The Dunwoody Springs Dispatch
A Project Based Learning School
October 19, 2016
Ivy Goggins, Principal
Denise Haltrecht, Asst. Principal
Upcoming Events
- 10/18-10/25 IOWA Testing
- 10/19 Family Twitter Night #DSESFamilyNight
- 10/26 ESOL Breakfast 8:00-9:30 a.m.
- 10/28 Monster Mash School Dance 5:45-7:45 p.m.
- 10/31-11/4 Red Ribbon Week
- 11/4 New Parent Coffee 7:40 a.m.
- 11/8 Voting Day/Teacher Workday - NO SCHOOL
- 11/10 PBL Showcase Night 5:30-7:30
- 11/12 Sandy Springs Education Force Road Race 5K
- 11/14-11/17 Book Fair
Change of Transportation Update & Forms
Transportation changes will only be accepted in writing via fax or this form (http://school.fultonschools.org/es/dunwoodysprings/Documents/TRANSPORTATION%20CHANGE%20FORM.pdf) by 12 noon on the day of the change. Last minute changes will not be accepted. Transportation changes will no longer be accepted via phone, email or text. If you have questions regarding the changes, please contact the front office.
Family Twitter Night #DSESFamilyNight
Dunwoody Springs will once again be participating in #DSESfamilynight on Twitter. These special nights throughout the school year will allow you as a family to spend time together with NO HOMEWORK to increase family engagement time! The only thing we ask is that you “TWEET” about it on Twitter, use the hashtag #DSESFAMILYNIGHT and tag our school @DunwoodySprings with your pictures of the fun you are having!
DSES Twitter nights are: October 19th, November 16th , December 14th, January 18th, February 15th, March 15th, April 12th and May 17th. All families that participate will be entered into a drawing for a prize!
Monster Mash
Join us for some family fun Friday, October 28, 2016 5:45-7:45PM
Wear a costume and come have a SPOOKTACKULAR good time!
Click here for more informationIOWA (ITBS) Testing Information for 3rd and 5th Grade
The Fulton County Schools Assessment Department is pleased to announce that we are moving to a new norm referenced test this school year. Fulton County students have taken the ITBS Form A as part of Fulton County's balanced assessment plan for many years. ITBS Form A was published 15 years ago with content from approximately 1995 and has ten year old norms. In October, students in grades 3, 5, and 8 will be taking the Iowa Assessment Form E.
Students will take the test online and schools will receive student level results by November. At Dunwoody Springs ES the testing window is as follows:
October 18 Reading Section 1 & 2
October 19 Written Expression & Vocabulary
October 20 Math Section 1 & 2 and Computation
October 21 Spelling, Capitalization & Punctuation
October 24 Make Up testing day
October 25 Science & Social Studies
If you have any questions, please contact our Testing Coordinator & Assistant Principal, Ms. Haltrecht
New Parent Coffee
Are you new to our school? If you haven’t already, please feel free to attend a New Parent Coffee with our Principal, Ivy Goggins. She will share information about our school and provide a tour if you’d like. The next New Parent Coffee will be at 7:40 on Friday, November 4th in the Media Center. Welcome to DSES and we hope to see you there.
Community Events
Thank you to everyone who attended the North Springs High School Football game last Friday night.
We had a great time cheering on the Spartans. We look forward to more “community school events” from the North Springs Neighborhood Schools which include Dunwoody Springs ES, Ison Springs ES, Spalding Drive ES,
Woodland ES, Sandy Springs MS and North Springs HS!
Project Based Learning Units Are In Progress!!
SAVE the DATE for our first Showcase Thursday, Nov. 10th.
PBL teaches 21st Century skills such as: collaboration, communication, problem solving, locating and evaluating information and analytical thinking.
We begin with a “driving question” which students begin to explore through research, discussion etc. They hear directly from guest speakers and take “learning expeditions”/trips to reinforce their understanding of the content. Once armed with information, they use it to apply their learning through engaging projects which they prepare in order to present to an audience. This teaching methodology is research-based and exciting. Be sure to ask your child about their projects. Ask open-ended questions to probe for more information. PBL = collaboration, communication and critical thinking!
Volunteers Needed
We are looking for a few GREAT DADS (or Moms) to PAINT accent walls in the hallways.
We are working to enhance our building to make it more attractive and kid-centered.
If you are free and available this Saturday, Oct. 22nd from 9-12, we would love to have you join us.
(Thank you Jaiden Bocachica-Sanders’ mom and grandmother, who painted the wall on the A-Hall with Ms. Goggins last weekend.)
We will provide all the paint and tools. We only need VOLUNTEERS! (The Dunwoody United Methodist Church
will be here at the same time working in the classroom garden. If weeding and trimming are more “your speed”
feel free to volunteer for this as well.
Food Drive
The North Springs Neighborhood Schools are working together to support the Community Assistance Center (CAC) of Sandy Springs.
This local agency provides support to all of our families in need. They offer financial assistance, a food pantry, adult education and more.
We reached out to them and plan to support their upcoming FOOD DRIVE. They are most in need of cereal and soup at this time.
All 6 schools are committed to supporting them so that none of our children go without food. Our newly formed DSES Student Council agreed to manage the food drive so please bring in SOUP and CEREAL so that DSES steps up for our community. (Publix regularly runs BOGO on cereal J) We will collect these items from Oct. 31st – November 11th.
Congrats!
Congratulations to Ms. Pitts class! They have all of their Title I Parent Compacts signed.
This class will get a picnic pizza party with Ms. Goggins and extra recess. We still have more prizes.
Help your child’s class to win a prize by signing and returning your compact today!
Thank You Publix!
The Manager, Eric Nickerson, has been extremely supportive of our school. He and his team provide us with snacks and treats throughout the year.
They support our events like Career Day and the Student of the Month Awards Program. They hosted a wonderful Math Night event just for our school last year. They also brought over 200 Mother’s Day cakes and assisted students with decorating them for their moms last spring. For being such wonderful partners, we have selected them as our Blue Ribbon Business Partners this year! Publix store number 514 will be recognized at a district level luncheon. Please visit this store at 8725 Roswell Road in the Dunwoody Place Plaza often. Be sure to thank them for ALL they do for our children.
Red Ribbon Week
During the week of October 31- November 4, we will celebrate Red Ribbon Week at our school. Join in the fun:
Monday, October 31 Storybook Character Dress Up Day
Tuesday, November 1 Wear RED Day
Wednesday, November 2 College Day
Thursday, November 3 When I Grow Up (dress like your future career)
- Friday, November 4 YOLO=You Only Live Once (Express Yourself/Be Yourself) free dress
After School Soccer Program
The City of Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department offers an after school soccer program for boys and girls in grades Pre-K through 5th grade.
Practice and game times are immediately after school.
Fee: $25.00 (covers entire program + team t-shirt)
Times:
2:30-3:45 pm @ Dunwoody Springs Elementary
League Days (September through November):
Monday – Pre-K and Kindergarten League
Tuesday – 1st and 2nd Grade League
Thursday – 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade League
Registration:
Please see Paula Geiss at DSES for
registration forms or call
Trevor Ramos at 770.206.2040
It’s not too late…hurry up and register!!!
TAG Corner – Talented and Gifted Activities
WHAT is Creativity? "Creative or innovative thinking is the kind of thinking that leads to new insights, novel approaches, fresh perspectives, whole new ways of understanding and conceiving of things. The products of creative thought include some obvious things like music, poetry, dance, dramatic literature, inventions, and technical innovations. But there are some not so obvious examples as well, such as ways of putting a question that expand the horizons of possible solutions, or ways of conceiving of relationships that challenge presuppositions and lead one to see the world in imaginative and different ways." {Peter Facione, Santa Clara University}
Taken from: http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/creative.htm
WHY is creative thinking an important skill to develop? Creative thought is necessary for solving problems, developing plans, synthesizing and organizing information.
Creative thinking is a skill that needs to be developed. As humans, we all possess the capacity to be creative- to invent, design, and express through various forms. But that capacity can be muted or developed. Children create naturally. They are usually immune to fear of judgment or failure until their creative thoughts and expressions are hindered by something outside themselves. Then they become aware that the world judges their art, places expectations on their creative expression, and demands production.
Taken from: http://naturalfamilytoday.com/uncategorized/5-techniques-that-build-creative-thinking-skills/
HOW do we encourage and develop the skill of creative thinking in our children?
Get rid of methods that hinder the process.
Start using techniques that will push creativity forward.
TRY some of these activities: Create analogies, riddles, jokes, or cartoons based on content; use guided imagery/visualization; practice fluency: How many ideas can you make?; analyze content from more than one point of view; combine characters from different stories to make a new story; Ask: What possible explanations are there for… or What might happen if… or How can you improve?
The Joyful Notes Children's Choral Group
The City of Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department offers an Afterschool Children’s Choral Group for Dunwoody Springs Elementary students in Grades 1-5!
● Learn music notations & symbols
● Learn about various music styles and instruments
● Learn about pitch, rhythm, tempo, and articulation
● Learn age-appropriate and beginner songs, to be sung in unison
● Prepare a presentation for family and friends
Min/max: 10/25
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
For registration forms please see Paula Geiss at Dunwoody Springs Elementary School Clinic or contact Deb Strycula
Sandy Springs Recreation Manager
770-206-2039
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS
MEETING DAY/TIME:
MONDAY 2:30-3:30
(GRADES 1-5)
FALL TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19-NOVEMBER 14, 2016
(NO CLASS OCTOBER 10)
WINTER TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY JANUARY 23-MARCH 20, 2017
(NO CLASS FEBRUARY 20 AND MARCH 13)
SPRING TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY MARCH 27-MAY 22, 2017
(NO CLASS APRIL 3)
FEE: $35.00 PER TERM (8 CLASSES)
INSTRUCTOR:
RICARDO HURTADO
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Clinic Corner
Fall allergy season is upon us! Please remember for the comfort and safety of your child, if you need to send in medication to the clinic it must be in the proper box and have a medical authorization form with it. You can get this form in the clinic. As always, please WASH YOUR HANDS to prevent the spread of germs!!!
Breakfast
Breakfast is free to all students and
is only served from 7:10 until 7:40 AM .
Online Food Service Account Access
Cafe Serves Farm Fresh Apples at Breakfast and Lunch All October!
For the entire month of October, crisp, farm fresh apples served at breakfast and lunch are part of Fulton County’s School Nutrition Farm to School Program. These regionally grown apples are heading straight from a North Carolina family farm to your breakfast and lunch plate! Because the apples are grown close to home it helps support your regional farmers, and takes less fuel to get it to your cafe! Not only are these regionally grown apples good for the environment, but also, apples are great for your body, being an excellent source of fiber! Try a freshly harvested apple from the school café in October!
CHESTATEE COUNSELING CENTER is here throughout the School Year!
We specialize in supportive counseling and provide services at home as well as at DSES throughout the school year and over the summer. If you are interested in receiving counseling services, please call 706-344-8462 or 678-948-8390 and/or email sandee.chestateecounseling@gmail.com. We are a Medicaid Provider and accept Amerigroup, Centpatico and Wellcare at no cost to you.
We look forward to the opportunity to help you!
Dunwoody Springs Elementary Project Based Learning School
Email: gogginsi@fultonschools.org
Website: http://school.fultonschools.org/es/dunwoodysprings/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs, GA 30350, United States
Phone: 470-254-4060
Twitter: @DunwoodySprings