From the Desk of Schuba...
I kicked off our new Second Step unit, Emotional Management, with a school-wide assembly on Thursday, Jan. 17. We prompted students to notice their own feelings by paying attention to clues in their bodies. The upcoming lessons specifically teach about calming down strong emotions, such as anger, disappointment, frustration, and anxiety.
I'm providing home links describing why managing strong emotions is important, as well as fun activities to do with your child to help him or her identify strong feelings and to calm down. We hope the home links give you tools to use together when your child is upset. These skills help students when faced with learning and social challenges helping them to succeed academically and to get along with others.
Home Links
The Second Step skills to calm down:
Stop—Use your signal
Name your feeling
Calm down: Breathe, count, use positive self-talk
Fondly,
Schuba
For questions or conversation, reach out to Schuba via email (lisa_schuba@dpsk12.org) or phone 720-423-9900.
Take Action....
Inclement Weather Reminders
Snow and ice on the ground is the perfect time to remind IBCS' parents/guardians of the school's inclement weather policies.
Outdoor Recess: Students have outdoor recess so long as the real-feel temperature is 20 degrees or above (we use the WeatherBug app). Be sure to send your students to school with appropriate clothing and shoes on days when snow and cold temperatures are in the forecast; and please help to echo the reminders given by teachers and staff that snow is to stay on the ground and students out of water puddles to avoid wet clothing.
Inside Dismissal: In the event temperatures drop below 20 degrees, ECE-Fifth Grade is dismissed from the gym (on the east side of the building).
Inclement weather-related communications are sent via the School Deets app, either to your smart phone or email address. If you’re not currently using School Deets, visit schooldeets.com or install the mobile app on your smartphone (85 percent of IBCS parents/guardians are using the platform). For questions or assistance with School Deets, email ibcscommunications@gmail.com.
We Want to Hear From You: 2019-2020 IBCS School Calendar
As an Innovation School, we have oversight of our school year calendar. Help determine the dates of breaks, conferences and more by reviewing and providing feedback on the two versions currently on the table. Review versions No. 1 and No. 2, as well as the 2019/2020 District calendar and provide your feedback via email to Schuba, Caleb and/or Tabetha. Preference among teachers and IBCS parents/guardians in attendance at the Jan. 17 Council Meeting was overwhelmingly in favor of calendar No. 1. The selected calendar will be shared at next month's Council Meeting.
Together We CAN: Canned Food Drive:
In Colorado, more than 625,000 people struggle with hunger – 190,780 of them are children. Beginning next week, IBCS will collect canned goods and dry goods to contribute to our food pantry and sustain our Backpack Program through the end of the school year. One grocery bag of food can provide as many as 10 meals. Suggestions for donations include:
Canned vegetables, dried beans, fruit canned in its own juices, applesauce, canned soups, beef stew, canned tuna, canned chicken, 100 percent fruit juices, pasta, rice, condiments (like ketchup and salad dressing), multigrain and low-sugar cereals, and granola bars.
Donations can be delivered to the Main Office or in grade-level pods. Alternatively, if you would like to give cash or check, please make your check payable to Isabella Bird Community School Council. Thank you for your help!
Soft Room Donations
IBCS is in the process of creating a Soft Room for our students with special needs. To ensure the room meets the needs of these students, Special Education Teacher, Liz Becze, is collecting essential items, including bean bags, pillows, plush books and puzzles. Please sign-up to provide donations, if you're able. For questions, contact Liz Becze.
What's Going on With...
Host Family Needed DSST: Stapleton
A Educatius Group-affiliated international student within the Stapleton neighborhood is in need of a host family. Nabeel, a nearly 16-year-old from Malyasia, currently attends DSST: Stapleton. The ideal host family will commit to providing a loving home for Nabeel for the remainder of this school year. Host families are asked to provide a room with a bed and dresser, a desk and quiet place to study, along with three-square meals per day. Families receive a $600 monthly stipend to help offset the costs of hosting.
About Nabeel: Nabeel loves to play soccer and wants to be part of a great family. He likes to stay active. He loves to learn new things although he can be a bit shy at first.
He has his own medical insurance and spending money, and is responsible for any outside expenses he may have (clothes, entertainment, etc.).
If your family is interested in becoming a host family to Nabeel, email Aspen Perkins,
with Educatius Group.
StapleFUN Coupon Books
Did you see your book(s) in this week's Thursday Folders? This 2018-2019 student coupon book is full of great offers from local businesses, and is distributed to neighborhood schools to share for FREE with our school families. All offers are valid until Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, unless otherwise noted. The book is intended to be a fundraiser opportunity for all schools and comes with a suggested donation f $3-$5 per family - the donation goes to IBCS. Make your cash or check donation (checks payable to IBCS Council) via the "StapleFUN DONATION BOX" in the Main Office prior to Thursday, Jan. 31. We have enough books for every student - your family may have received more than one book. THANK YOU Dragon Family!!
SAVE THE DATE...
Gifted & Talented Information Night
Join us, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 6-7:15 p.m., for a Gifted & Talented (GT) informational night. The objectives of the evening include the following:
What is giftedness
What is the difference between bright and gifted
GT Programming at IBCS
Magnet-eligibility vs. gifted identification
Q & A
If you have any questions, please reach out to IBCS Gifted & Talented Teacher, Rebecca Mercer.
Literacy Night: Feb. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Please join us for an informative night to learn about literacy, the types of literacy activities your children engage in at school, and strategies to help your child at home. Choose two sessions to attend from the following four presentations:
A book talk about resources for your children
Grades K-2 literacy, activities, and strategies to support at home
Grades 3-5 literacy, activities, and strategies to support at home
Dyslexia
Each session is estimated to be approximately 45-minutes, with a 15-minute transition time between sessions. Child-care is available! Please let Caleb know if you have any questions.
Mark Your Calendars...
Monday, Jan. 21, All Day: No School (MLK Day)
Friday, Jan. 25, 8:15-9:15 a.m.: Coffee & Conversation
Friday, Jan. 25, 3:30-4:30 p.m.: Family Meeting at Hidden Brook
Monday, Jan. 28, 5:30-7 p.m.: Council Board Meeting
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 6-7:15 p.m.: Gifted & Talented Information Night
Friday, Feb 1, All Day: No School (Professional Development Day)
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Fundraising Committee Meeting
Thursday, Feb. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Family Literacy Night
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 8:15-9:15 a.m.: Liaison Committee Meeting
Friday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m.: Round 1 SchoolChoice Window Closes
Monday, Feb. 18, All Day: No School (President’s Day)
Tuesday, Feb. 19, All Day: No School (President’s Day)