Knightly News
Friday, September 9, 2022
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
Message from Ms. Perkins ~ Simonton ES Principal
Next Thursday, September 15, 2022 the Simonton ES PTA will be kicking off their fall fundraiser. Students will participate in a pep rally during the school day. Information will be coming home with students next week.
Friday, September 16, 2022 will be the first GCPS Digital Learning Day. This is NOT a day off. Students are expected to log onto their eCLASS course page to complete lessons and assignments. Teachers will be available online to answer questions. Attendance will be taken. School buses will be coming into neighborhoods to deliver lunch.
Have a wonderful weekend!
No School
Friday, September 16, 2022 will be a Digital Learning Day. The school building will be closed. Students will go online to complete lessons. This is NOT a day off from school.
School buses will be delivering lunches to neighborhoods.
Central Gwinnett HS Homecoming Week
Next Friday, September 16, 2022, Central Gwinnett will hold their annual homecoming game. Our whole cluster will be “U-knighting” to celebrate all week. Attached you will find student and staff activities for the week.
Upcoming Event Dates
Thursday, September 15
- PTA Fundraiser Kick-Off
Friday, September 16
- No School ~ Digital Learning Day #1
Tuesday, September 20
- Fall Picture Day
Friday, September 23
- Local School Council ~ 9:00-10:00 am
- PTA Fall Festival ~ 5:00-8:00 pm
**For this event, children must be with someone who can drive them home.
- Pajama Day ~ Robotics Team Fundraiser
- Boy Scout Classroom visits and evening registration event ~ 6:30 pm
- No School ~ Fall Break (All GCPS Schools are closed)
Thursday, Ocotber 13
- PTA Spirit Night at Urban Air ~ 5:00-9:00 pm
Monday, October 17 - Friday, October 21
- Book Fair
Wednesday, October 19
- Early Release ~ dismissal at 12:15 pm
Thursday, October 20
- Early Release ~ dismissal at 12:15 pm
Friday, October 21
- Fall Picture Make-Up Day
Thursday, October 27
- Poetry Night ~ 5:00- 6:00 pm
Friday, October 28
- 5th Grade Fundraiser ~Twin Day
AKS At Home
AKS at Home es una iniciativa de participación familiar de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Gwinnett en la que empoderamos a las familias con recursos de apoyo para el aprendizaje de sus niños en casa. Esta iniciativa resalta habilidades y actividades que se enseñan de Kínder a 5° grado en las clases de matemáticas e inglés y lenguaje.
ATTENTION STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO LOVE STEM AND PROBLEM SOLVING!
The Gwinnett County Science and Engineering Fair wants you to submit a project that solves a real-world problem! If you watch THIS VIDEO and sign up in my Google Classroom, you will find out lots more about it! Simonton Elementary will be hosting the preliminary Science and Engineering Fair here at school. The top projects will go on to the Gwinnett County Science and Engineering Fair! Can't wait to see your amazing ideas!
Google Classroom - Click on the + - Click "Join Class" - Enter the Code: rgsgpv2
Simonton ES Local School Council
We invite parents to join us for our Simonton ES Local School Council meeting. Local School Council meetings will be held four times during the school year. Meetings will take place in person at the local school.
The purpose of the Council is three-fold:
I. To help the local board of education develop and nurture participation.
II. To bring parents and the community together with teachers and school administrators to create a better understanding of and mutual respect for each other's concerns.
III. To share ideas for school improvement.
We have rescheduled our first meeting to encourage more parents to join us.
Meeting Dates: September 23, 2022, December 2, 2022, March 3, 2023 and May 5, 2023
Meeting Time: 9:00 am
Location: Simonton ES
Our first meeting will take place on Friday, September 23, 2022 at 9:00 am.
Draft Agenda Items
Welcome/Introductions
Local School Council Orientation
Election of Officers
- Early Intervention Program
- Simonton ES Strategic Goals
- Simonton ES Student Enrollment
- GCPS Blue Print
- Simonton ES Safety Plan
- Simonton ES Discipline Report
If you are interested in attending the Simonton ES Local School Council meetings please click on the link below.
Media Committee
The Simonton Media Committee is comprised of teachers, parents and community members and serves to provide feedback on book selections and purchases for the media center.
For more information, please contact media specialist Jessica Andrews at jessica.andrews@gcpsk12.org
ParentVUE & StudentVUE Mobile Applications Updated
A recent application update requires you to delete and install the ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile app from your device(s). This update ensures that you have the newest version of the app and will continue to receive updates. If you do not delete and reinstall the applications, your device may not connect properly and continue to receive updates.
You will use the same username and password to log in after downloading the app. If you are not using the app and want to learn more, visit our website for information.
Blueprint for the Future
The Blueprint is designed to ensure our Portrait of a Graduate becomes a reality. The Blueprint will also drive the intentional culture shifts that reflect the guiding vision of the Learning 2025 community of practice. Our Blueprint for the Future defines our strategic priorities in four areas: empathy, equity, effectiveness, and excellence.
SagerStrong Stadium 3K Fun Run
📣📣 Exciting news! Thanks to a generous donation from Walmart, The Guide Project is connecting kiddos with special needs in our area with FREE tickets to the SagerStrong Stadium Fun Run… which includes getting pictures with the 2021 World Championship Trophy! All abilities welcome (inclusion at its finest!). If you’re interested, please contact DKeeler@sagerstrongfoundation.org and tell them The Guide Project sent you!
Parent Mentors Present: “Starting the New School Year on a Positive Note”
Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services
What: Parent Mentors Present: “Starting the New School Year on a Positive Note”
When: Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 9:30am – 11:00am or 6:00 pm-7:30pm
Where: In-Person registration link for 9:30am session: https://forms.gle/jXZzVeih6hyH9WH69
Zoom registration link for 6pm session: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkcemurD8rGdR_k6OKiRT6ACl__peUuKXC
Simonton ES PTA
Print the attached membership form and return it to the Simonton ES PTA. Sign up for a membership and volunteer to support an event! Contact the Simonton ES PTA at Simontonespta@gmail.com for more information.
SES Student/Parent Handbook Reminder ~ Attendance
Learning hours are from 8:15 am to 2:45 pm daily. Children arriving after 8:15 am are considered tardy. Students checked out before 11:30 am will be marked absent. Frequent tardiness and early checkouts negatively impact a students’ academic performance. State law requires that students 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. 6.)Student participation in a 4H sponsored event or activiy.
For each absentee, a written excuse explaining the absence must be brought to school on the first day following the absence. Student absences are marked unexcused until a note, meeting the state approved guidelines, is sent to the school. 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).
Helpful Resources
SES Cafeteria
We are very proud of our cafeteria and the nutritious meals served there. The school cafeteria is maintained as a service to students and parents and is a vital part of our health program. To encourage good nutrition, a well-balanced breakfast and lunch are served. The charge limit is $11.25. Charges are not allowed for a la carte items. Once this is reached, students will receive their choice of entree and a courtesy water, no fruit or vegetable is provided.
Student lunch....$2.25 Reduced Lunch…$0.40 Student breakfast...$1.50 Reduced breakfast ....$0.30 Milk…. $0.40
Soy milk…. $0.60 Bottled water…. $0.40/$0.60 Adult breakfast.....$2.50 Adult lunch.....$3.75
Applications for free and reduced breakfast/lunch are available online and at the local school throughout the school year. Please do not bring fast food into the cafeteria. Parents who come to eat lunch with their children should sit in the designated parent areas and only with their child. Glass bottles and cans can be a danger and should not be brought in lunches from home. Students must eat lunch before they get their ice cream. Water cannot be charged. There will be no charging as of April 28, 2023. Due to schedule changes and limited seating, there will be no lunch visitors on standardized testing days. These dates will be shared in the weekly Simonton Parent Newsletter.
Family Engagement e-Tips
Daydreaming can be a productive use of time
It may sound surprising, but daydreaming can be a useful activity as kids start thinking in more abstract terms. Daydreaming helps children reduce stress. It allows them to be creative, develop empathy and spend time on self-reflection. Give your child some free time and a place to daydream undisturbed. Build a little downtime into family activities, too. After a ball game, relax on a hill. Watch the clouds. https://tpitip.com/?12iE18608
Families play a part in safety at school
You want your child to behave and be safe at school. One way to help is to talk together about behavior and safety issues. Review the school rules and discipline policies, and make it clear that you expect your child to follow them. Role-play ways to behave in different situations so your child is comfortable and knows what to do. Meeting your child's friends and their families is another good way to ensure that your student spends time in safe, well-supervised settings. https://tpitip.com/?12iF18608
Encourage active, organized and persistent learning
Learning well involves more than just listening in class. To give their best effort in school, students also need to arrive well-rested and prepared, with completed schoolwork and supplies.
In class, your child should ask questions, offer opinions and participate in discussions. At home, help your child create a system to keep track of schoolwork. Encourage persistence, and show confidence that your child's efforts will pay off! https://tpitip.com/?12iG18608
Share enthusiasm for learning with your child
It's not enough to tell your child you value learning. Show it, too. Stop what you're doing and talk to your child about what's going on in school. Read together. Discuss ideas, news and other things you learn with your child. Together, research the answers to questions that come up. Wonder out loud about scientific discoveries. Seeing that you care about learning will make your child want to learn, too. https://tpitip.com/?12iH18608
Healthy sleep habits start with a bedtime routine
Some children fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. Others have problems sleeping. Children who are tired from lack of sleep can't do their best in school. To help your child get enough sleep, set a schedule and stick to the same bedtime every night. Then create some routines to help your child transition from wakefulness to sleeping. Include quiet time before bed for reading, games or puzzles. https://tpitip.com/?12iI18608
A new library card is cause for celebration
What do you do to celebrate special days in your child's life? Did you take pictures on the first day of school? Did you save a lock of hair from your child's first haircut? Getting a library card is another big "first." It opens a world of learning to your child. If your student doesn't have a library card yet, go together to get one. Then do something special to celebrate. Take a picture or fix a treat. And be sure to make regular library visits all year. https://tpitip.com/?12iJ18608
A positive attitude is a plus in math
You can help your child learn math even if you don't remember any of the math you took in school. Here are some tips: Let your child know that you think math is important, useful and fun. Ask questions about your student's math work, such as "How did you arrive at that answer?" or "Do you see a pattern in this page of problems?" Then build daily math practice into your child's routine, and involve your child in household math, such as measuring. https://tpitip.com/?12iK18608
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's Assistant Principals
Mr. Nicholas Gilmore
Assistant Principal ~ 2nd Grade, 5th Grade, ESOL, Gifted and Testing
Dr. Joe Sanfilippo
Mrs. Amy Steinberg
Assistant Principal ~ 1st Grade, 4th Grade, Title I, EIP and Title IX Investigator
Simonton Elementary School
Deputy Superintendent ~ Dr. T. Nakia Towns
Board Member ~ Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal ~ Ms. Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Nicholas Gilmore
Assistant Principal ~ Dr. Joe Sanfilippo
Assistant Principal ~ Mrs. Amy Steinberg
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-513-6637
Twitter: @SimontonPride