Cheetah Chronicles
November 22nd, 2020
Reminders
November 23rd & 24th-Synchronous Remote Learning Days
November 25th-27th-No School-Thanksgiving Holiday
November 23rd-Fall Picture for Virtual Academy Students
November 30th-Drive Thru for O'Holly Night Kick-Off--5:00-6:00 PM
December 3rd-Virtual O'Holly Night!
Positivity Project: Gratitude
This week students will be learning about Kindness. Gratitude is the quality of feeling and expressing thankfulness and appreciation. It is an affirmation that there is goodness in other people and the world, and that we have received that goodness. People with the strength of gratitude have a readiness to show appreciation for kindness and also to return kindness. A leading expert, Robert Emmons, calls gratitude a “relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.”
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.”
-MAYA ANGELOU
P2 for Families
P2 for Families is an easy and effective way for families to discuss the importance of character strengths and positive relationships. It is differentiated for grades Pre-K – 2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each character strength follows a 1-1-3 model: 1 quote, 1 video, and 3 questions to drive conversations around character at home.
Please choose your child’s grade level on the site linked HERE to be directed to all of the character strengths. CODE NEEDED: P2
WCPSS Virtual Academy Registration Window
Carpool Families
Thank you for your patience as we work to ensure social distancing and safety of your students. We are working to efficiently and effectively keep our carpool line moving. Please help us by doing the following.
Move car seats to the driver sides of the vehicles so that students may exit from the passenger side.
Ensure that your student knows how to buckle and unbuckle themselves into the car or their car seat.
Pull forward to the Holly Springs sign by the flag poles if you need to assist with a harness or seatbelt
Stay in your cars and do not exit vehicles during carpool. Once your student is loaded into the car, it is important that the car be ready to proceed forward.
Please do not drive around other cars to move forward, please wait in line until your car has been ushered forward.
Online Bus Attestation Form
If your child is going to ride a bus, you are required to submit this form stating that you and your child will abide by all health and safety protocols. Students are not permitted to ride the bus until this form has been submitted. Starting Monday, 11/30, if your family has not submitted this form, and your child is riding the bus, we will notify you of the need to carpool until the form is submitted. You will need to submit a separate form for each of your children who plan to ride the bus during the 2020-21 school year.
Boosterthon-Virtual Academy Prize Pickup!
Families,
I hope your students had an absolute BLAST during our Virtual Dance Fit! Because of your help, we have raised over $26,000!! This will be helpful as we seek to provide Technology Upgrades. Pledging is still open THIS WEEK which means students have another week to earn prizes, move up our class Pledge-O-Meter, and help our school.
All virtual students and 4th & 5th grade students (Cohorts B & C) will be able to pick up their prizes at the school on Monday, 11/23 from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM or when they come for picture day. Make sure to enter your final pledges on funrun.com. Thank you for helping Holly Springs - we truly appreciate all your support!Specials
As you know, November 23 and 24th are synchronous days with live instruction. There is a document linked in your child’s Specials Google Classroom on the stream page that will tell you how your child will access specials during these 2 days.
Virtual Literacy Nights: The week of December 14th-17th!
Click HERE for the flyer that includes the times for each night as well as the title of the books that will be read! Please let Ms. McKinnon (jmckinnon@wcpss.net) know if you have any questions. We look forward to reading with you!
REMINDER: Free breakfast and lunch for all students in during the 20-21 school year
All students (18 years of age and younger) will receive breakfast and lunch for free until June 30, 2021. Encourage your families to take advantage of this service. Learn about changes to meal service and view curbside pickup locations at wcpss.net/food.
Click HERE for more information.
Important: Did a student/employee go home sick? Please remember that all household members must also go home
Food Distribution During Thanksgiving Week
FYI: Immunization and Health Assessment Records Deadline Extended Again
Important: Reminder About Bus Attestation Form
Fall Pictures are coming soon! More information to come. Here are the dates for planning purposes:
Mon, 11/23--Fall yearbook – Virtual Academy- SignUpGenius with appts 8-2pm
Mon, 11/30--Fall yearbook – Cohort B Grades 4/5 and all Plan B PK-3rd Grade
Mon, 12/07--Fall yearbook – Cohort C Grades 4/5
Mon, 12/14--Fall yearbook – Cohort A Grades 4/5
Funding Available for Families Impacted by Remote Learning
To help support families impacted by remote learning, Wake County Government has launched a new assistance program called WakeSUPPORTS. WakeSUPPORTS provides funding to working parents, so they can afford to pay for their K-8th grade student to attend virtual school at a safe location with reliable oversight, or receive before and after school care. It also can pay for fees that accompany subsidized childcare for families who meet specific income criteria. To access this support fill out and submit the online form at wakegov.com/WakeSUPPORTS. The application is available in both in English and Spanish. Residents can also pick up an application in person at Wake County’s Swinburne, Northern Regional Center, Eastern Regional Center or Southern Regional Center. If you wish to obtain an application over the phone, you can do so by calling 919-212-7621 or you can email wakesupportschildcare@wakegov.com.
Technology Tips & Resources
Do you have questions about the Google tools your student is using at school? Do you want to know more about available features? Check out Google’s Tech Toolkit for Families and Guardians
Bus & Cohort Tags
Transportation Changes
Plan B Students: Preparing to Return to School
When your child returns to school, he/she will be expected to bring their Chromebook and any other materials we sent out at the start of the year to school with them. In addition, your child’s teacher has communicated if there are any additional supplies your child(ren) should need.
Please note, we cannot accept wipes, hand sanitizer, separate soaps or shared tissue boxes, as they do not meet the safety guidelines in place for the district.
Please review the details in the Return to Campus handbook, as it contains updated information about processes, protocols and expectations for our students. In addition, here are additional resources to review prior to October 26th:
● Student Accountability and Required Health Protocols and Technology Guidance ○ Student Accountability and Required Health Protocols Signature Page: This form MUST be signed and returned before your child’s first day. (In the supply distribution materials)
● Technology Guidance for returning to school
○ Bring Your Own Device Agreement Form can be found here. If you plan to send a personal device, (NOT a WCPSS Chromebook), to school with your child, this form MUST be signed and returned before your child brings the device to school. (In the supply distribution materials)
Here Comes the Bus App
Carpool Tag Registration for 2020-2021 School Year
Thanks!
Parent Letter w/ Plan B Information
WCPSS Board of Education Return to School- Plan B Students
For Plan B students who will begin returning to school on October 26th, please make sure you are practicing the 3Ws with your child.
Practicing all 3 Ws will be expected all day long for students and staff, so if you have not even started
these practices at home, now is the time:
Wear a mask (over your nose to completely cover the nose & mouth)
Wash your hands thoroughly (i.e., use soap & water for 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer)
Wait at least 6 feet apart, even when wearing a maskClick HERE for the letter sent to Plan B families on Friday with more information.
Counselor Connection
Book Check Out/Pick Up-UPDATE
Library book request and pickup is going very well. We would like to extend the days books can be picked up to Monday-Friday 9:00-3:00. Book request and the book return is located near the bus loop under the front awning. On inclement weather days these items will be located in the front lobby. Students can check the "my Stuff" tab in their follet account to see when books have been checked out to them and are ready for pickup. How-to videos are located on the Follett page in the students Wakeid portal.
If you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to email Ms. Dixon--sfdixon@wcpss.net.
ESL Updates
School Messenger Updates
You can opt-in to receive School Messenger updates via text message by texting YES to the shortcode 67587 or replying with a YES to the opt-in text message we will send to your phone.
More information on School Messenger, including how to manage the manner and devices you get messages delivered to you, can be found here.
Face Coverings
Tuesday, in his announcement about the reopening of schools, Governor Cooper shared new information regarding elementary children and face coverings. The previous information we had was that face coverings would be optional for elementary, and mandatory for middle and high school. (Employees are also required to wear face coverings.) Here is the information we received:
“All students will be expected to wear face coverings when they are anywhere on school grounds and while traveling on buses, vendor transportation or other WCPSS vehicles. Exemptions will still be allowed for individuals who cannot tolerate a face covering due to developmental, medical, or behavioral health needs or due to a sincerely held religious belief. The state announced it will provide five face coverings for every K-12 student and school employees.”
Face Coverings Mandatory in North Carolina
North Carolina will require face coverings of your choice for all Central Office staff and school staff, adult visitors, and all school aged children when they are or may be within six feet of another person, including:
- inside school buildings and anywhere on school grounds, including outside;
- while traveling on buses or other WCPSS vehicles; and
- at all WCPSS work sites.
Updates from the Parent Teacher Association
Virtual O'Holly Night: Coming Soon!
This year your favorite event is going virtual! Here are the details:
Basket Raffle
Our O'Holly Night Class Basket Raffle will go live on November 30th and end the evening of December 3rd. Link to the raffle will be sent out prior to the event. Some of the awesome baskets you can bid on include gift card basket, game night basket and Lego basket.
O'Holly Night Drive Thru Parade
On November 30th to kick off the basket raffle we are celebrating with an Ugly Sweater Parade. Deck your car out, grab your tackiest sweater and join us anywhere from 5-6 pm in the carpool loop!
Virtual Activity Rooms
The last night of the virtual basket raffle, December 3rd, the PTA will be hosting activity "rooms" through google meet. There will be martial arts, origami, story time and more all led by some familiar faces! Save the date because your kids are not going to want to miss this!
Cheetah Pride Night
HSES Child Face Masks
Reflections Art Program!
Does your student enjoy art, music and dance, or have an interest in writing, creating films or taking photos? HSES PTA invites your child to have fun unleashing their inner artist and participate in the 2020-21 Reflections Art Program!
This year’s theme is “I Matter Because…” Students are invited to create a unique work of art based on this year’s theme in one of six categories -- literature, film production, visual arts, music composition, dance choreography, and photography.
If your student is interested in participating fill out this form https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfidUnnxsZ.../viewform and we will email you the Student Participation packet with all the details! Projects are due November 13th.
Time to Relink your Grocery Cards!
This is an easy way to earn money for our school while you shop. If you haven't linked your grocery cards this school year please take a minute to do so. You have to do it every year. You can find these links on our app also.
Lowes Foods: https://rewards.lowesfoods.com/Account/SelectCard...
Harris Teeter:
https://www.harristeeter.com/together-in-education#/app/cms
Publix:
http://corporate.publix.com/.../corporate.../publix-partners
And you can link your Amazon account too if you haven't already!
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/homepage?orig=%2F
Thanks you for supporting our school!!