The Cardinals Monthly Newsletter
March 2023
Leapin' Leprechauns!
Greetings Cardinal Families,
Third and fourth quarters will continue to be quite busy as always. Please take time to review the monthly calendar and help support Blythe Elementary by attending and/or helping with events throughout the remainder of the school year. This month I would like to focus on the many ways our parents, caregivers, and families get involved in school and how important that is. Extensive research has shown that students achieve more in school when their parents are involved in their education. Parental involvement is a vital part of a child’s educational journey and not only enhaces academic performance, but it also has a positive influence on student attitude and behavior.
There are numerous opportunities for parents to participate in the decision-making process here at Blythe. I want to encourage our families to contact our PTA to see how you can become an active part of the PTA as we prepare for the 2023—2024 school year. The PTA will need to fill several key positions for next year’s PTA Board as well as needing help with committees and other miscellaneous events. Our PTA continues to provide time, talent, and treasure to help make our school a great place for our IB scholars. Additionally, please consider becoming a member of our School Leadership Team for the 2023—2024 school year. SLT is another great opportunity for parents to have their voices heard.
Finally, know that you do not have to wait for parent conferences to call if you have questions, concerns, or needs. We are here to serve your children and your families. Please contact your child’s teacher, the office staff, or grade level administradors if you have any concerns or need help with any issues that arise. As always, THANK YOU for being our partners in this important work helping your child enjoy learning and prepare for a bright future!
Warmest regards
Ms. Simpson
🍀 🍀 🍀
Looking Ahead
March 6
SIT meeting 4:30 pm
March 6-10
School Social Worker Week
March 8
Early Release Day @ 12:00 noon
International Women's Day
Holi: Hindu holiday that celebrates the winter and onset of spring
March 10
Doughnuts for Dads event 7:15-8:15 am
March 11
Father- Daughter Dance 6- 8 pm (SATURDAY)
March 12
Daylight Saving Time Starts
March 13
CMS Transfer Period Opens
March 13-17
Career Week
Scholastic Book Fair
March 16
5th Grade Picture Day
March 17
St. Patick's Day
March 21
International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination
March 22 to April 21
Ramadan: the start of Islam's sacred month - during this time Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk
March 24
3rd Quarter Ends
March 31
Science Night - Fair
Announcements
HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED:
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make him/her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent
- Avoid extended trips when school is in session
Lost and Found: Our lost and found carts are FULL of coats, water bottles, scarves, and more! Most go unclaimed and you, the parents, end up buying new ones. PLEASE, take a minute and put your child’s name on the label so we can get these items back to their owners. Please double check the Lost and Found as soon as possible. We will be bagging these up to donate to a local charity.
International Women's Month Reminder: Women’s History Month is celebrated in March. In the United States, Women's History Month traces its beginning back to the first International Women’s Day in 1911. Our country finally found it appropriate to acknowledge a group of citizens who have historically been silenced. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us also lift up the voices, contributions and bravery of women on the margins. This year's theme is Celebrating the Women Who Tell Our Stories. Find resources for communicating to your child the many ways women and girls have changed the world thorugh the power of their voices
2023 International Week: It is my distinct pleasure to inform you that Blythe Elementary will open its doors this year to celebrate cultural awareness with our 2023 International Week. Blythe Elementary has the honor and privilege of inviting you to participate during this festivity. The planning committee is looking for volunteers, and donations. Donating your time, a few hours, or items needed during this week will help us to provide a unique experience and service to our scholars and families to learn, celebrate and share throughout our community’s cultural diversity. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor and/or have questions about volunteer opportunities, please visit our SITE or email Angela Childress at angelac.childress@cms.k12.nc.us. This year International Week will be held during the week of April 24-28 and our theme is “Dancing around the World.” Let's Make the Earth Shake.
From the Desk of Mrs. Cross: The 2nd Annual Duke Power Science Night Will be held at Blythe Elementary on March 31, 2023 from 6:00-7:30pm. Please check your child's Monday folder for a flyer providing details about this event. The event is open to current Blythe students accompanied by a guardian. If you are interested in attending, please go to bit.ly/DPSNBLYTHE to complete the Google Form. I look forward to seeing you for an evening of exploring the wonderful world of science!
"What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?!? We are excited to celebrate Career Week, March 13-17th with Blythe scholars! Career and college exploration if a major tenet of the School Counseling Program. We are planning to engage students in discussion around their personal career interests and we are grateful for the in-person and virtual presenters who will share information about their career choices. Each grade level will have an in-person presentation and we will have virtual presentations and discussions schoolwide throughout the week. This is the perfect time for you to engage your scholar in conversation about their future plans and aspirations! Thank you to our parents, community members, teachers, and especially our Connect Class teachers for helping to make this endeavor possible! Flyer and event details will be posted on Dojo. Mrs. Cratch and Ms. Iverson, School Counselors"
IB - LEARNER PROFILE
Learner Profile Activities for Parents
How can parents help to develop students who are Risk-Takers at home? If your child is feeling uneasy about trying something, encourage them to attempt it and then reflect on both whether they liked the activity and how it felt to try something new. You child might want to set some short-term goals. Consider activities that make him/her nervous. What are realistic goals for the week? Your child might set a goal to:
- Offer an opinion in class
- spend one recess with someone they might not usually play with
- Order something different from the lunch menu
- Try an activity they haven’t tried before Be careful to explain to your child the difference between being a risk-taker by trying new things and doing dangerous things.
- Ask, "What's the hard part?" to identify the challenge and brainstorm ways to fix it.
- Click on the link for more suggestions https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/activities-grit-resilience-children
Be willing to explore new ideas!
Challenge your way of thinking!
Be confident in your decisions!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TEACHER ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to Mrs. Brown and Ms. Miller
On the month of February students from Mrs. Brown (2nd grade) and from Ms. Miller (5th grade) received the Chipper Wreath of Excellence Award from Connect teachers. This award recognizes a classroom from K-2 and 3-5th that consistently demonstrates school expectations: Respect, Integrity and Independence, in connect classes (Art, Music, P.E., Spanish, Science Lab, Media and Technology) during the second quarter. We cannot wait to announce the classroom winners for the third quarter in the month of April.
Smore ❤️ St. Patrick's Day 🍀
Felisa Simpson, Principal | School Leadership
Ebony Williams , Pre-K, K, 3rd, Grades Assistant Principal |
Bus Transportation ebonyd.williams@cms.k12.nc.us
Crystal Payne, 2nd, 5th Grades Dean of Students |
Bus Transportation crystal.payne@cms.k12.nc.us
Angela Childress, Principal Intern | Carpool Transportation
angelac.childress@cms.k12.nc.us
Jennifer Walker, Registrar | New Student Registration,
Student Transfer jenniferj.walker@cms.k12.nc.us
Jasmine Iverson, Pre K, K, 2nd and 4th Grades Counselor
jasmines.iverson@cms.k12.nc.us
Jessica Cratch, 1st, 3rd, 5th and Extensions Grades Counselor
Claudia Medina, K-5 Grades Social Worker
Erik Hoover, IB Coordinator
Email: blytheelem@cms.k12.nc.us
Website: https://www.cmsk12.org/Page/346
Location: 12202 Hambright Road, Huntersville, NC, USA
Phone: (980) 343-5770
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlytheElementary
Twitter: @smorenewsletter