Simonton Parent Newsletter
Friday, February 5, 2021
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
A Message from Ms. Perkins:
This week is Counselor Appreciation Week and we have spent it celebrating our Simonton ES counselors Mrs. Lewis and Dr. Lopez. We are so thankful to have such wonderful counselors who take care of our students, staff and school community. If you have not had the opportunity to do so, please send them a note of appreciation.
Please take a moment to sign up for a conference with your child's teacher. This is a great time to check in and see how your child is progressing. Your child's teacher will share their current grades, reading level and their progress in writing. Go to the school website our the teacher's eCLASS course page to sign up for a time that is convenient for you.
The RBES Parent survey will be sent through SchoolMessenger on Monday, February 8, 2021. I encourage you to complete the survey. Your thoughts and feedback on how we can continue to improve as a school and school district are very important to us.
There will be no school for in-person or digital learners on Friday, February 12, 2021 and Monday, February 15, 2021. The school building will be closed both days. Students will return for instruction on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Due to parent conferences students will be dismissed at 12:15 pm on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 and Thursday, February 18, 2021. Please be sure arrangements are made for students to be picked up on time and that someone is at the bus stop to greet students. Send a signed note to school if your child needs to go home a different way. The Simonton ES Afternoon Transportation form is on the school website if you need a copy.
Have a wonderful and safe weekend!
100th Day of School
Using a 100 chart
Making a C with 100 coins
Stringing 100 fruit loops
Building a house with 100 sticks
Writing our name with 100 coins
Showing a $100 bill
Congratulations to the Following PBIS Students of the Week:
A Glance Ahead...
- Inclement Weather Make-Up Day ~ No School
Monday, February 15
- Teacher Work Day ~ No School for Students
Tuesday, February 16- Wednesday, February 24
- Scholastic Book Fair
Wednesday, February 17
- Early Release
Thursday, February 18
- Early Release
Spring Parent/Teacher Conference Sign-Up
Our next round of Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held the week of February 15th. Your child's teacher has provided an online schedule that currently appears on our school website. Please navigate to gcpsk12.org/SimontonES. Once there, a message will pop-up automatically. Click the link provided, search for your child's teacher, click on her name, and then select a time that fits your schedule.
[If the message does not automatically pop-up on our website, please look down in the right-hand corner. There should be a red exclamation mark. Once clicked, this will bring up the pop-up screen.
We are looking forward to meeting with each of you!
RBES Parent Survey
Due to the pandemic, GCPS is administering a contactless version of the RBES Parent Survey this year. There will be no paper or school computer option. Instead, SchoolMessenger will deliver an email invitation to families to complete a survey for each school at which they have one or more enrolled students. The confidential survey will be available in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese and will be accessed using the link and unique code provided in the SchoolMessenger email. The RBES Parent Survey will be available from February 8 through February 26. Your participation helps us to continuously improve our school.
Thank you in advance for making your voice heard!
Digital EIP Students
Digital students who receive EIP services are expected to complete Imagine Math and Imagine Learning sessions daily.
- If they are EIP Reading or Math ONLY - that is one session per day in the subject area they receive EIP.
- If both, they can alternate.
**Please ensure that your child is completing their EIP segments. They can log-in before school starts, or during bus call in the afternoon.
Device Return for In-Person Students
If you checked out a device from school and are an in-person student this semester, please remember to bring it back! Our tech team will be giving out ice cream coupons to those that properly return their Chromebook or Hotspot. They will be checked back out for our next Digital Learning Day in March.
5th Grade ~ Family Life Education Lessons
5th Grade students will participate in Family Life Education Lessons on February, 26th 2021.
Please view the attached letter for more details.
Please Note: Parents that would like their digital students to participate, must send the classroom teacher an e-mail opting in.
5th Grade T-Shirts on Sale
Show your 5th grade spirit with this year’s class t-shirt. The shirts will have a unique logo on the front. The cost of the t-shirts are $10.00 and payments can be made via MyPayments Plus, cash or check. Please make checks payable to SIMONTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
***Digital Learners will be notified when t-shirts are available for pick-up.
*** The Deadline to place your order is March 1, 2021.
Please see the order form attached below.
Join Gwinnett County Public Library in celebration of Black History Month!
All throughout February we'll be hosting programs to educate, inform, and celebrate. Learn about some of the countless achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history and today. Celebrate cultural diversity with culinary programs, crafts, book discussions, and more.
Visit our YouTube channel for Black History Month virtual programs.
Browse our catalog for works by some of the most influential African American authors of our time, as well as books about civil rights and racism for adults, teens, and children.
Check out our digital resources collection to learn about history, civil rights, African American genealogy, and more.
Our Highlighted Figures for the week...
Family Engagement Tips:
Take some time this month to help your child appreciate the richness of human diversity. Here are a few things to do together: Read folk tales from other races, religions or regions. Check out a cookbook from another culture and choose a recipe to try. Find out about clothing traditions from around the world and the reasons for them. Learn how to say "hello," "please" and "thank you" in five languages. http://niswc.com/17bAC326428
Go 'shopping' for financial literacy
For fun building math skills, create an imaginary cash register and give your child practice making correct change. Here's how: Sort a few dollars' worth of change into four boxes: one each for pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Then put together a selection of "products" marked with prices. Take turns with your child being cashier and customer. Add to the challenge by increasing the number of items you buy at a time. http://niswc.com/17bBC326428
Don't forget about poetry!
Reading poetry with your child enhances his awareness of language and how it can be used. Share a wide variety of poems with your child. When you read them, speak slowly and let your child listen to each word. He's likely to hear new descriptive words. Talk about the words your child doesn't recognize, and help him look them up. He'll build vocabulary and gain ideas for his own writing. http://niswc.com/17bCC326428
Move forward from a poor report card
How should you react to a poor report card? First, don't panic or get upset. Just ask your child calmly about each grade. Does she understand why she received it? Next, ask the teacher about things your child needs to do to improve and ways you can help. Find out what help may be available from the school, such as peer tutoring. Then help your child develop specific, achievable goals for improvement. http://niswc.com/17bDC326428
Play a guessing game with sound-alike words
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings (heal, heel; bear, bare; weigh, way). To sharpen your child's sense of language, think of a pair of homophones and give him clues to guess it. For example, "I'm thinking of a word that is a letter and a drink" (T, tea). Get started with some of these pairs: ant, aunt; board, bored; hole, whole; meet, meat; rows, rose. http://niswc.com/17bEC326428
The smart way to learn requires effort
Effort is essential for academic success. Students who try can learn and get smarter. So remind your child that "It's not how smart you are, but what you do with what you have that counts." Encourage her by telling her over and over that you are sure she'll succeed if she keeps at it. And when she makes progress, be sure to say "You see? Your hard work is paying off." http://niswc.com/17bFC326428
An audience makes reading aloud more fun
Kids enjoy reading to their parents, and listening to your child read is a great way to foster his love of reading. When you're not available, give your child the next best thing: a captive audience. Gather a few stuffed animals or action figures around him. They can listen while he reads. Later, ask your child about his audience's reactions. "What was Monkey's favorite part?" "Did Batman understand the main point?" http://niswc.com/17bGC326428
Simonton Elementary ~ What We Stand For
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling
Simonton Elementary School
Superintendent- Mr. J. Alvin Wilbanks
Assistant Superintendent- Dr. Terry Watlington
Board Member- Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal- Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal- Daphne Miles
Assistant Principal- Emily Young
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: (770) 513-6637