CHALK TALK
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Sandy Kozelka, Principal Michele Winterstein, Secretary Mar. 2015
Office: 529-4232 Absence: 529-4305 Fax: 227-5722
March 2015
03 Cardboard Boat Regatta, LHS 3-4:30
05 March Mathness Launch
10 PTA meeting in room 109 6:30 pm
12 McGuan field trip
13 Lincoln groundbreaking 4:00
18 Choral Festival at LHS
19 All-Pro Dad Meeting in gym, 8:00 am
20 Kindergarten field trip
Coder Dojo club field trip
26 Kindergarten and McGuan field trip
27 End of 3rd quarter
30 March Mathness assembly
31 5th grade field trip
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Dear Families,
I want to invite you and your families to join us for the groundbreaking ceremony for our new school. This will be held at 4:00 on March 13. We look forward to the anticipated completion date of the school approximately 18 months from groundbreaking.
Over the years of school, your students’ homework has included “practice your math facts”. While plain old flashcards were the only way we parents practiced as kids, there are lots of new, exciting
apps and websites to help students master their basic math facts. Even with this variety, we are finding that a great many students are not fluent (quick and accurate) with their math facts. As mathematic content gets more difficult through the grades, this puts many of our students at a disadvantage. We find them expending so much energy in the basic steps of fact retrieval that they can’t get to the more complex steps of the problem. On the flip side, they may be quick but not accurate and moving through all the steps only to get incorrect answers.
Enter March Mathness! We are taking advantage of March basketball excitement to run a school-wide, FUN focus on math fact fluency. Students will practice in a variety of ways and check their game score at the end of each week. Classrooms will have fun ways to track and cheer on successes.
PTA has generously provided a FUN basketball-themed assembly on March 30 to celebrate together. There will be special participation activities for bracket winners and prize opportunities for those students who practice and show improvements.
As always, thank you for your support and encourage your child to practice those math facts….Around the World, anyone?
Sincerely,
Sandy Kozelka
LINCOLN UPDATES: MARCH
Groundbreaking for the new school is scheduled for March 13 at 4:00. That means it’s just a short 18 months until the new building will be ready for us!
Lincoln’s PTA co-presidents and 3 children will join me in the groundbreaking ceremony: Mrs. Jablonowski and Mrs. Smoot (PTA co-presidents), Tate Calaway (3rd grade), Caleb Salo (4th grade) and Amanda Chanter (5th grade).
If you are available, we’d love for you and your family to be with us for this exciting next step toward our new school!
We LOVE Lincoln!
If you missed the brick sale on the snowy, arctic Valentine’s Day, we still have a small number for sale. The cost is $10 per brick and can be ordered by calling the school office or sending a note with your child.
Picking your child up early from school?
Please send a note to your child’s teacher in the morning so that your child can be ready and waiting for you in the office when you arrive.
The following teams represented Lincoln Elementaryas part of a Math Tournament hosted by the Greater Cleveland Council of Teachers of Mathematics onSaturday, February 21st at Lakewood Catholic Academy:
Team 1 - Kira Brown, Lucy McIntire, Una LoPiccolo
Team 2 - Shawn Cabell, Joey Daso, Edan Perry
Team 3 - Sophia Guiterrez, Ellie Humphreys, Maddie Jensen, Addie Smoot
Teams 1 and 2 won blue champion ribbons and Team 3 was awarded a red special award ribbon.
We are so proud of their efforts and being willing to participate on a very snowy Saturday. Congratulations!
Lincoln students earned $6200.00 to benefit the American Heart Association during Jump Rope for Heart month. The whole school celebrated with a jump rope assembly and top fundraisers sprayed their teachers with silly string. Since the students exceeded their fundraising goal, Mr. Browngardt took clipper to Mr. Giermann’s hair and shaved his head at the conclusion of the assembly. Many thanks for supporting this worthy cause.
Midyear Assessment Dates Set
Dates for performance-based assessments in English Language Arts and Math for grades 4-5, and Math for grade 3 are listed below. These are much shorter tests than experienced in the past, with the testing times ranging from 60-90 minutes. Visit the PARCC website for more resources for families.
3/3- Math Gr 4
3/4- Math Gr 4
3/5- Math Gr 5
3/6- Math Gr 5
3/10- Math Gr 3
3/11- Math Gr 3
3/12- Social Studies Gr 4 (OH)
3/13- Science Gr 5 (OH)
MORNING DRIVER-LINE UPDATE
We’ve highlighted afternoon driver line pick up the last few months. This month, let’s talk mornings! Please remember that we want the students to exit the side of the car where the safety patrol is waiting. If that isn’t possible, then please help us get them accustomed to crossing in FRONT of your car. This ensures that you are watching for your own child, thereby allowing for safer transition to the school building.
Our goal is to keep as many cars off Bunts as possible, so while sometimes your child is allowed out of the car at the bend in the drive, other times you are being waved on to the exit drive in an effort to unload as many students as possible and keep the traffic moving. Mr. Mellino and the safety patrol are keeping an eye on that Bunts traffic and will guide you. We thank them for the great job they do every morning.
WE LOVE PLAYING OUTSIDE!
At Lincoln School, we love going outside for fresh air each day at recess! Know that children will go outside for recess EVERY DAY possible. For this reason, please be sure that your child is dressed appropriately for ALL weather.
If your family needs help securing winter appropriate coats, boots, hats or gloves for your child(ren), please send a note or an email to Mrs. Kozelka (). PTA has a volunteer willing to help secure any needed items. Your privacy is ensured.
Lost and Found
Lincoln’s lost and found is located in the cafeteria. There is a rack for hanging items as well as a container for hats, gloves and other small items. Items of value (wallets, glasses, etc.) will be kept in the main office. We have many items waiting to be claimed by owners!
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports
As you know, students have been earning “WOW” tickets for appropriate cafeteria, recess and hallway behaviors. Each month, we will focus on another common area of the school.
Each week, 10 students’ tickets are chosen at random to pick from the Principal’s Prize Box. Each month, 5 students are chosen at random for a larger prize. In January, Subway donated sandwich certificates to be used for prizes.
In March, we begin to implement common expectations and acknowledgement of appropriate arrival and dismissal behaviors. WOW!
Girls on the Run Season Begins
“Over a period of 10-12 weeks, girls in 4th and 5th grade signed up to participate in an after-school program. Designed to allow every girl to recognize her inner strength, the Girls on the Run curriculum inspires girls to define their lives on their own terms. They make new friends, build their confidence and celebrate all that makes them unique” (girlsontherun.org). They end their season by participating in a 5K race on May 31 (
Lincoln girls participating this school year are: Sophia Boyer, Erin Dippel, Reagan Fishbaugh, Grace Hildebrandt, Julia Kompier, Maddie Kratz, Rose Lipka, Fia Masek, Meghan McGlynn, Lauren Nix, Daniela Gomez, Kamar Dorsey,Anniko Raffai, Helen Roche, Madalynne Sorge and Lila Wright.
March 4th, 2015
Dear Lincoln Parents,
Lincoln Elementary School will be partaking in March Mathness beginning
March 5th-March 27th. March Mathness is a school-wide Math Fact Fluency event. During the month of March, students will be encouraged to master their math facts for their particular grade level both at school and at home.
Each week, students will bring home a Home Practice Kit containing everything you will need to practice at home, as well as tickets that can be earned and brought back to school to be entered for some great prizes, including Courtside Seats to Basketball Jones at Lincoln on March 30th!
Students will also have the opportunity to earn personal improvement tickets at school for Math Fact Fluency. One ticket per class will be pulled each Thursday and that student will receive a prizes and have their picture featured on the March Mathness bulletin board outside of the Office.
Each Friday, students will take part in a math fact fluency exercise to assess their improvement from the following week.
We appreciate and thank you for your support and encouragement of this month long Fact Fluency Event!
Get practicing those facts!
The Lincoln Elementary Staff
MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT:
As of this writing, a proposal for next school year’s academic calendar is being considered for approval by our Board of Education. If the Board approves the recommended calendar at its meeting on March 2, the 2015-2016 school year will begin on Aug. 17, 2015, for students and conclude on May 26, 2016.
While this may seem a lot earlier as compared to this school year’s start, please keep in mind that the district pushed the start date back to the last week in August this school year in order to give our staff ample time to make the transition to our temporary elementary buildings for Grant, Lincoln and Roosevelt. If you compare to years previous to this, our Aug. 17 start date is less than a week earlier than usual.
A calendar committee made the proposed recommendation for an earlier school year start based on a number of factors.
Parents who responded to a survey regarding the academic calendar indicated a preference for more instructional time to occur prior to students taking standardized tests. Beginning school on a Monday should result in a more productive beginning week for students and staff.
The new calendar will also result in the second-quarter end coinciding with the start of Winter Break. Input from our high school faculty indicated that this would benefit our high school students as they would no longer have midterm exams come shortly after their return to school in January and after a long academic break.
With the bulk of the construction work for our new schools taking place over the summer, having students wrap up the school year before Memorial Day will also allow our construction team to maximize its work time at the high school while students are not there.
Thank you for your understanding during a significant period of transition within the Lakewood City Schools.
Jeffrey W. Patterson
Superintendent
Board of Education
Emma Petrie Barcelona, President
Tom Einhouse, Vice President
Linda Beebe
Edward Favre
Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy
Upcoming March & April PTA Events
Human Trafficking 101
Who is trafficked, where trafficking takes place, and both how and why it occurs. What is being done in terms of anti-trafficking efforts? What about human trafficking laws and safe harbor in Ohio? What can you do to help combat human trafficking?
Speakers are from The Collaborative Initiative to End Human Trafficking will be presenting to the Lakewood Council of PTAs on March 4th, 7:30pm at the Lakewood Board of Education. Learn how this horrific practice is affecting the Lakewood community and the potential danger for kids and families.
All are welcome to attend. For more information contact . *PTA Council Meeting 7pm-7:30pm followed by the presentation.
Spring Fling!
Lakewood Council of PTAs and VOSH Lakewood is proud to announce our Spring Fling!Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 @ 6:00 p.m.
$25 advance tickets include heavy appetizers, a cash bar, and live music by Fireside Lakewood.
Bring your friends, neighbors, and fellow PTA members and join us in this exciting event!
Tickets can be purchased by:
*mail to 1470 Warren Road, Lakewood OH 44107
* via Paypal @
* Discount Drug Mart at 15412 Detroit Ave.
Ranger Café
March 11th at 12:30pm
Ranger Café is located at Lakewood High School
Reserve your space at
Flower & Veggie Sale with
Dean’s Greenhouse
The Lakewood Council of PTAs will be kicking off the Spring Flower & Veggie Sale on the first day of spring, March 20th. Dean’s Greenhouse offers high quality flowers, veggies and herbs just in time for planting your spring garden.
Orders will be taken online at the Lakewood PTAs Spring Flower & Veggie Sale website, starting on March 20th and ending on April 20th. All orders will be delivered on Saturday, May 9th—just in time for Mother’s Day! Lakewood Residents only may arrange for delivery to their home/office by . A $10 delivery charge will be applied to the order.
Payment methods accepted online are by check/credit card. Anyone unable to place an order online may contact the Lakewood Council of PTAs at or by calling, 216-767-5545 to place a paper order.
All proceeds from the sale supports the Lakewood Council of PTAs to provide programs, training and advocacy, grants, and other opportunities to support all Lakewood PTAs and the families they serve.
PTA Wellness Series: It’s All About You
The Lakewood Council of PTAs is hosting a wellness series focused on taking care of yourself first. The series will feature workshops specifically designed for busy people looking to create balance and wellness in their lives. Participants will leave each workshop with the know-how to incorporate techniques into their day to day routine to help reduce stress and better manage a hectic schedule.
“Healthy Eating through Plant-Based Nutrition”
April 23, 7pm-8:00pm
Ranger Café at Lakewood High School
Learn about the significant health benefits of eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet. We’ll discuss how many common diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes can be prevented and reversed by eating more plants. Participants will sample a prepared sample dish while the instructor demonstrates how eating in this fashion can be delicious and nutritious. Everyone will receive the recipe and talk about how to transition to eating more plants in a low-stress and manageable way.
Darlene Kelbach teaches about healthy eating through a whole0foods, plant-based diet. In June 2014, she received her Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University. Darlene offers education programs as well as cooking demonstrations. She showcases the significant health benefits of eating plants while demonstrating how to create plant-based dishes that are delicious as well as nutritious.
Recently, seven states in the western United States were reported to have measles and are considered to be part of a large, ongoing outbreak linked to an amusement park in California. Although there are no reported outbreaks in the State of Ohio, Lakewood City Schools wants to assure you that we are in constant communication with our community partners at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to monitor this and any health concerns that may arise from time to time. Additionally, our school nurses and health center staff have reviewed the immunization records of all students enrolled in Lakewood City Schools and report that the majority of children in our school district are properly immunized against the measles-mumps-rubella disease (MMR).
Also, we suggest that if your child is not up-to-date with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination (MMR) and does not have a medical contraindication, please contact your child’s physician to discuss having your child properly vaccinated.
According to the Ohio Board of Health, if an outbreak of measles (one or more identified cases) should occur at your child’s school and your child is not immunized, your child will be excluded from school until 21 days after rash onset in the last reported case of the measles.
If you choose to have your child’s immunizations updated, please inform the health center at your child’s school so your child’s immunization records may be updated.
For more information on the measles virus outbreak please go to: