Colt Crusader
A newsletter for the families of CFES students
March Edition
2828 Pleasant Acres Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23453
757-648-2240
http://www.christopherfarmses.vbschools.com
Follow us on Twitter @cfescolts
Principal: Robyn Backer , @Robyn Backer
Asst. Principal: Patti Porter, @sunsetzzz15
Message from Ms. Backer, our principal
March is coming in like a lion and hopefully will go out like a lamb. Thankfully, we had so many amazing events and activities in February that it is energizing us to get through this cold weather. March is lining up to be another great month at the Farm as we have our Donuts with Dads event, Talent Show and our 1st annual Career day (check out the info below)! In addition, this Friday we will have our Spanish STEM Expo night featuring our Spanish Immersion classes. We invite our current Spanish Immersion families to join us in the cafe at 6:00 for a welcome and onto visiting our classrooms in action. However, if you have a rising 1st grader or rising 2nd grader and are interested in our Spanish Immersion program, we would like to welcome you to CFES cafe at 6:30 for an informational session and then an interactive tour of our classrooms.
We are so lucky to have such a supportive school community! Thank you for being your child's biggest fan and our teachers' cheerleader.
-Ms. Backer
MESSAGE FROM MRS. PORTER, OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Important Upcoming Dates
March
3/1 - Progress Reports
3/5 - Donuts for Dads 7a-7:30a
3/5 - Talent Show Rehearsals Begin 2:40 - 4:30 (Tues & Weds until 3/20)
3/6 - Spring Pictures
3/8 - STEM Spanish Night Expo 6p-7:30p
3/18 - SCA Meeting 2:45p-4p
3/21 - PTA Meeting 3p-4p
3/22 - CFES Talent Show 6p-8:30p (Landstown Middle School)
3/29 - Staff Day (No School)
April
4/5 - Additional Gifted Testing
4/5 - 5th Grade Bingo Night
4/8 - Report Cards Go Home
4/12 - 4/19 - Spring Break
4/23 - Kindergarten Registration 9:00 am
4/25 - PTA Meeting 3p-4p
4/30 - Kindergarten Graduation Pictures
Great Dreams Need Great Teachers!
Congratulations to our Citizens of the Month for February!
Pre-K & Kindergarten
1st - 5th Grade
1st Grade
Aubrey Corleto (Cooley)
Bryn Westre (Kernodle)
Gabriella Good (Torres)
Elijah Loy (Doyle)
Mia Colon (Frierson)
2nd Grade
Amelia Maher (Bullard)
Rogue Balk (Burok)
Gianna Rendall (Hall)
Finn Inman (Love)
Peyton Moore (Minehan)
Josiah Lloyd (Zipprich)
3rd Grade
Madeline Peterson (Crouch)
Olivia Maniego (Kesner)
Haylee George (Pascual)
Taylor Kuhn (Rodriguez)
Isabella Thornberry (Willett)
4th Grade
Parichat Todkaew (Cucuzza)
Andrew Koivu (Dorbin)
Kailyn Johnson (Zaleski)
Jackson Kane (Nicolosi)
Blaze Carter (Mcneely)
5th Grade
Riffat Pathan (Bagnall)
Mckenna Hudson (Cochran)
Arden Gaudet (Kemper)
Rudy Sandoval (Pagan)
Isaiah Dawson (Zajac)
Counselor Corner
March on colts! Our guidance focus for the month of March is being goal driven with college and career awareness. CFES students have been setting and achieving personal and academic goals throughout the year and we are proud. Lessons this month will range from connecting character traits and job qualifications, to matching interests and skills to job tasks, to writing resumes and beginning Academic Career Plans for personal career portfolios. Help us keep our students engaged in purposeful learning and focused on their future by discussing various jobs with your children when you are out and about, exploring nature or reading together.
Parents and community members, we’d love to have you discuss your career with our students. Do you love your job, have an exciting or unique career you’d like to share? If so, please fill in the Career Day form below and return to Mrs. Yoshida at your earliest convenience. Our Career Day will take place from 8:00-10:00am Thursday, March 28th. We look forward to hearing from you.
Library News
We would like to thank everyone who helped out with the Spring Book Fair. It was a huge success and the students had a blast. It was made so much easier by all of the wonderful parent and staff volunteers. Thanks so very much for supporting a love of reading here at "The Farm".
Reading Corner
Wow! We had a great time reading The Lemonade War as a school. Students loved getting to know the characters, Jessie and Evan. We also were fundraising for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation which helps research childhood cancer. The students heard Alex’s sad story and even wrote letters to her parents. We are hoping to raise the most money so that the author of The Lemonade War will visit our school. The fundraising goes on through March 29 and we are in the lead! Students are excited to read the next book in the series, The Lemonade Crime. This book was so much fun, we hope to try another school-wide reading next year.
Math Corner
March brings Math Madness! Kindergarten students are examining coins and recognizing the differences between the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. First graders are also working with money and counting combinations of pennies, nickels, and dimes up to $1.00. Second grade continues with money combinations up to $2.00, including quarters. Pull out those change jars at home to help your child practice this life skill! In 3rd grade, fractions and mixed numbers are the focus this month. Students are comparing and adding/subtracting fractions. In 4th and 5th grades, students will study elapsed time. They may have figured out how much time before Spring Break!
Nurse's notes
There have been a few updates in Health Services the past few weeks. Please review the following information. We strive to make sure our students and staff stay healthy!! With flu season in “full bloom” and allergy season upon us, it is important we review the signs and symptoms of a contagious illness. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Parents should evaluate if their child should attend school when showing signs or symptoms of a possible contagious illness to protect their child, other students, and school staff. It is recommended that a child with the following not attend school:
- · An oral temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher
- · Open draining skin areas that have not been evaluated by a healthcare provider.
- · More than one episode of vomiting or diarrhea that has not been evaluated by a healthcare provider or child is contagious.
- · Skin rash that has not been evaluated by a healthcare provider
- · Eye appears pink/red with thick yellow discharge (matted eyelid after sleep)
- · Chicken Pox (stay home until all blisters are scabbed over or dry)
- · Persistent productive cough.
- · Extreme fatigue.
- · Antibiotics prescribed for an infection. Medicine must be taken for at least 24 hours before a child can return to school with a return to school note from the prescribing health care provider and must be fever free.
- Students that are treated for a contagious illness. Healthcare provider must provide a back to school note to the school.
- Students taking fever-reducing medication to mask a fever.
The nurse will contact the parent of a student showing the above signs and symptoms and recommend that he/she are picked up from school. Please contact the school nurse should you have any questions (648-2247).
Tdap vaccine required for all 6th students
This booster vaccine can provide continued protection from pertussis illness (whooping cough), and is typically given after your child turns 7 years of age.
After your child receives the Tdap vaccine, the documentation should be taken to your child’s elementary school no later than June 14th after that you will need to take it to their Middle School Guidance Office.
The Tdap vaccine may be obtained from the following health care providers;
- private physician or pediatrician
- military clinics
- Virginia Beach Public Health Department at 4452 Corporation Lane
Vaccines required for school attendance are free for all children at the Virginia Beach Public Health Department
Pre-Kindergarten Applications and Screenings
Virginia Beach City Public Schools offers a Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) program to children with the greatest need at many elementary schools. Pre-Kindergarten is a full-day program that follows the VBCPS school calendar and school hours.
The Pre-K program provides children with purposeful learning experiences to prepare them for a successful transition to kindergarten while also creating a strong educational foundation. In in addition, it develops students’ communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills and integrates technology to support learning.
If you or some one you know is interested in applying for Pre-K for the 2019-2020 school year, Please see the flyer below for more information on upcoming screenings and the application process.
P.T.A.
And bingo was his name-O...
Mark your calendar today for our Annual Bingo Night on April 5th!
We are offering 2 sessions again this year; Session 1 will be from 5:30 - 6:30 PM and session 2 will be from 7 - 8 PM. This fun, family event includes bingo, prizes, a silent auction, raffle prizes, dinner, popcorn, and a bake sale. We have many donated experiences and themed baskets.
Some of the donated items:
*Adventure Park
*Dave and Busters
*OneLife Fitness
*Norfolk Botanical Gardens
*Forbes Candy
*Stella & Dot jewelry
A few of our Silent auctions items:
*2 American girl dolls
*Stroller Strides Membership
*Coldstone Cake
*First Tee Golf Lessons
*Photos by Eva
*Spa treatments
and much much more!
You will need to RSVP for this event. We will not be able to accommodate door sales or entry due to the limited seating in our cafeteria.
Pre-sales for Bingo will begin March 5th. You can choose your session time, Pre-order your Meal deals; Single meal deal includes 2 slices of pizza, a beverage or a Family Deal, that includes a medium pizza and 4 drinks. You can also pre-buy raffle tickets, and bingo play cards.
Check your Electronic Tuesday Folder for your order form! This event sells out quickly. Unable to attend? Not to worry, you can still purchase raffle tickets for prizes. You do not have to be present to win!
Questions? Contact Jessica Bueno at jessicabueno@verizon.net or April Burke at Aprilburke.83@gmail.com
Other PTA News
3/5 - Donuts for Dad (7:00am - 7:30 am)
3/11 - Chipotle Cashola Night (5:00pm - 9:00pm)
3/21 - PTA Meeting (3:00pm)
3/22 - Talent Show @ Landstown Middle (6:00pm - 8:30pm)
Shutterfly Partners with CFES!
WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH CFES HAPPENINGS:
- Check our website weekly: https://christopherfarmses.vbschools.com/
- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfescolts?lang=en
- Download the VBSCHOOLS app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
- Make sure the school has your updated phone number and email address in order to receive Alert Now communications
- Follow your child's progress on Parent Portal: https://www.vbschools.com/parents/parent_portal
Proud Principal
Email: robyn.backer@vbschools.com
Website: chritopherfarmses.vbschools.com
Location: Christopher Farms Elementary School 2828 Pleasant Acres Drive Virginia Beach, Virginia 234
Phone: (757) 648-2240
Twitter: @RobynBacker