn about family traditions and how to be safe. They will also learn about how pumpkins start as a seed to carving jack-o-lanterns, plus lots fun activities to go with this season.
Good Bye Thank you to Mrs. Linda Phillips for taking such good care of the Kindergarteners in Mrs. Zeneberg’s absence. Mrs. Zeneberg returned from maternity leave on Monday, October 3.
Library Do you know your child’s library day? Mark your calendar so that books are returned on time. Children will receive warnings, time outs, etc. for forgotten books. Lost or damaged books need to be replaced by parent.
TIME / GRADEMONDAY / 9:15-9:45 AM / 3
MONDAY / 10:35-11:05 AM / K
MONDAY / 12:45-1:15 PM / 6
MONDAY / 2:00-2:30 PM / 1
FRIDAY / 10:00-10:30 AM / 4
FRIDAY / 11:15-11:45 AM / 5
FRIDAY / 1:20-1:30 PM / 2
MANS Accreditation The Michigan Association of Non Public Schools will have a team of educators here October 20 & 21 to evaluate our program and make recommendations for growth and improvements.
Math Mrs. Zeneberg’s Kindergarten class has been learning about spatial words such as above, below, first, middle, and last. They are now working on the concept of more, fewer and “as many.” Their month goal is to practice counting the numbers 0 to 30.
First Graders are working on addition facts up to 10.
Second Graders in Mrs. Kampf’s classroom have been reviewing addition and subtraction facts. Students are using touch points as a strategy to help them be quicker and more accurate. Money will be the next unit of study.
Graphs! Mrs. Sprague’s Third Graders have learned how to interpret information on bar, pictograph, and line graphs. Remember to study your addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts!
Sixth Graders have been working on graphing, organizing data, and finding mean, median and mode in a set of data.
Music WOW! Miss Miller reports that everyone is having fun in music! She has been very impressed with how attentive students have been during class, as well as how dedicated students have been in working on their homework. Each grade has learned anywhere from six to ten songs to sing and/or dance to!
By the end of September, each student should have their own two-pocket folder with their name on it. This way, they can hold assignments, music, and papers as they start to work on the Advent program in October and November. Also, the Fourth and Fifth Graders will be starting recorders in October, and it is important that they keep their music safe in their folders as it travels back and forth to school.
Please remember to occasionally check the music portion on the school website ( for any important updates involving the music classroom. Also we have received over $100 thus far in donations for new instruments! If you or your business would like to donate to school music, a donation form is available online at our website. Thank you!
NationalSchool Lunch Week This will be celebrated October 10 – October 14, 2011. You may send a card of appreciation, purchased or homemade, for Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Trainor for the great job they do in the cafeteria during this week.
Phonics Kindergarten has begun working with the letters of the alphabet. They have been working with letter and sound recognition and learning how to write the capital and lower case forms of the letters. Please continue to practice the letter sounds and writing these letters at home.
Reading Much joy and real growth flows from daily reading! Children who see parents read are encouraged to read also. Grab a book or magazine to enjoy while setting a great example for your child/children.
Mrs. Lombard wants the First Graders to read some good books at home or from the library. Monday is their day to go to the library.
Second Graders in Mrs. Kampf’s classroom are working hard to become better readers. They will begin reading goals in October and taking AR (Accelerated Reader) comprehension tests for the books they have read. Thank you to Mrs. Block and Mrs. Bushong for being AR moms. They are a big help to the teacher and students when taking these tests.
Mrs. Schafer’s Sixth Graders have been reading the novel, Worth by A. LaFaye. It is a historical fiction set in the 1800’s. It is about the relationship between two boys – one is an orphan who is adopted by a family to do the farm work for the other boy, who is hurt in an accident.
Recycled Paper Do you have any reusable paper or stationary that we could use for our copy machine? This really helps keep the cost of paper to a minimum.
Recycling Program A thank you to all parents that have volunteered to haul our recycling for us. The response was great! The Second and Sixth Graders are taking care of collecting and sorting within the school twice a month. This is a great lesson in stewardship
Religion October is the month of the Rosary. Students will be learning the Mysteries and how to pray the rosary.
The Third Graders have been discussing the Holy Spirit and the importance of Baptism and Confirmation. They will concentrate on the rosary for the month of October. They made their annual large rosary and it is displayed the school hallway.
The Sixth Grade is focusing on the story of Abraham and Isaac to remind them of God’s sacrifice of his own son. They are also memorizing the Act of Contrition.
Report Cards Evaluations are intended to give some understanding and direction to the pursuit of learning. Our marking code fits with our philosophy, goals, and curriculum. Out grading scale is as follows:
Grades K through 2:
* Outstanding Progress - + Satisfactory Progress - Needs Improvement
Grades 3 through 6:
A 95 - 100%A- 93 - 94%B+ 91 - 92%
B 87 - 90%B- 85 - 86%C+ 83 - 84%
C 79 - 82%C- 77 - 78%D+ 75 - 76%
D 72 - 74%D- 70 - 71%E 69% and below
The *, + and for Christian Expectations, listed on the card, are important indicators of your child’s growth in studies and behavior.
School Committee The School Advisory Committee is a group of 7 to 12 members who work together to advise and assist in offering St. Joseph the Worker families the best in Catholic Education. Thank you to all who volunteered to be on the committee.
Members are: Jennifer Butkovich, Amy Faber, Jane Finnerty, Mary Fussman, Kerry Hauck, Marcia McCoy, Toni Moody, Cindy Powell, Addie Pritchard, Darcie Wilson, Denise Yuncker, Korin Weber, Father Patrick, and Mary Hauck.
Science First Graders in Mrs. Lombard’s classroom are studying weather. They are using thermometers to measure temperature on the Celsius scale like real scientists. They are also discussing the life cycles of animals.
Plants, Plants, Everywhere! Second Graders have been studying plants since the beginning of the year. They are investigating the needs for seeds and plants. They have planted seeds in a variety of different conditions. They have plants in the light and plants in the dark. The Second Graders should be true botanists when they get to the end of the unit.
Mrs. Sprague’s Third Graders are conducting experiments on light and sound. Next they will be exploring rocks and minerals. They are looking forward to a visit form Michael LeValley form the Isabella Soil Conservation District. He will be giving hands on presentation on rocks and minerals.
Mrs. Clark and the Fourth Graders have begun a unit called “The View from Earth.” Students have been recording the weather everyday including temperature, cloud cover, wind direction and speed along with precipitation.
Fifth Graders are learning abut Forces and Motion. They will learn the answers to the following questions: What forces can slow the motion of an object over a distance? What forces can increase the speed of the motion of an object over a distance?
The Sixth Graders are learning about ecosystems, food chains, and food webs in a unit entitled “Energy inan Ecosystem.” They have set up a land ecosystem in the classroom. It includes plants, chameleons, beetles, and millipedes. The students are excited about the chameleons and have named them Peggy and Pau. They may have to rename them though, through careful observations and some shop form the internet – they thing they have two males!
Seasons Kindergarteners will be learning about the season of fall and nocturnal animals. They will learn about the change from summer to fall: colder weather, how to dress properly for the season, harvest, and how animals are preparing for winter. They will also discuss the habits of nocturnal animals, such as bats, mice, owls, and more.
Apples and Trees – Kindergarteners will learn how different trees change with the seasons, what trees are used for, and what products they give us. They will learn about apple varieties and use their sense of taste to choose their favorites. Mrs. Zeneberg will then help them to make graphs to display what they have learned.
Social Studies Third Graders are enjoying their Meet Michigan Social Studies books. They are studying about the different symbols of the state, its Great Lakes, and facts about both peninsulas. Did you know that we have a state soil and a state fossil? Ask your Third Grader what they are!
Fourth Graders will be visiting the MichiganHistoricalMuseum and State Capitol in Lansing on Wednesday, October 12. To prepare for the trip they are beginning a unit on State Government.
Mrs. Bierschbach’s Fifth Graders have just completed their chapter on the Revolutionary War. They learned about the Battle of Saratoga, the Battle of Yorktown, and Bunker Hill. They learned about the Declaration of Independence and who became a loyalist and who became a patriot.
Mrs. Schafer’s Sixth Graders have begun a unit entitled the Geography and History of the United States andCanada. It is their first unit in their textbook dealing with Civilizations in the Western Hemisphere.
Supervision We appreciate your willingness and promptness in providing supervision of the 11:40 AM-12:30 PM playtime. Interested parents make a difference1
Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report The Safe Drinking Water Act 399 PA 1976, as amended, requires schools that are non-transient non-community water supplies to prepare and make available an annual water quality report. This is to notify you that a source water assessment has been completed and that a copy is available upon request. Please notify Mrs. Hauck if you wish to review it.
Recycling Schedule
October 14 - Gina Betake October 28 - Jen Butkovich
November 10 - Tesha CotterNovember 23 - Deb Faber
Calendar
October7FridayColor Day
Picture Day
5WednesdayAuction Committee, 7 PM
6ThursdayMass, 9 AM
10MondayFirst Reconciliation Class for Grade 2, 7 PM
12WednesdayGrade 4-Field Trip to Lansing
School Committee, 7 PM
13ThursdayMass, 9 AM
Crop Walk, 10:45 – 11:15 AM
14FridayBlue & White Color Day
Beal City Homecoming
20ThursdayMass, 9 AM
MANS Accreditation Team here
21FridayMANS Accreditation Team here
27ThursdayMass, 9 AM
30SundayBand Concert, 4 PM
31Monday Happy Halloween!
Parties begin 1:30 PM
November1TuesdayMass 8 AM-All Saints Day
4FridayColor Day
End of the 1st Quarter
Half Day with 11:25 AM Dismissal
10ThursdayParent-Teacher Conferences
Our website address is Check it out!
PLEASE READ, SIGN & RETURN ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011.
______We/I received the October Bulletin with Menus, Playground Schedule, Diocesan Catholic Schools Newsletter, and Home & School Connection
______I can be an Art Reach Docent for Grade 2.
______Please send me copy/copies of the St. Joseph the Worker
Auction Family Favorites Cookbook- Great gifts! $10 each. Enclosed $.
Please send me Pick-Up Passes. Please send me Medication Policy Forms.
Comments
Signature Date
Print Name
WELCOME BACK
September 6, 2011
Welcome Back! Hope you all had a nice, peaceful summer break!
STAFF Welcome to our staff members!
Mrs. Angela Zeneberg-Grade K Mrs. Carmen Bierschbach-Grade 5
Mrs. Cindy Lombard-Grade 1Mrs. Laurie Schafer -Grade 6/Art
Mrs. Deb Kampf-Grade 2Ms. Ashleigh Miller -Music
Mrs. Anne Sprague-Grade 3Mrs. Josette Lorenz-Para-Pro
Mrs. Jane Clark-Grade 4
Mrs. Sue Weber-LunchesMrs. Diane Wilson-Secretary
Mrs. Barb Trainor-LunchesMrs. Vicky Schafer-Bookkeeper
Mrs. Maggie Gross-CustodianMrs. Barb Schafer-Secretary/CRE
Mr. Don Pung -MaintenanceMrs. Mary Hauck-Principal
Mr. Dave Faber-MaintenanceFather Patrick Jankowiak-Pastor
ART REACH September begins the Art Reach Picture Program. Volunteers in Grades K through 6 are needed to come into the classrooms once a month and introduce a work of art. Students really enjoy this time learning about the different artists. Could you help? If you are interested, please indicate on the return sheet and details will be sent home with your child.
BAND Special Note to Parents of 6th Grade Students From Mr. Lowe:After a successful trial last year, we will continue to have Marshall Music conduct in-person fitting sessions. Based on aptitude and parental involvement in instrument fitting, our beginning band last year saw great strides in tonal development and technical facility (they sounded and played much better than other classes!). This has led to a great foundation for the development of your student and our program! Additionally, I have discovered that this is truly a return to our proud heritage of in-home visits when our program began nearly forty years ago. I am always available by contacting the High School Office (644-3966) for advice throughout the process. Marshall Music should begin fitting appointments during the week of September 12. Sixth Grade Band students will attend classes 4 days a week starting on September 12.
AS A COMMUNITY GROUNDED IN FAITH,
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKERCATHOLICSCHOOL SEEKS TO INSPIRE ITS STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
BIRTHDAY When bringing birthday treats, please try to send healthy/nutritious treats whenever possible.