Simonton Parent Newsletter
Friday, February 7, 2020
Every Student, Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
A Message from Ms. Perkins:
Next Tuesday, February 11, 2020 our we will hold our next All Pro Dads event. Join us at Gravity Trampoline Park for an evening of fun. More information can be found on our school website. Bring out the whole family.
On Thursday, February 13, 2020 our Simonton ES PTA will host a "Sweetheart" Dance. Tickets are on sale for $10.00. There will be food, face painting and great music. Come out to celebrate Valentine's with us.
Friday, February 14, 2020 and Monday, February 17, 2020 are student holidays. All Gwinnett County Public Schools will be closed. Students will return on Tuesday, February 18, 2020. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 19, 2020 and Thursday, February 20, 2020. Parent conferences will be held that day and students will be dismissed at 12:15 pm. Please send in a note or a transportation form if students need to go home a different way.
Stay warm and dry and have an awesome weekend!
Counselor Appreciation Week!
National School Counseling Week 2020, "School Counselors: Helping Build Better Humans," focuses public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
Why we celebrate:
As Amanda Williams explained two years ago, "The purpose of this month is to celebrate the endeavors and accomplishments of black people throughout history — from the inventor of the Eder-Berry biopsy gastroscope to the first black president. But most important, it’s about the epic challenges and struggles black Americans have had to overcome in order to reach those successes — from slavery to the civil rights struggles that are still ongoing today."
Just a few of those we celebrate...
Celebrating Black History Art Contest:
Celebrating Black History 2020
Theme: “I have a dream…”
Rules
1. The contest is open to all students K-5.
2. Students may enter only one piece of artwork.
3. All entries must be based on the theme and have the theme written
on artwork.
Art
1. Artwork must be an original piece created by YOU,
theme-based on 8.5 x 11 white copy paper (please do not fold paper).
2. No three-dimensional (sculptures) or poster boards will be accepted.
3. Student first and last name, grade and teacher must be clearly printed on back of artwork.
4. Examples of art medium are: crayons, paint, colored pencils, markers or computer art.
All artwork due to Mrs. Robinson’s Art room by Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.
*Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each grade level.
Next Week's Lunch Menu:
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Friday, February 14, 2020 is an Inclement Weather Makeup Day. If we do not need this scheduled make-up day, it will be a Student/Teacher Holiday.
Next Week at Simonton:
Tuesday, February 11
- All Pro Dads Event ~ Gravity Trampoline Park (5:30- 8:00 pm)
Wednesday, February 12
- Ms. D's Kindergarten visit
Thursday, February 13
- PTA Sweetheart Dance ~ 5:30- 7:30 pm
Friday, February 14
- Valentine's Day
- Inclement Weather Make-up Day -OR- Student/Teacher Holiday
A Glance Ahead:
Monday, February 17
- President's Day ~No School
Wednesday, February 19
- Early Release ~ Student dismissal at 12:15 p m
Thursday, February 20
- Early Release ~ Student dismissal at 12:15 pm
Saturday, February 22
- Saturday Intervention (2nd-5th grades) ~ 9:00-11:00 am
All Pro Dads Event:
Support Simonton Elementary's All Pro Dad Program and a local family owned business Gravity Trampoline Park. This event is for the whole family and Non-Simonton Students are welcome to come.
All Pro Dad (30 minute) breakout session will be at 6:15pm
Simonton All Pro Dad Spirit Night
Tuesday Feb. 11th, 5:30-8pm
Gravity Trampoline Park
2135 Main St E #100b, Snellville, GA 30078
Discounted Pricing:
$15/child, $5/Adult
$3 socks
Learn more at www.allprodad.com
Staying Healthy:
2020 GCPS Graduation Schedule:
Don't Forget to Order/Purchase the following:
Yearbook:
Yearbooks can be ordered through MyPaymentsPlus. This year's hardcover edition costs $23.00.
Don't forget about uploading pictures that you take! With Balfour's Image Share app, anyone in our school community can easily share photos of school events or friends from their mobile devices. Simonton's project code is 028127 and a password is not required (so that part can just be skipped).
Field Day t-shirts:
Field Day t-shirts can be purchased through MyPaymentsPlus now until February 29, 2020 for $7.00.
Field Day Dates:
March 26, 2020 ~ Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
March 27, 2010 ~ 3rd & 4th Grade
Please email Mr. Cheney if you are interested in being a parent volunteer for one of these two days: daniel.cheney@gcpsk12.org
Sweetheart Dance Tickets:
"A "Knight" to Remember"... Simonton PTA will be hosting its 6th annual Daddy/Daughter, Mother/Son Sweetheart dance on Thursday, Feb 13, 2020.
$10.00/person
Please return RSVP forms by Tuesday, February 11, 2020 by 3:00 pm.
Gwinnett Online Campus (GOC):
Students in grades 4-12 interested in attending GOC full time for 2020-21 must complete the registration process during the month of February. Interested families are encouraged to attend an open house and tour at the school’s campus at 10 a.m. on Jan. 28, Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Feb. 11, Feb. 12, or Feb. 13. An informational meeting is set for Feb. 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m., or check out informational videos online. Once a grade level is full, a waiting list will be established. GOC does not offer mid-year enrollment.
Weekly Parent Engagement Tips:
1. Inspire caring and creativity with valentines Valentine's Day (February 14) is coming up. To teach your child about caring for others, make a list together of people who might like to receive a valentine, such as a lonely child, a single neighbor, a helpful store clerk or the school custodian. Ask your child to make some cards for them, and help her deliver her valentines in person. Seeing the recipients' joy will encourage more kind gestures. 2. Use a schedule to make responsibility routine To help your child finish homework and chores without having to nag him repeatedly, create a responsibility routine. Write down a schedule with specific times for homework, chores, free time and screen time. If you stick to the schedule, your child will know he must finish homework, set the table and lay out his clothes for tomorrow before he plays. Have him check off each task as he completes it. 3. Get into character with homemade hats You can boost your child's reading comprehension by having her act out the story. And whether she is pretending to be a magician, pirate, cowgirl or chef, the right hat adds to the fun. To make one: Place a sheet of newspaper or gift wrap on your child's head. Gather it at eyebrow level and tape the gathers with masking tape. Cut a brim from some more paper. Tape it on and let your child's imagination take over. 4. Turn passing time into thinking time When you are doing errands or stuck in traffic, keep your child's brain working with thinking activities. At the supermarket, for example, ask him to point out all the orange items he sees, or everything that costs more than two dollars but less than three. In the car, ask him to find signs with the letter J or the word "store" in them. Ask questions that require thought, too: "What do you think might happen if … ?" 5. Ask this question when your child gets home When your child gets home today, try asking her the same question Nobel Prize-winning physicist Isidor Rabi's mother asked him: "Did you ask a good question today?" Encourage your child to think about what she's learning in class so she will know what she wants to ask. Rabi credited his mother for his becoming a scientist; her daily query prompted him to ask thoughtful questions. 6. Reward positive effort with a weekend surprise! Tell your child you've planned something special for the weekend, but don't say what it is. Let his imagination build the excitement. After dinner, ask everyone to get into pajamas. Then build a fort with pillows, chairs and blankets. Pop popcorn and put pieces of cut fruit on sticks. Stay up late reading, playing board games and eating your treats. In the morning, serve your child's favorite breakfast. 7. Help your child keep schoolwork organized To help your child organize her schoolwork, give her a three-ring binder with some dividers for each subject. Add some pockets for holding papers. Everything goes in the binder by subject: handouts, completed homework and corrected tests. It's your child's job to take the binder to school and bring it home each night. She'll have what she needs when she needs it, all in one place.
Simonton Elementary School- What We Stand For:
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling.
Simonton Elementary School
Assistant Superintendent- Dr. Terry Watlington
Board Member- Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal- Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal- Daphne Miles
Assistant Principal- Nicole Tomlinson
Assistant Principal- Emily Young
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: (770) 513-6637