Family Tip 4: Discuss Fact vs. Opinion!
Play with ideas and decide which are facts and which are opinions. Ask: How tall are you? What's the best food in the world? Do you like dogs? Point out that both fact and opinion show up in the news, but opinion is usually(!) labeled.
Due to slick roads and dense fog, Olympia schools will have a one hour late start today (Friday, Jan. 24, 2020)
Fearless Fact Finding!
Check out this list of trustworthy resources to help you learning what's true (and what is not!) on the web. You can even use one of them to look back in time and what was on a website in the past!
First graders share their cool down strategies over a cup of hot chocolate! #2ndstep
Who created this message? How does it try to attract my attention? Be a detective when looking at news and media!
Fam. Tip 3: Explore Different Sides of a Story!
Use real-life examples to help kids understand how people can view the same situation with totally different perspectives. Sibling conflict is a great example of how two people can have wildly different opinions on the same event.
If a picture's worth a thousand words, do the words always tell a true story? One way to find out is through a reverse image search. Search with an image instead of a keyword and see what you discover!
Link: http://bit.ly/OLYNMLr
Common Sense has released a brand new News & Media Literacy Resource Center with TONS of resources around this topic. Check out this new web series from Crash Course!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtN07XYqqWSKpPrtNDiCHTzU
Link: http://bit.ly/OLYNMLr
Common Sense has recently released a brand new News & Media Literacy Resource Center with TONS of resources around this topic. Particularly neat is a new web series by Crash Course...check it out!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtN07XYqqWSKpPrtNDiCHTzU
Oly West teachers working through a speed lesson planning challenge. They were asked to create a social emotional lesson in 10 minutes and had to incorporate a mystery item. Great ideas and great staff!
bit.ly/OlyNMV1 | bit.ly/OlyNMFR1
Kids find and read news in lots of ways. But studies show they're not very good at interpreting what they see. How can we help them get better? Teaching your kids about the structure of online news articles is an important place to start.
Family Tip 2: Play "Spot the Ad"!
When you see media, ask your kids to figure out what the ad is selling. Sometimes it's obvious, and sometimes it's not. Help them explore why certain pictures, sounds, and words are used to sell certain products.
Fake news is nothing new. Check out this timeline to learn about some ways it has been utilized throughout history to influence society. Ask your family about other examples that you know of and why they were used!
bit.ly/OlyNMV2
All media comes with an author and an agenda. Help kids think critically about any media they view with critical questions that dig below the surface. And to really empower kids, have them create their own media with these same questions in mind.
Family Tip 1: Encourage Healthy Skepticism!
Help kids analyze the messages around them - from toy packaging to Instagram posts to news headlines - and question the purpose of the words and images they see. Teach kids how to use fact-checking tools like Snopes and FactCheck.org.
Fourth graders have been practicing acts of kindness during the month of December. They made Christmas cards for community members. Today, every student received a card in return. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
After a day of Grinch activities, we had a special visitor at OWE today!
Max is tired of stealing Christmas joy from the Whos and has run away from the Grinch! The 4th and 5th graders and completing puzzles in order to find Max.
Who will be the first fourth or fifth grader to make a tic-tac-toe using inferences about How the Grinch Stole Christmas? #OlySpartanPride
What will the picture be? Fourth and fifth graders are practicing math facts to complete the pixelated picture. #OlySpartanPride
Can you retell the Grinch story? 4th and 5th grade students are putting the events in the correct order to make the Grinch. #OlySpartans
Grinch Day has started with fourth and fifth grade students listening to Mr. Dale read How the Grinch Stole Christmas. #OlySpartanPride
Update: All fourth graders have escaped and are on The Nice List.
Help! My Kid Wants to Use Social Media! Get your kid -and yourself - ready for the next step with these conversation starters. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/help-my-kid-wants-to-use-social-media
Who will Escape the Naughty List? Fourth graders are working together to solve Christmas clues to get back on the “nice list”. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
Due to inclement weather, Olympia CUSD 16 will be running one hour late today, Monday December 16. Be safe out there!
What Kind of Digital Footprint Do You Want To Leave?
https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/education/Digital_Footprint_Animation_2017.mp4
Check out this short video for your elementary kiddos around what a digital footprint really means. We already K-5 students posting and interacting online, so let's start some good habits early!
http://bit.ly/OlyDFV2
As soon as you share the first photo of your kid, you're establishing their digital footprint. As kids get older and start creating their own content or engaging with others online, it's important for them to understand the tracks they're leaving behind and what those tracks might reveal. Parents can help guide kids toward creating the kind of footprint they can be proud of. https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-tips/k-5-digital-footprint-and-identity
Many students are already posting and sharing information about themselves online. But in a world where oversharing might seem like the norm, it’s important for kids to think about their digital footprints. Listen to what other teens have to say about sharing on social media. Are you making the right sharing decisions? bit.ly/OlyDFV1
As soon as you share the first photo of your kid, you're establishing their digital footprint. As kids get older and start creating their own content or engaging with others online, it's important for them to understand the tracks they're leaving behind and what those tracks might reveal. Parents can help guide kids toward creating the kind of footprint they can be proud of.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-tips/k-5-digital-footprint-and-identity
#DigCit Reboot! In a time of 24/7 connectivity, do the benefits of online sharing outweigh the risks? In Dec. our digital citizenship focus will be on the topic of Digital Footprint & Identity. Look for posts throughout the month to use as discussion points with your family!
Merry Christmas from Olympia West! We are ready for the parade!!!
Which student at West will be wearing these presents in the parade? Come see us today for the Minier Christmas parade at 4:00.
OWE Kindergarteners had fun with science today!
Macy parade has nothing on OWE 2nd and 3rd graders this morning!
Penny Wars are coming to an end! Who will be the winners this week?! 💵
Fourth graders are reading by the fireplace today. #OlySpartanPride
Student Council is ready to help with the Community Claus Spaghetti Dinner.
Happy Friday from 4th grade and PreK book buddies!
Olympia West Staff enjoyed celebrating World Kindness Day today!
Olympia West celebrates our Veterans! Thank you Veterans!
Congratulations to Makinli and Ethan for being Spartan ticket winners! They chose to read a book to the kindergarten classes as their incentive.
Fourth grade is participating in a post card exchange with other fourth grade classrooms around the United States. So far, we have received two post cards from Texas.
Our Red Ribbon Rally was a hit this week!
Pirates send a message in a bottle during Oly West‘s Red Ribbon Week.
Superhero’s send a message to stay drug free during Red Ribbon Week at Oly West!
Our Mystery Reader today was.... Mrs. Castleman!! We loved having part of our Junie B. Jones book read to us this morning. Read alouds are the best!
Olympia West students learn about making good choices during our Red Ribbon Assembly.
Olympia West recognized our amazing bus drivers and aides today. Thank you for all you do for our students! You are one of the first people they see in the morning and help deliver them safely to school in good weather and bad. Happy Bus Driver Appreciation Day!
Olympia 4th graders visited OMS today so that 8th grade students could explain electricity to them using materials from ISU's CeMaST program. Thank you Jake Steve for making this possible!
Fourth grade visited OMS to learn about electrical circuits from Mr. Steve’s 8th grade science class.
Power has been restored to the high school. There will still be interruptions in services for the morning until everything can be brought back on line. We thank you for your continued patience, and will update you when everything is operating normally!
Looking forward to Grandparents Day tomorrow at Olympia West!
Mrs. Ruppert teaches first graders the importance of being unique and treating others kindly with a fun fall read aloud and her good pal puppy!
5th graders using base ten blocks as a hands-on strategy to add decimals.
**Phone Update**
Phone service has been restored to all buildings. A huge shout out to Olympia graduate Ryan Komnick from Frontier for investigating the issue and coming to our rescue! We hear it involved a few mice-chewed lines!
Thanks Ryan! #OlySpartanPride
#DigCit
In a time of 24/7 connectivity, do the benefits of online sharing outweigh the risks? In October, our digital citizenship focus will be on the topic of Digital Footprint & Identity. Look for posts throughout the month!
Reminder: the weekend storm knocked out the phone lines at OHS, OMS, and the District Office and they are still down today; Oct. 1.
Elementary buildings are not affected. The phone company is working on fixing the issue. There is no estimate on when the issue will be resolved, but we will issue an update as soon as it is back up and running.
If you need to contact the affected buildings, please dial 309-963-4514 and use the appropriate extension for your party. Phone extensions can be found on each school's website under Links > Staff.
The weekend storm knocked out the phone lines at OHS, OMS, and the District Office. Elementary buildings are not effected. The phone company is working on fixing the issue. There is no estimate on when the issue will be resolved.
If you need to contact the effected buildings, please dial 309-963-4514 and use the appropriate extension for your party. Phone extensions can be found on each school's website under Links > Staff.
Congratulations to our September Spectacular Spartans!
Q & A Time!
Check out the the resources provided by Common Sense Education, and even share your own thoughts. Remember, we are all in this together!
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My child seems addicted to their phone. What do I do? http://bit.ly/Oly_QA1
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Fourth graders are working together to read a poem and answer questions on the game board.
We’ve got spirit yes we do!
Olympia West Grandparents' Day will be Friday, October 18th from 8:00-10:40. (K-5th grades)
Morning Pre-K will be 8:00-10:40, Afternoon Pre-K is from 12:00-2:00
Students are encouraged to invite their Grandparents or an adult to join us on this special day.
Article Time!
How to Set Screen Rules That Stick: Easy tips for limiting kids' computer, TV, game, and movie time. This article contains tips for all ages!
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-set-screen-rules-that-stick
5th graders identifying Mystery Matter based on its properties including color, texture, and it’s reaction with water and vinegar.
Fifth graders practicing rhythms and bass clef with stations in music class! #olyspartanpride
Article Time!
"Now that screen-time recommendations are more flexible, it's time for new rules."
Read about new healthy media habits for young kids here @ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/new-healthy-media-habits-for-young-kids
Looking for ways to manage your child's device use? Check out these easy screen-time tips for balancing media use and well-being.
https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/parenttip/PT_5ScreenTips_YoungKids.mp4
The external telephones are out at Olympia West. If you need to contact Oly West, please call the District office at 309-379-6011 to be transferred.
Forget how density and volume are related? Ask Oly West 5th graders!
First graders at Oly West learning about fear and how to cope with fears!
Five Tips to Help Kids Balance Their Media Lives
(1) Create screen-free times and zones.
(2) Try parental controls.
(3) Establish clear family rules.
(4) Watch and play together.
(5) Help kids identify healthy behaviors.
Read more @ http://bit.ly/OlyMBTipsE
Students at West enjoying the revamped butterfly garden
How Much Screen Time?
“...the reality is that there really is no magic number that's "just right." What's more important is the quality of kids' media, how it fits into your family's lifestyle, and how you engage your kids with it.”
Read more @ http://bit.ly/OlyScreenTime
Are you looking for a conversation starter with your family around media balance & well-being? This Family Media Agreement is a great way to chat about family media habits. Check it out today! http://bit.ly/OlyAgree
September OlyDigCit Focus: Media Balance & Well Being. "We live in a world overflowing with digital media and technology. All of us -- adults and kids -- have constant access to real-time information from around the globe. But do the benefits of being ever-connected also come with risks to our mental health? It's an important question to ask -- especially for our kids." Read more about Media Balance & Well-Being!
https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/topic/media-balance-and-well-being
Congratulations to our August Spectacular Spartans!
Students at West started working on their masterpieces for Art to Remember, the fall fundraiser. More details about the fundraiser will be shared once all masterpieces have been completed. #OlySpartanPride
The social media connection between our website and Facebook is currently experiencing a disruption. While this is being resolved, you can find all of your Olympia related information on your building website Live Feeds and Twitter accounts. Spread the word and connect today!
We’re running-must be back to school
Oly West first graders learning how to calm themselves with various breathing techniques. #teachingthewholechild
Oly West students learned to be their best at West today during our PBIS kickoff! We are Spartans!
Thank you to the OHS Volleyball Team for “chalking the walk” at OWE! We are excited to see everyone tonight at Open House from 5-6pm
Reading is a great way to relax and cool off during these hot summer days. Don’t wait! Grab your favorite book and get started. #adventuresinbooks
Thank you Oly West PTO and volunteers for a great Field Day on Wednesday!
Congratulations to Mrs. Graber on her retirement! Olympia West celebrated her retirement today as she arrived at school by fire truck!
Pre-K PM adjusted the best they could to the heat, so we ended our field day activities with a fun cool down! They loved it! Enjoy the summer Pre-K!!!
Students spent the day outside participating in activities for Field Day 2019. Thank you PTO and parents for a wonderful day!!
Pre-K AM had a blast enjoying the sunshine and fun games at Field day, today!
It has been a bitter sweet last few days with these kiddos! I am soaking up every minute of it. A huge shout out to the parents for all the support this school year! I hope you enjoyed your Mom/Dad's day gift and cards. They worked very hard on them!
We celebrated Mrs. Bohne and her retirement after 28 years in the Olympia District on Monday! Congratulations Mrs. Bohne!
Fifth graders are getting ready to POP into sixth grade!
Today was the Pre-K promotion. Those who completed one year and those moving on to Pre-K received their special awards and celebrated with parents. Thank you to all those who made this day possible and helping out. (Mrs. Lindsey, Mrs. Lang, Mrs. Bertram, Mrs. Brammeier, Mrs. Rummerfield and Candice Logsdon for our cool Oscar man) Big thank you to all the parents who came for their child, and Pre-K for working so hard!
Third graders are excited because the chicks started hatching! Eight fluffy chicks are already getting a lot of love from third graders and there are six more eggs that we are hoping hatch soon!
Olympia CUSD staff Learning how to implement Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems (PBIS). Excited about implementing next year!
Pre-K had so much fun on AG day at the High School. They learned about different aspects of agriculture such as drones, animals, crops, and the equipment. Thank you to the high school students and staff for such a fun day!
Congratulations to Mrs. Bohne! She was recognized this week at the IPA Staff Recognition Luncheon for her 28 years of service at Olympia West.
Student Council & Safety Patrol celebrating a year of hard work!
Mile run
They did it! Mile run
Huge thank you to Mrs. Lang for letting us use the Learning Center all week. Pre-K finished out their camping trip with a partner I Spy game. They took turns finding the camping pictures we've talked about, counted them, and wrote the number while taking turns with a partner. Lastly, we worked with our teams and went on a scavenger hunt finding certain items that were long, rough, bumpy, smooth, heavy, tiny, and more! This was a good test of listening skills. Good work, campers!
Fifth graders spent the morning with their little buddies! They used their coding skills to help kindergarten practice short vowel sounds.
Penny Wars are under way this week at Oly West! Which class will end up with the most pennies and dollars???
Today, Pre-K used the camping words and pictures they have been learning about to play and match in a game of BINGO. Then, during snack they ate smores cereal, were read stories, and used their imagination to come up with a story on their own. We had a close call with a bear at the end of story time, but luckily made it back to our classroom as a whole class!
Pre-K has been exploring the wilderness as they enjoy their camping unit. Monday was a relay of review, as each team raced to visit each tent and complete the review skills task. They not only had to use their prior knowledge of skills to complete each activity, but they had to "hike" from tent to tent using their gross motor skills to get there. They climbed over hills, and crawled under fallen trees, balanced on rocks along streams, and crawled through a fallen tree log. The week is full of more camping fun and using our imagination to learn!
5th graders exploring instruments with OHS students today!
Pre-K took a pretend trip to the zoo while participating in their zoo stations this week. They used their alphabet/literacy skills to put zoo animals in alpha order, or play a memory game with their partner, sorted zoo animals from farm animals, and then graphed how many for each animal, went on a zoo animal scavenger hunt and either wrote the first letter or whole animal name, and lastly, some worked on beginning letter sounds for zoo animals.
Fourth grade spent the day at Wildlife Prairie State Park. #OlySpartanPride
5th grade is at the Museum of Science and Industry today!
Music & PE collaboration
Music & PE collaboration
PreK modeled great perseverance and patience when creating their astronaut helmets. To celebrate, we used our imaginations to count backwards and blast off into space. They were able to see and review everything we learned about, the stars, sun, moon, and planets. Thank you to Mrs. Schultz for the special rocket ship bomb pops for snack! It was the perfect treat!
Students in Mrs. Swartzendruber’s RTI group shared their perspective drawing they drew this week. The artwork will be used as inspiration to write a narrative story. #OlySpartanPride
PreK used their fine motor skills, taking turns/working with a partner, following directions, number sequencing, and puzzle skills to learn all about the planets in the solar system. They also worked very hard to finish their astronaut helmets in preparation for our space trip Thursday. They were introduced to counting backwards and will review during our take off.
Fourth graders are using a green screen to produce videos for their Tourism Director project. #OlySpartanPride
The kindergartners are practicing for the mile run
Congratulations to our students who were recognized at the IPA Student Recognition Luncheon. They are amazing Spartans in and out of the classroom!
5th graders enjoying STEM day at OHS!
Week one of Outer Space in PreK involved learning about the Sun, stars/star constellations, and the moon. They used their fine motor skills, working together, and literacy and math skills to perform their stations this week. This week we are preparing for blast off as we learn all about the planets and solar system.
3rd graders bowling to practice music math!
Congratulations to our 2019 after school badminton drawing winners
Badminton Game On!
5th graders completing a collaboration activity during character ed with Mrs. Ruppert!
Great day at ROE with our fellow teachers!
The votes are in and the 2019 Tournament of Books winner is The Lightning Thief.
Third grade enjoyed a chapter from their novel study in the warm sunshine!
Fifth graders go out
To practice haiku writing
We love poetry!
Pre-K learned about different kinds of weather this week. They participated in an active find the weather, do the action game. Reviewed counting and taking turns in a weather board game (some also practiced graphing). Then, practiced quantifying "raindrop links" to match the number on the raincloud. Ask them to name a form of precipitation, our big word of the week.
Fourth grade students redeemed Lunch With A Bud coupons to eat in the classroom with their friends. #OlySpartanPride
Fourth grade started a science unit today about the brain. We had to read words written in a different color, say the color of the word rather than the written word, and then used movement and sensory nerves to catch a ruler to test reaction time. #OlySpartanPride
Olympia West staff kicked off Autism awareness month with our matching tshirts to remind our students that- "In a world where you can be anything-BE KIND!"
Fourth grade students voted today in the Tournament of Books. The Final Four has been set: Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Ugly Truth vs The Lightning Thief and The Quickest Kid in Clarksville vs Henry’s Freedom Box. Which books will advance to the championship round?
Pre-K became some dinosaur eXperts this week. They learned about some new words such as eXtinct and paleontologist, as well as some pretty tough dinosaur names. They used fine motor skills to build a dinosaur out of shapes, their counting and number recognition to sequence and quantify dinosaurs, and went on a dinosaur hunt to find our letter Xx. If you're looking for a conversation starter-just ask them about dinosaurs!
Second grade students at Olympia West presented 4th grade students with posters and lots of encouragement at a kick-off assembly for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness testing that starts Tuesday. #OlySpartanPride
The last two days of Pre-K's Spirit Week. Thankful Thursday, where the students dressed like someone or something they are thankful for and shared why with the class. Lastly, we all wore green in honor of St. Patrick's day and raced to match the numbers, count, and fill the pots of gold with the right amount of coins before the other team did.
Olympia West students climb to high heights in PE today!
Fifth graders worked in groups to complete an Amazing Race across Ireland. Along the way they practiced test skills and Spartan skills. 🍀
Third grade played collaborative games to prep for testing and, more importantly, build confidence in our Spartan skills 👍🏻
Pre-k has been working on listening to their letter sounds with their Spirit week theme days.So far, (M) Mustache Monday, (T) Tie-dye Tuesday, and (W) Wacky Wednesday. Cutting, writing their names, voting, and more or less were practiced in Monday through Wednesday's activities, too. More to come...stay tuned!
Third grade played collaborative games to prep for testing and, more importantly, build confidence in our Spartan skills 👍🏻
2nd graders kicked off their March Madness Unit today by measuring different NCAA basketball players, completing a STEM challenge by creating a basketball hoop, and reading the first two books in their book tournament! 🏀
Third graders have been challenged to demonstrate a vocabulary word, and create a living ripple effect! I have challenged them to complete one random act of kindness by Friday, and create a kindness ripple effect!
The Tournament of Books is coming to 4th grade on Monday. The first round of reading/voting will last two weeks. Which books will advance to the next round? Stay tuned to find out.
PreK talked about how practice makes perfect-not only in sports! They reviewed letters and letter sounds with ping pong basketball, shot til they scored to find the number they needed in their sequencing game, and reviewed rhyming with puzzles. They also learned the difference between telling something and asking a question. A combination of fine motor, large motor and learning through play= a win in Pre-K!
Pre-K had so much fun practicing their rhymes this week with all the Dr. Seuss themed days. They voted on whether they thought they would like green eggs and ham. The students were very pleased with the surprise of there being no actual green eggs and ham. They enjoyed the vanilla pudding and wafers with delight. Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss!!!
The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived at Olympia West. Today students enjoyed a preview day. The book fair will be open from 8:00-2:25 Monday-Thursday as well as during parent-teacher conferences March 4 & 5. This is a great time to build your child’s library.
The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived at Olympia West. Today students enjoyed a preview day. The book fair will be open from 8:00-2:25 Monday-Thursday as well as during parent-teacher conferences March 4 & 5. This is a great time to build your child’s library.
Students in fourth grade worked in small groups to research the Northeast or Southeast region and presented their information to the class. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
Ciao! Check out third grade's Pizza Basket on Saturday at Family Fun Night! Need to feed a bunch of kids? We have you covered! Your next four date nights? Covered! Yum yum yum!
Do you love to bake? Check out the Pre-K basket at Family Fun Night! Family Fun Night is Saturday night! Doors open at 4pm.
Family Fun Night tickets are available at Minier FS, Minier IGA and Hopedale Casey's. They are 4/$1, get yours today and join in the fun Saturday night! Doors open at 4:00pm, everyone is welcome to join in the fun!
Family Fun Night is this Saturday night! Doors open at 4:00pm. Stop by for fun, games, food and some great auction items. Silent and bag auction begins at 4:00pm, live auction begins at 6:30pm.
Need a new t.v.? Make sure you check out the fourth grade Movie Basket during the live auction at Family Fun Night this Saturday, February 23rd.
Olympia West's Family Fun Night is one week away! Doors will open at 4:00pm, live auction begins at 6:30pm.
Pre-k celebrated Valentine's day with some fun Valentine stations. They sorted by color, made letters, counted, and created patterns, all using candy hearts. They strengthened their fine motor skills by using clothespins to pinch and match upper case to lower case, and numbers. They enjoyed a special snack, crafts, and entertaining games as well. BIG thank you to all the parents who made this possible!!!
Earlier this week, first grade kicked off Valentine’s Day a little early. Students drew pictures and wrote about what fills their hearts during a wonderful lesson led by Mrs. Ruppert!
Thank you so much to Mrs. Nehls and her hardworking students. The books they made for the PreK class were a fun read for everyone. It was obvious the time and effort each student took to create the characters the PreK class portrayed to them. I enjoyed watching the littles interact with the bigs while they read the books and had their snack. Thanks, again, for such a fun collaboration!
Family Fun Night tickets are on sale! In Minier at IGA and FS and in Hopedale at Casey’s. We hope to see everyone on February 23!
Make sure you check out this blanket at Family Fun Night. It was made by 4th grade students and will be part of the live auction. #OlySpartanPride
5th grade is off to a great start on this Monday morning! Students are working on a variety of math centers practicing skills including simplifying fractions and adding and subtracting mixed numbers.
Pre-K had a fun and fit week learning about the letter H for Health week. We learned about healthy foods and the food groups by sorting them, we practiced counting and recognizing our numbers in our roll and work out station, and we learned all about dental health words in our write the room activity, then circled our letter H in them. The kids participated in daily work outs at the start of each day with us. Some students even chose white milk instead of chocolate milk by the end of the week. Way to be healthy, PreK!
Fifth graders spent the morning doing Valentine’s Day activities with their Kindergarten little buddies. 💜
Today was Jump Rope for Heart at Olympia West. Fourth grade students spent 50 minutes rotating through different jump rope stations. Congrats to Noah for being the last student standing in the jumping contest.
Pre-K had a lot of fun talking about Groundhog day. We learned a lot about shadows, what you need to make a shadow, and what it means if the groundhog sees his shadow or not. We reviewed the letter Gg, did some shadow letter naming and writing, practiced patterns, used our fine motor skills for lacing, wrote the letter Gg on the board, and lastly voted whether the groundhog would see his shadow or not. 18 voted yes and 19 voted no. (Both classes combined) We will discuss this more on Monday!
Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Edwards issued a snow day challenge to third grade: build a blanket fort, read a book for 20 minutes and share a picture with the class.
2nd graders are wrapping up their text feature unit with a game of Spoons! 🥄
Today the morning Pre-K class collaborated with some HS students on a project they are working on in their class. They practiced answering questions and using their imaginations to explain what they would look like, what powers would they have, and what they would like to do if they were a super hero. In 2 weeks, we'll see the results of their project in graphic design. Can't wait! Thanks Olympia HS students and Mrs. Nehls!
Olympia West Elem School, 302 N School St, Minier, is open as a warming center. If your power is out and you need a warm, safe place and some food, you are welcome to come.
5th graders sing during the D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony.
Students in fourth grade are celebrating the 100th Day of school by completing a 100th day of school digital breakout box. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
Pre-k worked on the letter G for Things that GO, and the 3D shape cone. We did a car launch to practice our counting, finding numbers, naming numbers, and writing numbers. We did a letter car game called crash to practice naming and recognizing letters. We did a things that go sort. Lastly, during indoor groas motor time, we pretended to drive on scooters around cones.
Due to weather conditions, all Olympia schools will start one hour later than normal Monday, January 28, 2019.
Due to cold temperatures all Olympia schools will start one hour later than normal Friday, Jan. 25.
Due to the possibility of icy roadways, Olympia schools will dismiss early Wed., Jan. 23. OHS and OMS dismiss at noon; elementary schools dismiss at 12:30. All programs and activities are cancelled the rest of the day.
Due to hazardous conditions, all Olympia Schools are closed Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
Today was Fun Friday in Pre-K. Instead of doing Art, we played some color sorting games, used Bingo dotters to find our letter of the week, Ii, made pictures out of shapes, and practiced our puzzle skills.
Mrs. Swartzendruber’s RTI group read picture books focusing on the Midwest Region. They picked their favorite book and are working on a digital book talk to present to the class next week.
Parents, if you have not taken the 5 Essentials survey, please use the link below to complete the survey. The survey is administered by the State of Illinois every other year and the information is used as part of our School Report Card. The survey will remain open through January. http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
Due to weather conditions, Olympia schools will start one hour later than normal Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Fourth graders are going on a text feature scavenger hunt using informational text books. #OlySpartanPride
Due to visibility and road conditions, all Olympia schools will start one hour later then normal Tuesday, January 15, 2019.
The OHS Mini-Cheer clinic rescheduled for today, January, 13 has been cancelled.
This week's learning targets for Pre-K were the letter B for Bear, number 16, and practicing cutting. They went on a letter Bb bear hunt in the learning center, cut out polar bears and brown bears, and practiced number recognition with bear claws and the number 16. For art on Friday, they reviewed small, medium, and large while making a polar bear.
The mini cheer clinic that was scheduled for Saturday Jan. 12th has been postponed to Sunday Jan. 13th from 12 pm to 3 pm in the high school.
The mini cheer clinic that was scheduled for Saturday, January 12 has been postponed to Sunday, January 13 from 12pm-3pm at the high school.
Fifth graders researched the importance of bats in our ecosystem and economy. Students raised enough money to purchase a bat house for bats to live in! Thank you to everyone who donated to fund our bat box project!
#futureworldchangers
Pre-K also enjoyed pajama day, a pizza party for filling their good behavior jar, and rides on the Polar Express train.
Pre-K worked harder than usual to show their kindness to their friends or teachers to model for the Grinch. They helped others zip up their coats, held doors open for teachers without being asked, helped friends put toys away, and more. I would say the Grinch was FILLED with kindness and his heart grew more than two sizes!
Pre-K enjoyed their Christmas party on Tuesday. Big thank you to all the parents who came out to see them sing and participate in games with them. Also, an even bigger thank you to the room parents and parents who spent their time planning the party.
Oly West Has Talent!
2nd graders read about the history of the white elephant and about what a white elephant gift exchange is. Today, they got to participate in their own white elephant gift exchange!
Students enjoyed watching the Polar Express today!
Students enjoyed watching the Polar Express today!
Fourth and fifth graders are working together to complete a Polar Express escape room.
Welcome to Whoville! Who do you think will visit Olympia West today?
Pre-k had fun with our Gingread theme this week. We went on a letter hunt around the room, finding uppercase letters, tracing them, and circling the letter of the week. We practiced drawing shapes on a gingerbread man, and then cutting him out. Lastly, we hunted around the learning center for 14 runaway gingerbread men for our number of the week. We also practiced drawing a 14 and tracing and finding numbers 1-6 or 6-12.
The AR store is today at West. Students in fourth grade are using the AR points they earned from the beginning of the year until now to purchase various items. Thank you Oly West PTO for this opportunity.
Christmas program tonight! The doors to the high school gym do not open until 6:00 pm and all students need to be there by 6:15!
Olympia West celebrates “Winter Fun in the Land of Lincoln” this afternoon and takes first place in the Minier Christmas Parade!
Pre-K was working hard in our December themed stations. They worked on numbers 1-5 or 1-10, then counting snowflakes at math station. Some worked on letter sound matching with a partner. Lastly, others worked on the difference between small, medium, and large and putting them in size order.
Fifth graders had fun practicing drawing the literal and figurative meanings of idioms today with a chapter from Harry Potter.
4th graders are using the computer to program the Ozobot and play Shape Tracer. #OlySpartanPride #4thgradelovesozobots
Dress like your favorite Pete the Cat book was so fun! Thanks to all those who participated. Isn't reading so fun!!??
It’s been a busy, productive day for the fifth graders! They made a banner for the Christmas parade then decorated the tree with ornaments made by Olympia West students.
Pete the Cat week has been so groovy! Check out all the fun activities PreK has been doing all week. Following directions, finding the color, and coloring Pete's shoes, finding letters and feeding Pete, reviewing numbers 1-10 with pin the shoe on Pete, then roll, count, and color the numbers. We had a few enrichment games of Hide Pete- modeled, then student led. They practiced their number recognition to uncover or flip a shoe to find Pete. They also practiced beginning sounds with naming words and feeding them back to Pete. Pete the Cat week concludes tomorrow...stay tuned!
Third graders are having a great day after a relaxing Thanksgiving break!
All Olympia schools will start one hour later than normal today, Monday, November 26, 2018.
The afternoon class did just as great! Such cooperative taste testers! Happy Thanksgiving all!!! Fyi.....cranberry sauce was not a favorite. 😳
3rd graders hosted a Thanksgiving parade for 2nd Grade! 3rd Grade researched and built floats, and 2nd Grade read about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
I am beyond proud of the morning class for trying ALL of our Thanksgiving foods. Majority said they liked most things, too!
This is going to be a two part share. Too many pics to combine both classes!
Third graders performed surgery on nonfiction text features yesterday! West has some skilled surgeons in their midst!
PreK went on a turkey hunt today. They worked very well with their partners by practicing taking turns with the clipboard and finding the correct crayon color to use. They identified shapes, matched them, and also used the corresponding color to color it in. Great teamwork!
2nd grade students started Edward Tulane this week and drew what they think he looked like 🐰
5th graders completed an escape activity to help Tom the Turkey find his presidential pardon 🦃
PreK enjoyed our week of T for turkey. They matched upper to lower case letters on a turkey, counted turkey feathers matching the numbers, colored turkey feathers, and made turkey headbands for our feast next week.
Student Council members supported the Community Claus Spaghetti Dinner tonight. They served drinks, salad, and desserts to all patrons.
PreK really enjoyed their special treat from Officer Weseloh for winning the Red Ribbon week door contest.
Thank you-from all of Pre-K
OWE students enjoy a lesson on perseverance from Juggling Jeff today. Join us tonight for our annual Community Claus dinner at St. John’s, doors will open at 4:30pm. Family Reading Night will follow at West. The evening will feature a performance by Juggling Jeff. Doors open at 6:30pm and our program will start at 6:45pm
Student Council members presented the flags for each branch of the military during the Armed Forces Medley at our Veterans Day Assembly.
Join Olympia West for our Annual Veterans Day Assembly on Monday, November 12 at 1:00pm
The final sense of 5 senses week was completed today. They were such good sports about trying different things. They are not fans of sour, or bitter. Sweet and salty were their favorites!
Pre-K has been enjoying 5 senses week. They practiced their sense of smell by smelling different items such as coffee, tuna, pickles, lotion, perfume, and more. They used their sense of touchy with the touch and feel game. They lost their sense of sight by tracing with and without some foggy glasses. Played telephone and guessed different sounds for their sense of hearing. Lastly, tomorrow will be the taste test. More pics to come!
Pre-K's afternoon class couldn't help but have some fun in the beautiful fall leaves! Leaf throwing, leaf angels, leaf swimming, and more!
Fourth graders designed and constructed cars to fit the Ozobot robots. Stay tuned to see how this progresses. #OlySpartanPride
Third Graders had fun completing tile math puzzles which required them to use their understanding of place value and subtraction.
Mrs. Swartzendruber’s RtI group created a road and programmed the Ozobot to travel from one end to the other. What will the Ozobot do next?
#OlySpartanPride #learningtocode
4th graders are answering the essential question: Will a Mountain Last Forever? After experimenting with sugar cubes and shaker boxes to replicate and observe what happens when a rock tumbles down the mountain, we learned a mountain will not last forever. The ice cubes broke into smaller pieces, just like boulders do when it splits from the mountains. #olyspartanpride
Red ribbon parade in Minier.
Huge thank you to 4th grade for helping the littles keep up this year!
Congratulations to Natalie for guessing how many pieces of candy corn were in the jar during Red Ribbon Week. There were 2,023 pieces in jar.
Halloween stations of the week in PreK included:
Witch's hat trick...which hat has the letter H?
Find and write the numbers 1-10 around the room
Make an H, 9, or spooky face at playdoh.
Thank you, Olympia West PTO, for purchasing a Qball for our fourth grade classrooms. We love speaking into the foam microphone to share our learning with each other. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
4th Grade celebrates “Hats Off to Good Choices” during Red Ribbon Week at Oly West
Congratulations to our October Spectacular Spartans!
3rd graders use their STEM skills to design and build Pumpkin catapults this week !
Pre-K celebrated Halloween with fun stations. Witch hat ring toss, eyeball balance races, Bingo, Spider fishing, and pin the nose on the Jack-o-lantern!
I finally figured out how to get more pictures for you to see- collages!!!
Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!!
Help! Gritch the Witch is stuck on her broom in the air, and we need to get her down! Some 3rd graders started sketching prototypes for a parachute STEM project.
Celebrating Red Ribbon Week at West with our “The Great Pumpkin Says Don’t Do Drugs!”
Kindergarten students work on coding today!
Third graders learned about why our skeletons have so many bones. They then created an x-ray of their hand and wrist bones.
Enjoying a hay rack ride at the Red Ribbon Rally.
Kicking off Red Ribbon Week at the Red Ribbon Rally. Who will be the bingo winner tonight?
#OlySpartanPride #BeDrugFree
4th graders are working with their grandparents during Grandparents Day. #OlySpartanPride #weloveourgrandparents
PreK talked about spiders and webs for our week of "W", "8", and the color black. We just so happened to have a visitor this week in our classroom. He was given many names by each student, and then, they counted his legs with Mrs. B.
Most importantly, we safely let him be....OUTSIDE! :-)
2nd graders working hard on their final drafts of their 1st personal narrative 📝.
5th graders working together to build a tower with toothpicks and marshmallows.
We ❤️ our new books. Thank you Oly West PTO!
Thank you Oly West PTO for providing a free book to each student. #olyspartanpride #4thgrade
Here are the Jack-o-lanterns finished. The AM winner was Tyler, and PM winner was Liam, as voted for by the Pre-K class.
Also, more pics from their exploration of the pumpkin on Friday.
Biography vs. Fiction in 2nd grade’s Genre World Series!
We had a great morning at the Color Run! Thank you to everyone who came out to join us! #olyspartanpride
Getting our color on! Race time is 9:00 am!
It’s not too late to join us for the Color Run. Registration is open until the start of the race at 9:00am!
So much pumpkin fun this week! 4 pictures, just isnt enough!
Today, PreK drew their jack-o-lantern face, voted for their favorite, and helped clean the pumpkin out for carving. They also enjoyed some jack-o-lantern making with playdoh, and scratch off art.
Carved jack-o-lantern pictures coming soon...
Fifth grade and kindergarten met for the first time as Little/Bigger Buddies
Mrs. Swartzendruber’s RtI class is learning how to create codes. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
Students read different passages on big baseball moments, found the main idea, the year it happened, and then ordered them by year!
First graders visited fifth grade to learn all about bats and participate in bat activities lead by fifth graders. Fun time had by all!
Something big is about to hit 2nd grade ⚾️.
It’s trial time in fifth grade and I am loving the participation from fifth graders!
Who will be proven guilty? Columbus? Columbus’ Men? The King and Queen? Or the Tainos? Or perhaps they are all guilty...
Pre-K ended fire safety week with a visit from some local firemen! They practiced their stop, drop, cover your face, and roll. They learned not to play with hot things like matches, stoves, campfires, and more. They were able to see everything a fireman wears. Lastly, they practiced calling out if a fireman comes to the rescue.
Their homework was to go home, and practice a fire drill with their family!
Fire safety week in Pre-K!
Practicing patterns, tracing, and sorting hot or not hot.
Fifth graders are preparing their opening statements for the trial of Christopher Columbus.
Students take turns being the teacher and leading our daily math review!
There is still time to place an Art to Remember order for your child. Order online today using your code or return the order form to school. Thank you for supporting Olympia West!
5th graders practicing multiplication by playing baseball ⚾️
Don’t wait- place your order today! Art to Remember orders are due October 9th. Original, student-made artwork is placed on a variety of items. These make great gifts for the upcoming holidays.
5th graders exploring measurement tools in science 👩🏼🔬👨🏽🔬
It’s Positivitee Tuesday at West. What will your message be today? #GrowthMindset #OlySpartanPride
PM PreK had some visitors as well for Job week. Officer Brammeier, Stanford President, and an relative from State Farm bank.
Job week concluded with some visitors from their community. AM saw a police officer, carpenter, and personal trainer/work out instructor.
Last week, students in 2nd grade were busy studying mysteries! They became detectives and had to read clues to solve the mysteries happening at Olympia West!
Watch out West! Fourth grade students are meeting their goals and reading buddies are starting to appear in the classroom. #readingbuddyselfie #OlySpartanPride
Fourth and fifth graders participated in a team relay during the assembly hosted by OHS Student Council. #OlySpartanPride #Homecoming
Excited for the Mile Run! We are ready to set our PR. #Olyspartanpride #4thgrade
Excited for the Mile Run! We are ready to set our PR. #Olyspartanpride #4thgrade
3rd graders at Olympia West welcomed students to school today with positive messages as a part of their “Start with Hello” week activities.
Creative writing is taking place in fourth grade. Students choose a series of pictures to put into a book and then write a story. #OlySpartanPride #4thgrade #learningisfun
Students at West created an amazing piece of artwork and soon parents will have the chance to turn the artwork into custom keepsakes. This is a great chance to order items for family members and raise money for the school. The order form will come home in the next few days.
Well, shiver me timbers! More Pirates showed up in the afternoon class, too! We sure arrrrre glad we had so many pirates to help us find the treasure!
Our morning class was taken over by pirates today. Me mateys found the treasure on our special treasure hunt. Then, were able to enjoy the golden, buttery treat within our treasure chest!
5th graders reviewing their current skill of multiplying and dividing by powers of ten by playing Connect 4.
Gum party for learning the letter Gg and knowing it’s sound. Bubble blowing demonstration and contest between Mrs. Castle man and Mrs. Graber!
Ahoy, Mateys! Check out all the fun PreK is having for Pirate week. Fill your treasure box color game, counting their jewels, letter matching, and practicing their cutting skills to make eye patches.
2nd graders working on part part whole activities that teachers learned at Jen Gibson’s math academy✏️.
Staff members are promoting positive vibes around the school with Positivitee Tuesday. #OlySpartanPride #OlyWest #kindness
Fifth graders practice finding main idea and supporting details with texts about hurricanes. We even watched live news streams of hurricane Florence and journaled about what we felt while watching.
Today, the morning class had an impromptu talk about butterflies. This one kept landing near the kids. We talked about its colors, how delicate they are, what other kinds or colors of butterflies they have seen, and more.
Mrs. Swartzendruber is a recipient of the Scholastic Book Club and James Patterson giveaway. She won money and Scholastic bonus points to purchase books for her fourth grade classroom. Congratulations Mrs. Swartzendruber!#OlySpartanPride #PattersonPledge
Discovering more about why a statue’s shadow moves! First graders worked in groups to see how they could get their gnome’s shadow to move onto a pattern that was laid out on a piece of paper. #olywest
Frisbee Golf comes to Olympia West!
Every day is an adventure in PreK. Interesting stories in the library, Alphabet Bingo, or practicing numbers with a friend. Learning in so many ways!
Taking a break with a GoNoodle- dancing and learning about prefixes and suffixes.
#OlySpartanPride #4thgrade
While studying different fairy tales, 2nd grade students completed a STEM challenge. They had to construct a raft for their billy goats to ride across the river in to escape the troll! If their raft sank, they got to go back and, using what they learned, remake their raft.
What better way to end Super Hero week than with a special visit from Batman! Thanks, Batman, for talking to the kids about using their "super powers" of kindness to help their friends, teachers, and parents everyday!
Cape day in PreK
Captian America day! Let's hear it for the red, white, and blue!!!
PreK PM class enjoying a SUPER start to our SUPER hero week!
Pre-K painting for Art to Remember, playing at centers, and enjoying the weather outside.
Practicing keyboarding skills on our new Chromebooks. #olyspartanpride
What is in the shopping bag? Fourth graders are looking at clues to make an inference about who would purchase the items. #olyspartanpride
2nd graders talking about all things 100!
5th graders practicing place value skills during math centers 📝
Pre-K had a fun 2 days getting familiar with their classroom and the routine.
5th graders working hard on their daily math review! They will use the data collected on their reviews to set goals correlating to areas that need improvement.
STEM bins were introduced in 2nd grade!
2nd grade students worked with a partner to put all the teacher’s Bitmojis on the school map!
We ESCAPED! #OlySpartanPride
Fourth grade is working together to Escape the Back to School Blues in the media center. #OlySpartanPride
Great to see everyone at Open House tonight! Can’t wait for the first day of school tomorrow!
Open House for students in Pre-K and grades 1-5 will be Wednesday, August 15 from 5:00-6:00 pm.
If you have a student entering kindergarten at Olympia West, join us for Kindergarten Open House on Monday, August 13 from 5:30-6:30 pm.
Are you new to Olympia West this school year? New student registration is Monday, August 6 from 8am-12pm and Tuesday August 7 from 1pm-6pm.
Hooping it up at Field Day #OlySpartanPride
Third graders had fun playing “shark in the water” at field day!
Having a fun time at Field Day! #OlySpartans
The afternoon session for the Wax Museum has started. We have a lot of visitors.
Olympia West 4th graders presented a Wax Museum today showcasing 38 famous Americans.
Third grade wrapped up their Genius Hour presentations yesterday! We had a variety of presentation choices, including creating blogs, Google slide presentations, and a meteorology newscast!
While learning about US symbols, second grade students stood for the National Anthem!
Kindergarteners learn about habitats at the Peoria Zoo.
Second grade students are enjoying a day of math review with Glow Games!
Third Grade is having fun designing book report t-shirts based on their novel study!
Fifth graders spent time with their little buddies this morning. Together they made a scrapbook.
4th grade shopping spree at the AR store. #welovereading #OlySpartanPride
5th Graders treated the crowd to a recorder concert at our awards assembly.
Safety Patrol recognized at awards assembly.
We had a great day today recognizing some amazing Spartans at our annual awards assembly. Congratulations to all of our award winners!
Mrs. Brand and Mrs. Render honored today at our Awards Assembly.
First graders estimated and then measured distances using the nonstandard measure of giant steps. They discussed how each person’s measurement would be different because the students were all different sizes.
Pre-K enjoying the petting zoo at Ag Day.
Mr. Dale enjoying Ag Day!
3rd graders continued to present their Genius Hour projects today! We learned about why cats sleep so much, why poison ivy is itchy, and how chameleons change color.
3J has started forming the landforms we have been researching for the last two weeks during our landform unit!
Drones are cool! 4th grade loves Ag Day!
4th grade is learning how to weld at Ag Day.
4th grade attends AG Day at OHS.
Maddox Dare takes 1st place in the 5th grade mile with a PR of 5:53 🥇
GO🏃🏼♂️🏃🏻♀️
Ready, Set....
It’s National School Nurse Appreciation Day and we’ve got the best at West! Thank you Mrs. Birky for all you do to take care of our students!
Mile Run is on Thursday! We would love to have you come and cheer on our students.
5th Grade- 8:05-8:55
4th Grade 8:55-9:45
1st Grade 10:00-10:50
2nd Grade- 12:20-1:10
3rd Grade - 1:10-2:00
2nd grade at the Planetarium.
Mr. B helps Mrs. Braffet as PE teacher for the day!
2nd grade students enjoying the Riverfront Museum.
First graders learning about repeat signs with our interactive Quaver music program!
Miss C. helps Mrs. C as principal for the day.
Some third graders began presenting their Genius Hour projects today! Throughout the year, they chose a topic, researched a question and created a presentation of their findings.
It's Teacher Appreciation Week and we've got the best at West! Thank you to our amazing staff for the countless hours, the dedication, and the care you show our students every day!
4th Grade “Bowl”ed Away!
5th grade bowling in PE today!
We are preparing for the mile run! The mile run will be on Thursday, May 10, come cheer on your student.
Third Graders love spendjng time with the chicks that hatched at the end of Chick It Out! #OlySpartanPride
Third Graders love spendjng time with the chicks that hatched at the end of Chick It Out! #OlySpartanPride
We have chicks! Watch the live feed on our website to watch the rest of our chicks hatch!
After 32 rounds, Abby wins the Spelling Bee! Congratulations to Ella who was the runner-up!
Principal Lisa Castleman agrees to wear this cape if all grade levels meet their benchmark!
Learning new technology things at institute today! You can teach an old dog new things!
1st graders enjoying STEM day today!
5th grade had a wonderful STEM Day and trip to OMS today!
4th grade had a great time on their field trip today!
5th Graders having a great time at the Science and Industry Museum today!
4th graders share their State Projects this week!
3rd grade had an awesome day at the circus!
3rd grade students check the development of their eggs today. #olyspartanpride
5th grade and Kindergarten students work together to code a path for their Ozobots.
3rd, 4th and 5th graders compete in the annual badminton tournament Monday, competition concludes today!
Congratulations to Raquel Birky and Tyler Dabney on their outstanding achievement and recognition by the Illinois Principals Association.
1st grade students use their engineering skills build catapults out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and a container.
Kindergarten students encourage their bigger buddies to do their best on PARCC testing!
5th grade students enjoy DARE baseball game with the Peoria Chiefs!
3rd Grade starts “Chick it Out” today! Stay tuned for updates!
OHS Child Care classes visit OWE.
4th grade students use their deductive reasoning skills to solve the code in their “Escape Box” activity.
1st Grade enjoys a story with guest readers.
4th grade students use their engineering and design skills to make marble tracks.
2nd grade students in Mrs. Nietzel’s class enjoy reading as a class this morning!
Pre-K walks the red carpet at Oly West today!
Reminder Kindergarten Round-up/Open House is tomorrow night from 5-6:30pm. Contact Oly West at 309-392-2671 with questions or to RSVP.
We are excited to kick off our first 4-H STEM/Robotics Spin Club for students in grades 3-5
Kindergarten Round-Up/Open House will be held on Thursday April 5 from 5:00-6:30. If you have or know someone who has a child who will be 5 on or before September 1,2018 please make plans to attend.
Congratulations Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Swartzendruber on recieving a Maitland Grant to purchase Escape Boxes for your classrooms!
Have a great Spring Break! We will see you on April 3!
It's a great day to be a Spartan!