Fostoria City Schools

Fostoria Intermediate
From the Desk of Mrs. Matz
1202 H.L. Ford Drive Phone: 419-436-4125 Fax: 419-436-4169

January Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 5

Welcome to 2014! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Winter Break and was able to spend some quality time with family and friends. As we begin the second semester here at Fostoria Intermediate School, I would like to take a moment to remind parents of a few key policies/procedures that we need your help with: 1. If your child will be going home differently than they typically do, please be sure to send a note with your child in the morning. If there is a need to change transportation arrangements during the day, you need to call the office before 2:30pm to ensure we have time to notify your childs teacher. 2. If you would like to have someone new pick your child up from school, you will need to add this person to your childs EMA. These changes must be done in person and cannot be done over the phone. Please be sure to bring in a photo ID. 3. Please be sure to have a photo ID on you at all times when coming to pick up a child. Even if our office staff knows you, there may be someone covering the office who does not. Children will not be allowed to leave with anyone we cannot verify is on their list. 4. Students should not be dropped off or arrive at the building prior to 8:30 a.m. for safety reasons. There is no adult supervision before that time and students cannot enter the building prior to that. If your child does not eat a school breakfast, they cannot enter the building until 8:45 a.m. Please remember that these policies are in place for the safety of your child and for all of our students. We appreciate your understanding and willingness to work with us!

Inside this issue

Principals Message..................... 1 Asst. Principals Message ............ 2 Project MORE.............................. 2 Computers for Education ............ 2 Guidance News ........................... 2 Characters of the Month............. 3 Reminders................................... 3 Literacy Specialist ....................... 4 Spelling Bee ................................ 5 Guidance News ........................... 6 Celebrate Youth! ......................... 6 FIES Job Corps ............................. 7

Dates to Remember
Jan. 6 - School resumes Jan. 6 - PTO Meeting 5:30 p.m.

In October, third grade students took the Ohio Reading Achievement Assessment. The standards used to develop this test are based on what a third grade student should be able to read, process, and respond to by the end of third grade. As a whole, the students at FIES had a 52% passage rate on the fall assessment, which is the highest fall passage rate we have had since Fall Administration began several years ago. Teachers are now deciphering their reports and continuing to implement appropriate interventions and enrichment to help each child meet or exceed the requirements set by the Ohio Department of Education. Third grade parents are invited to an Informational Night on January 9 th at 5:30pm in the FIES Library. Parents will receive their childs report at this meetingthose not attending will be mailed home. This report will explain individual results of the fall OAA. In April, students in grades 3-6 will take the OAAs in Reading and Math, with 5th grade also taking a Science assessment. If you have any questions regarding these assessments or ways to help your child please do not hesitate to contact me.

Jan. 8 - One Hour Delay Jan. 9 - Third Grade Parent Meeting 5:30-6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 - One Hour Delay Jan. 16 - STEM Club Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL Jan. 21 - 27 - Computers for Education Jan. 22 - One Hour Delay Jan. 29 - One Hour Delay

From the desk of Mr. Renz

PROJECT MORE
Would you like to be involved at FIES? Project MORE is a reading intervention program for students at FIES. We need adults who would enjoy spending thirty minutes with a 3rd-6th grade student once a week. We will train and assist you along the way. Please contact Mrs. Berrier at 419-4364125 if you or someone you know are interested.

Regular Exercise is Connected to School Success for Children

Research shows that physical fitness leads to many benefits for kids. Regular activity is linked to higher self-esteem and attentiveness in school. It also lowers the chance of health problems such as type 2 diabetes. To motivate your child to get and stay active: Limit screen time. When your child watches TV or plays video games, encourage them to take active breaks. Remember that TV, computer and video games use should not exceed two hours a day. Offer suggestions. When your child has a friend over, suggest they play games that involve movement, such as tag, soccer or jumping rope. Indoors, try games such as Simon Says and Red Light, Green Light. Plan family outings. Pick activities your family enjoys and create new healthy traditions. You might go for a walk after dinner or head to a park every Sunday afternoon. Be creative. You can find lots of ways to sneak in exercise. During chore time, play music or race to finish a job. While doing errands, park away from a store and walk. Stop at a playground on the way home. Set an example. If your child sees you staying fit (stretching, biking, walking with a neighbor, etc.), you will be a good role model.

COMPUTERS FOR EDUCATION

On January 21, we will kick off the Computers for Education program. We ask that each student complete a booklet with addresses of family and friends. Our school will receive money for every MAILABLE card. Please be sure the names and addresses are printed neatly and clearly. Thanks in advance for your help with this easy fundraiser!

GUIDANCE NEWS
Last months character education topic was cooperation. Fourth grade students created self-portraits, and each student shared a piece of his/her selfportrait with three other students, in order to create a group-portrait. They also identified ways they will be cooperative. Fifth grade students worked together in groups to build a structure using only tape and index cards. Fifth grade students worked together in groups to create letters and shapes using pieces of yarn. We focused our discussions on cooperative behaviors, feelings associated with cooperative and non-cooperative behaviors, and we also talked about what students can do when they are in groups with other students that do not cooperate. Januarys character education topic is attitude/self-control, and we will focus on positive thinking and how it affects outlook and actions. Grief and Loss (4th grade), and Friendship/Social Skills (5th and 6th grades) groups are starting this week. In the Friendship/Social Skills group, we will begin identifying qualities and characteristics that are important to us when choosing friends. In the Grief and Loss group, we will begin to share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to the loss of loved ones. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 419-436-4125 ext. 3226 or by email at bsanford@fostoriaschools.org. Stay Warm! Bethany Zambori-Sanford, Guidance Counselor

REMINDERS
Keep us up to date on phone and address changes. Address changes must be made in the school office with documentation to verify the new address. We will then notify transportation to get a new bus pass. You and your child must enter on the north (back) side of the building through the Visitor entrance if they arrive late or are leaving early.

Characters of the Month

Congratulations to the following students who were recognized for the character trait, Cooperation: Miss Binkley Jose Garcia Mrs. Kuebeck LaQuint Walker Mrs. Noel Morgan Drouillard Mrs. Reino Cassidy Farner Mrs. Ross Mkylhy Hunker Mrs. Schermer Kyla Martin Mrs. Schreiner Dawson Long Mrs. Armstrong Steven Weaver Miss Bartz Nevaeh Lopez Mrs. Linhart Mattriese Fuller Mrs. Sharkey Logan Lingar Mrs. Terres Quincy McDonald Mrs. Wise Uriah Miller Mrs. Click Skylar Drake Mrs. Costello Carmen Castro Mrs. Hossler Nikia Ferguson Mrs. Hushour Olivia Owens Miss Jennison Ariana Wonder Mrs. Lewis Taylor Sauber Mrs. Riedlinger Hailey Connor Mr. Kramer KeShawn Carter-Stokes Mrs. Miller Casey Snyder Mrs. Riley Jozelynn Thomas Mr. Smith MyRonica Williams Mrs. Stone Donovan Martin Mrs. Ward Justin Lands

School fees are $25.00 and can be paid in the office. Continue to send in your Boxtops for Education, Campbells labels and aluminum pull tabs. Check out the district website for important dates and information. Make sure your child has a coat, hat and gloves during the coming months with colder weather.

FROM THE LITERACY SPECIALIST

Its that time of year again. Time to make a New Years Resolution. While many adults make goals at the beginning of each year, we dont often think of children setting goals. Goal setting gives students a vision and motivation. The process of setting goals allows students to choose where they want to go and what they want to achieve. By setting goals students can improve their academic performance, increase their motivation to achieve, increase pride and satisfaction in performance, and improve their self-confidence. While many classrooms set academic and/or behavioral goals with our students, below are a few basics steps for setting goals at home. Express goals positively: To increase how many division facts I know is a much better goal than Dont get so many math problems wrong. Set Priorities: If students have several goals, give each a priority. This helps them avoid feeling overwhelmed and helps focus their attention. Write it Down: Writing down goals makes them more meaningful and easier to make sure they are working towards the right goal. Keep Goals Small: Urge students to keep their immediate goals small and achievable. Its more manageable to achieve I want to learn 20 new multiplication facts by the end of the month, than it is to achieve I want to know all of my multiplication facts even though we havent been taught any yet. Set Goals Students Have Control Over: There is nothing worse than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond the students control. Choosing a goal that can be achieved through studying or practicing will be more successful than a goal that requires direction or instruction from an outside party. Set specific measurable goals: Including dates, times, and amounts make it easier to measure achievement. If students consistently fail to meet a measurable goal (e.g. I will get a 90% on my spelling tests 3 out of 4 times a month), then they can adjust it or analyze the reason for failure and take appropriate action. While these steps are focusing on student goal setting, they can work for adults as well. Maybe if we all followed these basics wed have much more success achieving our own New Years Resolutions. Happy Reading! Dawn Skornicka Literacy Coach

SPELLING BEE WINNERS

3rd Grade Kyla Martin - 1st Place Trazell Nelson - 2nd Place Arielle Scott - 3rd Place

4th Grade Shay Olin - 1st Place Emma Pletcher - 2nd Place Raelyn Hoffman - 3rd Place

Our fifth and sixth grade winners will compete in the Seneca-Wyandot Spelling Bee to be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 7:00 p.m. in the Tiffin Middle School Cafetorium. The winners there will then compete in the Blade Northwest Ohio Spelling Bee.

5th Grade Ariana Wonder - 1st Place Kierre Dixon - 2nd Place Yovana Gonzalez - 3rd Place

6th Grade Autumn Weidner - 1st Place Justus Moreno - 2nd Place Tyler Cobb - 3rd Place

CELEBRATE YOUTH!
Congratulations to Macey Sheets and Veronica Sander for being recognized at the Celebrate Youth! Luncheon on December 4 in Tiffin, OH. They were nominated by their teachers, Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Riley.

During the short month of December, most of the 3rd grade classrooms discussed the character word COOPERATION and participated in a hands on activity to demonstrate the importance of working together. Before the character word was introduced, students were put into small groups and given a bag of marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti noodles. The directions were to build only one tower as a group. Following the activity, as a class we discussed: What the character word was and how it related to the activity. What worked well in the group? What were some of the biggest challenges in the group? And how did they overcome them? What skill/thing to do when working in a group is the most important? A lot of great discussion occurred following the activity. In closing, we discussed that sometimes working with others can be challenging and not all the time will things go our way. When these types of situations occur, by remaining respectful is always the better choice.

After a couple of weather delays, students who sold 25 items for our Fall fundraiser got a limo ride to Reds Pizza for a buffet lunch on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Thank you to 1st Semester FIES Job Corps! Publicity Assistant Michelle Snyder Dakota Crick Grace Brose KeShawn Carter-Stokes Elijah Malcosky Imani Velazquez Eric Palmer Veterinary Assistant Erin Saunders Dominic Jackson Aubrienna Kleinmark Mya Weimerskirch Devin Mauricio Michelle Gao Hospitality Assistant Mallorie Dill Michael Mendoza Kaitlyn Armstrong Isabella Garcia Kirstie Russell Veronica Sander Retail Assistant Kaybriauna Kleinmark Madison Cannon Xzavion Jones Raven Patrick Environmental Assistant Hunter Martin Braden Finsel Hannah Faeth Chloe August Richard Drouillard

Congratulations to the 2nd semester FIES Job Corps!

FIES Job Corps (2nd Semester) Publicity Assistant Dakota Crick Hailey Connor Adriana Ludwig Adriana Cunningham Madison Cannon Imani Velazquez Xzavion Jones RubiAhanna Dessausure Caden Lance Ke-Shawn Carter-Stokes Veterinary Assistant Nikia Ferguson Quenton Burns Tyler Stacey Roger Hall Hana Windham LaMont Fant Alana Baxter Retail Assistant Taylor Sauber Noah Weimerskirch Madison Galan Michelle Gao Environmental Assistant Dominic Jackson