March 22, 2013 - West Fargo Public Schools

Educating today's
learners for
tomorrow's world.
FREEDOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Principal: Dr. Jeffry Johnson
Counselor: Joan Houdek
Adm. Asst.: Melissa Heley
Office Asst.: Traela Kloster
School Hours: 8:05 AM to 2:40 PM Address: 401 26th Ave. E., West Fargo, ND 58078
Office Hours: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM Phone 701-356-5221 Fax: 701-356-5229 March 22, 2013
ATTENDANCE LINE: 356–5221 or 499-3402 Website: www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us
Calendar of Events
Mar. 27 Round up a good book! Dress
like a cowboy/cowgirl (No toy guns)
Mar. 28 Grade 3 Music Program-9 AM
(Kalsow & Hayes)
Mar. 29 & April 1 NO SCHOOL
April 8
April 9
7:00 PM PTA Mtg.—Library
6:30 PM 6th Grade Orientation
@ Cheney Middle School
April 12 Grade 2 Music Program-9 AM
(Rensch, Zacher & Jacobson)
April 19 Grade 2 Music Program-9 AM
(McMahon, Oien & Ramberg)
April 25 Grade 1 Music Program-9AM
(Dahle, Mahar & Tibbetts)
April 29 NO SCHOOL
May 3
Grade 1 Music Program-9AM
(Seibold, Markey & Lindbo)
FLAGGED FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AWARD
Congratulations to these students for being selected as our “Being
Flagged for Positive Behavior” award last week! We appreciate
the good behavior and positive choices of all of our Freedom students.
Keep up the good work and we look forward to seeing
who is selected next week.
Fifth to Sixth Grade Orientation for students
and Parents of Aurora, Freedom
and Horace students
Cheney Middle School will be hosting its
annual 5 th to 6 th Grade Orientation
nights beginning in April. April 9 will be
for Aurora, Freedom & Horace students
attending Liberty Middle School. The
session will start at 6:30 PM and finish
around 7:00 PM. Students and parents
will get general information about the
structure of the day. Liberty will not be
complete for a tour of the building.
(Liberty will be open to tour as
soon as construction allows.) The students
will finish up with the lunch room
experience on how the process works.
6:30 – CMS Theater – Review Liberty
building, team structures, expectations,
etc.
6:40 – 7:00 – Lunchroom procedures.
FREEDOM YEARBOOK ORDERS
The Freedom PTA would like to invite all students,
parents and faculty to order your 2012-2013
yearbook! The yearbook will be full of student
pictures, classroom events, and showcasing the
fun year everyone had in our new school.
Please look for the yearbook order form that
came home with your child or stop in the office to pick up a form.
Yearbook order forms are due on March 23.
Page 1 Volume II, Issue 12

FREEDOM 2013-2014 STUDENT PLACEMENTS
This is the time of year when plans are starting to be made for the next school year. The first question
that comes to mind is, Who will my child’s teacher be There will always be a factor of chance involved
in who your child gets as a classroom teacher, but there is also a great deal of time and effort expended
in developing class lists.
When class lists are developed, teachers spend a great deal of time studying their students’ learning
styles, personalities, and educational needs. Everything that a teacher has learned about the students
while working with them during the past year is drawn upon when considering future placements. At
Freedom, we ask that parents provide us input on the BEST learning style situations they feel will benefit
their children in grades 1-4. We do not ask parents to select teachers or list teacher names, as we must
keep flexibility when placing children due to the information listed below. The new principal in charge
of grade 5 at Liberty will send out information to families once that is ready to share.
We have many changes that will occur next year at Freedom as we will be a grade 1-4 site with teachers
moving around to help in various grade levels due to our increased numbers, grade 5 children going
to Liberty for a year due to overcrowding, and changes with grade 1 due to Osgood keeping a specific
number of children next year as 1st graders. The school district will be sending out more information
soon on Liberty and Osgood plans. At Freedom, we are tentatively expecting 150+ new students registering
at our site in August to fill the space created with the above mentioned changes. With all of this,
we will have teachers moving around to assist at various grade levels and positions and will not know
the final outcome until after registration in August. Please provide us your ideas for best learning style fit
for your child and the Freedom Placement Team, working with Dr. Johnson, will meet over the summer to
properly place students as our staffing becomes clearer and we find out more about our student numbers.
The Freedom Placement Team will review the following when putting together class lists with Dr. Johnson:
1. Student achievement/progress data
2. Equalizing placement of special education and ELL students
3. Teacher recommendations based on teacher and learner styles
4. Equalizing gender ratios
5. Equalizing behavior issues
6. Student friendship concerns
7. Parent suggestions on learning style fit
If you would like to provide input for the student placement team, please email Dr. Johnson at
jjohnson@west-fargo.k12.nd.us and list your child’s name, current grade and teacher, and learning style
information or concerns you want the placement team to consider. Please note that members of the
placement team will also have access to read what you write. All input must be received via email by
April 19. You will find out your child’s placement at Back to School Night in August. With all the changes
and expecting up to 150+ more new students moving into our attendance area and registering at our
site in August, final placements for students will occur after registration is completed allowing the Placement
Team time to adjust and evenly place students. Thank you for being partners in education with us!
Page 2 Volume II, Issue 12

MARCH READING MONTH FUN!
Thanks to our staff and students for dressing up for our fun reading theme days this month!
We had a special ‘dress as your favorite book character day’ and it was fun to see all the
cool characters!
Page 3 Volume II, Issue 12

News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Heather Konschak, Community Relations
March 19, 2013 Phone: 701-356-2000
Fax: 701-356-2009
April 29, 2013 is now a Student Contact Day
WEST FARGO, ND – (March 19, 2013) – In light of the storm day on Monday, March
18, we will use the second of our three scheduled storm makeup days included
in the 2012-13 school calendar.
Monday, April 29, 2013, will now be a day that students are expected to be at school.
Please call your child’s school if you have any questions about this change in schedule.
Osgood KC: 356-2190 South Elementary: 356-2100
Lodoen KC: 356-2020 Westside Elementary: 356-2110
Aurora Elementary: 356-2130 Cheney Middle School: 356-2090
Berger Elementary: 356-2010 STEM Center: 356-2102
Eastwood Elementary: 356-2030 Sheyenne Ninth Grade Center: 356-2160
Freedom Elementary: 356-5221 West Fargo High School: 356-2050
Harwood Elementary: 356-2040 Community High School: 356-2008
Horace Elementary: 356-2080
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