Murrieta Elementary School

Jaguars

Newsletter: May 1998

 

Standardized Testing:

Testing has been scheduled for the week of May 11th for tracks A and B. Testing is for second, third, fourth, and fifth grades. We will test Monday through Thursday. Make up tests will be held the following week. Please have your children at school on time during that week, as testing starts early in the morning. It is also important that the children get a good night's sleep and have a nutritious breakfast before school. Thank you for helping your child be prepared for the test.

 

Literacy Testing:

The MVUSD will assess all First graders on decodable words and reading comprehension. Kindergartners will be assessed on phonemic awareness and a wordless book assessment. All Kinders and First graders will take a developmental spelling test that will assess phonetic writing/spelling. Students will be assessed individually by District personnel in May and June. D track: week of May 18, A & B tracks: week of June 1; C track: week of June 8. If you have any questions, please contact Char Gollogly at 696-1401.

 

Open House - Tracks A and B:

Wednesday, May 27 is Open House night for students and their parents from 6 to 7 pm. At PTC meeting will follow immediately to elect next year's PTC board - please come and vote! A bake sale, sponsored by the PTC, will also be held. See you there!

 

School Site Council Elections:

The current School Site Council will meet May 14 at 3:15 pm in room 15 to review the self-study process for the current school year. In addition, we will vote on the parent School Site Council members for 1998-99. The nominees are: Lisa Hirst, Dianna White, Tonie Lawson, Phyllis Cutter, and Evie Van Veen. We will elect four members in addition to Patty McIntosh, our one continuing member, and one alternate to attend meetings when other members are absent. any parents who wish to participate are welcome to attend the meeting.

 

Fun Time:

May is an especially fun month at MES. Coming right up on Wednesday, May 6 is our annual Kareoke Night, from 6 until 7:30 pm. Please join us in the MPR for this special evening of entertainment. children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

 

Our Spring 1950's Dance and Art Sale will be held on Friday, May 22. Pizza sales and art viewing will be from 6 until 7 pm. The dance will begin at 7 pm and run until 9 pm. The children's art sale will be all evening and represent our Art in Action program. Art work prices are: $2, $3, $4 based on the size of the work. Proceeds go to the PTC and will fund art supplies for Art in Action next year. A big thank you goes to Mrs. Colleen Unruh for organizing the art show.

 

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

We are extremely pleased to announce that Murrieta voters have passed "Measure D", a bond to build badly needed new schools and update OUR existing buildings. We wish to express our deepest thanks to ALL OF YOU who worked diligently for this bond election. MES especially wishes to thank our coordinator, Mrs. Pam Blood. Her energy and dedication inspired us all.

 

ATTENTION 5TH GRADE PARENTS! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Thompson Middle School will be hosting a 5th Grade (incoming 6th grade) Parent Information Night on June 9th at 6:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Thompson. The purpose of Parent Information Night is to address questions and concerns regarding middle school transition. All parents are encouraged to attend. Please mark this important date on your calendar.

 

Attention: All Murrieta Elementary Students

 

On May 5, 1998 the cafeteria will be going through some major changes. On Tuesday, the cafe will receive a new look and you will now have a choice.

 

Remember these five steps for a delicious and healthy lunch:

#1 Please give your full name to Paula - your lunch lady

 

#2 Pick up a lunch tray and then pick up your entree at the food service window

 

#3 Then proceed to the milk cooler and choose a milk if you want one.

 

#4 Proceed to the new self service "Choices" Salad Bar

The care will offer two fruits and two vegetables daily.

Please remember to eat what you take from "Choices"

In addition, always use serving utensils at "Choices"

 

#5 Enjoy your lunch.

 

Remember your manners when eating at Bruce's Kitchen. You will be learning more about Bruce and good nutrition next year.

 

If you have any questions, please stop by and ask Paula, your lunch lady.

 

 

 

 

Murrieta Student Broadcast Network Update ! ! !

Murrieta Elementary has done it again with fabulous performances for the current edition of SBN! New performers, Brittney Lawson sang "Too Much", Matthew Lorimer sang "Surfin' USA" (NB. With great back up vocals by Richard Hernandez on a moments notice!), Nicole Rykbos say "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", her sister Clairese Rykbos played "The Entertainer" on the piano, Chelsea Winslow sang "Hopelessly Devoted", Melissa Ricketts sang "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", Chelsea and Cambria Edwards sang "Somewhere Out There", Mikelle Laker played a ;medley of songs from "Phantom Of The Opera" and Christina Hernandez sang "Castle On A Cloud". We had Felicia Mejia & Korie Ericson record an SBN first which was their Writer's Conference Book, "Strawberry On Trial".

 

Mrs. Hernandez class sang original lyrics to "Help Me Rhonda" dedicated to Mrs. Smyth and we had some SBN alumni back for more great performances: Gretchen Dobschutz sang, "Someone To Watch Over Me", and Richard Hernandez say "My Heart Will Go On".

 

Brandon Dobschutz again recorded the "Think About It Minute" for SBN and we had announcements by: Travis Neumann, Karson Kavanagh, Christian Young, B.J. Warren, Scott White, Brandon Sandvoss, and Summer Cole.

 

We'll have one more SBN session this school year . . .so. . .if you'd like to sing, record your Writer's Conference Book, or play an instrument and you haven't signed up yet, please see Mr. Lorimer for sign up sheets. The cost for SBN is $15 per song and the deadline for signing up is Friday, May 15. Please make checks payable to Geoff Szabo and turn them in when you sign up. Cassette tape copies of previous SBN sessions are available at $8 each. Please call Geoff Szabo at (909) 676-1259 if you have any questions.

 

 

Past Newsletters

 

Odyssey of the Mind Competition Success

 

For a second year in a row, Murrieta Elementary has had a team win First Place at the Odyssey of the Mind regional competition. On Sat. Feb. 21 our teams competed against 110 other regional teams in Palm Springs. Our First Place team will represent the Riverside/San Bernardino area at the Odyssey of the Mind competition at UC Davis on March 28. Our other teams also placed well. Way to go, OM students!!!

 

Odyssey of the Mind is an after school GATE program that meets twice weekly, to prepare solutions to Odyssey ofthe Mind problems. Each team has a question and they must create, ON THEIR OWN without adult help, an eight minute presentation including costumes, props, background scenes, and team-created music. Our teams will present their solutions to third, fourth, and fifth graders on Friday, March 6 at 2pm in our MPR.

First Place Third Place Fourth Place FifthPlace

Pageant Wagon Create & Animate Create & Animate Marvelous Mentor

Jaron Eldon John Savage Amber Goodro Ariana Burch

Darren Holliday Benjamin Pillus Gretchen Dobschutz Danielle Brown

Brandon Wolfe Jason Fender Cameron Yelley Amy Pederson

Brock Carson Christian Young Dominic Finetti Mikelle Laker

Michael Sawdey Ed Lohr Norah Ayou Margeaux Clemmon

Brandon Dobschutz Britani Serrano

Austin Peterson

 

These students worked very hard after school, on weekends, and on holidays. We are very proud of them. We want to especially thank the parent coaches: Dan and Dana Holliday, Linda and Travis Wolfe, Yvonne Savage, Denise Finetti, and Debbie Ayoub. Thank you, too, to our OM Club teacher sponsors: Mrs. Constance Youens, and Mrs. Lauren Greenberg.

 

How can YOU help our OM team go to UC Davis in March ??

Donations are requested to help fund the trip. We need money for transportation, lodging, and food. If you can donate, ANY AMOUNT, please make a check payable to: Murrieta PTC and turn it in to the office by March 20. Thank you for your support.

 

 

Murrieta Student Broadcast Network Update

What an outstanding group of performers we recorded this month for SBN! Mrs. Tudor's class sang "Rockin' Robin" and Mrs. Szabo's class sang original lyrics, "Don't Give Me Homework" to the song "Light My Fire". Gretchen Dobschutz sang "Somewhere Out There", James Valdez sang "Sweet Pea", Jimmy Gomez sang "Don't Speak", Zack Fuller sang "Johnny B. Goode", and Alexandria Young, Sara Guerra, and Lyndsay Olson sang "Say You'll Be There". Brandon Dobschutz recited the "Think About It Minute". The announcers were Brandon Crooker, Alexandra Diehl, Felisha Mejia, Danielle Etchandy, Matthew Lorimer, Kylie Fuller, Alexandria Young, Sara Guerra, and Lyndsay Olson.

 

SBN has become so popular that we had a reporter from The Rancho News attend the recording session and take pictures for an upcoming article in the newspaper. SBN is not just for singing! We need students to recite poetry or even short stories. We're planning another recording session in March, so please see Mr. Lorimer for sign up sheets.

 

The cost for SBN is $15 per song and the deadline for signing up is Friday, March 6. Please return your check, made payable to Geoff Szabo, when you sign up.

 

Shaun Burke and the Young Writers' Conference

 

Congratulations to Shaun Burke, third grader in Mrs. Gunrud's class! His Young Writers' Conference pin design won and will be used for pins and stickers throughout the district this year. Super job, Shaun! Our Young Writers' Conference for tracks B and D will be March 30 (Book Share and Author Day) and March 31 (Dress in costume as a favorite book character and the Imagination Machine presentation). Thank you Parent/Teacher Club for sponsoring these events!

 

Kindergarten Registration Begins

Packets are available now and registration begins for incoming kindergarteners March 3, 1998. Packets must be totally complete and include the following:

 

* Immunizations:

3 Polio-One on or after 2nd Birthday

4 DPT - One on or after 2nd Birthday

2 MMR - Two on or after 1st Birthday

3 Hepatitis B - Started and up to date

 

* Mantuex T.B. Test: Results - within 1 year of starting at MES

* Two forms of verification of residency

* A certified copy of child's birth certificate

* Your child's social security number

 

Note: Placement priority is on track with siblings, NOT first come, first served.

 

 

Murrieta Elementary Celebrates Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Dr. Seuss' 94th Birthday is the occasion to celebrate reading and reading to children. At Murrieta Elementary we will celebrate on March 3 with teachers, parents, and administrators reading Dr. Seuss books to students. Parents are invited to ask their child's teacher, it they can help read.

Special events include:

 

Kinder: The Foot Book will be read to students.

First: Ms. Michaud will read Green Eggs and Ham.

Second: Friends, parents, and teachers will read various books.

Third: Read a Dr. Seuss story each day that week. Make a pattern book based on a Dr. Seuss book. Show a Dr. Seuss video.

Fourth and Fifth: Students are asked to bring in Dr. Seuss books and share them in small reading groups. Then students will write a Dr. Seuss type story in small learning groups.

 

Survey Results

 

#12 I feel welcomed at my child's school.

87% agree; 10% somewhat agree; 1.5% disagree; 1.5% unsure

#13 My child is treated with respect and fairness by adults at school.

73% agree; 20% somewhat agree; 1% disagree; 6% unsure

#14 I am encouraged to particpate in PTC and School Site Council membership and activities.

64% agree; 23% somewhat agree; 8% disagree; 5% unsure

#15 My child's school attempts to engage the business community in educational activities.

53% agree; 20% somewhat agree; 7% disagree; 21% unsure

NOTE: PTC and School Site Council elections are coming soon - If you want to participate, talk to Karen Michaud!

 

 

Journalism

Ms. Daniels and Mrs. Keller, two fifth grade teachers, have started a Journalism Club. This is designed to help fifth graders use the library computers to create a Student Newsletter. The club meets before school on Tuesdays in the library.

 

Community Night at MVHS

The high school held a community night at the football game on Oct. 17. The Jaguars entered the Decorated Wagon contest. Students and parents met after school with Mrs. Keller and decorated a wagon with lights, glitter, and flowers. Our school won a second place plaque. Congratulations to all who helped!

 

Parent Teacher Club

Once again, our PTC has provided our students with another fun event. The Harvest Costume Dance was tremendous fun for students and parents. There will be another dance in the spring.

 

The PTC wants to thank all of you supported our Robinwrap fund raiser. We earned a great deal of money. A few people asked if we give contest prizes to top sellers. The answer is no: no contest, no prizes. Contests encourage students to go door-to-door selling so they could win something. Door-to-door selling is not safe. Children have been harmed by people taking advantage of them. PTC is designed to protect the welfare of children and does not allow door-to-door selling.

 

What does PTC do with the monies raised from the fund raisers?

Our PTC sponsors and funds a number of special items for students. They include:

*Purchasing encyclopedias for the library

*Funding bookbinding, paying for authors, paying for the Imagination Machine to perform (twice)

*Paying for the Music Center performances

*Buying Phonics books for first and second graders

*Organizing and paying for Red Ribbon Activities

*Paying for DARE graduation party (twice)

*Contribute $4.00 per child for classroom school supplies

*Purchase disater preparedness equipment, first aid materials, and food

*Contributing $5,000.00 each year for three years for our current computer lab

*Murrieta Valley High School Scholarship for a MES graduate

*Spelling Bee gifts

 

Web Page for MES

For information about school events, PTC, Site Council minutes, and highlights of student work:

http://ez2.net/mes is the internet address.

Thanks to EZ2 Network in Murrieta for providing the Internet access for our teachers.

 

 

Who to ask for help?

*** Janet Jennings, receptionist!! Janet greets, assists, and enrolls students at the front desk.

*** Marsha Kempf, Attendance Clerk!! Marsha keeps our attendance registers in apple pie order, and asks for absence notes.

***Joanne Seedborg, School Secretary!! Joanne completes all secretarial duties, orders supplies, and helps in the front office, as neded.

Our office staff is willing and able to help students and parents who need assistance.

 

index