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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 Evelyn.Adams@asd20.org.

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 Steve.Parsons@sodexo.com.

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.

Jeffrey.Coleman@Sodexo.Com

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