Friday, December 1, 2017

December/January Family Newsletter

From the Principal’s Desk

Greetings!


Recently the Wisconsin FORWARD exam results for the 2016-17 school year were released and I am very pleased to share that River View scored an 80.2 out of 100 points. This score  puts our school in the Exceeds Expectations category again this year. This score is certainly something for us to be proud of as it is a wonderful indicator of the great things that are happening in our classrooms everyday. A huge thank you to all the River View staff for their continued work to support all our students in reaching greater heights of learning.


The forward growth we are seeing in our River View students is also part of the wonderful support we continue to get from our parents and guardians. Without your help in getting the kids to school on a consistent basis, staying on top of work and ongoing encouragement to be organized and putting forth their best effort, we would not be able to reach the levels of success we have seen. So for your assistance, I say thank you for making a positive difference every day in your children’s lives.   


As we have continued to experience positive overall growth in our students and on the FORWARD exam, we also know there is more work that needs to be done to continue strengthening our practices. To that end we are continually looking for ways to support staff through the use of student data, assessment and grading practices and through the use of our professional development days. With this work continuing and the wonderful support we receive from you our families, I am confident River View students will be in good hands.


On behalf of the entire River View staff I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a safe and productive New Year!


Dan Joseph
Principal




Student of the Month
Each month we recognize one student from each grade level that is a true model of the River View way. All students that are chosen constantly demonstrate how to be respectful, responsible and productive.


For the month of November:
5th Grade: Nicholas Peters
6th Grade: Marissa Schmitt
7th Grade: Gabriel Scipior
8th Grade: Anna LaCount


and Staff of the Month for November is Mrs. Andrea Huss.




Yearbook Sale
We are now accepting orders for 2018 yearbooks via online for $13.50.




Darius and Twig

The eighth graders at River View will be going to the Appleton Performing Arts
Center on Thursday, February 15, to attend a performance of Darius and Twig.
Based on the award-winning novel by Walter Dean Myers, this captivating tale
about the power of friendship depicts visceral scenes of inner-city struggle with
sensitivity and wit.  Street-smart and suspenseful, playful and profound, Darius
and Twig is ultimately the story of two young men who must overcome obstacles
by finding the best within themselves.  This story ties in nicely with the third
quarter Language Arts theme of overcoming adversity.


Upcoming Musical Events
  • 7th & 8th Grade and Jazz Choir Concert on Thursday, December 7th at 7:00 in the KHS Auditorium.
  • Orchestra  Winter Concert on Monday, December 11th at 6:30 pm in the KHS Auditorium.
  • 8th Grade & Jazz Band Concert on Thursday, December 14th at 6:00 pm in the RVMS Auditorium.
  • 6th Grade Dig It! Musical Performance will be on Thursday, January 11th at 6:00 pm for Day 1 students and 7:15 for Day 2 students.



Dig It!
Our sixth grade choir members will perform Dig It! A Musical Tale of Ancient Civilizations on January 11, 2018 during the school day for their classmates and at an evening performance for their family and friends. The evening performance for the Day 1 class is at 6:00 pm and the Day 2 class will perform at 7:15 pm. The performances will take place at River View in the Civic Auditorium. All are invited to attend. The musical covers some of the students’ future social studies and science curriculum. It is a fun way for our students to learn about the mysteries of the world, science, and history.



RVMS Band Update
Congratulations to the RVMS jazz band who had their first performance of the year on November 4th at the Lawrence University Jazz Festival. The band performed four tunes, including a work that was commission by the Festival titled "Ace of Hearts" for a clinician, Laura Caviani, a jazz professor at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. The band worked with Caviani for an hour and then attended other performances and clinics at the festival.




Congratulations to 8th graders, Haylee Ebben, Ashley Mayer, Sydney Reinhard, Ada Schaefer and 7th grader, Reaghan Millard, for being accepted into the UW-Milwaukee Honor Bands. These students rehearsed and then performed with other selected students from around the state on the UWM campus over the weekend of November 17th.




The 6th and 7th Grade Bands will be offering their first performances of the year on November 30th at 7:00 pm in the auditorium.


After coming off of a performance at the school's Veteran's Ceremony in early November, the 8th Grade Band is now preparing for and looking forward to their Winter Concert on December 14th. Come and join us for some fun music at 6:00 pm in the auditorium. The band will continue their performance schedule on January 9th at a KHS Boys' Varsity Basketball game.



Get to Know Our High School Band Students
The band program in the Kaukauna Area School District is educational and fun.  With the high school program growing, they are having an exciting year.  They travel regularly to the Twin Cities, Six Flags, and in the Spring the high school band will be traveling to and performing at Disney World and Universal Pictures.
A survey of 11th and 12th grade band students at Kaukauna High School was taken this November.  Here’s what we found out:
  • 52% play one or more varsity sports.
  • 78% are employed.
  • 3.7 is the average GPA.
  • 88% are involved in TWO or more clubs or organizations, 40% are in FOUR or more.
  • 88% are planning on attending a four year university.

Notable Quotes from the Survey
“Through band, I’ve made friends that feel more like family, and I wouldn’t trade my time in band for anything.”


“It's a lot of fun and you get to enjoy new experiences with friends.”


“Continuing band in high school was one of the best decisions I ever made.”


“You won't find a greater connection in a group of people than you do in a band.”


“Give high school band a try and you won’t regret it! Band has given me many of my favorite high school memories and some lifelong friendships.”


“Do band! It’s so much fun and it’s like a big family.”


Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Fox Valley Donation Guidelines

For the 3rd year, the 5th graders at River View will be collecting toys for the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Fox Valley.  The Children's Hospital network is one of the busiest pediatric hospitals in the nation. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Fox Valley relies on donations from the community to make hospital stays for their patients and their families easier. The 5th graders will be collecting new, unwrapped gifts through Wednesday, December 20th.

For infection control purposes, we can’t accept used toys, stuffed animals, blankets or clothing.


General Donation Guidelines:
·         All items must be NEW and unwrapped
·         No food items
·         No items containing latex
·         No games/toys with themes of violence or religion
·         No carnival/arcade game stuffed animals
·         Due to storage limitations, no large sets/toys please
Items NOT needed at this time:
·         Board games and puzzles
·         Craft sets
·         Knit hats and other clothing not specified
·         Large stuffed animals bigger than 18” tall
Suggested Items for Donation:
All Ages:
·         PlayStation 3 games and accessories (“E” or “Teen” games)
·         Tie Blankets (1.5 or 2 yards)
Infants:
·         Onesies, all sizes
·         Squeaky/touchy-feely toys
·         Mobiles, all plastic for easy cleaning
·         Toys 6-12 months; rattles, teethers
·         Vibrating crib soothers


Suggested Items for Donation:
Toddlers & Preschoolers
·         Board books
·         Character sippy cups with straws
·         New release or Disney DVD’s
·         Interactive toys, 12 months-2 years
·         Little People sets
·         Paw Patrol items
·         Baby dolls (not in play sets)
·         Thomas the Tank items
·         Barbie dolls
·         Play doh/sets
·         Ninja turtles
School-aged kids to preteens:
·         Transformers/Autobots
·         Small action figures
·         Matchbox/Hot Wheel cars
·         Small horse/Pony sets
·         Lego sets (less than 100 pieces)
·         Princess-themed toys
·         Coloring books, crayons, markers, colored pencils
·         Star Wars toys
Teens:
·         Plain sweatpants/t-shirts
·         Brainteasers puzzles
·         Suduko books and puzzles
·         Ear buds, headphones
·         Teen coloring books
·         Journals

·         New release pg-13 books

Pick Your Pathway:
Curriculum Fair, College Night, and Parent/Teacher Conferences
Monday, January 15, 2018
Kaukauna High School
Current middle and high school students and families, please join us:
Current 8th grade students and families - 7:00 - 8:00 pm
  • Learn about current and future KHS classes and curriculum
  • Meet the teachers, school counselors and administration
  • Take a tour of the building
Current KHS students and families - 4:30 - 7:00
  • Talk with representatives from two and four year colleges about post-secondary educational opportunities
  • Learn about financial aid and planning for college
    • NOTE: This presentation will begin around 5:30 pm
    • Casey St. Henry - Thrivent Financial
  • Meet with recruiters from the service branches
  • Meet with current teachers regarding academic progress

Parents of 8th Graders


Don’t forget to sign up for your child’s Eighth Grade Academic and Career Planning Meetings


A message from Mrs. Hinz, School Counselor (grade 8)


Over the last several newsletter,  I have shared the importance Eighth Grade Academic and Career Planning or ACP meeting.  These meetings are a great opportunity for parents and their child to discuss the transition to the high school for next year, discuss classes for ninth grade and your child’s academic and career goals up to this point.


I am extending the sign up deadline to December 20th.  To sign up click here.


If your are unable to sign up for a meeting time please let me know and I will meet with your child individually.  I can be reached at 766-6111 ext. 4211 or by email (hinza@kaukaunasd.org).  Lastly, if you do not have an email in Infinite Campus, please call me to set up a conference.


Students from Mrs. Bestul's science class are working on trying to stop invasive Asian Carp from reaching the Great Lakes during their science unit on the the movement of matter and energy in an ecosystem.





Girls Basketball
Girls’ basketball practice for grades 7 & 8 starts on January 3rd, 2018. If you wish to sign-up, you may do so in the office. Please make sure that your physical/alternate card, medical treatment consent form, co-curricular handbook signature page, concussion handbook signature page and the activity fee of $20.00 is paid. Students cannot practice until all this important paperwork is handed in.


Inclement Weather/Cancellation
Please remind your son/daughter to dress appropriately for the cold weather. In the event of a snowstorm and school cancellations, we will communicate over the following radio and television stations. Additionally, the district has been using the capabilities of a messenger that sends e-mail notification to families with up-to-date e-mail addresses in our student management system.  Please refrain from calling school about school cancellations.
Radio: WAPL (105.7 FM) WIXX (101.1 FM) WGEE (1360 AM)
WEMI (91.9 FM) WNCY (100.3 FM) WHBY (1150 AM)
WGEE (99.7 FM) WPCK (104.9 FM) WNFL (1440 AM)
WPKR (99.5 FM) WSGC (1050 AM)
Television: WBAY-TV (Channel 2) WGBA-TV (Channel 26)
WHBY-TV (Channel 5)    WLUK-TV (Channel 11)



Summer School 2018
KASD is already busy planning for summer school!  Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2017.  The combination of parent and staff feedback as well as a large amount of maintenance work to be done within the district this summer, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2018:
  • Location - Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School.
  • Dates - All courses will be offered in one session, Tuesday June 12 - Friday June 29, Monday - Friday.
    • Strength and Conditioning and Music Lessons/Band Camp will also be held in July.


  • Other Valuable Information:
    • We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of summer school for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.
    • Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee.



District Wide Food Drive
National Honor Society would like to sincerely thank the staff, students and parents for their generosity with the food drive.  The Kaukauna Area School District made an incredible donation of 13,498 food items to Loaves and Fishes. Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry staff were overwhelmed with your donations!  All food/monetary donations will benefit Kaukauna families during the upcoming holiday season.


Here is what everyone is waiting for....the much anticipated elementary and RV results:


5th place:   Victor Haen     1.85 items per student
4th place:   Tanner    2.17 items per student
3rd place:   NDLC     2.35 items per student
2nd place:  RVMS    3.95 items per student


1st place every year we've run this contest:  
Electa Quinney 4.51 items per student
CONGRATULATIONS!


HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION:
THE BAND: 4,029 food items
The rest of the high school: 1,100 items


Once again … thanks for all you did to make the district wide food drive competition a success!



Parent Teacher Conferences
River View Staff would like to express its appreciation to our families for attending the recent Parent-Teacher Conferences.  It is our hope you found the conversations and helpful as we did and that you were able to get your questions answered.  Your presence provided a powerful message to your child(ren) and the importance you place on their education. Thank you for continuing to partner with River View Middle School through the Parent-Teacher Conferences.


Also a thank you goes out to the following parents for providing dinner to the staff on conference nights!
Kerri Schaefer, Amber Adrians, Jennifer Domack, Sandy Brittnacher, Erin McPhail, Aimee Lund, Rama Srinivasan, Dina Malson, Tammi Bartels, Janalee Boucher, Carrie Bowen, Elizabeth Olson, Becky & Matt Duel, Jane Eiting, Traci Laatsch, Stacy Maass, Libby Welhouse, Wendy Bollen Fuchs, Caryn Rosenbeck, Shelly Krueger, Betsy Brooks, Carrie Owen, Paula Isaacs, Robyn Benotch, Becky Boyle, Autumn Grimm, Kristin Djupstrom, Tammi Bartels, Shelly Krueger, Cyndie Lowe, Beth Schaefer, Susan VandeHey, Aimee Hamilton, Gail Saathoff, Jack Knaack, Abbey Adrian, Magan DeValk, Jennie Gries, Amanda Tripp, Tara Dakins, Janis Bowers, Betsy Acord, Cheryl Mader, Nora Lessard, Christina Hartjes, Jenni Kluever, Heidi Kavanaugh, Elizabeth Olson, Rebecca Schomin, Kay Hofmann, Heather Steineke, Lori Herzfeldt, Jennifer Wagner, Kendra Casanova, Jennifer Carlson, Jessica Hurst, Sarah Effa, Carrie C, Chrissy Roehrig, Lynzee Gelhausen, Cheryl Mader, Karen Luckow, Lisa Berken, Heather Awe, Sandi Kappus, and Tracy Cleaves.   



River View Spelling Bee
The River View Spelling Bee is just around the corner. The school-wide spelling bee will be January 12, 2018 at 8:00 am in the auditorium. In fifth and sixth grade, each ELA classroom will conduct a spell-down to determine their top two finishers. In seventh and eighth grade, students will attend a spell-down on December 13th during their PIE time if they are interested in competing in the school-wide bee. The top four finishers in the River View Spelling Bee will compete in the Regional Bee at Lawrence University on February 20, 2018.



Ski Club
The Ski Club is open to all River View students with a savings of 60% the average prices.  You do not need to know how to ski or snowboard to join this club.  There are four trips throughout the year to Nordic Mountain in Mt. Morris, Wisconsin.  If you are interested in signing your student up or chaperoning, please pick up the paperwork in the office.  


Also if anyone would be interested in taking over the role of ski club advisor next year, text or call Kristy Vandenberg/Monica Kleuskens at (920) 740-1577 or email: kleuskenscrew@gmail.com .



Encourage Reading Over the Winter Break
Winter break is right around the corner. Here are four tips for keeping middle school students engaged in reading over winter break.
1. Read for fun. Spend time reading favorite holiday stories or the newest installment from a favorite series.
2. Stock up on books at the local library. Libraries may also have fun, free holiday activities throughout the break.
3. Make the most of travel time. If your family will be spending time in the car, bring books along for the ride.
4. Books make great gifts. Check online or at a bookstore for gift ideas.
Books are important and worthy of our attention even during winter break. Happy holidays!


In Charge
Because most parents of children this age (at the middle school) are taller than their children, they have the ability to see further; the horizon is further away, and the parent can see more, the parent can see what is over the hill before the child can. The parent has past experience to connect the present to the future to a more effective degree. That experience gives the parent the credibility and authority to say “no” to the child. Saying “no” is a responsibility that can be taken on without feeling bad about it. Children do expect the parent to say “no” to some things and in many instances the child hopes the parent will say “no”. This is the child’s way of knowing what the limits are. In many instances it keeps them off the hook with their friends. It’s a lot easier for a middle schooler to say, “My dad wouldn’t let me”, than to say, “I’m afraid of getting into trouble.” Sometimes it’s best to put off giving an answer. This gives the parent time to think things through and also shows the child that the request is important enough that the parent has taken time to consider the question or request. Ask questions that require the student to think through the request from several different outcomes. Through questions he or she gets a clearer or more complete perspective of the situation. Finally, after you, as the parent, have made your decision – and it may not make you very popular – stick with it. Your son or daughter will very likely try to sell you a ticket for a guilt trip. Don’t buy it. Tell him or her that you have been there, done that.



Prescription Medication Reminder
For your child to take prescription medication in school, health office staff must have a written order from your child's physician and your written permission. Medication must be in the actual pharmacy labeled container (loose pills sent in baggies or envelopes are not acceptable). Please let the pharmacy know you need a second labeled bottle for school.


This is the expectation for all prescriptions, so if your child needs an antibiotic during the school day for an acute illness, please ask the doctor for a written order (this is different than the pharmacy label).


Any over-the-counter medications need a written note from a parent.  Cough drops are not permitted in school due to the choking risk they present along with lack of effectiveness.  A healthy alternative is to drink extra fluids, like water.


Please call me with any questions you may have at 766-6111 (Ext. 5250). Thanks for helping us keep our students healthy and safe.
Emily Jansen, RN
School Nurse



MAP Testing
Our Winter MAP testing starts up January 10th.  If your student plans on being out for more than one day during the month of January, please see the office to get a prearranged absence form.  This is very helpful as we plan to monitor all the students in the building during this month to make sure they all get tested.



Physical Education Force
New Units
First quarter breezed by and second quarter has just begun! With the cold weather on its way we have headed inside for activities including cultural games, basketball, dance, and volleyball. Our 7th graders are currently hard at work researching their cultural game while the 8th graders strut their stuff creating a dance routine.


Laundry and Missing Clothes
Please help by reminding your son/daughter to take home and wash their clothes as well as bringing them back after being cleaned.  December would be a great month to start out fresh! Encourage your son/daughter to check through our P.E. lost and found located outside Gym A. We have accumulated a large amount of clothes and shoes. If your child is missing something, please have them check.
PE Force
Brian Sanderfoot
Gatlin Bibow
Susan Mursau
Molly Maurer
Kevin Rykal
Mary Zeigler



~December is a Great Time to Show You Care~
A caring individual can show good character by being compassionate, kind, loving, considerate and charitable.  A caring person is sensitive to others feelings and needs.  They are not intentionally mean or make poor choices.  We can show that we care by expressing our gratitude and helping others.
In Eagle Time, students will complete a Cool Tools Activities that allows students to write positive statements about their peers and showing them that we do care.




Winter Weather
So far this year most of our students have been doing a good job of coming to school dressed for the inclement weather.  Winter coats, mittens, and a hat are a necessity during a Wisconsin winter.  Thank you for doing your part in ensuring that your son/daughter leaves the house properly dressed.  Our lost and found still contains a number of clothing items so please be sure to check it if your child is missing anything.
All students are encouraged to wear winter weather gear if they wish to go into the snow.  This will help to keep the students warm and dry when they enter back into school for the remainder of their day.  We don’t want to hinder their need to run and enjoy the outdoors, and this will allow them to do so.  Students may choose not to wear boots or snow pants, but are then asked to stay on the plowed black top area if they are not wearing those items.  Thanks for your help in keeping students warm, comfortable, and safe this winter.


Parent Portal

Would you like to see daily announcements, attendance, grades, missing assignments, make phone number/address changes, pay for lunch/school fees,  etc., you may log on to Parent Portal.  If you don’t have access yet, go to the District website—http://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us and go to the Family Resources > Need A Parent Portal Account and click on the “Click here to complete the request form”.


Chartwell’s Menu - Click here



Community Flyers


Click Here to access information about any current flyers for this month.

-2018 Kaukauna Softball Flyer
-Girl Scouts
-Girls Soccer Winter Camp

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