Tiger Cub News Delano Elementary Family Newsletter December 2017-January 2018

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At a glance Page 2 K-3 redesign Nurse’s notes Page 3 Beyond academics The tie turkey Page 4 Apex Fun Run Page 5 New playground Page 6 Clothing drive Flag ceremony Page 7 Conference tips December menu After the Apex Fun Run, select students were rewarded for strong fundraising with Dates to the chance to hit Apex team member ‘Squishy’ in the face with a pie. remember December Unprecedented support 6...... DQ night, 5-8 p.m. (Stern, Emmerich) By Paul Downer Communications Coord. 7...... Grade 4 concert, 6:30 p.m. (Griep, Hiltner, Sass, Stern) Delano Elementary School 7...... Grade 4 concert, 7:30 p.m. (Berggren, Brown, Hall, Schleper) conducted one of its most successful fundraisers ever during 20...... DQ night, 5-8 p.m. (Huikko, Knisley) the second half of November. While the final total had 25-31.....Winter break, no school January not yet been tallied at the start of December, preliminary 1...... Winter break, no school indications were that the Apex 2...... School resumes Fun Run and Apex UNIT- 9...... ES PIE meeting, 7 p.m. ED program had netted over 10...... DQ night, 5-8 p.m. (Williams, Swan) $37,000 for the DES Partners In Education group. 15...... Workshop day, no school There was a good chance 15...... ES conferences and Kindergarten students start the fun run on Nov. 29. book fair, 12-8 p.m. that total would increase, but even if it didn’t the number we’ve ever done,” said Principal two-week program culminates 18...... ES conferences and in a fun run that was held in book fair, 4-8 p.m. would still represent 115 per- Darren Schuler. cent of the school’s fundraising The Apex Fun Run is a na- the Tiger Activity Center on 24...... DQ night, 5-8 p.m. (Jensen, Hiltner) goal. tionwide program that focuses “That is probably the best on character and fitness. The See Apex 26..Grade 3 Science Museum trip Page 4

1 Nurse’s notes By Crista Wadholm DES Nurse

As we head into winter, I wanted to take a moment to revisit the guidelines that we follow regarding illness and school attendance. Winter marks the height of cold and flu season, and it’s important for the health of our students that children who are ill be kept home from school. My hope is that these guidelines will help you to decide when your child should stay home from school. • If a child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, that child should stay home for 24 hours after their temperature returns Construction crews prepared the main entrance of Delano Intermediate School for to normal without the use of concrete and installed windows in mid-November. When the new school opens next fever reducing medication. spring it will create an opportunity to reimagine how space is used in the elementary • If a child has vomited or has school to maximize learning for K-3 students. had diarrhea, that child should stay home from school until 24 hours after the last episode. • If a child has an unex- Opportunity ahead plained rash that could be dis- ease-related, that child should be kept home from school until Departure of fourth grade opens cleared by a physician to return to school. • If a child is started on door to redesigning the elementary antibiotics for ANY reason, that child should be kept home for By Darren Schuler of this school year: Principal • Redesign and changes to 24 hours. space in current building It is certainly challenging for These are very exciting • Review of schedule to working parents to juggle the times for Delano Public better meet student and staff demands of work and family, Schools! With multiple on- learning needs so we ask that a back-up plan going building projects over • Revise our homework be put into place with a trusted the past year, we are seeing procedures to meet the needs friend or relative in the event unprecedented changes to our of K-3 grade learners. that your child becomes ill un- schools and campus. In January and February we expectedly and you are unable These changes will directly are planning listening sessions to take time off from work. impact Delano Elementary with our elementary school Also, please make sure that soon, with fourth grade mov- parent community to gather your child is properly dressed ing to the new intermediate feedback on the proposed for the weather each and every building starting in September changes. Please look for infor- day. Once there is snow on the 2018. mation and dates in the near ground that includes coat, hat, mittens, snow pants and boots. This past October, our Darren Schuler future. Delano Elementary Site Base As always, feel free to Our students go outside Committee began the process moving out of the elementary contact me at darren.schuler@ for recess every day unless it of planning for the new rede- building, it creates a unique delanoschools.org if you have is raining or a combination of sign of the elementary school opportunity to redesign our questions. air temperature and wind chill building to meet the needs of learning spaces. Our commit- Have a wonderful holiday keeps our students inside. our K-3 students and staff. tee will be focusing on three season. Have a wonderful, safe and With an entire grade level specific areas over the course healthy winter!

2 Learning extends beyond academics By Greg Hinker has been set as a focus of learn- Empathy Assistant Principal ing. Kindness was the focus of In December students will October. Students engaged in be learning about empathy. Social and emotional learn- lessons, watched educational Teachers will model, discuss, ing is an important initiative videos, and participated in the role play, journal and use in many schools around the Unity Day and Kindness in picture books to help students United States. Chalk events. better understand and share The Collaboration for In November students have the feelings of others. Academic and Social and been learning about gratitude. Picture books with charac- Emotional Learning (www. Students have participated in ters and conflicts will expose casel.org, 2017) describes classroom activities, read books children to a range of social social and emotional learning and completed projects about situations that children may as the process through which gratitude. Bulletin boards were not have experienced them- children acquire and effectively created in the main hallways selves. These activities will give apply knowledge, attitudes and where messages of gratitude space for students to engage in skills to understand and man- from students were posted. opportunities to be empathetic. age emotions, set and achieve Greg Hinker During the morning an- I encourage parents to positive goals, feel and show nouncements, students have support and extend this social empathy for others, establish bring social and emotional been given tips and have been learning to our children. and emotional learning by positive relationships, and challenged to show gratitude asking your child about these make responsible decisions. and appreciation to different activities and having conversa- Delano Elementary School Kindness, gratitude people and in different ways. Each month a theme word tions about being aware of the staff have been working to thoughts and feelings of others. Turkey of ties helps express gratitude Unique display boosts creativity Gratitude was a theme for students through the month of November, and fourth-graders in Cay Griep’s class contin- ued a tradition of expressing their gratitude in a unique style with their turkey project made entirely from business ties. “I have been doing this since my days in Cokato, about 18 years ago, when I was needing to create a November bulletin board,” said Griep, who said the idea came from a magazine. “I do it every year, focusing on why we are thankful for the wonderful things we have in our lives. I read a Native Amer- ican book about thanking the earth for the things we have, and then discuss how it pertains to our lives now. The students really do put a lot of thought into (their projects) and I have seen some pretty awe- some thankful writings.” Griep started out small, borrowing ties for the turkey from her husband, father and brother. When she came to Delano, Students show off this year’s tie turkey, which inspired them to focus on she added a few more from students in her things they are thankful for in a unique way. class, Principal Darren Schuler and at least has had a number of parent volunteers fall of 2018, but Griep said she is already one other unwitting participant in Director who have gone all out to create a memo- thinking ahead when it comes to the tur- of Teaching and Learning Joe Vieau. rable turkey that inspires her students to key tie project. “I’m not sure his wife ever told him she write with even more creativity. “I hope I can find a spot in the new donated his ties,” Griep said. Fourth-graders will not move to the 4-6 building to put it up,” she said. “Some Over the past few years Griep said she new Delano Intermediate School until the traditions are hard to let go of.”

3 Apex from Page 1 Wednesday, Nov. 29. Before then, students raised money by obtaining pledges for the laps they would run. On race day students ran laps 1/16th of a mile in length while parent volunteers recorded their progress. Students were allowed to run a maxi- mum of 36 laps. “It’s just a fun event. The kids are really excited when they get down to the big TAC. They have inflatable tunnels to run through, and the kids really want to reach that 36-lap limit,” said Schuler. The four-person Apex team of “Nik Nak Nate,” “Two Step,” “Captain Jack” and “Squishy” will conduct fundraisers at about 48 schools this year, and Kindergarten students sprint around the a track set up in the Tiger Activity Center “Delano will be one of the bet- during the Apex Fun Run on Wednesday, Nov. 29. ter schools we have” in terms of fundraising success, said Nik acronym standing for “Unique, ally planned, upbeat program,” Nak. No Excuses, Inspire Others, Hinker said. “We could do Teachable, Empathize and Do something on our own, but I Service to students Your Best.” don’t think we would get nearly Last spring DES tried the “Compared to other fund- the amount of fundraising Apex fundraiser for the first raisers I’ve been a part of, this dollars.” time at the recommendation of provided a significant service a former Delano administrator. to students through character Use of the money This fall, the school was more building,” said Assistant Prin- The funds raised go to the familiar with the program and cipal Greg Hinker. “That was a DES PIE group, which uses its promoted it on a wider scale. great addition and taught the money for things like tech- “It’s a really good message, kids some valuable lessons. So nology upgrades, field trips and of course being active was we weren’t just promoting food Students enjoyed the fun and more. This fall previously something we really felt fits and begging for this, that and run experience. raised PIE funds were used to well with our values of being the other thing. It was a nice construct a new playground torbike. a healthy school, an active change.” structure for kindergarten school,” said Schuler. Students also had the oppor- Why use Apex? students to alleviate over- Even with the large amount After a pep rally to kick tunity to win a wide range of crowding. of money raised, Schuler said off the program on Nov. 15, prizes based on their pledges. “All of the things the money some might question why the the Apex team visited class- The top prizes won by Delano goes toward are ultimately school uses an outside fund- rooms to share about the Apex students this year included to impact the students,” said raising program rather than UNITED message, with the aerial drones and a mini mo- Schuler. doing its own fundraising and The Apex program is the keeping all the proceeds. only fundraiser the PIE group While the school could will hold this year. hold its own fundraisers, he “In Delano we’ve been pretty explained that an outside fortunate to usually just do one program is more exciting for fundraiser sponsored by our the students, helps teachers PIE group a year,” said Schuler, and staff to focus on their jobs explaining that two were done rather than fundraising, and last year during the transition ultimately is more successful. to Apex. “In general we just feel Hinker agreed. like we can meet our budgetary “If we did it ourselves we needs by having one. It looks would not be able to draw as like this program will kind of sustained a level of interest surpass our expectations in as what they are able to get year two, so financially we’re Parent volunteers passed out water and recorded laps. because they have a profession- doing pretty well.”

4 Partners step up for playground By Paul Downer Communications Coord.

Ever since Delano Elemen- tary School began all-day kindergarten four years ago, staff members and kindergarten students found that playground equipment space was at a pre- mium during recess time. “The playground was suffi- cient before that, but now when you have 150 to 160 students out there for recess, it just was not big enough,” said Principal Darren Schuler. That changed when the DES Partners in Education group budgeted about $30,000 to construct additional playground equipment. Construction began over the MEA break this fall, and the new unit opened to students on Friday, Nov. 10. “That following week so many kids were interested in using it at the same time that we had to designate one group Kindergarten students enjoy the view from the top of the new playground structure a day that would have the privi- installed at Delano Elementary School this fall thanks to a PIE donation. lege of going to use it to break teachers met with Landscape it in,” said Assistant Principal Structures personnel to design Greg Hinker. “Now it’s being the playground. used fully every day and the Aside from Landscape kids are excited about it.” Structures, two other local businesses were also involved Creative play in the construction. Mike The new equipment from Jaunich of Alpine Landscape Landscape Structures con- handled the installation, and sists of posts connected by a Mike Jensen of Jenco Property network of ropes and small Maintenance donated labor, platforms that students can use and removed concrete and to climb to the top. A spinning existing items. The school’s feature, monkey bars and a custodial staff helped dismantle slide are also included, and some existing equipment and additional swings were added did grading work. elsewhere. “It was a team project,” said “The structure is unique in Schuler. that there are a lot of problem-solving skills that go into The rope network provides plenty of opportunity for creative play. Room to grow it,” said Schuler. “It’s not your While the new equipment typical playground structure the older children in first grade Team effort helps meet demand for now, where it’s pretty simple and you and third grade were able to The need for more equip- there is space available to add know what to do. This one is watch the construction from ment had been recognized at on in the future. designed to give kids multiple their classroom windows. various levels for a number “We left a little bit of space different ways of reaching their “They are a little envious of years, and Schuler said the in our design for some future end goal of getting to the top. of the kindergartners because process of solving that problem additions, but I don’t know So our teachers have had some they have such a great play involved a whole team of in- when that would be,” said fun watching kids team up structure. Some of our older dividuals. After the PIE group Schuler. “Eventually I think one together or think of different kids want to get out there and and the school’s site base team more structure would be really ways to use it. It’s a neat struc- use it too because it’s so nice,” agreed to pursue the project, fun. Hopefully that’s something tu re .” he said. Schuler and the kindergartner we can do down the road.” Hinker added that some of

5 Clothing drive aids veterans in need By Paul Downer Communications Coord.

Thanks to the generosity of the Dela- no community, many veterans served by the St. Cloud Veterans Administration Hospital will have warm clothing to wear this winter. For a second consecutive year, Delano Public Schools took part in a clothing drive that concluded just before Veterans Day in order to gather items, which were then donated to the hospital for distribu- tion. “At the time the drive began, the center’s inventory was at almost zero in most of the clothing areas,” said Ginny Schuelke, who organized the drive along with Karla Otterness. “Thanks to the support of the

Second-graders from Amanda Anderson’s class displayed thank you notes to veterans in addition to the clothing gathered at Delano Elementary School. Delano students, families and staff, we ing drive originated when they volunteered were able to deliver a large number of at the St. Cloud VA during the summer of items in each of the areas identified. In 2016. addition, with the funds that were donated When they arrived to drop off the cloth- we were able to purchase eight winter coats ing the first year, Otterness said they had a and hats as well.” “wonderful” reception from the hospital. In all, the drive collected about 580 new “They were very thankful that we were clothing items, including shirts, pants, bringing in this donation,” she said, adding underclothes and footwear, during its that as far as she knew the effort was three-week run. unique among school districts. “We’re very Schuelke and Otterness are the parents happy with the turnout again this year.” Personal notes were included with of veterans, and said the idea for the cloth- the donations.

The banner Delano Elementary School students were visited by members of the Delano Legion on Thursday, Nov. 9, before the main Veterans Day ceremony the following morning in the Tiger Activity Center. Students were taught the signifi- cance of each fold of the flag, listened to essays written by high school students, and asked the veterans questions about their military service.

6 Conferences arrive on Jan. 15 and 18 Winter conferences will be you’ll have a list of topics to Be on time peers. This information will held from noon to 8 p.m. on discuss. Conferences are tightly help in addressing your child’s Monday, Jan. 15, and from 4 scheduled so teachers can see strengths, weaknesses and to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18. Ask all families. Show up a few social skills development. Here are a few tips on how you, The week before confer- minutes early to maximize as parents, can get the most out ences, sit down with your your time with the teacher. Follow up of your conference time. child and ask him or her about After the conference, take school. Ask what’s happening Take notes time to talk with your child Listen in class, at lunchtime or in Take some notes on what about what you and the teacher Throughout the trimester, special classes such as media, information the teacher is discussed. Highlight the pos- if you hear your child talking physical education, and/or sharing about your child. itive things the teacher said. about something he or she is music. Ask your child what he Your child’s teacher will have Take time to develop a plan to doing well in or is struggling or she thinks their teacher is assessment data to share on help your child in the areas the with, make a note of it. When going to tell you about them. how your child is achieving teacher addressed. it’s time for the conference, in comparison to his or her

Tiger Cub News is published by Delano Delano Elementary School Elementary School. Editor, Paul Downer, 678 Tiger Drive Delano, MN 55328 District Office, 763.972.3365, ext. 2111, Phone: 763.972.6200 [email protected] Website: www.delano.k12.mn.us