SOARING EAGLE NEWS
FEBRUARY 2022
Mark Your Calendars
2/11 - 2/18 - Book Fair
2/17 - Book Fair/SEM Showcase Night 5-7 PMm
2/21 - ProEd Day - No School for Students
2/25 - Club Pictures
3/3 - Volunteer Cafe - Curbside
NEWS FROM OUR SOCIAL WORK, EMILY DURDEN
Is your family in need of resources such as housing, financial support, clothing or other household items, medical, mental health services, insurance, etc.?
211 is a free three-digit phone number set aside by the Federal Communications Commission for information about and referrals to local human service information. You can reach them anytime 24 hours a day from any phone.
Simply call 2-1-1 from any phone or Text your zip code to 898211 to find more information about services and supports in your area.
You can also get connected with resources by visiting: https://211tampabay.org/
UPDATES FROM OUR SCHOOL NURSE
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! It’s a great time to talk to your kids about proper brushing and flossing. Good oral hygiene is crucial to good physical health! Please take the time to read Crest’s recommendations below!
The Right Toothbrush
There are so many to choose from! Children need to use a child’s size soft toothbrush. These are designed specifically for the size and shape of a child’s mouth and hands. Soft bristles with round ends provide gentle cleaning of the teeth and delicate gum tissue. Bright colors and fun patterns can help encourage brushing and make brushing fun. Don’t forget to replace your toothbrush at least every 6 months!
The Right Toothpaste
One of the best ways to keep your child brushing is by having fluoride toothpaste on hand that is pleasing and easy to use. Let your child pick any flavor they would like! The taste can make brushing a more enjoyable experience, leading to more thorough brushing. Brushing twice a day results in increased fluoride applications to strengthen tooth enamel, remove plaque and help fight off cavities!
The Best Way to Brush
- On the outer and inner surfaces, place the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle; start along the gum line; use gentle, short strokes brushing downward on the upper teeth and upward on the lower teeth.
- On chewing surfaces, hold the brush flat and brush back and forth.
- On the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush so the handle is vertical and up by your nose. Use gentle up and down strokes with the toe of the brush.
- Brush the tongue to remove food particles and bacteria.
- Brush teeth for about 2 minutes a day, twice a day.
Flossing
Flossing daily removes plaque and food particles between teeth and below the gum line. Flossing is essential to good oral health! To floss properly, wrap an 18 inch strand of floss around your middle fingers and hold a one-inch section tightly, then ease the floss between teeth.
Gently clean up and down several times while hugging each tooth with floss. Be careful not to push the floss into the gums. There are also floss sticks you can buy for convenience.
Good diet = Healthier Teeth
Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth! Many snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation. When we eat sugary food, the sugar combines with the bacteria in our mouth and forms an acid. This acid is what causes cavities in our teeth. Choose nutritious snacks for your child to eat. Fruits and vegetables are important for healthy gums and dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are the best foods for teeth because they contain calcium. Calcium helps with the formation of adult teeth and helps to keep them strong.
NOTES FROM OUR MUSIC TEACHER
The 1st grade, 2nd grade, and Chorus Spring Music Concert will take place on Thursday, March 10th in the East Lake High School auditorium at 6:30 pm. They will perform rock songs from the 50's to the 80's. Please plan to drop your 1st or 2nd grade child off in the chorus room at East Lake High School between 6:00-6:15 pm. There will be signs posted to direct the students where to meet. Chorus students should gather in the back left of the auditorium by 6:15 pm.
You may choose to dress your child according to the theme. Girls could wear poodle skirts or pink jackets and capris and boys could wear a plain white shirt, rolled up jeans, and a fake leather jacket if they have one. Parents should plan to stay for the entire program which should conclude about 7:30 pm. After the performance, the 2nd grade students can be picked up from the chorus room, and the 1st grade and chorus students can be picked up from the lobby of the auditorium.
Mrs. Richter, the music teacher will be e-mailing parents of the 1st and 2nd grade students with a speaking part in the next couple of weeks to ensure they practice at home with the script and attend the performance. If you have any questions, please e-mail Mrs. Richter at richtere@pcsb.org.
Elizabeth Richter
General Music, Chorus, and Strings Teacher
Cypress Woods Elementary
4900 Cypress Woods Blvd
Palm Harbor, FL 34685
(727)538-7325
richtere@pcsb.org
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Are you planning a family trip for the holidays? As you think about your arrangements, we want to stress the importance of sending your child to school every day possible. Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after the winter holiday as families squeeze in a few more vacation days. It’s time to break that cycle. We know that just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school. Put simply, too many absences at any age can affect a student’s chances for academic success and eventually for graduation.
We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away. The costs of plane tickets often influence when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school— and the message you will be sending about the importance of attendance. Even if you’ve got a homework packet from the teacher, it doesn’t make up for the interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until vacation starts and the first day back. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
When a student is absent from school for any reason, parents are to send in a written note to the teacher explaining the absence or email the school at cypresswoodses.absence@pcsb.org and copy the teacher on the email. Absences will remain unexcused until such documentation is received by the school. Children with poor attendance patterns may be referred to the Pinellas County Truancy Intervention Program. Class work is required to be made up during or after an excused absence. Upon returning to school following an excused absence, a student has as many days to make up the work as days absent. A doctor’s note is required to excuse a student from PE for more than 3 days and documentation is required for absences exceeding 5 days.
Mask Update
Below is the most current information from Pinellas County Schools:
- Strongly recommending that face coverings be worn when indoors by staff, students and visitors/volunteers and by continuing to have them available at schools and district facilities and on buses for students, staff and visitors.
- Teachers will have access to a supply of masks for any student in need.
- Families who opt not to have their student utilize a mask will not have to complete any form.
- The individual choices of all families will be respected.
- Parents are encouraged to reach out to their principal or teacher if they have a concern regarding adherence to their choice.
Reminder About Electronics
Pinellas County Schools recognizes the ever-increasing importance of technology in students’ lives and the beneficial role it can play for student education and communication when used responsibly. The possession and use of such devices should not interfere with academic instruction, student safety or a positive school climate.
A friendly reminder that our district policy outlined in the Code of Student Conduct states that students may possess a cell phone and other electronic devices in school, on school property, at school-related functions, provided these items are POWERED OFF and concealed from view while school is in session. This policy includes smart watches!! Any student who fails to abide by the terms of this policy forfeits any right or privilege to possess any electronic device described in this policy.
Rotary Student of the Month
SAFETY PATROL OF THE MONTH
SAFETY PATROL OFFICERS
Congratulations to our Officers!
Captain- Aubrey Mast
Lieutenants- Lily Vincent, Peyton Lango, and Olivia Oliveira
Sergeants- Elaina Torres and Emma Huzar
Notes From Kim Shipley, Family & Community Liaison
Dear Volunteers,
I hope everyone is healthy and staying safe. Thank you for taking the time to enter your volunteer hours! If you have not yet entered your hours and missed the December deadline for entering your volunteer hours, we still want you to enter them. Please enter them in the new semester DO NOT back-date your entry to before 12/18/21 as this will cause problems with our volunteer system! We are currently at around 1500 hours, but usually we are closer to 5000 by this time of the school year. Remember, every hour counts; helping from home, Lunch Pals/Mentoring, Tutoring, PTA, SAC meetings, Book Fair, Classroom Assistance, Media Center, Field Trips, Special Events (GATI), Field Days, and more! The dates are not as important as the hours themselves, so feel free to chunk you time and make one entry for all your hours by description. There will be another report of our hours sent to Tallahassee at the end of the school year, so please remember to enter your volunteer hours throughout the 2nd semester. If you need assistance, please contact me at shipleyk@pcsb.org
Volunteer Opportunities:
- Book Fair volunteers needed - Friday, February 11 through February 18th : https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aa8ad2fabf8c16-spring
- We still have a great need for Lunch Pals (Mentors) for a few students. If you would like to be another caring adult and role model for a student at our school, please sign up to take one of the upcoming workshops so we can match you with a student. Follow this link to sign up: www.pcsb.org/mentor Lunch Pals meet with a student once a week during their lunchtime for 30 minutes, it’s a short amount of time with a huge impact!
- School Store Fundraiser is ongoing this month –Go to www.schoolstore.net and sign up, then return the envelope with your special code to receive a hugger (Participation prizes are available while supplies last.)
- Monday, February 21st – No School Pro-Ed Day
Thanks again for all you do!
Kim Shipley
Family & Community Liaison
Cypress Woods Elementary
4900 Cypress Woods Blvd
Palm Harbor, FL 34685
727-538-7325 ext. 2045
New Volunteers register online now at: www.pcsb.org/volunteerregistration
Lunch Pal Mentors needed, sign up at: www.pcsb.org/mentor
Updates From Our PTA
Feb 22 - 2-22-22 Spirit Night Brian's Ice
March 4 - Family Movie Night 5:30
You can still order your 2021-2022 yearbook! Please visit www.treering.com. If you have ordered a yearbook previous years, use your username/password to login and customize your pages. If you have not ordered before, use the code: 1015325439961059 to set up your account and order! Every person gets 2 free customized pages if you order before April 1st.
You can still join PTA by going to https://cypresswoods.memberhub.com/store
Sign Up For Bus Updates!
If you receive a bus bulletin and decide that you would like to pick up your student in the carline, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SCHOOL FIRST. We ask that you do not show up in the bus circle to pick up your student as they may already be on their way to their bus stops.
Cafeteria Update
Free and Reduced Lunch Applications
Opt in For CWE Text Alerts
Using the list below, sign up under the grade of your youngest student in order to receive text alerts about school events, PTA and volunteering. (The information will be the SAME on all accounts, so you should only sign up under one class…)
To 81010, please text the following:
- PRE K @b49fk3
- KINDERGARTEN @24b47f
- 1ST GRADE @cf6c38
- 2ND GRADE @9f7edc
- 3RD GRADE @cwethi
- 4TH GRADE @2ce39k7
- 5TH GRADE @e26kb9
Cypress Woods Elementary
Email: cypresswoodses.absence@pcsb.org
Website: pcsb.org/cypress-es
Location: 4900 Cypress Woods Boulevard, Palm Harbor, FL, USA
Phone: 727-538-7325
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cypresswoodses/
Twitter: @cypresswoodses