Time to Kick off the Rockbrook Read-A-Thon

It’s that time of year, Bulldogs! Rockbrook Community Club invites you to participate in Rockbrook Reads, our annual Read-A-Thon fundraiser. Our goal is to read as much as we can in 10 days!

Read-a-Thon proceeds will support our Community Club’s programs & events including: student enrichment, staff appreciation, school spirit & family events. Between Monday, February 5th and Wednesday, February 14th, students will gather pledges and track their reading minutes on the attached log.

Students will return their pledges and reading logs to school on Thursday, February 15th. All participating students will receive a goodie bag and be entered into the prize drawing for free books!

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There's lots of ways to support the Westside Unified Program. Rockbrook students and families are welcome to sign up on the Westside Unified Team and join us to plunge. (Note: this event involves running into near freezing water, please consider carefully your child's readiness to do so.). If you'd prefer to support with a donation, you can contribute to the Westside Unified Team or to Dr. Higginbotham's page (funds also directed to Westside Unified.

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Valentine's Day!! ❤️

Rockbrook's Class Valentine's Parties will be Wednesday, February 14th from 2:00-2:45. Similar to Halloween, to make sure we have enough room for the fun activities planned in classrooms we ask that families only join the classroom parties if they are one of the signed up volunteer families. Students are welcome to bring a Valentines box or bag to collect their valentines. Students who choose to bring valentines to pass out are asked to bring one for every student in the class. As we are unable to send out class lists, we suggest students leave the to: line blank and sign the from line to ensure nobody is forgotten.

Need Help with Valentines:

Valentines need not be store-bought. Having your child make Valentines notes is a fun and meaningful way to show kindness to their friends. If your child would not be able to bring Valentines but would like to participate please contact Ms. Davis, our School Psychologist and Counselor and we are happy to help make sure all children can take part.

Food Safety

Please remember to follow the District Approved Snack List. Linked is the list of recommended treats for parties or birthdays. Thanks for helping to make Rockbrook a caring community for all of our students. While students will enjoy some treats in the room, most will be sent home for parent review.

We want to be respectful of any families that do not celebrate this or other holidays, or do not wish for their child(ren) to participate. If your family prefers students take part in a modified way or not take part at all we are happy to help with the following options.

Your child may stay in the classroom but choose at what level they participate in celebrating Valentine's Events
Your child may take part in an alternate fun (non-holiday) opportunity (games, snacks, etc) at the office.
For families that prefer, they are welcome to pick their child up before our parties which begins at 2:00 PM.
Please email Ms. Paula (baldozier.paula@westside66.net) if your child will be choosing one of these options.

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What Is Leap Year?

It takes approximately 365.25 days for Earth to orbit the Sun — a solar year. We usually round the days in a calendar year to 365. To make up for the missing partial day, we add one day to our calendar every four years.

Without leap day, our calendar would be off by about 24 days every century, or every 100 years! The first leap year was introduced in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar of Rome. People born on a Leap Day are sometimes called leaplings. More than 4 million people around the world are leaplings.

A fun activity would be to write a Leap Day letter to your future self. Write about your hopes for the future or include some motivational advice for yourself. Have someone hold onto the letter and give back to you on the next Leap Year.

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KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2024-25

Kindergarten enrollment for District residents for the 2024-25 school year begins approximately late February 2024. Please check our website at westside66.org to start your enrollment online.

Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2024. Parents may wait to enroll their child(ren) in kindergarten for an additional year. However, Nebraska law requires that child(ren) who reach the age of six prior to Jan 1st of the then current school year must be enrolled in school.

For questions about enrollment, please contact the Westside Welcome Center at 402-390-2100 or enrollment@westside66.net

KINDERGARTEN OPTION ENROLLMENT

If you live outside of the Westside district and have a child eligible for kindergarten in 2024-25 who has

a sibling attending our schools through the Option Enrollment program, you must submit an option application for your kindergartener. The deadline to apply for Option Enrollment is 4:00 pm on

March 15th.

In addition to kindergarten, you can apply for any other grade level by the same deadline, 4:00 pm on March 15th.

Option Enrollment forms can be completed using this link:

https://forms.gle/FvsmAEBqRpcePEKg9

Questions about Option Enrollment, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

IN-DISTRICT TRANSFERS FOR 2024-2025

Are you a District resident and would like your K-6 grade child(ren) to attend an elementary school in Westside other than the area where you live? The deadline to submit an In-District Transfer request for the upcoming school year is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

An In-District Transfer request form must also be completed for any child starting kindergarten next year who has a sibling attending an elementary school outside of their home attendance area.. The deadline to submit this request is also 4:00 pm on March 15th.

In district transfer forms can be completed using this link: https://forms.gle/EHgruZWb9MH1UBtH8

Questions about In-District Transfers, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

EARLY ADMISSION FOR KINDERGARTEN

Children of District residents who wish to be tested for early entrance to kindergarten must turn 5 years old between August 1 and October 15, 2024.

For further information regarding early entrance testing, please contact Early Admissions at 402-390-2142.

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Class Placement 2024-2025

We are fortunate at Rockbrook to have a high-quality, caring, and dedicated staff of educators who strive to meet the needs of every child. Our teams of teachers are insightful and qualified and put a great deal of care and effort to best fit each child’s educational needs with the right teacher.

During the last quarter of the year, our staff begins the challenging task of creating the class lists for the next school year. This task involves many people and a great deal of thought, as we do our best to:

Balance

When a classroom is balanced, the students are more successful, learning is easier, and the teacher is able to meet the needs of the learners in attendance. Teams of teachers go over criteria such as male/female ratio, academic needs and talents, and special programming to ensure classrooms have even and diverse representation.

Build Equity

We also work to see that all classrooms resemble each other in leadership abilities, social skills, peer relationships, individual learning styles and teaching styles, and classroom dynamics (behavior, social, emotional, and personality considerations among students).

Finding the Right Match

We recognize that parents are an important part of our team and a crucial advocate for their child’s success. With so many variables, granting every teacher request would not be possible and might not match with the careful planning teachers do in preparing suggested lists. In addition, children need to work in and with a variety of circumstances now and in the future, in terms of personnel, peers, and environment.

If there is a circumstance you feel we should consider, please do the following:

• Make a formal request in writing (by email to higginbotham.garret@westside66.net is acceptable) no later than March 15th, 2024

• Requests should reference your child’s learning style and type, not the specific teacher you wish them to have.

• If there has been a request made in a previous year that still applies, such as not placing your child with another particular student, please include this in writing to make sure we are aware of the necessary details again, for placement in the 2024-2025 school year.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s education. Class assignments will be mailed individually during the summer, prior to the start of school.

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WCS students entered a writing contest last October from Young Writers, USA. The students were asked to write a mini-saga that had a spooky theme. A mini-saga is a complete story composed of 100 words or less. Quite a challenge! All of these students had their work chosen to be published by Young Writers in a book called Spooky Sagas - Spine Tinglers!

This book is scheduled to be published on April 30th, 2024. Each school will receive a complimentary copy of the book for their library! Congratulations to these talented writers!

5th Grade - Abigail L., Addley B. & Robbie R.

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Geography Bee

Congratulations to all the participants of the IAC Geography Contest across the district! The top scorers in the classroom contest in grades 4, 5, and 6 were invited to attend the online event. It was a great opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge of all things geography and spark their curiosity about the world around them.

1st Place - James M., Chase M., Eric L.

2nd Place - Ian G., Cade M., Henry P., Abe G., Ben C. & Madden J. Jansen

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Meet the Rockbrook Team: Mrs. Matheson, Strings

I have three kids- William (13), Sadie (9), and Kipton (6) who keep me busy with hockey, competitive cheerleading, track, golf, and piano. My husband, Craig, is the Turf Manager at Canopy Gardens in Elkhorn.

I have a Bachelor's in Instrumental Music Education and a Master's of Viola Performance. I played professionally with the Fort Smith, AR Symphony for 5 years and I participated in two of their CD projects.

Fun Fact: I was born in Germany and hold dual citizenship. I am an only child, grandchild, and great-grandchild on my father's side. Outside of playing music, I love working with my cricut and getting creative.

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SEL - Social Emotional Learning at Rockbrook

In addition to academic skills we know it is important for students to learn skills to help social interactions and emotional management. Each Wednesday, classes complete class lessons on skills such as empathy, communication, and conflict resolution.

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Bathroom Expectations

Common area expectations help students know what is allowed and what is not throughout the school. This helps keep our school running smoothly.

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Disagreeing Appropriately

Social Skills teach common procedures for how to handle peer and adult interactions. When teaching social skills we also discuss the rationale or the "why" this skill is beneficial.

As a parent of a Rockbrook student, drop off and pickup are important routines to know about. Below is a list of procedures for parking, drop off, and dismissal. Following these procedures helps to promote safety and efficiency at these busy times of day.

Breakfast Drop Off: 8:05 at the North (Main) Entrance

School Day Drop Off: Staff supervision begins at both North and South Entrances at 8:10 please do not drop off before then.

Students Entry: 8:20

Start of School Day: 8:30 (students need to be in their classroom)

Dismissal: 3:30 (3:00 on Wednesdays)

Click here for further details.

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Additional Details

Looking for further details about Drop-Off and Pick-Up? Check out our Rockbrook Arrival, Dismissal, and Parking Plan.

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Please Stay in Your Car If Possible

When picking up at either of our parking lots, we recommend parents stay in their car.

Staff will assist school-age students in getting into vehicles keeping our traffic moving smoothly.
Practice having your child put their backpack in and get in and close the door quickly.

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Avoid the Crowd

Want to avoid the traffic loop altogether? For families of students who are old enough to independently walk to meet you, we have several nearby locations we recommend. If using this option, please let your child's teacher know that they would be designated as a student that walks home.

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Rockbrook Recess Equipment

Each grade level at Rockbrook has a set of recess equipment. Having each grade level with their own equipment encourages students to be responsible with the equipment, ensures all classes have similar access, and offers greater variety for students to play. We ask that students not bring equipment from home.

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Fun Facts About February

February is the 2nd month of the year with 28 days in common years & 29 day in leap years. This year is a leap year, so we get to enjoy an extra day! Even with the extra day, February is the shortest month of the year. February’s flower is the violet & its birthstone is the amethyst which means sincerity. The zodiac sign for February is Aquarius until the 19th & then Pisces for the rest of the month.

Some of the holidays celebrated in February are Ground Hog’s Day, Valentine’s Day & Mardi Gras.

Some of the Historical Events for February:

· February 1st, 2003 – The Space Shuttle Columbia breaks up on re-entry into the Earth’s Atmosphere killing all 7 astronauts on board.

· February 3rd, 1959 – Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & the Big Bopper die in a plane crash in Iowa. It is known at the “Day the Music Died”.

· February 4th, 2004 – Facebook is founded.

· February 6th, 1788 – Massachusetts becomes the 6th state in the US.

· February 6th, 1952 – Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom becomes Queen. She was the longest serving Monarch in UK’s history.

· February 11th, 1990 – In South Africa, Nelson Mandela is released from prison.

· February 14th, 1859 – Oregon becomes the 33rd state in the US.

· February 14th, 1912 – Arizona becomes the 48th state in the US.

· February 22nd, 1926 – NCAAP was formed and in 1976 President Ford declared the month of February to be Black History Awareness Month.

· February 22nd, 1879 – President’s Day was established. It falls on the 3rd Monday in February.

Some of the birthdays in February are:

· February 3rd, 1894 – Norman Rockwell (Renowned painter)

· February 4th, 1902 – Charles Lindbergh (Aviator)

· February 4th, 1913 – Rosa Parks (Civil Rights activist)

· February 5th, 1934 – Hank Aaron (Hall of Fame Baseball player)

· February 6th, 1895 – Babe Ruth (Considered to be the greatest baseball player of all time)

· February 6th, 1911 – Ronald Reagan (40th President of the US)

· February 7th, 1812 – Charles Dickens (Novelist)

· February 9th, 1773 – William Henry Harrison (9th President of the US)

· February 11th, 1847 – Thomas Edison (Inventor of the light bulb)

· February 12th, 1809 – Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the US)

· February 14th, 1818 – Frederick Douglas (American abolitionist, writer & statesman)

· February 15th, 1820 – Susan B. Anthony (Women’s suffering activist)

· February 16th, 1958 – Ice-T (Rapper & Actor)

· February 17th, 1963 – Michael Jordan (One of the greatest basketball players in NBA history)

· February 20th, 1927 – Sidney Poitier (1st African American Actor to win an Academy Award)

· February 20th, 1988 – Rihanna (Singer)

· February 22nd, 1732 – George Washington (1st President of the US)

· February 24th, 1955 – Steve Jobs (Co-Founder of the Apple Computer)

· February 26th, 1887 – Buffalo Bill Cody (Wild West Show)

· February 28th, 1940 – Mario Andretti (Race car driver)

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Medication at School

For your child’s safety and for the safety of others, all medication, even cough’s drops, must be kept locked in the health office, it must be in the original package. All medication, including cough drops, needs to be accompanied by a medication form signed by the parent or guardian, all prescription medication forms must be signed by the doctor. Whenever possible, the medication should be administered at home.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

Westside Community Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, marital/parental status, military/veteran status or any other category protected by law in its programs and activities or in admission or access to, or treatment in, hiring and employment, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following District personnel have been designated to coordinate compliance and can address inquiries about the District’s nondiscrimination policies and procedures:

For questions or concerns by students, parents or others:

• Coordinator of Student Services/Title IX Coordinator – ABC Bldg. 909 So. 76th St. Omaha (402) 390-2100 E-mail: titleixcoordinator@westside66.net

• Director of Special Services/ADA & 504 Coordinator (disability/accommodation) ABC Bldg. 909 So. 76th St. (402) 390-2100 E-mail: ADAcoordinator@westside66.net

For questions by District employees or applicants:

• Ass’t Supt. for Human Resources/Lead Title IX Coordinator - 909 So. 76th St. Omaha, NE (402) 390-2100