Cheetah Chronicles
November 14th, 2021
Important Dates
November 15th: Track 3 Only - Non-instructional Day for Students - No School
November 16th- Firehouse Subs Cheetah Pride Event
November 24th-26th: Thanksgiving Holiday - No School
December 2nd: O'Holly Night
December 3rd: Tracks 3 & 4 Quarter 2 Interims Go Home
Reminder: School Calendar Changes
Track 3 students do not have school on Monday, November 15, 2021. This was a school board decision to provide a day of reflection for students and staff. Since T-3 was tracked out, their day was moved to November 15.
Student Safety
On Tuesday, November 9, we noticed that there were several families that dropped off their students in the parking lot, leaving them to walk across the carpool driving lane during arrival. Safety is our primary objective - as staff and parents. Parents and caregivers are asked to remain in the designated carpool line for student drop off. Otherwise, please park and escort children safely across the street at the designated crosswalk.
Speaking of safety, we see a number of students hanging out of car windows or out of the sunroof. These are dangerous practices. Students could be injured if a parent had an accident in the carpool line or if parents hit one of the supports for the shade cover over the sidewalk. Please ensure your student is sitting safely in their seats through the parking lot and the carpool line. Your cooperation is appreciated!
Come Join PTA
Come join the PTA and scout troop 2019 on November 21, 1-4 pm to get rid of some of those pre-holiday jitters and help us clean out the flower garden and outdoor area at the school! Please bring long sleeves, gloves, and an appetite for fall snacks and warm cider and hot chocolate. Plus games for the kids and music!
Let us know if you can make it!
Interested in a position?
We are currently seeking interested candidates to teach a special K-5. We are also seeking interested candidates for a Cross Categorical Instructional Assistant Position. If you are interested, please reach out to dclark2@wcpss.net
PTA: FIREHOUSE SUBS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH 10:30AM - 9PM
Join us for our November Cheetah Pride Event with Firehouse Subs! ALL DAY on Tuesday, November 16th, Holly Springs Elementary will receive 20% from every single order! Make sure you spread the word! Enjoy some yummy subs and help make HSES a better place at the same time!
PTA: O'HOLLY NIGHT
Our O'Holly Night in-person event is back this year and moving outside on December 2nd! You can skip the lines and preorder your O'Holly Night armband now! Armbands will be delivered to your child on December 2nd or can be picked up at the event if you are tracked out.
Order online here: https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/543097
PTA: DECEMBER 6th VOLUNTEER LUNCH COVERAGE
The HSES PTA will be hosting a Holiday Luncheon for our teachers and staff on Monday, December 6th. Students from tracks 2, 3, and 4 WILL be in school this day. In an effort to give our teachers a bit more time to enjoy their lunch, we are looking for volunteers who would be available Monday, December 6th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm to help watch students during their lunch period. You MUST be a WCPSS VOLUNTEER in order to be allowed into the school (you can sign up at school anytime during school hours). Please be aware that students will be unmasked while eating their lunch. A schedule is being created to determine how many volunteers we will need but we wanted to gauge interest and availability. We will touch base ASAP to let you know if you are needed as a volunteer. Thank you so much! Please reach out (madisonlisbethwhitley@gmail.com) if you have any questions.
The sign-up genius can be found here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4AADAD29AB9-december
Kindergarten Registration
WCPSS Early College and Magnet Fair Opportunities
If you are interested in finding out more about the WCPSS Early College or Magnet School options, you can access that information here: Magnet & Application Schools Information
Decline Transportation Information
If your child is not accessing the school bus as a method of transportation but is currently registered, please use the link below to decline transportation services. This will help the transportation department make sure that the stops and routes assigned to drivers are as efficient as possible.
VOLUNTEERS
New Information: Parents, please make sure that you are registered by October 29th, 2021 in order to volunteer in any future things we may have here at HSES. You can come to school to register anytime between 9:30-3:00. The office staff will provide an iPad for you to use to sign up right in the front of the school.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Resources Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit currently requires schools to limit nonessential visitors.
At HSES, we will communicate with our families as we have a need for essential volunteers. There are no visitors/volunteers at this time.
Reactivation for Continuing Volunteers for 2021-2022
Reactivating volunteers may go to any WCPSS work site and register through wcpss.net by selecting the Community tab, and then selecting Volunteer.
Individuals previously approved to volunteer must reactivate by 4 p.m. on October 29, 2021.
Current volunteers, who provided a valid email address, will receive an email 15 days and 30 days prior to the expiration of their volunteer status reminding them to reactivate.
NEW Volunteers for 2021-2022
All new volunteer applicants must register and have an approved criminal record check prior to engaging in volunteer work.
New volunteer applicants may go to any WCPSS work site and register through wcpss.net by selecting the Community tab, and then selecting Volunteer.
Applicants will be notified by email once their application has been approved.
Applicants who are not approved will receive notice from Employee Relations.
New Registration Process for WCPSS Employees who Want to Volunteer
Although WCPSS employees do not have to go through a criminal record check to volunteer, they will now need to register.
COVID-19 School Protocol Changes
HERE is a letter sent via school messenger on Friday, August 20th regarding COVID-19 school protocol changes. If you have not read the letter, please take the time to do so.
Breakfast & Lunch Menu with Meal-Viewer
Monthly breakfast and lunch menu PDFs will no longer be posted on our district website.
Menus will now be available on our interactive website, MealViewer.
On the MealViewer website, families can:
- Set up multiple profiles at the schools of your choice
- See any menu changes posted by the manager at each site
- Choose menu items based on allergens
- View nutrients for each menu item
- Add nutrients for meals eaten, even partial meals
- Submit ratings on your favorite items
- Print menus
New Registration Process for WCPSS Employees who Want to Volunteer
Has Your Phone Number/Email Changed?
Positivity Project: Track 1 Gratitude
This week students will learn about gratitude. 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.”
“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”
-DALAI LAMA
Positivity Project: Tracks 3 & 4 OPM-KNOWING MY WORDS
This week students will learn about how words and actions affect others. Everything we do, say, text, tweet, snap, or post can positively or negatively impact other people. Our words and our actions are our choices to make, but they can have ripple effects long after we make them. Words and actions have the power to lift others up or tear them down, but, our words and actions also impact ourselves.
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
-Mother Teresa
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
Here Comes the Bus App
Counselor Connection
Parents, please complete the Needs Assessment from the Student Services Team. We want to be able to better serve our students and need your help.
Click on the link for access to the survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15Xeq0hcCrpTKe3e2X_E--kd-3LEyijB5xBtG9c9ZQPo/edit
Shannon O’Neal at soneal2@wcpss.net
Martha Frank at mfrank@wcpss.net
Technology Tips & Resources
CHARGE! 🔋
Please help your child have a successful day during classroom instruction and specials by making sure their Chromebook is fully charged EVERY SINGLE night.
Thank you 😊 Mrs. Quigley
ESL Updates
Access Test Results have been sent to the school. If you are a parent of an ELL student you should be receiving these soon in your child’s purple folder.
If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Rodgers.
Literacy News
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Office of Early Learning is pleased to announce the newest resource to support young readers in North Carolina, “Literacy at Home.” As part of current legislation, Senate Bill 387 directs NC DPI to develop and share a digital children’s reading initiative designed to support the continued growth of North Carolina’s youngest readers. The site is home to easily accessible resources in the foundational areas of reading supported by the science of reading. Developed for each grade level, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, resources are available to support phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language. To easily locate the resource, click here.
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 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
- while traveling on buses or other WCPSS vehicles; and
- at all WCPSS work sites.
Updates from the Parent Teacher Association
PTA: Spirit Gear
PTA: Box Tops for Education
Did you know Box Tops are digital now? All you have to do is download the Box Tops app and take a picture of your receipt containing participating products for our school to get credit. Much easier than cutting Box Tops out and sending them into school. After you take a picture of your receipt you can give credit to your child's classroom. We will reward the class with the most Box Top submissions with a fun prize at the end of the year! Watch the video below for instructions.
Doing all your shopping online? Here are instructions on how to submit digital receipts: https://www.boxtops4education.com/emailgroceryreceipts
**Still have physical Box Tops? We are collecting all non-expired box tops too! Just send them in to school in a plastic baggie, envelope, etc.**
PTA: AMAZON WISH LIST & AMAZON SMILE
Help us show our teachers and staff some LOVE! We have created an Amazon Wish List with snacks, treats, drinks, k-cups, and more. You can order and pay through Amazon and have it sent directly to the school. We strive to keep the teacher’s lounge stocked with snacks, coffee, and tea. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. Check out the list on Amazon. Make sure you shop with smile.amazon.com and make Holly Springs Elementary School PTA your charity. Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases - at no cost to you. Thank you!
Download our App!
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Simply search for our school in your App Store or use these links to download our app today. You'll have a handy icon on your phone and with just a tap or two, you can be connected to our school! Don't forget to accept push notifications so that you receive our text alerts!
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GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
Thank you to our sponsors: Blue Water Pediatric Dentistry and Mathnasium!
Become a PTA Member!
Why should you join the PTA?
- Get Involved: The #1 reason why every parent should join the PTA is for the benefit of your child! Research shows that children perform better when parents are involved both at home and at school.
- Advocacy: Power in numbers
Access resources: Free e-learning courses, e-newsletter Be in the know: PTA Takes Action Network provides updates on legislative issues Becoming a member of the PTA shows that you want to help support the programs and events that help enhance students' experiences at school. It does not obligate you to attend the PTA meetings or volunteer. You can join for $10 for an individual or $15 for a family here: https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships or look for a form to come home with your child this week or when you track ba
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 accounts from Harris Teeter, Lowes and Publix this school year please take a minute to do so. You have to do it every year. Fill out this form and the PTA will link your account for you: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13XF20vPRsc1Phx29UeE-7JQs--fBKCTSWEMyxPadznA/edit
Thanks you for supporting our school!!