Forest Lake Newsletter
September 2018
“Our students win, when we work as one!”
- Dr. Paul Nehrig - Principal
- Mr. David Sanford - Assistant Principal
Dear Panther Families,
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year! The year ahead is full of opportunities for learning and fun. This year’s theme of “Once upon a time…” was chosen because the school year is like a great story we get to write together, ending with “…happily ever after!”
Also this year, we introduced our school motto “Our students win, when we work as one!” This saying makes clear that all Forest Lake students are OUR students. We want them to be successful, and that happens when everyone contributes and works together as a team. This is a direct connection to our Mission Statement: The mission of our Forest Lake Elementary community is to provide a learning environment where all students can achieve academic success.
I’m thankful for our wonderful students and their families, our teachers and support staff, our volunteers and community partners for making Forest Lake a community that helps all students succeed.
Every new school year brings a few changes. You’ll notice several new faculty and staff members, new events, updates to curriculum & assessments, and new procedures. We encourage you to monitor your child’s take-home folder, our school website, your teacher’s Class Dojo or email messages, sign up for our district’s new text messaging service, and listen for the weekly Panther Update phone call for important information about the changes affecting you & your student. In addition to posting our newsletter on our website, we email a copy to all parents who give us their email address. If you’d like the newsletter emailed to you, please make sure you give your address to your child’s teacher, so we can add it to our list. There are many ways to stay connected, and we are committed to continually improving our home/school communications.
One change for the 2018-2019 school year is the addition of a School Guardian to our school staff. Our Guardian is Mr. Michael Wigley, or as the students call him, “Mr. Mike”. Mr. Mike monitors our campus daily and is dedicated to providing safety and security for all of our students, families, and staff. If you haven’t met Mr. Mike yet, he will be on campus during Open House so you can join me in welcoming Mr. Mike to Forest Lake.
Looking ahead, I have a few important items to bring to your attention:
- Our PTO meets on Monday, 9/10 at 5:30. Everyone is welcome to attend and join our PTO! We are building a great partnership dedicated to supporting our students and school with special events, fundraisers, classroom volunteering, and fun! Come see what’s new with our Forest Lake PTO.
- On Thursday, 9/13 we welcome you to our Book Fair (4:30 p.m. in the Media Center), Annual Title 1 Meeting (5:30 p.m. in the Art Room) and Open House (6:00 p.m. in classrooms).
- At the Title 1 Meeting, we will have important information about our Title 1 program and budget, an introduction of our new Parent Liaison Jamie Hagan, and a survey for your input. Please make plans to join us!
- During Open House, parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher, learn about the curriculum, and receive information about school programs.
- By Friday 9/14, copies of our draft School Improvement Plan (SIP) and Parent & Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) will be available in our front office and on our website for your review and input. We welcome your ideas!
- Our School Advisory Council (SAC) will meet on 9/24 at 2:30 p.m. in our Media Center. All SAC meetings are open to the public and we welcome you to attend. The SAC is a partnership of parents, teachers, support staff and community members who develop, implement, and monitor our School Improvement Plan. If you’d like to join our SAC, let us know! Sign-up forms will be available during Open House as well.
- September is Attendance Awareness month. Daily on-time attendance is key to students’ academic success! This is an area where we can all work together as a team. This year, we continue our attendance contest with Sunrise Elementary. Each month, we will announce the school with the highest average daily attendance, with incentives for individual classes and students. Please help us make sure all of our students have the opportunity to learn and achieve by coming to school every day!
It’s going to be another great year at Forest Lake, where “Our students win, when we work as one!”
In Panther Pride,
Dr. Paul M. Nehrig
Principal
Forest Lake Elementary
GRADEBOOK
School Advisory Council
Box Tops 4 Education
Dads Take Your Child to School Day
7:30 - 9:00 A.M. A flyer with more details will be sent home with your child soon, please be sure to RSVP so we can count you in for the fun!
TEXT MESSAGING & THE NEW SCHOOL-TO-HOME MESSENGER SERVICE
Volusia County Schools recently switched school-to-home communication providers, and they need your permission to send text messages from this new system.
There are only two requirements for a recipient to receive text messages: the cell number to which you would like to receive text messages must be in the system, and you must opt-in to receive text messages. Doing so will allow you to receive important school updates to your mobile phone.
How do you do this?
1. Check your child’s Emergency Information Form. Be sure that the numbers in the cellular phone # field are accurate. These are the numbers that are eligible to receive text messages. If no number is entered in that field, no text messages can be sent.
2. Send a message of "Y" or "YES" to the short code number, 67587.
Texting will be "activated" on September 4, 2018. If you have not opted-in and your cell number is in the system, you will get an automated opt-in text. If a recipient’s cellular phone number is changed, or a new number is added in our database, the new number will automatically be sent an opt-in text. You may opt-out at any time.
Volusia Connect, provided by SchoolMessenger, is compliant with the Student Privacy Pledge™, so you can rest assured that your information is safe and will never be given or sold to anyone.
PTO NEWS
Welcome back, Panther families! PTO spent the summer planning a schedule of events and fundraisers that includes a mix of old favorites and fun new ways to raise money for our school and celebrate being a Forest Lake Panther! Already this year, we have participated in the FL Family Consignment Sale and have collected supply donations for a STEM project in Mrs. Dorton's class.
If you would like to be notified about opportunities to volunteer or donate supplies, make sure we have your email address! You can also become a member by filling out a Membership Form. Forms are available in the front office, at our table at Open House, or you can email us at Panthers1PTO@gmail.com. We're always looking for new ideas for events or fundraisers, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you know of a way you can help our school.
Our first meeting of the school year will be on Monday, September 10 at 5:30PM in Mrs. Grant's classroom (Bldg 4 - Rm 10). This is also a great time for you to make suggestions and be a part of the planning process, and we hope to see lots of families AND teachers at the meeting.
Also in September is our annual Dads Take Your Child to School Day (Donuts with Dad)* event in partnership with the FL Dept of Education. This year's event will be held on Wednesday, September 26 from 7:30-9:00AM. A flyer with more details will be sent home with your child soon, please be sure to RSVP so we can count you in for the fun! *All father figures are welcome.
Lastly, Kona Ice has begun their visits to our campus for the year! When your child participates in the Kona Ice days, a portion of the proceeds come right back to the PTO - it's a simple way that you can support us and make a big difference!
Our September Kona Ice schedule is:
Sept 6 - grades 3-5
Sept 20 - VPK - 2nd grades
Contact info: panthers1pto@gmail.com
Twitter @ForestLakePTO
Facebook: Forest Lake Elementary PTO
Grade Level News
KINDERGARTEN
Welcome all Kindergarten families! We are off and running this year. Our kindergarteners are eager and willing to learn. We are working on learning our upper and lower case alphabet, learning to write and spell our names, and counting to 20.
Parents, please remember to check and sign your child’s daily folder. The folder contains important information and work we are doing in class. Please send all monies in a baggie or envelope clearly marked with the name of your child and what is money is for.
Remember class starts at 7:55, so be sure your child gets to school in plenty of time. Be sure to mark your calendar and join us for Open House at 5:30 on Thursday, September 13th. Be sure to sign up for a conference that night. With your help, together we can make this year a great one for your child.
FIRST GRADE
Welcome to first grade! We are so excited to have your children in our classes. Your child’s transition to first grade is bound to be both exciting and challenging.
Thank you for all the supplies that you sent. We believe that parental involvement is critical and essential in each child’s education. The communication between the teacher and a child’s parents is the key to a successful year. Therefore, please review and initial your child’s folder daily. Review all work sent home with your child. Read with your child for 15 minutes, practice sight words, and use flash cards to memorize math facts to 20.
When sending money, whether it be for lunch, a fieldtrip, or any other reason, please send it in an envelope with your child’s name on it. If it is lunch money, please include your child’s lunch number on it.
Do not hesitate to email or call your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns.
SECOND GRADE
Attention Second Grade Panthers!
We have had a great start to the new year and we are very excited to continue learning and growing together! Thank you to all of the support and donations from our fabulous Second Grade families to make learning engaging and productive! The Second Grade team would like to request assistance in practicing some essential skills at home so that our students are prepared to learn!
- Please practice finding page numbers in a variety of books with your child. (For example; turn to page 93…) Students are struggling with this concept and it takes time from instruction.
- Continue practicing addition and subtraction within 100 as well as mental strategies. This is a skill we will work on all year but your support will help your child master it faster!
- Read, read, read at least 20 minutes each night and complete our weekly reading log. The more your child reads, the better reader they will become!
- Please send your child with a daily snack. Our lunch is late this year and our kids get hungry! If you would like to donate a snack for the class to share, make sure it is store bought and please check labels for potential peanut and milk allergies.
- Please make sure that your child arrives to school on time every morning. The first bell rings at 7:50am and students should be in the classroom by 7:55am. Any child that arrives to the classroom by 8:00am will be sent for a late pass. We love having your child in class ready to learn!
Thank you for your cooperation! We look forward to seeing all of you at Open House! Let’s have a great year!
THIRD GRADE
We have had a fast and productive start to the school year. We have a field trip on September 24th to the science center. We are excited to explore the concepts we have been learning in science about the sun and the stars.
Some of the things we will be learning this month are:
Reading strategies: Identifying words in Context Clues/Text Features, Character Response & Challenges, Compare/Contrast, and Author’s Point of View, Asking/Answering Questions, Writing: Informational: facts & Details that support, Types of sentences
Math: Multiplication, Arrays, Division, and Area
Science: Space: solar system, stars, gravity
Social Studies: Citizenship and government.
FOURTH GRADE
It has been a great start to the school year here in 4th grade. We just wrapped up our unit on place value in math, and we are beginning factors and multiplication. Please be sure to practice multiplication facts every night with your child. In science, we are deep into our unit on space and are looking forward to a Stem Fest field trip on September 24th! Be on the lookout for permission slips soon. Reading Counts is now open now. Please be sure your child is reading at least 20 minutes every night, so they are ready to take those Reading Counts quizzes!
FIFTH GRADE
Fifth grade is off to a rocking start! We have been learning many things like volume, the scientific process, main idea and key details, and last but not least geographic regions of American Indians. We will be moving into things like Space, Multiplication and Division, Point of View, and Civics! Please ask your child about what we are learning in class so they can show you how much of experts they are.
Looking forward, mark this important date: Oct. 19 on your calendars. On this date, 5th grade will be visiting the Daytona Museum of Arts and Science. Since we will be studying space 5th grade will be going on a field trip to the planetarium!
Also we have pushed back our Multiplication Bee to give our students the best possible chance at winning. We will be announcing a date soon! Thank you for all your support so far, it has been greatly appreciated.
SPECIAL AREA NEWS
PE
Coach Boyle will be practicing archery with the 2-5 grades throughout the month of September. Kindergarteners and 1st graders will be learning the archery range procedures while using the bean bags and tennis balls. They will be learning and practicing the overhand throwing technique.
Coach Albano will be learning and practicing baseball skills throughout September, followed up by a baseball game using a tennis ball for a baseball. The students will be graded on their overhand throwing technique and accuracy.
You can look on the PE website www.flepe.weebly.com for further information regarding test days and grading rubrics.
ART
Hello from the Art room.
We are working on making "dots" for international dot day on September 15th. Each grade is learning about an artist and their dot will resemble that artists style. The dots will be on display for all to see on open house. After the dots are done, each grade level will continue learning about their specific artist with a more in depth art project. Everyone is doing a great job of making their work unique.
Mrs. Larriviere
MUSIC
Applications for both after school music clubs will be handed out to 4th and 5th grade students the week of September 10th and are due by September 24th. Students interested in instruments should apply to the Orff and Recorder Ensemble, and students interested in singing should apply to Chorus. Both groups will perform in the Winter and Spring Concerts. More details will be included in the application. Please see Ms. Lugo for any questions.
STEM
Welcome back everyone to another exciting year in the STEM Lab. This year, we are once again starting with our Fairy Tales unit. Students will be working in teams to design and build a solution to a problem posed in a classic children’s fairy tale. Students in VPK and Kindergarten are building a bed for Goldilocks, First Grade is building a bridge for The Gingerbread Man, Second Grade is building a house for The Three Little Pigs (which we will try to blow down with our wolf/hair dryer), Third Grade will building a contraption to rescue Rapunzel from her tower (Rapunzel is an egg), Fourth Grade is building a bridge for The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and Fifth Grade will be building a contraption to rescue Jack from the top of the Beanstalk (Jack is also an egg). Students are working on scientific communication and teamwork skills while also learning about the engineering design process. It should be a great unit. Thank you to everyone who has contributed materials!
MEDIA CENTER NEWS
The beginning of the year Scholastic book fair is here. The book fair runs from Friday, September 7th to Friday, September 14th. The book fair will be open from 7:45 a.m. until 2:15 p.m. with extended hours on September 13th for open house. Extended hours will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Also, be sure to the check out the free Scholastic Book Fair App. With this app you can scan or search thousands of Book Fair titles to learn details such as:
- Reading levels (AR, Lexile, DRA, Guided Reading, and Scholastic Reading Counts!)
- Age and grade level information
- Book summaries
- Prices
- Videos and podcasts
- Awards and honors
FOREST LAKE ELEMENTARY SECURITY PROCEDURES
Dear Forest Lake Families,
Our school participates in regular Security Certification Standards. This training is conducted with teachers, staff and students in Volusia County in an effort to continue to provide a safe and secure school environment for our entire community. In addition, we have a School Guardian on our campus to help ensure the safety of our students, staff and stakeholders.
Forest Lake Elementary has Security Procedure Manuals specifically tailored to meet the needs of our individual school. The following sections are excerpts from our manual that are important for our families and visitors to know.
VISITORS
The main administration building (#1} shall serve as the central admittance point for all visitors. Visitors with a valid purpose for being on school campus will be asked to show a photo ID and sign in indicating their purpose and location while on campus. Each visitor will be issued a visitor's badge that must be worn at all times while on campus. Visitors on campus without an appropriate ID badge will be directed to the main office so that they may register. Identification badges are dated so they are only valid the day of issuance.
RELEASE OF STUDENTS TO PARENTS/ GUARDIANS
Early release is governed by a strict sign-out procedure that ensures students' safety. Any parent/ guardian requesting to have their child(ren) released prior to the close of the school day shall report to the main administration building (#1).The Parents/guardian shall complete an early release request and list the reason for the early release. The Parents/guardian will be required to show a driver's license as identification.
No child shall be released to an individual who cannot produce a photo I.D., if not personally known to the Principal or a faculty member(s). Prior to the release of any child, the student's emergency card will be reviewed to ensure that nothing would prohibit the parent/guardian from receiving the student. Students will only be released from the office. Students may not be released to any other individual unless permission is given by the legal parent or guardian.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT AND FAMILY POLICY GUIDE AND CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE HANDBOOK
Each student receives a copy of the handbook
mentioned above. Teacher s and administrators explain and reinforce the importance of the Student code of conduct throughout the year. Each student and parent signs an acknowledgement form indicating that they have received a copy of the STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. This handbook also includes information about attendance, student medication, health services, homework, students' behavior on buses, and use of electronic equipment at school, dress code, bullying and harassment .
PARENTAL NOTIFICATION AND STUDENT SAFETY
Schools have an obligation to notify parents/guardians of issues that may affect a student's safety and well being. Statements or threats regarding suicide, gang activity, fear of harm from outside the school must be reported to the parent/guardian in addition to the appropriate law enforcement agency. If the issue involves other students, or adults on campus, the principal will conduct an investigation and take appropriate measures to provide adequate safeguards.
POLICE, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE
Schools must comply with Florida Statutes
regarding Police and Department of Children and Family interviews, while at the same time, protect student and parent rights. Under Florida Statues. the Department of Children and Families does have the right to interview and/or take a child into custody WITHOUT THE PARENT'S PERMISSION.
EMERGENCY AND DISASTERS
Forest Lake Elementary staff and students have been practicing what to do in the event of an emergency such as a fire, bomb threat, intruder, hazardous weather, and hazardous material/toxic spills on or near our campus. If it were necessary to evacuate our campus due to a crisis, all students, faculty and staff would be relocated to either Osteen Elementary School or Discovery Elementary School.
Bus LOOP
For the safety and well being of students, parent and visitors, use of the bus loop area during morning arrival (7:00am - 8:20 am} or afternoon pick-up (1:45 pm-2 :30pm} is strictly prohibited. As per state requirements only busses may use the bus loop during those times.
CODES
Please discuss the following codes with your children.
CODE RED - LOCK DOWN
Students are kept inside and away from all windows. Windows and doors are locked and lights a re off.
CODE RED 2 - WEAPON/HOSTAGE SITUATION
• RUN: Run (if safe to do so) to a safe area outside the building, away from the shooting.
• HIDE: Find a safe location {room),lock the door and turn off the lights CODE
CODE BLUE - BOMB THREAT
Students are evacuated to the front and back of the school.
CODE YELLOW - HAZMAT/TOXIC
Students are kept indoors with the windows and the doors closed.
CODE GREEN - SEVERE WEATHER
If a Code Green, tornado WATCH is announced, students are kept inside away from windows. If a Code green tornado WARNING is announced, students assume protective position.
FIRE
Students are evacuated to the front and/or back of the school to their assigned zone areas.
24 HOUR TOLL-FREE HOTLINE
An anonymous hotline is provided for students to report issues of crime and violence. This is the students Crime -Stopper Program and their number is 1-888-277-TIPS
YOUR COOPER ATION IS GREATLY APPR ECIATED
If you are on campus during a security drill or an actual emergency situation, you may be instructed by a staff member to follow the security procedure we are implementing at the time of the emergency situation. Our goal is to make your experience at Forest Lake Elementary a safe and enjoyable one. Parents and community leaders are invited to participate in meetings on school safety and other school procedures. These procedures are discussed at open house, SAC meetings, and PTO meetings. Please remember that parent input is always welcomed and appreciated at Forest Lake Elementary.
Sincerely,
The Forest Lake Elementary Faculty and Staff
For more information about Volusia county schools, please visit our district web site at http://myvolusiaschools.org/Pages/default.aspx
CLINIC NEWS
NEWS FROM THE NURSE
Welcome back parents and students! I hope you enjoyed your summer. Parents, this is just a reminder that if your child has any type of health condition that requires any type of medication (even over-the-counter) during school hours, you must have a Medication Authorization form completed by you and a physician. Some medications also require an Emergency Care Plan completed by you and that physician. If your child had these forms and medications in school last year, that paperwork does not carry-over so new paperwork must be done yearly (during July/August is best for the new school year). The medication must be brought to the clinic with the forms and logged in by an adult, not the student. If you have any questions, please feel free to the nurse any time from 8:15AM to 2:15PM. Our school phone number is 386-575-4166, clinic extension 42798. Thank you and have a healthy and productive school year!
HEALTHY HABITS
“Did you wash your hands?” Students, how many times did you hear that today? Probably a lot! But why are adults so hung up on hand-washing? Why are they so in love with lather? Washing your hands is the best way to stop germs from spreading. Think about all of the things that you touched today. From the telephone to the toilet. Maybe you blew your nose in a tissue and then went outside to dig in the dirt. Whatever you did today, you came into contact with germs. It’s easy for a germ on your hand to end up in your mouth. Think about how many foods you eat with your hands. You can’t wear rubber gloves all day long, but you can wash your hands often so those germs don’t get a chance to make you or someone else sick. When germs go down the drain, they can’t make anyone sick.
So, when are the best times to wash your hands?
- When your hands are dirty
- Before eating or touching food
- After using the bathroom
- After blowing your nose or coughing
- After touching pets or other animals
- After playing outside
- After visiting a sick person
Now you have the when and why of hand-washing! But, did you know that a lot of people don’t know how to get their Panther Paws perfectly clean? The next time you’re told to step up to the sink and scrub up, remember these handy hints:
- Use warm water (not cold or hot)
- Use whatever soap you like. Antibacterial soap is okay but regular soap works just fine
- Work up a good lather on both sides of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers and don’t forget to wash around your nails where the germs like to hide
- Wash for about 10-15 seconds, about how long to sing “Happy Birthday” (sing it fast twice or slowly just once)
- Rinse and dry your hands with a clean towel and you’re done!
Here’s to a healthy school year!
FLORIDA KID CARE
GUIDANCE NEWS
Dear Lake Forest Elementary Parents, Guardians, and Students,
My name is Erica Jeria, and I am pleased to introduce myself as the Certified School Counselor at Forest Lake Elementary!
The school counseling program will be delivered to your child’s classes throughout the school year. The lessons in the School Counseling Program will cover important and relevant childhood development issues and topics.
Counseling services in my office operate primarily from a solution-focused perspective to help your child to overcome developmental, personal, academic, and social issues that they may encounter. I will also be meeting with students individually and through small groups. My goal is for your child to learn to become an effective and efficient problem-solver and to gain skills that they will be able to apply to future life situations.
Your child does not need to have a problem to meet with me! My door is always open and it is a judgment-free zone! I am looking forward to a wonderful school year and working with you and your child(ren). Please do not ever hesitate to contact me for any reason concerning your child.
Sincerely,
Erica Jeria
(386) 575-4166 x42797
xxxxx
COMMUNITY NEWS
Volunteers and Business Partners
If you need to a volunteer form, please click here for the online application in English or here for Spanish. Schools will no longer have paper applications on site. If you or somebody you know needs to fill out a new online application but do not have access to a computer, there will be a computer available in our Parent Resource room.
Once applicants have been approved or denied, they will receive an email. Applicants may also check in with our front office to check on their status.
School Information
Website: http://myvolusiaschools.org/school/ForestLake
Location: 1600 Doyle Road, Deltona, FL, United States
Phone: 386-575-4166
Newsletter
Please look for our monthly school newsletter on the first Monday of every month. If you know of a parent that did not receive an email for this newsletter and they would like to receive one, please have them send their email address to Mrs. Wagenhauser at vdwagenh@volusia.k12.fl.us . You may also access the newsletter on our school website at http://myvolusiaschools.org/school/ForestLake .