Numbers matter
Many years ago, when I was a young 4-H member, I decided to take Foods as one of my project areas. I had watched my mom cook all the time, so I was eager to learn to make things on my own. When it came time to make entries for the fair, I decided that I wanted to make brownies, because who doesn’t love brownies? In theory, signing up for a lot of entries was a good idea because you got money for each entry after the fair; however, when you are a kid during the summer, you would rather be outside with your friends instead of inside with an oven.
When the time came to make my brownies, I got all the ingredients together and my mom let me make them on my own. I eagerly waited while they baked to see how they would turn out. After 30 minutes, I pulled them out and to my shock, they were a beautiful two inches high on the sides of the pan but only about a half an inch high in the middle. My mom scratched her head but once they cooled, she tasted one and figured out the problem quickly. Instead of adding the half teaspoon of baking soda the recipe called for, I added half a cup. Yikes! In my haste, I might not have paid as much attention to the recipe as I should have. My best friend was great and said they tasted just like her mom’s brownies; however, my mom made me do them over because numbers matter.
Numbers matter here at school all the time. While the students are developing their math skills, for me, numbers are important in a different way, such as enrollment. The best learning environment for the students in elementary school is to have 18 or fewer students for every one teacher. Over the last few years, we have had enough students enrolled per grade level to have two sections and our hope is to maintain this system for as long as possible. Therefore, it is so important for us to know how many students will participate in our 4K program next year.
We had an Open House on March 28 so students and their parents could come in and see the rooms and meet the teachers. The week of April 17-21 is our official 4K registration week. If you have a child who will be 4 by Sept. 1, I encourage you to get your kiddo signed up now. Having an accurate number will help us have the appropriate staff and supplies ready when we start school in the fall. Our 4K program helps develop beginning academic skills as well as social skills. If you have any questions, please call the elementary office so we can answer them for you. There are many more activities happening this spring too. The annual Easter Parade was held on April 6 in the high school gym. The students and teachers, along with many other staff members, made this a memorable show. Thank you to all the parents, grandparents and other relatives who came to watch.
The week of April 17–21 is packed with activities. Mrs. Zarnke is hosting a Financial Literacy Night on Tuesday, April 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the high school gym. Supper is being served at 5 and the activities for grades 4K-12 will start at 6. A form needs to be returned to participate in the meal.
Family Literacy Night is Thursday, April 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the library and cafeteria. Dinner will be served from 5 to 5:45 (please make sure to sign up ahead of time) with activities for the family before and after the meal. There will even be some special guests that night as “Elephant” and “Piggie” will be here to meet people. The final parent/teacher conference for the year will also be held that night, so you can make it a family outing.
Many things are also happening in May. There will be a K–5 Spring Music Program on Tuesday, May 9, at 2 p.m. in the high school gym. All the grades will present a solo piece and there will be a musical featuring all 170 elementary students. The varsity volleyball team is hosting an Elementary Prom on Saturday, May 13, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the elementary gym. At the end of the month, we will celebrate 4K graduation on Wednesday, May 24, at 10:30 a.m. in the elementary gym. Lastly, forms for summer school and swimming lessons have been distributed. These are both great activities for your kiddos. Summer school runs from June 12–30 and there are two sessions of swimming lessons, the first June 5–16 and the second June 19–30.
We look forward to seeing you and your children at all the spring activities. Also, a BIG thank you to all the staff members who make these activities possible.
