Commanders log January 2016

Hello McNair Families,

Welcome to the second half of the school year. Here we are, over

80 days into the year, and I am still struggling to complete my newsletter

article in a timely fashion. Truly, truly aggravating considering that I

had two weeks of break to work on something really profound to say.

Instead I let my brain and body shut down and recharge, somewhat, for

the next half. So, here I sit instead late once more with my article in the

wee hours before dawn jamming to Pink. Why can’t I just get this done?

What could I possibly have to say, witty or otherwise, that will resonate?

I’m sure there’s a PTA manual somewhere with ideas for articles at this

point of the year, but I seem to be missing it, or never given one. So I am

back to jamming with Pink, and banging my head on the desk like a

modern day Pooh mumbling “think, think, think”. Obviously, if I was a

resolutions type of girl, this would need to be mine. And then BAM!

There it is…..resolutions.

Do you make resolutions at the beginning of the year? How is it

going? Still working that new workout resolution or the no sweets one?

How about the no caffeine resolution? Have you dropped your resolution

to the side of the road again this year because, hey, isn’t that what you’re

supposed to do? Well, I think I can give you a New Year’s resolution that

you can keep…..VOLUNTEER! Come and volunteer at McNair. There

is always something that needs to be done: copies made, bulletin boards

changed and warm bodies to assist in PTA events. And, though I am sure

I will hear it from my membership person, you don’t have to be a

member of PTA to be a volunteer.

To be a volunteer, you need to fill out the paperwork with Denton

ISD. When your paperwork comes back, our PTA Volunteer

Coordinator, Nancy, will be happy to add you to her list of helping hands.

Yes, she is a member of the PTA, but she’s really sweet and doesn’t bite

much anymore. So now you’re thinking ‘but the year’s almost over, so

there’s no since in worrying about it now’, right? There are still lots to do

this half of the year. If you were in the system already, I could have used

you to create the Dinner with the Arts night that is coming up here soon.

Ms. Peggy Broemsen may need helping hands when she creates a

"groovy" hallway for the next book fair. We have Fun Run coming up,

craft fair, STAAR snack deliveries, classroom parties, spring dance, box

top counting…the list goes on. So, yes, the year is half over, but we are

still having events that still need people willing to help out.

If that sounds like you and you want a resolution that you can keep this

year, please just take the time to fill out the paperwork. I really think you

will be happy you did. And now I get to cross one more thing off my list.

Thanks for listening and see you in the next six weeks.

Sincerely,

Judy Weiner

Check us out on Facebook!

McNair Elementary PTA

UPCOMING EVENTS Jan/Feb

Jan. 1st Classes resume

Jan. 7th Wear your favorite team jersey for

T.E.A.M Day

Jan. 11th Chick-Fil-A Limo

Ride

Jan. 14th Career Day! Dress as

your future career!

Jan. 18th No School

Jan. 21st 4th Grade Austin Trip parent meeting @

6:30pm

Jan. 25th PTA Board Mtg

Jan. 25th Dinner with the Arts/PTA Gen. MTG

@ 6:00pm

Jan. 26th Family Fun Science Night @ 6:00pm

Feb. 4th Hair up for Ms. Harrup day!

Feb. 9th Spring picture day

Feb. 10th 2nd and 3rd grade

mid-week munchies

Feb. 12th Valentine Parties @

2:00 pm

Feb. 16th PTA Board MTG

Feb. 17th-19th

5th Grade to Camp Pine Cove!!!

Feb. 19th Spirit Assemblies 3-5 @ 8:15am

K-2 @ 9:00am

COMING SOON!!!!

Spring Book fair Feb. 22-26

Dear McNair Families, McNair Elementary has made great strides in the area of technology integration within learning environments campus wide. Programs and devices actively utilize include Class DoJo, SeeSaw, Kahoot, Go Noodle, Google Classroom, Google Applications for Education, iPads, and Chrombooks to name just a few! Technology highlights for the 2015-16 school year include the following:

Hour of Code – The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries. McNair students and staff participated in the experience in which we created and delivered digital commands and observed the output of our own coding decisions! #Engaging

Minecraft Expansion and Integration – We have 50 active club participants, expanded to two labs for the club, and several teachers have begun integrating Minecraft into the school day.

Technology Conference – It is our second year to participate in TCEA, and team members will help facilitate professional development and integration plans for our campus.

Digital Design Team – Two McNair teachers participated in a district sponsored pilot which will result in the deployment of additional technology devices for our students and teachers, and also provide technology professional development.

Technology Fundraiser – Because of the generous donations and incredible efforts of our families, we raised close to $15,000 to purchase more devices and software for our students and faculty. Thank you, thank you!!

Teachers, students and parents continue to express a desire to see more technology tools and programs available in classrooms. Due to the tremendous support of our families and community, this desire will soon become a reality! Thank you for partnering with us in the effort to provide McNair students with the most dynamic and digitally infused educationally experience possible. With gratitude, Dr. Debbie Cano Principal

Visit www.pt-avenue.com and use organization code:

COMMANDERS! There you can purchase your PTA

membership, yearbooks, spirit wear, and more!!! All items will

be delivered to your child’s classroom.

Counselor’s Corner

Our Commanders in Space character quality for this six weeks is

“Cooperate and Play Fair”. Fair people take turns, share, are open-minded, listen to others, and don't blame others

carelessly. This is a great time to talk to your children about playing by the rules, taking turns,

sharing, and listening to what others have to say. Try to encourage fairness by praising

demonstrations of fairness. Children love to be caught doing something good. Point out when

you are trying to do things “fairly” for your children.

Our slogan for our spirit day on Thursday January 7th was “Together Everyone Achieves

More”, and we dressed in our favorite team, group, or class shirts.

January is also career month. “Dress as your Future Career Day” will be Thursday,

January 14th. We will save our Careers on Wheels event for warmer weather on Friday May

13th. If you have a work vehicle that you’d like to bring to present about your career, please let

me know.

Other upcoming dates you might like to know about:

National School Counseling Week "School Counselors: Making a Difference” is the 1st

week in February.

“Put Your Hair Up for Ms. Harrup” Day will be Thursday, February 4th. Students and teachers

are invited to wear their “hair up” on that day in recognition of their commitment to the character

qualities the counseling program reinforces throughout the year.

Also in February, the McNair Counseling program will be recognized in Dallas at the Texas

School Counselors Conference. We are one of only a few schools throughout the state being

recognized by the Texas School Counselors Association with the CREST award for excellence in

school counseling. CREST stands for Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas.

Schools receiving CREST awards have demonstrated a commitment using the school guidance

and counseling program to improve the lives and achievement of students in academic, career, and

personal social domains. These documents are sent to reviewers throughout the state of Texas to

be judged according to pre-set standards of excellence. Once a counseling program has been

recognized as a CREST recipient at least three times, the program is eligible to apply for the Lone

Star Level of CREST which requires that the campus submit additional artifacts as evidence.

McNair is the only elementary school in our district to achieve CREST recognition, and we were

also successful in achieving the Lone Star Level.

Brick Pathway Fundraiser

Please help McNair make a beautiful and memorable pathway for our Environment Learning Area (E.L.A.) by honoring your child, family or teacher with a brick paver. Examples might be: In Honor of Abby Ty Teeter 2008-2009 or The Hill Family loves McNair. We use the engraved bricks to border the pathways around the garden. You can purchase the brick for $45. We pay ACME brick $15 and $30 is used to pay for the garden. Simply fill out the form below and enclose a check to DPSF (Denton Public School Foundation) or make a payment on-line with a credit card on the McNair Website under ELA or this link: http://www.give2schools.org/cat.asp?id=285FFF1F80F24156B531F1A7F746DAC9 For any questions, contact Sheree Sardina 940-369-3600

Customer Name: _______________________________________ Phone: ______________________________ Email: _________________________________________

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McNair’s Environmental Learning Area (ELA) is needing volunteers

to help pull weeds. Can you give a little time during your day to

help out? Please contact Mrs. Sardina ssardina@dentonisd.org

GREETINGS FROM MCNAIR PE!

PE CORNER

BOX TOPS are coming in every day! Ask your kiddos about all of the new, fun stuff they’ve seen in PE, Art and Music! Box Tops has a new bulletin board as you exit the cafeteria into the hallway. Check it out!

And Remember- TENNIS SHOES EVERY DAY MCNAIR COMMANDERS!!

PE TEACHERS

Check It Out in the Library

January 2016

It is the beginning of a new semester and students have lots of opportunities to

read some great books.

The Six Flags Read to Succeed Program is in full swing. Students have until

February to read at home for 6 hours. If students turn in a completed log by

February 24, they will receive a complimentary Six Flags ticket in May. The

tickets are issued by Six Flags Over Texas theme park in Arlington and may

be used during the designated summer dates on the ticket.

http://www.dentonisd.org/Page/81926

New Commanders Read cards are out. They were passed out to students in

December or they can be printed from the McNair Library Website. Students

must read the different books given on the card and fill in the title of the

book. Students need to turn in this card by March 7.

http://www.dentonisd.org/Page/78585

Books read by students can count for both reading programs.

In December, all McNair students participated in the World Wide Hour of

Code. Our students spent two days in our computer labs doing computer

coding. Kinder, 1st, and 2nd grade students learned how to move birds across

the computer screen by giving commands. While our 3rd, 4th, and 4th grade

students learned how code for video games using a Star Wars program. At the

end of the Star Wars program, students were writing code for their own Star Wars

video game. This is a great challenge for students and can be used year

around. https://code.org/learn

McNair PTA will be hosting our spring Book Fair February 22 - 26. This is an

opportunity for students and parents to purchase books to read and support our

PTA.

In The Arts

Happy New Year! I hope everybody had a great holiday break. It is hard to believe we are half way through the school year.

In September, fourth grade created Texas native plant paintings for the annual Texas Native Plant Exhibit and Contest. I am excited to share the results from the contest:

Scheltens’ class: 1st- Hanna Gibbins, 2nd-Hannah Silas, 3rd-Lauren Hurd

Suarez’s class: 1st-Diego Fry, 2nd-Karissa Hollaway, 3rd-Izzy Perkins Miller’s class: 1st-Aileen Rivera, 2nd- Jostyn Reiff, 3rd- Emily Escamilla

Biondo’s class: 1st-Brooklyn Upchurch, 2nd-Olivia Starnes, 3rd-Aja Thongteum Koch’s class: 1st-Sahanaa Shahdad, 2nd-Alex Mullins, 3rd-Caroline Cleveland

Best of Show-Hanna Gibbins

A number of the award winning pieces are currently on display at the Blagg-Huey Library at TWU. The artwork will remain at the library through January 31 then will be displayed

in the Eagle Exhibit Hall in the UNT EESAT Building during the month of February.

Please join us for Dinner with the Arts on Monday, January 25 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. The evening will include performances from the Commander Choir and 5th grade orchestra as well as an art exhibit from Kindergarten through 5th grade students.

We hope to see you there!

Interested in seeing what the students are discovering and creating in art class? Check out McNair Art Room on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @McNairArtRoom.

Thank you for your continued support of our special area programs!

Jodi Dallas Art Teacher

McNair Yearbook Announcements

There is still time to order a McNair Elementary Yearbook! Cost of the yearbook is $30. You can send cash or

check with this order form or you can order online at www.pt-avenue.com to reserve your child’s copy of the

yearbook!

Parent Name: ________________________ Number of Yearbooks ordering: ___

Child Name: ________________________ Grade/Teacher: __________________________

Child Name: ________________________ Grade/Teacher: __________________________

I would like to order a Parent Dedication Ad:

____1/8 page ($40) _____ ¼ page ($60) _____ ½ page ($80) _____ full page ($100)

Parent email address: _________________________

McNair yearbook is in need of pictures! If you

have any pictures of your students from any

events this year please send them in! You can

send them to jpeterson2@dentonisd.org. Be

sure to include student’s names and event!!!

We have many upcoming events, let me know

if you are interested in coming to campus to

take pictures.

If you have any questions please contact

Karina Aguirre or Stephanie Oliver at 940-369-3600.

State law requires that anyone who has direct

contact with students, including volunteers,

undergo a criminal background check.

All volunteers are required to reapply each year. Please visit DentonISD.org and search for

Volunteer Application to complete the

background check.

WHY VOLUNTEER? Your hours benefit the students,

teachers and staff. YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE and

every minute counts. Annual volunteer hours factor in funding, the district’s bond rating, district

recognition, and exemplary state ranking.

Thank you for volunteering your time!

https://www.applitrack.com/denton/onlinea

pp/_application.aspx?starting=true

Dinner with the Arts

Come join us for a wonderful night of music, art, information and delicious food as we

kick off our first PTA event of the New Year.

Doors open at 5:45pm

Orchestra performs at 6pm

PTA meeting begins at 6:20 with special guest...i9 Sports

Choir performs at 6:45

Artwork from both class and the reflections program will be on display for you to see.

$10 per person includes spaghetti, salad, bread, and a drink. Desserts available for purchase

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Student’s Name______________________________________

Student’s Homeroom Teacher__________________________

Number of spaghetti dinners at $10.00 each_______________

(Please pre-purchase your dinners so that we have an idea of how many will be attending)

MCNAIR ELEMENTARY BOOK FAIR

The book fair is coming to McNair Elementary. Books are great sources of wonder and joy as they can transport us on grand adventures. So please, come and join us at the

book fair. We will be open starting Monday, February 22nd and continue until Friday, February 26th. We will also open during lunch so that you are able to join your child for a meal and then visit us. Our family event is scheduled for Thursday evening, 25th. So come on out to the book fair. We look forward

to seeing you. If you have any questions or wish to volunteer for this awesome event, please contact Judy Weiner at judyweiner1@yahoo.com.

If you are interested in volunteering your time during the book fair you

may contact Judy that the email above!!!

Students Name:___________________________________

Students Teacher:_________________________________

Quantity Ordered:_________________________________