Morgan News

February 2008

Class Valentine’s Day Parties
PTO will be sponsoring the class Valentine’s Day parties on Thursday, February 14 @ 2:30. Room mothers will be contacting PTO members to help with party activities. Most teachers send home class Valentine lists for students to use when exchanging valentines.

Reminder: As always, we ask that you do not have flowers or gifts delivered to your child a school. All gifts delivered to school will be kept in the office until 3:10.

Spring Pictures
Lifetouch will be taking group class pictures and individual student pictures on Friday, February 15. The class pictures are prepaid and packets will be sent home with students. If you would like a photo of your student’s class, please return the envelope with payment to school on Picture Day. Individual photos will be sent home with ALL students when they come in. If you choose to purchase all or part of them, send payment to PTO. Return entire packet to school if what you do not wish to purchase them.

Lost & Found
You may have noticed the mounds of coats, sweats, gloves, hats, etc. on the front tables at conferences. These are items which have been left around school and taken to the Lost & Found since October. PLEASE make sure that student’s coats and jackets brought to school are marked with student’s name (first & last). Lost & Found items with a names can easily be returned to that student and not sent on to a local charity organization. (Items not picked up from tables are donated to a local charity)

Mass Band Concert
On Tues., February 26, all of the band students in USD 308 will present their Mass Band Concert at the Sports Arena. This is a concert you won’t want to miss! Students from the 6th grades, Middle Schools and Hutch High will have the opportunity to “show their stuff”. The finale of the evening is very impressive. All students play the “Mighty Fortress” simultaneously (without rehearsing together prior to the concert).

Valentine Lollipop Sale
February 4 – 8
50 cents each
Sponsored by Morgan 6th gr.

February Calendar

Fri. 01- SPIRIT DAY

6th gr. Book Club

Mon. 04 Valentine Lollipops on sale today

5th & 6th gr Parent LIFE CYCLE meeting 5:30 Morgan gym

Morgan PTO meeting 6:30

6th grade Parent meeting @ HMS-7 for 2008-09 year @ 7:00 pm

Fri. 08 5th gr Book Club

Mon 11 Board of Ed meeting 7:00 Ad Center

Tues 12 SITE COUNCIL 7:00

Wed 14 Happy Valentine’s Day

1STt gr to Cosmosphere 8:45-10:15

Class Valentine parties 2:30

Morgan Night at Papa John’s Pizza

Fri 15 Class & Individual pictures

4th gr Book Club

Thurs. 21 End of 2nd Trimester

Fri. 22 NO SCHOOL – Teacher Inservice/records

Mon 25 Mass Band rehearsal 4:00

Board of Ed meeting 7:00 pm Ad Center

Tues. 26 Mass Band Concert – Sports Arena 7:30
Wed. 27 6th grade visit to HMS-7

Fri. 29 Leap Day

Grade cards go home

6th Grade Parent meeting
A meeting for sixth graders and their parents is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2008, in the commons area of Hutchinson Middle School – 7, 210 East A. The meeting is designed for sixth grade students and their parents to get to know more about Hutchinson Middle School and to alleviate their concerns about the change to middle school from elementary school. The evening will begin with a short PowerPoint presentation, followed by questions and answers. After the formal program, students and parents will have a chance to informally tour the building.

February will be a busy month for Morgan PTO. Morgan room parents are busy planning Valentine parties for the students. The students always appreciate the food and fun provided for them and a big thank you to all of you who are helping with the parties.

Kriss Fee and the picture committee have scheduled Spring photos for February 15. Class photographs and individual portraits will be taken on that day. If you wish to purchase a photograph of your Morgan student’s class, you must send the money and order form on picture day. Individual portraits will come home later in the month for preview and purchase. Thanks Kriss and committee for getting picture day organized.

Papa John’s Pizza fundraiser night is scheduled for February 14. Remember a portion of the purchase goes to Morgan PTO and your child’s class has an opportunity to win a free pizza party, compliments of Papa John’s pizza. The winner for the January pizza fundraiser was Mrs. Huston’s and Mrs. Foster’s fifth grade class. Congratulations! Enjoy the pizza!

Wendy Morland and the fundraising committee are busy putting together the Spring fundraiser. Trash bag sales will start later this month, so watch for information coming home in backpacks. We are still offering Carlos O’Kelly’s coupons for sale. Order blanks are available in the school office. As of December 18, Morgan PTO had made $5450.00 through the coupon sales. Thanks to all of you who have participated in the coupons sales and please continue to offer them to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

Thank you Sarah Blake and Kerrie Ollenburger and the staff appreciation committee for providing a meal for the Morgan staff during parent-teacher conferences and thank you to Gina Hildebrand for coordinating snacks for the Morgan staff on the first Monday of the month. The teachers and staff are always happy to consume the food and beverages provided and are usually hoping that those of you providing the wonderful goodies will pass along your recipes. Thanks to all of you who have helped Sarah, Kerrie and Gina.

The February PTO meeting is scheduled for February 4 at 6:30 p.m. We are sandwiching the meeting between the Lifecycles meeting for the fifth and sixth grade parents and the meeting for the parents of students who will be attending HMS 7 next year. We will try to make it a short meeting and hope you can attend. There is always room for one more pair of hands, one more great idea, and one more person supporting Morgan School. Won’t you join us?

President: Kim Steinle 728-0140
Vice-President: Gina Hildebrand 662-1646
Treasurer: Shelly Reusser 662-6291
Secretary: Megan Kinney 662-0426

PE NEWS
February 2008

Can you believe it’s already February??? This year is flying by! We are finishing up a rhythms unit in all classes. Everyone has been working on moving with the beat of the music. In some of the classes we have used equipment & in others we are focusing on just moving together. It has been very fun!

We will be doing 2 different units in February. The first one is using manipulatives in PE. The 4-6th graders will be using spinjammers, foot bags, juggling equipment, and spinning plates. The 2nd & 3rd graders will be using spinjammers, and scarves for juggling. The K & 1st graders will be doing lots of hand-eye coordination activities with scarves.

The next unit will be ball handling. 4-6th grades will be doing lacrosse skills, 2nd & 3rd graders will be doing dribbling skills with playground balls, and K-1st will be working on throwing different kinds of objects.

I’m looking forward to a very fun month!!

**Please make sure that your kids have tennis shoes on PE day. Many are coming in boots, and dress shoes. For their safety & the safety of the other students they MUST wear tennis shoes!

What is MYP?

The Middle Years Program (MYP) provides a curriculum which allows students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to participate effectively in life in the 21st century. The concept of balance is fundamental to the program in many ways. Students learn in a broad base of disciplines to ensure they acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for the future. The aim is for students to develop an understanding of principles and an ability to apply them in new contexts, in preparation for further learning.

Application information will be sent home with 6th graders after their visit to HMS-7 on Feb 27. In the meantime, if you have questions contact Todd Ray (rayt@usd308.com or 665.4728)- USD 308 IB Coordinator

Future Dates to Remember:
- March STATE ASSESSMENTS
- 1st & 2nd gr Music Program March 6 @ 7:00 – HHS Aud.
- Spring Break Mon., March 10 – Fri., March 14
- NO SCHOOL – Fri., March 21 – Good Friday
- Morgan Kindergarten Round-Up – Tues., April 8 @ 5:30 pm – Morgan gym

New Arrival at Morgan!
Mrs. Ownbey and her husband welcomed a healthy baby boy on January 1, 2008. Oliver William Cayle Ownbey arrived at 5:49 am, at 6 pounds – 13 ounces. Mrs. Ownbey will be back in class on Monday, February 18, 2008.

Teacher of the Month –
sponsored by Don Sketchley, Edward Jones

Don Sketchley of Edward Jones Investments is sponsoring a teacher of the month program at Morgan School to show appreciation for the unique individuals that teach children. Mr. Sketchley has implemented this program as a way for parents to show appreciation and support for those who give their careers and gifts to the communities’ most valued commodity, our children. So parents, please join us in expressing your appreciation and support by voting for your favorite teachers. Ballots may be turned in to the office before the end of the month. The name of the teacher with the most votes will be engraved on the Edward Jones plaque in the front hall.

Ackerman, J.     KDG/Gr. 1
Mallon, S.     Gr. 5
Ackley, B.     Gr. 6
McNaul, T.     Gr. 4
Coons, D.     Gr. 2
Mendoza, P     Gr. 1
Davidson, J.     Gr. 5
Myers, D.     Gr. 6
Evans, M.     Librarian
Nicks, S     Gr. 2
Foster, J.     Gr. 5
O’Neal, D.     Math
Ownbey , R.     Gr .4
Pearson, R     Music
George, S.     Gr. 1
Perry, S     Gr. 4
Goodman, J.     Spec. Ed
Prezas, R     Speech
Harber, W.     Counselor
Schneider, D    Reading
Hard, C.     Gr. 2 .
Spann, L.     Gr. 1
Horning, S     Art
Stambaugh, J.     Spec Ed
Huston, P.     Gr. 5
Welliver, K.    P.E.
Jones, K     Gr. 3
Wessel, L     Gr. 6
Langvardt, J.     Spec Ed
Wilkens, S.     Gr. 2
Law, M     KDG
Winters, J.     Gr. 3
Lowden., M     Gr. 3rd
Zarnowski D.     Gr. 4

I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE

______________________________________________________________
Teacher Name Month

AS THE EDWARD JONES “TEACHER OF THE MONTH”

Please return to the Morgan Office by the end of the month

Morgan News

Notes from the Office. . .
STUDENT ABSENCES - Sometimes when a student has a planned absence, the parent will notify the teacher in order to get any work that student may miss while absent from school. Unfortunately, the message of the planned absence doesn’t always get relayed to the office. Ellen would appreciate it if the parent could also call, send a note or email (lanee@usd308.com) letting us know, as well. This will help eliminate those “unexcused” absences.

STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL - If a student is leaving school early, and someone other than the parent is picking them up, please remember to send a note to the office giving permission for your student to leave school. We are not able to release a student to anyone other the parents without written permission. This also includes those students being picked up by the “Trimmell Trolley” with Dr. Trimmell’s office STUDENT ILLNESS - Influenza or “the flu” has hit Hutchinson! There are many kinds of viruses that can cause the flu. If your doctor has diagnosed your child with Influenza Type A or Influenza Type B, please contact the school to let us know.

“The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.” Source: www.cdc.gov

Kansas Dept of Health and Environment says a student is to be sent home if the student has a temperature of 99.6 and has a headache, sore throat, nausea, coughing and sneezing, or other symptoms. A student with a temperature of 100.4 or above should be sent home even when there are no other symptoms. Students should remain home until temperature has been normal 97-99 degrees for 24 hours.