2017, Here We Come!

Thank you, Dawn Houskamp

Dawn, how many tears of young, trepidatious children have you wiped over the past decade at South Side? How many stories have you listened intently to (most likely all coming at you simultaneously)? How many children have you helped discover that they have the courage to be independent from Mom and Dad for the very first time? To how many children have you been the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to? How many children has God expressed His great love to through your efforts? We can't count that high! But your students likely can, after having spent a year or more learning numbers from you! Thank you, Dawn. From the bottom of our hearts. You have our profound respect, love, prayers and best wishes. Kids Hope will be so blessed by your heart, patient love for all children and genuine desire to serve our loving God by serving His youngest kingdom bringers. Bless you, my friend, in your new endeavors. 

Security Upgrade

You will notice a new contraption at our front door. This little doo hickey (I believe I read that on the box somewhere) is a camera. Our visitors will push a little button on the doo hickey, Pat will identify them with a screen at her desk and temporarily unlock the door to let them in. Your key card can bypass this process...unless you're in the mood to pester Pat, then feel free. Otherwise, staff will realize no changes. Our visitors will appreciate the increased security. 

MLK Jr Day

Thank you for being willing to provide experiential learning for our students on MLK Jr Day. I'm very excited for our students to live into the meaning of Martin Luther King Jr's dream: people's value is found in the content of their character. The outside packaging is just aesthetics. Follow this link for a reminder of the projects and day's schedule. 

Would you notify parents about the gist of the day as well as ask them to bring a bag labeled with their child's name to collect the products of their learning on Monday? If you'd like, you may simply copy and paste this blurb:

"Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All of the South Side teachers have collaborated and prepared a day of meaningful learning for your child. Our desire is to come together as a school and spend the entire day living into the meaning of Dr. King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. We hope to bring these words to life and offer experiences that will help our young children understand his hope for our future. We want our children to be inspired and excited to carry on the mission of this dream. These young children are the hope of our future, a vibrant future. If we equip them well, perhaps they can build a brighter, more inclusive future for all of God's children, better than we have been able. If you could, please send a bag, labeled with your child's name, to school on Monday. He/she will be busy collecting and creating a good deal throughout the day." 

Wacky Wednesdays

Wacky Wednesdays are nearly upon us. Here are the dates and themes:

January 18- Sports Team or School Pride Day

January 25- Backwards Day

February 1- Crazy Hair Day

February 8- Pajama Day

Math/Reading Data Meetings

Kindergarten and first grade: we're working to reschedule! 

Second grade on Friday, January 20 from 12:45-1:45

Chapel on January 18

We will FaceTime with the children of Beautiful Gate in Lesotho, Africa on Wednesday, January 18. Their chapel time begins at 3:30, which translates to 8:30 our time. Please plan on our chapel at 8:30. Due to HC2 in the gym, we will need to meet in the music room. It'll be tight but we'll make it work. We will sing one song. We will listen to them sing a song. Then we will sing one song together. I will practice our songs with the kids during praise on Friday morning (thank you for being so accommodating and allowing me this time, Michelle. I really had to twist her arm! ;) 

Discovery Night
Plans for Discovery Night are underway! Thank you for setting aside the evening of Tuesday, January 31 from 5:30-7:30 to return to school. Prospective parents will visit South Side from 6:00-7:30. The flow of the evening will be just a little different than last year. I will communicate the details to each grade level soon. 

Winterim Class In the Library
Have you noticed Chuck taking some high school kids to poke around our library? They are bringing their fresh eyes and big dreams to rethink the layout and spacial organization of the library (I don't believe they're reinventing the Dewey Decimal system, however). They will propose their ideas at 10:00 on Friday morning. I'm excited to share their thoughts with you! Mary is eager to hear their plans as well. 

Preschool Staff Meeting
We're working to reschedule! We will go through the finer points of Discovery Night as well as do some problem solving to enrich afternoon enrichment (see what we did there? ;) )

K-2 Staff Meeting
Our K-2 folks will gather to think and learn over the lunch hour on Thursday, January 19. Please plan to read the next portion of The Differentiated Classroom. We will allocate a bit more time to discuss with our groups than we were able last month.

Report Cards
POOOOF! That's me breathing out. You as well I would imagine! Report Cards are up and running again. The format that parents access and/or we print is working! Just by way of review, as a minimum, please plan to include individual comments in the math, reading and writing content areas. In the other content areas it is sufficient to provide a general comment. However, as the report card is meant to be a communication/growth tool for parents, please use this time as an opportunity to celebrate growth and/or communicate the need for further assistance for the child at home.

Microphone/Speaker Systems
In an effort to equitably equip our classrooms, five new sound systems have been installed at South Side. We want to keep these machines humming happily (is that what they do? Do they hum?) To that end, please only use the rechargeable batteries, which have been provided, with your unit. I believe they might implode if you try to stuff them with old fashioned Duracell.

Ho man! Are you still with me? That was a load. Shall we talk about picking a date for City Vu again?