Medications in the Office
Please note that the last day of school is Thursday, June 7. All medication must be picked up from school by the end of the day or it will be discarded. Thank you for following the medication guidelines for our school district. Please remember that any medication needed next year will require a new medication authorization form in the fall.

Transferring To A New School?
Planning has begun for our fall classes. If your child will not be attending Cherry Knoll Elementary in the fall, please let the office know as soon as possible. This will also ensure that your student’s records are ready for mailing when you enroll your child at their new school.

GRASP Reading and Math Summer Camp
Help your child stay on top of language arts and/or math skills over the summer months with the popular “GRASP” Reading and Math Program offered by Northwestern Michigan College for children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Due to the unique at-home format, students from all over Northern Michigan are able to participate. Students complete one lesson a week at home and mail it to the reading and math teachers who review, score, and return their assignments. Built-in flexibility allows students to complete and mail assignments from anywhere their summer travels take them. After registering for one or both programs, parents attend an introductory session at NMC on May 30 or 31 at 7:00 p.m. to meet the teachers, pick up materials, and learn how to help make students make this a successful experience. The cost is $69 for either reading or math, or $119 for both. Financial aid is available. Download details at www.nmc.edu/ees or call NMC at 995-1700 or 800-748-0566 (ext. 1700). The registration deadline is May 18.

Talent Show Coming Soon
Calling all future stars! On May 18, we will be holding the Cherry Knoll Talent Show and we are looking for performers. This is a student’s opportunity to show off their talent in front of an audience. Acts can consist of more than one person. Examples of acts performed in the past include dancing, comedian acts, musical instrumental performances, puppet shows, art presentations, originally written poetry readings, and singing. Rules for the event are as follows: A permission slip signed by a parent must be returned to school, the act must be developed and practiced at home only, participants are responsible for all props and necessary supplies, all clothing, language, and gestures must be elementary age appropriate, no lip syncing allowed, and acts must be limited to three minutes or less. If you are interested in participating, please pick up a registration form, parent permission slip, and talent show rules in the office. Each act will be previewed by the Talent Show Committee on at the dress rehearsal (date/time to be determined) when each act will be reviewed for appropriateness and time length. The actual talent show will be held on Friday, May 18, during the school day.

Let’s All Do The Barbecue!
The annual NMC BBQ is Sunday, May 20. When you purchase your ticket early through Cherry Knoll, you save $2 off the $8 admission price and $1 goes to support our school. Tickets are also available online at www.nmc.edu/bbq. Your BBQ ticket may win you a scholarship to NMC! If you would like to purchase tickets through Cherry Knoll, please send a check to school payable to the NMC Foundation and the tickets will be sent home with your student.

Student Council Glow Dance
The student council will be hosting a Charity Glow Dance on June 1 in the Cherry Knoll gymnasium from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. Be sure to wear neon, white or light colored clothing which shows up best in the special lighting. A station will also be available to decorate a t-shirt with glow paints. Admission price is $3 per student which includes a snack ticket, beverage ticket, and a door prize ticket. Additional snack/beverage tickets can be purchased for 4/$1. The proceeds will benefit Munson Medical Center’s Hospitality House. A photographer and DJ will be present to take pictures and get everyone on the dance floor!

Do You Love To Sing?
The Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir will host auditions for 2012-2013 on Tuesday, May 29 and Wednesday, May 30 beginning at 6 p.m. Founded in 1991, the choir will begin its 22nd year! Approximately 200 voices strong, the Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir provides a rich program of choral music education for the children in the greater Grand Traverse Area in grades two through nine. All of the singers participate in at least three major concerts during the NMCC season, which lasts from mid-September 2012 until May 2013. Students currently in first and second grade do not have to audition, but may receive registration information for the beginning Treble choir by calling NMC at 995-1700 or visit the website at nmc.edu/childrens-choir. Others currently in grades three through eight should call NMC EES to reserve an audition time at 995-1700. More information about the Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir is provided at the audition or at the website.

PE Corner

Happy Spring! May is a great time to get outside and be active. We have lots of activities coming up in May. Students continue to work on their miles for mileage club, Cherry Knoll 5K, ACES Day (All Children Exercising Simultaneously), and Field Day on May 31!

Let’s make exercising a family thing! Get out and be active! Please click on the GYM-A-Gram link. These skills will be taught during the third 12-week period. -Mrs. Mansfield

World Language News
Estimadas Familias:

 ¡Buenos(as)! It seems amazing that it is already May! The students have soaked up so much Spanish it has been fun to watch them! They have a great number of questions that they can ask and answer, such as:

¿Cuál es tu nacionalidad? What is your nationality? 

¿Dónde vives? Where do you live?

¿Cuál es tu nombre? What is your name?

¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? What is your phone number?

¿Cuál es tu color favorito? What is your favorite color? 

¿Qúe te duele? What hurts?

¿Qué es esto? What is this?

There will be one more CAAP test this year for students in grades 3 and 4. Students should be reviewing body vocabulary, the Entrevista skit, and the following questions:

¿Cuál es tu nombre? What is your name?

¿Qué necesitas? What do you need?

¿Qué te duele? What hurts?

¿Qué es esto? What is this?

We hope to take this test on the laptops with Moodle- an exciting technological application for World Language.

Students have enjoyed the writing activities in “El Diario” (the journal). It has given them an opportunity to write simple sentences and to express themselves in Spanish- something they do proudly. They even had a chance to report “Nieve” (snow) as the weather in mid-April!

Fifth graders learned how to use a headset and record their voices on Moodle. Energy levels were high as they spoke into the microphones and subsequently listened to themselves speak Spanish. They took a proficiency test that assessed reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Spanish. Much of the information was challenging for students, but they worked hard and did their best. This test will give us a baseline to see how our students are progressing after one year of Spanish.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!

Señora Hopkins & Señor Llore

Kindergarten Experience
Cherry Knoll Elementary School proudly invites the kindergarteners of 2012-2013 to a Kindergarten Experience on Thursday, May 10, 8:50 AM – 10:00 AM. Children will spend time in each of the kindergarten classrooms doing a short activity with other students who will also attend kindergarten next year. Parents will have an opportunity to meet with Mr. Parker in the library for refreshments while the children spend time in the classrooms. Please contact our school readiness service provider, Kelly BeVier, with any questions at 360-7572.

5th Grade Music Performance
With the end of the school year fast approaching, the 5th grade classes are working hard on their last elementary musical performance. Please join us Wednesday, May 30, at 10:00 AM for the rehearsal or 3:00 PM for the performance. We hope to see you there!

Fifth Grade Celebration
Fifth grade “graduation” is the first of many important days for our children. It is a celebration of their elementary school accomplishments. Please join us on Tuesday, June 5, at 6:00 PM for this special evening.

The Bullycide Project - May 22, 6:00 PM

The Bullycide Project is a play based on the book Bullycide in America, written by mothers who have lost a child to suicide due to excessive bullying. The play chronicles stories of bullycide, as well as additional stories from the perspectives of the bully, the bystander, the person who stands up to bullying, and the parents.

The play is showing at Lars Hockstad Auditorium, Central Grade School, 301 W. 7th Street. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Show starts at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Orchard Creek Assisted Living on Cherry Bend Road, The Copy Shop on 8th Street, and Floor Covering B rokers on South Airport Road.

Proceeds from this event will benefit TCAPS anti-bullying initiatives. Contact Dale Chilcote at dale@orchardcreektc.com or visit www.thebullycideproject.com for more information.

Grand Slam for TCAPS – 1st Annual Wuerfel Park Fundraiser for TCAPS K-12 Sports: Saturday, July 28, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Come join the fun at Wuerfel Park on Saturday, July 28th, and help raise funds for TCAPS sports programs. Enjoy carnival games, sports clinics, and a silent auction at this rain or shine event. Tickets are only $5.00. Every ticket is an entry for the Grand Slam Grand Prize! A portion of every ticket sold will be donated to TCAPS K-12 sports as well as 100% of the silent auction proceeds. Call 231.943.0100 for more information or to order your tickets today! Click here to view event flier.

Spring Pictures “Say Cheese”
Friday, April 27th, is Spring Picture Day. This is a day to bring a prop, wear a sports uniform, or have a picture taken with your best friend or your sibling! Choose from super cool backgrounds! These are not pictures for the yearbook; these are pictures for FUN. Watch for order forms to come home mid-April.

World Language News
Feliz Primavera

 Happy Spring, it is hard to believe we are at the 2/3 mark to the end of the school year... time flies when you're having fun!

 Before the Spring Break we were working in La Entrevista (the interview) with a partner and performing in front of the class. They are also continuing writing in Mi Diario (my diary) on regular basis. We are introducing new conversation starters with questions and answers like ¿Qué es esto? (what is this?) and ¿Qué necesitas? (what do you need?). It is great how the kids are incorporating the Spanish words they are comfortable with into their daily routines. We finished up with the body parts. Did you get a chance to hear them singing the song? It’s a really fun one pointing to the body parts along with the song.

CAAP II Scores: The second CAAP assessment was given at the end of February and this time you received a letter from the World Language Department with your children’s II CAAP scores.

SOL: I encourage the children to review the Spanish learned in the classroom by accessing SOL (Spanish on Line) lessons on Moodle. SOL lessons are assigned the second meeting day of each week. Students are encouraged to review prior lessons after they have completed the assigned lesson for the week. The songs and vocabulary clips at the top of the page are a helpful review tool. If your child does not have access to the Internet at home, time is provided at school to access the site. We plan to continue to use one class per month to work on these lessons at school.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!

Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

Open Enrollment for 2012/2013 School Year
Parents who wish to send their children to a school outside their attendance area are encouraged to complete an open enrollment application and submit it to the school they wish to attend. Depending on several factors, (example: class size) the principal will determine whether a child will be able to attend or not. This decision will be made with as much notice as possible for the student’s benefit and the parent’s convenience. Open Enrollment forms are available in the office.

Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run is a running program for girls ages 8-11 that encourages healthy physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development. Girls walk away from the program with a vibrant sense of accomplishment, skills to enhance their self-esteem and a “can do” attitude. The program combines training for a 5K run with uplifting workouts. The season will begin April 10 and go through May 25. Practices will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM. The 5K run will be held in Traverse City at the Bayshore Race Series Course on Friday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. Registration forms are available in the office. If you have questions, please contact Paula Kluzak at 883-2473 or bpkluzak2@charter.net.

Beach Bums Reading Program
The Traverse City Beach Bums baseball team and local elementary schools are gearing up to begin the seventh year of the Beach Bums Reading Program. To get started, find a good book and begin reading! When students have read their way around the bases (five books per base), they will be eligible for prizes. Every book finished can be recorded on the poster sent home. Kindergarten through 2nd grade students can keep track of books read to them. The program begins Friday, March 23, and ends Monday, April 16. Sorry, late entries cannot be accepted for prizes. Please contact Ms. Kelley Carroll at 933-8950 with any questions.

Kindergarten Round-Up
Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on Friday, April 27, in the library by appointment. This is a special day for children entering kindergarten next fall to visit the school, complete enrollment papers, meet our kindergarten teachers, and the hearing/vision technician(s) from the health department. Please call the office for more information or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to meeting with you and your kindergartner on April 27!

Fifth Grade Scholarship Opportunity
Ms. McKinney was a beloved fifth grade teacher at Cherry Knoll for 24 years. She passed away in September 2001. Since the spring of 2002, former teachers and community members, as well as friends of Ms. McKinney, have set up a memorial scholarship fund to honor this dedicated educator and friend.

The purpose of this fund is to provide financial assistance to a fifth grade student at Cherry Knoll who is interested in participating in a summer enrichment experience. This could include activities such as attending summer camp or receiving special lessons in an area of interest. If more than one student applies, a committee of former Cherry Knoll staff will review the application and make the selection. Applications will be sent home with interested fifth grade students the last week of April.

If you are interested in contributing to this very special fund, please contact our PTO treasurer, Sarah West, at 313-7702.

PE Corner
Mileage Club: March 22nd - May 18th

Mileage club is an optional activity for students in grades 2-5. Club members are given a yellow mileage club card to keep track of their miles. On the card there are 20 feet, one foot represents one mile. Members are responsible for their own card and turning in their miles to Mrs. Mansfield. Miles can be earned at school during recess (4 laps around the playground is about a mile) or at home (please measure about a mile). Family participation is greatly encouraged. The following chart explains what club members earn for their accumulated miles.

Once a club member has done at least 5 miles, the miles can be turned into Mrs. Mansfield and the child is given a toe token. Students can go to the lobby (by the office) Thursday mornings at 8:25 AM and turn in their miles to Mrs. Mansfield to get their toe tokens, shoelaces, and mile markers. New cards are distributed when the old card is full.

Please call Lori Mansfield (P.E. Teacher) 933-8979 with any questions.

Way to Grow
Did you know there are opportunities for even the youngest child at Cherry Knoll? The Way to Grow program offers gym playgroups for families who have children birth to five years of age. Playgroups are scheduled once a month & offer opportunities for you and your child a place to run, jump, play, and learn. It is also a great place for you to meet other parents with young children while giving your child experience in socializing too.

Wear you comfy shoes and join us on Monday, April 23, from 10:00 AM -11:15 AM. For more information, please call Kelly BeVier at 231-360-7572.

Congratulations to our New Royalty
Congratulations to Princess Maci Wilcox and Prince Derek Swanson who have been selected to represent Cherry Knoll during the National Cherry Festival this summer. Their families are responsible for gathering volunteers to build Cherry Knoll’s float for the parade. While this is typically a first-grade project, all talented, experienced and handy parents are welcome to join the fun! Please contact the office if you are interested.

LEAP Update
Registration for Grades 2-5 Co-ed Spring Tennis is now open. Sign up by Friday, April 13.

Grades 2-3 Tennis will begin Friday, May 4. Cost is $25 Practices run after school on Friday afternoons for the month of May with a “City Championship” in early June. Visit the Web site for more details.

Grades 4-5 Tennis will begin Wednesday, May 2. Cost is $60. Practices run after school on Wednesday afternoons for the month of May. Matches will be held on three Fridays in May with a “City Championship” in early June. Visit the Web site for more details.

To register, pay online, or for additional information for any LEAP program, please visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP. Registration deadlines are final. No late registrations will be accepted. Scholarships are available to those with specific financial needs. For additional questions please contact the LEAP office at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722.

Office Discipline Referrals
By now some families have come in contact with the Office Discipline Referral, or ODR form. The ODR is a form that serves two very important functions.

First, the ODR is an excellent way for school personnel to communicate a problem behavior that has happened at school. When you sign it and return it to us, we know that you have talked about the problem behavior with your child.

Second, we look monthly at all ODRs written for key information about how to improve our school. We use ODR information to know where and what types of behavior(s) we need to address in our classrooms and assemblies so that we address behavior in a positive and proactive manner.

The ODR is intended to be quick and efficient, but if you still have questions about your child's behavior, please do not hesitate to call us or to stop by the school. We look forward to talking with you and clarifying any questions you might have, but please understand that we cannot disclose personal information about students other than your own. Thank you for your ongoing support in making Cherry Knoll a great place for students!

World Language News
¡Hola familias! The second CAAP test was given last month. This test required the students to speak and write in Spanish - a bit more challenging!

The students have been honing their acting skills with the skit La Entrevista (The Interview) over the last couple of weeks. The skit is set-up as a question/answer session between two people and conveniently includes much of the vocabulary they have learned to date. In order to prepare, they watched on Moodle (TCAPS website) the skit being performed while lip-syncing the words in the subtitles, repeating the dialogue together as a class, practicing reading and performing it with a partner.

The students have added Mi Diario (my diary) sheets to their binders to act as an informal writing journal. Each entry will allow them to practice writing the date in Spanish, circle an appropriate weather condition for the day, indicate how they are feeling, as well as offer space for them to respond to a teacher-prompted question. Don’t expect a novel or even a paragraph at this point! A simple sentence that allows them to express their opinion is the goal!

I encourage all students to practice the Spanish learned in the classroom by accessing SOL (Spanish on Line) lessons on Moodle. SOL lessons are assigned the second meeting day of each week. Students are encouraged to review prior lessons after they have completed the assigned lesson for the week. The songs and vocabulary clips at the top of the page are a helpful review tool. If your child does not have access to the Internet at home, time is provided at school to access the site. We plan to continue to use one class per month to work on these lessons at school.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!
Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

PE Corner
February was National Heart Month. The week of February 13-17, grades 3-5, participated in a Jump Rope for Heart event during their physical education class. Students rotated between stations performing various jump roping activities and tricks. We have also been talking about aerobic exercise and heart healthy tips. For more information please check out: www.heart.org/jump and www.heart.org/HEARTORG.

Have a heart healthy day!
- Mrs. Mansfield

News from the Music Room
Please join us for the 3rd and 4th grade music program on Wednesday, March 21, at 10:00 a.m. (rehearsal) and 3:00 p.m. performance in the gym. The performance and/or rehearsal is open to all families and guests. The students have been working hard and are looking forward to sharing what they have been preparing in class with their families.

Open Enrollment for 2012/2013 School Year
Parents who wish to send their children to a school outside their attendance area are encouraged to complete an open enrollment application and submit it to the school they wish to attend. Depending on several factors, (example: class size) the principal will determine whether a child will be able to attend or not. This decision will be made with as much notice as possible for the student’s benefit and the parent’s convenience. Open Enrollment forms are available in the office.

Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run is a running program for girls ages 8-11 that encourages healthy physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development. Girls walk away from the program with a vibrant sense of accomplishment, skills to enhance their self-esteem and a “can do” attitude. The program combines training for a 5K run with uplifting workouts. The season will begin April 10 and go through May 25. Practices will occur on Tuesday and Thursdays from 5:30 PM - 7;00 PM. The 5K run will be held in Traverse City at the Bayshore Race Series Course on Friday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. Registration forms are available in the office. If you have questions, please contact Paula Kluzak at 883-2473 or bpkluzak2@charter.net.

Tenth Annual Teacher and Parent Education Series
On March 6, Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services will deliver a presentation on “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents” from Dr. Sander Weckstein, Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist. The presentation will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the TC Central High School Library Media Center, 1150 Milliken Drive, All presentations are open to the public and are free of charge. Please call Northern Michigan Psychiatric Service, P.C. at 231-935-0355 for more information.

Way to Grow Playgroup
Did you know there are opportunities for even the youngest child at Cherry Knoll? The Way to Grow program offers gym playgroups for families who have children birth to five years of age. Playgroups are scheduled once a month & offer opportunities for you and your child a place to run, jump, play, and learn. It is also a great place for you to meet other parents with young children while giving your child experience in socializing too.

Wear you comfy shoes and join us on the following dates from 10:00 AM -11:15 AM:

Monday, March 19

For more information, please call Kelly BeVier at 231-360-7572.

District LEAP Updates
4th & 5th Grade Track & Field: Elementary Track & Field begins Monday, April 2nd. Cost is $50 per student. Registration and payment deadline is Thursday, March 22nd.

For all LEAP programs visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP for more information, to register, and to make online payments.

Please feel free to contact LEAP Director Scott Robertson at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722 for more information or questions.

Student Count Day – February 8th
Every school day is important to your child’s learning! Count Day on Wednesday, February 8th, determines funding amounts, based on student attendance, that help schools pay for many academic programs and services. Help your school by being in school on Count Day. In the event school is closed on Feb. 8th, then count day will take place on the following school day.

Non-Fiction Fair Coming Soon!
We are proud to announce our Non-Fiction Learning Fair will be held Wednesday, February 29, 2012. The purpose of the Non-Fiction Fair is to help students comprehend informational text, think critically, work independently, and become a problem solver. Students are being asked to select a topic of interest, locate a non-fiction book or article about the topic, read the selection (or read it to your child), and create a project that describes what was learned. All projects will be displayed in the Cherry Knoll gym on February 29. Parents are invited to assist their students with their projects if needed. This should be a fun and rewarding experience for all families! An information sheet was sent home recently. Please call the office with any questions.

Fall 2012 Kindergarten Parent Information Night
We are looking for any boy or girl who will be five years old on or before December 1, 2012. Families of fall 2012 kindergarten students are invited to attend our Kindergarten Parent Information Night which is planned for Monday, February 20, from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the library. We suggest that parents attend this meeting without children; there will be other, more exciting opportunities such as round-up and open house for your child to attend. If you do need to bring your child, free childcare will be available in the preschool room. This meeting will give parents a chance to meet the kindergarten teachers and other staff members who will be a part of your child’s school life. We look forward to meeting our new Cherry Knoll families, as well as visiting with families who already have students attending here. Please call the office at 933-8940 to obtain a kindergarten registration packet if you have not already received one.

Winter Family Fun Night/Health Fair
Please join us for tons of indoor and outdoor winter fun on Friday, February 3 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Cherry Knoll School. Sledding, snowshoeing, snowman building, jump roping, and Hula Hooping are just a few of the great activities planned for the night. All children must be accompanied by an adult and follow the school safety rules. Hot cocoa and snacks will be provided by our PTO. We hope to see you there!

Donuts with Dad
We’re calling all dads (or other adult male family member/friend) to join us on Thursday, February 24, at 8:00 a.m. in the library to enjoy donuts with their student(s) before school. Donuts and refreshments will be provided by Oleson's East Food Store and the PTO. Please bring a book to read together while enjoying some delicious donuts!

Electronics Devices At School
A student may possess or use a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices (including netbooks) in school, on school property (including school buses), at after school activities, and/or at school related functions; however, use of a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication device is prohibited while in the classroom or engaged in a learning environment such as a field trip or assembly unless the use is instructed by instructional staff. Possession of a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices by a student is a privilege, which may be forfeited by any student who fails to abide by the terms of this policy, or otherwise engages in misuse of this privilege. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action against the student which may result in confiscation of the cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices. A student who possesses a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices shall assume responsibility for its/their care. At no time shall the District be responsible for preventing theft, loss or damage to cellular telephones and/or other electronic devices brought onto its property.

Conference Dates Announced
Cherry Knoll spring conference dates have been announced and will occur on Tuesday, February 7, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Thursday, February 9, 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, February 15, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Sign-up sheets have been sent home. Please return your conference sign-up/confirmation sheet to your child’s teacher by the requested date. Thank you for working together with the school for your child’s benefit!

Sweet Treat Sale
Cherry Knoll Student Council has a long tradition of selling Sweet Treats as a Valentine’s Day fundraising activity. A Sweet Treat is a Tootsie Pop sucker with a special message attached. The Sweet Treats are delivered to the recipient’s classroom on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. Many parents buy a Sweet Treat for their child or the children buy them for friends. Each Sweet Treat costs 25¢. Click here to print out a form for the Sweet Treat messages. If you, or your child, would like to purchase Sweet Treats, please fill out the attached form and send in 25¢ for each message. The Sweet Treats will be on sale before school and during lunch hours of Monday, February 6th, thru February 13th. If you would like, you may purchase a secret Sweet Treat for your child by sending money to the office. Please label who the Sweet Treat is for, their homeroom, and include your message!

Thank you! - Cherry Knoll Student Council

Tardies/Leaving Early
Class instruction begins as soon as the bell rings at 8:45 a.m. Students up to one hour late are marked “tardy” in state record books. After one hour, they are marked absent for one-half day. Students that are signed out more than one hour before dismissal are marked as absent for one-half day. Early departures of less than one hour are marked as an “early withdrawal”. Prompt attendance is most beneficial for the student. Please make every effort to have your student at school and on time everyday.

PE Corner
Below is a sample list of winter activities and their corresponding calories burned for every half-hour of indulgence (based on a 150 lb individual). www.my-health-site.com/winter-activities.html

Cross-country skiing, moderate speed - 286
calories per half hour

Snowshoeing - 286 calories per half hour

Ice skating, general - 250 calories per half hour

Sledding, tobogganing - 250 calories per half hour

Down-hill skiing, moderate effort - 214 calories per half hour

Backpacking-238 calories per half hour

Fishing-103 calories per half hour

Hiking-202 calories per half hour

Jogging-238 calories per half hour

Running (5 mph)-288 calories per half hour

Walking @ 3mph-148 calories per half hour

Please visit choosemyplate.gov and/or livestrong.com for more exercise and nutrition information.

CLICK HERE for the GYM-A-GRAM noting the skills that will be taught during our 2nd 12-week period.

~Mrs. Mansfield

Tenth Annual Teacher and Parent Education Series
Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services will deliver presentations from Dr. Sander Weckstein, Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist. Presentations will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the TC Central High School Library Media Center, 1150 Milliken Drive, on the following dates:

February 7, 2012    “Depression and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents”

March 6, 2012    “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents” All presentations are open to the public and are free of charge.

Please call Northern Michigan Psychiatric Service, P.C. at 231-935-0355 for more information.

World Language News
¡Hola familias! This month, we have been learning how to say different body parts in Spanish. Students have been singing Cabeza, hombros, rodillas, pies (Head and shoulders, knees and toes) regularly in class. We are playing several games to review all of the vocabulary that has been introduced this year. It is important to spend time reviewing what we have learned so that students can recall the vocabulary. This can be challenging because students cannot just memorize Spanish for a test. It needs to be used over and over again so that students can build upon what they have already learned.

Students will be taking the second CAAP test for Spanish this month. It will be helpful to review shapes, emotions, and body parts. Students should also be able to answer the following questions in complete sentences in Spanish: ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? ¿Te gusta...? and ¿Dónde vives? Remember that SOL is a great way to review the lessons we have covered in class. One class period this month, time will be provided for all students to access the SOL lessons. Any additional time on SOL at home will be beneficial.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net.

¡Saludos!
Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

District LEAP Updates
4th & 5th Grade Co-Ed Volleyball practice begins Monday, February 6th.

Baseball Pitching Clinics available for students in Grades 2-12. Clinics begin Saturday, January 28, and are offered Saturday and Sunday afternoons through March 18. Students can participate anytime throughout the clinic dates, however parents should register prior to students attending their first clinic.

For all LEAP programs visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP for more information, to register, and to make online payments.

Please feel free to contact LEAP Director Scott Robertson at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722 for more information or questions.

Parents Invited to Share Views for Continuous Improvement of LEAP
Parents are essential partners in building a quality LEAP program at TCAPS. The quality and caliber of LEAP programs is highly influenced through the positive relationships, skill building, and collaboration among coaches, students, parents, and the TCAPS LEAP team.

We are asking parents to provide feedback regarding LEAP program communications in a brief online survey. We want to better understand the services and support that may best meet your needs in delivering high quality programs for students. Our goal is to continuously improve the LEAP program and we invite you to share your views. This survey will be available now through February 17th. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN SURVEY

Photos Needed
Cherry Knoll’s Yearbook Committee is working hard to create our school yearbook which will be distributed at the end of the school year. We are in need of candid photos for the yearbook. Photos of students at recess, learning in class, and attending extracurricular activities are the types of photos requested. Please label all submitted images with school name, teacher name and/or grade. Images can also be emailed to the school office at gorterju@tcaps.net. Please be aware that images submitted should be 200 DPI or above. All images are to be submitted to the office for review by February 1. Please contact Rhonda Cooper at rcooper68@chartermi.net or the school office with questions.

World Language News
Hola Cherry Knoll Familias! We have had another busy month in Spanish class. We have finished our first unit of study by introducing shapes, emotions, and pronouns. Later this month we will be discussing the Hispanic holiday of Las Posadas and studying The Legend of the Poinsettia.

CAAP ASSESSMENT: In the middle of November students completed the first CAAP for Spanish class. The children were given random colors, letters, and numbers to tell a teacher. They were also asked four greeting questions. They LOVED to show off all the Spanish they know! Look for El Pasaporte (the passport) to be coming home with your child’s CAAP score. If your child scored low on an area, SOL would be a great way to gain practice!

REPORT CARDS: You will find your child’s grades for Spanish class on the Classroom Report Card. Please take note, that at this early stage of second language learning, it is very common for MOST children to be at a “developing and learning” level.

MOODLE: SOL (Spanish On-Line) assignments have included lessons 1 through 10. These lessons can be done at least twice a week for extra practice. Remember that lessons will be assigned on the last day of your child's weekly Spanish class. PLEASE HELP REMIND YOUR CHILD TO BRING BINDERS HOME AND RETURN THEM TO SCHOOL BEFORE NEXT SPANISH CLASS! The binder is an important resource your child will use throughout elementary school, while learning Spanish.

Third through 5th grade students' binders go home on Wednesday and return to school by Monday.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email me at: llorejo@tcaps.net.

I wish your family love and peace this holiday season!
Feliz Navidad,
- Señor Llore & Señor Hopkins 

PE Corner
Here are some fun and healthy ideas for the holidays!

• Add a few extra fruits and vegetables to holiday recipes
• Have kids help pick the fruits and veggies for holiday meals
• Teach kids to eat slowly and enjoy their food
• Start off your holiday with some exercise such as a walk
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

   

These and other ideas and activities can be found at www.nourishinteractive.com.

Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Mansfield

Visitors
Visitors and families are always welcome in our school. To ensure student safety and effective building operation, the following guidelines must be followed:

1. All visitors report to the office where personnel will assist you.

2. If you wish to meet with a staff member or observe a classroom “in action” please schedule an appointment to avoid disruption of testing or special programs.

3. If you are picking up your child for any reason, or if you are bringing him/her to school late, please sign your child out or in through the office.

4. For safety reasons, access to classrooms and lockers is not available after 4:30 p.m.

News From The Music Room
With the holidays fast approaching, the music room is a busy place. Please join us at the following performances:

• Tuesday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m. (Preschool)
• Monday, December 19 at 10:00 a.m. (Kindergarten)
• Tuesday, December 20 at 10:00 a.m. for the rehearsal or the 3:00 p.m. performance (1st and 2nd grades)

Cough Drops at School
Cough and cold season is upon us. Some throat lozenges are allowed at school without having a medication authorization on file, such as N’ice, N’ice clear Throat Discs, Robitussin Cough Drops, Ludens, Sucrets (regular), Halls or Maximum Strength Halls Plus, Vicks Menthol Cough Drops, or Vicks Cough Drops (all flavors). Lozenges with package directions giving specific time intervals, maximum dose within 24 hours, or that contain dextromethorphan or benzoate are not allowed.

Sports Corner
BOYS BASKETBALL: Boys basketball registration is underway! It is open to all boys in 2nd through 5th grades. It does not interfere with the YMCA league. The season begins December 3rd and ends in late January or early February. All interested students may get a LEAP registration form in the school office. Please call 933-1758 or 933-1722 with any questions.

All-City Choir
Congratulations to the following Cherry Knoll students who have been chosen to join the TCAPS All-City Choir: Damian Alspaugh, Jeremy Alspaugh, Sydney Bramer, Olivia Edwardson, Carson Enfield, Dylan Kangas, Cole Kushner, Selena McGarity, Claudia Pendock, Miranda Roy, Kennedy Tengelitsch, and Marlo Wilcox.

These students have joined other fourth and fifth graders from area elementary schools to form Traverse City’s All-City Choir. On Monday, November 14, the All-City Choir will tour local elementary schools. A concert is also offered to the public on Saturday, November 19, at 10:00 AM at Lars Hockstad Auditorium.

Lost and Found
Our lost and found area is overflowing! It is time to claim any articles of clothing that your children may have lost in the past couple of months. Please check out the lost and found items on the tables located near the cafeteria. Any items not claimed by November 22 will be donated to charity.

From the Library
Thank you to all the wonderful parents and grandparents who helped with the Fall Book Fair. What a wonderful group of folks we have supporting the school library. I also want to say a huge “Thank You” to Mrs. Vicki Van Nes for once again doing an excellent job as chairperson for this event. Thank you also to the families who shopped at the book fair. It is great to see students with happy faces and new books. With budget cuts leaving no district money for book purchases, this fundraiser is so important to our efforts to put books into students’ hands. I’m very grateful for all you do.             ~ Mrs. MacArthur

What is Title I Funding?
Cherry Knoll receives funds from the Title I, Part A program which is a federal supplemental program designed to help children reach high academic standards. In receiving funds from this program, the district has a requirement to inform you, as parents of children attending a Title I school, of information available to you regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher(s). Information will be provided to you upon request and in a timely manner of the following:

• Whether your child’s teacher has met Michigan qualification and licensing criteria for the grade level and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
• Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which Michigan qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
• The baccalaureate degree major of your child’s teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
• All TCAPS’ teachers meet the highly qualified criteria.
• Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

   

You will also receive timely notice if your child is, for whatever reason, assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified. A highly qualified teacher would be defined as a teacher that meets Michigan’s qualification and licensing criteria for the grade level or subject area in which the teacher is providing instruction. You may request additional information on the level of achievement of your child in each of the Michigan’s assessments. Michigan uses the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) to determine levels of achievement. For more information, please contact the school office.

Dress for the Weather
Getting outside for fresh air and exercise is good for our health which is why all students participate in outdoor recess. When living in northern Michigan, we must be prepared for wide ranges in temperatures. Please make sure your child is prepared for cold temperatures. Layering of warm clothes is a good choice. An extra pair of socks, pants, etc., may be good items to keep at school in your child’s locker. There may not be snow on the ground yet, but it is definitely cold. Please make sure your child has the appropriate outerwear to keep them warm.

LEAP Update
CROSS-COUNTRY: Congratulations to the 4th and 5th grade cross-country team! We want to recognize the efforts of our team members: Rachel Justin, Dylan Kangas, McKenna Kluzak, Kayla Polk, Ben Schroeder, Elle Scollard, Stephen Summers, Cole Truszkowski, Aubree Weller, and Addy Wood.

Elle Scollard, Cole Truskowski, and Aubree Weller all finished as top ten racers in both the Traverse City Central Invitational and the Traverse City All-City Meets! Special thanks to the parents who volunteered at the meets and also to Coach Brian Kluzak and his assistants, Paula Kluzak and Mindy Cooper.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: The girls’ 2nd through 5th grade basketball season is underway. Practice times vary throughout the week depending on the grade and coach.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL: Boys’ basketball registration is underway! It is open to all boys in 2nd through 5th grades. It does not interfere with the YMCA league. The season begins in December and ends in late January or early February. All interested students may get a LEAP registration form in the school office. Please call 933-1758 or 933-1722 with any questions.

Student Council
Congratulations to the newly appointed student council members: Darin Aprea, Isaac Baldwin, Olivia Edwardson, Kate Griffith, Andrew Ledda, Hannah Lee, Kaya Long, Joey Meredith, Taylor Sears, Zach Van Nes, Luc Wallman, Marlo Wilcox, Khamille Williams, and Ally Wood. Student council members participate in volunteering, decision-making, and the Spooky Treat and Sweet Treat Sales. Also, a big thank you to Tim Sato for volunteering to guide these students.

Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind teams are forming, and at least one "OM" team has begun recruiting at Cherry Knoll. If you would like to know more about this exciting program, please check these links:

• Michigan Odyssey of the Mind:
  http://www.miodyssey.net/

• National Odyssey of the Mind:
  http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/

   

Volunteer coaches will be needed if any additional teams are formed. Coach training is scheduled for Saturday, November 5th. Cherry Knoll currently has one registered team. Up to four more 3rd-5th grade teams and an unlimited number of K-2nd grade teams may be covered under the same registration fee, which is paid by TCAPS. Additional groups of five 3rd-5th grade teams will require an additional registration fee. The OM season typically starts in early December with one to two meetings per week and ends with our region's tournament at East Middle School on March 3, 2012. Advancing teams are invited to compete at the State Tournament in April 2012 and at the World Finals in May 2012.

Interested parents or coaches may contact Mary Kolle, TCAPS' Regional Coordinator at kollema@tcaps.net or 231-360-7571. You may also contact the current Cherry Knoll OM Team Coach, Tony Martin at tony@palermo4.net or 231-946-7456 for more information.

The following is from the Michigan OM web page at http://www.miodyssey.net/about-odyssey.html:

WHAT IS ODYSSEY OF THE MIND: Odyssey of the Mind is the world's oldest international creative problem-solving competition among students kindergarten through college. The purpose of Odyssey of the Mind is to promote creativity and problem solving in a variety of areas from building mechanical devices and balsa wood structures to presenting dramatic and technical performances. Odyssey of the Mind develops team building skills, divergent thinking, presentation, and organization skills. The program provides a caring, supportive environment for team members to develop positive values, self-esteem, and social competencies.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED: Teams of up to seven members form to solve a long-term problem and develop skills in spontaneous problems. Teams are guided by a coach who may not be involved in any way with the solution. The coach may help the team logistically by providing practice locations, materials, and instruction in techniques. Teams compete in each problem against other teams in their division. Divisions are divided according to school grade. Teams meeting Regional Tournament criteria based on the number of teams competing in each division advance to the State Finals. Top teams and teams receiving the coveted Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award at the State Finals advance to the World Finals.

Medications in the Office
Please note that the last day of school is Thursday, June 7. All medication must be picked up from school by the end of the day or it will be discarded. Thank you for following the medication guidelines for our school district. Please remember that any medication needed next year will require a new medication authorization form in the fall.

Transferring To A New School?
Planning has begun for our fall classes. If your child will not be attending Cherry Knoll Elementary in the fall, please let the office know as soon as possible. This will also ensure that your student’s records are ready for mailing when you enroll your child at their new school.

GRASP Reading and Math Summer Camp
Help your child stay on top of language arts and/or math skills over the summer months with the popular “GRASP” Reading and Math Program offered by Northwestern Michigan College for children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Due to the unique at-home format, students from all over Northern Michigan are able to participate. Students complete one lesson a week at home and mail it to the reading and math teachers who review, score, and return their assignments. Built-in flexibility allows students to complete and mail assignments from anywhere their summer travels take them. After registering for one or both programs, parents attend an introductory session at NMC on May 30 or 31 at 7:00 p.m. to meet the teachers, pick up materials, and learn how to help make students make this a successful experience. The cost is $69 for either reading or math, or $119 for both. Financial aid is available. Download details at www.nmc.edu/ees or call NMC at 995-1700 or 800-748-0566 (ext. 1700). The registration deadline is May 18.

Talent Show Coming Soon
Calling all future stars! On May 18, we will be holding the Cherry Knoll Talent Show and we are looking for performers. This is a student’s opportunity to show off their talent in front of an audience. Acts can consist of more than one person. Examples of acts performed in the past include dancing, comedian acts, musical instrumental performances, puppet shows, art presentations, originally written poetry readings, and singing. Rules for the event are as follows: A permission slip signed by a parent must be returned to school, the act must be developed and practiced at home only, participants are responsible for all props and necessary supplies, all clothing, language, and gestures must be elementary age appropriate, no lip syncing allowed, and acts must be limited to three minutes or less. If you are interested in participating, please pick up a registration form, parent permission slip, and talent show rules in the office. Each act will be previewed by the Talent Show Committee on at the dress rehearsal (date/time to be determined) when each act will be reviewed for appropriateness and time length. The actual talent show will be held on Friday, May 18, during the school day.

Let’s All Do The Barbecue!
The annual NMC BBQ is Sunday, May 20. When you purchase your ticket early through Cherry Knoll, you save $2 off the $8 admission price and $1 goes to support our school. Tickets are also available online at www.nmc.edu/bbq. Your BBQ ticket may win you a scholarship to NMC! If you would like to purchase tickets through Cherry Knoll, please send a check to school payable to the NMC Foundation and the tickets will be sent home with your student.

Student Council Glow Dance
The student council will be hosting a Charity Glow Dance on June 1 in the Cherry Knoll gymnasium from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. Be sure to wear neon, white or light colored clothing which shows up best in the special lighting. A station will also be available to decorate a t-shirt with glow paints. Admission price is $3 per student which includes a snack ticket, beverage ticket, and a door prize ticket. Additional snack/beverage tickets can be purchased for 4/$1. The proceeds will benefit Munson Medical Center’s Hospitality House. A photographer and DJ will be present to take pictures and get everyone on the dance floor!

Do You Love To Sing?
The Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir will host auditions for 2012-2013 on Tuesday, May 29 and Wednesday, May 30 beginning at 6 p.m. Founded in 1991, the choir will begin its 22nd year! Approximately 200 voices strong, the Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir provides a rich program of choral music education for the children in the greater Grand Traverse Area in grades two through nine. All of the singers participate in at least three major concerts during the NMCC season, which lasts from mid-September 2012 until May 2013. Students currently in first and second grade do not have to audition, but may receive registration information for the beginning Treble choir by calling NMC at 995-1700 or visit the website at nmc.edu/childrens-choir. Others currently in grades three through eight should call NMC EES to reserve an audition time at 995-1700. More information about the Northwestern Michigan Children’s Choir is provided at the audition or at the website.

PE Corner

Happy Spring! May is a great time to get outside and be active. We have lots of activities coming up in May. Students continue to work on their miles for mileage club, Cherry Knoll 5K, ACES Day (All Children Exercising Simultaneously), and Field Day on May 31!

Let’s make exercising a family thing! Get out and be active! Please click on the GYM-A-Gram link. These skills will be taught during the third 12-week period. -Mrs. Mansfield

World Language News
Estimadas Familias:

 ¡Buenos(as)! It seems amazing that it is already May! The students have soaked up so much Spanish it has been fun to watch them! They have a great number of questions that they can ask and answer, such as:

¿Cuál es tu nacionalidad? What is your nationality? 

¿Dónde vives? Where do you live?

¿Cuál es tu nombre? What is your name?

¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? What is your phone number?

¿Cuál es tu color favorito? What is your favorite color? 

¿Qúe te duele? What hurts?

¿Qué es esto? What is this?

There will be one more CAAP test this year for students in grades 3 and 4. Students should be reviewing body vocabulary, the Entrevista skit, and the following questions:

¿Cuál es tu nombre? What is your name?

¿Qué necesitas? What do you need?

¿Qué te duele? What hurts?

¿Qué es esto? What is this?

We hope to take this test on the laptops with Moodle- an exciting technological application for World Language.

Students have enjoyed the writing activities in “El Diario” (the journal). It has given them an opportunity to write simple sentences and to express themselves in Spanish- something they do proudly. They even had a chance to report “Nieve” (snow) as the weather in mid-April!

Fifth graders learned how to use a headset and record their voices on Moodle. Energy levels were high as they spoke into the microphones and subsequently listened to themselves speak Spanish. They took a proficiency test that assessed reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Spanish. Much of the information was challenging for students, but they worked hard and did their best. This test will give us a baseline to see how our students are progressing after one year of Spanish.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!

Señora Hopkins & Señor Llore

Kindergarten Experience
Cherry Knoll Elementary School proudly invites the kindergarteners of 2012-2013 to a Kindergarten Experience on Thursday, May 10, 8:50 AM – 10:00 AM. Children will spend time in each of the kindergarten classrooms doing a short activity with other students who will also attend kindergarten next year. Parents will have an opportunity to meet with Mr. Parker in the library for refreshments while the children spend time in the classrooms. Please contact our school readiness service provider, Kelly BeVier, with any questions at 360-7572.

5th Grade Music Performance
With the end of the school year fast approaching, the 5th grade classes are working hard on their last elementary musical performance. Please join us Wednesday, May 30, at 10:00 AM for the rehearsal or 3:00 PM for the performance. We hope to see you there!

Fifth Grade Celebration
Fifth grade “graduation” is the first of many important days for our children. It is a celebration of their elementary school accomplishments. Please join us on Tuesday, June 5, at 6:00 PM for this special evening.

The Bullycide Project - May 22, 6:00 PM

The Bullycide Project is a play based on the book Bullycide in America, written by mothers who have lost a child to suicide due to excessive bullying. The play chronicles stories of bullycide, as well as additional stories from the perspectives of the bully, the bystander, the person who stands up to bullying, and the parents.

The play is showing at Lars Hockstad Auditorium, Central Grade School, 301 W. 7th Street. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Show starts at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Orchard Creek Assisted Living on Cherry Bend Road, The Copy Shop on 8th Street, and Floor Covering B rokers on South Airport Road.

Proceeds from this event will benefit TCAPS anti-bullying initiatives. Contact Dale Chilcote at dale@orchardcreektc.com or visit www.thebullycideproject.com for more information.

Grand Slam for TCAPS – 1st Annual Wuerfel Park Fundraiser for TCAPS K-12 Sports: Saturday, July 28, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Come join the fun at Wuerfel Park on Saturday, July 28th, and help raise funds for TCAPS sports programs. Enjoy carnival games, sports clinics, and a silent auction at this rain or shine event. Tickets are only $5.00. Every ticket is an entry for the Grand Slam Grand Prize! A portion of every ticket sold will be donated to TCAPS K-12 sports as well as 100% of the silent auction proceeds. Call 231.943.0100 for more information or to order your tickets today! Click here to view event flier.

Spring Pictures “Say Cheese”
Friday, April 27th, is Spring Picture Day. This is a day to bring a prop, wear a sports uniform, or have a picture taken with your best friend or your sibling! Choose from super cool backgrounds! These are not pictures for the yearbook; these are pictures for FUN. Watch for order forms to come home mid-April.

World Language News
Feliz Primavera

 Happy Spring, it is hard to believe we are at the 2/3 mark to the end of the school year... time flies when you're having fun!

 Before the Spring Break we were working in La Entrevista (the interview) with a partner and performing in front of the class. They are also continuing writing in Mi Diario (my diary) on regular basis. We are introducing new conversation starters with questions and answers like ¿Qué es esto? (what is this?) and ¿Qué necesitas? (what do you need?). It is great how the kids are incorporating the Spanish words they are comfortable with into their daily routines. We finished up with the body parts. Did you get a chance to hear them singing the song? It’s a really fun one pointing to the body parts along with the song.

CAAP II Scores: The second CAAP assessment was given at the end of February and this time you received a letter from the World Language Department with your children’s II CAAP scores.

SOL: I encourage the children to review the Spanish learned in the classroom by accessing SOL (Spanish on Line) lessons on Moodle. SOL lessons are assigned the second meeting day of each week. Students are encouraged to review prior lessons after they have completed the assigned lesson for the week. The songs and vocabulary clips at the top of the page are a helpful review tool. If your child does not have access to the Internet at home, time is provided at school to access the site. We plan to continue to use one class per month to work on these lessons at school.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!

Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

Open Enrollment for 2012/2013 School Year
Parents who wish to send their children to a school outside their attendance area are encouraged to complete an open enrollment application and submit it to the school they wish to attend. Depending on several factors, (example: class size) the principal will determine whether a child will be able to attend or not. This decision will be made with as much notice as possible for the student’s benefit and the parent’s convenience. Open Enrollment forms are available in the office.

Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run is a running program for girls ages 8-11 that encourages healthy physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development. Girls walk away from the program with a vibrant sense of accomplishment, skills to enhance their self-esteem and a “can do” attitude. The program combines training for a 5K run with uplifting workouts. The season will begin April 10 and go through May 25. Practices will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM. The 5K run will be held in Traverse City at the Bayshore Race Series Course on Friday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. Registration forms are available in the office. If you have questions, please contact Paula Kluzak at 883-2473 or bpkluzak2@charter.net.

Beach Bums Reading Program
The Traverse City Beach Bums baseball team and local elementary schools are gearing up to begin the seventh year of the Beach Bums Reading Program. To get started, find a good book and begin reading! When students have read their way around the bases (five books per base), they will be eligible for prizes. Every book finished can be recorded on the poster sent home. Kindergarten through 2nd grade students can keep track of books read to them. The program begins Friday, March 23, and ends Monday, April 16. Sorry, late entries cannot be accepted for prizes. Please contact Ms. Kelley Carroll at 933-8950 with any questions.

Kindergarten Round-Up
Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on Friday, April 27, in the library by appointment. This is a special day for children entering kindergarten next fall to visit the school, complete enrollment papers, meet our kindergarten teachers, and the hearing/vision technician(s) from the health department. Please call the office for more information or to schedule an appointment. We look forward to meeting with you and your kindergartner on April 27!

Fifth Grade Scholarship Opportunity
Ms. McKinney was a beloved fifth grade teacher at Cherry Knoll for 24 years. She passed away in September 2001. Since the spring of 2002, former teachers and community members, as well as friends of Ms. McKinney, have set up a memorial scholarship fund to honor this dedicated educator and friend.

The purpose of this fund is to provide financial assistance to a fifth grade student at Cherry Knoll who is interested in participating in a summer enrichment experience. This could include activities such as attending summer camp or receiving special lessons in an area of interest. If more than one student applies, a committee of former Cherry Knoll staff will review the application and make the selection. Applications will be sent home with interested fifth grade students the last week of April.

If you are interested in contributing to this very special fund, please contact our PTO treasurer, Sarah West, at 313-7702.

PE Corner
Mileage Club: March 22nd - May 18th

Mileage club is an optional activity for students in grades 2-5. Club members are given a yellow mileage club card to keep track of their miles. On the card there are 20 feet, one foot represents one mile. Members are responsible for their own card and turning in their miles to Mrs. Mansfield. Miles can be earned at school during recess (4 laps around the playground is about a mile) or at home (please measure about a mile). Family participation is greatly encouraged. The following chart explains what club members earn for their accumulated miles.

Once a club member has done at least 5 miles, the miles can be turned into Mrs. Mansfield and the child is given a toe token. Students can go to the lobby (by the office) Thursday mornings at 8:25 AM and turn in their miles to Mrs. Mansfield to get their toe tokens, shoelaces, and mile markers. New cards are distributed when the old card is full.

Please call Lori Mansfield (P.E. Teacher) 933-8979 with any questions.

Way to Grow
Did you know there are opportunities for even the youngest child at Cherry Knoll? The Way to Grow program offers gym playgroups for families who have children birth to five years of age. Playgroups are scheduled once a month & offer opportunities for you and your child a place to run, jump, play, and learn. It is also a great place for you to meet other parents with young children while giving your child experience in socializing too.

Wear you comfy shoes and join us on Monday, April 23, from 10:00 AM -11:15 AM. For more information, please call Kelly BeVier at 231-360-7572.

Congratulations to our New Royalty
Congratulations to Princess Maci Wilcox and Prince Derek Swanson who have been selected to represent Cherry Knoll during the National Cherry Festival this summer. Their families are responsible for gathering volunteers to build Cherry Knoll’s float for the parade. While this is typically a first-grade project, all talented, experienced and handy parents are welcome to join the fun! Please contact the office if you are interested.

LEAP Update
Registration for Grades 2-5 Co-ed Spring Tennis is now open. Sign up by Friday, April 13.

Grades 2-3 Tennis will begin Friday, May 4. Cost is $25 Practices run after school on Friday afternoons for the month of May with a “City Championship” in early June. Visit the Web site for more details.

Grades 4-5 Tennis will begin Wednesday, May 2. Cost is $60. Practices run after school on Wednesday afternoons for the month of May. Matches will be held on three Fridays in May with a “City Championship” in early June. Visit the Web site for more details.

To register, pay online, or for additional information for any LEAP program, please visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP. Registration deadlines are final. No late registrations will be accepted. Scholarships are available to those with specific financial needs. For additional questions please contact the LEAP office at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722.

Office Discipline Referrals
By now some families have come in contact with the Office Discipline Referral, or ODR form. The ODR is a form that serves two very important functions.

First, the ODR is an excellent way for school personnel to communicate a problem behavior that has happened at school. When you sign it and return it to us, we know that you have talked about the problem behavior with your child.

Second, we look monthly at all ODRs written for key information about how to improve our school. We use ODR information to know where and what types of behavior(s) we need to address in our classrooms and assemblies so that we address behavior in a positive and proactive manner.

The ODR is intended to be quick and efficient, but if you still have questions about your child's behavior, please do not hesitate to call us or to stop by the school. We look forward to talking with you and clarifying any questions you might have, but please understand that we cannot disclose personal information about students other than your own. Thank you for your ongoing support in making Cherry Knoll a great place for students!

World Language News
¡Hola familias! The second CAAP test was given last month. This test required the students to speak and write in Spanish - a bit more challenging!

The students have been honing their acting skills with the skit La Entrevista (The Interview) over the last couple of weeks. The skit is set-up as a question/answer session between two people and conveniently includes much of the vocabulary they have learned to date. In order to prepare, they watched on Moodle (TCAPS website) the skit being performed while lip-syncing the words in the subtitles, repeating the dialogue together as a class, practicing reading and performing it with a partner.

The students have added Mi Diario (my diary) sheets to their binders to act as an informal writing journal. Each entry will allow them to practice writing the date in Spanish, circle an appropriate weather condition for the day, indicate how they are feeling, as well as offer space for them to respond to a teacher-prompted question. Don’t expect a novel or even a paragraph at this point! A simple sentence that allows them to express their opinion is the goal!

I encourage all students to practice the Spanish learned in the classroom by accessing SOL (Spanish on Line) lessons on Moodle. SOL lessons are assigned the second meeting day of each week. Students are encouraged to review prior lessons after they have completed the assigned lesson for the week. The songs and vocabulary clips at the top of the page are a helpful review tool. If your child does not have access to the Internet at home, time is provided at school to access the site. We plan to continue to use one class per month to work on these lessons at school.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net

¡Saludos!
Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

PE Corner
February was National Heart Month. The week of February 13-17, grades 3-5, participated in a Jump Rope for Heart event during their physical education class. Students rotated between stations performing various jump roping activities and tricks. We have also been talking about aerobic exercise and heart healthy tips. For more information please check out: www.heart.org/jump and www.heart.org/HEARTORG.

Have a heart healthy day!
- Mrs. Mansfield

News from the Music Room
Please join us for the 3rd and 4th grade music program on Wednesday, March 21, at 10:00 a.m. (rehearsal) and 3:00 p.m. performance in the gym. The performance and/or rehearsal is open to all families and guests. The students have been working hard and are looking forward to sharing what they have been preparing in class with their families.

Open Enrollment for 2012/2013 School Year
Parents who wish to send their children to a school outside their attendance area are encouraged to complete an open enrollment application and submit it to the school they wish to attend. Depending on several factors, (example: class size) the principal will determine whether a child will be able to attend or not. This decision will be made with as much notice as possible for the student’s benefit and the parent’s convenience. Open Enrollment forms are available in the office.

Girls On The Run
Girls on the Run is a running program for girls ages 8-11 that encourages healthy physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development. Girls walk away from the program with a vibrant sense of accomplishment, skills to enhance their self-esteem and a “can do” attitude. The program combines training for a 5K run with uplifting workouts. The season will begin April 10 and go through May 25. Practices will occur on Tuesday and Thursdays from 5:30 PM - 7;00 PM. The 5K run will be held in Traverse City at the Bayshore Race Series Course on Friday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m. Registration forms are available in the office. If you have questions, please contact Paula Kluzak at 883-2473 or bpkluzak2@charter.net.

Tenth Annual Teacher and Parent Education Series
On March 6, Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services will deliver a presentation on “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents” from Dr. Sander Weckstein, Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist. The presentation will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the TC Central High School Library Media Center, 1150 Milliken Drive, All presentations are open to the public and are free of charge. Please call Northern Michigan Psychiatric Service, P.C. at 231-935-0355 for more information.

Way to Grow Playgroup
Did you know there are opportunities for even the youngest child at Cherry Knoll? The Way to Grow program offers gym playgroups for families who have children birth to five years of age. Playgroups are scheduled once a month & offer opportunities for you and your child a place to run, jump, play, and learn. It is also a great place for you to meet other parents with young children while giving your child experience in socializing too.

Wear you comfy shoes and join us on the following dates from 10:00 AM -11:15 AM:

Monday, March 19

For more information, please call Kelly BeVier at 231-360-7572.

District LEAP Updates
4th & 5th Grade Track & Field: Elementary Track & Field begins Monday, April 2nd. Cost is $50 per student. Registration and payment deadline is Thursday, March 22nd.

For all LEAP programs visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP for more information, to register, and to make online payments.

Please feel free to contact LEAP Director Scott Robertson at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722 for more information or questions.

Student Count Day – February 8th
Every school day is important to your child’s learning! Count Day on Wednesday, February 8th, determines funding amounts, based on student attendance, that help schools pay for many academic programs and services. Help your school by being in school on Count Day. In the event school is closed on Feb. 8th, then count day will take place on the following school day.

Non-Fiction Fair Coming Soon!
We are proud to announce our Non-Fiction Learning Fair will be held Wednesday, February 29, 2012. The purpose of the Non-Fiction Fair is to help students comprehend informational text, think critically, work independently, and become a problem solver. Students are being asked to select a topic of interest, locate a non-fiction book or article about the topic, read the selection (or read it to your child), and create a project that describes what was learned. All projects will be displayed in the Cherry Knoll gym on February 29. Parents are invited to assist their students with their projects if needed. This should be a fun and rewarding experience for all families! An information sheet was sent home recently. Please call the office with any questions.

Fall 2012 Kindergarten Parent Information Night
We are looking for any boy or girl who will be five years old on or before December 1, 2012. Families of fall 2012 kindergarten students are invited to attend our Kindergarten Parent Information Night which is planned for Monday, February 20, from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the library. We suggest that parents attend this meeting without children; there will be other, more exciting opportunities such as round-up and open house for your child to attend. If you do need to bring your child, free childcare will be available in the preschool room. This meeting will give parents a chance to meet the kindergarten teachers and other staff members who will be a part of your child’s school life. We look forward to meeting our new Cherry Knoll families, as well as visiting with families who already have students attending here. Please call the office at 933-8940 to obtain a kindergarten registration packet if you have not already received one.

Winter Family Fun Night/Health Fair
Please join us for tons of indoor and outdoor winter fun on Friday, February 3 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Cherry Knoll School. Sledding, snowshoeing, snowman building, jump roping, and Hula Hooping are just a few of the great activities planned for the night. All children must be accompanied by an adult and follow the school safety rules. Hot cocoa and snacks will be provided by our PTO. We hope to see you there!

Donuts with Dad
We’re calling all dads (or other adult male family member/friend) to join us on Thursday, February 24, at 8:00 a.m. in the library to enjoy donuts with their student(s) before school. Donuts and refreshments will be provided by Oleson's East Food Store and the PTO. Please bring a book to read together while enjoying some delicious donuts!

Electronics Devices At School
A student may possess or use a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices (including netbooks) in school, on school property (including school buses), at after school activities, and/or at school related functions; however, use of a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication device is prohibited while in the classroom or engaged in a learning environment such as a field trip or assembly unless the use is instructed by instructional staff. Possession of a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices by a student is a privilege, which may be forfeited by any student who fails to abide by the terms of this policy, or otherwise engages in misuse of this privilege. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action against the student which may result in confiscation of the cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices. A student who possesses a cellular telephone and/or other electronic communication devices shall assume responsibility for its/their care. At no time shall the District be responsible for preventing theft, loss or damage to cellular telephones and/or other electronic devices brought onto its property.

Conference Dates Announced
Cherry Knoll spring conference dates have been announced and will occur on Tuesday, February 7, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Thursday, February 9, 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, February 15, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Sign-up sheets have been sent home. Please return your conference sign-up/confirmation sheet to your child’s teacher by the requested date. Thank you for working together with the school for your child’s benefit!

Sweet Treat Sale
Cherry Knoll Student Council has a long tradition of selling Sweet Treats as a Valentine’s Day fundraising activity. A Sweet Treat is a Tootsie Pop sucker with a special message attached. The Sweet Treats are delivered to the recipient’s classroom on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. Many parents buy a Sweet Treat for their child or the children buy them for friends. Each Sweet Treat costs 25¢. Click here to print out a form for the Sweet Treat messages. If you, or your child, would like to purchase Sweet Treats, please fill out the attached form and send in 25¢ for each message. The Sweet Treats will be on sale before school and during lunch hours of Monday, February 6th, thru February 13th. If you would like, you may purchase a secret Sweet Treat for your child by sending money to the office. Please label who the Sweet Treat is for, their homeroom, and include your message!

Thank you! - Cherry Knoll Student Council

Tardies/Leaving Early
Class instruction begins as soon as the bell rings at 8:45 a.m. Students up to one hour late are marked “tardy” in state record books. After one hour, they are marked absent for one-half day. Students that are signed out more than one hour before dismissal are marked as absent for one-half day. Early departures of less than one hour are marked as an “early withdrawal”. Prompt attendance is most beneficial for the student. Please make every effort to have your student at school and on time everyday.

PE Corner
Below is a sample list of winter activities and their corresponding calories burned for every half-hour of indulgence (based on a 150 lb individual). www.my-health-site.com/winter-activities.html

Cross-country skiing, moderate speed - 286
calories per half hour

Snowshoeing - 286 calories per half hour

Ice skating, general - 250 calories per half hour

Sledding, tobogganing - 250 calories per half hour

Down-hill skiing, moderate effort - 214 calories per half hour

Backpacking-238 calories per half hour

Fishing-103 calories per half hour

Hiking-202 calories per half hour

Jogging-238 calories per half hour

Running (5 mph)-288 calories per half hour

Walking @ 3mph-148 calories per half hour

Please visit choosemyplate.gov and/or livestrong.com for more exercise and nutrition information.

CLICK HERE for the GYM-A-GRAM noting the skills that will be taught during our 2nd 12-week period.

~Mrs. Mansfield

Tenth Annual Teacher and Parent Education Series
Northern Michigan Psychiatric Services will deliver presentations from Dr. Sander Weckstein, Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist. Presentations will run from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the TC Central High School Library Media Center, 1150 Milliken Drive, on the following dates:

February 7, 2012    “Depression and Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents”

March 6, 2012    “Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children and Adolescents” All presentations are open to the public and are free of charge.

Please call Northern Michigan Psychiatric Service, P.C. at 231-935-0355 for more information.

World Language News
¡Hola familias! This month, we have been learning how to say different body parts in Spanish. Students have been singing Cabeza, hombros, rodillas, pies (Head and shoulders, knees and toes) regularly in class. We are playing several games to review all of the vocabulary that has been introduced this year. It is important to spend time reviewing what we have learned so that students can recall the vocabulary. This can be challenging because students cannot just memorize Spanish for a test. It needs to be used over and over again so that students can build upon what they have already learned.

Students will be taking the second CAAP test for Spanish this month. It will be helpful to review shapes, emotions, and body parts. Students should also be able to answer the following questions in complete sentences in Spanish: ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? ¿Te gusta...? and ¿Dónde vives? Remember that SOL is a great way to review the lessons we have covered in class. One class period this month, time will be provided for all students to access the SOL lessons. Any additional time on SOL at home will be beneficial.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email us at: hopkinsan@tcaps.net or llorejo@tcaps.net.

¡Saludos!
Señor Hopkins & Señor Llore

District LEAP Updates
4th & 5th Grade Co-Ed Volleyball practice begins Monday, February 6th.

Baseball Pitching Clinics available for students in Grades 2-12. Clinics begin Saturday, January 28, and are offered Saturday and Sunday afternoons through March 18. Students can participate anytime throughout the clinic dates, however parents should register prior to students attending their first clinic.

For all LEAP programs visit www.tcaps.net/LEAP for more information, to register, and to make online payments.

Please feel free to contact LEAP Director Scott Robertson at 231-933-1758 or 231-933-1722 for more information or questions.

Parents Invited to Share Views for Continuous Improvement of LEAP
Parents are essential partners in building a quality LEAP program at TCAPS. The quality and caliber of LEAP programs is highly influenced through the positive relationships, skill building, and collaboration among coaches, students, parents, and the TCAPS LEAP team.

We are asking parents to provide feedback regarding LEAP program communications in a brief online survey. We want to better understand the services and support that may best meet your needs in delivering high quality programs for students. Our goal is to continuously improve the LEAP program and we invite you to share your views. This survey will be available now through February 17th. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN SURVEY

Photos Needed
Cherry Knoll’s Yearbook Committee is working hard to create our school yearbook which will be distributed at the end of the school year. We are in need of candid photos for the yearbook. Photos of students at recess, learning in class, and attending extracurricular activities are the types of photos requested. Please label all submitted images with school name, teacher name and/or grade. Images can also be emailed to the school office at gorterju@tcaps.net. Please be aware that images submitted should be 200 DPI or above. All images are to be submitted to the office for review by February 1. Please contact Rhonda Cooper at rcooper68@chartermi.net or the school office with questions.

World Language News
Hola Cherry Knoll Familias! We have had another busy month in Spanish class. We have finished our first unit of study by introducing shapes, emotions, and pronouns. Later this month we will be discussing the Hispanic holiday of Las Posadas and studying The Legend of the Poinsettia.

CAAP ASSESSMENT: In the middle of November students completed the first CAAP for Spanish class. The children were given random colors, letters, and numbers to tell a teacher. They were also asked four greeting questions. They LOVED to show off all the Spanish they know! Look for El Pasaporte (the passport) to be coming home with your child’s CAAP score. If your child scored low on an area, SOL would be a great way to gain practice!

REPORT CARDS: You will find your child’s grades for Spanish class on the Classroom Report Card. Please take note, that at this early stage of second language learning, it is very common for MOST children to be at a “developing and learning” level.

MOODLE: SOL (Spanish On-Line) assignments have included lessons 1 through 10. These lessons can be done at least twice a week for extra practice. Remember that lessons will be assigned on the last day of your child's weekly Spanish class. PLEASE HELP REMIND YOUR CHILD TO BRING BINDERS HOME AND RETURN THEM TO SCHOOL BEFORE NEXT SPANISH CLASS! The binder is an important resource your child will use throughout elementary school, while learning Spanish.

Third through 5th grade students' binders go home on Wednesday and return to school by Monday.

If you have any questions regarding la clase de español please email me at: llorejo@tcaps.net.

I wish your family love and peace this holiday season!
Feliz Navidad,
- Señor Llore & Señor Hopkins 

PE Corner
Here are some fun and healthy ideas for the holidays!

• Add a few extra fruits and vegetables to holiday recipes
• Have kids help pick the fruits and veggies for holiday meals
• Teach kids to eat slowly and enjoy their food
• Start off your holiday with some exercise such as a walk
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

   

These and other ideas and activities can be found at www.nourishinteractive.com.

Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Mansfield

Visitors
Visitors and families are always welcome in our school. To ensure student safety and effective building operation, the following guidelines must be followed:

1. All visitors report to the office where personnel will assist you.

2. If you wish to meet with a staff member or observe a classroom “in action” please schedule an appointment to avoid disruption of testing or special programs.

3. If you are picking up your child for any reason, or if you are bringing him/her to school late, please sign your child out or in through the office.

4. For safety reasons, access to classrooms and lockers is not available after 4:30 p.m.

News From The Music Room
With the holidays fast approaching, the music room is a busy place. Please join us at the following performances:

• Tuesday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m. (Preschool)
• Monday, December 19 at 10:00 a.m. (Kindergarten)
• Tuesday, December 20 at 10:00 a.m. for the rehearsal or the 3:00 p.m. performance (1st and 2nd grades)

Cough Drops at School
Cough and cold season is upon us. Some throat lozenges are allowed at school without having a medication authorization on file, such as N’ice, N’ice clear Throat Discs, Robitussin Cough Drops, Ludens, Sucrets (regular), Halls or Maximum Strength Halls Plus, Vicks Menthol Cough Drops, or Vicks Cough Drops (all flavors). Lozenges with package directions giving specific time intervals, maximum dose within 24 hours, or that contain dextromethorphan or benzoate are not allowed.

Sports Corner
BOYS BASKETBALL: Boys basketball registration is underway! It is open to all boys in 2nd through 5th grades. It does not interfere with the YMCA league. The season begins December 3rd and ends in late January or early February. All interested students may get a LEAP registration form in the school office. Please call 933-1758 or 933-1722 with any questions.

All-City Choir
Congratulations to the following Cherry Knoll students who have been chosen to join the TCAPS All-City Choir: Damian Alspaugh, Jeremy Alspaugh, Sydney Bramer, Olivia Edwardson, Carson Enfield, Dylan Kangas, Cole Kushner, Selena McGarity, Claudia Pendock, Miranda Roy, Kennedy Tengelitsch, and Marlo Wilcox.

These students have joined other fourth and fifth graders from area elementary schools to form Traverse City’s All-City Choir. On Monday, November 14, the All-City Choir will tour local elementary schools. A concert is also offered to the public on Saturday, November 19, at 10:00 AM at Lars Hockstad Auditorium.

Lost and Found
Our lost and found area is overflowing! It is time to claim any articles of clothing that your children may have lost in the past couple of months. Please check out the lost and found items on the tables located near the cafeteria. Any items not claimed by November 22 will be donated to charity.

From the Library
Thank you to all the wonderful parents and grandparents who helped with the Fall Book Fair. What a wonderful group of folks we have supporting the school library. I also want to say a huge “Thank You” to Mrs. Vicki Van Nes for once again doing an excellent job as chairperson for this event. Thank you also to the families who shopped at the book fair. It is great to see students with happy faces and new books. With budget cuts leaving no district money for book purchases, this fundraiser is so important to our efforts to put books into students’ hands. I’m very grateful for all you do.             ~ Mrs. MacArthur

What is Title I Funding?
Cherry Knoll receives funds from the Title I, Part A program which is a federal supplemental program designed to help children reach high academic standards. In receiving funds from this program, the district has a requirement to inform you, as parents of children attending a Title I school, of information available to you regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher(s). Information will be provided to you upon request and in a timely manner of the following:

• Whether your child’s teacher has met Michigan qualification and licensing criteria for the grade level and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
• Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which Michigan qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
• The baccalaureate degree major of your child’s teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
• All TCAPS’ teachers meet the highly qualified criteria.
• Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

   

You will also receive timely notice if your child is, for whatever reason, assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified. A highly qualified teacher would be defined as a teacher that meets Michigan’s qualification and licensing criteria for the grade level or subject area in which the teacher is providing instruction. You may request additional information on the level of achievement of your child in each of the Michigan’s assessments. Michigan uses the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) to determine levels of achievement. For more information, please contact the school office.

Dress for the Weather
Getting outside for fresh air and exercise is good for our health which is why all students participate in outdoor recess. When living in northern Michigan, we must be prepared for wide ranges in temperatures. Please make sure your child is prepared for cold temperatures. Layering of warm clothes is a good choice. An extra pair of socks, pants, etc., may be good items to keep at school in your child’s locker. There may not be snow on the ground yet, but it is definitely cold. Please make sure your child has the appropriate outerwear to keep them warm.

LEAP Update
CROSS-COUNTRY: Congratulations to the 4th and 5th grade cross-country team! We want to recognize the efforts of our team members: Rachel Justin, Dylan Kangas, McKenna Kluzak, Kayla Polk, Ben Schroeder, Elle Scollard, Stephen Summers, Cole Truszkowski, Aubree Weller, and Addy Wood.

Elle Scollard, Cole Truskowski, and Aubree Weller all finished as top ten racers in both the Traverse City Central Invitational and the Traverse City All-City Meets! Special thanks to the parents who volunteered at the meets and also to Coach Brian Kluzak and his assistants, Paula Kluzak and Mindy Cooper.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: The girls’ 2nd through 5th grade basketball season is underway. Practice times vary throughout the week depending on the grade and coach.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL: Boys’ basketball registration is underway! It is open to all boys in 2nd through 5th grades. It does not interfere with the YMCA league. The season begins in December and ends in late January or early February. All interested students may get a LEAP registration form in the school office. Please call 933-1758 or 933-1722 with any questions.

Student Council
Congratulations to the newly appointed student council members: Darin Aprea, Isaac Baldwin, Olivia Edwardson, Kate Griffith, Andrew Ledda, Hannah Lee, Kaya Long, Joey Meredith, Taylor Sears, Zach Van Nes, Luc Wallman, Marlo Wilcox, Khamille Williams, and Ally Wood. Student council members participate in volunteering, decision-making, and the Spooky Treat and Sweet Treat Sales. Also, a big thank you to Tim Sato for volunteering to guide these students.

Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind teams are forming, and at least one "OM" team has begun recruiting at Cherry Knoll. If you would like to know more about this exciting program, please check these links:

• Michigan Odyssey of the Mind:
  http://www.miodyssey.net/

• National Odyssey of the Mind:
  http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/

   

Volunteer coaches will be needed if any additional teams are formed. Coach training is scheduled for Saturday, November 5th. Cherry Knoll currently has one registered team. Up to four more 3rd-5th grade teams and an unlimited number of K-2nd grade teams may be covered under the same registration fee, which is paid by TCAPS. Additional groups of five 3rd-5th grade teams will require an additional registration fee. The OM season typically starts in early December with one to two meetings per week and ends with our region's tournament at East Middle School on March 3, 2012. Advancing teams are invited to compete at the State Tournament in April 2012 and at the World Finals in May 2012.

Interested parents or coaches may contact Mary Kolle, TCAPS' Regional Coordinator at kollema@tcaps.net or 231-360-7571. You may also contact the current Cherry Knoll OM Team Coach, Tony Martin at tony@palermo4.net or 231-946-7456 for more information.

The following is from the Michigan OM web page at http://www.miodyssey.net/about-odyssey.html:

WHAT IS ODYSSEY OF THE MIND: Odyssey of the Mind is the world's oldest international creative problem-solving competition among students kindergarten through college. The purpose of Odyssey of the Mind is to promote creativity and problem solving in a variety of areas from building mechanical devices and balsa wood structures to presenting dramatic and technical performances. Odyssey of the Mind develops team building skills, divergent thinking, presentation, and organization skills. The program provides a caring, supportive environment for team members to develop positive values, self-esteem, and social competencies.

HOW IS IT ORGANIZED: Teams of up to seven members form to solve a long-term problem and develop skills in spontaneous problems. Teams are guided by a coach who may not be involved in any way with the solution. The coach may help the team logistically by providing practice locations, materials, and instruction in techniques. Teams compete in each problem against other teams in their division. Divisions are divided according to school grade. Teams meeting Regional Tournament criteria based on the number of teams competing in each division advance to the State Finals. Top teams and teams receiving the coveted Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award at the State Finals advance to the World Finals.