Dear Parents,

The animal research projects look fantastic!  You can visit our website at  e2010/Mrs.Niederstadt/Research/Animals.htm to view each student’s picture and writing.  This week we began transferring their animal information into their hard-covered books (also known as BARE books) in the afternoon.  We’ll continue into next week.  I hope we finish by the end of next week, because I would like our class to buddy read our BARE books with Mrs. Bennett’s class.  This would help us practice reading our books before Young Author’s Night on Tuesday, March 23^rd.  Attached is the rubric that I used to grade your child’s project.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

March is reading month.  Last week you received a flyer about our Candy Castle contest.  Once we’ve reached the goal of 10,000 minutes, we will be able to visit the school store and play an hour of board games.  Keep up the good work at home!  Also there is a book/magazine swap.  Our classroom will have its own activities such as Camp Read-A-Lot and a field trip to Pizza Hut and the Manistee Public Library. 

On Thursday, March 11^th we will go to Pizza Hut for lunch to celebrate everyone reaching his or her goal for all six months of the Book-It program.  Congratulate your child on a job well done!  Your child will be using her/her March Pizza Award Certificate to receive a personal pan pizza; I have it at school.  I will purchase the drinks.  If your child does not like pizza, then s/he can bring a packed lunch.  Afterwards we will visit the Manistee Public Library.  We will tour the library and have the opportunity to check out three books.  We will leave the school at 10:30 a.m. and should return to school at approximately 2:00 p.m.  If you are available to chaperone, then we would love to have you join us. 

The Grand Opening Planning Committee has announced that Onekama School will have a Dedication Celebration and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Sunday, April 11^th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Ribbon Cutting will be at the new entrance (two-story – east end of the building).  The dedication will also include the mounting of the plaque for the new addition in that same area. 

Refreshments (light luncheon) will be served in the cafeteria by our own kitchen staff (all food, labor and supplies have been donated).  Tours of the entire new facility will be given. Visits with Mrs. Acton and Mrs. Brown in the fitness room, Ms. Woolman in the Art room, Mr. Hunter and Mr. Bromley in the training room between the locker rooms, and Ms. Amy in the Leaps and Bounds’ facility will allow for questions/answers and even some demonstrations. 

The collection of pictures from the first stages of demolition right on through the completion will be scrolling on the big screen as visitors eat their lunch in the new cafetorium.  The directors of the three school cooperative play will be offering a 10 - 15 minute snippet of the play. That will start at 2:45 p.m.  You are all welcome and encouraged to come and support this production on the weekend of April 16, 17 and 18.  We are very happy to be able to say the first official use of the cafetorium will be the cooperative production of Annie.

We have 17 days left in the Label Wars contest.  Currently we are holding in second place, but 8^th grade has moved significantly.  They have 9559 points.  Here are the point totals:

• K – 3592
• First – 9799
• Second – 4537
• Third – 8671
• Fourth – 13347
• Fifth – 7839

The following are dates that you may want to add to your calendar:

• 2^nd Reading Log due – March 10
• Pizza Hut/ Manistee Public Library – March 11
• Class Store – March 12
• 3^rd Reading Log due – March 17
• Book/Magazine Exchange – March 19
• Class Store – March 19
• Camp Read-a-Lot – March 19
• Label Wars Contest Ends – March 22
• Young Author’s Night – March 23
• 4^th Reading Log Due – March 24
• Substitute (Mrs. Wurstner) – March 25 & 26
• Spring Break (No School) – March 29 – April 5
• Grand Opening of Addition – April 11 at 1-3 p.m.
• Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) – April 12-16
• Parent-Teacher Conferences – April 14 at 5-8 p.m.
• Production of Annie – April 16, 17, & 18
• County-Wide In-Service (No School) – April 30

Warmly,
Mrs. N