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KNAPP eFRIDAY NEWSLETTER
December 23, 2010
Dear Knapp Families:
Winter break has arrived after much hard work and here we stand with over 60 days of school in the books. I’d like to take a moment to wish you and your family a safe and relaxing winter break. If you are celebrating the Christmas holiday like my family does, I hope you get everything you want from the big man in the red suit. As a school, we have done a lot of gift giving over the past few weeks and celebrated many holidays. Ms. Rubbo and her fellow elves, including staff and parents, have helped to provide gifts and Thanksgiving dinners to many families in need. Mrs. Forcine’s class, Mrs. Hamlet’s class and sixth graders went next door to St. Mary’s Manor to deliver some holiday cheer. As a building, we donated food and clothing to Manna on Main Street and to the American Legion. We have also built up our shared reading shelf with your help! Needless to say, we have done a great deal to help others this holiday season. Thank you to all who have done their part to contribute to the common good.
My hope is that aside from relaxing, playing games, spending time with family and friends and enjoying the snow fall coming this weekend J, that the students also spend some extra time reading, writing and practicing math facts over the next 10 days so we can hit the ground running on January 3rd when we return from break. If your child is in grades 3, 4 5 or 6, I am hoping they have the opportunity to earn at least two Study Island blue ribbons per day while on break but the more they achieve the greater the chance of winning an incentive when we return. So far since September, Knap Elementary School has achieved 2,816 blue ribbons in reading and math! 3rd grade – 928, 4th grade – 646, 5th grade -849 - sixth grade - 393.
Like I shared this morning in our annual holiday sing-a-along, students should use their first report card as an initial “ thermometer” and “springboard” for the rest of the school year to identify/direct our focus and efforts for the next semester. Let’s start working on raising those grades and proficiencies across the board on January 3rd when we return to school. If you missed KnappTV this week, here is a link to a special Winter Break Episode where academic tips and musical talents are in focus. http://knappwiki.wikispaces.com/KnappTV
On behalf of the entire Knapp E.S. staff, we wish you a fantastic winter break and we will see all of you next year. J
Joe Mazza, Principal
U P C O M I N G E V E N T SMon Jan 3, 2011 / All day / School Resumes
Fri Jan 7, 2011 / 6:30pm – 8pm / Family Fun Night- Offsite - North Penn Valley Boys & GIrls Club
/ 6:30pm – 8:30pm / Family Fun Night - Boys & Girls Club
Tue Jan 11, 2011 / 7pm – 8pm / Lip Sync Planning Committee Meeting
Thu Jan 13, 2011 / 6:30pm – 8:30pm / Math Night
Mon Jan 17, 2011 / All day / No School- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tue Jan 18, 2011 / All day / Teacher Inservice
Fri Jan 21, 2011 / / 7pm – 9pm / Special Picks for 4-5-6 (Gr. 4-6)
Mon Jan 24, 2011 / 7pm – 8pm / Home & School Mtg. - IMC
Thu Jan 27, 2011 / 4pm – 5:30pm / Lip Sync Student Practice - Knapp Gym
WHAT’s HAPPENING NEXT MONTH??
Our school is creating a program to get books into the hands of disadvantaged and low income children. The program is called Book Nook. We are looking for books and book shelves that could be used in three locations within our school. If you happen to have elementary aged books you no longer can use or a book shelf that you no longer need we would appreciate you donating it to us. Thanks!
Students are you home, need something to do?
Go on STUDY ISLAND and win incentives from December 20 through January 4th.
Some of the prizes will include homework passes, Flyers and Eagles memorabilia and more.
Have Fun!!! Earn Prizes!! Show off your skills!!
On January 4th Mr. Mazza will pull names from a hat of all the blue ribbon winning students.
Knapp C.A.R.E. TEAM UPDATE…………
December 2010
Dear Parents,
This letter is to update you on the progress of the Knapp Elementary C.A.R.E. (Collaborative Action for Research and Equity) Team. The Knapp C.A.R.E. Team was formed in the 2009-2010 school year to support efforts to close a significant achievement gap that exists in both reading and mathematics between African-American students and their peers.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the Knapp C.A.R.E. Team met monthly to read research on the achievement gap and to analyze North Penn School District and P.S.S.A. data on the student subgroups of Knapp Elementary School. A parent meeting was held in the fall of that year. Information was shared by Mr. Mazza, the C.A.R.E. Team, and the co-chairpersons of the S.W.A.A.G. (Student with Achievable and Aspiring Goals) Family Network. Several Knapp parents volunteered to become liaisons to assist the C.A.R.E. Team and to help communicate information to families. In the spring of that year, a half-day retreat was held at Knapp Elementary where relevant information was presented, ideas were shared, and plans were developed for the 2010-2011 school year. The 2010-2011 parent facilitators include Mrs. Tina Jackson, Mrs. Petra McCall, and Reverend Leon Miles.
In August of 2010, achievement and P.S.S.A. data from the school district was presented to the Data Team of Knapp Elementary. This information was shared with the rest of the 2010-2011 Knapp C.A.R.E. Team: Mrs. Brenda Bott, Mrs. Jane Mirsch, Miss Kelli Albertson, Mrs. Holly Berlanda, and Mr. Matt Slugg. Subsequently, the C.A.R.E. Team expanded its efforts to address the significant achievement gap for both African-American and Hispanic/Latino students.
A training session on Cultural Proficiency was held during the opening in-service for the Knapp Elementary staff. In September, a second session was presented by Dr. Barbara Moore Williams, a trainer for the North Penn School District Cultural Competency Cadre. During October and November, the C.A.R.E. Team met to finalize plans for a newly formed group of teacher advocates who will meet monthly with C.A.R.E. Team students who are not achieving the expected progress in reading and mathematics. The C.A.R.E. Team Advocates, or C.T.A.’s, will meet with students on a monthly basis to discuss their progress and communicate with their parents and teachers.
In December, the C.A.R.E. Team received word that a mini-grant was approved by the North Penn School District Foundation to take C.A.R.E. Team students on a spring field trip to the Philadelphia African-American Museum. Mr. Mazza and I also met with a representative from the United Way to make plans for community volunteers to tutor students in reading and mathematics beginning late January .
The Knapp C.A.R.E. Team also plans to host a dinner on Friday, February 18th in celebration of Black History Month. Please look for more details to follow in January. I am hopeful that this letter has provided useful information to our families. If you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns, please free to contact me at .
Sincerely,
Mrs. Georgette H. Burnham
Knapp C.A.R.E. Team Leader
Knapp Elementary School
Will Be Holding A FUNdRAISER Event At
The Best Place To Get Hot Stuff At Cool Prices And Raise Money For Our Organization!
fiVe BELOW carries stationery, school supplies, computer software, books, electronic accessories, sporting goods, games, t-shirts, jewelry, hobbies, collectibles, bath and body, candy, snacks and beverages, room décor, storage, seasonal items plus much more! And everything is priced at $5 or less!
sports. media. crafts. party. candy. room. style. now.
Our “Event” Will Be Held All Month!
Dates: December 1st– December 31st 2010
Times: Mon-Sat: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Sundays: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Where: Five Below located in Airport Square Shopping Center
23 Airport Square
North Wales, PA 19454
215-855-0461
And 10% of the total dollars spent by our
organization will be donated BACK
to Knapp Elementary School!
Please don’t forget to bring this flyer to the event so that we
get credit for your purchase!
At fiVe BELOW, Whatever You Got Will Buy A Lot!
Visit us at www.fivebelow.com
To be completed by a Five Below Associate
PRE TAX Purchase Amount:$______Date: ______
Register #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Associate Initials: ______
Mark Your Calendars for Knapp’s
FAMILY FUN NIGHT
Friday, January 7, 2011
6:30 – 8:30 pm
at the
North Penn Valley Boys & Girls Club
16 Susquehanna Avenue
Lansdale, PA
Get out of the cold and into some fun for the entire family!
Join us for a night full of games, activities, and prizes.
(Plus, all attendees will receive a FREE one-year membership!)
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
Questions? Please contact Kris Hubler at or (215)362-4718
STUDENT COLUMN
North Penn Sports
By Matt Stevenson
I bet you did not know much about the North Penn sports that all of North Penn has. The North Penn Knights football team won the PIAAAA District 1 Championship! In that game, the Knights watched a 14-6 halftime lead turn into a 27-6 loss, after LaSalle unleashed its explosive passing attack in the Third quarter.
Congratulations to their coach Dick Beck on his 100th win of his career as Head Coach here at North Penn! The North Penn Knights Boys Basketball team won their last 3 games and their next game is 12/23/10 at 7:00pm against Spring-Ford at the North Penn High School.
TESTS
By: Kathleen A. Stevenson
Are tests stressful for you? They are for me. I know that if they are stressful to me there are thing that I use to help me. One way that always helps me is to pay attention and listen during class. Doing this enables you to take good and thorough notes to study off of. When you’re done taking notes and you think you have enough what I do is study a little bit everyday to help me keep the notes I have written down in my brain/mind. The night before the test you should study right before you’re about to go to sleep that way it stays in your mind and when you wake up you might recall the notes. The last thing to do is try not to stress out. Doing that just makes it harder on you. The next time you take a test remember the following and the test might not seem so hard!
KNAPP HOME & SCHOOL
We are sponsoring a fundraiser that will surely tempt your taste buds!! Choose from pizza kits, strombolis, pies and much more!
DELIVERY JUST IN TIME FOR SUPER BOWL PARTIES!!
Family, friends, co-workers will love the products!
We do not recommend unsupervised door to door selling.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW…
Sale begins January 4th.
Orders and payment are due back on January 14th.
Delivery is set for Monday, January 31st.
Product pick-up times will be from 4 – 6:00 p.m.
Please total your order taker and transfer totals onto
the tally money envelope and return with your payment.
Keep brochures at home for your records.
Cash or Checks payable to Knapp Home & School.
SELL 3 ITEMS AND YOUR NAME WILL HAVE A
CHANCE TO WIN 2 MOVIE TICKETS!
PLEASE CONTACT, MARIA LOHAN WITH ANY QUESTIONS
!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT & PARTICIPATION!
REMINDER TO ALL 5th and 6th GRADE STUDENTS:
If you forgot to send in your Lip Sync form, song lyrics or permission slip this week, please return it right after break. And be sure you have your song burned to a CD before our first practice on Thursday, 1/27/11.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF ALL GRADES
We need the help of many Knapp parents in order to make this year’s Lip Sync show on 3/18/11 as successful as those in prior years. You don’t need to have a musical or theater background, or have any special knowledge. You don’t even need to have a student in the show this year! All you need is a willingness to help students, share ideas and have fun!
We will be having a planning committee meeting on Tues, 1/11/11 at 7:00 pm in the Knapp library. Please email Kelly Stevenson () if you would like to help out with the show in any way. Thanks!
Knapp Elementary School 215.368.2054 www.knappwiki.wikispaces.com