Simonton Parent Newsletter
Friday, November 6, 2020
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
A Message from Ms. Perkins
Jumpstart Read for the Record was a huge success. Thank you to all of the teachers and community members who read in person or recorded a video of their reading to share with our students. Adults sharing a read aloud is a great way to encourage a love for reading.
Simonton ES is planning to participate in the GCPS regional STEM fair. Please see Mrs. Aseltine's announcement below for our 5th grade students. We would like to as many digital and in-person students to participate as possible. Local school winners of the fair will move on to compete at the regional STEM fair.
Have a great weekend and enjoy the fall weather.
Jumstart's Read for the Record
Our new Character Word of the Month:
November and December’s character word is Kind. You can show kindness by saying nice things to others, smiling, sharing and taking turns,
caring about others, being happy for others, encouraging your friends, listening when others speak, offering to help, and using good manners.
A Glance Ahead...
Thursday, November 12
- Bookmobile at SES ~ 10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Monday, November 23- Friday, November 27
- Thanksgiving Break ~ No School
Dear Families of 5th Graders at Simonton,
It is OFFICIALLY STEM Fair season! All 5th grade students should be aware that they have a mandatory STEM project that is due Friday, January 8, 2021. It may seem like a long way away, but it will sneak up on them if they wait too long to get started. In STEM class this month, Mrs. Aseltine is helping all students prepare for the project. They are choosing a problem, brainstorming possible solutions, doing research, and deciding on a plan including how they will collect data. When they leave her class this month, they will be ready to create their projects at home and test them. The top 3 projects from our school will advance to the district STEM fair!
What your student needs from you:
- Please make sure they have signed up for my STEM Fair Google Classroom - Code: WECVCZS
- Check in with them to make sure they set a timeline and stay on track.
- Help getting any materials they may need for their project as well as permission and supervision when they build and test their product.
- Help them check the rubric to make sure they have completed all of the parts of the assignment.
The following are videos to help your student be successful with this project:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vKw8bcp82BmxsNbZjiYBOwE6Hbw8RRca/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qK-Orwc8HM0dcDP4g34jeSV2Gxlia25_/view?usp=sharing
If you have any questions at all, please reach out to Mrs. Aseltine.
WINDOW OPEN TO MAKE DECISION FOR 2ND SEMESTER...Digital or In-Person?
Beginning this past Wednesday, Gwinnett parents and guardians may submit their decision about how their children will learn during second semester, which begins January 6. Like this semester, families may select either in-person instruction at school or digital learning at home. As students and families are familiar with these two options and what they entail, the decisions families make will be for the entire semester.
The Spring Instructional Preference Questionnaire is now available in your Parent Portal account. It will remain open through 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2020.
In most cases, your preference will be displayed the next school day. Please note that what you see indicated in the Parent Portal as your decision will serve as confirmation of your selection. However, you can make a change to your selection through the deadline.
If you do not have a parent portal account, please go to the school district website for information or contact your local school to request one.
We encourage everyone to complete a Free & Reduced Lunch Application
The application for free and reduced lunch is still available. Gwinnett County Public Schools encourages families who are eligible for the Free & Reduced Meal Program to complete the annual application.
If you received this service last year, and you feel you still qualify, you must complete an application again this year. ALL STUDENTS CAN SIGN UP TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY!!
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c
AKS at Home
Pajama Day
Simonton ES is supporting the United Way. For $1.00, students can wear their pajamas to school on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
**Students must wear regular shoes to school.
Book Character Day Parade
Make-up Student Perception Survey for Digital Students (3rd-5th)
Next Wednesday, November 11th, we will be holding 2 make-up sessions for any digital students in grades 3rd, 4th, or 5th who missed out on taking the Student Perception Survey.
These sessions will be held during your lunch/recess break & should be fairly quick!
3rd Grade: 11:05 pm
4th & 5th Grade: 12:10 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/j/91884555217?pwd=OE5rSUNRZjJWcXhrbzFTNW9YdjJMdz09
Meeting ID: 918 8455 5217
Passcode: 149375
Congratulations to the following Students...
SES Student/Parent Handbook Highlight ~ Safety of Students
Learning in a safe environment is extremely important to the staff at Simonton. Please help us by letting the front office know if you see anything that might be unsafe on campus. Children are consistently supervised by teachers and other staff during the day from 8:20 a.m. until buses leave. Students may not be dropped off before 7:45a.m. unless they are involved in a school sponsored activity.
K-5 Promotion Criteria
SES Student/Parent Handbook Highlight ~ Attendance
Learning hours are from 8:15 to 2:45 pm daily. Children arriving after 8:15 am are considered tardy. Frequent tardiness and early checkouts negatively impact students’ academic performance. State law requires that students (digital and in-person) attend school 180 days per year. Since most subjects are taught in sequence, regular attendance is essential to a student’s success in school. Students are excused for the following absences:
1) personal illness
2) a death or serious illness in the immediate family;
3) religious holidays;
4) court orders and
5) Conditions which render school attendance impossible or hazardous to health and safety.
For each absentee, a written excuse explaining the absence must be brought to school on the first day following the absence. By law, parents will be notified if their child misses more than 5 days of school. The state of Georgia considers 10 absences or tardies to be excessive. Parents of children with excessive absences or tardies can be reported to local and state agencies, which will result in meeting with the Student Attendance Review Committee (SARC).
Simonton Elementary ~ What We Stand For
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling
Simonton Elementary
Superintendent- Mr. J. Alvin Wilbanks
Assistant Superintendent- Dr. Terry Watlington
Board Member- Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal- Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal- Daphne Miles
Assistant Principal- Nicole Tomlinson
Assistant Principal- Emily Young
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: (770) 513- 6637