McKenny Elementary School
January 2019
McKenny Hawks Are Kind, Safe, Respectful and Responsible
January Upcoming Events
3 – School Resumes
7 – Apple Tree Production Begins
8 – PTO Meeting @6:30
9 – Walk and Roll
9 – Release @2:32
10 – Lyons Club Vision and Hearing @9:00
16 – Release @2:32
21 – No School – ML King Jr Day
17 – Release @2:32
23 – Release @2:32
30 – Release @2:32
February Upcoming Events
1 – Half Day Release @12:05
6 – Early Release @2:32
8 – Movie Night @6:15
12 – PTO Meeting @6:30
13 – Walk and Roll
13 – Early Release @2:32
15 – Box Top Collection
18 – No School/President’s Day/Mid-Winter Break
19 – No School/Mid-Winter Break
20 – Release @2:32
27 – Release @:32
Half Day Release - IMPORTANT
Friday, February 1st, we will release students at 12:05pm. This half day is for our staff to have the time to work on grading.
Mid-Winter Break
No school February 18th and 19th.
Save the Date: McKenny Science Fair
The McKenny Science Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 6th. It’s never too early to begin thinking about your science fair project.
Vision & Hearing Screenings – Volunteers Needed
We are looking for volunteers for Vision and Hearing Screenings at McKenny conducted by the Lion’s Club. It is on Thursday, January 10th beginning at 9:00am. This is for grades 1, 2, 3, and 5. Please call Britney in the office to volunteer. Any help is appreciated! I only have 1 volunteer signed up. Thank you in advance.
Battle of the Books 2019 Titles
The following is the reading list of the Battle of the Books:
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech
Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Sasquatch by Roland Smith
The Seer of Shadows by AVI
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Who Malaia Yousafzai? by Dinah Brown
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
If you would like more information about Battle of the Books, please contact Nancy Hooper in the Library.
The One Hundred Mile Club
Congratulations to the following students for their achievement in the 100 Mile Club! Gresham D – 180 miles; Holden W – 145 miles; Kendra D, Kyah T and Travis B – 65 miles.
Olympia Junior Programs
The following is the schedule for our students to attend the Olympia Junior Programs at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Students will depart the school 30 minutes prior to show time and will arrive back at McKenny approximately 2 hours later. Please schedule appointments for after school time on these days. Thank you!!
Monday, February 11th @12:30 The One and Only Ivan 3rd-5th Grade
Tuesday, March 5th @12:30 Penguin Goes to Flight School 1st & 2nd Grade
Thursday, March 21st @12:30 3 Pigs 1st & 2nd Grade
Tuesday, April 30th @12:30 The Phantom Tollbooth 3rd-5th Grade
Admission fee for the 2 plays is $10. Be on the watch for OJP envelopes, they will come home after break.
Mark Your Calendars for Fifth Grade Outdoor School (CISPUS)
Our fifth grade students will be attending Outdoor School at Cispus Environmental Center in Randle, Washington, April 24th, 25th and 26th. This will be a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday trip. The Center has been developed specifically for students’ environmental studies and has excellent facilities for both study and research. Cost is $150 per student. If you need to make payments or need financial assistance, please contact Britney in the office to set up a plan. Also, if your student needs to take a prescription or over-the-counter medicine, the medicine and doctors permission form need to be at school by Friday, April 19th.
Spring Conferences
Spring Conferences will be upon us soon. Parent/Teacher conferences will be held Tuesday, March 26th through Friday, March 29th. Student Release time is 12:05. Please do not bring siblings (younger or older) in to the conference. Siblings may read in the pod area or look around at the book fair. Also, AM/PM Preschool will not meet Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, March 26th, 28th and 29th.
Extra Clothing Donations for the Health Room
McKenny is in need of extra clothing. If your student has outgrown sweatpants and socks, we could really use them in our Health Room for those rainy days. We are especially in need of boys pants and underwear. Thank you!
Dress for the Weather
As the weather gets cold and wet, it makes sense the students will come to school with multiple layers of clothing. In order to ensure your students come home with the same clothes they arrived in, please make sure all coats, hoodies, gloves and hats are labeled with student names. If you provide a name, we will make sure to get clothing back to your children if they accidently leave it behind. With your help we could eliminate the need for a Lost and Found at school.
Let's Be Careful Out There
The days are growing shorter which means that it’s a good time to remind students, parents and community members to exercise extra caution in and around school zones, bus stops and roads that are frequently used by walkers and bikers. Reflective clothing is a good idea, especially for those students who walk or bike to school in the morning when it is dark.
Inclement Weather Conditions
Please keep the following information readily available in case you need to check if school has been cancelled or delayed due to weather or other emergency conditions. Radio: KGY 1240 AM or 96.9 FM; KMAS 1030 AM; KXXO 96.1 FM; and KAOS 89.3 FM. Internet: http://osd.wednet.edu. Parents, please keep in mind that there is no student supervision when school starts late or is cancelled. Web or media alerts will inform families if emergency/snow bus routes are being used. For more information access the EMERGENCY INFORMATION link on the OSD home page at http://osd.wednet.edu.
PTO
Combined Fund Drive
There is still time to contribute to McKenny PTO through the WA state combined fund drive. Employees can donate as little as $1 per pay check to CFD charities through payroll deduction. Please go to www.cfd.wa.gov and click on Donor Sign-in and select charity #1484538. You can adjust your contributions or sign up anytime throughout the year but the drive is going on now!
North West Harvest Food Drive
Safeway and Albertsons all across the state have assembled $10 bags for their customers to purchase. The bags are sold in stores located in Thurston County will come to us! Our local stores have asked for volunteer help in promoting the bags. Below is a list of days that we are in need of volunteers.
12/21 4:00-6:30pm
12/28 4:00-6:30pm
12/29 3:00-6:30pm
Please contact Mindy Swedberg at [email protected] if you are interested in any of these opportunities!
PTO Directory
The PTO directory has been printed and should have gone home with students. Please contact Frank Durocher with any questions regarding the directory. If you haven’t signed up for membership in the PTO, it’s not too late! Please go to www.mckennypto.org/about-pto.html.
Yearbook
We need your photos for the yearbook! Please check out our webpage for the link to upload your photos here:
http://www.mckennypto.org/yearbook.html
We need pictures from the Welcome Back Ice Cream Social; Glow Night; Field Trips; Winter Performances; Band/Orchestra performances; Movie Nights; the Science Fair; Apple Tree performances; Foodbank volunteering; and any other events on or before 4/10/2019.
Is your student a fifth grader?
Please be sure to send in a baby photo of your student!
We would also like to get input from any interested parties regarding the cover art for the yearbook. Please contact Janice Houghton (yearbook chairperson) at [email protected] if you would like to be involved in the cover art design or selection process.
eScrip
eScrip has partnered with Benefit to help schools and non-profits like our PTO raise more funds by shopping for gift cards online! Check out our page and download the app!
http://www.benefit-mobile.com/causes/mckenny-parent-teacher-organization
Box Tops
Remember to keep collecting those box tops in a zip lock bag or envelope (with the name of your students teacher) and sending them in with your child!
Apple Tree Productions
Calling all actors and actresses! Information regarding our school performance of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland by Apple Tree Productions should have gone home with students. Join us in the gym for try-outs on January 7th after school! Rehearsals will be throughout January, and parent participation is encouraged.
Performances will be at the school on February 1st and 2nd. All McKenny family and friends are invited to attend. Details regarding tickets will come as the performance date draws closer.
Students from Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to be a part of the production. (Kindergarteners can participate in the company of their parent/guardian.)
Rehearsal Groups:
Part-Time – 1 day a week ($40 tuition*)
*Scholarships are available on a limited basis.
For students in the DLC, please contact us to discuss which option would be best for your child.
Volunteers will be needed on a daily basis and permission slips will be coming home in January. For more information, please email Kamy at [email protected].
Spirit Volunteer Needed
We have spirit, yes we do! We have spirit, how about YOU?
We are looking for a spirit volunteer to wear our fabulous Hawk mascot costume. Please contact Janice Houghton at [email protected] if you are interested!
Additional Volunteer Opportunities
The New Year will bring many more opportunities for you to get involved with the PTO, including the Creativity Festival, the Fun Run, and the Carnival. Information about these events will be coming home after the New Year as the date of the event draws closer.
‘Like’ Us on Facebook
Are you on Facebook? So are we! Be sure to “like” the McKenny Hawks PTO page to see our calendar of events and learn about all that’s going on with the PTO!
Check Out Our Website
Not on Facebook, but still want to stay on top of PTO activities and events? Be sure to keep up to date with all the happenings of McKenny PTO at www.mckennypto.org
PTO Meetings
Our next PTO meeting is Tuesday, January 8th at 6:30pm in the school library. Please join us, we would LOVE to see you there!