Week of 9/30 - 10/4

Hey Panda Family,

Over halfway done with 1st quarter! Week 6 is complete! 😊

PowerSchool Learning Page: Thank you to all for working so hard at Thursday's training on your PSL Teacher page. I am currently working on creating a main school page to share with all our parents. Please make sure you have completed at least a "Welcome Page" and shared it with your parents by this Friday, October 11. If you would also please share it with myself and Ms. Gardner as well. To add us as a co-teacher click on Manage Class, Edit Roster, Teachers tab, then add us as a Teacher. If you need help sharing your page with your parents or us, please don't hesitate to reach out to Ms. Medley or one of your grade level teammates for help. 

Discretionary Funds: Please look for an email from me soon with the specific total of discretionary funds for your grade level to use on instructional materials this school year. 

PTA Spirit Night: Monday, October 7 is PTA Spirit Night at Ledo's Pizza. Hope you will join us! 

Panorama Survey: Make sure you take the staff Panorama survey. The access code is 494staff. Click on this link: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/winstonsalem/login

Field Trip Calendar: Our Master Field Trip calendar is filling up fast! Remember, each grade level is allowed 4 trips per year or 1 per quarter.  Try to avoid Fridays.  All trips requests for the year should be in to Gardner before Winter break.  See the FT calendar across from Gardner’s office for open dates.

Field Trips for Gardner & Elkins: Thank you to those grade levels that have already let us know which field trip you would like for us to attend with you this year. Remember, we both want to attend at least one field trip with each grade level this year. If you haven't already, please have a grade level representative reach out to schedule this. 

Positive Contact: Please make sure you are making those positive parent contacts. It could be a phone call, text, Dojo message, or in-person contact. Fill that bucket :) Each teacher should make a positive contact for each student and complete their log sheet by the end of the quarter, October 25. When you have completed your positive log sheet please turn it in to my box. 

Sidewalk Chalk: Please remind students that chalk should only be used on the sidewalk, not the building.

Fire Marshal Inspection: Our Fire Inspector visited us on Wednesday.  We do have a few things that need to be fixed.  More information to come.

Drills: This month, we will have both Tornado and Earthquake drills along with our monthly fire drill.  Please practice both new drills with your students next week. The Tornado & Earthquake drill will take place right after announcements on Monday, October 21.   

Peek of the Week: Don't forget to send Deana pictures throughout each week for our Facebook Peek of the Week post. Her cell number is 336-407-2197.  

PTA Membership: We encourage you to join PTA. It is only $5 and they do so much for our school. Including the funds for each classroom. Membership forms are in the front office. 

Staff Spotlight: Congratulations to Ms. Finley & Ms. Medley for winning the Scholastic Patterson Partnership grant. Check out the pic that shows some of the books Ms. Medley was able to purchase! 

Teacher Tuesday Spotlight: Our school Facebook page is highlighting a teacher each week (thanks for organizing this Ms. Jones)! Our spotlight this past week was Ms. Fischer. Check it out! 

Field Trip Calendar: There’s a master field trip calendar list on the closet door across from Gardner’s office. This is for your information when planning trips. Please do not write on the calendar. This will allow grade levels to see what days already have trips so you avoid those dates. 

Lesson Plans: Friendly reminder that Lesson Plans should be posted to the PowerSchool Wiki the first day of each week by 8:00am.

IF Updates

Early Release Day: Early Release day is this Wednesday, October 9. We plan to start promptly at 1:30 in the Media Center for all staff. Our training will last two hours. Please plan to bring a charged device and a pair of earbuds/headphones with you!  

Panda Partner: Here is a note from Sara French: PGE staff, I am Sara French and I am your Panda Partner Coordinator at Piney Grove.  I know that some of you are familiar with me and the program, but in case you aren't aware I wanted to let you know about this wonderful program offered at Piney Grove.  Panda Partners was a program that was put in place several years ago to provide children who might need a little more help in certain areas with that one on one support.  Our program is volunteer based and can assist with help in reading, math, and/or mentoring.  Volunteers will come in 1-4 times a month and assist children in areas that the teacher identifies and then I can match them with up with a volunteer.  A green referral form has been placed in your box. Please complete and return to Jayne Grubbs. The next step will be to send a permission slip to the parents, and then final step is matching them up.  Also, please know that we can get referrals all year.  Please feel free to add any child throughout the year or contact me if a volunteer does not work out for any reason.  Please feel free to contact me about anything.  I look forward to helping the you all and most importantly the children.  Sincerely,  Sara French

Upcoming Dates:

October 7 - PTA Spirit Night at Ledo's Pizza
October 8 - Vision Screening (1st, 3rd, & 5th grades only)
October 8 - SIT @ 3:30
October 9 - Early Release Day - PD from 1:30 - 3:30
October 10 - FCAE Meeting in Ms. Ball's room @ 3:30
October 11 - PTA Breakfast cart
October 11 - PowerSchool Learning Pages due
October 14-18 - Book Fair
October 14 - PTA Meeting @ 6:30
October 15 - Elkins @ Principal's Meeting from 8-12
October 15 - Staff Meeting @ 3:30
October 18 - Science NC Check-In
October 18 - Read to Achieve Test
October 21 - Tornado & Earthquake drill @ 8:30

October 22 - Math NC Check-In
October 22 - SCC & Media Committees meet @ 3:30

October 23 - ELA NC Check-In (4th & 5th only)

October 25 - Positive Parent Log Sheet due to Elkins

October 25 - End of the 1st Quarter
October 28 - Teacher Workday (Reserved for Schools)
October 29 - Teacher Workday (Reserved for Central Office)
November 1 - Duke Energy Program @ 1:15 & 2:00

In our top picture, Olivia is welcoming Cleo (our new bearded dragon) to the Panda family! In the comments section below, share with us what is the wildest or neatest animal that you have ever seen or held :) Have a great weekend!