Simonton Parent Newsletter
Friday, February 21, 2020
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
A Message from Ms. Perkins:
Today our students participated in a hard lock down drill. Our students and staff did an excellent job following directions and following our emergency precautions.
We invite you to come to our school for Black History Night next Thursday, February 27, 2020. Our students have prepared for an evening that will be filled with music and special presentations. Our theme is "Rising Up" ~ Weaving together our past, present and future. The program will begin at 5:30 pm in the Simonton ES cafeteria.
Have a wonderful weekend!
GCPS Science and Engineering Fair
Jordan Middle School Visit
Carol Williams
Haley Pope
Anthony Baglio
Hockey Fights Cancer Ice Signing:
Time: 6-8 pm
Cost: $10 donation to the Gladiators Foundation
Where: The Infinite Energy Arena
Come support the Atlanta Gladiators Foundation, with the 2nd Annual Ice Signing, as they help fight cancer. Fans will have the unique opportunity to paint the ice with names of loved ones to support the fighters, admire the survivors, and honor the fallen.
The proceeds will be donated to cancer research, around the greater Atlanta area. Everyone who participates will get a 4 x 4 space to paint the names of their friends, family and loved ones on the ice. The Gladiators will play on the specially painted ice for the entire Hockey Fights Cancer weekend, on February 28 and 29. Space is limited so please take advantage, while it is still available.
To participate in the event, fans are asked to register with a special $10 donation that goes to the Atlanta Gladiators Foundation.
On Sale Now...
Field Day t-shirts:
can be purchased through MyPaymentsPlus now until February 29, 2020 for $7.00.
**If you do not have a MPP account, you can bring in money with your purchase slip and give it to your teacher.
Yearbooks:
**If you do not have a MPP account, you can still purchase one by sending in money.
Next Week's Lunch Menu:
Mark Your Calendars:
Saturday, February 22
- Saturday Intervention (2nd-5th grades) ~ 9:00-11:00 am
Next Week at Simonton:
Tuesday, February 25
- Tapestry Exhibit ~ Instructional Support Center
Wednesday, February 26
Thursday, February 27
- PTA General Meeting
- Tapestry Exhibit ~ Instructional Support Center
- Black History Night ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Friday, February 28
- Tapestry Exhibit ~ Instructional Support Center
- School Tour ~ 10:00 (open to the public)
Saturday, February 29
- Run the Reagan ~ 8:00 am
- Saturday Intervention (2nd-5th grades) ~ 9:00-11:00 am
A Glance Ahead:
Monday, March 2
- Read Across America Day
- 5th Grade visit to Jordan Middle ~ 9:30-10:30 am
Tuesday, March 3
Wednesday, March 4
- SPED Special Olympics Field Trip ~ 9:30 am
- Conversational English Class ~ 10:00 am
Thursday, March 5
- Spring Picture Day (Individual and Class Pictures)
- Rising 6th grade Parent Meeting @ Jordan Middle ~ 5:30-6:30 pm
Friday, March 6
- Local School Council Meeting ~ 10:00-11:00 am
Interested in being a parent volunteer for Field Day?
March 26th ~ Field Day for Kindergarten- 2nd Grade
March 27th ~ Field Day for 3rd - 5th Grade.
The times are from 9 to 2 with lunch in the middle.
2019-2020 GMAS Study/Resource Guides:
The Study/Resource Guides are intended to serve as a resource for parents and students. They contain practice questions and learning activities for each content area. The standards identified in the Study/Resource Guides address a sampling of the state-mandated content standards.
News from the Media Center...
Read Woke Challenge:
*The Challenge Began on Monday, February 2 and will end Monday, March 6.
What does Read Woke mean?
According to the founder of Read Woke, Meadowcreek High School Media Specialist Cicely Lewis, “it is a feeling, a form of education, a call to action. It means arming yourself with knowledge to better protect your rights.”How do I know if the book I’m reading is woke?
• A voice that is different than your own • Provides information about an unknown or underrepresented culture • Challenges old ideas about what it means to be normal • Has a character or characters that have a variety of appearances and abilities • Teaches the reader about diversity or cultural challenges.
Each Central Gwinnett school participating will have a list of suggested authors and books to choose from to complete the challenge. The students and teachers will be asked to read at least one book that meets the Read Woke Criteria. When you complete the challenge, you’ll be able to share your thoughts about the book via Flipgrid.
- All 4th and 5th students who participate will be invited to a special breakfast at the conclusion of Simonton’s Read Woke challenge.
- All students who participate will get a special Black Knights Read Woke Bracelet.
- All 4th and 5th graders who participate will also be entered to win various prizes.
Special Readers will be in the building on March 2 to end out our month of Reading Woke!
Conversational English Classes offered at Simonton:
4 Wednesday sessions offered during the month of March:
March 4, March 11, March 18, & March 25
10:00-11:00 am
Simonton Parent Center
Current 5th grade students....Come explore Careers at Maxwell High School of Technology:
From February 28 to May 1 current 5th grade students will be able to register for the Summer Adventures on MyPaymentsPlus.
Hours: 8:00 am-12:00 pm
4 days only!!
You can find more information at https://www.gcpsk12.org/maxwellhs. This is a fundraiser for Maxwell HS.
Coming soon! Changes to MyPaymentsPlus:
NEW mobile responsive site vs the mobile app.
- The new mobile responsive site is currently being released to districts based on size and current usage. All districts should have the new functionality very soon.
- The new mobile app is also actively being released to districts based on size and usage and is currently MEALS ONLY. Please use the mobile responsive site for Fee and Activity payments when it is live for your district. Fees and activities will be available on the app soon.
- There is no additional cost for your parents to have the new enhanced experience for mobile payments.
- Parents who have the existing mobile app will receive an update alert for the new app when it becomes available. If they have automatic updates turned on, no action is required to update their mobile app.
Weekly Family Engagement Tips:
If your child is struggling in school, a tutor may be able to help. Check in with your child's teacher to find out what the issues and options are. Before hiring a tutor, be sure to ask: What are the person's academic qualifications? (Elementary tutors should be certified teachers.) Has the tutor taught this subject? Taught children your child's age? Will the tutor communicate with his teacher? (The best tutoring supports classroom learning.)
Spot the states in this license-plate game
Studies show that American students tend to do poorly in geography. Here's a game to help your child learn where places are. When your child is in the car, make her the "license-plate lookout." She should write down the out-of-state license plates she sees. When you get home, help her locate the states on a map or globe and let her mark each one with a sticker. Can she collect all the states?
Play the Too Much game with your child
Sometimes enough is enough. That's when it's time to play the Too Much game. Tell your child: "When I say 'too much,' you say something that's good in an appropriate amount, but not when you have too much. Then say what bad thing comes from too much." Your child might say, "Food is good, but eating too much is unhealthy." Take turns and have some fun: Too much bathing might wash your skin off!
Share a journal and build a writing connection
When kids have time to think about what they want to say, they sometimes share their deepest thoughts. Try sharing a journal with your child. Glue a picture of the two of you on a notebook, then write something positive about your child. It might be about how hard he's trying in school or how he makes you laugh. Leave it for him to read. The next day, it is his turn to write to you. Keep it up all year!
Support responsible learning
To be responsible students, children must take the job seriously. For that, they need their parents' support. Make learning a priority in your family's life: Visit the library, explore new places, take nature walks. Establish routines that make study an expected part of each day. Encourage your child to keep trying when homework is tough. And when she has questions, show her how to find the answers.
Five questions improve reading comprehension
Who? What? When? Where? Why? Teach your child to keep these questions in mind while reading, and he will begin to read more carefully and understand more of what he reads. What happened where in the story? Who was involved? When did it happen? Why was it written? Talk with him about his answers. If he can't answer the questions, have him read the passage again.
Emphasize the difference between fact and opinion
In order to think critically about what she reads, your child must learn to separate fact from opinion. For practice, give your child a newspaper opinion column on a subject that interests her. Cut off the headline. Ask your child to read the piece and underline the facts in red and the opinions in blue. Then have her write her own headline. How does it compare to the original?
Simonton elementary School ~ What We Stand For:
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.
Simonton Elementary School
Assistant Superintendent- Dr. Terry Watlington
Board Member- Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal- Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal- Daphne Miles
Assistant Principal- Nicole Tomlinson
Assistant Principal- Emily Young
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: (770) 513-6637