Chris Yung Elementary
Full STEAM Ahead
September 2018
Principal: Kathy Notyce
Assistant Principal: Ann Quattrone
Mission: Working collaboratively to achieve success.
Vision: A World Class school committed to excellence.
Mark Your Calendar
Sept. 4: Chipotle Spirit Night @ 4:00-8:00
Sept. 18: Mod Pizza Spirit Day: All Day
Advisory Council Meeting @ 6:30 and PTO Meeting @ 7:00
Sept. 21: International Peace Day @ 2:30
Sept. 25: Back to School Night: K-2nd @ 6:30
Sept. 27: Back to School Night: 3rd 5th @ 6:30
Sept. 28: All Pro Dads @ 8:00
Oct. 2: International Walk to School Day
Oct. 5: Outdoor Movie Night @ 6:30
Principal's Message
Welcome to Chris Yung Elementary School! The 2018-2019 school year is off to a great start. As students and staff arrived on their first day, they were greeted with a huge Welcome Back Full STEAM Ahead sign. In addition, parents arrived bright and early to write positive messages on the sidewalks. We all enjoyed reading the chalk messages and it was an awesome way to start the first day of the school year. We also appreciate the wonderful parent support with putting on backpack ties, assisting students in finding their classroom, assisting in the cafeteria, etc.
We’ve spent the past two weeks getting to know our new students and reuniting with returning friends. We have an amazing group of children and I am excited about the awesome things that we are going to achieve this year. We will continue to foster a Professional Learning Community with high expectations for students and adults. Our goal is to help students grow into respectful, responsible citizens who have the skills and desire to be lifelong learners. The staff is committed to providing highly effective instruction that is differentiated in response to each child’s academic needs. As a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) focus school, we will continue to innovate our instructional programs by using Inquiry and Project-Based Learning.
Full implementation of the Virginia Standards and the Prince William County Curriculum will continue to ensure high levels of learning. Last year, our school surpassed all the benchmarks established by the Virginia Department of Education. In addition, our average pass rates in all content areas are higher than those for PWCS and the State of Virginia. We are extremely proud of our accomplishments and look forward to excelling even higher this school year.
A strong partnership between home, school and community will continue to play a vital role in the success of our students. Therefore, we welcome your involvement and support as we embark upon a new school year. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education. I strongly encourage you to become a volunteer in our school and/or join the PTO or the Advisory Council. These organizations meet monthly on Tuesday evenings.
We are looking forward to an exciting year of working together to support our students.
It is a privilege to be part of the Chris Yung community and have a hand in shaping the futures of our children! Please contact me if you have questions or feedback at 571.598.3500 or by email at notycekd@pwcs.edu.
Go STEAM Engines!
Emergency Cards - Due September 10
An Emergency Card must be completed for every student in our building. Please complete and sign both the front and back of the card and return it to school by September 10. It is extremely important that we have current contact information for your child. Remember that the only persons who will be permitted to pick up your child are those whose names are on the child’s Emergency Card.
Dismissal Procedures
Dismissal begins at 3:55 daily. To promote a smooth dismissal, we are asking parents to avoid coming in to the office to sign students out after 3:35. If you need to pick up your child for an appointment, please do so prior to that time unless you have an emergency.
Anyone wishing to sign out a student during school hours must be authorized to do so by having his/her name on the child’s Emergency Card. In addition, a picture ID such as a driver’s license must be presented to pick up a child.
Attendance Updates
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) Attendance Updates for the 2018-2019 school year are as follows:
* All explanations of absences must be received by the school no later than the third day after the absence.
* When a student accumulates five unexcused absences, schools are required to hold an Attendance Conference with parents and the principal.
* For additional information, see PWCS Regulation 724-1, Attendance and Excuses.
* If your child has attendance and or tardy concerns, please contact the school and we will be glad to work with you to develop a plan to support his/her needs.
STEAM Corner
Hi Chris Yung Families!
My name is Kaitlin Chidester and I am excited to be the new STEAM teacher at Chris Yung! I am originally from Richmond, Virginia, but have been in Northern Virginia for the last 11 years. I graduated from Virginia Tech with my degree in Mechanical Engineering. Go Hokies! I have been teaching in Fairfax County for the last 9 years and opened the STEAM Lab at my previous school. My husband, 4 year old son and I live in the Gainesville area. In my free time, I love to run and have a crafty side that comes out from time to time.
Looking ahead, I am eager to get to know your children as we have our “Minds Set on the Future”. We will focus on our mindset and the skills required to communicate and collaborate effectively. All of this will be done through the engineering design process as we work through a variety of problems related to science, technology, engineering, art and math. Keep an eye out for next month’s newsletter and our first Monthly Family STEAM Challenge so you can add STEAM at home!
Be sure to check out the STEAM page on the Chris Yung website for lots of great STEAM resources! You can find information on our monthly maker’s mats, resources needed in the lab for donation as well as fun STEAM related websites.
Want to know what we are up to during the day? Follow the STEAM Lab on Twitter @cyesSTEAM
Don’t forget to put STEAM Night on your calendars for October 16th at 6:30! I look forward to seeing you there!
First Week in the STEAM Lab!
Engineer Design Process
How Tall Can it Go!
Field Day - October 12
We are asking parents to donate small bottles of water for this event. In order to assist with planning, it is preferred that water be dropped off in the office prior to Field Day.
Thank you,
Mavis Rose-Roth-PE Teacher
Counselor's Corner
Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! We are so happy to see all of the smiling faces coming in the door each day. The building is buzzing with excitement and, as your school counselors, we are thrilled to be part of that energy. This year, Chris Yung Elementary School is focusing on Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. By incorporating mindfulness into our classroom guidance lessons, we hope to improve students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. In turn, we are hoping to foster a kind, caring, and calm community. We are excited about this new venture.
In addition to conducting classroom guidance lessons, school counselors can work with your child on an individual or small group basis. Referring your child for individual or group counseling at CYES is easy! Simply email Dr. McClurg or Ms. Poore and let us know how we can help your child. Students can self-refer by writing a note and placing it in the counselors' referral mailbox or by telling their teacher they wish to see the counselor. Small group counseling begins in October. Some of the small groups we offer throughout the year include communication skills, work habits, emotion management, friendship, grief, changing families, self-esteem and more!
Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you!!
Dr. Laurie McClurg (Monday through Friday) - mcclurlm@pwcs.edu
Ms. Trish Poore (available Mondays and Wednesdays) - poorepb@pwcs.edu
Chris Yung Advisory Council (CYAC)
The Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday, September 18 at 6:30 in the library. Elections were held in May and the results are as follows: Ms. Ann Nuzzo (Chairperson), Ms. Christina Zell (Vice Chairperson) and the Secretary position is vacant. Ms. Kathryn ter Weele will represent Chris Yung on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council. During our first meeting, we will review the Bylaws and plan the calendar for the year. All parents who have students attending our school are invited to the CYAC monthly meetings. This is an excellent opportunity to provide input on the decisions made at our school.
STEAM Night
Tuesday, Oct 16, 2018, 06:30 PM
Chris Yung Elementary School, Fog Light Way, Bristow, VA, USA
Helpful Links Below
Nurse's Corner
Beginning of the Year Health Tips
1. Ensure all health documents are in place. Prescription drug instruction forms, asthma action plans and food allergy action plans should be ready to go and provided to your child’s school Nurse.
2. Remind your children about good hand washing at school. Good hand washing will help reduce the spread of germs from school to your home!
3. Plan ahead for healthy eating. For home-packed school lunches, be sure to
include healthy options. Consider planning a weeknight family meal menu to keep everyone eating a varied, balanced diet during busy weeknights as well.
4. Remind you children about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Insufficient sleep can lead to trouble focusing. Sleeping well can improve learning, memory, mood and even safety.
5. Eat a healthy breakfast! Remember, if your child does not get a chance to eat at home, the school cafeteria will always be open. If running late, they can take their meal to class. Start the day on full stomach. It will increase learning.
Nurse Shipley
Chris Yung Elementary
Website: https://chrisyunges.pwcs.edu/home
Location: 12612 Fog Light Way, Bristow, VA, USA
Phone: 5715983500
Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisYungElementarySchool
Twitter: @cyessteamengines