Chimborazo Elementary Newsletter
October 2017
Principal's Message
Happy October Chimborazo families,
First, I would like to say thank you to all the parents and volunteers that have enabled Chimborazo to have such an amazing start to the school year. It was wonderful to see so many of you at Back to School Night a few weeks ago. We have hit the ground running and many students have completed their first unit assessments this past week. Most grade levels will assessed bi-weekly and second through fifth grades recently took their Measure of Academic Progress diagnostic assessment to help us track the gains your child makes throughout the year. The PALS (Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening) was also conducted with many of our students to see what foundational literacy skills and knowledge they possess. These results will provide the road map for how we best meet your children’s’ needs. Interims will also go home this week to enable you to track how your child is doing both academically and behaviorally as well.
Several exciting events and updates have happened at Chimborazo recently as a result of the hard work of our PTA and of our staff. Eleven state of the art smartboards were installed in grades 3 through 5 classrooms as well as one second grade classroom. This has freed up technology in the upper grades that can now be brought to the primary grade classrooms for use. It is imperative that our teachers are teaching and our students are learning in relevant and meaningful ways and technology is one of the tools to facilitate this. Two new basketball hoops have been put up and community members and parents have been diligently working on providing our students with a playground that offers our students choice and meaningful activities. A thousand dollars’ worth of recess equipment will soon be delivered thanks to a grant we received through Fit4kids. Our students’ educations are extended outside of the classroom through Blue Sky who has started incorporating scientifically engaging lessons with many of our grade levels, Dancing in the Classrooms, and Say it with Heart to help students develop and exhibit appropriate social behaviors and conflict resolution. We have also started incentives for our grade levels for positive behavior such as the Golden Spatula for cafeteria behavior and The Golden Boot for the grade level that exhibits the most appropriate line and hallway behavior. The breezeway mural has been completed thanks to Williams Johnson, art teacher at Wythe High School, and our very own art teacher, Shirley Johnson. We are also making meaningful efforts to develop the leadership capacity of our students as evidenced through our Safety Patrol Induction Ceremony last week, the upcoming SCA elections, and establishment of our Random Act of Kindness Club.
October will be a very busy month with lots of great things happening. Mayor Stoney will be visiting this Friday as word gets around about the positive impact all of you are making for our school, community, and students. I encourage you to continue with this support as we continue to ensure Chimborazo is a “world class” PYP IB school.
Respectfully,
David T. Peck
Principal- Chimborazo Elementary
October Events
5th grade Blue Sky Field Trip
October 4th- 4th grade field trip to The Virginia Historical Society
Walk to School Day
5 p.m. PTA Meeting
October 5th-1st quarter interims sent home
4th grade Field Trip to the Virginia Historical Society Dillon/Gentry
2nd grade YMCA swimming ( Jones and Messick
6:30 p.m. PTA Chimborazo Interest social for upcoming KG students
October 6th- Mayor Stoney visit
Math Science Innovation Center Field Trip Smith 3rd/Commander/Saunders 4th
October 10th- 2nd grade YMCA swimming West/El-Dada/Dietz
3rd grade Blue Sky Field Trip
October 11th- 2 hour early dismissal
4th grade at the Math Science Innovation Center
October 12th- JA in a Day Grade K-2
8:15 a.m. Moms and Muffins
Dillon/Solomon at the Math Science Innovation Center
October 13th- 3rd grade Math Science Innovation Center
Spirit Day- Wear your favorite team jersey
October 16th- Kilgore/Jones Math Science Innovation Center
October 17th- 2nd grade YMCA swimming- West/El-Dada/Dietz
October 18th- 4th grade Blue Sky Field Trip
October 19th-2nd grade YMCA Swimming Jones and Messick
8:15 a.m. Dads and Doughnuts
October 20th- RPS Pink out Day (Wear pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness)
VPI Field Trip Chesterfield Berry Farm
October 24th- 2nd grade YMCA Swimming West/El-Dada/Dietz
5th grade Blue Sky Field Trip
October 26th- 2nd grade YMCA Swimming Jones/Messick
October 27th- Spirit Day- Wear your favorite hat!
October 31st- 2nd grade YMCA Swimming West/El-Dada/Dietz
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School website
Attendance matters
Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. Also, as a subtle reminder, the school day starts at 9 a.m., so please do your best to ensure your child is not missing any instruction.
Student Code Of Responsible Ethics
What can you do to support your child in exhibiting positive behavior?
The Student Code of Responsible Ethics ( S.C.O.R.E.) outlines the behavioral expectations and potential consequences for students. Please consider the following suggestions below. A link to the the handbook is provided below.
- Review the Code of Behavior with your child.
- Ask your child about his/her day at school every day.
- Keep in touch with your child's teacher
- Encourage your child to use appropriate language and tone.
- Practice positive phrases with our child, such as, “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” “Please,” and “I’m sorry.”
- Be a visible part of your child’s school day. Attend PTA and school events.