Summer Newsletter 2020
Chestatee Elementary School
A Letter From Dr. Tennies, Our Principal
Dear Chestatee Families,
Our school year has officially come to an end. With a sigh and a smile, I am reflecting on our time together. Despite the challenges in the last 9 weeks, there are so many things to be grateful for in our school community.
Today I would love to celebrate.
· The strong bond between teachers and students seen in online class meetings, individual conferences, and established connections.
· The availability of technology (chrome books and hot spots) checked out to students to support access to classes and instruction.
· The increased number of books added to our media center this year for student check out and the start of our Battle of the Books Teams.
· The mindfulness group of yoga practitioners led by our certified teachers to help grow calming strategies and self-awareness for our children.
· Our Live to Give Club making acts of kindness a school norm and the power of PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) in framing the good.
· The PTO providing amazing events that can be enjoyed by our families that bring such cool memories. (Boosterthon and Snowflake Ball just to name a couple!)
· The success of Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT) in helping us achieve academic goals together (Thank you Title1 funding!)
· The additional time spent each day in class meetings, growing connections.
· The availability of our special teams to all students (Math, Robotics, and Science Olympiad) and the successes they found in teamwork!
· The volunteers of all ages who gave their time to make our school even stronger. From Watch Dog Dads to our very own I Changers contributing counts!
This list could go on for ages and just thinking about the many successes of our school warms my heart. I hope you take a moment to add your own piece of celebration, the one that is most meaningful to you and your family. If you have a moment, share ptennies@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Together we are Chestatee. Although questions remain about what our school year will look like in August, our County leaders are working with the Department of Education in Georgia to find solutions. Our responsibility is teaching, but your child’s safety is our priority. As information is available, we will share it with you. I am hopeful for a time when we will all be together in the halls again.
Wishing you a wonderful summer,
Kindly,
Dr. Tennies
Amazing things Happen at the T!
Final Staff Meeting of the Year Via Google Meets
Celebrating 5th Grade in the Carline!
Online Learning from Home!
Virtual Field Day Fun!
3 Things to Know About Kindergarten for 2020-21
2. Registration is still happening at the Hill Center. Click this link for more information: https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/KKenroll
3. Mark your calendar for Bus Round Up on Monday, July 27th. You and your child can ride the bus to school for a snack, visit, and bus safety presentation. Your registration must be complete to participate. Click this link for more information: https://bit.ly/2ZNARiE
Email Meg Killingsworth with questions: mkillingsworth@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Will Your Family Be New to Chestatee Next Year?
Click here for registration information: https://bit.ly/3gFdSMS
Contact Meg Killingsworth at mkillingsworth@forsyth.k12.ga.us with questions.
Many CONGRATULATIONS are in Order!
Congratulations to Mr. Rob Boyd! Welcome to Mr. Rob Dugan!
We would like to congratulate Mr. Rob Boyd for being selected for his second assistant principal experience. Rob will be joining Lakeside Middle School as an assistant principal for the 2020-2021 school year. Rob is leaving a spot that needs to be filled with a great partner for families.
We would like to introduce another Rob….
Mr. Rob Dugan will be joining our team as Assistant Principal for grades K-2 on July 1st. He is currently the Assistant Administrator at North Forsyth Middle School and was previously the Graduation Coach at Little Mill. Rob has a background in music instruction and has directed several bands. This will be his 20th year working in education.
Rob attended University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, VanderCook College of Music, and Kennesaw State University. He holds a Tier II Leadership Certification and an EdS in Instructional Technology. In addition, Rob serves in the Tennessee 129th Army National Guard Band as a Staff Sergeant. Rob and his wife, Michele have two boys, Landon and Parker. We are very excited to have him join the Chestatee Family!
Congratulations to our May Staff Member of the Month-Jessica Stanley!
We are proud to announce Jessica Stanley as our Staff Member of the Month for May!
Mrs. Stanley is completing her fourth-year teaching at Chestatee Elementary. She is one of our Autism teachers and previously taught first grade, second grade, and resource. Mrs. Stanley graduated from the University of North Georgia with a dual degree in Early Childhood and Special Education as well as her reading endorsement. She believes that getting to know her students and making a connection with each individual student is key. She said, “Once I get to know a child, I am able to push them to meet their highest potential.”
Jessica and her husband, Jarrod, live in Dahlonega and enjoy spending time hiking and camping in the area. Jessica also enjoys crafting and spending time with friends and family and is a devoted aunt. She is loving, hard working, dedicated, and positive and is known for her contagious smile!
Jessica has received several nominations in the past, and she received three more this month. Parents stated that they liked how she met multiple times per week or even daily with individual students to engage them in online learning. One parent stated, “I appreciate how Mrs. Stanley provided resources to parents and is always available for student support.” Staff appreciated how she led others to using Google Meets during online learning and even sent directions to staff and families showing how easy the tool could be. Jessica is great at focusing on what students can do and building from these strengths. We are very thankful and lucky Jessica Stanley teaches at Chestatee!
Teacher/Staff Member of the Month Nominations
Do you want to recognize and celebrate the exemplary teaching and contributions by Chestatee Elementary teachers and staff? Use the link below to write your nomination!
Congratulations to Our Fifth Graders: Class of 2027!
A Message From Our Fifth Grade Teachers
Congratulations to Our Three Retirees!
Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
Save the Dates!
Kindergarten Bus Round Up: Monday, July 27th
Open House: Tuesday, August 4
First Day of School: Thursday, August 6
Chestatee Volunteer Corner
Our Communi-T-y is the BEST!
Thank you, Ann-Margaret Johnston!
Ann-Margaret Johnston has been an excellent friend of the school by providing Kind News Magazine for our students. This magazine provides animal education to our students in an engaging way. We have appreciated this subscription and want to thank Ms. Johnston for supporting this learning. The May/ June edition is available on-line: https://epub.pubservice.com/autologin.aspx?CO=R1&PC=KW
We Love Our Partners in Ed, Rusty and Faye from Mathnasium of Coal Mountain!
Can you solve these math problems from Mathnasium?
Lower Elementary:
Question: Jack is sitting in a swivel chair facing north. He spins a half turn clockwise, then a quarter turn counterclockwise, then a full turn clockwise, and finally a three-quarter turn counterclockwise. In which direction is Jack facing now?
Answer: Jack is facing south.
Solution: If Jack starts facing north and spins a half turn clockwise, he will face south. Then, a quarter turn counterclockwise will cause him to face east. Next, a full turn (in either direction) will cause him to face east again. Finally, a three-quarter turn counterclockwise will cause him to face south.
Upper Elementary:
Question: Grace is buying a new charger for her phone and wants to know which one has the longer cord: a black charger with a 70-inch cord or a white charger with a 180-centimeter cord. An inch is 2.54 centimeters. Which cord is longer? By how much? Give your answer in centimeters.
Answer: The white cord is 2.2 centimeters longer.
Solution: Since an inch is 2.54 centimeters, that means that 70 inches is 70 × 2.54 = 177.8 centimeters. The white cord is 180 centimeters long, which is 180 – 177.8 = 2.2 centimeters longer.
Our PTO is a GREAT Way to Get Involved!
Our PTO board members raise money to help teachers and our school.
You can support our PTO in 3 different ways.
1. Look for sign-ups throughout the year to help at events.
2. Become a member by joining PTO with your membership dues.
3. Support a school fundraiser!
Feel Like Reading? Check Out This Information from our Forsyth County Public Library!
Have You Liked Us on Facebook?
A Few Words From Your Family Engagement Coordinator
Oh, dear families… we did it! We made it to the end of the year! I’m so proud of us. Online schooling began March 16th, and who would’ve guessed that it would last through the end of the year. This year had several unexpected twists, but we embraced the change, tried our best, and met the challenge. You should be proud of yourselves. Family engagement was at an all time high! Now summer is here, and it’s time to relax a bit. I know I’m very excited!
In the past, our last APTT meetings focused on student growth and activities for summer. We couldn’t have APTT in May, but I’d like to encourage a few activities each week for your child. Here’s a list of 4 things we plan to do in our home to keep the girls from regressing during summer break.
1. Read daily. Before getting out their technology, my kids are expected to read 15-20 minutes.
2. Practice Dreambox Math lessons (a few weekly). Students can access Dreambox Learning all summer long in Classlink.
3. Practice fast facts a few minutes/ several days per week. My youngest will be a third grader. We need to practice her addition and subtraction to make sure she’s strong in those skills so she can master multiplication next year.
4. Journal occasionally- We plan to keep a summer journal. We can write about special things we do or other ideas like letters to loved ones, things we find on a hike, or creative writing like stories. My girls like to craft things, so if they add an explanation about their work, that’d be a great way to keep their skills going.
And for parents, we have some assignments for you.
1. Rest up and take care of you. You did double duty these past 9 weeks with schooling children and running your household. Take some time for yourselves. You deserve it!
2. When you are ready, check out the Forsyth County Library summer programs. Here’s the link if you are interested: https://bit.ly/3cdeHsB
3. Check us out this summer on Facebook! We won’t post as often, but you can stay in the loop with summer news by checking in from time to time! https://www.facebook.com/ChestateeES/
We hope you have a great summer! We miss you and look forward to coming back together again! Drop me a line if you think of it. I’ll be checking email weekly throughout summer break.
See you soon,
Meg
Meg Killingsworth
Family Engagement Coordinator
770-887-2341 ext. 722122
Don't Forget....
Box Tops/ Soup Labels
The procedure will be changing in the near future (we will keep you posted!)
For now, keep filling out your Box Top Sheets and turn them in to Ms. Donna in the front office.
Kroger and Publix will donate money too...
Publix Partners with Chestatee also. You only need to put your phone number in as you checkout. Publix will donate a certain percentage of their profits to Chestatee from your purchase!
We love our Partners in Education!
Chestatee Elementary School
Email: chestateees@gmail.com
Website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/site/default.aspx?domainid=260
Location: 6945 Keith Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA, United States
Phone: 770-887-2341
Facebook: facebook.com/ChestateeES
Twitter: @chestateees