November 8, 2016

Picture Retake Day is tomorrow, Wednesday, November 9th.  If your child started at Lincoln after our original picture day, or if they were absent that day, they will be photographed regardless of whether pictures are purchased or not.  We need their picture for their lunch cards and for our yearbook.  If you were unhappy with your original pictures, please return your child's complete picture packet and email both their teacher and Mrs. Trumbley (jtrumbley@sjschools.org) and indicate you want your child to have their picture retaken.

3rd & 4th Grade Gymnastics Class will begin Monday, November 14th and meet on Mondays for six (6) weeks.  Information is available in the office, but this is open to the first 15 3rd & 4th grade students to enroll and pay the $20 registration fee.  Registration information is available in the office. Our instructor is Mrs. Cheryl Zuhl, retired SJHS Health and Physical Education teacher and coach.  If you have any questions about the class, please email Mrs. Zuhl directly at cherylzzuhl@gmail.com.

PTO Movie Night is currently scheduled for this Friday, November 11 from 6:00 p.m. until the end of the movie, Finding Nemo at Lincoln School.  This will be cancelled if we don't get parent volunteers to help make popcorn, and sell popcorn and bottled water.  An announcement on whether our movie night will happen will be made on our morning news Friday morning.  Students must be accompanied by an adult.  No outside food, nor beverages are allowed.  The only exception to our outside food/beverage rule is for students that we have documentation on for a known food allergy.

So, if you can volunteer and help make this event happen, please email our PTO President Amy Biggins at akbiggins@hotmail.com by 3:00 p.m. this Thursday, November 10th.  Hopefully this fun, family event will happen!  If it does, bring your lawn chair, or sleeping bag and pillow, and a couple of dollars for popcorn and water.  Let's make this happen for our students! 

Spelling Team is open for all interested 3rd through 5th graders.  All interested students will take a written test during their lunch recess.  Once all written tests have been completed, the field will be narrowed down to our top 12 spellers.  Those top 12 spellers will get the opportunity to study for the upcoming Lincoln Spelling Bee where our team will be narrowed down to our top 3 plus 1 alternate. Our top 3 get the chance to participate in our local Cloverleaf Spelling Bee sponsored by Berrien RESA where the top finisher will then get to represent Berrien County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.  Although many students took the written test today, due to a lot of students being out sick, those 3rd through 5th grade students absent today should make arrangements with Mrs. Gruchot in the Media Center to take the written test during their lunch recess by next Tuesday, November 15th.  And, because we have half-days this Thursday & Friday, students may see if Mrs. Gruchot is available to give the written test at another time during the school day that works for her and your child's classroom teacher.

Half-Days THIS Thursday (11/10) & Friday (11/11) Please don't forget that students are dismissed at 12:05 p.m. on half-days and we have half-days this Thursday and Friday (NO late start Wednesday tomorrow 11/9).  All students must be picked up by 12:15 p.m. on our half-days.

Morning Drop-off Time Reminder  Students whom are eating breakfast or are part of our LINK news, or Bear Credit Union teams may be dropped off at 8:00 a.m., but not before.  Students neither eating breakfast, nor part of our LINK or Bear Credit Union teams are not to be dropped before 8:15 a.m.

Baby it's COLD outside, or getting there  Please be sure students are appropriately dressed for school and for going outside for recess.  This time of year, students should dress in layers, and please do not send your children in shorts again until the weather breaks in the spring.  Students will go outside for recess year-round unless the temperature (with or without windchill) dips below 10* Farenheit, or unless it's raining significantly.  Thanks for being sure your children are dressed appropriately for school and the weather!

PTO's Annual Student Sit-down Thanksgiving Luncheon is scheduled for Monday, November 21st.  Students are encouraged to dress nicely this day and purchase hot-lunch.  Be on the lookout for more specific lunch times and another opportunity to volunteer.  This is an absolute wonderful event where students eat with their buddies, are entertained by our Kindergarten students, and served an awesome Thanksgiving Dinner by our amazing kitchen staff and our super parent & grandparent volunteers.  One of my most favorite days at Lincoln School!  Don't miss it, volunteer now!!!  Please contact Mrs. Trumbley at 926-3700 or jtrumbley@sjschools.org if you're able to volunteer.'

Field Trip Money is still being collected!  Remember, we ask families to contribute $5 per child with the maximum contribution of $10 per family, towards our field trip fund.  We hope our Parent/Family donations will be about 1/3 of our Field Trip fund.  Our Lincoln PTO and our School District each contribute 1/3 of our Field Trip fund.  Thanks for helping out and continuing to make field trips for our students a part of their educational experience!

Playground Equipment & Our Playground (before, during, and after school) Thanks to the generosity of those who donated Box Tops and Campbell Soup Labels, each grade level (Y5-5) at Lincoln School now has their own equipment bag full of playground balls, jump ropes, and sidewalk chalk.  Each ball is labeled with the grade level of the bag it came out of.  Balls left on the playground at the end of each recess are put on the shelf for two weeks and students are not allowed to use equipment from another grade level's equipment bag.  So, students are NOT to bring balls from home to be used on the playground.  And, students are well aware of the rule that footballs and soccer balls are NOT to be used on the pavement or in the mulch area ever.  The exception to this rule... our younger grade levels, with Nerf footballs are allowed to use those on the pavement.  NO balls should ever be used on the mulch area.

Lunch Debt Notices are sent home each Thursday afternoon with your child.  Students/Families who owe money, up to $12.24 will receive a purple slip of paper indicating the amount owned.  Students/Families who owe $12.25 or more will receive a letter in an enclosed envelope and will have their lunch cards removed from use.  Students whose lunch cards are removed are still fed, but are limited to a choice of a sandwich and milk.  And, students/families are charged for the sandwich meal.  I know life is hectic, but please be sure your child has money on their lunch account.  We all know it's not the student's problem, but let's work together to resolve any lunch debt so we can prevent having to pull student lunch cards.  Any questions regarding lunch accounts should be directed to Mrs. Demrhy Youngquist, our Food Service Director, at dyoungquist@sjschools.org.

FREE Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be held November 24th, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Public House 9151 First Street, Baroda, MI 49101.  If possible, reservations are appreciated by November 20th and can be made by calling 269-326-7059 or emailing at hello@roundbarnpublichouse.com.  For those who are able, there is a $15 suggested donation.

Thanksgiving Break begins at 12:05 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23rd and Lincoln School wishes everyone a very safe and relaxing Thanksgiving break.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from our Lincoln School Staff!