Countryside Elementary Newsletter
April 28, 2017
May 2017
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
1
Ordering 2017-2018 School Supplies begins
*See below Under PTO News

Last Week of Book Checkout
2
1:50 pm Early Release

3
Patrol Field Trip
4 5
Fit Friday 8:15 am
8 9
Gr. 3 Field Trip
10
 
11
Kid's Council 8:15 am

Gr. 2 Field Trip

Last Day Success Centers

12
Fit Friday 8:15 am

CP 1/2 Field Trip

Deadline to return all books to Media Center
15 16
Band Concert
2:55 pm & 6 pm
17 18
Parent Engagement/
Conf
erences
19
Gr.2 Field Trip

Book Swap

Tasting Event
22 23 24
Orchestra Concert  9:45 am

Gr. 1 Field Trip
25 26
29
NO SCHOOL
30 31

Message From the Principal
Greetings Countryside Families! 

 I look forward to seeing you all at the carnival tonight!  Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers that have worked hard to put together another fantastic event!
Countryside News & Announcements

Today, April 28th! 6pm-8:30
Please Check the Lost But Found!
Items will be donated on a monthly basis at the end of each month. The pile has built up again with lots of winter coats, snow pants and boots.  We appreciate your assistance encouraging your students to check the lost and found area on a regular basis.
Media Center
Final Book Return Day
Friday, May 12th

In preparation for the Media Center's summer remodeling, the last week of book check out will be May 1 to May 5.  All books will need to be returned to the Media Center by Friday, May 12.  It is important to start looking for "lost books" and having your student bring them in over the next few weeks.  We will be sending reminders with students or via email over the next several weeks.
Thank you to everyone who came to support our school at the Barnes & Noble Book Fair last Thursday!  We had a fantastic turnout.  A special thanks to Kyrsten Darby and the Countryside Orchestra and Countryside Choir who performed for our shopping pleasure.  
 
Did you know that the Countryside Media Center has checked out 32,104 books so far this year?!  That is over 42 books per student!  It's clear that our students LOVE to read.  In order to prepare for our move over the summer, it's important that we receive all books back from students.  Please help your student look high and low for library books.  Places to look: under car seats, under beds, home bookshelves, between the bed & wall, and siblings bedrooms.  If you absolutely cannot find a book, please contact the Media Center at 952-848-4720 or Ann.Zimprich@edinaschools.org for help.  Thanks for continuing to encourage reading.
 
Keep current on the happenings in the Media Center via Twitter @CSMediaCtr
Thank You Countryside Volunteers!
A thank you to volunteers-
We are able to do fun events at school like CS Against Hunger, Field Trips, the Carnival, and Field day because of the support of parent volunteers.  Thanks for taking time out of your schedules to make our days more enjoyable. 
-          CS Kids' Council 
Walk and Bike to School Day!
Wednesday, May 10th
Countryside is participating in the International Walk and Bike to School Day event  on May 10th.  Students are encouraged to walk or bike to school with their parents, siblings, neighbors and friends.  The Edina Police Department along with Countryside's Patrol Program and parent volunteers will be on hand to safely escort walkers and bikers across the marked crosswalks located around Countryside School.
 
On May 10th  4000 other schools around the United States and 40 other countries will also participate in this event.  "International Walk and Bike to School day was started in order to create safer routes for walking and biking to school; and to emphasize the importance of issues such as physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, a concern for the environment, and building connections between families, schools and the broader community ( www.walkbiketoschool.org ).
 
The Countryside Wellness Team is looking for before and after school parent volunteers. The morning shift is  from 8:45-9:15 and the afternoon shift is  from 3:40-4:00.  Please contact Lindsay Sorem if you are interested in helping ( lsorem@comcast.net)
Field Day
Ready-Set-Go!!!  Once again it is time for Field Day at Countryside.  The date will be Friday, May 26th.  There will be no rain date make up for this event.  Volunteers are needed for both morning and afternoon sessions for Friday, May 26th.  

Field day is a Countryside tradition where students participate in events for part of the school day.  Events are designed to provide students with an assortment of activities that include; high intensity activity, low intensity activity, individual participation, partner participation, motor skill practice, and some good old fashion luck.

Times will be for the following grades:
            9:45-11:15      Kindergarten, 1st, 1/2CP, 2nd
            1:30-3:00        3rd, 3/4CP, 4th, 5th
            3:15-3:45        Tug Of Wars for 4th and 5th grade

Students will need to dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes to participate in (no sandals, flip flops, crocs please, etc.), and wear their PRIDE T-Shirt for the day.
 

craig.bleess@edinaschools.org
PTO News
FIND NEW SUMMER READS! 
REFRESH YOUR BOOKSHELVES! 
TRADE BOOKS WITH A FRIEND!

Countryside's annual book swap is coming May 19th!  

This is a great opportunity to refresh your home library. Each child can bring up to 5 books from home to donate to the swap. Then, each child who has donated to the swap will get a chance to pick up to 5 books to take home.
 
Details: Monday-Thursday May 15-18th at drop-off, bring up to 5 books and have them checked-in by parent volunteers.  On Friday, teachers will send students who are participating in the swap to Room 225 to pick their new books.  Students get to pick as many books as they bring to the swap, up to 5.
 
Collection times: Monday May 15-Thursday May 18th 8:45am-9:30am
 
Book Swap times: Friday May 19th 9:30-11:30am
 
Want to volunteer?  sign up HERE
 
Questions?  email Megan Ulland at megan.ulland@gmail.com
2017-2018 School Supply Ordering

Starting May 1, the Countryside PTO is once again teaming up with School Tool Box, a third party vendor, to order school supplies.  For your convenience, everything for the 2017-18 year - school supplies, planners and Countryside Pride shirts - can be purchased through Countryside's online store at www.MySchoolAnywhere.com.  That means one-stop shopping!  No visits to Target, no lines for Pride shirts at Back to School!!!

Anyone who prefers to order directly through School Tool Box may do so at:  www.schooltoolbox.com; however Pride shirts and planners will not be available at this site.  

Please also note: t here will be no paper order forms for school supply packs this year.
  
Regardless of how you order,  School Tool Box will donate one meal for a starving child through Feed My Starving Children for every order delivered.  In keeping with the spirit of giving, families ordering through Countryside's online store on MySchoolAnywhere have the option of either sponsoring a student-in-need's school supplies for the year or contributing to a fund that will purchase scholarship packs for the students who need them.
 
Orders received by July 7, 2017 will be shipped directly to Countryside and will be delivered to your child's classroom in time for the first day of school.  Orders received after July 7 will be shipped to your home and shipping charges will apply.  As always, you are under no obligation to purchase school supplies through this vendor if you would prefer to purchase supplies yourself and bring them to school with your child. 

Annual PTO dues can be paid at any time through MySchoolAnywhere or at the Back to School open house.  
Any questions should be directed to Jen Patterson at jpatt913@gmail.com.  Thank you.
Countryside Garden News!  
 
We have begun the 2017 Countryside Garden season! Garden volunteers have been in the classrooms planting seeds with our 2nd graders. The students will watch these seeds grow in our in-house nursery for a few weeks, then we will be able to transplant them outside. Some of the seedlings we planted are: squash, cucumbers, lettuce, kale, vinca, marigolds, zucchini, calendola, and zinneas. 
 
For more evidence of our school' s green th umb, check out the tulips sprouting around the school. These tiny plants, which will soon blossom into beautiful flowers, are growing from bulbs planted by the second graders last fall.
 
Upcoming Activities, Opportunities to Get Involved: CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
Book Fair Update

Thank you Countryside Parents, Students and Staff!
 
We had another extremely successful Scholastic Spring Book Fair and it's thanks to all of you!  
With incredible volunteers and parent support, our community is able to strongly support Countryside's Media Center and our Birthday Books.  Did you know that scholastic dollars are used for new Media Center books and Maker Space items as well as purchase birthday books for the kids at Countryside?  
 
Numbers:
From our short spring book fair, the Countryside Media Center and our Birthday Books program received over $3,100 scholastic dollars.  We also raised over $150 All for Books money, which means Scholastic matches that amount to donate to a national learn to read program for disadvantaged school districts.
 
Did you know that every child enrolled at Countryside Elementary is given a book to keep on their birthday?  This program, called "Birthday Books" is generously supported by our community's All for Books contributions as well as scholastic dollars and the PTO.  All of the All for Books money we raise at the book fairs goes directly back to the students at our school.
 
We wanted to take a moment to say "thank you" to Kelly Wellborn for co-chairing the book fair for so many years - without her guidance the fairs would not be as successful as they are.  She will be truly missed next year as she says goodbye to Countryside.  We wish her well as her kids become middle and high school students!  
 
We are also looking for more volunteers - both on the day of set up and the book fair as well as behind the scenes co-chairing options.  Please let Megan Ulland (megan.ulland@gmail.com) or Courtney Muehlbauer (courtneymuehlbauer@gmail.com) know if you are interested - your time is truly appreciated!
District News
FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS
Stay in the Loop!

There are so many exciting projects underway in the district.  For details and timelines of all of the district's construction projects, visit  HERE