McKinley Elementary School

No School Tomorrow

NO SCHOOL:

Friday, November 6 (Grading Day)

and

Wednesday, November 11 (Veterans Day/Furlough Day)

From The Principal

October has flown by. The month began with our annual Fun Run. The preliminary results from this event are just in: So far we collected $12,331.07!

Thank you to everyone who has helped to make our fall fundraiser a success. These funds will be used for field trips, assemblies, guest speakers, books, and materials that will enhance student learning.  To have this kind of support from our community, especially during difficult economic times, is remarkable.  

 
November will be a busy month as well.  Friday, November 6 will be grading day for elementary schools. Teachers will share students’ progress at fall conferences on November 23 and 24. Please save these dates on your calendar, as this is an opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher and discuss the progress they have made during the first two months of school.  Student success is enhanced when there is open communication between teachers and families. We look forward to seeing you at fall conferences.

I hope that you and your family are well.  We have had an increase in absences due to illnesses during the past two weeks. We appreciate you calling us to let us know when your children are home ill. Remember that if a child runs a fever, he/she should not return to school until 24 hours after the fever subsides without the use of fever reducers.  We will do what we can here to try to prevent the spread of colds and flu. Please see page 4 for more information regarding preventative measures. 

Annie Morton
Principal

Progress Reports and Conferences

Teachers will be preparing your child’s progress report for the first trimester on Friday, November 6. Students will not have school on that day. Progress reports will be sent home with students no later than November 13. The days of letter grades are behind us in the Salem-Keizer School District. For the past several years, we have used a 1-6 scoring scale that better reflects how a student is performing compared to a grade level standard. Below is the scoring scale our teachers use when assessing your child’s academic development on the progress report.

 
Scoring Scale
6 = Exemplary Work at this level is both exceptional and memorable.  It shows a distinctive and sophisticated application of knowledge and skills.
5 = Advanced Work exceeds the grade level standard.  It shows a thorough and effective application of knowledge and skills.
4 = Proficient  Work at this level meets the grade level standard.  It is acceptable work that demonstrates application of essential knowledge and skills.  Minor errors or omissions do not detract from the overall quality.
3 = Developing  Work at this level does not yet meet the grade level standard.  It shows basic, but inconsistent application of knowledge and skills.  Minor errors or omissions detract from the overall quality. Work needs further development.
2 = Emergent Work at this level shows a partial application of knowledge and skills. It is fragmented or incomplete and needs considerable development.  Work at this level contains errors or omissions.
1 = Pre-Emergent  Work at this level shows little or no application of knowledge and skills.  It contains major errors or omissions.
X = Not applicable at this time.
INC = Incomplete Evidence Produced by Student

Make the Most of Fall Conferences

 (A.M. Kindergarten only November 19-24)
All Grades November 23-24

What’s hot for the new school year?  Parent-teacher conferences.  Parents who get involved in events like conferences actually improve their child’s success in school.  Here are some tips from teachers and parents.

Before the conference:
• Talk with your child.  Discuss what’s going well and what could be better.
• Review your child’s homework to determine where academic strengths and possible weaknesses lie.
• Write down your questions and what you want to tell the teacher.

During the Conference:
• Let the teacher know that you are eager to listen and that you would like some time for the teacher to listen to you.
• Take notes. That will make it easier to remember the information later in the year.
• Ask for specific advice on how you can help your child in each of the subjects he or she is taking.
Remember that formal conferences are just one way to be involved in your child’s school success.  Volunteering in class, helping out at school events and making appointments to chat with the teacher throughout the year are also winning strategies.

We look forward to seeing you at the parent-teacher conferences!

Spirit Days at McKinley

Make a Difference Team (student council) is sponsoring three upcoming Spirit Days, when staff and students may dress up according to a theme. 2009-10 Spirit Days are as follows:

November 13 Stuffed Animal Day
December 3 College Clothing Day
January 15 Pajama Day

And watch for the following collection drives to benefit our community: 

Nov 30 Food Drive
Jan 11-15 SOS Homeless Shelter Drive

Picture Retake Day December 1

If you missed Picture Day last month, our photographers will be back for retakes on Tuesday, December 1. Original pictures went home November 5.  If you want retakes, please bring back your original picture packet on Retake Day.  Class composite photos are created after Retake Day, and you will receive them later in the year.

McKinley T-Shirt Sales

Congratulations to Caleb Eaton, whose winning design will grace the McKinley t-shirts this year.   T-shirt/sweatshirt order forms will go home soon. We expect to have them ready for pick-up at McKinley before winter break.

Room 8 Needs Fast Food Toys

Our Life Skills Class uses behavioral rewards for their students, and toys from fast-food kids’meals are perfect! If you are cleaning out your child’s room, think of us and consider donating those little freebies to Room 8.  We’ll accept them in the office. Thanks, and we appreciate your help!

“I Don’t Feel So Good….”

We are experiencing higher than normal absentee rates at some schools on some days.  We know that a number are reported to be due to flu-like symptoms.  Health officials have told us that H1N1 is the most prevalent flu so far this season.  There are some steps you can take to reduce the spread of flu regardless of which strain it might be:

  • Remind your student to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol based hand rub.
  • Remind your student not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues.  Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
   • Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.  They should not treat flu like symptoms with aspirin or aspirin-containing products due to the risk of Reye syndrome.
  • Keep sick students at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping students with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
  • Do not send students to school if they are sick.  Any students who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

Also, if your student is ill, regardless of whether he or she is at higher risk of complications from the flu, watch for the following and seek medical care right away from his or her doctor if he or she has:

  • Fast breathing or trouble breathing
  • Bluish or gray skin color
  • Not drinking enough fluids
  • Severe or persistent vomiting
  • Not waking up or not interacting
  • Increasing irritability 
  • Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

If your student is at higher risk of complications from flu, he or she should be medically evaluated as soon as possible.  Children under the age of 5 years, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as pulmonary disease, including asthma, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders or heart disease), and people age 65 years and older are more likely to get complications from the flu.

If you have questions, please contact your health care provider or our Nurse Help line at 503-399-3376.

Pennies for Peace Update

We have collected $540.71 in our Pennies for Peace campaign!  This drive is an international effort to promote and provide community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia.  We will continue collecting pennies through December 11, 2009.  Thank you all, for your generosity.  Keep bringing those pennies in!

Fun Run Results

McKinley students collected over $12,000 this year in pledge money from our fall Fun Run! Parent Teacher Club uses the money for field trips, assemblies and classroom supplies not covered by District funds, Artist in Residence program, and a host of other enrichment opportunities for our students.

We have winners in the Fun Run competition! The following students will join Mrs. Morton for lunch out of the building: Sarah Rice (most laps K-2); Julian Alaniz (most pledges K-2); Dean Holman (most money collected K-2); Karaline Richey (most laps grades 3-5); Jasmine Hisgen (most pledges grades 3-5); and Rylie Tiffin (most money grades 3-5).

Classrooms that collected a combination of the most pledges and the most money will be awarded $50 cash prizes from McKinley Parent Teacher Club as follows:

Mrs. Myers, Room 2

Mrs. Oswalt, Room 4

Mrs. Henneke, Room 6

Mr. Johnston, Room 10

Mrs. Hannegan, Room 13

Mrs. Russell, Room 15