Fall is officially here and the cooler weather has also arrived.

The Simonton PTA fundraiser is in full swing. All sales will end on Monday, October 2, 2023. Our PTA will also host its first spirit night of the school year at Sparkles on Thursday, September 28, 2023. Bring the whole family out for a fun evening of skating, laser tag, and games. The spirit night will take place from 5:00 - 8:00 pm.

Next Friday, September 29, 2023 teachers will send home communication for parents to sign up for a time to hold a parent/teacher conference. This is a time for your child's teacher to share information about your child's grades and progress. We encourage you to sign up for a meeting day and time.

All GCPS schools will be closed for fall break on Thursday, October 5, 2023 - Monday, October 9, 2023. We will welcome everyone back on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thank you to those that came out for the Title 1 Parent Meeting!

Tuesday, September 26

• Cub Scout Classroom visits

Wednesday, September 27

• Cub Scout Meeting ~ 6:30 pm

Thursday, September 28

• PTA Spirit Night @ Sparkles ~ 5:00-8:00 pm

Monday, October 2

• PTA Reflection entries due

Thursday, October 5- Monday, October 9

• Fall Break (No School)... students return on Tuesday, October 10th

Thursday, October 12

• Poetry Night ~ 4:00-5:00 pm

Friday, October 13

• PBIS Celebration

Wednesday, October 18

• Early Release ~ Students are dismissed at 12:15 pm
• PTA Spirit Night @ Stars & Strikes ~ 5:00-9:00 pm

Thursday, October 19

• Early Release ~ Students are dismissed at 12:15 pm

A school calendar guides the operations of the school district; it includes days when students and staff are in school and out of school. This year, GCPS is asking students, staff, and parents to review the four (4) available calendar options and vote on the calendar of your choice. You will be able to vote only one time. Each calendar option includes two (2) school year calendars: 2024-2025 and 2025-2026.

Visit our website to review each option carefully before casting your vote and find answers to frequently asked questions.

The survey to cast your vote is being emailed to all GCPS students, parents, and staff on Tuesday, September 19. The email will come from Gwinnett County Public Schools; the address is noreply@qemailserver.com. You will confirm your identity by entering the email when you click on the link you were sent.

Voting on school calendars will close on October 22, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services

What: Parent Mentors Present: “Understanding Your Child as a Learner”

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 10:00am – 11:30am or 6:00 pm-7:30pm

Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00am session: https://forms.gle/DoefweLZDktYWt6N6

Zoom registration link for 6pm session: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdOuprDgrHNMTZLbCB8e3HkoUpx17j_Wi

If you are interested in sharing your time and/or talents with us, send an email to Tamara.Perkins@gcpsk12.org. We are looking for parent volunteers who would be willing to read to our students, serve as a co-anchor on the morning announcements, or participate in our school parade celebrating Hispanic Heritage month.

The Office of Family Engagement is excited to present "Elementary AKS Spotlight Family Night for all GCPS families., part of the Engage, Equip, Empower Series. This virtual meeting is an opportunity for families in grades K-5 to learn about the curriculum being taught in the classroom and learn strategies and activities to support their children at home.

The Elementary AKS Spotlight Family Night will occur virtually on September 28 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM.

Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services

What: Parent Mentors Present: “Parents Engaging in Education” – 4 Session Workshop

When: 9/28/23, 10/12/23, 10/26/23, 11/9/23, 10:00am-11:30am or 6:00pm-7:30pm

Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00am session on 9/28/23: https://forms.gle/6WHZFpwRQLLN4QKK8

Zoom registration link for 6pm session on 9/28/23: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pcOCtpjwvG9xUpC0ZaG2pt3XgobrU_PpQ

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) invites GCPS families, Gwinnett county residents, students, and GCPS staff members to participate in the school district’s review of the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum Sept. 4 through Sept. 28. The public may review proposed standards online, offering feedback on AKS that have been developed to align the curriculum with the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) and/or Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). Click here for a list of the courses with AKS under review. To review the AKS and provide feedback, please click here to begin. Comments will be accepted through Thursday, Sept. 28.

What: Annual AKS Public Review Opportunity

When: Now through Sept. 28

Please click on the following link to access the video:

Each family has unique needs and expectations related to television, phones, or tablets at home. You might wonder if it's harmful to let your young child watch a little television or play with your phone. You also might wonder how to get dinner on the table if you don't let your child watch some TV or play with your phone! These four tips can help you support your young child's healthy development and make the best choices for your family.

Check out these 4 tips:

This is a safeguard for all children. Early checkouts should be reserved for special circumstances and not used on a regular basis. There will be no student check outs after 2:15 p.m. in order to provide a safe and timely dismissal for all students. Telephone, fax, notes through Class Dojo or email requests for check-outs will not be honored.

The Simonton Parent Newsletter,”The Knightly News”, will be sent electronically each week. This is our primary form of school-to-parent communication. Please make sure you read this each week to ensure you do not miss any important information or deadlines. Please check the website at gcpsk12.org/SimontonES regularly for updated information. ParentSquare will also be used to communicate district and school information.

Formal parent conferences are scheduled two times during the school year. Weekly folders are sent home on Friday by each classroom teacher to provide timely information about classroom, school and community events. Teachers are available for phone calls/meetings before or after the instructional day. Therefore, conferences should be scheduled in advance. If you would like to speak with a teacher regarding your child’s progress, please contact the school or send the teacher an email. The weekly Simonton Parent Newsletter, ParentSquare, eCLASS, Facebook, Twitter and the school website www.gcpsk12.org/SimontonES are other forms of communication used to relay information to parents.

Student dress should not cause any distraction from the instructional program. Students are encouraged to dress appropriately for the school setting, suitable to weather conditions, and in good taste. Short skirts, short shorts, or halter tops/crop shirts are not considered appropriate dress for school. Hats, bandanas, and sweatbands should not be worn in school. Students should not wear any clothing that advertises alcoholic beverages, drugs, or violence. Students should wear shoes that allow for safe play at outside time and PE class. All shorts/skirts should come to the student’s knee.

Currently, the Sparkling Juice is available in 2 flavors: Strawberry Kiwi & Fruit Punch.

The baked chips are Sour Cream & Onion and BBQ. The Doritos are Cool Ranch & Nacho Cheese.

Ice cream sales will be available Monday - Friday at a cost of $1.00. Please bring exactly $1.00 as change is usually not available right away.

This year's ice cream selections can be seen in the picture to the side:

The application for free and reduced lunch is now available. There will be no waiver in place to offer free lunch for all students. Please complete the application if you feel this is a service your family will need. All students who have not been approved for free or reduced lunch service will be charged the full price each day.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c

Does your child have a medical concern that we need to be aware of? Stop in to see Mrs. Tammy Jones in the clinic.

Complete the clinic card if your child has any medical concerns that we need to be aware of. We also need to know any medication your child is taking and directions of what to do while we are caring for your child until you arrive.

We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:

• Weather-related closings & delays
• School and class information
• Share pictures and files
• See calendar items
• Upcoming class activities

District & school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. You will be able to read and digitally sign documents and/or make necessary payments. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.

MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.

Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.

Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.

Reading Buddies is a FREE program that helps students (ages 5-11) practice their reading skills by reading out loud.

Our Reading Buddies program helps students:

• Learn and practice reading skills one-on-one with a librarian or a trained volunteer!

• Get on grade level and increase their reading abilities.

• Each child will have a reading log to write down their goals and track their progress.

We will be conducting this program at the Lawrenceville Library located at 1001 Lawrenceville Hwy on Thursdays from 4 pm to 6 pm continuing as of August 10th on a first come first serve basis when GCPS is in session.

Support new readers by taking turns

If your child is just starting to read, encourage practice by playing "I Read, You Read." Choose a book your child can read. You read a sentence aloud, then have your child read it back to you. You can also read all but the last word in a sentence and have your child supply the missing word. As your child's reading skills improve, try reading one page and having your student read the next. https://tpitip.com/?13iY18608

Explain that effort is the way to get smarter

One of the most important messages you can give your child is "Smart is not something you just are. Smart is something you can get." Children who are willing to work hard at a subject often learn more and better than bright students who don't apply themselves. By studying, practicing and learning from their mistakes, they get smarter, and their successes lead to more success. https://tpitip.com/?13iZ18608

A bookmark can help your child read smoothly

To help your child improve choppy, disconnected reading, get out a straight-edged bookmark. Placing the bookmark under a sentence will help your child learn to scan the entire line instead of reading word by word. Don't worry about the bookmark becoming a crutch. When it is no longer needed, your child will set it aside. Taking it away too soon won't help. https://tpitip.com/?13ia18608

Celebrate, support and reconnect at bedtime

Is your family trying to do so many things that it is hard to keep track of one another, even in the same house? Stay connected by gathering each night in a bedroom. Take turns sharing one positive thing from your day. Share a least favorite thing, too. Your family will be able to celebrate the positives together and help one another deal with any tough stuff that comes along. https://tpitip.com/?13ib18608

Teach techniques for calming down

Children who don't know how to calm down when they are upset can develop academic and social problems. If stress, disappointment or hurt feelings have your child worked up, teach some coping strategies: Your child could go to a bedroom to regroup. Or could share feelings with a trusted person. Tackling a chore can help your child burn off energy and feel good about completing a task. And your child can always ask you for a hug. https://tpitip.com/?13ic18608

Simple ways you can help with writing

How can you help when your elementary schooler has a writing assignment? It's fine to help your child brainstorm about a topic, but let your child do the choosing. You can also answer a question or two about how to spell a word, and offer praise when your child uses interesting words appropriately. Then, encourage your student to find and fix errors ("I see a place in the first paragraph where a sentence should end. Can you find it?"). Finally, urge your child to write a neat final copy. https://tpitip.com/?13id18608

What to do when your child lies to you

Children lie sometimes. But not all lies are alike. If your elementary schooler tells an obvious lie to avoid trouble, calmly say that you expect your child to tell the truth. When your child admits to lying, say you appreciate the honesty, but your child must still do (or not do) whatever was lied about. If your child lies to create excitement, explain why it's better to tell the truth. But if your child lies often and seems not to care, seek help from a school counselor or other professional. https://tpitip.com/?13jA18608

Vision

Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.

Core Belief

Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel

Commitments

• We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.

• We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.

• We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.

• We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.

• We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling

Superintendent ~ Dr. Calvin J. Watts

Board Member ~ Mr. Steven B. Knudsen

Principal ~ Ms. Tamara G. Perkins

Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Nicholas Gilmore

Assistant Principal ~ Dr. Joe Sanfilippo

Assistant Principal ~ Mrs. Amy Steinberg

Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA

Phone: 770-513-6637

Twitter: @simontonPride
Instagram: @SimontonPride