Bear Essentials
Dyer Newsletter
September 8, 2017
Letter from Mr. DiFilippo
We have welcomed a little over 880 students to Dyer Elementary since the first day of school. Thank you for sending your students to us ready to learn each day. I am pleased to inform you that based on our enrollment numbers, we have been allotted additional funding and will be adding a new teacher to Kindergarten. We are pleased to welcome our newest Bear, Ms. Voss. She will be coming to us from Patrick Elementary School.
I am thrilled to announce that Dyer's Teacher of the Year is Mrs. Amanda Dooley. Please wish her luck as she continues as Dyer's representative at the county level Teacher of the Year.
Our PAWS program (Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies) is off to a fantastic start. The students are earning tickets when they demonstrate positive character traits, and have begun to trade in PAWS tickets for prizes when they visit the Media Center each week. Some students have opted to save their PAWS tickets for future use as well. Please help us support this wonderful program by participating in our Fall Fundraiser. This year, we are featuring a variety of custom spirit wear, and all profits will go directly towards funding our PAWS program.
The school has received numerous calls and e-mails with concerns about parents that are not following the car-rider procedures, specifically parents that are attempting to turn left while exiting during the hours of 7:45-8:25 AM and 2:25-3:15PM. In addition to contacting the school, several parents have reached out to the Gwinnett County Police Department regarding this matter. I have received word from GCPD that officers will be present as frequently as possible during morning and afternoon dismissal in order to monitor the area, and issue citations as needed. The full list of car-rider procedures is attached here for your review. I take safety very seriously, as does my staff. Please follow our procedures to help keep everyone safe, and please be courteous with our staff and other drivers.
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be administered to first, second and fifth grade students on September 18th, 19th, and 20th. Please see the letter from Mrs. Fooks below for more details.
On September 27th and 28th, we will have Early Release for parent-teacher conferences. Please make every effort to attend a conference with your student's teacher. Click here to sign up for a conference. More information regarding early release can be found below. As a reminder, school will release at 12:15. Please plan accordingly and communicate with your student's teacher if transportation for your student will be different on these days.
Last but not least, thank you to all of the grandparents that came out and joined their Dyer Bear(s) for lunch this week. It was wonderful to see the students interacting with their families. Another great big thank you to our PTO volunteers for their hard work transforming the cafeteria in to a festive, fall environment; the decorations were fantastic.
It has been a fabulous first month of school. Thank you for your continued support of Dyer Elementary.
Sincerely,
Mr. Mike DiFilippo
Principal
Fall Fundraiser Orders Due Tuesday 9/12
Picture Day is Coming - Thursday 9/14
This will be our only picture day this year!
Students will take individual and class pictures.
No need for pre-orders, just be sure your child is picture ready on Thursday 9/14
Make-up pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, September 27th
Proofs are scheduled to go home on Friday, 10/13
Orders will be due the following Friday, 10/20, and are expected to be delivered on 11/3
Summer Reading Celebration 9/15
Bear Reader Program
Cognitive Abilities Test: 9/18 - 9/20
Dear Parents,
First, second, and fifth grade students will be participating in the 2017 administration of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which measures students’ verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning abilities. The results of this test will help assess how well your child is performing and assist with plans to meet your child’s academic needs.
The administration will be delivered as follows:
- Monday, September 18, 2017: Verbal Battery - Sections 1, 2, & 3
- Tuesday, September 19, 2017: Quantitative Battery - Sections 4, 5, & 6
- Wednesday, September 20, 2017: Nonverbal Battery - Sections 7, 8, & 9
- Thursday, September 21, 2017: Make-up Session
- Friday, September 22, 2017: Make-up Session
Thank you for making sure your child is present and on time each of these days. Our staff wants to provide your child with the best opportunity to be successful. Since the formal testing environment cannot be duplicated in a make-up session, it is to your child’s advantage to be at school during these scheduled test days. 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)
Thanks for your support during this important assessment period.
Sincerely,
Jaime Fooks
Assistant Principal
Relay For Life T-Shirt Orders
Mondays are Relay for Life T-shirt Day here at Dyer! ONLY $10 each with all profits benefiting Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society! The shirts are blue and our theme this year is ‘Up’.
*All orders due on or before Fri, 9/22!*
All money and orders will be completed through www.mypaymentsplus.com
*Please note: We will NOT be ordering extra shirts so PLEASE don’t delay & miss out on getting your Dyer RFL Shirt.
Early Release & Conferences
Dear Parents,
Early Release conferences are fast approaching. Dyer students will be dismissed at 12:15 pm on Wednesday, September 27th and Thursday, September 28th . Please be sure to note these important schedule changes.
The purpose of a parent-teacher conference is to discuss student achievement and progress. Each parent-teacher conference will last for a period of twenty minutes, and both parents are urged to attend. Please be prompt as these conferences are scheduled consecutively. If a situation arises and you are unable to attend your scheduled conference, please notify the teacher so the conference can be rescheduled.
To schedule your conferences this year, simply go to our school’s conference site
https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Dyer_Elementary_School_3 and click on your teacher’s name. There you will be able to see all teachers’ schedules and sign up for a time that best suits your schedule. Computers will be available at Dyer for you to sign-up there as well. The ability to sign up for a conference online will close on Friday, September 22nd at 3:00pm. Please contact your child’s teacher directly to sign up after the close of online scheduling.
We look forward to seeing you during conference week.
Sincerely,
Jaime Fooks
Wild West Book Fair is Coming!
Dear Parents and Families:
Reading for pleasure unlocks the power of information and imagination and helps children discover who they are. Here’s what you can do to help children develop stronger reading skills and a love for reading:
- Set the example. Let children see you read.
- Have a collection of books in your home. Update this collection routinely to keep up with changing tastes and reading skills.
- Support our school’s Book Fair. Allow your children to choose their own books to read.
Our Scholastic Book Fair is a reading event that brings the books kids want to read right into our school. It’s a wonderful selection of engaging and affordable books for every reading level. Please make plans to visit our Book Fair and be involved in shaping your child’s reading habits.
Here are the dates and times for the rest of the fair.
Book Fair Dates: Septemer 25 – September 29
- Shopping Hours: Mon-Tues 8:15 AM – 2:30 PM
- Wednesday (early release/conference day) 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Thursday (early release/conference day) 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- Friday 8:15 AM -12:15 PM
If you’re all booked up during Book Fair week be sure to visit the Book Fair online at http://www.scholastic.com/bf/jgdyerelementaryschool. Our Online Fair is available for an extended time from September 22 – October 1.
We look forward to seeing you and your family at our Book Fair! Remember, all purchases benefit our school.
Sincerely,
Shirley Langford
Media SpecialistFall Festival - Friday 9/29
Dyer Elementary School's 2017 Fall Festival
Friday, September 29
5:00-8:00 PM
Inflatables, Games, Food, Music, Dancing & Fun!
Wristbands are available to purchase now (via MyPaymentsPlus) and at the door; cost is $10 per student and includes unlimited jumping and carnival games.
Carnival treats and fun will also be available for $1 per ticket.
We will have popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, crazy hair and our famous cake walk!
Birthday Wishes in Big Lights!
Yearbook Orders
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events!
September
14th- School Pictures
15th- Summer Reading Celebration
18th-21st- CogAT Testing
19th- Sonic Spirit Night
20th- Bruster’s Blue Ice ($2)
25th-29th- Book Fair
27th - 28th - Early Release
29th- Fall Festival
Wanted!
Volunteers are needed to help make the first book fair of the school year a success. The first book fair is always the biggest, so we need a lot of help.
Please click on the link for the Sign Up Genius to volunteer for a day and time that works for you. Working at the book fair is fun because you get to see the children get excited about the books they want to read. Even better: All volunteers get 10% off of their book fair purchases.
Parent Volunteers- Sign Up Here!
Miss Mountainview Scholarship Pageants
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Miss Mountain View Scholarship Pageants is excited to announce that our pageant has moved to the fall time frame for next school year. We feel that this change in schedule will be more beneficial to the students and provide us with some opportunities that we have not had before. Miss Mountain View has a place for EVERY girl, and celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of our community. A Miss Mountain View girl grows in confidence, poise, and leadership through many opportunities to serve in our community and beyond. We also offer college scholarships to our Juniors and Seniors as they prepare for their next steps beyond high school. Once the pageant is concluded, ALL girls (contestants and winners) are invited to spend the remainder of the school year volunteering and serving with Miss Mountain View in various service projects, community events, and just some fun stuff too! All Gwinnett County students are encouraged to volunteer and serve in the community, so Miss Mountain View is the perfect organization to complete your hours with.
This year, we have listened to the wishes of our parents to pay only one fee instead of several small ones. Therefore, we are pleased to offer an all-inclusive pageant registration fee which includes the following:
Registration Fee ~ Pageant T-Shirt and/or Bow ~ 1 Pageant Program Book ~ 2 Photo Shoots (headshot for program book & Queens group shot after pageant) ~ 1 Photogenic Competition Photo Entry (you are responsible for your own photo shoot) ~ People’s Choice Competition ~ Sweetheart Competition
Divisions of Competition
Elementary Division – (open to any Gwinnett County Student)
· Tiny Miss Mountain View – Kindergarten – 1st Grade
· Little Miss Mountain View – 2nd– 3rd Grade
· Young Miss Mountain View – 4th– 5th Grade
Middle School Division – (open to any Gwinnett County Student)
· Junior Miss Mountain View – 6th, 7th, 8th Grade
High School Division – (open to Mountain View High School Students)
· Miss Freshman Mountain View – 9th Grade
· Miss Sophomore Mountain View – 10th Grade
· Miss Junior Mountain View – 11th Grade
· Miss Mountain View – 12th Grade
Community Division – (open to high school students from religious schools, online school or home schooled)
· Miss Teen Mountain View
Fees: (Payment plans are available if needed. However, all fees must be paid in full by Oct 1st)
· Registration - $150 – now through Sept 8th
For questions, please feel free to send an email to missmountainview@gmail.com. Please visit our website to complete your registration forms and fees today.
About Us
Email: FirstName_LastName@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Website: http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/DyerES/home.html
Location: 1707 Hurricane Shoals Road, Dacula, GA 30019, United States
Phone: 770-963-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DyerES