May 18                             Field Day Today 
                          Children should wear gym shoes and comfortable clothes
           Morning volunteers should arrive by 8 am for instructions, afternoon volunteers arrive by noon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 18        Musical DVD Orders & Money Due Today to Mrs. Moe
                                                              Use form

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 18     Farewell to PTA Stalwarts, Thank You to Executive Board
                                         Teachers Leave Sweet Notes to PTA

At the May PTA executive board meeting May 17, outgoing co-president Donna Cochran acknowledged the following board members whose youngest school-age child will be middle-school bound come fall. Those board members include:  Donna Cochran, Leah Frueh, Jennifer Hunger, Linda Powers, Sue Wood and Kim Yarboro.

"They will be sorely missed next year, and thank you to each and every one for everything you have done for Goodwin School," noted Cochran, who is among the graduating PTA board members.

Teachers left notes of thanks and encouragement at the meeting, which is traditionally hosted by the teachers for the PTA executive board. Those notes were posted at the meeting.



The outgoing board was recognized for its contributions to PTA. The board will officially pass the reins to the new board in June.













2011-2012 Executive Board. Front Row:  Co-Presidents Michelle Hill and Donna Cochran, Vice President Stacy Voss. Back Row:  Treasurer Jenny Dover, Secretary Brenda Millen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 16                        Mrs. Moe:  Thank you, PTA!"
                                         
The final performance of "Ever After: A Musical" came off with characteristic flair.  Cast B performed Tuesday night May 15, which included a different set of main characters than did Monday night's Cast A.

Production DVD $5. If you would like a DVD of the Monday or Tuesday night performances, read this and respond by Friday, May 18.

Director Jennifer Frisch Moe told parents and friends:  "Without the support of PTA, there would be no drama club." According to Moe, this year's performances sold nearly 400 tickets over the two nights - the most over the past three years.

She acknowledged the strong group of fifth graders, who will be moving on to middle school and professed her wish that they continue their involvement in the arts. 

We can't wait to see what you've got planned for next year!


 














 




















May 10  

Ozzie's Reading Club Game Sees Kane County Cougars
Defeat the Clinton LumberKings, 5-2



Geneva, IL - May 9, 2012 - On a clear but chilly night at the Cougar's ballpark, the Kane County Cougars defeated the Clinton LumberKings, 5-2. Several Ozzie's Reading Club winners from Goodwin and their families were in attendance, as were Dr. Dietrich, several Goodwin teachers and their families.

For more of the game story, follow this link:  http://kccougars.com/gamestory.html


CHUCK E UPDATE - Saw lots of Goodwin friends at Chuck E Cheese on May 8 - thanks for stopping by!

Chuck E Cheese Night - 511 N. Randall Rd., Batavia -Tuesday, May 8, 3 pm - 9 pm.

Goodwin receives 15% of food, token and merchandise purchases through the register; tell the server that the sale should go to Goodwin School.

Chuck E visited Goodwin this afternoon to promote the event - he was the star! Hope to see lots of Goodwin supporters at Chuck E Cheese!

 Spirit Night
 co-chairs
 Kim Yarboro and
 Shari Kauffmann
 distribute stickers
 for free tokens
 to children.










May 14                   Staff Appreciation Events Last Week

Friday (May 11) Lunch, Gift Cards & Flowers. Staff enjoyed a lunch in the LMC (which included a well-received soup and salad offering), compliments of Goodwin families. 

Staff was appreciative of everything given them and enthused about the graciousness of our PTA members and families.

Afterward, staff members received gift cards and flowers.



Speech and language pathologist Denise Messerli receives flowers from staff appreciation co-chair Ellen Cerza. Messerli will retire at the end of the school year. 











Tuesday (May 8) Snack. Staff were treated to a fruit cup, cookie and bottled water as an afternoon pick-me-up Tuesday afternoon.
 

































.


Monday (May 7) Breakfast. Staff were treated to breakfast Monday morning, thanks to the efforts of Goodwin families. The staff lounge was decorated with quotes submitted by families regarding teachers and staff.  The volunteer and donation list is shown below.

Volunteer List

Since 1984, National PTA^® has designated the first full week in May as PTA Teacher Appreciation Week, a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children. PTA events at the national, state, and local levels celebrate the outstanding contributions teachers make.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 4             Hardersen Represents Goodwin Well
                   at District Speech Contest

Kayla Hardersen presented her speech on Earth Day volunteers at the district level speech contest on May 2, and she did a fine job representing our school, according to Ann Pawlisz, Goodwin 5th grade teacher and speech contest lead. Hardersen was the first speaker of 10 contestants Tuesday afternoon; she advanced to district based on her winning performance at the local contest April 23.

District winners included Ella Gonzalez from Greenman in first place; Ailiyah Alcala from Nicholson in second and JaQuan Buchanan from Hill in third place. The first- and second-place finishers move on to state level competition May 19 in Rock Island. Hardersen received a ribboned pin for her district finish.

Local Goodwin Participants. A total of eight Goodwin fifth graders participated in the local speech contest April 23. Those students included Hardersen; 2nd place finisher Nicole Sodetz; 3rd place finisher Lucy Mellema; along with Jackson Best, Taylor Hill, David Hunger, Adrian Jimenez and Catherine Kral. Participants each received a lapel pin from Modern Woodmen, while the top three Goodwin finishers received plaques.

The contest, in its 64th year and held across the United States, is sponsored by the Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal benefit society. For more details, visit Modern Woodmen .


May 1                                                                Reading is Delicious!
         Bring Your Public Library Card
                                          to School!
                               Receive a Bookmark and a Cookie, 
   Plus a Chance to Win a Banana Split from Oberweis!

How's this for a sweet summertime reading promotion - when your child brings their public library card to Goodwin during May, they'll get a bookmark and a cookie for their efforts. 

Plus, their name will go into a drawing scheduled for May 21, where five lucky readers whose names are pulled will receive a banana split from Oberweis during lunch. 

The annual library card promotion is designed to encourage summer reading, according to LMC (Library Media Center) Director Linda Slaker.

If your child does not have a public library card, go to the public library in the village in which you live and get one free. You will need a card yourself first. You will need proper identification to get a card (primarily to verify your residence). Use the links below for more information from your library.

Once your child has a card, they can go to any library in Illinois and check out books. Just show the card to the librarian, they will verify the account is in good status with your home library, and then you can check out materials. 

Bring on the summer reading!

Aurora Public Library (Aurora)
Town & Country Public Library District (Elburn)
Messenger Public Library (North Aurora)
Oswego Public Library (Montgomery & Oswego)
Sugar Grove Public Library (Montgomery & Sugar Grove)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 2                             Student Art Teacher's Last Day May 3;

'Mrs. S' Says Students Creative, Talented

When Beth Stepnoski makes her masters presentation to the Northern Illinois University art education department in a few weeks, she will include Goodwin student art from her time teaching here. "And I'll be very proud to show all of their artwork," she says. "Goodwin students are creative and talented artists."

Stepnoski's last day as a student teacher was Thursday, May 3, and she has spent the last two months teaching art with Sara Hovden. "I love how open the children are during discussions," says 'Mrs. S', as many students call her. "Everyone here has been so nice to me."

Stepnoski, a St. Charles native and graduate from St. Charles High School, holds an undergraduate degree in drawing from NIU. When she completes all degree requirements later this month, Stepnoski will receive her certificate to teach art to Kindergarten through 12th grades. "And then I'll be looking for a job," she adds.

"I feel very fortunate to have had the experience to teach at Goodwin," says Stepnoski, who also spent two months student teaching at Cowherd Middle School in Aurora. "Thank you to everyone for being so hospitable to me.

"Goodwin is an awesome school!"









  










 Classroom Photo by Sara Hovden




April 27             PTA Recognizes Distinguished Service and
                                Lifetime Achievement Honorees
Six individuals were honored for service to Goodwin School at PTA's April 26 general meeting.

Distinguished Service recipients -
Ken Carlson, 3rd grade teacher
Donna Cochran, PTA co-president
Leah Frueh, PTA rebates co-chair, Market Day chair, School Board rep
Jennifer Kipp, 3rd grade teacher
Sam Yarboro, PTA member and volunteer.

Lifetime Achievement recipient -
Denise Messerli, Goodwin speech
and language pathologist
Messerli will retire at the end of the school year, while Cochran, Frueh and Yarboro's youngest school-age child will advance to middle school.

 
Six Honored for Service to Goodwin - April 26, 2012 - North Aurora, Ill. - Front Row: Donna Cochran, PTA co-president; Jennifer Kipp, 3rd grade teacher. Back Row: Ken Carlson, 3rd grade teacher; Denise Messerli, Goodwin speech and language pathologist; and Sam Yarboro, parent and volunteer. Not pictured: Leah Frueh, chair of multiple PTA committees, who was unable to attend due to another school volunteer commitment. Honorees were nominated by PTA members; final selection was made by Goodwin staff and PTA members.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: The presentations given Thursday night by each of the presenters will be posted here as soon as I get them formatted.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The Goodwin PTA Executive Board for 2012-2013 was elected unanimously by PTA membership at its general meeting April 26.

The new board includes:  Front row: co-presidents Kristi Williams and Michelle Hill. Back row: Jenny Dover, treasurer; Melissa Carrano, secretary; and Sherry Nilo, vice president. They assume their duties at the end of this school year. Outgoing officers include: co-presidents Donna Cochran and Michelle Hill; vice president Stacy Voss; secretary Brenda Millen, and treasurer Jenny Dover.

 
   Goodwin Choir Takes A Trip Back to the '50s

























The Goodwin Choir finished their singing year with an assembly of songs from the 1950s Thursday night April 27, while bringing new meaning to the word 'enthusiastic'.

Under the direction of Jennifer Frisch, the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders sang and danced to "At the Hop", Blue Suede Shoes", "Hound Dog", Jalhouse Rock" and "Rockin' Robin." According to Frisch, choir members put in just six practices to perfect the 50's assembly. It sure was a show-stopper!

 









                  
April 26                Gettin' Down at Goodwin Fun Fair March 10 
                    Nets Nearly $9,700 for PTA 
Fun Fair recorded $9,696.67 in receipts last month, this despite the event closing one-and-one-half hours early due to a freak power outage. Organizers made the necessary though agonizing decision to close the event when indications showed power not resuming until after the event's close.

The outage came on a clear, sunny though windy day, and was most likely due to a tree or animal hitting a power line, according to ComEd officials. Some 1,400 area residences and businesses were out of power until mid-afternoon. 

Prior to the outage, in a highly anticipated square-off between students and teachers in tug-of-war, the students pulled away with a win. Students were selected by having their eagle bucks pulled on the previous Friday.

Nearly 100 parents volunteered to work, set up or teardown the event, according to fun fair volunteer coordinator Cala Brown, while 22 Ambassadors from West Aurora High School, and 15 Jewel Middle School students, worked the games. 

"Whether you sold or bought raffle tickets, baked treats for Cake Walk or volunteered your time, the day would not have been possible without all your help," according to Fun Fair tri-chairs Melissa Carrano, Kelly Hard and Michelle Hill.
   
Nearly 85 business and individuals donated items to the raffles or baskets, while one family - the Ruffalo's - donated a new game to Fun Fair, Penny Pinch.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 27                              After-School Program Introduced
             For Behaviorially Challenged Children & Adolescents

Angel Outreach is opening an after-school program in North Aurora for special needs students, including those with autism, down syndrome and ADHD. The customized program will be designed to meet each individual's specific needs. Hours will be from Monday through Friday, 3:30 pm - 6 pm. The program will be run by Jason Haymond, MA in special education, who has extensive experience working with the behaviorally challenged population.

Plans are to eventually have a summer program. For more information, contact Angel Outreach Inc., 106F S. Lincolnway, North Aurora, IL 60542; 630-801-0801.


April 10                  Goodwin Successfully Connected to New Main
Village of North Aurora Superintendent of Water Operations Paul Young reports that Goodwin was successfully connected to the new water main over the long holiday weekend, and work crews are now working along the affected streets to get homes hooked to the main. Work is still on target to be completed in mid-May.                                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 2/update 4/5                    Three Six Lost Pairs of Glasses  -
                                              Could These Be Your Child's?
Six pairs of prescription glasses were found at Goodwin ... could these be your child's? 4/5 UPDATE: the blue/black plastic frame glasses pictured below went home with their owner - one success story!  
 










copper color metal frames            FOUND -blue/black plastic frames   black/white plastic frames

For more information, call the Goodwin office, 630-301-5003.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Aug. 23                  Submit Your Volunteer Approval Form! 

Want to volunteer at Goodwin? Chaperone a field trip? You need to complete and return the Volunteer / Chaperone Approval Form pronto:        English version        versión en español. 
You need an approved form on file at Goodwin to volunteer or chaperone trips.

----------------------------------------------------------
What's Going on Around Goodwin?

Contact the Goodwin PTA website administrator.