Stillson

Spirit

Stillson Elementary

Dear Stillson Families,

It’s hard to believe that one month of school is under our belt. We have been busy this first month with district and state assessments-PALS, SRI, and AIMS. We will begin to look over last year’s and this year’s data and set goals for this year at each grade level. We have conferences on Oct. 7 and Oct. 9, which will give you time to visit individually with your child’s teacher and find out more about your child’s skills and grade-level expectations. We are also working hard on our school-wide behavioral expectations (Our 3 Be’s). The students have learned the expectations and you may see the posters that are displayed throughout the building as helpful reminders for all of us. Using common language and knowing our expectations is wonderful when it comes to praising and reminding stu-dents about them. Our 3 Be’s (Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible) helps us to keep a positive school culture and environment and provides maximum academic time. We also were recognized as a “School of Merit” in the state of Wisconsin and continue to provide the foundation for great behavioral expectations that will increase our students’ learning time.

Homework for our 4th and 5th graders has started to be sent home. When your child gets home from school, he might want to relax a little while or he may want to jump right in and start his homework. Have him try each method and see how it goes. After two weeks, you and your child can review to see which routine works best. Make sure that your child has a good spot to do homework and knows what to do if he gets stuck on a problem (ask you for help, call a friend, or come in early to school)

It was wonderful to see so many of you at the PTO Back-to-School Night. It’s a great way to start off the year. I look forward to working together with all of you throughout the school year so we can the best we can be. If you have questions, suggestions, feedback or concerns, please feel free to contact any staff member or myself.

Yours in Stillson Success, Carol Wilczek

October 2014

17250 County Hwy J Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Phone 715-726-2412 FAX 715-720-3745

Office Hours 7:30 am-3:30 pm

Special points of interest:

Principal’s Notes

Dates to Remember Oct. 1 LATE START

2nd Turn In Date for PTO

Fall Fundraiser

Oct. 7 Evening Parent/Teacher

Conferences 3:30-7:30

Oct. 8 Final Turn In Date for PTO

Fall Fundraiser

Oct. 9 Evening Parent/Teacher

Conferences 3:30-7:30

Pantry Pals Begins

Oct. 17 Picture Retake Day

Class Picture Day

Oct.15 LATE START

Oct.31 Halloween Classroom

Parties & Parade

12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.

Looking Ahead

Nov.5 LATE START/Class begins

at 8:35

Nov.19 LATE START/Class begins

at 8:35

Nov. 24-28 Thanksgiving Break-No

School

How to Communicate With the District

5th Grade Families-Save the Date

5th Grade Families, Please SAVE THE DATE for 6th Grade Orientation!

The Chippewa Falls Middle School will hold two 6th grade orientation nights in February. February

2nd will be for 5th grade families who will be having their first child attend Chippewa Falls Middle

School. February 3rd will be for 5th grade families who are not new to the middle school and have had

an older sibling attend previously. Both events will run from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

and will be held in the middle school auditorium.

The events of orientation include:

* an introduction to the school and transition process

* an explanation from music teacher of difference performance options

* sign up for 6th grade classes

* a self-guided tour hosted by WEB Leaders

The staff of the middle school is looking forward to seeing all 5th grade families at orientation!

Nutrition from the Kitchen by Diane Rasmussen

Greetings from your School Nurses. Now that school has been in full swing for almost a month you are probably seeing some common illnesses that tend to appear at this time of year. These illnesses are being reported through-out the state. Our Nursing Services link on the School District Website has many of these common illnesses available for you to review and explain common symptoms and appropriate treatment. The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District follows the recommendations and guidelines set by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

YOUR CHILD SHOULD NOT COME TO SCHOOL IF:

He/she has a fever of 100.8 or higher before medication (Tylenol/Ibuprofen)

He/she has been diagnosed with a contagious illness (strep throat, pink eye) and has been on a medication less than 24 hours.

He/she has experienced diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24 hours

If your child is ill, please call and notify your school’s secretary. Please be specific about the illness (i.e. flu, strep throat, chicken pox, etc.) because this is helpful in the control of communicable dis-ease.

HAND WASHING—Good hand washing habits is the number one way to prevent the spread of ill-ness.

It's important to teach kids to wash their hands before eating and after playing outside and using the restroom. Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent illness. If parents enforce that at home, we'll reinforce it at school. Talk to your kids about covering their mouths when they cough and sneeze often. Also, the CDC recommends the flu vaccine for kids ages 6 months and older.

Chippewa Falls School District Link

http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us//NursingServices.cfm

Link for CDC diseases (general) http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/

Thank you—Nurse Julie and Nurse Kerrie

From the Health Desk

Resources of the Month by Shannon Larson

Touched Twice United Free Clinic at Landmark Christian Church located at 4140 126th Street in Chippewa Falls is scheduled for Saturday, October 25 from 10 am-2 pm. Free services provided include eye exam and glasses, clothing, haircut vouchers, chiropractic services, groceries, hot meal, toys, family photos and oil changes.

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) provides assistance with high heating and energy costs and is available through Chippewa County Economic Support. Staff are available at the Chippewa County Court House on the lower level on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 3 pm from October 7, 2014 through May 14, 2015 to help complete the application. Please call 715-726-7840 for further information on what paperwork to bring to complete the application. Crisis Assistance is available for those facing disconnec-tion or are low on fuel. In order to be eligible, one will need to have been approved for Energy Assistance and have made payments to the energy provider.

National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) will be offering a free, new program called NAMI Basics for par-ents and caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illness. The educational program provides critical information and strategies related to caregiving and incorporates presentations, discussion and inter-active exercises. The program runs for six Mondays from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm starting on October 13 through November 17 at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls. Pre-registrations is required. To register contact NAMI Chippewa Valley at (715)450-6484 or email namicv@yahoo.com.

Don’t forget to sign up for Weekend Kids’ Meals by requesting an enrollment form in the office.

All families need support and resources at times, and you might not always know where to turn. My name is Shannon Larson, and I am the Family Support and Resource Coordinator for the Chippewa Falls School Dis-trict. I serve families, children, and school personnel at the elementary level and primarily work out of Parkview, Halmstad, and Southview. Some examples of the things I may be able to assist you with include:

Locating housing, clothing, food, and employment resources

Providing emotional support

Connecting families to mental health services

Developing ways to promote regular attendance

Obtaining and providing parenting support and resources

PBIS-Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

Continuing Positive Behavior at Home

Many parents have found that when they have the same behavior expectations and use

the same language as school, it is easier for children to make good choices at home. Also, when parents practice positive behaviors at home, they support what their

child is learning at school and create better behaviors outside of school. Below are the

four key components for establishing positive behaviors at home:

Learn the Expectations

Use the Language

Be A Role Model Reward Positive Behavior

Learn the Expectations: Think about what it means to be Safe, Respectful and Responsible in your home. Determine what each behavior looks like at home in terms your child can easily understand. Include your child in this activity!

Use the Language: Think about the words you use when you are trying to teach one of your expectations at home, and replace those words with the expectations (ex: instead of saying, “stop running” say, “please walk.”) Try to get your child to THINK about their behavior and to PROBLEM SOLVE.

Be A Role Model: Our children learn behavioral skills from us! Demonstrate for your child what you would like to see from them. Model what positive behavior looks like, and even what it doesn’t look like! The more you practice, the more your child will learn

the expectations.

Reward Positive Behavior: Positive Behavior is learned. Children are not naturally

motivated to show positive behavior…they learn to do it because of the reaction they get from us! While children will learn from positive or negative consequences, they are

more motivated and create lifetime motivation (not just when we are around) when the

results are positive.

Top 10 Positive Behavior Tips

1. Remember 5 positives to 1 negative

2. Set the stage for success, reward the effort 3. Give clear, specific directions

4. Stay calm, use a calm voice - Nagging gets you nowhere! 5. Set reasonable limits – Avoid using “always” or “never” 6. Be CONSISTENT! - “Yes means Yes and No means No” 7. Set the example – Actions speak louder than words

8. Proactively anticipate situations

9. Have patience – A little goes a long way

10. Have fun and enjoy the ride!

Excerpts from: sunprairie.k12.wi.us

Students are acknowledged for following our Stillson expectations by receiving a blue ticket from

any staff member in our building. These tickets are collected in the classroom

and turned into the office every Friday for a drawing. The tickets are entered

in the drawing. The names are announced on Channel 7 News on Monday

morning. Then the students come to the office to pick a prize. This year 2nd,

3rd, 4th, and 5th graders also have the opportunity to save their tickets and

work toward a bigger prize. This new way of collecting blue tickets is an extra

incentive for our older students.

These are the names that were drawn for September:

Kindergarten-Sofia C., Arispa S., Isaiah H., Evan M., Macynn S., Jacob B., Caleb D., Avery M.,

Aaili A., Lauren H., Piper G., Olivia H., Malia K., Grayson S., Bode C., Elianna H., Aubre S.

1st Grade-Madelynn D., Ryan K., Sydney L., Kaiden B., Rhylee B., MacKenzie K., Tavin B., Ellie

C., Jana S., Aliyah G., Jake L., Brooke S., Aidric G., Tristyn H., Odessa P.,

Lincoln S., Aubree T., Abby W.

We also had students redeem blue ticket prizes off the award menu. Congratulations:

Ella S., Madi A., Isabella H., Addison S., Conner A., Hannah W., Caylee O., Kenya S., Isabella S.,

Kendall H., Noah P., Addi B., Koan H., Lizzy D., Hannah S., Becket T., Titus T., Addison Z., Elijah

S., Quinton F., Carly K., Anna M.

We will continue to watch for great student behavior for our Friday drawing. Good job and contin-

ue to encourage the 3 Bs at home.

OUR 3 BS: BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL AND BE RESPONSIBLE

Counselor’s Corner by Judi Gunderman

THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM is for all students and

families. The services that I provide at Stillson include classroom instruction, small groups

and individual counseling. I am also available for consultation with parents and others. If you

have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me at 715-726-2412 Ext. 5504 or email

me at gunderjm@chipfalls.org

OUR OCTOBER GUIDANCE THEME IS “COMMUNICATION” and CONFLICT

RESOLUTION Students will be learning strategies for handling conflict and bullying. Your

child might talk about using the “DeBug System” which includes five steps:

1. Ignore

2. Move away

3. Talk friendly (Say, “Please stop it” or something like that)

4. Talk firmly (Say, “If you don’t stop I’m going to tell!”)

5. Tell an adult (Note: If hurt or threatened, tell an adult right away)

We will also discuss how we can help each other to stay safe or get help.

WELCOME to all of our new students and

Families at Stillson! It’s been great meeting everyone!

Chippewa Area Mentor Program

Follow Stillson on Twitter

Stillson Elementary now has a Twitter account.

Follow us @ststingers to stay up to date on the most current school news!

(http://twitter.com/ststingers)

Speech/Language Screening for Three Year Olds

Fresh Food Distribution Sites

Chippewa County

Fresh Food Distribution--2014

Sponsored by Chippewa Area Food Pantry, Inc.

Free fruits, vegetables, dairy products and bakery goods are available to Chippewa

County residents who use local food pantries.

DATE: Third Tuesday of the month

(Jan.21, Feb.18, Mar.18, Apr.15, May 20, June17 ,)

(July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 17, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 , Dec.16 )

TIME: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

LOCATION: Chippewa River Industries (CRI), 1000 Lake Wissota Drive in

Chippewa Falls. CRI is in Chippewa County’s Industrial Park that is located

north of County Hwy. “I” which runs past (St. Joseph’s Hospital.)

To participate:

1. Ask for an identification number from the food pantry you use.

2. Bring a large box or a small grocery cart and bags.

Battle of the Books Registration

Cartridges for Cash

Battle of the Books

Battle of the Books registration is now open! All 4th and 5th grade students should have received an I informational letter. Battle of the Books is a statewide competition designed to encourage reading. Participating students work together in a team of 2-4 students to read twenty selected books. The list focuses on award winners and books chosen by WEMTA members across the state.

As a team, they read all 20 books and create five questions about each book. These questions will be turned in to Ms. Kurth after each book is completed and used for practice battles. During January/February teams will compete for the chance to represent the entire school at the statewide battle. The winning team will compete in an online battle during the final week in February!

Interested students should complete the registration form and return it to Ms. Kurth by Friday, October 3rd.

Questions? Contact Ms. Kurth at (715) 726-2412 x5500 or kurthal@chipfalls.org

We are collecting empty inkjet and toner cartridges to turn in for cash! We have partnered

with a company that will pay us for our empty cartridges and issue a check for their value on a

monthly basis.

Most empty inkjet cartridges are worth $1 to $2.50 each, and some laser cartridges are worth

up to $8.00! Our “paycheck” could add up fast, so please help by

bringing all the cartridges you use!

Here’s how you can help:

Don’t put empty cartridges in the trash!

Please bring all empty cartridges to the LMC.

Bring empty cartridges from home and add to the collection (and our check!)

They will also take our recycled and refurbished cartridges to dispose in a safe and environ-

mentally friendly way.

A Message from the Superintendent

School District Facilities Assessment Under Way

All school districts across our great state hope for growing enrollment. As you may know, school districts are funded based on the number of kids they serve. Simply put, a growing school district has access to more revenue. More revenue allows a school district to pay for transportation, heating, technology, teachers, staff development, and the list goes on. Chippewa Falls is one of the fastest growing regions in the state! There are, however, side-effects of enrollment growth.

Many of our schools are coping with traffic congestion, struggling to find adequate green space, getting by with varying classroom square footage, and improvising bell schedules to compensate for shortcomings in facilities (such as no gym or a small cafeteria).

The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District has partnered with an architectural firm to help deliberately assess our school district facilities. Over the next 12 months, the architectural firm, ATS&R, will be analyzing our facilities, interviewing stakeholder groups, evaluating our parent and bus drop off/pick up zones, and prioritizing facility needs.

The end product of this process will be a Master Facilities Plan. This plan will empower the school district to approach facility improvement in a thoughtful and measured way that is aligned to our strategic plan and areas of highest priority.

If you have questions about this process or about our facilities, don’t hesitate to contact our Director of School Finance, Chad Trowbridge, at 715.726.2417.

As always, feel free to reach out with questions or concerns.

Brad Saron

Annual Notices

Be sure to read the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District Annual

Notices Required by Law by clicking on the following URL:

http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/board/AnnNot.pdf

Public Attendance at School Events

The Board of Education welcomes the attendance of members of the community at athletic and other public events held by the schools in the District, but the Board also acknowledges its duty to maintain order and preserve the facilities of the District during the conduct of such events. “Upon request to the Building Administrator, submitted 24 (twenty-four) hours in advance, the District shall make reasonable accommodations including the provision of informational material in an alternative format as neces-sary for a disabled person to be able to participate in this activity.”