Darden  Primary  Center  18645  Janet  St  

South  Bend,  IN  46637  P:  574-­‐243-­‐7335        FAX:  574-­‐243-­‐7338  

http://darden.sb.school/  Message  from  the  Principal:    

The  school  year  got  off  to  a  great  start  at  Darden.    I  was  so  happy  to  see  the  smiling  faces  of  the  children  in  our  hallways  and  classrooms  during  the  first  week.    I  have  been  struck  this  year  by  the  sheer  number  of  students  who  are  readily  following  teacher  instructions  in  the  hallways,  being  active  participants  in  the  classrooms,  and  generally  coming  to  school  with  a  positive  attitude  and  willingness  to  learn.    Our  tagline  at  Darden  is  “Learning  Everyday.”    I  say  it  everyday  on  the  announcements  and  I  want  all  of  our  staff  and  students  to  live  it.    The  staff  is  going  to  help  every  student  become  skilled  and  lifelong  learner,  critical  thinker,  and  problem  solver.    These  21st  Century  skills  are  critical  to  success  in  the  information  society  we  live  in.    We  are  teaching  the  students  to  have  a  “growth  mindset”  in  order  to  help  them  take  on  challenges,  persevere  through  difficult  work,  accept  critical  feedback,  and  have  a  positive  outlook  about  themselves  as  learners.    There  will  be  more  on  this  concept  in  future  newsletters.         I  want  to  ask  your  help  in  promoting  our  core  values  and  school-­‐wide  expectations  for  students.    They  spell  the  acronym  DARTS  (see  the  box)  and  will  be  used  to  help  students  learn  behaviors  that  exhibit  these  values.    This  will  bring  consistency  to  rules  and  discipline  throughout  the  school  and  across  grade  levels.    So,  please  help  us  emphasize  these  concepts  and,  again,  look  for  information  in  this  and  future  newsletters.       Please  join  us  for  the  PTO  Chili  Dog  Supper,  and  remember  to  get  your  background  check  submitted  if  you  plan  to  visit  the  school  or  volunteer  in  any  way.    We  hope  you  can  get  involved  this  year  with  the  PTO,  in  fundraisers,  in  the  classroom,  and  in  being  a  partner  with  the  school  in  supporting  your  child  academically,  behaviorally,  and  socially.    I  know  that  it  is  going  to  continue  to  be  a  great  year  at  Darden!      

      John  Kennedy,  Principal      

Announcements  Chili  Dog  Supper  ALL  FAMILIES  ARE  INVITED  to  the  PTO  KICK-­‐OFF  EVENT  of  the  YEAR  –  the  ANNUAL  CHILI  DOG  SUPPER  on  THURSDAY,  SEPTEMBER  8  at  6:00  p.m.  in  the  cafeteria.    Enjoy  a  free  hot  dog,  chips,  and  drink  while  hearing  information  from  the  Principal,  the  President  of  the  PTO,  and  others.    You  will  learn  ways  to  get  involved  and  get  to  meet  families  and  staff  at  this  event  –  a  Darden  tradition.    Park  in  the  west  lot  and  enter  through  door  #20.          

Scholastic  Book  Fair  Our  first  Scholastic  Book  Fair  takes  place  September  12  –  16.    Students  will  be  able  to  purchase  from  a  great  selection  of  books  at  great  prices.    Plus,  the  profits  go  right  back  to  Darden  students  as  this  is  how  we  fund  our  “Books  by  the  Pond”  event,  and  certain  classroom  reading  materials.    The  fair  will  be  open  for  students  from  9  –  3  daily,  and  it  will  be  open  to  families  on  Wednesday,  September  14  from  2:30  –  6:30  p.m.    ON  that  night,  we  will  have  a  basketball  skills  competition  at  4:30  and  a  “Read  with  your  Librarian”  at  5:00  p.m.    

School  Pictures    School  picture  day  is  Wednesday,  October  12.    Look  for  information  and  an  order  form  the  week  of  October  3.        Superintendent’s  Listening  Tour  New SBCSC Superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Spells, will be holding listening tours at the following schools: ! Clay High School on Sept. 8th ! McKinley Primary Center on September 22nd. Each event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m.  New  Websites  for  SBCSC  and  Darden  (shorter  addresses!)  SBCSC  Web  Address:  http://sb.school/    

Darden:    Web  Address:    http://darden.sb.school/    

                         

Mrs.  Sanders’  and  Mrs.  Braaksma’s  Kdgs  in  the  cafeteria.  

THE DARDEN NEWS PARENT  NEWSLETTER  

for  DARDEN  PRIMARY  CENTER    2016-­‐17  Issue  #2  -­‐  September  

Do  Your  Best  Act  Responsibly  Respect    Trustworthy  Self-­‐Control      

South  Bend  Education  Foundation  Truck  Pull  is  Saturday,  October  1  from  8:00  a.m.  to  2:00  p.m.  at  Four  Winds  Field.    There  are  fun  things  to  do  for  kids  and  families.    Contact  our  office  if  you  are  interested  in  joining  Darden’s  Team.    You  can  also  make  a  donation  on-­‐line  at  http://edfo.org/truck-­‐pull/.    Click  on  the  Darden  Team  link  and  Darden  will  get  a  portion  of  the  proceeds  to  go  to  technology  at  our  school.      

Meal  and  Textbook  Application  -­‐  submit  yearly!  All  parents  should  complete  the  application  on  line  at  http://sb.school/  or  by  coming  to  the  school  office.    There  will  be  a  representative  at  Darden  to  help  parents  with  this  from  11:00  a.m.  to  1:00  p.m.  on  the  following  days,  Monday  8/29,  Thursday  9/1,  Wednesday  9/7,  Thursday  9/8,  Monday  9/12,  Tuesday  9/13,  Wednesday  9/14,  Thursday  9/15,  Monday  9/19,  Tuesday  9/20,  Wednesday  9/21,  and  Tuesday  9/27.    You  may  drop  in  or  call  to  speak  with  her.    It  is  very  important  to  complete  this  application  by  September  23.      

Information  New  Staff  and  Position  Changes  Our  teachers  and  staff  in  new  positions  or  new  to  Darden                                        are  off  to  a  great  start!    We  are  happy  to  welcome:  ! Mrs.  Susan  Davis  to  our  Kindergarten  Team  ! Mrs.  Kristi  Parrott  to  our  Life  Skills  Team  ! Mr.  Greg  Mercer  to  Physical  Education  (from  3rd  grade)  ! Miss  Nicole  Elson  to  3rd  Grade  (from  Kdg)  ! Mrs.  Ann  Hendricks  to  the  Nurse’s  Office  (time-­‐share  with  Mrs.  Balogh)  ! Mrs.  Jasmine  Flickner,  Miss  Kellie  Herron,  and  Mrs.  Amy  Kazmierzak  to  

our  Lunchroom  Team  ! Mrs.  Cheryl  Ake  and  Mrs.  Gina  Paraccini  to  our  Special  Ed.  Support  Team  

Picture:    2nd  graders  working  as  a  team  in  Mr.  Mercer’s  P.E.  class!      

                                                                                                                                                       

 

Visiting  Darden    -­‐    Background  Checks  needed!  • All  visitors  MUST  buzz  in  at  Door  #1  and  go  immediately  to  the  main  office  to  sign-­‐in.  

• All  parents/guardians  who  visit  the  school  for  any  reason  other  than  coming  to  the  office  must  fill  out  and  pass  a  Criminal  Background  Check.    This  must  be  done  every  year.    Forms  are  available  in  the  office  and  can  be  sent  back  with  your  child.    PLEASE  DO  THIS  ASAP.  

Immunizations  All  students,  including  Kindergarten,  are  to  be  up-­‐to-­‐date  with  their  immunizations  prior  to  the  1st  day  of  school.    They  are  to  be  immunized  for  the  following  diseases:  polio,  diphtheria,  tetanus,  pertussis  (whooping  cough),  measles,  rubella,  mumps,  varicella  (chicken  pox),  and  Hepatitis  A  and  B.    Immunizations  are  available  by  appointment  at  the  St.  Joseph  County  Health  Department  and  other  sites  at  no  charge.  Immunization  records  will  be  checked  in  the  first  3  weeks  of  school.    Parents  of  students  out  of  compliance  will  be  contacted.    Per  Indiana  Law  students  out  of  compliance  can  and  will  be  excluded  from  school.  

Arrival  –  Car  Drop-­‐Off  Parents  are  to  drop  students  off  in  the  EAST  parking  lot  only.    Drop-­‐off  occurs  between  7:55  and  8:10  a.m.    Please  follow  all  directions  below  and  the  directions  of  staff  that  are  on  duty  in  the  parking  lot.        

You  are  to  drop  your  child  off  at  the  GREEN  CURB  ONLY.    Please  get  in  line  and  pull  around  to  the  Green  Curb  and  go  forward  as  far  as  possible  along  the  straight  part  of  the  green  curb.    Parents  are  to  stay  in  the  car  and  let  the  child  exit  as  quickly  as  possible.    Do  not  leave  your  car  unattended  at  the  Green  Curb.        

To  walk  your  student  to  the  sidewalk,  you  must  park  in  a  parking  spot  and  use  the  crosswalk.        Students  are  NOT  permitted  to  walk  themselves  from  a  parking  spot.      

If  you  arrive  to  the  Green  Curb  after  the  8:15  bell,  you  must  pull  around  to  the  front  of  the  school,  park,  and  sign-­‐in  your  child  in  the  office.      

Dismissal  –  Car  Pick-­‐Up  Parents  are  to  pick-­‐up  students  in  the  EAST  Parking  lot.    Please  follow  directions  of  staff  on  duty.    

Pick-­‐up  is  at  the  GREEN  CURB  only.    Please  wait  in  line,  pull  forward  as  far  as  possible,  and  wait  in  your  car.    Students  are  to  wait  until  you  are  stopped  at  the  Green  Curb.    Cars  are  never  to  be  left  unattended  at  the  Green  Curb.    If  you  arrive  before  2:20  p.m.,  please  turn  off  you  car.    The  exhaust  fumes  enter  the  school  through  the  air  intake  vents  and  this  is  not  healthy  for  staff  and  students.          

You  can  also  park  in  a  parking  spot  and  use  the  crosswalk  to  come  to  the  sidewalk.    Students  are  not  permitted  to  walk  into  the  parking  lot  on  their  own  –  you  must  come  to  get  them  on  the  sidewalk.      

If  you  are  not  present  to  pick-­‐up  your  child  by  2:25,  You  must  then  drive  around  to  door  #1  and  come  into  the  office  to  sign-­‐out  your  child.      

PARENT TIP OF THE MONTH: Ways  You  Can  Help  Your  Child  Succeed  At  School As  a  parent,  you  are  your  child’s  first  and  most  important  teacher.    When  parents  and  families  are  involved  in  their  children’s  schools,  the  children  do  better  and  have  better  feelings  about  going  to  school.    There  are  many  ways  that  parents  can  support  their  children’s  learning  throughout  the  school  year.    Here  are  some  ideas  to  get  you  started!

1. Develop  a  partnership  with  your  child’s  teacher  and  school  staff.  • Meet  your  child’s  teacher,  attend  Parent/Teacher  Conferences,  and  keep  in  touch.  • Get  to  know  who’s  who  at  your  child’s  school  (principal,  support  staff,  special  area  teachers,  etc.)    All  are  

here  to  help  your  child  learn,  grow  socially  and  emotionally,  and  navigate  the  school  environment.            2.      Support  your  child  academically.

• Find  out  how  your  child  is  doing.    (PowerSchool  Parent  Portal  is  a  great  tool  to  use.)  • Make  sure  homework  is  getting  done.  • Help  prepare  for  tests  (both  weekly  and  standardized).  

       3.      Get  involved  in  your  child’s  school. • Volunteer  (If  you  work  during  the  day,  you  can  still  contribute….  just  ask  how).  • Join  the  PTO.    We  would  love  to  have  you!  

       4.      Encourage  your  child  to  READ.    Helping  your  child  become  a  reader  is  the  single  most  important  thing  that  you  can  do  to  help  your  child  succeed  in  school.    Reading  helps  children  in  all  subjects  and  is  the  key  to  lifelong  learning.

Classroom Spotlight: ClassDojo in many 3rd and 4th Grade Classes A new classroom management strategy is taking off at Darden PC. Several teachers, especially in 3rd and 4th grades, are using an on-line tool called ClassDojo daily. According to the website, “teachers use ClassDojo as a communication platform to encourage students, and get parents engaged.” Students are loaded in the class page and they each choose an animated ClassDojo character as an avatar. Teachers create lists of important skills or values – such as acting responsibly, showing self-control, staying on task, showing leadership, or being helpful. Teachers can award positive points when students display these attributes and take away points when they exhibit the opposite behaviors. Students see the points in real time and are super motivated by the instant feedback. Parents can download the ClassDojo App on their smartphone or login on their computer and see their child’s feedback instantly. Some teachers can also send text messages to parents through the app and parents can respond! Mr. Slattery has found this to be an awesome way to communicate with parents. Mrs. Petsche believes that the students are more focused and are managing their own behavior due to the instant feedback.” According to 4th graders Makaylah and Josh: “It helps us stay focused and it feels good getting points because you know you are being good.” ClassDojo also has videos and other resources that help teach concepts such as growth mindset to students. Parents of those students in classes using ClassDojo are encouraged to get the app on their phone and set-up an account. Your child’s teacher will send home information on how to do that. We are hoping that this makes teacher-parent communication more efficient and effective so that we can partner with you in helping your student stay focused, stay on task, and, ultimately, have greater success at school. Physical  Education  Students  in  grades  1  -­‐  4  need  tennis  shoes  for  gym.  To  be  excused  from  participating  in  gym  they  need  a  note  from  a  doctor.    

PowerSchool  Parent  Portal  A  great  way  to  keep  up  with  your  students’  progress  is  through  PowerSchool.    You  can  see  current  subject  grades  and  individual  assignments.    If  you  need  PowerSchool  access  or  to  be  reminded  of  your  username  and  password,  please  bring  a  picture  ID  and  our  office  staff  will  assist  you.    The  PowerSchool  website  is  https://powerschool.sbcsc.k12.in.us/public/  

School-­‐Wide  Discipline  and  Behavior  Support  Plan  It  is  very  important  at  Darden  that  we  continue  to  have  a  safe,  focused,  and  disciplined  school  environment  in  which  students  exhibit  behaviors  that  help  them  succeed  and  that  contribute  positively  to  the  school  climate.    It  is  ultimately  each  student’s  responsibility  to  conduct  themselves  appropriately,  to  follow  all  school  rules  and  procedures,  and  to  meet  behavior  expectations.    It  is  your  responsibility  as  a  parent  to  support  your  child  in  meeting  all  behavior  expectations.    It  is  our  responsibility  to  set  clear  expectations,  to  teach  expected  behaviors,  and  to  provide  support  and  interventions,  including  consequences,  for  students.      

 

This  year,  we  are  excited  to  be  implementing  a  school-­‐wide  discipline  and  behavior  support  plan.    The  purpose  is  to  facilitate  consistency  in  expectations  and  support  for  all  students  in  meeting  expectations.    The  plan  will  be  developed  and  implemented  throughout  this  school  year.    As  a  start,  we  have  established  school-­‐wide  expectations  for  all  students  that  form  the  word  DARTS.    Thus  we  can  now  truly  describe  what  we  expect  of  our  Darden  Darts  here  at  school.    

This  year,  students  and  staff  will  work  to  determine  what  each  of  these  behavior  expectations  looks  like  in  our  classrooms,  hallways,  cafeteria,  playground,  restrooms,  and  offices.    We  will  work  towards  consistency  in  upholding  these  expectations  with  the  goal  of  improving  student  behavior  and  thus  

increasing  student  learning.    We  ask  parents  to  discuss  what  these  expectations  mean  and  support  this  implementation.    

Additional  Information  and  Announcements  SBCSC  Bus  Transportation  We  apologize  for  some  of  the  confusion  and  inconveniences  at  the  start  of  the  school  year.    SBCSC  Transportation  is  working  hard  to  fix  the  bugs  and  keep  the  busses  running  on  time.        

Parent  Changes  or  Early  Pick-­‐Up:    If  your  child  is  changing  to  being  a  car  rider  for  a  day,  please  be  sure  to  write  a  note  to  the  teacher  clearly  stating  how  your  child  is  to  get  home  that  day.    Otherwise,  they  will  be  put  on  the  bus.  Your  note  will  help  us  get  your  child  in  the  right  place  at  the  end  of  the  day.        Bus  Rules  and  Procedures  –  please  reinforce  these  rules  at  home  (1)  Wait  at  the  bus  stop  on  time  in  an  orderly  manner;  (2)  Sit  only  in  your  assigned  seat;  (3)  Sit  facing  forward  and  remain  seated  in  your  assigned  seat  the  entire  trip;  (4)  Keep  your  hands,  feet,  and  all  belongings  out  of  the  aisle;  (5)  Use  quiet  voices  only  and  appropriate  language;  (6)  Keep  cell  phones  &  electronic  devices  in  your  backpack  (do  not  use);    (7)  Follow  the  bus  driver’s  directions  at  all  times;    (8)  Enter  and  exit  quickly,  quietly,  &  safely.          CONSEQUENCES:    Misbehavior  will  result  in  a  bus  incident  report.    The  1st  report-­‐  verbal  warning,  2nd  report-­‐  after-­‐school  detention,  3rd  report-­‐  3  day  bus  suspension,  4th  report-­‐  4  day  bus  suspension;  5th  report-­‐  5  bus  suspension.    Parents  must  meet  with  the  principal  to  reinstate  bus  privileges.    On  the  6th  report  or  in  the  case  of  a  severe  offense,  the  student’s  bus  riding  privileges  are  suspended  for  the  rest  of  the  semester  or  year.    Reports  are  mailed  home.  

Christ  Child  Donations:    If  you  have  any  gently  used  clothes,  children’s  games,  books,  or  other  items  that  another  child  could  benefit  from,  Christ  Child  Center  is  taking  donations.    Darden  will  collect  the  items  and  turn  them  over  to  Christ  Child.      

         Ms.  Kelly’s  1st  grade    class  in  the    cafeteria.    

Upcoming  Important  Dates  Labor  Day    (schools  /offices  closed)    PTO  Chili  Dog  Supper  Dr.  Spells  Listening  Tour  (Clay  HS)  Darden  Book  Fair  Dr.  Spells  Listening  Tour  (McKinley  PC)  Meal  and  Textbook  Application  due  SB  Education  Foundation  Truck  Pull    Darden  Picture  Day  Teacher  Record  Day  (no  school  for  students)  Fall  Break    (school  /offices  closed)  Parent-­‐Teacher  Conferences  3rd  &  4th  Academic  Awards    

September  5  September  8  September  8  September  12  –  16  September  22  September  23  October  1  October  12  October  20  October  21  &  24  October  27  November  4  

Darden  Primary  Center    -­‐-­‐    Learning  Everyday  

Do  Your  Best  Act  Responsibly  Respect    Trustworthy  Self-­‐Control