Newsletter: May 2022
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
May 2022
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
Dear Parent,
Thayne Elementary has had another wonderful year. There are so many people to thank for making Thayne an incredible place of learning and growing. We could not do it without the unwavering support of our parents. Thank you! Also, thank you to our incredible staff of teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, cooks, and everyone who works hard to make a difference in the lives of our children. Thank you to our students who are so kind, smart, and hard-working. I have been so fortunate to partner with all of you as we strive for Success at the Next Level. Next year, I will be taking on a new role of helping support our new teachers. Although I will be in different schools throughout the valley, my heart will always belong to Thayne. Our new principal will continue to focus on what makes Thayne an incredible place while continuing our mission:
- We’re dedicated (Yes we are!) To education (The abc’s!).
- A- academics, then on to B.
- Building relationships, that’s the key.
- C is the way we like to learn,
- Connecting our knowledge to the real world.
- We’re dedicated (Yes we are!) To education (the abc’s!)
- Thayne Elementary has so much fun. Working together, we got the job done!
Literacy Corner:
Summer Reading Ideas
Summer is a fantastic time to enjoy a good book. Did you know that we have libraries in Alpine, Thayne, and Afton offering a variety of summer reading activities? You might also read a book as a family that could be extended to a “field trip”. Your family might read books about Yellowstone Park and then visit the national park. Maybe read a book about horses and then go on a trail ride. Another idea is for your family to choose to read a book and then watch the movie version.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your reading time together!
School News:
The Kindergarten team is planning “A Dozen Days of Fun” for the end of the school year. This will be a fun time to celebrate our learning, hard work and accomplishments. Classroom teachers will be sending home additional information soon. A Dozen Days of Fun will take the place of Kindergarten graduations.
Library News:
May 12th – last day to check out books.
May 19th – all books need to be returned to the library.
PTO News:
If you ordered a school shirt and paid for it during the original October order and didn’t receive it, please contact Kayla McPherson at 307-203-9488 by the end of day Friday, May 6th. After that date, no further corrections can be made.
Newsletter: April 2022
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
April 2022
Lunch Menu April
Breakfast Menu April
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
Dear Parent,
Thank you for your efforts in participating in the Spring Parent Teacher Conferences! We are so grateful for your sweet children.
If you have an unusual situation that requires a classroom placement request for next year, the form is now available and is due to the school by May 2nd. Click here for more information and to download the form. Please read the guidelines and follow all instructions.
From the School Nurse:
Did you know that the school nurses have a web page on the LCSD2 website?
You can find it under “Family and Students,” then look to the right and click “Student Health Services” or go to https://lcsd2.org/student-health/.
On the Student Health Services page you can find: contact information, school forms, illness guidelines, and much more.
Literacy Corner:
Write, write, write!
Ask your child to write for a variety of purposes. Can your student help you write a grocery list, a thank you to grandparents, or a journal recording special family times? Encourage your child to use the letter and sound patterns we are learning at school. For example, your child can “pound” the syllables and “tap” the sounds to spell unknown words. Try to have a box of fun writing supplies available to inspire creative ideas.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time writing together.
Literacy week – One of the highlights of Literacy Week in March was a visit from children’s book author, Gary Hogg. Gary’s fourth grade teacher inspired him to put his wild ideas into stories instead of acting them out in class. He’s been writing ever since.
Gary is the author of 26 books. He is a popular speaker at schools and conferences and has inspired more than 2 million students to declare with confidence, I am an author!
Newsletter: March 2022
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
March 2022
Lunch Menu March
Breakfast Menu March
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
Dear Parent,
Parent Teacher Conferences are almost here! We’re excited to have the opportunity to visit with you about your wonderful children, the progress they are making, and how best to help your students succeed! Our school is using PTCFast.com to make Parent Teacher Conference sign-ups as convenient as possible. If you haven’t already, please click here to schedule your conference.
Literacy Week agenda (Feb 28 – Mar 3):
Feb 28 – Cat in the Hat Day! (Wear a hat)
Mar 1 – Green Eggs and Clothes Day! (Wear green)
Mar 2- I Can Read With My Eyes Shut Day! (Wear a shirt with writing on it)
Mar 2 – Visiting Author, Gary Hogg
Mar 3 – Fox in Socks Day! (Wear Crazy Socks)
Literacy Corner:
Ways to Encourage Accountable Talk
There is an abundance of research showing that oral comprehension develops prior to reading comprehension. How can families help students develop deeper comprehension skills? With accountable talk.
Accountable talk is supporting and defending opinions with evidence. After reading a book have your child talk to you about his/her ideas using some of the sentence stems below:
I believe __ because __.
I predict __ because __.
I wonder __ because __.
I agree/disagree with __ because __.
I don’t understand __ because__.
Try adding these sentence stems in other family discussions also.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time reading together.
School News:
The Thayne 3rd grade received a visit from local sled dog musher, Lila Wheatley, and junior musher coordinator for Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race, Julie Buckley. The pair introduced two of Lila’s sled dogs as well as gave information on sled dog racing. The 3rd grade read two books on sled dog racing, Stone Fox and Balto, so it was a treat for students to see real sled dogs up close. Please see photos below.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, first graders performed for their families and school friends the songs they had learned about friendship and love. They also shared the “100 Reasons” they love their school and first grade. Please see photos below.
On March 16 – Students are going to Afton to watch the “Footloose” play at SVHS auditorium. Busses load at 8:05 and return to school around 11:15.
Library News:
The book fair will run the week of March 14th – 17th.
- · The book fair will be open every morning 7:30am – 10:30am
- · Monday and Tuesday afternoons 2:30pm – 4:30pm
- · Wednesday and Thursday 2:30pm – 6:30pm
- · Watch for an online ordering option available March 15th.
To visit the book fair online, click here.
The library has a website at https://library.lcsd2.org/thayne/ with lots of other great information.
PTO News:
There are 3 t-shirts orders that haven’t been claimed – no name on the order form. We’d love to give them to the rightful owner. Please call the school if you didn’t get your order.
Newsletter: February 2022
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
February 2022
Lunch Menu February
Breakfast Menu February
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE:
Thayne Elementary would like to invite you to sign-up for a spring parent teacher conference. Our conferences will be in mid-March (7th-17th). We will have an in-person conference option on March 16 from 3:50 to 6:50 p.m. Other options will also come home from your student’s teacher. Please work directly with your teacher if the available appointment times don’t fit your schedule. We are looking forward to conferencing with the guardians of all our students.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together for success at the next level.
Library News:
We are so excited to be able to host the Scholastic Book Fair in-person this Spring and we will continue to have the online option available as well. More information will be coming.
LITERACY CORNER:
Ways to Encourage Your Child to Read
Do you know the impact of 20 minutes of reading per day? The reader is exposed to 1.8 million words per year and scores in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
You can make a DIFFERENCE by reading every night with your child.
Here are three ideas to help encourage your child to read at home.
Zero in on Your Child’s Interests: What topics interest your child? Horses? Read Black Beauty and find nonfiction articles on famous horses like Seabiscuit.
Expand Your Definition of Reading: Include magazines, comic books, and graphic novels in your child’s library.
Pair Books with Activities: If your child reads Mr. Poppins’ Penguins, then maybe you could plan a trip to the zoo. Another idea would be to have a family movie night and watch the movie version of the book.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time reading together.
SCHOOL NEWS:
- Thank you to Mrs. Matijczyk’s class for inviting the rest of the school to join them in a special service project in December. Students worked to earn coins to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Wyoming Chapter which helps children with terminal illnesses realize some of their many dreams. Students and staff raised $535.52! The donation was submitted in memory of and in honor of two former students. Thank you to everyone who participated.
- Recently, the second graders enjoyed a field trip to the Jackson Elk Refuge. They rode the sleighs and learned about the elk as they got a closer look. They also spent time at the Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center learning about other animals in Wyoming and how they adapt and survive in winter. The Naturalists at the center will be visiting Thayne Elementary in the future to continue teaching the students about wildlife.
- LITERACY WEEK will be Feb. 28 – Mar. 3. Please be watching for more information coming!!!
Newsletter: January 2022
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
January 2022
Lunch Menu January
Breakfast Menu January
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE:
Happy New Year to our Thayne Elementary Families! We hope your family enjoys a happy and healthy new year.
Students: Remember that it is cold outside, so dress appropriately for the weather. We will have recess outside on most days.
Lost and Found Items: Please label your student’s belongings so lost items can be returned to the owner. If you’re missing something, please email a description to laurie.hyde@lcsd2.org and we’ll look for it.
LITERACY CORNER: Play Word Games
Playing word games as a family will help kids notice sounds in words and increase vocabulary. For kindergarten students, sing songs or say silly tongue twisters. For first grade students, start with a word and then change one sound. For example, say hat and change /h/ to /f/. The new word is fat. Be sure to use sounds and not letter names. For second grade students, tell a family story and have children add details to the basic story. For third grade students, talk about homonyms. For example, jam could mean a sweet spread on toast or cars stuck in traffic.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time reading together.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENSUS:
Parents, our annual Early Childhood Census is now happening! We ask that you click here to access the census and fill it out for any of your children who are birth to 5 years old and not enrolled in kindergarten yet. The district uses this information to plan for future needs of our schools and to get important information to you the year before your child will enter kindergarten. In January, there will be a census worker in your area that will contact you if you have not filled out the census online. The census will be open from December 1 through January 26. Thank you for taking the time to complete this census! If you have any questions about the census or have trouble accessing it, please contact Emily Isaacson 307-885-7129.
We are so grateful for the wonderful women who go the extra mile in keeping our building clean and safe. THANK YOU!!!
Meet some of our wonderful Custodians:
Ms. Miller - Custodian
Ms. Miller moved to Afton at the age of 19. She met lots of relatives here as her mother was raised in Star Valley. She has 1 son and 2 daughters, and 2 grandsons and 2 granddaughters. She is grateful to have her son's family living close by. She enjoys listening to music, camping, keeping up with her family, and the peace and serenity of our beautiful valley..
Mrs. Merritt - Building Sanitizer
Mrs. Merritt grew up in the Auburn area and now lives outside of Thayne with her husband, son, and daughter. She enjoys weightlifting, skiing, riding the razor, and making people laugh. This is her 2nd year sanitizing at Thayne Elementary. She says one of the bests parts of her job is visiting with the students and staff.
Newsletter: December 2021
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
December 2021
Lunch Menu December
Breakfast Menu December
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
A special “thank you” to Parents, Teachers, and Students! We are excited for the success of Parent/Teacher Conferences last month. It was wonderful to hear of the great conversations, goal setting, student growth, and celebrations! We have been in school for 60 days now and are looking forward to the months to come!
Monthly theme: GIVING
Students will learn about giving through service by making Christmas tree decorations or surprising other classrooms with a Christmas stocking, etc.
Literacy Corner:
I Read to You, You Read to Me
Reading with your child is important for school success. Sometimes having your child read independently after school can be a struggle. Try taking turns reading a book. Have your child read a sentence, a paragraph, or a page. Then you read to your child. In our Thayne Elementary School library, there are books available for checkout that are designed to be read together. Stop by and check them out!
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time reading together.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (FFV) Program:
Good News . . . . . Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant!
With this funding we are able to offer our elementary students fresh fruits and vegetables for a snack during their school day. This is in addition to the regular breakfast and lunch programs.
With the help of teachers, school nurses, parents and food service staff the funding will enable us to promote good health, nutrition and physical activity.
At Thayne Elementary, Food Service Worker, Mrs. Izatt, works diligently to prepare the fruits and vegetables for the students each day. Thank you, Mrs. Izatt!
Early Childhood Census:
Parents, our annual Early Childhood Census is now happening! We ask that you go to www.lscd2.org and click on the link provided or use this QR Code or direct link to access the census and fill it out for any of your children who are birth to 5 years old and not enrolled in kindergarten yet. The district uses this information to plan for future needs of our schools and to get important information to you the year before your child will enter kindergarten. In January, there will be a census worker in your area that will contact you if you have not filled out the census online. The census will be open from December 1 through January 26. Thank you for taking the time to complete this census! If you have any questions about the census or have trouble accessing it, please contact Emily Isaacson 307-885-7129.
Thayne Elementary's Kitchen Staff are amazing!!!
Meet Melissa Griffin - Food Service Professional
Mrs. Griffin grew up in Etna and still lives there with her husband. They have grown 2 children and 2 grandchildren. She enjoys camping, reading, and cooking. She has been at Thayne Elementary for 16 years and loves serving and being with the children.
Meet Missy Johnson - Kitchen Manager
Mrs. Johnson loves people, especially kids, so her job in the kitchen is a perfect fit. Her favorite things include camping and being in nature, photography, and participating in 4-H with her family. She has "3 beautiful girls, 2 of the best sons-in-law, and a wonderful husband."
Meet Kathy Izatt - Food Service Professional
Mrs. Izatt lives in Bedford on the family farm. She and her husband have 4 children and 6 grandchildren. She loves working in the lunchroom (for the past 6 years) and chatting with the students, working in her garden, crafting, and wading in the stream in her backyard.
Newsletter: November 2021
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
November 2021
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
Parent Teacher Conferences will be taking place in November. To sign-up for Parent Teacher Conferences click here to access the link.
Conferences will be held via Zoom, phone, or face-to-face. The teachers have set up available times and dates starting November 8th through November 17th. Please work directly with your teacher if the available appointment times don’t fit your schedule. We are looking forward to conferencing with the guardians of all our students.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together for success at the next level.
Library News:
We are so excited to be able to host the Scholastic Book Fair in-person this Fall and we will continue to have the online option available. The link for online shopping is available beginning November 15th.
There will be one evening event on Wednesday, November 17th from 3:30pm – 6:00pm.
Literacy Corner:
Ways to Encourage Your Child to Read
Do you know the impact of 20 minutes of reading per day? The reader is exposed to 1.8 million words per year and scores in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
You can make a DIFFERENCE by reading every night with your child.
Here are three ideas to help encourage your child to read at home.
Zero in on Your Child’s Interests: What topics interest your child? Horses? Read Black Beauty and find nonfiction articles on famous horses like Seabiscuit.
Expand Your Definition of Reading: Include magazines, comic books, and graphic novels in your child’s book box.
Pair Books with Activities: If your child read’s Mr. Poppins’ Penguins, then maybe you could plan a trip to the zoo. Another idea would be to have a family movie night and watch the movie version of the book.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your time reading together.
Enjoy a small sampling of the incredible pumpkins made by Thayne Elementary's families and students:
Newsletter: October 2021
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
October 2021
Lunch Menu October
Breakfast Menu October
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message:
Thayne’s October school wide theme is Friendship. Students will learn about how to be a good friend and participate in activities such as door decorating contests.
If you want to volunteer, reach out to your student’s teacher. Please remember that you will need to provide your driver’s license to check into the building.
Literacy Corner:
Thayne Elementary Family Literacy Night
Come and join in the fun!
Coastin’ Into Family Night
Reading is the thrill of a lifetime!
Join us for a fun night of reading and writing activities for the whole family!
Tuesday, Oct 26
5-7 pm
Held at Thayne Elementary School
Did you know? Thayne Elementary has a Celebration and Award System
Most Fridays that we are in school, we have an all school celebration and sing. We call it the Husky Rally. The assembly starts at 2:00 and ends at 2:25. You are welcome to attend.
Here are the different school wide awards we give out.
1. Husky Helpers – Is awarded at the Husky Rally.
o Top 10% for citizenship.
o Elite award for consistent citizenship throughout the school (class, hall, specials, etc.)
o Parents are notified ahead of time to attend the assembly.
· 2. VIP- (Very Important Person) on Fridays
o Students get to sit at the “head tables.”
o For students who had a good week.
· 3. HuskyGrams (like a sunshine gram)
o For all students or staff.
o Any reason- just to say hi or “I like you.”
o The hope is that everyone gets at least one a year.
· 4. Caught in the Act of Reading
o Students receive a ticket to enter into a drawing when they are “caught reading” without being asked to read.
o Unlimited nominations. Parents can give the tickets too. We give parents tickets at Open House, Parent Teacher Conferences, Literacy Nights, etc. Ask your teacher to send more home if you need them.
o Tickets are drawn at each Husky Rally. Tickets are then discarded and new ones are collected for the next rally.
PTO News: PTO is working on a school t-shirt order form that will be coming home in October.
Fundraiser: PTO is sponsoring a walk-a-thon. Fundraiser forms will be coming home in October as well.
If you would like to be involved in the PTO or have any questions, please send an email to tespto.lcsd2.org.
Upcoming Halloween Activities:
Pumpkin decorating contest-
1. Bring pumpkins on 10-25.
2. Please no carving.
3. Decorate, paint, use stickers, etc. to decorate your pumpkin at home.
4. The pumpkin should be no wider than a sheet of binder paper “8 1/2 by 11”.
5. Pumpkins are placed above the student’s cubby.
6. The pumpkins will be judged on 10-28 by PTO.
7. Pumpkins are NOT ALLOWED on the busses. Please bring them and pick them up.
8. Please pick up pumpkins on 10-28. Pumpkins left after school is released on 10-28 will be disposed of.
Halloween Parade-
1. Parade will be on Thursday 10-28 @ 2:00 pm (outside on the blacktop by the playground- if weather permits).
2. Dress code does apply. Please remember the cold weather in October.
3. Watch for instructions from teacher newsletters as well.
4. No masks
5. No weapons
6. No extreme “wounds or blood and gore”.
7. You are welcome to take your student after the parade but please send a note so the teacher knows.
Meet Thayne Elementary's New PE and Special Education Teachers:
Meet Mr. Bagley- Speech and Language Pathologist
Over his career, Mr. Bagley has worked with children in Afton Elementary, Hyrum, UT, and Saudi Arabia. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, carpentry, pottery, writing and illustrating for children, etc.
Meet Mrs. Potter- Special Education Teacher Gr K
Mrs. Potter graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She taught preschool at Ashton Elementary before coming to Wyoming with her husband. Her favorite activities are hunting, camping, boating, and 4-wheeling.
Meet Mrs. Call
PE aide
Mrs. Call is a graduate of the UW with a background in elementary education as well as behavior intervention. She has always been active and loves teaching PE! She says the best part of her job is that she gets to let the kids be loud and active and her goal is to show children how physical exercise can be fun!
Newsletter: Aug/Sept 2021
Thayne Elementary Husky Headlines
August / September 2021
Lunch Menu September
Breakfast Menu September
Phone 307-885-2380
Fax 307-883-2032
PO Box 520, Thayne, WY 83127
Principal’s message: New policies and procedures (KI and KI-R) have been adopted at LCSD2 concerning safety at school. You will see this notice as you enter Thayne Elementary:
Safe School Notice
All visitors must check into the main office.
If your intent is to access the building beyond the main office visitors must have their ID screened and wear a school issued badge.
This is required during school hours with students in attendance.
Thank you for your cooperation.
More information will be coming to our website.
Thank you for your willingness to help keep our students and staff safe.
Literacy Corner: Parent Tip #1
What is Title I?
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the purpose of Title 1 funding, “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.” Schools qualify for Title I Services based on the percentage of enrolled students in economic need. This qualification is based on the number of students in the free and reduced-price lunch program.
Any student enrolled, who needs extra academic help, is eligible for assistance. All students complete a universal screener three times per year. These test results along with teacher recommendations are used to identify students needing supplemental instruction.
Here at Thayne Elementary, we use the majority of our funds for our Title I paraprofessional team. With this team, we are able to offer small instructional groups to meet the needs of our students.
PTO News: Welcome back to school The PTO is planning a fundraiser in September to help with the great activities planned for this year – watch for upcoming information. Wendy Kennedy will act as this year’s PTO president. Throughout this year, the best contact for questions regarding the Parent Teacher Organization is to email tespto.lcsd2.org.
Meet Thayne Elementary's New Grade Level Teachers:
Meet Mrs. Hemmert - Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Hemmert worked at Afton Elementary last year in the mornings and spent the afternoons helping in Kindergarten at Thayne Elementary. She loves to read, bake, be outside, and spend time with her husband and family.
Meet Ms. Aullman - 1st Grade Teacher
Ms. Aullman was born and raised in Star Valley. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelors degree in Elementary Education. She loves the beautiful outdoors and the strong community that the valley offers.
Meet Mrs. Sorenson - 3rd Grade Teacher
Mrs. Sorenson has been teaching science in Osmond the last two years. Before that she taught 3rd grade at Thayne Elementary for 8 years. We are excited that she is returning to TES and welcome her back!