​April 26, 2017
 
Dear Families,
 
The end of the school year is quickly approaching. I wanted to let you know of some of the events that are taking place over the next few weeks:

• Our end of the year BBQ dinner and Art Show is on Friday, May 5th at 6pm at St. Anthony Catholic Church Activity Center. The students have all created paintings that will be on display. We will also have a BBQ dinner and desserts, popcorn, glitter tattoos, yogurt and other fun. We have some great auction items as well. This event helps us in our curriculum purchases that occur over the summer. This year we are starting to migrate to a new reading curriculum and will be investing about $10,000 in curriculum. Please make time to attend the event and help us to fund these curriculum purchases. We are also asking that each student reach out to sell at least 9 tickets to family, friends, or neighbors to help us reach our fundraising goal. The $6 ticket includes a BBQ dinner. Even it the purchaser can’t attend their $6 donation is for a great cause. Ticket money can be turned into the front office.
• On May 10th we have a movie day at the Orpheum Theater. The cost is $5 per person and family members are invited to come. We will have three options Students can remain at school and do activities in the Showcase room, or they may watch either a) Boss Baby or b) Guardians of the Galaxy 2. 
• Our Coble Zoo trip was canceled due to rain. We used the money from that field trip to bring Zoo animals to visit us at school. The kids enjoyed seeing the animals up close!
• PreK promotion is Tuesday, May 2nd at 6pm in the Showcase Room at Stonebridge.
• Kindergarten graduation is Tuesday, May 9th at 6pm at the First Christian Church.
• Our award ceremony and 8th grade graduation is on our last day of school, Thursday, May 11th at 11 a.m. We will dismiss students afterwards at 1pm. There will be aftercare staff here if you need childcare through 5:30pm. Please let the front office know if you need that service.
• The Relay for Life event is Saturday, May 6th from 5pm to 11pm at the Square. Come find the Stonebridge team.
• The first day of school is August 17th. Our Back to School Bash will take place August 15th. Our Parent Association is working to make this an even better event with a new location. More information will come this summer in the mail.

 
Thank you all and warm regards,


Wren Hawthorne
Head of School
Be kind, work hard, get smart!

Dear Parents and Friends,
​
On Wednesday, January 11, we held a school assembly to honor the memory of Maralynn Viersen Sant. Maralynn, who was known as Granny Wonderful to her twelve grandchildren, was a huge supporter of education. She was born in Okmulgee on September 12, 1923. At the age of 15 she left Okmulgee to attend the Hockaday School for Girls in Dallas, and later attended the University of Texas in Austin. Through these personal experiences, Maralynn understood the difference a good education can make in a person’s life. She, along with the Viersen Foundation (which she led for the last 22 years), were and continue to be an important benefactor of Stonebridge. In honor of Maralynn, the Viersen Foundation recently established the Maralynn Viersen Sant Endowment Fund at Stonebridge Academy with a $250,000 donation. This fund will continue to make an impact on the lives of Okmulgee youth for generations to come. In honor of her generosity and in celebration of her life, the faculty and staff at Stonebridge wrote letters of thanks, and attached them with helium balloons to the fence on the school’s playground. Maralynn exemplified the schools motto which challenges its students to “Be Kind, Work Hard, and Get Smart.” She will be missed.

Kind regards,

Wren

​January 5, 2017
 
Dear Parents and Friends,
 
I hope that everyone had time over the holiday break to visit with friends and family, to rest and rejuvenate, and to reflect on the things for which we can be grateful. As we begin the new year, I want to update you on a few things:

• We have received our Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) results. On this nationally normed test, our students on average performed at the 61st percentile. 
• I was impressed with the work of the Parent Association in creating a wonderful Stonebridge Express float for the Christmas Parade. We won two trophies – Best Use of Music and Best Use of Theme. The next Parent Association meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 9th at 6pm.
• On Wednesday, January 11, at 9am we will have a school-wide gathering to honor the legacy of Maralynn Viersen Sant. Maralynn was a leading force behind the creation of Stonebridge, and more recently an endowment fund was created in her honor.
• On Friday, January 13, at 8am during our weekly Showcase Meeting we will have a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. There will be a dramatic performance as well as a musical tribute by our students.
• We will be closed on Monday, January 16 in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• Our Science Fair is scheduled for February 10. Sign-up forms, which were sent out this week, must be completed by January 20. You can find more information on our website at www.sbridgeacademy.org.
• If you haven’t already done so, make sure to sign up on our parent portal. We are entering a time in which we may have weather related closings, and the portal is our main way to sent out text notifications. If you need another email sent to you with the invitation to join the portal, please email me at [email protected].
• On a personal note, I am officially ABD (all but dissertation)! I have found it is important to celebrate the steps along the path in completing my doctorate, and am excited to have made it to this point. The next phase in this journey is the dissertation.
• Thank you for helping make Stonebridge such a great place to work! I truly am blessed every day by getting to be a part of your student’s life.

 
Warm Regards,
 
Wren Hawthorne
My blog: http://www.sbridgeacademy.org/mr-hawthornes-blog
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart

Hello parents and friends,
 
I have spent this week in classroom observations with our younger classes, and next week will be with our older students. It was refreshing to see things through the eyes of our students. Our students are bright and active in our classrooms. PreK not only knows letters and sounds, but are beginning to sound out small words. Kindergarten reached their final letter Z this week. In order to go from floor time to tables, they were required to have a “ticket to the table” by identifying Z words. Afterwards they diligently practiced writing upper and lower case Zs. In 1st grade students identified different types of sentences - declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative. The students came up with their own examples of each type of sentence. In 2nd grade the students were involved with identifying types of adjectives. In all classes different learning styles are used through singing, music, dancing, movement, visual cues, verbal discussions, and written assignments. Our teachers are also very supportive and encouraging to the students, using statements such as “mirror me with words; oh class, oh yes; if you can hear my voice; magic pencil time; ask a friend to help; tootsie roll, lolly pop; I like the way that x student is doing). With small classes, without exception, every student had the opportunity to participate in classroom discussion and receive feedback from the teacher.
 
We have a lot of things coming up this next month. Here are some updates and upcoming dates to remember:

• Tomorrow, November 4th, the Parent’s Association is sponsoring Muffins for Moms from 7am to 8am (come and go). Mark you calendar for Donuts for Dads which will be on November 11th from 7am to 8am (also come and go).
• Tomorrow, November 4th, from 8am to 3pm (come and go), we are looking for volunteers to help with installing the new playground equipment at the Methodist Church. The church is very generous in allowing us to use the playground and this is a great way to give a little back. Please let the front office know if you are able to come or just stop by.
• Thursday, November 10, we have our annual music performance for our PreK through 3rd grade students.  Come enjoy the program and support our Veterans at the same time. The program starts at 6pm at the Rowe Family Life Center.
• Our Thanksgiving Lunch will be on November 22nd starting at 11:30am. Mark you calendars for what is always a great time of visiting with delicious food. If you see any of our families who have moved away invite them to come join us for lunch.
• We had our annual Oktoberfest fundraiser last week and raised over $4,600. Thank you to all who helped!
• We now have our Parent Portal live. You can see your child’s attendance, grades, missing assignments, and tuition. If you haven’t received an invitation to join the portal, it is because we don’t have your email address. Please see the front office to provide your email. We also will send out important emergency alerts through our new text alert system which is part of the portal. We need your current phone number and provider (e.g., AT&T, US Cellular) to do this.
• Our Parent Association has started, and already has lots of good things planned. All are welcome to the next meeting on November 14th at 6pm at the school. At the last meeting officers were elected. Congratulations to Kelly Bailey, President; Sarah Allbritton, Vice President; and Suzette Wilson, Secretary/Treasurer.  The email address for the association is: [email protected].
• Happy Fall – this is my favorite time of year!

 
 
Warm regards,


Wren Hawthorne
[email protected]
My Blog: http://www.sbridgeacademy.org/mr-hawthornes-blog
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart!
 
 
P.S. We want to make sure we keep our parents informed of all the important things going on. We do this through classroom newsletters, letters from me, our Parent Portal, Facebook, and website, email, and our text alert system. Communication is important to us! If you are missing out on important information, please see me and I will make sure to get you connected.

Dear Stonebridge Community,
 
The Viersen Foundation has gifted Stonebridge Academy with $250,000 to establish the Maralynn Viersen Sant Endowment Fund.  This endowment will help make a difference in the lives of students at Stonebridge for generations. This is a major milestone for the school. Not all schools have endowments, and this puts us in the ranks of those that do. The hope is that we will continue to receive endowment gifts, and build our endowment into a substantial vehicle of financial support for the school.

​Back when Stonebridge Academy was only a dream, Maralynn had faith that Stonebridge Academy would make a difference in the lives of the students in Okmulgee. Thank you seems inadequate for what this means to our students, to our staff, to me, and to our community.  The Viersen Foundation’s generosity is reflected in the faces of our students every day with the joy I see in them as they learn and grow!
 
Yours truly,
 
Wren
 
Wren Hawthorne
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart
My blog: http://www.sbridgeacademy.org/mr-hawthornes-blog

​Hello parents and friends,
 
Here are some upcoming dates to remember:

• The kids had a great time on our Zoo fieldtrip. Thank you all who helped chaperone.
• Students will be out of school starting Wednesday the 19th through Friday the 21st for Fall Break.
• Parent teacher conferences are on Tuesday evening, October 18th from 5pm to 7pm and on Wednesday morning from 9am to 11am. Research shows one of the largest predictors of student success is the partnership between parents and teachers. Please make it a priority to attend your child’s parent teacher conference to help further that collaboration.
• We have our annual Oktoberfest fundraiser on Friday, October 28th. All of the proceeds go into our teacher/staff appreciation fund. Please consider purchasing tickets - which are $60. There are also some great auction items this year. Tickets can be purchased in the front office.
• We now have our Parent Portal live. You can see your child’s attendance, grades, missing assignments, and tuition. If you haven’t received an invitation to join the portal, it is because we don’t have your email address. Please see the front office to provide your email. We also will send out important emergency alerts through our new text alert system. We need your current phone number and provider (e.g., AT&T, US Cellular) to do this.
• We will be having our inaugural Parent Association Meeting on October 24th at 6pm. We would love to see you there.
• Happy Fall – this is my favorite time of year!

 
Warm regards,

Wren Hawthorne
[email protected]
My Blog: http://www.sbridgeacademy.org/mr-hawthornes-blog
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart!
 
 
P.S. We want to make sure we keep our parents informed of all the important things going on. We do this through classroom newsletters, letters from me, our Parent Portal, Facebook, and website, email, and our text alert system. Communication is important to us! If you are missing out on important information, please see me and I will make sure to get you connected.

Hello Parents,

I have two things I would like to let you know about. First is our upcoming fundraiser. Our annual Oktoberfest fundraiser is coming up on Friday, October 28 at 6pm. If you haven't been before it is a nice time with great German food and dessert, German beer, and live music. This is a fundraiser, and all proceeds go into our Teacher/Staff Appreciation Fund. The tickets are $60 and can be purchased at the front desk. Please consider attending the event and help us show our appreciation to our teachers and staff here at Stonebridge. We also will have some great auction items including a three night stay at a great condo in Aspen.

Secondly, we are starting a Stonebridge Parent Association. The first meeting will be October 24th at 6pm. I am attaching a letter and constitution from Shannon Prescott who is helping to get the group started.

Thank you all. Warm regards,


Wren Hawthorne
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart!

​

Congratulations to our September Students of the month! Students of the month for Stonebridge Academy are bottom row from left to right: Ryan Swayze from Mrs. Nowlin''s class; Audrey Weston from Mrs. Alexander's class; Shyann Polk from Mrs. Cashman's class; Caroline Weston from Mrs. Smith's class; Katelyn Sanford from Mrs. Rowan's class; and upper row: Joslyn Stidman from Mrs. Odell's class; Cale Neisius from Mrs. Odell's class, and Ryliegh Pratt from Mrs. Weston's class. 

Dear Parents,
 
Our 3rd grade classes and up will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) this next week starting on Monday, October 10. It is important to make sure your child gets plenty of rest starting Sunday night. We are working with the kids to make sure they try their best on the test to allow us to have an accurate assessment of their strengths as well as needed areas of improvement. You can help us by:
 

• Making sure they get enough sleep
• Encouraging your child to do try their best on the test

 
We will also be rewarding the students with lunch from a local restaurant. The reward is for the students that are observed working to the best of their ability on the test.
 
Lastly, we will have breakfast (sausage biscuits and juice) Monday morning for the students. Be sure to come a few minutes early (anytime after 7:40am) to give them time to have breakfast before class starts.
 
Thank you for your help!

Warm Regards,

Wren Hawthorne
Head of School
Stonebridge Academy
Be Kind, Work Hard, Get Smart
 
P.S. For our 8th grade students this test serves as the basis for evaluating their reading level to meet requirements for their driver’s license.