Eagle News

MAY 18, 2001

THE PRINCIPAL'S POINTS - The conclusion of the 2000-2001 school year is rapidly approaching. Our school year has passed amazingly fast. It seems hard to believe that nine short months ago we were starting our second year as an elementary school. The students and staff of White River have enjoyed many educationally rewarding experiences in a cooperative, friendly environment throughout this year. We have benefited from many special guests, special days and events, as well as strengthening friendships through our daily attendance and efforts. At White River, we consider the coming together as a beginning, keeping together as progress and working together as success. Our school has truly established and successfully shared in the responsibilities of building a community of learners. I am extremely proud of our students, parents, and staff for their efforts to succeed. Thank you for a great school year! May you and your family enjoy your time together this summer.

Mr. Harvey


FINAL WEEKS OF SCHOOL REMINDERS
* School will not be in session on Friday, May 25 and Monday, May 28 because of the observance of Memorial Day. Students (EC-4) will resume their regular schedule on Tuesday, May 29.
* Our Student Recognition Program will be on Wednesday, May 30. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the gymnasium. We encourage and invite all parents and friends of White River to attend.
* Thursday, May 31 will be the final day of school for students in grades EC-4. Students will be dismissed at their regular time on this day, with report cards being sent home with our students.
* Students might want to bring a large paper grocery sack to school prior to their last day so they can easily bring home their personal belongings on their final day.


"SPRING SINGS" NEXT WEEK - May 22nd and May 24th are the dates for this year's Spring Sings! On Tuesday, May 22, our 3rd grade students will be presenting their show, while Thursday, May 24 is the date of the 4th grade program. Both programs will begin at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The White River "Choir Connection" will perform at 6:45 p.m. Third and Fourth Grade students should meet their teacher in the Cafeteria when they arrive.

Third Grade Costumes: Mrs. Almodovar's class - Red T-shirts, cowboy hats, bandanas, jeans
Mrs. Bachman's class - Green T-shirts, jeans
Mrs. Isaacs' class - Blue T-shirts, jeans
Ms. Melton's class - Yellow T-shirts, jeans
Ms. Schoon's class - Orange T-shirts, jeans

Fourth Grade Costumes: Unless a student needs a special costume for their part, they should wear their new White River T-shirts with a pair of jeans. Check with your child to see if he or she needs a different costume.

This year's programs were inspired by student ideas with input from the classroom teachers. The programs highlight information the children have learned throughout the year. The students are working hard to present a fun and memorable program for their parents and friends this year! We hope to see you there!


LOST & FOUND - We have accumulated a large collection of clothing items belonging to our students throughout this school year. If you suspect your child is missing an article of clothing, please encourage them to check our lost and found container adjacent to our cafeteria. We would like to return as many of these items to their rightful owners before we dismiss for summer vacation.


TEST RESULTS/FOCUS UPDATE - We know that parents of students in grades 1-3 are waiting to hear about either standardized test results or identification for the FOCUS program. Test results and final FOCUS selections should be occurring soon. Notices will be sent home as quickly as we can provide accurate information. For parents waiting to hear about FOCUS selection, your turnaround time will be very short this time of year, so please adhere to the due dates listed on the paperwork once you have received notification. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we get closer to the end of the year.


MANY THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!! - Please join White River Elementary School in praising the efforts of....... Judy Way, P.T.O. President, throughout this school year. We have appreciated Mrs. Way's leadership, organization, and patience with our organization. We are extremely proud of her representation of our school, as well as for all of the time and many hats that she wears for the well-being of our school.

Our many PARENT VOLUNTEERS who have helped in many different capacities this year. Without your support and help, we would not be able to accomplish the successes we have enjoyed. You are all very valuable to the positive experiences we provide for the students at White River!

Congratulations to our officers for next year's P.T.O.! We are pleased to announce that the following parents have accepted responsibility for the leadership of our organization. President - Danielle Fleming; Vice President - Julie Karns; Treasurer - Carol Schmidt; Secretary - Beth McIntire; Members-At-Large - Maria Layman and Laura Watson. We encourage your support to help provide educational, enrichment, and other special opportunities for our students.


KINDERGARTEN ENTRANCE AGE - The kindergarten entrance age for the 2001-02 school year will now be July 1. Children who will become 5 years of age on or before this date are eligible for our kindergarten program. If your child has become eligible for attendance because of this change in law, please stop by our office any school day between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. through June 8th. We will be happy to assist you with this process of registration.


KID'S DAY - Saturday, June 16th at Don Hinds Ford, 12610 Ford Drive, Fishers, IN. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Magician Marcus Lehmann will be here from 11 a.m. - 12 noon. Free fingerprinting and photographs for each child. This is a great way to promote child safety and awareness in your community! If you have any questions, please call 813-1317.


SUMMER ATHLETIC CAMP OPPORTUNITIES - There are several different flyers available in the school office for summer sports camps and activities for our students. Please feel welcome to stop by the office and request information about any of these activities, including registration. Football, recreational league soccer, volleyball, swimming & diving, tennis, Billy Keller Basketball Camps, Butler University Basketball Camps, baseball, elementary track, Lady Miller basketball, Miller Boy's basketball.


GOOD LUCK "CLASS OF 2009" - White River's fourth grade class, the "Class of 2009" will soon be moving on to the Noblesville Intermediate School. It has been a short two years for us with these students, but we're confident they will continue to represent themselves, their families, and White River in a very appropriate and respectful manner. GOOD LUCK and carry-on with the White River pride!


SUMMER SCHOOL INFORMATION - Information concerning class assignments, bus routes, and transportation will be mailed to parents of children who will be attending summer school approximately two weeks prior to the first day (July 2nd).


FOR YOUR SUMMER CALENDAR - White River Elementary School will be conducting Fall registration for all students on August 1st and 2nd. Registration times will be published in the local newspapers, and a summer mailing will be mailed on July 18 to provide you an opportunity to register by mail.


NOBLESVILLE SCHOOLS
2001-2002 CALENDAR
August 1 and 2 Student Registration
August 15 First Day of School
September 3 Labor Day
October 16 Parent Conferences - Student half day
October 17 All students half day
October 18 & 19 Fall Vacation
October 30 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
November 12 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
November 22 & 23 Thanksgiving Vacation
December 5 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
December 24 - January 4 Christmas Vacation
January 7 Teacher Work Day
January 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
February 5 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
February 14 Parent Conferences - Student half day
February 15 All students half day
February 18 President's Day
February 27 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
March 18 Flex Day
April 1 - 5 Spring Vacation
April 22 Flex Day
April 30 Staff Development Day - Students dismissed at 12:50 p.m.
May 24 Flex Day
May 27 Memorial Day
May 30 Last Day of School

*Note: This calendar is subject to change as required to make up days missed due to inclement weather or other emergency situations. Days will be made up in the following order - March 18, April 22, May 24, May 31, June 3, June 4, June 5, June 6, and June 7.


* P.T.O. NEWS *

FUN RUN - We would like to thank the following businesses for contributing coupons, prizes, and money to help make the 1st Annual White River P.T.O. "Fun Run 2001" a success.........
The Forum, Jim Dandy Restaurant, Galyan's, Dave's Video, Arby's, Cooper's Stardust Bowl, Karma Records, Hardee's, Clancy's, Steak'n Shake, Subway, Noblesville Golf & Batting Center, Wendy's, Alexander's, Kroger, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Burger King, Wal-Mart, Marsh, Hallmark, Indianapolis Colts, Dog'n Suds, White Castle, Indianapolis Indians, United Artist, and Beauty by Boots.


MARKET DAY - All paper order forms are due by Thursday, May 24th. Internet orders are due no later than 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30th. Our next pick-up date is scheduled for Monday, June 4th from 6-7 p.m. in the Cafeteria. Thank you for your continued support of this fund raising event. Our next Market Day Sale will be September 10th.


THANK YOU! - I would like to thank all members of the P.T.O. who so willingly gave of their time and efforts to make this another wonderful year for our students at White River Elementary. It has been an honor to serve on the Executive Committee with such dedicated parents and teachers these past two years. Continued success! Judy Way, President




March 29, 2001

THE PRINCIPAL'S POINTS - Recently, I spoke about our White River students' test results from last year and this school year. I mentioned within that article that our teaching staff would be giving consideration for short-term and long-term remediation, along with additional student experiences in the application of language skills through the utilization of the writing process. We have planned, and initiated some of these efforts already this Spring.

Our second and third grade classrooms will begin a "Math Blitz" throughout the month of May. Ten 45-minute class periods will be devoted to skill review and reinforcement, focusing on those math skills that are a part of the Indiana academic standards, as well as the ISTEP+ tests. These review sessions will not be in lieu of regular Math class time.

We have also initiated an all-school writing process activity for all of our classrooms in grades kindergarten through fourth grade. All students in these grades will be involved in following the writing process that addresses the Indiana academic standards for their grade level. Students will practice writing frequently and progress through the stages of the writing process. Final products will be displayed or available to share with others at least once a month. Student work will be sent home for parents to review and discuss with their child.

I want you to undestand that these activities are not necessarily new to our school, but rather a focal point of emphasis with respect to our school improvement plan. We are using this writing process and math blitz as ways to improve student performance. Our test scores show that these two areas can be improved upon and we believe our students can improve their knowledge, application, and performance with emphasis in our teaching. Plese lend your support and encouragement with our students as we strive for excellence.

Mr. Harvey


KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2001-2002: APRIL 16 - 20 - Don't forget that parents of children who will be eligible to enter kindergarten at White River Elementary next school year are asked to enroll during the days of April 16 - 20 here at school. Children may be enrolled any day during the week, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To attend a Noblesville school, children must live in Noblesville or Noblesville Township. Indiana law requires that children be five years old by June 1, 2001 to enroll in kindergarten for the 2001-2002 school year. Proof of age (original birth certificate) and immunization records must be presented at enrollment.


SUMMER SCHOOL DATES FOR 2001 - 2001 elementary summer school dates have been tentatively set for students in grades K-4. Summer school will run for 20 days beginning July 2nd and ending on July 30th. (No school will be held on July 4th). A special remediation summer school program for selected 2nd grade students is being planned for July 30 - August 9. Please give consideration to these dates as you make your summer vacation plans. More information will be available after Spring Vacation.


NOBLESVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL TO HOST PARENT/STUDENT ORIENTATION NIGHT - Orientation sessions for 4th grade students to enter the 5th grade at Noblesville Intermediate School will begin with a parent/student orientation night scheduled for Tuesday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the N.I.S. Cafeteria. Parents and students are invited to attend one of these two presentations designed to provide information about fifth grade. The presentation will include an overview of the program, lane explanations, scheduling, question and answer session, and a slide presentation. Mark your calendars and plan to attend one of these two information sessions.


FREE CPR TRAINING - In appreciation for our participation and support of Jump Rope for Heart, our entire school community has been extended an opportunity to learn a life-saving skill. Free CPR training is being offered to teachers, students and families on Saturday, April 28th at the RCA Dome, downtown Indianapolis, between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Two-hour classes start every half hour. Other activities include a Family Health Fair, stroke screenings, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings and kids activities. A $5 donation per family is encouraged, but not required. For more information, please call (800) 229-1503.


ARTWORK ON DISPLAY - The following students were selected to have their artwork on display at the Noblesville Schools Administration Building: Grade 1 - Trevor, Grade 2 - Lyndsay, Grade 3 - Kayla, Grade 4 - Ashly. Their artworks will hang at the Administration Building until March 2002. Caleb was selected as the Tri Kappa winner and will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to Michael's. Caleb is a 4th grade student in Mrs. Simons' class.



Join Us on Tuesday, April 17th
For a Special Day Honoring Grandparents and Special Persons

A.M. Kindergarten, A.M. Early Childhood,
1st and 2nd Grade Grandparents and Special Persons are invited from:
9:00 - 10:15 a.m.

P.M. Kindergarten, P.M. Early Childhood,
3rd and 4th Grade Grandparents and Special Persons are invited from:
1:45 - 3:00 p.m.

Unfortunately, space will not permit lunch to be served to our guests. Special persons are asked to leave at the conclusion of each program to enable school procedures to continue uninterrupted. For grandparents that need to arrive earlier than 9 a.m., there will be a hospitality room set up in the Music room. The hospitality room will also be opened for grandparents that need to stay the whole day. Invitations will be sent home on April 9. Please return your R.S.V.P. by Monday, April 16th.


SCHOOL LUNCH ACCOUNTS - As the school year comes to an end, we'd like to remind parents about the school lunch charge policy. If your child does not have money in their cafeteria/lunch account, your child must pay with cash for their meal or charge their lunch. They will be allowed to "charge" a maximum of three (3) school lunches. After they have charged the maximum three (3) lunches, they will receive a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in lieu of a regular school lunch each day until payment has been received. Account balances are being sent home this week. If you did not receive an account balance, but would like one, you may call the school cafeterial (770-2080 Ext. 135). Please have your childs CAFS number available when calling. Lunch charges will not be allowed beyond Monday, May 14. Students will be asked to contact a parent to have them bring in money or a lunch.


SPRING PICTURE DAY - Attached to today's newsletter is a flyer explaining our first-ever Spring Picture Day here at White River. All students will have their pictures taken, unless the sign-off section is returned on picture day, in an all-white "high-key" background. Send no money for individual packets now. Parents may preview the students' picture package before you purchase at a later date. Our Spring Picture Day will be on Tuesday, April 10.


* P.T.O. NEWS *

P.T.O. MEETING - Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria. We will have two presentations. The first will be a short presentation by Mrs. Jan DeJarnatt about the Nature Center program which is offered by Noblesville Schools during summer school. The second presentation will be by our representative from Innisbrook Wraps, Mrs.Carolyn Bickel. Carolyn will be showing and sharing sample products featured in the 2001 Innisbrook Catalog. We will also discuss the final planning stages of the Family Fun Carnival. This will be the last meeting before our Annual Meeting in May. It is important that you express your interest to be involved as a chairperson or committee member of your P.T.O. for the school year 2001-2002 at this time.


BOOK FAIR - The Spring Book Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 11 through Friday, April 13 and on Monday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 17 from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The P.T.O. will host a special sale on Tuesday, April 10th before and after the P.T.O. meeting, 6-7 p.m. and 8-8:30 p.m. for those attending the meeting. The storybook character, Franklin, will be our special visitor at the Book Fair!


FAMILY BREAKFAST TO BE RESCHEDULED - Our 2000-2001 school year calendar originally indicated our White River Family Breakfast for Saturday, April 14. We are not hosting this event at this time. We will be looking to reschedule it on a later date.


PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA NIGHT - Mrs. Walter's class was the winner of a Pizza Party from Papa John's Pizza. Congratulations! The P.T.O. earned $96.00 from the last pizza night, bringing our total earned up to $712. The next Papa John's Pizza night will be on Monday, April 23, 2001.


MARKET DAY - Order forms are due back to school on Friday, March 30th. Internet orders may be placed until noon on Wednesday, April 4th at www.marketday.com. White River Elementary P.T.O.'s account number is 16163. Our featured product this month is the delicious Chippery Cookie Dough. Each customer who purchases 3 tubs of gourmet cookie dough will receive a free giant cookie pan (limit 2). Also, each customer who purchases 2 tubs or more of gourmet cookie dough will have a chance to win an additional tub of cookie dough. Please support the P.T.O. in this fund raiser. We are trying to reach our goal of selling at least 100 tubs of cookie dough.



March 16

THE PRINCIPAL'S POINTS - Our final nine weeks of school are upon us, and there will be many students anxiously awaiting and anticipating upcoming summer activities. However, we will be utilizing the remaining weeks to concentrate on concluding what has thus far been a very rewarding and progressive academic year for all of our grade levels. We are requesting your continued support and assistance in emphasizing with your children that there are valuable learning experiences still remaining. Their attitude, behavior, and efforts need to remain at their personal best. Please lend us your support in stressing the importance of these final weeks of school. Be certain to check our April/May calendars for upcoming end-of-the-year events and activities involving our students here at school. Parents and friends are always invited and encouraged to attend any of these activities whenever your schedule permits.

Mr. Harvey


SPRING VACATION - APRIL 2-6 - Friday, March 30th, marks the final day of school for all students prior to our dismissal for our Spring Vacation. There will be no school for students in grades EC-4 during the week of April 2nd. School will resume its regular schedule on Monday, April 9th.


NOBLESVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL TO HOST PARENT/STUDENT ORIENTATION NIGHT - Orientation sessions for 4th grade students to enter the 5th grade at Noblesville Intermediate School will begin with a parent/student orientation night scheduled for Tuesday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the N.I.S. Cafeteria. Parents and students are invited to attend one of these two presentations designed to provide information about fifth grade. The presentation will include an overview of the program, lane explanations, scheduling, question and answer session, and a slide presentation. Mark your calendars and plan to attend one of these two information sessions.


SCIENCE FAIR 2001 - RESULTS - Nearly 60 projects and over 65 students participated in the second annual successful White River Science Fair held in our L.G.I. Room on March 2. It was evident that many students put several hours of hard work and research into their projects. Every student is to be commended for a job well done. We hope that everyone enjoyed viewing the projects and encourage even more students to participate next year. Congratulations to not only the students listed below as "Best of Grade" in the Science Fair 2001, but also to every child who participated in this successful event. Thanks to all who served as judges of the projects. We appreciate your time and willingness to assume such an important responsibility.


2000 SCIENCE FAIR "BEST OF GRADE" -

1st Grade: LOGAN - "Strong Enough For Me"
2nd Grade: CARSON - "Sunlight Egg Experiment"
3rd Grade: CASSIE and TAYLOR - "How Sweet It Is"
4th Grade: TRAVIS and MARK BAILEY - "Weather"

Travis and Mark will represent White River at the Central Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Thursday, March 22nd. Good Luck, Travis and Mark!


STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH 22 - Our final professional staff development inservice day will be next Thursday, March 22. Students in grades 1-4 will be dismissed at 12:50 p.m. (after lunch), with A.M. Kindergarten and Early Childhood meeting at their regular scheduled time. There will not be any P.M. Early Childhood or Kindergarten students attending school this day.


REPORT CARDS ISSUED NEXT FRIDAY - Our third nine-weeks' grading period ended today (March 16) for students in grades K-4. Report cards will be issued to these students next Friday, March 23rd. Please take the time to disucss the progress of your child with him/her, focusing on doing their best these final nine weeks.


WHITE RIVER STUDENTS EXCEL AT DISTRICT MEDIA FAIR - Hosted by White River Elementary School, the District Media Fair displayed several outstanding projects of many of our students. Congratulations to the students for their efforts and excellent representaton of our school.


BOOK FAIR - APRIL 11-18 - White River's Spring Book Fair will be held between April 11-18 in the L.G.I. Room. The Book Fair will be open Wednesday through Friday for preveiwing and on Monday and Tuesday for purchasing from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. You may also visit the Book Fair on Saturday morning between 8 and 11:30 a.m.


YEARBOOK ORDERS DUE - All orders and money for yearbooks must be turned in no later than Monday, March 19.


2001 JUMP ROPE FOR HEART A SUCCESS - Thanks to all who contributed and helped get donations for our Jump Rope for Heart campaign to aid the American Heart Association. Our final total was $4,892.01, just a little short of our $5,000 goal. I especially want to thank the parents who helped at our "Fantastic Friday" event. They made our event possible by helping organize our rounds of competition. After everyone jumped to warm up, our event was done tournament style until we had winners for each grade level. Our grade level winners were as follows:

1st Grade: Marissa and Jacob
2nd Grade: Lyndsay and Tyler
3rd Grade: Ellen and Zach
4th Grade: Ashley and Jake

Our school will receive $200 worth of physical education equipment as a thanks for our efforts. Students earning prizes for collecting donations will receive them in six to eight weeks. Thanks! Mrs. Scott

Note: Any student wishing to buy a jump rope to keep that physical fitness going may purchase one for $2.00 from Mrs. Scott.


VARIETY/TALENT SHOW - MARCH 27! - Talent Show entry forms are still available from Mrs. Hensley for those students who want to participate in this year's big event. We still have openings for a few more acts! If your child is planning on participating, make sure he or she turns in the entry form right away. Three separate half-hour shows will be presented beginning at 5:00, 5:45, and 6:30. A 50 cent donation will be taken at the door and pizza, pop, and brownies will be sold in the cafeteria throughout the evening. If you would like to help with this activity, please contact Mrs. Hensley at school. This is one of my favorite events of the year as students showcase their various talents. Thanks! Mrs. Hensley


"HAMILTON COUNTY DAY" AT HINKLE FIELDHOUSE - On Sunday, March 25th, the ABA 2000 Indiana Legends professional basketball team will play against Los Angeles at 2:00 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse, on the Butler University Campus. The White River "Choir Connection" will be singing the National Anthem and the Noblesville "Super Skippers" will perform the half time show. Discounted tickets are available for $5.00 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Members of the "Choir Connection" and "Super Skippers" will be admitted to the game free of charge.


NHS PERFORMING ARTS PRODUCTION OF "THE MUSIC MAN" - Show dates are March 22, 23, and 24. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the Thursday and Friday performances are $8.00 per adult and $6.00 for students/senior citizens. Seating is reserved and tickets will be filled first come, first served at NHS.

The NHS Singers Parent Association is sponsoring a combination dinner/theater ticket for the Saturday, March 24 performance only. Dinner includes your choice of vegetable or meat lasagna, salad, bread sticks, dessert and lemonade or iced tea - and comes with a priority reserved seating ticket for the performance. Dinner will be served in the NHS cafeteria between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. - cost is $12 for adults and $10 for children ten years of age and under. If you are interested in purchasing a dinner/theater combination ticket, please stop by the NHS auditorium on Monday, March 19 or Tuesday, March 20 between 6 and 8 p.m. to purchase tickets from the Singers Parent Association, or contact Mary Doty at 776-0525. Thanks for your support!


KINDERGARTEN MUSIC PROGRAM - MARCH 29 - The kindergartners are working very hard practicing for their music program on Thursday, March 29th at 7:00 p.m. The program will include songs the children have learned throughout the year. The children and teachers are getting excited about showing their friends and family how much they have learned and how much they have grown! Kindergarten parents, you don't want to miss the show!


GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL PERSONS DAY - APRIL 17 - Please join us for a special day honoring Grandparents and Special Persons on Tuesday, April 17. Morning Kindergarten and Early Childhood, 1st and 2nd Grade Grandparents and Special Persons are invited from 9 - 10:15 a.m. Afternoon Kindergarten and Early Childhood, 3rd and 4th Grade Grandparents and Special Persons are invited from 1:45 - 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately, space will not permit lunch to be served to our guests. Special persons are asked to leave at the conclusion of each program to enable school procedures to continue uninterrupted. For grandparents that need to arrive earlier than 9 a.m., there will be a hospitality room set up in the Music Room. The hospitality room will also be open for grandparents that need to stay the whole day. Invitations will be going home on April 9.


* P.T.O. NEWS *

PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA NIGHT - Our last Papa John's Pizza Night earned $118.00 for the P.T.O. Thanks to all families who support this easy fundraiser. Mrs. Cox's class was the winner of a free pizza party. Congratulations!. Our next Papa John's Pizza Night will be on Monday, March 19, 2001. We appreciate your support!


MARKET DAY - Order forms for the next Market Day sale will be sent home on Friday, March 23 and are due back to school by Friday, March 30. The next pick-up date is April 9, from 6-7 p.m. in the cafeteria. This sale will feature The Chippery Cookie Dough. Those who attended the last sale were able to sample and enjoy the delicious Heath English Toffee cookie dough. Each customer who purchases 3 tubs of gourmet cookie dough will receive a free giant cookie pan (limit 2 pans per order). Also, each customer who purchases 2 tubs of gourmet cookie dough will be entered into a drawing for a free tub of cookie dough. Six tubs will be given away. Our Market Day sales have been declining and it is important that we increase our number of customers as well as the sales volume to keep this program running. We are well on our way to reaching our goal of $3,000 profit this school year. We accept food stamps. All products are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Your support is appreciated!


CARNIVAL NEWS - Please turn in your Carnival volunteer forms as soon as possible!


PARENT SURVEY - Please turn in your P.T.O. Parent Survey indicating the positions and/or committees you are interested in for the school year 2001-2002.



MARCH 2, 2001


THE PRINCIPAL'S POINTS - I would like to thank those parents and teachers who attended the White River test results presentation last week. Although the attendance was somewhat disappointing, our goal to summarize and discuss local, district, and state-wide results was successful. Several good questions were asked, and I hope that the answers and information provided gave everyone in attendance more insight to where we have been, where we're at, and where we are headed as a school.

The ISTEP+ scores for our 3rd grade students indicated that 73% of our students passed the state standards for reading and language arts, while 68% passed the math standards. What does that tell you? Last year 68% of our students passed the reading and language arts section, while 66% passed the math section. What does that tell you? Did our 2nd grade students learn 5% more reading and language arts from last year? Did the addition of our special education students this year effect our scores? Was this group of students just more excited about reading than the group last year? What do these scores tell you about White River?

For the past several weeks, I've been going over our scores. They are broken down in a number of different ways. The reading and language arts section has ten parts. The math section has nine sub-sections. How did we do on all those parts? Which ones did we do well on; which ones could we most improve upon?

Our 2nd grade teachers are, and will continue, discussing the results to improve our students' skills for next year. The 3rd grade teachers also use the information to emphasize the areas of concern. Remediation tutoring is being discussed and prepared for those students who scored below the minimum standard. We welcome parents' help in our efforts. Be sure your child does assigned homework. Read with and to your child.
Practice math facts frequently. Together we can maximize our students' potential. Overall, we continue to do well, but as good as we are, we can always get better!

The scores don't tell the whole story. The pride you see in a student's face after successfully participating in a musical program, and the experience they gain for being in front of a large audience doesn't show up in the test scores. The kindness and honesty that is learned when students are asked to work with one another in small groups isn't measured on the test. The experience of successfully completing a task after repeated failures doesn't get measured on ISTEP+.

Standardized test scores are an important part of school. The 10th grade graduation exam makes ISTEP+ a high stakes test on which we want our students to do well. But just like the final score in a basketball game, test scores don't tell it all. What ISTEP+ scores don't tell us however, is much more important than what the final basketball score leaves out. At White River, our students learn a wide range of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will help them to be successful in life. ISTEP+ measures just a small part of it.

Please continue to support us by remaining a vital participant in your child's education!

Mr. Harvey

2000-01 YEARBOOK ORDERS - Envelopes to order the 2000-2001 edition of the second annual White River yearbook are being sent home today. Our yearbook will be entirely in color! The cost is $11.00 per yearbook and orders will be accepted through Friday, March 16. The order envelope should be filled-in and returned with the proper amount (checks payable to White River) to your child's teacher. Our COLORFUL yearbook will feature class, faculty and staff pictures, as well as our numerous clubs and organizations. It's a great means to remember our school year. Remember that extra yearbooks will not be ordered, so order yours before March 16th deadline!


1st and 2nd GRADE TESTING BEGINS MONDAY - All White River first and second grade students will be taking the Terre Nova achievement test, as well as a cognitive abilities test, over the days of March 5 through March 16. As always, student attendance is very important, and students should make every effort to attend school during this testing period. Parents are asked to lend support by encouraging their child to do their best. Adequate rest and a good breakfast will help students perform to the best of their abilities. These tests will give parents and teachers important data to help us to provide the best educational experiences for them.


GRADING PERIOD ENDS SOON - Our third nine-weeks grading period for students in grades K-4 will end on Friday, March 16. The final grading period for this school year will begin on Monday, March 19. Report cards will be sent home withour students on Friday, March 23. Take the time to discuss with your child his/her progress, focusing on doing their best to reach their potential.


WHITE RIVER BLOOD DRIVE - White River Elementary School, in cooperation with the Indiana Blood Center, is sponsoring a blood drive on Tuesday, March 6, 2001. The blood drive will be held at White River Elementary from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Students have brought home a blood drive sign-up sheet. Any interested participants should return the sign-up sheet to the school office. Thank you for your support!!


VARIETY/TALENT SHOW MARCH 27 - Talent Show entry forms are available NOW from Mrs. Hensley for those students who want to participate in this year's big event. Three separate half-hour shows will be presented beginning at 5:00, 5:45, and 6:30 p.m. A 50 cent donation will be taken at the door and pizza, pop, and brownies will be sold in the cafeteria throughout the evening. If your child is planning on participating, make sure he or she turns in the entry from right away. Only a limited number of acts will be accepted due to the time restraints of the program! This is one of my favorite events of the year as students showcase their various talents. Thanks! Mrs. Hensley


WHITE RIVER KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2000-2001 - Kindergarten enrollment for students who will be eligible to enter kindergarten next school year will be held April 17 - 21 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Students should enroll at the elementary they will attend. At the present time, according to Indiana law, children must be five years of age on or before June 1, 2000 in order to enroll in kindergarten. Immunization records and original birth certificate are required! Please help our enrollment by sharing this information with neighbors and friends.


MEDIA FAIR - White River will be hosting the A.I.M.E. District 4B Media Fair on Saturday, March 10th. The judging will be held from 9 a.m.-noon that morning in the 3rd and 4th grade academic wings and the Awards Ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. in the gymnasium. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to observe both the children presenting their Media Fair projects and the presentation of the awards. Refreshments will be for sale by the White River P.T.O in the cafeteria.


CAFETERIA/RECESS AIDE NEEDED AT FOREST HILL - Forest Hill Elementary is in need of a cafeteria recess aide. The hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please contact their school office at 773-3586 if you are interested.


* P.T.O. NEWS *

P.T.O. MEETING - The next P.T.O. Meeting will be on Tuesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Free childcare is provided. Please join us, as we will be discussing the upcoming Family Fun Carnival and the Fun Run/Walk. We will also be previewing samples of Innisbrook Wrap's fall products.


MARKET DAY PICK-UP - Market Day Pick-up will be Monday, March 5th in the cafeteria from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Please come taste a delicious Chippery Cookie Dough sample. Volunteers are welcome at 5:00-6:00 p.m. to set up for the sale. Thanks to those who have placed orders again this month. We have received about 23 orders, including some internet orders! Our next sale flyer will be sent home on Friday, March 23rd. This flyer will feature the wonderful Chippery Cookie Doughs, including Chocolate Chip, Heath English Toffee, Double Chocolate Reese's Pieces, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin, Cookies with M&M Milk Chocolate Candies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Sugar Cookies. Every order makes a difference! We will earn extra profits this month with each Cookie Dough sale. All orders are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.


ENRICHMENT-VALENTINES FOR VETERANS - The terrifice Valentine cards that the students made for the veterans were an absolute hit. They were delivered to the V.A. hospital in downtown Indianapolis. A thank you note received from the hospital relayed how pleased the veterans were to be remembered. Thank you teachers and students. Beth Forst