Lewisville Times
August & September 2019
Principal's Message
Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year here at Lewisville Elementary School. We are all excited to kick off another fabulous year!
Lewisville Elementary has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence by delivering high quality research-based instruction on a daily basis. It is our goal to ensure that all students reach their highest potential and we need your help as well. Parents, we ask for your support by sending your child to school each day, reviewing homework each night, encouraging your child to read daily, and communicating with teachers when questions arise.
It takes all of us working together for the children of Lewisville Elementary School. The L.E.S. PTA is always busy planning effective ways to support our school with fun and exciting events for the whole family. Please consider joining and supporting our PTA this year. The first PTA meeting will be on September 19th at 6:30pm. The Read to Achieve Parent meeting is at 5:45pm (just prior to this meeting).
Please don’t hesitate to call the office if you have any questions! The faculty and staff at Lewisville are looking forward to the start of the best school year ever.
Thank you for your continued support.
Angie Choplin, Principal
What's on the Schedule?
9/19: 5:45 PM Read to Achieve Parent Meeting; 6:30 PM PTA Reading Night
9/23: Lewisville's Independence Day (Have your child wear red, white, & blue and celebrate your child walking to class independently!)
L.E.S. loves our Volunteers!!
What's New at L.E.S.?
COOL CAT BIRTHDAY BASH
A NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS AT L.E.S.
In an effort to promote healthy lifestyles, equity among our student body and prevent the loss of instructional time we will set aside one day per month to celebrate the student/staff birthdays for that month. This special event will be called the “Cool Cat Birthday Bash”. Along with the PTA, the school will provide a birthday treat to all students and staff to celebrate their special day. Beginning August 26th, parents and guardians will be prohibited from bringing special treats for the entire class to school to celebrate students' birthdays or from bringing surprise parties for students/teachers.
Our school elected to implement the “Cool Cat Birthday Bash Day” after much thought and discussion. The compelling reasons for this decision are:
· Our district wellness policy encourages staff members to teach children to make healthy eating choices. Celebrating birthdays one time per month instead of multiple times decreases the amount of high caloric treats provided to students during the school day/month.
· The number of students with food allergies increases each year. Our teachers are extremely careful to ensure our students are not exposed to harmful food agents. The safety of our students is our top priority. Students with food allergies are taught to be cautious of any foods not prepared at school or approved by their parents. It is stressful for these students to guess if the treat being provided contains an allergen and if is safe to consume. Some students elect to forgo the treat and feel neglected/left out due to circumstances beyond their control.
· Equity: All parents are not able to provide their children and classmates with special treats due to financial hardships.
· Loss of instructional time: When parents/guardians unexpectedly bring treats to class/cafeteria and ask for just a few minutes, it interrupts the instructional day. Passing out treats, cleaning ups spills, etc. is time consuming and puts the teacher behind in his/her instructional plans. Lunch schedules can also be delayed due to treats being passed out in the cafeteria.
Please know we are going to continue to recognize and celebrate our students' birthdays! Teachers have been doing this in their own special way for years. We are implementing a strategy that is inclusive for all students, promotes a healthier lifestyle and will save instructional time. This is a win-win situation for everyone!
Parents/guardians/grandparents are always welcome to come eat lunch with their student to celebrate their special day. The entire Cool Cat Faculty and Staff thank you in advance for supporting us in this endeavor.
Be on the lookout for information pertaining to the first “Cool Cat Birthday Bash” to be held sometime in September. August birthdays will also be celebrated at that time.
BIRTHDAY/ PARTY INVITATIONS REMINDER:
Party invitations should not be sent to school for distribution unless the ENTIRE class is being invited to the party. There are no exceptions to this policy. Please do not place your child’s teacher in an awkward situation by asking them to pass them out for you.
Celebration Cool Cat Pride
This summer our School Improvement Team engaged in a lengthy discussion regarding the value of holding academic award ceremonies for students in Grades 3-5 every quarter. Team members read multiple articles regarding the pros and cons of holding awards ceremonies at the elementary school level. The following quotes resonated deeply with the team:
A quote from Alfie Kohn:
In short, good values have to be grown from the inside out. Attempts to short-circuit this process by dangling rewards in front of children are at best ineffective, and at worst counterproductive. Children are likely to become enthusiastic, lifelong learners as a result of being provided with an engaging curriculum; a safe, caring community in which to discover and create; and a significant degree of choice about what (and how and why) they are learning. Rewards–like punishments–are unnecessary when these things are present and are ultimately destructive in any case. (Alfie Kohn, The Risk of Rewards)
The Impact of Awards
Here is a quote George Couros
“Schools are not about ranking and sorting. They are about learning and creativity in a safe and caring environment. They are about empowering all students, not just the ones that are strong at the core subjects.” (from The Impact of Awards, August 24, 2010)
Other areas discussed regarding impacts/implications of awards ceremonies:
- There is a narrow criterion for success in the current format of recognition of students.
- The focus of learning is on the award not the process of learning.
- The current format of student recognition assumes all students can learn and can achieve at the same rate.
The focus of the entire faculty and staff at L.E.S. is to ensure all students are successful. Therefore, through a unanimous vote, our SIT voted to stop hosting award ceremonies each quarter for students in Grades 3-5. Students who would have qualified for a certificate at the ceremony will be recognized by a stamp on their report card. This will be for A & A/B honor rolls, BUG Awards, PBIS Awards and attendance.
We want to showcase all students at LES. All students have talents, even if they aren't on the honor roll.
To do this, we will now recognize student achievements through our “Cool Cat Pride” recognition tag program. All students, K-5, will work with their teacher to identify areas of personal strength from the previous quarter. The tags will be displayed in the hallways.
This is a wonderful way for all students, parents and visitors to see all the amazing and different things Cool Cats are learning! This also encompasses our growth mindset and social/emotional learning here at LES. We will also be giving PBIS "shout-outs" on the morning announcements. Teachers will submit student "shout outs" to be announced the next day on the announcements.
Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
We are excited to share that we are continuing our PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Support) program this year. Positive Behavior Interventions and Support is a process for creating school environments that are more predictable and effective for achieving academic and social goals. As part of our PBIS plan, we will continue our arrival and dismissal procedures.
Arrival
ALL students will enter through the main entrance of our school.
* One green cool cat key ring will be given to each family. It will be used for parental identification from 7:40-7:55 am only. When walking children to their classrooms or any other area of the building parents should be prepared to present the pass if requested by a school employee. Parents must sign in at the office if they do not have their pass.
* All visitors must sign in at the office when arriving after 7:55am.
* Students are considered tardy if they are not in their classroom by 7:55 am. Any student that is tardy must be signed in by his/her parents.
Dismissal
* Bus dismissal procedures have not changed.
* Car riders and “WALKERS” are separated for afternoon pick-ups. A walker is considered a student whose parent(s) park his/her car and walks to the building to pick up his/her child.
*Car riders will be dismissed from the gymnasium. Parents will continue to follow car line procedures. Name tags should be placed on the rear view mirror for student identification. Students will be called by a teacher on the walkie-talkie. Parents should remain in their cars at all times.
* Walkers will be dismissed from the back of the auditorium. Parents will walk to the outside entrance of the auditorium and will request the staff member in charge to dismiss their child.
* It is imperative that parents notify their child’s homeroom teacher which mode of transportation their child will be using at dismissal. Please note: if your child is typically a car rider written notice will be required for a move to the walker dismissal area. This also applies to changes in bus transportation (changes may not be made by phone or email). This allows us to know where all children are located at all times. This is for the safety of our children.
We are requesting that parents please refrain from picking their children up from school for appointments between 2:00-2:25pm, as this is too close to our dismissal time. It can create confusion in our dismissal procedure. If your child has an appointment please pick them up prior to 2:00 pm. Thank you for your assistance in this safety procedure.
Please remember to refrain from cell phone use while in the car rider line (both morning and afternoon!) Thank you for helping to keep our kids safe!
Welcome to Our New Staff Members!
Sarah Wedde, 1st Grade:
Mrs. Wedde is originally from Bel Air, Maryland. She and her husband Sean moved to North Carolina two years ago, and they are loving it here so far! They are expecting their first child (a baby girl named Natalie) at the end of October and cannot wait for her arrival! This is Mrs. Wedde's 6th year teaching. She loves teaching all subjects and getting students excited to learn. Her goal as a teacher is to encourage her students to love learning as much as she does! Mrs. Wedde says, "I am so blessed to join the team here at Lewisville and I can't wait to get started!"Arantxa Simal, 2nd Grade:
Ms. Simal has recently moved to Winston-Salem from New Jersey. In New Jersey, she attended The College of New Jersey and has a degree in both Spanish (K-12) and Elementary Education. When she isn't teaching, Ms. Simal enjoys being outside, hiking, and hanging out with her four younger siblings. She also loves to read, and you will always find her reading a book! Ms. Simal says, "I am very excited to join the Lewisville community and can't wait to meet all the wonderful students and their families!"
Tina Apostolides, 3rd Grade:
Mrs. Apostolides grew up in New York, and she received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Queens College. She currently lives in Clemmons with her husband and three children Adelae, Marcy, and Basil. She has taught for 13 years in grades third, fourth, and fifth. Mrs. Apostolides says, "I couldn't be more excited to be here. Let's have a great year!"
Nancy Frye, Media Center Teacher Assistant
Mrs. Frye has been a Teacher Assistant for 17 years. She has worked in Kindergarten, ESL, EC, and 1st Grade, but this is her first year as a Media Assistant. She has a Liberal Arts degree with an emphasis on foreign languages and is fluent in Spanish (and is even a trained interpreter!). Mrs. Frye is married and has four children, four grandchildren and another grandchild on the way. She enjoys traveling and relaxing at home with her family. Mrs. Frye says, "I am very excited to be at Lewisville and to get to know the students and staff!"
Katie St John, Student Teacher Kindergarten (Ms. Palmer's Class):
Ms. St John is from Jonesville, North Carolina. She is a student at UNCG, majoring in both Elementary Education and Special Education, and she will graduate this spring. She is engaged and has a wedding coming up this June! Some of her favorite things to do are cooking, spending time with her family, and crafting. Ms. St John says, "This year is going to be great, and I am so excited to experience all the amazing things that this year will hold!"
Roseann Dixon, Student Teacher 1st Grade (Mrs. Dolge's Class):
Mrs. Dixon is a graduate of Salem College. She is married and has a spoiled dog named Willow. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading a good book, and working with her crafts. Mrs. Dixon says, "I am so excited to be here in your classroom and can't wait to meet you!"
PowerSchool Parent Portal
PowerSchool Parent Portal is an online resource that gives parents/guardians access to your child(ren's) homework assignments, grades and more.
The PowerSchool Parent Portal interface is user-friendly and gives parents/guardians access to:
- Grades and attendance
- Test results
- Grade history
- Attendance history
- Email notifications that can include your child's grades and school announcements
- Teacher comments
- School bulletins
- Calendars
Parents and guardians are required to request Parent/Guardian accounts in person at each school their child(ren) attend in the district to be able set up accounts. Please download and fill out a Parent Portal Account Request Form to present at your child(ren's) school(s). One Parent Account will allow multiple children to be linked with the provided access IDs and access passwords. The accounts are secure, so please don't share your information and passwords with anyone else.
For more information, FAQ's, forms, and a user's guide, click here.
Visitors and Contacting Teachers
Visitors
ALL visitors to the school must sign in at the computer in the front office using a photo ID (preferably a driver's license, but other state or federally issued ID's are acceptable too) before they enter the building. You will be given a visitors badge that must be worn at all times while you are in the building.
Contacting your Child's Teacher
We believe that open communication between the teacher and parents/guardians is essential to creating a quality educational experience for every child. However, in the interest of protecting instructional time, teachers have been asked to not reply to phone calls, e-mails, remind messages, or texts during this time. Teachers will be able to respond before school, during planning, or after school, and should respond to you within 24 hours. In the case of an emergency, please call the front office at 336-703-4224 and one of our office staff members will contact your child's teacher.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
If you are coming to school for an arranged parent/teacher conference, please report to the office upon arrival and one of the office staff members will notify your child's teacher.
My child is sick...what should I do?
In the school environment, many communicable diseases are easily transmitted from one student to another. A healthy environment involves prevention, early recognition of illness and symptoms as well as prompt diagnosis and treatment. Children who are not feeling well have a difficult time concentrating and therefore do not benefit from the instruction they are receiving during that time. Please do not send an ill child to school. The Public Health Department requires that you keep your child home if any of the following symptoms are present:
- Fever - 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. The student may return to school when his/her temperature has been 100.4 or less for at least 24 hours.
- Vomiting - The student may return to school when he/she has not vomited for a period of 24 hours unless determined by a doctor to be from a non-communicable condition.
- Diarrhea - Three or more watery or loose stools in a 24 hour period is considered diarrhea. The student may return to school when resolved for 24 hours without the use of medication.
- Eye Discharge - Thick mucus draining from eyes (commonly known as Pink Eye). The student may return after receiving treatment from a doctor.
If your child becomes sick at school you will be contacted to pick him/her up as soon as possible. Please make sure all contact numbers are current.
If you take your child to the physician while he/she is absent ask for a note to send to school upon his/her return.
Our school nurse is Krista Lawson.
Yellow Information Cards
"Emergency Contacts." This list is very important because we will check this card in the office when someone is picking your child up from school. Please be sure to list anyone that you want to be able to pick up your child from school and indicate that they are allowed to pick up your student.
Lewisville Elementary
Samantha Fitzgerald - Assistant Principal
Heather Barksdale - Curriculum Coordinator
Jessica Plasencia - Guidance Counselor
Gail DuBose - Data Manager
Karen Yap - Lead Secretary
Rita Cortese - Second Secretary
Joanna Humphrey - Second Secretary
Location: 150 Lucy Lane, Lewisville, NC, USA
Phone: 3367034224
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LESPTA/
Twitter: @lescoolcats