Knights News

Hello Unity Families

It is hard to believe that March is already here, and we are seeing more spring like conditions. We have some important dates coming up that I would like to draw your attention to.

· March 5th --3:40 PM – 5:40 PM ELL parent teacher conferences.

· March 11th -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

• 8:00 AM – 5:40 PM Parent teacher conferences.

· March 12th --3:40 PM – 5:40 PM Parent teacher conferences

* March 26th - Two Hour Early Out

· March 27-29-- No School --- Spring Break

· April 1st --No School --- Spring Break

Parents can sign up for conferences online by going to https://www.myconferencetime.com/ or by calling the office between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Tuesday, March 5th we will have Spanish interpreter on site to help with communications.

The Spring semester is always a busy one for us. Teachers are working to intentionally plan and teach our core content standards for 3rd and 4th quarters. We also have a number of State required assessments that occur in the spring: Conditions for Learning, ELPA, and ISASP testing. There are a few opportunities in the music arena as well with our LINK UP partnership with the Sioux City Symphony as well as Opera Iowa that various groups of our students will be attending. 5th grade will have a transition day to middle school, our field day will occur, etc. etc. etc. Not all of those dates have been set but as we get closer, we will share more information

Kindergarten Registration

We are always super excited to get to meet our incoming Knights! This year, registration for Unity is on May 7th, with Transition Kindergarten (TK) registration on the 7th from 1:30 pm to 2:30 PM. Ms. Hendrix in our office is busy putting our registration packets together, scheduling families for times to come meet with us, and ordering materials for that day. Please contact our office if you have any questions or if you need to sign up. Our current Kindergarten and TK students will NOT have school on May 7th so that we can accommodate all the new families coming in.

Thank you all for your support!

Kevin FINKEY, Principal

Please be sure to contact the office if there are any changes to your address or phone numbers so that we have accurate information if we need to reach out to you for any reason. Thank you

The Under the Sea Concert for the parents of all 1st and 3rd graders has been rescheduled for Friday, March 8th. The first grade concert will begin promptly at 1:45 and the third grade concert will begin promptly at 2:30. Both of these concerts will last approximately 30 minutes

The 5th Grade Band will also be having their concert in between the 1st and 3rd grade concerts. It will begin promptly at 2:15 and last 15 minutes

Please plan on arriving a few minutes early for all 3 of these events WITH YOUR ID to scan for a visitor's pass. There is a very good chance that there will be a long line waiting to get in the school since we only have one scanning device.

For our spring fundraiser this year, we are going to try something different. We will be selling Sticky Stuff Concessions! There will be Cheesy Popcorn, Kettle Corn, Caramel Corn, Freeze-Dried Skittles, and Cotton Candy available for purchase from $6-$16. The fundraiser will run from Friday, March 8th through Monday, March 18th. Delivery will be on Thursday, April 4th! Students will be bringing home more information and fundraiser packets on Friday, March 8th. All proceeds with go to the Unity PTO to be used for students and staff of Unity Elementary!

Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on the following dates:

Monday, March 11th, from 8:15 - 5:40 (No School for students on this day)

Tuesday, March 12th, from 3:45 - 5:40 (Regular school day for students)

Tuesday, March 5th, from 3:45 - 5:40) ESL CONFERENCES for families that would benefit from language interpreters

Parents/Guardians may log onto myconferencetime.com/unity to sign up for a time or contact Unity's office at 712-279-6839 and we can assist you in setting up a time

Spring Break will be from Wednesday, March 27 through Monday, April 1st! There will be a 2 hour early out on Tuesday, March 26th. School will resume on Tuesday, April 2nd! Enjoy your time with friends and family!!

Spring Pictures at Unity will be on Wednesday, April 3rd. All students will be having their photos taken on this day. Parents/Guardians will have the option to go online, view the photos, and decide whether or not to order.

The Title Team would like to thank all the family members of 2nd and 3rd graders who joined us for our Books are like potato chips, you can’t eat just one event. Family members had the opportunity to learn about fluency activities they can do at home with their child. Students then enjoyed eating chips and drinking juice while reading their new Potato Pants book.

The Title team had a GREAT turnout at February’s Bring a Book, Take a Book event. Many students came and enjoyed exchanging books to read at home. Please encourage your child join us at our next event on March 22nd at 8:20am in the library.

The Title Team would like to thank all the family members who attended our Kindergarten Lunch and Learn. Family members had the opportunity to learn about reading activities they can do at home with their child. Students then enjoyed eating lunch with their family members.

The Title team would like to invite family members of our 4th and 5th grade students to “Pop Open a Good Book” from 2:15-3:15 on Thursday, March 21st. The Title Team will be sharing information about reading with your child. You will also receive a free book and have the opportunity to enjoy a snack while reading with your child. Be looking for information to be sent home soon.

UNITY PARENTS:

Below is a link to a parent survey about our Title program here at Unity. This survey will allow you to have a voice in upcoming Title parent events and stay informed about our Title program. This survey also requests information about last year’s parent events to help us understand what needs you may have as a parent.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ5kgPxGTnep-CiUp2fys5Xk2G6NwD6nqsmslEJO2tFRJXbQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thanks for your time.

Title Team

Mrs. White

Mrs. Chartier

Mrs. Peterson

Mrs. White

,

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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.

All Iowa public school districts are required to administer an annual school climate and culture survey to students in grades 3-12 called Conditions for Learning Survey. The survey is designed to measure their engagement in school, safety, and the overall learning environment. The survey will be administered to students in April.

Parents and families of students in preschool through grade 12 will also have the opportunity to participate in the Parent Conditions for Learning Survey. The survey contains similar items to those on the student survey, focusing on areas that range from student safety and positive adult and student relationships to school rules and how they are enforced. Participation in the survey is encouraged, but it is completely voluntary, and all questions are optional to answer.

Please watch your email for more information on the survey.

Mark your calendar for spring parent-teacher conferences on Monday, March 11th (8:00-5:40) and Tuesday, March 12th (3:40-5:40). There will be no school for students on Monday, March 11th due to conferences.

There will be a two-hour early dismissal on Tuesday, March 26th for the start of Spring Break, and no school from Wednesday, March 27th through Monday, April 1st . School will resume on Tuesday, April 2nd.

The District provides every student with a device to enhance the overall learning experience. When a student receives their device, it is their responsibility to take appropriate care of the device. Unfortunately, the District has hundreds of devices damaged or destroyed each year.

Damage to devices or lost devices could result in fines and reduced Internet access. Detailed information on fees is available in the Parent/Guardian and Student Handbook on the District website. We encourage you to remind your student about the responsibility that goes with having a device.

The District’s mobile app provides quick and convenient information at your fingertips. Download the mobile to receive push notifications from the District about closings and cancellations and stay updated on today’s school lunch menu, upcoming events, and school news. Look for Sioux City Community Schools in your app store today!

If you have questions about how you can be a part of the Unity PTO, please email us at:

unitypto@yahoo.com

Please join us at our monthly PTO meetings which will be held the first week of every month at 6:00 pm in the library.

Wednesday, March 6th

Thursday, April 4th

Thursday, May 2nd

Bring a Book, Take a Book (Be a "Knightly" Reader) is a Title 1 sponsored event for ALL Unity students (TK-5th grade). This is a Book Exchange Program where students can bring books from home and exchange them for different books (limit 5 books). Please wear your book tag chains each time you attend!! Each student who remembers their chains will receive a Smencil!

This program takes place once a month in the library from 8:20 - 8:35 am. The dates for this year are:

Friday, March 22

Friday, April 26

1. February Attendance Challenge-Mr. Chapman and the Unity Student Leadership collaborated on an Attendance Challenge during February. Students who were absent one day or less and were tardy one morning or less were invited to enjoy hot chocolate! 205 students K-5 earned this privilege! (I hope to get a picture of USL and Chap.)

The Unity Knights counted their volunteer time from January 3 to February 9 setting a goal collecting 500 building wide volunteer hours. Preschool through 5th grades showed kindness, cooperation and perseverance by working hard. Just a few examples are: cat toys were made, food was sorted at the food bank, older students read to smaller students, older students helped younger students with writing, students took the time to learn a thank you song, Ms. Mackey volunteered her time taking pictures at the Cupid Shuffle. Theirs is somuch more! In the end, the Unity Knights did not meet their goal of 500. They did not double the goal. THE UNITY KNIGHTS MORE THAN TRIPPLED THEIR BUIDLING WIDE VOLUNTEERISM HOURS COLLECTING A TOTAL OF 1,673 ½ HOURS. Way to go Knights!

* What does Cooperation mean in your own words?

* What is one way we can practice Cooperation as a family?

This month's focus is Cooperation. One way to think about Cooperation is "working together to reach shared goals." As a family, talk about how this definition applies to how you work together at home. What are some goals you share?

Cooperation is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students BE KIND. Across grade levels, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Cooperation. Here are 2 "PurposeFull Pursuits" you can complete together!

#1 - Cooperation is working together to reach shared goals. This week, plan a time where everyone needs to work together to accomplish a shared goal like cleaning up the space you live in or making a meal together. Make sure everyone has a role to play with specific tasks. When the project is complete, discuss, and celebrate how each person's part was important to the end result.

#2 - Find a time to sit in a circle together and celebrate all the ways you have seen each other practice Cooperation. Take turns sharing responses to the following prompts or make up your own! Remember to practice Cooperation as you take turns and listen to each other.

Celebration Prompts:

* What family member(s) do you want to celebrate for their Cooperation this month?

* What is one way you were a leader this month? What is one way you were a helpful follower this month?

Our day ends at 3:30 pm on Tuesdays - Fridays. On Monday we dismiss at 2:30 pm for staff professional development.

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.

Exercise is important in helping us stay healthy because it makes our heart pump our blood throughout our body. This brings oxygen to all our body cells which keeps us healthy and keeps our hearts strong. It also keeps us from getting sick and having colds. Exercise improves our minds and how we feel about life...it helps us to be happier!

Healthy snacks are part of a balanced diet. Below are ideas for snacks with less sugar and calories, keeping our bodies and our teeth healthier.

Bagels

Melba toast with cheese or cheese spread

Popcorn

Mozzarella String Cheese

Fresh Fruit

Vegetable Sticks and Cheese Cubes

Rice Cakes

Cheerios mixed with pieces of dried fruit

Fruit Juice (100%)

Pita Pocket cut in half with cheese spread or peanut butter and jelly in the middle

Children enjoy making these snacks as well as eating them. Help your child develop a healthful snacking habit!