The Stoffle Gazette
December 14, 2018
News from this week
Dear Parents,
We have had a busy week with testing and trying to finish up our all of our work in the 1st semester. We will continue to finish up our work next week, and all reassessments will be completed by Tuesday. Please remind your child that we will still be learning next week and to be on their best behavior. I know some of them are getting a bit fidgety, knowing we just have a few days left before the holidays.
Come join us for our Winter Celebration on Monday, December 17th from 11:00-12:00. The students will play board games and make a craft, so please have your child bring in their favorite board game on Monday (as long as they can carry it). We will also have pizza and snacks for lunch. If you signed up to bring in a snack, please remember to send it in Monday morning. I look forward to a great party celebrating the end of our 1st semester!
The students are scheduled to take a Health Survey in January. There was a yellow form in your child's Friday Folder 2 weeks ago regarding this survey. You only need to return the form if you do NOT want your child to participate.
Reading Logs
I sent home a Six Flags Reading Log last week. It is not due until January 7th when we return from Winter Break. Please be sure to have your child record their reading nightly as this counts as 4 weeks worth of reading. I am also requiring the students to bring in a regular reading log to me each Monday since this is part of their homework. You can just write the same reading they did for the Six Flags log and put it on the weekly reading log or a piece of paper.
Here is the link to the Six Flags Reading Log if you lose it:
Milestones practice:
Students can begin practicing for the GA Milestones at home. We will also do some practice here at school. You can access the practice at:
http://www.gaexperienceonline.com/
go to Test Practice > Secure Practice Test Online Tools Training
Some students have completed their community service projects. If your child has completed a service project, please send me a quick note so I can add them to our list. I can't wait to see what the other students come up with!
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Stoffle
Message from our Counselor
Think First and Stay Safe
Dear Parents and/or Guardians,
We all share a common goal for our children to be safe and protected from all things harmful. Related to that goal, school counselors are required to present annual personal safety lessons designed to prevent sexual abuse. The Think First & Stay Safe™ program is a research-based program that teaches specific personal safety education by way of interactive classroom lessons, classroom posters, role playing and corresponding activities. Think First & Stay Safe™ enables students to take an active and necessary role in protecting themselves from abuse and exploitation. A committee of professional school counselors reviewed the program and selected components that were developmentally appropriate for elementary students and developed lessons around those concepts.
Due to the importance of this topic, I want you to know when and how you may preview the materials and when the counselor will be presenting this information to your child's class. Please contact your child's counselor, Natalie Pugh at (770) 736-3104 to schedule a preview or if you have any questions or concerns. The materials will be available for preview from December 17, 2018 to December 19, 2018. During the months of January-February, our school counselor will offer the sexual abuse prevention and safety lessons to all K-5 students.
You can also learn more about the detailed lesson plans and research behind this program at www.childluresprevention.com. Please be aware that more information is provided on the website than is actually used in Gwinnett County. The plan for Gwinnett includes: the key concepts taught at all grade levels; each grade reviews what was learned in the previous grade(s) and then learns additional lures or tricks. Specifics are provided below:
Key Concepts
You can use your built-in computer and make safe choices.
People are like the weather. Most are safe, but they can change.
Lures are tricks used to get children away from safe adults and safe place.
Laws help protect children and there are adults who can help you.
Your instincts help keep you safe.
A stranger is someone you don’t know.
Someone may even use threats to trick you.
No one can take away your dignity.
K
Review key concepts
Pet Lure
Name Lure
1st
Review key concepts
Assistance Lure
Fun & Games Lure
Affection Lure
2nd
Review key concepts
Bribery Lure
Friendship Lure
3rd
Review key concepts
Emergency Lure
Authority Lure
Hero Lure
4th
Review key concepts
Job Lure
Ego/Fame Lure
e-Lure & Drug Lure
5th
Review key concepts
Review All Lures
Video: Breaking the Silence
If you prefer that your child not participate in the sexual abuse and safety prevention lessons, please write and sign a note indicating your preferences and send it to your child’s teacher or school counselor. As always, counselors are available to discuss any concerns you might have. Unless written documentation is received, your child will participate in the sexual abuse prevention and safety lessons.
The Gift of Attendance
Dear Parents,
Are you planning a family trip for the holidays? As you think about your arrangements, we want to stress the importance of sending your child to school every day possible. Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after the winter holiday as families squeeze in a few more vacation days. It’s time to break that cycle. We know that just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. Put simply, too many absences at any age can affect a student’s chances for academic success and eventually for graduation.
We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. The costs of plane tickets often influence when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school— and the message you will be sending about the importance of attendance. Even if you’ve got a homework packet from the teacher, it doesn’t make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts and the first day back. You can help us convey that message. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
Sincerely,
Natalie Pugh
Professional School Counselor
INVOLVING STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
The concept is a project that takes about 2 hours.
1. collecting debris on a street in the neighborhood.
2. gathering and delivering canned goods to a community food bank.
3. completing a community service project through Scouts and/or church/temple/mosque etc. would count.
4. donating toys, cloths, books, etc. to a community organization.
5. any project that the student designs that helps the community.
6. writing letters/care packages to those in the service of our country (military, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc.)
Coming up next week
Reading: We will be practicing different reading skills.
Writing: We will be publishing/sharing our persuasive essays.
ELA: We will be reviewing grammar skills taught this year.
Math: We will be reviewing skills learned this semester through activities and games.
Science: We will review our science units from this semester.
Social Studies: We will be studying personal finance and budgets. Projects will be due on December 20th. Most of the work will be completed at school.
Spelling Words and Root of the Week
Root of the Week: There will not be any new roots introduced until after Winter Break.
We are starting Unit 3.
Every week students will receive a list of sight words for review. Once these words have been introduced, students are responsible for spelling them correctly in their writing.
Spelling Words of the Week:
There will not be any new sight words sent home until after Winter Break.
Other Important Information
Witzzle Pro with Ms. Webb
All 4th and 5th grade students are invited to join the Gwin Oaks Witzzle Pro Team. Witzzle Pro is a thinking game that uses multiple math operations. The Witzzle Pro team practices on Friday mornings starting at 7:35 am in Mrs. Webb’s classroom. It is perfectly acceptable for students to arrive via the school bus and come to practice. It is not necessary to drive your child. If you choose to drive, students should be dropped off in the car rider line no earlier than 7:35 am. Our first practice will be Friday, November 30th. We will not have practice on Friday, December 14th. If you have any questions, please mail Mrs. Webb at michelle_webb@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Yearbook Information from PTA:
Yearbooks, Fifth Grade ads, and business ads are now on sale! Visit Lifetouch online- https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob enter Yearbook ID: 13243419. Yearbooks $35 and Personalized $40. Prices go up January 5th!
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PBIS
Thank you parents for supporting PBIS here at Gwin Oaks Elementary School. We are off to a GREAT start. As a part of PBIS, recognition and consequences are given to students to support the continual learning of being ready, being respectful, and being responsible. These can be given by classroom teachers, specials teachers, counselor, and administrator. Currently, we have student recognition in the classrooms and will have school wide recognition as well, beginning in the month of October. If a student receives a consequence, it will be consistent and fair. Teachers will ensure students understand the reason for the consequence and he/she should be able to tell you exactly what occurred. There will also be a PBIS form sent home documenting the incident and consequence. If you have a question regarding the situation, please contact the teacher that gave the consequence. Thank you for supporting our efforts by discussing concerns at home. We look forward to continuing our successful year.
Important Dates
12/17 Winter Celebration 11:00-12:00
12/19 Spelling Bee 8:30 AM
12/20 End of semester
12/21-01/02 Winter Break
01/02 Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday
01/03 Welcome Back Students
Reminders
* Please study Math Multiplication facts every night
* Students have HW every night (Mon-Thurs.).* Reading logs start next week.
* Remember to send in $3 for agendas.
* Ice cream is sold on Fridays for $1.00
Birthdays
December
There are no December birthdays