District Wellness Policy 10350

Last year, our district and school board made some changes to our wellness policy.  Those changes centered solely around student health and wellness with regards to food in school.  Areas that were impacted by these changes were how birthdays were celebrated, snacks were organized, and food from the outside during lunches.  The entire policy can be found at the following link.  Over the past month, one area that needs reminding for folks are how lunches are handled.  I encourage parents and relatives to come in and join us for lunch but what you bring could impact that time.  Lunch from any restaurant is not allowed according to our policy.  This post is just a reminder to that change.  If you want to eat lunch with your child, please do so but I encourage you to eat the school lunch with your child or bring a homemade lunch to share.  McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Subway are examples that are not permitted in our lunchroom and you will be asked to alter your plans should you arrive with this food.  If you have questions about this policy, please do not hesitate to give me a call.

Stuff A Truck Update

As we do every year, Sibley and most area elementary schools participate in a "Stuff-A-Truck" event.  All non-perishable and canned items collected between October 18th and November 22nd are sent to the food shelf to be used for those in need.  On November 22nd, Sibley staff and students collected 612 lbs of food for this great cause.  Well done!  There is always more to be said about giving than receiving, and especially so as we enter the holiday season.  Let's continue to rememeber to put others before ourselves whenever possible. 

District Realignment Recommendation

Last night, District 241's school board had a workshop to discuss 3 earlier proposed school realignment options.  Those options were the following: 1)a Kindergarten center, 2)a 6th grade only center, 3) and an 8-12 High School.  The final recommendation to the board was to have an 8-12 building and move the 6th grades out of our current 4 elementary buildings.  Please read the full article at the Albert Lea Tribune or Dr. Funk's blog post.  If you want to review the power point and information presented to the board from the various site visits, you can find that here.  As Principal at Sibley, I think it is important for people to realize that we have about 30 more students than we have in previous years.  This growing number is great but we certainly are being challenged by it.  Our art instruction is done in the cafeteria this year, with our band students practicing nearby in the teacher's lounge.  We also have staff in makeshift offices in our book room, and our ELL instruction takes place in what was a conference room.  Yes, we are a bit full but making the most of it.  A final decision should be made in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned.

"Teasing: Harrassment in Disguise"

Tuesday was a great afternoon at Sibley as we were introduced to 7 different animals; each with their own story and lesson about teasing.  The African Gray Parrot taught us that it isn't fun to be with others that don't play by the rules.  When this happens, this can be annoying and when it continues can be seen as teasing.  The Hedgehogs taught us that perception is one's reality and if someone thinks you are teasing, then you are, and need to stop.  Be careful and be respectful of others.  We learned of an Iguana who had been teased by cats and lost its tail in the process.  In other words, teasing can be harmful and have a lasting impact on us.  A chicken taught us about why it is important to feel and have empathy towards others.

A Porcupine taught us that we need to speak up when we are not comfortable with a situation, walk away and do not react to teasing, and tell an adult about the situation.  The Red-Tailed Hawk was used to illustrate the importance of saying "sorry" when we are wrong and of not repeating something we had already apologized for - "Sorry is Good.  Change is Better."

Technology in the classroom

Technology today is changing the way everyone does business, including schools.  Let's face it, students appear to be "wired" differently as technology and all its changes are what kids are growing up with.  Schools are adjusting to the way they teach and how students learn supported with technology.  It certainly helps engage students even more in the content.  Why? Because it is where they are at. Please visit the "technology" tab above for a few great examples of how ipods can be used with regards to fluency. You will also find a great article, which I've also linked here, about web 2.0 technology and the ability it has given to students, and us, to create content for a larger audience. Enjoy.

Critters and Company coming to Sibley

This Tuesday, your child will have the opportunity to hear a presentation entitled, "Teasing: Harassment in Disguise," by Critters and Company.  Through the use of live animals and story, children are made aware of key social behaviors that can limit their capacity for building friends and the potential pitfalls one could encounter along life's path if they choose to tease or harass.  For our presentation on Tuesday, we will have six different animals (African Gray Parrot, Hedgehog, Iguana, Chicken, Porcupine, and a Red-tailed Hawk) each with their own "story."  As a parent, you are certainly more than welcome to join us if you are interested.  Please give me a call at the school for time details. In addition, please look for a presentation description that same afternoon.  It will further outline what each of the animals taught us about teasing and harassment and be a way for you to continue the learning at home.

School and Home Partnership

This past Friday, wrapped up our fall parent/teacher conferences.  I wanted to thank all of you who were able to attend and hope that if you were not, that you and your child's teacher will be able to catch up to ensure that your child is "on track" both academically and socially.  The most meaningful part of a conference is for a parent, teacher, and student to review progress, and then develop a clear plan together as to how the next goal or benchmark will be reached.  We all want students to make growth, regardless of where they are on the academic and social continuum.  It is for that reason, that the overall plan be agreed upon and addressed as a team.  Is homework a struggle? Are assignments not being turned in? Does organization seem to get in the way of progress? Is math or reading a challenge?  All of these topics can be barriers to success and we are committed to do everything we can to see that your child is making the necessary progress excel in life.  To that end, we need to work together to assure that this occurs.  As a parent, you should never feel as though you can't teach.  We need to work together to continue the learning and support for it beyond the classroom.  Many of the things that you can do are very simple and have huge academic gains for children.  An example of this is in the power of words.  Having children read 15 minutes a day will expose your child to 1,000,000 words annually. If your child can't read, then read to them.  It is that exposure to text that is so important to building one's vocabulary and background knowledge. The other thing I would say is to have discussions about what your child reads or you read to them.  This builds one's comprehension and forces us to make meaning of the words we see and read.  It doesn't seem like a lot, but it is. Take the conference "plan" for success and help us at home be committed to it.  As a team, (school, parent, student) success is easy.  Thanks for being at conferences.