Simonton Parent Newsletter
Friday, March 25, 2022
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
Message from Ms. Perkins
Take a moment to purchase our field day shirts. You may send money and the order form to the school or make your purchase on MyPaymentsPlus. Field day is an exciting day and we would like for everyone to have a shirt. Monday, March 28, 2022 will be the last day to buy a shirt.
We have a few awesome field trips taking place next week. On Wednesday, March 30, 2022 our fifth grade students will visit Jordan MS. Second grade students will head to The High Museum on Friday, April 1, 2022. Our students are excited about their visits and we are confident they will represent our school well
Strong4Life Campaign
Today, the Strong4Life Team from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, visited our school. They got us energized on the morning announcements, attended PE classes, and even served food in the cafeteria. They reminded us of the importance of eating smarter, drinking plenty of water, putting our screens away to go play, getting rest to be our best, and that our emotions are real, so we can appropriately express how we feel! Every student and teacher was given a blue Strong4Life t-shirt. They proudly wore them throughout the day!
Device Return
As we get ready for GMAS testing, we ask that checked out devices begin to be returned back to school. If your child(ren) have a laptop or hotspot checked out to them, please ensure that the device and cords are brought back to Simonton beginning the week after Spring Break.
Upon return, each device will be inspected. If damage is found, a fee that was listed on your acceptance form will be added to your child's MyPaymentsPlus account.
We thank you for helping us as we get ready for our end of year testing!
Parent/Family Educational Effectiveness Survey
Each year, GCPS asks our families about their child’s school as part of our commitment to improvement. This year, the school district is partnering with the Center for Educational Effectiveness to ask questions that provide feedback on nine characteristics of high-performing schools. In addition, the survey asks about two other areas associated with high-performing schools—district support for improvement and respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds.
The Parent/Family survey opened this week and will remain open through April 2. Please use the link or QR code found below to share your feedback. Make sure to select your preferred language on the first page (English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese).
AKS at Home
The fourth round of live virtual AKS at Home K-5 sessions are scheduled for March 21, 2022 - March 29, 2022, to support learning in the 4th nine weeks of the year.
AKS at Home provides math and language arts resources to support families of children in grades K-5. Through live grade-specific Zoom sessions and helpful tipsheets, families of students in grades K-5 can learn ways to help their children practice key foundational skills they are learning in language arts and math.
Who: Parents of all elementary school students
What: Live Zoom sessions and Tip Sheets to support student mastery of AKS foundational skills in Language Arts and Math.
Where: AKS at Home webpage
When: Unit 4 Zoom sessions will be offered from March 21, 2022, to March 29, 2022, in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Please see the attached flyers and advertisements for grade level dates and times.
How: Register for Zoom sessions on the AKS at Home webpage
Parent Workshop
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, March 26
- Black Knights Dash for the Castle 5K ~ 8:00 am
- Saturday Intervention (K-5) ~ 9:00-11:00 am
Wednesday, March 30
- 5th Grade Visit to Jordan MS
Friday, April 1
- 2nd Grade Field Trip
Monday, April 4- Friday, April 8
- Spring Break
Monday, April 11
- PTA Spirit Night at Culvers ~ 5:00-9:00 pm
Thursday, April 21
- PTA Spirit Night at Sparkles ~ 5:00-9:00 pm
Friday, April 22
- SES Movie Night ~ 6:00-8:30 pm
Monday, April 25
- GMAS begins
Tuesday, April 26
- STEM Night ~ 5:00-7:00 pm
Norcross Cluster Free Drive Thru Pantry
Families will receive a box of fresh produce and staple items.
UPDATE FOR PARENT VISITORS
We are thrilled to welcome parents and visitors back into our school building.
Please keep the following in mind:
- Parents may eat in the cafeteria at the designated parent table only.
- Only your child may eat with you at the parent table. Students may not bring a buddy.
- We encourage parents to come when your child’s class is scheduled to be in the cafeteria. You may come on a week the class is scheduled to eat in the classroom, but you must take your child to the cafeteria and stay within the scheduled lunch time. Parents may not eat in the classroom.
- All visitors must show a state issued ID and it must be entered through the GCPS Visitor Management System. Visitors must wear the sticker during their visit in the building. Upon leaving, all visitors must sign out.
PARENTVUE MOBILE APP
The Synergy Parent mobile app, ParentVUE, is available for use. The app is available in the Apple App Store, as well as the Google Play Store. It will allow parents, who have a parent portal account, to view schedules, grades, see when assignments are due, view graduation requirements, find missing assignments, and view other important student information. An active parent portal account is required to log in to ParentVUE.
**Having this app will help with future check-in/check-out procedures.
Promotional Criteria
- Monday, March 28, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Dacula High School
- Thursday, March 31, 2022 (3-8 p.m.) —Brookwood High School
- Friday, April 1, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Collins Hill High School
- Thursday, April 14, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—McClure Health Science High School
- Friday, April 15, 2022 (4-8 p.m.)—Mountain View High School
Family Engagement eTips:
Maps put the world at your child's fingertips
Geography is a challenge for many kids. Posting a large world map in your home, where it's easy to see and touch, can help your child begin to master it. Together, locate the places where your child's clothes and toys are made on the map. Help your student find the places that are mentioned in books and on TV. Your child might also enjoy using the map to follow the travels of a favorite band or sports team. https://tpitip.com/?12cU18608
Let the teacher know about schoolwork struggles
If your child is struggling day after day with assigned work at home, contact the teacher. Explain what is happening and ask for suggestions. Your child might need extra help from a tutor, or a schedule to make up missed assignments. More challenging assignments or help with English may be helpful. Work with the teacher on a plan to help your child, then follow up. https://tpitip.com/?12cV18608
Problem-solving is a skill kids learn by doing
Elementary students are developing their problem-solving skills. When your child comes to you with a problem, listen calmly and don't immediately try to solve it. Encourage your child to describe the issue and brainstorm possible solutions. Restate what you hear, and ask questions to help your child think. When children come up with a solution themselves, they are more willing to act on it. And they learn that they can solve problems! https://tpitip.com/?12cW18608
A positive attitude supports your child’s self-confidence
By age seven or eight, many children become self-conscious. A critical inner voice says things like, "That's stupid" or "You read like an idiot." These feelings can affect your child's willingness to tackle challenges in school. To help your child develop confidence, don't criticize the worrying. Instead, praise your student's effort and point out progress. Your calm reassurances will build a positive inner voice for your child. https://tpitip.com/?12cX18608
Supervise and discuss your child's online activities
Today's kids are growing up in the digital age, and the internet can be a wonderful learning tool for children. But it's important to make sure your child uses it safely. The FBI recommends that you supervise your child's online activity. Know the sites and apps your child uses. Talk about your values with your child, and make it clear which sites, apps and activities are off limits and why. Explain that your child should never give out personal information because people online are not always who they seem. https://tpitip.com/?12cY18608
Relax and observe nature with your child
Outdoor play is a great way to strengthen observation skills and creativity. To help your child learn and benefit from nature, ask questions like, "Can you feel where the wind is coming from?" or "What is that ant doing?" Have your child try to identify sounds with closed eyes. You can also suggest making up a poem or story about the outdoors. Don't rush; giving your child time to draw aimlessly with a stick or touch a flower creates a sense of calm. https://tpitip.com/?12cZ18608
Ask questions to connect actions and consequences
Kids who behave responsibly get along better with teachers and classmates. They are also more likely to try, follow through and succeed in school. To help your child connect actions to consequences, ask questions like "How do you think Avery felt when you said that?" Asking "What happened first?" or "Why do you think that happened?" also helps improve children's understanding of their role in a situation. https://tpitip.com/?12ca18608
Mystery Science Videos:
SIMONTON ELEMENTARY ~ 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
Superintendent- Dr. Calvin J. Watts
Assistant Superintendent- Dr. Terry Watlington
Board Member- Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal- Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal- Tifferney Dodd
Assistant Principal- Daphne Miles
Assistant Principal- Emily Young
Contact information:
phone: (770) 513-6637
website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES