Parent Feedback Needed on InSciEd Out

Dear Lincoln Parent – The InSciEd Out team is pulling together a number of metrics to use to evaluate the progress and impact the new science curriculum has had on students in grades K-5. We are collecting parent comments and observations on how the new science curriculum modules have impacted their Lincoln student. We are hoping you would be willing to share your comments and observations with us. We are hoping to use these parent comments in a power point/conference call we have next Tuesday with Michael Lach, advisory on STEM initiatives to the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.

We would like to keep this as open ended as possible so that we can get your genuine feedback about the impact of InSciEd Out, but some questions you might want to think about include:

• Is your child excited about learning science?
  
• Does your child want to do science activities at home or outside school?
  
• Is your child talking about science at home? Is your child eager to share what they are doing and learning in science?
  
• Do you feel that your child is learning science? Why or why not?
  
• Do you feel that your child's overall performance at school has been impacted by the new science curriculum?
  
• How does the science your child is learning at Lincoln compare to the science you learned when you are in school?
  
• How has InSciEd Out affected the learning environment at Lincoln?
  

Any observations you have about InSciEd Out and your child's Lincoln experience are welcome. Please email them to me at natecate13@charter.net as soon as you can, as we are pulling together the power point this weekend and on Monday. Also feel free to pass this on to any K-5 parent you think might want to add their feedback!

Thanks for your assistance –

Cathy Nathan natecate13@charter.net

Spring Picture Time

It is picture time again! We are looking for volunteers to help out. The date is Tuesday, March 8th. We need 2 volunteers to take the first shift from 9:30-11:30 and then two more from 11:30 to 1:45. Let us know if you are available to assist by emailing jmkruse22@gmail.com .

Thanks so much! Lincoln VIE

District Superintendent Search – Community Input

The Rochester Public School district has started the process of searching for the next superintendent. There are two opportunities for the public to provide input to the process of developing a "New Superintendent Profile" which the search firm will use to recruit candidates for the superintendent position.

• The District is conducting a survey to collect information from the community about the desired skills and characteristics for the next Superintendent. You may choose to give your confidential feedback by accessing the Survey linked here. Superintendent Survey. If you need a survey to complete by hand, please contact the Assistant School Board Clerk: 328-4224, weedgar@rochester.k12.mn.us, or 615 7th Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Please submit feedback by March 10, 2011. You may also send the feedback electronically to the consultants at mdragseth@comcast.net or fax the feedback form to 507-328-4212.
  

• March 10, 2011 - Provide input into the "New Superintendent Profile". Three sessions will be held. Meetings are open to the public. Interested community members should go to the site of their preference. No sign-up is required.
  
  • Gibbs Elementary School, 7:00pm, 5525 56^th Street NW
    
  • Kellogg Middle School, 7:00pm, 503 17^th Street NW
    
  • Willow Creek Middle School, 7:00pm, 2425 11^th Avenue SE
    

Memory Book

We have almost reached our goal in Memory Book orders.  If you or your children want a Lincoln Memory Book, get your order in next week.  $12.00 gets you 24 pages of memories.  Put the money in an envelope, put your child's name and teacher on the front and send it to school.

Zip-Loc Bags Needed for Book Swap

With Spring just around the corner, the Lincoln K-8 Book Swap will be here before we know it! We are need of Zip-loc bags (gallon size or larger) to hold books. Zip-loc donations can be sent to your child's classroom or dropped off in the book bin outside the office. We have ordered several additional books from Scholastic and continue to receive numerous book donations from generous Lincoln families! Thank you! Kohl's volunteers are also scheduled to label and level approx. 2,000 of our books at the end of the month. In addition to this, we will receive $500 from them!  Our goal is for students to each receive 6 books to read over the summer.  The only "summer slide" Lincoln children will have this year is straight up!! Thanks again for your support!

GEMS Food Drive for Channel One

GEMS (Girls Excel @ Modeling Success) are hosting another food drive for Channel One.  CAN you "fill" the love? (February 14^th-February 28^th)  Bring a can of food into the office, put your name on a heart, and place the heart in the appropriate container.  At the end of the month, the LINC with the most hearts will be awarded a "GEM" of a prize.  GEMS would like to thank you for supporting our local community.

InSciEd Out – An Exciting DC Weekend!

This weekend, seven Rochester MN students from Lincoln K-8 Choice School were in Washington D.C., along with educators from the Rochester school system and researchers from Mayo Clinic and Winona State University to present posters at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference. The presentations highlighted different perspectives on the overall curriculum which introduces genetics research and the zebrafish into the classroom, with students acting as investigators. In addition to the national science conference, the team met with the leaders of Sidwell Friends School in Washington, where a science teacher is also using zebrafish in her classroom. And in a surprise development, the team met President Barack Obama during a visit to the White House West Wing and lunch in the Situation Room!

The InSciEd Out team includes Chok Koth, Bennett Robelia, Kristen Hansen, Garrett Harveland, Allison Schroeder, Daniel Perno, Jacqulyn O'Neill and Ellie Ekblad, all students at Lincoln Choice School; teachers Megan Oswald and Corey Dornack; paraprofessional Michael Gobin, and principal James Sonju. On the science side were Chris Pierret, Ph.D., graduate student Tyler Koep, Stephen Ekker, Ph.D., and Karl Clark, Ph.D., all of Mayo Clinic; and Maggie Hoody, Ed.D., of Winona State University.

For more information, and to see the posters presented and pictures from the weekend, visit www.insciedout.org or the InSciEd Out page on Facebook or Twitter.

2011 Carnival

2011 Carnival

Save the date: Friday, April 29, 2011 6-8pm

More information to follow soon!

Labels for Education Supplies are Here!

Here is what Mrs. Graff was able to order for her homeroom, math and social studies classes:

Poster markers, Color Splash washable markers, Boundary Markers, Yoga and you CD, Pencil sharpener, Character Education, The Middle Ages, Multiplication Rock

Workshop for Parents "Everyday Math"

Please join us on Friday, February 4, 2011 from 12 noon – 1 pm OR 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm at the Northrop Community Education Center, located at 201 8th St NW, Room 201. The topic of discussion will focus on “Everyday Math.”

Carol Lucido is an elementary teacher with experience in grades 1, 4, and 6. Carol Lucido currently works in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction for Rochester Public Schools with elementary curriculum where she has done extensive training in the area of math. She also is an adjunct teacher for Augsburg College where she teachers a Math Methods course to students studying to become educators. Previously she has taught first, fourth, and sixth grade in the Rochester Schools.

The 1 hour workshop will provide parents with information on the following questions:
· How can I better understand the Everyday Math curriculum?
· How can I support my student in learning math?
· What resources are available to help?
The presentation will also provide at least 3 games/activities to take home that day!


To register, please e-mail Juan Vasquez at juvasquez@rochester.k12.mn.us or call (507) 328-4316.

Awesome Lincoln Lynx Readers!!!

The Lincoln Lynx readers have read 4400 books so far this school year - which is over 1000 more books than last year at this time. Congratulations to all our awesome Lynx readers – way to go!!!

February No School and Late Start Days

• Friday, February 18 will be a Early Release day for staff development. School releases at 1:35 and there is no afternoon kindergarten.
• Monday, February 21 will be a No School day in honor of Presidents' Day.
  

Bingo/Pizza Night Order Form – Due February 8

The Bingo/Pizza Night Order Form is available here: Bingo/Pizza Night Order Form.

Join us on Friday February 11^th for Pizza and Bingo!

PIZZA AVAILABLE BY PRE-ORDER ONLY! Advance notice of our order is required, so please return all forms with payment by Tuesday, February 8. We cannot guarantee that there will be any "extra" pizza, so please plan ahead. We will be offering pizza by the slice for $2 per slice, or a whole pizza for $18. Beverages and desserts available for purchase that night.

PPT Minutes from January 24 Now Available

The minutes for the PPT Meeting from January 24 can be accessed here: PPT Minutes or on the PPT Minutes tab at the top of the page.

Uppers Ski Trip - Rescheduled

The Uppers' Ski Trip has been rescheduled to Friday, February 25.

Reminder to 8th Graders - Century Panther Night January 24

PANTHER NIGHT
FOR INCOMING 9TH GRADERS AND FAMILIES
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL
MONDAY January 24, 2011
7:00 – 9:00 pm

Panther Night is a special night just for incoming 9th grade students and parents/guardians. Learn about the transition to high school, discuss registration with your student in mind, and have a chance to meet some of the teachers. After a brief presentation in the auditorium, families will have the opportunity to meet with teachers in the café where they can learn more about course offerings and the differences between the levels of courses (honors/non-honors). It is a great time to have your registration and/or transition questions answered. Representatives of the Century PTSA and Volunteers in Education will also share information about opportunities for parent/guardians to be involved at Century.

Century guidance staff will be visiting Rochester middle schools between January 19-21 to provide students with registration forms and registration guides. Registration information and forms are also available on the Century website and the
Century Panther Press www.centurypantherpress.blogspot.com.
Go to the "Links to Registration Documents" on the left side of the home page, or the "Registration Documents Available Online" tab on the top of the home page.

January PPT Presidents' Letter

Happy 2011 from your Lincoln PPT where every parent is valued and welcome!

We would love to see you at our monthly PPT meetings. The next one is scheduled for Monday, January 24th. We will be discussing the Special Projects application process and timeline. This is important to the Lincoln community because it determines how we spend the proceeds from Lincoln's Auction. The process is finished for this year, but we will discuss any proposed changes to the process for next year. This is where your voice comes in. We value your input. Then at February's meeting, we will vote to put those possible changes in place.

It's been fun to see some new faces at our meetings. We are working hard to keep our meetings informative and pertinent. Please join us! It will be time well spent!

Thanks for all you do, Parents!
Chris Harmon
Lincoln PPT Co-President

Kindergarten Acceptance Forms Due Wednesday!

Lincoln parents - if you have a kindergartener entering Lincoln in the fall of 2011, you MUST turn in your green Kindergarten Acceptance Form to Amy by this WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19. There are 14 families who still need to turn in their form.

Skyward and Uppers Parents

https://skyward.rochester.k12.mn.us/

Skyward offers each parent an up to date look at your child's progress.  Parents should be looking at Skyward at least once a week find out how your student is doing.  If you do not have skyward access, your student does or you can get your own access by contacting the office to set up a login and password.  It does not take too many missed assignments to get a student in real academic trouble.

Temple Grandin Coming to Rochester in February

There will be three opportunities for the public to hear Temple Grandin speak in Rochester in February. Temple Grandin is a world-famous animal scientist, autism self-advocate, author and one of Time Magazine's Top 100 People of 2010.

Friday, February 18 - RCTC Field House
12-12:45 pm - "My Science Teacher Got Me Turned Around" - Temple Grandin
addresses the Regional Science Fair participants and community members.
Free and Open to the Public!

Friday, February 18 - John Marshall High School Cafeteria*
5:30-7:30 pm - Dinner with Temple - Temple speaks on "Thinking in Pictures"
Class code: 8341.231
Fee: $10
Dinner includes turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, and cookie.
Book signing will be held following dinner.
*Registration required with Rochester Community Education at 328-4000 or online at www.rochesterce.org/adults

Saturday, February 19 - John Marshall High School Auditorium
9-10 am - Temple will give the opening to the ISD 535 Science Fair Ceremony -
"The World Needs All Kinds of Minds."
Free and Open to the Public!

For more information, go to the Rochester Regional Science Fair page under the Community tab on the Rochester Public Schools website www.rochester.k12.mn.us.