Sycolin Creek Chronicle
October Edition
Principal's Corner
Dear Sycolin Creek Families,
On August 24th, Sycolin Creek experienced a wonderful opening to the 2023-2024 school year! Eager students arrived to school and went directly to their classrooms where they were greeted by teachers, who were ready to begin an exciting day of new beginnings. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped with the many important details that facilitated such a smooth opening. As always, your hard work, dedication, and support are invaluable to our success as a school community.
This year, we will continue to implement our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program. At Sycolin Creek, students and staff will focus on Respecting Yourself, Respecting Others, and Respecting Property. In addition, students in kindergarten through 5th grade will continue to participate in our Social Emotional Learning Initiative (Second Step). Second Step is a program rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) that helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to encourage children to thrive. More than just a classroom curriculum, Second Step’s holistic approach helps create a more empathetic society by providing education professionals, families, and the larger community with tools to enable them to take an active role in the social-emotional growth and safety of today’s children.
In the very near future, October will be upon us and many exciting activities will take place at Sycolin Creek. We will be hosting another Color Day, Vision and Hearing Screenings, Fall Parties, DARE classes for 5th grade, and a Fun Run. After school activities (ASA) will begin on Monday, October 2nd.
For the most up-to-date information about school events, please be sure to check the Parent Calendar, which can be found on our webpage.
With best wishes for a productive school year,
Derek Racino, Principal
Why Attendance Matters
Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. Children who do not regularly attend school lose fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build good attendance habits that will carry them through college and careers. Research has shown that students who were chronically absent beginning in kindergarten and as early as pre kindergarten were far less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade. Read more from the U.S. Department of Education. Read more from the U.S. Department of Education.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions. Students who are chronically absent have a higher risk for lower test scores, dropping out of school, and being retained in later grades. Read more from the Virginia Department of Education and AttendanceWorks.
Elementary School:
Showing up on time every day is important to your child’s success and learning from preschool forward. Missing 10% of school (1 or 2 days every few weeks) can make it harder to:
- Gain early reading and math skills.
- Build relationships.
- Develop good attendance habits. High quality preschool and kindergarten has many benefits!
- The routines your child develops will continue throughout school
- Make the most of early grades by encouraging your child to attend every day.
E-Mail Guidelines
LCPS has provided staff members with a professional e-mail address to support their responsibilities as employees. The following are guidelines for the effective use of e-mail in an educational setting.
E-mail may be used as clarification of assignments, due date questions, requests for phone calls, thank you notes, etc.
E-mail may not be used for discussions, discipline issues, confidential student information (please schedule a conference for this purpose), and anything of a time-sensitive nature such as change in dismissal plan, etc.
Please allow school personnel a full business day (24 hours) to reply to your e-mails. Thank you for your help in making sure these guidelines are followed.
Family Liaison Information
If you, or someone you know, are in need of resources such as food, clothing or utility assistance, please contact Kristen Armitage or check out our Family Liaison Resource Page. This page can be found on our school website under Sycolin Creek/Resources/Parents. Also, if you would like to be added to the list to receive updates when they occur, please contact Mrs. Armitage at: Kristen.Armitage@lcps.org.
The Fueled Backpack Buddies program has begun. You do not have to qualify for free/reduced lunch to participate. Fueled Backpack Buddies packs small bags of 4-5 family-style food items to assist with weekend food needs. This is sent home once a week on Fridays via the student backpacks.
For any other Family Liaison needs, please contact Kristen Armitage at Kristen.Armitage@lcps.org or 571-252-2910.
Summer Reading Challenge Update
Sycolin Creek Elementary was thrilled to have 64 students participate in the summer reading program. We loved seeing all the activities students did to keep their reading skills strong over the long break. All students who participated received a bookmark to recognize their efforts. Some students received our grand prize! Our fabulous PTA provided twenty $10 gift cards to Sweet Frog as a reward. Each class had one name drawn to win the prize and 2nd grade had so many readers, they received an extra draw. Way to go 2nd grade!
We look forward to keeping this summer reading challenge going and can't wait to see what next year holds! Thank you for your support from home.
Art News
Has a month gone by already? Wow that went fast!
We are finishing up our projects for Original Works. Once projects are done in the art room the PTA coordinator will take over and questions regarding ordering and delivery dates should be directed to them. Look for information to come home during October.
Veterans Day will soon be upon us and the fifth graders are starting to create images for the calendars we give out to members and former members of the armed forces. Fifth graders that are interested in their work being considered for the calendars will need to submit their designs by Oct 13, 2023. Look for information about the project on the fifth graders Art Schoology page, to be posted soon. This project will be started in the art room but will be finished on their own.
Art Stars for the Month
Kindergarten - Mrs. Hose’s class
First Grade - Mrs. Diehl’s class
Second Grade - Ms. Kulak’s class
Third Grade - Mrs. Anderson’s class
Fourth Grade - Mrs. Hermens' class
Fifth Grade - Mrs. Wong’s class
Stay Art Smart,
Dr. Bennett
Music Notes
Mrs. Cassada has enjoyed getting to see everyone in Music Class! Everyone has had 5 music classes, except students who have class on Wednesday. They have had 4 music classes this year. It has been so exciting to get to play instruments, sing and play games! More activities are in the student’s Music Schoology page, along with announcements of what is happening in Music, so check there regularly if you have questions about what’s happening in Music Class. In October, students will continue to focus on reading rhythms. We will also begin working on songs for Veterans Day. Congratulations to the fourth and fifth grade students who performed at the Loudoun United Soccer Game! It was a lot of fun!
Sycolin Creek Singers and Sycolin’s Got Beat begin the first week of October and we are so excited to be making music with these challenging groups.
The Veterans Day assembly will take place on Nov. 10th, at 8:30 AM in our school gymnasium. We need your help! We are asking that students and families bring pictures of their Veterans, artwork and Lego sculptures to school. Students will also be able to submit videos of themselves reading their cards, letters and poetry to say ‘Thank You’ to the Veterans. Parents are also needed to help with decorating the halls with artwork and poetry, assist with the Veterans Day PTA Reception and to greet the veterans as they arrive. More information will be coming soon!
Our Rock Star Classes of the Month are:
Kindergarten – Mrs. Hose
First Grade – Mrs. Diehl
Second Grade – Ms. Kulak
Third Grade – Mrs. Anderson
Fourth Grade – Ms. Bowman
Fifth Grade – Mrs. Nacin
Congratulations to our Rock Stars!
Star Salamander Students for the month of September in P.E.
Congratulations to the PE Star Salamanders for the Month of September 2023
Fifth Grade: Risheb Srinivas & Cecilia Newborn
Fourth Grade: Enzo Betancourt & Chaitra Tiparthy
Third Grade: Sean Kennedy & Chloe Siritakool
Second Grade: Abhi Kansara & Everley Pearson
First Grade: Raheem Syed & Addilyn Duis
Kindergarten: Carter Colby & Emily Flynn
The Star Salamander Classes for the month of September are Mrs. Reynolds' 2nd grade class and Mrs. Snead's 3rd grade class.
SEARCH Updates
SEARCH
In October, Kindergarten students will learn about attributes with a lesson on pumpkin faces. First grade students will use their creativity skills to turn a white square into something new and unique. Second grade students will use their creativity to brainstorm ideas based on the book, "Animals Should Not Wear Clothing". In another lesson, students will use their quantitative skills as they use number clues to determine secret numbers. Third grade students will learn how to complete a logic matrix and use their visual-spatial thinking to complete tangram puzzles.
Math Challenge
Math Challenge #1 is available online at the Sycolin Creek Math Challenge page (click on the blue "Current Challenge" button). Students may print their own copies or work on plain paper to solve the problems. You may submit your answers via Google form. Remember to complete your submission before solutions are posted online on Friday, 10/7.
2 of the top Challengers from each grade will be randomly selected to be highlighted in the Sycolin Creek Chronicle and the PTA monthly update.
If you have questions about the Challenge, please send an email to the Math Challenge coordinator. Let the challenge begin!
Book Fair
Thank you to all the families and staff that supported our fall Book Fair.
A special thank goes out to our amazing volunteers:
Monica Bassett
Sarah Grecco
Lucy Jordan
Veronica Requidan
Karen Jones
Michael Collins
Anna Joachim
Bindu Srinivas
Sue Edwards
Stacy Davolt
Maria Mejia
Attendance Reminders
Sycolin Creek Elementary School
Email: derek.racino@lcps.org
Website: lcps.org/sycolincreek
Location: 21101 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg, VA, USA
Phone: 5712522910
Twitter: @Sycolin_Creek