Friday Morning Reading Club Needs Volunteers

If you haven't heard, our PTO needs some additional volunteers to serve as readers during our Friday morning reading time.  Simply put, we have parents and community members volunteer to read to students before school from 7:30am to 8:10am in the morning on Fridays.  It is a great opportunity for students to get out of the weather, hear some great stories, and even win some free books for attending.  The students love it.  So, if you are a parent or interested in helping, please connect with our PTO organizers at sibleypto@gmail.com as to the dates that you would be available.  We are looking to fill times on 2/27, 3/13, and 3/27.  Thanks. 

I LOVE TO READ MONTH Activities

I Love to Read month activities:

o   We will be having a door decorating contest of your class’ favorite read aloud from the year. More details to come with the supplies that you will need, but start thinking about your favorite read aloud from the year and how you can decorate your door with your students to show it. Doors need to be finished by February 23^rd in time for dress-up days. Throughout the week, you and your students can take a tour of the school to see the creations. We will vote on our favorite, and the results will be shared at the end of the day on Friday, the 27^th.

o   Dress up week will be the 23^rd- 27^th. 

Friday Morning Reading Club

Every winter, our PTO provides readers for us in the mornings on Friday's.  With the way the weather has been lately, it is certainly nice to cozy up in the media center with a good book.  For those that attend, they are also given a chance to win a book.

Lunch With Mr. Williams

Kaitlyn and Mackenzie

Aspiring Principals - Zoe and Piper

Over the past month, we have been drawing winners for lunch with Mr. Williams on Friday's.  Here are pictures of my most recent lunch buddies.  We had a blast and learned a ton about each other from the books we were reading to some of our interests.  Did you know that Mr. Williams grew up in Hawaii and knows how to surf? Yup, that was one of our lunch discussions.  I am looking forward to many more.  Sibley kids are awesome!!

Ethan and Caydence

Prairie Fire Comes to Sibley

This week, practices have been underway for this year's Prairie Fire production of Snow White.  If you have never witnessed Prairie Fire before, you don't have to have kids in it to enjoy it.  Each year, students in grades 3-8 work with two directors from PF, and in one week, they perform for the community.  Come and check it out Friday night at 7pm. If you miss it, don't worry, you can catch a matinee on Saturday at 10:30am.  Thanks to our PTO for sponsoring this great theater experience for our students. Show time and costs can be found here.

District 241 Teacher of the Year Nominations

We know that great teachers make a huge difference in the lives of the students and families with whom they work.  Help us by taking the time to nominate one at the following link as the deadline is fast approaching.  It is human nature to talk about experiences that are not stellar.  So, when you have someone (teacher) that has made a positive impact for you, it goes along way to let them know.  Thanks for your taking the time to nominate. Click here

New Climbing Wall at Sibley

Prior to our break, our PTO approved the purchase of a 40ft long horizontal climbing wall for all of Sibley students.  Over break, this awesome apparatus was installed.  Today, our first day back for 2015, Mr. Wilson unveiled the surprise! I think it is important to realize that the funds for this wall would not have been possible without the stroll-for-a-goal walk that we have in the fall of the year.  This year, we raised over 20,000 dollars, shattering the previous year's mark.  Yes, we are still in the planning stages of some work to be done on our playground, but when Mr. Wilson, our phy-ed teacher approached our PTO with the idea, it was an easy decision since it would be put immediately to use with the winter months ahead.  Like a playground, the wall itself promotes physical activity and play.  Does this mean that work will not continue on the playground? Not at all.  With district funds and funds that still exist from our past stroll donations, there will be changes to come outside, just as was done inside.  So, thank you PTO, thank you parents and relatives, and thank you community for supporting our students in their annual walk-a-thon fundraiser.  Without it, improvements and a new rock wall would not be possible.  We are thrilled!!!

Guided Reading

This year, we are in our second year of a very purposeful implementation of a new reading curriculum.  In previous posts, I have discussed the importance of guided reading and its ability to allow us to really support students in deeply understanding what they read.  The video, although long, is a great example of the importance of our wanting to be sure students are provided a purpose for reading, and then careful guidance, hence the name "guided" reading, to allow them the ability to really analyze text.  This class is focused on cause and effect.