A Letter from the Health Office - Fall Into Healthy Habits from Susan Martin LPN/Health Assistant and Liz Lynch, BSN, RN, NCSN

As the season changes, temperatures start to drop and the days get shorter. We are surrounded by the cooler breezes, the changes of the leaves with bright and brilliant colors and the beauty of nature's sounds. In order to remina healthy and strong, here are a few tips for the fall season.

• Warm Clothes for Cold Weather

Brrrr….the weather is changing please have your children dress in the appropriate warm clothes.  Children should wear a warm jacket or sweatshirt, hat and gloves on cold days.

• Lip Balm/Chapstick

Is it the time of the year again when your lips can get dry, red and cracked.  It is important to use lip balm/chapstick to keep your lips moist and hydrated.  Avoid licking your lips as this will only exacerbate the problem.

• Dry Hands/Skin

As we all know the changes of the season can bring dry hands and skin.  It is important to use lotion to keep our hands and skin moist.  Drinking lots of water will also help our dry hands, skin and body stay healthy and strong.

• Cold and Flu Season

Wash your hands - Washing your hands is the first and best defense to protect yourself against germs.  Use Hand Sanitizer to help stop the spread of germs.  School age children should get between 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night.  Drink lots of water to keep your body healthy and safe.  Talk to your pediatrician about yearly vaccinations to protect against diseases.

• Fall Family Bucket List Inspiration

Fall Bucket List

If your student has a change in their health or has a healthcare need at school, please contact   Susan Martin susanm.martin@oshkosh.k12.wi.us or Liz Lynch elizabeth.lynch@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

Medication Information:

If your student will need to take medication during the school day, please have your child’s provider fill out and sign the appropriate form below. These can then be returned to the office or faxed by the provider to: 920-424-7583.

• Over the Counter Medication Form *parent signature only required*
• Prescribed Medication Form 
• Inhaler/Asthma Action Plan  
• Epipen/Allergy & Anaphylaxis Form

REMINDERS:

Directions on the medication bottle/box must match the written order on the medication request form.

• Stock Epi-pens do NOT go on field trips. 
• Please fill out an Emergency Epi-Pen/Anaphylaxis Plan even if you don’t have a personal Epi at school.
• PRN medications (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Tums etc.) must come in a new and unopened bottle.
• Is your child up to date with their immunizations? Please contact the doctor for physicals and immunizations! All students at Jefferson are required to have their Tdap, Polio, MMR, Varicella and Hep B! Please check with your doctor to see what wellness requirements are needed for your child.

Phy-Ed Update from Mr. Schneider

Dear Families,

We’ve had a great start to the school year in Physical Education! Students are already showing enthusiasm, teamwork, and a willingness to learn new skills. Here’s a quick look at what each grade level has been focusing on so far:

Kindergarten–1st Grade– 2nd Grade
Our younger students are working on the building blocks of movement. We’ve been practicing:

• Basic body movements and locomotor skills (running, skipping, hopping, galloping)

• Self-tossing and catching skills

• Spatial awareness—learning how to move safely in shared space

• Fun tagging games that encourage both fitness and awareness

These activities help students develop coordination, balance, and confidence while keeping movement fun and engaging.

3rd Grade –4th Grade– 5th Grade
Our upper grades are diving into skill development and teamwork. We’ve been focusing on:

• Reintroducing and practicing passing and catching

• Using footballs and gator balls to work on both underhand and overhand throwing

• Participating in games that emphasize accuracy, teamwork, and communication

These activities not only sharpen physical skills but also reinforce sportsmanship and cooperative play.

It’s been a joy to see the students growing in both ability and confidence already. Thank you for encouraging your child to stay active at home as well—it has a profoundly positive impact on their overall health and academic success.

Looking forward to a great year of movement, learning, and fun!

Sincerely,
Mr. Schneider
Jefferson Elementary PE

Music Update from Ms. Noll

During September, our Jefferson musicians have been diving into reviewing and learning many new music concepts! A new welcome song, Fanga Alafia, was introduced. See if your child can sing it for you! 

• 4th and 5th grade has been reviewing the basics of the music staff and learning short, fun songs that can be sung in rounds or to warm up their voices. Some favorites are Bim Bum Biddy, Chester, and Alfred the Alligator. 

• 3rd grade has been performing rhythms to Entry of the Gladiators using instruments and cup routines. They have also begun composing rhythms to help learn rondo form with a song called Shake the Papaya Down. 

• 2nd Grade has been exploring their voices, various forms of songs, dynamics, and playing instruments with songs such as Paddle in my Kayak and John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitt. 

• 1st grade has been exploring the beat in different songs, tempo, using dynamics to dramatize a song, high and low voices, and playing instruments at the right time. Some songs 1st grade has been working on are Grand Old Duke of York, Jack and Jill, and Apples and Bananas with instruments. 

• Lastly, Kindergarten has been learning all different songs that help us to explore our voices and dramatize a song. Some favorites are I Am a Pizza, Dr. Knickerbocker, Skateboard Rider, and A Little Seed. They are learning about the various percussion instruments used in music class, and moving scarves along with songs. 

All grades have been working on following the music class expectations to keep the music classroom a place where everyone can be safe, learn, and make music together. Stay tuned for next month’s recap of what we are doing in music!

Art Update from Ms. Keefe

Exciting things are happening in the art room! All September and part of October, every student and every class has been working on The Jefferson Mural. This mural celebrates the strong community we have at Jefferson, along with Jefferson being on this land for 140 years. This mural will be finished sooner than we think and it will be hung in our school for all students, staff, friends and family to see! 

Once the mural is done and we are deeper into October, students will begin their Halloween and Fall inspired projects.

Kindergarten will be starting a project called Candied Paper Pumpkins, crafting their own painted paper pumpkin with candy spilling out the top.

1st Grade will be starting a project called Fuzzy Lined Spiders, where students will learn all about spiders and get to create their own friendly little arachnid. 

2nd and 3rd Grade will be learning about hot and cold colors, making their own chalk pastel monster.

4th and 5th Grade will be learning all about the style of Tim Burton, making their own personalized Tim Burton self portrait with charcoal pastels.

Media and Technology Update from Ms. Kese 

In October students will be listening to the read aloud called Blackout by John Rocco.  The story is about a hot summer night when the power went out.  A boy and his sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights--in stars that can be seen for a change--and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun--talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again.

From phones and tablets to streaming movies and YouTube, tech and media are everywhere. Kids love easy access to shows, games, and information. Parents and caregivers love that kids can learn on the go (and stay busy when dinner's cooking). But it's easy to overdo it when the phone never stops pinging and the next episode plays automatically. Families can keep media and tech use in check by following a few simple practices. 

Check out these tips!

• Create screen-free times and zones.

Help kids take breaks from tech by limiting screen time in bedrooms, during study time, or at the dinner table.

• Try parental controls.

Set content limits that make sense for your family. Alongside conversations about healthy media habits, use features such as content filtering, privacy settings, and time limits offered by the apps and platforms your family uses to help manage access and exposure to media.

School Counselor Update

Jefferson Elementary is still interviewing for a counselor position. Check back next newsletter for updates!

Math Update from Mrs. Bauer

These are some current math skills that we are working on at school and would love to have you partner with us to support this at home! All the math apps are from Math Learning Center/Bridges that we can also use at school! If you need something on paper instead of a math app link, please email your child’s classroom teacher! 

Kindergarten: Practice counting forward 1-10 (or 20 if your child is confident and ready) on your ride to school, on a walk, waiting in line, or anywhere! Use this white board app LINK with your child to practice writing numbers 1-10. 

First Grade: Practice filling a 10 frame with 2 different number of objects or counters using this number frame app LINK with your child. Write a fact family (like 3+4=7 or 7-4=3) with two addition equations and 2 subtraction equations. Talk about or write a story problem to match one of the equations.

Second Grade: Practice telling time to the nearest 5 minutes on a digital or analog clock and use this clock app LINK. Have your child talk to you about their school day and about what time they do certain activities at school. Make that time on the clock. Ask them if it would be a.m. or p.m. and how do they know?

Third Grade: Practice multiplication models and strategies to create equal groups of shapes. Roll the dice LINK and draw that many big circles using the pattern shapes app LINK. Roll the dice again and fill the big circles with that many shapes in each. Ask how many groups (circles)? Ask how many shapes in each group? Ask how many shapes altogether and how do you know? Write a multiplication problem. 

Fourth Grade: Practice place value (10 times the value) by having your child model ones, tens, and hundreds, using the number pieces app LINK. Practice building numbers in increments by picking a number 1-10; like start with 5 (drag out ones), then show 50 (drag out 5 tens), then show 500 (drag out 5 hundreds). Ask your child what’s happening to the numbers and how are they related? 

Fifth Grade: Practice adding unit fractions using a model model app LINK like ½ + ¼ or ⅕ + 1/10. What money piece models ½? What money piece models ¼? How much in all as a decimal and fraction out of 100 ($1)? 

Literacy Update from Mrs. Boettcher and Mrs. Vollbrecht 

As a parent or guardian, there are many things you can do to make sure that you’re supporting and growing your child’s literacy skills at home every day. Here are a few easy ideas:

 Things You Can Do to Raise a Reader 

1. Read from day one. Start a reading routine in those very first days with a newborn.

2. Share books every day. Read with your child every day, even after he or she becomes an independent reader. 

3. Reread favorites. Most children love to hear their favorite stories over and over again. Rereading books provides an opportunity to hear or see something that may have been missed the last time and provides another chance to hear a favorite part. 

4. Visit the library early and often. Make visiting the library part of your family’s routine. 

5. Find reading and writing in everyday things. Take the time to show your child ways that adults use reading and writing every day.

6. Talk, talk, talk. A child’s vocabulary grows through rich conversations with others. No matter your child’s age, narrate what you’re doing, talk in full sentences, and add interesting words into your conversation.

Information from: "10 Things You Can Do to Raise a Reader." Reading Rockets, 2012.

What's new at the Oshkosh Public Library?

• Dia De Los Muertos Mask Making with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre
• Wonders S.T.E.A.M.
• Elementary Book Club