Des Moines Public Schools
September 2015
WILDCAT JOURNAL
SMARTER. BETTER. EDMUNDS POWER!
Edmunds Elementary
Attendance
Research has consistently shown that students who attend school
regularly and on time usually experience more academic success.
Please make every effort to ensure you child’s prompt and
regular attendance.
There are times when children should not be at school because of
illness, injury, or other reasons. It is the parent’s responsibility to
contact the school by 8:00 a.m. if a child will not be in school. If
your child needs to be excused from school for a doctor or dentist
appointment, please let the office know in the morning. Please
sign your child out when you leave and back in when you return.
Edmunds school hours are 7:40 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on M, T, TH,
and F. We have early dismissal every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
Students will enter the building through the Northeast door. If
they are late, they will need to come in through the main doors
and check in at the office for a pass. Breakfast is served daily to
all students beginning at 7:50
Somali
Hadii aad u baahantahay caawin xaga tafsiirka joornaalka, fadlan wac Issa
Abdinoor, telefoon nambarka 242-8406, asaga ayaana kaa caawin doona
tafsiirka jornaalka ama wax kasta oo suaal ah oo la xariira jornaalka bisha
taas oo kaaga timid fsalka ama dugsigaba. Waad ku mahadsantahay
caawintaada joogtada ah!
Kiswahili
Kama unahitaji msaada katika kutafsiri jarida, tafadhali piga simu Issa
Abdinoor, 242-8406, na ataweza kukusaidia na tafsiri yoyote au maswali
yoyote kuhusu majarida ya kila mwezi kutoka darasa au ya shule. Asante
kwa msaada wako wa kuendelea!
Dates to
Remember!
United Way Day of
Caring 3rd Grade
9.18.2015
9.24.2015
2nd/3rd grade Parent
Activity Night
5:00 – 6:30
9.25.2015 Popcorn Day: $0.50 per bag.
Limit of 4 bags per child.
9.29.2015
Drake students to visit
IELC students
10.5 – 9 .2015
Fall Intercession
No school
10.21.2015
10.22.2015
Parent/Teacher
Conferences: 2:00 – 8:00
Parent/Teacher
Conferences:
Dismissal 12:00
Conferences: 12:30 – 8:00
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Spring 2016
Sing Along with Ms. Skalbeck
A brand new teacher and new room makes for an exciting new year! I am so excited to be
working with our kids this year and we will be working hard to prepare some new material!
Our 2nd and 3rd graders are working hard to prepare new songs for our Parent activity night
on September 24th! They will be adding movement and instruments to some songs that we
will be working in class! Parents get ready because you will become the students that night
as your children will be teaching you what we have learned in class! Our 4th and 5th graders
are working hard brushing up on our voices and will soon be starting working on our
African drums! Kindergarten and 1st graders are working on our different kinds of voices
and are enjoying adding movement and games to learn our music theory! On Wednesdays
we have a special project for each grade including rock and roll history, Broadway musicals
and Movie composers (focusing on John Williams)! We are excited and energized for the
year and can’t wait to share all of our new found talents!
What’s New in the World of
Art with Mr. Borzo
We are excited about the new school year and the many art projects that we are
starting in Art! Younger classes are starting off with drawing and watercolor
work, as they continue to learn about the many procedures and opportunities
to be experienced in art. Upper classes are working on assemblage and collage
work, using mixed media. Our special Wednesday art classes have started a
unit on the art of cartooning, and we will be creating “Class Comics” by the end
of November. We are also looking ahead to many art competitions this fall,
giving students a chance to put their art work and imagination to work! The
art room has also received a substantial donation from many generous donors
over this last summer, through the “Adopt a Classroom” organization. Art
instructor David Borzo created a request for funds to provide students from 2nd
through 5th grades with a personal drawing pad. Along with the request was a
summary of the art program at Edmunds, and how we teach students to use mind
and pencil to plan out their art work. These drawing pads will make that process
more productive as the students use them throughout the school year. At the end
of the year they will get to take the sketch pads home and show off all their fine
work!
Counselor Corner
with
Ms. Bryant
Counseling lessons are off to a great start this year! I am excited to be able to
provide all classes with a weekly counseling lesson. During the the month of
September, students will be spending time getting to know me as their new
school counselor, doing activities to get to know one another and learning the
expectations for counseling time. We will also begin our "Happy New Year"
unit. The lessons in this unit will teach students about skills needed for success
during the school year. Students will learn how to be a respectful and
responsible student. You can help your student become a more respectful and
responsible student by talking with them about things such as going to bed early,
treating others kindly, completing their homework and listening to directions. If
you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email me. I am
looking forward
2 to a fantastic year at Edmunds!
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Spring 2016
Let the Games Begin in P.E.
with Mr. Heard
Welcome back to school, Wildcats! My name is Mr. Heard and this is my first year at Edmunds Elementary. I am
extremely excited for the opportunity to be at Edmunds and look forward to having fun with the students! This year
students will be learning a number of different skills and exercises that they will carry with them as they continue to
grow. My expectations for P.E. are that students stay safe, listen to instructions, respect others and our equipment, wear
gym shoes that can tie (no flip flops or heels), and that they participate and have fun. During the first few months of
September and October, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will be reviewing basic movement patterns and taking their fitness tests. We
will continue to have the PACER club for those who are interested. 4th and 5th grade students will have the opportunity to
be involved with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. This program is run by the NFL with the help of the National Dairy
Council. Some students will have the opportunity to win prizes and take a trip to Jack Trice Stadium where the Iowa State
Cyclones play football. Students in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade will be building a foundation of basic,
functional movements and skills. They will learn my routines so we can practice and play games to raise our skill and
ability levels. On Wednesdays, students will be preparing for fitness tests and will also perform workouts designed by
Crossfit kids. During these workouts, students will be learning new skills and movements that will challenge them to
become more fit. They will incorporate squats, lunges, slam balls, jump rope, and running, just to name a few. This is going
to be a great year and I hope the students are up for the challenge, because I am!
Open House 2015
First Week of School
3
Iowa Department of Education, 2015-2016
Parent Notification – “Right to Know”
1. Parents of students in Title I schools are guaranteed annual notification of their “right to
know” about teacher qualifications by their school district. That means parents may request
and receive from that office information regarding the professional qualifications of the
student’s classroom teachers, including:
o whether the teacher is state‐certified;
o whether a teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status; and
o the baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate degree major or
certification.
o whether the child is provided services by a paraprofessional and, if so, his/her
o qualifications.
2. LEAs must notify parents at the beginning of each year that information on the professional
qualifications of their child’s classroom teacher is available from the school district.
o Notification may be included in district news letters or other communications to parents
o Documentation of annual notification should be kept by LEA for monitoring purposes
o Assurance that notification will occur should a child be taught for four or more weeks by a
teacher who is not highly qualified
3. Parents must receive timely notice that their child has been assigned, or has been taught for
four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified.
4. Parents must be informed if their child is placed in a Limited English Proficient program.
5. LEAs must provide parents with information on student’s performance level on each state
assessment. (Required in Chapter 12 of Iowa Administrative Code).
Yoga 4 Classroom
Edmunds Elementary students have something new in their
morning routine this year: daily Yoga instruction. With a positive
language of wellness and focus, the “Yoga 4 Classrooms” program
was designed to help students achieving stress reduction and to
support wellness and community for the students and teachers.
Edmunds is the only Elementary school in the state that is
participating in “Yoga 4 Classrooms®,” an innovative program
designed to improve student’s physical, emotional and
comprehension skills in school. All of Edmunds’ teachers
participated in a one day seminar last summer to learn the basics
of this exciting program, and several teachers went to advanced
training as a follow up, and they are now helping to lead the new
yoga curriculum.
Students in all grades from Kindergarten through 5th grade start
the day with a 20 minute yoga session, learning how to be
“mindful” of their physical and emotional centers. There is also a
daily afternoon session, and all of the teachers at Edmunds are
participating with the students. Edmunds Principal Jaynette
Rittman says that there has been “…a very positive response from
both the teachers and students for the Yoga 4 Classrooms®
philosophy. Our hope is that this creative program will help
Edmunds’ students be more successful in their busy day and help
them to develop the skills and knowledge that they need!”
Bus Riders
Bus riders will exit with teacher to the North side of the building when
the bus arrives. Read and review the bus conduct procedures.
Expectations will be followed or privilege will be suspended.
Day Care Pick Up:
Wilkie House and Oakridge vans will be located on the West side
of the building. Students will be walked out the back door and
placed on the van.
Walkers:
Walkers going East will exit out the East doors with a teacher. Student will
be walked to the corner and cross the street with a staff member. Walkers
traveling South will exit the East doors. Students will be walked to the
crosswalk and cross using the crossing guard.
Parent Pick Up and Drop Off:
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
Pick up and drop off located on the East side of the building ONLY!
[Street Address]
 Enter West bound from 17th street and follow North to School Street. Turn right on
[City], [State][Postal
Code]
15th street
and first right to begin forming a pick-up line by turning into the pick-up
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lane and pulling all the way to the far South end.
There will be NO PARKING: No Stopping, or standing North on 15th Street
No left turn from 15th Street into the Edmunds parking lot.
Stay in your cars and students will be brought to you while in the pick-up lane.
When you have your child pull into the drive thru lane and exit right turn only.
[Recipient]
Students will stand by signs. Lower
Unit (K-2) and Upper Unit (3-5)
Vary your arrival times 3:00 – 3:10. Students will always be supervised.
Right Lane is for drop-off and pick up ONLY!
Left Lane is for drive thru traffic ONLY!
When you have picked up your child exit by moving into the left lane and
proceeding out through the exit.