November 1-17 - Thanks-4-Giving Challenge for the Food Pantry (Elem. Campus)

November 2-6 - K-2 AND Waubesa Parent/Student/Teacher Conference week

November 2-6 - WIS Book Fair

November 2-6 - 3rd Grade Swim Week

November 3 - 5th Grade Barnes and Noble Field Trip

Mr. Wells and Ms. Meulemans Class / Leaving at 8:10am - Returning at 10:40am

November 5 - Early Childhood Fall Open House @ CEELC 6:00pm-6:45pm

November 5 - K-2 Related Arts Parent/Teacher Conference Night

November 5 - WIS Related Arts Parent/Teacher Conference Night

November 5 - 5th Grade Barnes and Noble Field Trip

Mrs. Frank and Ms. Bowens Class / Leaving at 8:10am - Returning at 10:40am

November 9-13 - 4th Grade Swim Week

November 16-20 - 5th Grade Swim Week

November 18 - 1st Grade IMAX Theatre Field Trip

November 23 - Bowls for Hunger @ HS, 5:00pm-7:00pm

November 24 - 5th Grade Orchestra Field Trip to the Overture Center

November 25 - WIS Jump Rope for Heart

November 25 - Mismatch Day - Elementary Campus

November 26-27 - NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Holiday

November 30 - NO SCHOOL: Staff Development Day

December 4 - Family Science Night Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm Located: WIS Gym / All families are welcome!

Please be sure the school office has up-to-date contact phone numbers, including emergency contact numbers. In case of an emergency, time is of the essence and having accurate numbers is vital.

When you enter your child's school, you must press the button to be buzzed into the office. The way the system works is that you have to push the buzzer and then we can push the unlock door button. We cannot push the unlock door button when we see you, you have to push the buzzer first. Thank you so much!

Did you know that you can now sign up to receive the lunch menu via email and download a FREE app for your phone? Click on the links below for your child's campus to view the lunch menu, sign up for emails and download your FREE app.

The 2015-2016 “Buzz Book” is now available through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. To access, log into Infinite Campus and click on the “Buzz Book” link. Printed copies of the book are available at the CEELC, MPS and WIS school offices for $5.00.

As we approach the rainy/snowy season, we are requesting that each student keep a spare set of clothes in their backpack. Please label all items and store them in a Ziploc bag. Clothing should include socks, underwear, pants and a T-shirt. Bathroom accidents and/or soiled clothing can occur through-out the school year. Having spare clothes at school will result in less classroom time missed and your child will feel more comfortable wearing his or her own clothes.

Please note that if you child does not have a spare set of clothes at school; you may be called to bring in clothing as the need occurs. McFarland Primary School makes the effort to keep some donated clothing available but the supply is limited in sizes and quantity. Clothing donations are always welcome at CEELC, MPS and WIS. Please contact Health Services with questions. Thanks.

CEELC Health Office: 838-4500 ext. 5613

MPS Health Office: 838-4500 ext. 4902

WIS Health Office: 838-4500 ext. 5454

Health Services will be screening all Kindergartners for vision difficulties in the next month. This is a simple, non invasive test using a wall chart. Students are asked to read off letters to us, and we record the results. We will contact families if the results show any variance from normal range. Students should be wearing glasses to school each day if they are prescribed them.

If for some reason, you wish your child not to be screened, inform your homeroom teacher of your request. Any further questions, contact the District nurse, at 838-4500, ext. 4902

As the weather turns colder over the next few weeks and months, please monitor your child’s outerwear before she/he leaves home in the morning to make sure he/she is dressed appropriately for outside recess. As a reminder, during cold weather months, children go outside for recess unless the combined temperature and wind-chill factor drops to below zero or colder.

And speaking of cold weather…you can help prepare your kindergarten child for winter recess by having him/her practice being more independent by putting on their outerwear in the following order:

1st Putting on snow pants.

2nd Putting on boots.

Then Putting on their coat and zipping it up.

Next Putting on mittens or gloves

Last Putting on their hat.

Principal: Sarah Boatman

For the latest information about our schools, including upcoming important dates, simply go into the district web page at http://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/ and link into the Elementary Campus site.

Email: BoatmaS@mcfsd.org
Website: http://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/schools/elementary/
Phone: 608-838-3115

Dear Families,

Our first quarter ends on 10/29. Staff on our campus will be working hard to score student work, examine data, prepare for conferences, and prepare lessons for the start of second quarter. Thank you teachers for your hard work and dedication!

Conference week is coming up on November 2nd! We are very excited to sit down with you and share your child's strengths along with areas we are helping them strengthen. We enjoy this conference time with you and look forward to building upon our partnership with you during this time.

Thank you for supporting your child with Reading Matters--our new reading program! It has been wonderful to see the students bringing their filled in calendars back to school in K, 1, 2.

Have a wonderful month of November! I hope it is time filled with family and friends!

Best,

Sarah Boatman

If your child requires a change in after-school arrangements, including transportation, the school can only comply with the change IF the school has received either written confirmation from a parent or guardian OR there has been telephone contact with the school requesting the change.

FOR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY….If your child typically rides the school bus after school and you change their after-school arrangement to have yourself or someone else pick up your child, remember to contact school ahead of time and notify the bus company. You may pick up your child from his/her teacher in the pick-up line outside.

To further support student safety across the Elementary Campus please note:

**The good news is that traffic in the parking loops continues to improve, the next most significant improvement will be made when parents insist that their child exit/enter their vehicle on the curb side of the parking loop only.

**The challenging news is that we continue to observe a few parents not escorting their child across the parking lot or not looking for oncoming traffic or traffic that may be backing up.

When it comes to safety in the parking loops, remember children are only 5-6-7 or 8 years old and oftentimes don’t possess the judgment nor understanding of what it takes to keep themselves safe at all times. It’s up to all of us as adults to advocate and support student safety when on the school grounds.

If you are unable to keep your parent/teacher conference appointment, please contact the school as soon as possible to inform your child’s teacher for a change in conference day/time.

And speaking of parent/teacher conferences, school practice requests that parent/teacher conferences are conducted once per family per semester. If your family is impacted by divorce or separation, it's important that all parties hear the same information at the same time to avoid confusion or to avoid placing the school in the middle of any potential conflict between parents. In those rare cases where former spouses absolutely cannot be together for a parent/teacher conference, we will honor those requests, but those requests should be rare.

We have received many questions since the beginning of the school year about the ordering of Spartan Star t-shirts. While we love our current Spartan Star t-shirts and hope that students, families and staff continue to wear them with pride, we are excited to also offer the option of a new t-shirt design!

This year, if you are interested in purchasing the new Spartan Star t-shirt, we will be using an online ordering system that will allow you to order and pay for the shirts at the following link

badger.Four51OrderCloud.com/spartanstar

The cost of the t-shirts will be $6.00 per shirt and ordering will be open until November 18th. No t-shirt orders will be accepted after November 18th. Adult sizes are available if parents are interested in ordering one for themselves!
The shirts will be distributed in mid-December, prior to Winter Break.
Please contact Lily Hlavacek, School Social Worker at 838-4610 if you have any questions or need financial assistance paying for a student t-shirt.

Thanks!
PBIS Team

The McFarland Food Pantry is conducting its annual Thanks4Giving Challenge November 1-17. Students and families who wish to support this challenge are requested to bring the following items depending on the grade in which your child(ren) is enrolled.

2015-2016

4K & Kindergarten

Stove Top Stuffing

First Grade

Canned Yams

Second Grade

Libby's "Easy/Complete" Pumpkin Pie Filling (spices included)

We appreciate all of your help volunteering for field trips and in the classroom.

We appreciate your support!

Principal: Sue Murphy

For the latest information about our schools, including upcoming important dates, simply go into the district web page at http://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/ and link into the WIS site.

Email: MurphyS@mcfsd.org
Website: http://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/schools/intermediate/
Phone: 608-838-7667

It’s hard to believe, but the first quarter will be ending October 29. On that day, your child will not have school as teachers will use the day to create lesson plans for their upcoming units, grade papers, projects and tests from the quarter, and plan for our parent, student, and teacher goal-setting conferences.

After your conference meeting, you can help us by keeping your son or daughter’s recently set goals in a prominent location at home. We will try to do the same here at school. Setting goals is an important skill, yet using those goals to guide our actions and decisions is even more critical.

The staff at Waubesa is pleased with the start of the school year and we look forward to continuing to work with you. Feel free to come in and visit the classroom or just stop by to talk.

Sue Murphy

Principal

Visit our Waubesa Word You Tube channel weekly to hear the latest school announcements! Your children watch these videos on Monday mornings.

7:47am First Bell / 7:55am Tardy Bell / 2:50pm Dismissal

Our school day begins at 7:47 am with a bell tone. A second tardy bell will sound at 7:55 am. Students arriving after this bell will be marked tardy that day. Please have your student(s) to school by 7:47am so they are able to be on time to their classroom.

Adult supervision is available on our playground starting at 7:30 am. If it is raining when they arrive, students may enter the building and either play in the gym or watch a video in the commons until the 7:47 bell rings.

Will your child be absent?

Please contact Arlene Bast at 838-7667 prior to 7:55 if your child will not be in attendance on any given day.

After School

Students should leave school grounds immediately after school, unless they are attending an after-school club, are working as a safety patrol member or are meeting with a teacher.

Thank you parents for sending healthy snacks for your student(s). Here are some healthy classroom snack ideas:

Grapes

Bananas

Berries

Apples

Oranges

Clementines

Pears

Yogurt

Pretzel chips

Cereal

Graham crackers

Animal crackers

Raisins/Craisins

Applesauce

String cheese

Carrots

Celery

Cucumbers

Cut peppers

Schools are most successful when they help children grow academically, socially, and emotionally. For this to happen it is imperative that we have a safe environment that is supportive and conducive to growth and learning. We know when good behavior and good teaching come together our students will excel in their learning. Our Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Program (PBIS) has the overall goal to maximize academic achievement by improving the school climate. Each school in the district has a slightly different theme to promote this behavior program, but all of the schools are working to create this positive learning environment.

At the Primary School, your child probably talked to you about what it takes to be a Spartan Star. At Waubesa, we build on the great things done at the primary building with our Waubesa POWER theme.

At Waubesa we have created developmentally appropriate school-wide behavioral expectations that were taught, modeled, practiced, and will be reinforced throughout the school year. These expectations were made clear to students throughout our classroom and non-classroom settings such as the cafeteria, outside, hallways, busses, and bathrooms. By detailing every expected behavior and teaching to students in a positive way, we will provide a common language for everyone in our building, including students, teachers, administration, and educational assistants. We will recognize the positive behaviors of students who do what is expected of them as well as supporting students who need extra assistance to reach our school-wide expectations.

We continue to be pleased with how so many of our children behave and treat each other with respect. It is vital in making our school a great learning community.

Throughout the year, our students and staff will be working to support the McFarland Food Pantry as an all school service project. At various times, classes may be collecting food items. and raising funds. Some classes may even visit the food pantry to help with the distribution of food and to learn how the pantry operates. In your visits to Waubesa, you may have noticed our Waubesa Power display across from the front office. You are welcome to contribute to the cause by using the collection site.

At Waubesa School we will be hosting conferences in November. Our actual conference week is Nov. 2-6. On the evening of November 5, all staff members will be present for conferences, including the related arts teachers, from 3:30 – 7:30. Many classroom teachers will also schedule individual conferences the week before and/or the week after this time.

Conferences at Waubesa are goal setting conferences, so we like to have the parent(s) and students attend in order to plan the goals for the rest of the year.

If you are unable to keep your conference appointment, please contact the school as soon as possible to inform your child’s teacher for a change in conference time/date.

Waubesa Intermediate School has raised over $180,000 for research and life-saving & educational community service programs! WIS is a three-time #1 money raising school for the state of Wisconsin.

We are thrilled to share that WIS is once again supporting the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart Program! This annual event is integrated into our P.E. curriculum and held as close as possible to the Related Arts blocks.

19th Annual Ÿ WIS

Jump Rope

for Heart

Wednesday, November 25 @ WIS Gymnasium

4th Grade @ 9:00-10:30 | 5th Grade @ 10:40-12:10 | 3rd Grade @ 1:15-2:45

Please register online: www.heart.org/jump

Thank you to WIS Parents who volunteer for field trips and the classroom. We appreciate your support!

PTO Board Members

Stefanie Feralin - PTO President / mcfarlandptoprez@gmail.com

Brooke Ecker - PTO Secretary / mcfarlandptosec@gmail.com

Amy McCullough - PTO Treasurer / mcfarlandptotreasurer@gmail.com

Jeff Schraml - Past PTO President / jschraml@c21affiliated.com

Carrie Templeton - Member-at-large / carrietempleton@charter.net

Debbie Hodge - Member-at-large / debbiehodge72@gmail.com

Liz Vosberg - Member-at-large / vosberg@frontier.com

Sheila Blum - Member-at-large / sheilablum13@gmail.com

Email: mcfarlandptoprez@gmail.com
Website: www.mcfarlandpto.com

Happy Fall from the PTO!

We have been very busy with Cash for Trash, Family Movie Night, and now our Annual "No Hassle" Fundraiser is rolling out next week. Be sure to watch for the infinite campus email to learn how you can support our fabulous McFarland schools!

Jeff Mahoney, Director of Business and Technology Services, will be joining us at our January 19 PTO meeting to address the topic of Bus Transportation, specifically private pay. More information to follow!

If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, please feel free to email me anytime at mcfarlandptoprez@gmail.com .

Thank you,

Stefanie Feralin

PTO President

Every year the McFarland EC-8 PTO holds a No Hassle Fundraiser to raise money for our outstanding schools. We will be sending out a letter via Infinite Campus on Monday, November 2 that will go into detail on what this money has been spent on in the past and what our schools have on their wish list for the future.

We won't ask you to sell anything, just click on a link, or write a check and donate whatever amount that works for you!

Please click on the image below to enlarge. If you have any questions feel free to email

mcfarlandcashfortrash@gmail.com or contact Carrie Templeton.

A BIG,GIANT, HUGE THANK YOU to all of our amazing McFarland families who came out to the 2nd Annual EC-8 PTO Fall Family Movie Night! We raised $430 + dollars that will be going directly back into our awesome schools.

Without your time we could not do this, and it is appreciated by all!

The following flyers are NOT all school-sponsored activities and the McFarland School District does not provide support or endorsement of the program/flyer. It has neither reviewed nor approved the program, personnel, or activities announced in the brochure/flyer. Permission to distribute this material must not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the School District.

Saturday, November 14, 2015, from 10 am - 3pm, ED Locke Public Library