Etna Elementary School

Where we Think, Learn, Achieve, & Care

http://etna.lcsd2.org

February 2010
ierantoni’s Place

Ways to Communicate
One of the high points from our recent accreditation visit was the following commendation:
“The school maintains effective, positive relationships among the staff, students, and the
community. The school has created a warm, caring environment where students are comfortable
taking risks and encouraged to reach high achievement levels. Positive relationships assist in the
overall effectiveness of the school’s programs.”
In a continual effort to improve our open door policy, I thought I would highlight some of the
ways we can communicate with each other. Some are well known, while some are new and just
getting started. Hope to hear from you soon!
• Parent/Teacher Conferences. We average over 98% attendance. See information on
February’s conferences below.
• Monthly Newsletter/Webpage/Notes from school or teacher. These tools are our main way to
get information home.
• Student Planner. A great way to find out what is happening daily.
• TextWire. A new technology where you can receive text or email messages from school with
regards to important information (mainly reserved for emergencies). You have to sign up for
this service on the school’s webpage.
• SchoolMessenger. Another new technology that sends automated phone calls out to parents
making them aware of lunch balances, student absences, and emergencies. This should be up
and running within the next few weeks.

Calendar
2/1 6th Grade Ski Trip to Cokeville
2/3 4th Grade to IPSSSDR in Alpine
2/8 Mastery Camp Activity - Snowshoe/Cross-Country Ski
2/9 Parent-Teacher Conferences (SVHS will also be at Etna): 3:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
2/10 Parent-Teacher Conferences: 3:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
2/12 No School
2/15 President’s Day - No School
2/16,17,23,24 & 3/2 After School Enrichment Classes: 2:37 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.
2/17 District Spelling Bee at Etna Elementary School
2/17 6th Grade Guitar/Strings Concert at 7:00 p.m.
2/18 5th Grade Guitar/Strings Concert at 7:00 p.m.
2/19 4th Grade Snowshoeing - Somerville & Polly
2/22 6th Grade Ski Trip to Cokeville
2/24 Band Concert at 7:00 p.m.
2/26 4th Grade Snowshoeing - Graham & Jaques
3/8-4/8 PAWS Window - Students need to be present every school day.
3/9,10,16,17,23,24 After School Enrichment Classes: 2:37 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.
3/14 Daylight Savings Begins - Spring Forward!
3/22 Mastery Camp Activity - Wilderness Survival Skills Presentation
at Etna Elementary School
3/29-4/2 Spring Break - Hooray!
Geography Bee 2010
Congratulations to Matthias Paul for winning Etna Elementary’s 2010
Geography Bee. Upon passing a written examination, he will have the
opportunity of advancing to the next level of competition in Laramie.
Kudos also to Colton Sanchez, 2nd place winner. Each of the pictured
contestants were classroom winners and did an impressive job in the
competition. We’re very proud of all of them.

Thank you to Geraldine Parker and her

parents, Robert and Geraldine Dellenback.
They facilitated the donation of a George
Washington Portrait and an American flag
that was flown over Mount Vernon on Veter-
ans Day 2009 to Etna Elementary. Both are
on display in the library.

front row (l to r): Kaitlyn Bybee, Colton Sanchez, Matthias Paul

middle row: Tyler Helgesen, Matthew Helgesen, Jaden Clark, Brodie Ash,
Makayla Dana
back row: Madison Ashworth, Faith Robbins, Isabella Currie, Caitlyn
Turner
Sierra Titensor
has earned the
Marina Sessions Indian
is Etna’s newest Paintbrush
Honors Reader. Award
She earned 100 by reading all fifteen
Accelerated Reader titles nominated for
points from reading Indian Paintbrush, a
and testing on books Wyoming Children’s
from a specific list of Book Award.
quality literature.
 Doc Hudson’s Corner
Resilience is a term you may have heard discussed recently in education and student
success. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, learn from failure, be motivated by challenges,
and believe in your own abilities to deal with stress and difficulties in life (Goldstein & Brooks, 2005). People
who are resilient are able to set goals, solve problems, and learn from mistakes while getting along with others.
Children can be taught these skills if they don’t already have them. Recent research indicates that children who
have been taught to be resilient earn higher grades, are more likely to try to solve problems, have an improved
outlook on life, are more willing to take risks, and are less likely to develop depression. There are many ways
to encourage resiliency in your child, such as having them review three positive things that happened each
day, asking how they solved a difficult problem, and having them set and track progress toward a goal (a chore
or homework chart can work easily for this). If you’d like to learn more about resiliency, go to http://www.
fishfulthinking.com/ for more information for parents and children’s activities.

Etna Enrichment Express!

In January, Etna Enrichment Bailey for guiding our students taking a new group of students
Express served 125 children with through the process of writing and in his Fly Tying Class which will
fun and educational after school publishing their own book. run for two sessions. Mrs. Luthi
classes. A big THANK-YOU to Our February session will be will be starting a Drill Team and
all the teachers and support staff shortened because of Parent preparing them to perform for
who have given their time to Teacher Conferences. It will run Etna Elementary. Anyone can
make this program a success. We for two weeks on Tuesdays and sign up for this class but you
would especially like to thank the Wednesdays beginning February have to commit to come to this
community members who have 16, 2010. Archery will only be class for both sessions. Mrs.
come to Etna and shared their offered to students who have Robin Bailey’s writing class
talents with us. Thanks to Ann previously taken the course. These will continue through the end of
Maki along with Game and Fish Intermediate/Advanced students March. The students who began
representatives; Gary Fralick, Lara will participate in a virtual shoot, this class in January will be able
Sweeney-Gertsch, Todd Graham, competing against students all over to take home their own hardcover
and Mike Boyce; for teaching our the state of Wyoming. Another book of an original story they are
“Wonderful Wildlife” class. The introductory class will be offered writing in this class.
students enrolled in this class were in March. We want to thank Neal There will be a variety of
given a wealth of information and Mary Kiehne of the “Archery other classes offered to choose
about the animals of North in the Schools” program for all the from in February. Thanks
America. Thanks to Shar Perry time and effort they have given for so much for supporting Etna
from the UW Lincoln County the Etna Archery students. Enrichment Express through your
Extension Office for teaching We have several classes that participation and contributions!
Wyoming history in a fun way will run through both February
with cooking. Thanks to Robin and March. Mr. Allred will be

Mr
Hoope’s Shots
We will be going cross-country skiing and snow shoeing so students will need to bring proper winter clothing
for these activities.
 Elementary, My Dear Etna!
Please enjoy the following talents of our wonderful students.

Prepare for Our Pancakes by Gavin Speakman

Making cornmeal pancakes is a very profitable activity that should not be
declined! Being able to have this class activity, making cornmeal pancakes,
will benefit students in many different ways. Such as the fact that it will be
teaching us a very important life skill. It will also teach us to follow directions,
and it will benefit us academically! How can you possibly find reasons against
this activity. It’s ludicrous!!! But this protest will make its rich benefit
crystal clear.
This activity unarguably has no downside, it even involves a critical life skill.
Without this skill we wouldn’t do so well, especially because we can’t live
without knowing how to cook! How can we live through college if we haven’t
practiced cooking!? Sure we can practice at home, but here, we help make
pancakes for 21 students. That’s constant practice around food and hot objects.
Next, it would be much easier to learn to cook early so we can focus on more
Gage Torres “mixin’ up” important things like driving! It’d be a little embarrassing to learn cooking
some cornmeal pancakes. at 23. Lastly, we’ll be more help around the house if we can cook. Even our
parents want this activity to take place! We can gain a life skill from this activity, but you have to follow directions if you
want to gain the skill.
This activity is not only a vital skill, but it teaches us to follow directions. You can’t make the pancakes without
correctly doing the recipe. If this activity is allowed, we’ll be much more careful. But we first must have the experience!
Next, if we make a mistake, we’ll go back and more carefully follow directions. We’d make sure it doesn’t happen again
in the future - lesson learned. Won’t you love students who follow directions perfectly? Lastly, if we learn to follow
directions we’ll be more dependable to get things done exact and right. All things have certain steps to follow, like
reading a book perhaps?
By far, allowing the cornmeal pancakes is the better choice. We would so richly benefit! With life skills, direction
understanding, and academical benefit to be gained, it is undeclinable! It is definitely the wisest choice for you to allow us
to have pancakes. You can enjoy them too.

Ski Trip Day!!! by Emily Miller after a series of high scoring crashes to thank Pine Creek Ski Resort for
I was too excited to sleep! What and getting back up, I finally got to go putting up with us and giving us a
was happening? Was it Christmas in on the big ski hill!!! Believe it or not, GREAT Ski day!!!
January? NO, It was the sixth grade it was even
ski trip. You see, I’ve never been easier than
skiing before so I didn’t know what the bunny hill
to expect. As it turns out there was and the lift
nothing to worry about and I had a was awesome!
great time! After we got off the bus My most
in Cokeville, we went to get our ski memorable
boots on. Talk about weird, it feels event was
like you have casts on your feet and racing one
it was hard to walk. After that, we of my ski
got on our skis and headed for the instructors. I
hills, the bunny hill to be exact. We WON!!! I
used the tow rope and started down have lots of
. . . . I CRASHED!!! My crash sore muscles
scored a ten from Mr. Harris and the but it was
other students. After that, I did much worth it!!! I
better. I finally earned my ski legs would like Jason Hutchinson & Ethan Rasmussen enjoying the view.
SKI FIELD TRIP by Jada Hillstead
Did you know that less than 50% of Etna Elementary 6th
graders know how to ski? I believe we should increase this
percent by allowing the Etna Elementary 6th grade students
to participate in a field trip to a ski resort. My first reason
why I believe this is because they earned it. Also it is a great
opportunity for many elementary students who didn’t have
enough money to go in the past. In addition it will benefit
later relationships. As you may observe, these are some
reasons why we should be able to participate in this activity.
To start my debate l would like to bring up how it is a
great activity that we may share with our friends from the
whole grade. While attending this field trip l would like to
show that we will be spending quality time with not only
classmates but our whole grade. This could benefit us for
next year because we may not have friends in our classes.
Now I know that when some people read this they’re
thinking, wait you spend enough time with your friends
already. This may be true for some children but others may OUCH! Kailey Byers, Madison Ashworth, & Mrs. Thompson
have very busy lives and don’t get to spent much time with
their friends. This opportunity will help us make friends with people we usually don’t pay much attention to, benefitting
our relationships for later life. As you may observe, this field trip may benefit later life by having students make new
friends and strengthen other friendships.
Next to support my main point I point out that while participating in this
would like to show how it is a great trip 6th graders will also learn more
opportunity. For example there is about their valley and find an enjoyable
a good chance that many students new skill. To conclude this paragraph
haven’t had the experience; that is I hope your realized how this may be
if they probably just moved to Star a great opportunity for elementary
Valley. This may be because of low students who’ve never tried to ski at a
amount of money or just not having resort before.
quality time with friends, but with In addition I would like to talk about
this experience students may come how we earned it: academically, by
for free and have quality time with behavior, and financially. For example
friends. Now you may be thinking, it is a proven fact that 75% of Star
“Well if someone’s never tried it Valley students get mostly A’s and
before wouldn’t they be to scared B’s on their report cards. In addition
to go?” This is a good point also, many 6th graders deserve the right to
but many Etna students seem to be go by having exceptional behavior, by
courageous and would love to have a following the rules such as CHECK
new experience. I would also like to and SLANT. To conclude my debate l
would also like to bring to attention that
we earned it financially by participating
in a 6th grade fundraiser. Now I
know some grouch may be thinking Julia Dawe & Johanna Schultz
“Well, did everyone participate in the financially.
fundraiser?” Now you have a point To conclude my debate I would like
and not everyone did but some over you to notice that we earned our trip,
achievers got extra money, which made it is a great opportunity, and it may
up for another student. This money benefit later relationships. So go home
earned is normally used for supplies find your marshmallow-like snow
and field trips. As you may notice the clothes and imagine yourself going
Etna Elementary sixth graders earned down a hill on a ski or a snowboard
Sylvia Skinner & Emily Skinner the trip academically, by behavior, and while on a field trip with your friends.