Hey Panda Family,
Thank you for another great week and participating in our color days! Y'all have done an amazing job teaching procedures and expectations with your students. Almost all of our students are walking into school independently and following our PAWS Laws. Thank you for your hard work to make this happen! I have also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the learning that is already taking place in your classrooms. Keep up the amazing work! Have a wonderful weekend 🐼
Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:
New Updates
Ashley Espinoza: Please join me in welcoming Ms. Ashley Espinoza to the Piney Grove family. Ms. Espinoza will be our new Social Worker. She will begin next week! When she has an established school system email I will share that with everyone. She will be split between us and Hall-Woodward Elementary.
Beginning of Grade Test for 3rd grade: All 3rd grade students will take the BOG3 test on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. See Test Plan HERE.
Fire Safety Newsletter: Please make sure you read over the fire safety newsletter that Ms. Gardner reviewed in our staff meeting this past week. The Fire Marshal will be coming during the month of September. Here is a link to the newsletter: Fire Safety Newsletter
Join PTA: If you haven't done so already, please make sure you join PTA to show your support. It is really important to me that they know how much we appreciate them, and this is one simple way to do just that. Here is the link to join: Join PTA
Water Bottles: We all know kids can be hard on their belongings. This is just a suggestion - in an effort to help their free PGE water bottle last longer and not get lost, feel free to consider letting students leave it at school during the week. They can take it home on the weekend to get cleaned. This may help their free water bottle last longer if they are not bringing it back and forth from school each day. Just something to consider to offer your families.
Guidance Updates (from Ms. Ceglowski): Please see the updates below from Ms. Ceglowski.
- Good Citizens 2026-27
- August Character Trait is Polite Panda
- August GC name due by 8/26 (We are always going to try to do the last Wednesday of the month so that we can make the announcement and take the picture on Thursday. This is because the Media Center is free first period on Thursdays. Thanks for your help with this!)
- CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE SPREADSHEET
- Good Citizen student gets a panda key chain and a coin for the book machine. I will place the panda key chain in your box, and you can grab the coin from the vault when the student is ready to get a book from the machine.
Spanish Cheat Sheet: Ms. Howard has created a Spanish Cheat Sheet for Teachers if you have any students that primarily speak Spanish. This cheat sheet will provide you with common phrases in Spanish that may help you as you work to connect with these students. Here is a larger copy - Spanish Cheat Sheet. If you want to print a copy of this in color please just let Ms. Owens or Ms. True know. Thank you, Ms. Howard, for sharing this!
PBIS Update: Instead of having a whole school assembly on August 28 to kick off the school year, the PBIS team will create a video explaining the events and other reminders. The video will be ready by Friday, September 4.
Dibels/Mclass Score Levels: Please see this document for the updated score levels for Dibels -
Paw Forms: Please make sure you are entering Paw Forms into Educator's Handbook weekly. This data helps us track behavior trends throughout the building. Thanks!
Shoe Drive: The 5th Grade is holding a shoe drive to help raise funds for their Williamsburg field trip. See all the details below.
- What: Help us raise funds by donating gently worn, used and new shoes! Be sure to ask, friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to donate too! Collected shoes not only help support us, but they will be reused and given a second life by those in need through #microenterprise. It's a WIN-WIN!
- Why: To help 5th grade pay for students in financial need, to go on the Williamsburg field trip. We are hoping to raise enough funds to pay for 4 students (over $1200)
- How: You can help by gently reminding students to bring in any old shoes they may have at their home. Post a flyer on your Dojo. Check your home for any shoes that could be donated.
- Where: Shoes should be placed in the designated box in the front
- When: Now through October 9th.
Shoutouts: From Ms. Corlett - to Mrs. Harman who came in during her planning to help me print Clever badges to let her kiddies gain access (I had no idea I needed to print Clever Badges). To Mrs. Mathis and Mrs. Ballou who helped me with a sad panda the first week of school 🙂 To Mrs. Epperley for helping me with charging station and chrome books/chargers. Shout out to all 2nd grade teachers, especially Mrs. Rempe, for guiding me and keeping me straight the first few weeks of second grade. You are all so amazing!!!!
From Ms. True - Thank you so much for your help with paper rosters-it's over!!!!! Great Job! I'M SO PROUD!
Happy Birthday: Please join me in celebrating our birthdays for the month of August 🎂
- August 4 - Happy Birthday to Tammy Barnes!
- August 8 - Happy Birthday to Vickie Howell!
- August 10 - Happy Birthday to Jennifer Mathis!
- August 16 - Happy Birthday to Mollie Floyd!
- August 18 - Happy Birthday to Kirsten Bullins!
- August 18 - Happy Birthday to Eileen Corlett!
- August 20 - Happy Birthday to Kristie Idol!
- August 22 - Happy Birthday to Kayla Coleman!
- August 22 - Happy Birthday to Emily Kirk!
- August 28 - Happy Birthday to Heather Pereda!
- August 28 - Happy Birthday to Jessica Bowman!
Previous Updates
Pandagrams: Just a friendly reminder that all students should receive a Pandagram before the end of the quarter. Thank you to everyone who has already begun their positive communication home to start the year!
Picture of Students (Homeroom Teachers): I would like an individual picture of each of your students for the PLT room. Please have them developed and turn in a class set to Mr. Elkins. You can give Ms. Owens your receipt and she will reimburse you. Thank you!
NCEES Observations (Certified Staff): I have entered all the observation plans in NCEES. You should be able to go in now and complete your Self-Assessment. I made some adjustments to the Observation Calendar. Please click on the link to see if Elkins or Gardner is your observer this year. 2026-2027 Observation Calendar. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Test Training (all staff): All staff will need to complete test training for the 2026-2027 school year by September 25 except for third grade, Pereda, and Landis. Please print the certificates when done and give them to Ms. Gardner.
- Log into the Training page: https://center.ncsu.edu/training
- 2026-27 Testing Security Protocol and Procedures for School Personnel Training Course
- 2026-27 Online Test Administrations—Policies and Procedures Training Course
Guidance Updates (from Ms. Ceglowski): Please see the updates below from Ms. Ceglowski.
- Referring a student to Ceglowski.
- Please us this FORM to make referrals. Please use this form even if we have discussed the student in person, by text, or email. It will help me keep track and keep me honest! Last year I got 15 referrals through the form, and I am positive I saw way more than 15 students. ;)
- Classroom Guidance
- Please use this LINK to sign up for a classroom guidance lesson. I have added Thursdays so you can book, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday. Please note that I am the backup sub for the Discovery Den and may need to change a booking due to coverage needs.
Digital Progress Reports & Report Cards (from District): Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, WS/FCS will transition to providing digital access for student report cards and progress reports. This initiative aligns our practices with peer districts of similar size across the state while ensuring families have ongoing, year-round access to their child’s academic records through Infinite Campus. Read the full memo here.
Yearbook (from Ms. Bullins): I will be taking over the yearbook this year. I will be collecting pictures throughout the year to help make our yearbook special. Please send pictures from your classroom to me by email or upload them directly to your grade-level folder on Google Drive. I will be sharing a Google Drive folder with each grade level where you can upload your class pictures as well as any other pictures you'd like. Please make sure a class picture is uploaded or emailed to me by October 30. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a text (336-894-3162) or email. Thank you for all of your help!
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 2026
PBIS Refresher: Here is a link to the PBIS Refresher with helpful information for setting those expectations: PBIS Refresher (please read!)
PGE Events Calendar: Please bookmark this link with all the important dates for the year. We will add to this calendar throughout the year: PGE Events Calendar 2026-2027
PGE Staff Information: Please complete this form so we have the most up-to-date information for you: PGE Staff Information Form
Paw Form Consequences: Here is the list of acceptable and unacceptable classroom consequences if a student gets a Paw Form. We will continue to add to this list, and I will be communicating these changes to parents soon. Here is the list: Paw Form Consequences
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:
August 25 - 3rd Grade BOG Reading Test
September 1 - PBIS & MTAC @ 3:30
September 2 - Elkins @ Principal's Meeting
September 3 - Gardner @ IF Meeting
September 4 - Gardner @ AP Meeting
September 4 - DIBELS BOY window closes
September 4 - Evacuation Drill @ 2:10
September 7 - No School (Labor Day)
September 8 - SIT @ 3:30
September 10 - Lockdown @ 9:30
September 11 - Progress Reports for 1st Quarter
September 15 - Staff Meeting @ 3:30 (Staff Picture)
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