COWERN P WPRINTS February 19, 2016 Upcoming Events February 25 I Love to Read Cowern Family Literacy Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 4 NO SCHOOL Staff Development March 9-11 Book Fair March 10 Evening Conferences March 11 NO SCHOOL Full Day Conferences March 21-25 NO SCHOOL Spring Break March 28 Classes Resume March 31 Cowern Vendor & Craft Show School Gym; 6-9 p.m. Contact Information Adventure Connection 651-748-6898 Attendance 651-748-6824 Office 651-748-6800 School Nurse 651-748-6815 Future events can be found on the Cowern website listed below: http://www.isd622.org/ cowern Cowern Elementary 2131 Margaret Street North Saint Paul, MN 55109 http://www.isd622.org/ cowern Paws for News from the Principal Dear Cowern Families & Friends, This year is flying by and spring break is approaching. Cowern will be hosting spring conferences on March 10th (evening conferences) and March 11th (all day conferences). We will follow the same procedures for signing up for conferences that we have done in the past. You will be hearing from your student s teacher to set the date and time. Next year we will be trying something new. Families will be asked to pick the first night or second day and a time that works for your family. Those dates and times will be the same for the spring conferences. This is a huge time saver for staff and allows us to have interpreters scheduled in advance. The collaboration between home and school continues to enhance the qualities that make Cowern a unique learning environment for your students. Please remind your students of Cowern s recess expectations: Recess Expectations 1. Responsible Use equipment the correct way Take turns with equipment and toys Clean up after recess; put balls/games away Line up when your teacher s name is called Enter the school with zero voice 2. Respect Listen to the adults Resect others by using kind words Keep hands and feet to self Use good sportsmanship 3. Safe Include others Stay in the recess boundaries/coned areas Stay with your class/group Come in when your class comes in Sincerely, Dr. Gena Abrahamson Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) Dear Families, We Are One! Starting in March, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) will be given statewide to students in grades 3-11. In accordance with updated test security guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Education, students will not be allowed to have electronic devices such as mobile phones, smart watches and tablet computers in the testing rooms. On testing days, students may leave these items at home, or lock devices in homeroom teacher's desk/room, leaving names clearly marked on devices. Teachers and staff will remind students before testing that they cannot have access to electronic devices during testing and there will be an opportunity to turn in any forgotten devices before testing commences. A student who is discovered to have an electronic device with them at any time during testing will have their MCA test invalidated. State rules do not allow the student to re-test. District 622 and Cowern Elementary School are taking every step possible to ensure that our testing procedures result in the best possible outcome for students. Sincerely, Dr. Gena Abrahamson, Principal Cowern Elementary School
PAGE 2 COWERN PAWPRINTS Cowern Elementary WOLF RIDGE FUNDRAISER Vendor and Craft Show When: Where: Why: Thursday, March 31, from 6-9 p.m. Cowern Elementary Gym 2131 N. Margaret Street, North St. Paul, MN To help fund the 5th grade trip to Wolf Ridge in the fall It is time to come and shop!!! There will be many different vendors and crafters with a wide range of wonderful items! Spring is a big time for baby showers, graduations, bridal showers, and birthdays! There will be something for everyone on your list...or come shop for yourself! There will also be a silent auction with a gift from every vendor at the fair! You will not want to miss this event!!! Every fall our 5th grade students and teachers go to Wolf Ridge in Finland, Minnesota, for a three-day learning retreat. Wolf Ridge is an environmental camp where the students are out in nature and learning hands-on! We are hosting this vendor fair to help cover some of the costs of the trip! Join our Facebook group to learn more: https://m.facebook.com/cowernwolfridge/. We still have some table spots available if you are a vendor/crafter or have friends that would be interested. Please email cowernfundraiser@gmail.com for more information! Student Council is excited to present Spirit Week February 22-26! Monday PJ Day Wear your favorite PJs Tuesday Sports Day Wear your favorite sport or sport team clothing. No hats. Wednesday Twin Day Dress like someone else Thursday Cowern Spirit Day Wear your Cowern gear Friday Fan Day Wear whatever you are a fan of (example: animals, colors, food, sports, etc.). No costumes.
PAGE 3 COWERN PAWPRINTS Koo Koo Kanga Roo Event Thursday, May 4, at 2:20 p.m. A Go Fund Me Page Has Been Set Up! Cowern Elementary is looking for ways to inspire, motivate and get our kids moving! Koo Koo Kanga Roo is the PERFECT solution! This dynamic duo will create a sense of community by engaging all of our students, K-5, to just GET, GET YOUR BODY, BODY, M, M, MOVIN'! This program would take place during the middle of our Minnesota testing season and will provide the much needed "wiggle" outlet in a fun and stimulating atmosphere. A GO FUND ME page has been set up for this event for Thursday, May 4. Koo Koo Kanga Roo, just like last year...visiting as a whole school assembly. Their cost is $1,500, so we ve asked to fund $1,000. As of February 12, $140 has been donated. Please make a donation at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/koo-koo4cowern. Minnesota Reading Corps and Math Corps Need-to-Know: Principal & Director Edition Who Will Make A Difference in 2016-17? Tutor applications are now open for 2016-2017! It s never too early to reach out to your networks to find great candidates. This year, there are two separate applications: Continuing Tutors: Is your current Reading Corps and/or Math Corps tutor(s) doing a great job with your students? Encourage them to apply by sending them this link to the continuing tutor application: https://mn-readingmathcorps.icims.com/jobs/1391. New Applicants: Send this application link out to your networks and building staff to begin the search for new tutors: http://www.readingandmath.net/. Use the Outreach Toolkit to spread the word about your open positions: https://servemnaction.org/toolkit. In the Outreach Toolkit, you will find: 1. Template online posting for your school or district website 2. Newsletters to send home to parents and to staff 3. Bulletin board flyers We re excited to help you find the next great tutor for your school! View this online at: https://t.e2ma.net/message/qsn2n/ejo7cg.
PAGE 4 COWERN PAWPRINTS PTG (Parent Teacher Group) CALENDAR OF EVENTS Buffalo Wild Wings Go any time until March 13! PTG Meeting 3/14; 6:30 p.m. Plaza Movie Night 3/17; 6 p.m. Questions or concerns? Contact us at cowernptg@isd622.org We re on Facebook! Cowern Elementary Parent Teacher Group Box Tops Etc. Collection Congratulations to Ms. Lynch s class for turning in the most Box Tops points! They will be receiving a special prize soon. Our last collection for this year will be on May 26 and 27. There is still time for you to make money for Cowern by turning in your Box Tops! Plaza Movie Night Thank you to all that came to make Plaza Movie Night a huge success! The winner of The Good Dinosaur movie blanket is Aidan Chorlton in Ms. Corkish s class. The poster winners are Talula Sagvold in Mrs. de los Reyes class and Austin Hunstiger in Mrs. Glagavs class. Cowern Carnival Silent Auction We have sent out Silent Auction requests for the Cowern Carnival to local and national companies. Know of someone that would be interested in donating to the Silent Auction or want to help out? Please contact us at cowernptg@isd622.org. The PTG Is In Need Of A Tree! Cowern PTG is in need of a small or medium sized artificial Christmas tree to be used as our Giving Tree at many of our events. If you have a gently used tree that you no longer use and would like to donate it, please contact us at cowernptg@isd622.org. We Are Monsters - Tickets Go On Sale February 29! Performance dates are: Thursday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 2, at 2:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 3, at 2:00 p.m. Cost: $10 plus $2 processing fee. Buy tickets at: http://www.ashlandproductions.org/upcoming-events/2016/3/31/cowern-elementary. Where: Ashland Stage at the Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Avenue, Maplewood, MN 55109 Eat Out Night Buffalo Wild Wings has agreed to keep raising money for Cowern until March 13. 10% of all purchases will come back to Cowern! Plaza Theater Movie Night Movie to be announced When: March 17, 2016 Time: 6pm Cost: $2 (100% comes back to Cowern)
AUTHOR S TEA 4th and 4/5 grades presented their books to friends and family during the Author s Tea. Books were written on The Westward Expansion or The American Revolution.