A Message From the Principal

Next year is RW’s 10th anniversary and our community has so much to celebrate. Next year also represents a time of change for many families and staff members as they transition to new schools. I am also going to start a new chapter in my career and will be stepping down as Ravenwood’s principal.

I have accepted a middle school principal position in the Gardner Edgerton School District. I started my career as a third grade teacher in the Gardner District and look forward to the challenges of a new position.

I want to thank the entire RW community for your support throughout the years. We have formed a trusting relationship and I take pride in playing a role in your child’s life. The district office is working hard to find a principal who can continue to make RW a special place. Information will be provided when the district has a new principal hired.

It's Great to be a Tiger,

National School Nurse Day, May 7, 2014

The theme this year, "The School Nurse: Caring for Others. Caring for Ourselves." is reflective of the significant roles school nurses have in the healthcare in their school communities, as well as in modeling health and resiliency. That healthy children learn better is a simple truth, and school nurses work to remove barriers to learning. In the United States more than 73,000 school nurses are stepping up to help students meet new challenges they face today and working to support education and advance student health. Health, healthy lifestyles and graduation are the goals.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. School nurse day is celebrated on Wednesday of National Nurses Week.

You can read the press release about School Nurse Day at: http://www.nasn.org/AboutNASN/MediaRoom/NewsReleaseView/tabid/765/ArticleId/681/National-School-Nurse-Day-2014

A Message From the Principal

This summer, RW has several improvement projects planned.  The temporary classrooms are being removed, lockers installed, and security cameras added to the exterior of the building.  

Several years ago, temporary classrooms were built in each of our three pods to accommodate our increasing student population.  When Millbrooke Elementary opens its doors next year, we will decrease from 680 to approximately 550 students.  Existing classrooms can accommodate the 4 sections for each grade, and our students will have extra space to work on projects or collaborate as a grade level

Students will be excited to learn that they will have their own locker next year.  The light-grey, double-tier lockers will be installed under the existing casework outside the classrooms.  Our pod areas will look tidy when students store their coats and backpacks in lockers.  There will not be a lock and kids will not need to memorize a combination. .

Finally, security cameras will be installed on the exterior of our building.   All front office staff members will have access to the security feeds from their desk.  Our current video monitor will also be upgraded to provide a clear image of each visitor.

It's Great to be a Tiger,

Health Records

If your student was referred to your PCP for a vision or hearing evaluation, make sure to let Mrs. Rettig know the results.

Online Advance Fee Payment

The opportunity to pay fees in advance for next school year will again be available this Summer. Information concerning this early fee payment option will be sent home with your elementary student on the last day of school in the progress report envelope. Fees for the 2014-2015 school year may be paid online www.olatheschools.com/edcommerce/ starting Monday, July 14 or in person at Registration Day on July 24 (11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.). Transportation Fees can be paid online beginning May 1, 2014 – https://firststudentolathe.revtrak.net/tek9.asp. Register and pay transportation fees from May 1 – July 3 and save up to 25%.

Field Day 2014

Friday May 9th, Ravenwood will be hosting our annual Field Day. This will be a full day of activities to celebrate a great year of school, being active, and having fun.

Don’t forget a towel and sunscreen!

Schedule of the day’s events:

• Morning Help Arrives 8:45 
• Morning Games Begin 9:00
• Morning Games End 11:00
• Lunch Regular Time
• Afternoon Help Arrives 12:45
• Afternoon Games Begin 1:00
• Afternoon Games End 2:45 
• Popsicles Outside 2:55-3:10
• Students Return to Class 3:10

Be sure your son/daughter has clothes and a pair of shoes to be active in. They may wear a swimsuit but it must be under their regular clothes as water games will only be in the afternoon. Remember a towel as well! Afternoon activities will allow students to get as wet or stay as dry as they wishJ

SUN SAFETY- Apply a good coat of sunscreen in the morning before school, then reapply at lunch for added protection.

Mr. Pitcher

Library Books

The end of the year is almost here!  We will be working hard at getting all library books and materials back to the library in the next few weeks.  All students who have all their materials turned in, on or before May 15th, will receive a prize.  If your child has overdue materials please help them to find them or to pay for them before the end of the year.  Library is much more fun when the students can check out!  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Fox at 780-7647.

Project: Girl Scout Troop 413

2014-15 Class Placements

We will not be scheduling a “Move-Up” Day in late May this year at Ravenwood. Many of our students will be attending Millbrooke Elementary next year and our building will be in transition. Our remaining kids and those new to our attendance area will learn of their classroom assignments after July’s enrollment.

Each of our students will be carefully and conscientiously placed into an appropriate classroom for next school year. The class placement decision team consists of Mr. Brockway, Mrs. Thompson, and the grade level teachers. Your input on behalf of your child is important to me. Although we are unable to take specific teacher requests, parents have the option of providing information regarding their child’s personality and learning style. Your guidance will help during the placement process.

A classroom team of learners is developed with consideration to the following:

• Teacher style
• Social dynamics between students
• An even mix of academic ability levels
• An even mix of social/behavioral skills
• An even mix of boys and girls
• An equivalent number of students in each class at a grade level

As you can see, many variables are taken into consideration. It is quite a complex process and one the staff takes very seriously. We are dedicated to providing the kind of learning environment that will support and encourage your child throughout a successful new school year.

You are welcome to email me at jbrockwayrw@olatheschools.org

Kindergarten Promotion

In order to have time to give each child the attention they deserve, we are splitting the Kindergarten Music Program/Graduation night. Half day classes will have their performance on Wednesday May 14 at 6:30pm, and full day classes will perform on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30pm. This is an important night for our kindergarteners and we encourage families to attend and celebrate with their child.

Running Club

Reminder: Running Club starts Monday, March 31 for 3rd-5th grade only. Students with permission slips from the fall are good to go, otherwise a signed slip needs to be turned in before participating. K-2 kids can join and attend starting April 14th.

A Message From the Principal

As you know, this winter has been especially challenging for our school day schedule. The district builds in more hours than required for the state. I wanted to let you know that RW will be able to meet the required hours for classroom instruction and, therefore, will not need to make up any time due to snow days used. We did have a few of our high schools that will be making slight modifications make sure they have enough hours for the 2013-14 school year.

It's Great to be a Tiger,

PTO

PTO stands for Parent-Teacher Organization. At Ravenwood, PTO works with the school's administration, teachers, and staff to:

Support learning inside and outside the school by funding field trips and guest speakers, providing needed supplies, etc;

Build community among our families by hosting special events such as Family Movie Nights, Book Swaps, a fall Welcome-Back event, and the annual Tiger Trot fun run/walk; and

Support and show appreciation for all teachers and staff.

http://www.ravenwoodpto.com/

Timely Attendance Matters

The instructional school day at the elementary begins at 8:20. If a student is not in his/her classroom at 8:20 they are considered tardy.

• When a student is late to enter the classroom, s/he misses out on valuable instruction.
• Time in instruction is highly correlated to academic achievement.
• Once a teacher has begun a lesson, any interruption to the instructional process detracts from the education for every child in the classroom.
• Students who are chronically late for school over an extended time miss significant instruction which can potentially result in achievement problems throughout their schooling.
• Students who develop patterns of tardiness may have difficulty with attendance in the work force - attendance problems are associated with lack of preparation to enter work force.
•  may receive social pressure by peers that can lower their self-esteem.

Guidance Lessons: Personal Safety

During the next few weeks, our school counselor will be covering personal safety issues in classroom guidance sessions. Students in kindergarten and first-grade classes will learn about strangers, “welcome/unwelcome” touch, and resource people to seek out for help. Fourth and Fifth graders will discuss different types of child abuse and prevention. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Thompson at 780-7640.

OPSF Newsletter: Images of Student Success

http://tinyurl.com/l4vkaw6

RW Running Club

Hello Ravenwood Runners! We’ll be starting up Ravenwood Running Club again for spring and I wanted to get some information out before we get going!

• We will start up Monday, March 31st and we will meet every Monday through April 28th finishing up with the Tiger Trot!
• RW Running Club will be Mondays after school from 3:45-4:30
• Running Club is for 3-5 students, parents and teachers

IMPORTANT NOTE

• K-2nd Grade Students can join running club for the last 3 Mondays before the Tiger Trot to get ready! These dates are April 14, 21 & 28. K-2nd students will also need a signed consent form turned in to Mr. Pitcher before attending Running Club.
• All runners must have a signed permission slip turned in to take part in Running Club
• Students will be dismissed over the intercom at 3:45 to head to the gym
• Students will check in and have free time in the gym until we all head outside to stretch and run around 3:55 p.m.
• After we meet back inside the gym, students will be dismissed to go at 4:30
• Parents picking up need to come to the main office doors at the front of the building so that Mr. Pitcher can wait with all kids getting rides.
• Students may walk home or ride a bike but parents need to indicate this on the permission slip. 

I look forward to a great spring of running and hope to see lots of you out there! Running Club is a great way to get ready for the Tiger Trot so come on out and run!

Mr. Pitcher

Running Club Consent 

PAWS Update

Our school is participating in an important district initiative. It is called Positive Behavior Support (PBS). At the beginning of the year much of this was shared through a letter that came home. This is just meant to be a reminder about the program and what is happening at RW!

What is Positive Behavior Support?

PBS is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. It is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school-wide, and classroom behavior support systems. The process focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students. Rather than a prescribed program, PBS provides systems for schools to design, implement, and evaluate effective school-wide, classroom, non-classroom, and student specific plans. PBS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students and all staff in all settings. PBS is not a program or a curriculum. It is a team-based process for systemic problem solving, planning, and evaluation. It is an approach to creating a safe and productive learning environment where teachers can teach and all students can learn. At Ravenwood we use PAWS to support our PBS.

What is PBS at our school?

You will see these rules posted throughout the school and your child will has learned about them throughout the year. Our unified classroom rules, found in every classroom and non-classroom setting in the school, are as follows:

P: PRIDE
A: ACCOUNTABILITY

W: WORK TOGETHER
S: SHOW RESPECT

As part of our PBS process, teachers and other staff members use evidence-based practices to increase student learning and decrease classroom disruptions. To keep students on the rules in a positive manner, we do the following when teaching academics and behavior:

• Constantly teach and refer to our school-wide expectations.
• Provide students with more praise than correction.
• Talk to students with respect using positive voice tone. 
• Actively engage everyone in the class during instruction.
• Use pre-correcting, prompting, and redirecting as we teach. 
• Look for the positive first and provide positive, immediate, frequent, and explicit feedback

Why Read 20 Minutes At Home?

Jump Rope for Heart

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Ravenwood will again be participating in Jump Rope For Heart this year for grades 1-5. Heart disease and stroke are still the leading causes of illness and death in our country. Jump Rope For Heart provides kids with a greater awareness and understanding of the risks these diseases pose as well as ways to prevent heart disease through healthy choices.

Students will participate in 30 minutes of jumping in a wide variety of jump rope activities for one PE class during the event week. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and can rest and watch other classmates whenever they need a break. The whole idea is to have some fun, get some exercise, and help out a great cause! We will start March 10th (C Day) and will go through March 13thth (A DAY). Friday, March 14th will be the last day to turn in donations. Donation envelopes will go out Monday, March 3rd so students have almost two weeks to receive donations. If your child did not raise their hand for an envelope and need one, Mr. Pitcher has many extras so have their teacher let me know.

It is very important to understand that this will be a part of class and will combine jumping rope and other fun ways to exercise just like a normal class. It is completely OPTIONAL to raise money for the American Heart Association. If interested, students can use the handout folder to collect donations and turn in the week of the event. Family, friends, and known businesses are great ways to receive donations. Many businesses will often match donations and can be a great way to increase your child’s total. I will reinforce at school that students are not to go door to door for donations or ask strangers. Parental guidance is needed for the fundraising.

Most of us know someone in our lives who suffer from a heart condition or have dealt with a stroke. This is a great way for Ravenwood kids to contribute to finding ways to treat and prevent heart disease and stroke! If there are any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at school anytime. Let’s have a great event and get ready to JUMP!

Mr. Pitcher (npitcherrw@olatheschools.org)

Tenacious Tigers

We have an exciting addition to our Tiger Tuesdays! One student from each class will be named the “Tenacious Tiger.” Not to be confused with P.A.W.S. rewards, which students can earn daily by demonstrating good behavior, the Tenacious Tiger award will recognize students who are showing the most effort and determination academically.

Students who are recognized as the Tenacious Tiger will receive a certificate to take home as well as a smaller recognition card to display at school. These will be displayed and celebrated differently based on grade level.

Teachers at Ravenwood are always thinking of ways to keep students motivated! Our PBIS (P.A.W.S. rewards) program has encouraged students to keep up their great behavior at school. We are sure that the Tenacious Tiger award will be a coveted one and will push every student to be ever-tenacious in their studies.

Camp ABLE 2013-2014

Who: 5th Grade Students
Where: Ravenwood Elementary Gym
When: Thursday, March 6, 2014
Time: 3:40—5:00 p.m.

Camp ABLE is a 5th grade program that focuses on support, empowerment, positive identity, social competencies, and bullying behaviors. These sessions are designed to enhance problem solving skills through experiential learning techniques and provide a strong leadership/teamwork atmosphere for participating 5th grade students. 

 

ABLE—Assets to Build Leadership Education

Assets are essential, strength-based factors necessary for youth leadership and development. The ABLE assets used in Camp ABLE are highlighted in Orange below.
All students will take part in exercises that build self-esteem and confidence.  Teamwork and trust are a big part of the Camp ABLE program.  Students push their personal best to greater heights.  Students will explore their own support sources, and begin to realize how they provide support for others.

Agenda:

1. Introductions at 3:45 p.m. and a light snack/drink will be served.
2. Human Knot—Teamwork/ Support
3. King of the Hill—Positive Identity
4. No More Bullying; No More Victims—Boundaries Expectations; Social Competencies; Positive Identities
5. Cup Game—Support
6. Student Evaluation Form
7. Dismissal at 5:00 p.m.

Sponsored by: Student Development of Olathe Public Schools
www.olatheschools.com/studentdevelopment

Spelling City

SpellingCity is a fun way to learn spelling words by playing engaging learning games using any word list. The most popular activities are Spelling TestMe, HangMouse.

http://www.spellingcity.com/

Take simple actions to slow the spread of flu in schools

Local health officials encourage schools to remind students and parents of everyday preventive actions they can take to slow the spread of germs that can cause the flu.

Flu viruses are thought to spread mainly from person to person through droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. Flu viruses also may spread when people touch something with flu virus on it and then touch their mouth, eyes or nose.

People infected with flu may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and lasting up to five to seven days after becoming sick. That means you may be able to spread the flu to someone else before you know you are sick as well as while you are sick.

There are simple actions students and parents can take to slow the spread of germs and prevent illness:Get your flu vaccine if you haven’t already done so.

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you or your child get sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

Health departments across the metro continue to see a rise in influenza cases and recommend everyone over the age of 6 months to get a flu shot. Vaccine is widely available in the metro.

More information about influenza, symptoms and prevention tips can be found at http://www.jocoflu.org or http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm.

Millbrooke Elementary: Mrs. Dansco

The principal for Millbrooke Elementary School has been named. Stephanie Dancso, current principal at Central Elementary School, will help facilitate the opening of Millbrooke in August 2014.

You can also reach Stephanie Dancso at sdancsoce@olatheschools.org if you have any questions regarding Millbrooke.