Special Projects - $14,165 Available to be Granted!

Do you have a great idea for something that would benefit the Lincoln students, but just need some money to make it happen? If so, Special Projects could be the way to make it happen. Following a very successful auction and funding of the PPT budget, there is $14,165 available for Special Projects.

What are Special Projects?
*Special Projects can be any project or item that will benefit the school
*Special Projects can be submitted by parents, teachers or students of Lincoln.
*Special Projects are paid for by money that is raised from the annual Lincoln Auction after the PPT budget has been funded.
*Special projects funded in the past include: the Smart Boards in the classrooms, the "big toy" playground equipment, the Lincoln information sign, the popcorn popper, baseball bats and gloves and many more.

To apply for Special Projects funding, fill in the application form and return to the office via paper copy, or to Kindra Ramaker via email at ramaker_kindra@yahoo.com.
Applications must be received by Monday February 14.

All received applications will be reviewed at a Consensus meeting on Tuesday, February 26 at 5:30 in the Lincoln Media Center. During the meeting, a funding proposal will be agreed on. All Lincoln parents, guardians and staff are welcome to attend the consensus meeting.
If you have any questions, please contact Kindra Ramaker via email at ramaker_kindra@yahoo.com..

CLICK HERE FOR THE SPECIAL PROJECTS APPLICATION FORM

Safety is Always our Top Priority for Students at Lincoln - How Can You Help?

 Here are a few reminders how you can help us keep our students safe at Lincoln.
• Sign in to the office when volunteering or coming into Lincoln. We will provide a volunteer badge or visitor sticker for you to wear as this will help everyone identify people that have access to Lincoln. All visitors must sign in to office.
• Visitors must use Door 1 when arriving at Lincoln. Please do not use side doors or ask for entry into other doors. Door 7 can be used before and after school for students arriving and for SACC drop/off and pick-up.
• When doing drive-up student pick up or drop off- please use the back parking lot as this provides the safest process for all students. Please do not try to pick up students in front of school before or after school as the busses need all the space and it makes for unsafe situations.

Thank you for your support and assistance in making the safest possible procedures happen at Lincoln for all our students.

Junior First Lego League Registration is Open - Deadline Friday February 1st

Are you ready to have fun and build simple machines with LEGO elements including motorized moving parts? Plus you will find a way to improve the quality of life for seniors by learning about the obstacles some people face as they get older? Check out this year's Junior First Lego League - "Super Seniors."

CLICK HERE FOR THE REGISTRATION FORM
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS YEAR'S JUNIOR FLL CHALLENGE

Registration: deadline is February 1st
Season: February to March 22nd.
Payment $20 per person - You can turn in the payment check to (David Mead) and registration form to Amy Krahn in the office.
Team Structure
• Lincoln Children in K - 3rd grade and between the ages of 5 and 9 years old.
• Teams will have 4-6 children
• Teams meet over a 6-8 week period, once or twice a week.
• The coaches structure team meetings (meeting times and overall program length) in a way that works for them and their team.

Involvement: We need coaches. Jr FLL is easy to coach. No experience necessary. Lincoln will lend teams the Lego kits and building manuals. Let Cheryl Kliewer know if you are interested in coaching a team!

For more information Visit the Jr FLL Web Page http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/jr.fll
Ask Cheryl Kliewer questions at Cheryl@wiseraccoon.net or 261-3699.

The LincolnLincs Online Newsletter Needs New Leadership!

The leadership of the LincolnLincs Online Newsletter are going to be stepping down after this year. The LincolnLincs is operated entirely by Lincoln parents/guardians. In order for the LincolnLincs to continue operation, a new group of Lincoln parents/guardians are needed to join the LincolnLincs team. We need you!

What are the responsibilities?
1. Learn how to post articles on the LincolnLincs Online Newsletter.  No prior experience with programming is needed. Familiarity with html, blogs or websites might be helpful to enhance the newsletter design and functions. Training will be provided (the process is simple!)
2. Members of the Lincoln community will email articles to the LincolnLincs team (at your email or the lincolnlincs@gmail.com address).  You will post these articles on the LincolnLincs. 
3. Take the Lincoln Parent E-files each week and make sure that all the articles in the E-files are already posted or get posted to the LincolnLincs.
4. Give LincolnLincs access (username,password) and technical assistance to Lincoln PPT and other organizational leadership who are authorized to post their own articles on the LincolnLincs.

Parents/guardians can do all the work on the LincolnLincs at home, any time of the day or night.  If multiple team members are involved, assignments can be spread out.

In addition, members of the LincolnLincs team have been discussing developing a Lincoln K-8 Facebook page and Twitter feed.  This is another project that the new LincolnLincs team can consider taking on.

We welcome ANYONE to the LincolnLincs team who wants to improve parent/staff/school communication at Lincoln! Please email Cathy Nathan at natecate13@charter.net if you are interested.

For 8th Graders and their Families - High School Information Nights

All three Rochester high schools will be holding events for parents of current eighth grade students who will be attending one of the three public high schools in the 2013-2014 school year. Information at the events will include general high school information, high school graduation requirements, registration information, extra-curricular opportunities, and tips on making the transition to high school easier.

Mayo High School Spartan Night - Monday January 14, 2013: Parent and student information night, 5:30 p.m.

John Marshall High School Rocket Night - Monday January 14, 2013: Parent night, 6:30 p.m.

Century High School Panther Night - Monday February 4, 2013: Parent and student night and orientation, 6:00 pm.

EVENTS AT LINCOLN - Monday, January 14

It's a busy night at Lincoln K-8 - Hope to see you there!

BINGO/PIZZA NIGHT - 5:45-7:00 p.m. in the Gym for Pizza and Bingo

Uppers Information Night for 5th Grade Parents - 6:00pm in the Science Lab downstairs.
Uppers representatives will share the many aspects of our excellent Uppers Program and how to best prepare our students to succeed as we look to next year when they are Uppers students.
  
PPT MEETING - 7:00 p.m. in the Lincoln Media Center
Have you ever wondered what it what it would be like to be the parent of a Lincoln Upper? Come hear what it's like from a panel of experienced parents! The Lincoln PPT is a great place for Lincoln parents, guardians and staff to get more involved at Lincoln.

Uppers Information Night for 5th Grade Parents - January 14

Information night for the Uppers Program for 5th Grade Parents will be on January 14th at 6:00pm in the Science Lab downstairs. Uppers representatives will share the many aspects of our excellent Uppers Program and how to best prepare our students to succeed as we look to next year when they are Uppers students.

BINGO/PIZZA NIGHT - Monday, January 14

Join us on Monday, January 14th from 5:45-7:00 p.m. 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 Thursday, January 10th.
We cannot guarantee that there will be any "extra" pizza, so please plan ahead.
Beverages and desserts will be available for purchase that night.
We will be offering pizza by the slice for $2 or a whole pizza for $18.
New this year, we are offering a Gluten Free pizza option. You can purchase a whole Gluten Free 10" pizza for $18.
Please return order forms with payment to your teacher or Amy in the office by Thursday, January 10th.
Make checks payable to Lincoln PPT
Pizza available through PRE-ORDER FORM ONLY WITH PRE-PAYMENT.
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRE-ORDER FORM.

PPT MEETING - MONDAY, JANUARY 14

The next PPT meeting is this Monday, January 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lincoln Media Center.

Have you ever wondered what it what it would be like to be the parent of a Lincoln Upper?

Come hear what it's like from a panel of experienced parents!

The Lincoln PPT is a great place for Lincoln parents, guardians and staff to get more involved at Lincoln.

Lincoln Students and Staff Published in Zebrafish Journal

Congratulations to everyone at Lincoln for being part of the most recent Zebrafish Special Edition Scientific Journal. There are several articles and multiple abstracts from students, staff, and our partner scientists that truly put Lincoln and InSciEd Out on the global scientific map. The front cover was created by our very own student and staff member.

All of the articles and abstracts can be found online here: http://online.liebertpub.com/toc/zeb/9/4 

This type of recognition and acceptance is absolutely groundbreaking for any school around the world. It is worth your time to read some of the articles as it gives some great perspective as to what Lincoln has done over the past few years in changing education and opportunities for students.

We have many more plans for our students and are seeking more world-leading science materials and technologies but are in need for funding to help make more opportunities happen. Contact Mr. Sonju if you have any ideas how to help move us forward. We are all about improving our school every day for our kids!

Garbage Can Lids Needed

We are in need of two plastic garbage can lids. They should be the 55 gallon type and be plastic and clean. We need to cut holes in them to accommodate some science probes.

Blooming this Spring!

Thank you to Liz Koehler, Jane Barton and Juli Gifford who took advantage of a one day, two hour bulb sale at Sargent’s North and acquired 300 bulbs for $10.00. The bulbs were planted this week in front of the school and in one of the raised beds. Should be a blooming Spring at Lincoln!

Lincoln Grant and Equipment News!

New Classroom Fish Habitats

• This summer Lincoln teachers and Mayo Clinic scientists wrote a proposal for new Portable Fish Habitat system. We were awarded the this system for use in classrooms and in the fish room. It will be monitored, maintained, and supervised by Intermediate students (4/5). Interested students will go through as series of trainings so that they will be able to monitor and operate this system.
• Mayo Clinic has also donated a fish habitat which we have placed in the Basement science room. This habitat will be for growing and studying freshwater fish found in Minnesota. We waiting for a few cabinets to be moved so that we can get this system in place and up and running, 

Other Grants - We have also been notified that we are going to receive two grants in January:

• Dianne Arneson and Aurora Kubach will receive a grant from The Rochester Public School Foundation for $2,500 to purchase iPads for their students.
• Jane Barton received $1500 to fix the greenhouse and to build a storage shed by the raised bed gardens. 

Thank you to the staff who worked on these grants and to our community partners for their support of Lincoln!

Skyward News - Skylert Test Message This Week and Uppers Parents Check Skyward

As you know, Rochester Public Schools is using Skylert as its district-wide emergency notification system. Skylert provides the district with the ability to quickly send mass communication via phone, SMS text message, and e-mail for such things as snow emergencies.

These are the instructions we are forwarding to parents to help them with the Skylert settings in Skyward Family Access. If you would like to modify your settings in Skylert, please follow these instructions:
• Log in to Skyward Family Access from the tab at the left of the Rochester Public Schools home page.
• Click on Skylert on the left navigation bar. Your Skylert settings will display.
• To make Skylert notification changes, click Edit on the right of the screen. Skylert settings are specific to each child in your family.
• Select the type of notification you would like to receive for each phone number you enter. For example, if you do not wish to receive Emergency notifications via telephone (for snow days, etc), de-select the check box for Emergencies.
• Do the same for emails and text message until you have your notifications specified as needed.

During the week of December 3-7, we will be running a test on Skylert to make sure that everything is running correctly.

Uppers Parents and Skyward:
Make sure you are checking Skyward a couple of times a week. This time of year it is very easy for students to get behind. Skyward will tell you the assignments that are missing, a description of the assignment, assign data and most importantly the due date.

Vision and Hearing Screening - December 4

Vision and hearing screenings will be provided for first and third graders; along with vision only for all 7th graders. Screening at Lincoln will take place on December 4th. Vision and hearing greatly affect learning. Rochester public school district strongly encourages all students to be screened. If you would like your student to be excluded, please contact the Health Office 328-3538 to complete an exclusion form, by November 30th.

Dad's Belgian Waffle Fundraiser at Lincoln - November 17

Dad's Belgian Waffle Fundraiser 
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM 
All you can eat - Belgian waffles with choice of toppings and sausages! 
Milk, Orange Juice and Coffee 
Nineteen waffle makers – little to no waiting.
$7 Adults $5 Kids 6 - 12 Years Old Kids 5 and Under Free  

Tickets can be purchased in the office, at conferences on Thursday, after school on Friday and at the door on Saturday. Get your tickets ahead of time and avoid the line...

We are still in need of volunteers... sign up in the office or contact Kara Short at kmshort@charter.net or call her at 252-8275 if you can help out? 
(Uppers students can also volunteer) 
Kitchen Workers 11:00 to12:00 ---3 
Table Workers 6:30 AM-9:00 AM---2 
Table Workers 9:00 am to 11:00----2 
Table Workers 11:00 to 12:00---3 
Servers 7:00am to 9:30 am---1 
Here is your chance to give something back to Lincoln if you were not able to attend the Auction…A lot of hands make the work go faster!

This event will support future purchases in technology –iPad and netbooks for classroom checkout – fish room and classroom supplies for InSciEd Out projects (fish modules, Gardening projects – vegetable and flower – greenhouse repairs).

Baby it’s Cold Outside - Please Dress in Outdoor Wear

It's that time of year again! The snow is starting to fall and the temperatures are dropping! Please be sure to send your student(s) to school with appropriate outdoor wear! We spend a fair amount of time outside during the school day, and most kids have transitions between buses, so it is so important that your student have warm clothing. Warm coats, gloves, hats, boots, and soon...snowpants! Believe it or not, we still have kids only wearing sweatshirts as coats! It is far too cold some days to be outside for as much as 20-25 minutes with only a sweatshirt to keep them warm! Please help us to help your student be safe and warm during these outside times!

Destination Imagination - Interested in Putting a Team Together?

Destination Imagination - A team event in which 4-7 members meet on a weekly basis with a parent coach in order to solve a long-term problem and several spontaneous ones. A regional event is held in Rochester in March at Willow Creek, and a state event is held in April at Armstrong High School in Plymouth, MN. Scripts, Props, Songs, etc., are all created and performed by students. Registration is in November, and the world event is held at the end of May or early June. The Regional event is open to 3rd thru 12th graders. The web address is: www.destinationimagination.org.

A parent volunteer is required for this event to take place. Please contact me if you are interested in putting a team together.
Vandi King
Gifted Education Teacher
vaking@rochester.k12.mn.us

THANK YOU!!

The 2012 Lincoln Auction and Bake Sale was a great success and it could not have happened without all of you. Thanks to our amazing team of volunteers, bakers, donors and bidders, the Auction grossed over $26,000. With that money, the Lincoln PPT will be able to provide exceptional opportunities for our children. We truly have a rare and wonderful community at Lincoln that gives freely of their time and money to better the educations of all our children.

It’s not too early to start thinking about next year’s Auction. We are looking for someone to chair next year’s Auction with the fabulous and fun Lincoln parent Nicci Watson. If you are interested, please contact Nicci at onawat@aol.com. Other positions will also need to be filled next year and we would love to have you as part of the volunteer team. As the year progresses more information regarding volunteering will be circulated. Please consider giving your time to this very worthy project. Also, if you have Auction baskets left over from your winning bids, we’d love to recycle them for next year. You may simply drop baskets off at the office.

Finally, we had one basket that did not make it to its rightful owner and likely accidentally went home with someone else. Please check to see if you have the Go Pack Go basket among your baskets. If so, please contact the school so we can make arrangements to get it to the rightful winner.

Meet and Greet the School Board Candidates and Get Info on the Sales Tax Vote - This Thursday, November 1

Parents and community members are invited to meet and greet the candidates for the open Rochester School Board seats on Thursday, November 1, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Century High School Main Cafeteria. Candidates will be making statements at 7:00pm, with an open house format during the rest of the event. Information about the sales tax reauthorization vote will also be available from both Common Cents and RochesterCOST organizations.
Sponsored by the Rochester Area Council of Parent-Teacher-Student Associations (Area Council PTSA).