Hey Panda Family,
This three day weekend comes at a perfect time! As we celebrate Labor Day on Monday, I can't help but be thankful for all the hard work, dedication, and resiliency you have shown to make this start of the year great even through all the challenges our district is facing. Labor Day became an official holiday in the late 1800's to honor the accomplishments of the labor movement and the hardworking American people. You are those people! Enjoy your long weekend! You definitely deserve it! 🎉
Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:
New Updates
Staffing Updates: I have limited updates for this week as our district continues to work through the reduction in force. Earlier this week I received news that our EC allotment was being reduced by half an EC Resource Teacher and by one full-time EC TA. At this time we still don't know which of our EC employees will be impacted by these reductions. When I have this information I will share it in a timely manner. Please continue to take care of each other and keep each other in your thoughts and prayers as we work through all these changes.
September 15: The district has adjusted the school calendar to make September 15 a teacher workday. This decision was made so schools have a day to transition staff that are impacted by the reduction in force. I am still working through all the details for this day to determine which classified staff are supposed to work and what will be required of schools for this day. I will keep you posted. At this time, please plan to work this day.
Math iReady BOY Diagnostic: All 1st - 5th grade students will complete the Math iReady BOY Diagnostic next week.
Picture Day Date Changes: We had to adjust our school picture day dates due to the school calendar changes. Here are the new dates for picture day. Please adjust the dates on your calendar:
- September 29 - Picture Day
- October 29 - Picture Retakes
Paw Forms: Please make sure you are entering all Paw Forms into Educator's Handbook. Try and make it a habit to enter them by the end of each week. Thank you for your help with this!
Active Supervision: I have been super impressed and greatly appreciative of the efforts I have seen throughout the day to provide more active supervision during noninstructional times. Teachers have done a great job spreading out at recess, we are holding the students accountable while the music is on at lunch, and extra staff is going out of their way to help out during arrival and dismissal. Y'all are amazing team players and I greatly appreciate you embracing this supervision effort to reduce the number of incidents throughout the building!
Student Pictures: Homeroom teachers, please make sure to take individual pictures of your students and turn in one copy to Mr. Elkins. Here are the details:
- Hang above the bookbag hook, on the wall outside your classroom, etc.
- If you need help developing the pictures see Ms. True
- Give receipt to Ms. Owens with your name on it to be reimbursed
- Please make 2 copies of each student
- One for you and one for Mr. Elkins
Cafeteria Money: Teachers, if one of your students brings lunch money to put on their account please turn it in ahead of time to the cafeteria (you can send a student with it to the cafeteria right after announcements). You can get a manila envelope out of the supply closet to collect all the lunch money. Please make sure your teacher name is on the manila envelope and there is a note in the envelope of who the money belongs to. This will greatly help the cafeteria staff so they don't have to stop to add lunch money to accounts during the regular lunch hours.
Weekend Backpack Program (from Ms. Landreth): I am beginning to compile my list of students that would benefit from the Weekend Backpack Program. If you know of any students that would benefit from this program, please let me know. These students may tell you they do not have food on the weekend, or they have limited amounts of food. I have a few students from last year that will remain on the list. I would like to have the list by Monday, Sept 8, 2025.
Mrs. Charles Baby Shower: Please join us on September 4 @ 3:30 in the media center to celebrate Mrs. Charles and her baby boy. Here is a link to her registry: Charles Baby Registry
Good News: We have some wonderful news to share! Check out the celebrations below:
- Congratulations to Mrs. Salimeno! Her and her husband are expecting their third child! We are so excited for you!
- Congratulations to Mrs. Honeycutt! She will be featured next week on the Fox8 news as Educator of the Week! She was nominated by one of her parents and she was then selected for this amazing recognition!
- Shoutout to Mrs. Lawson from the 4th grade team! Thanks to Mrs. Lawson for stepping in to offer some temporary coverage for fourth grade out of the goodness of her heart. Thank you for being such an awesome team player!
Previous Updates
NC Check-In & i-Ready Schedules: The testing dates for NC Check-Ins and i-Ready Diagnostics are linked below. These dates have also been added to the Event Calendar.
Fire Marshall Inspection: Our Fall inspection will happen any day now. Please ensure we are following the procedures below.
- No rugs at back doors
- If you have an extra desk in the hallway, please bring it inside your room until AFTER the fire inspection
- No Plug-ins
- Keep exit doors/ windows unblocked. (5 ft)
- No more than ½ the room covered
- 2 full blocks from the ceiling
My Favorite Things: Please make sure you have completed the "My Favorite Things" survey. We share the survey results with PTA and parents for teacher/staff appreciation ideas. Here is a link to the survey: My Favorite Things
Student Videos: Please make sure you have watched the R.I.D.E.S. video and completed the Code of Conduct lessons by Aug. 29. The sign-off for the bus videos is on the door across from Ms. Gardner's office.
Follow-Up from Staff Meeting: Here are links to the items referenced in this month's staff meeting.
Join PTA: If you haven't done so already, please make sure you join PTA to show your support. They do so much for our school. Here is the link to join: Join PTA
Guidance Lessons (from Ms. Ceglowski): I'm excited to get started visiting classrooms for Guidance Lessons. If you haven't already, please sign up using this link.
Opening Staff Meeting Link: Here is the link to the Opening Staff Meeting slides. Please reference these slides for all beginning of the year information: Opening Staff Meeting 2025
PGE Substitute List: Here is the updated list - PGE Substitute List.
District Substitute List: Here is the updated list - District Substitute List
WS/FCS Interpreter Services: If you need a district interpreter, here is the link to request one. REQUEST FOR INTERPRETATION SERVICES LINK
IEP Minutes Document: Teachers will continue to take minutes during IEP meetings.
- Please delete verbs and suggested phrases from the document at the end of the meeting.
- Here is a link to the document: IEP Minutes Template
Upcoming Dates:
Sept. 1 - Labor Day- No school for staff or students
Sept. 2-5 - i-Ready Math Diagnostic - Grades 1-5
Sept. 2 - PBIS meeting @ 3:30 - Coleman's classroom
Sept. 2 - MTAC meeting @ 3:30 - Media Center
Sept. 2 - PTA meeting @ 6:00 - Media center
Sept. 3 - Elkins off campus @ Principal meeting - all day
Sept. 3 - Owens off campus - PM
Sept. 4 - Elkins off campus until 11:00 (Doctor's Appointment)
Sept. 4 - Charles baby shower @ 3:30 - Media center
Sept. 5 - Evacuation drill @ 2:30 - inside to outside field
Sept. 8-12 - i-Ready: BOY- Reading- Grades 1-5
Sept. 8 - Elkins off campus
Sept. 9 - SIT @ 3:30 - Media center
Sept. 10 - Mclass BOY window closes
Sept. 12 - Progress Reports go home
Sept. 12 - 3rd grade - Museum of Anthropology (at Piney Grove)
8:30-10:00 - Bullins, Coleman, Edwards
10:10-11:40 - Floyd, Gant, Mabe
Sept. 12 - 4th & 5th grades: WS Symphony Brass Ensemble @ 10:15
Sept. 15 - Work day - No students
Sept. 16 - Lockdown drill @ 9:30
Sept. 16 - Staff meeting @ 3:30
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