The Eagle Express

Upcoming Important Events At Newtown!

Thursday, January 10th - Citizenship Ceremony (3rd - 9:00; 2nd - 2:15)

Read, Play, Eat Family Night (5:30 - 7:00)

Monday, January 21st - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Thursday, January 31st - Last Day of Quarter 2

Winter Dance 2019 (3:30 - 5:00 in cafeteria)

Friday, February 1st - Staff Day; No School for Students (Virtual Learning Day)

Great Dreams Need Great Teachers!

VBCPS wants to hear from you. Tell everyone about the great teachers and staff members from Newtown who have made a difference in your life or in the life of your child and how they have helped support your great dreams. Email us with your story at GreatTeachers@vbschools.com and we will post them here. Please nominate one teacher at a time.

Dismissal Change Reminders

As our staff works hard to ensure each child makes it home safely every day, we need your continued help. As a reminder, if there is to be any change in dismissal procedures for your child, whether it is an early pickup or going home a different way, please have your child give his/her teacher a parent note first thing in the morning (preferred way) indicating the change.

You may also email or fax the office, with a photo identification before 2:30 PM with the dismissal change at the following address: Arnold.Parra@vbschools.com, cassie.johnson@vbschools.com or fax at (757)493-546.

Please do not simply email your child's teacher or use Class Dojo for communicating dismissal changes. Teachers are busy teaching and cannot guarantee that he/she will see the electronic communication. Also, if your child is involved in an after school activity and cannot attend on a particular day, a note is needed indicating that your child will not be staying for the activity. Otherwise, we must assume your child should be staying after school.

The Final Mile

Believe it or not we are already gearing up for the Shamrock Active Kids program and Operation Smile Final Mile in March. The Shamrock Active Kids Program is a school wide initiative to get students moving, set goals and track their progress. It culminates annually in March with the Operation Smile Final Mile at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront where over 5,000 students from around the region run the final mile of the nationally recognized Shamrock Marathon course. This is an amazing opportunity for our students. Follow this link for more information and to register your student.

PBIS

Ask your child about the great things we have going on in our school for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). They should be able to tell you about our school-wide and classroom matrices as well as our different voice levels. Students have been earning Eagle Bucks for individual and school-wide rewards. At the end of each day during the afternoon announcements I call 3 Eagle Wings and 1 Bus Eagle Wing winner each day. Students have been coming down for a prize! Parents, starting soon, I will also begin to send a positive email if your child's Eagle Wing is drawn along with a prize. Make sure your email on file with our school is up to date and be on the lookout for one of these in your inbox. Way to go, Eagles!

A Note From Our Gifted Resource Teacher

Parents if you missed the November 13th gifted application deadline, no worries. It’s not too late!!! Your child can still be tested for gifted identification. You have to apply for Old Donation School in the online application by 4:00 pm Friday, February 1, 2019.

I will be available Thursday, January 17 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and also from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm to help with the writing of your application.

If you have any questions or if you would like to meet at another time I can be reached at andrea.greene@vbschools.com.

Tech Talk

Securly

As you are probably aware, your child’s activity online, under their school account, is monitored with Securly. Please discuss with your child the importance of staying on task and being where they are supposed to be when online, and at school. Teachers now have the ability to check on students in real time and see what they are doing when assigned work, as well as view their entire online history remotely. Parents, you as well have access to Securly to monitor your child's browsing history.

The Internet is full of great information and productive activities, but it can be a challenge for us all to not be distracted and lose focus. Please help us to emphasize the importance of good digital citizenship at school and at home. At Newtown Elementary, we want our Eagles to be successful and use our tools in a responsible manner. Thank you for your help!