Great Expectations

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! While we have been discussing Responsibility this month with the students, we have really put an emphasis on having common expectations for ALL students. We began as a staff discussing all the things that we felt should be universally promoted throughout the building. Next, we spent time discussing with students both in our Monday assemblies and in classrooms. From behavior on the playground to walking in the hallways to keeping our cafeteria clean, we have been practicing our common expectations every day.  My experience is that students will always rise to the expectations we set for them. For our Buchanan students, expectations are high, just as our students deserve them to be!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN

Monday, November 25: Students of the Month Assembly (Responsibility)

Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29: Thanksgiving Break!

Friday, December 6: No School for Elementary Students (Teacher Records Day)

Thursday, December 12: Winter Concert for Grades 3 & 4 6:00-8:00 PM

Friday, December 13: Report Cards go home, PTA Skate Night at Riverside Arena 6:00-8:00 PM

PTA POINTS

SPIRIT WEAR THANKSGIVING SALE! Receive 20% off orders of $50 or more by using the coupon code TURKEY20 (certain restrictions apply). https://www.buchananspiritwear.com/ 

The Buchanan Holiday Shop will be open from December 9th through 13th, with evening shopping available on Thursday, December 12 from 6:00 to 8:00pm. A Sign Up Genius with class shopping times will be available soon. 

The Livonia PTSA Council is holding its 6th Annual PTA Dads Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at Franklin High School. This cook-off is open to dads, grandpas, uncles, etc. who are PTA members. The winning chili-maker will take home a "dad-centric" prize package as well as a $500 grant for the school they are representing. We would love to have some dads representing Buchanan this year! 

The PTA needs your photos for Buchanan's yearbook! If you have photos from any of our events, your child's classroom activities, or anything else related to Buchanan, please email them to pta.buchanan1@gmail.com with "yearbook" in the subject line and a brief description of the photos (e.g., "Fun Run," "McGuigan's class," "4th grade field trip," etc.).

Did you know you can support the Buchanan PTA when you shop on Amazon? Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice through the AmazonSmile program. To make sure we get credit for your Amazon purchases, follow these steps:

1. Visit smile.amazon.com

2. Search for James Buchanan Elementary PTA.

3. Select James Buchanan Elementary PTA as your charitable organization.

4. Start shopping!

5. For your future Amazon shopping trips, start at smile.amazon.com (it is the SAME as shopping on amazon.com, aside from the charitable contribution!).

Happy Thanksgiving from the Buchanan Elementary PTA!

LOST & FOUND

If you haven't done so, please check items in our lost and found! All items remaining will be donated to children in need just prior to Winter Break. Families are encouraged to write names on student clothing items and winter gear to help us find lost items.  Thank you! 

#BuchananBears

Did you know that the Buchanan staff does a common book reading each summer? During the summer months, teachers spend time developing lesson plans, attending conferences and reading educational books.  The last two years, our staff have read such books as "Teach Like a Pirate", which focuses on creating engaging lessons for students and "Culturize", which focuses on developing a climate of trust and excellence in the schools.  Great things are happening at Buchanan! 

The Cardigan

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! Last week, I joined educators from across the country in celebrating World Kindness Day. In recognition of the day, we all wore cardigans in honor of Mr. Rogers and his message of kindness toward all. It was a fun day and I enjoyed seeing the smiles from the adults and telling the students about Mr. Rogers. One of the things I love most about Buchanan is that Kindness is not a one time event at our school, but something that we practice each and every day. It's not really about the cardigan, it's about spreading kindness wherever we go!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN

Monday, November 25: Students of the Month Assembly (Responsibility)

Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29: Thanksgiving Break

Friday, December 6: No School for Students (Records Day)

Thursday, December 12: Winter Concert for Grades 3&4 6:00-8:00 PM

Friday, December 13: Report Cards go home

On Monday, November 18th we will be serving sliced turkey & gravy with mashed potatoes instead of quesadillas. Cereal is the alternate choice.

PTA POINTS

• Thank you for all of your coins! The winner of the MSU/U of M Change War Challenge was U of M and the total raised for Buchanan's library was $844! Thanks to all who contributed! 

• Congratulations to Mrs. Jones's class for collecting the most Box Tops! They have earned a pizza party (to be scheduled in the near future).

• Congratulations to the classrooms in each grade with the highest number of PTA memberships! For winning our classroom membership contest, each of the following teachers earned $250 in Scholastic Dollars to spend in the Scholastic Dollars Catalog on items for their classrooms:

Kindergarten: Mrs. Pillai

1st grade: Mrs. Duff

2nd grade: Mrs. Benson

3rd grade: Mrs. Edwards

4th grade: Mrs. Banter

• The Livonia PTSA Council is holding its 6th Annual PTA Dads Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at Franklin High School. This cook-off is open to dads, grandpas, uncles, etc. who are PTA members. The winning chili-maker will take home a "dad-centric" prize package as well as a $500 grant for the school they are representing. We would love to have some dads representing Buchanan this year! A flyer will be going home for more information and an entry form.

• The PTA needs your photos for Buchanan's yearbook! If you have photos from any of our events, your child's classroom activities, or anything else related to Buchanan, please email them to pta.buchanan1@gmail.com with "yearbook" in the subject line and a brief description of the photos (e.g., "Fun Run," "McGuigan's class," "4th grade field trip," etc.).

#BuchananBears

Did you know that we are changing our dismissal procedures at Buchanan? A detailed message is going out via email as well as on Facebook.  Bus riders will now be lining up in the gym at the end of the day and students in grades 1 - 4 being picked up will be dismissed out the same doors as they enter in the morning. Kindergarten dismissal will remain the same. Our hope is to provide better supervision and less congestion for our students at dismissal time.  Thanks in advance for your cooperation and great things are happening at Buchanan! 

Winter is here!

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! I'm sure you've realized already, but winter is here!!  As much as I love living in Michigan, it's always a shock when I see the first snowfall. Now that the colder weather is upon us, please remember to make sure that students have all the appropriate winter gear including boots, warm coats, hats and gloves.  Students go outside each day as long as it's not raining and if it's above 15 degrees (with the windchill). If you need assistance with any of these items, please contact me in the office and we will be happy to help!  We want all our students to enjoy all four seasons that Michigan has to offer!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN

Thursday, November 14: PTA Meeting 7:00 PM (all families invited)

Friday, November 15: Pizza Party with the Principal for the top PTA fundraisers

Monday, November 25: Students of the Month Assembly (Responsibility)

Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29: No School for Thanksgiving Break!

Friday, December 6: No School for Students (Records Day)

Thursday, December 12: Winter Music Concert for Grades 3&4 6:00-8:00 PM

Friday, December 13: Report Cards go home

PTA POINTS

• MSU/U of M Change War Challenge! From November 4 through November 15, we will be holding a change war to raise money for the library. There will be a container for MSU and a container for U of M set up outside the front office. Add silver change and paper money to the container of the team you support to increase that team's total, and put pennies in the container of the other team to subtract from its total. So, the rules are: silver and paper add, and pennies subtract!

• Spirit Week of Giving: During the second week of the change war, Buchanan will also be collecting canned goods and boxed items for the Livonia Goodfellows. In an effort to have fun while doing good, we invite students to participate in the following spirit days:

Monday, November 11 - Hat Day

Tuesday, November 12 - Crazy Hair Day

Wednesday, November 13 - Pajama Day

Thursday, November 14 - Mustache Day

Friday, November 15 - MSU/U of M Day

• The PTA needs your photos for Buchanan's yearbook! If you have photos from any of our events, your child's classroom activities, or anything else related to Buchanan, please email them to pta.buchanan1@gmail.com with "yearbook" in the subject line and a brief description of the photos (e.g., "Fun Run," "McGuigan's class," "4th grade field trip," etc.).

• Calling all artists! Is your child a visual artist, photographer, writer, dancer, musician, or filmmaker? Then you should check out the annual Reflections contest. The theme this year is "Look Within." Entries are due to Buchanan by Monday, November 11. Please see the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email for more information. If you would like more information or an entry form, please email valerieRjackson@gmail.com.

• Mark your calendars! Our next PTA meeting will be Thursday, November 14 at 7:00pm in the LMC.

#BuchananBears

Did you know that our "Change War" has begun at Buchanan? Students can put money into the collection jars for their favorite team! All the money collected will go to our Buchanan Library. Great things are happening at Buchanan! 

I love a parade!

Hi folks, Jon Wennstrom here! We had a great time last week with our annual costume parade. It was such fun to see our students dressed up and having a great time at school.  The weather could have been better, but we made the best of it! However you celebrated Halloween, we hope you had fun together as a family.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN

Tuesday, November 5: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS (Teacher Professional Development Day)

Thursday, November 14: PTA Meeting 7:00 PM (all families welcome)

Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29: THANKSGIVING BREAK

PTA POINTS

• MSU/U of M Change War Challenge! From November 4 through November 15, we will be holding a change war to raise money for the library. There will be a container for MSU and a container for U of M set up outside the front office. Add silver change and paper money to the container of the team you support to increase that team's total, and put pennies in the container of the other team to subtract from its total. So, the rules are: silver and paper add, and pennies subtract!

• Spirit Week of Giving: During the second week of the change war, Buchanan will also be collecting canned goods and boxed items for the Livonia Goodfellows. In an effort to have fun while doing good, we invite students to participate in the following spirit days:

Monday, November 11 - Hat Day

Tuesday, November 12 - Crazy Hair Day

Wednesday, November 13 - Pajama Day

Thursday, November 14 - Mustache Day

Friday, November 15 - MSU/U of M Day

• The PTA needs your photos for Buchanan's yearbook! If you have photos from any of our events, your child's classroom activities, or anything else related to Buchanan, please email them to pta.buchanan1@gmail.com with "yearbook" in the subject line and a brief description of the photos (e.g., "Fun Run," "McGuigan's class," "4th grade field trip," etc.).

• Calling all artists! Is your child a visual artist, photographer, writer, dancer, musician, or filmmaker? Then you should check out the annual Reflections contest. The theme this year is "Look Within." Entries are due to Buchanan by Monday, November 11. Please see the flyer attached to Mr. Wennstrom's email for more information. If you would like more information or an entry form, please email valerieRjackson@gmail.com.

• Mark your calendars! Our next PTA meeting will be Thursday, November 14 at 7:00pm in the LMC.

Library Help Needed!

I am looking for an adult volunteer (either a parent or grandparent) to help in Buchanan's library from 9:05-9:50 a.m. on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month (starting on Friday, November 15). The library volunteer would take care of checking in the books the students return while I am teaching a lesson to the class, shelve the returned books, and then check books out to the students during book checkout time. All tasks are easy to learn, and all training is provided. No prior experience is necessary! If you are interested, please contact me as soon as possible at hford@livoniapublicschools.org.

Thank you,

Miss Ford, Library Media Specialist

#BuchananBears

Did you know we will be collecting cans of food this year for the Good Fellows the week of November 18th - 22nd.  More news to come of spirit days.  Your child is encouraged to donate a can of food or participate in the MSU/U of M challenge that week.  Last year we filled 20 boxes full of food.  Please be sure to check expiration dates before sending in.  Thank you! Great things are happening at Buchanan!