From your PTO Co-Chairs – Call for Volunteers
Dear Families,
We had a terrific PTO meeting last Tuesday the 20th. Principal Eric gave a very informative presentation about what the teachers are working on during their professional development days and on early release Fridays. To see the minutes from the meeting, click here, or check the website:charlemagne.4j.lane.edu.
PTO representatives are an important link between the PTO and the parents of students in each class.Reps are still needed for the following classes:
Mme Elise, Mme Kim, Mme King, Mme Michele, Mme Jana, Mme Shelli, and Mme Adrienne. If you would be willing to be a PTO rep for any of these classes, please contact Kathy Gregory.
Volunteers are needed to help out with the Dental and Vision screening, on Friday, 11/13. It’s from 8:30 – 11:30ish. If you are able to help, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kathy Gregory, kathygregory@gmail.com.
Also, Book Fair is coming soon and many volunteers spots still need to be filled. Please check out the article below for more specifics about how to help make this years book fair a success.
The Halloween costume parade is this Friday. If for any reason you would prefer that your child not participate, you can bring him or her to school after the parade (around 9:30) and the tardy will be excused. In addition, the PE teacher will be offering an alternate activity in the gym during the parade. See the article below for specific instructions related to costumes for the parade.
Please note that students will still have recess, PE, and any other activities that they regularly have on Friday. Please send them with a coat, proper shoes, etc. so that they can participate fully in the rest of the school day.
Great big thank yous go out to:
- Alice Webb for the poinsettia sale
- Julie Park for the Read-a-thon and book exchange
- Kathy Gregory and many other volunteers for picture day. Because of all the parents who helped out, we were able to finish picture day an hour ahead of schedule.
Have a wonderful last week of October and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather!
Gina Thompson and Shannon Tom (PTO co-chairs)
gmt0204@gmail.com, greenietom@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
Oct. 25-30: Read-a-thon envelope collection week
Oct. 30: Costume parade, 8:15 a.m.
Nov. 4-10: Book Fair
Nov. 9-10: No School, Conferences
Nov. 11: No School, Veteran’s Day
Nov. 13: Dental/vision screening
Read-a-thon Updates
It’s pledge envelopes collection week.
Make sure to turn your envelopes!
Lots of prizes for those who participate:
- Pencils
- Daily drawing for $5 “book bucks” to spend at the upcoming book fair next week
- Tape to duck tape Principal Eric to the wall.
- Pizza party for the best class participation
- Qualify for the grand prize for a Kindle!!!
Hope everyone had an amazing reading adventure this past week.
Halloween Costume Information
As Halloween approaches and you are considering costumes for the optional school parade on Friday, Oct. 30, please follow the guidelines below.
Halloween Parade Dress Code:
- No weapons
- No weapon-like props
- No excessive bareness (no spaghetti straps, exposed bra straps, bare midriffs)
- No dress as another ethnicity or race
- No especially scary or gory costumes (Nothing that would scare a kindergarten student)
- Masks must be taken off after the parade for the remainder of the day
If you are not sure about the appropriateness of a costume, please ask Principal Eric.
Your child should not dress as another person’s race. A costume can be of a character or an individual who is of another race than your child, but not of a generalized race or ethnicity. Costumes should not be caricatures or mocking representations of any racial or ethnic group. Students will be asked to change clothes for inappropriate attire.
Book Fair Begins in One Week
There’s just one week until the Scholastic Book Fair, Nov. 4-10.
Parents should be on the lookout for two separate handouts coming home. One handout is general information about our Book Fair with specific information about our Grand Lunch on Thursday, Nov. 5, where kids can have lunch with someone grand in their lives and then shop the book fair. The second handout contains a coloring sheet worth $1 off at Book Fair when colored and brought to the fair.
We are still very much in need of volunteers to help work the fair. It’s fun and easy. For every shift you volunteer, your name is entered into a drawing for $10 certificates to use at the fair. You can sign up to volunteer at the office or through this link:http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c49aead2ea02-scholastic
Profits from the Scholastic Book Fair help to buy books for our school library.
For more information, contact Natalie Reeves, Book Fair Co-Chair at natlyj@gmail.com or 541-953-9662.
Getting to School On Time
Are you experiencing challenges getting your child to school on time?
Please contact Eric so he can help problem solve. An example challenge could be the LTD bus schedule.
Turn in your Box Tops by Friday, Oct. 30
It’s time to turn in the Box Tops for Education coupons you’ve had lying around your house all summer. The next submission deadline is Nov. 1.
We have $200 worth of Box Tops collected and ready to go. How much more can we add? Our goal this year is $400.
Drop your Box Tops off in the barrel outside the library by Fridaythis week and we’ll send them in by the deadline. Just clip them and drop them off, or attach them to this collection sheet.
TAG information and meeting Nov. 3
The Talented And Gifted (TAG) identification process goes on most of the school year. However, we have two windows of testing that we try to fit most candidates into. The first will be the week of Nov. 16. This date corresponds conveniently with the conclusion of parent/teacher conferences and its resulting information.
We will have a second window in the spring, probably after spring break. There is a clearly defined TAG identification process for the K-2 grades and a slightly different, but equally well-defined one for grades 3-12 (click here for the PDF).
The first step of the process is to fill out a referral form and turn it in to the office or directly to me. We have two forms, referral for Academically Gifted in either Reading or Math (our only two identification areas) or as Intellectually Gifted. TAG referral forms are available in the office, or you can email Charlemagne’s TAG Coordinator, Jana Kincaid, at kincaid_j@4j.lane.edu for the appropriate form.
It’s a good idea to include your child’s teacher in the process from the beginning since the teacher will be asked to provide input as a natural part of the process. Please keep in mind that all individual TAG information is completely confidential.
TAG informational meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 3
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
WHERE: Cesar Chavez Elementary School, 1510 W 14th Ave, Eugene, Oregon 97402
INVITATION: Join members of the parent leaders network to learn ways to support the needs of Talented and Gifted (TAG) children at our elementary schools. Review resources and explore opportunities for district-wide collaboration.
FEATURED GUESTS: Kerri Sage, 4J TAG Coordinator and Marjorie DeBuse, Ph.D. Adj Professor, Former Director, Youth Enrichment and Gifted Programs, College of Education University of Oregon
AGENDA:
6:30 to 7:15pm: Talented and Gifted Education (TAG)
7:15 to 8:15pm: Break Out Groups
8:15 to 8:30pm: Next Steps
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: This is a parent-led meeting open to anyone with an interest in supporting the needs of Talented and Gifted (TAG) elementary level students and their families. It is open to the public.
International Math Competition
The UO Math Department is hosting an international Math competition for school children in grades 1-12 on March 17, 2016, at 5 pm on the UO campus.
The problems will be very interesting and challenging. Last year 55 students participated, and 5 of them scored on the state and/or national level.
For more information, visit http://mathkangaroo.org/mk/default.html. Registration deadline is Dec. 15.
Play in the Rain on Nov. 14 
Annual Play in the Rain Day: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at Mount Pisgah Arboretum
Spend the day outdoors with your family, rain or shine. Enjoy hikes, scavenger hunts, hay rides, nature art, campfire cookery, archery, tree-climbing, and more. Free parking courtesy of Lane County Parks and all activities, including campfire food, are free.
The event happens at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, sponsored by the Youth in Nature Partnership. For more info see http://www.youthinnature.org/PlayInTheRainDay
Fall After School Golf and Tennis Session #2 Starts Nov. 4
All levels K-6 are welcome whether you are brand new, or you are trying to earn your next TGA color level. TGA brings the golf course and tennis court to you, making it convenient and affordable to learn and play golf or tennis right on your school campus in a fun and safe environment.
All equipment is provided and financial aid is available. Sign at www.playtga.com/soregon
Tennis – Wednesdays 2:55-3:55 p.m.
Golf – Fridays 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Location: Charlemagne playground/field
Oregon Immunization law has changed again
If you filed to exempt your child from required school immunizations for non-medical reasons before March 1, 2014, please know that the state no longer accepts this exemption. You must take action to update your child’s Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) form with the school.
Stay calm. ☺ We will notify you! Then…
If your child has since had all of his shots, just fill out a new CIS form (see link below) indicating the dates of all shots received, sign it, and return it to the school.
If you wish to re-file for exemption from required immunizations for non-medical reasons, please fill out a new CIS form, indicating the dates of any shots received, and complete the “Non-Medical Exemption” portion. Sign and return the CIS form to the school ALONG WITH a valid “Vaccine Education Certificate.” You can get this certificate after receiving the required education from a health care provider or print it out following completion of an online Vaccine Education Module (see link below.)
For a printable copy of the CIS form, the link to the online Vaccine Education Module, and more information about school immunization requirements, go to: www.healthoregon.org/vaccineexemption
For immunization appointments, call your child’s health care provider or call Lane County Public Health at (541) 682 4041.
For information on the law change regarding non-medical exemptions, please go to:https://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/VaccinesImmunization/RulesLaws/Pages/index.aspx
We apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to take care of this as soon as possible so that we can process your child’s record before Exclusion Day.
QUESTIONS? Contact our school health assistant. Deborah Sinnott: sinnott@4j.lane.edu
“Common Core: Tell Me More”
Straight information for parents and an open, accepting opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and voice concerns about your children’s education.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
University of Oregon, Law School, Room 110, 1515 Agate, Eugene
What is the Common Core? Get accurate information on Common Core State Standards
• The Oregon State Board of Education adopted CCSS in English Language Arts and Mathematics in 2010. Forty‐three states have also adopted the CCSS.
• The motivation to adopt Common Core included: Oregon’s previous standards proved too low. Locally, 75% of our students who enter LCC need remedial course work in English or Math before they can begin college level classes. Education experts’ opinion that a modern approach to math and Language Arts teaching that focuses on thinking and problem solving above memorization is needed.
What do the test scores mean for my child? Honestly, how can I help my child?
Local experts will share useful ways that parents can help their children in school, beyond “read to your child.”
Speakers include:
Charis McGaughy, formerly of Educational Policy Improvement Center, now 4J Chief of staff Classroom teachers, to talk about their experience with Common Core
Carol Metzler, Science Director, Oregon Research Institute, specialist in parenting & child development
RSVP or questions: jmarshall@stand.org 541-912-2921
Sponsored by the local chapter of Lane County Stand for Children www.stand.org/oregon With support from the U of O Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics.
Parent Survey from CTL Reading Clinic at the University of Oregon
As you may know the CTL Reading Clinic at the University of Oregon provides individualized instruction to students struggling with reading. We have recently returned to campus, at the HEDCO Clinic in the College of Education, and are looking for input from local parents regarding the kind of academic services they might seek out for their child in an after-school setting.
Below is a link to a short survey (just 11 questions). We will use results of this survey to help drive our decision making process for future services at the clinic. https://oregon.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0wwpES9Pr7pXn3T
For more info, contact Shaheen Munir-McHill, Ph.D., NCSP Reading Clinic Coordinator Center on Teaching and Learning University of Oregon at 541-346-8388 or munir@uoregon.edu.
Have some news to share?
Do you have news to share with the Charlemange community in our enews, Facebook page or website? Please email us with articles by Thursday at 5 p.m. to be included in the following week’s news.
Repeated from prior weeks:
Bricks 4 Kidz After School Classes
Grades: K-5
Dates: Six Wednesdays starting Nov. 4, and ending Dec. 16.
No class on Veterans Day.
Time: 2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
Location: Room #6
Instructor: Jason Castanza and Lacie Wilson
Cost $72.00 for six classes, K-5.
Fire up your child’s curiosity and creativity this Fall as your child learns and builds the fun and exciting model plans offered by Bricks 4 Kidz®! We use LEGO© bricks and our own custom LEGO© kits in a project based curriculum to teach really interesting science, technology, engineering, and math concepts. Afterwards the children build motorized LEGO© creations that relate to each lesson plan and put their learning to use. They think it’s fun, you know it’s educational!
Class: Air, Land, and Sea!
This is a hands-on class that uses LEGO® Bricks and Motors! Take to the sky in our Bricks 4 Kidz helicopter, race across the beach in an ingenious land sail, or zoom through the water on a jet ski. Kids will learn what makes each machine unique and how it moves, exploring concepts such as buoyancy, propulsion, lift and g-forces!
Class size: Maximum 20
Register by visiting the Bricks 4 Kids website at www.bricks4kidz.com/oregon-eugene and selecting ‘View Classes’ or by clicking here.
If you have questions or need assistance to register for classes, please contact Jason Castanza at 541-600-6614 or by email at sweugene@bricks4kidz.com.