ANDERSON ANGLE

Hello Anderson Families,

I hope everyone had a chance to relax and enjoy time with friends and family over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

In past years I have shared information regarding the Holidays and how to “survive” them or provided examples of games and new traditions. This year I would like to share some tips on gift-giving and receiving I recently came across on the National Association of Elementary School Principals website (Report to Parents).

When they’re the “giver.” One of the best ways to help children realize the significance of giving is to make sure they spend time finding and wrapping the gifts they give to others. Give them odd jobs to help them earn money to buy gifts. Help them get excited about choosing just the right gift for each person.

Give gifts that expand their interests. Among the best gifts for children are things that introduce them to new activities: origami, tie-dyeing, model planes or cars, scrapbooking, photography, cooking, or basic woodworking.

Look for presents that help them stay active. Most sports equipment help kids have fun and get exercise. Either give the child something you know he or she wants or needs (new glove), or introduce him or her to a brand new sport (tennis racket and balls).

One gift that is always in style and welcome is the gift of time. I hope each of you is fortunate to spend quality time with the ones you cherish most. From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

As always, the staff and I are available to discuss questions or concerns you have about your child’s education. Thank you for being a partner in education!

Sincerely,

Mel Hewitt, Principal

Please Follow Anderson Elementary on Twitter: @MelHewitt1, #AndersonJays

2:00 Dismissal Every Monday

Preschoolers have been busy this month learning about pets. They learned about how to take care of pets and about different pet breeds. Students had several experiences with real-life animals including a tortoise, a bearded dragon, a snail, a fish, a hedgehog, and rats. We also had Dr. Ashley Williams, a vet from Creature Comforts in Ankeny, visit our classrooms. She showed the students a variety of different x-rays and pictures of animals that she has worked with at the clinic.

For science experiments this month, students made pumpkin pancakes. They mixed their own ingredients and then cooked the pancakes on the griddle. They also experimented with building different kinds of ramps. These ramps are part of a STEM grant through UNI.

Another special event that took place this month was Muffins with Mom. Students had their mom, grandma, aunt, or family friend visit the classroom. These special visitors ate muffins, made bracelets and got to see firsthand what their child is learning at school.

This month the third graders at Anderson Elementary became authors. Students published a class book called “A ______ is What I Want to be.” Each student wrote one page in the book about what he or she would like to be when they get older. These future careers included inventor, teacher, dentist, doctor, blogger, soccer player, animal trainer, YouTuber, and much more! They also illustrated one page to go along with their writing. All the pages were put together to create one creative and inspiring class book. The students learned and applied the writing process of brainstorming ideas, writing the first draft, editing, revising, and publishing. The book was sent off to a publishing company, and the final copies will arrive before winter break. Students did a wonderful job this month at participating in a memorable third-grade tradition of creating a Student Treasure book!

The fourth-grade classes presented the music program, A Salute to the Movies, on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Because of the number of students in fourth grade, students performed two different programs. Students in Mrs. Van Woerkom, Miss Tyler’s, and Miss Spears classes performed their program first. This was followed by the program presentation from those in Mrs. Cornia’s, Mrs. Swearngin, Miss Bruhn’s, and Mrs. McDonald’s classes.

The program consisted of songs taken from movies, such as “What a Wonderful World” from Toy Story, “Try Everything” from Zootopia, and “If I Didn’t Have You” from Monsters Inc. Students used “spidey jazz hands” in the song “The Amazing Spider-Man” from the movie Spider-Man. Students had solo speaking and singing parts throughout the program. They ended the program with a “surprise” performance in which students moved their arms around with glow sticks on their wrists in the dark.

Mrs. Sallyanne Preston was the conductor of the program. Students practiced the songs for about two months before the show. There were many parents, relatives, and friends who attended the performances. Thank you to all who helped, participated, and performed to make this night a wonderful experience!

Mrs. Sallyanne Preston was the conductor of the program. Students practiced the songs for about two months prior to the show. There were many parents, relatives, and friends who attended the performances. Thank you to all who helped, participated, and performed to make this night a wonderful experience!

Fifth graders started D.A.R.E this month. During the ten-week program, students will be encouraged to lead safe, responsible, and drug-free lives. Some of the topics covered will include, how to exercise self-control, particularly when under stress and pressure, and identify the risks and consequences of their choices. They will also be taught how to make safe and responsible decisions using the D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model.

The D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model is essential because it teaches students how to think clearly and critically about the choices they face and, perhaps more importantly, plan for the ones they may encounter in the future.

Along with learning the D.A.R.E Decision-Making Model, students will also learn to communicate confidently and efficiently. The skills introduced will be taught through stories, videos, role play situations, and journaling to give students the opportunity to practice. At the conclusion of the 10-week program, students will receive a D.A.R.E t-shirt and complete a final essay detailing what they have learned in D.A.R.E and how it will help them in their lives.

As we enter into the winter months here in Iowa, please remember to dress your children appropriately and safely for school each day. As a rule of thumb here at Anderson Elementary, we keep the students inside for recess if the temperature is 5 degrees or lower (actual temperature or wind chill). With that in mind, please remind your child to wear the appropriate winter clothing; hats, gloves or mittens, warm coat, and when there is snow on the ground, boots and snow pants.

It is a great idea to label all of your winter gear with your child’s name so that it is easily identifiable if it goes missing. And on those days when there is snow on the ground, and your child wears their boots to and from school, don’t forget to pack an extra pair of shoes that they may wear while they are at school.

Thank you in advance for helping our students stay warm and safe!

We’ve been busy in the library! We have learned about many free resources offered through Heartland AEA, such as EBooks, audiobooks, educational games and videos, encyclopedia and atlas resources, and much more! All of these resources are accessible at school or home, at any time. In 3rd and 4th grade, we have been discussing internet safety and etiquette, including cyberbullying, keeping our private information private, and only interacting online with people we know. In 5th grade, we have been learning about copyright law, plagiarism and citing sources, as we prepare to make book trailers about the Iowa Children’s Choice books we’ve been reading! In the near future, we will be working on coding, readers’ theater, and learning about reference materials.

Thanks to our wonderfully supportive PTO who provided the funds, we recently welcomed author Buck Wilder! He spoke to us about being resourceful when he made a cup out of paper, and he helped us remember the most important part of a pencil is an eraser—everyone makes mistakes. Buck also assured us that he wasn’t the smartest in his class, nor was he the best writer or artist, but he’s a published author because he tried his best and didn’t give up!

In other fun news, we LOVE reading in the new beanbags in the library, provided to us through a Lohse grant. We appreciate them very much!

The school counselors at BFCSD are here to serve all of our families. Please do not hesitate to contact me at miltenbergerl@bfschools.org for additional resources or referral information. You can also find a list of outside agencies that provide counseling on the School Counselor section of the Bondurant-Farrar website; https://www.bfschools.org/Page/729

Life can be difficult at times, and we all go through struggles at one time or another. I remember times in my childhood when, due to different circumstances we had difficulty making ends meet, especially during the holidays. That being said, please don't hesitate to let me know if you feel you may need some assistance this year. You can contact Mrs. Wiley or me by December 4th, and we will connect you with some organizations that may provide that support. You can call us here at school at 967-7494 or e-mail one of us.

Once again, we are excited to partner with the Food Bank of Iowa to provide nutritious weekend snacks to low-income families with elementary aged students. If you are in need or know of a family who may benefit from this program, please call Mrs. Bonita Wiley at 515-967-7494 or email her at wileyb@bfschools.org. For more information regarding The BackPack Program, please click here.

The Bondurant-Farrar WatchDOGs program is a parent involvement program that invites parent-figures into the school to help increase security and reduce bullying. Moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are encouraged to spend a half- or full-day at their child’s school. During that day, you’ll have the opportunity to be in your child’s classroom, eat lunch with him or her, help in other classrooms, monitor hallways, and/or assist teachers and administrators with every-day projects – all of which enhance the overall education experience of our children. To find out more, or to sign-up to be a WatchDOG, email watchdogsbondurant@gmail.com.

There is now a Bonus Box Tops app to help us earn even more to buy new library books! When you download the app, it will show you products you can earn bonus points for. When you scan your receipt, you'll earn the bonuses! Our school's Box Tops account is listed under Anderson Elementary because the account existed before Morris did, but the money earned is split equally between Anderson and Morris Libraries.

Buy your tickets now through Mardi Gras (Feb. 13, 2018) for a discounted price at Party of Blue Jays. Stay tuned for more information regarding the upcoming event!

Email: hewittm@bfschools.org
Website: http://www.bfschools.org
Location: 400 Garfield Street Southwest, Bondurant, IA, United States
Phone: 515-967-7494
Twitter: @MelHewitt1