Parent / Teacher Connection Opportunities - 20/21

Dear Families,

 To create a strong partnership between home and school, we are excited to share with you our 2020-21 Home-to-School Partnership opportunities listed below.  We also have more exciting events in the works such as a STEM Night and Title 1 Classroom Celebration.  These dates/times are to be determined. 

You will receive a letter with your child’s teachers name when you pick up your child's belongings and drop off their Chromebooks/Ipad's at the end of the school year. The letter will contain a  link that will provide you with step by step instructions on how to sign up for Shapiro’s Get-to-Know-You-Conferences held on August 20th between 11:30-5:30 PM. The platform we will use is PTCfast. If you need support with accessing this platform or Infinite Campus, please email Liz, our school secretary at liszette.reyes@oshkosh.k12.wi.us. Liz will be back in the office on August 13th.  

Please mark your calendar with these important partnership dates below. Shapiro STEM Academy Staff is excited for the opportunity to share your child with you.  We look forward to another great year of learning!

August 20th- 11:30-5:30 PM-Get to Know You Conferences and Picture Day

Opportunity to meet the classroom teacher, share information about your child, and bring in your child’s school supplies. Please note that teacher conference slots are limited so, please coordinate to have all interested parties attend one conference time. Also, pictures will be taken on this day. Please plan to come a bit before your scheduled conference or stay after to capture that great smile.

November 10th- 3:15-6:15 PM  and November 17th, 3:15-6:15 PM 1-1 Parent-Teacher Conferences 

You will again be given the opportunity to go online and choose a conference time that fits your schedule. This time provides for an excellent opportunity to share student growth as well as create new goals and plans for goal achievement.  

February 4th-3:15-4:45 PM- Conferences/Need Basis

If you have questions or concerns about your child's academic progress, you will have the opportunity to meet with your child's teacher to discuss their needs.

Summer School Registration- 

Please visit Shapiro’s office at any time during the summer school registration window (March/April) for support with registration.  Liz, our secretary, would be happy to assist you.

April 22nd-5:00-6:30 PM- Title 1 Family Night- 

Please join our Shapiro Family to celebrate your child’s accomplishments and find out about future learning opportunities

Learning Always Starts At Home

We are so proud of our Shapiro families who have taken this unimaginable event and have turned their homes into classrooms.  Our teachers, students and parents are the best and that's what makes us Shapiro Strong! As we adapt to this situation, continue to read to your children, step out to your backyard and turn it into an adventure in learning and know that our staff is here to help.  

  

   

  

 

 

Summer School Registration

Summer School On-Line Registration for current 4K-12th graders

Using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Begins: March 2 at 8:00 am

Ends: March 20 at 3:00 pm

Summer School Online Registration 

Using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Students must attend every session of summer school when a class meets for credit from 8:00 AM until 12:30 PM. DPI (Department of Public Instruction) rules state that students must attend classes for so many hours in order to get credit. This is in addition to earning a passing grade for a class during summer school. If you have any plans or need to have your high school student miss summer school for any reason while it is in session, it may be best not to sign them up.

Signing into the Portal

From the portal Sign In screen, https://oshkoshwi.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/oshkosh.jsp enter the Username and Password that has been assigned.

Summer School Courses can be requested through either the Parent or the Student Portal 

Click the Log In button. This will bring the user to the main portal page where district and school notices will be listed.

Click on "more" on the left side of the toolbar. Select Course Registration.

On the right hand side, click on the appropriate child from the dropdown.

Select the Appropriate calendar for your child.

Click the plus button on course.

Click the Request Button.

Once the progress bar is at 100% you can request alternates.

**Note If you do not with to take the max amount of courses it will not show 100% complete, this is normal**

2020 Student Council Coin Drive

Every Nickel, Dime, Quarter and Penny counts as we work together to make a difference!

Our student council will be running a coin drive for our next school fundraiser! All proceeds go back to benefit our school. 

Coin Drive will take place February 18th-28th. Please have your child drop their loose change into the designated buckets located outside of their station!! The station that raises the most money will win an ice cream sundae party!!

Show your School Spirit!

Orders are due February 17th. 
 

What's going on at school?

In STEM, the kindergarten students read The Gingerbread Man. They noticed that riding on the fox's back to cross the river was NOT the best way to get to the other side because he gets EATEN!  They decided the Gingerbread Man needs a bridge to get across. They designed, planned, built, and tested out bridges for the Gingerbread Man.

    

First graders celebrated "World Read Aloud Day." This week we they invited special guest readers into their classroom! Mrs. Recker, our Art Teacher, Mrs. Elliott, our Literacy specialist and Mrs. Deppiesse, our math specialist read to first graders this week. 

  

Second graders learned that Cooperation is key! Students practiced this skill during a guidance lesson. This was such a cool experience and their teachers were able to see some new leadership from the students.

     

Our third graders are writers! They are using writing to express their opinions and using evidence to support their reasons and constructing paragraphs to organize their amazing ideas. They are also excited that the new phonics program is helping them to spell words so they have fewer obstacles in their writing journey!

     

Fourth grade students have been working hard to figure out where a variety of rocks have come from. They were given different rocks to make observations and support their thinking. They were then shown different locations to see if they can figure out where the rocks came from.

      

Fifth graders; our future engineers in action! How do you create a process to clean up an oil spill? How much oil can we remove after an oil spill? Ask your child how their oil spill cleaning process worked.

    

 

What's going on at School?

5th grade started the new year with some programming and robots on Thursday! 🤖 Thanks Mrs. Monigal! 

Free Write Friday in 5th Grade - Author Share ~ They're all ears to find out the new adventures of Cole the Dragon Rider!

      

4th graders are learning about volcanoes and where most volcanoes are located in the world . Ask your child where they should go if they want to find a volcano, on the coast or in the middle of a continent?

     

Kindergarten is working hard at Purposeful Play

 

 

Happy Birthday Dr. King! Observed on January 20 

Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929, never backed down in his stand against racism. He dedicated his life to achieving equality and justice for all Americans of all colors.

King believed that peaceful refusal to obey unjust law was the best way to bring about social change. King experienced racial prejudice early in life. Segregation was both law and custom in the South and other parts of America. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed racial segregation in publicly-owned facilities. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Prize for Peace on December 10, 1964.

King was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Americans honor the civil rights activist on the third Monday of January each year, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 

Dr. King's Speech - I Have a Dream

Wisconsin Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week, January 13 - 17th

Each day, dedicated adult crossing guards across Wisconsin show up at their assigned crossings to assist students in their journeys to or from school. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to our crossing guard Mary Hesek, for what she does for our students each and every day. Please show your appreciation to Mary during the recognition week and thank her for a job well done!

Circle Drive Safety

The circle drive is reserved for the school bus drop off and pick up. We ask that all parents use the drop off and pick up lanes in the parking lot to ensure student safety. Please observe the school zone speed limits when dropping off and picking up your child. Allowing yourself more time to get ready in the morning will minimize the need to rush in the morning. Be a role model to your child by being respectful, responsible and safe. Our staff & students safety is very important. 

Kindness & Gratitude towards those who serve

Shapiro students spent some time writing thank you letters to Officer Wissink and other members of our school family. Your children truly have big hearts. Ask your child what they wrote and have a discussion about kindness in our community!

      

PTO Banking Updates For October & November

 

PTO Treasurer's Report  (October 2019)
Checking Account				Balance
Starting Balance as of 10/01/2019				$ 1,851.02
Withdrawal
Deposits
10/24/2019	Surplus cash	$                                  45.00		$ 1,896.02
10/24/2019	Scholastic Book Fair	$                            1,800.10		$ 3,696.12
Expenses / Checks Written
Ending Balance				$3,696.12

---

November

PTO Treasurer's Report  (November 2019)
Checking Account				Balance
Starting Balance as of 11/01/2019				$    3,696.12
Withdrawal
11/12/2019	Holiday Concert front row tickets petty cash	$                                170.00		$    3,526.12
Deposits
11/26/2019	Kringle order	$                            6,772.01		$ 10,298.13
11/26/2019	Holiday Concert  Front Row Tickets Sales	($100 + $170 petty cash deposit )                                                                      $270.00		$ 10,568.13
Expenses / Checks Written
#1032	Scholastic Book Fair	$                              (885.04)		$    9,683.09
Ending Balance				$    9,683.09

How did we get here? 

Scholastic sales were $3,821.34 WOW!!

$2,020.51 were credit card sales. A check for $885.04 was paid to Scholastic and our profit was $915.79

Kringle Orders totaled $7,413.51 

($651.50 was received in personal checks) This money was held until we received bank checks and was deposited in December. This will be reflected in our December bank statement.

A payment of $4,703.85 will be made once we receive the items on Tuesday, Dec. 17th and our profit is $2,709.66 Way to go Shapiro Families!!

We made a total of $100 in front row concert ticket raffle sales

Holiday concert door collection on Wednesday was $283.25. Thank you for your generous donations. This money will be reflected on our December bank statement.

 

 

 

Reminders from the Office

Students Arriving Late to School:  We have an number of students arriving late for school.  Students are expected to be in school 7:40 am when the first bell rings.  If your student arrives in the building after the second bell at 7:45 am, they must stop at the office to check in before going to class.  Students arriving after 7:55 are unexcused unless a doctors note is provided. The breakfast program is an available option between 7:10 - 7:40 am, daily to ensure your child is on time everyday. 

Pick Up After School: For the safety of all students, please make sure that you are on time to pick up your child.  Students are dismissed at 2:45.  If you are unable to be at school at 2:45 pm, you should make other arrangements to have your child picked up on time.  Please make sure that you keep a consistent routine and that your child is aware of their after school plan daily.   

Change of Clothing:  Students in Grades KG-1 should have an extra set of season-appropriate clothing at school at all times in the event they soil their clothes due to recess activities, lunch spills, bathroom accidents or other health issues

Winter Weather Apparel

As we move closer to winter and colder weather it is important that your child comes prepared for changing weather.  Please ensure that your child leaves your home with the appropriate attire. 

Outdoor Recess

• Less than 50 degrees, coat or jacket required
• 50 - 59 degrees, long sleeves
• 60 degrees or above, no jacket required
• Temperatures above 10 degrees and above 0 wind chills 

Indoor Recess 

• Less than 10 degree or 0 wind chill

Masonic Center - Art Awards

Congratulations to: 

Isabella Messenger, Noah Hernandez, Hazel Nuon, Leland Carroll, Samantha Hoff, Bryce Heisler, Theo Blaske, Lillian Deschaine, Andrew Frank, Willow Weaver, Alina Her, Jace Goebel, Arianna Hughes, Shaw Yang, Bella Cortes, Liam Blank, Leo Resch, Caylee Gerrits, Mason Hoff, Naomi Hall, Lizabeth Schmitz, Michael Schwister, Evelyn Wuest, Layla Fischer, Parker Schwister, Samara Sanchez, McKenna Stutz, Brennan Frank, Kaitlyn Schmitz, Eloise Koehnke, Samuel Recker, Kadin Hall, Ethan Blank, Leeland Riffle, Margaret Recker for receiving the Artistic Achievement Award.

Their artwork has been selected for the Art Show at the Masonic Center. The art exhibit will take place on Saturday, November 2nd from 6 pm – 9 pm at the Masonic Center located at 204 Washington.

October Newsletter

Shapiro STEM Academy       

October 2019

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Our Book Fair is right around the corner! This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate reading and great books. The book fair will be open October 14-18 after school in our gymnasium.  

We are offering two different days for families to “Pop” into your student’s reading instruction. We would also like to invite families to shop the book fair after their classroom experience.

If you have a child in more than one classroom, please gather your children and pick one classroom to join. 

• K-2 will be October 15, from 2:00–2:45 pm

• 3-5 will be October 17, from 2:00–2:45 pm

PTO Meeting -Come on in for a chance to win great prize!

This coming Monday, October 7, from 3:00-3:45, we will be having our first PTO meeting of the school year. The YMCA has donated a free 10 student birthday party package. We will also have a gift card giveaway. This meeting will take place in the Media Center, which is just past the office. Please consider taking on a role with the PTO to support our students. Hope to see you there.

Also, after our PTO meeting, we will be holding our biannual Charter Board Meeting from 3:45–4:15 pm. At this meeting, we will vote in new members, revisit the end of 2018-19 goals and discuss goals for our new school year.  Thank you for your consideration.  

i-Ready 

We are excited to share that our school district  is implementing a math and reading assessment program for grades 3-8 called i-Ready. Below, you will find information on the program and how we will be using it in the classroom. i-Ready will support full implementation of our district adopted curriculum resources in math and literacy.   

What is i-Ready?

i-Ready is an online assessment  platform that will help us determine your child’s needs, personalize his or her learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child exactly where he or she is and provides data for us to increase your child’s learning gains. 

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your child’s needs. Each item a student sees is individualized based on his or her answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier questions. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade, but instead to determine how best to support your child’s learning in the classroom.  

When will my child take the  i-Ready assessment?

We will do this assessment three times per year so that teachers can use the student learning information to adjust instruction for your child.   

Have you been bullied? Chances are you have.  

According to Stomp Out Bullying, a national anti-bullying program website, one in every four children is bullied. Indeed, it is estimated that 160,000 students nationwide miss school each day because they fear a bully.

On October 7, the Shapiro STEM staff would like to bring awareness to the issue of bullying by participating in a world day of bullying prevention known as “Blue Shirt Day”. On Monday, October 7th we invite all members of the Shapiro STEM Academy staff, students, parents, and visitors to join us in wearing blue to bring awareness to the issue of bullying. We further invite you to discuss bullying in your homes with your children, as well as ways to maintain healthy friendships at home and at school. Only when children feel safe, are they able to learn.

For more information about Blue Shirt Day, the world wide day of bullying prevention, please visit www.stompoutbullying.org.

Have you seen the book fairy?

Be on the lookout, Oshkosh! The Book Fairy has some books to share. If you find a book, share a picture using #oshkoshbookfairy. Enjoy the book and fill the bag with a different book to hide for someone else to find. Let's share the love for books in our great community!

School Field Trips 

Parents or guardians that are interested in attending field trips with their child are required to complete and pass a background check.  If you are interested in attending a field trip with your child, please speak to your child's teacher first to ensure they are looking for additional assistance. Parent participation slots on field trips are limited so the sooner you ask, the better. 

Scholastic Book Fair

Our Scholastic Book Fair will take place on October 14 - 18th. Students along with their families will have the opportunity to purchase books from 2:45 - 4:00 pm. We hope that you will take this opportunity to put new books in your child’s hands. Please see the *physical benefits of reading.

They help kids “see”

Kids play out the story in their heads, consciously and unconsciously — and that can boost their imaginations. Ask questions about what things look like so your child can visualize in greater detail.

Books sharpen the senses 

Reading words like garlic can trigger smells while metaphors like a slimy person can call up textures — often at the same time. Experts think reading may give kids a richer, deeper experience of the story and possibly even the world.

They get kids moving 

Just as we see a story in our mind’s eye, we also automatically play out the action in our heads when we read “Harry kicked the ball.” Running through actions in your mind improves your ability to do the same thing. (It’s why athletes can bump up their game by imagining themselves, say, making a free throw.) 

Books grow brain cells 

Struggling readers have fewer cells in some regions. But a study found that after six months of daily reading, the weak spots beefed up so much that the kids’ brains looked the same as those of kids with stronger reading skills.   

They make the heart bigger  

Preschoolers who hear more stories get a head start on becoming more empathetic. That’s because kids’ books are packed with characters who air their feelings — ?and because parents tend to talk about the characters’ emotions.

*Scholastic.com/parents

Second Grade Swim Lessons

Shapiro STEM Academy and the Oshkosh Area School District are partnering with the Oshkosh YMCA to present SAW (Safety Around Water). SAW is a program for all second grade students to receive instruction in basic swimming skills and water safety techniques by certified instructors from the YMCA. American Health Institute research indicates that swim lessons will reduce drowning by 88%. The program also meets State of Wisconsin and OASD curriculum benchmarks. Swim lessons for second graders will begin on Tuesday, October 29th. Please make sure your child has their swimsuit and towel on swim days. 

Pick Up and Drop Off

Safety here at Shapiro STEM Academy is one of our top priorities.  Please reserve the circle drive in front of the school for our buses and those that have appropriate handicap parking permits.  If you wish to walk your child into the school building or onto the playground, please use one of our designated parking lot stalls or street parking.  If you wish to remain in your car for drop off or pick up we ask that you use the appropriate exit and entrance into the parking lot. Please use lane A to drop off and pick up and lane B to exit our parking lot.  Please enter lane A and pull all the way forward to the orange cone. Please do not drive/stop on the yellow walk lane. You may wait in your car in lane A while your child enters your car door from the right. Then pull into lane B to exit the parking lot. Please refer to our traffic flow and parking chart located on our school website.

Breakfast Program

As a reminder to families, breakfast is served at Shapiro from 7:10 - 7:40 am.  For the safety of the children we ask that you do not drop off your children before 7:10 am. If your child is dropped off before 7:30 they will be asked to eat breakfast as playground supervision does not begin until 7:30 AM. We are excited to announce that this year Shapiro students will receive free breakfast and lunch as part of a grant received by the state. Parents are still required to complete the free and reduced meal application (English, Spanish) to have the instructional materials waved and to qualify for free snack milk. If you do not complete the application, your child will incur a fee of $0.35 for the snack milk and the instructional materials fee of $40 per child. Please return completed applications to the office. Applications can also be completed online via Infinite Campus.