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MARCH 2015
Principal's Message
Gompers
Gazette
Samuel Gompers Elementary School
1502 Wyoming Way
Madison, WI 53704
Office: 204­4520
Safe Arrival: 204­4522
Important Dates
for March
Every Tuesday
Afterschool program
3:22­5:00
March 2
Bucky Badger to visit our
breakfast assembly March 2­9
Celebrate Smiles Dental
Clinic visiting and serving
students
March 10 GEPTO Meeting
6­7
March 2­9
Food Service Appreciation
Day
March 13 NO SCHOOL for Professional
Development for Staff
Dear Families,
Hello and happy March! Spring is around the corner
and learning is in full swing here at Gompers. As you
may know, this a time of year that students make the
most academic and social learning gains. It is also
an important time for reminders about healthfulness
as we want all children here, on time, everyday to
maximize their potential. One important reminder is
that our school district has a wellness policy which reinforces good
nutrition during the school day. A copy of the policy is linked here.
Please be mindful about sending foods for snack or lunch that are
giving your child(ren) the healthy nutrition they need to be
productive, engaged learners all throughout the day. Candy, soda,
and potato chips are foods to be avoided, and staff will also help
remind students that these foods should stay at home.
Also, students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will be venturing into a new
assessment when we return from Spring Break. It is called the Badger
Exam, and is a SMARTER Balanced Assessment. The balance in the
assessment is the way in which children are assessed. There is an
online multiple choice component, as well as performance
assessments where teachers teach a lesson and students respond in
writing (typing their response). This assessment replaces the WKCE for
reading, math and language arts. More information will be coming
for students in those grades soon as to how to best support your child
in both preparation and during the assessment window.
Lastly, we have some fun events planned to bring families and staff
together after school hours. This includes Spring conferences for the
first time in MMSD (as a reminder this replaces 3rd quarter report
cards), a science night, Culver's Night, and a community rummage
sale. If you have any questions about any of the activities happening
here at school, please reach out to your child's teacher or contact
our main office at 204­4520. We would be thrilled to have you attend!
As always, thanks for all you do for both our school and our
community. See you around the building soon! Mrs. Chaja Click on the links below to read about recent and future
events and activities at Gompers Elementary!
Gompers Area Resources
Rummage Sale Drop­off March 14 Rummage Sale
March 18
Growing Together Building
Meeting March 19 11:35 Early Release for Parent
Teacher Conferences
March 24
Science Night
March 26
Latino Night
March 30­April 6
Spring Break Quick Links
March Lunch Menu GEPTO ­ Gompers
Elementary Parent Teacher
Organization
Growing Together Initiative
Gompers Library Portal
Gompers Gazette Archives
Gompers Safe
Arrival
Online Database Information
Gompers 2015 Spelling Bee
Office News
Nancy continues to be at home and recovering well. If you are
interested in sending a card, email, or thoughts for Nancy, please
send them to Ms. Chaja's attention and she will happily forward them
to Nancy at her home.
Are you receiving Gompers Robo Calls?
If you feel you are not receiving school robo calls, please check your
Infinite Campus contact information. Call the central office to report
corrections.
Great Lakes Higher Education Corp. to begin pen
pal program with Gompers 3rd, 4th and 5th grade
students!
Thanks to an ever developing partnership between Great Lakes and
Gompers, students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will be able to write to a
personal pen pal bi­weekly, and receive communication back, in a
personalized notebook organized in conjunction with the Foundation
for Madison's Public Schools. Last week students received their first
communication from their pen pals and were over joyed to read and
be able to write back and build a meaningful connection with a
community member. They are all very much looking forward to a
culminating meeting this Spring at Great Lakes!
Young at Art
Young at Art, the biennial exhibition of art by MMSD students at the
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, opens this March. Each school is
invited to select three pieces of student artwork for exhibition. Please
celebrate our amazing artists from Ms. Thao's third grade class! Young at
Art will be open to the public March 28. The opening reception will be
April 12 from 3­4:30. I highly encourage everyone to attend the exhibit!
All of our students have been working hard in the art room! Here's what
we've been up to:
Stop by Mr. Olson's and Mrs. Mac's rooms to see the 5th grade self
portraits.
Grades 4 and 5 are working on architectural drawings of the White
House.
Safe Arrival Phone
Number: 204­4522
Please call this number by
8:45am when your child
will be absent or tardy.
Parents ­ please
Grades 2 and 3 made some terrific tempera paintings based on the
book Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins.
Grades K and 1 finished some fun snowmen and mitten projects. Lots of colorful artwork is hanging in the hallways. Let's celebrate the
talent and creativity of our Gompers Artists!
remember: The best way
to ensure that your child is
correctly marked for an
absence is to call the Safe
Arrival phone number
directly. Other messages
and notes may not be
relayed to the correct
person for record
keeping. Thank you!
Ms. Sparks
Physical Education News
By Leslie Mueller and Kelsey Johnson
Since the New Year, students in physical education have had
chances to learn and practice basketball skills and many forms of
gymnastics including, tumbling, rings, parallel bars, and vaulting. As
each child develops and refines their skills, we notice positive
changes in their self­confidence. This spring we will have units
involving soccer skills, fitness dancing, fitness walking, nutrition games,
cooperative challenges, track and field, and softball/baseball/t­ball.
Gompers classes also held a two day Jump Rope for Heart event that
involved all children jumping in a variety of ways during their regular
P.E. classes, recording jumps at several stations and tallying them for a
school total of more than 71,000 jumps. Great job! We are very
appreciative of the Gompers children and families who raised $927.00
for the American Heart Association.
As you plan for summer ways to keep your children physically active
(60 minutes of daily active play is recommended) remember that
Gompers will have the new back playground (as well as the front
one) available for community use after the middle of May. Upcoming Advanced Learning Parent Night
Our Advanced Learning Department has one remaining meeting
where parents can learn more about the exciting changes in our
department and how to become more involved as we support
student success:
March 5 from 6:00­7:30 pm at Jefferson Middle School in the LMC
Contact: Laurie Benzine, Program Assistant, 663­5201 or
[email protected]
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Gompers Elementary School | 1502 Wyoming Way | Madison | WI | 53704