Upcoming Events
1/31/2012
- Love & Logic Parenting Class2/7/2012
2/8/2012
- Early Dismissal2/9/2012
- Parent Teacher Conferences2/10/2012
- School HolidayArbor Park Intermediate School - Classes Begin at 8:25 a.m., and Students are Dismissed at 3:20 p.m.
Arbor Park Parent Teacher Conference Meal Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Hello from Arbor Park PTO! We're using the VolunteerSpot service as a way for you to sign up to bring something to the Arbor Park PT Conference Meal.
You can sign up by clicking the link listed below. After signing up on the VolunteerSpot website, you will see a red "confirm" button. Please be sure to click it in order to reserve your spot for the item.
Sign up here:
http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/622345632511162088
Please feel free to pass this information on to a friend. Our teachers really appreciate the meals we provide for them! Anything you bring is very much appreciated. Please email Alissa Goodman if you have any questions or need help getting items to school. Her email is gmanfam@live.com.
Box Tops for Education is one of Arbor PTO's biggest fundraisers!
Please send your BoxTops the week of January 23rd - 27th. There is a drop-off box in the Arbor Park office. If you have a little extra time this week, you can help by trimming your labels, bagging and marking them in increments of 50. If possible, please keep BoxTops and Our Family labels separate. The trimming, sorting and bagging steps will eliminate the need for a volunteer clipping party. PTO will be mailing the labels on February 1. Labels turned into school after January 27 will be submitted next school year. Thank YOU so much for your time, help and labels. PTO is able to purchase many things for the schools such as software and books.
Arbor Library Volunteers
Come volunteer at the Arbor Park library and have lunch with your child at the same time!
Arbor Staff is currently allocated elsewhere over the lunch hour; therefore, the library really needs your help! This hour is valuable time for the students to return books and check new ones out. The students can also use this time for AR testing. Your child can come and eat with you in the library while you volunteer. There are many days to choose from - click on the button or link to sign up for a slot today. (This invite includes dates from January through April 2012.) Note that 11:45 is the start time but if you can't come until noon, that is OK! Please share this information with anybody you think might be interested. (All volunteers must have a badge and sign in at the office on the day you volunteer.)
Thank you very much!
Sara Churchill, Library and Technology Specialist
Alissa Goodman, Library Volunteer Coordinator
Arbor Staff is currently allocated elsewhere over the lunch hour; therefore, the library really needs your help! This hour is valuable time for the students to return books and check new ones out. The students can also use this time for AR testing. Your child can come and eat with you in the library while you volunteer. There are many days to choose from - click on the button or link to sign up for a slot today. (This invite includes dates from January through April 2012.) Note that 11:45 is the start time but if you can't come until noon, that is OK! Please share this information with anybody you think might be interested. (All volunteers must have a badge and sign in at the office on the day you volunteer.)
<http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/1162345757870700065> http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/1162345757870700065
Thank you very much!
Sara Churchill, Library and Technology Specialist
Alissa Goodman, Library Volunteer Coordinator
Dance Unit Presentation
Please click on the following link for information about the upcoming Dance Unit Presentation.
Birding and Tracking at Desoto
Arbor Park 5th graders had the opportunity to do some birding and tracking at the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge recently. Ranger Ashley and Ranger Peter helped students develop the observation skills necessary to identify birds and animal tracks.
In the birding block, students learned how to focus binoculars, which aided them in getting a closer look at the birds. Mr. Wick’s and Mrs. Johnson’s classes identified 15 different species of birds, which included, bluejay, junco, black capped chickadee, downy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, goldfinch, house finch, and the purple finch. There is an ongoing competition between the 5th grade classes to see who can identify the most birds at the refuge by the end of the year.
In the tracking block, students used tracking guides to help them identify the various animal tracks they find. Each student made a sketch in their naturalist journal of one of the tracks they found. The students were to also try and figure out where the animal was headed and why. Some of the animal tracks identified were, coyote, raccoon, deer, cotton tailed rabbit, and bobcat.
In the birding block, students learned how to focus binoculars, which aided them in getting a closer look at the birds. Mr. Wick’s and Mrs. Johnson’s classes identified 15 different species of birds, which included, bluejay, junco, black capped chickadee, downy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, goldfinch, house finch, and the purple finch. There is an ongoing competition between the 5th grade classes to see who can identify the most birds at the refuge by the end of the year.
In the tracking block, students used tracking guides to help them identify the various animal tracks they find. Each student made a sketch in their naturalist journal of one of the tracks they found. The students were to also try and figure out where the animal was headed and why. Some of the animal tracks identified were, coyote, raccoon, deer, cotton tailed rabbit, and bobcat.
Winter Weather - School Cancellations
Please click on the following link for information regarding potential school closings due to inclement weather.
Parenting Courses Offered in New Year
Parenting With Love and LogicJanuary 17 – February 21, 2012
Tuesday Evenings: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Arbor Park Intermediate School
1717 Adams St.
“Becoming a Love & Logic Parent” is a service provided for Blair parents with children in grades Pre-K to 5. Participants discuss techniques presented through video and parent handbooks of the Cline/Fay Institute parenting program called Love & Logic.
More information can be found on the K-5 web pages under “School Counselor” at http://www.blairschools.org/
Walk it up!
Arbor Park P.E. teacher, Sandy Moore, has invited students at Arbor Park to walk the halls and listen to their favorite tunes, prior to the start of the school day. Exercise is a great way to start the day so during the months of January and February, from 8:00-8:15, the halls will be filled with walkers.
Artist of the Week
Congratulations to this week's "Artists of the Week": Cassie, Garrett, Spencer, Jarrett, Jimmy, Gabe, Jaden, Daniel, and Dalton.
Voyage of the Mimi
Fifth grade students in Mrs. Trausch, Ms. Samson, and Mr. Svoboda’s classes recently finished a nine-week holistic unit of study called The Voyage of the Mimi.
Students studied behavioral patterns of the humpback whale and applied science, social studies, English, and math curriculum to their learning.
Contour mapping, insulation experiments, poetry, electrical circuits, journaling, mathematical graphing interpretation, and research writings are just a few of the many activities that students participated in during “The Voyage.”
As a culminating activity, each student made a paper mache’ model of the species of whale that they chose to research.
4th Grade Garage Sales
At the end of each semester, it is time for fourth grade students to clean their rooms and check their closets, drawers, and under the bed to find inexpensive items that they no longer wish to keep. Students learn about basic economics by creating their own “store” and using classroom currency to buy and sell items from home.
Big sellers include books, plastic bags (to take home their purchases), toys, games, pop, cookies, and this year we even had a ring toss game. We have a very bright and creative group! Fourth graders look forward to this event every year and as you can see we all had a very good time.
Arbor Park Spelling Bee
The Arbor Park Spelling Bee was held on Monday, January 9, 2012, with 20 participants vying for the title and the chance to advance to the Washington County Spelling Bee on February 10, 2012. Fifth grade student, Zane Kern, won the competition with the word "pristine". Fourth grade student, Natalie Reynolds, was runner-up.
The Washington County Spelling Bee will be held at the Fort Atkinson Historical Park Visitor Center, in Fort Calhoun, on Friday, February 10, 2012.
5th Grade Donates to Food Pantry
Students in Mr. Wick, Mr. Svoboda and Mrs. Trausch’s classes decided to opt out of the Christmas gift exchange this year, and instead collect food for the Blair Food Pantry. Students were asked to bring non-perishable food items rather than a $2 gift. Because of their generosity, the students were able to donate over 600 items!
“A small good deed is better than the greatest intention”
“A small good deed is better than the greatest intention”
The Arbor Park 5th Grade Choir - "Will You Be Here This December?" by Teresa Jennings (ASCAP) © 2011 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • Used by permission
5th Grade Choir Performs
The Arbor Park 5th Grade Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Kay Dickinson, performs Holiday music at the Washington County Bank and the Good Shepherd home.
Holiday Band Concert
The Arbor Park 5th grade band performed their first full band concert, with a holiday theme, under the direction of Mrs. Danni Gilbert. There are currently 125 students involved in 5th grade band!
Book Fair
To the Book Fair and beyond!!! Reading is out of this world! The annual Arbor Park Book Fair took place this week and put hundreds of books into the hands of students. This year, the students explored the galaxy of reading with a space theme.
Aliens, planets, and spaceships decorated the library and halls, while an enormous amount of books, games, toys, and trinkets sat ready to be purchased. The students got a chance to preview the fair on Monday and Tuesday, creating Wish Lists that they could send home to their parents. On Thursday, the always busy Family Night took place with the PTO selling cookies and cocoa, the 5th grade choir performing holiday music, and many games and prizes. Autographed copies of books by nationally known authors were a big draw in the raffle and many students left with alien erasers in hand. The book fair not only puts books directly into the hands of our students, it also provides money for purchasing more books for the Arbor Park library.
Arbor Park also takes part in a charity drive by Scholastic called “One For Books”. For every dollar donated to the One for Books program, one of three family and literacy focused charities receives a book from Scholastic. In addition, every dollar donated helps Arbor Park earn more money for books for the library. It is a double benefit for the simple donation of $1. The book fair wraps up on Friday with a special presentation from the UNO Planetarium. John Artherton will present a show on the stories and mythology behind the constellations, space travel, the sun and moon, and more! Everyone who attends will receive a free star chart for the month of December. Last year, the Arbor Park library earned over $4000 in books and rewards from the fair and we hope to meet that same goal this year.
We would like to thank you for supporting the library and promoting the invaluable activity of reading with our students. After all, reading is out of this world!!
Aliens, planets, and spaceships decorated the library and halls, while an enormous amount of books, games, toys, and trinkets sat ready to be purchased. The students got a chance to preview the fair on Monday and Tuesday, creating Wish Lists that they could send home to their parents. On Thursday, the always busy Family Night took place with the PTO selling cookies and cocoa, the 5th grade choir performing holiday music, and many games and prizes. Autographed copies of books by nationally known authors were a big draw in the raffle and many students left with alien erasers in hand. The book fair not only puts books directly into the hands of our students, it also provides money for purchasing more books for the Arbor Park library.
Arbor Park also takes part in a charity drive by Scholastic called “One For Books”. For every dollar donated to the One for Books program, one of three family and literacy focused charities receives a book from Scholastic. In addition, every dollar donated helps Arbor Park earn more money for books for the library. It is a double benefit for the simple donation of $1. The book fair wraps up on Friday with a special presentation from the UNO Planetarium. John Artherton will present a show on the stories and mythology behind the constellations, space travel, the sun and moon, and more! Everyone who attends will receive a free star chart for the month of December. Last year, the Arbor Park library earned over $4000 in books and rewards from the fair and we hope to meet that same goal this year.
We would like to thank you for supporting the library and promoting the invaluable activity of reading with our students. After all, reading is out of this world!!
Computer Lab
The computer lab will be open for student use every morning beginning Monday,
December 5 from 8:00 – 8:25. The lab will be supervised by Mrs. Kris Burns and can be
used by students who wish to take Accelerated Reader (AR) tests, and/or to work on IXL
math. If you do not have access to the Internet at home, please consider taking advantage
of this opportunity for your student to do IXL.
A Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving Menu
Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pies. Many children today think that these favorites have always been associated with a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Thanks to a book called, Eating the Plates, 4th grade students were able to get a real taste of a traditional pilgrim feast, which included the following menu: Fresh Corn Soup, Indian Pudding, Ship’s Biscuits (Hard Tack), Bannock Cakes, Bearberry Jelly, Spicy Cucumber Catsup, Red Pickled Eggs, Swizzle & Apple Cider.
5th Grade Volcanoes
Excitement “erupted” as students in Ms. Todd’s and Mrs. Willis’s fifth grade classrooms activated their volcano models! Construction of volcanoes was the culminating activity for a unit of study about the structure of the Earth. During the unit, students learned about the different layers of the Earth and how the surface of the Earth is in a continuous state of change. They studied the theory of Plate Tectonics, which describes Earth’s crust as a mosaic of plates floating on Earth’s molten mantle. The students gained a deeper understanding of how the surface of the Earth is shaped by both slow processes (weathering, erosion, deposition) and rapid processes (earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes). Most students have never seen a real volcano. Making models of volcanoes provided students with a means to make the unfamiliar more familiar and helped them to better understand concepts of phenomena that sculpt the Earth.
Veterans Day 2011
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
-- John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Students and staff at Arbor Park recognized and honored the brave men and women who have served our country, with the playing of TAPS by a few of Mrs. Danni Gilbert's 5th grade band students, a message read by Mr. Janssen, and a moment of silence.
Water at Lunch
Due to many disruptions in the lunchroom, and too many water spills, we will be making a change at lunch. Beginning Monday, November 14, water will no longer be served by school personnel in the lunchroom. However, we recognize that many students drink water at lunch, and we have a plan in place for students to still be able to have water. If you wish to drink water at lunch, you will need to have a water bottle at school that you will take to lunch. Just fill it up before you come to lunch and bring it right along with you. It is quite possible that almost all students have a water bottle at home to bring to school, but if you don't have one, the school will be able to provide one for you.
Picking Wildflower Seeds
Arbor Park 5th graders recently spent some time learning about native prairie habitats at the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Students explored a tall grass prairie, finding a variety of grasses and flowers, on the East end of the refuge. They then walked closer to the lake where they were able to see other types of grasses and flowers that require more moisture.
Curriculum Newsletter
The fourth addition of "Focus", a newsletter designed for the families of the Blair Community Schools to help build home-school connections, is now posted on the district web page, under curriculum and assessment. There is a section under this called curriculum newsletter. The November edition of "Focus" takes a look at Social Studies in the district. The newsletter includes general information, web page resources for parents and teachers, Nebraska State Standards for Social Studies, and free Ipad apps. to reinforce Social Studies at home.
Click Here
2011 BHS Homecoming Parade
Arbor Park Students made the annual trek to Lions Park for this year's Homecoming Parade. Students enjoyed showing their Blair Bear Pride!
“Eggcellent Protection”
Students in Mr. Svoboda’s fifth grade science classes have been investigating Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion. As a problem-solving experiment, the students were challenged with trying to create an “egg protection device” that would allow a raw egg to sustain a thrust of 100 pounds per square inch of air pressure, and 600 ml of water as its generating action. If the students’ egg “survived” the take off and the impact, without a crack in their egg’s shell, their group successfully passed the test!
There were 12 groups engaged in the activity, and 8 groups created protection devices that proved to be “survivalists.” Students tried to create devices that created as much drag as possible, as well as a packing system for their egg, to reduce blunt force on the egg as it landed. “For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction,” Newton’s third law of motion.
Next week the students will be investigating the importance of wearing seat belts, and how seat belts apply to Newton’s laws of motion.
“Spuds to the Sky”
Students also experimented with launching potatoes to see if the potato’s mass had a direct impact on the distance of flight. Using the same launcher and fuel amounts (air and water as were used in the ‘Eggcellent Protection’ experiment), each student created a hypothesis as to what they thought the result would be on the distance of the potato to its mass. The students also had to determine what variables remained constant.
PAINT SHIRTS FOR ART!!!!
Arbor Park students, please start bringing your paint shirts to school. Remember DO NOT BUY A PAINT SHIRT!
A paint shirt can be any un-used, oversized shirt or apron from home. Students will store these in their lockers and bring them to art class.
Practice, Practice, Practice!!
Arbor Park's 5th grade band students continue to build on the fundamental skills required to play a musical instrument with weekly small group band lessons, under the direction of band teacher, Mrs. Danni Gilbert.
As stated in the National Standards for Arts Education, an education in the arts is beneficial to students because it cultivates the whole child, gradually building many kinds of literacy while developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into unique forms of expression and communication. Photos courtesy of Joe Burns - Blair Enterprise
