ISSUE #5 OCTOBER 19, 2012 , 2012

Principals Message

NEWSLETTER OF VENTANA VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Math in the Real World This year, based on a careful analysis of student achievement data and their23, 2012 MARCH own teaching practices, Ventana Vista teachers have selected the area of MATHEMATICS on which to focus for the year. Our goal is to increase student achievement by designing quality work experiences in mathematics for students that are engaging and foster critical thinking skills. In addition to site based , 2010 professional development, the Ventana Vista Site Council has begun a plan to support this work. One way they would like to do this is to enlist the help of parents in sharing how they use MATH IN THE REAL WORLD. If YOU use mathematics in your daily work, please consider helping the Site Council compile XZXC0000 a resource directory that may be accessed by teachers to share your expertise and experiences with students by completing the brief form at the link below:
09

https://docs.google.com/a/cfsd16.org/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&for mkey=dHIzdUxMRWtRREFpcFBVbVpkVS05eGc6MQ
APRIL 24, 2009 Love Our Teachers There are many things that make Ventana Vista a great place for students. At the top of the list, however, are the PEOPLE who work here every single day. As I know you will agree, since many of you have told me directly, our teachers are top notch! The Catalina Foothills School District Foundations Teacher of the , 2008 Year (TOY) program honors teachers in our district for their outstanding , contributions to our children.

This year, the TOY program will recognize two exceptional individuals from a group of five Distinguished Educators to be the CFSD Teachers of the Year. These individuals will be honored at the Foundations Love Our Schools Gala in January. Please consider nominating your favorite teacher(s) for this honor. Nominated teachers will receive an application packet from the TOY Committee. Teacher nominees may choose to submit a written application for consideration by the committee. For more information about the program and for a nomination form, please visit http://cfsdfoundation.org/teacher_of_the_year.html. Nominations will be accepted until 5:00 PM on November 7. Kim Boling, Principal 520-209-8000 kboling@cfsd16.org

DATES OF INTEREST Tuesday, October 23rd EARLY RELEASE AM Kinder 8:00-10:15 PM Kinder 11:15-1:30 Grades 1-5 8:00-1:30 Thursday, October 25th Mark Kelly Night @ 6:30 PM Friday, October 26th Halloween Bingo Night 5-7 PM Tuesday, October 30th EARLY RELEASE AM Kinder 8:00-10:15 PM Kinder 11:15-1:30 Grades 1-5 8:00-1:30 Wednesday, October 31st Happy Halloween! Thursday, November 1st-Friday November 2nd Fifth Grade Camp

Save the dates for the Winter Musical Performances! Friday, 12/14 K/1 Musical 8:30-9:00 Monday, 12/17 Gr. 2 Musical 11:15-12:00 Tuesday, 12/18 Gr. 3 Musical 9:45-10:30 Wednesday, 12/19 Gr. 4 Musical 10:30-11:15 Thursday, 12/20 Gr. 5 Musical 9:00-9:45

Catalina Foothills School District Dr. Mary Kamerzell, Superintendent 209-7500 mkam@cfsd16.org Governing Board Members Sherri Silverberg, President 615-9224 ssilverberg@cfsd16.org Todd Camenisch, Vice President 615-9855 tcamenisch@cfsd16.org John Bergan, Member 878-6180 jbergan@cfsd16.org Mary Lou Richerson, Member 299-4746 mlricherson@cfsd16.org Carole Siegler, Member 529-1379 csiegler@cfsd16.org State of Arizona Legislative Representatives for CFSD (check www.azleg.state.az.us for contact information) Legislative District 26 Senator Al Melvin Rep. Vic Williams Rep. Terri Proud Legislative District 30 Senator Frank Antenori Rep. David Gowan Rep. Ted Vogt

Learning is our TOP priority. Please make every effort to avoid calling the office with end-of-day transportation changes for your children, especially after lunch. Calls that are received before lunch are communicated to teachers over the lunch hour. However, messages that are received after lunch require the office staff to call into the classroom, and these calls disrupt learning! THANK YOU for helping us to protect students valuable learning time!
Lost and Found There are lunch boxes, water bottles, caps and clothing that need to be picked up! Please come by and check, if you have any missing items. The lost and found is located in the MPR at the top of the stage. Any items not picked up by October 26th will be donated.

Mission Statement The mission of Catalina Foothills School District and Ventana Vista Elementary School is to guarantee that each student achieves academic and personal excellence, becomes a lifelong learner and is a responsible citizen of the world, by engaging all students in meaningful programs which meet the highest educational and ethical standards within a caring, collaborative learning community.

Office Hours for 2012-2013 are: 7:30 AM 3:30 PM 7:30 AM 2:00 PM (Early Release Tuesdays) Main Office Health Office Attendance Line FAX Durham (Bus) 209-8000 209-8004 209-8090 209-8070 615-7635

We have started to learn to play our recorders in this first trimester in third grade. There are many benefits to playing recorders in school none the least being that it is an entry level instrument for learning other wind instruments. Here are a few other reasons: Children have fun learning to play the recorder. Not only is playing a popular and fun activity, but it also has substantial medical benefits. Children learn to breathe regularly and to increase their lung capacity. But what are the other positive aspects of this hobby? Children who learn to play also develop basic music skills, and learn to use a variety of rhythmic instruments, from wooden sticks to triangles. The rhythmic exercises, which form an integral of the lessons, teach children to divide words into syllables, which is very important later in reading and writing. When children play, they also train their memory. During playing, they must focus on how to play individual notes and remember subsequent melodies and patterns. Children learn notes by fun sentences/sayings, with the initial letter as the name of each line or space. Another important skill is to master hand-eye coordination. Children must check if their fingers are properly positioned and learn to carefully cover the holes of the recorder. It is also difficult for them initially to raise or put down just one particular finger, but after a few finger exercises, they eventually master it, and are proud to show their parents during summer and winter holiday. We will be ready to show you what we have learned by the winter holidays! Colleen Zandbergen Music Teacher

What a great start to the year! It is hard to believe that is the middle of October. Pumpkin carving time is quickly approaching. We will be carving on October 26th. Students should bring the pumpkin to school by October 23rd. If you are able to come and help prepare the pumpkins, we appreciate all the help we can get. Come and join the fun! Academically, the third graders have been working hard in math, reading, writing, social studies, and science. In reading, we have been reading fables as we are studying how to determine the authors message. We learned about picking just-right books and have started our literature/guided reading groups. Also, we LOVE reading on Raz-Kids. In social studies, we have been studying Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Students have been comparing the past to the present in order to identify the contributions of these cultures on modern day. Students love traveling back in time! We have also been working hard in math. We are greatly enjoying getting to know students from the other classrooms. We have been working on developing number sense, addition, subtraction, rounding, and estimation. We have also started working on 2-step story problems using the K-W-L strategy. Ask your child what these letters mean. We are also having fun, too! We recently had the opportunity to participate in an OREO stacking challenge. In math, students made predictions, tested their predictions, and recorded their data. Then, we compared our data with other students across the United States who also participated in this fun challenge. Of course, we also got to have a tasty treat at the end of all this hard work! Holly Knutson, Kristi Lafrentz, DeDe Plante, Barbara Stansbury The Third Grade Team

The following students were invited to have lunch with Principal Boling on Friday, October 19th. Each student was recognized for individual achievements in the classroom. Gage Cormier Aleah Matalone Sion Park Sienna Utz Erika Zolo-Rojas Reilly Clark Sophia Leuthold Olivia Khedia Chauncey Plante Lukas Gunther Marla Smokes Christiana Lincowski Katy Cummings Maya Ashley Carlos Sigala III Cruz Smith Autumn Turner Sarah Blake Nathan Monroe Victoria Trujillo Isaia Ventura Karen Jie Colin Cash Hannah Nielsen Graeme Teeple Andrew Ellwood Heedong Jeon Liam Hollander Ella Dean Trevor Piekosz Mariann Parra Cole Barbier

Meet two American heroes

Astronaut Mark Kelly

and Meteor, star of Kellys new picture book,

Mousetronaut!
Ventana Vista Elementary Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 6:30 PM in the MPR. Mark Kelly will introduce us to Mousetronaut, his first childrens book, and inspire readers, writers and future scientists to reach for the stars! After a 15-20 minute presentation, Captain Kelly will answer questions and autograph books. One group photo will be taken of Captain Kelly with all CFSD students. Mark your calendar for this star-studded event!

October 19, 2012 Ventana Vista Elementary School Catalina Foothills School District 6085 N. Kolb Rd. Tucson, AZ 85750 Dear Parent, Guardian: Your childs school day just got healthier! School lunches now include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain-rich foods; only fat-free or low-fat milk; right-size meals with portions designed for a childs age; and less saturated fat, trans fat and sodium. The changes in school meals, the first in 15 years, are based on the latest nutritional guidelines. Here are some important facts about the new school meals: The new school lunch provides 1/3 of the average daily calorie needs for kids by age. Some highly active students, like athletes, may need more calories. Some schools may offer second helpings of fruits and vegetables. A second carton of milk may also be an option. Students and/or sports teams can also bring food from home. In practice, many students are being served the same amounts of protein as before under the new standards.

Your child can learn good habits for life by making healthy food choices and getting proper exercise now. This year is a transition year as schools implement these new standards and work together with parents, to ensure that every child, in every community across America, has access to healthy and nutritious meals. Encourage them to try new foods and eat the healthy food offered. Reinforce healthy eating by offering similar new foods at home. Keep updated on the changes at www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday.

A NOTE FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE: As flu season approaches, we would like to share some information regarding the flu or influenza. The best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu shot every year. Other preventative measures that can be taken to prevent the flu include: Washing your hands often and/or using hand sanitizer. Avoiding close contact with sick people. Staying home when you are sick. Covering your nose and mouth when coughing/sneezing. Avoiding touching your mouth, eyes, or nose with unwashed hands Practicing good health habits by getting enough sleep, exercising, managing stress, eating nutritious foods and staying well hydrated.

The flu is spread through contact with secretions from the nose and mouth. This is why hand washing and covering your cough and sneeze are so important in limiting the spread of the illness. It is important to know the difference between the flu and a cold. The flu and a cold have similar symptoms, but the flu tends to be worse. You can request a test from your health care provider within the first few days of symptoms to determine if it is indeed the flu. Flu (Influenza) symptoms may include: High Fever >101 (although some people do not get a fever) Sore throat and a cough Stuffy or runny nose Headaches Body aches Chills Fatigue Stomach issues: nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea People are encouraged to stay home and rest if they have the flu, and drink plenty of fluids. Students that have a fever of 100 or higher will be sent home from school. They should not return until they maintain a temperature less than 100, without any fever reducing medications, for 24 hours. Serious complications can occur from the flu if not treated. For more information on the flu see: www.cdc.gov or www.flu.gov.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We have some big events coming up and we NEED volunteers to help them run smoothly. Please consider helping out if you have the time! HALLOWEEN BINGO NIGHT, Oct. 26 5 to 7 p.m. 2-3 adults/dads to help with parking Contact Lalita Hadley, dlhad@aol.com BOBCAT RUN, Nov. 3 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. 2-3 adults to bring food to Sabino Canyon and set up stations before race Contact Kris Johnson, ctjmd@comcast.net

www.VVFFO.org Stay informed! Get involved!

Make sure to check www.VVFFO.org weekly so you dont miss out these are just a few of the things you will find online: Teacher wish lists (teachers please send updates to info@vvffo.org) Volunteer opportunities Amazon Shopping Link - click the button right on the home page before you shop Event forms/downloads/information VVFFO Meeting minutes Helpful links to other school and district websites Full VVFFO 2012-2013 calendar

2012 Halloween BINGO Night

Friday October 26
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
NO TRICK OR TREATING, BUT A GOODY BAG FOR EACH CHILD! BINGO PRIZES GALORE!
*Wear Your Costumes* *Pizza/Eegees For Sale* *Every Kid Goes Home With A Treat*
VIP Parking and Buses Parking will be $5 per space at the school. Please fill out the form to pre-purchase a parking pass, detach and send in with payment. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! FREE shuttle buses will run from Bashas at Sunrise and Kolb beginning at 4:45 p.m. and running every 15 minutes through 7:15 p.m.

YES! I would like to purchase a parking pass for the Halloween Extravaganza for $5. I understand that the limited spaces are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. Cash or checks must be returned with

this form to the front office. Cash or checks accepted. (Checks can be made out to VV FFO). NAME: ______________________________________________________________ CHILD/TEACHER: ______________________________________________________ All parking pass orders must be received by WEDNESDAY, OCT. 24. Passes will come home in your childs folder by FRIDAY, OCT. 26th.

2012 Halloween BINGO Night

Friday October 26
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. NO TRICK OR TREATING, BUT A GOODY BAG FOR EACH CHILD! BINGO PRIZES GALORE!!!
*Wear Your Costumes* *Pizza/Eegees for Sale* *Every Child Goes Home with a Treat*
Donations Needed!! Please donate 1 or 2 bags of individually wrapped candy, pencils or other party-favor goodies. You can drop them off at the office. We Need Volunteers! This is a big event and we really need your help. All volunteers receive a pass to park at Ventana Vista the night of the event ($5 value). Please detach the slip below if you are interested in helping out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yes! Id like to volunteer for Ventana Vistas HALLOWEEN BINGO NIGHT: ___ Set up & Decorating (30-minute shifts, Fri. afternoon) ___Clean up ____Bingo Callers ___ Help with parking ____Sell Food Name: ______________________________ Email: ____________________________ Childs Name/Teacher ______________________________________________________

Please return this form to school by MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, if you can help and to get pass.

Thank you and GREAT JOB! Plant Science Family Night desert plant artists 3/Angela Gaudet, K/Mar, 5/Kris Morris, 2/Jackie, 2/Alyssa Gilbert, 1/Diana Klestadt, K/Riley Gilbert, 3/Joaquin L., 2/Chauncey Planet, 1/Rachel Pickens, K/MacKenzie Parker,

Sky Islands Childrens Forest

Presents

Bats
A Nature Night Out
at the

Sabino Canyon Visitor Center

October 27th at 6:30pm

Come listen to local Bat Lady Debbie Buecher and learn why bats are so important for our ecosystem! While she dispels myths of bats, kids and adults can see live bats and decorate bat cookies. Come as you are or come in costume! Event and parking is free .
CFSD neither endorses nor sponsors this organization or activity. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

www.sportsx.org

Fighting Childhood Obesity and Developing Life Skills Through Sports

Sports Extravaganza Sports Clinic March 2, 2013

LaTanya Sheffield

Olympians Coach Arizonas Youth

Flowing Wells High School
3725 North Flowing Wells Road Tucson, AZ

9:00 AM 2:00 PM Ages 5-18 Free Admission

Register at Nike Factory Store Foothills Mall
520.465.8679 e-mail: latanya@sportsx.org

Visit

www.sportsx.org
to register

Register by February 15, 2013 Follow us

Catalina Foothills School District neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity represented in this document. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.