Processing the Tragedy in CT pt. 2

Families, I came across a wonderful blog that shares some important tips for parents. Check it out. http://www.micheleborba.com/blog/

Processing the Tragedy in CT

Dear Weber families, In light of the recent elementary school tragedy, I would like to assure you that we have safety at the top of our minds as we all head to school tomorrow. We anticipate that much discussion has happened in the homes of our Weber families this weekend, but know that tomorrow may also bring further questions and concerns among our students. In the interest of proactive communication, I am calling to share our plans. On Monday before school, Diana Frisbie, our school counselor, and I will meet with our staff members to review and discuss developmentally appropriate conversation structures for our children. During the school day, we will not initiate class discussions, but if students bring up concerns about this event, we will be prepared to address them in a sensitive and appropriate manner. Diana Frisbie and I will also be available to meet with students, as necessary. If we meet with your child individually, we will contact you. Please be advised that the details of the events in Newtown will not be discussed with any students at any time. Details of what students are aware of are solely at the discretion of each individual family. We will also complete a full review of our school safety protocols. As a staff, we are fully invested in being comprehensive and thorough in our daily approach, and are always looking for new ways to enhance our safety and security. If you know that your child has concerns or worries and would benefit from individual support, please feel free to call or email us so that we can be of assistance. Thank you for your ongoing support to make Weber a safe school for learning. Take care! Chris

Math Journal Information

Your child will most likely bring home a Math Journal. This journal serves as a source for learning concepts from the daily lessons, as well as for practicing previously taught skills. There are various ways that we use the journals in class. Often students work together with their peers while a teacher walks around the classroom to help. Sometimes we complete problems as a class and other times students work independently so that we can check their progress. Therefore some pages are not complete or corrected. You may use these journals for reviewing skills over the summer. Occasionally the directions or methods on a given page are confusing or the task is too difficult to complete independently, skip it and choose one your student understands. The pages with Math Boxes are the best ones for students if they are looking for some extra practice. You could even make up new problems on a separate sheet of paper based on the ones in the journal. Work in the journal is not required, but it could serve as a good resource for practice. Use as you wish and hopefully skills will stay sharp over the summer.

New Modified Programs at Weber

We are happy to welcome back two Modified Special Education Programs to Weber for the 2012-2013 school year! A modified special education program is a classroom where students with Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) spend approximately 50% or more of their time in this program. The modified program at Weber’s emphasis is for students with autism. The students’ curriculum/goals are adapted to fit their needs, which may be much different than the general education curriculum. We welcome teachers, Sarah McCurdy and Sarah Herring, and 12 new students to Weber!

Summer Reading Ideas!

Check out the following link for summer reading suggestions for all ages! http://www.iccsd.k12.ia.us/library/Bibs/SummerReads.htm Happy reading!

Earth Week

Weber Earth Week 2012
Weber School is celebrating Earth Week April 13th-April 20th. There will be
special activities at school as well as fun ideas for celebrating Earth Week at
home. Be sure to mark these important dates on your calendar.
Check out the activities for each day of the week:
Friday--9:10-10:00am Kick-Off Reading Pod-Wangari’s Trees of Peace A True Story From Africa
Team Tree Planting 9:30 AM
Monday--Screen Free/Lights Out Monday
6:00pm--Weber Earth Run/Walk Team 4 playground-bring water bottle. We provide water!
Tuesday--Walk/Ride Your Bike to School (Team 1 & 2 students need to be accompanied by an
adult. Don’t forget your helmet. Remember to walk your bike on school property.)
6:00-7:30pm--Weber Bike Rodeo Bus Circle Participants need to be accompanied by an adult.
Wednesday--Paper Free Wednesday
Book Fair/Spaghetti Supper 3:00-7:00PM
Thursday--Earth Week Poem Contest Winners
Weber Earth Hour Turn out the lights for an hour. Eat dinner, play games, or
tell spooky stories by candlelight. Go out and look at the stars.
Friday--Go Green Day--Wear green to show your support of Earth Day. Waste Free Picnic/bring your
lunch in waste-free, reusuable containers.
Earth Week Poetry Contest
Soles4Souls
Weber Shoe Collection April 13-20
How you can help? Clean out your closets
and RECYCLE gently worn or donate
new shoes. Put a rubber band around
them or tie them together and place in
collection boxes at Weber.
Where will shoes go? Tonya Nicholson
(2005 Weber graduate) had a love for
helping others and had volunteered in Haiti.
Shoes that are collected will be sent to
Soles4Souls, which will ship our collection
to Haiti.

Questions: Contact Samantha or Kathi
Anderson at mainekids@mchsi.com or 341-3640.
Bring shoes, shoes, shoes! Big Shoes, little
shoes, sandals, tennies, boots, ANY shoes!
Enter a poem in our first Weber
Earth Week Poetry Contest.
All entries are due to the front
office by Wednesday, April 18 at
3:00PM.
One student from each team will
be chosen to read their original
poem on Thursday, April 19th.
Prizes will be awarded!

Earth Week

We will be kicking of Earth Week on Friday in our Dolphin Reading Pods. All students will hear the book, Wangari's Tree of Peace. This book is about a girl who lived in a small village in Kenya who made a difference that the world could see. Before she goes to school in America, she remembers her childhood in Kenya as a place full of beautiful green trees. When she returns to Kenya, she sees that the trees that once stood were now destroyed for the new buildings that would rise. Wangari would not stand for this to happen and with one seed at a time and the cooperation of the women in her village she starts a movement across Africa to replant all the trees that had once been chopped. Wangari was jailed for protecting the forest, but even then she did not give up and every tree that was destroyed and many more were planted all across Africa by millions of women. In 2004 she won the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the environment and giving people hope.

After reading the book, we will go outside and help plant FOUR new trees on our Weber grounds!

Check out the 411 for information about the rest of the Earth Week activities. We are hopeful that students will be motivated to continue thinking of ways to celebrate Earth Day beyond the actual day!