Bear Essentials
Dyer ES Newsletter
September 7, 2018
Schedule Changes
We’ve recently completed our final count day, and unfortunately we are under our projected enrollment. In order to adjust our staffing needs, we have made changes to our specials schedule. Media center will replace STEM as our 5th special. However, students will still have the opportunity to visit the STEM lab with their science teacher to conduct experiments throughout the year. Mrs. Langford is looking forward to working with our students.
We have also had to adjust our lunch schedules a bit, only 2nd and 4th grade have been effected. Please see below for the new 2nd and 4th grade lunch times.
These schedule changes will go into affect as of next Monday, 9/10.
4th Grade New Lunch Times:
11:27-11:52- Thomas
11:29-11:54- Murphy
11:31-11:56 -Jordan
11:33-11:58 - Ellis
11:35-12:00 - Bailey
2nd Grade New Lunch Times:
11:42-12:07- Halley
11:44-12:09- Ellis
11:46-12:11- Ackerman
11:48-12:13- Moore
11:50-12:15 - Dooley
Read-A-Thon Ends Tonight!
Wow! We are blown away by all of your support! We are thrilled to announce that so far, we have read 389,892 minutes and raised $14,824.90! Our students are working hard to reach their new goal of 500,000 minutes read by midnight tonight! Students are also working to continue getting sponsors so we can reach our goal of $20,000 raised. The good news is we have 10 days after our Read-A-Thon ends to continue raising money. We've got this bears! Below is a re-cap of how the program works, in case you have any questions! Thanks again for all of your support!
Reading:
Students can begin reading today, August 24th through Friday, September 7th. All time spent reading counts (in school and at home). ALL READING COUNTS! Students can read independently, with a friend, to a sibling, listen to a parent/sibling read, host a reading play date, or even Skype with a relative! Every kind of reading is Read-A-Thon reading!
Tracking Minutes:
Parents, we need you to help your child track their reading minutes outside of school. Tracking minutes is a quick and easy process and can all be done online through your child's Read-A-Thon Adventure page. If you haven't set yours up yet, it's not too late. Teachers sent home a flyer with the website and your child's secret code. Lost your flyer? No worries, just email your teacher and he/she can help get you that information.
Sponsors:
Students are encouraged to ask family members and friends for their support by sponsoring their participation in our Read-A-Thon. Invitations can be sent through your child's online Read-A-Thon Adventure page through a variety of tools (Facebook, text, email, Twitter, printables, etc.). Sponsors will not make pledges but rather a flat donation.
Prizes and Awards:
While we all know that reading is a reward in and of itself, we also know that it's a ton of fun to participate in a little friendly competition and earn prizes! There are several different ways to earn prizes:
- Set up your online Read-A-Thon Adventure Page = Free Prize
- If every child reads a minimum of 100 minutes during the Read-A-Thon, we will hold a school-wide Book Character Dress Up day on 10/31!
Personal prizes - 15% of funds raised = RAT Bucks
Students can shop in the Read-A-Thon online prize store. (Items will be shipped to the school after our Read-A-Thon closes.)
Classroom Winners = Free Book on Bookmobile
Top Reader in each class (most minutes) = Free Book on Bookmobile
Top Sponsorship in each class (most $ raised) = Free Book on Bookmobile
Grade Level Winners = Snow Cone Party!
Class on grade level with most minutes read gets a Snow Cone Party!
Class on grade level with the most money raised gets a Snow Cone Party!
- School Wide Winners = Cake Decorating & Pizza Party w/ Mr. DiFilippo and special award medal (2 winners per grade level)
Student in grade level with most minutes read gets an invite & medal
Student in grade level with most money raised gets an invite & medal
- Grand Prize- Read-A-Thon Champion wins a giant stuffed book buddy bear! (The student in the school with the most minutes read overall.)
*Teachers of Grade Level Winning Classrooms get a $25 Target Gift Card!*
Attention 1st, 2nd & 5th Grade Parents
Dear Parents,
Your child will be participating in the 2018 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:
- Wednesday, September 12, 2018: Verbal Battery - Sections 1, 2, & 3
- Thursday, September 13, 2018: Quantitative Battery - Sections 4, 5, & 6
- Friday, September 14, 2018: Nonverbal Battery - Sections 7, 8, & 9
- Monday, September 17, 2018: 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)
Thank you very much for encouraging and supporting your student during testing. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sally Simmons at 770)963-6214.
Sincerely,
Sally Simmons
Picture Day: Tuesday 9/11
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 Tuesday 9/11
Make-up pictures are scheduled for Wednesday, September 26th
Proofs are scheduled to go home on Friday, 10/12
Orders will be due the following Friday, 10/19, and are expected to be delivered on 11/2
Bruster's Blue Ice - Wednesday 9/12
PAWS Party Friday 9/21 - Help Wanted!
Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, come PARTY with our bears!!!
When: Friday, 9/21 during your student's specials time!
The "cost" for students to attend is 15 PAWS tickets, and they must be turned in by next Friday, 9/14!
We are so excited about our first PAWS Party of the school year! This party is sponsored by our 5th grade team, and they have planned a super fun carnival for all of the students! They will definitely need your help to pull it off. If you can volunteer, please sign up via one of the SignUpGenius links below! We look forward to partying with you!
Link to First Grade PAWS Party Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44A8AA23A0F58-september1
Link to Second Grade PAWS Party Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44A8AA23A0F58-september2
Link to 3rd Grade PAWS Party Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44A8AA23A0F58-september3
Link to 4th Grade PAWS Party Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44A8AA23A0F58-september4
Link to 5th Grade PAWS Party Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44A8AA23A0F58-september5
Birthday Wishes in Big Lights!
We will continue our PAWS program school-wide. The goal of this program is to not only notice positive behavior, but also to reward that behavior. You can help support the funding of this program, and wish your child a happy birthday on our school marquee at the same time. It's a win-win! For a $5 contribution, a Happy Birthday message along with your child's first name and last initial will be displayed on our marquee for three days during the week of your child's birthday. Summer birthday? Not a problem, We will display summer birthday messages during the last week of school and during their birthday week. NOTE: Your child's name will be displayed on their birth date as well as the day immediately before and after. Orders can be placed via Mypaymentsplus.com under the School Events tab. Please note, requests will be processed the next business day.
2018-2019 Free/Reduced Lunch Applications
Students that received free/reduced lunch during the 2017-2018 school year will have a grace period until September 17th to re-apply for the 2018-2019 year.
Looking to September
9/11 School Pictures
9/12-14th -Cogat testing grades 1,2,5
9/12 Brusters Blue Ice Day
9/14 6week Progress Reports Issued
9/14- September Paws Party tickets due
9/17 Cogat testing make up
9/20 Sonic Spirit Night
9/24-9/28 Iowa testing grades 2,5
9/26 School pictures make up day
Dyer Elementary School
Website: http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/DyerES/home.html
Location: 1707 Hurricane Shoals Road, Dacula, GA, USA
Phone: 770-963-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DyerES/