March 2016

Dear Parents, Students and Community Members,

March brings spring and many exciting things to Ostmann Elementary School. During the first week of the month we will be celebrating Reading Week with a wide variety of fun activities for the children, in-cluding Breakfast with Books on Tuesday and our spring Book Fair in the library. The wide selection of books available for the children is always an excellent opportunity to promote reading. We will also be hold-ing our school science fair this first week of the month. Many students have participated and their projects

will be on display in the lobby and front hallways.

On Thursday, March 3, we will hold our annual Kindergarten Registration from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please encourage any friends or neighbors to enroll their child during this registration period so we can make accurate projections for classes next school year. Also, everyone registering a student needs to have the appro-

priate Proof of Residency documents.

Fort Zumwalt School District has two items on the April 5 ballot: The election of two Board of

Education members from a field of four candidates and Proposition K. Prop K is a tax levy increase of 48

cents per $100 of assessed valuation. It is the same proposition presented in 2015, which fell 267 votes short of

the simple majority needed to pass. In the year since, the needs of Fort Zumwalt School District have not

changed. Deficit spending has continued so student achievement can keep pace with neighboring districts.

Our 98.6 on the Annual Performance Report (our grade from the state) tied Francis Howell at the top of St.

Charles County. A closer look shows widening gaps. FZSD students grades 6-12 lead the county in many are-

as. Students K-5 rank behind Francis Howell and Wentzville. Elementary students in those districts have sup-

port and resources Fort Zumwalt students do not.

FZSD teachers' salaries average the lowest in the county, at $52,000. Seventy-three percent (73%) of

our teachers have advanced degrees. Last year, for the first time in recent memory, teachers cited salary as

their reason for leaving Fort Zumwalt.

Prop K would increase real estate taxes about $91 per year per $100,000 of assessed valuation. It would

create $10 million in revenues, allowing Fort Zumwalt to balance the budget; improve salaries to be more

competitive; and provide resources for students to maintain high achievement. Technology teachers at each of

our 16 elementary schools would introduce skills needed as young students advance to the rigor of middle

school and high school in an environment that requires proper computer skills to collaborate on assignments,

complete assignments and compete as college and career ready graduates. Interventionists would be added at

each elementary school to work with students in small groups or 1-on-1 on specific skills. Teacher support in

the form of Instructional Coaches would also be put in place at every elementary school. These master teachers

provide a resource for faculty that helps analyze student understanding of a specific skill and introduce multi-

ple teaching techniques for faculty to take back to the classroom. At the secondary level, the 1-to-1 initiative

would be expanded beyond high school English classrooms to other subjects and be introduced to the middle

schools.

Please get out and vote on Tuesday, April 3rd. As always, I appreciate your continued support as

we “Explore the Spirit of Learning” together!

Gregg S. Sartorius

THE PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER

OSTMANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL “Exploring the Spirit of Learning” PHONE: (636) 281-3382 FAX: (636) 281-3372

Fort Zumwalt School District Web Site: www.fz.k12.mo.us

Dr. Bernard J. DuBray, Superintendent Dr. Gregg S. Sartorius, Principal

Mr. Dave Brown, Assistant Principal

DATES TO REMEMBER March 1 Breakfast with Books, 8:00-8:30 a.m.

March 3 Kindergarten Registration

7:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

March 8 PTO meeting, 4:15 p.m.

March 9 Papa John’s Pizza Night

March 10 Early Release, 1:30 p.m.

March 11 PTO Pasta Dinner, Art Show and

Bake Sale, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

March 13 Daylight Saving Time Begins

March 15 5th Grade Concert, WHS

March 16 Spring Picture Day

2nd Grade Dad’s Night

March 17 Spring Parties, Grades 1 & 2

2:45 p.m.- 3:45 p.m.

March 18 Spring Parties, Grades 3-5

2:45p.m. - 3:45 p.m.

March 21-28 Spring Break

March 29 Classes Resume

March 31 1st Grade Field Trip to

The Missouri Botanical Gardens

April 6 Paraprofessional Day

April 11-May 13 MAP WINDOW STARTS

April 12 3rd Grade Daniel Boone Field Trip

April 13 Librarian’s Day

Papa John’s Pizza Night

April 14 Early Release Day, 1:30 p.m.

April 15 OES Geography Bee, MPR 2:30 p.m.

April 20 Kindergarten Field Trip to Dickherber

Farm 9:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

April 22 4th Grade Field Trip to the St. Louis Zoo

9:30a.m.-2:00 p.m.

April 27 DARE Graduation, WHS, 7:00 p.m.

April 28 2nd Grade Field Trip to the

St. Louis Science Center

9:30 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

Standardized Testing Standardized testing is coming soon for grades 3rd-5th. If possible, please refrain from scheduling any appointments for your child during the test-ing days.

3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

MAP Testing Window

April 11 - May 13

Principal’s Newsletter Page 2

Daylight Savings Time

March 13, 2016

Music News Our 5th Grade Musical “Of Thee I Sing” will be performed on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at the West High School Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

Choir Club News We will be singing “God Bless America” at the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Texas Rangers game, at Busch Sta-dium, on Saturday, June 18, 2016. Information sheets and order forms will be going home with Choir Club students very soon.

Tickets go on sale to Choir Club families on March 29th, and to all others wanting to attend the game on April 29th. Tickets are $25.00 per person. Each ticket comes with a free hot dog and soda cou-pon this year! Please see Mrs. Harding for details (Rm. #33).

Principal’s Newsletter Page 3

Robotics Club There will be one six-week session for 4th Grade. The seventh date will be an open house for parents to see what we have done (info. to follow). Space is limited to 25 students. The dates are 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22

Fantastic Fourth Grade

What a fabulous year we are having! The fourth grade stu-dents are currently learning about the elements of drama, poetry and prose in ELA, and states and capitals in social studies. We have recently finished learning about decimals, the Civil War and Reconstruction and informative writing. Soon to come, we will be learning about economy. We will also be working on opinion writing and how to support our opinions!

Map testing will take place between April 11 and May 13. The fourth graders will be testing over Mathematics and Communica-tion Arts. All of the fourth grade classes have been writing across the curriculum and learning various mathematical strategies throughout the year. In preparation, we will be discussing and reviewing different test taking strategies.

On April 22nd we will be venturing out to the St. Louis Zoo. This will be an educational journey that will reinforce the stu-dents’ knowledge of biomes and habitats. Students will also ex-plore how organisms interact within their environment.

Mrs. Moorman Mrs. Box

Mrs. Mahler Mrs. Jones

Jump Rope for Heart Thank you to everyone for your amazing contributions to our Jump Rope for Heart program. We are still tallying our school’s total and will have this information in next month’s newsletter. It’s awesome to know that we have such an amazing school community that comes together to raise money for such a great cause. The dogs and prizes should arrive in 2-3 weeks for the kids.

SPRING PICTURE DAY Even though it is still cold outside, spring pictures are just around the corner. Please don’t forget that Wednes-day, March 16th, is spring picture day for all Ostmann Elementary students.

The St. Louis Symphony would like to congratulate several students whose artwork was chosen for the Picture the Music Exhibition. These students created artwork based on a specific selection of classical music. A panel of distinguished judges reviewed the entries from elementary schools across Missouri and Illinois. There were 13,420 students who participated.

The following Ostmann students were given certificates of merit: Vignesh Modigunta, Lexi Rigsby, Emily Ste-phens. The finalists for the competition were: Romil Shah and Brady Willman.

These two students will be part of a traveling exhibition appearing at several locations across the St. Louis area. Romil, Brady and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony at Powell Hall in St. Louis.

REMINDER: Art Clubs 1 & 2 will have a joined “Breakfast Feast” Tuesday, April 19th @ 8 a.m. A sign-up sheet will be sent out soon.

ART NEWS

WELCOME TO OSTMANN We would like to welcome the following new students to Ostmann Elementary, Amare Carey, Jaimey Longmire, Jacob

Mayer, Vignesshwar Viswanathan, & Eileen Mora!

Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten registration for the 2016-2017 school year will take place on Thursday, March 3, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ostmann Elementary. Please encourage your neighbors, friends, and relatives living in our attendance area who have children that turn five on or before July 31st, 2016 to register. You will need your child’s original birth certificate with raised seal and your child’s immunization records. You will also need one document from each of the lists below.

One of the following documents: One of the following documents:

- current unpaid gas or electric bill - current bank statement

- current rental agreement with deposit receipt - current credit card statement

- closing document/settlement statement; current mortgage statement - current personal property receipt

- current real estate tax statement - current voter registration card

- Welfare, Social Security or other official

mail from a federal or state agency

You will receive a registration packet for your completion, a physical exam form for your pediatrician to complete which must be returned by the first day of school, Aug. 16, 2016, information on bus routes and transportation, additional kindergarten information and information to schedule a screening at Early Childhood (636) 281-9815 or (636) 379-0930.

LET OSTMANN KITCHEN STAFF HELP YOU OUT

ON A BUSY MORNING!

Enjoy a convenient and economical SACK LUNCH on your fieldtrip for just $2.30.

The Student Nutrition Services Department would be happy to provide a sack lunch for your child’s upcoming field trip. The regular price lunch cost will be deducted from your meal account just as it is for a lunch at school. Free and reduced price students will be accommodated also. The meal will be prepared and given to the teacher who will keep it at proper temperature. All lunches will be peanut free. The meal will consist of the items listed below.

Sandwich choices:

_____ American Cheese on Bun

_____ Ham on Bun

_____ Turkey on Bun

A milk, chips, fresh fruit and baby carrots are included

with all sack lunches.

EXPLORERS BOOK CLUB The following Explorers Book Club members had books purchased in their honor for our library during the month of February:

Hunter Borden Charlie Silliman

Grace Wischmeyer Grace Reller

Lindsay Dickinson Adam Glenn

Grayson Carey Molly Wardrop

Tanner Reese Alexis Mede

Charlotte Gladstone Hannah Close

Roberto Santos

Thank you for your continued support of the Explor-ers Book Club. If you have any questions about donating a new book in your child’s name, please contact the Ost-mann Elementary Library.

Principal’s Newsletter Page 4

CAR LINE PICK UP REMINDER Our students’ safety during school drop off and pick up time is very important. When picking up your student please pick them up through the car line. Please do not pull into the parking area and wait for them unless you are coming into the building.