Dear Leighton Families,

I can not believe that we are already half way through the month of September! We are still enjoying the beautiful weather that comes with the change of seasons and enjoying the beauty of our campus as students and staff enjoy the outdoor learning trail and garden area. Thank you to our Outdoor Learning Space team of Fifth Grade staff and some of our amazing parents for helping us keep these areas in beautiful condition for students and staff to utilize during the day for instructional purposes. We enjoyed the Fairy House viewing today in the Leighton Trail. Check out the pictures below.

We have completed our benchmarking assessments for Fall called Aimsweb and our staff is working diligently to continually refine our instructional practices to meet the needs of each of our students. These assessment are given three times a year in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Other beginning of the year assessments are also given to provide a complete picture of our students strengths and areas in which we can support them while fostering the development of our 6 compentencies and strategic vision through the design of our excellent learning environments.

Mr. Lehman and I enjoyed spending this week with students in all grades as we kicked off Principal Pals week where we went to each classroom and shared a story and had a Q and A with students about what it is like to be a Principal. I think one student said it best when he related, "This is the best day ever!" Mr. Lehman and I couldn't agree more. Spending our days with our students is truly the "best day ever". We topped off our days together with popsicles at lunch. Thank you to our PTO moms who helped with this process. We appreciate you!

You may also have noticed that our modular classrooms are still located in the front of our school building. We are looking forward to seeing them placed along side the Third Grade Wing as steps are being finalized with the architects and approval from the city for this movement to occur. We are looking forward to settling in soon.

Lastly, it is "official", we have received word from our State Support Team, Region 8, that Leighton Elementary School will be recognized and awarded by the State for our work last year in implementing PBIS or Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports. These endeavors include creating, sustaining, monitoring, and being progressive with tiered systems of supports for all students in terms of creating safe, supportive, and positive learning environments. It also includes tapping into best, research-based practices to continually support student-led social-emotional learning which ultimately bolsters student achievement.

I could not be more proud of our students, staff, and educational community for the teamwork to support this whole-child approach to teaching and learning and helping us to ensure all students are "future ready". See below for more information on this award. We are truly humbled to receive this distinction and are looking forward to continuing our exemplary work in this area.

Thank you for your continued support, teamwork, and partnership this year. Please reach out anytime you may need anything. We are here to help and support!

Kind Regards,

Michelle Nizen, Building Principal

Ben Lehman, Assistant Principal

Students and staff have been excited about our new "Pom pom" system representing our 3 pillars (green poms=respectful; white= responsible; and black= problem solving) and earning poms for demonstrating these pillars in any area of the school. Each pom earned is used to fill up their classroom pom pom jars. When these jars are filled, student bring their classroom jars to the office and empty them into the Building Wide Pom Pom Pail!!

We are so excited to find out what our building wide reward will be as we have almost filled up our building wide Pom Pom Pail.

Don't be surprised if you child comes home excited about earning the "platinum platter" as a class during lunch and recess. Classes are always working to earn "positive compliments" during lunch and recess. Every two weeks, classes who earn the most "positive compliments" earn the right to display the "platinum platter" outside their classroom door for all to see and enjoy popsicles at lunch or an extra recess with Mrs. Nizen and Mr. Lehman.

Pom Pom Shout Out occur every Friday where we acknowledge students over announcements who have earned a special shout out for outstanding efforts in demonstrating our 3 pillars in their academic or behavioral pursuits. Students will recieve a pom pom shout out reward and those names are entered into a monthly drawing to pick out of our PBIS store at the end of the month.

Leighton Pride is Building Wide!

Volunteer Opportunities:

Leighton Garden Committee: Help us support our teachers by maintaining the outdoor learning space at Leighton. Volunteer opportunities include light weeding, edging and planting in the outdoor garden space, and helping to pick up sticks, spread mulch and other maintenance activities on the nature trail between Miller and Leighton. We'll plan monthly clean-ups, but may also ask for volunteers for specific jobs as requested by the teaching staff using the spaces.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4AA8AF2DA6FB6-leighton

Mumkin Pickup:

Sunday September 18th, 2022

Aurora City Schools Board of Education

102 E. Garfield Road

For any further questions please reach out to our Mumkins Chairs Katie Stump, Kayt Binns & Anna Kandra. Thank you ladies!

We raised $7,063, thank you all!

Help sort and organize plants. Volunteers will pick and load orders as families drive-through to pick up their orders.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084AAEA628A6FD0-mumkin2

Leighton Laps

Leighton Laps in a NEW fundraising event that I, along with the principals, are really excited to start! This information should have made it home to you by now. For more information, see the information down below the PTO newletter, and if you have any additional questions please reach out to me directly. This event will need volunteers to tally laps, I will send that out soon!! -Natasha

Donations are due September 21st. Please have students turn donations into their Home Room Teachers.

Laps for Leighton Cheddar Up Link here:

https://laps-for-leighton.cheddarup.com

LES Picture Day:

Wednesday, September 21 at Leighton Elementary School.

Save time and preorder your photographs online by clicking on the link below. You can also download the flyer, print it out and return it to the school on Picture Day, enclosed in an envelope with your payment.

https://ripchoprepay.simplephoto.com/prepay/45114975?code=3599leigh

Password: 3599leigh

New APP coming soon: Schoolze more information to come!

Upcoming Events:
9/17: Chipotle Give Back 5:00PM-9:00PM @ Twinsburg (2640 Creekside Dr.)
9/18: Mumkin Flower Pick Up @ Board Office
9/21: LES- Picture Day
9/26-9/30: Leighton Laps Fundraiser during PE times

PTO Sign ups:

There is still time to sign up for the PTO, please click the link below!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3Dd_3rWnMDiEpjtaqO7MSDJjplAhs2BcKcYKQGa7mFlwQhA/viewform?usp=embed_facebook

Please remember that when you take your child out of school for a doctor or dentist appointment, the State of Ohio requires that a doctor's note be brought back to the school for attendance purposes. You can give the note to the secretaries in the main office.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Tanski in the clinic at 330-954-2285 or email her at atanski@aurora-schools.org

As a reminder, please monitor your child for any COVID-related symptoms and contact our school nurse if you have any questions. We appreciate your attention to this.

• Check your child each day for COVID-related symptoms. If your child is showing any symptoms whatsoever, it is best to keep him/her home to monitor.
• Students sent home with a fever, may not return to school until they are fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours. This means if your child was sent home on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. with a fever, he/she may not return to school until Thursday. If your child does return the next day, our school nurse will be calling for you to come to pick him/her up. Thank you for your support and efforts in this area.
  
• We have COVID-19 home testing kits available that we can send home with any child or family should you question symptoms or exposure. We will be able to answer any questions about these kits should the need arise.
• Please make sure your Final Forms medical information is up to date. We will closely read the health sections to address any medical concerns.

**** If your child will be absent for an extended period, please reach out to your child's teacher and they will get school work ready for your student for the period of the absence. You may pick up the work outside the main office on a table that will be labeled with your student's name.