Knights News
Unity Elementary School
Hello Unity Families!
It is hard to believe that the end of the year is just around the corner. I would like to thank you all for your support this year and for entrusting your students with our amazing Unity Staff. I would like to draw your attention to a few events that are still happening in May.
Tuesday, May 7th will be Kindergarten Registration. Kindergarten students, for 2024-2025, that reside in the Unity boundary are encouraged to attend. The process will take approximately one hour, and the staff will be sharing information about kindergarten and the 2024-2025 school year. Transition Kindergarten will also be that day. Parents who are uncertain about the TK program are encouraged to attend and speak with the staff.
Tuesday, May 14th will be our field day. In the event of poor weather, the makeup day for this event will be Wednesday, May 15th. There will be more information coming home with your students about this event.
The last student day is Thursday, May 23rd. Students will have a two hour early out that day being dismissed at 1:30 PM. The scheduled start day for the 2024-2025 school year will be Friday, August 23rd. There will be a change to the early out times for staff professional development. Monday’s will be regular full days, for our Unity students that is 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Friday’s will be two-hour early out days for students with staff professional development on those days.
As the year draws to a close, please feel free to contact the office if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you all and I hope you all have an amazing summer!
Kevin Finkey, Principal
Unity's hallways are all decked out for the School-Wide Olympics. Each grade was assigned a country to represent and are competing against each other in various activites to earn points! Hallways and Classroom doors were decorated with their assigned countries theme in mind and then judged by a secret committee. Gold, Silver, and Bronze metals were rewarded! Students were encouraged to use the Character Strong skills of Collaboration, Courage, and Creativity while preparing for the Olympic Games!
Unity students participated in Earth Day and Arbor Day the last week of March, by cleaning up our beautiful campus and learning about Arbor Day and trees in general. Unity Student Leadership provided the garbage bags and gloves so classrooms could clean up the Unity Campus on or around Earth Day. City Parks and MidAmerican talked about Arbor Day and how to take care of tress. USL helped to plan our new tree, a Northwood Red Maple.
Mrs. Poulson's Kindergarten class and Ms. Gooley's 5th Grade class were just two of the many Unity classes that spent some time outside cleaning up the grounds of Unity Elementary School for Earth Day!
The 4th and 5th graders at Unity will be having two performances of the musical, Disney’s Aristocats Kids for parents and families to attend. The Wednesday, May 1st performance will be at 4:30 p.m. after school. The Friday, May 3rd performance will be during the school day at 2:00 p.m. All 4th and 5th grade students will participate as either background singers or as a part of the cast that has been rehearsing before and after school. In order to stay after school and perform in the 4:30 show on Wednesday, 5/1, all 4th and 5th graders must return a signed permission slip stating that they have permission to stay after school as well as have a ride home at 5:30 on that day. There will be NO BUSSING available for students after the performance. Unity students will get the opportunity to watch the musical on the morning of Tuesday, April 2nd, after morning recess.
“Based on the beloved Disney animated film, and featuring a jazzy, upbeat score, Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS is a non-stop thrill ride of feline fun, complete with unbelievable twists and turns.
In the heart of Paris, a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to Duchess, her high-society cat, and her three little kittens. Laughs and adventure ensue as the greedy, bumbling butler pulls off the ultimate catnap caper. Now it's up to the rough-and-tumble alley cat, Thomas O'Malley, and his band of swingin' jazz cats to save the day.”
A special Thanks to our Amazing Music Teacher, Mrs. Shaley Morse, for all her hard work in putting this show together for us all to enjoy!!
Career/College Day at Unity will be Thursday, May 2nd! Giving students the chance to explore various career paths and learn about different colleges can be incredibly valuable in helping them make informed decisions about their futures. Dressing up as their favorite career or wearing college apparel can also make the learning experience more engaging and memorable for them. Plus, seeing teachers proudly display their alma mater can inspire students and foster a sense of community within the school. It's a fantastic way to encourage exploration and spark interest in higher education and career possibilities.
We are super excited to get to meet our incoming Knights! This year, kindergarten registration for Unity is on May 7th from 8:45-2:45. If you haven't already, please call the office to sign up for a time slot to come and register your student. Mrs. 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.
On Friday, May 10th, from 3:00-3:20, Parents and Families of 5th grade students only are invited to join us at the 5th Grade Wax Museum in the Unity Elementary School Commons. Please DO NOT come before 3:00 because the other classrooms in the building will be touring the wax museum during this time. If you want your child to leave with you at 3:20, you will need to sign them out in the main office and they will need to return to their classrooms for their belongings before leaving. All 5th grade students HAVE to stay until the end of the wax museum at 3:20
On Friday, May 17, at 2:15, Unity's Title Team will be hosting a Writer's Celebration. This is a fun and exciting way to celebrate Unity students who have shown their "wonderful writing" skills in the classroom. It is a difficult task, but each classroom teacher must pick one student from their classroom to share their wonderful writing. The choice may be based on great progress, exceptional ability, or a student who has created a fun or interesting piece of writing.
Student medication and/or medical supplies will be sent home with your child on the last day of school. If you would like to make other arrangements, please contact the school office before the last day of school. Any unused medication that remains at school will be disposed of in compliance with federal and state laws or will be given to the School Resource Officers for proper disposal.
There are a variety of community events, camps, and more to keep your student active and learning during the summer months. Check out the latest Virtual Backpack newsletter, emailed to district families every month, or click here for a calendar of upcoming events.
Be Smart About Social Media
In the social world we live, many kids use some form of social media. While social media can help kids connect with friends and family, explore new interests and areas of the world, and enhance their creativity, it can also lead to risks and added responsibility. Social media can be harmful if it is not used appropriately.
Without meaning to, kids can easily share more online than they should. Kids often post photos of themselves online or use their real names, birthdates, location, or school name. This information can make them easy targets for online predators or others with bad intentions.
Additionally, kids sometimes forget that photos, videos, and comments made online can’t be taken back after they have been sent or posted. It’s impossible to completely erase something once it’s been posted online. This may not cause problems for a child now but can lead to issues years later as they apply for college or a job. It is common for a college admissions office or recruiter to scour the internet for information on an applicant, ultimately discovering something a child may not want them to find. If a child would be embarrassed for a family member or future boss to see a photo or video, they shouldn’t post it.
Studies have shown that social media can negatively impact a child’s mental health. The pressure to get “likes” or keep up with other peers online can lead to depression and anxiety as well as unrealistic expectations.
What can families do?
- Limit the time kids spend on social media.
- “Friend” or “follow” your kids’ social profiles and remind them never to “friend” strangers.
- Encourage kids to use privacy settings.
- Remind kids that mean behavior is never okay, including online.
Check out the District’s website for additional social media tips.
Do you have school fees that need to be paid? Visit the Sioux City Community School District website and click on “Pay Fees”. This will link you to MySchoolBucks where you can pay your student’s school fees online. Questions? Please give our school office a call.
Iowa immunization laws require certain immunizations and screenings for students. These requirements are listed on the District website. We encourage you to contact your student’s doctor soon to schedule any required immunizations or screenings so your student is prepared for next fall.
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!
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.
It's Important to Exercise and Eat Healthy Snacks
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!
