December Kid Life 2014 by Denton Media Company

December 2014

December 2014 | Vol. 8, No. 4 Publisher: Bill Patterson The contents of this free publica tion are copyrighted by Denton Publishing Company, 2008, a sub sidiary of A.H. Belo Corp. (www. ahbelo.com, NYSE symbol: AHC) with all rights reserved. Reproduc tion or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Kid Life is published monthly by Denton Publishing Company, 314 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX 76201. E-mail: drc@dentonrc.com

On the cover:

Fourth-grader Cameran Rios eats lunch at Blanton Elementary. The school recently tested a nutrition score card program that had students track what they ate for each meal.

Table of Contents Top of the List �� 3 Denton ISD Update �� 4-5 Artwork �� 6 Star Student �� 7 Lunchbox Bites �� 9 Library Events �� 10 Teachers & Principal Profiles �� 11 Kid Scoop �� 12

Courtesy photo/ Denton ISD

Scott K. Parks

Editor sparks@dentonrc.com 940-566-6879

Shawn Reneau

Advertising Manager sreneau@dentonrc.com 940-566-6843

Finish 2014 with kindness Counselor’s Column Dear Friend, I hope that you have been keeping warm during the cold weather that arrived in Denton. I know winter is here, because my toes are cold. Usually, they don’t warm up until the weather changes in the spring. Does that happen to you? I have been thinking that there is really not much time in this year. 2015 will be here soon. I have four suggestions for you to do to finish this year well. 1. Make a list of the adults who are very important to you. Include family members, teachers at school, and others in your life. After you have that list, make an appointment with yourself and create thank you notes for everyone on your list. The note should tell the person one thing that they do or have done that you really appreciate. Be as specific as possible. Here’s an example: Dear Mom, Thank you for washing my clothes every week so I have clean clothes to wear. I know you are busy with lots of things and I know that you wash my clothes because you love me and want me to smell nice. Just wanted to let you know I’m thankful for your work. 2. Think about your brothers and sisters. Write their names down and think about things that they do that you enjoy doing with them. Think about how you can share this information with them. Then, the

next time you and your sibling (brother or sister) does that thing, tell them what you have been thinking. Here’s an example: My brother always carries my backpack if it is loaded down with books, I can tell him that I am glad he is my brother and helps me out when things are too heavy for me. 3. Every time someone does something nice for you, simply say “thank you” with a smile. That’s an easy one. Saying “thank you” lets others know that you are grateful for their kindness.

4. Every day, find a way to be kind to someone else. Watch for people who need help and then help them. You can do this one everywhere you go. And, if someone says “Thank you” to you, answer with a smile and “My pleasure! I am going to do these things myself and next time, I will try to tell you about how things went. Stay warm and be kind and grateful. Your friend, Mrs. Shelton

Top of the List

December 2014

Here are the top holiday picks from the Youth Services Librarians at the Denton Public Library. Books: Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric Kimmel, 2014 Ages 3 to 6 Stranded on an iceberg on his way to America, Simon remembers his mother’s parting words and lights the first candle on his menorah while praying for a miracle, which soon arrives in the form of a friendly polar bear. The Animals’ Santa by Jan Brett, 2014 Ages 2 to 6 Wanting to know all about Santa, who brings presents for everyone but who his fellow animals have never seen, Little Snow the spunky young rabbit wonders what kind of an animal Santa is and is astonished by the arrival of a magnificent snowy owl in a red cap. The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa by Bill Wallace, 2007 184 pages, ages 8 to 12 In 1957, problems at the mine threaten to ruin Christmas for fifth-grader Don, his family, and the rest of their Oklahoma coal town, but Don’s bloodhound, Frank, is determined to do whatever it takes to make the holiday special for Don and his 6-year-old sister, Susan. Alternate chapters are told from the human and canine points of view. Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, 2008 352 pages, ages 12 and up In three intertwining short stories, several high school couples experience the trials and tribulations along with the joys of romance during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town. Movies: Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman (2006) Based on Raymond Briggs’ enchanting picture book, The Snowman tells the story of a young boy, his snowman, and the fantastic evening they spend together when the snowman comes to life. Not rated Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2013) It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Rabbit will only discover the true spirit of the season after his pals make misguided New Year’s resolutions to change, with hilarious and heartfelt results! Rated G Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) Kindhearted Samantha Parkington’s 1904 New York City world changes when Nellie O’Malley walks into her life. Nellie, her father and two little sisters move in next door to be servants for the Ryland family. Though they come from completely different backgrounds, Samantha and Nellie become fast friends. The girls turn to each other in happiness and sorrow, adventure and danger, and grow to be as close as two sisters could ever be. But life is full of surprises and nothing prepares them for the life-altering one that lies just ahead. Not rated

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Blanton teaches better nutrition

December 2014

Students at Blanton Elementary recently took part in a pilot program to teach them more about proper nutrition and they seemed to enjoy the results. Blanton fourth- and fifth-grade students recently took part in a program where they would fill out a “nutrition scorecard” of what they ate for lunch each day, including what food group each item fits within. The program coincided with National School Lunch Week, which encourages students to “find a better balance between healthy eating and physical activity,” according to the School Nutrition Association. Students said the program helped remind them of what’s nutritious to eat as well as the daily recommended amounts of each food category. Each score card gave students six categories to fit their food choices in fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, dairy or other with teachers helping if they were unsure

where each food fit. Piper Cummings, a fifth-grader at Blanton, said the system helped her learn what kind of foods are missing from her regular diet. “I realized I’m not eating as healthy as I thought I was because I don’t have many fruits and vegetables,” said Piper. “We have healthy food at home, but I never really talked about it with my parents, so this helped me learn what’s healthy a bit better.” The nutrition score card was part of students’ “data binders,” which get sent home with them for parents to see. Included in the binders are “everything we do for school,” Piper said, from journal entries to test results. Taking the “data binders” home led to more discussion with her parents about areas where she may want to eat healthier, Piper added. Fellow Blanton fifth-grader Kaylee Jernigan agreed with Piper’s opinion of the score card, saying the program

taught her a lot about her eating habits. “It makes it really easy to see what’s healthy,” she said. “I also realized I should probably be eating more vegetables and having more dairy. I showed it to my mom and dad so now they can see it, too.” Becky Gray, the cafeteria manager at Blanton, said the program has been “a big help” in teaching students how to eat healthier, as it lets them directly see if they aren’t eating food in certain categories. Another way it helps, she said, is that a large amount of foods in the “other” category typically indicates too much junk food. As part of the district’s lunch program, students who go through their school’s lunch line are required to take a fruit or vegetable with their lunch. Previously, Mrs. Gray said, some students would just throw them away without realizing why they’re important. Seeing that fruits and vegetables

are their own categories helped underscore their importance to students. To help understand each category, Mrs. Gray decorated the lunch line to highlight each food type, which went along with a menu and what category each food fits in. “Obviously kids love ice cream, but sometimes they forget what’s important to eat in order to stay healthy,” Mrs. Gray said. “I think this is a great program as it’s really helped kids see what they’re eating and if they’re following our menu correctly. Plus it’s always great to see kids excited and wanting to eat healthy.” Fifth-grader Allen Pascullo said the program met Mrs. Gray’s goals of being simultaneously informative and entertaining. “I enjoyed the nutrition scorecards — it was kind of fun,” he said. “It was a good way to teach us about our food choices, and now I know I need to start eating a little bit healthier.”

Blanton enseña mejor nutricion

December 2014

Los estudiantes en la Primaria Blanton participaron recientemente en un programa piloto para enseñarles más acerca de nutrición apropiada, y ellos parecieron disfrutar de los resultados. Durante una semana en octubre, los estudiantes de cuarto- y quinto-grado de Blanton participaron en un programa donde llenarían una “tarjeta de puntuación de nutrición” de lo que comieron para el almuerzo cada día, inclusive dentro de cual grupo alimenticio quedaba cada cosa. El programa coincidió con la Semana Nacional de Almuerzos Escolares, la cual anima a los estudiantes a “encontrar un mejor equilibrio entre alimentación saludable y actividad física,” según la Asociación de Nutrición Escolar. Los estudiantes dijeron que el programa ayudó a recordarles de lo que es nutritivo para comer así como las cantidades recomendadas diarias de cada categoría de alimento. Cada tarjeta de puntuación le dio a los estudiantes seis categorías donde colocar sus opciones de alimentos — frutas, verduras, grano, proteína, productos lácteos u otro, con los mae-

stros ayudando si no sabían con certeza donde quedaba cada alimento. Piper Cummings, un estudiante de quinto grado de Blanton, dijo que el sistema le ayudó a ella a aprender qué tipo de alimentos están ausentes de su dieta regular. “Me di cuenta de que no estoy comiendo tan sano como yo pensaba porque no tengo muchas frutas y verduras,” dijo Piper Cummings. “Tenemos alimento sano en casa, pero yo nunca hablé realmente de ello con mis padres, así que esto me ayudó a aprender lo que es sano un poco mejor.” La tarjeta de puntuación de nutrición formó parte de las “carpetas de datos,” de los estudiantes que son enviadas a casa con ellos para que los padres las vean. Incluido en las carpetas esta “todo lo que hacemos para la escuela,” dijo Piper, desde las entradas del diario hasta resultados de pruebas. El hecho de que regreso a casa con ella, dijo, significa que ella puede tener una discusión con sus padres sobre las áreas donde es posible que ella quiera comer más saludable. Compañera de quinto grado en Blanton Kaylee Jernigan estuvo de

acuerdo con la opinión de Piper sobre la tarjeta de puntuación, diciendo que el programa le ha enseñado mucho acerca de sus hábitos alimenticios. “Lo hace realmente fácil de ver lo que es saludable,” dijo ella. “También me di cuenta de que yo probablemente debo comer más verduras y más productos lácteos. Se lo mostré a mi papá y a mi mamá por lo que ahora ellos lo pueden ver, también.” Becky Gray, la directora de la cafetería de Blanton, dijo que el programa ha sido una “gran ayuda” en enseñar a los alumnos a comer más saludable, ya que permite ver directamente si no están comiendo alimentos en ciertas categorías. Otra forma en la que ayuda, dijo, es que una gran cantidad de alimentos en la categoría “otro” normalmente indica demasiada comida chatarra. Como parte del programa de almuerzo del distrito, los estudiantes que van a través de su línea de almuerzo escolar son requeridos a tomar una fruta o verdura con sualmuerzo. Anteriormente, dijo la Sra. Gray, algunos estudiantes simplemente las tiraban a la basura sin darse cuenta por qué ellas son importantes. Viendo que las frutas y verduras

son sus propias categorías ayudó a realzar su importancia para con los estudiantes. Para ayudar a comprender cada categoría, la Señora Gray decoró la línea del almuerzo para resaltar cada tipo de alimento, que acompañó un menú y en cual categoría cada alimento va. “Obviamente a los niños les encanta el helado, pero a veces se olvidan de lo que es importante comer con el fin de mantenerse saludable,” dijo la Sra. Gray. “Creo que este es un gran programa ya que realmente ayudó a los chicos ver lo que están comiendo y si están siguiendo nuestro menú correctamente. Además, es siempre un placer ver a los niños entusiasmados y queriendo comer sano.” El alumno del quinto grado Allen Pascullo dijo que el programa llenaba los objetivos de la Sra. Gray de ser simultáneamente informativo y divertido. “He disfrutado de las tarjetas de puntuación de nutrición — ha sido algo divertido,” dijo. “Fue una manera buena de enseñarnos acerca de nuestras elecciones de alimento, y ahora yo sé que debo comenzar a comer un poco más sano.”

December 2014

Artistic Endeavors Students in Jodi Dallasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fourth-grade art classes at McNair Elementary recently created artwork focused on plants native to Texas. (Clockwise from upper left) Holly Nolte and Kelcie Sellers painted blue-eyed grass flowers, Purvi Weerasinghe painted a winecup flower and Landry Linn painted a prickly pear cactus.

Wilson students learn environmental responsibility

A parent driving his or her child to and from school each day is often the quickest method of transportation, but it comes at a price — a price that can harm the environment. While vehicles are the most common method of transportation to school in the U.S., it results in greater air pollution and means children are largely immobile during the trip. To encourage students to think about the environment and their health, Wilson Elementary recently held a walk or bike to school day. More than 400 students and parents either walked or biked to Wilson on that day, with some taking part in a “walking school bus” — a collection of students who walk to school as a group supervised by adults. Those taking part in the walking school bus met at one of two local parks, Avondale or Nette Shultz, before heading to school. “I really liked how we were trying to reduce the amount of gas and energy we use,” said third-grader Micah Yarbrough. “That just makes a healthy environment for all of us because it makes the air easier to breathe with less gas polluting it.” Micah said his dad was part of the walk, as were about eight of his friends. His mother, Wilson third-grade teacher Mylina Yarbrough, organized the event. Part of the reason she wanted to do a walk or bike day at Wilson was to promote environmental awareness, Mrs. Yarbrough said, but it was also a teachable event in other ways. “This was a good way to promote health and safety, such as what to do when you walk down a street,” she said. “Parents who took part in this event were encouraged to teach their children the proper ways to

December 2014

walk down a street, not to talk to strangers and other important safety lessons.” Mrs. Yarbrough said she wants to do the event again in the spring, and it will “definitely” be an annual event. While she doesn’t expect all children will walk to school every day, she does hope participating in the

event helped families who live relatively close to the school to realize walking or biking is an option. Third-grader Samantha Clanton said the event may have done just that for her family. “My mom walked with me to school, and it was fun,” she said. “It was a good way to be healthy and keep our energy up.”

Star Student Taurino Garay of Lee Elementary School Name: Taurino Garay Nickname: Tawri Community/school activities: Lee Student Leadership Team School/grade: Lee Elementary, fifth grade Birthdate/place: Dec. 23, in Bryan, Texas Family: Dad, Mom, brother Jose and sister Yaley My hobby is: archery My favorite school subject is: music When I finish school I plan to: become a veterinarian The best book I ever read was: Megaman Warrior The best movie I’ve ever seen is: Transformers I wish I knew how to: make the animation of Transformers My favorite restaurant is: McDonald’s My hero is: Jesus

December 2014

��aT ��DAy fAmIlY f�! Denton Parks and Rec

Reindeer Romp, 4.2-Mile Run & 2.5-Mile Walk

Friday, Dec. 5 at South Lakes Park 6:30 p.m. check-in; 7:30 p.m., race begins

Early registration ends at noon on Dec. 3 and costs $15 per person. Race day registration costs $20 per person. See Christmas lights and decorations up close during Reindeer Romp as you run or walk through Forrestridge neighborhood. The fee includes a long sleeve T-shirt, fruit, snacks, and drinks.

FREE HOLIDAY FUN ZONE

Participate in Reindeer Romp while we entertain your kids. Activities will be from 7-8:30 p.m. and include a giant bounce house, face painting, and crafts. If temperatures fall below 38 degrees, we will not host the fun zone.

Santa’s Snap Shots

Saturday, Dec. 6 10 a.m. - noon at MLK Jr. Rec Center $5 per kid ($2 for extra print) Kids will play games, meet Santa, tell him what’s on their wish list, and have their picture taken with him.

Breakfast with Santa

Saturday, Dec. 20; register by Dec. 18 9-11 a.m. at Denton Civic Center Ages 1-12; $10 per kid by Dec. 18 ($13 at the door) Enjoy the morning eating breakfast, listening to storytelling, getting your kid’s face painted, jumping in the bounce house, and making holiday crafts. The kids can write a letter to Santa and visit with him, while getting a commemorative picture. Adults may eat for $3.

Holiday Blast Camp (Winter Break Holiday) 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Denton Civic Center Grade K-6; $28 per kid per day Kids will have a blast during winter break with exciting ﬁeld trips and activities such as crafts, sports, and games. Registration is accepted at Denton Civic Center.

GeT �GiS��D! To register NOW, call (940) 349-7275 or visit us online at www.dentonparks.com!

Dec 22: Celebration Station (includes lunch and photo with Santa) Dec. 23: Tornado Terry’s and Going Bonkers (includes lunch) Dec. 29: Altitude Trampoline Park (pack a lunch and snacks) Dec. 30: Hard Rock Cafe and Nickelmania (includes lunch) Dec. 31: It’z Family Fun Center (includes lunch) Jan. 2: Pump It Up (pack a lunch and snacks) Jan. 5: Interskate and Studio Movie Grill (pack a lunch and snack)

LEGO® Winter Wonderland Mini-Camp

Friday, Jan. 2 at North Lakes Rec Center $36 per kid; register by Dec 28 9 a.m. - noon (ages 5-12) Race your snowmobile through snow-covered LEGO® hills and jumps, build an ice fortress and use snowballs to defeat the Ice Monster! In this fun-ﬁlled, creative mini-camp, kids learn building techniques that help make their ideas a reality. Explore the endless creative possibilities of the LEGO® building system with the guidance of an experienced instructor.

Lunchbox Bites

Make peanut butter oat biscuits 9 Makes 9 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Ingredients 1/2 cup fat-free milk (lactose-free milk is an option) 1/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, honey flavored 1/2 cup rolled oats 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. sea salt 3 tbsp. cold butter, cut into small cubes (extra cold) 1/4 cup peanut butter Melted butter for brushing on top of biscuits (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk milk and yogurt together until a thick mixture forms and set aside. Whisk together oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut butter into flour with a fork until the flour becomes crumbly. Combine peanut butter and milk mixture in a separate bowl until fully combined. Add this to your flour mixture and stir until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly knead the dough a few times. Roll dough out into a 1 inch-thick disc; be careful not to overwork the dough, though. Using a round cookie cutter/dough cutter, push down into dough and lightly twist. Repeat until dough is used up and place on a baking sheet. Dough should make about 9-12 biscuits. Brush the tops of each biscuit with a little melted butter, if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown (use the lower oven rack if not brushing with butter). Let cool on cooling rack for 5 minutes and serve warm with your favorite filling. Nutritional Facts Calories: 180 Total Fat: 8 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Cholesterol: 10 mg Sodium: 350 mg Carbohydrates: 22 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g (12% DV) Sugars: 2 g Protein: 6 g Calcium: 10% DV Vitamin A: 2% DV Vitamin C: 0% DV Iron: 6% DV - Recipe courtesy of 3-Every-Day, the National Dairy Council

December 2014

Library events scheduled for December Math Tutoring Is your child having trouble in math? Sign up for free weekly tutoring. This program is for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Registration required. Please contact Dr. Gil Lee at gilsiklee@intellichoice.org for more information.10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 13 & 20 at Emily Fowler Library Chess Night Players of all ages & skill levels welcome. 6 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays at North Branch Library Read to Rover Give your child an opportunity to practice reading oneon-one with a trained, certified therapy dog. Sign up for our Read to Rover program, made possible by a partnership with the Therapy Pals of Golden Triangle. For children ages 6-11 who are reading on their own. Registration required. 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Emily Fowler Library 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, at North Branch Library 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at South Branch Library Ornament Extravaganza Create a special ornament for the holiday season. For all ages.

4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at South Branch Library Twilight Toddler Time Stories, songs, and activities in this evening StoryTime for toddlers (ages 12-36 months) and their caregivers. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Emily Fowler Library Super Kids Book Club Do you love chapter books like the Magic Tree House? Join this book club and participate in activities that celebrate some of your favorite chapter book series and authors. Ages 6-10. A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at Emily Fowler Library Santa Story Time Ho, ho, ho! Come to the library for stories, songs, and puppets with Santa! Bring your camera to take pictures with Santa at the end of the program. Best for ages 1 to 5. 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at Emily Fowler Library 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at North Branch Library 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, at South Branch Library 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at South Branch Library Christmas Crafts Create Christmas-themed

Make school attendance a top priority. Schedule ap-

crafts at this open-ended, come-and-go program. We provide the craft materials and all you need is your imagination! For children of all ages; children younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult. 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at North Branch Library LEGO Builders Club Drop in and get creative by building with the library’s LEGOs. All LEGOs provided by the library (please don’t bring your own). Ages 6 and older. 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at Emily Fowler Library Animal Hunts at the Library! Author Deborah Johnston will lead us on an imaginary journey as we read and learn about caribou. Best for ages 5-9. 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at South Branch Library Noon Year’s Eve Ring in the New Year at noon! Noon Year’s Eve at the library is a party full of exciting games, crafty art projects, balloons, refreshments, laughter, and fun! 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, at South Branch Library

HEARING PROBLEMS? If your child has failed their hearing screening at school or is having difficulty listening to or hearing the teacher, Denton Hearing Health Care can be your first point of contact to conduct a diagnostic hearing test and central auditory processing screening. For children with chronic middle ear problems, swimmers ear, or P.E. tubes, we can make colorful custom made earplugs to prevent water from entering the ear canal. These are floatable and can be used when swimming or bathing and may also be used for sound protection as well. Dr. Judith Caudle and Dr. Chris Caudle have served the children in Denton County and the surrounding areas for over 25 years.

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Reading is fun!

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Head of the Class teacher for another three years. She stayed at Lake Dallas ISD until 2000, when she took a break from teaching. In 2008, Mrs. Hurst came to Denton ISD as a fourth-grade language arts and math teacher, a position she held until 2010. That year, she transitioned to fifth-grade math, a position she has kept since then. Mrs. Hurst received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Oklahoma State University in 1992. Prior to that, she received her associate’s degree in sociology from Tulsa Junior College in 1989. In addition to her elementary teaching experience, Mrs. Hurst has served as a mentor teacher for University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University interns. She has also been a member in charge of campus trainings in each of the last two school years. Her teaching philosophy: Being an educator is not just a profession, it’s a responsibility. Our students, regardless of their demographic, deserve the very best of us. The consequences of being anything less than great are too severe.

Meet Pam Hurst, the 2014 Jostens Hodge Teacher of the Year Pam Hurst has been a teacher for 13 years, with the past six of those spent at Denton ISD. Mrs. Hurst began her teaching career in 1992, when she served as a third-grade teacher for Pawhuska Public Schools in Pawhuska, Okla., for one year. After that, she moved to the Denton area, serving as a teacher in Lake Dallas ISD in 1994. There, she was a fourth-grade writing, math and science teacher for three years before becoming a sixth-grade math

Meet Brenda Thomas, the 2014 Jostens Lee Teacher of the Year Brenda Thomas has been a teacher in Denton ISD for 10 years, which is the only school district she’s ever called home. Since 2006, Mrs. Thomas has been a kindergarten teacher at Lee Elementary. She has thrived in that role, an area where she has a certificate in early childhood education. Prior to that, she was a fourth-grade teacher at Lee for a year and a kindergarten teacher at Rivera Elementary for a year. For the 2004-05 school year, she was Rivera’s team leader for kindergarten, and she has also been the kindergarten team leader at Rivera for the 2013-14 school year. For the previous school year, she was a

December 2014

co-team leader for kindergarten at Rivera. Mrs. Thomas received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University in 1976, and she has also completed graduate work in algebra at the University of North Texas. Her teaching philosophy: I try to instill a sense of adventure in my students as we travel through the world of learning. My excitement as they read an entire sentence for the first time excites them to read another. I want my students to know the excitement and thrill of learning.

Meet Stephens Elementary Principal Chris Rangel Name: Laura Christine Rangel Nickname: Chris My school: Elementary

Olive

Stephens

My school’s mascot: Bulldog Where I was born: Dallas My favorite food is: Mexican food My favorite color is: green My favorite subject in school was: reading My favorite teacher was: My sixthgrade reading teacher, Ms. Messick

My most memorable moment as a child was: moving from Texas to New Jersey Do you have any pets? Yes, our dog, Sadie. She has been part of the family for 12 years. My hobbies are: reading and cooking The best movie I’ve ever seen is: The Notebook My favorite thing about my school is: I love the climate and culture of the Stephens campus. Our staff works very hard to make each child and family member feel welcome and safe.

We have parents and other community members consistently tell us

that they appreciate the positive atmosphere within the building.

Jeff Schinkel, Graphics

Vol. 28, No. 52

How many candy canes can you find in this box?

on’t let your brain hibernate on winter break! Join in the Reindeer Games and see if you can solve these puzzles designed to boggle your mind!

December 2014

Change the word HOT into the word TEA in just four steps. Change only one letter at a time. Need help? Look at how Randolph changed a DOG into a CAT. Hint: Golfers use the word on line 4.

REINDEER PUZZLES TREATS CANDY GEOMETRIC HIBERNATE MONEY ANTLERS BRAIN LEGS BODY WINTER SOLVE HARD MIND

This reindeer has a head, antlers, a tail, legs and a body. Can you move just two peppermint sticks to make the reindeer look in the opposite direction?

Circle the two identical reindeer.

Find the words in the puzzle, then in this week’s Kid Scoop stories and activities. C E T A N R E B I H I H S R E L T N A R

R O M O N E Y M E Y T S H A R D L I L D

E O T I N E N N D O

M L A A G D Y D G B O V C S E L Z Z U P

E E A E B R A I N M

G E R S R E T N I W

How many differences can you find between the two pictures above?

Rhoda is doing a little flight practice. Elmer Elf left her favorite treats: apples, carrots and sugar cubes. To help her get the treats, look at each math problem and the numbers next to each treat. Place a number in each empty box so that the problem equals the answer. Use each of these numbers only once. (There is more than one possible solution for each problem.)

89 36

5 2 8 4

8 7 10 6

Pretend each letter of the alphabet could be exchanged for money. Imagine A = $1, B= $2 and so forth until you get to Z which would equal $26. Find a headline and figure out what each letter in the headline is worth. Add up those numbers to figure out what the dollar value of the entire headline would be.

Find examples of each of these geometric shapes in your newspaper.

Make up a holiday math problem that is a story problem. Include the answer. Be sure the holiday is a wintertime holiday. Example: There was 5 feet of snow on the ground. When the next snowstorm hit, the new storm dropped 3 feet of snow. How much snow is on the ground now? (Answer: 8 feet.) KZ