Like Lincoln? Become a Parent Tour Guide!

Each year, the Community Relations Committee hosts about 12 presentations/tours for families considering application to Lincoln.  We are always looking for parents interested in being tour guides for these presentations.  Take a look at the Lincoln Tour Presentation, and see if you might be interested in informing prospective families about all Lincoln has to offer.  Come to an upcoming tour and see what the parent and student tour guides do.  The upcoming tours are December 3 at 9:30am and December 13 at 1:00pm.  More tour dates are available here.

Contact Cathy Nathan at natecate13@charter.net if you are interested in being a parent tour guide or in getting more information.

Grade 1-8 Student Count Form, Kindergarten Sibling Count and Uppers Information Session

The 2011-2012 School Year Grade 1-8 Student Count Form will be sent home in backpacks this week.  You can also download a copy of the form here - Student Count Form and in the Links to Documents section of the LincolnLincs Blog.  This form must be completed by every Lincoln family so that we can obtain an accurate student count for the next school year.  Please fill out one form per family.  Remember to provide information for each of your current Lincoln students and any other children who are not current Lincoln students but may be attending Lincoln next year (subject to space available).  These forms are due by Friday, December 17.

If you have a student beginning Kindergarten at Lincoln next year, don't forget to complete the Kindergarten Sibling Count form and Application.  You can download a copy of the form here - Kindergarten Sibling Count/Application or in the Links to Documents section of the blog.  These forms are due by Friday, December 3.

The Uppers Information Session for 5th grade and other interested parents is Thursday, December 9 from 5:30 to 6:30pm in the Science Lab.  Information will be presented to help parents make an informed decision about finding the best fit for their children during the middle school years.  More information can be found here - Uppers Information Session.

NEW Parking and Pickup Procedures Begin Nov 29th! Parent Volunteers Needed!

IMPORTANT PARENT INFORMATION - Busing and pick-up/drop off areas will be EXCHANGING places beginning NOVEMBER 29.  This decision was made based on safety for our students. County road 14 will be undergoing changes which will increase the traffic on 8th Avenue in front of our school – which creates the need to change the pickup and drop off and location of busses. PLEASE READ the attached documents that can be found at these links:
Pickup and Parking Information
Pickup and Parking Map

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  We are looking for parent volunteers who are able to help out for about 15-20 minutes at the end of the day Monday, Nov. 29th and Tuesday, Nov. 30th to help guide students with the new pick up procedures. Parents that are able to help will meet at the office at 3:20 to be given instructions. Please let me know at ekblads4@yahoo.com if you are able to help one or both days. Many thanks - April Eckblad

Special Projects Consensus Meeting

The Special Projects Consensus Meeting will be held Monday December 6 from 5:30-9:30 in the Lincoln media center. The consensus meeting is the meeting where decisions are made on which special project applications are fully or partially funded using the available money raised at the auction.

To attend the meeting you need to:

• Be a Lincoln parent, guardian or staff
• Review the submitted Special Project proposals before the meeting. The proposals are posted here - "Special Projects Requests 2010"  and under the "Links to Documents" section.
• You want to have a vote on which projects are funded

At the meeting, a short overview of each project will be provided. Then the attendees are led through several discussions to help determine which projects will have the most positive impact for the Lincoln community. Funding proposals are then developed and voted on. Once a funding proposal has been finalized, it will be published for all to review. There will be a period for review after which time, the available funds will be released so that the funded projects can be implemented as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, or are unable to attend the meeting but would like to have a vote on the proposals, please contact either Mary Hansen at rmhansen2002@yahoo.com or 285-9047, or Julie Wingert at jdn.wingert@aol.com or 288-6293

To Lincoln's Great Volunteers:

First off, we are blessed to have so many wonderful volunteers at Lincoln. Each and every hour you put in is appreciated! In fact, we even keep track of all the hours put in by our great volunteers to show the district just how awesome our volunteers are. Just a quick reminder to be sure to sign in and out in the volunteer hours log book in the office when volunteering. Sadly, if you leave the sign out time blank we can only credit one hour. Also, while logging the hours, we have come across quite a few names of folks who are volunteering and signing in and out, which is great, but have not turned in the VIE form or for some reason are still not in our system. We can't log these hours. We will be working to get in touch with these volunteers, but next time you volunteer, take a minute to flip back though the log. If you see your name highlighted, you are not in our system. To fix this, just grab another form, fill it out, and ask that it be put in the VIE mail box.
Thanks again to all our volunteers who donate their time and energy to helping make Lincoln a special place to send our kids!

Special Projects vote change

There has been a change of this month's PPT agenda. Orginally, we planned to vote on the Special Projects applications on the 22nd. This year, we thought we'd be able to expedite the process to release the funds to the staff and students earlier in the year than in past years. Unfortunately, we were not able to get an official total in time to have the consensus meeting to allow for us to hold the vote at our PPT meeting on the 22nd.

Now, the consensus meeting will be held on Monday December 6th from 5:30 until finished. (roughly 4 hours) If you are interested in offering your voice as to which projects should be funded from the Auction surplus, please plan on coming to Lincoln on the 6th. Mary Hansen and Julie Wingert will walk you through the consensus project, and the options will be presented to the PPT after that date.

We apologize for this last minute change, and we will keep you up to date with the process as news is available!

We will still have our regularily scheduled PPT meeting on November 22nd at 7pm in the media center. We will get updates from the Auction committee, Carnival committee and from Community Relations, along with an opportunity for you to have any of your questions or concerns addressed. We look forward to seeing you all on November 22nd! Thank you!

Highly Gifted School Within a School Program at Friedell Middle School

Plans are underway for the fifth year of the Highly Gifted program at Friedell Middle School. For 2011-2012, classes will be available at the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade levels. The Highly Gifted School Within a School Program at Friedell was new in the fall of 2007.  This program is designed to meet the unique educational, social, and emotional needs of highly gifted students, while still being a part of a regular middle school experience. The program offers an advanced problem-based curriculum and differentiated instruction to meet the sophisticated learning needs of highly gifted children.

Important dates to consider:
November 20, 2010:  Make-up date for CogAT test at Friedell Middle School; 9:00 am
Mid December 2010:  Results of CogAT testing will be mailed to families
December 20, 2010- 3:00 pm:  Deadline for portfolio requests
January 25, 2011- 3:00 pm: Applications (Friedell and Highly Gifted program) and portfolios are due to the Office of Gifted Services, Edison Building
Early February 2011:  Acceptance/waiting list letters sent to parents/guardians
February 9, 2011- 3:00 pm:  Signed Attendance Confirmation letters due at Friedell Middle School

For additional information, please contact Joanne Michet or Monica Bowler at Friedell – 328-5650 or Cindy Martenson, Coordinator of Gifted Services at 328-4275.

Letter from ViE District Coordinator

Rochester Public School (RPS) Parent,

Hello, my name is Konnie Smith and I have recently accepted the position of Rochester Public Schools Volunteers in Education (ViE) District Coordinator. I have been employed in the school district since 2007. I am a parent of two RPS students, PTA member, parent volunteer and past ViE Coordinator for Montessori at Franklin and Friedell Middle School. My job is to work with RPS Administrators, parents and community members in recruiting, organizing and utilizing the expertise, time and talents of our volunteers to the best advantage of RPS students and staff in 22 buildings, Quarry Hill and RPS Alternative Learning Programs. Other responsibilities include processing volunteer applications, posting requests on local volunteer websites, and communicating with coordinators and staff. Each month I meet with local/State volunteer organizations and RPS ViE coordinators to keep everyone up to date with the ever changing needs of RPS students, staff and our community.

During the 2009-2010 school year we had 3,852 volunteers who logged 63,821 hours as a direct benefit to your student valued at $1.3 million, supported by 6 Cluster Coordinators, 35 Elementary Coordinators and 11 Secondary Coordinators. I am truly in awe of the time, talents and expertise that parents and community members donate for the benefit of our RPS students and staff.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions, and concerns you may have at 328-4299 or kosmith@rochester.k12.mn.us.

Save the Date: Lincoln K-8 Barnes and Noble Bookfair!

Our school will earn a percent of the net sales from any customer who mentions Lincoln or presents the Lincoln voucher at Barnes and Noble Rochester store locations on Dec. 10th 2-6pm. We will also receive credit for folks who shop on-line between Dec.10-12th. Visit BN.com/bookfairs to support us and enter 10358182 at checkout. So spread the word! Great time to do some Christmas shopping! Plus there is a outdoor downtown movie that night, Elf, as part of the 2010 Winter Wonderland Events. So bring the family to do some shopping and support your school and make a night of it!

If you would like to volunteer to help out, we will be at the downtown store location to handout coupons to use in the store. Please let me know if you would be available to staff the table for an hour or two that day. April Ekblad, ekblads4@yahoo.com

Important Reminders About No School/Late Start Days!

There is no school this Friday, November 12 (District Day).  It is a Late Start day on Monday November 15.  School will start at 11:15am, and there is no AM Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Sibling Count

If you have a kindergarten student coming to Lincoln in the 2012-2012 school year, we need you to complete a Lincoln application form.  In order for us to determine how many spaces can be assigned to new kindergarten applicants through the kindergarten lottery, we need to know how many incoming kindergarteners there are from current families.  The Kindergarten Sibling Count form with Application is being sent home in backpacks this week.  Forms are due to your teacher or the Lincoln office by Friday, December 3.  A copy of the form can also be found here :  Kindergarten Sibling Form with Application
or in the Links to Documents section of the blog.

Wanted: Your gently used books!

Did you know you can donate your gently used books to the Lincoln Summer Reading Program? There is a blue collection bin located right outside the office. We are looking for books that would be of interest to our K-8 students. So next time you clean off your kid's book shelves, bring in the books to Lincoln!

Mittens & Gloves needed!

Yes – believe it or not – winter is coming! If you have any spare gloves or mittens that you would be willing to donate to the Media Center, would you please send them in? We have a loaner program that students can take advantage of if they forget – or do not have - gloves or mittens. Any donation would be welcomed. Thanks much!!!! Janis & Barbara

News from the Health Office

Cold weather is here now and children should be prepared for recess time by having  all the necessary cold weather gear available every day, including snow pants and boots, when the snow comes.   Students can leave an old pair of tennis shoes in their lockers, for those days when they wear their boots and forget to bring shoes.

WHEN YOUR STUDENT IS ILL . . .When a student is sick, parents often wonder whether or not to keep a child at home from school.  If a child stays home and has the care he/she needs when first sick, he/she will often get better faster. Staying home and resting will help the body fight the sickness. Staying at home is also one of the best ways to keep others from becoming ill.

Reasons why children should stay at home:
1. Severe colds, coughs, or sore throats
2. Eye infections, especially if discharge is present
3. New skin rashes, especially if draining—unless medical opinion states rash is not contagious
4. Temperature of 100º or more with or without symptoms of an illness
5. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
6. Any other sign of acute illness
7. Until results of laboratory tests (i.e., throat culture, nasal swab) are known.

Children may return to school when:
1. Well enough to participate in normal school activities
2. Free of all symptoms for 24 hours
3. Temperature remains normal for a 24-hour period without the use of fever reducing medications.
4. On an antibiotic for at least 24 hours
OR
5. Your health care provider states your child can return to school.

It is often very difficult to decide whether it is really necessary to keep your child home. There are no sure rules to follow as we are dealing with variables. Hopefully, the above guidelines will be helpful to you in making this decision.

Your School Public Health Nurse

PPT Minutes - October

Click this link for a copy of the PPT Minutes from October.  The tab at the top of the page labeled "PPT Minutes"  will have an archive of the links to PPT Minutes for the whole year.

October PPT Minutes:  http://bit.ly/azvxKg

Dad's Belgian Waffles - See Tab at Top of Page for All the Info!

Dad’s Belgian Waffles -  Saturday, November 20, 2010

7:30am - 11:30am

All You Can Eat! 

$7.00 for ages 8 and up

Free for ages 7 and under

Lincoln School Cafeteria

Free Parking

This event is open to the Public

Destination Imagination

Participants are needed to fill out teams. If your student is interested in DI but did not get their registration in, now is their opportunity. For more information about DI go to www.destinationimagination.org or contact Elizabeth Glowac, Lincoln K-8 Choice School Destination Imagination Coordinator at calisabel@me.com or 280-6618. Registration form can be found in Links to Documents section, please return to the office as soon as possible.

Ski Club Registration Night

Tuesday November 9th at Willow Creek Middle School Cafeteria from 6:00 PM-8:00PM.

Ski Club is for students in grades 4 to 8. It meets on Fridays starting January 7, 2011.

Lincoln's ski club will be skiing at Welch Village.

For more information contact Lincoln's Ski Club Advisor, Elizabeth Glowac at calisabel@me.com or 280-6618.

Hip Hip Hooray! The Auction and Bake Sale Were a Spectacular Day!

So many hands made for a phenomenally successful Auction and Bake Sale.  It took every contribution, every bid, each baker, solicitor, poofer, grouper, set up person, room monitor, take down helper, committee chair, bank worker, student, teacher, Para, staff member and parent to do what was done.  To each and every volunteer - Thank You.  Truly it takes a village to raise and educate our children.  It also takes this village to step up and raise funds to support our students and teachers in their educational efforts.  We cannot say it often enough, THANK YOU for YOUR contribution to the Auction and Bake sale. 
We are thrilled to report that we have successfully met the required funding for our PPT budget AND we will be able to fund some special projects!!
It's been my pleasure learning this process from my co-chair Juli Gifford, and Cathy Nathan who "wrote the book" on this process.  I thank them for their patience with me.  I learned a lot!  I look forward to doing it again next fall with our new Co-Chair Melissa Murphy!
In the event that you now have some extra baskets lying around - we would be happy to help you recycle them for next year's auction!
Thank you again- Good work to ALL!

Lincoln Auction Yard Signs: Thank you to everyone that let us borrow space in your yard.  We appreciate it.  Now comes the time that we need the signs returned.  Please just return them to the office and cross your name off the list.  Conferences are fast approaching and this would be a convenient time to return them.  Thanks again. 

Lincoln at Today's STEM Summit

Check out the Post Bulletin Live Blog to see some of Lincoln's students shining at the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Summit!

http://www.postbulletin.com/blogs/live/

Under "Completed Events", click on "STEM Summit". Our students start blogging at the 12:44 time mark.

Special Projects

The Auction has passed and it was an undeniable success! Thank you to our Auction Co-chairs Juli Gifford and Betsy Schroeder for your outstanding effort! Everyone involved with the Auction did such a wonderful job performing their roles, we appreciate all your time and dedication!

The proof is in the pudding folks, we surpassed our PPT budget which means we have money to spend on our Special Projects! Applications were collected in September, so now we will have a meeting to decide which projects to fund with the Auction surplus. Keep in mind that as a parent at Lincoln you have voting rights, so be sure to come to our PPT meeting on November 22nd to vote on the Special Projects applications. Some of the options this year is a new sound system for our stage, snacks for our after school RAP program and more!

The meeting will be held at 7:00pm in the media center to decide which projects the PPT will fund. See you all there!

We have a winner!

Thank you to those who read the blog and voted for a teacher to win 15,000 Cambell's Labels for Education points.

Our winner is Uppers teacher, Carrie Graff.  Once she decides what to order to benefit Lincoln you will be updated.

Keep sending in your labels, box tops and milk caps to bring free money and merchandise to Lincoln.