Author Archives: melissawest

Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2011

Treasurer’s Report:  We currently have $10,200.00 in our account.

 

Nature Center: Spring classes from the YMCA are April 27th, 28th and May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, rain dates are May 5th and 6th.  Each class lasts approximately 50 minutes with an instructor and costs $1.50 per student.  Each grade will be given a different lesson so the students don’t repeat the same information year after year.

 

Brain Bowl: We tested about 187 students this year.  The pledge money is still coming in and we will have a total for the April meeting.  The testing day went very well and we thank Mrs. Elrick for all her time organizing this event and the students and parent volunteers who made this event a success.  The money raised will pay for the Artist in Residence coming to our school at the end of this month.

 

Market Day: Our profit for February was $683.06, including 136 boxes of cookie dough sold.  We earned 30% of the sales!  Way to sell cookies!  Ms. Hannon’s 3rd grade class (second year in a row) won the pizza party, the second place winner was Mrs. Kurkiewicz’s 1st grade class and the third place winner was Mrs. Culotta’s Kindergarten class.  Congratulations!  We received a few teacher requests for Market Day money.  Three customers won $2 off their order for giving a testimonial at January pick up night.  If you have a testimonial that you would like to give, please contact Amy Lahay or Connie Wheeler.

 

Sock Hop/School Dance:  Another successful event!  Being on a Saturday night made it a little more challenging to get parent volunteers due to basketball tournaments, but we had enough help.  After expenses we had a profit of approximately $500.00.  We thank Heartland Business Systems in Little Chute for donating the bubble wrap again this year.  The bubble wrap is always a big hit with the younger children.

 

Artist in Residence: Madison artist Sharon Kilfoy will work with classes from March 21st to April 1st.  She will come to town on Sunday night and arriving at school at 7:00 am on Monday.  PAC will provide a breakfast on March 21st at 7:00 in the staff lounge for the teachers to get to know Sharon.  The first week she will work with the K- 3rd grades on their puppet craft items and the second week she will work with the 4-5th grades on murals in the cafeteria.  We received a few suggestions for the murals and will ask Sharon for her opinion to help make a decision on what will be painted on the walls.  The classes will also produce several canvas paintings hung throughout the school.  We still need the following for the projects: twist ties, brown paper bags with handles and plastic bottles (ketchup, water, dish soap).

 

Family Fun Night: We will host an Improv Comedy Night on Friday, March 25th from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Freedom Elementary Gym.  Advance tickets will be sold in the Elementary School lobby from 2:45-3:15 p.m. for $10 per family or $2.50 per person until Wednesday, March 23rd.  After that date and at the door the tickets will cost $15 per family and $3.50 per person at the door.  There will be no concessions.  Students will make announcements the week before the show with a joke each day to promote the event.  If you can help sell tickets after school or help collect tickets the night of the event, please contact Melanie Thiel.

Winter Book Fair for Staff: Stephanie Piepenberg set up the Book Fair on March 1 for the teachers.  By the end of the day, all the books had found a good home in classrooms.  We estimate a few hundred books went into classrooms.  Thank you, Stephanie, for organizing this for the teachers.

 

Staff Appreciation Week: The first week of May we’ll show our appreciation to all the staff at Freedom Elementary School.  The PAC will coordinate Muffin Monday, Dippin’ Days for Thursday and desserts for Friday.  If anyone is interested in donating a food item for one of these days, please contact Michelle Wagner.  Mrs. Czech will serve a chicken dinner for Wednesday and the Student Council will take care of Tuesday.

 

Student Appreciation Day: This will take place on the same day as “Shape up Wisconsin.”  We will hand out popsicles after the walk.

Fifth Grade Celebration: Planned for June 2.  Teachers will survey the fifth grade class about whether to invite to this event and then PAC will plan accordingly.  More details will be given at the April meeting.

Teacher/Classroom Requests: Mrs. Wuellner asked for half of her registration for the annual school nurse conference, a total of $117.50.  Approved

Mrs. Callaway requested bean bags, Smart Board curriculum in math and writing; a total of $130.00.  Approved.

Mr. Fellinger requested an organizer, Smart Board curriculum, science items; a total of $355.00.  Approved.

Mrs. Roberts requested a classroom library divider, soft dice, and a poster set; a total of $100.00.  Approved.

Mrs. DeGroot requested two dozen dry erase markers and ink pads; a total of $48.00.  Approved.

(Market Day money was used to fulfill the above requests.)

 

Teacher/Classroom Wish List:  Wish List book is located in the office.  If teachers have additional requests that their $100 didn’t cover, they can fill out a form that PAC has designed, and present it to the PAC.

 

Facebook:  Look us up and join:  Freedom Elementary P.A.C. (Parents Activity Committee).

 

PAC website: Please go to www.freedompac.org and enter your email address in the subscribe field and you will receive anything that is posted on the website including the meeting agendas and notes.

Our next meeting will be held Monday, April 4 in Room 22 (Art Room) 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.  Free babysitting provided by Freedom High School National Honor Society.  Please come join us!

Connie Wheeler, PAC Vice President

Thursday, March 3 Meeting Agenda

Treasurer’s Report (Michelle Graf)

Nature Center News (Mrs. Meller)

Brain Bowl Report (Mrs. Elrick, Connie Wheeler, Michelle Wagner, Amy Lahay)

Market Day Report (Amy Lahay/Connie Wheeler)

Sock Hop Report (Carol Hennes, Stephanie Piepenberg, Andrea Schwaller)

Artist-in-Residence Updates (Mrs. Rudolph, Amy LaHay, Michelle Gloudemans)

Family Fun Night Updates (Melanie Thiel, Carol Hennes, Andrea Schwaller, Patsy Dennis)

Winter Book Fair for Staff (Stephanie Piepenberg)

Staff Appreciation Planning Week of May 1st (Michelle Wagner, Dawn  VanWychen, Michelle Gloudemans, Wendy Cropsey)

Spring Student Appreciation Day Planning (Carol Hennes, Shannon Haase)

Fifth Grade Celebration June 2nd Planning (Brenda Vosters, Patsy Dennis, Lori Garrett, Andrea Schwaller)

Discussion & decision of where to invest PAC funds. Currently suggested: Nature Center boardwalk, Teacher Wish List Items

New Business

Stay updated on the latest PAC news—join us on Facebook or www.freedompac.org

Babysitting is provided by the Freedom High School National Honor Society during the meeting. Questions? Comments?  Contact Melissa Westemeier.
Next PAC meeting: Monday, April 4, 2011 Same PAC time, same PAC place!

Meeting Notes Feb. 2, 2011

Treasurer’s Report:  We currently have $5,818.09 in our account.

Nature Center: The Partnership Committee suggested how to raise funds for the boardwalk in the Nature Center.  Freedom families could purchase boards (cost to be announced) and their last names will be put on corresponding tongue depressors set up as a mock nature center boardwalk and displayed in the school lobby area.  Some Freedom High School students have come forward to volunteer to build the boardwalk.

Spring classes from the YMCA are scheduled for April 27 – 28 and May 2 – 4t with rain dates as May 5th and 6th.  Each class will have approximately 50 minutes with an instructor.  The cost is $1.50 per student.

Market Day: February is Cookie Bonus Days.  The classroom with the most cookie orders will win a pizza party and their teacher will win a box of cookies.  Second and third place winners will have cookies made for their class.  If we sell over 100 boxes the school will earn 30% of the sales.  We asked St. Nick and St. Peter if they would like to join us on Market Day and they will get back to us.  If you have testimonials on Market Day foods you can’t live without, please contact Amy Lahay and she’ll put them on the Market Day flyer.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: On February 17ththe PAC will set up a meal for the teachers.  If anyone would like to donate a food item, please contact Michelle Wagner.

Brain Bowl: Testing day is set for Tuesday, February 8th and money will be due March 1st.  The money will pay for the Artist in Residence coming in March for 2 weeks to work with the students on puppets and a mural, as well as any teacher/classroom requests.

Sock Hop/School Dance:  We had a well attended event again this year.  Thank you to all who volunteered their help and to Carol Hennes and Stephanie Piepenburg for their time on organizing this night.  We brought 4 boxes of non-perishable food and approximately $400 to the Freedom Food Pantry.

Family Fun Night: We will host an Improv Comedy Night on Friday, March 25th from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Freedom Elementary Gym.  Advance tickets will be sold for $10 per family or $2.50 per person until Wednesday, March 23rd.  After that date and at the door the tickets will be $15 per family and $3.50 per person.  There will be no concessions.

Artist in Residence: Madison artist Sharon Kilfoy will be coming from March 21st to April 1st to work with the classrooms.  She is planning on puppets with the younger students and a mural for the older students.  Michelle Gloudemanns checked with some schools that she has already attended and they had all good things to report and gave us a few ideas and suggestions.  A Madison school principal suggested allowing her enough time with each class and the Tomahawk school said they did several small canvas murals to display throughout their school. PAC will provide a breakfast on March 21st at 7:30 in the staff lounge for them to get to know Sharon.  There will be an article written on her visit in the Freedom Pursuit.

Winter Book Fair for Staff: Stephanie Piepenberg shopped for used books for classroom libraries.  Market Day allocated $200 to fund this project.  Teachers will have the chance to ‘pick their books’ on March 1st in the staff lounge.  If you have any children’s books to donate to this project, please contact Stephanie.

Teacher/Classroom Wish List:  If the teachers have additional request that their $100 doesn’t cover, they can fill out a form that PAC has designed, and present it to the PAC.

Facebook:  Look us up and join:  Freedom Elementary P.A.C. (Parents Activity Committee).

PAC website: Please go to www.freedompac.org and enter your email address in the subscribe field and you will receive anything that is posted on the website, including the meeting agendas and notes.

Our next meeting will be held Thursday, March 3rd in Room 22 (Art Room) 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.  Free Babysitting Available.  Please come join us!

Connie Wheeler, PAC Vice President

Saturday Sock Hop Reminder

DON’T FORGET, THE FREEDOM ELEMENTARY SOCK HOP TO BENEFIT THE FREEDOM FOOD PANTRY THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH.

Each non-perishable food item you bring is worth 1 raffle ticket.  You can purchase additional raffle tickets for $1 each.  All of the proceeds go directly to our very own Freedom Food Pantry.

Awesome prizes for everyone:  oil changes at Al Huss Auto; 1 free Godfather’s pizza a  month for a YEAR; car wash packages; free wing party at Stoneyard; assorted Bakugan, Barbie and Toy Story 3 toys.  Other contributing businesses include Sweet Tooth and Grill, Classic Stitches, Happy Joe’s, Daun’s Floral, Beck’s Meats.

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GO FOR A FAMILY TIME, LOTS OF DANCING AND BENEFIT A GOOD CAUSE?

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 Meeting Agenda

  • Treasurer’s Report (Michelle Graf)
  • Nature Center News
  • Market Day Report (Amy Lahay/Connie Wheeler)
  • Brain Bowl  updates—pledges due Feb. 1, testing will be Feb. 8
  • Sock Hop—last minute updates?  Enough volunteers?   Date:  Sat. Feb. 5th (Carol Hennes, Andrea Schwaller, Lori Garrett, Stephanie Piepenberg)
  • Family Fun Night committee report/planning (Melanie Thiel, Patsy Dennis, Carol Hennes, Andrea Schwaller)
  • P/T Conference meal Feb. 17th (Michelle Wagner, Amy Lahay, Dawn VanWychen, Heather Busse, Wendy Cropsy)
  • Update on Artist in Residence (Michelle Gloudemans will present some info.)
  • Winter Book Fair for Staff updates (Stephanie Piepenberg)
  • Set date for spring Student Appreciation Day (Shannon Haase, Carol Hennes)
  • Fifth Grade Celebration (Brenda Vosters, Patsy Dennis, Lori Garret, Andrea Schwaller)
  • New Business
  • PAC photo for memory book

Facebook:  look us up and join—Freedom Elementary P.A.C.  OR  subscribe to the website for all the latest PAC news—www.freedompac.org

Babysitting will be available during the meeting.

Next PAC meeting:  Thursday, March 3, 2011.

Please note:  If school is cancelled on the day of a PAC meeting, we will NOT meet.

Conscious Discipline

Parents:  Do you feel your children just don’t listen or hear you when you talk to them?

Do you give time-outs or send your child to their room for punishment and get no results?

Do you feel that your children make you yell and then you feel guilty that you did?  Do you wish you handled those situations differently?

Do you say the word “Don’t” (“Don’t touch the TV.”  “Don’t run in the house.”) to your children and then watch them turn around and disobey you anyway?

There is HOPE and HELP out there and I found it and I thank God that I did.  It saved my relationship with my children and made me a happier person.  Just like anyone else, I have stress every day but I can handle it better now than I did five months ago.  I used to yell at my children about 80% of the time for almost anything and now I hardly ever yell.

Conscious Discipline is a program that teaches parents new skills.  It helps parents who feel punishing children for their behaviors does not create change, it just creates a need for more punishment. Conscious Discipline empowers parents with the Seven Powers for Self Control.  These powers allow parents to draw from within themselves to become proactive instead of reactive in conflict moments.

Come listen to my story and learn more about Conscious Discipline from Jane Wisneski, MA on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Freedom Elementary School Library.  This night of introduction is presented at no cost to you and FREE babysitting will be provided by the Freedom High School National Honor Society.

Jane will introduce this awesome program.  At the end of the evening, you’ll have a chance to register for a 5 week course ($20 per person/per week) or an 8 month course (which is what I am doing, $100 first member/per month).

Let me ask you this:  Can you really put a price on making your family whole again or  having a better relationship with your children?  I know I can’t.

If you don’t have the registration flyer that went home with your children last week, you can still register by providing your name, phone number and the number and ages of children requiring babysitting to the Freedom Elementary School Office or email me this information at cjwheeler@greenbaynet.com by January 31, 2011.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Connie Wheeler

Don’t Forget To Place Your Market Day Order!

Orders are due Monday, January 24th.  $3,000 in sales will earn our school’s library $250 to use at Border’s Books.

Brent and Greg Westemeier told their mom they ‘love Market Day Chicken Cordon Blue Bites.” Their mom is embarrassed to report that she let them eat these tasty little meat morsels three nights in a row.  The only reason they didn’t get a fourth night in a row is because the box was finally empty.  On a scale of 1 (vegetable soup with a side of beets) to 10 (cheeseburgers with chocolate cake for dessert), the Westemeier boys gave Market Day Chicken Cordon Blue Bites a solid 8.5.

(Image taken from Market Day web site, not Melissa’s kitchen)

 

Artist in Residence

The Freedom Elementary Parent Activity Committee is excited to sponsor Sharon Kilfoy as “Artist in Residence” March 21st through April 1st. Sharon is a mixed-media artist from Madison, and has conducted Artist-in-Residencies in schools since 1989. She specializes in large-scale mural projects and 3-D fabric/found art objects.

Sharon will be making figures out of fabric and related materials with kindergarten – 2nd graders, and making figures out of wood and other found objects with 3rd graders. She will be working with our 4th and 5th graders on a mural project.

This is an exciting opportunity for our students, school and community!

We are looking for the following:

1. donations of any crafty supplies and other found objects, such as:   empty thread spools, fabric scraps, ribbon, empty ribbon spools, bottle caps, empty plastic bottles (shampoo, ketchup or other bottles that would make a good figure shape and size), styrofoam balls, wire, yarn, buttons, small wood scraps, any other crafty items

2. a theme for the 4th & 5th grade mural (which will be painted in the cafeteria)

Mrs. Rudolph and the 4th & 5th graders will work on sketches for the mural from the submitted ideas. Mrs. Kilfoy will then take their drawings and put them all together with the students to create the final mural idea.

Donations can be dropped off in the “Artist in Residence Donations” box in the school office.  All ideas and suggestions for the mural can be placed in the “Artist in Residence Mural Ideas” box in the office or emailed to Ms. Rudolph at srudolph@freedomschools.k12.wi.us

We will need many classroom volunteers the 2 weeks Mrs. Kilfoy is here. We will need approximately four volunteers per class during the k-3 classes to help students pick out materials and glue parts together. Volunteers will also to take photos of the students and their found object sculptures when they are completed.

You can learn more about Sharon Kilfoy and her work at WWW.willyart.net. If you have any questions, please call Melissa Westemeier, PAC PRESIDENT, at 687-1671 or Susan Rudolph, ART TEACHER, at 788-7950.

Meeting Minutes for January 4, 2011

Treasurer’s Report:  We currently have $6,847.00 in our account.

Nature Center: We had some discussion about making the Nature Center more accessible all year round.  It gets quite muddy in the spring and fall, limiting the school’s use of the area.  One suggestion was to extend the boardwalk at an estimated cost of $20,000.  We will begin exploring ways to achieve this goal.  Some ideas include applying for a grant, networking with a Freedom parent with connections to a lumber company, and getting help from the Boy Scouts to build the boardwalk.  We will discuss this further at future meetings.  If anyone has any other suggestions or ideas, please contact Mrs. Meller.

Spring classes from the YMCA are scheduled for April 27 – 28 and May 2 – 4 with rain dates as May 5 – 6.  Each class will have approximately 50 minutes with an instructor.  The cost is $1.50 per student.

Market Day: If we have $3000.00 in sales this January, PAC will receive a $250.00 certificate for Borders Books which Mrs. Zabel, our librarian, will use for books and items she needs in the library.  If you have testimonials on foods you can’t live without from Market Day, please contact Amy Lahay and she will put them on the Market Day flyer.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: On February 17 the PAC will set up a meal for the teachers. If anyone would like to donate a food item, please contact Michelle Wagner.

Brain Bowl: The questionnaire and pledge sheets will be sent home with the Pre-K through 2nd grade students’ mid-January and will be due February 1.  Testing day is February 8 and pledge money is due March 1.  The money will pay for the Artist in Residence coming in March for 2 weeks to work with the students on puppets and a mural, as well as any teacher/classroom requests.

Sock Hop/School Dance:  Saturday, February 5th from 6:30-8:00 pm located in the Freedom Elementary Gym.  We will try to get the bubble wrap again for the younger kids in the Multi Purpose Room.  Each nonperishable food item that you bring to donate to the Freedom Food Pantry will receive a raffle ticket for prizes.  We will also sell raffle tickets at the event, proceeds to benefit the Freedom Food Pantry.  If anyone has new merchandise or items they would like to donate for the raffle prizes, please contact Stephanie Piepenberg by January 28.

Family Fun Night: Look for your invitation to an Improv Comedy Night on Friday, March 25th from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Freedom Elementary Gym!

Artist in Residence: Madison artist Sharon Kilfoy will be coming for 2 weeks in March to work with the classrooms.  She is planning on creating puppets with the younger students and a mural with the older students.  The estimated cost will be $3500 plus $1500 for lodging.  Mrs. Rudolph is working with a group of parents to coordinate this event.

Teacher Requests: Mrs. Culotta (Kindergarten) requested a rolling chart cart (she had a chart on her wall where her Smart Board is now) for $50 and a bookshelf organizer for her Guided Reading Center for $330.  We will use Market Day money to provide these items for her. If the teachers have additional request that their $100 doesn’t cover, they can fill out a request form and present it to the PAC.

Back to School Registration: Open House and Find your Teacher will be held August 29th from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.  All the registration forms for students will be available in the children’s classrooms that evening for parents to take home, fill out and return by the first day of school.  We continue to learn about school picture day logistics.

Winter Book Fair for Staff: Stephanie Piepenberg is shopping for used books for classroom libraries.  Market Day has allocated $200 to fund this project.  In February PAC will host a book fair for staff to pick any of these books for their classrooms.  If you have any children’s books to donate to this project, please contact Stephanie.

New Business: PAC is proud to bring Jane Wisneski, MA from Healthy Connections in Appleton, to the elementary school to teach ‘Conscious Discipline’ in February.  Connie Wheeler has been attending this course and will share her experience and how it has changed her family.  The course will teach ways to reduce power struggles and sibling rivalry, communicate effectively so your kids listen, and how to be Brain Smart and much more.  More details will be sent home soon.

PAC Photo for Memory Book: postponed until the February meeting.

Facebook:  Look us up and join:  Freedom Elementary P.A.C. (Parents Activity Committee).

PAC website: Please go to www.freedompac.org and enter your email address in the subscribe field and you will receive anything that is posted on the website, including the meeting agendas and notes.

Our next meeting will be held Wednesday-February 2nd in Room 22 (Art Room) 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.  Free Babysitting Available.  Please come join us!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Melissa Westemeier at 687-1671.

Connie Wheeler, PAC Vice President

 

 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 Meeting Agenda

  • Treasurer’s Report (Michelle Graf)
  • Nature Center News (Mrs. Meller)
  • Market Day Update (Amy Lahay/Connie Wheeler)
  • Feb. 17th Parent/Teacher Conferences—meal planning (Michelle Wagner, Michelle Gloudemans, Dawn VanWychen, Wendy Cropsey)
  • Brain Bowl (Mrs. Elrick, Connie Wheeler, Michelle Wagner)
  • School Dance (Carolee Baumgart, Carol Hennes, Andrea Schwaller, Lori Garrett)
  • Family Fun Night (Melanie Thiel, Patsy Dennis, Carol Hennes, Andrea Schwaller)
  • Artist-in-Residence (Amy LaHay, Michelle Gloudemans)
  • Teacher Requests
  • Back-to-School registration updates
  • New Business
  • PAC photo for Memory Book

Babysitting provided by Freedom  High School National Honor Society students during the meeting.   Next PAC meeting:  Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Keep up with all the latest PAC news by subscribing to our website www.freedompac.org or find Freedom Elementary PAC on Facebook!

 

Volunteer Urgently Needed: Mrs. Bakken needs help labeling and shelving books in the Guided Reading Book Room.  This job will take approximately 5 hours total and can be done anytime during any school day/s.  If you can help with this project, contact Melissa Westemeier.  Thanks!