Etna Elementary School

Where we Think, Learn, Achieve, & Care

A color copy of this newsletter can be found at

http://etna.lcsd2.org
February 2011

ierantoni’s Place

Ways to Communicate
In the coming weeks, the District will start the process of seeking community input on the
school calendar. Communication is essential to conveying information. At the school level,
we know that both staff and parents value timely communication. In a continual effort
to improve our open door policy, I thought I would highlight some of the ways we can
communicate with each other. Hope to hear from you soon!
• Parent/Teacher Conferences - We average over 98% attendance. Did you know that during
the Fall 2010 Parent/Teacher Conferences, we were able to have 100% contact with our
parents? That is fantastic! See information on February’s conferences below.
• Monthly Newsletter/Webpage/Notes from school or teacher - These tools are our main
way to get information home.
• Student Planner - A great way to find out what is happening daily.
• TxtWire - A recent technology where you can receive text and/or email messages from
school with regards to important information (mainly reserved for emergencies). You have
to sign up for this service on the school’s webpage by clicking on the TxtWire link at the
bottom of the webpage
• SchoolMessenger - Another technology that sends automated phone calls out to parents
making them aware of lunch balances, student absences, and emergencies.
• Phone Calls and Office Visits – We work hard to maintain an open door policy and wel-
come phone calls and visits for any situation.

Calendar
2/1,2 After School Enrichment Classes 2:37 - 3:40 p.m.
2/2 4th Grade to IPSSSDR in Alpine
2/3 Science Fair
2/7 6th Grade Ski Trip to Cokeville
2/10 6th Grade Band, Guitar, Orchestra Concert
2/11 4th Grade (Graham & Polly) Snowshoe Field Trip to Moose Junction
2/15 Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
(SVHS will also be at Etna starting at 4:30 p.m.)
2/16 Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
2/25 4th Grade (Jaques & Somerville) Snowshoe Field Trip to Moose Junction
2/28 Mastery Club Winter Sports (Parents need to pick their children up at Etna Elementary
at 5:30 p.m.)
3/7-4/1 PAWS Testing Window
3/28-4/1 Spring Break
5/26 Last Day of School
 Congratulations!
Kamiah Astle and Jordan Edwards
have earned the
Indian Paintbrush Award
by reading all 15
Indian Paintbrush titles. Great job!

Congratulations to Josephine Currie who

has earned the
Honors Reader
award. Josie met this goal of earning 100
Accelerated Reader points from reading and
testing on books from a specific list of quality
literature. Way to go!
Geography Bee 2010
Congratulations to Hannah Tallerico for winning Etna
Elementary’s 2011 Geography Bee. Upon passing a written
examination, she will have the opportunity of advancing to the
next level of competition in Laramie. Kudos also to Chance
Blankenship, 2nd place winner and Jeff Plummer, 3rd Place
Winner. Each of the pictured contestants were classroom winners
and did an impressive job in the competition. We’re very proud
of all of them.

Hannah Tallerico, Brayden Sainz, and Rili Luthi

with Musher, Lila Wheatley and “Ice”.

Junior Mushers!
For the first time ever, Etna Elementary will be
represented by three students in this year’s Junior
Musher portion of the International Pedigree Stage
Stop Sled Dog Race. Brayden Sainz, Hannah
Tallerico, and Rili Luthi have been paired with three
professional mushers. They will get to participate
in the Junior Musher Race at Park City, Utah on
February 5th. Happy mushing!
Top Row (l-r): Conner Smith, Grayson Jenkins, Savannah Jeske
2nd Row Down: Chance Blankenship, Chase Walther,
Jesus Montiel, Brayden Sainz, Jeff Plummer
3rd Row Down: Spencer Shervin, MaKenzie Edwards,
Amber Swanson
Front Row: Hannah Tallerico
 Doc Hudson’s Corner
In last month’s newsletter I described two of the four Tribes Agreements we use at Etna:
Mutual Respect and Attentive Listening. This month I’ll focus on the remaining two,
Appreciations – No Put Downs and Right to Pass. How have you or your child demonstrated these agreements
lately? Appreciations can be a great way to start a conversation with a child!
• Appreciations – No Put Downs gives students a chance to say what they like about one another and to
build each other up. Some students give appreciations for friends helping them on the playground or with class
work and many give them for parents and siblings. Being appreciative means treating each other kindly and
not making negative comments. Appreciations often begin, “I appreciate how you…”
• Right to Pass allows students to pass on participating in some discussions in class. They aren’t allowed
to pass on academic requirements, but can use the right to pass if they don’t feel comfortable discussing a
topic in their Tribe. When students pass they still need to show mutual respect and observe quietly; they can
also add their input later if they’d like.

PTO News
A big “Thank you!” to all who participated in Celebrating the Arts. Thank you, Judges!
Don’t forget the Science Fair on Thursday, February 3.
Our next PTO meeting will be at the school on February 8 at 2:00 p.m.

Only 16 more Banking Days this year!

Remember, to earn a $50 savings bond you must have 40 banking bucks!

Etna Enrichment Express!

A Big THANK-YOU to all those who have participated
in Etna Enrichment Express, both as participants and
teachers! Many of our Etna Staff have shared their talents
and expertise in a variety of great classes. We would also
thank several community members who have come to Etna
Elementary to teach after-school classes. Many students
enjoyed taking Tae Kwon Do from Chuck Johnston of Star
Valley Tae Kwon Do. Brenda Ashworth, of the Star Valley
Conservation District, has sponsored some interesting
classes including Papermaking and Dairy-licious. Katie
Roberts has taught Movie Making multiple times. This has
been a favorite class for the past year. Michelle Warren
came to teach Cross Stitching. Maurie Erickson of Star
Gymnastics has been teaching tumbling skills to over thirty
students in our January session. We have also had some
guest experts help in several classes. Neal Kiehne and
Dave Currie have helped a lot with our Archery Program.
We were pleased to have Deputy Jim Lytle from the
Sheriff’s Department come talk to our Crime Investigations
Class. Our Volleyball Class had help from Brenda
Bateman and Angela Jeske. The Farm Bureau paid for
our snacks this past session, for which we are extremely
grateful! We want to thank these people and many others
who have contributed in any way to the success of this
program.
We are finishing up Session 4 on February 2 and will not
have another session until March. We are taking a break
this month because we have Parent/Teacher Conferences
and Presidents’ Day Holiday. Please let us know if you
would like to help with a class or have any requests. We
will continue to send Brain Bags home with several
students every week so watch for them and make sure they
are well cared for and used to the fullest. Thanks!
 My Hero, Abraham Lincoln by Brady Sainz
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation,
conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Abe
Lincoln, November 19, 1863
This is the first paragraph of the Gettysburg Address. A speech given by my hero, Abraham
Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln is my hero in many ways. For example, he was kind. Another reason is,
he knew what was right. Finally, he was calm.
To begin with, I think he was kind because he spent a lot of time with his sons. Another reason I think
Abraham Lincoln was kind is because he didn’t treat African American people like scum, as most of the other
whites did. Also, when surveyed, 100% of people asked thought that Abraham Lincoln was a kind man.
I think I’m kind when I comfort my mom when she’s upset. One time my mom was upset because her
childhood best friend died while he was free mountain climbing. I tried my best to comfort her.
The next reason President Lincoln is my hero is because he knew what was right and followed that belief. The
reason I think that is because he knew that buying other human beings to use as slaves was wrong. Abe wanted
slavery done away with completely before he was even president. That is why Abraham Lincoln signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves. I bet it was very difficult for him
to do this because of what people might have thought, or the way they acted towards him afterward. He signed
it anyway. I think that was pretty brave. “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses
my idea of democracy.” Abraham Lincoln
I’m like Abraham Lincoln in this way because when I heard about slavery and segregation, I knew that it was
wrong. It is just plain cruel. Another reason I’m like that is because once I was on the bus and some kids were
picking on my friend. I yelled at them and got in trouble, but I knew I was doing the right thing.
My third opinion is that Abe was extremely calm. One reason I say this is because I don’t think he freaked
out during the Civil War. When surveyed, 99% of people agreed with my opinion. Another interesting fact you
might like to know is that only one of Abe’s boys became an adult, and that was his son Robert. His sons Willie,
Tad, and Edward all died before adulthood. The next reason I think Abraham Lincoln was calm is that when
his son Willie died from a fever, he kept his cool, but his wife had a mental breakdown which she would never
fully recover from. I’m not saying Abe wasn’t sad. He was very, very upset. He was so sad that he would go
into another room to cry and grieve alone. He even had his son embalmed and put into a mausoleum so that he
could go and sit with him for hours at a time. Mr. Lincoln always tried to see the positive side of things. Even
though he was very depressed after the death of his sons he was known to tell stories and jokes to his friends
and family. I think having a sense of humor is a very good quality.
I feel that I’m calm when I play a game, because when my team is behind I don’t lose my temper. I also have
to stay calm during my Tae Kwon Do tournaments, when the pressure is on. I also like to be funny and tell
stories and jokes just like Abe did.
Abe Lincoln was simple and sincere, kind, patient, gentle, honest, and fair. He always strived to do right. He
was a man of great integrity. I’ve learned all about integrity in Tae Kwon Do, so I hope to put it to the same
good cause as Abe did. “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” Abraham Lincoln
For these reasons, you can see for yourself that President Abraham Lincoln was a person to look up to. I
believe he has been the greatest president America has ever seen. We can all learn to be better people if we live
by his words. This is why the face on the five dollar bill is my biggest hero.
“Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best that I always plucked a thistle and planted a
flower where I thought a flower would grow.” Abraham Lincoln

A Note from Our Librarian

Please watch for the Book Fair in February!
Top Row (L-R): Isabella Currie, Samantha Newman, Rylee Burmester, Garrett Post, Jhett Jenkins, Grayson Jenkins,
Kylee Speakman, Emma Paul, Amber Swanson, David LeFevre
Middle Row: Zachary Thorpe, Jesse Wilson, Sadie Hamilton, Anna Lindblom, Carissa Post, Shelbey Armstrong,
Emma Oesch, Carissa Post, Clare Doornbos, Jack Doornbos
Front Row: Kris White, Rio LeFevre, Mariah Bateman, Remington Roberts, McKenna Johnson, Hannah Tallerico,
Essie Hunt, Neva Humpherys, Darren Allred (not pictured)

And the winners are . . .

Category Grade 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place Staff Choice
Level
Art 4th Emma Paul Neva Humpherys Essie Humt Amber Swanson
5th Rio LeFevre Zachary Thorpe Anna Lindblom Mariah Bateman
6th Cassidy Post Rylee Burmester Jesse Wilson Darren Allred
Photography 4th Jhett Jenkins David LeFevre Garrett Post
5th Hannah Tallerico Rio LeFevre Jack Doornbos
6th Grayson Jenkins Carissa Post Sadie Hamilton
Music 4th Clare Doornbos
5th Rio LeFevre
6th Emma Oesch Samantha Newman Kris White
Film/Video 4th David LeFevre
5th Remington Roberts Marina Sessions &
Remington Roberts
Literature 4th Kylee Speakman
5th Rio LeFevre Hannah Tallerico Marina Sessions
6th Isabella Currie Shelbey Armstrong McKenna Johnson
Most Entries Rio LeFevre
 Color is Needed by Rio LeFevre
Sometimes people take color for granted,
But what if there was no color on the
planet?
Would life be the same day by day?
Or would we go about life in a different
way?
You couldn’t be Green with envy. You
couldn’t be tickled pink. You couldn’t
be red with fury, at least that’s what I
think.
You couldn’t get old and gray.
You’d already be that way.
You couldn’t be blue and down.
No color equals a frown.
Imagine your life without a hint of color
anywhere.
Be thankful for color.
It’s everywhere!

by Emma Paul
by Rio LeFevre

by Jhett Jenkins

Emma Oesch
by Cassidy Post
 I Wonder by Kylee Speakman
I wonder,
I wonder what is spooky,
I wonder who is snoopy.
I wonder who is screaming,
I wonder what is creaking.
I wonder what is spinning,
I wonder who is listening.
I wonder what is happening,
I wonder where it’s glistening.
I wonder what is swishy,
I wonder what smells fishy.
I wonder who is hissing,
I wonder who is whistling.
I wonder what is crawling up my leg,
I wonder why there’s a golden egg.
I wonder who is howling,
I wonder who is shouting.
I wonder who is laughing,
I wonder who is passing.
I wonder.

by Hannah Tallerico

Candy Bunny by Isabella Currie

If all this year my work is complete, my grades are good, and I don’t cheat: a rabbit I’ll have, carrot and all so I sat down
one day and stared at the wall thinking what he’d be like.
I want his attitude to be nice and sweet with Hershey’s candy bars instead of feet.
His eyes will turn our M&M red, on a chocolate chip cookie instead of a head.
His teeth will be gummy like fat Gummi Worms and his little pink tongue will be covered in Nerds.
His little bunny body will be licorice. I
think of it now and it sounds quite deli-
cious.
His nose will have Skittle yum and his
tail will be made out of Bubble Gum.
His ears will be candy canes ready to eat.
I’m getting all this ‘cause I didn’t cheat!
The days pass slowly before it arrives,
and when it did I shot to the sky.
But the rabbit I got was plain and brown.
His head was not chocolate but it was
still round.
I stare at this creature in utter despair.
Where were the candy canes and licorice
hair?
But as I held him close and stroked his
ears I began to feel. . . Happy.
by Grayson Jenkins