This week marks the end of the first semester of school and begins the second semester. We are going to see a big pick-up in the work level and expectations now that we have established procedures, and routines, and developed the base skills necessary for each grade level.

Report Cards will be available on Parent Vue on February 13.

I hope you were able to hear about all of the fun things we did for Mad Science Day! Check out our page on Facebook for more info to be posted soon.

Please help us by making sure that your child is in school and on time every day. Our school accreditation is dependent on our school attendance rate. Currently, we are still having an issue keeping our attendance rate down. We really need your help! If your child is running a fever or vomiting, please keep them home. Be sure to log into ParentVUE to report the absence. Otherwise, please have your child in school.

Note: Vacations are not excused absences. Notes for absences must be turned in within 4 days of the absence. I strongly recommend reporting it in ParentVue so you do not have to worry about if it was turned in.

Our Chronic Absenteeism rate is currently: 31.29%

This means that more than 31% of our students have missed 10% of the school year to date. If your child has missed more than 10% already, please help us but ensuring they are in school. The more days they are in, reduces this number greatly. In the event your child is out for any reason, please reach out to the teacher to see if there are things they can work on (assuming they are well enough to work on it). If they are not well enough, please help them complete and return the items.

Our Tardy Rate is 129 students out of 565 who are tardy more than 5x.

Please know that our school day begins at 7:35 am. That means we are beginning instruction. If your child is late regularly, they are missing instructions. Please do all you can to help your child be in the building, ready to go before 7:35. Tardies also include early dismissal. School ends at 2:04.

February

This month:

• Black History Month

• Career and Technical Education Month

• School Board Appreciation Month

• Monday and Tuesday, January 30 and 31- No School- Teacher workday and Inservice Day.
• Monday, February 13-17

• Random Act of Kindness Week

• Report Cards available on ParentVue February 13

• Tuesday, February 14

• Happy Valentine’s Day

• Wednesday, February 15

• 100th Day of School -Each grade level is doing something a little different. Many are dressing up as 100 years old.

• Thursday, February 16

• Black History Assembly

• Friday, February 17

• Random Actions of Kindness Day

• Peace March

• Monday, February 20

• No School- President’s Day

• Tuesday, February 21-March 3

• MAP Testing begins 1st and 2nd

• Wednesday, March 1

• Teacher Workday- Elementary Only

• Friday, March 3

• Weather Assembly

Virginia Department of Education definition on bullying. Bullying means any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. "Bullying" includes cyber bullying. "Bullying" does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict.

If you haven't joined our fabulous PTA, please consider joining! Click here to join.

• School begins at 7:35. Doors will open at 7:15 to begin drop-off. Please be sure that your child has their bookbag/lunchbox ready as you approach the drop-off location. This will make the line faster to ensure we get everyone in the building in time for school to begin. Once you have come to a complete stop, your child may exit the car on the passenger's side of the car.
• School ends at 2:04. We are actively preparing for the dismissal process at 1:50.
• Please be sure that your child and the teacher know how your child gets home every day.
• For the safety of our students, no transportation changes after 1:30. This is a Chesapeake Public Schools guideline this year.
• Kindergarteners: PLEASE have bus tags daily!
• Please do not line up outside for parent drop-off before 7 so that staff can get in the parking lot for the day.
• Please do not line up for Tiny Tiger pick-up prior to 1:30.
• Absences: Please be sure to log into ParentVUE to submit absence notes, you can send in a note or email Porttiger@cpschools.com within 4 days of absence. This is important because the absences automatically go unexcused without a note and an excused reason (illness, doctor). 5 unexcused absences lead to the beginning phases of truancy.
• Thank you so much for your assistance in helping our school day run smoothly!
  

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR KINDERGARTEN PARENTS: Your child will have a bus tag which will be placed on their backpack. The person picking the Kindergartener up from the bus stop MUST have the matching tag. Bus drivers do not have the ability to verify parent contacts so the card is the only way that they can verify the person is allowed to have that child. If no one has the card or can quickly get the card, the student will be returned to school for pick up and verification. This is a CPS policy and the driver MUST follow the policy. The policy is for your child's safety!

Here is some useful information regarding the newest approach to literacy instruction.