In this
Edition
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PAGE 1
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
PRINCIPAL’S
NEWS
PTO FAMILY
NIGHT AT THE
WORKS
MN AG IN THE
CLASSROOM
PAGE 5
PAGE 6
PAGE 8
SOCIAL
WORKER
NEWS
CEDAR PARK
PTO
UPCOMING
EVENTS
News from the Principal…
Dear Families and Friends,
We are approaching our state standardized testing time for students in grades 3-5. The MCAs are
used to measure a school’s growth and performance for the year. Cedar Park exceeded the state
benchmarks in all measurable categories on the MCAs last year. We have been identified as one of 22
Celebration Schools in the state of MN for our state test score results. We continue to make great
efforts in preparing all of our students who will be tested this Spring.
The MCAs are one measure of growth that we use to help determine our school’s performance. It is
not the only tool we use, and I would argue it may not even be the most effective tool we use. There
are many opportunities for us to measure growth and success at Cedar Park that may never be found
on a state standardized test. The MCAs are important, and we are confident we will continue to
make progress. For those students in grades 3-5, it is important to get adequate sleep, eat a
nutritious breakfast, and have a positive frame of mind the week of testing.
Students should not feel pressure from school or home. We have done an excellent job of preparing
students to “show what they know.” We ask only that students do their best work.
Sincerely,
John Garcia
From the Instructional Assistant…
Third, fourth, and fifth grade students will begin taking the Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment (MCA) test on April 1. The MCA is the state test that helps schools measure student
progress toward Minnesota’s academic standards and also meet the requirements of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Third, fourth, and fifth grade students will have two testing sessions in Reading and two testing
sessions in Math. Fifth grade will have an additional testing session for Science. Each testing
session will be approximately one-and-one-half hours long. Sessions are not timed and students
may take as long as they need to complete the tests.
This is the first year that all MCA tests will be given on-line in our computer lab rather than in a
paper and pencil format in the classroom. Because of the time it will take to get all classes
through the computer lab, our testing window will spread out through April and into early May.
The calendar for testing can be found on the home page of the Cedar Park website. Click on the
link labeled MCA Test Schedule 2015. We would greatly appreciate you not scheduling
appointments for your child on testing days. If you have specific questions related to testing or
the testing schedule, please contact your child’s teacher.
Attendance Line
We would like to thank the staff and
families who supported our February
Community Day at Culver’s. We received a
check for $117.58!!! Many thanks to Mr.
Garcia and Mrs. Gulden for delivering food
to tables from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and Ms.
Durnin and Mrs. Roth for delivering food to
tables from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Our March
Culver’s Day is on March 9th. The flavor of
the day is Caramel Cashew! Mrs. Huseman,
Mrs. Komperud, and Mrs. Kostecka will be
delivering food to tables from 5:00-6:00
p.m. Mrs. Diver and Mrs. Tousignant 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!!!
If your child will be absent from school,
please remember to call the attendance
line at 651-683-6969 x93600. State your
child’s name, teacher, and the reason for
the absence. We appreciate your help in
making our daily attendance procedures
run smoothly and efficiently!
Extra Clothing
Mrs. Tousignant, our School Nurse, is
looking for donations of pants sizes 6-10.
If you have pants that you are looking to
get rid of, please consider dropping them
off in the school office or nurse’s office.
Thank you for your help!
2
PTO Family Night at The Works
An exciting evening of hands-on
science, engineering, and
technology took place at The
Works Museum in Bloomington
on Thursday, February 5th!
Families experimented with
simple machines, structures and
shapes, sensors, and imaging and
optical technologies. Over 170
people from Cedar Park attended
this wonderful event, which was
sponsored by the Cedar Park
PTO!!!
3
MN Agriculture In the Classroom
Hats off to Mrs. Benson and Mrs. Velasquez for writing a grant to implement Minnesota Agriculture
in the Classroom at Cedar Park! These teachers want to deepen suburban students' understanding of
what agriculture is and its impact on our lives. Through this grant, these classrooms have connected
with a farm family to learn more about their life as farmers and what they do. Their hope is to bring
farming into the lives of our suburban students who may not understand where food and other
products we use in our everyday lives come from. Cedar Park’s Farm Family is from Marshall,
Minnesota. They made a special appearance at our Family Reading Night on Thursday, February 26th.
Bookmarkathon
The students in Ms. Carlson’s after school Paper Craft Class recently participated in a
Bookmarkathon. They created bookmarks that were sent to Students Rebuild, an organization that
raises money for literacy development in different areas of the world. The bookmarks made were
sent in and each one generated $3.00 because of a special challenge offered between MLK Day and
Valentine's Day. Our students raised $129.00 for the cause.
The bookmark project is continuing through March 31st, but the amount of money raised per
bookmark is $1.00 at this time. Cedar Park’s team is registered online as the Paper Panthers, which
was suggested by one of the students.
A bookmark making station was part of Cedar Park’s Family Reading Night. Bookmarks were created
and sent in to raise funds for others to learn to read and write. The countries being supported
through this project are through Save the Children's Literacy Boost Program in Mali, Nepal, and
Peru.
4
Social Worker News
Parenting Series
Monday, March 16, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Luke Spiegelhoff, Licensed Social Worker, will
present The Secrets of Parenting. Parents are overwhelmed by information on how to raise
their children. Cut through the noise and discover the most helpful parenting strategies. The
answers are not what you expect. The presentation will be at Meadowview Elementary School;
6100 195 th Street West Farmington. The presentation is free and preregistration is not
required. Child care will not be provided. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are available for
a $5.00 fee. ISD 192 and 194 School Districts, Community Education, and Early Childhood Family
Education are sponsoring the event. Visit www.LakevilleAreaCommunityEd.net or
www.farmingtonCE.com for more information.
Connecting Over Mealtime
In today’s busy life, it can seem as though mealtimes are often “sandwiched “between other
activities. Our children are busy with community and school activities. The average adult works
more hours today than 10 years ago, and there are always errands to run, appointments to keep,
and activities to attend. Everything seems to compete with the family mealtime.
Experts agree that children who eat at least five meals with their families each week do better in
school, experience less stress and depression, have better social skills, are healthier and are less likely
to smoke, or use drugs or alcohol.
When we sit down to eat together, we connect with our children. It is a great opportunity to
communicate values, and teach lessons. Most importantly, our children feel loved and connected as
part of a family.
Here are some ideas:
*Get everyone involved. Take turns planning, cooking and cleaning up.
*Keep conversation enjoyable. Don’t use the time to lecture or discipline.
*Take turns leading the conversation, and ensuring everyone participates.
*Take the TV out of the dining area, or turn it off.
*Most of all have fun and enjoy each other!!
Lost and Found
Thanks to our Student Council representatives for the hard work they are doing taking care of the
lost and found. They voted to purchase a clothing rack, and spent time hanging up the items so they
are clearly visible and ready to be claimed by their owners. Please come and claim your coats, hats,
gloves, snow pants, etc.
ANYTHING LEFT OVER SPRING BREAK WILL BE DONATED!!!
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 
5
Cedar Park family night at The Works on February 5th was a huge success! 170 people came to race
cars, out-smart the sensors, create special glasses, make music on the invisible harp, and much more!
Visit the PTO website to check out the pictures!
Our 2nd book fair of the year was also a big hit. Families bought books totaling $5,936, teachers
redeemed Scholastic dollars to get books for their classroom, and a new set of reference books about
space was purchased for the library. Thank you to all of the fabulous volunteers who helped students
during the book preview, worked the cash registers, and packed up at the end. It couldn’t have been
done without you! The next book fair will be a Buy One-Get One Free sale during the school carnival
on May 15th.
Just around the corner is our 1st annual Family BINGO Night! Round up the kids and come to the
school gym on Friday, March 6th, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Play to win posters, books, gift cards, school tshirts, and much, much more! Just $1 gets you a BINGO board and a bag of popcorn. See you there!!
This month the PTO continued its mission to support Cedar Park financially:
- $80.00 for a Books ’n’ Bagels book fair kick-off for staff on Wednesday, February 11th
- $228.96 for pizza for the teachers and staff during February conferences
- $1,500.00 for two Cedar Park college scholarship winners ($750.00 each)
- 2,400 Scholastic dollars spent by teachers and staff to purchase new books at the book fair
- 319 Scholastic dollars for a set of space reference books for the library
If you are interested in sharing your ideas or helping with one of the many PTO family events, please
join us at our next meeting! See you then!!
Upcoming PTO Dates:
March 6
BINGO Night ~ 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the gym
March 9
PTO Meeting ~ 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the library
April 13
PTO Meeting ~ 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the library
May 11
PTO Meeting ~ 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the library
May 15
School Carnival ~ 5:30-8:30 p.m.
For more information, visit our website at cedarparkpto.digitalpto.com or follow the link on the
homepage of the school’s website.
6
Music Notes
The study of music is basic to a complete
education. Music engages students in individual
and group activity, enhancing the morale and
quality of school environment. Music education
helps to develop creativity, self-expression,
problem-solving skills, and critical and
evaluative skills. Music also contributes to
young people’s development in listening,
reading, as well as an understanding of history
and culture. Music enriches all of us
throughout our lives, providing lifelong joy!
Join us as we share our musical talents:
March 5, 9:50 a.m. ~ Heartbeat Chorus Concert
Gym Shorts
EVHS STEP DANCE Team performed for
the students and staff at Cedar Park on
February 11. After the performance, the dance
team stayed to work and collaborate with the
physical education classes and create step
dance routines. Both the high school and
elementary students had an enjoyable
experience.
The fifth grade district track meet will be
held on May 11 at AVHS. Parent volunteers
are needed to work at the track meet. A
parent volunteer letter has been sent out to all
fifth grade students. Please join your student
for an exciting day.
Mrs. Banwart/Mrs. Wattier
Physical Education Specialists
March 18, 10:00 a.m. ~ 4th Grade Recorder
Recital
March 19, 2:30 & 6:30 p.m. ~ 3rd Grade Program
Thank you for supporting music education!
Mrs. Ploeger
Music Specialist
Band Notes
Calling All Fourth Graders! Please return
your Band Interest Form to Mrs. Firchow by
March 9th or sooner. Fourth graders will have
the opportunity to select their instruments for
5th grade band after turning in their Band
Interest Form. Mrs. Firchow will meet with
small groups of students between March 12th
and March 20th. During this time, students will
select their instrument. All 4th graders that
would like to play an instrument need to start
the process of selecting an instrument
now*. Band is a fun part of the 5th grade
year. Our current 5th grade band has almost
the entire grade participating!
*Fifth grade band is a required class for any
students that plan on playing in sixth grade
band in middle school.
Mrs. Firchow
Band Specialist
7
UPCOMING EVENTS
EVENTS
UPCOMING
Monday, March 2nd
4th Grade Youth Teaching Youth – 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 3rd
4th & 5th Grade GT/YS to Biztown
Thursday, March 5th
Heartbeat Chorus Performance – 9:50 a.m.
LAST DAY OF AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES
Friday, March 6th
PTO Family Bingo Night – 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7th
GEM UMN – 7:30 a.m. – 1:40 p.m.
Monday, March 9th
4th Grade Youth Teaching Youth – 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Culver’s Community Day
PTO Meeting – 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 10th
5th Grade Middle School Visits
At VMS – 9:45 – 11:00 a.m./FRMS Here – 9:45 – 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, March 12th
End of Trimester
Friday, March 13th
NO SCHOOL – STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Monday, March 16th – 20th
5th Grade to Starbase MN
Monday, March 16th
4th Grade Youth Teaching Youth – 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 18th
4th Grade Recorder Recital – 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, March 19th
3rd Grade Music Program – 2:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
8
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9
Home&School
Working Together for School Success
March 2015
CONNECTION
®
&HGDU3DUN67(06FKRRO
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SHORT
NOTES
That’s a record!
Suggest that your
youngster start a notebook of personal records to keep track of her
accomplishments. For instance,
maybe she did five pull-ups in PE
or got 100 on her spelling test two
weeks in a row. Challenge her to beat
her own records, and she’ll learn to
set and work toward goals.
Backpack safety
To avoid straining his back, encourage your child to bend his knees (not
his waist) when he picks up his backpack. Also, the weight of his backpack should be less than 15 percent
of his body weight. Hint: Have him
pack items so the weight is evenly
distributed.
Celebrate spring
Spring begins March 20. As a family,
plan a mini celebration to ring in the
new season. Your youngster could
make invitations (“Meet in the living
room on Friday after dinner”) and
check out library books of spring crafts
to do together. You might bake cookies
or cupcakes that family members can
decorate with flowers or raindrops.
Worth quoting
“Use the talents you possess, for the
woods would be a very silent place
if no birds sang except the best.”
Henry van Dyke
JUST FOR FUN
Tyler: I can tell you the score of
tonight’s big game before it starts.
Dad: Really?
What is it?
Tyler: Zero
to zero!
Respect at home, respect
at school
A child who treats people
with respect at home is more
likely to be respectful in
school. These tips can
help your youngster
learn what respect is and
inspire him to show it.
Define
Explain that respect
includes valuing others’
needs and wishes, showing
consideration for people,
being tolerant of differences,
and using good manners. Then, have
your youngster write his own recipe for
respect. Example: “Mix together –41 cup
caring, –41 cup good manners, –41 cup selfcontrol, and –41 cup tolerance. Makes as
many servings as you need—and stays
good forever!”
Spot
“I spy…respect.” Together, look and
listen for people showing respect. Your
child may notice students listening quietly
as the media specialist reads a book or
classmates speaking politely to each other.
Have him name someone he respects at
school, like a teacher or classmate—why
does he respect that person? Also, as he
reads or watches movies, he could be on
the lookout for characters he thinks are
worthy of respect.
Show
Can your youngster think of instances
where he was or wasn’t respectful this
week? Encourage him to come up with
three ways he will behave respectfully
at home and at school next week. For
example, he could ask his sister before
touching her guitar or wait patiently for
smaller kids who need more time to
cross the playground monkey bars.♥
Test-week success
How can you help your youngster stay focused yet relaxed
during standardized test week? Share these strategies:
● Suggest that she pack a “test kit” the night before
each day of testing. She should put in everything that
she’ll need, such as sharpened pencils, a calculator, a
water bottle, and a snack. Tip: Make sure she gets 10–11
hours of sleep so she’ll be alert.
● Let your child plan enjoyable activities for after school. She may not have home-
work during test week, so she could use that time to unwind by playing board
games, reading comic books, or visiting a park.♥
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
10
Home & School CONNECTION
March 2015 • Page 2
®
When I grow up…
someday. Or if she’d like
to be a fashion designer,
the measurement unit
she’s doing in math can
help her measure fabric correctly.
Help your youngster see the connection
between what she’s learning in school and the
future career she dreams of with these ideas.
Think about jobs. How could your child use
reading, math, or science in a future career?
Ask her to name a job she might enjoy and
match it with a skill she learned in class. For
example, reading with expression will come
in handy if she becomes a TV news anchor
ACTIVITY
CORNER
Put salad on the map
What does your child’s dinner salad
have to do with geography? Make one
together, and he can find out.
1. Ask your
youngster to
write a shopping list for
salad ingredients.
2. At the grocery
store, have him
read stickers to learn
where each ingredient
comes from (tomatoes from Mexico,
cucumbers from California). Can he
find anything grown in your area?
3. At home, encourage him to look at a
world map and locate the state or country
where each ingredient was grown. He
could sketch each food on a sticky note
and place it where it belongs on a globe,
an atlas, or a map.
4. Let your child help you wash the
vegetables, slice them, and toss with his
favorite dressing. Now it’s time to eat!
Idea: Next time, let him make and
map a fruit salad.♥
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
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www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621
© 2015 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Talk to workers.
Let your youngster
interview people about
their jobs. Maybe your
neighbor is an electrician or your sister is an
orthopedist. Encourage
her to ask how they use
school subjects at work.
She may discover that electricians read manuals and diagrams
and that orthopedists need science to understand patients’
bones and to diagnose and treat injuries.♥
Q Keeping track of papers
&
My son’s room is a mess—which wasn’t a big
A Q:
problem until he started losing schoolwork and
getting frustrated when he couldn’t find things. How
can I help?
A: The good news is that even if your son’s room is
cluttered, he won’t lose papers if he keeps them in
his backpack.
He should take homework assignments out of his
s finbag when he’s ready to work on them and put them right back in after he’
hand it
him
have
sign,
to
you
for
slip
ion
permiss
a
or
test
ished. If he has a graded
ed.
directly to you instead of putting it in a pile where it may get overlook
needs
You could also help your son develop a system for organizing work that he
subject.
each
for
one
folders—
file
or
trays
plastic
to keep. He might use stacked
Once he sees how much easier it is to find papers, he just may be ready to
tackle the rest of his room so it’s organized, too!♥
A co-parenting team
If you’re divorced, you may worry
about how the situation will affect your
child’s schoolwork. Youngsters tend to
adjust better if they see their parents
working as a team, so try these suggestions for building a good co-parenting
relationship:
● Find a way to communicate about
your child’s schooling. For example, some parents feel email
works best. Tip: Mention your
conversations to your youngster. (“I told your dad about
your citizenship award.
We’re both proud of you!”)
● Attend school events. Your child will
probably want to hang out with both of
you during a math night or an art fair.
Focus on her, and avoid bringing up difficult subjects (finances, custody).
● Be sure to both look over report cards
and other important papers that come
home. You might
make a copy for the
other parent or ask
if the school will
send home duplicates. Try to agree
on a plan for handling grades.♥