Welcome to the LincolnLincs!

The LincolnLincs is the place for important information about school events, notifications, dates and deadlines and news about the Lincoln community.
Go to the "LINKS TO DOCUMENTS"section of the blog to download forms or documents discussed in the posts.

After more than 40 years, we're still the Greatest School in the Universe!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

AUGUST 31 - MEET THE TEACHER AND BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC

MEET THE TEACHER - 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Start with the Information Fair in the gymnasium to get important information for families. Then visit the classrooms and connect/reconnect with staff members and classmates.

LINCOLN BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC - NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME!
We will be serving food from 4:30 – 6:OO pm.
Bring your own beverages, lawn chairs and picnic blankets!

SEE YOU TOMORROW!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Spirit Wear Order Form Available Online!

Lincoln Spirit Wear orders are being taken online now!
Lincoln t-shirts are available for $12.00, adult and child sizes, in multiple colors and three designs:
  • Original Lincoln logo
  • Lynx Classic logo
  • Wild Lynx logo
Click on the link below and look in the column on the left - click on "Lincoln Spirit Order Form".
LINCOLN SPIRIT WEAR

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Volunteers in Education - ViE - Complete the Volunteer Form!

The attached volunteer form must be filled out each year prior to volunteering in the school. One form per volunteer. Please turn in form to the VIE table at Meet the Teacher day or to the school office. Whether you can help once a week or once a year, we welcome you! Lincoln’s success comes from parental involvement and support!

CLICK HERE FOR THE ViE 2011 VOLUNTEER FORM

Lincoln Directory Form - Available to Complete Online!

Each year we have parents complete a directory form on Meet the Teacher day. This directory is published and sent to all parents. This year we will NOT being filling out the form but instead we are asking that you go to the Lincoln Website and complete the form ONLINE. This will insure that all the information is accurate and correct.
Click on the link below and look in the column on the left - click on "Parent Directory Form".

Friday, August 19, 2011

Don't miss Meet the Teacher

Wednesday, August 31
3:00p.m to 5:00p.m.

What is it? All of Lincoln, all at one time. Don’t miss this great day to meet and greet friends, teachers and staff. Fill out important forms and get familiar with your classroom. Visit the tables at the Information Fair to pick up important information about organizations and activities at Lincoln. Find out how you can participate in making this a successful year!

Where do we begin? Meet the Teacher Day starts in the gymnasium with the Information Fair. When you arrive at school and before you visit your child’s classroom, please go to the gym. Once you’ve visited the Information Fair tables and picked up your Family Folder, drop off your Fair Agenda to enter the prize raffle, grab your meal ticket for the Back to School Picnic, and visit your child’s classroom.

What’s there to do at the Fair?

• Complete the School Directory form.
• Stop at the Auction table to sign up for your volunteer slot on Auction Day, October 29.
• Find out how you can contribute to the Auction through a Family and Friends Donation.
• Our Volunteers in Education (VIE) Coordinators will be there to tell you about the many great ways you can volunteer at Lincoln. Drop off your completed ViE form!
• Visit the Program Planning Team (PPT) table to find out how parents continue to play an important role in school-decision making and organizing school activities.
• Calculators and Student Agendas will be available for purchase during Meet the Teacher Day in the Office.

There will be other tables available to provide you with information from Food Service, the School Nurse, Lincoln’s Art, Music and Physical Education teachers. Information about Lincoln enrichment activities such as Destination Imagination, First Lego League, Chess Club, Math Masters, and Junior Great Books will also be there. SCRIP cards will also be on sale, so stock up!

Important Lincoln Dates - Mark Your Calendars:
• August 31 – Meet the Teacher, Information Fair & Back to School Picnic
• September 6 – Grades 1-8 First Day of School
• September 8 – Kindergarten First Day of School
• September 26, 7:00 PPT meeting

After Meet the Teacher....

...PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE FREE…
LINCOLN BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC!
Wednesday, August 31 5:00 – 6:30 pm
AT LINCOLN SCHOOL

The picnic will immediately follow Meet the Teacher time. The picnic is a great opportunity to meet new families and connect with old friends.
The Lincoln Program Planning Team (PPT) will be providing the meal. We will be serving hamburgers/cheeseburgers on a Kaiser bun, fresh fruit, & potato chips.
Bring your own beverages (water or soda). Bring your own lawn chairs and picnic blankets.

We are looking for volunteers for the following timeframes:
• 4:30 – 5:00 pm Set Up - 3 people needed
• 5:00 – 5:45 pm Food Servers – 4 people needed
• 5:45 – 6:30 pm Food Servers – 4 people needed
• 6:30 – 7:00 pm Clean Up – 3 people needed
If you can volunteer for any of the above shifts, please contact
Robin Stearns at RStearns@olmmed.org 285-5649.
Your help is greatly appreciated!

Prinicpal's Letter

Dear Lincoln Families,

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and is as excited as I am to come back to school!

Family involvement and staff commitment that occurs for Lincoln’s benefit, even during the summer months, continues to amaze me! It is easy to see why Lincoln is such a special place with so many incredibly dedicated people. I am really looking forward to the school being filled with our energetic students, the talented staff, and involved families. It is going to be a fantastic year!

Of course, there is a whole lot of anticipation for the first day of school (September 6 for Grades 1-8 and September 8 for Kindergarten students), but there is a lot of preparation taking place in August including:

• Preparation for the Meet the Teacher event is well underway. We would like to extend an invitation to all families to attend two special events on
August 31. Meet the Teacher will take place from 3:00- 5:00pm. This time will allow students and their families to visit the classrooms and connect/ reconnect with staff members and classmates. The Information Fair in the gymnasium will provide important information for families. Please make plans to join us for this important event.

• The Lincoln Back to School Picnic will follow Meet the Teacher Day on August 31 from 5:00-6:30 pm at Lincoln. All Lincoln families are encouraged to attend this special event. The picnic is sponsored by Lincoln’s Programming Planning Team (PPT) and organized by the PPT Social Committee. Their hard work will be evident at the Back to School Picnic and other exciting events throughout the year.

More information about both of these events and other back to school news can be found in this August Lincs newsletter.

I would like to personally welcome and congratulate all incoming Kindergarten students, new students and new families that will be joining Lincoln K-8 this fall. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help make you feel at home.

Please feel free to contact me at 328-3550 if you have any questions, concerns, or comments or would just like to converse about the “Greatest School in the Universe” - Lincoln K-8 Choice School!

You can reach me by e-mail at jasonju@rochester.k12.mn.us.

Sincerely,
Jim Sonju
Principal

NEWS FROM THE PPT (PROGRAM PLANNING TEAM)

Welcome to the 2011-12 school year! For those new to Lincoln, PPT stands for Program Planning Team. The PPT is made up of parents/guardians, staff representatives, and the principal. You will be glad to know that all parents/guardians are members of the PPT simply because your child attends Lincoln.

The PPT is responsible for organizing a variety of social events, for raising funds to support academic enrichment opportunities, and for encouraging active parent/guardian involvement. We want you to feel welcomed and informed about the happenings at Lincoln. For example, one of the first big PPT events of the fall is Lincoln’s annual Auction. This is Lincoln’s primary fundraiser, and its success directly benefits Lincoln’s students. PPT meetings also provide opportunities for parents to learn more about some of Lincoln’s programs like InSciEd Out and Study Island.

However, in order for our PPT to be successful, we need you. We invite you to be a participating member of the Lincoln community by attending PPT meetings when you can. All are welcome! The meetings are held the fourth Monday of the month in Lincoln’s Media Center. The meetings begin promptly at 7:00 pm and last about an hour.

You can find more information about the PPT and other Lincoln happenings in the following places:
• The LincolnLincs online newsletter at www.lincolnlincs.blogspot.com
• The Lincoln Parent E-files electronic newsletter
• The Family Folder you will receive at the Meet the Teacher Information Fair
• The PPT website at http://www.rochester.k12.mn.us/school97/ppt

If the PPT can answer any questions or concerns about Lincoln, please let us know. We are here to help. We look forward to seeing you at the Meet the Teacher Information Fair and Back to School Picnic on August 31st.

Sincerely,
Chris Harmon PPT Co-President 282-7366 chharmon@rochester.k12.mn.us
Joscelyn Martin PPT Co-President 261-2716 jrkm911@gmail.com

LEGO LEAGUE

Lincoln FIRST LEGO League (FLL)

FIRST LEGO League and Jr FIRST LEGO League (Jr FLL) will be on display at the Meet the Teacher Day Information Fair.  For more information contact Cheryl Kliewer at 261-3699 or Cheryl@wiseraccoon.net
Jr FIRST LEGO (Jr FLL) For K – 3rd Graders
Lincoln 2012 Snack Attack Season - This Spring - Keeping Food Safe
 Can Junior FIRST LEGO League teams master the science of safely preparing food?  In the 2011/2012 Snack Attack Challenge, K-3rd grade Lincoln students will take a “hands on” approach to the topic of food safety by exploring how proper preparation and storage can help keep us healthy.   

The Challenge has two defined parts: Show-Me Poster and Model.  The Show-Me Poster requires kids to illustrate their research and team journey.   The Model portion of the Challenge gets kids’ hands busy. They build a representation of their research utilizing a motor to power movement in their model or moving an element of it by hand. 

Look for registration information in Dec/Jan.  This is Lincoln’s first year participating in Jr FLL.  It is a fun activity to coach and we need volunteer coaches!  Teams consist of 6 or less members. Teams will meet 6-8 times for 1½ hours.  Coaches can decide to meet once or twice a week.           
Lincoln FIRST LEGO League for 4th -8th graders
This year’s theme:   Food Factor Challenge “Keeping Food Safe”
2011 teams are formed and begin meeting in September.  Watch for next year’s registration this spring.  FIRST LEGO League is an exciting robotics competition that ignites an enthusiasm for discovery, science, and technology in Lincoln 4th -8th graders. Through their involvement in FIRST programs, children learn important life skills such as planning, research, collaboration, and mentorship. Registration for Fall 2012 teams will be this spring.

Kindergarten Parents!

ATTENTION KINDERGARTEN PARENTS!
“PARENT OF K INFO DAY” SESSIONS SEPTEMBER 6 AND 7

A special Lincoln orientation session will be held for kindergarten parents during your child’s Kindergarten Mini Day session. Experienced Lincoln parents and Lincoln leaders will be present to pass on important information about how you and your family can make the most out of your Lincoln experience. Information will include how to make kindergarten a great year; tips for student success; orientation to Lincoln organizations, events, traditions and lingo; and a look ahead to what your child’s future at Lincoln will look like.

Look for the Sign up for your “PARENT OF K INFO DAY” session in your child’s kindergarten classroom during Meet the Teacher Day.

AUCTION NEWS!

Mark Your Calendar!
2011 Lincoln Auction
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Excitement is building for this year’s Lincoln Auction that will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011!
This year’s AUCTION will include the famous LIVE AUCTION, the always amazing SILENT AUCTION, and the much beloved BAKE SALE.  The Live Auction will feature weekend getaways, birthday parties, wine tastings, tickets to pro ball games and more!  The Silent Auction rooms will host a wide variety of baskets, along with gift certificates and magazines.
AUCTION HOURS:  Doors will open at 11:30am; Silent Auction rooms will close from 12:30-1:30pm; and the Live Auction will begin at 2:00pm.  We hope all Lincoln families and friends will attend this fun event!
FUN FOR THE FAMILY!  We haven’t forgotten the kids!  The game Heads or Tails will be back by popular demand on Auction day and all ages are welcome to play!  Other activities will include face painting, hair braiding and coloring, temporary tattoos, and balloon animals.  Child care for younger children and BINGO for the big kids will also be provided! 
There are many opportunities for families to get involved in the Auction: 
·         Poofing - We will be poofing this year in late August - October.  There will be more information to come on this opportunity.  Contact Amy King if you would like to be involved in poofing! (amyizzybear@yahoo.com)
·         Bake Sale – It’s not too early to start thinking about those tasty treats you could contribute to the Bake Sale.  If you would like more information on the Bake Sale please contact Melissa Engelken (jefnmel@charter.net) or Jodi Kruse (jmkruse22@gmail.com). 
·         Promotion - If you are interested in helping promote the Auction, handing out/posting flyers or posters, please contact Robin Stearns (RStearns@Olmmed.org) or Julie Wingert (djnwingert@aol.com).

      ·         Friends and Family Donation – If you have a donation for the Lincoln Auction, please  
           contact Melissa Murphy (mfmurphy1@charter.net) or Betsy Schroeder
          (betsyms@charter.net)
      ·         Auction Day Volunteers – Look for the Auction table on Meet the Teacher Day, August
          31st, to sign up for volunteering on Auction Day.  You can also contact Nicci Watson 
          (onawat@aol.com) to volunteer your time.

Auction 2011– Lincoln Family and Friends Donations Needed


The Lincoln Auction is a success because of you!  Every year, we will highlight services and items donated by our Lincoln Families and Friends.  Put your creative hats on and sign-up to donate at the Auction table during the Meet the Teacher Day Information Fair!

What can you donate?  Some previous donations are listed to help spark your own creative ideas:

·        Vacation Experiences:  Use of time shares, cabins, vacation properties, or trips to water parks with hotel

·        Unique Opportunities: Fishing excursions, cooking classes, wine tasting, dinner parties

·        Party Planning: Birthday or other theme party, complete with party planning and party supplies and clean up

·        Baked Goods:  Decorated cakes or cupcakes, pie of the month

·        Professional Services: Tax preparation, will preparation, carpentry, tutoring, haircuts, daycare, interior design, professional consulting

·        Special Services: Gift wrapping, garden tilling, floral arranging

·        Tickets and Gift Certificates: Vikings and TimberWolves tickets, Beer or Food of the Month Membership

·        Business Donations: Donations of goods and services from Lincoln Family- and Friends-owned businesses

If you are interested in making a donation: 

·        Watch for the signup sheet at the Meet the Teacher Information Fair OR

·        Contact Melissa Murphy at mmurphy1@charter.net; phone 358-5107 or Betsy Schroeder at betsyms@charter.net; phone 250-6137.

 Please advise of donations by September 17th!

AUCTION SUPPLIES NEEDED!
We are getting ready for the start of another school year and also preparing for the Lincoln Auction! As in the past, there are some items that we need: wired ribbon, paper shred, and large baskets. Please feel free to return any baskets from items you won last year – we love to recycle!  If you have any questions, please contact Amy King at amyizzybear@yahoo.com.

ViE-- Volunteers in Education NEWS

Dear Lincoln Families- 

Welcome to the 2011-12 school year!  If you are new to Lincoln, we welcome you into the great Lincoln community.  One of the many things that makes Lincoln stand out is the family volunteer support system.   

Volunteers in Education, or ViE, links parents to the volunteer opportunities that we have available at Lincoln, and within the district, to support our children’s learning.  Some of those opportunities include:

·         helping a teacher in the classroom

·         leading after school activities

·         being a media helper

·         helping students with math and reading 

This year, we are also encouraging grandparents to be involved as volunteers as well as parents.  What a wonderful way to be a part of your child or grandchild’s education! 

The ViE coordinators will be at Meet the Teacher day in the gym to talk further with you about the opportunities available for volunteering at Lincoln.  We have an interest inventory that will be coming to your inbox via email to print and bring with you to Meet the Teacher day.  If you did not get this copy, one will be available for you to complete that day.  We ask that every parent fill this out if you think at any time during the year you will be volunteering at the school in any way.  (This includes field trips or take-home projects.)   

We look forward to seeing you at Meet the Teacher day! 

ViE Coordinators,

Kara Short

Jodi Kruse

Cinnamon Marxen

Dani Nikolai

SCRIP


So what is this SCRIP thing that everyone at Lincoln talks about?

SCRIP is a fundraising program designed to help schools raise money without the door to door sales of typical fundraisers.  SCRIP is a program in which you purchase gift cards at face value and you get to use the full face value of the gift card.  Lincoln gets a set amount of profit from each card purchased. 


How do I purchase SCRIP?  Stop in the Lincoln Main Office and see what we have to choose from.  We keep in stock over 50 different cards from some of the most popular stops in Rochester.  We accept cash and checks. Funds raised from SCRIP

NEWS from the School Nurse:


Emergency Health Plan:
If you received an Emergency Care Plan (ECP) in the mail; you are asked to see the nurse during the orientation/meet the teacher event. The ECP needs to be turned in, updated if needed and signed for the coming school year. Please allow time to accomplish this important task before the start of school so we can meet your child’s needs during the school day.

Should your child need any scheduled or as needed medication(s) during the school day, orientation/meet the teacher is an excellent time to bring them into the health office. Prescription medications need to have a medication authorization form signed by a medical care provider. These can be found in the health office, on the Rochester public schools web site or provided by your medical care provider.

Immunizations - Important Notice: No one will be allowed to start school until all immunizations are current. Registration materials for students who need shots will be taken to the Edison Building in August, and parents will need to go there with proof of immunizations before your child can be admitted to school.

NEWS FROM THE LUNCHROOM:



 All meals must be prepaid. A payment into your student’s lunch
account is necessary prior to the first day of school.

 You will have an opportunity to put funds in your child’s
lunch account at Meet the Teacher Day.

 The balance from your child’s lunch account last year will be carried
over into this school year – whether it was a positive or negative balance.

 Incoming Kindergarten families – your student will have one opportunity this
year to eat lunch at Lincoln. You may pay for that lunch during
Meet the Teacher Day.

 You can sign up online any time (even before Meet the Teacher Day!) at www.paypams.com to electronically deposit money into your child’s lunch account throughout the year. You will need your child’s student I.D. number or lunch account number. Please contact Student Nutrition Services at 328-4218 if you don’t know this information.

 If you feel you might be eligible for the free and reduced lunch program, please make sure you complete an application. Contact the Student Nutrition Services office at 328-4218 if you need an application.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Lincoln Communication - School Year Wrap-Up

Thank you for using the LincolnLincs this year. We will be using the feedback from the Parent Communication Survey to make it an even better source of information for Lincoln families this Fall.

Some updates for the summer:
  • The blog will not be updated very much during the summer. Watch your U.S. mailboxes for a print edition of the LincolnLincs in mid-August and come back in August to the LincolnLincs online to view all the August LincolnLincs articles online.
  • Watch your e-mail in-boxes this summer for the Lincoln Parent E-Files. As news happens, it will be sent out, not every week but as often as needed.
  • If you know of someone that is not getting the Lincoln Parent E-Files, have them send an email to jakulzer@rochester.k12.mn.us and he will put them on the distribution list. We have had issues this year with our lists, SPAM and other things that have resulted in parents being deleted from our database.
  • If you are leaving Lincoln and no longer need or want these e-files, send an email to jakulzer@rochester.k12.mn.us. and put REMOVE ME in the subject line.

Have a GREAT SUMMER!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

School Supply List Available

The school supply list is available at this link:  Supply list - Lincoln on page 21 and 22

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Labels for Lincoln

Labels for Education


It's time for kids to go back to school, and Labels for Education, Cub® Foods, Farm Fresh®, Shoppers® Stores and Shop 'n Save® Stores are committed to enhancing education and local schools.


To assist in collecting Labels for Education points, Cub Foods, will have great deals from September 11-23, 2011 (varies by store), on select Labels for Education participating products from Campbell, Pepperidge Farm, Pop Secret, Dannon, Emerald and BIC products.

Once you have received your certificate, turn it into school!

BoxTops for Education


Box tops for education is offering double box tops on various products- watch for them! Our school goal is 1525.00 this year- we are already at 420.00. Remember to log into the Market place at http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/marketplace/Default.aspx   to shop online and earn boxtops points from qualifying products! Some stores that participate are , but not limited to, Cabelas, Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, Expedia, iTunes, Overstock.com, Snapfish, Target, Zoobooks to name a few.

Log into http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/bonus/Default.aspx  to learn where more bonus tops are being issued throughout the school year

Kemps, Milk Moola, Land o Lakes


Continue to collect these milk tops!