|
|
Summit Press
"Ringing in the New Year!"
|
January 2009
Volume 5, Issue 5  |
|
|
|
Greetings!
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We are looking forward to a wonderful new year at the Summit Press. The staff members have been working hard to bring you the highlights at Summit, new articles, and editorials from some of our awesome Summit Press reporters! We hope you enjoy each and every issue!
Happy Reading,
The Summit Press Staff
|
 Principal's Corner
By Mr. Owen
Dear Parents,
As we enter a new year it is a time to reflect on last year and think about how we can improve things for the next year. This is why the concept of putting forth New Year's resolutions each year is popular as people look forward to positive changes each year. The idea behind a resolution is resolving to do something for the future. The purpose of a resolution is to change areas of ourselves or our environment with the purpose of making it better. At Summit Elementary School you may see changes taking place in how we go about providing your children with the best education possible. These changes would be in an effort to improve how we do business at school.
I challenge everyone, staff, students, and parents alike to look at ways to improve themselves and then resolve to effect that change in you. Whether it's taking a course to improve understanding in an area that someone may be teaching, or intentionally setting aside time immediately once you get home to do your homework, or setting aside time in your calendar to read for thirty minutes each day with your child. It doesn't matter which category you fall into, or whether you decide to choose something else as your resolution. What matters is that each day you look for ways to make it better than the day before. That's what we try to do at Summit Elementary School.
Eric Owen
Principal, Summit Elementary School
Back To Top
|
The New Year Is Here!
By Caitlan Thorne and Kelsey Moore
2009 is Here! Are you excited about the New Year? Do you want the New Year to come? This may be sad, but all of the fifth graders are not going to be at Summit anymore, we will be at the middle school in the spring. In the New Year...everyone will be moving up a grade, so if you are in fourth grade, you will be in fifth grade, and so on...
In the New year, when you start school, you will have all of your Christmas presents! Isn't that terrific?!? So look forward to all of the positives in the New Year....growing up, growing older, and learning more!
Half-Way Over?!
By Milena Barnes and Cydney Sewell
Well the holiday season is over and school is half-way over! Soon it will be the end of the year and the fifth graders will be prepare for middle school. I, Milena Barnes, will be off to San Diego, California. I will miss all of the teachers and students at Summit Elementary. I enjoyed being here and participating in Summit Singers, Sky Skippers, and Summit Press. Thank you all for a wonderful time and enjoy the rest of the year!
Thank you for reading this article! (Nothing was hurt during the making of this article!)
|
Summit Highlights
Fifth Grade Science
By Rebecca Mijares
In fifth grade the students had a mystery to solve. We have been trying to find who stole the science projects and where the projects are. Each day, we would have a lesson on things like the scientfic method and how to do a proficient project. Then we would have a PI assignment. Depending on what grade we got on the PI, we would get footsteps. If we had enough footsteps, we could get into a wing and find out about the room in it. Then we did a clue card assignment. If we received 100%, we would get three clues. This science unit has been very enjoyable.
Bug Busters
By Caitlan Thorne and Kelsey Moore
Bug Busters is a club that was started by Mrs. Battin and Mr. Tuttle. It is for 5th graders who are interested in technology. Bug Busters is where 5th graders adopt teachers and help them with their technological difficulties. Every week we eat one lunch with them on Monday, during first recess. During our meetings, we will be discussing Bug Busters, and we will be "in training". Bug Busters are chosen by Mr. Tuttle and Mrs. Battin, who will go through the applicants and pick the most qualified candidates. So if you are a 5th grader, and you would like to be in Bug Busters, you will have to wait until next semester to fill out an application and be chosen for this wonderful new club!
Why Can't Students Wear Flip Flops?
By Emily Weeden and Jane Mack
Even though it is winter, we wondered why students can't wear flip flops at school. Teachers get to wear them, so why can't we? We decided to take a survey of students and teachers to see who is for wearing flip flops and who is against wearing flip flops. We went around the school and tallied up our results. There are 361 people who would like to wear flip flops (in the warmer months of course) and 100 people were against wearing flip flops. Even Miss Porter wants to wear flip flops! Maybe that rule will change in the upcoming months, we will see!
Teacher of the Month
By McGwire Camp
The Summit Press will be picking a teacher to highlight each month, so that you can learn more about the wonderful staff at Summit Elementary. The teacher of the month for January is Mr. Lang. Here are some of the questions that I asked Mr. Lang and his responses:
Q: What is your favorite thing to do after school?
A: Go and exercise
Q: What is your favorite sport?
A: Wrestling and rugby
Q: Why did you want to become a teacher?
A: I like working with kids.
Q: If you had a different job, what would it be?
A: I would work with the ski patrol at one of the resorts.
Q: What is your favorite season?
A: Winter
Q: What is your favorite subject to teach?
A: I enjoy teaching science.
Q: Do you enjoy the kids in your class?
A: Yes, I do!
Q: Do you like your job?
A: I love it!
Q: What is your favorite type of sandwich?
A: Three meat with cheese
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: Ski and hike
So there you have it, stay tuned for more information on February's teacher of the month.
The Susie Royer Syke Literacy Fellowship
The Susie Royer Syke Literacy Fellowship honors the memory of a extraordinary teacher, Susie Royer Syke. She was an exceptional educator in Douglas County, who taught with compassion and kindness. Her life was cut short due to a tragic accident. This fellowship provides scholarships to teachers, to help further their education through workshops, conferences and other educational opportunities. Through these experiences teachers gain an understanding of best practices in the area of literacy. These grants are awarded to deserving literacy educators throughout the state of Colorado. Mrs. Keefer, fourth grade teacher at Summit Elementary, was a recipient for this award and will be using this gift to attend the CCIRA Literacy Conference in Denver, February 6-7.
Back To Top
|
Poetry Corner
Ice Skating
By Jessica Neumann
Ice Skating is fun,
If you know how to do it,
First you need skates,
Then you tie them.
Get on the ice,
In no time you will be whirling and twirling,
Now you are a pro,
Round once more.
Championships are coming,
Don't be scared,
You won,
You won.
You are a real pro,
Keep practicing,
More and more,
More medals.
Nothing to do? Try taking ice skating lessons this winter.
Back to Top
|
Webkinz!
By Rebecca Mijares
A lot of people have these stuffed animals called Webkinz. They are not just a ball of fluff, shaped like an animal; you can even play online with your adopted pet. Once you start, you make up a password and a username. You start out with one room. This is where your Webkinz lives and sleeps. Also, you can decorate it and buy more rooms with "Kinzcash". You can get money by playing games in the arcade. You can also go on a vacation with your pets (but of course it costs money!). If you have a friend that has a Webkinz, you can be friends online. All you have to do is go to your cell phone and click "add". You enter your friend's username in the space. If your buddy wants to be a friend then you can play games together.
The Greyhound
By Rebecca Mijares
You may have heard about the Greyhound. As you probably know it is a dog breed. This dog is very fast and can run up to 40 mph. It can live 10-12 years and is very easy to groom. The coat can be any dog color and the coat is very short. These dogs were bred for speed, so it is very aerodynamic. In some places there are Greyhound races. The condition of the races is not always humane, so it is illegal in some states. Altogether, this is a very amazing dog for both the speed and the looks!
(Facts found at www.dogbreedinfo.com)
|
Is Curly Hair the Knack or the Failing "Crash and Burn" Aspect of the Future?
By Zak Hess
Matthew Cox thinks, "Curly hair stinks!" He has a lot of naturally curly hair, so he knows, first-hand, what it is like to have curly hair. I asked several students what they think of the "curly hair look" and here is what they had to say:
Joey Ereon just laughed, he thinks curly hair is funny.
Kourtney Cox said, "Curly hair looks good."
Cydney Sewell and Milena Barnes replied, "We don't have curly hair!"
Lauren Mitchell just shook her head in disbelief!
Christian Cox said, " Sometimes it is so thick it looks like a bush!"
Rebecca Mijares said, " Curly hair can be too curly!"
Although there are many hairstyles, we all need to appreciate our unique style and look. So whether your hair is curly, short, straight, or long, celebrate who you are! There is no one else just like you! Maybe curly hair is the knack!
Back to Top
|
Kingdom Hearts
By Noah Dodge
Kingdom Hearts is just a video game.....or that's what you think. It is a video game about a boy named Sora, please do not think he is a girl, he is not. Okay? Good. Maybe later you will see pictures of Sora and friends in Kingdom Hearts. You get a chance to fight "nobodies", heartless and much more! It is fun....really, really fun! You can collect money and spend money by buying stuff, like potions, magic, etc. Kingdom Hearts, in my opinion, is the best game on earth! They are going to make another game soon. They have five Kingdom Hearts games out right now: Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts, Final Mix, and Kingdom Hearts Final Fantasy. Now do you want to play Kingdom Hearts? It is a lot of fun!
Back to Top
|
The Weather in Divide
By Chris Helland and Trent Foky
We have had a little snow lately and it has been really cold so remember to bring an emergency kit in your car and bring warm clothing. We also wanted to thank Mr. Arseneau for helping us on our article, in our last issue.
Here are our monthly weather driving tips, if your rear wheels spin:
* Take your foot off of the accelerator
* Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they are sliding right, steer right.
* If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
* If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
* If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse--this is normal.
Here are more driving tips if your front wheels skid:
* Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediatley.
* As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
For more driving facts and information, go to The Weather Channel.com
Back to Top
|
Summit Sports Pages
Watch for upcoming articles and sports highlights from our very own sports reporters: Joey Ereon, Matthew Cox, and Zak Hess.
Back to Top
|
The Infamous Guess Who??
Guess Who has become a tradition here at Summit Elementary, so see how well you know some of our staff members.
Watch for Upcoming "Guess Who" Clues!
Back to Top
|
Comics-By Ryan Curtis and Christian Cox
Back to Top
|
Art News-By Mrs. Ratzlaff
Watch for upcoming news!
Back to Top
|
Music Notes-By Miss Baker
January
Special thanks to
Mrs. Angie Keefer
for accompanying
us at our
All-School Holiday
Sing-Along
Summit Music
Program Dates and Times
Mark your calendars
now for another exciting season of Summit musicals! All grade level programs are on Thursday
evenings starting at 7:00p.m.
2:00 P.M. -- 2nd
grade February 5th, 2009
1st
grade March
12th 2009
Kindergarten April 23rd, 2009
MUSICPACMAN
Do you remember maneuvering through a maze gobbling up points and
trying to escape ghosts in the video game Pacman? If so, you are probably a
child of the 80s like me. "Vintage"
games like this one are also making a comeback on modern gaming systems.
(Although, for me, nothing beats an arcade for the Pacman experience.)
The
beginning of 2009 was a perfect time to bring back (by popular demand) my
version of "music" Pacman. It proved a
fabulous way for students to reinforce their music skills.
Before
each student's turn they identified a music note or a combination of notes and
how many beats the note or notes were worth.
It was up to each individual student to collect "dots" from the maze
equal to the number of beats shown.
Students worked together as a team to scramble through the giant floor
maze, pick up colored dots and score points.
Ghosts were hiding to catch them and a false move like stepping on a
line or jumping over a line cost them their turn.
Not
only does this game teach music note recognition and beat counting, but it also
teaching strategy, teamwork, counting by ones, fives and tens and simple
addition. Plus, it is FUN! It is a
favorite game at Summit
for students and for me. After our school-wide tournament we
will follow up this activity with a written quiz over the music notes and their
beats. I have no doubt that Summit students will
score high.
* True music must repeat
the thought and inspirations of the people and the time. My people are
Americans and my time is today.-George Gershwin
It's RECORDER time!
Third, fourth and fifth graders will begin a recorder
unit this month. Recorders are great
beginning instruments for students to learn to play. Our unit will include learning about
breathing, posture, playing the correct fingerings, reading printed music,
counting, making good sounds, and more.
The third graders will focus on three notes, all using their left
hand. Fourth and fifth graders will
expand on their knowledge by adding their right hand for some new notes, and
fifth graders will add more notes for both left and right hand.
All students will need a recorder. So, look under the bed or in the closet and
find your recorder to send to school.
Don't have one? They are
available for purchase from Miss Baker and order forms were sent home with your
child.
We will be again be using "Be a Recorder
Star" by Dr. Ed Sueta, so there are also books and neck straps available, too.
Summit
sends three boys to the All City BoyChoir Festival in Colorado Springs
Riley
Manzo, Henry Netherton and Russell Warner will be joining hundreds of other
boys from the Colorado Springs area for the sixth annual All-City BoyChoir
Festival in Colorado Springs. The boys
will have music rehearsals that culminate in a performance at the end of this
month. NO GIRLS ALLOWED! I am very proud of these boys and know that
they will represent our school well.
Russell attended last year, and when I asked him to describe his
experience he summed it up in one word, "Awesome!"
I think
it is just great that our Woodland Park RE-2 school district has 15 elementary
boys that will be attending this year.
If you would like information on the concert and ticket prices, please
let me know. We would love to have you come and support our boys.
RECORDER
KARATE
Bring your
enthusiasm, love for music and positive attitudes to practice every Tuesday
before school from 8:00-8:30 a.m. starting on January 27 and lasting through
Spring Break because it's BACK!
Recorder karate is a great way to increase
your skills playing recorder and you'll earn "belts" for your recorder as you
master songs that get more and more challenging. It will be a non-performing group open to 30
students maximum in fourth and fifth grade.
Application/enrollment forms are available from Miss Baker.
**Just a note to
parents: Rest assured that Recorder
Karate will not involve robes, high kicks or breaking lumber!
*
Music grades will be included on
the 2nd quarter progress reports and again at the completion of 4th
quarter.
I am available if you'd like to
meet to discuss your child's musical skills.
* Is your child interested in taking private piano,
guitar, voice, or woodwinds lessons?
I have a list of names and phone
numbers for several private music teachers in the area and I would be glad to
send a copy home with your child.
*
Summit will now be collecting Tyson Project A+ labels from
Tyson frozen foods products. The labels
are worth 24 cents each and the program is similar to "Box Tops For
Education." Please cut and bring in your
labels to Summit and put them in the jar outside the music room. Then, when we have collected a lot of labels,
we'll redeem them for money that will be divided equally between Music, Art and
P.E. for equipment, supplies and student needs in the specials areas. This will be an ongoing project that we hope
to continue each year.
Miss Baker is the contact person if you have any questions
about the fundraiser.
|
PTSO Meetings
Future PTSO meetings will be held at 4:30 in the Summit Library.
The dates are as follows:
January 12
February 9
March 9
April 13
May 11
We hope to see you there!
Back to Top
|
Community Events
From the Computer of Happy Hands Children's Museum
January 6, 2009
The Lighter Side of Christmas Parade
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped with our entry in the Lighter Side of Christmas parade this year. So, thank you Alpine Electric, Bad Rock Automotive Powertrains, Champion's Before and After School Care, Brighter Learning Books, Electricians On Call, the Schnierle Family, Spencer Miller of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Starbird Satellite, Tastefully Simple, Texas Roadhouse on 8th Street, Tiffiny's Salon, all who helped with decorating (and undecorating) and the approximately 60 or so people who turned out to walk with us. We are so proud to have received the Grand Marshal Award. Thank you so much for your support.
What's Next?
We are having a Lia Sophia jewelry Fund Raiser.
Jan Special: Buy 1 and Get 2 Half Price (The most expensive can be the ones half off.)
Sat. Jan 17 6:30 p.m. 1365 Leslie Circle in Northwoods off Northwoods Drive West
Call 686-7774 or 687-4365 for directions or more information.
We are also looking for grants so that we can raise money for a feasibility study.
If you have any questions or would like to help, don't hesitate to call us. Thank you for your support.
Sheri Hiteshew
Miriam LeBold
Sherry Marshall
Andrea Matthews
Spencer Miller
Nina Richards
Doreen Ward
Patty Woods
Happy Hands Children's Museum
Mailing Address: 551 Taopi Lane Woodland Park, CO 80863
Phone: 687-4365 FAX: 687-2055
E-mail: childrensmuseuminwp@yahoo.com
Back To Top
|
Upcoming Calendar of Activities
Friday, January 16
NO SCHOOL
Monday, January 19
NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, January 20
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:00 a.m. - Summit Sounds
8:15 a.m. - 5th Grade Book Club
4:00 p.m. - K Kids - Cafeteria
Wednesday, January 21
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
Thursday, January 22
7:45 a.m. - Student Council - room 201
3:00 p.m. - Ms. Crade's Reader's Theatre - room 106
Friday, January 23
7:45 a.m. - Newspaper
2:50 p.m. - Jump Rope for Heart Kick Off Assembly
Monday, January 26
7:30 a.m. - Jump Rope for Heart Demo Team
12:15 p.m. - Bug Busters - LMC
Tuesday, January 27
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:00 a.m. - Summit Sounds
8:15 a.m. - 5th Grade Book Club
Wednesday, January 28
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
1:50 p.m. - Early Dismissal
Thursday, January 29
Friday, January 30
Monday, February 2
7:30 a.m. - Jump Rope for Heart Demo Team
12:15 p.m. - Bug Busters - LMC
Tuesday, February 3
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:00 a.m. - Summit Sounds
8:15 a.m. - 5th Grade Book Club
4:00 p.m. - K Kids - Cafeteria
Wednesday, February 4
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
Class Pictures Today (Information will be sent home)
Thursday, February 5
7:45 a.m. - Student Council
7:00 p.m. - 2nd Grade Music Program - Gym
Friday, February 6
7:45 a.m. - Newspaper
.
Back to Top
|
In Our Next Issue:
* CSAP is On the Way!
* Editorials
* Current Events
* Valentine's Day
* Summit Highlights
* Much, Much More!
Summit Elementary School
490 Meadow Park Drive
Divide, CO 80814
719-686-2401
www.wpsdk12.org
| |
|
|
|
|
Purchase a Summit T-Shirt Today! Check out our new logo designed by Summit Fifth Grader Milena Barnes!
New T-Shirts: $10
(Youth S,M,L, Adult S,M,L,XL)
Old T-Shirts: $5
(Youth S,L)
Old Long Sleeve T-Shirts: $5
(Adult S)
Old Sweatshirts: $10
(Adult S,M)
* Other items for sale through PTSO:
Beanie Eagles: $5
Show your school spirit and pride! Order today!
|
|
|
|
|
|
