Sterling Jaguar Journal
Principal's message
We have loved welcoming your children back into the building! They have done a wonderful job transitioning back into their role as students, learning the rules and routines of the building, and working on their academic and social-emotional learning skills again. Thank you for the ways you support their learning as well. A few tips that we find helps our students be ready for each school day:
- Ensure an early bedtime to prepare their bodies and minds for school the next day. Many pediatricians recommend at this age upwards of 12 hours of sleep. Keep this in mind when arranging their bedtimes.
- Minimizing screen time in the evenings can help prepare their brains to settle in for a good night's rest.
- Talk to your child every day about school. You can ask about their favorite part of the day, any challenges they faced, what they learned, etc. It helps you connect as a family and keeps lines of communication open.
- Maintain contact with their teachers to support their learning at home. Every child should read nightly for at least 20 minutes. It can be in their native language or English, and it can be them reading independently or an adult or sibling reading to them, depending on their age.
We are here to support you as a family to ensure your child has what they need to be successful. Please let us know what you might need!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Short, Principal
GIFTED RESOURCE TEACHER
Welcome back, Jaguar Parents & Students!
First, let me introduce myself. I'm Jennifer Daniel, the returning Gifted Resource Teacher at Sterling Elementary. This is my second year as a staff member and my 18th year teaching in Loudoun County. I am thrilled and honored to spend every day interacting with your incredible children. You'll find more about me and my family on the STE Gifted Ed webpage. For now, let's talk about what gifted education looks like here at Sterling Elementary.
Over the past few years, the LCPS Gifted Education department has worked overtime to transform the gifted services delivery model to its current version. Now, in all elementary schools across the county, gifted resource teachers like me deliver the full menu of gifted education at your child's home school. That means SEARCH, EDGE, DCI, and FUSION (the revised FUTURA) all take place with me right here at Sterling Elementary. Scroll down to read more about each program.
I am incredibly proud to be a part of Sterling Elementary’s collaborative, hard-working, forward-thinking team. If you have any questions about the gifted programs, how and when students can be identified for gifted services, or any other related topic, email me anytime at Jennifer.Daniel@lcps.org.
Warmly,
Jennifer Daniel
STE Gifted Resource Teacher
SEARCH
SEARCH – K – 3rd Grade
Mrs. Daniel delivers interactive, bi-weekly lessons to all children in grades K-3. SEARCH lessons encourage students to take intellectual risks and to develop an excitement for learning and discovery across a variety of thinking skills. The curriculum spirals developmentally through five components: reasoning, perceiving, connecting, evaluating, and creating.
FUSION (FORMERLY FUTURA)
FUSION – 4th & 5th Grade
The school-based, collaborative FUSION program is a new model for delivering gifted services to formally identified 4th and 5th-grade gifted learners. FUSION, formerly FUTURA, provides gifted services for students at their home schools. Mrs. Daniel partners with classroom teachers to challenge gifted learners by enriching and extending the grade-level curriculum. In addition, gifted learners meet in the Gifted Resource Room for two one-hour sessions to collaborate on a variety of challenging, project-based learning activities designed to integrate the five C's of 21st-century learning: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Contribution to Real-World Problem-Solving.
This year's focused theme is INNOVATION. :)
DCI – DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
DCI – 4th & 5th Grade
Beginning in Spring 2022, the LCPS Gifted Education Department added a new level of gifted services for 4th and 5th grade students. It is called Differentiated Classroom Instruction or DCI. Students who, during the gifted evaluation process, demonstrated exceptional performance in one domain, language arts or mathematics, were found in need of DCI in their area of strength. Students are identified for DCI mathematics and DCI language arts--or, on occasion, both domains.
Mrs. Daniel will meet weekly with DCI students to provide enrichment via deeper learning, rigor, and hands-on, project-based learning.
EDGE – EMPOWERING DIVERSITY IN GIFTED EDUCATION
EDGE – 2nd – 5th Grades
The EDGE program’s mission is to identify, nurture, and challenge high-potential students who have been historically underrepresented in LCPS advanced academic and gifted programs. The classroom and gifted resource teachers work in tandem to promote academic rigor, to foster a growth mindset, and to prepare these young learners for more challenging and rigorous academic pathways.
EDGE takes place in the Gifted Resource Room.
- 2nd Grade - Weekly pull-out sessions - Starts the week of September 19
- 3rd Grade - Weekly pull-out sessions - Starts the week of September 19
- 4th Grade - Monthly pull-out sessions - Starts the month of September
- 5th Grade - Monthly pull-out sessions - Starts the month of September
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
MUSIC NEWS
We are so excited to have everyone back in the music room! We have been reviewing procedures and practicing our instrument technique. Fourth and fifth graders have been enjoying playing the African drums!
-Mrs. Scarboro
PE NEWS
This year, students in Physical Education class are starting off strong! The excitement and enthusiasm clearly shows when they are moving and releasing their energy. Pictured here are some awesome 4th graders working on sumo squats playing a game called Dicebreakers. Kindergarten was working on listening skills and reaction time!
- Mr. Horvath
- Mr. Hosti
HEALTH OFFICE NEWS
Note from the Health Office:
My role is to work with you and your child to ensure a smooth and healthy year here at Sterling Elementary. I am here to assist in any way that I can as nurse in the school clinic.
· Please keep our staff and the school nurse informed of any health conditions that could affect your child while at school.
· A physician’s signature is required on all Medical Care/Action Plans and Administration of Medication forms for prescription medications.
· All action plans – food/insect allergies, asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc. must be signed by a Physician/Health Care Provider.
- Epi-pens, Albuterol, Benadryl, Children’s Tylenol, Children’s Motrin, or any other medications are not supplied by the school. Medications of any type, even over the counter medications, should never be delivered to school by the child. We ask the parent to please bring medications to the clinic and fill out a medication administration form and/or action plans prior to the nurse administering medication.
- For younger students -Children do have accidents at school; please be sure to send a change of clothing in their backpack to keep at school. The clinic runs on donations only and supplies of new underwear are sometimes low or out.
- To aid in keeping students well we do abide by a sickness policy. Please contact your school nurse for further guidance.
I look forward to establishing a relationship with you and your child. I am always available by phone, email, or you may come to see me in the health office.
Julie Kerico BSN, RN
Please feel free to call anytime at 571-434-458 or Julie.kerico@lcps.org.
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
It is the intention of Loudoun County Public Schools to comply with all federal and state regulations regarding asbestos and to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure students and employees a healthy and safe environment in which to learn and work.
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) performs routine inspections of several school buildings and staff facilities in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). As required by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the EPA, this notification is to inform you that asbestos-containing material (ACM) is present and managed in several locations in Sterling Elementary School.
Prior to the 1980s, asbestos was used extensively in many building materials because of its insulating, sound absorbing, and fire-retarding capabilities. While virtually any building constructed in the United States from the 1940s to the late 1970s contains some asbestos, intact and undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. Schools are held to a higher standard for management than residences or privately-owned buildings.
In our school, known areas of ACM are inspected semi-annually by licensed LCPS personnel and every three years by licensed third-party inspectors to ensure that the material remains in good condition and does not pose an exposure hazard for building occupants. Any materials found to be in unacceptable condition or impacted by planned building work are removed by licensed professionals. Records of all inspections, response actions, and sampling data are compiled in the school’s Asbestos Management Plan document. This document also indicates the locations where asbestos-containing materials may be present.
In 2020-2021, the following inspections and response actions were performed:
- February 2021 Periodic Visual Surveillance, All Known ACM
- August 2021 Periodic Visual Surveillance, All Known ACM
- February 2022 Periodic Visual Surveillance, All Known ACM
- August 2022 Triennial Inspection (Third Party), All Known ACM
You are welcome to review a copy of any facility’s Asbestos Management Plan in the administrative office of the school. In addition, copies of all Management Plans are maintained in the Loudoun County Public Schools Facilities Services Environmental Division offices, located at 741 Miller Drive, Leesburg, Virginia. For all inquiries regarding the asbestos management plan and asbestos-related issues in our facilities please contact the LCPS designated asbestos program manager, Cristina Windover, at Cristina.Windover@LCPS.org or 571-252-1934.
Loudoun County Public Schools is committed to providing safe schools for all students and employees in our district and we thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Loudoun Education Alliance of Families (LEAF)
Mr. Clements serves as our representative to LEAF. The Loudoun Education Alliance of Families will be an advisory group voice for parents to elevate educational concerns and provide feedback to the board on current or proposed policies or issues facing the School Board. The School Board seeks to ensure parental concerns are heard and considered as a regular part of policymaking. Mr. Clements would like to gather input from our Sterling families prior to the meeting at the beginning of September. Please email him at davidclements79@gmail.com with the subject line: LEAF Question/Comment to share any thoughts. Specifically, provide feedback on the following:
Is there anything you want me to bring to their attention?
Do you have any urgent needs that need to be brought to the Board’s attention?
NO SCHOOL!
Friday, September 2nd
Monday, September 5th
Enjoy your 4 day weekend! Go Jaguars!!
Sterling Elementary School
Email: jennifer.meresshort@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/sterlinges
Location: 200 West Church Road, Sterling, VA, USA
Phone: 571-434-4580
Twitter: @SterlingElem