Borlaug Kindergarten Camp, August 9th & 10th

Hello, Borlaug Kindergarten Families,

We are very excited to start the new school year this fall and to welcome you and your child to Borlaug Elementary.  We are thrilled to offer to our kindergarteners Borlaug’s Kindergarten Camp which will be held on August 9^th and 10^th from 8:30-11:30 am at Borlaug Elementary.

The Borlaug kindergarten teachers, along with additional adult assistance, will acclimate our soon to be kindergarteners to the routines of school.  The children will learn Borlaug expectations as they participate in class activities, recess, and lunch. It will be a wonderful way for us to teach the children our routines, along with starting to make new friendships.  

To register your incoming 2012-13 Borlaug kindergartener, please complete the registration form found on the Borlaug website.  This form was also mailed to our kindergarten families via US Mail and through email.  If you would like your kindergartener to participate in our Kindergarten Camp please complete the form and return it to Mrs. Shoppa’s email, or call us at 688-1155 to register over the phone.

We hope your child will able to join us for these two fun-filled mornings.

Celeste Shoppa, Borlaug Principal

Borlaug Playground Community Build July 12, 13, 14

Hello, Borlaug Families and Staff,

The committee members have been working hard planning for our new playgrounds at Borlaug.  The fundraising efforts continue to be successful, and as of this week we are $20,000 short of meeting our financial goal for installation of three playground structures on school grounds prior to the start of the school year. If you haven’t already donated and would like to, please visit the Borlaug website for links or call us at 688-1155.

If you are unable to make a monetary gift, we can still use your help!  We are planning a community build of the playground structures on July 12, 13 and 14.   Please save these dates on your calendars.  We will need thirty volunteers on each of those days.  No building experience necessary; we will train on location.  You can sign up to volunteer online by following the “Playground Progress!” link on the Borlaug Elementary website which will take you to the Sign Up Genius link.

The last item is to invite you to our next Borlaug PTO meeting on July 10^th at 6:30pm in the lower level of the Coralville Library.  We hope you will be able to join us as we continue to plan for our new school.

Celeste Shoppa, Borlaug Principal

News to Share

Hello, Borlaug Families and Staff,

This is Principal Shoppa with three pieces of information to share.

The Borlaug Community Night on April 21^st was very well-attended. We want to let you know the name of our bulldog mascot is Norm.  Thank you for your votes on Saturday night.  The bulldog plush toy raffles went to  a 1^st grader at Weber and to a 4^th grader at Horn – Congratulations!

The Borlaug Elementary School fundraising efforts are well under way. To fully construct and equip all three playgrounds, as well as provide start-up funds for experiential learning programs for 2012-2013, a minimum of $80,000 needs to be raised.

To allow the playground planning committee adequate time to make final selections and allow time for delivery of the equipment, we ask you to respond by May 15 using the contribution forms mailed to your home in late March. If you need another contribution form, you may call us at the Roosevelt Elementary office at 688-1155 or email Sheila Baldwin at baldwinhome@mchsi.com.

The last item is to remind parents of our May 15^th Borlaug PTO meeting at the Coralville Library at 6:30 pm.  We hope you will be able to join us as we continue to plan for our new school.

Have a good day,
Mrs. Shoppa, Principal

Three Borlaug Dates of Interest

I want to share with you three dates of interest. 

Our Borlaug Kindergarten Round-Up will be on April 12^th from 2:30-3:30 at Roosevelt Elementary School.  This will be a time for parents of future kindergarteners to gather in the Roosevelt Library to hear about Borlaug Elementary and kindergarten, while next year’s kindergartners have time to participate in activities in our kindergarten classrooms.

Our next Borlaug PTO meeting will be April 17^th, at 6:30 pm, in the lower level of the Coralville Library.  We hope you will be able to attend as we continue to plan for our new school.

Borlaug Community Night will be April 21^st from 5:30-7:30 pm held at the Coralville Recreation Center at 1401 5th Street Coralville, IA 52241.  This open house will be for Borlaug families to gather along with Borlaug staff for fun and food. There will be different activities for the students and their parents.  Panchero’s burritos with chips and salsa will be available as a dinner option, working as a fundraiser for Borlaug Elementary’s PTO.

Advanced Panchero orders are $4.00 per meal and are due to your child’s current school or to Roosevelt Elementary by April 13^th. The order form was emailed to Borlaug families and can be found on your school web page as well as Borlaug’s. At the door Panchero orders will be $5.00 per meal. Complimentary beverages will be served. If you have any questions, please contact us at 688-1155.  We hope you can join us.

Thank you.

Registration for Borlaug BASP Begins January 18

The Coralville Parks and Recreation Department is preparing to open the Borlaug Before and Afterschool Program (BASP) in the fall of 2012 with the opening of Norman Borlaug Elementary School. Registration for the BASP will begin January 18.

Forms and information are available online, at the Coralville Recreation Center, and at those school offices of which children will transfer to Norman Borlaug Elementary School.

Norman Borlaug Elementary BASP will be a partnership school between the Iowa City Community School District and the City of Coralville. Coralville will provide a full service before and after school program with care for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department provides before and after school activities for over 210 children in four different programs and provides additional recreation programming evenings and weekends.

For more information, contact Scott Prochaska at 319.248.1750.

Artists called to create likeness of Iowa’s Norman Borlaug

In the December 3^rd Gazette, there was an article entitled, “Artists called to create likeness of Iowa’s Norman Borlaug”.  In March, Iowa lawmakers passed a resolution to honor Dr. Borlaug in the U.S. Capital, where each state is allowed two statues of notable citizens. The article explains that the state’s Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Statue Committee is calling for artists interested in designing, creating and delivering a statue of the “Father for the Green Revolution” to the U.S. Capitol Building’s National Statuary. We are so fortunate to have our elementary named for such an outstanding Iowan!

http://thegazette.com/2011/12/03/artists-called-to-create-likeness-of-iowas-norman-borlaug/

1st Borlaug PTO Meeting

Our 1^st Borlaug PTO Meeting held on Tuesday, November 15, 2011, was filled with great conversation and first steps accomplished in organizing our efforts.  I want to thank our PTO Executive Board and committee chairs for volunteering their time and talents.

·         PTO President – Laura Prince

·         PTO Vice- President – Brigette Ingersoll

·         Treasurer – Jerry Waddilove

·         Secretary – Amy Bayon

·         Playground Chair – Troy Culver

·         Fundraising Co-Chairs– Sheila Baldwin & Erin Jordan

·         Drafting of Borlaug PTO By-laws – Julie Houston

We will have a PTO Executive Board Meeting on December 13^th at 6:00 pm at the Coralville Library in Meeting Room A, and our 2^nd Borlaug PTO Meeting will be on December 13^th at 6:30 pm at the Coralville in Meeting Room A. We plan to discuss further the PTO Mission Statement, PTO by-laws, 501c3, playground, fundraising, PTO wishes for Borlaug, mascot and school colors. 

I look forward to seeing you on December the 13^th!

Mrs. Shoppa