SOARING EAGLE NEWS
February 2019
Principal Points from Mrs. Hill
I want to give a very special thank you to all of our volunteers and mentors! Your dedication to our students and staff is incredible and because of you we continue to help our Eagles achieve at higher levels. Thank you so much for going above and beyond to make every student and staff member feel special. Remember to sign in and out each time you volunteer. Currently, we have logged over 5,300 volunteer hours!! Every minute counts towards our goal of 10,000 volunteer hours for the 2018/19 school year!
All year our Eagles have been working hard on applying the learning strategies they have been working on in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Soon our 3rd – 5th graders will have the opportunity to shine as they show off all that they have been learning. It is at this time of year that many parents ask me how they can help their children become better readers. They also want to know how to help their child meet grade level expectations. The following are skills needed to be successful on the FSA (Florida Standard Assessment):
• Determine the meaning of words (vocabulary) by using is context clues (read through the sentence, skipping the unknown word and figuring out the word from the meaning of the sentence)
• Determine the main idea or essential message of the passage.
• Identify supporting details and facts (sentences or words that tell about the main idea.)
• Retell (child tells you the story in his own words).
• Recognize comparison and contrast (what is similar and what is different).
• Recognize the difference between fact and opinion (fact- actually happened in the story; opinion- what person in the story thinks about something).
These strategies will help your child become better readers and thinkers. Research tells us the more children read, the better readers they will become.
I am looking forward to a great “second half of the 2018/19 school year. Your child(ren) are our greatest resource and we will do whatever it takes for them to succeed!
Upcoming Dates & Events
- 2/4 - PTA Clubs Begin
- 2/7 - Spring & Class Pictures
- 2/7 - Kindergarten Concert 6:30-7:00 PM
- 2/8 - Volunteer Cafe 9-11 AM
- 2/15 - 2/25 Book Fair - Closes at 10:00 AM on 2/25
- 2/18 - Pro Ed Day - School Closed for Students
- 2/20 - SAC Meeting 3-4 PM
- 2/21 - SEM Showcase 6:15 PM
- 3/1 - Dr. Suess Day
Notes from the Guidance Counselor
Notes from CWE Music
Please join us for the Kindergarten Music Concert entitled "Songs of Love" on Thursday, February 7th at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria at Cypress Woods Elementary. Please plan to have your child meet in their classroom teacher’s room by 6:15 pm. The concert should conclude by 6:50 pm. Since this is a Valentine-themed concert, please have your child wear something casual/dressy in one or more of the following colors: red, pink, white, gray or black. If they have a Valentine’s Day outfit that would be perfect!
The following songs will be performed:
When You Send a Valentine by Mildred J. Hill Louella Garrett
I Made a Valentine by Lynn Freeman Olson
Viva Valentine by Teresa Jennings
You Are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell
Skinamarink by Felix Feist
The 1st grade, 2nd grade, and Chorus Spring Music Concert will take place on Thursday, March 7th in the East Lake High School auditorium at 6:30 pm. These students should plan to arrive at 6:00 pm. There will be signs posted to direct the 1st and 2nd grade students where to meet. Chorus students should gather in the back left of the auditorium by 6:15 pm.
The 1st grade students will perform songs with an animal theme and may wear a solid color top and pants or dress. The 2nd grade students will perform a short version of School House Rock Live Jr. which will include some speaking parts, and they should plan to wear a bright solid colored top and pants or dress (blue, green, red, orange, yellow, purple or pink). The chorus students will conclude the program with a Hero theme, and should wear their usual white top and black pants uniform. Parents should plan to stay for the entire program which should conclude about 7:30 pm. After the performance, the 1st and 2nd grade students can be picked up from the chorus room, and the chorus students can be picked up from the lobby of the auditorium.
Mrs. Richter, the music teacher will be e-mailing parents of 2nd grade students with a speaking part in the next couple of weeks to ensure they practice at home with the script and attend the performance. If you have any questions, please e-mail Mrs. Richter at richtere@pcsb.org.
Elizabeth Richter
Notes from the School Secretary/Bookkeeper
Notes from the Clinic
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! It’s a great time to talk to your kids about proper brushing and flossing. Good oral hygiene is crucial to good physical health! Please take the time to read Crest’s recommendations below!
The Right Toothbrush
There are so many to choose from! Children need to use a child’s size soft toothbrush. These are designed specifically for the size and shape of a child’s mouth and hands. Soft bristles with round ends provide gentle cleaning of the teeth and delicate gum tissue. Bright colors and fun patterns can help encourage brushing and make brushing fun. Don’t forget to replace your toothbrush at least every 6 months!
The Right Toothpaste
One of the best ways to keep your child brushing is by having fluoride toothpaste on hand that is pleasing and easy to use. Let your child pick any flavor they would like! The taste can make brushing a more enjoyable experience, leading to more thorough brushing. Brushing twice a day results in increased fluoride applications to strengthen tooth enamel, remove plaque and help fight off cavities!
The Best Way to Brush
- On the outer and inner surfaces, place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle; start along the gum line; use gentle, short strokes brushing downward on the upper teeth and upward on the lower teeth.
- On chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat and brush back and forth.
- On the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush so the handle is vertical and up by your nose. Use gentle up and down strokes with the toe of the brush.
- Brush the tongue to remove food particles and bacteria.
- Brush teeth for about 2 minutes a day, twice a day.
Flossing
Flossing daily removes plaque and food particles between teeth and below the gum line. Flossing is essential to good oral health! To floss properly, wrap an 18 inch strand of floss around your middle fingers and hold a one-inch section tightly, then ease the floss between teeth.
Gently clean up and down several times while hugging each tooth with floss. Be careful not to push the floss into the gums. There are also floss sticks you can buy for convenience.
Good diet = Healthier Teeth
Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth! Many snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation. When we eat sugary food, the sugar combines with the bacteria in our mouth and forms an acid. This acid is what causes cavities in our teeth. Choose nutritious snacks for your child to eat. Fruits and vegetables are important for healthy gums and dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are the best foods for teeth because they contain calcium. Calcium helps with the formation of adult teeth and helps to keep them strong.
Notes From Kim Shipley, Family & Community Liaison
Dear Volunteers,
Wow! It’s February already…2019 seems to be rolling along at a fast pace! This time of year we start to prepare for upcoming field trips and FSA testing. If you are planning to chaperone a field trip where a Level 2 status is required and you have not yet achieved this status, please do not delay. Due to the government shut down, screenings are taking longer than usual. Please follow this link for information about Level 2 https://www.pcsb.org/Page/12334. You will also need to complete and return the attached waiver form to me.
The district has expressed concern that volunteer hours are low throughout the district for this time of the school year. It appears that most of our Cypress Woods volunteers have been entering their hours, so thank you for keeping track for us in the volunteer system. If you have hours that have not yet been logged, please take a few minutes to do so. Remember every hour counts whether it’s helping out from home or in the classroom, even attending meetings or helping our wonderful PTA. Instructions are attached and are also available on our website.
Important Dates and Opportunities:
- Thursday, February 7th is Class & Spring Picture Day – We need approximately 3-5 volunteers to help things go smoothly with the picture taking process. The hours will be from 8:40 AM to approximately 2 PM. Please contact me to sign up!
- Thursday, February 7th Kindergarten Music Program 6:30 PM
- Friday, February 8th and Friday, March 29th are our last two Volunteer Café dates – Please join us anytime between 9:00 and 11:30 AM in our Media Center and meet other Cypress Woods volunteers while helping our teachers with various projects. Coffee and snacks are provided. RSVP’s to shipleyk@pcsb.org are appreciated but not required. Thank you to Grade Power Learning for their support all year by providing breakfast treats at the café.
- Our CWE Book Fair begins Friday 2/15 and ends at 10:00 AM on Monday 2/25 – Volunteers are needed, please follow this link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4EAAAB23A3F85-cwebookfair or contact Mrs. Fleisch directly at FLEISCHR@pcsb.org
- Monday, February 18th – NO SCHOOL for students
- Thursday, February 21st SEM Showcase at 6:15 PM
- Friday, March 1st – Dr. Seuss Day
The district is searching for volunteers to mentor students in several schools. Here at Cypress Woods, we are in need of a few mentors as well. Please follow this link to sign up for free training to volunteers who are interested:
https://www.pcsb.org/Page/461 or look at the February workshop schedule attached. For only 30 minutes per week, you can make a long lasting positive effect in a student’s life, giving them a brighter future. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about the mentor program.
FSA Testing will be in April and May and we will be in need of testing Proctors. More information will be sent next month.
As always, thanks for all your support!
Kim Shipley
Family & Community Liaison
Cypress Woods Elementary
727-538-7325 ext. 2051
BE A LEVEL 2 LUNCH HERO
Cypress Woods Elementary
Email: cypresswoodses.absence@pcsb.org
Website: pcsb.org/cypress-es
Location: 4900 Cypress Woods Boulevard, Palm Harbor, FL, USA
Phone: 727-538-7325
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cypresswoodses/
Twitter: @cypresswoodses