November News
11-2-2020
Fall is here!
Peculiar Families,
Here we are in the second quarter! Your children have worked so hard and been so fun to have at school these past 9 weeks. We have enjoyed all of the activity and buzz back in our school walls.
The weather has certainly cooled off, (snow?!!) along with some warmer days, and lots of rain too. I think we have seen every season in the past several weeks. As the weather gets colder, we are still going outside to get some movement and much needed fresh air. Please send your child in coats, gloves, hats when weather is chilly. We will also at times have snow on the ground, and classrooms will still be going outside (temperature permitting)-so be sure to check footwear on those days. We love to go outside and play, so please help us keep everyone included and warm when heading out.
We have also had several practice days for virtual learning now. Thank you for your patience and grace as we learned how to bring and return our devices, how to charge them to be ready for learning, and how to get on google meets and complete our work. I know we had a few glitches in the google meets this past Friday, and we are working to trouble shoot those to prevent them next time. Our teachers appreciate your support at home as you have helped your child navigate this new learning platform.
Fall parties went well, and the kids had a great time taking a break to do some fun activities and enjoy some snacks and social time with each other. Thank you for sending in donations to help us purchase the supplies needed to offer these activities to our students and teachers.
Our students are really pushing themselves in reading, blending and building words, answering questions, and creating some independent writing pieces. In math we are busy learning our numbers, counting groups, skip counting, adding, subtracting, and learning to represent numbers and number problems in multiple ways. We encourage you to ask your child to tell you what they did in class each day. Have them pick one thing to explain or teach to you at home. They are excited about their learning and teachers are always conferencing with them about where they are with their progress. Your child should be able to tell you about their learning.
It is going to be an awesome 2nd quarter of learning and growing and we can't wait to see all of the things we are capable of doing!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call.
-Keri Collison
Principal
Early Dismissal on November 5th
Just a reminder that we will have an early dismissal day on Thursday, November 5th.
School will dismiss at 1:05 p.m.
If your child will be going home a different way than they normally go home, we ask that you call the office by 11:00 a.m. at the latest on Thursday. This allows us to prepare our dismissal sheets, teachers adjust dismissal processes, and ensures that we get your your child to the right place.
We appreciate your support with this.
Important Dates to Remember:
November 1: Daylight Savings Time (set clocks back an hour)
November 4 & 5: Parent Teacher Conferences
November 6: No School
November 11: Veteran's Day
November 11: Picture retakes
November 18: Student Thanksgiving lunch
November 20: Panda Express PTA Night (more info to come)
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break
Nov 4 & 5 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences will take place Nov. 4 and 5.
This year, all parent-teacher conferences will be held virtually via Google Meet. You should have already received information to sign up for your conference time. If you have not yet connected with your child's teacher, please reach out and get on her schedule.
Teachers and staff are excited to "meet" and collaborate with parents about their child's progress thus far and goals for the second quarter.
P-T Conference Dates:
- Wednesday, Nov. 4: 4 to 7 p.m ---Full day of school attendance
- Thursday, Nov. 5: 1 to 7 p.m. ---Early release day
- Friday, Nov. 6---No in-person classes AND no virtual classes
Meet our Second Grade Team!
Counselor's Corner with Mrs. Robinson
Counselor Classroom Activities
What Is Bullying?
Not every mean thing that happens to us is bullying. We are working to change our vocabulary at Peculiar Elementary to really explain what is happening.
Bullying is very specific and must meet 4 criteria:
1. Unequal balance of power - The target feels as though they cannot stop it and need help
2. Physical, Emotional, Social or Cyber hurting - It can be one of these hurtful behaviors over and over or a mix of several of them
3. Repeatedly hurtful - When someone is bullying they are hurtful over and over
4. Intentional
So if it's NOT bullying, what is it??
Conflict:
-No one is having fun
-There is a possible solution
-Equal balance of power -Both people or groups are arguing back and forth
Usually friends have conflicts, it can happen over and over, but they are able to problem solve.
Mean Moment:
-Someone is physical, emotional, or socially hurt on purpose
-Usually a reaction to a strong feeling
-Isolated (one time) event
Mean moments are not ok and usually need adult problem solving but it usually only happens once.
Joking:
-Everyone is having fun
-No one is getting hurt
-Everyone is participating equally
As long as everyone is present and participating and having fun, it's just joking around!
What Can I Do??
In counseling lessons we are talking about what to do if we see bullying, or just someone having a mean moment. We learn to be an UPSTANDER instead of just being a bystander.
UPSTANDERS have some choices when it comes to stopping bullying.
They can
1. Report - Get an adult and ask for help
2. Support - We can take the target away from the bullying or ask them what you can do to help.
3. Stand Up - The final choice is to stand up to the unkind person by telling them that it is not ok to treat people that way.
Parent Resources
This short video explains our choices and is a good video to watch with the kids to help them to visualize the choices of being an UPSTANDER!
Stopbullying.gov‘s mission is to provide information from various government agencies on what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond to bullying.
PTA INFORMATION
Our next PTA meeting will be held on Monday, December 14 in the school library. Please plan to wear your mask and come on out to get involved!
We will also open a google meet link if you would like to join virtually. If that is something you are interested in, please email drew.stewart@raypec.org and we will get you the link to the meeting. We hope you can come!
We invite all families to join the Peculiar PTA as members of our school community. Joining the PTA does not obligate you any job, but gives you the opportunity to contribute and vote on decisions for our school family. PTA membership is $10 per family.
Please click the link below to complete the membership form: PTA Membership Form
Our PTA also compiles a school directory to be distributed to only families in our building. Peculiar Elementary can not distribute personal communication between families, so the PTA provides contact information for the families. Each family may provide as much or little contact information as they choose.
Please complete the directory form to show what, if any information may be shared. PTA Directory Information
Earn a Substitute Teaching Certificate!
DESE recently added a new option for individuals who would like to work as a substitute teacher. In lieu of having 60 college hours, an individual may complete a 20-hour online course.
We recently learned that the state has relief funds that will be used to reimburse all those who have paid their $50 application fee for the Substitute Teacher Certification between the dates of August 18 and November 4, 2020. In addition, CRF funds will be used to reimburse all those who have paid their $175 online training fee for the Substitute Teacher Certification between the dates of August 18 and November 4, 2020.
If you or someone you know has an interest in becoming a substitute teacher, now is the time to do so! Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested. I have included links to the DESE webpage for your convenience. I am happy to help anyone walk through this process. Please don't hesitate to reach out. Have a great afternoon.
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures:
Arrival:
Our doors open to welcome our elementary students each morning at 8:20 am. Students should then proceed to class as our teachers are excited to begin with their class family at the start of each day! Breakfast will be provided in the classroom to those students who choose to eat breakfast.
Students should not arrive at school earlier than 8:20 a.m. Staff supervision begins at 8:20 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:35 am.
Walkers/Bike Riders -will enter through the front doors.
Car riders/Daycare Van Riders are to be unloaded using the southwest parking lot. We ask that you patiently wait in your car until you reach the cones and a staff member welcomes you and your student(s) before they exit your vehicle. Please help your child open their car door because staff is unable to do so.
Bus Riders wait on the bus until a teacher arrives to unload along the front driveway west of the building. Students will wear masks. Family members should be seated together. Bus drivers will seat students in the order they are picked up.
Dismissal:
All students are dismissed at 3:50 pm. All dismissal changes should be communicated to our office via phone/email by 2:30pm. This allows sufficient time to notify teachers and students of changes.
Walkers/Bike Riders will be dismissed after car riders and busses are dismissed for safety reasons.
We ask that parents who are waiting for walkers wait near the fire hydrant, and not near the car rider line, front doors, or bike rack. This will be important this year due to social distancing guidelines.
Car Riders/Daycare Riders will be dismissed in the order of their cars arrival.
Please make sure you have your blue car tag with your child’s first and last name visible in the passenger window of your vehicle. Two car tags were mailed home. If you need an additional blue car tag, please notify the front office.
For the safety of your children, please be ready to show your ID if you do not have a yellow car tag or if staff may have a question/concern. We appreciate your patience.
Utilize the car rider line if you are picking up your student at dismissal in your car. Please do not park in our parking lots and then ask your child to cross the parking lot to your car.
- Bus Riders will wait in their classrooms until their bus is called. Students will wear masks. Family members should be seated together. On the bus ride home, students will sit in the same seat they came in on.
Apple Bus Info
The Ray-Pec School District contracts with Apple Bus Company to provide student transportation. To inquire about transportation or to speak with an Apple Bus employee about your child's bus experience, call Apple Bus directly at 816-318-1900, or you may send an email to Apple Bus at rp@applebuscompany.com.
Quick Tip Reporting:
Report school safety and bullying concerns through Quick Tip:
Peculiar Elementary Mission & Vision
Mission:
Preparing each student for a successful and meaningful life.
Vision:
A future-focused community with a commitment to lifelong learning.