Newsletter Translation
NOVEMBER 2023
Hello Unity Family, it is hard to believe that October is almost gone! Soon the snow will be flying, and we will be in the middle of winter. With the change in the weather and temperature variations there are a few things that I would like your help with. Each year we have a number of clothes items left at school. It would be appreciated if you could please put the student’s name on the tag or label. This would help us get those items back to you. We will continue our lost and found table, but unfortunately that has not been a very successful method of getting items back to their owners.
Parent Teacher Conferences were a BIG success! I would like to thank you all for taking the time to come to visit with the teachers! It is awesome seeing the care each of you have in your child’s education, and we love partnering with you to make sure each student has the greatest experience they can have. If you have questions or concerns, please do not wait until our next conference to set up a meeting.
October 25th marks the end of the first quarter. Report cards will be coming home on Thursday, November 2nd. If for any reason you do not receive a report card, please contact the office, we will make sure we get a copy for you.
Historically the second and the third quarters are two of the hardest times, when it comes to student attendance. Elementary school is a critical learning time for students. Their base knowledge, primary learning skills are established. Each day is so important for student success. We know that students will get sick, and we want them to stay at home if they are sick, but we would greatly appreciate your help in making sure they make it to school when they can!
November will be a busy month, with several days that students will not have school. Tuesday, November 7th there will be no school for students, due to staff professional learning. Wednesday, November 22nd will be a two hour early out, due to Thanksgiving break, and there will be no school on November 23rd or 24th.
Please contact the office if you are not receiving communications from the district. This is the primary notification for families in the event of weather-related announcements.
Thank you, EVERYONE!
Kevin Finkey
We are excited to be teaming with Club's Choice in raising money for educational classroom supplies, PBIS activities, and playground equipment. We are asking for your participation because we count on these funds for the benefit of each and every child. Thank you in advance for your help and support!
Packages should have been sent home with your student on Thursday 10/26. The End Date for selling is Thursday, November 9th, and all Order Forms and Money are due to the Unity Office on Friday, November 10th. DELIVERY to Unity Elementary will on Thursday, December 7th from 3:00 - 6:00 pm
There are two EASY ways to participate!
1. Show brochures to friends and family and utilize the order form that will be sent home with your students; Checks should be made out to Unity Elementary
2. Sign up at the Clubhouse for online shopping
When ordering Online, Customers can pay with a Credit Card/Pay Pal/Apple Pay/Google Pay
* Items are shipped directly to them (limited frozen items available) or to the school on delivery day for FREE (full frozen brochure available)
Check out the flyer inside your packet for details on how to earn $2,500 toward college tuition at over 440 private colleges and universities! (To earn your first $500 you must register online and send 10 messages using the Clubhouse online system! This step must be done first in order to receive the additional $2,000!)
To help reach our GOAL, we are asking each student to send out a least 10 messages from the Clubhouse and sell 10 items. Please stay safe and only talk to people you know!
Join us for a night of fun musical talent and sweet treats… mark your calendars for Saturday, November 4th at 7:00 pm, and get your tickets now for 🌟East on Stage 🌟- East High Show Choir’s fall fundraiser. The red carpet rolls out, the lights will be shining, and the stars of East High Show Choir will take the stage at the East High School Auditorium. Individual students will perform and all three show choirs will debut their ballad. It’s a great opportunity to see talented musicians perform, catch a sneak peek of each show choir, and support the program too.
Tickets are $20 each at the door.
Thursday, November 16th, 2023, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
All TK, Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade parents are welcome! If parents can’t make it grandparents or friends are welcome to attend. You are invited to an evening of reading with your child!. All families who attend will receive valuable information about how to help your child at home to become a better reader, along with a free book for your child.
A light snack will be provided so we ask that you please RSVP by returning the slip that will be sent home with your student in the coming weeks to your child’s teacher by Friday, November, 10th.
We look forward to seeing you!
Mrs. White (Reading Interventionist)
Mrs. Chartier (Title I Reading & Math)
Mrs. Benz (Title I Reading & Math)
Mrs. Peterson (Title I Reading)
Mrs. Metcalf (Title I Reading
Check out all of the fun things happening in 3rd grade!
Each Friday afternoon, 3rd grade classrooms participate in something we have coined “Fun Friday.” The students are encouraged and motivated to finish their iReady reading, math lessons, all assignments, and show Knight Expectations throughout the week. If they meet these requirements, they are able to participate in one of two different activities.
Our first activity going on during Fun Friday is a STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics) activity and team building challenges. Some of these activities we have done or plan to do include making parachutes out of coffee filters, creating mazes for marbles to roll through, or creating pumpkin catapults to hit with targets, candy pumpkins of course! The students use critical thinking, problem solving, and social skills to work in a group to accomplish one goal! We have LOVED watching the ideas they come up with.
Students have also been learning how to code using Wonder Dashes. Using these Wonder Dashes, our students have been exposed to thinking creatively, critically and collaboratively all while having fun.
As the seasons change and the temperature is getting cooler, please be sure to send your children in appropriate attire; i.e. sweatshirts, coats, hats, gloves. Anytime the weather is at, or above, a feels-like temperature of 15 degrees, and as long as it is not raining or snowing, all students will be outside for 15 minutes before school and for 15 minutes at each of the 3 recesses
Parents, if your students are not allowed to eat pork, please remind them to look for the picture of a pig that is posted in the cafeteria each and every time that pork is being served at breakfast and/or lunch at Unity. In this way, your student will know whether or not to eat the meal that day. You can also check the menu online to see the weekly menu or ask the office for a paper copy of the menu by month. Thank you
For all Northside kids Grades 5 years old-8th grade
Mondays Starting Nov 6th - Jan 22nd
5 years old-2nd grade 6pm-6:45pm
3rd grade-8th grade 7pm-8pm
Weekly camp is held in the North High Wrestling room
Cost $50 (includes T shirt and free entry to home high school wrestling events)
Register at https://www.scfuturestars.com/
Question email Coach Case caset@live.siouxcityschools.com
The District is committed to providing all students with a safe learning environment in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The District’s Anti-Bullying, Harassment, and Hazing policy defines bullying and harassment as well as the procedures for reporting and investigating bullying or harassment complaints.
Bullying and harassment are defined as any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student which is based on any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student and which creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:
· Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or property.
· Has a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s physical or mental health.
· Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s academic performance.
· Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
Be An Advocate for Our Schools
Volunteers are needed to join the District’s Grassroots Advocacy Committee. As a volunteer, you will receive email updates about important legislative events that could impact public education and be asked to contact local and state leaders to advocate for our schools. Volunteer today and let your voice be heard! Contact Communications@live.siouxcityschools.com to volunteer.
With the cooler temperatures upon us, please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the colder winter. Even during the winter season, the District allows recess and outdoor activities to continue as usual, so it is important that students have the right winter weather clothing. When the temperature feels like 15 degrees or lower, students are kept inside for recess and activities. Students should be prepared for the cooler weather with a warm coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. If your student does not have access to cold weather apparel, please contact our school office.
The weather in Iowa can be unpredictable. If the weather requires us to delay the start of our school day, cancel school for the day, or dismiss school early, information will be sent to families through email, text, and voicemail. In addition, this information is posted to our social media sites and the District website.
Please remember that parents and guardians have the right to make the decision to keep their child home on any day they feel it is unsafe for their student to be in school because of weather conditions. If you believe the weather provides a sincere reason why you may have to keep your student at home, or take your student home when classes are scheduled to continue, you as a parent or guardian will simply need to contact our school office to let us know.
We’re Hiring (Please link the graphic below to: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/page/careers)
If your student brings a bag lunch to school, you must provide a drink for them or send .55 cents to purchase a milk. Unfortunately, the government sponsored free lunch program does not allow the kitchen staff to provide a milk to students unless the student takes the free lunch offered by the school.
If you have questions about how you can be a part of the Unity PTO, please email us at:
Thursday, November 2nd
Thursday, December 7th
Thursday, January 4th
Thursday, February 1st
Thursday, March 7th
Thursday, April 4th
Thursday, May 2nd
This program takes place once a month in the library from 8:20 - 8:35 am. The dates for this year are:
Friday, November 17
Friday, December 15
Friday, January 26
Friday, February 23
Friday, March 22
Friday, April 26
Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest!
Thank you for helping promote healthy choices during Red Ribbon Week. Unity Students and teachers participated in the Red Ribbon Week Healthy Choices poster contest. There were 14 classroom entries and 10 teacher entries involving 28 Unity teachers. Choosing three winners from each category was very difficult. There were 4 independent judges and the results are as follows in no particular order. The winners of the classroom category are Mrs. Hanner’s room, Mrs. Bunch’s room and the three 3rd grade rooms who collaborated together on a poster. The winners of the teacher category are Ms. Gooley, Mrs. Morse and team Mrs. Karrer and Mr. G.
Thanks everyone for participating! Everyone did a fantastic job! I really appreciate the healthy choice messages all over our building
Our TK & Kindergarten students exit from doors 25 and 26 (Mrs. Poulson and Mrs. Anderson's rooms). Our 1st and 2nd-grade students exit from the main entryway (door 1). Our 3rd-grade students exit from door 3 which is located behind our loading dock. The 4th and 5th graders exit from door 4 at the North end of the building. Please see the image below to assist you with this visualization. Please work with your family to agree to a common meeting place outside of the building. We do our best to limit student traffic within the building after school.
If you have a preschool child and a child in another grade level we can make special accommodations so that you can pick up all of your children at the preschool door. Please contact your child's teacher to work through this.
Should I keep my child home from school?
A common problem confronting parents of school-age children occurs when a child complains of not feeling well on a school day. What do you do?? The following are guidelines until your doctor can be contacted for an opinion.
Fever: Every home should have a thermometer. No child with a fever over 100 degrees should be sent to school. Keep the child home until free of fever for 24 hours WITHOUT medication.
Cold/Sore Throat/Cough: A child with a “heavy” cold and a hacking cough belongs at home in bed even though there is no fever. If the only complaint is a sore throat and there are no other symptoms, he or she may go to school. If white spots are present on the back of the throat or if he or she has a fever, keep the child home and call your doctor. If your child is diagnosed with strep throat, throw away his or her toothbrush and purchase a new one.
Stomachache/Vomiting/Diarrhea: Consult your doctor if the stomachache is persistent or severe enough to limit the child’s activity. If vomiting, keep home until he or she is able to keep food down for 24 hours or one day. Call your doctor is there is no improvement in symptoms.
“Pinkeye”/Conjunctivitis: If the white part of the eyes is pink or red, the child complains of a gritty feeling when blinking and has a discharge coming from one or both eyes, the child may have “pinkeye”. “Pinkeye” is highly contagious. If your child has any of these symptoms, you will need to keep your child home and contact your child’s doctor to determine when your child can return to school.
SICK CHILDREN BELONG AT HOME!!!!
WELL CHILDREN BELONG AT SCHOOL.
Unity Elementary School
Principal: Kevin Finkey
Email: finkeyk@live.siouxcityschools.com
Website: https://unity.siouxcityschools.org/
Location: 1901 Unity Avenue, Sioux City, IA, USA
Phone: 712-279-6839
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnityElementarySchoolSCCSD/
Twitter: @UnitySCCSD
