Penguin Press News
January 25, 2021
A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL BAME
Dear LPE Families,
Today we virtually welcomed back over 850 Laurel Park students. Teachers spent time reviewing 3rd quarter expectations, exploring Google Classroom materials, and listening to student track-out stories. Although we wish we could be together in person, we are thankful to see the faces of our students on screen.
We appreciate the large number of families who have stopped by to pick up 3rd quarter learning materials. Please encourage your child(ren) to wear their new headsets and allow us to see their beautiful faces on screen, when possible. Google Meet now offers special background designs or blurring when using the camera. If you have not yet had a chance to do so, please reach out to our front office staff in order to arrange a window of time to pick up supplies. Our school office is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. The main line for our front office is 919.290.2333.
As always, we will continue to navigate this challenging time together. We appreciate your partnership!
Kind Regards,
Mrs. Raleigh G. Bame
Principal
Important Dates to Note:
- January 25th - First day of 3rd Quarter
- January 29th - Report Cards distributed
- February 3rd - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- February 24th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- March 16th - Plan B Spring Picture Day
- March 17th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day, Virtual Academy Spring Picture Day
- March 29th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- March 30th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- March 31st - April 13th - Spring Track-out
- April 14th - First day of 4th Quarter
- May 5th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- May 26th - Asynchronous/ Remote Learning Day
- May 31st - Holiday
- June 21st - Last Day of School
Upcoming PTA Spirit Nights 2021:
JANUARY - RUCKUS
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
4 - 9pm
FEBRUARY - PANERA BREAD
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
4pm - 8pm
MARCH - CITY BBQ
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
11am - 8pm
APRIL - TBC - BURRITO SHAK
Proposed date -Tuesday, April 27, 2020
All Day
MAY - FRESH LOCAL ICE CREAM
Thursday, May 27
Details of times to be confirmed closer to this date.
Wake Up and Read!
For a 3rd year, Laurel Park Library will be a drop-off site for book donations for the WAKE Up and READ Book Drive. From January 23 – February 28, WAKE UP and READ will collect new and gently-used books for children ages birth-12. The goal is to collect 110,000 books – enough to share at 13 schools, as well as community centers and child care facilities across Wake County. Last year the Laurel Park community collected over 1,800 books to support WAKE Up and READ. A collection box is at Laurel Park next to the front doors of the school.
20th Annual African American Cultural Celebration
An online experience: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021
Join us virtually for our 20th Annual African American Cultural Celebration, the statewide kickoff to Black History Month in Raleigh. Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society since 2015, this year’s annual celebration will bring together community organizations, authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and scholars to showcase the contributions that African Americans, past and present, have made to North Carolina’s history and culture. This year’s digital format will allow the Museum of History to share those contributions in a safe environment to a statewide audience. Register here
STEAM NIGHT 2021 is ON!
Parents: Want to share your skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, or Math? Sign up for the STEAM Night! It's going to be on Thursday, March 25th. Just fill out this form to show your interest. We can help on the presenting, just email Ms. Trent at ttrent@wcpss.net.
Tiffany Trent
STEM Teacher/Tech Contact
Laurel Park Elementary School
Support my classroom through Donors Choose.
Need Tech Help? Try the WCPSS Tech Help Page
Need More Tech Help? Fill out this form.
Music Notes from Mrs. Sonstroem
Please don't forget to attend Specialist Classes. P.E., Art, and Music are graded subjects and everyday counts towards observations and assessments of progress. Thanks so much for your support.
Check out this amazing song hub feature of the song "He Had a Dream." Scroll down to Meet the Composer!
Quarter 3 Music Curriculum
5th grade: Origins of the Banjo, Vocals and World Music
4th grade: Major/minor melodies and World Music, Origin of the Spoons
3rd grade: Treble Clef note reading, Melody and Recorders
2nd grade: Rhythm and Improvisation
1st grade: Rhythm and Ostinato
K: Rhythm- short and long sounds
Quaver SEL Song of the Month: Feel the Same Way ❤️
Don't forget to login to Quaver Music via WakeID Portal to see all featured lessons and activities for the year! Fun and creative opportunities await.
An Easy Way to Support STEM
I have registered our STEM classroom on DonorsChoose, an amazing website where individuals can contribute to public schools. Throughout the year, I will post requests for resources that will help make your child's time at school even more engaging, dynamic, and enriching.
Please spread the word about our STEM page (and contribute if you can)!
https://www.donorschoose.org/t-trentSTEM Fun for All!
Upcoming STEM Activities:
K-1 will be learning about the Engineering Design Process and building sleds, bridges, towers, and boats! Start collecting recycled materials to help you build!
2-3 will be creating digital books in Storyjumper! Sign in with your Google Account.
4-5 will be creating a website on Google Sites to collect their best work from this year!
3rd Grade AIG Identification Process
The purpose of the Wake County Public School System Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Program is to provide an appropriately challenging educational program for students who perform, or show potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment. The Wake County AIG Program supports a unique nurturing component, 3rd Grade Explorers. The AIG teacher works in partnership with third grade teachers to plan a variety of experiences designed to elicit high academic performance. Several times during the first semester of the year, the AIG teacher works in the classroom or online with all third-grade students. The AIG and the classroom teachers assess student performance during these experiences to determine AIG potential. Students who demonstrate high performance participate in small group enrichment activities. Some students may participate in one or more small group experiences, while other students may not demonstrate a need for this enrichment. Participation in a small group experience does not mean that the student has been, or will be, identified for future AIG services.
This quarter, the AIG teacher and third-grade teachers will evaluate AIG eligibility for all third-grade students. Indicators that will be used to determine AIG eligibility are both informal and formal. Informal indicators are student's learning behaviors, student performance, student interest, and student motivation. Formal indicators are Beginning of Grade (BOG) scores, Cognitive Abilities Test and Iowa Achievement Test. Due to COVID-19 and for equity of all students, Wake County Public Schools was not able to administer these tests this 2020-2021school year. We are looking at administering these norm-based achievement and aptitude tests to all third grade and fourth-grade students next school year, 2021-2022.
Due to COVID-19, AIG identification will be conducted differently this school year, 2020-2021. This school year, 2020-2021, we are asking teachers and parents to make AIG nominations on third-grade students based on informal indicators of learning behaviors, student performance, student interest and student motivation and formal indicators of report cards grades, ISIP data, third-grade, ELA and Math unit assessments, level 4 opportunities, and enrichment opportunities that were available to all third-grade students in their regular classroom and with the AIG teacher in Explorers. Teachers will complete their AIG nomination process this week and a consent letter for further evaluation will be going home to families of AIG nominated students next week. If a parent/legal guardian would like to nominate their student for AIG, please consult with your student's regular classroom teacher and/or the AIG teacher. Parent nominations will end on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
During the week of February 8th - 12th, the AIG teacher will be evaluating third-grade students through various level 4 enrichment opportunities to determine AIG identification. AIG identification will be made by mid-March. Students that perform or show potential for performing, at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to peers of their age, experience and/or environment will be invited to receive differentiated AIG services. All third-grade AIG identified students will begin their AIG services at the beginning of 4th quarter.
Thank you!
Amy Stone, MAED, NBCT
AIG Teacher
Laurel Park Elementary School
2450 Laura Duncan Road, Apex, NC 27523
4th and 5th Grade AIG Spring Nominations
Dear 4th and 5th Grade Families,
We are now accepting Spring Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) student nominations for 4th and 5th grade students only. The purpose of the Wake County Public School System's AIG Program is to provide an appropriately challenging educational program for students who perform, or show potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment. If your student demonstrates higher level academic or intellectual abilities, please contact your student's classroom teacher about whether an AIG nomination should be considered. We will be accepting 4th and 5th grade Spring AIG nominations through Friday, February 12, 2021.
All AIG candidates will be asked to take an AIG test, which this school year, 2020-2021, will be different, to the past due to COVID-19. AIG candidates will not take the Cognitive Abilities Test or IOWA test this school year. They will be given higher level, ELA and Math enrichment activities, created by WCPSS AIG teachers to demonstrate their need for AIG differentiation. The Laurel Park Elementary School Based Committee for Gifted Education (LPES SBCGE) will be evaluating AIG candidates based on both informal and formal indicators for AIG eligibility. Informal indicators will be the student's learning behaviors, student performance, student interest and student motivation. Formal indicators will be the AIG Test created by WCPSS AIG teachers, past Cognitive Abilities Tests, IOWA tests, End of Grade scores, report cards, ISIP data, classroom ELA and Math unit assessments, level 4 opportunities, and enrichment opportunities. AIG Testing will be conducted the week of February 22nd.
Thank you,
Amy Stone, MAED, NBCT
AIG Teacher
Laurel Park Elementary School
2450 Laura Duncan Road, Apex, NC 27523
Laurel Park's Gifted Education Website
Positivity Project Resource for Families
P2 for Families is an easy and effective way for families to discuss the importance of character strengths and positive relationships. It is differentiated for grades Pre-K – 2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each character strength follows a 1-1-3 model: 1 quote, 1 video, and 3 questions to drive conversations around character at home.
Please choose your child’s grade level found at the link below:
Do you know your child's email address?
Want more answers to tech questions?
Go to Students and click on Remote Learning Resources and FAQ on the Laurel Park Website.
Parent and Student Tech Guides (WCPSS)
Grocery Store Rewards Cards
Laurel Park Elementary School
Website: wcpss.net/laurelparkes
Location: Laurel Park Elementary School, Laura Duncan Road, Apex, NC, USA
Phone: 919.290.2333
Twitter: @LaurelParkElem