featured news - november 2007
Prairie Elementary School Focuses on Reading and Literacy
Students and Families Read Together
[featured 11/28/07 - 11/30/07]
Prairie Elementary students have already read hundreds of books this year as part of a school-wide reading initiative. Tuesday night Prairie Elementary was open late in order to have students and their families gather together and read.
Principal Yavonnda Smith says the evening was designed to allow families to drop in, read with their kids, and learn about the importance of literacy. The students filled out a reading sheet showing the teachers how many books they read and the kids were able to take a book home. Smith said, “We’ve done family reading nights in the past, but this year I really pumped it up with announcements over the intercom and told them ‘don’t let me be the only one here tonight.’”
Smith also explained that there were a variety of books available to the students and parents to highlight different reading skills. “There are fluency books (your typical nursery rhymes), there are other books that have sight words highlighted in them, so there are different types of books to build on the literacy the students are working on,” she said. Smith also was pleased to see so many parents out to the event. “Reading is so essential because if students can’t read they can’t do anything else. Reading is the foundation for everything,” Smith explained.
The students were very excited to read with their families. Shamario is in the fourth-grade at Prairie and he says he’s glad his reading skills are improving. He said, “Ms. Smith inspires me to do better and to read more books.”
Shanell Fleming is a sixth-grader at Urbana Middle School and she brought her three brothers to Family Reading Night. She knows first-hand the importance of reading at the middle-school level. “By the time they get to sixth grade it’s going to be real hard because (in sixth-grade) you have to know how to sound (words) out, you have to know how to say the vocabulary words right, you have to read chapter books and pass the grade level (tests), and do book projects,” Fleming explained.
Family Reading Night is just one of many programs at Prairie Elementary School this month to highlight the importance of reading.
After-School “SPLASH” Program Benefits Urbana Middle School Students
[featured 11/26/07 - 11/28/07]
Urbana Middle School students have many fun and educational opportunities after the formal school day. The “Students Playing and Learning After School Hours” (SPLASH) Program serves Urbana Middle School students during the school year. 40-Percent of middle school students have taken part in a SPLASH Class.
SPLASH programs are lead by middle school staff, U of I tutors, Girl Scouts, Prairie Center, Urbana Park District, and 4-H Extension partners. The programs include classes, clubs, activities, homework lab, and Morning Jump Start. Morning Jump Start helps students prepare for the coming school day. The Homework Lab gives students a chance to receive help with homework after school. The club activities run the gamut of sports, music, and arts, and the classes cover a wide variety of interests including pet care, babysitting, and dancing. SPLASH participants also get to go on field trips, and enjoy the SPLASH game room.
“I truly believe this Program fulfills a real need in this community. We provide a nourishing, safe environment for our students between the hours of 3:35-5:30. Research tells us these are the hours when children left on their own are most at risk for harmful behaviors,” says SPLASH Director Kathy Cearlock.
Cearlock also believes the SPLASH program helps students grow academically. “Our morning Jump Start program and afternoon Homework Labs are in an atmosphere where students can do homework and get help from our teachers and many U of I tutors. I believe once students get home many of them have the distraction of television and video games and homework gets pushed aside. If they go to Jump Start or Homework Lab they can usually get their homework done in a shorter amount of time because of the learning environment provided. We have calculators, dictionaries, thesauruses, paper, and pencils for them to use,” Cearlock explains.
SPLASH can also help students grow socially, according to Cearlock. “Students really don't get much time during the school day to socialize. SPLASH provides an environment for students to be together in a relaxed atmosphere and practice social skills. One of our most popular classes is Game Room where students can play ping pong, foos ball, board games, or just sit in our bean bag chairs and talk,” she says.
According to Cearlock, the public is a major factor in allowing SPLASH to be a success. “Our partners allow us to provide classes during those times when teachers are not able to teach classes. For instance: Monday (teacher meetings) and Wednesday (early 0ut). Without these partners we would not be able to provide a Mon. - Thurs. seamless program,” Cearlock comments.
There is no charge for Homework Lab, Morning Jump Start, or Wednesday Early Out activities. There is a fee for other clubs and activities, but if children qualify for free or reduced lunch all fees are waived.
This is the first year that SPLASH is offering a meal to the after school students. “We provide approximately 60 suppers per night and will probably be increasing our numbers soon,” Cearlock says.
For more information about the Middle School SPLASH Program please see www.usd116.org/home/splash.html.
Thomas Paine Elementary Families Donate Food to Those in Need
[featured 11/23/07 - 11/26/07]
Members of the Thomas Paine Elementary School family recently got into the Thanksgiving and Holiday spirit by donating food to fellow families in need.
Thomas Paine Principal Sandra Cooper says all the food collected will stay in house. “Thomas Paine has traditionally collected food for the annual Eastern Illinois Foodbank drive. Several years ago, our students expressed an interest in collecting food for our own families who might need some support over the holidays or long weekends,” Cooper says.
Cooper says several Thomas Paine families will benefit from their fellow school families. “We sent a flyer to approximately 20 Thomas Paine families who were identified as needing support or who have asked for support. The social worker followed up with a phone call. We are trying to have enough food to supply students with food they could fix for themselves if there isn't an adult at home over the long week-end,” she explains.
The Thomas Paine food collection box was soon overflowing. Cooper says, “Kids say they like helping others. It is that time of year where those of us who are blessed can show our gratitude by helping others.” Cooper also says this event helps build community at Thomas Paine commenting, “It is one small way that symbolizes the feeling of community among our staff and families. They are all ‘our children.’ We want all students and their families to feel they belong and feel valued at Thomas Paine.”
Urbana High School to Host 34th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner
All Invited to the High School Thanksgiving Day
[featured 11/21/07 - 11/23/07]
An Urbana High School tradition returns for its 34th consecutive year. The Urbana High School Student Senate will host the school’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the High School Cafeteria, 1002 South Race Street, Urbana. Student volunteers will serve the dinner from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Thanksgiving Day.
The dinner is completely free, there is no paperwork involved, and it simply allows all to walk into the UHS cafeteria, sit down and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. Local businesses supply the food, and the high school pays for the dinner from money collected through school fundraisers. The school typically serves 200 guests, and this year the Student Senate expects more to attend.
"The entire UHS family is proud of our annual Thanksgiving Dinner where students and community members are afforded the opportunity to give special thanks. What a wonderful way for UHS students to demonstrate how much they appreciate the people that make up our community," says Urbana High School Principal Dr. Laura Taylor.
Abundant Talent on Display at Thomas Paine Elementary School
Annual Variety Show a Smashing Success
[featured 11/20/07 - 11/21/07]
The arts departments at Urbana Middle School and Urbana High School need to take note; there are some talented kids on the way from Thomas Paine Elementary School! The third-annual Thomas Paine Variety Show last week saw students from all grades displaying their gifts to an impressed and appreciative crowd. This variety show is the annual Thomas Paine P.T.A. fundraising event.
A squad of University of Illinois Cheerleaders got the crowd revved up for a night of fun. Ms. Gingold led the first-year Thomas Paine Elementary Orchestra in its first-ever concert. The orchestra was followed by many varied music, singing, dancing, comedy, and poetry-reading acts.
But, perhaps the act creating the biggest “buzz” of the night occurred when a group of honored and brave members of the Thomas Paine staff donned late 1960s garb and did a lip-synching and dance number to the tune “Age of Aquarius.” The students really enjoyed seeing their teachers perform and “ham it up” on stage!
The elementary school was open for parents and guests to see various school projects from each class, and many guests took advantage to take a look at what students are learning this year.
In addition to a P.T.A. fundraiser, the Variety Show also served to help feed the hungry. Thomas Paine Elementary is conducting a food drive (look for more news on that in a future web feature), and members of the audience received a discounted admission if they brought canned food.
Photo 1: The Thomas Paine Orchestra performs at the annual variety show.
Photo 2: Can YOU identify these Thomas Paine staff members?!
Two USD Elementary Schools Hold Family Literacy Events
[featured 11/16/07 - 11/20/07]
Martin Luther King and Prairie Elementary Schools were open late Thursday night as teachers, parents, and students took part in special events to promote student literacy. Prairie Elementary hosted the “Kindergarten Bedtime Party,” and King Elementary hosted “Family Reading Night.”
At Prairie Elementary, kindergarten students came dressed in their pajamas (the teachers were dressed in their “jammies” too!). The kids and their parents took part in different reading and math activities. “We have seven activities for them to do, and we culminate with a story and a song, and each (student) takes a book home,” says Dottie Davito, Prairie Elementary Kindergarten Transition Coordinator. Davito says the annual pajama party for kindergarten students and their parents is a community builder. “For parents, it’s an opportunity to sit down and work with their children and see the kinds of things they’re doing at school,” Davito explains.
Meanwhile over at King Elementary, students and their families were taking part in King’s annual Family Reading Night. King marks National Family Reading Night the third Thursday of each November with a community reading event at the school. This year’s theme at King is “Reading Through the Arts.” Several teachers and community members read stories to families, while others exhibited art or performed during the reading. There was a plethora of talent on display as artists performed dance numbers, played the trumpet, and tap-danced (just to name a few) while others read the story. Students and parents both appeared to really enjoy the mix of reading and art.
“We just want to encourage families and promote the importance of reading,” says Dr. Jennifer Ivory-Tatum, Principal at King Elementary. Ivory-Tatum also says she hopes students and parents see that reading is fun. “Hopefully parents will see some fun reading and get some ideas that they can do at home with their kids,” she says. At the end of the evening King staff gave families to free book to take home and read with their children.
Letter to Parents
[featured 11/16/07]
November 16, 2007
Dear Parents,
This morning a note was found by a teacher that contained an un-specified bomb threat for Urbana Middle School. We immediately notified the Urbana Police Department, who assisted us in conducting a "code red" lock down and search of the school. Students were held in their classrooms while the administration, the Sheriff's Office, and Urbana Police Department searched the building. Nothing suspicious was found, but we take all threats seriously.
While lunches were delayed due to the extensive search, all students were fed and resumed their normal schedule. Staff and students handled themselves well given the circumstances. We will now be pursing an investigation into the person or persons responsible for making the threat as this is a serious disruption of the school environment as well as a violation of state law.
Urbana Middle School plans to be open for a normal school day Monday, November 19.
Sincerely,
Donald Owen, Assistant Superintendent, Urbana School District
Nancy Clinton, Principal, Urbana Middle School
Dozens of Urbana School District Students Participate in Major Central Illinois Concert
Illinois Music Educators Association Concert Features Band, Choir, and Orchestra
[featured 11/15/07 - 11/16/07]
Over 80 Urbana School District #116 Middle and High School students will take part in the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) District 3 Festival at Illinois State University, Normal, this Saturday, November 17. The festival and concert features student performers from several schools in District 3--an area bordered by Danville, Normal, Mattoon, and Kankakee. Each student had to audition before several judges before being selected. The students auditioned for the Band, Choir, and Orchestra ensembles.
Before the auditions, the students, with the help of their directors, prepared music. On the day of the auditions the students played or sang their parts and site-read music for the judges. At the end of the audition process the judges tallied the scores and formed the optimal ensembles. The entire ensemble only rehearses one time the day of the concert. It is a high honor for these students to be chosen for the District 3 Festival.
“We are always honored to have so many students selected. The students work hard to get there, and we are proud of them,” says Urbana School District #116 Music Coordinator Darren Hicks.
The District 3 Festival will be at ISU’s Braden Auditorium this Saturday. The junior concert starts at 2:30 p.m., and the senior concert begins at 5:00 p.m. Tickets cost $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children.
Urbana Middle School 
Honors Girls Basketball Coach for 500th Win
[featured 11/14/07 - 11/15/07]
Diane Enos has coached hundreds of middle school girls’ basketball games. Her teams have won hundreds of those games over the years, but Enos didn’t keep track of the record. However someone was counting, and Urbana Middle School staff surprised Enos Tuesday night with a special honor. Enos recently won her 500th game as a middle school coach.
Enos coached four seasons at Rantoul and two at Argenta before coming to Urbana Middle School in 1992. Her career coaching record is 504-192, with 463 of those wins coming as head coach at UMS. In 16 seasons at Urbana Middle School she has taken 11 teams to the state tournament, winning two state championships and finishing third two times. She has also been honored as a District Coach of the Year five times.
“I’m really surprised; I didn’t know I reached that plateau. This really caught me off guard, I’ll really treasure this,” Enos said. Enos was honored between the seventh and eighth grade girls game Tuesday with a special plaque marking her accomplishment. Several members of Enos’ family were in attendance and her assistant coach Melani Ferchow organized the ceremony.
Urbana School District Implementing New Techniques for Students with Special Needs
[featured 11/13/07 - 11/14/07]
Urbana School District teachers and social workers are using Lego blocks to help elementary students in the District’s Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities Program. The EBD Program is for students who have trouble functioning in a normal classroom setting. The elementary students attend Yankee Ridge where there is a special wing set up to accommodate their unique needs. There are currently nine students in the EBD Program.
Yankee Ridge Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities Consultant Kay Jamieson says students will be using Lego blocks in order to build academic and social skills through play. “We are attempting to set up a learning area that is both positive affectively and beneficial to them academically. The purpose is to provide ways for the student to learn to have control in the expression of their behaviors in positive and productive ways. Having things such as Legos to design, to build, and to display will give the students the opportunity to build upon their social skills, creative talents, and ability to have a degree of success in their lives that is fun yet useful,” Jamieson explains.
Yankee Ridge Social Worker Laura Haber says, “Sometimes our students need the expressive arts to help themselves bridge communication with images instead of words. When in an anxious state, complex cognitive functioning shuts down and that includes ability to speak words. The use of images helps to lower the frustration level and increases self-awareness and understanding. Images help to access the words that give meaning and organize the child's world again.”
Haber says she has seen first-hand the program’s success. “When we have used Legos, I have noticed the emergence of beautiful social interaction amongst the children with each other - sharing, helping, encouraging, foraging pieces for one another, imaginative play, etc.--all the features of healthy JOYFUL play that children need to experience to grow socially,” Haber explains.
The public can help contribute to this program’s success by donating Legos. Haber says the EBD Program is always looking for Lego blocks. She says, “Most of our students haven't had the luxury of working with Legos because they are expensive. But some people I know have too many and don't know what to do with them all. But they don't want to throw them away because they are too expensive! This idea can be a win-win! Give us your used unwanted Legos --- we really need them!”
Private Grant Money Helps Modernize Urbana Middle School Library
Upgrades in Math and Science Collections Help Improve Literacy
[featured 11/12/07 - 11/13/07]
Two donors have seen the fruits of their generosity first-hand after touring the Urbana Middle School library. Dennis and Mary Vidoni donated $3,000 in September 2006 to update the math and science collections at the middle school library. The donation was part of the Faith Vidoni and Marian Van Dyke Educational Grant, which was established by the Vidoni family in memory of their mothers.
The donation allowed the library to weed out old math and science collections and replace the books with new titles. Before the grant the average copyright year of math and science books in the library was 1981; now it’s 1997. The new collections are designed to promote interest in reading, math, and/or science all in one book.
UMS Science Teacher Gary Apfelstadt says it’s important for students to learn literacy skills and he says these fresh library collections will go a long way in sparking student interest in science and reading. “Students need to see something fresh to keep their interest up, and over time our collection aged to the point where it didn’t attract the students’ attention. And, through this grant we’ve been able to get a wealth of new and appealing additions to science concepts,” Apfelstadt says.
UMS Math Department Chair Jason Pound says literacy and math do mix, and thanks to the Vidoni donation, the library has literature that promotes math. “For years we’ve been struggling to find those resources that can connect to mathematics, and it’s exciting to see these new books and have them easily at our fingertips and get students excited about literacy. I’m very appreciative of what (the Vidoni family) has given us,” Pound comments.
“I feel very honored and proud to support these fine teachers and I’m very impressed with what they are doing. I’m proud of what they’re doing and I’m proud to support them,” says Dennis Vidoni.
Mary Vidoni is glad to help Urbana Middle School saying the grant was in part “to acknowledge the wonderful education our son had as he went through Urbana Public Schools and to give back to the teachers that gave to him.”
First photo: (L to R) Dennis Vidoni, Mary Vidoni, UMS Librarian Martha Rinne, and UMS Math Department Chair Jason Pound. (Back) UMS Science Teacher Gary Apfelstedt.
Urbana School District Parents Encouraged to Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences
District-Wide Parent-Teacher Conferences This Week
[featured 11/7/07 - 11/12/07]
Urbana School District #116 parents will have the chance to discuss their child’s progress with their teachers. Parent-teacher conferences take place this week on Thursday, November 8 from 3:30 to 7:30 or 4 to 8:00 (depending on the building) and on Friday morning, November 9 from either 7:30 – 11:30 or 8:00 – Noon.
District 116 encourages all parents to attend these conferences where they will meet with their child’s teachers and discuss their child’s academic status and develop strategies for continued student success. At both the elementary and secondary levels, parents and teachers will also talk about the child’s first quarter report cards (secondary) or standards based progress reports (elementary).
“It is critical for parents and teachers to have open lines of communication, because education goes far beyond the walls of the classroom and school. Conferences provide the venue for parents and teachers to talk about how the student is progressing academically. They can share information about successes as well as challenges. When a student is facing challenges, the teamwork between students and parents is vital. When a student experiences a great deal of success, it is important for teachers and parents to talk about how to capitalize on and celebrate that success,” says Don Owen, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.
Owen says these parent-teacher conferences can be a great benefit to students. “Conferences can be used to focus on students strengths and weaknesses and teachers and parents can work together to plan ways to maximize the student’s strengths and minimize his/her weaknesses. Conferences can also be a great way to get more information than just a report card. It is important for parents to understand where exactly their children are educationally in order to provide the proper supports at home,” Owen explains.
Due to parent-teacher conferences there will be no school for all District 116 students on Friday, November 9.
Yankee Ridge Students Enjoy Visit From Carle Helicopter
[featured 11/6/07 - 11/7/07]
They heard it before they saw it. With a very familiar chop-chop-chop, the Carle Hospital Airlife Helicopter appeared over the treetops of Yankee Ridge Elementary School in Urbana Monday morning and gracefully landed on the playground much to the delight of the fourth-graders who were outside to witness the landing.
The Airlife helicopter crew of four met with fourth-grade students after the landing and talked about the work they do, how the helicopter operates, and how they work as a team. After the presentation the entire school was able to tour the helicopter class-by-class.
This demonstration was part of an inclusion event at Yankee Ridge where the special needs students were able to participate with the rest of the school. "It was set up as an inclusion activity to make sure our special needs students and our regular education students have similar and exceptional opportunities," says Yankee Ridge Principal Mary Beth Norris. She also says the students were able to get a lesson along with the excitement of seeing the helicopter. "They are learning a lot about how the helicopter works and actually how it goes up and down and how it moves in the air and also what kinds of things the crew does," Norris explains.
The helicopter visit may inspire some students to think about an aviation, a medical, or a technical career. "Some of my boys and girls are very mechanically inclined so it is good for them to see the different parts of the helicopter," says Vicky Cromwell, fourth grade teacher at Yankee Ridge.
Prairie Elementary Students Join Clubs for Academic and Social Enrichment
[featured 11/5/07 - 11/6/07]
Students at Prairie Elementary School in Urbana have the chance to learn life skills and academic skills thanks to two clubs. In its second year, the Gentleman’s Club is for Prairie Elementary boys and the first-year TLC is for Prairie Elementary girls. The purposes of the clubs are to focus on character education and to provide:
- Academic enrichment
- Mentoring
- Life and Social Etiquette
- Social Outings
- Feedback on the child’s progress in school (academics, behavior, and social skills)
The Gentleman’s Club meets two Saturdays per month and TLC meets two Fridays per month after school hours. The students in both clubs write their goals for the year, and supervisors then meet with the students throughout the year to see if the kids are progressing toward meeting their goals. Students in the club are able to go on field trips during the year providing:
- All school work is turned in
- The student displays respect for all adults
- The student cannot have any LRC visits for the month
“The students are very excited about being able to sit and talk about some of the issues they are facing, and to provide feedback on how to deal with those issues. TLC keeps asking to meet every week, because they said they really, really need to. For now, both groups will meet 2 times a month,” says Prairie Elementary Principal Yavonnda Smith. Smith also says the two clubs are a great way for young ladies and gentlemen to interact positively with their peers. The Gentleman’s Club recently enjoyed a social outing at the U of I Homecoming.
Smith also says parents are supporting the clubs. “Parental participation has increased with the students involved. The parents look forward to the additional mentoring and academic support,” Smith explains.
Currently 28 boys participate in the Gentleman’s Club and 20 girls participate in TLC.
Urbana School District Nurses Adapt to Changing Student Needs
[featured 11/3/07 - 11/5/07]
Adults over age 35 probably remember the school nurse on duty in the school ready to attend to sick students, hand out aspirin, and do vision and hearing screening. While that still happens today, Urbana School District #116 nurses do so much more.
“Most school nurses today do not spend their time in a traditional nurse’s office in a school building for the entire school day. Because of lack of school funding nurses are spread out as in my case over an entire school district. It used to be the school nurse would spend most her day tending to student injuries and illnesses and promoting health education to students. Today we have more students with severe allergies, asthma, diabetes, and other health conditions,” says District 116 nurse Sandra Martin. Martin is assisted by District Support Nurse Shirley Lincicome and four other nurses for all eight District 116 school buildings.
In addition to their daily duties of caring for students, the nurses also update the blood borne pathogen program and train staff how to deal with students who have cuts and bloody noses. Nurses also are responsible for CPR and emergency plan training, AED training, updating health resource manuals, working with the public health district regarding communicable diseases, updating medication policies, making sure students receive their daily medication, and conducting vision or hearing screenings for approximately 4,000 District 116 students each year. “The role has expanded and often the nurse finds herself training school staff to do jobs that typically would be done by a nurse. Nurses are involved in writing more policies and procedures and the laws often change to provide more and more for the rights of the student. With this in mind we need nurses more than ever, but funding support hasn’t come through. The nurse must seek out many more community resources to assist in serving students,” Martin says.
Martin also says nurses have to monitor students for daily medication and health more and more saying,
“We have many students on ADHD medication today but less than about 8 years ago thanks to time release medication. Medication Administration is an ongoing process and the needs are constantly changing. On the other hand we now have many more students with diabetes and they require much more of our medication nurses time and office staff time during the day. These students need assistance calculating carbohydrates eaten for lunch, testing their blood sugar, calculate the amount of insulin they will need and then injecting the insulin. We also have many more emergency medications for treating severe allergic reactions and diabetes. These medications are injections and require training of staff and emergency plans for our students.”
So the next time you encounter a school district nurse, know that checking vision, hearing, and head lice screening is just the tip of the iceberg.
Urbana Schools Benefit From Customers Shopping at an Area Bookstore
Pages for All Ages Book Fair Runs Through November 4
[featured 11/1/07 - 11/3/07]
If you shop at Pages for All Ages bookstore in Savoy through Sunday, you can designate a portion of your purchase toward helping Urbana School District #116 school libraries. The Book Fair is designed as a fundraiser for area schools, libraries and non-profit organizations.
People who shop at Pages for All Ages can designate up to 25% of their purchase of books, music, café, and DVDs to the school of their choice. This year Urbana Middle School, Urbana High School, Leal Elementary, Thomas Paine Elementary, and Yankee Ridge Elementary are participating in the Book Fair.
“Pages for All Ages generates community involvement in their fundraisers and ultimately help libraries of all types build on their existing collections. This bookstore has remained school-friendly since its beginning. Through its community-wide books fairs, the bookstore provides a much needed, additional source of funding to our schools. USD libraries wish to thank Pages for All Ages for their continued generosity,” says Urbana Middle School Librarian Martha Rinne.
Pages for All Ages will give customers the option of designating 25% of their purchase to the school in the form of a gift card. The school can then shop at the book store for school supplies and literature. Or, customers can designate 15% of their purchase to the school in the form of cash. If you cannot shop in person by November 4 you can order via the web at www.pagesforallages.com.