SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDATIONS Capacity Utilization Arlington Public Schools December 3, 2009.
11 Superintendent’s State of the schools address · 2016-12-17 · Mark Your Calendars October 11...
Transcript of 11 Superintendent’s State of the schools address · 2016-12-17 · Mark Your Calendars October 11...
Mark Your Calendars
October 11 – 17 – bookfair 14 – Superintendent’s State of the schools address – 6:00 17 – Spooktacular – 6:00 21 – SAC - 6:30 24 – Parent information evening-6:00 25 – Teacher planning day 31 – Report cards 31 – Literacy Parade November 4 – PTO – 8:30 11 – veterans day 15 – boosterthon fun run 27-29 – thanksgiving break
Core Values, Vision, Mission
Where Children Excel
We are Lighting the Way to Leadership
A Franklin Covey “Leader in Me School”
OUR CORE VALUES
We believe that:
* The Character Counts Pillars of Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring
and Citizenship are essential qualities to model and instill in our students.
* The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are the foundation for developing leaders.
* All individuals are valuable and can make meaningful contributions.
* A caring and compassionate learning environment will support the needs of the whole child
and inspire all to reach their full potential.
* Leaders are life-long learners.
OUR VISION IS TO: Be a school
Where Children Excel by developing strong character and a passion for lifelong learning.
OUR MISSION IS TO: Engage learners to Excel in life and Embrace Leadership to Enhance
our Local and global society.
The 7 Habits of happy kids
1. Be Proactive – I am in charge!
2. Begin with the end in mind – Have a plan!
3. Put first things first – Work first, then play!
4. Think win/win – There’s plenty for all!
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – Listen before you speak!
6. Synergize – Together is better!
7. Sharpen the saw – Balance feels best! BONUS:
8. Find your voice, and inspire others to find theirs – I’m on a mission!
The Principal’s Pen In these few short weeks, we have already accomplished so much!
In the area of safety, we have practiced several drills, developed
classroom cultures with student-written mission statements, held
widely attended Curriculum Chats, and enjoyed our schoolwide
PTO-sponsored Tailgate Party! I am so amazed and impressed with
how well our students, parents, teachers, and staff have acclimated
and settled in to the new year.
There are many big topics in education and Common Core is
certainly the buzz right now. As our curriculum shifts to these new
standards, we are seeing students think more deeply, explain their
reasoning, write across all content areas, and read a wide variety of
complex text. These changes are geared to help our students
prepare for the real world application of skills. We appreciate the
partnership we have with our parents and thank you for your efforts
to support the educational program. To help at home, you can ask
your children "why" questions in lieu of the typical "whats". Have your
children give answers to you with supporting evidence and facts
and ask them to give you reasons for their thinking. Encourage your
children to explain and discuss real life challenges that occur in the
home, neighborhood, and community and to brainstorm possible
solutions. Have your children compare how things are both alikeand
different including books, movies, food, etc. Have your children look
for patterns, describe and categorize, and encourage and
celebrate opinions, as well as proactive thinking and problem
solving. The single most important habit a student can develop is
reading daily! As students acquire a love for reading, they develop
all the skills necessary to be supremely successful in life! I continue to
look forward to all that our children will accomplish this year!
We are having a parent information evening on October 24th to
discuss important issues including Common Core, Report Cards,
FCAT, MAGIC, School Improvement Plan, School Grading system,
and The Leader in Me. More information will be coming home soon.
We hope you will plan to attend!
Guidance I would like to thank the Wards Creek faculty, staff, and parents for the warm welcome I
have received as the new Warrior Guidance Counselor. The guidance website has been
updated with helpful links for parents. The GIFTED SCREENING/EVALUATION
timelines have been posted, along with a link to community resources that are available
in St. Johns County. Please visit the website at:
http://www-wce.stjohns.k12.fl.us/guidance/
Why Elementary School Counselors?
Elementary school years set the tone for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills
necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. Through a
comprehensive developmental school counseling program, school counselors work as a
team with the school staff, parents and the community to create a caring climate and
atmosphere. By providing education, prevention, early identification and intervention,
school counselors can help all children achieve academic success.
At Wards Creek Elementary, two social skills group have been formed to assist students in
being successful academically and socially. I have also started several lunch bunch groups
that meet on Thursdays.
Please feel free to contact me with any guidance related questions at (904)547-8743 or I
can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]
Leanne Adolf
School Counselor
Clinic News School is back in session!
As all parents know, that means sniffles, sneezes and potential exposure to lice. Listed below are
some tips on lice and lice prevention. Also, please remember that St. Johns County has a “lice and nit
free” policy. If your child is found to have lice
or nits, you will immediately be contacted to pick your child up from school. Once treated, your
child may return to school, lice and nit free, the next day. After treatment, please bring your child to
the clinic to be checked. A parent must accompany the child to the school for this (7:30 a.m. or
after). Please do not send your child in on the bus, as you may have to take your child home if any
lice or nits are found.
PREVENTION
Head lice can be picked up anywhere in the community if there is direct contact with an infested
person or their combs, brushes, hats, hair ribbons, scarves, etc. Shared pillowcases or towels can
also be a source. Check your children frequently. Be aware of who their playmates are, whose
homes they visit and who visits your home. Remember, anyone can get lice.
Check the head for lice and nits. Lice are about the size of a sesame seed, have six legs, and are tan to grayish-white. Nits are tiny white specs that are attached to individual hair shafts. They resemble dandruff, but unlike dandruff, they are extremely difficult to remove.
Ordinary shampoo will not kill lice or nits. You should routinely check your child’s head at least once per week. Check the heads of
all other children in your family and be sure they are not infested. Head lice pass from one child to another when they touch heads, share hats, scarves, combs,
etc. Caution your child or children to avoid touching heads, sharing combs, hats, etc. Head lice are most commonly found on the scalp behind the ears and the neckline at the
back of the neck.
The best method of controlling an outbreak of head lice in school is regularly checking your
child’s hair at home. If you find the presence of lice or nits, TREAT IMMEDIATELY! Before
one family member is treated, all should be examined. Those showing evidence of infestation
should be treated at the same time. Individual treatment is a two step process involving the use of a
product such as a commercial pediculicide shampoo and a comb made especially for nit removal.
Cold and Flu Season
Flu season runs November – April, however it can start as early as October and continue as late as
May, with a peak time during January and February. Readily spread when people are indoors, cold
and flu viruses are often passed along from person to person and surface to surface in the
workplace and at school. According to the CDC, people are most contagious during the first 2-3 days
of contracting a cold and almost immediately and for about 5 days thereafter after being infected
with the flu – even before symptoms develop. However, there are many actions you can take to
prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses.
o Wash Your Hands for at least 15-20 seconds with soap many times a day or sanitize with an alcohol-gel hand sanitizer, especially following contact with potentially contaminated surfaces such as the hands and faces of others (including shaking hands and hugging), door handles and light switches and countertops.
o Following washing, turn off the faucet with a paper towel o Dry your hands with an air dryer or a clean paper towel o Use a paper towel to open the bathroom door and dispose of paper towel in a trash bin outside
of door o Use a hand sanitizer between washing o Avoid touching your face, eyes, or rubbing your nose o Clean shared items such as phones, keyboards, handles and door knobs with alcohol wipes
or other sanitizer- type wipes o Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold or flu o Sneeze and cough into a tissue, throw the tissue away, and then wash your hands. If you
don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand
o Drink plenty of fluids, but do not share drinking cups or straws o Eat healthy foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables o Don’t smoke and decrease alcohol consumption o Relax – stress can decrease immunity o Avoid contact with known allergens - allergies affecting the nose or throat may increase the
chances of getting a cold or flu
Prevention Myths According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases there are some common
myths about preventing and treating colds and flu.
Myth 1: Take antibiotics
Fact: Antibiotics only act on bacterial infections, and they do not work against viruses, including
cold and flu viruses
Myth 2: Starve a cold and feed a fever/flu
Fact: There is no conclusive evidence for withholding or increasing food or drink intake to reduce
the symptoms or duration of a cold. The body needs adequate nutrition and fluids, especially during
stress, to maintain body functions.
Myth 3: Vaccines prevent colds
Fact: Vaccines only work against the specific type of influenza virus for which it was designed and
there are no effective universal vaccines against the common cold viruses.
Myth 4: Take Vitamin C to prevent or stop colds
Fact: Vitamin C trials have shown encouraging results for reducing some cold symptoms and
reducing the duration of illness; however, it hasn’t been proven to cure or prevent infection.
Myth 5: Dress warmly or you’ll catch a cold.
Fact: While it’s important to keep warm, colds are spread person-to-person or from contact with a
contaminated surface.
Wash your hands! The single best thing you can do to prevent cold and flu.
Treating a Cold or Flu
If you do get sick, stay at home if you can Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water or juices – between 9-13 cups per day De-stress and avoid strenuous activity – physical, emotional, or mental stress can be major
drains on the immune system Get plenty of rest – most people need seven to nine hours of sleep each night Drink green tea or ginger tea each stimulate the immune system to fight off infections Ask your doctor about over the counter drugs which may alleviate symptoms
Extended Day
We are pleased to announce that we have opened a fourth class in Extended Day and we are currently taking registrations. The Extended Day Enrichment Program is a community service available here at Wards Creek. We offer a safe and secure environment to our Warrior families before and after school. We have a good variety of fun activities for the children to
participate in everyday. These activities range from arts & crafts, computer games, wii, board games, sports, and outside play. If you have any questions please contact: Casie Messenger (904)547-8750 or [email protected]
From the Media Center
The Scholastic Book Fair will be in our library on Friday, October 11 through
Thursday, October 17. We hope that you can visit the book fair with your
student during the Spooktacular event on Thursday,
October 11 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. or during the
school week of the fair. The book fair will open
each morning at 9:20 a.m. and close at 2:20 p.m.
(1:20 on Wednesday).
Odyssey of the Mind Congratulations New Odyssey Warriors!
We are pleased to announce our Odyssey Warrior Teams for the 2013-2014 Tournament Season!!!
Problem 1: Drivers Test Coached by Mrs. McGlasson/Mrs. Hadsell Amber McGlasson Piper Hadsell David Dinenna Gavin Dinenna Trey Leeber Nicholas Adamec Alex Adamec Problem 2: It’s How You Look at It Coached by Miss Clubb/Mrs. Kotsis Jordan Kotsis Dawson Therre Ava Haymes-Maree Claire Calleremi Jonathan Karneol Grace Shields
Emma Lasswell Problem 3: It’s How We Rule Coached by Mrs. Capezzera/Mrs. Carns Sydney Carns Anna Capezzera Emma Witmeier Nicholas O'Leary Lauren Martell Cassie Smith Gavin Downs Problem 4: The Stackable Structure Coached by Mrs. Hjort Astrid Hjort Declan McCarthy Carlee Cashwell Ammon Sanchez
Carson Reynolds Tommy Klein Kirsten Villarreal Problem 5: Seeing is Believing Coached by Miss Boardway/Mrs. Glynn Connor Webster Bruno Degaudenzi Hannah Darnell Jacey Cable Sohum Shinkre Lindsey Mize Selah Johnson
What we’ve Been Up to: Teams have been hard at work analyzing their problems and are in the beginning stages of planning their performances. We will be representing Wards Creek at the first Team Skillshop in Jacksonville on October 19th! Spontaneous Problem of the Month: OotM stands for Odyssey of the Mind. Name other groups which could have the initials OotM, and what the group is for. Ex: Often on the Mend; a group of clumsy people. Creatively Yours, Mrs. Amanda Zikos
PTO News
Food Pantry Announcing the Opening of Our Lady of Good Counsel Food Pantry
Location: 5950 SR 16, St. Augustine, Fl 32092 Dates: Saturday, Oct. 12, Nov.16th, and Dec. 14th
Time: 10:00am till 12:00pm
Open to residents of Zip Codes 32092 &32095 Please bring SS card for children under 18, Adults must bring a photo ID and current
Utility Bill to verify address
Help for Homeless families
Are you living in a shelter, motel, vehicle, or campground; on the street; in abandoned
buildings; or living with friends or relatives to to an economic hardship, are you a teenager and
living independently or with someone other than a parent or legal guardian; then you may be
eligible to receive services provided under the McKinney-Vento Act. Contact your school
Computer Operator or your local Homeless Liaison-Mr. Chris Stone @ 547-7589 for more
details. You may also visit: http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/depts/student/homeless/
Ancient city kids day Attention Parents! Looking for something fun to do with your kids that doesn’t cost a lot of money? Then the
18th Annual Ancient City Kids Day is for you! Ancient City Kids Day will be held on Saturday, October 26,
2013 from 11am-3pm at Francis Field on Castillo Drive. This event, coordinated by local agencies, is a day of
fun-filled activities for children and families. The event is free for the public, and will include over 40 youth
service agencies offering carnival style games and activities, arts and crafts, contests for the kids and free
entertainment all day plus Smokey the Bear. No child will leave empty-handed as t-shirts, prizes or goodies
are given out all day. Educational information on resources in our community is available for parents. The
only cost to the public will be for food or drinks. Ancient City Kids Day has grown to be one of St. Augustine’s
biggest youth activities, and is a popular event for the whole family. Last year’s event brought approximately
3,000 people out for the fun.
Please Join Us for the Planning Meeting of a new Parent Support Group!!
October 22,2013 at 6:30PM
This is your chance to help form a support group, so bring your ideas, thoughts, hopes and concerns and Let’s Talk!
We will provide some snacks/ refreshments.
SJC youth basketball league Do you have a son or daughter between the ages of 7 and 14 who just can't stop bouncing that basketball? The SJC Youth
Basketball League is here! Registration starts on Oct. 1st and will end on tryouts, Nov. 2nd. All players make a team so
sign your child up for only $25! Visit sjcfl.us/youth for more info.