STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

 

STUDENT COUNCIL

Cottage Grove fifth grade students elect a student council representative from each class at the beginning of the school year.  Student council representatives meet each month to plan “Student Council Spirit Days” among other things.  During Student council spirit days, students will be encouraged to join in the fun by dressing up for a special theme on a selected day at school.

Student Council members promote the Pennies for Playground Drive.  Contributions to this fundraising effort went toward new playground equipment at Taylor Prairie School.  They also worked with PTO to plan School Fun Nights.  This year they featured Karaoke at the Hawaiian Fun Night.  In the spring, they organized an African Celebration dance as a fundraiser for the children of Mali, Africa.  In May, they helped welcome the 2nd grade students to Cottage Grove School, on Welcome Night.

 

COTTAGE GROVE CHESS CLUB

Chess club meets on Friday's, during lunch recess.  Volunteers provide instruction and supervision.  Bring a friend or find a partner to learn the game or participate in a match.  See you there!

 

GROVE GAMES

On the last half-day of school, all students participate in noncompetitive physical activities for which they have prepared for during their physical education classes. 

                                           

 

 

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART

 

Each year, our students in grades 3-5 participate in "Jump Rope For Heart" to raise money for the American Heart Association.  Students prepare by participating in a jump rope unit prior to the event.  The event takes place during the school day.  Our students have raised tens of thousands of dollars for the American Heart Association, with the leadership of the Physical Education Teachers.  Last year we were honored as one of the top ten schools in Wisconsin.

 

     

 

COTTAGE GROVE GIVING TREE

 

Each year, Cottage Grove School "adopts" a needy family (or families) as the holiday season approaches.  The needs and wishes of these families are noted in envelopes on a hall display.  Any Cottage Grove student and his/her family are welcome to participate in our "Adopt-A-Family Giving Trees" program.

 

 

NATIONAL GEO-BEE

Each year, students in fourth and fifth grade have the opportunity to participate in the National Geographic Geography Bee.  There are seven preliminary rounds in the competition with questions ranging from physical features of the land to world geography.  Finally, there is a school-level competition between top grade-level performers.

 

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS

Students in fourth and fifth grade have the option of participating in the annual “Battle of the Books” competition.  Students who choose to participate make up their own four person teams.  Team names and photos are displayed on bulletin boards.  Each group must read a list of 25 chosen books (titles chosen for high quality and motivation) over the course of the two-month program.  At the end of the contest, teams are brought together for a pizza lunch and “Battle of the Books” quiz.

 

FAMILY FUN NIGHTS

Cottage Grove School, student council, and the P.T.O. organize “Family Fun Nights” through out the year.  This includes all family members and children.  Children must be accompanied with an adult to enter.  Our evening includes special events related to a theme, music for dancing provided by Prime Time D.J., refreshments, door prizes, and lots of fun!

 

 

COTTAGE GROVE SCHOOL STORE

 

Our school store opens in the fall and provides fifth grade students with the opportunity to learn about a very small business.  Students set up the store each Friday, act as sales clerks and cashiers, and create advertisements for the store.  Items range in price from .25 to $1.50.  All students may purchase items and may spend no more than $3.00 each week.

                       

 

FIDDLING CLUB

 

At Cottage Grove School, fifth grade fiddling class begins in October of each school year, and fourth grade fiddling class begins in February.  Students learn American, English, Irish, and Scottish fiddle tunes primarily.  "Cripple Creek", "Bible Them Cabbage Down" and "Old Joe Clark" are traditional beginning tunes.  Fifth graders take off in many different directions, depending on where tastes lie.  There are various performing opportunities available, including a stint in the lunchroom for the entire school at the end of the year.   

 

 

HALL PATROL

 

Cottage Grove School benefits from the fourth grade student volunteers as hall patrol members.  Fourth grade students have the opportunity to sign up for hall patrol in the fall or individuals can ask to join throughout the year.  Responsibilities of hall patrol members include: getting students to their area with out delay and helping students to remain quiet in the hallway while passing other classrooms.

 

 

SPELLING BEE

 

Each year, near the end of January to mid February the fifth graders at Cottage Grove School are invited to participate in the district –wide Spelling Bee.  Students are encouraged to practice a study–word–packet that is available to those who are interested in them.  Each teacher reviews the ‘official’ spelling bee guidelines and classrooms practice the format several times before holding their own final bee.  Every classroom identifies a winner and an alternate who attends if the finalist becomes unable to attend.

On the day of the District Spelling Bee, Cottage Grove fifth grade finalists compete against other fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students at the Monona Community Center.  This is a half-day event in which a district finalist is determined.  That student goes on to represent the Monona Grove School District at the regional level.

 

 

SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS

 

Cottage Grove School students are involved in a number of service learning projects.  The purpose is to build a bridge between school children, the community and provide help for others. 

Cottage Grove third graders save (and count) the pop-tops from aluminum cans as a fund-raiser for the Ronald McDonald House in Madison and, in the spring, take a field trip to deliver them.  They also hold an annual food drive for the Cottage Grove Food Pantry and creatively illustrate grocery bags to be used in our grocery store on Earth Day.  They also create cards and deliver them to the Veterans Hospital.  Some classes have planted spring bulbs to beautify our campus.  During the holidays, many students and teachers visit the Harbor Suites, a home for seniors in Cottage Grove, and present them with songs, greeting cards, May Baskets, and other art projects.  They have held a bake sale to raise money for the EMS Department to support the EMS “Teddy Bears for Children” in emergency situations.

Fourth grade students planted several trees and learned how to care for them.  Area 6 Special Olympics, along with a few teachers, ask fourth grade students to volunteer their time and effort to organize a track and field event.  The event takes place at Cottage Grove School and includes nine events.

Some fifth grade classrooms are trained to act as Norman Vethe School Forest tour guides for the district first and second graders.  Each year, fifth grade students visit Upham Woods as part of the curriculum.  This past year our Student Council, as well as individual fifth grade classrooms, has been active in relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.