The Mallard Compass
Forts Pond Elementary School
October 2020
Be InTENTional In All You Do!
FPES Vision and Mission
Vision
Forts Pond Elementary students will become self-directed, collaborative, creative, and caring learners who flourish in the global, competitive 21st century.
Mission
Forts Pond Elementary will Fulfill the Potential of Every Student by:
Collaborating with families and the community
Providing a safe, nurturing environment
Promoting learning through academics and the arts
Inspiring students to find their own greatness
Engaging students in goal setting
Celebrating accomplishments
Developing LEADERS
Traducción
Communication Between Home and School
If you are trying to reach your child's teacher during the school day on days your child is learning at home, please remember the teacher is teaching another group of students at this time. They will return your emails and call as soon as possible.
Follow us on Twitter @FortsPond.
Like us on Facebook @FPESMallards.
Important School Phone Numbers
School Nurse (803) 821-2523
Library (803)821-2514
Pelion Transportation (803)821-1352
School Cafeteria (803)821-2525
Attendance and Records (803)821-2504
Fees (803)821-2502
Important Dates for October and November
October
5 5K through 2nd grade students return to school Mondays-Thursdays
8 LOOLA Meal Pick Up (On Thursday not Friday this week)
(No meals will go home with 5k-2 hybrid students this week)
Car Rider Lane will not be able to line up until after 1:00 on this day.
9 No School For Students/ Virtual Parent Conferences
16 Fall Pictures for Virtual Students (Track C) 10:00-1:00
To order pictures go to this link
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4BAEAE2FA3FE3-forts
26-29 Red Ribbon Week (see information further into the newsletter about the themes for each day)
A Glance at November
3 Election Day - Schools Closed
4 End of 1st Nine Weeks
Reminders from Teachers
Please make sure all transportation changes are sent with your child to school. Changes must be made in writing.
Please make sure you send your child to school with a mask every day.
Updates From the Healthroom
If I need to visit the School Nurse or Health Room, what should I do?
- All parent visits to the school nurse will be by appointment only, unless the nurse calls you to pick up your child.
I would like to know how COVID-19 is affecting schools in Lexington One. Where do I find this information?
- We believe that we should keep our internal and external public informed about the impact of COVID-19 on our schools and have created a dashboard which does that. The dashboard, which contains that important information, is updated no later than 12 p.m. each weekday. The student and staff active positive numbers are the number of students and staff with COVID-19. The number of students and staff excluded includes all individuals who exhibited COVID-19-like symptoms or who are on quarantine as close contacts, etc.
What should I do if someone in our household test positive for COVID-19?
- If your child or someone in your household test positive for COVID-19, do NOT send your child to school. Please contact Nurse Fairey at 803-821-2523. She will let you know the process for your child to return to school.
Attendance Matters
Children who are chronicaly absent in 4k, 5k, and first grade are much less likely to read at grade level by 3rd grade.
Students who cannot read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade are four times more likely than proficient readers to drop out of high school.
By high school, irregular attendance is a better predictor of school dropout than test scores.
A student is marked chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the days we have been in school. This includes medical excuses. For example, if students have been in school for 50 days and your child misses 5 or more days, they are considered chronically absent.
If your child needs to be out of school because they are sick, please send a parent note or doctor's excuse to school.
Flyer Preview - English
Flyer Preview - Spanish
Online Shopping Link
Counselors' Corner
We are celebrating Red Ribbon Week October 26 through 29th.
Monday,October 26 Wear red
Tuesday, October 27 Sock it to drugs- wear crazy socks
Wednesday, October 28 Be all you can be DRUG FREE - wear camo
Thursday, October 29 My future is too bright for drugs- wear neon colors
If you have concerns or would like your child to meet with a counselor, please call one of us:
Mrs. Mahoney 821-2598
How to Help Your Child in Math
Turn an egg carton into a fun math game
Here's a fun game to help your child practice math facts. Get an empty egg carton. Inside each cup, write a number from 0 to 11. Now cut out several egg-shaped pieces of paper. On each, write a math problem with a solution from 0 to 11. Have your child solve the problem on each egg, and put it in the cup with the matching answer. For an older child, try writing fractions in the cups and equivalent fractions on the eggs.
Money management teaches valuable lessons
Learning to manage money teaches kids math skills. They also learn school success skills like responsibility, patience and how to set priorities. If your child gets an allowance, help him distinguish between his "needs" and his "wants." He should pay for any needs he's responsible for first. Then, he can save the rest of his money toward the cost of his wants. Give him a notebook to track his savings.
Math terms match up in a memory game
Product. Quotient. When children learn math, they also need to learn a whole new vocabulary. To make learning math words fun, play Math Concentration. Here's how: Write each term on an index card, and write its definition on another index card. Deal out five or six pairs of index cards face down, then have your child turn over two cards at a time. The goal is to make a match by turning over a term and its definition.
How to Help Your Child in Reading and Writing
Good writing takes practice. To get your child writing more without even realizing she's doing it, ask her to write funny captions for family photos. You could also ask her to make a list of things she'd like as birthday gifts, or the rules she would make if she were the principal. Suggest that she write to a friend or relative. Or stimulate her imagination by asking her to write a short story about how she'd spend 100 dollars.
Support new readers by taking turns
If your child is just starting to read, encourage him 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 his reading skills improve, try reading one page and having your child read the next.
A bookmark can help your child read smoothly
To help your child improve choppy, disconnected reading, offer her a straight-edged bookmark. When she places the bookmark under a sentence, she'll learn to scan the entire line instead of reading word by word. Don't worry about the bookmark becoming a crutch. When your child no longer needs it, she'll set it aside. Taking it away too soon won't help her.
Tips for Online Learning
Create a learning space for your child.
Does your child already have a special place to do homework? It’s important to set up a quiet, clutter-free area.
For example, you can convert the kitchen table into a learning station. Turn off the TV and remove all cups, salt and pepper, and other kitchen items when your child is doing schoolwork. When it’s time to eat, put away the school supplies and use it again as a kitchen table.
Why is it important to clear away the clutter for learning time? Reducing clutter helps kids focus.
Reduce Distractions.
Video games, computer games, social media, TV, toys, pets—our homes have lots of distractions. Make a list of the things that distract your child. Then, find ways to limit them during learning time.
For example, is the dog a big distraction? If so, can you put the dog in a separate room when your child is doing schoolwork?
Are games or social media a big distraction? Try blocking them on your child’s device during instructional time.
Need Help With Technology
This document provides students and parents with tutorials in using a variety of online applications including Google Classroom, Google Slides, Jamboard, etc...
Title I Project Specialist/Parent Liaison
Greetings, Forts Pond Elementary Parents! I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and welcome you all to our Parenting Center.
My name is Kasci Padgett, and I serve as the FPES Parent Liaison. I am very excited about joining the Mallard family! I live in Fairview on my family farm with my husband and little boy, Cason. Although I grew up in the Wagener area, Pelion feels like home too. I cannot wait to work with you this year and support the amazing students at FPES.
Our FPES Parenting Center is full of resources to support you and your children. This year I will be posting a resource video on our Facebook page and website once a month. Each video will highlight several resources that are available for check-out. If you see a useful resource, please contact me and I will arrange a pick-up procedure with you. In addition to our featured resources, you may also contact me with a specific need and I will work to match you with a resource.
We will also be hosting Workshop Wednesdays on Facebook and our School Website. These workshops will be designed to support your work with your child. Our Workshop Wednesdays will be posted every other week and will alternate between literacy and math support.
Finally, I am here to problem solve with you. My job is to bridge the gap between home and school by helping get the information and support you need to ensure your child’s academic and social success.
You may contact me at 803-821-2552 or email me at kpadgett@lexington1.net
Please watch this video. Dr. Poole shares some of the resources available to parents to help their child. Video of Resources Available
Parent Engagement Tips
Raising children is complicated and sharing ideas is a great way to make it easier. Each month the newsletter will include ideas for helping parents with home life.
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 child’s bedroom. Take turns sharing one positive thing from your day. Share a least favorite thing too, if you like. Your family will be able to celebrate the positives together and help one another deal with any tough stuff that comes along.
Teach techniques for calming down
Children who don't know how to calm down when they are upset can have academic and social problems. If stress, disappointment or hurt feelings have your child worked up, teach him coping strategies: He could go to his room to regroup. He could share his feelings with someone he trusts. Tackling a chore can help him burn off energy and feel good about completing a task. And he can always ask you for a hug.
Title I Parent Engagement
A copy of all the Title I documents below were sent home in Communication Folders on Tuesday, September 8 for Cohort A and on Wednesday, September 9 for Cohort B.
After reviewing these documents, we invite you to share any suggestions or concerns you may have that will help us improve our family engagement policy.
The links below will give you digital access to all these documents.
FPES Parents Right to Know - English
FPES Parents Right to Know - Spanish
Parents and Family Engagement Policy - English
Parents and Family Engagement Policy - Spanish
Parent and Family Engagement Policy Highlights - English
Parent and Family Engagement Policy Highlights - Spanish
Family and School Compact - English
Family and School Compact - Spanish
If you were unable to attend, but have suggestions, please email or call Michelle Smith.
(803)821-2500
Leader in Me
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Be PROACTIVE means to take responsibility for your choices and behaviors. Habit 1 is the key to all of the other habits; that’s why it comes first.
BE PROACTIVE says, “I am in charge of my own life. I am responsible for whether I am happy or sad. I can choose how I react to other people or situations. I am in the driver’s seat.” Young children can easily learn to understand that different choices yield different results. The goal is to teach them to think about those results before they decide what to do.
Discussions can focus on taking care of themselves, taking care of their things, reacting or not reacting to others’ behavior, planning ahead, and thinking about what the right thing to do is. With your child, think of ways to BE PROACTIVE at home.
Most of us react to a situation immediately, without taking time to think about the results of our actions. Part of BE PROACTIVE is being able to stop and think before we act. With your child, do some role-playing to practice the skill of stopping and thinking in different situations.
Your goal in these scenarios is to encourage your child to stop and think before reacting.
Use the following ideas to get started, and then think of some that can be immediately applicable to your child’s life.
1. (In this role play, you should play the part of your child’s friend.) Say that you have a new best friend who lives close to your house and you don’t want to play with him or her anymore. Apologize and then wait for your child’s reaction.
2. (In this role play, you should be your child’s sibling.) Tell your child that you broke his or her favorite toy by accident. Tell him or her that you don’t think it’s a big deal because he or she has many toys.
Safety and Security
Please be prepared to show your picture ID every time you sign out your child. Also if you send someone else to sign out your child, they must be listed on the child's record giving us permission to allow the person to pick up your child. We will also need their drivers license.
At this time, we only welcome visitors in the front office. Thank you for understanding as we work to keep students and staff healthy and safe.
All students must be dropped off in the car rider lane closest to the building. Please do not drop students off at the flagpole. It is not a safe or supervised drop off area.
Exciting News From Food Services
Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, all Lexington County School District One students can receive free breakfast and lunch. The United States Department of Agriculture approved Lexington District One’s free food program for all students until December 31.
Lunches will return to regular cost on January 4, 2021. It is important that if you meet qualifications for free or reduced lunch prices that you apply, so when charges begin again you will already be approved.
Would you like to make online payments to your child's meal account? Go to www.k12paymentcenter.com.
Take Home Meals for Students
If you would like for your student to bring home meals for the days they are learning at home, please read the information below.
For Track A grades 3-5 students, parents must complete a home meal order form by 9 A.M. each Tuesday.
For Track B grades 3-5 students and all 5k-2 students, parents must complete a home meal order form by 9 A.M. each Thursday.
Students in grades kindergarten through 2nd grade will return to school 4 days a week, so take home meals for Friday will include 1 breakfast and 1 lunch. Grades 3-5 meals will continue as they have until those students return 4 days a week.
Meals will be delivered to students' classrooms, so they can bring the meals home.
Here is the order form for Track A and Track B students. Take Home Meal Order Form for Track A and B Students.
The district’s Online Learning Academy students can also receive free meals. Parents of Online Learning Academy students must complete their form by 6 p.m. each Tuesday when it closes. The link reopens each Friday at 1 p.m for the following week’s meals. You can find that form here. Online Learning Students Meal Order Form
Important
**Change in Pick up for Friday, October 9*** LOOLA meals for this week will need to be picked up on Thursday, October 8 from 11:00-1:00.
The district’s Online Learning Academy families can pick up meals each Friday between 11 A.M. and 1 P.M. at any one of the district’s five designated drive-through locations (Carolina Springs Middle, Forts Pond Elementary, Gilbert Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, White Knoll Elementary).
Online Learning Academy parents must show their student’s school identification card to pick up meals.
Parents with questions should email Ashley Summers at asummers@lexington1.net.
Special Occassion Treats
If you would like to provide treats to your child's class, our cafeteria will be able to assist you!
The cafeteria will offer cookies or cupcakes for purchase. These products meet the USDA requirements for Smart Snacks in schools. All treats are individually wrapped and our cafeteria staff will deliver the treats to the classroom.
You must contact our Cafeteria Manager, Debra Morris, at least 3 days in advance. Mrs. Morris will need to place an order for the treats. Please call 803-821-2525.
Cookie Trays - $0.35 per cookie
Cupcake Trays - $0.75 per cupcake
More information can be found here. Special Occasions Treats Order Form
Recycle Crayons, Markers, and Printer Cartridges
Do you have old crayons, markers, or printer cartridges lying around the house?
You can send those items with your child to school, and we will recycle those for you.
Ms. Siceloff, FPES STEM teacher, is the contact for this program.
Support Our School By Shopping at Publix
Here is how you can sign up and participate in just a few steps.
- Enroll in Publix Partners by visiting publix.com/partners and selecting our school.
- Enter your phone number every time you check out at Publix.
- Publix will donate a portion of qualifying purchases to our school!
Publix Partners has contributed $37.7 million to more than 4,600 schools across the Southeast.
Terms and Condition Apply.
Coca-Cola Codes
Please save and let your child turn-in your Coke product bottle caps and carton codes (worth 5-38 cents each) in the container provided in the commons area. You may also enter your codes online at https://us.coca-cola.com/give/. Click on "DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL" and enter "Pelion Middle School". Then sign-in or create an account. It's that easy! Thank you so much for your support. Our teachers and students appreciate it!
PTO NEWS
FPES staff would like to send a very special thank you to these ladies for providing special treats!
2020-2021 PTO Officers
Ashley Leaphart, President
Stacy Wren, Vice President
Cassie Blanton, Treasurer
Shannon Mengedoht, Secretary
Follow FPES PTO on Facebook Forts Pond Elementary PTO
You may contact the PTO by email. fortspondpto@gmail.com
Links to Previous Months Newsletters
Building Plan for FPES Through the Bond Referendum
The community can find the latest information about projects happening around the district as well as here at FPES. All of these are funded by the recently passed bond referendum for Lexington School District One.
FPES will be receiving the following:
- Secure Entrance Upgrades
- Additional Classrooms
- Replacement for Folding Partition in Between Cafeteria and PE Room
- Additional Exterior Lighting in the Front Parking Lot
- Storage and Equipment Building
- Future Ready Classroom Furniture and Equipment
Disclaimer
Please note that due to the public health emergency brought by COVID-19 and the continuing uncertainty regarding the virus’s impact upon district and school operations for the 2020–2021 school year, it may be necessary for the district to alter, amend or otherwise modify the information contained in this document throughout the year.
The district reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the contents of this document, consistent with amendments or revisions to policy or administrative rules, which may be required or occur as a result of changes brought about because of COVID-19. The district will also make reasonable efforts to inform you in a timely manner of any material changes made to any calendar, plan, policy or protocol listed in this document.
Lexington County School District One’s Nondiscrimination Statement
Revised 09-04-2018
Lexington County School District One is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all students, parents/legal guardians, staff, visitors, personnel and community members who participate or seek to participate in its programs or activities. Therefore, the district does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or any related medical conditions), color, disability, age, genetic information, national origin, or any other applicable status protected by local, state, or federal law.
The district will use the grievance procedures set forth in policy to process complaints based on alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; and Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The district designates specific individuals to handle inquiries or complaints. To find out who to contact and how to contact them, please go to our website at http://www.lexington1.net/contact-us.