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La Liaison
A Publication of the Normandale PTO
December 5, 2014
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Coming Up
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DECEMBER
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Barnes & Noble Book Fair, Galleria, 9:00am-10:00pm |
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5th Grade Band Concert, 6:00pm |
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Late Start - All EPS schools start 2 hours late |
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Kindergarten Information Night, 7:00-8:30pm |
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Winter Parties |
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Winter Break begins |
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From the Principal
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Dear Normandale Families,
Research has shown that regular attendance and punctuality are two extremely important criteria when measuring a student's school success. In addition, they are two attributes that will positively or negatively affect an individual's success throughout their professional and personal lives. When a student is frequently absent or tardy, it results in interruptions and missed instruction that could delay and detract from the student's progress.
Good attendance is essential for strong academic performance and school achievement.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP FOSTER GOOD ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY?
- Establish routines to ensure punctuality. In many instances, morning procedures need only be altered by as little as five to ten minutes to ensure on-time arrival. Students should arrive at school between 8:15-8:25am. The tardy bell rings every day at 8:30am and students are expected to be in their classrooms ready to begin the day at that time.
- Schedule vacations and appointments outside of school time. If you do schedule a vacation during the school year, please fill out the Planned Absence Form.
- Set a schedule and routine for bedtime, morning wake-up, and transportation to school so time is not missed due to poor organization.
- Sign up for SchoolView so you know exactly how many days your student has been absent and tardy.
- Aim for 95% or better attendance every year! This represents less than nine days out of the school per year.
- Call Normandale's attendance line at 952-848-4102 if your student is absent. Do NOT call your student's teacher to report an absence.
WHAT WILL THE SCHOOL DO TO FOSTER GOOD ATTENDANCE?
- Our Attendance Team will monitor absences closely so families can remedy potential attendance problems.
- Families will be contacted if a student is frequently absent and/or tardy.
- If an attendance problem is identified, our Attendance Team will work with families to correct the problem.
- Chronic attendance issues may be referred to Hennepin County for intervention.
If you have questions about your student's attendance, please contact me at 952-848-4199.
Sincerely,
Chris Holden
Principal
Normandale Elementary School
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Kindergarten Sibling Preference
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Incoming Kindergarten Sibling Preference for 2015/16 School Year
For current Normandale families with a child who will be kindergarten age by September 2015, please remember that to receive "sibling preference" for Normandale, you must notify the district office by 6:00pm on January 12, 2015.
You should have already received your mailing from the district. Instead of an envelope this year, it is a 5-fold cardstock brochure with the pink Program Preference Form as one of the panels. There are different options this year for submitting your information:
1) You can tear the pink page off and mail it in. The mailing address is pre-printed for you. You will receive an email confirmation that it has been received.
2) You can drop it off at the Student Enrollment Office on the first floor of the Edina Community Center.
3) You can fill it out online. The web address is listed on the pink page. You will receive a message that your form has been submitted.
Information turned in after the deadline will be dated and numbered in the order received, and placed at the end of the waitlist if a lottery is necessary. If you should have any questions about the process, please contact the Normandale office at 952-848-4100.
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Lost and Found
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Missing Anything?
Please check the lost and found for any missing jackets, sweatshirts, hats, mittens, boots, water bottles, lunch bags, etc! Everything not claimed by Winter Break will be donated. Also, please remember to label all clothing and lunch bags/water bottles with your child's name.
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Artsonia Volunteers Needed
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Mme French-Amara is looking for more great volunteers from all grade levels to help photograph student artwork for ARTSONIA!
All the work can be done from home with an iPad or a digital camera and computer! If you are interested please contact Mme French-Amara. THANKS for supporting Normandale ART!
Please check out this year's wonderful artwork on the Artsonia website.
  
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Teacher Bio: Meet Mme Cheryl Hogle
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 I grew up in Eastern Montana in a small farming community. I received my BA degree from the University of Chicago in Human Development with an emphasis on Early Childhood education. When my husband and I moved to Minneapolis, I worked as an administrative assistant for a Big 8 CPA firm while attending the University of Minnesota Early Childhood program.
I have worked for the Edina Schools as a Science/Math paraprofessional for 19 years at Concord School and am excited about all of the hands-on science learning that is provided. I am currently the Science Specialist for Normandale, Cornelia and Concord schools. I have two sons who are working on their PhDs in physics and chemistry.
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Last Call for Junior Great Books
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It's a book club for kids!
Materials need to be ordered as soon as possible, so this is your LAST CHANCE to register! Registration closes on Saturday, December 6th. Please note that registration is now closed for grades 3 and 5 unless we are able to find an additional group leader.
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Shoes, Shoes, Glorious Shoes
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Calling All Shoes! 
We're looking for gently-used athletic shoes. On occasion, students forget to bring in running shoes on their Physical Education days. We are starting to collect shoes for this exact reason. When students forget a pair, they will find a pair their size so they can still be active during class. Boots, Crocs, sandals, and other non-athletic shoes have caused injuries to the wearer (tripping, blisters, stubbed toes, etc.) and sometimes those around them (tripping into others).
If you have a pair of shoes that your kindergarten through fifth-graders have outgrown, please send them in on your child's Physical Education day. Donations accepted through January 30th. We'll have two boxes (one for each teacher), so the more the merrier. If too many shoes are received, extras will be donated to a local charity.
Thanks,
John Hannemann and Julie Hoecherl
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Skill Master - A Hand-Eye Challenge
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Learn or improve a variety of hand-eye coordination skills. Examples include yo-yo, sport stacking, juggling, and anything similar. Taught by John Hannemann, Normandale Physical Education Teacher.
- Grades 3-5
- 8 Sessions starting December 11
- Thursdays, 3:10-4:15pm
Learn more and register on the Edina Community Education website.
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Next Generation Community Forum
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Monday, December 8, 7:00-8:30pm
Edina Community Center, Room 349
You are invited to a community conversation to learn how Edina Public Schools is planning for a redesign of its district facilities to meet the needs of current and future learners. By focusing on learning as the constant, as articulated in its Next Generation of Edina Public School's Strategic Plan, the district is looking at ways to align and create flexible learning spaces that will serve it well into the future.
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Happening in the Community
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Edina Orchestra Fundraiser
Too busy to cook??? Edina Orchestra can help!
We are hosting a fundraiser for the orchestra at Pizza Lucé in Hopkins. Take a night off from cooking and support a valuable program!
We truly appreciate your support and hope to see you there!
Parent-Child Trip to France Intercultural Student Experiences (www.isemn.org) is organizing an informational parent meeting on Tuesday, January 20th about a Family Immersion trip to Tours, France. The meeting will be held at the Southdale Library (7001 York Avenue South, Edina), in the Helen Young room, from 6:00-7:00pm. A detailed itinerary and other information about the trip is available in the magazine rack in the Normandale office. If you have questions, please contact Anca van der Linden. Capturing the Excitement of Edina Public Schools!   |
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Last Week's News
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Previously included La Liaison articles are listed below in case you missed them.
- Kindergarten Sibling Preference
- Intern Hosts Needed!
- Barnes & Noble Bookfair
- Attention All Band Fans!
- Pinstripes Event a Success!
- Happening in the Community
- Last Week's News
You can always view last week's newsletter on Normandale's PTO website or on the Newsletters page of the Normandale Website.
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La Liaison is published every Friday. Submit articles to LaLiaisonMN@gmail.com by noon Wednesday prior to your desired publication date. Articles pertaining to the following week's issues will take precedence.
Editors: Kate Frederick and Erica Amevo |
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