Conway Catch-Up
January 25th
Goooooood Morning #OneFamily!
Great to see your kiddos last week! What a huge difference we can make when they are in person! K-5 kiddos really need to be with us in person and was such an incredible privilege to have them back last week!
I will keep this brief as all of the important info is below. Hope to see you at one of the great events we have this week: picture day today (for virtual kids); Joe Romano night tonight; and Conversation with our Counselors to kick off our PTA meeting on Thursday evening.
For all of those families that are battling Covid, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Please let us know if we can help and certainly let us know if anyone in your family has to be hospitalized. Remember, we are here to help!
I sure hope you have an amazing week. Please stay safe! Be awesome!
JR :)
P.S. check out the latest morning announcements, last Mott's Run Virtual field trip, and a new commercial for Conway made by one of our amazing #conwayleaders! (Done completely on her own and done far better than I ever would have)
Important Information
- Great Kindness Challenge: We have some exciting news for everyone...We are starting a new format for our annual Great Kindness Challenge. In past years we have devoted one week to this Challenge but because many schools and students are virtual the format has changed and we will get to do a kindness challenge act each week!!! On Monday’s announcements each week you will get to see the kindness challenge act of the week. Then you have the whole week to keep it going. If you’d like to take pictures of yourself doing this act of kindness you can send in them to be part of our announcements :-) Thank you for all you do each day to be kind--Kindness Matters! Can’t wait to see all of these kindness challenges in action! You can submit pictures to: CeWebmaster@Staffordschools.net
- Door is Always Open: Just a reminder that our door is always open. You are most welcome to send your kiddo back anytime you wish if you are virtual. Just get in contact with Michele, Niki, or me and we will work to make it happen quickly. Most situations allow you to start the very next day if you wish. As we have shown since we started back in October, schools are not spreaders! You can visit the dashboard on SCPS' website to see these stats. Because of the mitigation strategies, we are able to keep our kiddos and staff safe from Covid.
- Virtual Instruction: Virtual Instruction has been an incredible addition to education when we were left with that or nothing at all! We will continue to offer the virtual option for kiddos for as long as SCPS decides. However, as a reminder, virtual instruction is to allow your kiddo to continue to learn despite Covid. They still need to be in a place where they can have access to their learning tools, have the ability to focus on what the teacher is teaching. We know things come up....life happens. But, we have seen an increase of families using virtual to go on vacations. I am all for families using the elementary years to travel during off peak times (as long as it is not too frequent), virtual instruction was not designed for that purpose. If you are going on vacation and cannot provide an environment where your kiddo can learn, have their materials and will be free from distractions, it maybe more beneficial just to take those few days off and just do the work on Canvas. Again, as long as it is not frequent, families deserve this time together, especially after a year like this.
- Parent Workshop from SCPS: Flyers at this link and also attached to the email I sent these on.. Use these links to register
Registration for Jan 27: https://tinyurl.com/ZoomedOutJan27
Registration for Jan 28: https://tinyurl.com/ZoomedOutJan28
Flyer in Pashto, click here.
Information from Last Week:
- Employee of the Year: It is time to nominate our employee of the year (Anyone that is not a licensed teacher - we already did that :). To nominate our nurse, anyone from our front office team, our cafeteria team, and any of our amazing paraprofessionals, click HERE. This is an amazing way to say thanks to the people who greet you at car riders, supports your kiddos' classroom, gets you answers in the front office, provides interventions to your kiddo and keeps your kiddo learning and safe. Thanks so much for helping us to ensure they feel appreciated and loved this year.
Future Events
- Picture Day Today for Virtual Kiddos: Come on in today at your scheduled time for picture day! Just enter through the front office.
- Picture Day for Kids in Person: A kiddos - Wednesday. B kiddos - Thursday.
- Magician Joe Romano is BACK! January 25th at 6:15 PM! Free for every family member. You do not want to miss this incredible event. This is a new show (different from the one in the Fall). Great ready to laugh together and be mesmerized by Joe's humor and great magic! To connect, use the Zoom info below:
Books! The Magic is Real!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82933503628?pwd=d1hHcTMzb1B0aXc2VWlydllWRlZtZz09
Meeting ID: 829 3350 3628
Passcode: 571706
- PTA Meeting on January 28th: Please join us virtually for a great night of sharing, learning, and helping us get better as a school and organization. We will begin the night with Conversations with the Counselors at 5:00 PM and then go right into the PTA meeting.
Zoom Link for this meeting is:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97658214837?pwd=dHNYMUhBakFhbmF5UFBaRVBuTC8rUT09
Meeting ID: 976 5821 4837
Passcode: 9r7ab8
- Yoga Nights: Every Wednesday night in January, we will have yoga night for families at 5:00 PM with our very own Yoga instructor, Mrs. Puckett. :) Please join this great night of exercise and family fun by clicking on this code:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98323782670?pwd=clp2R1YyN08yTWFXUGtxcjVIYXVUZz09
Meeting ID: 983 2378 2670
Passcode: tMqLD3
Picture Day Information
For in-school students only on Jan. 27-28 during the school day. Kiddos who attend school in person will have picture day in person. Parents do not need to do anything for picture day. If you wish to order pictures, I will send out a form for you to be able to do so (I cannot locate what I did with it....I am sorry :( )
We will use all mitigation strategies and will have masks on up until the second we take the picture. This will be done in a very safe manner. A Conway staff member will be in place to support this and to ensure all mitigation strategies are in place.
Click Here to sign up for a timeslot on the 25th:
pickatime.com/vos/conwayes
Students wishing to purchase a picture package will have the opportunity to do so online after they sign up for a time and after picture day. Paper picture orders will not be accepted at the camera. All picture packages will be delivered via USPS shipping to a home address.
In order to maintain social distancing, the number of cameras provided will be sufficient to accommodate underclass enrollment. Due to Covid-19 guidelines, walk-ins will not be accepted at this time.
Instant IDs will be given to students on-site upon exiting the photography station. We ask your school's support in instructing students to enter the photography location through one set of doors and exit through a separate location/different set of doors.
Feel free to contact underclass@vosphoto.com for any questions from students/parents.
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Victor O'Neill Studios has created a COVID-19 Underclass Photo Day which will allow schools to maintain fall picture day.
SCHEDULE/COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS
- All individuals including school staff, VOS photography staff, students and family members will be expected to wear facial coverings and adhere to physical distancing guidelines.
- Students wishing to purchase a picture package will have the opportunity to do so online both before and after picture day. Paper picture orders will not be accepted at the camera.
- All picture packages will be delivered via USPS shipping to a home address.
- Instant IDs will be given to students on-site upon exiting the photography location.
PTA News
- PTA Meeting on January 28th: Please join us virtually for a great night of sharing, learning, and helping us get better as a school and organization. We will begin the night with Conversations with the Counselors at 5:00 PM and then go right into the PTA meeting. Zoom code will be sent out in next week's newsletter.
Here is the Zoom Link:
https://zoom.us/j/97658214837?pwd=dHNYMUhBakFhbmF5UFBaRVBuTC8rUT09
Meeting ID: 976 5821 4837
Passcode: 9r7ab8
- Please Join the PTA: Our PTA is incredible but they need YOU. Please consider joining at https://www.conwayespta.com/join. There are some perks as well besides just helping out Conway.
Parent Resources
Reading with a Twist: Read Alouds created by a parent of ours for kiddos, parents and teachers. Check it out below:
All read-alouds have music, sound effects, and some videos include visuals too to make the books as engaging as possible.
There is a new book every Monday, and if you think my channel will be useful for your staff, here are the links to check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIbFvEncVoCW5oxaG9VZVZg
https://www.facebook.com/readwithatwist
Meal Services
- Meals are free for all students from now until the end of the school year. Middle and High School kiddos can pick up meals at multiple pick up locations at the middle and high schools. Click HERE for more details.
- Beginning Tuesday 2/2/21, elementary students on the hybrid schedule will receive (1) breakfast in the classroom and (1) hot to-go lunch on their regularly scheduled Tuesday/Wednesday or Thursday/Friday in-school days. In total, they will receive (2) breakfasts and (2) lunches. Parents may pick up the additional (4) breakfasts and (4) lunches Mondays at a curbside or bus distribution site from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Monday 2/8/21, seven elementary schools will open for curbside meal service 10:30- 1:00 PM (Anthony Burns, Garrisonville, Conway, Kate Waller, Hartwood, Falmouth, and Rocky Run Elementary Schools. I will also open (9) secondary schools to assist with Mondays curbside service. The 10:30-1:00 PM Curbside service will take place weekly on Mondays only.
How to Translate Smore
- How to Translate Smore newsletters: If you would like to translate this newsletter into another language, please click on these links for directions on how to do that. Directions in English click here. Directions in Espanol click here. Directions in Pashto click here . Directions in Dari click here.
Community Resources
FredFoodVA: Download this App to locate all of the food resources in the area.
- Family Resource Access Line - This free communication tool helps provide equitable access to SCPS resources. Families may leave a message for translators in seven native languages: Arabic, Dari, Farsi, French, Pashto, Spanish, and Urdu. Translators will return your call in 2 business days. To access this service, please call (571) 492-9270.
Digital Help
- Keep Those Chromebooks Running: There are a few things you can do to make sure your Chromebooks are running at top speed:
To Update: Click HERE for a quick cheat sheet.
The Conway Elementary
Email: rayboldws@staffordschools.net
Website: https://www.staffordschools.net/ces
Location: 105 Primmer House Road, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: 5403611455
Facebook: facebook.com/Conwayelemsch
Twitter: @conwayelemsch