Turtle Tales THE NEWSLETTER OF TURTLE LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
WINTER 2019-20
Principal Perspectives By Mr. Darin Johnson Construction Project Reflection - February 2020 The construction trailer has long been removed, and the workers we came to know by name have moved on to other projects. The final punch list gets shorter and shorter by the week. New routines have been established and our students and families have been using our new additions and newly renovated spaces for months. With the end of February marking the one year anniversary to the beginning of the construction project, I offer my reflections on the impact these new spaces have had on our learning community. Parking lot redesign The redesigned drop-off and pick-up loop has created a safer and more efficient plan for students and their caregivers. Formerly, the dual use southeast lot forced visitors to navigate drop-off and pick-up traffic with cars that were pulling out, and pulling into parking spaces. Signs restricting the use of parking spaces during times of heavy traffic flow have allowed for two lanes of traffic to keep the car line moving. I am very appreciative of Turtle Lake visitors who have sacrificed the convenience of a shorter walk to the front door for the safety of our students with this new parking lot design. In the rear of the school, the newly added parking lot has also been a welcomed addition, as well. As a reminder, this lot is available for visitor parking during after-school and evening events.
Cafeteria renovation The wall of natural sunlight in our newly renovated cafeteria is awesome! Students quickly became comfortable with the new traffic flow patterns, allowing more time to eat and relax with their classmates during the lunch period. If you have not peaked your head into the new kitchen, it is amazing. Additional serving line space has allowed for a more efficient distribution of hot lunches. Additionally, the new “cold line” carts help to make the fruit and vegetable options extremely appetizing. This new space has also helped ease our school’s implementation of the “Food to Hogs” recycling program. Students are doing an awesome job of putting their breakfast and lunch waste into the three separate buckets of trash, recycle or compost. If you are able, join your child for lunch to witness our planet-conscious students in action! Classroom additions The addition of eight new classrooms and flex learning spaces has offered a new way to look at the options we can offer students to support their learning. Stationary desks and tables have given way to wheeled furniture that moves around the classroom during the day as needed. The layout of the classroom furniture might look different during the morning meeting than it does during math stations. Students may group desks into a group of four, or pull them apart for independent work at various times throughout the day. New furniture options have made collaboration easier for students, experiences we know are important to the development of skills which will serve our students well in the years to come. Glass walls allow for supervision options that were not previously possible for teachers who work with students in small groups both inside and outside of the classroom. Finally, I am grateful for the students and teachers who moved into these classrooms mid-year. Their display of flexibility and patience during the weeks of transition was remarkable. Thank you to all members of the Turtle Lake learning community for the roles you played in support of the construction project. These new additions and renovations will be enjoyed by thousands of students for many years to come. If you haven’t seen these new spaces yet, please stop by. I would love to give you a tour!
ABOUT OUR SCHOOL
Ribbon Cutting
Turtle Lake Elementary 1141 Lepak Court Shoreview, MN 55126 Darin Johnson, Principal Renee Carlson, Associate Principal Amy Stokkeland, Student Services Assistant School Hours School day begins: Students enter building: School dismissal:
On Thursday, December 12, staff, district employees, and community members celebrated the completion of the construction at Turtle Lake Elementary! Principal Darin Johnson had the honor of cutting the ribbon.
9:20 a.m. 9:05 a.m. 4:00 p.m.
Office Hours 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Important Phone Numbers Office...........................651-621-7700 FAX..............................651-621-7705 Attendance...................651-621-7701 E-Mail firstname.lastname@ moundsviewschools.org
New Spaces The construction at Turtle Lake is now complete! In addition to the new kitchen and expanded cafeteria, various 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade classes have settled into their new classroom environments and shared spaces. A few of the new spaces are featured here.
District Website www.moundsviewschools.org Turtle Lake Website www.moundsviewschools.org/turtlelake Click HERE for staff information and teacher webpages. 1st Grade Classroom
1st Grade Flex Learning Space
SPECIALIST HAPPENINGS Read about what students will be doing in their third quarter Specialist classes by clicking the links below. Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade
1-Specialist 2-Specialist 3-Specialist 4-Specialist 5-Specialist
4th Grade Classroom
Happenings Happenings Happenings Happenings Happenings
4th Grade Flex Learning Space
First Grade Highlights Buddy Classrooms
Students from Mrs. Haugen’s and Mrs. Bahneman’s homerooms.
Students from Mrs. Boyer-Kellermann’s and Mrs. Berger’s homerooms.
Buddy classrooms have helped foster an interactive environment between grades. These opportunities enable us to see how much personal growth students can achieve when they are connected to others within the building. They also realize the importance of taking time to facilitate discussions about how to make friends, be a positive role model and leader, get to know people and have a conversation, and how to connect in a way that doesn’t involve a screen.
Folk Dancing Mr. Gort and Ms. Crockett combined classes for a unit on Folk Dancing. First graders are also learning to control their bodies in space much better and practice creative movement to music. Shown here are students from Mrs. Hofmeister’s and Mrs. Bahneman’s classes.
Otters
The Wildlife Outreach program through the Wargo Nature Center came to Turtle Lake and gave a presentation on otters to first graders.
Second Grade Moments Valentine’s Day Celebrations Students in Ms. Babirad’s class make Valentines.
In one game, students took turns playing Cupid trying to shoot the arrow through a heart for a prize. After exchanging Valentines, students in Mrs. Huffman’s class took turns going through their collections.
Making Music
Students from Mrs. Huffman’s homeroom class are practicing “improvising” on glockenspiels in Ms. Semelis’ music class.
Students in Mrs. Fulcher’s class created Valentine’s Day craft people with bouncy arms and legs.
Tower Building in Science
Students from Mrs. Lang’s homeroom class worked together in Mrs. Wills’s science class to figure out how to build a tall tower. Mishaps helped them to learn what did or did not work!
Guests Visiting Third Grade Artist-in-Residence, David LaRochelle Turtle Lake is so fortunate to have author David LaRochelle as a returning Artist-in-Residence. This is Mr. LaRochelle’s 24th year coming to Turtle Lake! He visits each third grade class to advise them on the story writing process. Each third grader will develop their own story including illustrations with feedback from Mr. LaRochelle.
Wolves at our Door The Wildlife Outreach program also visited third grade to give a presentation on wolves. Students learned truths about wolves and misconceptions were explained. Shown here are students from Mrs. Reis’ class as they examined a pelt and skull up close along with other items related to the presentation.
Spotlighting Fourth Grade Turing Tumble
In Information Literacy, students practiced coding skills using the mechanical computer game, Turing Tumble.
Learning about Pollinators
While learning about pollinators, students in fourth grade participated in an activity where selected students represented petals, stamens, carpels and a bee. The bee www.clipart.email then demonstrated the process of how pollination works. This was a presentation by Wargo Nature Center’s Wildlife Outreach Program.
City of Shoreview Human Rights Commission Poster Contest Fourth graders had the opportunity to participate in the City of Shorview’s Human Rights Commission’s “Community of Many Colors” poster contest. The place winners and honorable mentions are: 2nd place - Sampada Agarwal 6th place - Shoshana Watchke-Koranne (not pictured) 9th place - Summer Saukko Honorable mention - Sam Sparks Honorable mention - Ismaeel Ahmed Honorable mention - Ana Koepcke Honorable mention - Casey Fields
Fifth Grade Features Book Tasting Events Fifth graders in Mrs. Geistfeld's class participated in a ‘book tasting’ at StarBOOKS cafe. They were engaged in exploring highinterest and new informational texts in preparation for their upcoming reading and research unit.
Later in the year, they also took part in a fantasy fiction ‘book tasting' picnic displaying more excitement and motivation that comes from a ‘book tasting’ event!
Rube Goldberg Projects
Mrs. B-K’s students show off their Rube Goldberg projects, with the goal of pouring a box of cereal into a bowl.
In-House Winter Concerts Orchestra Concert 4th Grade
5th Grade
New this year: Turtle Lake Chamber Orchestra
The entire Turtle Lake Orchestra played together for one last piece.
Band Concert The Turtle Lake Band was excited to showcase what they have learned this fall.
Musically talented staff joined the band to play First Winter's Sleigh Ride.
Holiday Sing-a-Long
In what has become a Turtle Lake tradition, students joined in singing a few holiday songs from around the world after the band concert on the last day of school before winter break.
REMINDERS •
Please call the Attendance Line if your child will be absent from school: 651-621-7701. Please call on each day of the absence unless you have already stipulated the dates of your child's absences. It is important to call the attendance line even if you contacted the teacher just in case the teacher is also absent. You may call the attendance line 24 hours per day.
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Changes to your student’s end of the day transportation should be made no later than 3:30 p.m. to ensure the information is given to teachers in a timely manner.
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Thank you for your help in making our drop-off and pick-up time as efficient as possible. Students are allowed to enter the building at 9:05 a.m. (or 8:55 a.m. if going to breakfast). Supervision is not provided before this time. The final dismissal bell rings at 4:00 p.m. and students should be picked up soon after and no later than 4:15 p.m. Our staff have after school obligations which creates lack of supervision.
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Dress for the weather! Although spring is right around the corner, please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. We will have indoor recess if it is raining, lightning, or in cases of extremely cold temperatures or wind chills. Please label all items.
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We are not able to accommodate requests for a child to remain inside for recess unless a doctor’s note has been submitted to the health office.
Kids Heart Challenge Mrs. Lukens and Mr. Gort want to thank all of our students that participated in this year’s Kids Heart Challenge event. Students either jumped rope or hula hooped (grades 1 & 2) to help raise funds for the American Heart Association. This year we had a total of 330 students that participated in fundraising, and we raised over $11,000! Also, in the 25 years that Turtle Lake has been fundraising for the American Heart Association, we have raised a grand total of $151,973! Wow! Turtle Lake can take pride in knowing that we have funded six total research projects, and as a result we have saved many, many lives.
Turtle Lake Elementary Implements Food to Hogs Program
Turtle Lake began participating in a program called "Food to Hogs" in January. After students finish eating, they sort their waste into three categories: organics, recycling and trash. The organics are collected and processed for local farmers to use to feed their pigs. This program helps us cut down on waste and really lets us reduce, reuse and recycle!
ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Grant Thanks to the efforts of Tony Rammer of Exxon of Shoreview at 3854 Lexington Ave. N, Turtle Lake Elementary has been awarded a $500 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant to provide materials for the Family Science and Engineering Night. Funded by the ExxonMobil Corporation, the Educational Alliance program is designed to provide Exxon retailers like Mr. Rammer with an opportunity to invest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education within the community. This year, families of students in grades 3-5 are invited to Family Engineering Night on Tuesday, April 28.