John B. Dey Elementary GULL POST
Parent and Community Newsletter-November Edition
From the Principal-Giving Thanks
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends of JBD Students,
It is amazing how fast the first quarter has flown! When counting our blessings here at John B. Dey, we realize that we have 840 very special blessings, which of course are your children! It is so much fun to see them grow and learn by leaps and bounds everyday! Your support at home means so much to us as we help them progress. All children will face challenges in life in every arena, including home and school, which is how they grow and learn. There is a lot of talk about how to develop these skills in our children. Below check out a few books that may be interesting reads!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy the new tech savvy version of the Gull Post!
Beth Bianchi
Principal
PTA CORNER
Thankfulness is certainly November's theme and the JBD PTA is grateful to announce an enormously successful Fall season! Please join me in recognizing some of our amazing accomplishments and contributors…
The Seagull Circle has raised approximately $14,000! This has allowed us to eliminate the third party fundraiser! The beautiful new banner, thanking all the supportive and generous families and businesses, is now hanging in the lobby. A very special thanks to Seagull Circle chairs Kevin Moorehead and Stephanie Sager for chairing this committee with immense spirit and dedication!
Fall Festival was a tremendous success with beautiful weather, a tasty food truck, fun inflatables, a balloon artist, new games, crafts, and the very popular mummy wrapping of teachers and duct taping Mr. K to the wall. Who would have guessed that the tape would hold?! Everywhere we looked children were enjoying the activities and parents and teachers were laughing and talking. We greatly appreciate and thank Fall Festival chair Michelle Perry for her weeks of planning and organizing as she produced the best Fall Festival we have ever had! This was really an astounding job!
This year’s Reflections art competition produced 140 submissions from John B. Dey! This year’s Reflections Art Gala and Exhibit was a beautiful event celebrating our student artists. Reflections chairs Kim LaCroix, Kim Fisher, Kristina Seefeldt and Jessica Ebel worked tirelessly to market Reflections, receive submissions, find judges and then create and host a fabulous evening. We are so thankful for their dedication to our school!
The students enjoyed the Virginia Opera’s presentation of “A Trickster Trilogy” on October 27th. They were an engaged group, laughing and applauding as the tales of three tricksters from world literature were performed on our stage. Thank you to VP of Programs Jo-Ann Barreiro for organizing this event!
We all know that parent involvement in an elementary school classroom is invaluable! Thank you to ALL of this year's Room Parents for helping families stay connected and involved in the classrooms! Also, we have much gratitude for Room Liaison chair Stephanie Dillman for organizing, fielding questions and informing this group of parent volunteers.
There are many people behind the scenes that make our PTA operate so smoothly. None is more important than our treasurer Pamela Faraino who has handled all the expenses and accounting that this busy season brings with brilliant efficiency. Thank you for your continued volunteerism to our school!
We are striving to improve and streamline our communications this year and have the following people to thank for this accomplishment! E-directory webmaster Traci Wagner has once again launched and updated our directory with speed and spirit! VIE webmaster Susan Hurley has tirelessly managed our volunteer website with clear messages and current volunteer opportunities. JBD PTA webmaster Christine LeBlanc has consistently kept our website current, user friendly and relevant!
There is much to come this school year and many more people to thank but I hope this snapshot gives us a moment to reflect on this Fall’s events and bounty of generous volunteers and sponsors in our midst!
See you at Movie Night on December 3rd!
Jennifer
Jennifer Graham
JBD PTA President 2015-2016
It's all about SLEEP!
GRIT-What's it all about?
Talking to Kids
Parent Drop Off Assistance
We understand that many of you need to drive your children to school for a variety of reasons. But to help keep the traffic moving, please do the following:
1. Make sure your child is sitting on the passenger side of the car.
2. Parents, please DO NOT get out of the car.
3. Finish all breakfast items, make sure shoes are on, and backpacks are in your child's hands.
4. Make sure your child is ready to pop out of the car as soon as you pull up to the curb.
Thank you! :)
JBD Dads
The John B. Dey School Dads effort started recently and we had a fair number of School Dads help out over the last two weeks. Even if you missed the initial meeting last month and you are interested in volunteering as a John B. Dey School Dad, please let us know so we can get your name down as a John B. Dey School Dad and get your name included on our computer registry and make a name tag for you. Volunteering includes helping with getting students to where they need to go both at the start and also at end of day. Lunch volunteers are also needed to help the lunch monitor and the teachers in the cafeteria. JBD School Dads are also need to help with reading instruction, reading to students, etc. through the library. Those tasks are likely to be different day to day so we will need to know an adequate time in advance to coordinate. Keep in mind the JBD School Dads are separate from the JBD PTA. We will make sure whomever is interested is aware of where and what exactly is needed during the day.
Thanks and we hope to hear from you soon. I will be sending a weekly request out via email to get things coordinated.
You can contact me at thomasaherrick@gmail.com or contact Mrs. Bianchi ecbianch@vbschools.com
Thank you!
Parent Connection
Check it out! Great workshop for parents on Technology Tips and Safety for your children!
Parent Connection-Internet Safety and Technology Tips for Parents
Thursday, Nov 5, 2015, 06:30 PM
Landstown High School, Concert Drive, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
FROM THE NEST!
Notes from the Nest
During the Month of November, school counselors Rose Chick and Kate Miller will focus on team work and collaboration during classroom guidance lessons. Students in grades K-5 will have the opportunity the share the importance of working effectively with others through whole group discussions and small group challenges. The days of sitting in neat, quiet rows, listening to the teacher teach are a thing of the past! Our JBD Seagulls are able to work closely with teachers and classmates for hands-on experiences to enhance the learning environment. The Counseling Nest teaches and supports the 21st Century Learner by providing a safe place to land, where students can learn how to fly!
Rosemarie Chick
School Counselor
John B. Dey Elementary
648-2453
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
Reflections Winners! Mrs. Violette's Class wins Tropical Smoothie!
Visual Arts:
K-2
1st: Molly R.
2nd: Peyton M.
3rd: Gwendolyn S.
Honorable Mention: Izabella H.
Grades 3-5
1st: Nouran A.
2nd: Aaron B.
3rd: Jessica C.
Honorable Mention: Emerson L.
Special Artist Division:
1st: John T.
Photography:
K-2
1st: Samuel S.
2nd: Isaac Z.
Grades 3-5
1st: Ava h.
2nd: Cecilia K.
3rd: Cecilia K.
Honorable Mention: Ava H.
Dance:
K-2
1st: Isaac Zimmer
Grades 3-5
1st: Erin B.
2nd: Maia T.
3rd: Rachael Z.
and Ally B.
Literature:
K-2
1st: Arjun P.
2nd: Dylan B.
3rd: Pervin K.
Honorable Mention: Isaac Z.
Grades 3-5
1st: Emma E.
2nd: Marley F.
3rd: Rachael Z.
Honorable Mention: Madelyn P.
News from Mrs. Reidelbach-Gifted Resource Teacher
http://blogs.vbschools.com/giftedgulls/
Interested in what's going on in the gifted world at JBD? Check out this blog!
*pictures and articles from the cluster classrooms
*information about gifted testing (identification, art, dance, ODC, KLMS)
*middle school options
*articles to support parenting a gifted child
*examples from the kindergarten and first grade Brain Gym programs
*visit the “Friends and Links” area.
You are welcome to leave comments.
You will find similar information to the blog is also on Twitter. Follow our gifted program @MrsReidelbach and also @jbdElem. #VBgifted is also a good resource.
A Word from the JBD Cafeteria!
Please remember to keep your child’s Cafeteria Account up-to-date. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sally Cole: 2016-2017 JBD Reading Teacher of the YEAR!
CLINIC CORNER
Food Allergies
As we enter the upcoming months there will be celebrations in the classroom and it seems there is always someone having a birthday.
As you know for some children, ingesting their food allergen can be an emergency.
We often think of peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish as the main food allergen. These are the more common food allergies. However, we have children with allergies to wheat, dairy, soy, and eggs in our school as well. Prevention of exposure is always the goal.
How can you continue to keep the children at John B. Dey with food allergies safe?
Þ If you are a Room Parent, check with the teacher and /or the nurse to see what food allergies are present in your child’s room.
Þ Any food given to the children with food allergies must have a food label and be approved by the teacher, parent of student with severe food allergies or nurse . Food CANNOT be home made.
Þ Birthdays Celebrations: Birthday treats brought in for the class are coordinated through your child’s classroom teacher. Because of the severe food allergies, birthday treats are no longer shared in the café during your student’s lunch. Ice cream can be ordered through the Café with a 2 week notice.
Þ Always remember, an alternative to food for birthday celebrations could be stickers, pencils, or other non-food items.
Thanks so much for keeping all John B. Dey students safe!!
Michele Self, R.N.
School Nurse
(757) 648-2447