MERRY HALLOWEEN?!? C'mon Mother Nature, make up your mind!

I stated this at the beginning of the year, and I will state it again: The safety and security of our students is my top priority.

As the colder weather starts to roll in, I want all families to know that if they need assistance in providing needed boots, snow pants, coats, hats, gloves, or any other items for students to please contact me.

We have an AMAZING community here in #SteamerNation -- I have already had some families reach out to me and say, "If you have families who need help with providing winter clothes for students, give me a call." We also have other resources to help provide these items for students. If you would like to make a donation, whether it is these items directly or a monetary donation, please contact us to let us know.

If your family is in need of any of these items, please contact me directly at 815-589-2911 or at jhoese@riverbendschools.net -- the entire process is kept 100% confidential and is discrete. Please don't hesitate to reach out.

JAGH

No running or horseplay in the hallways. Thank you for your cooperation.

Communication skills are an important part of children’s development. Teaching effective communication skills to children may help them to express themselves clearly and convey their feelings in a better manner. Children who are too passive are at a higher risk of being picked on. Students who are too aggressive in their interactions have fewer friends. Encourage your child to communicate their feelings to you. Acknowledge their feelings and try to see the situation through their eyes.

Our janitor, Arnie, returned this week from being ill for a month and a half. Arnie has been here 35+ plus years and the kids couldn't wait for his return! We give a HUGE THANK YOU to Stephanie Eversole, who stepped in during Arnie's absence!

A huge THANK YOU to art teacher Mr. Sitzmore for spending part of his Sunday afternoon to make our school better! He repainted the previously spray painted end-of-day lineup lines to make them look amazing! If you recall, he had also painted the start-of-day lineup lines earlier in the year! Thanks for continuing to personify the #WEDOTHEWORK mantra, Mr. Sitzmore!

Carsyn Brewer, Wesley Davis, Karsyn Eversole, Rilyn Gooch, Rylan Hartman, Joshua Moore, Lillian Petersen, Alexus Phillips, Jordan, Price, August, Richter, Alyssa Temple

Alexander Aude, Ella Barsema, Owen Clouse, Layton Coffey, Bentley DeShane, Raegan Edwards, Logan Folk, Tiahna Garrett, Xaiden Girt, Skylar Harris, Bethany Huizenga, Paisley Kramer, Autumn Libro, Jaron Lutz, Liliana Meumann, Drew Ohrt, Brailynn Rathburn, Mason Richter, Elizabeth Rieck, Ethan Tucker, Charles Varner, Levi Warren, Kase Wilkins

Austin Betts, Andrew Betts, Avaya Burggraaf, Luke Bush, Ainsley Champion, Hadley Champion, Drake Dauen, Gracey Eads, Ava Echebarria, Caiden Estrada, TaLeah Garrett, Zander Halverson, Mavrick Hamstra, Madison Hook, Lucas Huisenga, Noah Kershner, Ella Seesser, Mason Shepherd, Lauren Smither, Briar Spooner, Fil Eana Tulang, Madison VanDellen, Regen Wherry, Lucy Wiersema,

Noah Archer, Ian Bush, Quinton Chrisman, Aubrey Clark, Wyatt Connor, Noah DeShane, Marik Eads, Chase Glazier, Henry Hall, Lincoln Hamstra, Mason Hayton, Jaxson Heald, Devonny Hubbard, Anya Libro, Kemper Miller, Anthony Miller, Clarabelle Paisley, Tristan Pettit, Anna Richter, Madyson Thompson, Ethan Tobeck, Ryleigh VanZuiden, Paisley VanZuiden, Jaci Voss, Liam Warren

Noah Anton, Kiah Baker, Teague Bray, Brianne Brennan, Addison Christiansen, Wrenn Coffey, Jeremiah Crooks, Coltin Hartman, Sara Hodge, Jack Holmbo, Addison Horton, Quentin Huizenga, Victor Jackson, Jameson Kingery, Nora Kingery, Kathryne McGovern, Ashlee Meinema, Talon Meyers, Mason Ottens, Jacob Overkamp, Daisy Peter, Nella Richter, Kathleen Robbins, Easton Spooner, Natalie Stanley, Blayde Stewart, Carter Stoecker, Katelyn Temple, Breleigh Hayton, Keaton Thyne, Tucker Tiesman

Natalie Anton, Addisen Barsema, Mason Bray, Liam Brubaker, Averi Bush, Kaden Chrisman, Matthew Connor, Trenton Dykstra, Kara Griffy, Haylee Hamstra, Benjamin Huisenga, Makenna Kampe, Cammie Lubinski, Jonah Lutz, Harper Miller, Ashton Morhardt, Jamisyn Mull, Tate Norman, Maxwell Owen, Chloe Peter, Jasen Siglar, Seth Snyder, Alexis Topham, Owen VanZuiden

On Friday, October 25, the first ever Lil Steamer News! We have now run an entire week of live streams! We received our equipment on Tuesday, October 29 and were up and running by the next day! Mr. Hoese had some fun with our Halloween edition of the announcements along with Ashton Nielsen in the first video below. Evan Folk filled in for Ashton in the second video for our Friday announcements.

On Thursday, October 31, Grades K-2 brought their Halloween costumes to school and were able to change into them to participate in a Halloween parade. The parade is usually outside and the students walk around the sidewalk while grades 3-5, along with parents, watch from the side. However, in light of the snow we received on the 31st, the parade was moved indoors and parents and students lined the halls to see the costumes before returning to their own classrooms for a Halloween party! Mr. Hoese decided it would be a good idea to use our new equipment to live stream the parade!

Kindergarten students in KA had a special visitor in class Friday afternoon. Miss Dornbush’s niece, Elizabeth, came and had lunch with us. After recess, she helped us make Oobleck! We all had fun!

First Graders enjoyed a day in the bat cave! After a full week learning about bats, the first graders stepped into the bat cave for science, math, and art activities all about bats.

First graders celebrated the 50th day of school in rockin' style! The danced, bowled, and enjoyed root beer floats. They worked on 50th day math stations and crafts.

Students from FHS came down to FES to volunteer their time with 2C by doing a craft, reading to each other and playing outside.

3rd Graders enjoyed dressing up and playing games at their Halloween parties!

The 4th grade team coordinated their Halloween costumes to a farm theme this year!

Does your child get a spelling list but you are not sure how to help them study them? Here are a few hints on how they could study.

1. Look, Cover, Write, Check: Have your child look at the word then cover it. Next have them write the word down on a white board or piece of paper. Then have them check them, as then they see their own mistakes to learn from.

2. Shaving Cream Writing: (This also cleans a surface for you too.) Pour/spray shaving cream on a table or counter.{This also works in a gallon plastic baggy, for less mess.} Then present the word out loud to your child to write into the shaving cream.

3. Exercise Spelling: Have your child spell out the letters with their fingers to make the letters or their body. This gets them moving and spelling.

4. Letter Unscramble: Have the child type out their list on the computer and enlarge the print. Then print the words and cut them apart. The child can then use the letters to arrange the letters to spell each word.

5. Rainbow Write: Have your child use crayons or colored pencil to write each word from red to orange to yellow to green to blue to purple.

6. Pyramid Writing: Have the child write the first letter of the word on the first line. Then add one letter after on each line until the whole word is written.

Word Part Hunt: Have them find smaller words within the word to help them remember like “out” is in shout.

Jackie the Bearded Dragon is recovering after his tail amputation. We are glad he is feeling better!

This Saturday, Nov. 2, thirteen students from FES and RBMS will travel to Rochelle, IL to attend the Elementary General Music Festival put on by the Illinois Music Education Association. They will participate in different performance groups based on their interests. We will have students in the Choir, Folk Dance, Recorder, Orff (mallet instruments), and World Drumming groups. This is an amazing opportunity that is offered every November. Students in grades 4th-6th are eligible.

We are looking for Veterans who would be willing to come into the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes on Friday, November 8 beginning at approximately 12:30pm. We are hoping to find Veterans who would speak about the branch of the military that they have served or are serving in, how long they have served or are currently serving, and a memory or story that they would like to share. This time can also include an opportunity for the students to ask questions. We are hoping to give our Veterans an opportunity to speak about their experiences in a smaller setting. Each Veteran would be assigned to a grade level (3, 4, or 5) and would spend about 15 minutes in each homeroom section for that grade. Each Veteran would speak to approximately 20-27 students at a time. Following this time devoted to hearing from our Veterans, the entire school will participate in a tribute to the Veterans and their service to our country.

A note for people to sign up was sent home with the youngest in each family at the elementary school. If you did not receive this, and you are or have someone interested in participating, please contact the school.

If you have any questions, you can contact Mrs. Alexander, Mrs. Marten, Mrs. Strehlow, or Mr. Hoese at (815)589-2911.

Home of the Lil Steamers!

Email: jhoese@riverbendschools.net
Website: riverbendschools.org/fes
Location: 1301 7th Avenue, Fulton, IL, USA
Phone: (815)589-2911
Twitter: @FultonSteamers