Nike Scout News December 2023

Welcome to December! The bustling holiday season is upon us. We are hoping to keep the students on task as much as possible in the next 13 days.

Academics: November was a quick and busy month for the staff and students at Nike. Everyone was busy as we came to the end of the first trimester. I hope that you have had the opportunity to meet or talk with your child’s teacher and have a good idea of how your young student is doing with their school progress. Report cards were emailed on Friday, November 17th. You are strongly encouraged to maintain frequent contact with your child’s teacher throughout the year and you can always arrange for an individual conference if you or the teacher feels the need to meet. A big THANK YOU to the PTO organizers and volunteers who provided dinner for staff.

Give the gift of your time this holiday season. Parents can continue to be an active participant and help with their children’s education by maintaining a good routine of checking homework and folders daily and keeping track of assignments that are due. A strong education is one where the student, teacher and parent all work toward the common goal of educating our children! We love being able to share them with you!!

Weather: The cold weather is here and the possibility of snow is too. Please be sure that your children come to school prepared to go outside for their recess. Students WILL be going outside as often as possible. Students will not be allowed to stay indoors because they are not properly dressed, so please have coats, hats, and mittens! Also, please check the “Lost & Found". The inventory is growing!!

Another piece to the winter arrival is the chance for snow days. As much as the kids (and maybe a few teachers) hope for them, Mother Nature is the one in control. If the forecast calls for bad weather, please be sure to tune in to local radio or television stations in the morning so that you will be aware of any delays, early closings or cancellations that may be made. Notices are issued as early as possible by the Superintendent after consultation with the highway department. The district’s phone messenger system will be used to send a phone message, but with all of the calls, it may not be the timeliest method of contact. This is one of the trickiest decisions that our Superintendent has to make. It is difficult to make the call that is the safest for our students and staff while trying not to cancel school unnecessarily. Please know that it is made with safety as the primary concern.

A couple of other things…

Not to be a Grinch, but please remember that children should not be bringing any toys and stuffed animals into school. They often create an unnecessary distraction and are the source of arguments or tears when they are lost. Some of the younger grades have show and share time, so that is the only exception. Thanks for your help with this.

With the winter weather, comes the cold and flu season as well. Please be sure to remind your little ones to practice careful hand washing and to not share water bottles, etc. If your child is sick, please have them stay home until they are symptom free for 24 hours. We want to try hard to keep illness to a minimum!

Coming in Dec & Jan.…

• 12/4- National Sock Day- wear fun, crazy, silly socks to school!
• 12/5- Watch DOGS training 6 p.m. @ Nike library SIGN UP LINK
• 12/7 - Nike Music concert (grades 1st & 2nd) @ 6 p.m. @ Riverbend
• 12/12 - Nike PTO monthly meeting – 6:30 – Library
• 12/16 – Snowball Fight With Santa- Nike gym from 9-10 a.m. If you would like donate items or work a shift, you can sign up HERE.
• 12/20- Last day of school before Winter break- FULL DAY of school
  
• 12/21-1/3- NO SCHOOL
• 1/4- School will resume
• 1/15- No School- MLK Day

I hope that each and every family has a wonderful holiday season shared with family and friends.

Your Partner in Education,

Jessica Tollison

Nike Principal

Nike is expanding the Watch D.O.G.S (dads of great students) safety program. If you are interested learning more about this program or volunteering even 1 day a year as a Watch D.O.G.S. in your child’s school, please attend the training this coming Tuesday evening in the Nike Library.

Watch D.O.G.S. (dads of great students) is a national innovative program focusing on the prevention of violence in our children's schools by using the positive influence of fathers and father-figures for two purposes:

1) To provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.

2) To provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying. WATCH D.O.G.S. are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and any other father-figures who volunteer as a positive presence for at least one whole school day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. school.

Please complete the sign up HERE if you are interested in serving as a WATCH D.O.G.S. at Nike! Training will be this Tuesday evening at the Nike library from 6-6:30 p.m.

December's Pillar focus word is CRITICAL THINKING.

Each month we are going to recognize Nike staff and students who show a Nike Core Value outside of school. The Core Values are collaboration, critical thinking, respect, and perseverance. If your child (or family) shows collaboration, critical thinking, respect, and perseverance, please email a picture and description to spettus@mvr3.k12.mo.us. Your Core Value Connection will be share with school.

Mrs. Tollison showed perseverance this weekend by running a 5K race.

We had a wonderful program where we honored our Veterans and active service personnel on Monday, Nov. 13th.

Nike's "Balloons Over Broadway" parade was a big hit with participants and spectators!

The Nike Elementary Food Drive was a huge success! Over 850 food items were collected and distributed to several of Nike’s own families. Events like this help build relationships within our school and community and teach our student the importance of having a charitable spirit. Your generosity and kindness are greatly appreciated. This month counseling lessons will focus on community and diversity. If your student needs a winter coat, gloves, or hat, please reach out to me or have your student stop by my office. Happy Holidays!

It’s hard to believe it’s almost Christmas break which also means colder weather! Unfortunately, with colder weather comes coughs, colds, runny noses, and fevers. Please keep children at home if they are sick and not feeling well, your child may be carrying something very contagious.

~Remember the 24 Hour Rule of Thumb~

Students may return to school after the following:

-24 hours without a temperature/fever (>100 degrees Fahrenheit) and without taking fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol or Advil/Motrin.

-24 hours without nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (and tolerating a normal diet).

-24 hours of receiving medication for treatment of illness/infection (such as antibiotics, eye ointments).

If your child still seems tired, pale, with little appetite, not tolerating solid foods, and generally "not him/herself", PLEASE do not send him/her to school. Some viral illnesses may take longer before your child is well enough to return to school. If you send your child to school to "see how they feel in a little while", you are potentially exposing other students, and our staff, to a communicable illness. This ripple effect exposes classmates and then their siblings and family members to the illness.

Also, please remember our medication policy. All medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be brought to the nurse by a parent or guardian, this also includes cough drops.

Have a happy and healthy holiday break!

First and second grades are working on a holiday revue to be performed at Riverbend on 12/7

at 6 p.m. Students should wear red or green shirts and black pants/skirts. Girls may wear holiday dresses. If the students would like to practice on their own, the songs are posted on their Google Classroom pages. Third and fourth grade will have a concert on 3/21 at 7 p.m. and kindergarten will have graduation in May. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me through email at rfenelon@mvr3.k12.mo.us or through the ClassDojo Messenger.

Second trimester means that some of our art becomes 3 dimensional! I am very excited to explore sculpture this trimester with Nike artists. We are beginning with paper sculptures, turning line into something 3D. It has been really fun to watch.

First and second grade artists participated in a Holiday Greeting Contest with the Missourian. Winners are published in the December 23 issue and are contacted in January.

Third and fourth grade artists participated in a Holiday Card Contest within our very own MVR3 School District. They are working on these drawings currently and I can’t wait to share when they are completed!

Happy Holidays! December is such a fun and crazy month full of magic, but it is also busy and stressful. It is hard to find the time to get everything accomplished and have time for family time. One tradition that started in Iceland but has increased in popularity in other places is a "Christmas Book Flood". Family members buy and share books on Christmas Eve and everyone snuggles up to read their new books. What a great new tradition! Books and magazines make great gifts for children. Ask your kids for book suggestions that they would like to read. Or buy them books in a new series. Buy them books you remember reading as a child. There are many book lists of recommended books for children. Magazines also make great holiday gifts. There are many kid-friendly magazines such as Sports Illustrated for Kids and National Geographic for Kids and kids love getting their own mail.

We are approaching the half way point and with that comes the cold weather. 4th, 3rd and Pre-K grade all have PE in the mornings, they gym can be cold in the AM at times so please make sure your child has a coat with them at school.

If your child wears snow boots to school, think about packing some tennis shoes with them on their PE days as it will make their time in the gym a little more comfortable. All grades are gearing up to start their hockey units, which is typically a crowd favorite.

Mrs. Hollstein's class practices reading skills daily focusing on the 5 components of reading. For the month of December, we are focusing on building children's phonological awareness. Attached you will find some activities you can practice at home that focusses on building your child's phonological awareness. Also, it is so important to read at home for 20 minutes daily. At the end of this month, we will have a big celebration for students who receive Title 1 services and are completing their daily reading.

~Mrs. Hollstein

lhollstein@mvr3.k12.mo.us

PTO SnowBalls with Santa Saturday December 16th from 9-10 in Nike Cafeteria.

Join us for this FREE event! Breakfast will be served from 9-9:30am. Enjoy donuts, refreshments, crafts, a picture with Santa (bring your own camera or phone) and a snowball fight! Looking forward to seeing everyone! If you would like to donate items or work a shift, please sign up HERE.

PTO purchased pumpkins for all students in October. Students were able to go out to the Nike "pumpkin patch" and pick their pumpkin. THANK YOU PTO for providing wonderful opportunities like this for our students.

PTO provided dinner for the teachers and staff who stayed extra hours on Parent/Teacher conference week. Thank you!

As we look to 2024, we are planning a few family friendly events and ways to support the students. We'd love to hear your ideas. Join us at our PTO meetings held the 2nd Tuesday of every month in the Nike library. Next one is Dec 12th 6:30-7:30. If you can't make it to the meeting, but would like to be involved, feel free to reach out! There are many opportunities to donate items or work a shift at the Snowballs with Santa. You can find the link HERE if you would like to support PTO with the Snowballs with Santa.

Nike Elementary School Principal

Email: jtollison@mvr3.k12.mo.us
Website: https://www.mvr3.k12.mo.us/o/nike
Location: 2264 Hwy Ap, Catawissa, MO 63015
Phone: (636) 271-1444