Reptile Review
April 2022
Principal's Update
Dear Reptile Families,
April begins our first round of FSA Assessments. We know our students have worked hard all year, and our teachers have worked very hard to prepare them. Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep, eats breakfast, and arrives to school on time. The remainder of this month and the month of May are full of many assessment points. Please check with your child's teacher to determine the exact dates of each assessment.
April is also a busy month with lots of exciting events! This month, we have a Kindergarten musical, first and second grade musical, McDonald's Family Night, our Exceptional Student Extravaganza, Kindness Run, Fun Run, and many more events! Please make sure to look through this newsletter and mark these FUN dates on your calendar!
As always, we appreciate all your support.
Thank you,
Colleen Wilkinson
Principal
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration & Parent Information Night: Monday, April 18th
*Sign up for a time slot below to come to campus and complete your registration paperwork.
There will also be a Kindergarten Family Information Night on April 18th from 6-7 p.m. Come and meet some of our Kindergarten teachers, see our classrooms, and learn about Kindergarten readiness! Every child will leave with a goody bag.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d49a8ab2fa31-newriver
Kindergarten Camp: Thursday, July 28th and July 29th
*This camp will be free for all students to attend. Students will get to meet the Kindergarten teachers, see their classrooms, and get a fun preview of what Kindergarten will be like!
VPK Sign Up
We also highly encourage all families with children who will be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2022 to enroll in Florida's Voluntary PreKindergarten program. This program allows all students to participate in a free PreK program to prepare them for Kindergarten. Studies have shown that students who attend preschool are much more successful in Kindergarten. There are various settings where families can use the VPK voucher, such as private daycares and public schools. Please click the following link for more information and to apply!
http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/vpk/floridas-vpk-program
FSA Testing Information
Our first round of FSA testing will occur during the beginning of April. Remind your students that they have worked hard all year - they now just need to stay calm and do their very best! Please make sure your students are prepared by getting a good night's sleep, eating breakfast, and arriving to school on time.
4th Grade Writing: Tuesday, April 5th
5th Grade Writing: Wednesday, April 6th
3rd Grade Reading: Thursday and Friday, April 7th - 8th
5th Grade Reading: Monday and Tuesday, May 2nd - 3rd
4th Grade Reading: Wednesday and Thursday, May 4th and 5th
5th Grade Math: Friday, May 6th and Monday, May 9th
3rd & 4th Grade Math: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10th - 11th
5th Grade Science: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 17th - 18th
McDonald's Family Night
Exceptional Student Extravaganza
P.E. News
Thank you so much to our Field Day volunteers!! It was a super event and the volunteers worked so hard. We thank you very much!
Our next event is the Running Club’s Fun Run, April 29, at 10:30. Our running club will be running one mile, a culminating event, celebrating a successful year of getting fit and having fun. This is also the last month to run Reptile Run. Students will be trying to meet their goal of 25 miles to earn a free t-shirt. Some dedicated students are well on their way to earning 30 or 40 mile shirts!!
We are eagerly awaiting another Lightning Hockey school visit for first, second, and third grade students. The Lightning will be conducting our PE classes all day April 25th. https://bit.ly/SchoolVisitWaiver Please fill out the online waiver if you are the parent of a first, second, or third grader. This is a standard requirement and students will not be able to participate if the form is not filled out. What an amazing experience for our Reptiles! Go Bolts!!!
Music News
Kindergarten will perform "The Little Library: Singing Stories" at New River Elementary at 3:30 p.m. on April 12th.
First and second graders will perform "Pajama Party" on April 20th at the Wesley Chapel Performing Arts Center at 7:00 p.m.
Art News
Students in primary and Intermediate levels have been working on finishing their paper sculptures. Sharks, fish, land and and imaginary creatures are all abundant in the art room. Both levels have recently started on their clay sculptures. Students will be able to use different kind of clay, such as modeling, self-drying clay and plaster to create 3-D pieces. The first kind of clay used is modeling clay, which is placed on a poster board. Students can experience the texture and feel of this clay which does not harden and can be molded multiple times. For the second part of the clay projects, students will be able to use self-drying clay to make a variety of pieces such as, pendants, bracelets, shapes and figures. All sculptures will be taken home when completed and dried.
We are happy to announce our annual art show happening on the same day as the Extravaganza, April 22nd. The art show will be held in the art room from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Be on the lookout for an art letter which will have more information and details about this wonderful event.
Thank you for your support and we hope to see you all at the art show.
Congratulations Odyssey of the Mind!
It was an exciting time for all the New River Odyssey of the Mind teams! The state competition was held in Orlando on March 12, 2022. We had 2 teams make their way over to the Orlando Convention Center to compete. The team members were Addy Basinger, Benny Basinger, Caleb Campbell, Avery McDowell, Dezirae Gardner, Joey Goforth, Kandace Harris, Rae Moline, Mackenzie Raines, Graham Shockley, Jace Smith, Liam Smith and Emmy Wilkinson! Wish them all luck! They all did AMAZING!
If you have never heard of Odyssey of the Mind, it is a creative problem-solving program involving students from kindergarten through college. Team members work together to solve a long-term problem and present their solution to the problem at a competition. If this sounds like something your child would love, the new teams will form in the fall of next school year!
Upcoming Dates
4/4-4/22- MAPs and DIBELs testing window
4/5- 4th grade Writing FSA
4/6- 5th grade Writing FSA
4/7-4/8 - 3rd grade Reading FSA
4/12 - Kindergarten Musical - 3:30 p.m. at New River Elementary
4/13 - SAC Meeting at 9:00 a.m.
4/13 - Early Release Day - Students dismiss at 2:20
4/13- McDonald's Family Night 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
4/14- PTA Meeting- 4:45 p.m.
4/15 - No School
4/18 - 4/22 - Book Fair
4/18- Kindergarten Registration 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
4/18 - Kindergarten Parent Night - 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
4/20 - First and Second Grade Musical - 7:00 p.m. at Wesley Chapel Performing Arts Center
4/22- Kindness Run- during specials
4/22 Exceptional Student Extravaganza - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
4/25 - Tampa Bay Lightning at P.E. for first, second, and third graders
4/25 - 4/29 - Staff Appreciation Week
4/29- Running Club Fun Run - 10:30 a.m.