An Opportunity for Our International Students

Student Culture Event sponsored by Mrs. Lear (3rd Grade Teacher, Brown School)

Calling all International Students... Come share your experiences so far in local schools with other elementary students new to the United States. Learn about upcoming United States holidays and traditions and taste some student favorite foods.

Turkey, gravy, and stuffing will be provided for tasting by Bistro on the Boulevard.

Class Time: November 16th from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Saint Joseph Public Library 

Sign up link: https://goo.gl/forms/28kOhtcGQSYB5ayF3

11/11/16 Movie Night CANCELLED

My apololgies, but PTO's Movie night and showing of Finding Nemo, scheduled for tomorrow evening, Friday, November 11 at Lincoln School at 6:00 p.m. has been cancelled due to a shortage of volunteers.  Be on the look-out for other volunteer opportunities coming soon... Thanksgiving Luncheon, Pancake Breakfast, Book Fair, Ice Skating, and another Movie Night scheduled for Friday, January 20th.

Lunch Accounts
It's Thursday!  Please check your child's backpack &/or daily folder today!  Students/Families that owe money on their lunch account will receive notice today.  These notices are sent out each Thursday.

If your account is over for an amount up to $12.24, then you receive a purple notice slip.

If your account is over $12.25 or more, then you will receive a letter in an envelope and your child's lunch card will be pulled on Monday, November 14th unless payment is made so less than $12.25 is owed on the account.  If your child's lunch card is pulled, they will only be able to choose an alternative lunch (soybutter & jelly or a cheese sandwich, fruit, vegetable and milk).

Our free and reduced lunch program is a wonderful program for our kids, and the kids, nor staff ever know who is or is not on the program.

If you would like a free and reduced lunch application, please stop by the office, or let Mr. Wagner know and he'll send one home in an envelope with your child.

Lunch accounts are charged for a full lunch even when a child has to have one of the alternative lunches.  Families who are awaiting for their free and reduced lunch application approval are responsible for payment of lunches taken/eaten prior to approval.

When lunch cards have to be pulled, it puts school personnel in a tough situation.  We do NOT want to be the ones who have to explain to a child why they have to have an alternative lunch, a lunch they generally do not want.  This is the responsibility of the child's parent.

November 9, 2017

Thank you to our PTO President, Amy Biggins for organizing today's Staff Appreciation Dinner, and to all our wonderful Lincoln Parents who provided just amazing soups, lasagna, salads, breads, desserts, pop, water, and plates, bowls, napkins, and plastic-ware!  Simply delicious and so very appreciated by our Lincoln Staff during Parent Teacher Conference time!  Thanks again!!!

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!

OCTOBER 17, 2016

ULTIMATE RECESS! A Call for HELP

Because our Lincoln Students went above and beyond our 2016 Laps for Lincoln GOAL, ALL classrooms have earned the Ultimate Recess.

The Ultimate Recess consists of 8 stations (2 bouncy house, 1 face painting, and 5 athletic/game stations).

Groups of students spend approximately 10 minutes at each station.

But, we can’t do this without HELP from parents & grandparents!

Below is the schedule for our Ultimate Recess (weather permitting):

Thursday, October 20 (C Day)                                                       Volunteers Arrive

8:43-10:19 am          2^nd Mrs. Laukus & 3^rd Mrs. Ettinger                         8:00 am

10:19-11:55 am        2^nd Miss Donohue & 5^th Mrs. Briney-Kelm             10:00 am

12:10-1:46 pm          Y5s Mrs. Schmidt & 4^th Mrs. Goniwiecha               11:50 am

1:46-3:22 pm             1^st Mrs. Robertson & 4^th Mrs. Abbott                      1:30 pm

3:22-4:00 pm             Station break-down crew                                          3:20 pm

Friday, October 21 (D Day)                                                                        Volunteers Arrive

8:43-10:19 am          1^st Ms. Harmening & 3^rd Mrs. Peek                          8:00 am

10:19-11:55 am        K Mrs. Bartz & 5^th Miss Rajewski                            10:00 am

12:10-1:46 pm          K Mrs. Mutschler & 4^th Mrs. Alsbro                        11:50 am

1:46-3:22 pm            2^nd Ms. Borah & 5^th Mrs. Holzapfel                         1:30 pm

3:22-4:00 pm                        Station break-down crew                                         3:20 pm

We REALLY need 8 volunteers from each classroom to make this work, 4 to man the stations & 4 to stay with each classroom group.  Can you PLEASE give an hour and a half to two hours to help make this work?

If you are able to help, please email Mrs. Trumbley at JTrumbley@sjschools.org by noon this Wednesday, October 19^th.

Thank you!

itsLearing Parent Accounts

Attention Parents:  Please remember to activate your itsLearning parent account so you can log into the system and receive classroom information from your child’s teacher.  As well as building information from the office.  You'll want to monitor the Lincoln Elementary Group and your child/childrens' Teacher's Course(s).

Directions for activating your account can be found at this link:  

https://sjschools.org/images/District/Using_the_itsLearning_Parent_Portal.pdf

A short video tutorial for activating your account and navigating the system can be found by clicking this link:  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3DvAdAoKTFhUHZ1ZHRodkxRR2s/view?usp=sharing  

If you are having trouble activating your itsLearning Parent Account, please don't hesitate to contact me or Mrs. Trumbley in the office.

Thanks for taking time to register for this important communication tool!

Title I Parent Meeting

If your child is receiving Title I support in the area of Reading &/or Math, you should have received an invitation to attend one of two Title I Information Meetings for Parents at Lincoln School.  You need only to attend one of these meetings.  Meetings are scheduled for Monday, October 24 at 10:00 am or 5:30 pm at Lincoln School.  Child care will be provided at the 5:30 pm meeting if enough RSVP's are received showing interest in child care.  Please see information in invite you should have received.  

If you are unable to attend, please ask your child's teacher for information at Parent Teacher Conferences, or call me at (269)-926-3700.

Volunteers & Volunteer Consent Form

The St. Joseph Public Schools recognizes that certain programs and activities can be enhanced through the use of volunteers. Any volunteer who works with or has access to students shall submit to a criminal history records check, prior to being allowed to participate in any activity or program. Any person who volunteers to work with the District shall be screened through the internet sites for the Public Sex Offenders Registry (PSOR) list, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) criminal history records check and the Offender TrackingInformation System (OTIS) prior to being allowed to participate in any activity or program.

Our Volunteer Consent Form must be completed annually and can be picked up in the office.

Halloween Parties & Parade:

A.  Lincoln’s Halloween Parties and Parade WILL be on Halloween, Monday, October 31st, NOT Friday, October 28th.

B.  Students may get into costumes beginning at 1:45 pm.  Costumes are not to be worn to school.

C.  Our Halloween Parade will begin at 2:00 pm or shortly after.  Weather permitting, the parade will be outside on the blacktop portion of our playground.  Parents/Grandparents wishing to see the parade of costumes should first sign in at the office, obtain a visitor badge, and proceed to the playground.  Please surround the outer edge of the playground pavement.

D.  Classroom parties are limited to 1 hour.  You can check your child's teacher's itsLearnng site to find out when your child's party will be.

E.  Halloween COSTUMES are NOT to be too bloody, gutsy, or gory!  Students may NOT carry weapons, even fake ones (knives, machetes, guns, etc.) without prior approval from Mr. Wagner. We are also concerned about clown costumes, but will NOT tell a child they can’t wear one.  Please     remind your child, if a student wears a clown costume, that it’s just that, a costume.

Operation Coats

Each November the members of Women’s Service League collect and distribute thousands of free coats to men, women and children living in Berrien County. Coat drop boxes are set up throughout the twin cities for community members and organizations to donate gently used coats and jackets of all shapes and sizes.

Lincoln School has a collection box and coats will be accepted through October 28th.

If you or your children are in need of a warm, slightly used, winter coat, Operation Coats distribution day for 2016 is:                              Thursday, November 3rd
                                 Salvation Army, Benton Harbor
                                 OPENS TO THE PUBLIC FROM 10AM-11AM

Road Closure

Lincoln Avenue and Vineland Road will be closed for repairs October 17 through November 4. While this is not in the Lincoln bussing area, it could very well delay our Lincoln busses due to detours.

Food Service and Balance Due

Students with a negative balance food service accoun are given notices each Thursday to bring home to their parents.  Please check your child's folder / backpack each Thursday.  These notices are on purple slips of paper.  When a child's negative balance reaches, or exceeds, $12.25 at the elementary level, a letter in a sealed envelope addressed to "The Parents of..." is sent home.  Students whose accounts are $12.25 or more in the red will have their lunch cards pulled and will either need to bring a lunch and drink from home, or will be limited to a selection of a choice of one of two sandwiches until their account is paid.  And, at the same time, they are charged for that lunch.  While we know a negative balance is not the fault of the child, and we will continue to be sure they have something for lunch, this is a debt the District can no longer carry.  If you are in receipt of a letter indicating your child's account is at, or in excess of $12.25, please pay, or complete a free and reduced lunch application. That is what this program is for.  Charges continue to accumulate until the application is processed and approved.  You will be notified whether your application is approved or denied.  All debt incurred prior to application approval is still the responsibility of the parents.

Community Corkboard

Under the Parent tab on our Lincoln or District web-site, you will find a Community Corkboard tab. Information about upcoming community events and elementary community athletic/rec programs can be found here. Below is a link to the Community Corkboard:

https://www.sjschools.org/lincoln-elementary-parents/community-cork-board-lincoln

Check out the Candy Buy Back Program!  Pretty cool idea.

Art Festival

Berrien County Cancer Service, Inc. is sponsoring Art Festival on Thursday, November 10 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Box Factory for the Arts (1101 Broad St., St. Joseph, MI 49085).  For more information, go to www.bccancerservice.org or call (269)-429-3281.

The Flu and Our School

1  Hygiene Counts

     Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or your elbow.. NOT your hands!

2  Flu Vaccine Works

     Be brave and get vaccinated against the Flu.

3  Sick?  Stay Home

     Do you feel crummy today?  Headache, body aches, fever, sneezing, coughing?  Help keep our            school healthy.  Stay home when you are sick.

Flu Prevention pamphlets provided by the Berrien County Health Department (BCHD) are available in the office.

Rosetta Stone Foreign Language is Coming

Our hope is to start our Rosetta Stone Foreign Language group on November 1st.  English Language Learners are assigned first.  After that, as we have a limited number of licenses, we send information home for 3rd - 5th graders.  If licenses remain after that, we then send the information home for K - 2nd graders.  

This program will be held one day per six-day cycle here at school during your child's lunch recess time.  And, students in the program have access to use this program at home as well.

Thank You!

I want to thank Parent Volunteers Mallory Getty & Mandy Pfeiffer for organizing another successful Laps for Lincoln! Great job Ladies!  I also want to thank all of our parent volunteers who helped in so many ways, especially counting money during the event.  A huge thank you also to all of our sponsors for their support, and to our students for their efforts and Parents and Staff for supporting this wonderful event!  Have to also thank our Bears that wore that hot costume the night of our event, Elias Coar and Sophie Wagner.  Thank you all so much!  Our School, Students, and Staff are the benefactors of your generosity!

OCTOBER 7th UPDATE...

Laps for Lincoln & Piggin' n' Grinnin' Tailgate is tonight, Friday, October 7th from 5:00-8:00 pm at SJHS Dickinson Stadium.  Hope to see everyone at this Fun, Fantastic, Family event and PTO Annual Fundraiser for Lincoln School.  Bring your appetites, blankets, and lawn chairs and enjoy a little tailgating prior to our walk-a-thon.  Congratulations to the following classrooms for already meeting or exceeding their classroom goal and earning the "ultimate recess":
     Miss Donohue's 2nd Grade
     Ms. Borah's 2nd Grade
     Mrs. Ettinger's 3rd Grade
     Mrs. Peek's 3rd Grade
     Mrs. Alsbor's 4th Grade

BCHD Vision & Hearing Screening is Monday, October 10th.  Students in Kindergarten are screened for hearing while students in grades 1, 3, and 5 have both their hearing and vision screened. If there are any concerns as a result of the vision and hearing screenings, parents will be notified by the Berrien County Health Department.

Fall 2016 NWEA & Spring 2016 M-STEP Test Results will be sent home with students today, Friday, October 7th.  Kindergarten and First grade students will receive NWEA reading and math results.  Second through Fifth grade students will receive NWEA reading, math, and language usage results.  Spring 2016 M-STEP results will be sent home with our current Fourth and Fifth grader students for the testing they participated in last spring.

If you have any questions regarding any NWEA or M-STEP results, please be sure to ask them when you meet with your child's teacher at Parent Teacher Conference.

Walk to School Wednesday was a success!  Look for the number of students that participated in our next blog.  I want to THANK Parent Volunteer, Marsha Osborn for organizing this event for Lincoln School and Mrs. BrineyKelm for supervising in my absence!  Thank you Marsha.  Thanks to all of our Parent Volunteers for making this possible:
     Tabatha Street, Sara Waters, Kelly Roche, Heather Fisbeck, Jeff Bieri, Amy Struwin, Kim Poole,        Dave Hammerschmidt, Amanda Grossman, Amber Clements, Sarah Strait, Erica Walsh, Jenni            Bush, and Shaun Schroeder

October PTO Meeting
Our next PTO meeting is Tuesday, October 18 at 7:00 pm in our Media Center.  Hope to see you here!

Community Corkboard
Be sure to occasionally check out our Community Corkboard on our District web-site.  This is where you'll find event and community event information for kids and families.  I've provided a link below to take you directly to the most recent corkboard.
     https://www.sjschools.org/sjps-parents/community-cork-board-district

Permission to Photograph/Videotape Release to Utilize
Please be on the lookout for a survey in messenger (you will receive via email) regarding School Board Policy 7540 F4 (Permission to Photograph/Videotape Release to Utilize).  This survey will give you the option to allow, or to NOT allow the use of your child's image, name, work product, school, and grade in media presentations (including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).  Thank you for participating in this upcoming survey!

Volunteers
While we love our Parent and Grandparent volunteers here at Lincoln School, Student Safety is of our utmost concern.  Because of this, we must follow SJPS School Board Policy 4120.08 - Volunteers.  A link to this policy is provided below:

Board Policy 4120.09 - Volunteers

All volunteers must complete and submit our "Confidential Volunteer Consent Form" and be cleared by our Central Office before you will be allowed to volunteer at Lincoln School or any school in our District.  A link to our Confidential Volunteer Consent Form can be found below and MUST be completed ANNUALLY.

CONFIDENTIAL VOLUNTEER CONSENT FORM - TO BE COMPLETED ANNUALLY

What is ACCESS?
Access is a non-denominational elementary youth group run by an outside group.  This is not a School sponsored club/activity, but they do meet at Lincoln School in Room 208 the second Tuesday of each month beginning this Tuesday, October 11th.  They meet from 8:10-8:25 am when they meet. Students are NOT allowed to attend without Parent permission.

Parent Teacher (PT) Conferences
Our expectation is that Teachers will meet with 100% of their Students' Parents for Fall Parent Teacher Conferences!  Our first Fall PT Conference days are Thursday, October 13 and Friday, October 14.  These will be Half-days for Students.  Students will be dismissed at 12:05 p.m. on half-days.  Our next PT Conference dates are November 10 and 11.  Thanks for attending Parent Teacher Conferences and for being an active participant in your child's education.  What's that saying... "It takes the entire village to raise a child."

CUB Students of the Month for September
Congratulations to our September CUB Students of the Month!  Because they were Caught Using our Bear Necessities, they were awarded with lunch on September 30th hosted by Mrs. Crawford, Ms. McElroy, Mrs. Warsow, and Mr. Wagner.  Way to go Lincoln September CUB Students!

     Clayton Floyd                          Kendra Hawkins
     Ben Kirshenbaum                    Kennedy Hawkins
     Madison Molineaux                 Jack Travis
     Avery Lannert                          Alyse Peden
     Maisy Gable                            Elizabeth Fisbeck
     Ja'Kobe Reed                           Nicole Cickoki
     Isla Strait                                 Emerson Flynn
     Gavin Wynegar                        Asher Tunnicliff