Dear Nokomis Families,

Nov. 2015

Our school hours are 9:35 a.m. 4:05 p.m.

Students can enter the building starting at
9:20 a.m. and pick up FREE breakfast to
go to eat in their classrooms. We ask
parents to wait in the lobby if they are
picking up their child at the end of the
school day.
We plan to share our Facility Master Plan
for both campuses at the Site Council
meeting on Wednesday, November 11
from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at South campus. We
are providing childcare for this important
meeting to increase parent participation.
Parents are welcome to participate in the
PTA meeting on Wednesday, November
11 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at South campus
plus school-age childcare is provided by
Discovery Club.
Thanks in advance for making it a priority to
participate in our November parentteacher conferences this month. Nokomis
Montessori has a proud tradition of a high
percentage (98-99%) of parents participating
in our school parent-teacher conferences.
We asked parents to return their conference
appointment sheet to Montessori or ASD
Teachers by Friday November 6 to confirm
your conference time. Parent-teacher
conferences are scheduled on these dates at
the North campus:
Tuesday, November 17 from 5:008:00 p.m. at North campus only
Thursday, November 19 from 5:008:00 p.m. & PTA Teacher Potluck
Dinner at both campuses. Reminder,
no school for PreK students on
November 19.
Friday, November 20 from 9:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. at both campuses.
Reminder, no school for students on
Friday, November 20

Tuesday, November 24 from 5:008:00 p.m. at South campus only

If you are unable to come at your scheduled
conference time, please call your childs
Montessori teacher at 744-7440 (North),
744-5500 (South) or teacher direct lines are
listed in the Nokomis Calendar. Thanks to
the ELL team for organizing interpreters
for conferences!

Our character education theme for this

month is acceptance. A friend that shows
acceptance is someone who likes others for
who they are, never trying to change them to
be or do something they are not.
We encourage students to read at home to
strengthen their reading achievement.
Please read the enclosed Why Cant I Skip
My 20 Minutes of Reading Tonight flyer.
Please join us for our annual Hmong New
Year Celebration planned on Friday,
December 4 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at North
campus (985 Ruth Street). Thanks to Bao,
MaiKa and Pai for teaching our Hmong
CLAnD After School classes at South
campus! Our Hmong CLAnD students
perform at our Hmong New Year
Celebration!
Sincerely,
Melissa McCollor, Principal
John Andrastek, Assistant Principal

No School for Students

Friday, October 30 for PreK-Grades 5
(Teacher Conference Prep Day)
Friday, November 20 for PreK-Grade 12
(Parent-Teacher Conference Day)
Thursday, November 26 & Friday,
November 27 (Thanksgiving Break)

Author Cheryl Blackford

Nov. 3 at North
Nov. 4 at South

CogAT District Testing

We are completing CogAT7 testing this
month. Our Childrens House teachers will
complete CogAT testing with our
Kindergarten students. If you have any
questions, please call John Andrastek,
Assistant Principal at North, or myself at
744-7440 (North) or 744-5500 (South).

Thanks to Ione, Childrens House teacher

at South campus, for being awarded an
EcoLab grant for an author visit! Thanks
Rebekah Orensten, new Librarian, for
organizing the same author for North
campus! Cheryl Blackford, author, will be
sharing the book Hungry Coyote with our
K-5 students. Hungry Coyote won a
Moonbeam childrens book award. We are
purchasing a copy of the Hungry Coyote for
all classrooms.

Nokomis has a high percentage of students

identified gifted and talented. We
encourage parents to talk with your
childs Montessori classroom teacher
during November conferences about ways
instruction is differentiated for your
child.

November 3rd schedule at North:

10:30-11:00 Jenna, Kristin, Danielle &
Christine
11:05-11:35 Betsy, Greg & MaiKa
11:40-12:10 Ching, Leslie & Marcey
12:50-1:20 Kindergarten Julia, Mary &
Tonia
1:25-1:55 Kindergarten Elizabeth,
McKenna & Molly

Picture Retake Day

Wednesday, November 18
If your child missed having their picture
taken in October, your child can participate
in Picture Retake Day. Parents can purchase
pictures on Picture Retake Day too.

Winter Weather

November 4th schedule at South:

9:45-10:15 Clare & Susan
10:20-10:50 Katie & Liz
11:00-11:30 Kindergarten Amy, Beth,
Ione & Kristie
11:40 Amy & Nicci

Minnesota winter weather will be arriving

soon. All students need to dress
appropriately for our Minnesota weather as
we go outside for recess daily. Exercise is
essential for good health, even in cold
weather. Students only stay inside if
temperature or wind-chill is below zero.
Please have your children wear warm clothing
including hats, mittens, boots and snow pants.

Parents are welcome to participate in

your childs author presentations!

Scholastic Book Fair

Apply for Free/Reduced Meals

www.ns.spps.org

Our Scholastic Book Fair will be open

during November Parent-Teacher
Conferences at both campuses. Our
Scholastic Book Fair offers a variety of fun,
engaging and affordable books to purchase
to support your childs reading at home. If
parents want to volunteer at our Fall
Scholastic Book Fair, please contact
Rebekah Orensten at 651-744-2830 or email
rebekah.orensten@spps.org. Families can
also purchase a book to donate to your
childs classroom. All profits will be used
to purchase more books for our school
library.

Our district is suggesting an application is

completed for every household in our
district. Please refer to the enclosed letter
with Income Eligibility Guidelines to
determine if your family is eligible for free
or reduced meals. Parents can check a box
on the top of form if income exceeds
guidelines. Our school receives Title I and
Compensatory budget money based on
the percentage of students eligible for free
or reduced meals.
2

CH & E1 Clubs Choice Fundraiser

Pick-up orders
Tuesday, November 24
4:00-5:00 p.m.

New!
Saint Paul Public Schools
School Choice Fair for
PreK & Kindergarten
Saturday, January 9, 2016
9:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
Washington Technology

THANKS to all families and staff

members who purchased food items from
the Clubs Choice CH & E1 Fundraiser!
All profits will be given to our CH and E1
classrooms at both campuses.
Parents will pick up their Clubs Choice
Fundraiser orders on Tuesday, November
24 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at both campuses.

Open House at
Nokomis Montessori
North campus
Wednesday, January 27
10:00 a.m.
includes classroom observations
or
6:00 p.m.

THANKS to Bob Kaye from Clubs

Choice for providing two FREE inflatable
bouncers for our October PTA Fall
Festival!

School Health News

Encourage your children to practice good
hand washing at school and home as hand
washing is the basic element in
controlling the spread of infections.

Open House at
Nokomis Montessori
South campus
Thursday, January 28
2:00 p.m.
includes classroom observations
or
6:00 p.m.

Thanks for keeping your children home

when they are sick. If your child is sick
with a fever of 100 and above, please keep
them home for 24 hours after fever has
broken without the use of fever reducing
medicine. Children need to stay home for
24 hours after vomiting.

We encourage parents of our current

Kindergarten and grade 3 students to
participate in the January 27 Open House at
10:00 a.m. at North to observe and learn
more about our E1 (grades 1-3) or E2
(grades 4-5) Montessori classrooms.

Hmong New Year

Friday, December 4
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Please join us at our annual Hmong New
Year Celebration on Friday, December 4
from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at North campus.
Our Hmong CLAnD After School
students will perform at our Hmong New
Year Celebration. THANKS to Bao
Yang, MaiKa Vang and Pai Lee for
teaching our Hmong CLAnD After
School classes

We strongly encourage parents of our fifth

grade students to participate in Open
Houses at Middle Schools. We encourage
parents to talk with the Middle School
Principal to arrange a day visit for their fifth
grade student.

Application deadline
PreK Grade 12
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
3