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Rockrimmon Elementary Newsletter
January 2013 http://www.asd20.org/rres
From the Principal
Rockrimmon Elementary, an International Baccalaureate School, educates, empowers, and inspires the whole child in a safe and nurturing
environment through a comprehensive inquiry-based curriculum, integrating national and international standards of excellence. We aspire
to instill confidence and integrity in our students, preparing them to take action as internationally-minded citizens while pursuing their
dreams.
IB Corner PTO News
Art on Display at Summer Sweet
2
Lunch Time Volunteers Needed 3
PE News Science Fair Club
TCAP is coming...
4
Library News Counselor’s Corner
5
Nurse News—Flu Season 6
Sodexo Food Service Newsletter 7
2013-2014 Kindergarten Registration Information 9
February 2013 Calendar 10
March 2013 Calendar 11
Inside this issue:
Greetings Rockrimmon families,
2013 is off to a great start at Rockrimmon! The Rockrimmon staff
returned back to school on January 2nd after the holidays. January
2nd was a work day to continue work on our newly implemented Standards Based Report Cards (SBRC). January 3rd and 4th were
professional development days. We attended trainings on the topic
of “differentiation.” The concept of differentiation was the focus of
Rockrimmon’s External Review on October 26th. The district de-
fines differentiation the following way:
“Differentiation occurs when a teacher responds to each
learner’s needs through the use of the following princi-
ples: Respectful tasks, Quality Curriculum, Teaching Up,
Flexible Grouping, Continual Assessment, And Building
Community.”
At Rockrimmon, we are committed to engage all students at all
levels at all times.
Our Rockrimmon “Choice Night” was on Thursday, January 10th.
I always find myself using the word “community” to describe
Rockrimmon. “Community” has been our theme for the 2012-2013
school year. No matter what time you walk through the halls of the
school, you will see teachers, parents, and community volunteers
working with individual students or small groups of students. The
Rockrimmon staff is committed to the achievement and growth of
each child. The instructional staff has been analyzing assessment
data to guide instruction for continued improvement during the
second semester. This mid-year check allows us to see which stu-
dents are making good academic growth and which students need
different instructional interventions in place to meet their individu-
al achievement and growth goals. The professional dialogue that
regularly takes place on behalf of students is rich. I value the ex-
pertise that exists on this staff and the commitment to student
growth and achievement for every child. The staff appreciates par-
ent involvement and the home/school partnerships that exist at this
school.
2013-2014 Kindergarten Registration for Rockrimmon Elemen-
tary will take place at the D20 Central Office on Thursday, Feb-
ruary 12th from 8:30-11:30am and 12:30-3:30pm.
Parents will need to bring the following to register their student:
● Proof of Residence (D20 residents only)
● Birth Certificate
● Immunization Record
● Court custody documents, if any
● Photo ID of parent/legal guardian
Continued on Page 5
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IB Corner
PTO NEWS
The K-12 International Baccalaureate
program is comprised of three pro-
grams; the Primary Years Programme
(PYP), the Middle Years Programme
(MYP), and the Diploma Years Pro-
gramme (DP). The Primary Years Pro-
gramme includes either pre-school through
fifth grades or pre-school through sixth
depending on the grade configuration
of the district. In Academy District
20, the PYP is pre-school through fifth.
The Middle Years Programme is sixth
through tenth, and the Diploma Pro-
gramme is eleventh and twelfth.
Rockrimmon has two feeder school options: Ea-
gleview Middle School to Air Academy High
School or Mountain Ridge Middle School to Ram-
part High School. Mountain Ridge Middle School
has the Middle Years Programme and Rampart
High School has both the Middle
Years Programme and the Diploma
Programme.
If you have a fifth grader who will be
attending District 20 next year, you
will receive a letter from central registry
explaining the two choices and asking for
confirmation of whether your student
will be attending Eagleview or Moun-
tain Ridge. These letters will be sent
out towards the beginning of 4th
quarter. If you have any questions
about the Middle Years Programme or
the Diploma Program feel free to contact Moun-
tain Ridge Middle School or Rampart High
School. I would be happy to answer your ques-
tions as well.
Happy inquiring!
Martha Baker
Please join us for our next PTO meeting on
Thursday, Feb 7th at 9:00 am in the cot-
tage. It's a great way to be involved, share
ideas and learn about what's going on in
our school. We hope to see you there!
Come see some “Sweet” Art and en-
joy a “sweet” tasty treat with your
sweetheart on Friday, February 15th.
Rockrimmon Elementary will have
student art on display at Summer
Sweet Yogurt Shop located at 7142
North Academy on Friday, February
15th from 5:30-6:30 PM.
Save the Date…
March 8th
PTO will be hosting a Dinner
& a Movie Community Night.
More info to come...
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Parents: We need you!!!!
Rockrimmon Elementary has been piloting
Recess before Lunch this year. Throughout
the year we have been making small changes
to help make the process run as smoothly as
possible however it does require more super-
vision and help from parent volunteers.
Parent Volunteers are an essential piece to
help make Recess before Lunch continue to
work.
Please consider volunteering during the stu-
dent lunch hour from 11:40-12:40 to greet
students as they come in from recess. Contact
the office at 234-5200 with questions.
Principal Barton
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Wise Weather Wear…
Colorado weather changes
quickly and in fall/winter
months students will go out-
side for recess unless the
temperature is below 20 de-
grees or the weather is in-
clement. Be sure to send your
student to school with appro-
priate layers and footwear.
Kids can change out of snow boots af-
ter they arrive to school, if necessary.
In P.E. we have started the New
Year with volleyball. Jump roping
will begin in February as well as,
our continued support for The
American Heart Association and our
jump rope contest/optional fundrais-
er. Badminton will soon follow and
before we know it FIELD DAY will
be upon us. Mark your calendars
for Friday, May 17th, for Field day,
weather permitting!!! Speaking of
weather, as the weather cools and
we get more snow ( MAYBE??)
please remember to include tennis
shoes in your child’s backpack for
p.e. time. We always begin our class
with a warm up jog/run and appro-
priate shoes are imperative.
THANK YOU.
PE NEWS Rockrimmon Elementary is proud to announce the 2013 Rockrimmon Science Fair to be held on Thursday, February 28th from 4:00-5:00pm
(public viewing after 5pm) in the gym. Stu-dents from third through fifth grades
who are involved in the Science Fair Club
will investigate an area of interest and present their findings. We welcome Rockrimmon families and community members to come observe
the presentations and support the efforts of our young scientists. The projects will be judged by a panel of judges from within Rockrimmon Elementary as well as surrounding business and academic rep-resentatives. For more information re-
garding the fair please contact Evelyn Ad-ams at [email protected].
The TCAP assessment
window for February
and March is enclosed
in this newsletter.
Please view the Febru-
ary and March calen-
dars on pages ____
and ______ . These
dates are provided for
your planning purpos-
es to eliminate con-
flicts with appoint-
ments during our
TCAP testing win-
dows.
Research shows that
students perform best
in their original testing environment with their class-
mates.
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There are numerous enrichment opportunities
for students at Rockrimmon. Many students are
involved in before school and after school
clubs. The student leadership council, volley-
ball intramurals, choir, Spanish club, garden club, and “Artie Smarties” are some of the
clubs being offered by staff before or after
school. Sixty-two Rockrimmon students par-
ticipated in the Missoula Children’s Theater play, Blackbeard the
Pirate on Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19. Rockrim-
mon’s PTO makes this opportunity available to our students each
year. I want to say a special thanks to Laura Bathje and the par-
ent volunteers who gave generously of their time and energy
throughout the Missoula week. A variety of PTO enrichment
classes are beginning on January 28 and will end on February 28.
These classes include pottery, science, cooking, art, Kid Power,
cursive, Lego robotics, and art. I want to say a special thanks to Dawn Pappas, Rockrimmon’s PTO president, who has planned
and organized the winter PTO enrichment classes during January
and February.
The third quarter of school is an important time for the assess-
ment of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders on the Colorado State Content
Standards. Students across Colorado will be involved in TCAP
(Transitional Colorado Assessment Program) assessments.
Please refer to the assessment schedule included in this newsletter
for planning purposes. Attendance during these days and times is
important to ensure that students are being assessed in the envi-ronment with which they are most familiar and comfortable. A
way to support your child is to avoid scheduling appointments
during your student’s assessment times.
Thank you for being partners in your child’s education,
Barbara Barton
Principal Continued... Library News
The third annual 4th grade literary bake-off was a huge success! (Just
ask the judges who got to try all of that yummy food!) We had many
wonderful entries from the fourth grade classes. All of the students
put a lot of creativity into their desserts. Entries included desserts
from books by Dr. Seuss and J.K. Rowling, just to name a couple.
Although all of the entries were wonderful here are the results of the
judging.
Student Choice: “Vietnam Sharpshooter” cake by Niko 4J
Best Literary Tie-In
3. “Toasting Marshmallows” by Connor, Abby and Karliana 4B
2. “Green Eggs and Ham” by Destiny 4
1. “Pout Pout Fish” by Zach 4J
(pictured to the right)
Best Tasting
3. Wrap from “Danny champion of the world” by
Parker 4J
2. “Gingerbread girl” by Heidi 4J
1. “Horton hears a Who” by Catherine and Em-
ma 4B
Announcing the Battle of the Books teams for
2013!!
● Julia F.
● Meghan B.
● Josh J.
● Ryan M.
● Alternate: Peyton W.
COUNSELOR’S CORNER by Jackie Mart
150 WAYS TO SHOW KIDS YOU CARE
I love this list that was published several years ago as part of the “Healthy Commu-nities, Healthy Youth” Initiative. Here are some of my favorites: ● Listen to them.
● Read aloud together.
● Giggle together.
● Tell them their feelings are okay.
● Forget your worries sometimes and concentrate only on them.
● Set boundaries that keep them safe.
● Look in their eyes when you talk to them.
● Praise more; criticize less.
● Do what they like to do.
● Love them, no matter what.
Fast Flu Facts
Flu is caused by the Influenza virus. Symptoms usually come on quickly, and include fever, headache, chills, body aches, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion.
Flu is spread when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends the flu virus into the air. The virus enters the nose, throat or lungs of another person and multiplies. Flu also spreads, though less often, when a person touches a surface that has flu viruses on it.
Antibiotics will not cure the flu. There are antiviral medicines, available by prescription only, that are sometimes helpful in preventing flu.
The best way to fight flu is to prevent it! (See box )
Flu Season
And Schools
EL PASO COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
1675 Garden of the Gods Road Colorado Springs, CO
Ph (719) 578-3199 FAX (719) 578-3234 www.elpasocountyhealth.org
How to Prevent Flu
Get your flu shot!
Wash hands often
Cover coughs &
sneezes
Keep hands away
from eyes, nose
and mouth
Stay home when
sick
Things to Keep in Mind for Schools
All children and staff should learn about and
USE the preventive measures.
A sick child or staff person should stay at
home during the first days of illness, when
symptoms are most severe and flu is most
contagious.
Children/staff can return to school when
symptoms are improving and there has been no
fever for 24 hours.
Find flu info and educational materials at:
http://www.immunizecolorado.com/ .
HOW
Use soap & warm water*
Rub your hands together
vigorously
Wash at least 15 seconds
Rinse with hands above
wrists
Dry on clean towels. Use
towel to turn off water and
open door
*If no water available, use
alcohol-based hand cleaner)
WHEN
Before preparing or eating
food
After using the bathroom
After coughing, sneezing or
wiping your nose
After handling money
After touching animals
After working outside
If in doubt, wash your hands!
Volume 2 - January 2013
Sodexo Schools and Ideaworks Food Mar-keting have created a new publication “A Look @ Today’s K-12 Students” offering a unique perspective on the make-up of today’s K-12 students for part-ners, administrators, teachers and parents so that we are always aligning with student trends. Key themes highlighted in the re-search include technol-ogy, social media, pur-chasing power, enter-tainment, bullying and even obesity. The focus of this piece is around Generation Z (born roughly 1995 to 2012), now also being referred to as Gen S or Generation Screen. Their nickname is fit-ting as Gen S will never know a world without screens, without being con-nected, without touch and swipe, or with-
out cameras to capture, interact, share and connect with others, instantly. Clearly, this Generation is feeling the im-
pacts of technology accelerating faster than ever. Here are a couple other fun facts about Gen S:
Every generation has cultural icons and for today's kids, it's Angry Birds, Mario, and Lego®. They feel a strong connection to these characters/objects as gaming is a huge part of their world.
Kids today seek interactive enter-tainment, which is why live tours that bring their favorite characters to cities near them are popular.
For the first time in human history, it truly is hip to be square. According to recent research conducted by MTV, more of today’s teens want to be nerds than want to be jocks.
9 out of 10 children and adoles-cents in the United States fail to con-sume the recommended amount of vegetables each day.
So, how do we begin to digest this infor-
mation? Quite frankly, it means to capture the attention of Gen S we will need to adopt their technology and cater to these future consumers who want everything at their fingertips. Additionally, current brands will have to demonstrate value and purpose, and be more transparent, more authentic, and more open to negotiation. One thing is for certain – there will always be a market for the “old folks” to learn more about technology to keep up with the “screeners.”
View the full A Look @ Today’s K-12 Stu-dents publication with the complete list of sources.
Today’s K-12 Students - are they Gen Z or Gen S?
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Update
New Sports Nutrition Videos
Want to learn more about athletics and the
importance of good nutrition and hydration?
Roxanne Moore, the national director for
wellness for Sodexo Educa-
tion—Schools recently
produced a series of sports
nutrition videos. These
videos are great for
coaches and health teach-
ers to utilize. View the
videos at http://
www.youtube.com/
playlist?
list=PLHjvMn8GTsWzdRdAaCm4A982hfM24k
Above: Generation Screen is connecting even with the
youngest kids today.
Recently the USDA announced a revision to the in-terim rule entitled Certification of Compliance with Meal Pattern Requirements for the National School Lunch Program under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. According to their memo, State agencies are now given flexibility in compliance for the weekly maxi-mum ranges for grains and meat/meat alternatives. The USDA has provided updated guidance to address menu planning concerns from State Agency directors and School Food Authorities. At this time, Sodexo is reviewing the guidance and assessing all menu planning options to identify opportunities that will ensure our menus remain compliant with USDA regu-latory guidelines while also meeting the needs of our customers. We are committed to providing a high quality school meals program, and look forward to working with your district as more information becomes available. Please direct questions to your food service director.
Forgive the pun, but it’s a “no-brainer”.
School breakfast is the best deal of the
day. First the cost is free for many stu-
dents that qualify for free OR reduced
price lunches. Even at full price, it is only
$1.10. Breakfast includes milk, juice or
fruit and a breakfast item ranging from
breakfast burritos or sandwiches, hot
pancakes or French toast, muffins or
cereal bars and of course, a comforting
standby for many of us, cereal. The
benefits of school breakfast are numer-
ous: better attention in the classroom,
leading to better grades, reduced tardi-
ness and absenteeism and even less dis-
cipline problems in the morning.
Give your student’s brain a jumpstart,
send them to school breakfast.
Breakfast - It’s a No-Brainer
Sodexo, the company creating a healthy learning environment in support of stu-
dent well-being and achievement for Academy District Twenty will be launching
an interactive new website for the community, parents and students. This new
tool, known as SodexoMyWay, will replace the prior Sodexo Education site, and
will be integrated throughout the month of February.
What does this new tool mean for you? SodexoMyWay offers a better platform
for the community to stay informed, and will feature robust content to enhance
the learning environment with content like menus, student well-being informa-
tion and accessibility to your child’s nutrition team.
Everything on the full nutrition site can also be accessed anywhere and anytime
as a customizable mobile app! Daily menu options, well-being tips and promo-
tions will be at your fingertips.
For more information on SodexoMyWay and when your district will transition,
please contact Steve Parsons at [email protected].
Local Students to Cook-off in Iron Chef Competition
We calculated the cost of a fairly
healthy brown bag lunch in your
school. We even used Walmart pric-
ing. The results are in and I think you
will be surprised! The average cost
of a brown bag lunch is $3.12. If your
school lunch is $2.00, you save $1.12
per day or $185 a school year. This
will certainly help with the cost of
school supplies and school clothes.
Here’s the calculations:
Turkey Sandwich= $1.27 (2 oz turkey
and 1/2 oz cheese on whole wheat
bread)
Chip or Snack 1 oz = $.39
Broccoli and baby carrots 4 oz total =
$.52
Applesauce or peach cup = $.44
100% Juice box or school milk
(averaged) = $.39
Baggies, 2 each = $.06
Insulated lunch bag @ $9.95 spread
over 165 days of school = $.06
BAG LUNCH @ $3.12 vs.
SCHOOL LUNCH @ $ 2.00 =
$185 PER YEAR SAVED!
The True Cost of Brown Bag Lunches
Ten elementary school chefs will be selected to compete for the
“Best Healthy Salad” recipe February 28, 2013.
The winning recipe will be submitted for a Sodexo regional competition. Regional winners will be videotaped and compete nationally with voting done on YouTube.
The deadline to turn in your recipe to your school cafeteria is
Wednesday, February 6, 2013.
Great Prizes include Gift Certificates, Chef Coats, Chef Hats and Medals.
The event will be held at the Education and Administration Center,
1110 Chapel Hills Drive, Thursday, February 28, 2013 3:00 – 5:30 pm.
Any questions please contact Chef Jeff Coleman 234.1467.
Sodexo Launches Dynamic New Menu Website
2013-2014 Kindergarten Registration
(Schedule and Instructions) SCHOOL DATE TIME PHONE
Academy Endeavour Thursday, Jan. 31 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5600
Academy International Tuesday, Jan. 29 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4000
Antelope Trails Wednesday, Jan. 23 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4100
Chinook Trail Thursday, Jan. 24 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5700
da Vinci Academy Wednesday, Jan. 23 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5400
Discovery Canyon Campus Thursday, Feb. 7 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-1800
Douglass Valley Wednesday, Feb. 6 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4200
Edith Wolford Thursday, Feb. 14 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4300
Explorer Wednesday, Feb. 6 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4400
Foothills Tuesday, Feb. 12 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4500
Frontier Thursday, Feb. 14 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4600
High Plains Thursday, Feb. 14 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4700
Home School Academy Thursday, Feb. 14 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5763
Mountain View Wednesday, Jan. 30 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-4800
Pioneer Wednesday, Feb. 13 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5000
Prairie Hills Wednesday, Feb. 13 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5100
Ranch Creek Thursday, Jan. 24 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5500
Rockrimmon Tuesday, Feb. 12 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5200
Woodmen Roberts Thursday, Feb. 7 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-5300
Make-Up Days Tuesday, Feb. 19 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-1200
Wednesday, Feb. 20 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-1200
Thursday, Feb. 21 8:00-11:30 and 12:30-3:30 234-1200
Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by October 1, 2013.
Registration Instructions: It is highly recommended you consult the District website (www.asd20.org) for policy information
regarding transportation, residency, admission, school assignment, open enrollment, and attendance before beginning registration.
If you are registering for a school that is NOT your neighborhood school, you must complete a Choice form online
(www.asd20.org).Complete the online portions of both the Kindergarten Registration and the Choice form. Come to Central
Registry with all of the required documentation on the date and time designated for your school of choice (see above schedule).
Kindergarten registration consists of two steps:
Step One is completed online (https://rp1.asd20.org/registration/WelcomeToD20.html) after January 4, 2013. This must be
completed before beginning Step Two. (If you do not have access to a computer, you are invited to use a Central Registry
computer at the Education and Administration Center).
Step Two begins at the Education and Administration Center (1110 Chapel Hills Drive).
Station 1: Present the following documents for copying (you must have ALL documents “a” through “e” to
continue to Station 2).
a. Verification of child’s address (required for District 20 residence only): warranty deed, bill of sale,
settlement statement from closing, signed contract with closing date, current signed rental agreement,
current El Paso County tax notice or quarters assignment lease from USAFA housing office.
b. The child’s registered state birth certificate
c. The child’s immunization record
d. Court documents, if the child does not reside with both legal/biological parents
e. Picture ID of legal parent/guardian who is registering student
Station 2: Visit with the school nurse.
Station 3: Meet with a registrar to finalize the registration process.
Station 4: Meet with the school secretary for session placement (half day or full day).
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 4 5 6 7
PTO Mtg 9:00-10:00
AM
8 9
10 11
SAC Mtg 1:30—3:00
PM
12
2013-2014 Kindergar-
ten Registration
8:30-11:30 & 12:30-
3:30 PM
13 14
Class Parties
2:30-3:30 PM
15
Summer Sweet Art
Display 5:30-6:30
PM
16
17 18 NO SCHOOL
President’s Day
19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26
5th Grade Exhibition
Parent Info Night
5:30-6:30 PM
27 28
Science Fair 4:00-
5:00 PM
February 2013
3rd Grade READING TCAP Window
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 PTO Mtg 9:00-
10:00 AM
8 9
10
Daylight Saving Time
Begins
11 12 13 14
Class Picture Day
15 NO SCHOOL
Elementary Teacher
Work Day
16
17 18 19 20
4:00-8:00 PM Student
Led Parent Teacher
Conferences
21 NO SCHOOL
8:00AM—8:00 PM
Student Led Parent
Teacher Conferences
22 NO SCHOOL
Office stall only until
Noon.
23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
March 2013
3rd, 4th, & 5th TCAP Window
3rd, 4th, & 5th TCAP Window
3rd, 4th, & 5th TCAP Window
SPRING BREAK
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