January 2017
Dear Thomas Jefferson Family and Friends:
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful winter break and are back into the swing of things! All the best to
you and your families!
As the year marches on, we are at our mid-year point. FAST assessments will shed light on our accomplishments
and the children’s achievements. The FAST assessments will be administered January 17 through the 27th at
Thomas Jefferson. Please be sure your children get plenty of rest and eats a good breakfast to promote the best
results!
Parents often ask me how they can help their child at home. My number one response is to read, read, and read
with your child. Positive exposure to reading (lap reading) is one of the best advocates for the reading process.
Play games that involve keeping score or strategy. These games become the foundation for mathematics. The
following are also important ideas taken from http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/school-help-elementary.html#
Send Your Child to School Ready to Learn
A nutritious breakfast fuels up kids and gets them ready for the day. In general, kids who eat breakfast have
more energy and do better in school. Kids who eat breakfast also are less likely to be absent, and make fewer trips
to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.
You can help boost your child's attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are
rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein, as well as low in added sugar. Many schools provide nutritious breakfast
options before the first bell.
Kids also need the right amount of sleep to be alert and ready to learn all day. Most school-age kids need 10 to 12
hours of sleep a night. Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports, afterschool activities, TVs, computers, and video games, as well as hectic family schedules, can contribute to kids not
getting enough sleep.
Lack of sleep can cause irritable or hyper types of behavior and might make it difficult for kids to pay attention in
class. It's important to have a consistent bedtime routine, especially on school nights. Be sure to leave enough time
before bed to allow your child to unwind before lights out and limit stimulating diversions like TV, video games, and
Internet access.
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Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Newsletter
January 2017
Teach Organizational Skills
When kids are organized, they can stay focused instead of spending time hunting things down and getting
sidetracked.
What does it mean to be organized at the elementary level? For schoolwork, it means having an assignment book
and homework folder (many schools supply these) to keep track of homework and projects.
Check your child's assignment book and homework folder every school night so you're familiar with assignments
and your child doesn't fall behind. Set up a bin for papers that you need to check or sign. Also, keep a special box
or bin for completed and graded projects and toss papers that you don't need to keep.
Talk to your child about keeping his or her school desk orderly so papers that need to come home don't get lost.
Teach your child how to use a calendar or personal planner to help stay organized.
It's also helpful to teach your child how to make a to-do list to help prioritize and get things done. It can be as
simple as:
1. homework
2. soccer
3. put clothes away
No one is born with great organizational skills — they need to be learned and practiced.
Make Time to Talk About School
It's usually easy to talk with elementary students about what's going on in class and the latest news at school. You
probably know what books your child is reading and are familiar with the math being worked on. But parents can
get busy and forget to ask the simple questions, which can have an effect on children's success at school.
Make time to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you.
When kids know parents are interested in their academic lives, they'll take school seriously as well.
Because communication is a two-way street, the way you talk and listen to your child can influence how well your
child listens and responds. It's important to listen carefully, make eye contact, and avoid multitasking while you
chat. Be sure to ask questions that go beyond "yes" or "no" answers.
Besides during family meals, good times to talk include car trips (though eye contact isn't needed here, of course),
walking the dog, preparing meals, or standing in line at a store.
These early years of schooling are an important time for parents to be informed and supportive about their child's
education.
My door is always open,
Mrs. Lana LaSalle
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Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Newsletter
January 2017
News from the Nurse
Flu Facts for Parents: A Few Simple Steps to Prevent Infection and Stop the Spread of Disease
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water
are not available. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you
have no tissue handy, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve. Avoid contact with people who
are sick. The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a seasonal flu shot.
****When calling in sick for your children, the school nurse will need two symptoms. This is
important information for the Health Department to understand the spread of disease in our
schools and the community.
Small Card, BIG Results
2017 Bettendorf Major Saver Campaign
The Bettendorf Community Schools Foundation is once again offering Major Saver cards for sale through the
Bettendorf elementary and middle schools. Students will receive the sales packets on Thursday, January 12.
Students will be selling the $15 discount cards until Monday, January 23rd. Proceeds from the sale of Major
Saver cards directly support the participating schools and the activities of the Bettendorf Community Schools
Foundation.
Major Saver cards can be purchased online at www.majorsaver.com. The sale can be credited back to a
particular student. All cards purchased online will be mailed directly to the customer. Prizes and credit to the
student will be done by the end of the campaign.
Major Saver stresses safe selling and discourages door to door campaigning. The company encourages
students to sell to parents, grandparents, church patrons, other adults the family may know; and to always
make sure their parents are involved.
Please consider purchasing one or more Major Saver cards this year to help benefit the Bettendorf
Community Schools Foundation and the Bettendorf Community School District.
Thank you for your continued support!
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Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Newsletter
January 2017
5th Grade News
Happy New Year Jefferson family! I am very excited to start the New Year off
with new activities and fun activities! I am also very excited to welcome our new
student, MaHaley! I know our caring T.J. community will welcome her and her
family!
In math, the students will be reviewing many strategies related to division. The
students will know how to estimate quotients, determine reasonableness of
quotients, use compatible numbers to get a quotient, explain the meaning of
reminders in story problems, and use the traditional algorithm for two-digit
divisor long division. The assessment for this topic will be next week. Also, I am
very excited to share our new, "Estimation Station"! Students will be asked to
explain, model, and write estimations of various items in containers. Weekly
winners will be announced. The winning students will be modeling and explaining
their reasoning, for fellow classmates! Good luck everyone!
In our new six rotation literacy block, the students will become comfortable using
Google Classroom! I have created a customized schedule of literacy and math
activities for each student! Our writing and word centers will integrate our next
science unit: The Rock Cycle. One major focus of our literacy skills will continue
to be, using text evidence, to support written responses in compare/contrast
essays, to find meaning of unknown words using context clues, determine text
genre, and to find the main idea/key details of various texts.
Thank you all so very much for your support of your children! Together, we will
make huge gains this next trimester! Go Jaguars!
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