The Dunwoody Springs Dispatch
A Project Based Learning School
October 5, 2016
Ivy Goggins, Principal
Denise Haltrecht, Asst. Principal
Upcoming Events
- 10/3 -10/7 Georgia PreK Week
- 10/7 New Parent Coffee 7:30 a.m.
- 10/10 Columbus Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
- 10/11 Teacher Workday - NO SCHOOL
- 10/19 Family Twitter Night #DSESFamilyNight
- 10/28 Monster Mash School Dance 5:45-7:45
- 10/31-11/4 Red Ribbon Week
Change of Transportation Update & Forms
Transportation changes will only be accepted in writing via fax or this form (http://school.fultonschools.org/es/dunwoodysprings/Documents/TRANSPORTATION%20CHANGE%20FORM.pdf) by 12 noon on the day of the change. Last minute changes will not be accepted. Transportation changes will no longer be accepted via phone, email or text. If you have questions regarding the changes, please contact the front office.
Common Sense Certification
Dunwoody Springs Elementary has just been approved as a Common Sense Certified School! This certification recognizes our efforts in teaching digital literacy and citizenship to our students from Common Sense Education, part of a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.
We are one of the more than 100,000 schools across the country that use Common Sense Education's groundbreaking education resources. As a result, our students are better equipped to navigate the digital world and use devices for learning.
Café Celebrates National School Lunch Week Oct 17th – 21st!
Do you know what is being served in your child’s school café? The answer may surprise you! Thanks to sound nutrition guidelines, school lunch has changed for the better over the past few years! Fulton County School Nutrition menus feature healthier options, more fruits and veggies, locally-sourced produce, chef-inspired recipes, and more choices for kids! National School Lunch Week is October 17th – 21st, and the school café is ready to celebrate with special guest servers, a Coloring Contest, and a Prize Pencil Giveaway! As part of the fun, all students can enter to win the School Lunch Coloring Contest by coloring in the activity sheet! All Coloring Contest entries are due to the School Café by Thursday, Oct 20th, and 1st Place Prize Winners will be announced on Friday Oct 21st! To celebrate National Farm to School Month, we will host a Try-It Tuesday and provide a free spinach recipe to students. Students will also be automatically entered to win the Grand Prize everyday they eat school lunch during the week! Winners will be announced on Friday Oct 21st! “Show Your Spirit” and join the school café during National School Lunch Week!
Project Based Learning Update
All grade levels have started their first PBL units with some incredible kick-off events. Kindergarten, in conjunction with their unit on Community Safety, have had a police officer, Delta flight attendant, and a representative from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations all come share their work experiences with the students. Down in the third grade hall, the students came out one afternoon to see trash and debris strewn everywhere and they had to brainstorm ways to collect the trash and then work in groups to combat global pollution.
Second grade started their unit with a study of pushes and pulls, so they ventured out to the playgrounds to determine which structures could be improved upon and how to design them. First grade is busy planting vegetables from the discarded parts that we would normally throw away. They will have several garden plots in the central learning garden here at DSES.
It was animals gone wild down in fifth grade with their launch using unique animals that are not native to Georgia. Students had a picture of an animal taped to their backs and had to ask higher order thinking questions to determine what their animal was. They now will design an appropriate habitat for them at Dunwoody Springs. Fourth grade will be traveling back in time with their study of Native American peoples and solutions for some of their issues using today’s knowledge base.
With all this excitement surrounding the first PBL unit, it is easy to see why the students are so engaged with their learning across all grade levels.
Dunwoody Springs After School Solar Club
15 lucky students will get the chance to participate in the Dunwoody Springs After School Solar Club. Students will be chosen based on teacher recommendation and a short questionnaire. The Club will meet every Thursday from 2:30-3:30 and run for approximately 5 weeks. DSES staff who will be leading the class on their explorations will be Mr. DiBartolo. Mrs. Matthews, and Ms. Johns.
Students will be expected to work in groups, reflect on what they have built, and be able to present their final solar powered machine. We look forward to this very exciting program!
Testing Informatiion for 3rd and 5th Grades
The Fulton County Schools Assessment Department is pleased to announce that we are moving to a new norm referenced test this school year. Fulton County students have taken the ITBS Form A as part of Fulton County's balanced assessment plan for many years. ITBS Form A was published 15 years ago with content from approximately 1995 and has ten year old norms. In October, students in grades 3, 5, and 8 will be taking the Iowa Assessment Form E. Students will take the test online and schools will receive student level results in a usable electronic format within 5 business days. This school year will become a baseline year for trend purposes. To accommodate online testing and to allow schools flexibility, the testing window is expanded to October 17th through November 4th. Dunwoody Springs ES will develop our schedule in this window and will inform parents of specific dates as more information and communication materials become available in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact our testing coordinator, Ms. Haltrecht.
Family Twitter Night #DSESFamilyNight
On October 19, there’s no homework. Take a break from work, put away the books and spend time with your family!
In the spirit of family night, Dunwoody Springs is asking you to plan an evening with your own family and post your family fun on Twitter!
We are hoping to get as many families and staff members as possible to participate. It doesn’t have to be anything big. Take a walk. See a movie. Have dinner together. Sit on the deck and relax……basically anything.
You can take a photo of where you go or what you do, and tweet it out to @DunwoodySprings. Be sure to include #DSESFamilyNight.
Monster Mash
Join us for some family fun Friday, October 28, 2016 5:45-7:45PM
Wear a costume and come have a SPOOKTACKULAR good time!
Click here for more informationRed Ribbon Week
During the week of October 31- November 4, we will celebrate Red Ribbon Week at our school. Join in the fun:
Monday, October 31 Storybook Character Dress Up Day
Tuesday, November 1 Wear RED Day
Wednesday, November 2 College Day
Thursday, November 3 When I Grow Up (dress like your future career)
- Friday, November 4 Express Yourself #YOLO (free dress)
After School Soccer Program
The City of Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department offers an after school soccer program for boys and girls in grades Pre-K through 5th grade.
Practice and game times are immediately after school.
Fee: $25.00 (covers entire program + team t-shirt)
Times:
2:30-3:45 pm @ Dunwoody Springs Elementary
League Days (September through November):
Monday – Pre-K and Kindergarten League
Tuesday – 1st and 2nd Grade League
Thursday – 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade League
Registration:
Please see Paula Geiss at DSES for
registration forms or call
Trevor Ramos at 770.206.2040
It’s not too late…hurry up and register!!!
TAG Corner – Talented and Gifted Activities
How can we best support and teach our children as they are developing critical thinking skills? Here are some tips and ideas to help children build a foundation for critical thinking and grow them into problem solvers:
Provide opportunities to play: It is during play that children test their thinking whether rolling two marbles down a chute to see which is faster; seeing what happens when you dip chalk in water; or mixing cornstarch and water to make "goop". Providing space for playing, including outdoor & pretend play, can provide open-ended opportunities to try something and see the reaction; try something else and see if you get a different reaction. This informal process of testing how things work is crucial to critical thinking.
Help children view themselves as problem solvers and thinkers by asking open-ended questions. Rather than automatically giving answers to the questions your child raises, help them think critically by asking questions in return: "What ideas do you have? What do you think is happening here?" Respect his or her responses whether you view them as correct or not. You could say, "That is interesting. Tell me why you think that." Use phrases like "I am interested to hear your thinking about this." "How would you solve this problem?" "Where do you think we might get more information about this problem?"
Don't solve all problems immediately for children. Instead ask some of the questions above and provide enough information so children don't get frustrated, but not so much information that you solve the problem for them.
Help children develop hypotheses. "If we do this, what do you think will happen?" "Let's predict what we think will happen next."
Encourage thinking in new and different ways. By allowing children to think differently, you're helping them hone their creative problem solving skills. Ask questions like, "What other ideas could we try?" or encourage coming up with other options, "Let’s think of all the possible solutions."
Support your child to research further information. You can help your children develop critical thinking skills by guiding them towards looking for more information. Say, "Now how could we find out more? Your dad knows a lot about this. Shall we ask him? Or shall we try searching on the computer?"
The Joyful Notes Children's Choral Group
The City of Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department offers an Afterschool Children’s Choral Group for Dunwoody Springs Elementary students in Grades 1-5!
● Learn music notations & symbols
● Learn about various music styles and instruments
● Learn about pitch, rhythm, tempo, and articulation
● Learn age-appropriate and beginner songs, to be sung in unison
● Prepare a presentation for family and friends
Min/max: 10/25
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
For registration forms please see Paula Geiss at Dunwoody Springs Elementary School Clinic or contact Deb Strycula
Sandy Springs Recreation Manager
770-206-2039
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS
MEETING DAY/TIME:
MONDAY 2:30-3:30
(GRADES 1-5)
FALL TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19-NOVEMBER 14, 2016
(NO CLASS OCTOBER 10)
WINTER TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY JANUARY 23-MARCH 20, 2017
(NO CLASS FEBRUARY 20 AND MARCH 13)
SPRING TERM (8 WEEKS):
MONDAY MARCH 27-MAY 22, 2017
(NO CLASS APRIL 3)
FEE: $35.00 PER TERM (8 CLASSES)
INSTRUCTOR:
RICARDO HURTADO
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Clinic Corner
If your child requires medication at school, there are forms that must accompany all medicine distributed to students. Please stop by the clinic and Ms. Geiss will be happy to assist you. We are looking forward to a healthy school year. Feel free to contact Ms. Geiss if you have any questions. geiss@fultonschools.org
Box Tops
It's time to start collecting BOX TOPS!! Box Tops can be found on many boxed grocery items such as General Mills Cereals, Ziploc Storage Bags, Totino's Pizza, Green Giant Vegetables, Kleenex Tissues, Yoplait Go-Gurt, Annie's Cookies and Crackers AND MANY MANY MORE!!
Just cut them off participating products and turn them into your child's teacher by FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14th. Class that turns in the most BOX TOPS will win a class party!!
Breakfast
Breakfast is free to all students and
is only served from 7:10 until 7:40 AM .
Online Food Service Account Access
Character Word For October
Our character word for the month of October is: “Respect”. Students will explore the definition of self-respect, and respect for others and the environment, which are all essential qualities of good character development. Please discuss the meaning of the word "respect" with your child/ren for reinforcement.
Also, this month, classroom guidance lessons will focus on bullying prevention and safety. Students will learn the difference between bullying and teasing, telling and tattling, and skills for dealing with bullying.
Thank you for your support!
CHESTATEE COUNSELING CENTER is here throughout the School Year!
We specialize in supportive counseling and provide services at home as well as at DSES throughout the school year and over the summer. If you are interested in receiving counseling services, please call 706-344-8462 or 678-948-8390 and/or email sandee.chestateecounseling@gmail.com. We are a Medicaid Provider and accept Amerigroup, Centpatico and Wellcare at no cost to you.
We look forward to the opportunity to help you!
Dunwoody Springs Elementary Project Based Learning School
Email: gogginsi@fultonschools.org
Website: http://school.fultonschools.org/es/dunwoodysprings/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs, GA 30350, United States
Phone: 470-254-4060
Twitter: @DunwoodySprings