Volume 14, Issue 9

Please be sure to read this last issue of the Wamego West Words for the 2011-2012 school year!

May 1, 2012
Kansas Assessments Completed
West Elementary recently completed the Kansas Assessments. Students in all grades were involved in these tests. The March newsletter explained the areas assessed for each grade level and some of the main features of these assessments. Last year, West Elementary students met the Standard of Excellence on the Kansas Assessments in reading in grades 3, 4, and 5, math in grades 3 and 5, and science in grade 4 (grade 4 is the only level to take the science assessment)! We also met the SOE as a building in all subjects tested! We have met the SOE in reading for 10 years in a row, math for nine years in a row, writing three times (taken every other year), and science four times (taken every other year). Kansas Assessment results are divided into five performance levels. These levels, ranging from bottom to top, are as follows: Academic Warning, Approaches Standard, Meets Standard, Exceeds Standard and Exemplary. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2001 (also known as No Child Left Behind) requires schools to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on approved State Assessments. The goal of this legislation is to have 100% of all students at Meets Standard or above in reading and math by the year 2014. To meet the Standard of Excellence on the Kansas Assessments, no more than 5% of students can score at the Academic Warning level and at least 25% of students must score at the Exemplary level, with 80% at Meets Standard or above. Official results will be available next fall. Our preliminary results are posted on the last page of the newsletter. They look very impressive! Congratulations, West students and staff!

Principals Points. . .

It is hard to believe that we are coming to the close of yet another school year. My how time flies when you are having fun! We have had a very successful year. Students, staff, and parents should take pride in what we have accomplished. Our school has achieved many wonderful accomplishments this year! I want to remind all students that it is very important that they continue to put forth their best effort, both academically and behaviorally, as we finish this last month of school. Every minute of instruction is important for each childs academic growth and development. Parents, we ask for your help in reminding students of this! Please take time to read with your children this summer and have them read to you as well! Students also need to practice their math facts and basic math skills to keep these areas sharp. Have your child help you estimate your bill at the grocery store. Play games with them using their math facts. Ask them to keep a writing journal of their summer experiences for future writing topics in school. Reinforcing skills during the summer will help your child prepare to return to school next fall. Thanks again for making this a great year! We appreciate your support!

Junior Raider Days for May Junior Raider Days in May will be Friday, May 4 and Friday, May 18. Students and staff should wear their Junior Raider shirts or red on this day! Birthday Dinner Birthday dinner for May is May 16. Please call the school office 8:30am the morning of Birthday Dinner if you want to make reservations. Newspaper Recycling Drive Congratulations to Mrs. Williams third grade class for winning the newspaper recycling drive! They will earn a popcorn party. The class collected 276lbs of newspaper! Angie McCune and Lori Rice will be presenting at the K.E.E.N. conference in June in Hutchinson. Mrs. McCune will give a presentation on a Flat Stanley project using Google Earth and Ms. Rice will present on Effective Questioning Strategies. Mrs. McCune will also present at the Podstock 2012 conference in July in Wichita. Podstock is a Technology Integration Conference. Sherry Helus is the Kansas Delegate for Teaching Excellence Award for the National Foundation for the Improvement in Education. She will go to Washington D.C. next February and has a chance at winning a $10,000 award or $25,000 award. She was given this award at the annual KNEA convention in April. Robin Butler and Jody Havice will be presenting at the Strategies for Educational Improvement conference at KU in June. Their session is entitled Growth Mindset--Taking "Smart Out of Your Teaching Vocabulary. Thank you to Barbie Norton and Mary Lonker for all they have done to get the Wamego iTech Center at WHS up and going. Thanks also to these ladies and to Sherry Helus for offering "Tech Tuesdays" to West students. They are exploring and creating with the iPad. Thanks also to Lori Rice and Leslie Healy for presenting iPad apps for Parents. Cathy Wilber and Lori Rice have been nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (Mrs. Wilber for Math and Ms. Rice for science). They have completed the application process and will learn in June if they are state finalists at the K.E.E.N. conference. Tina Callender has been selected for the Insight Stem Fellowship program through K-State and the National Science Foundation. This is a two-year commitment and will provide excellent opportunities for our students in P.E. classes to use instructional technology to enhance their learning experiences. Mrs. Callender has also been selected for the Let's Move in Kansas Schools program to become a Director of Physical Activity. She will attend a summer training and will implement at least one component of the project with our students at West.

More Exciting West Elementary Staff News. . .

The May West PTO meeting was held Tuesday, May 1 at 6:00pm. This was the last meeting for the year. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend PTO meetings. We extend an invitation to all second grade parents that will be third grade parents next year to join PTO. We need you! We meet the first Thursday of the month at 6:00pm. Thank you to all of our PTO Officers this year for their work and guidancePresident-Amy Schwein, Vice-PresidentAngie Matthews, Treasurer-Jill Hupe, and SecretaryAmy Donahue. See page 3 of the Wamego West Words for more PTO information. The West Site Council met Tuesday, May 1 at 7:00pm. This was the last meeting for the year. Thank you to all of our Site Council members for their participation this year. Special thanks to President Katie Fritz, VicePresident Shannon Leitch, and Secretary, Amy Donahue. We are looking for more members for the West Site Council for the 2012-2013 school year. Second grade parents, we would love to have you join Site Council next year as third grade parents! Please contact Mrs. Flinn if interested. We meet the first Thursday of the month at 7:00pm. Cash refunds will be given to students on the last day of school. When sending money for your childs meals, please try to send the correct amount for the remaining days. Reduced meals are 40 cents and $2.40 for full-priced meals. Breakfast is 30 cents for reduced and $1.40 for full-priced. Refunds will be sent home in a coin envelope. You must have money on your students meal account to purchase a school meal. You may check your students account balance at any time by using the students ID number on www.ezschoolpay.com Please call the school and ask for the cashier if there are any questions. All enrollment fees for this year need to be paid ASAP. Also, the last day for library checkout is May 14. All library books will be due May 21. Please contact the office with any changes you have for our enrollment records. The office will be closed after the second week of June and we would like to update our records before we leave. Mrs. Flinn will be on contract until the end of June, but there will be no secretaries on duty.

West Elementary PTO News

PTO will meet August 2, 2012 at 6pm for our first meeting of the 2012-2013 school year. Our primary focus will be on Carnival planning. Remember the West PTO mission statement: The ultimate purpose of the West PTO is to promote the welfare of ALL children and to keep home and school connected. The PTO consists of parents and staff working together for the common goal of making our school a better place for our children. If you have any questions about PTO or would like to volunteer for any committee, please contact one of the following officers:

General PTO Information. . .

Thank you to all of the students, parents, staff, and community members who helped with our label saving efforts at West Elementary School this year. Please continue saving your Box Tops, Campbells Soup labels, and Tyson panels over the summer. Please also continue to bring your empty foil juice pouches, empty Elmer's glue bottles/sticks, and empty Frito Lay chip bags to school to recycle. You may save these items over the summer, as well. Thank you to Stacie Jones and Angie Matthews for chairing our Labels Committee this year! A special thank you is extended from President Amy Schwein to all PTO Officers and volunteers for your outstanding support and assistance this year. You have done an excellent job! Also, Amy would like to thank each and every parent, teacher, staff member, and student that has helped with PTO in any way this year. You make our PTO such a huge success! A special thank you also to all of the Committee Chairs for your hard work on making the special activities and events at West meaningful for our students. Thank you for giving of your time, energy, and resources. West PTO will continue to be a driving force at West Elementary to make positive things happen for our kids and teachers. Please continue your support of PTO in 2012-2013.

Thank you to each of our officers this year for your leadership! Thank you to all parents that purchased school supplies through SchoolKidz. The West PTO will receive over $800 from the sale of the pre-packaged supplies. Thank you to Katie Fritz and other PTO members for organizing Teacher Appreciation Week this year in recognition of our wonderful teaching staff. Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-11. We appreciate all of the support our PTO and parents provide to our students, staff, and school! West Super Kids Play Day is scheduled for Thursday, May 17 for third grade and Friday, May 18 for fourth grade students. If you are interested in helping or want to donate snacks, please contact P.E. teacher Tina Callender. The Carnival is planned for Friday, September 21, 2012. The PTO will meet on Thursday, August 2, 2012 to continue with planning. PTO will use Clubs Choice again as our primary fundraiser for next year. We will also sponsor the Trash Bag fundraiser in the spring again. We earned over $10,000 with our Clubs Choice fundraiser and over $2,000 with our Trash Bag fundraiser this spring. We plan to use this money to help buy iPads for students! Thanks to all that participated in either fundraiser!

PresidentAmy Schwein-456-8014 Vice-PresidentAngie Matthews-456-7527 SecretaryAmy Donahue-456-8985 TreasurerJill Hupe-456-7113

Fifth Graders Go Bowling! Fifth graders will end their physical education bowling unit by going bowling. They will bowl at the K-State Student Union on Wednesday, May 9, or Thursday, May 10. Schedule: 12:30pm Bus Leaves School 1:00-2:00pm Bowl at KSU Union 2:15pm Bus Leaves the Union 2:45pm Return to School Parents are invited to go with us. You may ride the bus or meet us at the Union. The cost to bowl will be $3.00 (Children & Adults). Please send money by Friday, May 4 to your childs teacher. Bowling is fun and great exercise. It is a wonderful lifetime recreational activity. The average bowler burns 240 calories per hour and uses 134 muscles during the basic four step approach. Three games of bowling are equivalent to walking one mile. Bowling is a weight-bearing sport, which helps build strong, healthy bones.

Dream Big READ! News from Wamego Public Library

Come and join us, as we navigate the night with the 2012 Summer Reading Program at the Wamego Public Library. The summer will kick off with Rosie Cutrer, a storyteller from Lawrence, at St. Bernards Parish Hall on Monday, June 4 at 10:00am. She is guaranteed to get us in the mood for campfires, stargazing, sleepovers, and dreams. The summer will wrap up on Friday, July 27 with a Family Movie in the Park so get your blankets ready to enjoy a movie under the stars. Adults and teens will be playing BINGO for tickets this summer. The playing cards will be available following registration in May. Each square that is completed will earn a ticket to enter in basket drawings. The baskets will be displayed at the library during Summer Reading. The more you visit the library, the more chances you have of winning! Baskets will be awarded at the Family Movie in the Park night on July 27. School age programs will be at the following times:
Mondays (June 11-July 16): Drive in Movies (in the story time room) at 10:30am & 3:00pm Tuesdays (June 5-July 10): Preschool 9:30am and K-2 10:45am Wednesdays (June 6-July 11 no class on July 4): 3rd-5th grade 10:30am & teens at 5:00pm Thursdays (June 7-July 12): Repeat of Tuesday classes for local daycare programs. (Contact the library for more information if you have a daycare program.)

Mini-Society is in full swing for third grade students. Students have established their own society, printed their own currency, opened their own businesses, and created their own government. This learning experience will help students learn more about entrepreneurship, economics, government, law, and math, all of which are included in the Kansas Social Studies Standards. Market Day will be May 15 and the Mini-Society Auction will be May 18. At the end of May, third graders will learn more about issues of safety and activities for summer. Sessions will include Bicycle Safety and Home Alone Safety by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Department, Water Safety by the Wamego Recreation Department, Personal Safety by School Social Worker Dotty Schuckman, Personal Hygiene by School Nurse Cathe Ira, and the Summer Reading Program by the Wamego Public Library. Fourth graders will participate in a Vocabulary Parade on Friday, May 11 at 1:30pm in the West gym. Third and fifth grade students will be invited to attend the parade. Fourth graders will become a vocabulary word from math, science, or social studies by dressing in costume and providing a definition of this word. This activity promotes the use of the instructional strategy of non-linguistic representations for students to expand their vocabulary base and deepen their understanding of a variety of words. Thank you to the fourth grade teachers for organizing this unique learning experience for our students.

Third Grade News

Fourth Grade News

The traditional scavenger hunt will take place again this year, as you search local businesses for items to take camping. Scavenger hunt prizes will also be awarded at the Family Movie in the Park night on July 27. The registration for Summer Reading will be available both online and in-person beginning in May. Visit our website at www.wamegopubliclibrary.com and our Facebook page for starting dates.

Fifth Grade News

A Student Wellness Day for fifth grade students is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15. Sessions will include the Human Sexuality Curriculum for fifth grade, Tobacco Prevention, Nutrition, Internet Safety, and Drug/Alcohol Awareness and Prevention. Students will rotate through six stations during the morning. There will be several guest speakers presenting on Student Wellness Day. Officer Adams from the Pottawatomie Sheriffs Department will present on Drug/Alcohol Awareness and Prevention. Katie Fox from Netsmartz will present on Internet Safety. Food Service Director Laura Fails will present on Nutrition. Our School Nurse, Cathe Ira, will present the Human Sexuality Curriculum to the females. Mr. Eckart will present the Human Sexuality Curriculum to the males.

It is hard to believe that our fifth grade students will soon be moving on to sixth grade, as they begin their middle school experience next year. They have been an excellent group to work with and we will miss them! We would like to wish each of them well in their future endeavors. On behalf of all of the West staff, best of luck in all you do. We are proud of you! During the afternoons of May 8 and 15, Mrs. Butler, Elementary Counselor, and Mrs. Grieves, WMS Counselor, will be working with the fifth grade students in an effort to prepare them for the transition from West to Wamego Middle School. Fifth grade parents and students are invited to Orientation Night on May 10 from 6-8pm at WMS. On Monday, May 22, the fifth grade students will visit WMS from 11:00am to 1:00pm. The students will eat at WMS, meet with sixth grade teachers and building principal Vici Jennings, and tour the facilities to prepare them for the transition.

Farewell to Fifth Grade Students!

Fifth Grade Farewell Celebration

The Annual Fifth Grade Farewell Celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23 at approximately 9:00am. The morning will be filled with games and relays, followed by lunch. The day will conclude with a surprise event for the fifth graders! The day will begin at Wamego City Park. Each class is responsible for bringing certain items for lunch. The school will provide items for Walking Tacos. Mrs. Daus Students: 1 box granola bars or 1 small bag raw carrots, as assigned by teacher Mrs. Dobies Students: bottled water or plates, as assigned by teacher Mr. Eckarts Students: Capri Sun Mrs. Hirts Students: Cookies Mrs. Strathmans Students: 1 box granola bars or 1 bag cuties (Mandarin oranges) Families of each fifth grade student are invited to join us for lunch. We look forward to a fun-filled day with our fifth graders! A form will be sent home with your child that needs to be returned to his/her classroom teacher if you plan to attend and how many lunches your family will need. The day is sure to be filled with excitement! We look forward to celebrating with you and your child as they make the transition from elementary school to middle school. Thank you to all of our fifth grade parents for the wonderful support you have given your children and our school through the years at West Elementary! Thank you also to Fifth Grade Farewell Celebration Committee Chairs Roshelle Moore, Laura Ebert, and Erika Schoenbeck for organizing the activities and events for the day and to all fifth grade parents that plan to help with the festivities!

Transition from Fifth to Sixth Grade

Fifth Grade Music Performances

The Early Risers Choir, directed by Marcia Hermesch, had their nursing home tour on April 26. Forty-seven fifth grade students shared their music with residents of Valley Vista Good Samaritan Center, Vintage Park, and Grandview Suites. A 30minute performance was given at each nursing home. Congratulations and best of luck to the following fifth grade band students who will perform solos in the WMS Band Festival at Wamego High School on May 7: Aubrey Hildebrand, Emily Schwein, and Jaclyn Nider will all perform solos. Also, Aubrey, Emily, Taylor Pinick, and Abigail Campbell will be performing a flute quartet. Best of luck to these young musicians! Fifth grade band students will present a concert on Tuesday, May 8 in the Wamego Middle School gym beginning at 6:30pm. Come listen to the talented fifth grade band students who have learned so much this year! The middle school bands will be performing at 7:15 p.m. after a short intermission. Fifth grade students are encouraged to stay and listen if they are able. Students in the fifth grade music class and Early Risers Choir will give a shared concert with the sixth grade choir on May 15 at 6:30 p.m. This performance will be held at Wamego Middle School.

West Recycles and Wins Cans for Conservation Contest!

West Elementary recently won the Sunset Zoo Cans for Conservation Contest by collecting 605lbs of aluminum! The proceeds from the aluminum will go toward education programs at Sunset Zoo, including efforts to save the endangered tiger. All students received a free zoo pass for Earth Day and we will have a special visit with live animals from Sunset Zoo sometime this month. Our school will also house the traveling trophy for winning top honors. Thank you to Mrs. Helus for organizing this project!

West Students Explore Science Curriculum

Third Graders Study Soils On Wednesday, May 2, third graders were able to participate in a program known as "The Soil Tunnel Trailer", which is sponsored by the Miami County Conservation District, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. During this program, students were able to interact with the Soil Tunnel Trailer, which features soils and allows for interaction with our underground natural resources. One wall of the trailer educated students about the natural history of soil, including three-dimensional worms, roots and other organisms. The other showed examples of human impacts on soil such as toxic waste and septic system contamination. The outside of the Soil Tunnel Trailer is painted with the colors of the Harney soil profile, including the surface layer, subsurface layer, upper subsoil, middle subsoil, and lower subsoil. Third graders greatly enjoyed this time of hands-on, interactive learning. Fourth Grade News Fourth graders will be traveling to Forbes Field in Topeka this month for STARBASE! Students will attend five sessions throughout this month. This is a wonderful learning opportunity for students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, teamwork, and citizenship. To learn more about STARBASE, visit www.starbasedod.com. Fifth Graders Explore Ecosystems in Science Fifth grade students have begun to learn about the pond ecosystem and the different types of organisms living in and around a pond. To kick off the unit, students will visit the Wamego City Park pond in May to view some of these organisms in their natural environment and collect mud and water samples. This unit is designed to introduce students to the plant and animal life found in a pond. Students will be in groups and create their own pond ecosystem in an aquarium. These aquariums are then set up in the classroom to provide models for studying the various levels of interaction between different organisms and their environment. Along with this unit students will be going to Milford Nature Center and will participate in the following activities: Hatchery Tour, Habitat Hike, Jurassic Rocks Program, Nature Games, and a Guided Scavenger Hunt. This will be the fifth grade field trip, scheduled for Friday, May 11.

Technology Safety Tips from Mrs. Norton

This is a great time in technology, with exciting new features to each new device. However, we must teach our children to use these technologies safely so the best of these devices can be enjoyed. Here are some ideas of ways to keep your child safe while using the Internet and electronic devices: Establish an ongoing dialogue and keep lines of communication open. Supervise use of all Internet-enabled devices. Know your childs online activities and friends. Regularly check the online communities your children use, such as social networking and gaming sites, to see what information they are posting. Supervise the photos and videos your child may post online. Teach your children how to protect personal information posted online and to follow the same rules with respect to the personal information of others. Be sure your children use privacy settings on any sites they may use. Instruct your children to avoid meeting face to face with someone they only know online. Teach your children how to respond to cyber bullies. Establish an agreement with your children about Internet use at home and outside of the home.

Tips adapted from www.internetsafety101.org.

Out of the Crayon Box by Mrs. Havice May 2012 During the end of the school year, your childs portfolio of artwork that has been completed during the course of the 2011-2012 school year will be coming home. We wait until the end of the year to give students a chance to either finish work throughout the year that needs additional time, or to give them time to catch up after being absent on an art day. The only item that belongs to your child that will stay in the art room, if they happen to be a current third or fourth grader, is their sketchbook. We are able to add pages to their sketchbook from their third grade year until their fifth grade year. When they are in fifth grade at the end of the school year, their sketchbook is sent home as well. By keeping your childs work at school during the year, it allows them to see how their artistic skills have matured during the course of a single year. The students can see how their work has changed from year to year with the various drawings within their sketchbook. If you are interested in preserving some of your childs artwork, I would highly recommend that you create a digital portfolio with the assistance of digital pictures, or that you color copy the work, if you had in mind framing their creations for display in your home.

West Highlights 2011-2012 School Year

As the 2011-2012 year nears the end, it is important to reflect on the accomplishments of students, staff, and parents. This year has been filled with many accomplishments that should be recognized by the entire school community. It is important that we reflect on the learning that has taken place and the goals we have achieved along the way. I would encourage each of you to sit down with your children to assess your childs personal achievement this school year. We, as a faculty and staff, would like to point out some of the major accomplishments of 2011-2012. Thank you for your support and encouragement, as we continually strive to provide the best educational experiences possible for your children. Second year for implementation of four reading intervention programs as part of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model. Programs include Corrective Reading, Phonics for Reading, REWARDS, and Six-Minute Solution. Continued implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) school improvement model. Implemented a schedule to allow for up to 2-3 hours per week of PLC collaborative teaming time for grade level teams. Established SMART goals in each team and monitored progress toward achievement of these goals throughout the year. Worked in PLC teams to create weekly intervention/enrichment opportunities for students based on formative assessment results. Provided Mentoring Program to all new teaching staff. New teachers and their mentors met regularly to address instruction, assessment, classroom management, and professional development issues. New teachers also spent four half-days observing in other teachers classrooms to learn more about best practices in a practical setting. Fourth grade team participated in a research study through the University of Illinois at Chicago sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation on Evaluating the Cognitive, Psychometric, and Instructional Affordances of Embedded Assessments: A Comprehensive Validity-Based Approach using the Math Trailblazers pilot program for the fourth edition. Continued our bullying prevention efforts through the Olweus Bullying Prevention model. Held a kick-off in September where students traveled to several different stations to learn about bullying and how to prevent it. Celebrated Veterans Day with a special presentation by Boy Scout Pack 92 and signed our charter with the 1-1 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (Apaches) from Fort Riley for the Adopt-A-School program. Third grader, Carter Topliff was coined by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Vetter for displaying a courageous act of patriotism when Carter spontaneously sang the National Anthem in front of the student body. Third graders participated in their Flat Stanley project for social studies. Third graders participated in a variety of activity days to learn about various holidays and customs for social studies. Third graders participated in Mini Society, an integrated unit of study on economics in social studies. Fourth graders learned more about weather from Chief Meteorologist Matt Miller. Fourth graders Skyped with Congo Missionary, Marta Klein, Aunt of fourth grader, Jacob Klein. Fourth graders enjoyed Measuring through the States, a differentiated learning opportunity to enhance students measurement skills. Fourth grade students learned more about recycling from WHS FCCLA students Jenna McCown and Cody Filbert. Fourth graders completed a science project and many entered their projects in the Wamego Engineering and Science Fair. Many of these entries received special recognition for their efforts! Fourth graders participated in Vocabulary Day to promote vocabulary development and reading skills. Fourth graders made Valentines for Vets in honor of veterans of our military service. These were delivered to the V.A. in Topeka. Fourth graders enjoyed a day with their Grandparents for their annual Grandparents Day Celebration. Fifth graders built their fluency skills through daily practice and a special Fluency Day where they rotated through various fluency stations. Fifth graders learned more about famous explorers through project-based learning. Fifth graders had the opportunity to participate in two sessions of Robotics Club this year. Thank you to sponsors Angie McCune and Lori Rice! All students participated in several recycling projects including two newspaper drives and the Cans for Conservation program through Sunset Zoo. West won the Cans for Conservation program contest this year by collecting 605lbs of aluminum! Healthy Smiles program was offered to students at school for dental care assistance. All West students were provided dental screenings, as well, through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Fifth grade students had the largest band in West history with a total of 92 students! Many students participated in after school band lessons. Early Risers Choir performed at several venues, including area nursing homes and the Manhattan Town Center. KMEA Elementary Honor Choir participants this year were Kylee Gardner, Blaine Hupe, Kylee Jones, Emma McKee, Jessie Fortin, Leone Nelson, Jacalynn Nider, and Victoria Pettay. Mrs. Hermesch was the chair for the KMEA honor choir program this year! Students in P.E. helped support the Community Health Ministry through a canned food drive during their Cup Stacking unit. Fourth and fifth grade students had the opportunity to participate in the Geography Bee. Fifth grader, Logan Ebert, won the bee and xc made it to the State Geography Bee!

Third, fourth, and fifth graders had the opportunity to participate in the Spelling Bee. Fifth grader, Erik Lewis, represented West at the County Bee in St. Marys. West participated in collecting labels and boxtops for additional funding. West participated in collecting for the Wamego Christmas Bureau again this year. West students participated in an Adopt-A-Soldier program through the holidays and sent care packages to soldiers overseas. Students attended various field trips: Third grade took a Walking Tour of downtown Wamego for their social studies unit on government and economics and visited K-State for their spring field trip. Fourth grade attended five days of STARBASE at Forbes Field in Topeka. Fifth grade visited the Milford Nature Center. Numerous West students participated in a Spanish Club offered by Central Elementary School. Students from West had the opportunity to participate in Tech Tuesdays at the Wamego iTech Center. K-State Academic Mentors were utilized to assist students and staff during our reading and math blocks. Continued the regular collection of data on student progress in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics to diagnose areas of weakness and correct these deficiencies with academic intervention. Used the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment system to diagnose students strengths and weaknesses and communicated these results to parents. Recognized all students in third grade and fifth grade for obtaining the Standard of Excellence on both the Kansas Math and Kansas Reading Assessments for last spring as a grade level and as a school, as well as the Kansas Science Assessment in fourth grade. Official results were not announced until fall of 2011 for the spring tests. All teachers developed and maintained class websites to provide information to parents on classroom learning and activities, as well as to provide useful resources to parents. For the third year in a row, specialized teachers also engaged students in learning more about having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset regarding theories of intelligence. Students also learned more about the different multiple intelligences and how to tap into their strengths. West Elementary Counselor, Robin Butler, provided group sessions on Anger Management, Changing Families, Grief, and Deployment. Mrs. Butler also served as Mrs. Flinns long-term substitute when Mrs. Flinn was on maternity leave this fall! Mrs. Butler also provided parenting classes on Love and Logic. West PTO raised over $10,000 with our Clubs Choice fundraiser, over $2,000 with our Trash Bag Fundraiser, and over $6,000 with our School Carnival! Also, Best Buy support West Elementary through their volunteer program and provided $3,000 in additional funds! West participated in a Coin Harvest for Ethiopian Orphans. Building Aide Mandie Doak made a mission trip to Ethiopia after Christmas and delivered our collections to the orphanages. Site Council met regularly and had a successful book drive for our Books for Kids! program. Provided the West Elementary Scholarship for $150 to WHS senior James Manning. Accessed numerous parent and community volunteers to support our educational programs and provide engaging learning experiences for our students. Teacher AchievementsSherry Helus was named the 2012 Region 2 Kansas Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Helus visited many Kansas schools, universities, and colleges and presented with the other 7 members of the 2012 Kansas Teacher of the Year Team. She also presented at the KAESP Conference in Salina. Mrs. Helus was selected as the Kansas Delegate for the Teaching Excellence Award for the National Foundation for the Improvement in Education. Mrs. Helus was selected to review 2012 Intel Schools of Distinction Award applicants. Angie McCune was asked to serve as a mentor to new faculty at Baker University. Mrs. McCune presented at the M.A.C.E Technology Integration Conference this spring and will present at the K.E.E.N. Conference in June and the Podstock Conference in July. Kandy Williams was named the 2013 USD 320 Elementary Teacher of the Year. Robin Butler was named the 2012 Sylvan Learning Counselor of the Year. Cathy Wilber and Lori Rice were nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Ms. Rice was selected to present at the K.E.E.N. Conference in June. She will continue to participate in the INSIGHT STEM Fellowship program through K-State next year. Tina Callender was selected to participate in the INSIGHT STEM Fellowship program and the Lets Move in Kansas Schools project. Kelsey Feyes had another article published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. Robin Butler and Jody Havice were selected to present at the Strategies for Educational Improvement conference at KU this summer. New West staff attended four days of additional professional development training this past summer provided by West staff on the topics of Guided Reading, Six Trait Writing, Inquiry-Based Science, Conceptual Math, and Questioning Strategies. Several staff also attended extensive training this year through the Title I Reading Academy. A total of 10 West staff participated in the Project Renew Math Leadership Academy through K-State. A total of 10 West staff also participated in the Common Core State Standards Summer Academy last June. Transition activities were planned for second graders coming to West next year, as well as fifth graders moving to WMS next year! Camp Invention will be coming to West Elementary this summer in June!

This list is certainly not all-inclusive! There were many other accomplishments throughout the school year, too numerous to include on two pages. I applaud each of you for your efforts to make this a successful year. We look forward to the 2012-2013 school year! Have an excellent summer and dont forget to read, read, read!Mrs. Flinn

All The News Thats Fit to Eat

Brought to you by USD 320 Food Service

School Nutrition Employee Week is May 7-11, 2012

Did you know that the cooks who serve your lunch arrive at school between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning? They start their day very early so that you can have a hot and tasty meal at lunchtime! They enjoy getting to see and visit with you each day. Why not take a minute and tell them THANKS during School Nutrition Employee Week? Theyll love it!

New School Meal Requirements

You may have heard that there will be new requirements for school meals. Most of these new rules will begin for the 2012-2013 school year. The good news is that USD320 Food Service has been hard at work for several years implementing many of the requirements that are now mandated.

Biggest Changes:

Students will be required to have cup of fruit or vegetable on their tray in order for it to count as a reimbursable meal. Right now they must take any 3 different components. Starting next year 1 of those 3 choices must be a fruit or vegetable. We will be limited as to how much meat/meat alternate and grains we can offer. Currently we have minimums to meet, but can offer more. Going forward we will have maximums which we cannot exceed. Well have to be a little creative to make this work, but have no doubt we can make each meal something our students will enjoy. Half of all grains offered must be whole grain rich. We already meet this requirement. We must offer 3/4 cup of vegetables per day. Some menus already meet this requirement. The ones that dont will be modified. We must offer vegetables from the following sub-groups each week: dark green, orange/red, and legumes. We can then add certain limits of starchy and other vegetables. We are already meeting this requirement but certain menus may still be modified.

What Were Already Doing:

How You Can Help:

Encourage your child to try new things at home and school. Join your child for lunch and/or breakfast anytime. Call or email with any questions or concerns. Were here to help!

Super Kids Play Day Approaches!

The West Elementary Super Kids Play Day will be in Wamego City Park on Thursday, May 17 for third graders and Friday, May 18 for fourth graders. The day will include individual events, team challenge events, relays, and other fun events. Parent assistance is needed! If you are available to help, please contact Tina Callender, PE teacher. All students need to wear tennis shoes, socks, and sunscreen. The schedule for the day is as follows: Third Grade Schedule May 17: 8:20am Walk to park 8:50am-11:00am Stations 11:00am Return to school Fourth Grade Schedule May 18: 8:20am Walk to park 8:50am-11:00am Stations 11:00am Return to school

Preliminary Kansas Assessment Results!

Kansas Reading Assessment Third Grade50% at Exemplary, 27.8% at Exceeds Standard, 15.7% at Meets Standard, 5.6% at Approaches Standard, 0 at Academic Warning Fourth Grade37.9% at Exemplary, 35.6% at Exceeds Standard, 24.1% at Meets Standard, 2.3% at Approaches Standard, 0 at Academic Warning Fifth Grade48.5% at Exemplary, 26.2% at Exceeds Standard, 22.3% at Meets Standard, 1.9% at Approaches Standard, 1% at Academic Warning Kansas Math Assessment Third Grade68.5% at Exemplary, 19.4% at Exceeds Standard, 11.1% at Meets Standard, .9% at Approaches Standard, 0 at Academic Warning Fourth Grade31.4% at Exemplary, 33.7% at Exceeds Standard, 27.9% at Meets Standard, 5.8% at Approaches Standard, and 1.2% at Academic Warning Fifth Grade48.5% at Exemplary, 22.3% at Exceeds Standard, 23.3% at Meets Standard, 3.9% at Approaches Standard, 1.9% at Academic Warning Kansas Science Assessment (Fourth Grade Only) Fourth Grade31% at Exemplary, 37.9% at Exceeds Standard, 31% at Meets Standard, 0 at Approaches Standard, 0 at Academic Warning

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May 1

May 2 May 4 May 5 May 7

May 8

May 9 May 10

May 11

May 14

Building Aide and Custodian Appreciation Day Student Store Open West PTO Meeting6pm West Site Council Meeting7pm Scholastic BOGO Book Fair until May 11 Soil Tunnel Presentation to Third Grade SRO Presentation to Fourth Grade EasyCBM Benchmark Testing for All Students Cinco de May Rotations for Third Grade Starbase Expectations Meeting for Fourth Grade Wamego Solo and Ensemble Music Festival Teacher Appreciation Week and Food Service Appreciation Week Starbase for Mrs. Cowan and Ms. Rice Third Grade Economics Walking Tour Wamego iTech Center Open House at WHS Starbase for Mrs. Beason, Mrs. Vargas, and Mrs. Woodyard Mrs. Grieves Works with Fifth Grade Fifth Grade Band Concert at WMS6:30pm Starbase for Mrs. Cowan and Ms. Rice Fifth Graders Bowling at K-State (Miss Dobie, Mrs. Hirt, and Miss Strathman) Starbase for Mrs. Beason, Mrs. Vargas, and Mrs. Woodyard Second Graders Visit West Fifth Graders Bowling at K-State (Mrs. Dau and Mr. Eckart) Sixth Grade Orientation for 2012-20136-8pm West Junior Raider Day Scholastic BOGO Book Fair ends! Relay for Life Coin Drive ends! Fifth Grade Field Trip to Milford Nature Center Fourth Grade Vocabulary Parade1:30pm Last day for library checkouts! Starbase for Mrs. Cowan and Ms. Rice Skype and Facebook Class at iTech Center BOE Meeting7pm at WMS

May 15

May 16 May 17

May 18 May 20 May 21

May 22

May 23 May 24 May 25

Mrs. Grieves Meets with Fifth Grade Starbase for Mrs. Beason, Mrs. Vargas, and Mrs. Woodyard Fifth Grade Wellness Day Mrs. Grieves works with Fifth Grade Third Grade Mini-Society Market Day Fifth/Sixth Grade Choir and Music Class Concert6:30pm at WMS Third Grade Field Trip to K-State Starbase for Mrs. Cowan and Ms. Rice Birthday Dinner Starbase for Mrs. Beason, Mrs. Vargas, and Mrs. Woodyard Third Grade Play Day in AM Third Grade Reading Calendar Reward iPad Basics Class at iTech Center West Junior Raider Day Fourth Grade Play Day in AM Third Grade Mini-Society Auction WHS Graduation All library books due today! Starbase for Mrs. Cowan and Ms. Rice Third Grade Safety Rotations Cans for Conservation Celebration Assembly Eighth Grade Recognition Night Starbase for Mrs. Beason, Mrs. Vargas, and Mrs. Woodyard Third Grade Safety Rotations Fifth Grade Transition Visit to WMS Instrument Display Night at West7pm for 2012-2013 Fifth Grade Band Students End of Second Semester/Fourth Nine Weeks Last day of school! End of Year Fifth Grade Celebration Teacher Professional Development in AM Teacher Work Day in PM Teacher Work Day Grade Cards mailed home today!

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