Volume 17, Issue 2 Rice Lake Elementary School 575 Birch Street Lino Lakes, MN 55014 Office: (763)792-5700 Attendance Line: (763)792-5707 [email protected] Fax: (763)792-5750 Web Site: www.isd12.org/rle

This newsletter is also available online at www.isd12.org/rle

Dates to Remember Thursday, 9/11: Day C CERF Benchmarking Friday, 9/12: Day D 7-9 pm Welcome Back Bingo Monday, 9/15: Day E Tuesday, 9/16: Day A Wednesday, 9/17: Day B Thursday, 9/18: Day C 4:00 SBLT Mtg. 5:30 RLPTO Board Mtg. 6:00 RLPTO’s Learn about the Levy/Atrium Friday, 9/19: Day D Magazine Sale Turn In

September 10, 2014

Dear Rice Lake Families: The school year is off to a great start. The students have settled in very well and there’s a whole lotta learning going on! The weather is changing so please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor recess and cooler weather. I’d like to devote this Wednesday’s Words to transportation. We’ve had a big increase in enrollment this year. Therefore, we have more kiddos that we need to get to school! The increase is due to all day Kindergarten, new programming, and the fact that RLE is such a great place. With this enrollment increase we have a number of families that are carpooling and using parent pick up. A couple of items I’d like to point out. First, if and when possible, I want to encourage you to have your son/daughter ride the school bus. If that’s not an option I’d ask that you go over the points below with your child. • They should be watching for you as they stand in line behind the orange grade level cones. • They should start walking toward your car when they see you stopping at the purple cones along the curb. (They do not have to wait to hear their last name. The last name on the paper in the window is so we can announce the last name if we see no one is coming out to the vehicle.) Secondly, if traffic backs up, please be patient. I appreciate your support and patience as we continue to work on this. Your son/daughter’s safety is number one to me. My hope is that over time, the process will become more efficient and safe. In closing, I hope to see all of you this Friday for Welcome Back Bingo from 7:00-9:00 pm. It will be a great time. Have a great rest of the week. Bryan Carlson Principal

The Centennial School District No. 12 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. Mr. David Thacker, 4707 North Road, Circle Pines, MN 55014; Telephone: (763) 792-5282; has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies.

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Safety First!

Learn about the Levy Join Superintendent Brian Dietz and Executive Director of Business Services, Dan Huffman, to learn more about the levy on the ballot this fall. The Centennial School District is bringing two questions forward for voters’ consideration, neither of which will increase property taxes. More information can be found at isd12.org.

Date: Thursday, September 18th Time: 6:00 PM Place: Rice Lake Atrium American Indian Education Parent/Student Meetings are held at Centennial High School 6:30 pm at East Bldg.R236 2014-15 School Year Calendar of Events: September 10

September 18—Fall Family Hayride @ Bunker Park Stables 5:30-8:00 pm (Rain check date is September 25) October 8 November 12 December 10 January 14 February 11 and February 25

Friday, February 27 POWWOW March 18 April 8 May 13

May 21 Senior Honoring Questions? Please contact Tricia at 763.792.5199 or [email protected]

Good Citizenship and Courtesy Reinforcement

I Greet Others in a Friendly Manner  I get up cheerfully and say, “Good morning”, to others in my home. I’m off to a great start!  All through the school day, when I meet others, I look at them, smile and speak to them in a friendly way - the bus driver, my teachers and my classmates.  When I am cheerful and friendly, I make others happy. And I feel happier, too.

RICE LAKE Event organizers are needed ASAP for Staff Conference Meals and the Book Fair. If you can help organize either of these events with help from many other volunteers, please contact Suzy Guthmueller @ [email protected] or 651-484-6634.

Collects..Recycles..Donates

Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who helped with kindergarten/1st grade lunch the first week of school. It was so nice to have so much help to make our youngest students comfortable at lunch!

Coke Rewards Points

We appreciate all of you!!

Eyeglasses

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All year long: Labels for Education Box Tops Ink cartridges Pop can tabs

Welcome Back Family

Night!!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 7:00PM – 9:00 PM RICE LAKE ELEMENTARY GYM

**All children must be accompanied by an adult.** Sponsored by the Rice Lake PTO

FREE event! Prizes! Cookies! LOTS OF FUN!

Spend some family fun time together and win great PRIZES!

Meet new Rice Lake Families and welcome them to our school community! See your neighbors and friends and catch up!

Once again we are supporting the “PowerPack Program”, part of the

Centennial Community Food Shelf. It is a weekend food program designed for students to take home a bag of nonperishable food items at the end of each week during the school year, students who may not have adequate access to food during the weekends or school breaks. The food request is more ‘specific’ for this program:

Easy Mac & cheese, Individual microwavable lasagna, Pudding packs, Fruit cups, Juice boxes, Individually wrapped raisins, crackers, etc., Small cereal boxes, Oatmeal packs

**Please bring one or more of these items for the “PowerPack Program” or a monetary donation

Take note of these important dates! Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences are on Tuesday, 10/21 and Thursday, 10/23 from 4:00-8:00 pm We have four Two Hour Late Start days this school year: October 31, December 4, January 13 and February 3. (On Late Start days, school will start at 11:15 am. The buses will run their regular routes, but exactly two hours later than normal.) Page 3

Attendance Reminder Students are expected to be in school except in cases of emergency, illness or approved absences. When a student is absent or tardy from school, we ask parents/guardians to call or email before 9:15 am. Messages can be left any time (24/7) on Rice Lake’s Attendance Line at 763-792-5707 or at [email protected] Please include your child’s name, grade level, teacher’s name and reason for the absence or tardy. Messages given to the teachers are appreciated, but it is not the teacher’s responsibility to relay messages to the Attendance Line. As always, our primary concern is for the safety of your child. Thanks for your cooperation.

Weekly newsletter: Wednesday’s Words Every week during the school year, Rice Lake publishes a weekly newsletter called Wednesday’s Words. For the first few weeks of the school year, we will distribute a paper version of the newsletter to the Youngest/ Only student in each family. We will begin emailing the weekly newsletter through our Campus Messenger system starting October 1. If your family does not have access to email or would like to continue to receive a paper copy of the Wednesday’s Words for the rest of the school year, you may do so by submitting this form.

I would like to receive a paper copy of Wednesday’s Words each week. Parent/Guardian Name (please print) __________________________________________________________ Student’s name(s) ___________________________________________________________________________ Teacher name(s) _____________________________________________________________________________ Page 4

Magazine Fundraiser Starts Friday, September 5th! All new prizes for the kids - hundreds of magazine subscription choices! Complete fundraiser details, order packets and on-line ordering instructions will be sent home on Friday, September 5th.

1 TURN IN DATE THIS YEAR! Friday, September 19th. (All on-line orders must be received Thursday, September 18th, the day before the school turn in dates) Our goal for this year is 6 orders per family. Funds from the magazine sale are used for many different programs at Rice Lake, such as school events, art classes and more. Volunteers are also needed on the turn-in date to help collect orders. If you have any questions about the fundraiser or are able to volunteer, please contact Angie Kulenkamp at [email protected].

Centennial High School Diamond in the Rough Run — 5K and 10K Saturday, September 27th Come join in the fun and help the Centennial High School Baseball Program! 5K and 10K run around beautiful Centerville Lake in Anoka County. 8:00 am start for the 10K, 8:30 am start for the 5K To register, go to Midwest Events at https://midwestevents_details.php? Page 5

Cub Scout Information Nights – Sign up and get a free rocket! Please come and visit us at the Birch Park pavilion on Monday 9/15 from 7:00 – 8:00, or on Thursday 9/18 at Rice Lake Elementary from 7:00 – 8:00 to learn more about Pack 232 and the cub scout experience. You can also come to the first Pack meeting on Tuesday 9/16 at Living Waters Church at 6:30. Registration information will be available and each new scout will receive a free rocket if you register during this time. Registrations can also be completed online at www.rocketintoscouting.org. Pack 232 meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday of each month during the school year at Living Waters Church, and the individual Dens (based on age groups) will also meet monthly at a time determined by each individual Den.

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Rice Lake Elementary Sibling Care Policies Rice Lake Elementary School welcomes you and encourages parent involvement in its daily activities. Many parent volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks such as office help, assisting teachers in the classroom, and working on projects. The Rice Lake community is dedicated to making our school a great place for our children to grow and learn!

Purpose The purpose of the sibling care room is to provide a free, safe, fun and convenient space for childcare service for parents who volunteer at Rice Lake Elementary. The sibling care program is an ongoing project of the RLPTO. The intended impact of sibling care is to allow a greater number of parents to participate in the Rice Lake volunteer system. Sibling care is not available if you are attending special classroom celebrations, programs, or volunteering on a field trip.

Procedures A paid caregiver staffs our sibling care room. A selection of toys and games are available for children age 6 weeks to 6 years. Parents who are interested in using sibling care can call Lisa Ost at 651-484-9337 at least 24 hours in advance for reservation. Lisa’s schedule is listed below. Reservations are absolutely necessary for Friday and encouraged for Wednesday and Thursday. Without a reservation, your child may be turned away. There is room for 5 children at any one time. If you must cancel for any reason, Please call the sibling care provider at her home number so as to open a spot for another child. Sibling care can be used once a week. You may make a reservation up to 2 weeks in advance. The parent must be in the school building and easily accessible to the caregiver. Parents of infants are to provide a bottle if needed. Parents of diapered children will be called to change diapers. A small snack is served and infants can be fed according to their normal schedule. We do ask that you occasionally provide a snack or a drink. There is a list of snack items needed posted in the sibling care room or you can ask the provider. A portable crib is available.

Ill Children For the protection of your child, as well as the other children, Please keep your child home if he/ she displays any of the following symptoms during the 24-hour period before coming to sib care: Temperature of 99 degrees or above by the mouth Vomiting or diarrhea Rash Sore or discharging eyes or ears PROFUSE RUNNY NOSE

Separation Problems The caregiver will do everything possible to make your child feel happy and comfortable. However, if your child continues to be upset for an extended period of time, the caregiver will contact you. Please be sure to list your location when you sign your child in at sibling care. (The schedule is on the next page.) Page 7

Sibling Care Starts October 22nd – Call for reservations.

Sibling Care Hours for the 2014-2015 Year: Wednesday 9:30-12 – Drop In / Appointments Thursday 9:30-12 – Drop In / Appointments Friday 9:30-12 – Appointment only – 24 hours in advance Important note regarding Drop in days Wednesday and Thursday: There is room for 5 children at one time, so to assure a spot for your child during drop in time, an appointment is still recommended. Call Lisa Ost at 651-484-9337 – for appointments or questions ** Open Early Dates ** Wednesday 10-1-14 from 9:30 – 12 – Drop In / Appointments Wednesday 10-8-14 from 9:30 – 12 – Drop In / Appointments

The Lunch and Recess Schedule can also be found on the Rice Lake website at www.isd12.org/rle

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