NANCYHANKSELEMENTARY

NEWSLETTER
19260N.St.Rd.162,Ferdinand,IN47532
8129372400ext.4

Whateveryouare,beagoodone.~AbrahamLincoln

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mrs. Jody Schmitt, Principal

jschmitt@mail.nspencer.k12.in.us

Do the right thing even when no one is looking.

Mrs. Ellen Haefling, Secretary
ehaefling@mail.nspencer.k12.in.us

February25,2016

PrincipalsMessage:
Italkedtostudentsingrades36thismorningabouttheupcomingISTEPtest.I
noticedstressandanxietyonthefaceofourkidsandwantedtorelievetheirfears.Somestudentswere
concernedthatnotpassingtheISTEP+wouldkeepthemfromgoingontothenextgrade.Thisisnottrueand
Isharedwithstudentsthatthedatafromthistestwouldbeanotherpieceofinformationforteacherstolookat
tosupporttheirlearningandgrowth.Asparents,youknowyourchildbest!Pleasehelpmyeffortsbytalking
withyourchildtoputthematease.Herearesomebasicguidelineswearereinforcingherethatwouldalsobe
usefulathome:

Don'tbetooanxiousaboutachild'stestscores.Iftoomuchemphasisisputontestscores,thiscan
upsetachild.
Doencouragechildren!Praisethemfortheireffortsinlearningwhattheyhavetothispoint.Iftheyfeel
goodaboutthemselves,theywilldotheirbest.Childrenwhoareafraidoffailingaremorelikelyto
becomeanxiouswhentakingtestsandmorelikelytomakemistakes.
Don'tjudgeachildonthebasisofasingletestscore.Testscoresarenotperfectmeasuresofwhata
childcando.Therearemanyotherthingsthatmightinfluenceatestscore.Forexample,achildcanbe
affectedbythewayheorsheisfeeling,thesettingintheclassroom,andtheattitudeofthosearound
them.Remember,also,thatonetestissimplyonetest.
Meetwithyourchild'steacheroftentodiscusshis/herprogress.Asktheteachertosuggestactivitiesfor
youandyourchildtodoathometohelptoimproveyourchild'sunderstandingofschoolwork.Parents
andteachersshouldworktogethertobenefitstudents.Testresultsshouldntbeasurprise.

TheISTEPwindowopensonFebruary29.Studentswilltakeonetestadaythatwillbebetween3060
minutes.Grade3willtestforfourdaysandgrades4,5,6willtestforfivedays.Iwillcreateatestingschedule
sostudentsandparentswillknowwhatdaysandtimeofdaystudentswillbetestedandsendhomeFriday.
Asalways,studentsshouldgetplentyofrestandcomewithapositiveattitude!Idonotwantstudentstofeel
unnecessarystressandpressure,butalwayswanttheirbesteffort.ThePTOisdonatingsnacksforstudents
tohaveeachdaytheytest.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,IwillassistinanywayIcan!

SpeechContest:
CongratulationstoGarrettKellerforplacing3rdplaceinthemaledivisionandtoEmma
Dayforplacing1stinthefemaledivision!EmmawillbemovingontoTheOptimistSemiDistrictCompetition.
Wearesoproudofbothofthesestudents!

MathBowl
studentscompetetonightatLincolnTrailat5:00p.m.Goodluckto
WyattHaake,Molly
Schnieders,SamanthaHaefling,RylieSchipp,AlexaFleck,ChelseyTempel,CalebHochgesang,Lanae
Canen,PierceLashley,MarcusHobert,DawsonBegle,RylanBegle,GrayceJameson,KierstenGogel,and
CameronBriggs
!ThankstoCoachCareyandCoachVarnerforworkingwiththesestudentstopreparethem

tosucceed.

DestinationImaginationTeam
competesthisweekendfortheSouthernRegionalTournamentinSellersburg,
IN.StudentswillbedoingapracticerunduringmorningassemblyonFriday.WeareexcitedtoseeTaylor
Ruxer,HunterGray,MaxEtienne,EmilyPaquette,RyleeKoenig,AlexaFleck,andLanaeCanenperform.
ThankstoCoachEckerleforencouragingthisteamandhelpingthemtobetheirbest!

RaceforEducationteamandPTO
ishostinga
SockHop
onFridayat2:30inthegymforstudentsthat
turnedin10ormoreaddresslabels.Wewillbedrawinggiftcardwinnersforstudentsthatturnedinawhole
sheetofaddresslabelstoo.Studentsweretoldtodressthepartiftheywantedtoaddtothefun!Poodle
skirts,sunglasses,leatherjackets,pinkjackets,sweatersandother50sattireiswelcome!

HEROES:

EachweekintheThursdayfolder,studentswillreceiveahalfsheetofpaperwiththechallengefor
theweek(MondaySunday).Thepaperhasticketsforthestudentandparenttofillouteachtimethey
completethechallenge.
Wearesothrilledtoseestudentseagerlybringingthoseticketsineveryday!Thisis
howwearedoingsofar:
Prek100,K110,1st139,2nd173,3rd83,4th213,5th183,&6th36.

Thanks
foryoursupportathome!!Upnextweekisafocuson.

NationalUnplugDayisMarch4,whichleadustoourchallengefortheweekofFebruary29March6:limiting
screentimetoonehouradayathome.Sedentaryor"still"timespentwatchingTV,surfingonlineorplaying
computergamesislinkedtokidsbecomingoverweight.Childrenandyoungpeopleshouldspendnomore
thantwohoursadayon"smallscreen"entertainment.Breakuplongperiodsofuseasoftenaspossible.
Planarangeofactiveindoorandoutdooractivitiesforyourchild,asalternativestowatchingTVorplayingon
thecomputer.Formoreonnavigatingsocialmediacheckoutthisarticle
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janinefrancolini/knowbeforeyougotheabcs_b_9253722.html
.

FromtheCafeteria:
Congratulationstothesurprisetraywinners:NevaehWoodcox,BrockFicker,&Joselyn
LopezPadilla!

USIDentalClinic:
WewillonceagainbetakingstudentswithoutdentalinsurancetotheUSIdentalclinicthis
spring.StudentswilltraveltoUSIonaNorthSpenceractivitybusduringtheschooldayonApril6,2016.
Parentswillreceiveasealedenvelopewiththeresultsofthecheckup.Thereare12slotsavailableforeach
trip.Thesewillbefilledintheorderreceived.Email
awetzel@mail.nspencer.k12.in.us
ifinterested.

UpcomingEvents:
February25KindergartenRoundUp/PreschoolDaycareEnrollment
February25MathBowlatLincolnTrailat5:00p.m.
February26SockHopforstudentsthatbroughtintenormoreRaceforEdlabels
February27DestinationImaginationCompetition
February29March112016Part1ISTEP+Testingforgrades36.

CommunityNews,Events,andExtraCurriculars:
GIRLSCOUTLEGOEVENT:
March12,2016,9:00a.m.1:00p.m.Forspecificinformationpleasehaveyour
daughterpickupaflyerintheoffice!
Brochuresfor
CampCarson
willsoonbeavailableintheoffice.