Mill Run Register - Loudoun County Public Schools...Mill Run Register Newsletter for Mill Run...
Transcript of Mill Run Register - Loudoun County Public Schools...Mill Run Register Newsletter for Mill Run...
Mill Run Register Newsletter for Mill Run Elementary Volume 55 October 2015
October At-A-Glance
Oct. 5 : Author Kevin Sherry visits Mill Run 4th & 5th grade SCA speeches & Applications due Summer Reading Pizza Par ties
Oct. 5-10 : Fire Prevention Week Fall After-school activities begin
Oct. 7 : Mt. Lion Pride Citizenship Breakfast @ 7:50 am (by invitation)
SCA speeches returned to candidates PTO Restaurant Day @ Rubino’s (11:00-9:30 pm)
Oct. 8 : 5th grade SCA candidate speeches @ 8:30 am in the cafe Run for Fun flyers go home
Oct. 9 : 4th grade SCA candidate speeches @ 8:30 am in the cafe SCA Finalists announced @ 2:20 pm
Oct. 12 : Nat’l School Lunch Week Columbus Day Holiday / No school!
Oct. 13 : Specials run on Monday schedule SCA Finalists can put up posters PTO Board Meeting in Library @ 2:50 pm
Oct. 14 : Official Opening of the Mill Run Outdoor Project @ 4:30 - Rain Date Oct. 21st
Oct. 15 : SCA Finalists speeches after morning news/ SCA voting SCA Officers Announced
Oct. 19 : School Bus Safety Week Bus Driver Appreciation week, thank you!!!
Oct. 21 : 1st grade field trip to Great Country Farms
Oct. 25 : Red Ribbon Week for a Drug-free America
Oct. 26 : Mill Run Changing the World - Connecting with Sully Elementary School (More information to come)
Oct. 28: 5th grade field trip to Hemlock - All classesOct. 30 : Book Character Dress-up Parade @ 1:30 pm Final day of First Grading Period
Nov. 2-3 : Student Holidays/ Conference Days
Cornely’s CornerThey say if it rains on your wedding day, it is supposed to bring good luck to your marriage. Well, I would like to believe that if it rains on your =irst day of school as a new principal, the same will hold true for my tenure at Mill Run.It has been an incredible start to this school year, beginning from the moment our amazing teachers returned to school, followed by welcoming back the greatest school community to Open House/Back to School Night, to where we are at the end of our =irst month of school! Our students returned to school with incredible and infectious energy, and an excitement that you always want from your children – an excitement and passion to learn! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing your children learn from the moment they arrived to their new school home for this school year. Their teachers are leading their classrooms and instruction with outstanding, authentic lessons designed to have children experience their learning. I believe that with the knowledge they are learning every day, it is allowing them to Change the World, which as you know is our theme for this school year.This year, I am so excited to take part in the One to the World (OTTW) instructional initiative that speci=ically addresses what an LCPS graduate should know and be able to do. It is my belief that this expectation begins with us in elementary school, as we build the structure and foundation to allow our students to be lifelong learners in and outside of the classroom. Loudoun County Public Schools is undertaking this initiative, and we could not be more excited. Essentially, we will continue the wonderful instruction already established at Mill Run by focusing on signi=icant content and important competencies to solve authentic problems in the world. The students’ work will be displayed through a public product and will connect their learning with the world.Our staff began this school year by participating in a One to the World project, which involved designing a garden that would bene=it the Loudoun Homeless Shelter. Earlier in my newsletter, I referenced Open House being such a big success. I would like to take a moment to thank-‐you for stopping in our front lobby to vote for one of the six gardens (designed by our staff) that you wished to see become built at Mill Run. They all were remarkable designs, but the winner is…Nourishing Hope! We are in the process of =inalizing this design and preparing to have this built on our campus. Our students will take an active role in growing and maintaining this garden so that our vegetables will be able to successfully grow beginning in the spring. You
(con’t. on next page)
may be wondering what we will do with our vegetables? They will be donated to the Loudoun Homeless Shelter to be shared with families in need. If you are handy and would like to donate your time to help build the garden’s framework, please consider contacting me at [email protected].
As you know, our staff’s dedication to bring learning to life is nothing new to our students. We will continue to bring One to the World experiences into our classrooms, with the anticipation that our instruction will truly Change the World. I am con=ident that your children will bring this excitement home with them to share with you. If you have been on Mill Run’s campus, it is not secret that we have one of the most beautiful campuses around! There has been so much hard work, dedication, sweat, and help from our teachers, students, community, and outside organizations to bring this environment to life. Please consider joining us on Wednesday, October 14th beginning at 4:30 for some fun outdoor activities and our “Of:icial Opening of the Mill Run Outdoor Project.”
If you haven’t already done so, please consider following Mill Run on Twitter @MillRunLCPS, along with my Cornely’s Corner blog to see some of the wonderful learning happening in our school.
As always, thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us! It is going to be an incredible 2015-‐2016 school year. And please, plan to join us for our annual “Book Character Dress-‐Up Parade” on Friday, October 30th @ 1:30. It will be one to remember.
Respectfully,
John CornelyPrincipal
To our Mill Run families and friends for coming out and supporting the 6th annual Mill Run softball game.
It was great fun for all!!
And a very big Thank You to the many PTO volunteers, staff and friends who volunteered their time to help with the big day -‐
it’s not possible without you!
A very big congratulations toCornely’s Dream Team who took home the win!
Thank You to all of our community sponsors at this year’s game:
The ZoneGo BananasRubino’s
Cheers SportsCuriosity Zone
Sweet n SassyDiamond Sports Training
Hello Mill Run Families!
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! We are very excited about the upcoming year and all the sensational events and opportunities in place for the students and families of Mill Run. Without a doubt, our school has the best staff, students, parents and community! Our students have done an outstanding job these first few weeks getting back “into the groove!” It’s so wonderful to greet their smiling faces each morning as they arrive to school. It’s very clear they are excited and ready to make each and every day their personal best!
This year our cafeteria program, “Lunchin’ for Loot” will continue. We have spent time in the cafeteria reviewing this exciting program so that all of our students can work collaboratively to achieve success for their entire class! Students, as a class, can earn $40.00 of “Lion Loot”. Once earned, they can choose a class reward! To earn the “loot”, students must follow PBIS rules while in the cafeteria. Throughout our school building, you will see our PBIS rules posted in the hallways, cafeteria, restrooms, and playground.
To be sure you stay informed of all the exciting activities and events happening at Mill Run, please check your child(s) yellow Thursday folder and our school website for upcoming information. This is the best way to stay connected with your child and their school day.
We are looking forward to working with our Mill Run school community to provide a wonderful and productive school year for everyone!
Tricia Ulbrich Marisa VeltriAssistant Principal Administrative Intern
To check out the monthly School Menu for OctoberPlease visit:
http://lcpshealthycafe.org/index.php?
Mill Run Cares
This year our Mill Run Cares Campaign will bene=it our “sister school” Sully Elementary in Sterling.
Run for Fun: November 6th after school.
More information to come soon!
Administration News & Views
Welcome back to a new and exciting school year! The “Character Word” for the month of September is
RESPECT . At Mill Run we reinforce this message each day during the morning announcements as we recite the Character Pledge--Today…I will do more than I have to; I will treat others as I want to be treated, and I will try to become a better person. Guidance lessons will emphasize the concept of respect as it applies to the three areas of focus--academic, social and career. Please ask your children to tell you about what they learned in their guidance lessons.
We hope to start small groups by October, so watch your Thursday folders for referral letters and permissions slips. No child will be placed in a small group without parental consent.
The first Mountain Lion’s Pride Citizenship Breakfast for the 2015-2016 year will be held on Wednesday, October 7th at 7:50 a.m. For those who are new to our school, this breakfast recognizes students that have been selected by their teachers for demonstrating good citizenship skills. A gentle reminder to parents, if you are unable to attend the Mountain Lion’s Pride breakfast when your child is receiving the reward, please let the school counselors and/or the classroom teacher know. Students feel so sad, and many tears are shed when there is no one there to see them receive their award. You will be notified by mail if your child has been selected. Mill Run has an abundance of good citizenship filling its hallways and classrooms!
Please feel free to contact your grade-level counselor at any time with your questions or concerns so that we may discuss them with you. It is our pleasure to be able to provide support and information to the students and families of Mill Run.
Sara Millikin (K-2)Michele Kovach (3-5)
Counselor’s
Corner
Cut those box tops and send them in!!!
Can you imagine a fundraiser that's easier than eating a bowl of cereal or having a snack? With General Mills Box Tops for Education it's that simple. The school earns 10 cents for every box top logo that we submit to General Mills. Last year, Mill Run collected $3,629.30. Box Tops can be turned in to your child's teacher any day of the week. The teachers submit their Box Tops on the first Monday of every month. So please remember to neatly trim your Box Tops, check the expiration dates, and send them to school!
Visit http://www.boxtops4education.com for more information. Contact Liz Eagan at [email protected] with any questions!
Bing in the Classroom is now enabled at Mill Run!
Bing is Microso+'s search engine and a few years ago now they released "Bing in the Classroom" which includes a variety of items that are beneficial to the teaching and learning process. Students can prac@ce their digital literacy and search skills in a safer search environment.
Help get free Microso; Surface tablets into Mill Run’s classrooms
Bing Rewards makes it easy for parents, teacher & community members to earn free Surface tablets for our classrooms just by searching on Bing. It’s completely free, just follow these three simple steps:
1. Sign up for Bing Rewards at BingRewardsSchools.com2. Search on Bing to earn credits3. Donate your credits to Mill Run
Once enough credits have been donated to Mill Run, Microso+ will send a free Surface with a Type Cover directly to our school. Join Bing Rewards at BingRewardsSchools.com to start earning credits today, and donate your credits to Mill Run!
Library/Computer Lab News
Media and technology are at the very center of all our lives today -‐-‐ especially our children’s. Kids today spend over 50 hours of screen @me every week. The media content they consume and create has a profound impact on their social, emo@onal, cogni@ve, and physical development. Learning how to use media and technology wisely is an essen@al skill for life and learning in the 21st century. But parents, teachers, and policymakers struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing digital world in which our children live and learn. Now more than ever, they need a trusted guide to help them navigate a world where change is the only constant.
LCPS and Mill Run Elementary School are commiYed to training our students to be good digital ci@zens. Working together, Mrs. Damewood and Mr. Browning will be using the Common Sense Educa@on curriculum to teach all students how to be beYer users of technology while being safe.
Common Sense Educa@on provides teachers and schools with free research-‐based classroom tools to help students harness technology for learning and life. Our K–12 Digital Ci@zenship Curriculum and interac@ve games teach students how to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world.
For more informa@on about Common Sense Media, go to hYps://www.commonsensemedia.org/.
Library News
B i r t h d a y B o o k C l u b 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6We would like to thank the following students for dona3ng a new book to the Mill Run Elementary library to celebrate a birthday.If you are interested in dona3ng a Birthday Book, informa3on can be found on the Library Web Page.
September 2015J. Gaertner…Clams All Year
D. Ostergard…Diary of a Wimpy Kid Hard LuckD. Ostergard…Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw
K. Greene…S3nk and the World’s Worst Super-‐S3nky SneakersK. Greene…S3nk the Incredible Shrinking Kid
K. Greene…S3nk and the Midnight Zombie WalkM. Kordes…The Chicken Squad, the First Misadventure
M. Kordes…Charlie Goes to SchoolD. Peterson…Tombquest: Amulet KeepersN. Calderazzi…Whatever AWer: Cold as Ice
A. Rodriguez…Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras
Odyssey of the Mind 2015-2016What is it?
Odyssey of the Mind is a unique program where teams of 7 students apply their creativity to solve problems ranging from building mechanical devices to writing and performing original skits. Who can join? All Mill Run students are welcomed and encouraged to participate. We hope to build on and develop skill sets of the child in the following areas:Leadership - Art – Singing - Music -Crafting -Building -Writing –Acting – and Others When does it take place? Registration begins September 17th and applications are due by October 2nd Applications are available at http://millrunom.com
Where can I learn more? Please check the websites at www.odysseyofthemind.com and http://Millrunom.com Or contact John Fitzgerald at [email protected].
As we begin a new year I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the new families coming to Mill Run for the first time and a welcome back to all our returning families. It was nice to see so many of you at back to school day and our September meeting. I invite all PTO members to attend our monthly meetings held the second Tuesday of each month at 2:50pm in the school. If you are unable to attend, the meeting minutes are available under the PTO tab of Mill Run’s website.
We are always looking for fresh faces and new ideas in the PTO. If you have anything to share, please reach out to myself or one of our amazing board members. If you haven’t yet joined the PTO, it’s not too late! You can still join online. Also, don’t hesitate to fill in our volunteer interest form. Checking any of the boxes does not commit you to volunteering, it simply means when that event comes up, you’ll be included in the email for sign up opportunities. If you’re able to help out, great! The success of our PTO is driven by the amazing amount of volunteers that make our events remarkable. Any amount of time you are able to give is appreciated.
The amount of volunteers constantly at work behind the scenes at Mill Run always astounds me. Quite a bit of work went on through the summer to be sure the PTO was ready for back to school day. I would like to thank the following volunteers for being so giving with their time: Natalia Almuhaya, Christine Andretta, Denise Angelo, Jessica Chestnut, Liz Eagan, Ashley Grigg, Colleen Hughes, Andi Huppert, Erin Louis, Karina McKee, Oya Simpson, Emily Sparrow and Mellany Weaver. I would also like to thank all of the volunteers that brought items in for the PTO Staff Welcome Back luncheon the Wednesday before school started and all the volunteers that worked during Back to School day. We also had a very successful Mill Run Staff Softball game. Thank you to all the volunteers that helped make that a success and to Andi Huppert, Kim McCracken and Heather Roper for organizing.
After School Activities- Thanks to all the parents for their patience during the registration process. We had a great turn out with approximately 430 registrations and 24 classes. Parent notifications will be sent via email before October 2nd. Classes begin October 5th. If you have any questions, please send an email to [email protected]. Many thanks to Kristin Fetterman, Caroline Molthen, Beth Zemcik, and Natalia Almuhaya for organizing.
Our Fall Fundraiser, a Read-A-Thon, is underway. Each student should have received their secret code. Use this code to create your child’s personal Read-A-Thon page, then gather sponsors by sharing this page via electronic media with friends and family. Our Read-A-Thon runs from Sept 28th through October 9th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Sparrow at [email protected]. The class per each grade level with the most sponsors will receive $100 to enhance their classroom reading area.
Our first Spirit Night is at Rubinos on Wednesday, October 7th. Eat in, carry out, lunch and/or dinner-please come out and support Mill Run.
I hope you have had a great start to the 2015-2016 school year!
Kristy McGehee
PTO President
PTO NEWS
Be the change you want to see in the world. -Gandhi
Follow us on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/MillRunPTO
Grocery Links!
If due to a disability, you need assistance to enable you to meaningfully participate in any activities listed in this newsletter, please contact Mr. Cornely in the Mill Run office at (571) 252-2160 at least
five working days prior to the event. if the event is not at Mill Run, he will direct you to the appropriate resource.
Mill Run Elementary is dedicated to continuous school improvement. A formal School Improvement Plan has been developed by staff, parents, and community members. The plan is reviewed on an
ongoing basis. A copy is available in the school office and the school library. You may also call us at (571) 252-2160 to have a copy sent home with your child. We welcome your input!
Get ready for holiday shopping!
The Gift Card Fundraiser begins again on
November 12th
Mill Run Spirit Store is Now Open!Hours: Every Thursday Morning, 7:30-7:45am
The Spirit Store is run by parent volunteers. Children of our volunteers are welcome to help also!
If you are interested, please contact Ashley Grigg.Contact: Ashley Grigg [email protected] with any questions.
Paw Pride Pencil, assorted pastels: $ .50
Bookmarks: $.75
Paw Pride Vinyl Ruler: $1.00
Pawsome Notebook: $2.00
Sharpener: $1.00
Paw Pride Car Magnet $3.00
Foam Fingers $3.00
Drawstring Backpacks $3.00
MILL RUN PTO 2015-2016
CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS
Robo>csTuesday – December 1, 2011 (2 shows, 8:30am, 9:40am)
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 (2 shows, 8:30 AM, 9:40 AM) The Bureau of Lectures is proud to bring you a brand new interacHve journey from simple, funny robots to complex (and super cute) humanoid robots. Explore the Science, Technology, Engineering, and MathemaHcs (STEM) concepts that bring roboHcs to life! Your students will get to interact and assist with robots on the cuQng edge of technology and then see the robots carry out their commands.
Concepts to be explored:
• Sensing / Electricity – How do switches work? What is electricity? How do other senses sense?
• Programming – How do robots “know” what to do?
• Output / Motors – How can we turn electricity into moHon, light, or other forms of energy?
• Feedback Loops – Self correcHon is what robots uniquely do. Don’t fall!
Fall Shows
RESTAURANT DAY!
Take a break from your routine to join us at
Rubinos for Pizzas, Calzones and Fun!
Save the cooking for another night
and join other Mill Run families
for a night out.
Wednesday, October 7th
11:00 am - 9:30 pm
PTO Meetings for the School Year
October 13th
November 10th
December 8th
January 12th
February 9th
March 8th
April 12th
May 10th
Meetings are held on Tuesdays at 2:50 p.m. in the library at Mill Run.
All are welcome, including children! We encourage your participation and feedback.
MANY THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORS!
MILL RUN SCHOOL MOTTO
Today...
I will do more than I have to,
I will treat others as I want to be treated,
And I will try to become a better person.
Absentee Phone Line
If your child is absent for any reason, please make sure to call the Mill Run Absentee Phone Line, (571) 252-2162, on the day or days your child is not in school. When possible, we would like to receive your
call before our work day begins at 7:30 am. Also, please call the absentee number if your child will be tardy that day to prevent a phone call having to be made home. The absentee phone line is available for your use 24 hours a
day, everyday. You can also save time and email us about your child’s absence!