TopeElementary School
(970) 254-7070
(970) 241-0687 FAX
Principal – Dr. Jeannie DunnPolly Bloom and Valerie Kiel
Assistant Principal - Rosa CulverSecretaries
Our mission is: To lead all students to reach their individual potential by rigorously pursuing and evaluating achievement of high academic and ethical standards in a disciplined, nurturing environment.
Si usted desea una explicacion en Espanol de este particulo, por favor, llame a la oficina: ELP/ESL en
254-5339.Estamos para servirles.
Our Vision
We at Tope Elementary believe that all children can learn in our safe and nurturing environment. Through parental support and teacher guidance, each child will be encouraged to attain her or his full potential in all areas. We as teachers, aided by parents and community, model respect and love of learning in order to influence and support each child’s growth and development.
May 2009
Dates to Remember
Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5Book Fair Preview in Library
Wednesday, May 6, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.Parent-Teacher Conferences/Book Fair
Thursday, May 7, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.Parent/Teacher Conf./Book Fair/NO SCHOOL
Friday, May 8NO SCHOOL/OFFICE CLOSED
Monday, May11 – Wednesday, May 135th Grade at Camp Red Cloud
Thursday, May 14 3rd Grade/Wehner Field Trip Hike, CO Monument
Friday, May 153rd Grade/Roque-McCary Hike, CO Monument
Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m.1st Grade Poetry Night
Tuesday, May 193rd Grade/White Field Trip Hike, CO Monument
Wednesday, May 20, 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.Swim Day at Lincoln Park Pool (1st – 5th Grades)
Thursday, May 21, 10:00 a.m.All School Awards Assembly/Last school day
Thursday, May 21Last Student Day of 2008-2009 School Year
Friday, May 22Last Teacher Day of 2008-2009 School Year
Friday, June 5 / Wednesday, July 29School office closes/ School office re-opens
Wednesday, August 19First student day 2009-2010 School Year
From the Principal
I wish all of our students and their families a safe and fun summer. Our students benefit every day from the helpful participation of our many parent and community volunteers. A special thanks to
our School Advisory Council and the members of our P.T.A. Executive Board who worked diligently to support and improve our school. Our P.T.A. assists our school in many ways, including Crossing Guards, our Artist-in-Residence, the computer lab instructor, and Family Fun Night.
We are so proud of our hard working students! Our teachers are excited to share information about student growth with parents during our Parent/Teacher Conferences in May. Our goal is 100% attendance. Parents, please help us accomplish this goal by scheduling a conference with your child’s teacher.
I encourage our students to continue reading over the summer break. Reading is the key to academic success! The Mesa County Library’sSummer Reading Program provides a fun and inexpensive way for families to enjoy reading. Students who spend time reading during the summer return to school continue to grow in their skills and knowledge. Enjoy your summer break! Dr. Jeannie Dunn
Enjoy a safe and happy summer!
Report Cards: The final report card of the school year will be mailed to your home. If you have moved recently and have not notified the school office of your new address, please call immediately with the new information – 254-7070. Also, our first parent newsletter of the 2009-2010 school year will be mailed to students’ home addresses. If your child will not be returning to Tope Elementary next fall, please call the school office.
Student Medications: If your child takes a prescribed medication at school, please stop by our office to pick it up by Thursday, May 21. As a precaution, medications will not be sent home with the child. Any medications left at school are routinely destroyed after school closes for the summer.
WEBSITE
Please take a look at the TOPE School Website online. We have added links to the breakfast and lunch menus, a link to the Box Tops website, and a link to print off your own copy of the Field Trip Permission Form in case you misplace your copy.
The Library/Computer pages have also been updated with new links to educational websites. There is a link on our own Technology Web Page with typing games the students can use at home!
Check out our Tope Technology webpage: Username: Computerclass Password: topetech
COME JOIN US …
ALL FORMER STAFF MEMBERS, STUDENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES!!!
Please join our retirement celebration for Judy Alexander, Colleen Fjeseth, Diane Lindauer, and Rob Washington. You are invited to join us on Friday, May 1st, at 4:30-6:30 pm as we honor our teachers. These teachers have touched so many lives in a million wonderful ways and we want you to join us in showing our appreciation.
Thank Yous!!
Pepsihas generously donated money for teacher appreciation, staff recognition, Peace Builders awards, student recognition, and school projects. We thank them for their support!
Office Depotsupports our school by donating 5% of your purchases to our school if you provide them with our school number -70017917. What an easy way to support Tope!
Targetwill also give us money when you use a Target credit card.
Recycled print cartridgesare also collected and we receive money for them.
Saving Boxtops and Campbellsoup labels will also help our school.
Using Albertson’sor City Marketcards will give cash back to our school.
TOPE FOOD SERVICES
The Food/Nutrition Services Department thanks you for your patronage this year! Watch your mailbox this summer for our newsletter and applications for
free/reduced school meals.
Counselor’s Corner
As you may have heard by now, I will be retiring at the end of this school year. It has been a tremendous opportunity for me to work at Tope Elementary for the last three years of my career. Tope has always been a very special place for my family. I attended Tope Elementary as a student in the 1960’s, my daughter attended Tope in the 1990’s, and my wife, Gail taught here for more than twenty-five years until she retired last year. Furthermore, our family lives less than one block from the school which has allowed me to walk to school on my days at Tope.
My only regret is that I will be leaving Tope before I accomplished all that I wanted to. I am certain, however, that Dr. Dunn will soon be choosing an enthusiastic new counselor for Tope who will most likely be continuing some of the programs already started here as well as implementing many new ideas.
It has been my profound pleasure getting to know the children, families, and staff of Tope Elementary. I would especially like to thank Dr. Dunn and all the staff at Tope for their support and assistance to me over the last three years.
Rob Washington, Tope Elementary Counselor
*Our apologies for the wrong number being published in Mr. Washington’s April article. The Catholic Outreach number was not correct and that program would rather people come down to their facility at 245 1st street instead of calling.
Peace Builders
Awards
“Peace Builders” gift certificates have been given to 4 more students since our April Tope Times: Gabriel Watson, Shelbey Kerrigan, Derrick Peterson, and Kolby Petty-Ostler. For the “Good Behavior “tickets, 26 students had lunch with the principal, and 10 students picked a prize from the office Prize Basket.
BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL, BE RESPONSIBLE
PBS NEWS: Did you know?
Tope just completed our district PBS evaluation. School district representatives randomly selected students and teachers to ask questions about school rules and expectations.
RESULTS? Our rules are visually posted and clear around the building. 100% of the teachers interviewed said they teach the rules often. Most of the students could name all 3 school rules. They also knew what behaviors result in getting reward tickets and other incentives. Great JOB Tope!!
Outstanding Educator Recognition:
Amy Bolton and Tracy Baron were honored at the School District #51 Outstanding Educators Reception on April 21st. Mrs. Bolton and Ms.Baron are both teaching 4th grade students at our school. Mrs. Bolton has served as a teacher for 27 years in our school district and has taught at our school for 18 years. Ms. Baron has taught for 28 years and has been a teacher at our school for 18 years. Congratulations for this well-deserved recognition!
Teachers as Learners
During our early release time on Wednesday afternoons, teachers meet to discuss the school district’s Reading Framework and researched-based instructional practices for reading. We have completed studies of two books: Reading Essentials, by Reggie Routman and Comprehension thru Conversation, The Power ofPurposeful Talk in the Reading Workshop, by Maria Nichols. We reviewed ways to measure students’ growth in reading skills using reading assessments, running records, and a reading continuum. Thanks to our Wednesday afternoon time, teachers can meet in cross-grade level teams for staff development and to plan instruction to meet the academic needs of our learners.
Girls on the Run Congratulations to the girls who have participated in Girls on the Run. This is a program to encourage girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. Thank you to our coaches: Alice McCary, Ruth Ness, Stacey Keever, Briana and Tamara Corsi,Kelsey Slausson,Julia Wojcik.
(S.A.C.)Tope School Advisory Council
Our last meeting of this school year is scheduled for May 11 at 4:15 in the school library. Agenda items include reviewing the results of the student and parent surveys completed earlier this year.
News from Charlotte:
Tope Health Assistant
BEES: Reduce the Risk of Being Stung
- Wear light-colored, smooth-finished clothing.
- Avoid perfumed soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. Don't wear cologne or perfume. Avoid bananas and banana-scented toiletries.
- Wear clean clothing and bathe daily. Sweat angers bees.
- Cover the body as much as possible with clothing.
- Avoid flowering plants.
- Check for new nests during the warmer hours of the day during July, August and September. Bees are very active then.
- Keep areas clean. Social wasps thrive in places where humans discard food, so clean up picnic tables, grills and other outdoor eating areas.
- If a single stinging insect is flying around, remain still or lie face down on the ground. The face is the most likely place for a bee or wasp to sting. Swinging or swatting at an insect may cause it to sting.
- If you are attacked by several stinging insects at the same time, run to get away from them. Bees release a chemical when they sting. This alerts other bees to the intruder. More bees often follow. If possible, get indoors when there are a few, if any, bees around you. Outdoors, a shaded area is better than an open area to get away from the insects.
- If a bee comes inside your vehicle, stop the car slowly, and open all the windows.
What to Do if a Person is Stung
- Have someone stay with the victim to be sure that they do not have an allergic reaction.
- Wash the site with soap and water.
- The stinger can be removed using a 4x4-inch gauze wiped over the area or by scraping a fingernail over the area. Never squeeze the stinger or use tweezers. It will cause more venom to go into the skin and injure the muscle.
- Apply ice to reduce the swelling.
- Do not scratch the sting. This will cause the site to swell and itch more, and increase the chance of infection.
Allergic Reactions to Bee Stings
Allergic reactions to bee stings can be deadly. People with known allergies to insects stings should always carry an insect sting allergy kit and wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace stating their allergy. See a physician about getting either of these.
There are several signs of an allergic reaction to bee stings. Look for swelling that moves to other parts of the body, especially the face or neck. Check for difficulty in breathing, wheezing, dizziness or a drop in blood pressure. Get the person immediate medical care if any of these signs are present. It is normal for the area that has been stung to hurt, have a hard swollen lump, get red and itch. There are kits available to reduce the pain of an insect sting. They are a valuable addition to a first aid kit.
PTA Monthly News/MAY
So much to say, so little space ...
- As our year comes to a close, it is fitting that I take this opportunity to thank our outgoing Board members, whomade gigantic stridesto
get our new playground equipment ordered and installed. Missy Carris, Stacey Keever, and Ann-Marie Neilson have spent the past two years putting in extra hours and effort to motivate our Tope community. Thank you, Missy, Stacey, and Ann-Marie. We are incredibly grateful for all that you have done to make Tope the school it is today!
- Family Fun Night was awesome! We owe the night’s success to our committee chairwoman, Jennifer Grove and her fabulous team of volunteers! A lot of hours and cakes and energy and delicious food made for a dynamite night. Thank you so much, Jennifer and all the members of the Family Fun Night Committee!
In addition to voting in a new board, we took a moment to recognize the many volunteers who make our school the best elementary school in Grand Junction! Thank you, Tope Volunteers! The Tope Community wouldn’t be the same without our volunteers and we are so grateful for the remarkable families that make up our school.
Toclose our final PTA meeting of the year, we invited national champion Scottish Highland Games athletes Ed Estes and Dave Stone to our Tope field to demonstrate several of the games. We watched them as they:
-- tossed and flipped an enormous log (called a Caber) for accuracy,
-- threw a weighted hammer for distance,
-- tossed a 16-pound hay bale (or sheaf) over the baseball backstop fence for height,
-- threw a weighted long hammer for distance, and
-- threw other heavy weights and stones.
But you must witness these games first-hand in order to do them any justice!! Tope’s strong community represented itself with Ms. Crawford, Ms. Agapito, and Ms. Grove successfully attempting many of the games and our own 5th grade teacher, Mr. Allerton, displayed quite a talent for the sheaf toss! Students were safe, respectful, and responsible as they listened to Ed and Dave, and then many of our students impressedus all with their strength! Tremendous job, Tope Eagles! Your stellar behavior represents Tope PRIDE and ensures special guests like Ed and Dave come back again.
Thank you again, Ed and Dave!
Have a safe and wonderful summer, friends!See you in August!
Lorri Knaus
589-4197 or