Chatter 12.8.2021

Joe Highley, Pastor First Lutheran Church Sunday Services: 9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Sunday School: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Church: 580-762-1111 www.flcspc.com

David Birnbaum, Principal School: 580-762-9950 website: flcspc.com E-mail: lutheransecretary@yahoo.com Child Care: 580-762-1124 FastDirect: fastdir.com/flcspc December 8, 2021

CARDINAL CHATTER 12/8 12/9

Spelling Bee, 10:00 a.m.

Elementary Christmas Program, 6:30 p.m., FLCS Church Sanctuary (K & 1st NOT singing) 12/10 FLS @Medford, CANCELLED 12/12 4th & 5th Grade Sing in Church 12/13 Kildare @ FLS, 4:30, 5:30, 6: 30, 7:30 12/14  Shidler @FLS, 5, 6, 7, 8 12/17 Student Council Movie Night (see attached)

COVID UPDATE:

End of 2nd Quarter; ½ day; 11:20 Dismissal Sign up NOW for Daycare!

12/18 Immanuel @ FLS, 11, 12 12/20-1/3 No School – Merry CHRISTmas!

Sign up NOW for Daycare!

1/4/2022 Classes Resume!

1/7 2nd-4th AR Reward / 5th Grade Field Trip 1/13 Vision Screening 12/17

Have a couple of confirmed cases in the middle school so we have become diligent about cleaning, masks/shields, distancing, and multiple other precautions. Please keep your child home with any symptoms.

Joke of the Day: What do Santa’s little helpers learn at school? The elf-abet!

And now, it’s time for the CARDINAL SHOUTOUT; a place for us to recognize how talented and diversified our students are! Congratulations to our Cheerleaders who won Division Champions in their competition last weekend!  AGAIN? WE AREN’T DONE WITH THIS YET?!  Parents, please make sure that your children have TWO (2) masks in their backpacks, just in case situations warrant wearing one.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM CHANGE...DUE TO COVID CONCERNS, KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE WILL NOT BE SINGING IN THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM THURSDAY NIGHT. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE LAST MINUTE CHANGE. TEACHER GIFTS: If you are looking for an idea for your student’s favorite teacher, teacher’s aid, custodian, cafeteria worker, etc., we have a book with a list of each staff member’s favorite soda, candy bar, gift cards, etc., in the office.

GIFT CARDS - Get your gift cards here & the school earns profit. Shop for Christmas & ALL YEAR ROUND. We have some on hand from Walmart, Lowes, local food & clothing stores, & more. We can order others for you also. See ad on following page for more information.

DAYCARE – Ms. Vap: Friday, December 17th - School Releases at 11:20am. If you need childcare for the

remainder of the day, please sign up by Friday.

Sign-up sheets for the upcoming Christmas Break are in the lobby of the daycare. If you will be needing childcare, please sign up by this Friday, December 10th as we are planning meals and staffing. Daycare will be closed 12/23, 12/24 & 12/31. *Note - Please ONLY sign up for days you will need childcare as you will be charged every day you are signed up, subsidies included.

STUDENT COUNCIL – Mrs. Harbeson: Your First Lutheran Student Council members have been hard at work planning some special events to wrap up our first semester! (see following…)

(1)

* FLS Student Council Coat Drive, December 6 – 10: Brrr...it's chilly out there! The FLS student council is holding a coat drive and we need you! Help families stay warm this winter by donating your clean, gently-used coats to those in need. All sizes are needed. All coats collected will be delivered to the KFOR Warmth for Winter program in OKC. To make your donation a little easier, you may drop off your coats between 7:50 - 8:20 the week of December 6-10 by pulling into the drop-off line next to the middle school on 4th Street. A student council member will collect your coats right from your car! Help us make a difference for those who are in need! * FLS STUDENT COUNCIL MOVIE NIGHT!: On Friday, December. 17, The Polar Express will be shown in the gym as a Student Council fundraiser. Popcorn, puppy chow, and hot chocolate will be provided with your $5 ticket. Tickets are available in the office or from StuCo representatives. See attached flyer for more information.

Mr. Birnbaum: THANK YOU to everyone that helped, donated, bought, sold and/or participated at our Christmas Market. All the booth rentals go to the School Scholarship Fund. A third of the cookie walk and all of the meal also goes to that fund. The 8th grade Washington DC trip made $1000 in their booth of misfit toys.

LIBRARY/COMPUTER/ART – Mrs. Manning: Hello parents and students! We have had a fabulous first semester!

It's hard to believe the first half of the school year is already over. I am wishing all of you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and happy new year! MUSIC  – Mrs. Brey: Projects for middle school are due on Thursday, December 9th. The seventh and eighth graders must submit their projects on Google Classroom before class starts. Sixth graders may turn their projects in (inperson) during their class period with me. As for the elementary students, our Christmas program is happening on Thursday, December 9th at 6:30pm in the sanctuary! See you there!

COLLECTING PONCA CITY SANTA BUCKS: First Lutheran is collecting the Santa Shops Ponca 1st tickets that are given out at participating local businesses each time you make a purchase during the Christmas season. If you are willing to donate yours to the school, please drop them by the school on or before December 20th. You can also place them in the black mailbox in front of the Administration Building. In the event that we win something, if you want to know if it was from your ticket, please write your name on the back of the strip of tickets & we’ll let you know!

PRE-SCHOOL – Mrs. Daine: We will have our Christmas party on Dec. 16, at 2:00. As part of my gift to the children, I will provide all our party needs! On Friday, Dec. 17, I will be sending home the dinosaur activities that we have been working on in class. Please continue to work with your child over the Christmas break; have fun!! Don't forget to sign your child up for daycare as needed. Have a very Merry CHRISTmas!! May God bless you all!

PRE-SCHOOL – Mrs. Colvin: Brrr it is cold this week! We are reviewing the letters M, T, and G this week along with making some special Christmas crafts. Our Christmas party will be Friday, December 17 th at 10:00. The children's class gift is due by Wednesday the 15th. Please visit our Class Tag page to sign up for goodies for the party. Thanks! Have a great week!

PRE-KINDERGARTEN – Mrs. Kelly: Happy Birthday Kalle, Konner, and Kyanne! Thank you to all who took care of my class while I was out with my dad! Thank you for the prayers also! My dad has been moved to rehab, and hopefully will get to come home soon. Book orders were due today; I will leave it open until tomorrow morning for anyone who would like to order. Orders probably won’t be back before Christmas, because of shipping delays. Our Christmas party will be on Friday December 17th at 10:00am, this is our last day of school and we dismiss at 11:20. We have been learning the letters FF,Hh,Dd, and the numbers 8 and 9. Next week we will review and do assessments for report cards.

This is our last chatter until the new year. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

KINDERGARTEN – Mrs. Miller: The elementary Christmas program will be this Thursday but kindergarten and first will not sing in it. So again, NO Christmas program for kindergarten this year due to COVID concerns. Also, we will have a gift exchange in our classroom. Boys buy for a boy and girls buy for a girl with about a $10.00 limit. Please wrap the gift and write to a girl or boy (and from your child's name). If your child does not bring a gift they won't get a gift.

Our class party will be on Friday the 17th at 10:00 am and then we will get out early at 11:10 for Christmas break. Sorry, but parents can't come because of COVID. Have a wonderful Christmas break and a very Merry Christmas!

FIRST GRADE – Mrs. Birnbaum: Memory verse for Friday (last one for the quarter) is Luke 2:11 - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Our class Christmas party will be on Friday, December 17 at 10:00. We will have a gift exchange with a $10 value. On the present, write to a Boy or to a Girl and from your child's name. Thank you in advanced for helping to bring treats and goodies for our party! School will be dismissed at 11:15 that day. This Thursday is the Elementary Christmas Program at the Church at 6:30. The 1st grade class will NOT be (2)

singing in the program now due to COVID concerns. I pray that everyone will have a very blessed Christmas! Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

SECOND GRADE – Ms. Felton: Merry Advent Season and soon-to-be Christmas celebration!!! Please join us for our 2nd-5th Grade Christmas Program tomorrow (Thursday, Dec.9) here at First Lutheran in the Church. Students need to be in the Fellowship Hall by 6:15pm so that they can be lined up to walk in together. Due December 15 is the Little House in the Big Woods Compare/Contrast Project, along with our Sums 0 to 20 test that day. The Little House instructions and rubric were sent out via FastDirect Monday evening, and were sent home with students as a hard copy yesterday. It would be best to begin working on those sooner rather than later!!! We also have our class Christmas party coming up next Friday, December 17, before our 11:20am dismissal. More information will come home about that soon!

Enjoy these days leading up to the birth of Jesus our Savior!

THIRD GRADE – Mrs. Steichen: WOW, can you believe we are almost half way through this 3rd Grade year?

These kids have come so far, and we have made so many amazing memories. I cannot wait to see what 2022 has in store for us. Grades: I am so sorry that I am behind in grades. This musical is keeping me busy. Please keep checking with updates in your child's grades. I know we only have one more week till we are done. This week: Spelling, Reading, and Memory all due Friday. We will NOT be doing a reading story or spelling words next week. Our next Reading test and Spelling Test will be Friday, January 7th. We will do it before we leave for our field trip. I will make sure words go in your child's planner before we leave on break. Musical: We cannot wait to show you all what we have been up to. Kids need to be in the Fellowship Hall by 6:20 on Thursday evening. Please let me know if your child will not be there. Christmas Party: Next Friday at 10:45 am we will have our party. (Remember this is a half day.) Please make sure your child has a stocking by Wednesday, and their treats by Friday. We have 14 students in our class and you need to bring 14 of something. Examples: boxes of crayons, coloring books, little toys, candy. Please let me know if you have any questions. I know this time is crazy, but thank you for all your support and willingness to help with homework and extra fun projects.

FOURTH GRADE – Mrs. Sibley: WOW! It is really cold outside! Make sure we are dressed properly for winter weather to have illnesses stay away. Continue to send in chapel offering for Victor and Rosario. Let’s share with those that need our help. We have a lot of important dates coming up! Thursday TOMORROW (9) is our Christmas program in Church at 6:30; Sunday (12) we SING TO God’s Glory in church; the 14th is the SE region states & capitals test. The kids know great tools to practice this and all regions. This does require daily studying! The last day to make AR goals is the 17th so we may go ice skating in Wichita! Many have made their goals, some are at different places to make the AR Goals. The amount on the slip does not include lunch money. Please look at the note from our room mom, sent home last Friday, for information on our CHRISTmas party and exchange. Peace as we show Love to the people that Christ has placed in our lives.

5th Grade & Middle School PRETTY PLEASE?!!! IF…(it is NOT required)…your student has had the Covid shot(s), can you please use your phone to take a picture of their card and send it to Connie at lutheransecretary@yahoo.com (or bring one to the office to copy)? I need to track that, along with their immunizations. When your child moves to the high school, that information will move with them, and be one less thing you have to provide. Thank you to everyone who has sent/brought them in already!

5th GRADE RELIGION – Mrs. Brey: Lots of stuff happening in this class! On Thursday, December 9th, we have our Christmas program at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. On Sunday, December 12th, all 4th/5th grade students will be singing in church at 9am. On Monday, December 13th, our Christmas project is due. On Wednesday, December 15th, the extra credit assignments will be due (not required). Many due dates and performances going on as we close out our semester!

STUDENT COUNCIL – Mrs. Harbeson: Put this on your calendar! Middle School Winter Dance, Friday, February 25, 7-9:00 p.m.

6th – 8th MATH – Mr. McKinley: 6th and 7th are finishing and reviewing chapter 5 and testing on Friday.

7th and 8th reviewed chapter 5 test and are working on ratios and percentages.

Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year. I hope you all enjoy your time with family and friends.

(3)

SCIENCE – Mrs. Porter-Cain: Tis the season to bring the semester to an end and to bring on the Christmas joy!

This week in all Science classes- the students are finishing up their projects! They should be working on their models at school OR at home if they prefer. Just know that they have been given the whole week to do them in class!

We will present their projects next week! Please remind them that this project is worth a total of FOUR TEST GRADES! 5th- planet / phases of the moon 7th- solar system 6th- Plant Cell 8th- animal cell If you have any questions please let me know!

In PE we are working on the Hoop Shoot competition! Students who want to participate will compete against kids their own age to rep our school at the city wide competition!

Athletics- we have paused practices this week and will not play Medford on Friday. If you have questions, as always, please let me know!

6th grade Christmas party will be Thursday Dec 16 @2:30- please make sure your child brings a dirty Santa gift. If they are unable to do so, just let me know!

On Friday Dec 17 6th grade will get into the Christmas spirit with a Christmas themed movie and goodies!

Merry Christmas!

LANGUAGE – Ms. Kester: - RELIGION: G6 - We are wrapping up engaging activities on the Christmas story according to the Gospel of Matthew. Next, we'll dig into our workbooks to close out the semester.

G7 - Students are immersing themselves in the Christmas story through improv and monologue. The rest of our semester will consist of decorating our room and getting ready for our Christmas party. I can't wait! Our room parent has sent information about food, gift exchanges, and all things par-tay. And yes, there will be tacos. Ho Ho Yeah!!!

- ENGLISH: G5 - Fifth graders are learning how to prepare a book report using Google Slides. This classroom technology tool is making story maps, book reviews, and story elements super engaging! Plot, conflict, climax, theme - it's all at their fingertips.

G6 - We jammed through a quiz on chapters 1-10. Now, we're preparing for another one covering chapters 1133 on Friday. Tuesday, the examination process ends with a quiz on the remaining chapters of the book.

G7 - Students were fearless with the first quiz on Narnia. They have another one Friday on chapters 5-12. In the interim, they will study characterization and find out why they had to familiarize themselves with the book's mythological creatures. Tuesday, you may want to bring your cameras! They will come to class dressed as Narnia characters; and, I hear one student is bringing a special fuzzy friend to top off the moment.

G8 - Bah humbug! NOT! Eighth graders are bringing Scrooge to the classroom with a skit they've been working hard on for a mini presentation December 14 that will boast music, choreography, and props; all inspired by the current book they are reading for class. Directed by London and written by Adysan and Lauren, the student-created project is sure to please. What a way to bring in the Christmas season!

SOCIAL STUDIES – Mr. Brey: 5th grade: We will be learning about the early life of the United States. All students need to have a folder for a project we will start when I get back in the classroom.

6th Grade: We will continue learning about early kingdoms in Africa/Middle East and we will hopefully conclude this by Christmas break.

7th Grade: Students will learn about the Scramble for Africa and see how it impacted both Europeans and Africans prior to WWI. 8th Grade: The westward expansion unit will carry through Christmas break. I don’t plan on assigning more than a review guide over break.

First Lutheran Church & School—Growing up into Jesus, Reaching out with Jesus, Walking together in Jesus This institution is an equal opportunity provider * - * - * - * - * - * - * -* - * - * - * - * -* - * - * - * - * -* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * -* - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *- * (4)

Christmas Break Calendar! * Friday, December 17 – 11:20 Dismissal – Sign up now for Daycare! * December 20-January 3 – No School * December 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30 & January 3 DAYCARE MAY BE OPEN… SIGN UP NOW IF YOU NEED DAYCARE

We have outside recess every day, and some mornings are getting pretty cool. Please remember to send a jacket with your student to school eVERY day! Also, please, please, please make sure their name is in the jacket. They will have a much more enjoyable recess period if they are warm, and so will the staff who is supervising them on the playground!

We need your used stuff! The daycare is growing and in need of toys and baby items such as bouncers, swings, etc. We would love to be considered if you have any items you are no longer using and wanting to part with.

(5)

GIFT CARDS FOR SALE IN THE OFFICE! Did you know that we have gift cards for sale in the office? Vendors sell them to us at a discount, and we sell them to you at face value. You can help us raise money, just by purchasing your gift cards in the school office!

Current gift cards that we have in stock are listed below; we can order many others…just ask Connie in the office for the list! $25 Academy, Aeropostale, American Eagle, Applebee’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, Belk, BestBuy, Buffalo Wild Wings, Itunes, Journey’s, Kohl’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Marshall’s/TJ Maxx/HomeGoods/Sierra/Home Sense, Old Navy, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse/Carrabba’s/BonefishGrill/Roys/Fleming’s, Red Lobster, Staples, Starbucks, Texas Roadhouse, TJ Maxx, Walgreens, $10 Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Chuck E. Cheese, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Wendy’s

If you need a gift card right now, please contact the office to see what we have on hand, complete the form below, and return to your homeroom teacher to place an order. Alternatively, you can see what’s available for order at www.shopwithscrip.com , scroll to the bottom and click on “Brand List”, and then “View All”, and you can see what stores are available for order and in what denominations.

If you want to place an order for something we don’t have in stock, we’ll get it in time for Christmas!

I would like to purchase/order the following Scrip Gift Cards:

What Store

How Many

(6)

What Denomination ($25/$50/$100)

Total Due

(7)

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

(8)