Dolphin Parent Connection
January 2018 Volume 3, Issue 4
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
January is National Mentoring Month
· Tuesday, January 2nd: Art Club @ 2:45-3:50 PM
· Tuesday, January 2nd: STEM/Robotics Club @ 2:45-4:10 PM
· Wednesday, January 3rd: Leadership Meeting (SCA & A4L Team Leaders) @ 2:45-4:15 PM--CANCELLED
· Thursday, January 4th: Spanish Club @ 2:50-3:50
· Thursday, January 4th: Grade 4 Outreach Program with Virginia Aquarium
· Friday, January 5th: Spirit Day: Career Dress-up Day
· Tuesday, January 9th: PTA Board Meeting @ 1:30 PM
· Tuesday, January 9th: STEM/Robotics Club @ 2:45-4:10 PM
· Tuesday, January 9th: Spirit Night at Chipotle @ 4:00-9:00 PM
· Wednesday, January 10th: Helping Hands Club @ 2:50-4:00 PM
· Thursday, January 11th: Spanish Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Friday, January 12th: Spirit Day: Dress like your favorite book character
· Monday, January 15th: No School in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
· Tuesday, January 16th--Tuesday, January 23rd: Collecting for Book Swap
· Tuesday, January 16th: STEM/Robotics Club @ 2:45-4:10 PM
· Tuesday, January 16th: Art Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Thursday, January 18th: Spanish Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Friday, January 19th: Fire Safety Assembly for Grades K-3
· Friday, January 19th: Spirit Day: Pajama Day (Time to cozy up with a good book)
· Monday, January 22nd-Friday, January 26th: Great Kindness Challenge
· Tuesday, January 23rd: STEM/Robotics Club @ 2:45-4:10 PM
· Thursday, January 25th: Spanish Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Thursday, January 25th: Book Swap Day
· Friday, January 26th: End of 2nd Marking Period
· Friday, January 26th: Grade 5 Battle of the Books
· Friday, January 26th: Spirit Day: Color Wars
· Monday, January 29th: No School--Professional Development and Work Day for Staff
· Tuesday, January 30th: Start of 3rd Marking Period
· Tuesday, January 30th: STEM/Robotics Club @ 2:45-4:10 PM
· Tuesday, January 30th: Art Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Thursday, February 1st: Spanish Club @ 2:50-3:50 PM
· Thursday, February 1st: Grade 4 Outreach Program with Virginia Living Museum
· Monday, February 5th: Report Cards Issued
We are very excited about the interest for our new Red Mill Spanish Club starting in January. A letter went home December 12th to those students who were selected to the club. If your child did not receive an acceptance letter, then, unfortunately, your child did not make it into the club for this session. We had 75 applications and only 20 spots. These spots were filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
January Is Reading Month
During January we will celebrate Reading Month. This year our theme is Rockin’ Readers and Citizens. We will combine our love for reading with our good citizenship habits and our growth mindset.
Each week we are asking all our students to read a book or poem (for our older students it can be a chapter of a book) that demonstrates our trait for that week. Each student will then write how the book showed that trait. Our younger students may draw a picture. Students may complete their responses at home or in school.
Students may select any book that has the week’s trait. We will have a list of books on our website if you are looking for some specific titles. Mrs. Marshall will also have some books set aside in the library that students can read.
Additionally, each Friday we will have a special dress up day to extend the fun.
Each student who reads a book and completes a response for each trait will paint a rock that will become part of our outdoor landscape. This will be a lasting reminder of our students’ love of reading and their understanding of the importance of good citizenship. And, we will have the bonus of a lovely garden feature to enjoy for years to come.
Students may read and complete the responses to their books any time from January 2 – January 31 to be eligible to paint their rocks. Response sheets can be found on our Red Mill website and in 1st – 5th grade’s Google Classroom. Kindergarten students will be given a copy of the response sheet. You will also find a copy of the response logs attached below.
January Book Swap Information
Gifted News
GIFTED PROGRAM Application deadlines
- Monday, January 9, 2018--Parent Information Night at Old Donation Center for elementary school students currently in grades 1-4. Tours at 5:15 p.m. and presentation at 6:00 p.m. at Old Donation School (4633 Honeygrove Road).
- Thursday, February 1, 2018--Old Donation School Full-time Intellectual Program applications due by 4 p.m. for students currently in grades 2-7 (Late applications not accepted).
- Thursday, February 1, 2018--Gifted Dance Education & Gifted Visual Arts applications due by 4 p.m. for students in grades 2-7 (Late applications not accepted).
- Thursday, March 1, 2018--Gifted Identification applications due by 4 p.m. for students currently in grade 1 (Late applications not accepted).
- Thursday, March 1, 2018--Old Donation School Full-time Intellectual Program applications due by 4 p.m. for students currently in grade 1 (Late applications not accepted).
Gifted Application Link (use student's log in and password)
https://giftedapplication.vbcps.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f
School Counseling Program Notes
Guidance classroom lesson topics for January will include study skills, time management, and getting along with others. In January, students in grades K-5 will take part in “The Great Kindness Challenge.” This is a week-long event, January 22-26, where students think of ways that they can practice kindness. Over 10 million students in 15,000 schools in 91 countries will participate. See the video at https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/.
Also Small Group Counseling sessions will continue into the month of January. Permission slips for groups will be going home the 1st week back from the holidays. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Draughon, our School Counselor at 648-3572 or by email at Marilyn.Draughon@vbschools.com.
Anchored4Life Update
- Be bold. Brave. Courageous. – Tim Tebow
Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher. – Oprah Winfrey
Always remember: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think. –A.A. Milne
Every setback is a setup for a comeback – Joel Osteen
Congratulations, Mrs. Voss, Red Mill Teacher of the Year
2017–2018 Parent Connection Workshop Series
All Parent Connection Workshop Series sessions are offered at no charge and online registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents will receive an invitation to register from parent.connection@vbschools.com approximately two weeks before each Parent Connection Session. Space is limited and registration is required to attend Parent Connection Workshops. You may also contact the Community Engagement Office at 757-263-1936 or email parent.connection@vbschools.com should you have any questions.
Spirit Night at Chipotle
Fundraiser Update
We would like to update you on how we have been spending the school's portion of the profits raised from our Boosterthon Fun Run in the fall. After paying for expenses and splitting profits with the PTA, the school had over $13,000 to spend on instructional needs. We have begun making purchases. Below is a list of the items that have been recently purchased.
- additional classroom easels
- storage solutions for Chromebooks
- headphones with microphones
- headphones
- a new laminator
- several new classroom tables
- instructional reading materials
We still have the majority of the money left to spend. Grade levels have been submitting their lists of instructional needs, and we will continue to make purchases based on these requests. We will continue to keep you updated on the additional purchases.