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PAGE 1-2
PRINCIPAL ’ S
NEWS
PAGE 3
FOURTH
GRADE FIELD
STUDY
PAGE 4
SOCIAL WORKER
NEWS
PAGE 5
CEDAR PARK
PTO UPDATE
PAGE 7
UPCOMING
EVENTS
PAGE 8
NUTRITION
NEWS FLASH
Dear Families and Friends ,
Happy New Year! It ’ s hard to believe we are nearing the end of January already .
I ’ m excited to report that we are enjoying one of our finest years ever! Thank you for sending your child ( ren ) so well prepared to learn .
Your commitment at home to ensure their success is crucial .
Students are arriving with positive attitudes , homework completed , appropriate dress in cold weather clothes , and a collaborative spirit .
I appreciate the partnership between school and home and the shared commitment we have to prepare our students for the future .
Did you hear?
Cedar Park is now a “ Celebration School ,” one of only 22 in the state of Minnesota .
Please see the Commissioner ’ s announcement on the next page for more information regarding the fantastic award .
Congratulations to the entire Cedar Park STEM Community!
John Garcia , Principal

(
)
December 16, 2014
Dear Principal John Garcia ,
Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that Cedar Park Elementary has been named a 2014
Celebration School!
More than 140 Celebration Eligible schools applied for this distinction and , from those submissions , just 22 were chosen for recognition .
Your school ’ s selection is a reflection of the quality application you submitted that tells the story of your efforts to improve student achievement .
I appreciate your tireless dedication to the students you serve and believe that if we work together , every Minnesota school can be excellent .
It is my hope that Celebration schools will share effective practices with other schools across the state .
By learning from one another , we can replicate what works and close achievement gaps among students .
MDE will make a formal announcement of the Celebration School designees on Wednesday ,
December 17.
Once the announcement is public , we encourage you to share this news with your students and community .
Attached to this letter is an electronic version of the 2014 MDE
Celebration School logo .
Feel free to use it to celebrate your success on your school ’ s website , letterhead or other communications .
Again , please accept my best wishes on your outstanding accomplishments , and my thanks for your work to ensure every Minnesota child reaches their highest potential .
Sincerely ,
Dr .
Brenda Cassellius
Commissioner
We would like to thank the staff and families who supported our December Community Day at
Culver ’ s .
The turnout was outstanding…we received a check for $183.07
!!! Many thanks to Mrs .
Flynn , Mrs .
Franklin , Mrs .
Johnson , Mrs .
Schooley , Mrs .
Stenzel , and Mr .
Youngberg for delivering food to tables on December 8 th
.
Our January Culver ’ s Day is on January 12 th
.
The flavor of the day is Caramel Cashew! Ms .
Nygren and Mrs .
Velasquez will be delivering food to tables from 5 : 00-
6 : 00 p .
m .
Mr .
Schank and Mrs .
Varner will be delivering food to tables from 6 : 00-7 : 00 p .
m .
Don ’ t forget to mention you are from Cedar Park , so we receive 15% of your order total! We hope to see you there!!!
2

4 th
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3

THANK YOU!!!!!
Thank you so much for your generous donations to our Pennies for Patients campaign .
We doubled the amount we raised last year for a grand total of $1,320.00.
Every penny counts!!!! 
Parent Education Series
Monday , February 9 th from 7 : 00 to 8 : 30 p .
m ., Jenny Hanlon , Consultant , Teacher & Author will present Your Family Compass .
A compass helps you find your way , and Jenny will help you chart the direction you want for your family .
Jenny will lead a presentation and discussion on how to empower both you and your children , so you can have a more peaceful family life .
The location will be Lakeville South High School Auditorium: 21135 Jacquard Ave Lakeville .
The session is FREE .
Pre registration is not required .
Childcare is not provided .
~ Sponsored by ISD 192 & 194 School Districts , Community Ed and ECFE
Deployed Service Members
Do you know of a family that has a deployed service member , or do you have someone in your family that is deployed? There are services that are available to you and your family .
Please contact me at 952-431-8795.
You can also visit Beyond the Yellow Ribbon at: www .
beyondtheyellowribbon .
org / applevalley for more information .
Parent Involvement
Parent involvement plays a large role in children ’ s success in school .
There are many ways you can support your child ’ s learning and school .
Here are a few ideas:
• Go through your child ’ s backpack every day .
Spend time talking about the handouts or completed work they bring home .
Ask questions about it .
Return permission slips , sign up forms , and other items in a timely manner .
• If you are able to volunteer in your child ’ s classroom or at school , let your child ’ s teacher know .
If you are not available during the day , see if there are things you can help out with from home .
• Make sure your teacher ’ s know that you appreciate their efforts .
Send a note or an email .
• Contact your child ’ s teacher immediately if you see a problem .
Working together will help your child succeed .
• Schedule appointments for before or after school as much as possible .
Regular attendance has a direct impact to school success .
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@district 196.
org .
Happy New Year!!! Diane Johnson , Cedar Park STEM Social Worker 
4

The P .
T .
O .
has many exciting events planned in the new year .
The first is a special evening at The
Works Museum in Bloomington on Thursday , February 5 th
, from 6 : 00-8 : 00 p .
m .
The Works is a hands on science and engineering museum geared for children and a favorite field study destination for Cedar Park students! The P .
T .
O .
is providing free bussing for families , along with discounted museum tickets only $3 per person ( cash only ).
Look for more information to come home in your student ’ s Friday Folder this week!
To learn more about the activities and exhibits offered at The Works , visit their website at www .
theworks .
org .
School t shirts have been delivered , and the students look great sporting their school spirit! If you would still like to purchase one , they will be sold again at the carnival in May .
This month the P .
T .
O .
spent $1,200 to purchase 6 robots for the Kindergarten classes .
“ Dash ” the explorer robot will teach basic computer programming to the students through adventures , music , and problem solving .
Let the fun and learning begin!
If you are interested in sharing your ideas or helping with one of the many P .
T .
O .
family events , please join us at our next meeting! See you then!!
Upcoming P .
T .
O .
Dates:
Jan .
12 P .
T .
O .
Meeting 6 : 30-8 pm in the library
Feb
Feb
.
.
5
9
Cedar Park Family Night at The Works Museum
P .
T .
O .
Meeting 6 : 30-8 pm in the library
6 : 00-8 : 00 pm
Feb .
11 & 12 Scholastic Book Fair during conferences
Mar .
6 BINGO Night 6-7 : 30 pm in the gym
Mar .
9 P .
T .
O .
Meeting 6 : 30-8 pm in the library
For more information , visit our website at cedarparkpto .
digitalpto .
com or follow the link on the homepage of the school ’ s website .
5

On January 16 th
, all third grade students will attend a performance by the Macalester
College African Music Ensemble .
The African
Music Ensemble is a thirty piece group directed by Sowah Mensah , a composer and master drummer from Ghana , West Africa .
The
Ensemble performs traditional African music using a variety of authentic instruments brought from Africa .
This amazing performance correlates with our sound science study .
All students in grades 1-5 will be improving their rhythm skills with a World
Drumming unit during the month of January .
Fourth graders are excited to begin playing recorders .
They will be working hard to acquire karate belts in Recorder Karate .
Cedar Park 5 th
Mrs .
The Cedar Park Band will be performing
Ploeger
Music Specialist
grade students participated in a FuelUpToPlay 60 poster contest in art class .
The posters promote being physically active and eating healthy .
Prizes were awarded to the following students:
Mr .
Nygren Dalilah Cazares & Gavin Trump
Mrs .
Peeters Ahmed Abuelhassan & Ryan
Eatchel
Mr .
Phelps Joshua Cornormia & Laura
Arelano Molina
Mrs .
Vanderborght Zach Dobratz & Nikki
Nwaneri
Mrs .
Banwart / Mrs .
Wattier
Physical Education Specialists
, January 19 wonderful evening of music .
th , at 7 : 00 p .
m .
at Apple Valley High School for the
PANORAMA OF BANDS CONCERT .
Students need to arrive at the high school at 6 : 15 p .
m .
All students should bring their instrument , music stand , and folder of music .
Percussionists are the only players that do not need to bring their instruments from home .
Percussionists must bring their sticks and mallets and folder of music .
The Panorama of Bands Concert is an exciting event where 6 bands from 6 schools perform individually and together .
Our fifth graders will be able to hear other elementary bands , a Valley Middle School band , and an Apple Valley High School Band .
We invite the whole family to enjoy this
The Cedar Park Band will be performing on WEDNESDAY , January 21 st , at 10 : 00 a .
m .
and 4 : 00 p .
m .
at Cedar Park
Elementary .
Parents are welcome to attend the morning and / or late afternoon concert .
The students will play six large group pieces and small section features for their Cedar Park
6

Thursday , January 8
Monday , January 12 th th
Tuesday , January 13 th
Wednesday , January 14 th
Friday , Januarty 16 th
Monday , January 19 th
Wednesday , January 21 st
Friday , January 23 rd
Friday , January 26 th
Wednesday , January 28 th
Thursday , January 29 th
Friday , January 30 th
Spotlight On Schools – 10 : 00 a .
m .
& 2 : 30 p .
m .
5 th Grade Patrols to Skateville – 5 : 30 – 8 : 30 p .
m .
Culver ’ s Community Day
PTO Meeting – 6 : 30-8 : 00 p .
m .
5 th Grade Eagle Bluff Parent Meeting – 6 : 30 p .
m .
3 rd & 4 th Grade Creativity Festival – 8 : 00 a .
m .
– 2 : 00 p .
m .
4 th Grade Field Study to the MN Science Museum –
10 : 00 a .
m .
-3 : 15 p .
m .
3 rd Grade African Drumming at Macalaster –
11 : 00 a .
m .
– 1 : 30 p .
m .
NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King , Jr .
Day
Panorama of Bands at Apple Valley High School – 7 : 00 p .
m .
( Students arrive at 6 : 15 p .
m .)
Band Concert – 10 : 00 a .
m .
& 4 : 00 p .
m .
Family Engineering Night – 6 : 30 – 8 : 00 p .
m .
Winter After School Classes Begin
5 th Graders to Eagle Bluff
5 th Graders to Eagle Bluff
5 th Graders to Eagle Bluff
7

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8

9
January 2015
®
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0U-RKQ*DUFLD3ULQFLSDO
Read more
A family reading log is a good way to encourage your youngster—and the rest of the family—to read more. Each day, record the books, newspapers, or magazines you read. At the end of every month, let your youngster tally up the total. Keep going for the entire year to see how much your family can read in 2015!
DID
YOU
KNOW
?
It may be cold outside, but classroom temperatures can vary. Have your child dress in layers, since he’ll concentrate better if he’s comfortable.
He could wear a sweatshirt or a sweater over a T-shirt, for example, and add or remove layers as needed.
New ways to discipline
If timeouts aren’t working anymore, consider adjusting your discipline plan.
Some parents take away privileges when kids don’t follow the rules. For instance, maybe your youngster isn’t allowed to go to friends’ houses for a few days if she doesn’t do her chores, or she can’t use the computer tomorrow if she exceeds her time limit today.
Worth quoting
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso
Q: What should you do if you find a tiger in your bed?
A: Sleep somewhere else!
Some children find it easy to get ready for school on time, turn in classwork when it’s due, and finish homework with time to spare.
Others rush around and struggle to get everything done. Good timemanagement skills make the difference. Share these strategies with your child.
Be realistic
Planning ahead will be easier if your youngster knows how long it takes him to finish homework or practice drums.
Encourage him to estimate the time accurately by timing himself on each task for a week. Then, he’ll have a better idea of how long to expect for doing addition problems vs. studying spelling words, for instance.
Say no to multitasking
Your child may think he can watch
TV while he reads his social studies chapter, but chances are it’ll take him twice as long—and he’s likely to miss important information. Suggest that he see for himself: Have him read one page with the TV on and one page with it off and then tell you about them. He’ll probably remember more when he isn’t watching TV.
Break it down
Help your youngster divide projects into chunks and pencil in each step on a calendar (do research, write report, make poster). The same strategy can work for studying and tests. For instance, if he has
30 minutes for a three-part test, he should scan the sections and budget his time for each one.
♥
Caring about others is a wonderful quality to have. Encourage your youngster to make it a habit with suggestions like these:
● If you come across a lost-pet flyer, let your child take a photo of it or write down the phone number. That way, she’ll be able to call the owner if she spots the missing pet.
● When a friend or neighbor is sick, ask your youngster to pitch in to help along with you. You might make and deliver a casserole together or babysit during a doctor appointment. Seeing how you care about others—and follow through— will set a good example for her.
♥
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

CONNECTION ®
What do blowing bubbles and jumping rope have to do with science? With these experiments, your youngster will find out.
Make bubbles. Let your child create bubbles by mixing 3 cups water, cup corn syrup, and
1 cup liquid dish soap. Then, have her experiment to see if she can make a better bubble recipe. She could try different amounts of the ingredients or add or substitute other items, such as sugar or glycerin (available at drugstores). For each attempt, she should measure the ingredients
January 2015 • Page 2 used, list the amounts, and blow bubbles.
Which recipe makes the biggest, the stretchiest, or the longest-lasting bubbles?
Jump rope. How does exercise affect your youngster’s heart rate?
Help her take her pulse.
(She should place two fingers on the inside of her wrist, count the beats in 10 seconds, and multiply by 6 for the beats per minute.) Next, she can jump rope for 1 minute and take her pulse again.
What changes? Explain that exercise works out her heart— just like it works out other muscles. Idea: She might try the experiment with other family members to see what happens to their heart rates.
♥
ACTIVITY
CORNER
TVs, phones, radios—all of these require electricity. Your child may wonder how families had any fun in the old days! Give him a taste of history with this cozy evening “off the grid.”
1. Have your youngster turn off the lights,
TV, and computers. Then, light candles
(place them in a safe spot), and make animal “shadow puppets” on a wall. For instance, link your thumbs together and flap your fingers for a hawk. Can you guess each other’s animals?
2. No radio? No problem! Play musical chairs or hot potato, and let your child sing “Pop Goes the Weasel.”
Q
&
A
Q: My son’s grades have started to slide. He has always done well in the past, so I don’t understand what’s going on. What should I do?
A: Start by talking to your son and to his teacher. Since he has done well until now, maybe he’s used to school being easy for him.
As the work gets more challenging, he may discover he has to work harder or in new ways.
And lower grades can be discouraging and cause him to stop trying.
Also, make sure he’s not worried about something like changes at home or a bully at school. Learning disabilities and vision problems are possibilities, too, so ask his teacher and his doctor about those.
Once you get to the root of the problem, you’ll be able to work with your son and his teacher toward a solution.
♥
3. Play games using “low-tech” materials.
Examples: twigs for pick-up sticks, yarn and two types of beans for tic-tac-toe. Or juggle socks filled with rice and tied with string—who can juggle the longest?
♥
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
© 2014 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
TO
PARENT
Recently, I overheard my daughter Rachel and a friend talking about classmates they find
“annoying” or “gross.”
Later, I asked Rachel about this. She shrugged and said she doesn’t
I suggested that instead of gossiping about classmates, Rachel could find one thing she does like about each person.
Maybe someone she wouldn’t invite over to play happens to make a great reading buddy in class.
have to be friends with everyone. I think she was surprised when I agreed with her. I told her
I’m not friends with all of my coworkers, but I do try to get along with them.
We’ve continued to talk about this, and I can see she’s making an effort.
In fact, it looks like she has a lot in common with her lab partner— a girl she used to think was annoying.
♥
10