Dear Simpson Families,
Happy February! We look forward to seeing you soon next month for parent-teacher conferences. In the past we held early release conferences in February. However, I want you to SAVE-the-DATE for Wednesday, March 1st, and Thursday, March 2nd for early release days. Students will have early release days and dismissed at 1 PM. You will once again be able to sign up for your conference time(s) online. Also, please feel free to join me on Thursday, February 2nd for our PTA General Meeting and Starry, Starry, Night Reflections Award Ceremony at 6 PM.
Thank you ALL for your continued support! It is an honor to serve as your principal. Have a wonderful February!
Proud to be your principal,
Dr. Taffeta Connery
February Calendar Dates
February 1-Kick off Black History Month honoring Hank Aaron-Wear Braves attire
February 2-Starry, Starry Night Reflections Awards/PTA Meeting-6:00 pm
February 3-Digital Learning Day #3/Staff Development Day
February 6-10-Simpson Star Wars Drive
February 9-Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance-Paul Duke STEM High School-6:30 pm
February 16-PTA Spirit Night-New Dragon-5:00-9:00 pm
February 16-20-Student and Staff Mid-Winter Holiday
Greetings Superstars,
I am so excited to celebrate Black History Month (BHM) with you! Teachers have already discussed AKS-aligned social studies lessons, projects, activities, and virtual field trips/resources in order to celebrate February's Black History Month.
Students are welcomed, (but not required) to join the staff as we kick-off Black History Month this Wednesday, February 1st to celebrate a historic African American baseball player, the late Hank Aaron (by wearing BRAVES attire).
In addition, please prepare ahead of time for our Black History Staff Spirit Week! It will take place during the week of February 23rd-27th:
- Monday, Feb. 20rd- Wear traditional African Attire and/or Red, Black, & Green (to represent Unity Day).
- Tuesday, Feb. 21th- Historic Black Colleges & Universities Day (HBCU) - Choose an HBCU and take a virtual field trip with your class. Also wear HBCU attire, or colors to explain the history and importance of HBCU's.
- Wednesday, Feb. 22th - Camouflage Day (Recognition of the military contributions of African Americans).
- Thursday, Feb. 23th - African American Appreciation Day – Dress up to highlight any African American who made a significant contribution to society (e.g. Dr. Connery could dress up as Dr. Mary McCloud Bethune because she was significant for starting Bethune-Cookman University an HBCU in which she graduated from in FL.)
- Friday, Feb. 24th - Cowboy Day (Black cowboys-explain the history and contributions of African Americans in the West).
Looking forward to celebrating Black History Month with you!
Your biggest fan,
Taffeta
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Lunar New Year at Simpson
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GCPS Science, Engineering and Innovation Fair
Dear Families,
Thank you for your support in this year's local school GCPS Science, Engineering, and Innovation Fair. Your superstars have impressed the judging committee with their STEM projects. Every student should be congratulated for their efforts as I know first-hand that this is a lot of work! Please help me congratulate the following winners in each category:
Problem 1: Simple Machine Solutions
1st- Luke Morgan & Jake Pusateri
Problem 2: It's Electric
1st- Elliot Henriquez
2nd- Evan Chung
3rd- Wes Potts
Problem 3: A Clean Neighborhood Park
1st- Tristan Hackney, Corbin Giles, & TJ Ephgrave
2nd- Aurelia Arnold Sommervold
3rd- Brielle Schaffer
Problem 4: Boom, Boom, Flash!
1st- Eli Blue
Problem 5: Plant & Animal Super Powers!
1st- Madelyn Arnold
2nd- Evelyn Arnold
3rd- Jack Edwards & Idris Baig
Problem 6: Robotic Solutions
1st- Baylor Boalch & Arden Wu
2nd- Rylan Adams
3rd- Maggie Schoeke-Bruer
Problem 7: Student Choice
1st- Nolan Fabian, Colin Fabian, & Maddox Carter
2nd- Jeremy Liang & Kevin Chen
3rd- Hadley Reich & Morgan Willenborg
Below are the following students and their categories who will be moving on to the GCPS District Competition:
Madelyn Arnold (5th Grade)- Category 5: Plan & Animal Super Powers
Baylor Boalch & Arden Wu (4th Grade)- Category 6: Robotic Solutions
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Media Center Notes
The Book Fair is coming!
Mark your calendars for the spring book fair!
Preview Days with classroom teachers will be on Thursday, 2/23, through Tuesday, 2/28.
Buying days are Wednesday, 3/1, through Friday, 3/3.
More information will be coming home in Friday Folders.
Read Across America Week is February 27 through March 3.
We will have Dr. Seuss dress-up days from 2/28 through 3/3.
Tuesday 2/28 - Cat in the Hat - Dress up as a character from the book or wear your favorite hat!
Wednesday, 3/1 - Fox in Socks - wear mismatched or crazy socks!
Thursday 3/2 - The Lorax - wear a mustache and save the trees!
Friday 3/3 - The Sleep Book - wear your pajamas!
Greetings Superstar Parents,
We are so excited to welcome you back to school to join your child during lunch hours. I wanted to share some ice cream updates with you in the new year. Therefore, if you desire to purchase ice cream for your child, you are welcome to do so at any time.
However, we are currently experiencing children upset upon leaving the cafeteria during lunch because some parents purchased ice cream for their child and decided to purchase additional ice cream for select group of children in the same class. Therefore, you are welcome to purchase ice cream for your child, but please do not purchase additional ice cream for just a few children, unless it is for the entire class or for a class birthday. I thank you in advance for your support and please do not hesitate to contact the me if you have any questions.
Thank you kindly,
Dr. Connery, Principal
GCPS Students will have access to a meal (breakfast and lunch) throughout the year for each child. However, due to the expiration of USDA Covid-19 waivers, students will now be charged for meals based on their individual eligibility for 2022-2023 School Year.
Therefore, student meals will return to full price or if desire, please complete a free/reduced lunch application on-line via our school website.
Meal prices for elementary students below:
Student breakfast -$1.50
Student lunch -$2.25
Adult Breakfast -$2.50
Adult Lunch -$3.75
*The adult bar is available to both adult guests and staff throughout the school year.
A gentle reminder that outside vendor food (per district policy) is not allowed for students. Please reinforce providing lunch from home or utilizing the school meal plan.
Car Rider Reminders
simpson pbis
Greetings Parents,
Beginning this school year in 2022, we will engage in Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) at Simpson Elementary to have a positive behavioral expectation schoolwide. PBIS is an approach schools use to promote school safety and good behavior. With PBIS, schools teach kids about behavior expectations, strategies, and with a primary focus on having a positive prevention, not consequences.
What is PBIS at our school?
A unified set of school wide expectations for behavior in our school. We are Simpson Superstars, so to ensure that students can easily comprehend our expectations, we have established a 5-star approach for appropriate behaviors posted throughout the school. Your child has been learning these expectations since the first few days of school.
What are the 5-Star Expectations at Simpson Elementary?
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
- Be Ready to Learn
- Be Safe
- Be Kind
As part of our PBIS process, teachers and other staff members use evidence-based practices to increase student learning and decrease classroom disruptions. To keep students on the rules in a positive manner, we do the following when teaching academics and behavior:
- Constantly teach and refer to our school-wide expectations.
- Provide students with more praise than correction.
- Talk to students with respect using positive voice tone.
- Actively engage everyone in the class during instruction.
- Use pre-correcting, prompting, and redirecting as we teach.
- Look for the positive first and provide positive, immediate, frequent, and explicit feedback.
The PBIS School store buying days are here! Please see below for grade level buying days which will occur during morning arrival: 8:20-8:55 AM.
PBIS Grade Level Incentive Days:
Monday - 4th Grade PBIS Incentive Day
Tuesday - 3rd & 5th Grade PBIS Incentive Day
Wednesday - 2nd Grade PBIS Incentive Day
Thursday - 1st Grade PBIS Incentive Day
Friday- PreK & Kindergarten PBIS Incentive Day
Notes from Nurse Norris
Our clinic is in need of pants and shorts! If you have any gently used clothes, please consider donating them to the clinic.
Thank you so much for all your support!
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YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW!
Yearbooks are on sale now! Be sure to order your yearbook now to guarantee your copy.
- COST: $40
- LINK TO ORDER: Simpson Elementary School - Class Rings, Yearbooks and Graduation | Balfour
- DEADLINE: March 1, 2022
THANK YOU!
- Stephanie Wamsley, Nicole Redelheim, and Ann Aguiari for all their hard work in organizing and executing a fabulous talent show! And to all the 4th and 5th Grade Talent Show performers for a great performance! And a special THANK YOU to all the parent volunteers who helped backstage.
Sara Wiggins, Jessica Lee, and Katie McCracken for their amazing 5th Grade Handprint display! And to 5th grader, Morgan W., for creating the winning design!
Amanda Fabian and Samantha Morgan for working tirelessly with Ms. Johnson, Ms. Arnold, and Ms. Boalch to create an awesome Science Fair! CONGRATULATIONS to our Simpson Science Fair winners who are moving on to the next level...Madelyn A., Arden W., Baylor B., Tristan H., TJ E., and Corbin G. Great job Superstars!
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