Today GCPS held its first Digital Learning Day. All students brought home devices to classwork on eCLASS. Students are expected to return devices, along with charger cords, on Monday, September 18, 2023.

Included in the newsletter is a reminder about the the Simonton ES dress code and the district policy about sending medication to school. All students are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate or parents will be contacted to bring a change of clothes. Students MAY NOT bring medication to school in their bookbags. Medication must be brought to the school by the parent.

Picture day is Tuesday, September 19, 2023. Each student is asked to bring their best smile that day. The pictures taken on Tuesday will be used for our 2023-2024 yearbook. If you would like to purchase pictures, more information is included below and students will bring home information.

We are asking all families to support the Simonton ES PTA fundraiser. Students will bring home information about the fundraiser on Monday. The fundraiser will run from September 18, 2023 through October 1, 2023. If you have any questions about the fundraiser, contact the PTA at Simontonespta@gmail.com

Have a wonderful weekend!

A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at Simonton ES on September 19, 2023 to photograph your child's Fall pictures.

The link below will allow parents to sign up to receive updates via email regarding their child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.

The attached document below outlines the Picture Packages offered by Strawbridge Studios ...

Monday, September 18

• PTA Fundraiser begins

Tuesday, September 19

• Fall Pictures

Friday, September 22

• School Tours (New Families) ~ 10:00-11:00 am

Tuesday, September 26

• Cub Scout Classroom visits

Wednesday, September 27

• Cub Scout Meeting ~ 6:30 pm

Thursday, September 28

• PTA Spirit Night @ Sparkles ~ 5:00-8:00 pm

Monday, October 2

• PTA Reflection entries due

Thursday, October 5- Monday, October 9

• Fall Break (No School)... students return on Tuesday, October 10th

Thursday, October 12

• Poetry Night ~ 4:00-5:00 pm

Friday, October 13

• PBIS Celebration

Wednesday, October 18

• Early Release ~ Students are dismissed at 12:15 pm
• PTA Spirit Night @ Stars & Strikes ~ 5:00-9:00 pm

Thursday, October 19

• Early Release ~ Students are dismissed at 12:15 pm

The Office of Family Engagement is excited to present "Elementary AKS Spotlight Family Night for all GCPS families., part of the Engage, Equip, Empower Series. This virtual meeting is an opportunity for families in grades K-5 to learn about the curriculum being taught in the classroom and learn strategies and activities to support their children at home.

The Elementary AKS Spotlight Family Night will occur virtually on September 28 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM.

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) invites GCPS families, Gwinnett county residents, students, and GCPS staff members to participate in the school district’s review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum Sept. 4 through Sept. 28. The public may review proposed standards online, offering feedback on AKS that have been developed to align the curriculum with the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) and/or Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). Click here for a list of the courses with AKS under review. To review the AKS and provide feedback, please click here to begin. Comments will be accepted through Thursday, Sept. 28.

What: Annual AKS Public Review Opportunity

When: Now through Sept. 28

Student dress should not cause any distraction from the instructional program. Students are encouraged to dress appropriately for the school setting, suitable to weather conditions, and in good taste. Short skirts, short shorts, or halter tops/crop shirts are not considered appropriate dress for school. Hats, bandanas, and sweatbands should not be worn in school. Students should not wear any clothing that advertises alcoholic beverages, drugs, or violence. Students should wear shoes that allow for safe play at outside time and PE class. All shorts/skirts should come to the student’s knee.

A clinic worker is available to provide first aid assistance to students. Please do not send your child to school when he/she is feeling ill and/or running a fever and there is risk of infecting others. Parents/guardians will be called if a child is too ill to remain at school. Students with a fever will be sent home and need to be fever/symptom free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning to school. Parents should go to the office to sign out a child. If a parent wants to administer medication themselves at school to a student, this must take place in the clinic with school personnel present. For student safety we need to be aware of the medication and dosage in case there are any adverse reactions. The clinic worker is authorized to administer medications to students when proper paperwork is completed. Medications should always be in the original containers when brought to or picked up from school by an adult. Medication may not be brought to school by a student. These procedures are a safety precaution for your child, both on the bus and when they visit the clinic. Parents should inform the school if their child has a contagious disease.

If you need to return to school to pick up something that has been forgotten, please call first to make sure your child’s teacher will be here. Due to confidentiality, we cannot let parents or students into classrooms after hours unless escorted by a Simonton ES teacher or administrator. Thank you for understanding.

Today marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage month. If you are interested in sharing your time and/or talents with us, send an email to Tamara.Perkins@gcpsk12.org. We are looking for parent volunteers who would be willing to read to our students, serve as a co-anchor on the morning announcements, or participate in our school parade celebrating Hispanic Heritage month.

Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services

What: Parent Mentors Present: “Understanding Your Child as a Learner”

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 10:00am – 11:30am or 6:00 pm-7:30pm

Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00am session: https://forms.gle/DoefweLZDktYWt6N6

Zoom registration link for 6pm session: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdOuprDgrHNMTZLbCB8e3HkoUpx17j_Wi

Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services

What: Parent Mentors Present: “Parents Engaging in Education” – 4 Session Workshop

When: 9/28/23, 10/12/23, 10/26/23, 11/9/23, 10:00am-11:30am or 6:00pm-7:30pm

Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00am session on 9/28/23: https://forms.gle/6WHZFpwRQLLN4QKK8

Zoom registration link for 6pm session on 9/28/23: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pcOCtpjwvG9xUpC0ZaG2pt3XgobrU_PpQ

Currently, the Sparkling Juice is available in 2 flavors: Strawberry Kiwi & Fruit Punch. The baked chips are Sour Cream & Onion and BBQ. The Doritos are Cool Ranch & Nacho Cheese.

Ice cream sales will be available Monday - Friday at a cost of $1.00. Please bring exactly $1.00 as change is usually not available right away.

This year's ice cream selections can be seen in the picture to the side:

The application for free and reduced lunch is now available. There will be no waiver in place to offer free lunch for all students. Please complete the application if you feel this is a service your family will need. All students who have not been approved for free or reduced lunch service will be charged the full price each day.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c

Does your child have a medical concern that we need to be aware of? Stop in to see Mrs. Tammy Jones in the clinic.

Complete the clinic card if your child has any medical concerns that we need to be aware of. We also need to know any medication your child is taking and directions of what to do while we are caring for your child until you arrive.

We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:

• Weather-related closings & delays
• School and class information
• Share pictures and files
• See calendar items
• Upcoming class activities

District & school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

We are excited to offer Simonton ES spiritwear to staff, students and families. An order form is attached and can be returned to Ms. Karen Serna. Order forms will also be available in the front office. All spirit wear shirts are $15.00 (S - XL) and $20.00 (XXL and XXXL).

We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. You will be able to read and digitally sign documents and/or make necessary payments. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.

MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.

Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.

Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.

Reading Buddies is a FREE program that helps students (ages 5-11) practice their reading skills by reading out loud.

Our Reading Buddies program helps students:

• Learn and practice reading skills one-on-one with a librarian or a trained volunteer!

• Get on grade level and increase their reading abilities.

• Each child will have a reading log to write down their goals and track their progress.

We will be conducting this program at the Lawrenceville Library located at 1001 Lawrenceville Hwy on Thursdays from 4 pm to 6 pm continuing as of August 10th on a first come first serve basis when GCPS is in session.

Motivate your child with a puzzle

If your child likes puzzles, use them as motivators! When your child is not around, make a puzzle by pasting a picture from a magazine onto cardboard and cutting it into pieces. Then, every time your child reads a book, or does schoolwork or a chore without being nagged, offer a puzzle piece. Each day will bring your child closer to solving the puzzle and seeing the picture. https://tpitip.com/?13iR18608

When is it time to contact the teacher?

Your child is complaining about schoolwork again. Should you let the teacher know? Contact the teacher if your child regularly finds assignments too easy or too hard, or won't do them even when you've tried to provide motivation. Also let the teacher know if your child doesn't understand the instructions, even with your help. Discuss actions to take to help your child, and follow up to determine if they are working. https://tpitip.com/?13iS18608

Reinforce rules that improve learning for all

Teachers can't teach if they are busy managing student misbehavior. Support your child's teacher by reinforcing school rules at home: Teach your child to show respect for people and property. Do not tolerate inappropriate language. Then, discuss the importance of following directions, and explain that your child should avoid behaviors that distract the class from learning. https://tpitip.com/?13iT18608

When writing is fun, it doesn't seem like work

Strong writing takes practice. Here are some ways to get your child writing more without making it seem like work: Ask your child to write funny captions for family photos. You could also ask for a list of things your child would like as birthday gifts, or the school rules your student would make. Suggest that your child write to a friend or relative. Or stimulate creative thinking by asking your child to write a short story about spending 100 dollars. https://tpitip.com/?13iU18608

Men, be a reading role model

Reading tests often show that boys lag behind girls in reading. One reason may be that moms do more reading aloud and elementary school teachers are often women. So boys may associate reading with women and school. Fathers, uncles and grandfathers can encourage boys to read by showing them that books are for men, too. Give reading with your children as much time as you do sports or other activities. https://tpitip.com/?13iV18608

Feed your child's brain every morning

Students who eat breakfast have more energy, work faster, concentrate better and score higher on tests than those who don't. To make sure your child gets a healthy breakfast, keep easy-tomake items on hand, such as microwavable oatmeal and hard-boiled eggs. Serve "fast fruits," like apples and bananas. If your child doesn't like breakfast food, try non-traditional items, such as peanut butter sandwiches or soup. https://tpitip.com/?13iW18608

Connect school to your child's interests

To help your child understand the value of education, connect it to things your student is interested in. Ask your child to tell you about favorite activities, then ask, "How can school help?" Together, brainstorm some answers. For example, if your child says, "I like to watch cartoons," the answer might be, "School can help me learn how to draw and how animation is done." https://tpitip.com/?13iX18608

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

Superintendent ~ Dr. Calvin J. Watts

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: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA

Phone: 770-513-6637

Twitter: @simontonPride
Instagram: @SimontonPride