Bear Essentials
09/25/2020
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone that was able to attend our first ever Virtual Curriculum Night. We hope that you were able to gain valuable information from your child's teacher. For those of you that could not attend, the presentations were recorded and have been placed on your teacher's eCLASS page for you to view at a time that is convenient for you.
Dyer PTO Needs You!
This year has presented us with many new challenges but we remain committed to supporting all of our Bears whether they be digital or in-person learners. While most of our in-person events have been cancelled, we are working hard to find ways to keep all of our students connected. And of course, we are always looking for opportunities to work alongside our amazing teachers, and provide financial support to the school.
Parents, in order for our PTO to be successful in reaching these goals, WE NEED YOU! If you have it on your heart to help by donating your time and/or talents, please let us know by completing this electronic form! We can tailor volunteer opportunities to play to your strengths and work with your schedule. Plus, we have a lot of FUN, even from a distance!
Attention 2nd Grade Parents!
Dear Parents,
Your child will be participating in the 2020 administration of the Iowa Assessment on Tuesday, 9/29 and Wednesday, 9/30. In GCPS, schools administer the national Iowa Assessment to 2nd grade students to measure achievement in Reading, Language, and Mathematics. Testing will take approximately 100 minutes each day. The test measures both basic skills and advanced skills so that teachers can learn more about each student’s academic strengths and potential learning gaps that may have occurred due to COVID-19. The district also uses achievement scores on the Iowa Assessment as a part of the process for identification for the Gifted Education program
Parents of digital learners, please be sure to check your email for an important message regarding the Iowa Assessment. This message was sent last Friday, 9/18. If you did not receive the email, be sure to check your spam/junk folder. If you are interested in having your child participate in the Iowa Assessment, please be sure to complete the survey (link included in original email).
Thank you for making sure your child is present and on time on their testing days. Our staff wants to provide your child with the best opportunity to be successful. Once testing has begun each day, no child will be allowed to enter the classroom tardy.
Although no studying or preparation is necessary for this test, the following recommendations should help your child do his/her best each day:
- Get plenty of rest
- Eat a healthy breakfast
- Be at school on time
- Be prepared (glasses if needed)
Thank you very much for encouraging and supporting your student during testing. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sally Armstrong at 770-963-6214.
Sincerely,
Sally Armstrong
Assistant Principal
Dyer Elementary
PAWSitively Exciting News!
You may be wondering what on earth is the PAWS program? Our PAWS program is actually part of a larger framework called PBIS, Positive Behavior Interventions & Support. The goal of PBIS is to teach our students behavior expectations. Over the next few weeks, your students will learn about the behavior expectations in each area of the in-person and digital learning environments. We teach these behaviors using the acronym PAWS:
- Personal Best
- Act Responsibly
- Work & Play Safely
- Show Respect
Students are acknowledged and praised for exhibiting desired behaviors. These acknowledgements are issued in the form of points. Students can then use their points to purchase prizes, enter raffles, and attend events! This point economy is all managed via our PBIS Rewards App! In addition to managing our PAWS rewards, the PBIS Rewards app can be used by teachers to message parents, send pictures of students, and so much more! Parents, you can use the PBIS Rewards Parent app to message teachers, check your students' point balances, and see what rewards they have redeemed their points for! Instructions for downloading the PBIS Rewards Parent App were emailed to parents on Wednesday, 9/16. Please be sure to take a few moments to set up this app as it is an invaluable communication tool!
Dyer Parent Shout Outs!
Thank you to everyone that took the time to submit a Dyer Parent Shout Out form last week! We had such a great response, that we have decided to keep it going! If there is a Dyer staff member that you would like to recognize, send them a Shout Out! Please fill out this form to acknowledge and individual or group. Mr. DiFilippo will share your shout out at our weekly faculty meeting. Don't know the name of who you want to acknowledge? That's okay, each question is set up for a short answer response, instead of typing their name, you can type a description, (i.e. ladies that work in car- rider line each morning).
Birthday Wishes in Big Lights!
GCPS to provide meals free of charge to students and to children 18 and younger
Earlier this month, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted additional waiver extensions that allow school districts to offer meals at no charge through December 31 through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO). This extension, paired with guidance received from the Georgia Department of Education, will allow Gwinnett County Public Schools to offer meals at no charge at school sites to all students. These meals are provided at no cost to the individual through the federal School Nutrition Program.
Students Attending School In-Person
Those attending school in-person will receive meals free-of-charge during their school’s scheduled meal times.
Curbside Pick-up for Digital Learners
Digital learners may pick up meals through the curbside pick-up programs at Dyer, Monday through Friday, between 10:45-11:45 in the bus lanes. Each day’s pick-up includes both breakfast and lunch. Individuals will not be allowed to enter the school to pick up or eat meals. (Click here for a list of the 132 schools offering curbside pick-up.)
Curbside Pick-up for Others 18 Years of Age or Younger:
As part of the Seamless Summer Option, curbside pick-up meals also will be available at no charge to anyone 18 years of age or younger, even to children who are not a GCPS student. Please check with your local school for curbside pick-up times and the location of the pick-up program. Individuals will not be allowed to enter the school to pick up or eat meals.
Gwinnett County Public Schools encourages families who are eligible for the Free & Reduced Meal Program to complete the annual application to ensure meal benefits continue when this waiver expires. The application is available on the GCPS website or at https://www.nlappscloud.com/.
Dyer Media Center Curbside Book Pickup for Digital Learning Students!
Many fun books are available for Dyer students to read through the Media Center. There are two options:
Capstone eBooks and Follet eBooks for students to read online on a computer or portable device
Physical books that can be picked up using curbside pickup
For curbside pickup, parents must fill out the Curbside Pickup form by midnight on Sunday to alert the Media Center staff that they would like to pick up books on their assigned day of Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. (Assigned days are based on the last name of students, see below.) Staff members will pull books based on a student’s holds in the Destiny catalog and the reading interest survey on the google form. No books will be pulled for a student that week if a Google form was not submitted by Sunday.
The Curbside Book Pickup Form can be located in the Media Catalog, on the Media Center webpage, and on the Dyer Media Center eClass course page.
Checkout Limits :
Kindergarten and 1st Grade: 3 Books
2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade: 4 Books
(Length of checkout for all students is 4 weeks.)
In order to have more popular books available for more kids, we will limit the number of popular books that can be placed on hold checked out at a time.Students may only hold and check out 2 of the following popular books at a time:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, Dork Diaries, all graphic novels
How It Works:
Students may place up to 5 books on hold. (Students may only put 2 popular books on hold at a time. If there are more than 2 on hold, the other popular books will be deleted to free them up for other students.) Alternatively, students can list their reading interests on the Curbside Checkout google form. Mrs. Langford and Mrs. Burnette will look at the reading interests and pick out books that match up with the interests.
Pick up day and time assigned by the student’s last name:
Tuesday: 10:45 am - 11:45 am - Last Names: A - H
Wednesday: 10:45 am - 11:45 am - Last Names: I - P
Thursday: 10:45 am - 11:45 am - Last Names: Q - Z
When you pull up, you will hold up a piece of paper with your child’s name written in big letters. The staff members will check out the books and bring them to you.
Returning Books: Books may be returned during Media Center Curbside pick-up days.
If you have any questions and concerns, please e-mail Mrs. Langford at Shirley.Langford@gcpsk12.org
September Dates:
29th - 30th - IOWA Testing for grade 2
Looking to October
8-10 - Fall Break (No School)
14 - Picture Day for In-Person Learners
15 - Picture Day for Digital Learners
16 - Read-A-Thon Kick Off
21 - Early Release & In-Person Parent/Teacher Conferences
22 - Early Release & Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences
27 - Red Ribbon Day
28 - Bruster's Blue Ice Day
28 - Picture Make-Ups
30 - Read-A-Thon Finale & Book Character Day!
Dyer Elementary School
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/dyeres
Location: 1707 Hurricane Shoals Road, Dacula, GA, USA
Phone: 770-963-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DyerES/