Newsletter for the Taylor Prairie School Community
April 30, 2020
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK: MAY 4-8

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week!  
We want to give a great big "THANK YOU" to all of our wonderful teachers at Taylor Prairie.  This school year has been one unlike any other, and they are still doing amazing things every day!

Families, we encourage you to reach out to any teachers that your child has had in their lives this year to let them know that you appreciate them.  (Here is the link to our staff directory.)   The Cottage Grove PTO also sent a message this week with some ideas of ways to say "Thanks!"
In This Issue
Pupil Services 
If you find that your family is in need and would like some support (food, shelter, mental health needs), please reach out to one of our Pupil Service Team members:

Kelsy Dieckhoff:             kelsy.dieckhoff@mgschools.net
Corinne Truxal:              corinne.truxal@mgschools.net
Missy Thorson (EC/4K):   melissa.thorson@mgschools.net

Also, you can call 211, which will connect you with non-profit and government services in our area that may assist you with the needs you may be experiencing.
Grab-and-Go Lunches 
The Monona Grove School District School Nutrition Department will be providing FREE pre-packaged, grab-and-go Breakfast and Lunch to any child age 18 and under. 

School Nutrition staff will prepare and (along with Nelson's Bus Service) deliver meals to each of the identified sites at the time published on a daily basis (Monday thru Friday). 

A few more updates: 
  • A weekly reminder will be sent out to all families - Only individuals requesting deliveries will need to sign up (link found in Sunday reminder message).   
  • Students no longer need to be present to receive food. 
  • Everyone is welcome to participate; there is no income limit
  • This is open to children 18 years and younger; children do not need to be school age nor attending the Monona Grove School District to qualify

Cottage Grove Pick up Sites and Times:
  • Glacial Drumlin School 11:00 am to 11:15 am
  • Taylor Prairie 11:20 am to 11:35 am
  • Cottage Grove School  11:45 am to 12:00 pm 

Thank you for your patience!  
We have experienced fluctuations in the numbers of meals requested; in order to adjust to that, we will increase the number of meals prepared add provide an additional buffer too, for Monday's meals. We had been trying to minimize how many extras we had in order to provide some diversity of meals provided and to produce less waste, but we're going to adjust that starting next week. We'll focus on making sure we have enough meals for everyone, then start to provide different meals as it levels off again. 

As we transition to not requiring a sign up, please be patient as we adjust our daily counts.

Providing meals for our families is an incredibly important service during this closure. We will be sending weekly email and SMS/text reminders to sign up for the free breakfast and lunch to all families. If you do not need the information in this message, please ignore/delete. 


Rainbow Day!  Beach Day is May 1st!
We recently had RAINBOW Day at Taylor Prairie! 
 We hope you all enjoyed participating!  
We loved getting these pictures from students and staff! 
This Friday, May 1st is another theme dress-up day -  BEACH DAY !  
Send your pictures (no swimsuits) and we'll share some in the next newsletter!  
(Send to julie.miller@mgschools.net; subject: BEACH DAY) 
Moving?
As we begin the placement process, it is important that we know if your child  WILL NOT  be attending the Monona Grove School District next year.   

If you plan on moving before the beginning of the next school year,  please email  penny.meikle@mgschools.net .  We will forward a withdrawal form to assist in forwarding your child's records to the next school.  Also, we will arrange return of the district iPads, books, or other items.  
Thank you!
Library News
Hello Readers!
The Monona and Sun Prairie Public Libraries will be offering curbside book pick-up. 
Monona's curbside pickup is active now and Sun Prairie will begin May 4th. 




Both libraries are also hosting virtual events and storytime programs:




One more thing! The Monona Public librarians usually visit Taylor Prairie in May to get students super excited for summer reading (they are experts at excitement, really). For now, they sent us a Summer Reading Program video from the Youth Services Staff.

Summer Virtual Programs at Monona Public Library!
Summer Virtual Programs at Monona Public Library!
Greetings from TP
Here are  just some  of the "Hello's" from staff this week!

Ms. Bradt and Lacy snuggling up.


Ms. Wogsland and Benji enjoying the sunshine!








Ms. Wojta enjoys the sun with her girls!

Ms. Steine's family loves their stuffies!

Ms. Reekie loves to sew!
Five-Minute Break
Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~ Sit/lie down outside and look for shapes in the clouds (or star gaze, if it's nighttime!)
 
 ~ Tell your child(ren) a story about when you were a kid!  

Link to a Great Site:
 ~ Let Me Grow (fun puzzle game about getting water to flowers) 
Arts & Crafts

Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~ 52 Creative Ideas for 52 Weeks of Fun! (Maybe only choose a few!) 

 ~ Make Cake-in-a-Mug - (six different versions here, many others online)

Link to a Great Site:
 ~ Drawing lessons with your family and this family! 

Outdoor Fun & Recess

Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~ On a nice day, built an outdoor fort with old blankets and rope!

 ~ Climb a tree - but not too high !

Link to a Great Site:
 ~ Not for this one!  Just get outside and move!!! 

Move That Body - Indoors
Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~ Jump Around!  Read the article, and then get on your Badger/Red gear and head outside at 3 p.m. every Saturday!  Over 100 radio stations play the Jump Around at the top of the hour.  Families, stay inside or go to the end of your driveway and 

Jump Around with Badger Fans all across the nation - and the world!  (You can find/post videos and pictures on the FaceBook page: Jump Around Wisconsin.) 

Links to Great Sites:
 ~ Log on to Go Noodle and choose a movement activity.
 
 ~ Cosmic Kids Yoga - Moana

Mindfulness
Screen-Free Ideas:
  ~ Take a silent nature walk through your yard.  Do you notice buds on branches or flowers popping through the ground?  Do this weekly.  Take pictures and compare them.

Link to a Great Site:
 ~ Watch aquarium fish (no music, just calming)
Science & Nature
Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~ Make a rainbow in a glass!  ( Here's how.)

 ~ Discuss the parts of a flower and how they grow - or better yet, plant some flowers and watch them grow!

Links to Great Sites:
 ~ Watch the webcams from the Georgia Aquarium!      
Music
Screen-Free Ideas:
 ~  Clap or snap to the beat of music that comes on the radio.
 
 ~ Sing or teach your child "Must-Know" songs for your family. 
Here are a few ideas: National Anthem, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, On Wisconsin (or other school songs), special cultural or religious songs, etc.  Be sure they know the words and the meaning behind those word. 


Links to Great Sites:
 ~ Play this song/video (familiar to most kids) and have them sing along! Do Re Mi!
Math
Screen-Free Ideas: 
 ~ Go on a number hunt around the house!  Use tallies to keep track of how many of each digit (0-9) you can find!  It will amaze the kids to find numbers all over their home!
 
Links to Great Sites:
 ~ Play FuzzBugs!  A fun counting, sorting, and comparing game!    
Reading & Library
Screen-Free Ideas:
 - With the beautiful spring weather getting closer every day, find fun new places to look at (and read) books!  In a playset, under a tree, on a blanket in the front yard, in a tree!

Links to Great Sites:
 ~  Virtual Storytimes - many libraries are providing storytime for kids.  Check-out this link for some of the times that you can join in the fun.
 
 ~ Storyline Online streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children's books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

Writing
Screen-Free Ideas:
   ~ Write a special "Thank You" message and email it to your teachers this week!

~ Keep a daily diary - a notebook will work. Twenty years from now, re-read it!

Links to Great Sites:
 ~ Take a break from the screens, and stick with the writing utensils

The Zones of Regulation

There's a good chance you've heard your child say, " I'm in the Green zone! " Huh? What is the Green zone? At Taylor Prairie all kindergarten and first grade students have learned to label emotions and identify their feelings, based on The Zones of Regulation. This is an essential skill for students to develop before they can efficiently cope and self-regulate. Below is a description of the four zones

Blue Zone
A low state of alertness; Used to describe when someone feels sad, tired, sick or bored. 

Green Zone: 
The ideal state of alertness; Used to describe someone who feels calm, happy, attentive/focused, or content. 

Yellow Zone:
A heightened state of alertness; Used to describe someone who is feeling stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, or fear. 

Red Zone: 
An extremely heightened state of alertness; Used to describe someone who is feeling anger, rage, explosive behavior, panic, grief, or terror. 

It is important to note that everyone experiences all of the zones at different times and in different circumstances. The Red and Yellow Zones are not "bad" or "naughty" zones. All of the zones are expected at one time or another. What is most important is to recognize what zone we're in so that we can use tools/strategies to get to the appropriate zone for the situation! 

Please take some time to review the Zones with your child! You can support your child's learning by asking the following questions:
  • How are you feeling right now? What is your zone? 
  • What tool or strategy could you use to get back to _______ zone?
  • If someone is feeling _______, what is their zone? 
  • When observing someone with a strong feeling (at home, in public, in a book, on TV), ask your child to identify the feeling and describe how they made that decision. Follow up by asking what zone that person is in at the time. 

Emphasize that when your child is able to understand how s/he is feeling, then s/he will be better able to control oneself. Identifying feelings is the first step towards calming down and using strategies to solve problems. 



General Information & Resources