The Cougar ChronicleThe Cougar ChronicleThe Cougar ChronicleThe Cougar Chronicle Colonies North Elementary School

Dear Colonies North Families and Friends,

If you haven’t already heard, I have very exciting news to share with you...Mr. Scherwitz, our administrative intern, has been promoted to be our vice principal. He will continue to be an asset to our school by supporting and guiding our faculty and stu-dents to be the best that they can be. I will begin the process of interviewing and hiring a new admin. intern, and I should be able to announce the name in the May Cou-gar Chronicle.

It is hard to believe that we have begun the last ten weeks of school! There is still much to learn and do before the end of the year. I would like to thank the many par-ents who attended our March special events: Parent/Guardian Breakfast; PTA meet-ing; and the Second Grade Program. We greatly appreciate parents being able to fit these special events into their busy schedules and show their Cougar support! We look forward to seeing you at the following April events: Third Nine Weeks’ Awards Assem-blies ; Rampage Hockey Game (Cougar Choir sings); Kinder Round-Up; Dyslexia Infor-mation Night; CNE PTA Walk-a-thon, Fifth Grade Science Vocabulary Parade and Fourth Grade Fiesta Shoe-Box Float Parade.

We continue to focus on providing a quality education for each child and ensure our third, fourth, and fifth graders are prepared to master the State of Texas Assess-ments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Because of this, we are using every possible moment for instruction. We encourage you to schedule any doctor and/or dentist ap-pointments for after school hours. However, if you are planning to take your child out of school, please know that we will not call for the child to come to the office until you arrive. Thank you for understanding how important your child’s time is at school.

Yours in education,

Mrs. Kris Cotton, Principal

Principal’s NewsPrincipal’s NewsPrincipal’s NewsPrincipal’s News

March 30, 2015

Colonies NorthColonies NorthColonies NorthColonies North

Daily AttendanceDaily AttendanceDaily AttendanceDaily Attendance Current

AAAAverage DDDDaily AAAAttend-ance is 95.42%

as of 3/27/15

Our Campus Goal 96%

(NISD is at 96.41%)

Grade LevelsGrade LevelsGrade LevelsGrade Levels ADA:ADA:ADA:ADA:

Pre-K 91.54%

Kindergarten 94.46%

First Grade 94.66%

Second Grade 95.73%

Third Grade 96.48%

Fourth Grade 95.71%

Fifth Grade 96.33%

Only two grade levels are above the campus goal of 96%. Remember, we lose $32.00 per student, per day each child is absent. Please help us by sending your child to school unless they are ill. This is especially im-portant on early release dates.

We would like each grade level to be above the 96% goal that we have set. We have ten weeks left of school. Thank you in advance for your help!

Please join us for our Awards Assemblies

on Thursday, April 2, 2015

8:10-9:00 a.m. Grades 4, 5

9:20-10:00 a.m. Grades 2, 3

10:10-10:40 a.m. Grade 1

2:00-2:30 p.m. Kindergarten

Colonies North Parents: Happy Spring! It’s very hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of the school year. April will be a busy month at Colonies North. Thank you to everyone who attended our PTA General Meeting in March. We had a great turn-out and the student performers did a fantastic job! Our PTA board positions have been filled for the 2015/2016 School Year. We still have some chair positions open along with many other opportunities to get involved. I am very proud to be a part of the PTA team that we have at Colonies North Elementary. PTA works hard, providing meals to teachers showing appreciation for what they do every day for our kids, assisting in purchases of classroom supplies to benefit our kids, paying for field trips, Bike Rodeo, the WATCHDOG program, Reflections, the list goes on. PTA plays an important role at the school working closely with teachers and administration to ensure happy and successful results. Feel free to contact me if you wish to be a part of our amazing team. Our Spring Walk-A-Thon is coming up! Please look for more information to come home with your child. Thank you for your continued support of our school. Sincerely, Jill Harrington Colonies North Elementary PTA President

Colonies North PTA is excited to announce this year’s Cougar Pride Walk-a-thon Challenge! This will be our Spring Fund-raiser, which is being orga-nized to support our student’s education and good health through walking. The Cougar Pride Walk-a-thon Challenge

will be held on Friday, April 10th. Each child will have a donation envelope and specif-ic details sent home in his/her Monday Messenger, so be on the lookout for this opportunity to show some Cougar Pride!

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PTA Cougar Pride WalkPTA Cougar Pride WalkPTA Cougar Pride WalkPTA Cougar Pride Walk----aaaa----thonthonthonthon

The Cougar Chronicle

PTA NewsPTA NewsPTA NewsPTA News

Box Tops for EducationBox Tops for EducationBox Tops for EducationBox Tops for Education We will be collecting box tops until May 8, 2015.

Reminder: Field Day will be on Monday, April 27. Grades PK-2 events in the AM and Grades 3-5 events in the PM.

Jump Rope for HeartJump Rope for HeartJump Rope for HeartJump Rope for Heart: We will be taking part in The

Jump Rope for Heart program again this year. Our jump rope unit will begin soon. Our ending event will be the Jump Rope Extravaganza Day on May 1. More information will be sent home on this event.

Colonies North Families,

Please join us for the annual Fourth Grade Fiesta Shoe-box Float Parade at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, April 17 to celebrate Fiesta. Be sure to bring your cameras!

Hope to see you there!

Spring has sprung at Colonies North! Please come help us

clean up our Habitat on Thursday, April 30th after school

from 3-5. We will be cleaning up our habitat, as well as,

weeding and trimming our plants. Students must have an

adult attend with them. We have tools and gloves, but you

are welcome to bring your own. Come for awhile or stay the

whole time! Participating students will receive an “I Made a

Difference” spirit stick as well as the satisfaction

of knowing that they made a difference at our

school. See you on Thursday, April 30th!

Ms. Doebbler, Habitat Chairperson

Spring Habitat CleanSpring Habitat CleanSpring Habitat CleanSpring Habitat Clean----UpUpUpUp Shoebox Float ParadeShoebox Float ParadeShoebox Float ParadeShoebox Float Parade

Student Council had a successful pencil sale in February. The council decided to donate the proceeds from the sale to Animal Care Ser-vices of San Antonio. This money will help ACS care for the many stray and unwanted dogs and cats in our city.

The next item on the council's agenda is the upcoming drive for personal hygiene items for Catholic Charities in May. Catholic Charities helps refugees from unsafe coun-tries around the world and reset-tles them into life here in America. We will be collecting unused items such as shampoos, soaps, deodorant, combs and brushes. These items will be donated to Catholic Charities who will then give them to refugee

families settling in San Antonio. This project will have a direct im-pact on our Colonies North refugee families. Thank you for your continued sup-port to our Student Council’s com-munity projects!

ART: I have a special request….it is almost time to install the 10 mosaic tiles for this year in the front of the school, and I would very much appre-ciate the help of someone who knows more than I do about installing tiles vertically. I have never done this before and would love to learn from someone how it’s done. Please call or email me if you can mentor me on this:

Lisa.Duck-Fuentes@nisd.net, 397-1700.

Thank you to all who participated in Art to Remember this year. We had our usual great number of families who enjoy this program. I hope you liked being able to order on line. Please let me know what would make this program even better for you. I will pass the info on to program manager

who is always looking for ways to improve.

Art Fest is quickly approaching. You’re children are working hard in the art room to make a great show filled with their best work. Notes will be com-

ing home as we get closer to May 4-9th.

The Cougar Chronicle

News from Coach Villarreal and Art Teacher, Mrs. FuentesNews from Coach Villarreal and Art Teacher, Mrs. FuentesNews from Coach Villarreal and Art Teacher, Mrs. FuentesNews from Coach Villarreal and Art Teacher, Mrs. Fuentes

Student Council NewsStudent Council NewsStudent Council NewsStudent Council News

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Faculty/Staff Birthdays for AprilFaculty/Staff Birthdays for AprilFaculty/Staff Birthdays for AprilFaculty/Staff Birthdays for April

Monday, March 30

STAAR Writing Part 1 (Grade 4)

Tuesday, March 31

STAAR Writing Part 2 (Grade 4)

STAAR Reading (Grade 5)

Monday, April 20

STAAR Mathematics (Grade 5)

Tuesday, April 21

STAAR Mathematics (Grades 3 and 4)

Wednesday, April 22

STAAR Reading (Grades 3 and 4)

STAAR Science (Grade 5)

STAAR Testing DaysSTAAR Testing DaysSTAAR Testing DaysSTAAR Testing Days Attention parents of 3rd, 4th & 5th graders: Please do not bring snacks or lunches that need to be delivered on STAAR testing days. These items need to be brought to school either by the student on test day, or well ahead of time. It is too difficult to try to get these items delivered to the class while the test is going on. Also, on testing days you will not be able to eat with your child. Thank you for your cooperation and under-standing.

1. Get plenty of sleep the night before the test.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast and wear clothes that are comfortable.

3. Pay close attention to the test direc-tions.

4. Read every answer choice before you choose one.

5. If you aren’t sure of the answer, rule out the choices you know are wrong. Then pick the best answer that’s left.

6. Check over your answers before you turn in the test.

7. If you start to feel stressed, take some deep breaths to re-lax.

5 Mrs. Perez-Head Custodian

13 Ms. Morales-PK IA

14 Mrs. Zahodnik-5th

14 Ms. Nash-4th

15 Ms. Jimenez-Att. Sec.

17 Mrs. Balladares-Cafeteria

25 Ms. Garza-ALE IA

26 Ms. Saenz-Rdg. Sp.

28 Mr. Collins-ALE IA

29 Ms. Sinha-LST

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STAAR Testing DatesSTAAR Testing DatesSTAAR Testing DatesSTAAR Testing Dates

The Cougar Chronicle

STAAR TestSTAAR TestSTAAR TestSTAAR Test----Taking Tips Colonies North NewsTaking Tips Colonies North NewsTaking Tips Colonies North NewsTaking Tips Colonies North News

If you are sending snacks for March STAAR testing, they need to be delivered to campus be-

fore 8 a.m. tomorrow.

If you are providing snacks for STAAR testing in April, they need to be delivered the day be-

fore the testing date.

We start preparations for testing at 8 a.m.

KINDERGARTEN ROUNDUPKINDERGARTEN ROUNDUPKINDERGARTEN ROUNDUPKINDERGARTEN ROUNDUP

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

4:00-6:00 p.m. at Colonies North ES

Please bring a certified birth certificate, your child’s Social Security card, proof of residence, immunization records, and parent identifica-tion to register your child for kindergarten. You will also be able to purchase a school t-shirt, tour the building, join P.T.A., and meet the kindergarten teachers. Refreshments will be served. We look forward to seeing you!

Dyslexia Open House

Wednesday, April 8 5:30 p.m.

CNE Library You are invited to attend an awareness session about Dyslexia and Strategies for Success. The first part of the session will focus on dys-lexia basics, instructional approaches and ac-commodations. You will also have the oppor-tunity to learn more about the latest research by Dr. Sally Shaywitz on How The Brain Reads Words. The second half of the session will cover Strategies for Success. Come and learn a variety of easy hands-on activities to help your student with reading, spelling and hand-writing and techniques to ease homework ten-sions. If you are unable to join us but have questions please contact Mrs. Groff, reading specialist, at Janet.Groff@nisd.net with your concerns.

Six Flags

Fiesta Texas

Once again, the Northside Edu-cation Foundation and Six Flags Fiesta Texas are partnering with Colonies North for the benefit of our students and teachers.

One-day admission tickets are on sale for $33 (cash only) now through June 5, 2015. From each tick-et sold, $2.50 will be returned to the school. Please support Colonies North by purchasing your tickets in the school office or at the NISD Partner-ships Office at 6632 Bandera Road., Bldg. A.

The Cougar Chronicle

The Cougar Corner

Page 5

APRIL 2015

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

March 30

STAAR Writing

Part 1 Gr. 4

March 30

STAAR Reading

Gr. 5

STAAR Writing

Part 2 Gr. 4

1

2

Awards

Assemblies

3 No School

Holiday

4

5 NISD Bus Driv-

er & Assistant

Appreciation

Week

Easter

6 Priority Regis-

tration Begins

for the 2015-16

school year

7 Solar Cars and

American Girls

Club 3 PM

8 Kinder Roundup

4-6 PM

Dyslexia Info.

Mtg. 5:30 PM

9 Kinder Field

Trip to Magik

Theatre

10 8 a.m. Gr. 5

Science Vocab.

Parade PTA

Cougar Pride

Walk-a-thon

Spirit Day

11

12 National & NISD

Library Week

13

14 Gr. 5 Field Trip to Natural

Bridge Caverns

Solar Cars 3 PM

PTA Board Meet-

ing 5:30 PM

15

16

17 Fiesta Shoebox Float

Parade 2:15

p.m.

Spirit Day

Rampage Hock-

ey Game

18

19 National

Volunteer

Week

20 STAAR Math

Grade 5

21 STAAR Math

Grades 3, 4

22 STAAR Reading

Grades 3, 4

STAAR Science

Grade 5

Earth Day

23 Priority Regis-

tration Ends

Today

24 No School

Battle of Flow-

ers Holiday

25

26

27 Field Day

AM Gr. PK-2

PM Gr. 3-5

28 Solar Cars 3 PM

29 30 Spring Habitat

Clean Up

3-5 PM

Cougar Calendar