Panda Pulse
November 4th, 2022
Superintendent Update - Parental Input needed!
Penny Road Elementary School has had many successes under the leadership of Ms. Hoke and it is important that we work together to find a leader who will support Penny Road Elementary’s continued growth. I am committed to hearing from all stakeholders and reading what characteristics and leadership skills you would like to see in the next principal of Penny Road Elementary. At this time, we are facilitating this input session remotely for ease of access to stakeholders who might not otherwise be able to meet in person. Therefore, I am providing the opportunity for parents and community members to submit their input through the survey link below. At the Google Meet, I will provide an opportunity to discuss the hiring process and answer any questions regarding the survey. Information from the staff, parent, and community digital surveys will be used to develop a principal profile and a list of questions that will be used during the applicant screening and selection process. This profile is an essential part of selecting the new principal. As soon as the screening and interview process is complete, a recommendation will be made to the Board of Education.
Please complete this Parent Input Survey by November 12, 2022 -
Virtual Parent Meeting – November 7, 2022, 6:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/vtn-ztie-hxd
This meeting is for those who wish to learn about the hiring process and answer any questions you may have. This is not mandatory. It is certainly fine if you wish to submit your input via the survey without attending this meeting.
I look forward to working with you on this very important process.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Enns
Southwestern Area Superintendent
Staffing Updates
MEET DONNA RICH, LEAD SECRETARY AND BOOKKEEPER
I have been a resident of Apex, NC for 25 years. I am Mom to a teenager, a Catahoula dog named Molly, and a cat with an attitude named Maggie. I am a proud U.S. ARMY Airborne Veteran, originally from the beautiful mountains of Haywood County, NC. Post military, I worked in R&D, contracting, and technical sales. My employment with NCSU and WCPSS spans 15 years and all grade levels in classrooms, multiple offices, athletics, and in broader support capacities system wide. I love landscaping, fishing, and all things woodsy. Upcycling, repurposing, and anything artsy crafty makes me happy. If it's outdoorsy or adventurous, I've probably tried it or would. I am honored and excited to become a proud PANDA team member!
Special Education Updates
An Important Message about Morning Carpool
Dear Morning Carpool Parents/Guardians,
I would like to remind you of the dropoff rules that we have in place for the safety of our students:
No students may be let out of their cars prior to 8:45, when the bell rings and a staff member is also outside.
There is no passing permitted at any time during carpool.
Cars should not be stopping to let their children out until they are as far up as they can be. The crosswalk near the kindergarten classrooms, where 2 staff members and a cone are located, is the the stopping point for dropoff. There are multiple paths for your children to walk to the front door. Cars should not be letting their children out until they are directly behind another car or at that starting location.
It is more efficient for your child to leave the car on the passenger side, but if it is not possible, and your child must exit on the driver's side, please make sure that he or she walks in front of your own car.
If possible, we ask that parents remain in their cars during dropoff and help your student learn to exit the car independently. If you require extra time for your child to exit the car, we ask that you park in the lot and walk them to the building.
These rules are put in place for the safety of our students, as well as the desire to keep the line moving expeditiously.
Thank you for your courtesy and cooperation.
Penny Road Carpool Staff
Important Upcoming Dates
November 6th - Day Light Saving's Time Ends
November 8th - Teacher work day/Election day
November 10th - Early Release & Veterans Day Celebration
November 11th - No School - Veterans Day
November 16th - Hospitality Treat for Teachers
November 23rd - 25th - Thanksgiving Break
Veteran's Day
speakers. Wear red, white and blue as a symbol of appreciation!
If you want to honor a Veteran in your family, use this link to
submit information for the slideshow: https://forms.gle/Lnzz3Ba9DAMQwdtH8
Penny Road Spirit Wear
We are excited to open our second online school store of the 2022-2023 school year! We know you love this year’s design and we can’t wait for you to see our NEW winter items! We’ve got traditional Penny Road school colors and lots of surprises.
All of the items we are offering in our store are soft, cozy and high quality. These items are the perfect way to show your Penny Road spirit this year.
Our ONLINE spirit wear store is now open and will remain open until NOVEMBER 20, 2022 at 5:00 pm. Please note that all orders must be placed online and will ship directly to your home. Shipping is FREE for all orders over $50, otherwise it is $8. Orders are expected to ship to you within 15-21 business days after our online store closes.
Don’t forget, your spirit wear order supports our school! If you have questions about your order, please contact preptaofficer@gmail.com
To order please scan the QR code below on your smartphone or visit: https://pennyroadholidayspiritwear2022.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Staff Spotlight!
Ms. Audrey Pierce is the Instructional Facilitator. Ms. Pierce has been an educator for over 25 years and graduated from Winston-Salem State University, and North Carolina Agricultural &Technical State University. Ms. Pierce grew up in Whiteville, NC where she is the youngest of three siblings. Ms. Pierce has 3 children named Amari, Austin, and Javier as well as a stepson named Byron. Her favorite pastime is to go to Myrtle Beach. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, shopping, and taking lots of photos. Her favorite color is red, her favorite food is crab legs, and her favorite football teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tar Heels. Ms. Pierce’s hidden talent is drawing and designing t-shirts.
Ms. Hayleigh Young is the Guidance Counselor. Ms. Young’s birthday is September 17th and she
grew up in Garner, NC where she attended Garner HS. She has a younger set of quadruplet siblings. During her spare time, Ms. Young enjoys spending time with friends, going on nature hikes, and watching Disney and Hallmark movies. Ms. Young also has pets which keep her busy. She has two cats and a dog named Whiskers. Her favorite music is 80’s rock and classical music. Her favorite food is a taco bake which is a mix between a taco casserole and taco dip, and her favorite color is yellow. A fun fact about Ms. Young is that she can say the ABC’s backwards and plays sixteen different instruments.
Ms. Allison Seale is a Third Grade Teacher. She and her husband relocated to North Carolina from Manassas, Virginia where she grew up. Ms. Seale’s mother worked as a teacher and her father worked as a police officer. She graduated from James Madison University with a Masters in Elementary Education and taught in Virginia for four years. During her free time, Ms. Seale loves to spend time with family and friends. She also loves run marathons, exercise, travel, and explore new restaurants and coffee shops. Ms. Seale is a HUGE Disney fan and loves to go to the Disney parks each year. She does not have any children but has a miniature Dotson which
her family got as a pet when she was in high school. Her favorite foods are seafood and steak, her favorite type of music is country music, and she especially enjoys listening to Taylor Swift’s music.
Holiday Drive Message
It’s coming… the annual Giving Tree kick off at Penny Road Elementary School. Starting on November 21, 2022, the Penny Road Elementary community will be collecting Walmart gift cards to support the children who attend our school. Through your continued generosity and support over years, Penny Road Elementary continues to shine for all our Pandas. Be on the lookout for more information to come. You will be able to find out more information in the weeks to come on Penny Road Elementary PTA Facebook, Penny Road Elementary PTA Instagram and through the Penny Road PTA Panda Pulse.
Food for Friends List!
Peanut butter and jelly- Please no glass containers!!
Flour tortillas
2 cans of Soup - because of size and weight, campbells or similar sized cans preferred
Box of mac-n-cheese or packs of ramen noodles
1 can of new potatoes
4-5 pieces of fresh fruit (keep in mind that these will be in backpacks so soft fruit is not ideal)
1-2 shelf stable ready to eat meals such as beef stew
Contact Chis Wall with questions - cwall1313@gmail.com
Panda Book Store
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Panda Book Store so far. Please know the drive is ongoing throughout the year. If you have any gently used books, please bring them to the front office where they will be collected and added to our library.
Thank you again for your support!
Need a Holiday Gift????
To order with free shipping please visit www.lewwilsonart.com
Use promo code PRE to track sales.
Consumer Rewards
Hello Penny Rd families! There are many easy ways to earn money for PRE
through consumer rewards programs! Please consider signing up for one or all of
these programs to help support our school. PRE will receive a percentage of your
qualifying purchase at no cost to you! Reach out to
pennyptafundraising@gmail.com with any questions.
1. Harris Teeter- Together in education. Link your Vic card to PRE in store
or online. Cards must be relinked yearly
https://www.harristeeter.com/together.in.education
2. R City Rocks- Text the link below to join R City Rocks. PRE will receive 5%
back when you text receipts from purchases made at area businesses. For
more information visit www.pennyroadpta.com/r-city-rocks.html
3. Amazon Smile- Link your Amazon account to Amazon Smile and PRE will
receive a percentage of qualifying purchases. Please login for all
purchases
4. Publix- Sign up online and enter your phone number in store or at check
out
https://corporate.publix.com/community/corporate-campaigns/publix-par
tners
5. Box tops- Download the app on your phone and scan your receipts
https://www.boxtops4education.com
6. Lowes Foods- Link your Lowes foods reward card to PRE
Stay Connected
- Make sure to Like and Follow the Penny Road Elementary PTA Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/PennyRoadPTA. We will primarily be using the Panda Pulse and the PRE PTA Facebook page to communicate with you this upcoming school year.
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennyroadpta/
How to contact your Penny Road PTA
Email: preptaofficer@gmail.com
Facebook: Penny Road Elementary PTA
Website: http://www.pennyroadpta.com/