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PAGE 1
PAGE 6
PAGE 8
PRINCIPAL’S
NEWS
SOCIAL
WORKER
NEWS
PTO UPDATE
PAGE 9
PAGE 10
PAGE 11-12
UPCOMING
EVENTS
NUTRITION
NEWSFLASH
HOME &
SCHOOL
CONNECTION
News from the Principal…
Dear Friends and Families,
Winter weather is here! Our students look forward to a break from inside activities each day by
going out for recess. As long as the temperature and wind chill are above 0, students will go outside.
Please make sure you send your child to school dressed for the COLD WEATHER: hat, mittens, snow
pants, boots, and a winter jacket.
School choice time is right around the corner. Families with incoming kindergarteners are looking
around at their many choices for schools. Every year, it seems there are expanding school choices for
families. As you know, Cedar Park STEM School is an excellent school with many opportunities for
students to reach their full potential. Please encourage interested neighbors and friends to visit and
take a tour to learn more about the wonderful learning environment that Cedar Park provides.
Many people get so caught up in holiday gift giving that they forget about the greatest gift of all,
the gift of giving something of ourselves to others. American poet Amanda Bradley once wrote,
“…make every day a holiday and celebrate just living.” During these upcoming holidays, remember
to enjoy the simple joys in life. Delight in every smile, hug, act of kindness, and the time you give to
those you care about most. Make every day a holiday by relishing the simple joys of everyday living.
May you and your child(ren) have a relaxing break filled with enjoyable times together.
I look forward to seeing all of our students back on Monday, January 4!
Warm Regards,
John Garcia, Principal
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3rd Grade Adventures
The third graders were able to attend a great field study at the Minnesota Zoo. Each class
participated in an Animal Classifieds session with a zoo naturalist. The session included basic
background knowledge on animal classification and students learned key vocabulary
terms. Students learned more about plants and animals and observed physical characteristics,
structures and behaviors to help identify animals in a variety of hands-on activities. A special thank
you to the Flint Hills Corporation for supporting our third graders in this wonderful learning
experience!
Our third graders had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about structures of life, which is the
current life science unit of study for third grade. Students from the School of Environmental Studies
in Apple Valley visited the third graders at the end of November to share information about a
variety of animals they care for at their school or at their homes. The third graders were able to see
a variety of animals and were able to learn great information from the high school students. Great
questions were asked by our third grade scientists! It was a unique learning experience for all
students!
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Technology Update
5th grade: After students researched and discussed the topic of cyberbullying, they used the
Google Apps (Docs and Drawing) to create an Anti-Cyberbullying Awareness poster in pairs or
individually. The top 5 posters will be posted around Cedar Park and voted on.
4th grade: Students are studying cultural diversity and the countries of the world by creating a
"My Heritage" project by collecting research by recording information from family members and
looking up country and cultural facts through our school research portals. Students are now posting
their facts and pictures on a free online Padlet.com account. And, when finished, students will post
their diverse projects about themselves to Mr. Staum's secure Google Classroom site, so peers can
practice respectfully commenting and make positive connections with each other.
3rd grade: Students have started practiced effective blogging strategies for posting and replying
messages in Google Classroom. Students have also been practicing keyboarding skills. And, students
have begun their Animal Research Projects as well!
2nd grade: Students have created a flower diagram in KidPix and a plant life cycle diagram in
Kidspiration programs.
1st grade: Students have started coding and computer science lessons with computers and iPad
apps to prepare for hour of code this December.
Kindergarten: Students finished sequences and created their own patterns in both Kid Pix and
Kidspiration programs. Students also did sorting in AbcYa.com and man-made vs. nature-made
activities.
Parents, follow our STEM teachers on Twitter!
Use the information below to keep updated on all the latest and greatest new and innovative STEM
projects kids are learning at Cedar Park:
Each Twitter "tweet feed" and handle can be found on each STEM specialist's webpage under the
Specialists section of the "Classrooms Connections" menu of our homepage
http://www.district196.org/cp/. Please regularly check these Cedar Park webpages and Twitter feeds!
Technology Class with Mr. Staum:
CP Website: http://www.district196.org/cp/Technology%20Specialist.html
Twitter: @CPtechclass
MakerSpace Class with Mr. Erickson
CP Website: http://www.district196.org/cp/Engineering.html
Twitter: @cpmakerspace
Science Class with Mrs. Ellickson
CP Website: http://www.district196.org/cp/Science%20Specialist.html
Twitter: @CPstem_Science
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GT/Young!Scholars!
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It was a wet walk to Valley Middle School, but Cedar Park’s GT/YS students sure enjoyed the
students’ performance of “The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe” in November!!
4th and 5th grade Young Scholars and
GT students have been learning about
financial literacy, community and
economy, work readiness and business
management and will be utilizing
their skills in these areas on December
16th when they visit JA Biztown. Leo,
4th grade, was ready for his job
interview the other day!
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Enrichment students trying out a new
technology tool from the Makerspace
called Osmo. They used their critical
and creative problem solving skills to
play the Osmo game with the iPads.
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Gym Shorts
Please encourage your child to log on to
FuelUpToPlay60. The program encourages
students to exercise 60 minutes a day and
eat healthy. Fifth grade students
participated in a poster contest in art which
promotes the program. The winners from
each class were:
5 Banken
Namisha Bora & Jason Buck
Music Notes
5 Peeters
Rayan Ahmed & Anna Manlapaz
Congratulations to Heartbeat Chorus
members who entertained CP students,
staff, and families on November 20. The
senior citizens at Gramercy Club were also
treated to an afternoon of song as we
traveled to Burnsville! Heartbeat Chorus,
session 2, will begin on Monday, January 25.
Come join a fun singing group!
5 Phelps
Noah Dereje & Kira Kowalski
5 Vanderborght
Nataeya Johnson & Nathan Vorarath
Mrs. Banwart/Mrs. Douglas
Physical Education Specialists
Our fifth graders are excited to perform
for you on December 10th. Fifty Nifty
United States/Give Thanks America will be
enjoyed by young and old!
Thank you for supporting music
in our school!
Mrs. Ploeger
Music Specialist
Band Notes
Foyer Fest is Wednesday, December 23rd!
Members of the band will play for students
as they enter school that day. Both the band
members and their instruments will dress for
the fest!
Follow the Cedar Park and Highland
Bands on twitter @BandIsBrainFood.
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Anja Firchow
Band Specialist
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Social Worker News
De-Stress Your Family Holidays
The holidays can be a stressful time for many families. It can be helpful to talk with your children
about family gatherings and events ahead of time, so they can know what to expect. Plan plenty of
down time to relax and just hang out together. Pack activity bags for the kids with books, small
toys, coloring sheets, crayons, and snacks to keep them busy when adults are having conversations,
or the car rides get long. Commit to healthy eating and getting some physical exercise. Good
physical health wards off stress and maintains good mental health.
Child Supervision Guidelines
~Children 7 years old or under cannot be alone for any period of time.
~Children 8 – 9 years old can be alone for up to 2 hours.
~Children 10 – 13 years old cannot be alone for more than 8 – 12 hours.
~Children under 11 years old cannot babysit younger children.
All of these guidelines assume that children know how to reach a parent or adult, are not afraid to
be alone, and have average behavior, health, and maturity levels for their age. Occasionally other
circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis. These guidelines are set by Dakota County
Social Services.
United Way 211
Do you have questions about where to find services that are available in your community or
surrounding communities? All you have to do is dial 211 from a landline or 1-800-543-7709 from
a cell phone. A United Way operator will answer and be able to assist you in finding the
information that you are looking for. This service is free, confidential, multilingual and available
24/7.
Fourth Graders Kindness Retreat
On December 8th, our fourth graders will participate in their Kindness Retreat at Hayes Community
Center in Apple Valley. The retreat will be facilitated by Youth Frontiers, a nonprofit organization
based in Minneapolis that has been delivering programs to build positive school communities since
1987. The fourth graders, along with 20 Apple Valley High School mentors (some of whom were
former Cedar Park students), their teachers, and the Youth frontiers Staff will enjoy an exciting,
energy packed day. There will be singing, dancing, storytelling, and brainstorming sessions about
respect, kindness, and being bully free. Make sure you ask the fourth grader in your life about this
exciting day! For more information check out this link, Kindness Retreat:
http://www.youthfrontiers.org/schools/kindness-retreat/parent-video/
I am in school Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you have questions or concerns, feel
free to stop in, give me a call, or send and email. My confidential voice mail is 651-683-6969, ext.
18795. My direct line is 952-431-8795, and my email is diane.johnson@district196.org. Diane
Johnson, Cedar Park STEM Social Worker !
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Culver’s Community Day
We would like to thank the staff and families who supported our November Culver’s Community
Day! In November, we received a check for $97.25. Many thanks to Mrs. Altendahl, Mrs. Davis, Mrs.
Schoenbauer, and Ms. Thomforde for delivering food to tables. Our December Culver’s Day is on
Monday, December 14th. Mrs. Giese and Mrs. Struble will be delivering food to tables from 5:006:00 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Fritz will deliver food to tables from 6:00-7:00 p.m. The flavor of the day is
Caramel Pecan. Please remember to say you are from Cedar Park, so we receive 15% of your
purchase. We appreciate your support of our Culver’s Community Days!!!
Newsletter Notice to Parents
Under the Federal No Child Left Behind law, parents have the right to ask for certain information
about their child’s classroom teachers, and requires the District to give parents this information in a
timely manner if they ask for it. Specifically, parents have the right to ask for the following
information about each of their child’s classroom teachers:
•
•
•
Whether the Department of Education has licensed or qualified the teacher for the grades
and subjects he or she teaches.
Whether the Department of Education has decided that the teacher can teach in a
classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special
circumstances.
The teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees and, if so, the
subject of the degrees.
If you would like to receive any of this information, please call Tom Pederstuen, Director of Human
Resources at 651.423.7859.
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During this time of Thanksgiving, the PTO would like to say thank you to all the parents who
volunteered with us so far this year. Many hours were spent working the Color Run, working at
Chick-fil-A spirit night, helping with the book fair, and providing food and drinks for the teachers
during conferences. The PTO could not do it without our fabulous parent volunteers, and we are
very grateful to you for sharing your time with us.
The book fair in early November was our largest in recent years, with $7,300 in total sales! Cedar
Park earned 4,000 Scholastic dollars, which the teachers and staff redeemed for over 290 books. The
PTO also earned cool posters to be used as prizes and giveaways at future school events.
Recent fundraising events have been a great success as well. Cedar Park earned $90.00 from the
Mueller Family Theatre weekend show ticket sales. October’s spirit night at Smashburger was a great
success raising $217.00 for our school. And, November’s Chick-fil-A night raised $264.00 for our
school, too! Thank you for supporting these local businesses and for helping raise money for Cedar
Park in the process!
This month, the PTO continued its mission to support Cedar Park financially:
$220.00 for Teacher Appreciation meals during November conferences (pizza and salad)
$22.00 for the Teacher Breakfast at the book fair preview
$780.00 to offset the cost of the 4th grade field trip to the Bakken Museum
$34.00 for kindergarten holiday parent gifts
On Friday, December 11th, the PTO will be hosting another BINGO Night from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Participants can win books, posters, t-shirts, and more!! It will be just $1.00 for a BINGO card and
popcorn. Bottled water will be available for purchase.
If you are interested in sharing your ideas or helping with one of the many family events the PTO
coordinates, please join us at our next meeting! See you then!!!
Upcoming PTO Dates:
December 11
December 14
December 22
January 11
PTO Family Night – 6:00-7:30 p.m. (gym)
PTO Meeting – 6:30-8:00 p.m. (library)
SmashBurger School Spirit Night – 4:00-8:00 p.m.
PTO Meeting – 6:30-8:00 p.m. (library)
For more information, visit our website at cedarparkpto.digitalpto.com or follow the link on the
homepage of the school’s website.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
EVENTS
UPCOMING
Tuesday, December 1st
1st Grade NNAT2 Testing – 12:30-1:15 p.m.
3rd Grade Pacer Puppets – 1:05-1:40 p.m.
Wednesday, December 2nd
5th Grade Creativity Festival
Thursday, December 3rd
End of Trimester
Friday, December 4th
NO SCHOOL – Staff Development
Saturday, December 5th
University of MN Ecology Fair – 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Monday, December 7th
3rd & 5th Grade CogAt Testing
Tuesday, December 8th
Spotlight on Schools – 10:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Kindness Retreat – 9:50 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9th
3rd & 5th Grade CogAt Testing
Thursday, December 10th
4th Grade Field Study – Bakken Museum –
9:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
5th Grade Music Program
– 2:30 & 6:30 p.m.
Friday, December 11th
3rd Grade CogAt Testing – 11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
5th Grade CogAt Testing – 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Report Cards Sent Home
PTO Bingo Family Night – 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Monday, December 14th
Culver’s Community Day
PTO Meeting – 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 16th
4th & 5th Grade YS/GT at Biztown –
Thursday, December 17th
Kindergarten Pacer Puppets – 9:45 & 10:30 a.m.
Friday, December 18th
Pinata Night – 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Monday, December 21st
Exploration Classes
Tuesday, December 22nd
Exploration Classes
Wednesday, December 23rd
Exploration Classes
CP Band – Foyer Fest
Thursday, December 24 th – Sunday, January 3 rd
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NO SCHOOL – Winter Break
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Nutrition News Flash
December 2015
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
December 3, 2015
Local Lunch Features
Based in Cannon Falls, MN, Todd Churchill founded
Thousand Hills Cattle Co. in 2003 with one mission:
“Nourishing soil, plants, cattle and people by holistically
grazing cattle.” This is accomplished by sourcing cattle
from independent family farms in the Midwest. All cattle
are 100% grass fed and free-range, meaning no
antibiotics, no artificial hormones, and no grain ever in the
animal’s life.
Not only does free-range and grass-fed beef taste good,
but also it is good for you, the animals, and the
environment. Compared to grain-fed beef, Thousand Hills
beef is higher in omega-3s, vitamins A, D, E, and is lower
in cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats. The animals
have health benefits from consuming a variety of grasses
rather than grains. Additionally, the holistic management
of the farms eliminates oil-dependent machinery and
increases soil quality and fertility.
School District 196 will be serving hot dogs from
Thousand Hills on December 3, 2015. There are many
restaurants and grocery stores that use or sell beef from
Thousand Hills. The website is a great place to search for
locations nearest to you. Also, you can learn about the
farmers raising cattle and the chefs using the beef on the
website.
Source: http://www.thousandhillscattleco.com
Having trouble printing the elementary menu all on one page?
From the “menu” page, select the “print menu” icon.
When the printed version pops up, DO NOT use the green “Print this
page” box in the upper right-hand corner. USE the print function from
the browser tool bar, or right click, adjust the size to 80% or use the
“shrink to fit” option. Options for printing do vary from computer to
computer depending upon which browser and version is being used.
Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Local Empire Apples
With the popular Red Delicious and McIntosh for parents. Empire was
destined to be a hit when it was developed at Cornell University in the
‘40s. It is a sweet-tart combination that's very versatile.
Profile
Wonderful blend of sweet and tart
Juicy
Very crisp, creamy white flesh
BEST USES
Excellent for eating and salads
Good for sauces, baking, pies and freezing
SPECIAL HINT
Small Empires are great for school lunches. Kids enjoy the sweet-tart
taste and super crunchy texture.
Did you know Food and Nutrition
AVAILABILITY
Services are buying fresh local apples
September through August
and will be serving them weekly for the
http://www.nyapplecountry.com
next couple of months?
Based on a 90lb, 9 year-old person perfoming activites for 30 minutes:
Activity
Basketball
Cross country skiing
Ice skating
Downhill skiing
Swimming
Rollerblading
Calories
burned
163
163
143
122
143
245
Food Equivalent
1 bag butter microwave popcorn
1 cereal bar
1 oz baked whole grain chips
3 oz baby carrots + 2 tbsp light ranch
½ cup vanilla ice cream
1 small bagel + 1oz cream cheese
He had the drumsticks!
Lunchroom Joke Corner
Local Lunch Day
Beef Hotdogs on Whole Grain Bun
Dark Green Side Salad with Dressing
Vegetarian Baked Beans
Sun Chips
Reminders for All Students and Parents:
Breakfast is FREE for all kindergarten students and students who qualify for FREE or REDUCED-price school meals.
Lunch is FREE for all students who qualify for FREE or REDUCED-price school meals.
Please try breakfast at your school. A nutritious breakfast is an important start to a child’s school day!
Parents/Guardians: FeePay has the option for you to set a low-balance reminder via email.
This institution is an
equal opportunity
provider.
Employment
opportunities within
Nutrition Services
are available.
We don’t just serve breakfast and lunch……..we serve students!
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Home&School
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CONNECTION
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Working Together for School Success
December 2015
Cedar Park STEM School
Mr. John Garcia, Principal
SHORT
NOTES
My kind of town
When you travel to a
different town or state, encourage your
youngster to compare and contrast it
with your area. She might notice that a
suburb has shorter buildings and more
open space than the city she’s from. Or
if you live near mountains, she may be
surprised by how flat a plain is.
Volunteer for class parties
This time of year, your youngster’s
teacher may need help with a class
party. You could volunteer to coordinate food and activities or to pitch in
on party day. Or you might offer to
contribute craft supplies or a nutritious treat (fruit kebab, baggies of
popcorn and raisins). The teacher
will appreciate your involvement —
and so will your child!
Shared space
Arguments over the bathroom can
throw a wrench in your youngsters’
morning routines. Have them work
together to come up with a schedule.
They should decide who will go first
on which days and how long they can
spend getting ready in the bathroom.
Creating the routine themselves will
make them more apt to stick with it.
Worth quoting
“At first, dreams seem impossible,
then improbable, and eventually
inevitable.” Christopher Reeve
JUST FOR FUN
Q: What do you
call a snowman
in summer?
A: A puddle.
Raise a generous child
Whether your child is making a gift for a grandparent or
putting together a care package, he is learning to give to
others. Use these suggestions
to nurture his generosity.
The gift of time
Being generous doesn’t
have to cost money. Encourage your youngster to take a
little extra time to do things
for others. For example, he
could handle a chore for a
sibling who has a big test the
next day. Or he might organize and
lead games for younger cousins at a
family gathering.
A “wish list” for others
Does your child list gifts he hopes to
receive? Let him make a list for others,
too. He could write down presents he
would like to make or buy for relatives
and friends. Have him carefully consider
what each person might want (“Grandma
loves to hear me play piano, so I’ll make
her a video of me playing her favorite
songs”). This can help him discover how
good it feels to give.
My special cause
Your youngster may feel more eager
to give to a cause that is personally
meaningful to him. For instance, if you
have a relative in the military, he could
help you put together care packages for
troops. Or if he loves animals, he might
gather towels and blankets and donate
them to a shelter.
Tip: Help your child see himself as a
giving person by pointing out his generosity. (“It was generous of you to offer your
brother your last slice of pizza.”)♥
A lifelong learner
Learning isn’t just something that happens in
school — show your youngster it’s a practice she’ll
do all her life. Consider these ideas:
● Tell your child about things you’re learning
and ways you’re educating yourself. For
example, if your office is switching to a new
accounting system, talk about training sessions you attended and how they helped
you do your job.
● Encourage self-help. If your family wants to try camping for the first time, work
together to investigate where to camp, the gear you’ll need, and the best time to
go. You might consult workers at an outdoors store, read books about camping, or
search online for campgrounds.♥
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
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Home & School CONNECTION
December 2015 • Page 2
®
Write to persuade,
write to explain
Explain. Let your youngster
think of a task (say, washing
your hair). Without telling
you what it is, she should
write instructions for you
to act out. (“Turn a bottle
upside down. Hold one
hand under the bottle…”)
As you go through the
motions, she may realize
she left out a step and
needs to edit her directions.
She’ll see the importance of being precise when explaining
something in writing. After you guess what you’re acting out,
write a set of instructions for her.♥
Writing serves various purposes. Here are
two important reasons your youngster will
write in school, along with ways she can
practice at home.
Persuade. Encourage your child to
think through both sides of a topic
before she writes by staging a pretend
debate with two dolls or action figures.
She could pick a topic, like whether kids
need more recess, and speak for each “person.” Then, she
should decide which side she agrees with and write an argument from that point of view.
Q
Drugs: Start a
A conversation
&
Q: How should I talk to my second-grade
son about drugs?
A: Try starting with what your child
already knows. Ask him what he has
heard about drugs, and talk about those
facts or myths.
If he says all drugs are
bad, remind him that when
he’s sick, you or his doctor may give him drugs
to help him get well.
Then, talk about the
dangers of illegal
drugs. Explain that
they may damage the
brain or heart, cause
people to make poor decisions, and be
addictive (hard to stop taking). And even
legal drugs can hurt him if taken incorrectly or not prescribed for him.
Finally, encourage your youngster to
tell you in the future what he’s hearing
about drugs. And keep the conversation
going by bringing up the subject from
time to time.♥
O U R
P U R P O S E
To provide busy parents with practical ideas
that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
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ACTIVITY
CORNER
Getting to know you
December is when many families get together with farflung relatives. Encourage cooperation and learn more
about each other with these two activities.
Silent lineup
Family members must work together in this cooperative game. Have your child get one index card per person
and number them (say, 1–8 for 8 people). Turn the cards
upside down, mix them up, and give one to each player. Tape the card you’re
without
dealt to another person’s back. Then, players try to get in numerical order
tical
alphabe
into
get
to
speaking. Or write letters on the cards and work together
order or to spell a word.
Name the criteria
Here’s a fun way to see what family members have in common. Let one person
Then,
name a category, such as “is a morning person” or “likes ketchup on eggs.”
side of
one
on
sits
criterion
the
meets
who
e
Everyon
floor.
the
on
rope
jump
a
lay
new catethe line, and those who don’t sit on the other. Have another player pick a
es.♥
gory, and rearrange yourselv
Become more independent
As your child gets older, she’ll be
expected to do more for herself. Help
her prepare with these strategies.
● Assume she can. There’s a
better chance that your youngster will be able to accomplish
a task on her own if she sees
that you expect her to.
Example: “I’ll rinse the
plates while you load the
dishwasher.” Then, focus
on rinsing, and leave her to
figure out her own way of
loading the dishes.
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● Ask, “What do you think?”
Including your child in family decisions
prepares her for independent decision
making. You might seek her opinion on
what to make for dinner or
where to hang a picture,
for instance.
● Let her start. If she
asks you to put her hair
in a bun, encourage her
to try the first steps by
herself. Tell her you’re
there to help finish the
job if she gets stuck.♥
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