Dear Parents:

Wow! It is hard to believe that we are already finishing our fifth week of the 2009-2010 school year. We have several new faces at Beals: Mrs. Erin Grove (2nd Grade), Muriel Huckins (Strings). New support staff include:  Tracy Michelle Albanese (Health Aide), Sarah Wassinger (Pre-Kdg), and Danielle Patocka (Pre-Kdg).   We welcome you to come and visit whenever you wish and encourage you to stay in touch with your child’s teacher. We also hope that you will get involved in the PTA activities.

Grade Level News
We are also continuing our Grade Level Professional Learning Teams this year. The grade level teachers and resource teachers work together daily in an inclusive learning environment, as they focus on providing the best lessons to assist your student in mastering their grade level standards.

Kindergarten
The Kindergarten team is focusing on teaching students to learn that when a student reads symbols or letters that the letters stand for sounds. We would like all of our kindergartners to know the relationships between letters and sounds.

First Grade
The First Grade team is providing lessons that will assist our first graders in learning how to  retell  the beginning middle and end of a story.

Second Grade Team
Second grade team is focusing on assisting their students in gaining a deeper understanding of what the author is communicating through the text read.

Third & Fourth Grade
Third and fourth grade team are helping students summarize a text through retelling a story. Students will have to know the important details and be able to share in their own words what the story was about.

Fifth & Sixth Grade
Fifth and Sixth Grade team are assisting our students in understanding the text that was read. They are assisting students in understanding how to understand what they are reading through asking comprehension questions.  

Message from  Principal
Dr. LeDonna York

This year at Beals we are continuing with our school-wide expectations: the 3 B’s: Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe and after reviewing our building wide data, we have added and additional “Be” and  we are modeling and helping all students to  Be Kind! As a collaborative Beals team, we are also exposing all of our students to “The 40 Developmental Assets-What Kids Need to Succeed.” According to the Search Institute, there are 40 Developmental Assets that children need to be successful. Of the 40 assets, research has identified five that can triple a child’s chance of being academically successful. Those five assets are: •    Service to others: Young person serves in our community for at least 1 hour or more per week •    Creative Activities:        Student spends 3 or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts •    Youth Programs: Young person spends 3 or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school or in the community •    Reading For Pleasure: Child reads for pleasure 3 or more hours per week •    Religious Community: Young person spends 1 or more hours per week in a religious institution. If you are interested in learning how to build these five assets in your child, log onto www. Search-institute.org or contact the Beals counselor at 554-8570 or . Community Outreach: Race For the Kids This year’s event will be held at the ConAgra campus on Saturday, October 3rd at 9:00 a.m. The goal of this event is to promote physical activity among our youth and to raise funds to benefit All of Our Kids, Inc. Registrations can be picked up at Beals in the office. The cost is $5.00 per child and $10.00 per adult (pre-K kids are free with a paying adult). You will receive a shirt, games and other items with your registration. Twenty bikes will be given away. Beals could have a winner! Race for the Kids is a lot of fun and it helps to promote health and wellness for our children!

A Message from the School Nurse:
Operation
School Bell Application Announcement
2009-2010
Operation School Bell is now accepting applications for the 2009-2010 school year. This program is open to children in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade (or 4 years to 14 years of age) who are in need of clothing. Guidelines for application include the following:
➢    Child must be currently enrolled and attending school
➢    Parent(s) need to come to their child’s school to fill out an application
➢    The application process runs from September 28 – December 18, 2009.
➢    Parent(s) will be notified once applications are reviewed and eligibility is determined.
➢    An appointment will be made with parent(s) of eligible students. Parent(s) must keep the appointment in order for clothing services to be completed.
If you are interested, please call the Health Office at 554-8570.

Mrs. Heck
School Nurse

How can I best help my child in school?
Every little bit, makes a big difference!  It is never to late
to start this routine (The Daily Three) in your home! Please require that your student:
1. Reads to him/herself
2. Reads aloud to someone
3. Listens to someone reading

PTA NEWS
Have you turned in your PTA membership/volunteer form? Beals has an active PTA that works hard to benefit our school and students. Please consider joining the PTA. Membership dues are as follows: $5.00 single membership and $8.00 family membership PTA is always looking for parents that are able to volunteer their time to assist. Please contact Mrs. Herbert with any questions at !

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Please mark your calendars for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Our goal here at Beals is to visit with every parent. We want a100% turn-out. You can help your students class
because the class with the most parents present at conferences will receive a popcorn party. Your students teacher will contact you with your conference time. If you need a specific time to fit your schedule, please contact your student’s teacher as soon as possible.

School Lunch
Lunch Prices are $1.35, regular priced, and $.40 for reduced. Lunch applications must be completed and returned if you are interested in applying for reduced priced lunches. Students that qualified for reduced price lunches last year must complete a new application. If a new application has not been returned, the student will be charged full price if this form is not returned by tomorrow.

Drop off and Dismissal Reminders
First-Sixth grade students that are picked up by car will be picked up in the lower west parking lot (49th Street). Please assist in the lower parking lot by only turning right out of the parking lot. Please pull as far forward as you can and remain in your car. As we learn cars we will call your student to the car. This will assist with keeping traffic moving so that traffic does not become a hazard on the busy street.
Lost and Found Items
Please remind your student to pick up items from the lost and found box. This is cleaned out each week.

Lost and Found Items
Please remind your student to pick up items from the lost and found box. This is cleaned out each week.