Message from the Mill
March 2020
Young Georgia Authors County Winners
New Procedure: Absence Notes
Good attendance at school is important. If you find that your child needs to miss school, please see our new procedure regarding excuse notes (below in bolded italics) - effective immediately in our Parent/Student Handbook.
"In compliance with State Law, all absences will be classified as unexcused except those for the reasons of personal illness, death in the immediate family, religious holidays, or when school is closed due to inclement weather. Parents or guardians must submit an excuse note within 5 days of the child's return to school explaining the reason and date(s) for the absence. Excuses may be submitted as a note from the doctor or parent explaining the reason for the absence(s). If a note is not received within the 5 days, the absence(s) will remain unexcused. You may also submit this information through the school’s website. On the main page, select “Parents – Parent Information”. Under “Parent Information”, select “Send an Email” under “Attendance Notes”. You can then submit your information directly to our registrar. After 10 absences, an excused absence will require a doctor’s verification of illness. Our counselor and social worker will contact parents if excessive absences and/or tardies occur. Parents are urged to make dental, medical, and other appointments for their children after school, on Saturdays, teacher workdays, or holidays if possible. Please note that vacations are not excused absences.
2020-2021 Class Formation
Staying Healthy
Spring Pictures
Who: All Students
What: PMES Spring Pictures - Individual and Classroom
When: Wednesday, March 11 for K-2 and Thursday, March 12 for 3-5
Where: Activity Court at PMES
A reminder flyer will be sent home in Friday folders today. Next Friday, your student will bring home order forms. You can turn in a paper order or you can order online at mylifetouch.com. The order form will contain the Picture Day ID that will be needed when placing online orders.
If you order a class picture online, please return the paper order form to the teacher - marking "Paid Online" on the form. This allows us to track the orders to ensure all receive what they have purchased.
Spring pictures let you be you!
Digital Citizenship: Privacy and Security
- Privacy and Security Family Tips: Click here to access family tips on how to support this month's theme of Privacy and Security at home
- Family Media Agreement: Complete the Common Sense Media Family Media Agreement as a family. Click here to access the agreement.
Want more resources? Common Sense Media also offers a free program called the Common Sense Tech Balance text program. You can sign-up to receive free text message tips about how to practice healthy media habits at home with your family from Common Sense Media! Click here for more information about the program and to sign-up.
PMES Georgia Milestones (GMAS) Dates
Testing will begin at 8:30 am each morning. Please mark your calendars and try to reschedule or make appointments around the testing window if at all possible.
3rd Grade GMAS Dates
ELA Section 1 - 4/08/20
ELA Section 2 - 4/09/20
ELA Section 3 - 4/10/20
Math Section 1 - 4/16/20
Math Section 2 - 4/17/20
4th Grade GMAS Dates
Math Section 1 - 4/16/20
Math Section 2 - 4/17/20
ELA Section 1 - 4/22/20
ELA Section 2 - 4/23/20
ELA Section 3 - 4/24/20
5th Grade GMAS Dates
Science Sections 1 & 2 - 04/07/20
ELA Section 1 - 4/13/20
ELA Section 2 - 4/14/20
ELA Section 3 - 4/15/20
Math Section 1 - 4/20/20
Math Section 2 - 4/21/20
Social Studies Section 1 & 2 - 4/27/20
Final Day of Makeups - 04/28/20
Iditarod 2020
Our PMES 5th grade "Lead Dogs" have been busy designing, creating and organizing a number of academic activities related to the Iditarod sled dog race. This year's race begins on Saturday, March 7. While mushers and dog teams are racing their way 1,000 miles across interior Alaska, Puckett's Mill students will mush along with them through reading, writing, and "mathing" down the trail. Below is a list of this year's challenges.
IditaREAD - This year the IditaREAD contest will begin on March 2 and run through March 27. Students will track the number of "miles" they read on individual tracking sheets. Lead dogs will stamp student tracking sheets on grade level hallways Friday mornings during the contest. This contest is for students in grades K-5. All participants who read their way to Nome will receive a special dog tag that signifies their accomplishment.
IditaWRITE - Our PTA moms, Mrs. Alvord and Mrs. Keister, were busy at work this week creating an interactive bulletin board on the 8 Traits of the Iditarod. It looks absolutely FABULOUS!! Along this board are eight Alaskan huskies with QR codes on their collars. Each QR code will lead to a video clip of different mushers sharing the importance of using one of these eight traits to successfully travel the Iditarod trail. Students are invited to participate in a writing challenge by selecting one of the prompts listed on the Iditarod writing contest flyers. Look for these flyers in your child's Friday folder. There are extra copies in a folder on the wall by the bulletin board. This board is located downstairs across from the Gold Lab. One winner from each grade level will be selected. Winners will receive a prize and will also be recognized on the morning announcements. This contest is for students in grades K-5.
IditaSHARE - During the next two weeks, lead dogs will be visiting classes in grades K-2 to read a book about the Iditarod, sled dogs, and/or Alaska. They will also be presenting a math challenge for students as well.
IditaMATH - Students in grades 3-5 will have the opportunity to hone math skills learned this year and stretch their brains with some critical thinking problems to solve. This Google Slide Show is designed for students to travel the Iditarod trail through solving math problems at each checkpoint. Students who "math it to Nome" by Friday, March 27, will receive a small prize for completing the challenge.
Iditarod Tracker - Our character trait bulletin board also includes a map of the Iditarod trail with each checkpoint labeled. Lead Dogs selected mushers for each grade level to track, so as real mushers race their way to Nome, we will be tracking their sleds on our bulletin board. Did my Lead Dogs pick this year's winner? Time will tell.
Musher List:
Kindergarten - Aily Zirkle
First - Jessie Royer
Second - Joar Ulsom
Third - Matthew Failor
Fourth - Nicolas Petit
Fifth - Peter Kaiser
Mrs. Westbrooks - Jeff Deeter
You can track these mushers from home using www.iditarod.com
We hope that through providing these activities we have touched on something that each child will learn from and enjoy. Thanks for your support of these OPTIONAL activities.
Mrs. Ittner and the PMES Lead Dogs
Ice Cream Flavor of the Month
Messages from the Media Center
March Madness
Book Mobile 5K
Would you like to race for a good cause? The Book Mobile brings books to GCPS school events during the school year and connects kids with books out in the community during the summer. Come "Book it for the Bus" on May 2, 2020 at Pinckneyville Middle School! Register now at BookMobile5k.com.
Six Flags Read to Succeed
Would your child like to earn a free Six Flags ticket just by reading books? Six Flags reading logs have gone ONLINE! Go to sixflags.com/books and enter the teacher code to record your child's minutes. Our school deadline is this month on March 24.
General Reminders
Lost and Found Jackets
2019-2020 Digital Learning Days
- Teachers will post assignments on their eCLASS C&I course pages. Elementary school assignments will be posted by 9 a.m.
- Students will use the My eCLASS student portal to log in to their eCLASS C&I course pages where they will access assignments, resources, and other materials. If the power is out, a student may access the teacher’s course page when power returns.
Safety and Security
The School Safety Tip Line is a confidential way to report any time you think or know someone is carrying a weapon, drugs, or alcohol on school property. Call or text 770-822-6513.
Puckett's Mill Elementary School
Email: sara.tiller@gcpsk12.org
Website: pmesonline.org/home.htm
Location: 2442 S Pucketts Mill Rd, Dacula, GA, United States
Phone: 678-765-5110