Monday, November 27

Professional Day- No Students

Tuesday, November 28

Soccer Game versus Basilica - at MWR field

Wednesday, November 29

Assailant Drill

Botanical Gardens 1st grade

Thursday, November 30

Botanical Gardens 1st grade

Friday, December 1

Please consider making a donation of any size to help cover the cost of the holiday party for SCS staff. The party takes place at LaTeDa before the Winter Recess and provides an opportunity for staff to interact and relax after a very busy season. Our goal is to raise $3000 to cover the cost. All donations are appreciated. Click below to make a donation.

Penny Wars have begun! Look under the couch cushions and under the car seats for loose change because the last week of November (27th-30th) the collection jars come out and the gloves come off! Leaders will be announced on December 1st.

Sigsbee PTO is excited to bring back the holiday lights trolley tour! If you'd like to sponsor this wonderful tradition, please email sigsbeepto@gmail.com.

To reserve seats, fill out the Google form (below) and pay for tickets in advance (below). Tickets are not reserved until payment is received.

The Spirit Store is up and running! Show your Sailfish spirit and be sure to check back regularly, new products will be added periodically:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/e2b25a9d-32d3-428f-aa64-3cc60087c011

MWR Cheer Clinic on the evening of December 8th. Anyone between the ages of 5-12 with an MWR patron sponsor is welcome to register for the clinic.

The clinic begins at 4:00pm and ends at 6:30pm. The kids will each get a t-shirt and pizza dinner. They will also perform the routine they learn during the clinic at halftime of the Flag Football game.

Below is a direct link to the registration page:

Click on the picture below to see an excerpt from the third grade salute to veterans.

Thank you for your service. We appreciate you.

Students who are purchasing lunch but do not want the Thanksgiving Meal will be served a grilled cheese sandwich, bag o'chips, carrots with ranch dressing, bottle of water, fruit and milk

Gratitude and Communication

The counselors and staff are thankful for the opportunity to know and grow with our amazing students. For this month’s resiliency education we will be talking about gratitude and communication. Lessons will be focused on thankfulness projects, learning about the balance of being assertive and kind, and using I-statements.

Your children may have told you that they took a walking field trip this week to learn where we would reunify on base should we ever have an emergency at campus and need to relocate. This exercise was part of our monthly safety drill. Staff participated in additional reunification training.

Please consider taking this opportunity to talk to your children about your expectations should you ever have to suddenly leave your house and find one another. Students practice fire safety, weather safety and assailant drills on a monthly basis. It's prudent to mirror these drills at home so students know what to do should there be a fire, weather event or safety issue at home. Remember to identify a close rendezvous point that include safe adults your children can access should they need help.

Here's a look at our costume parade from Halloween. We were so impressed by students' creativity in assembling costumes. Click on the picture to view the parade in action.

Gather your flock and Join us for the 1st Annual Southernmost Turkey Trot 5K and 1 Mile Rooster Romp at 8:00AM Thanksgiving morning (11/23) in Key West. The event benefits Reef Relief.

Use code 'SCS' when you register, and the school will earn $2 for every adult registration and $1 for every child registration.

Register today and make this your family's new Thanksgiving Morning Tradition!

All Participants Receive:

FREE Super Soft T-Shirt for Adult Participants (first 500 participants)

FREE Turkey Trot Cotton T-Shirt for Kids 5-10 years old

Kids 4 and under are FREE

FREE Commemorative Finisher Medal

FREE Mimosa from our Mimosa Bar for all 21+ participants-Kids receive a Free orange juice at the Southernmost Point Bar in the USA.

FREE post-race snacks

Get Your Family Picture with Dash at the Southernmost Point Bouy

Post Race Party at the Southernmost Point Bar

Sigsbee is position B8 between Amelia and Catherine St. @ 3pm. We are collecting clean, wrapped candy donations Thursday Nov 8th after school!

COSTUME EVENTS DRESS CODES

• Costumes are not allowed to have any dangerous objects (i.e., toy swords, toy guns, chains, skates, or spray cans). Please leave all accessories at home.

• Students should be able to manipulate their costumes to use the restroom independently.

• Young children should be in costume when they arrive at school and be able to sit and learn without distraction.

• Costumes should not be frightening. No blood or gore. No masks or costumes that cover the head (head coverings may be worn during the parade only)

• Costumes should be opaque.

• Shoes must be safe (no slippers or high heels)

• Face masks, hoods, or anything that covers the entire face cannot be worn outside of parade time.

• If a child does not meet the guidelines, they will be asked to remove the costume.

Students may have to select a different costume for the school parade than they choose to wear that evening. Students are not required to participate. Adults are welcome to take costumes home after the parade.

If you are attending the parade, you will be asked to wait away from the classrooms until the students are ready.

At the request of the teachers, please do not send children to school with candy before, during, or after Halloween. We cannot allow them to give it to other students and excess sugar does not help them learn and pay attention. If you need to remove excess treats from your home, you can donate your unused candy to the office and we will use it during the Veteran's Day Parade.

Thursday November 2nd.

If you would like picture re-takes bring back your original pictures to give to the photographers.

Sports Teams wear your Team uniforms in the morning and bring a change of clothes for the afternoon.

SCS exceeded our goal and raised $544 to support Rotary's efforts to eliminate polio worldwide. Four children can be vaccinated for each dollar. Sigsbee students and staff helped $2146 students! Great job Sailfish.

PENNY WARS

Students were sent home with blue pouches to collect coins and bills for Penny Wars! This year Penny Wars will run from November 1st - 30th, and again from April 1st - 25th. This is a great way to raise money for SCS and the students love the competition! Please see the flyer for more details!

We honor our incredible staff members, thank you for making our school so amazing:

Zombieland was crawling with gory ghouls and goblins thanks to Melanie Rodriguez and her team of student and parent volunteers. Thank you for making this a monstrously fun event.

A special thank you to our volunteers for these events: Anna Chambliss, Lee Rekas, Tiffanie McInturff, Grandma Zielinski, Julie Way

Please sign up here to help out or sponsor future staff appreciations events.

Rotarians will be at both car lines at arrival. Parents are welcome to also have their pinkies marked for a donation. Students can make a donation even if they don't want a mark on their pinky

In 1985, Rotary International began an effort to eliminate Polio worldwide. Polio has not been a problem in the United States for many years, but this is not the case in many developing counties. By partnering with the World Health Organization, Rotary International has achieved 99% reduction of Polio worldwide. The Rotary Clubs in Key West have been participating in this effort from the beginning.

HELP US CLOSE THE GAP.

With the Purple Pinkie Project, Rotarians want to raise awareness and to give students an opportunity to be part of the solution.

On October 24th, members from The Rotary Clubs in Key West will visit your child’s school. It takes $1.00 to immunize five children from polio. Students are encouraged to bring $1.00 or more donation to help eliminate Polio worldwide and raise awareness throughout our community.

All students will have the chance to have his/her pinkie marked with a Purple Magic Marker as a symbol of one child immunized from Polio. Any donations will be given to Rotary for the project.

Markers are used by Rotary International to mark children after they have been immunized from Polio. This prevents double dosage. It is safe.

ONLY FILL OUT THE PERMISSION SLIP BELOW IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CHILD TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT PUBLIC AWARENESS RAISING PROJECT.

On Wednesday November 1st from 12:30-2:00 Sigsbee is going to have Coach Diane from the International Women’s Flag Football Association run a Free clinic with any girls in grade 3, 4 and 5 that are interested. The Girls will learn, throwing, catching, rules of the game and run some drills. Please fill out the below google form if your daughter is interested. The girls will have lunch in the Cafe with the enrichment classes (You do not need to be registered for enrichment) Please bring a lunch or you may choose the school provided lunch. If you have any questions, Please contact Lindsey Brooker at Lindsey.Brooker@sigsbee.org.

Need Volunteer Hours? Sign up to help sell sodas and waters at this year’s Fantasy Market on Friday, October 27th 10am-3pm at the Truman Waterfront Park. Flexible times and a lot of fun!

PENNY WARS

Next week students will be coming home with blue pouches to collect coins and bills for Penny Wars! This year Penny Wars will run from November 1st - 30th, and again from April 1st - 25th. This is a great way to raise money for SCS and the students love the competition! Please see the flyer for more details!

We did a little better this month Keep scanning your receipts and earning cash for our school. Download the app to see how easy it really is and use this code to get 20 bonus box tops: https://btfe.smart.link/c2jjdifkw?referral_code=M1FA5T2X

Next meeting: Monday, November 13th @ 3:15 in the library

All elementary students currently enrolled in After School Enrichment on Wednesday's will automatically be re-enrolled for the Second Quarter. You will be receiving an invoice for the Second Quarter this week. Feel free to prepay using the Sigsbee Paypal account or by dropping off cash or a check to the front office. All payments for second quarter enrichment must be paid by October 20th, 2023.

If you would like your student removed from Second Quarter Enrichment, please fill out the attached Google Form to do so. Remove my Student from Q2 ASE

If your student is currently NOT enrolled in the program and would like to be, please fill out this form. Enrichment Sign up.

If you have any questions about After School Enrichment please contact Lindsey Brooker at lindsey.brooker@sigsbee.org.

If you have any questions about making payments or your student's account, please contact douglas.helkenn@sigsbee.org.

This month the counselors and staff will be talking about kindness and ways to stand up against bullying. Every Sailfish is important and deserves to feel safe and comfortable being at school. Reporting any situation in which a student feels unsafe or mistreated is confidential and taken seriously. They can report concerns by asking to speak to a counselor, or by talking with their teacher or any other trusted adult. Parents please feel free to email us if you have any concerns. More information about bullying can be found by visiting this link.

https://www.ncab.org.au/bullying-advice/bullying-for-parents/types-of-bullying/

Come join us at our Zombieland fundraiser Sunday, October 22nd from 2pm-6pm at East Martello. The ride leaves the fort at 6pm, but we’ll make sure YOU WON'T MISS THE RIDE!!

Is your family or business interested in sponsoring/funding or helping with a staff lunch? If so, click on the link below!

Stay in the know by following us on Facebook: Sigsbeepto:

Next meeting: Monday, October 16th @ 3:15 in the library

This week, our safety drill included a foul weather scenario asking students and staff to think about their options should their be lightning or flash flooding in the area. Below are some links toinformation you can use to have further discussions at home.

Friday was Officer Nick's 50th Birthday and the birthday wishes were just blowing through campus. Happy birthday Officer Dantu!

Click below to view educators at SCS who have not yet earned their ESOL endorsement.

It's Sigsbee's Family Movie Night!

We are so excited to host our first movie night since COVID! This is a great family event to bring students and their families together with other families to enjoy a movie camping style in the cafeteria!

So bring your pillows, blankets and lawn chairs and grab some snacks from the National Honor Society and come enjoy a family friendly favorite, Disney's WALL-E.

We are looking for 5 volunteers to set up(push tables aside) at 2:20 just before pick up. Same 5 volunteers will help put tables back and clean up. Earn 2 volunteer hours for a minimal 30-45 minutes of your time!

See you all there!!

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VOLUNTEER FOR SET UP AND BREAK DOWN

• Wednesday enrichment: hot lunch options for enrichment students will be available starting in October.
• Progress monitoring: Students are completing their first round of state progress monitoring assessments. These results indicate how close they are to reaching proficiency on grade level standards. It is expected that the results will improve over the course of the year, as students learn the new material designated for their grade level.
• Dismissal: Please be sure to keep classroom and hallway sidewalks clear when dropping off and picking up students at the door. Students are having a difficult time exiting their classrooms because adults are crowding the pavement. Thank you!
• New Staff: We welcome Dr. Eric Stair, our new mathematics coach, and Mr. Michael Megella, our new IT Specialist to our Sigsbee family.

In the words of a wise Sigsbee first-grader: "The moral is that if you think you're not good at something, you just need to keep trying and practice. Don't give up." Here's to celebrating grit, perseverance and creativity!

For the month of September the counselors’ focus will be on the national campaign,

“See Something, Say Something”.

We will be talking with students about advocating for each other, specifically, the importance of making sure that all are being included, being kind to each other, and making sure everyone feels like they belong.

For example, if they see someone is lonely, say hello.

Or if a friend is feeling stressed or sad, it can be helpful to share concerns with an adult.

We will also talk about the difference between snitching versus reporting.

Once again, the Zielinski Family knocked it out of the park with their pizza, salads and beverages for our Meet the Teacher staff appreciation dinner. Always a delicious treat

A huge THANK YOU to the Hamraev family (Hamraev Daniyar), Pairmont family (Pairmont Desmond) and Salamakhin- Zherebtsova family (Salamakhin Daniel) for sponsoring our September staff lunch! How fabulous

Is your family or business interested in sponsoring/funding or helping with a staff lunch? If so, click on the link below!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054AACAD23A2F94-staff4

Every little bit counts. Let’s try to beat this amount in September! . Download the Box Tops app, then start shopping and scanning!

Stay in the know by following us on Facebook: Sigsbeepto

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094354886340&mibextid=LQQJ4d

See you Monday @ 3:15 in the library for our first PTO meeting! Childcare provided.

Our team is focusing on two important behaviors that we need to fix up so that we are true to our Sigsbee Way. Please talk to your child about the importance of keeping "Bodies to Self" (no touching, kicking, pushing, licking) and "Use Kind Words" (eliminate profanity, offensive language)

Thank you for a fun and exciting Family Picnic PTO

- Our first fundraising event is coming up soon! Bring your little zombies October 22nd from 2-6PM to the Zombieland Kid Zone @ Fort East Martello! Sigsbee has been selected to run this inaugural event complete with bounce house, popcorn, cotton candy and other refreshments. Volunteers can still participate in Zombie Bike Ride! Contact Melanie Rodriguez if you'd like to earn volunteer hours and work this fun event: melqrod@gmail.com

- Earn money for our school while you grocery shop! Download the Box Tops app and begin collecting https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/how-to-earn

- A special "thank you" to staff appreciation chair, Melissa Zielinski, for presenting each staff member with their very own set of silverware to use at lunch and during staff appreciation events. What a great way to cut down on our waste and help make our school more eco-friendly!

- Are you thankful for our amazing teachers and staff for all they do for our children? Sign up to sponsor a staff lunch, they deserve it: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054AACAD23A2F94-staff4#/

- Join us for our first meeting September 18th @ 3:10pm and earn one volunteer hour for participating. Special prizes for those who sign up to get involved!

Stay in the Know, Join the PTO!

The Sigsbee Scoop and emergency notifications are being sent via Blackboard this year. If you have not received any text messages thusfar, it is likely that your SMS option was not checked on your registration documents. Please use the button below to request that we change that preference.

We need help at recess! Please consider signing up to help with lunch and recess supervision- especially for little people who are still learning the campus. The buttons below will allow you to sign up for any day through October. You will receive volunteer hours for the time spent .

Grade level times are as follows:

Kindergarten 12:00-1:00 PM (most needed time)

First and Second Grade 12:30-1:30 PM

Third and Fourth Grade 11:30-12:30

Fifth and Sixth Grade 10:30-11:30

Seventh and Eighth Grade: 11:00-11:30 (no help needed)

If your child is signed up for enrichment but not participating on a particular session, please either email Lindsey.brooker@sigsbee.org or call the main office 305-294-1861.

Wednesday early-out for students. Dismissal is at noon for kindergarten-grade 5 and 2:00 PM for grade 6 - grade 8. Elementary students who wish to participate in afterschool enrichment can sign up using the button below. Those who qualify for free or reduced lunch will have fees adjusted accordingly. All others will be charged $50 for each quarter the student is enrolled. Students may not stay after school unless registered for enrichment.

MWR campers- MWR will pick up students both at noon and 2:00 PM.

Be sure that you sign up AND pay in order for your child to be registered.

Meet the Coaches/Informational meeting Wednesday August 16th 2:00-2;45.

Adults must sign in at office

Boys' and Girls' Soccer in Room 31

Girls' Volleyball in the Cafeteria

Middle School Volleyball/Soccer Parent Permission Form

All Sigsbee Charter School Substitute Teachers must have a Monroe County Substitute Teacher Certificate. Sigsbee Charter will pay substitute teachers directly as 1099 contractors. You will need to complete an I-9 form and submit the proper identification documents. Substitutes will be expected to dress professionally but comfortably as we spend part of our day out of doors. Substitutes will uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.

In two weeks, we will welcome 151 new students and 20 new staff members to our Sailfish family. The campus is buzzing with activity in preparation. Remember to read the SCOOP every weekend so that you can stay abreast of all the important information and community news. During the summer, the SCOOP will come out monthly. Once we start our school year, you will receive a weekly newsletter.

We're looking forward to connecting with all of our new and returning Sailfish.

Enrollment- Our admission lottery took place last week and Mrs. Rosch, our enrollment specialist, is busily confirming seats for new students. New registrants (students from outside any Monroe County public school) are encouraged to finish their enrollment in Focus. Re-enrollment (for returning Sigsbee students and in-district transfers) is expected to start next week.

Fenced in or out- Families will notice a new perimeter fence for security. We ask your patience as we transition into new routines to keep our students safe. Be sure to arrive to school on time as gates will close after arrival.

Totally terrific Tiki -You will also be suprised by our impressive tiki hut on the playground. Thank you PTO! The new structure will provide much-needed shade to students and adults as well as create the opportunity for outdoor gatherings and performances.

Hot Meals- We expanded our partnership with the National Food Lunch Program to include hot meals this year. Be on the lookout for August's breakfast and lunch menus. Remember, breakfast will run from 7:45-8:00 AM in the cafeteria.

We've welcomed 20 new staff members to our already phenomenal team. Take a look at the lineup for the 2023-2024 school year.

You've been offered a seat at our school, now what?

1. Register your children in Focus. New students must have their registration complete by Friday, July 14th in order to keep their spot. Returning students will be notified when the re-enrollment forms are ready. We expect that to happen the week of July 17th.

2. Civilians Needing Base Passes- Please provide a copy of your driver's license (yes, every year) to registration@sigsbee.org. We recommend that students who are biking or walking to school obtain a student ID at DMV. We will provide a base pass upon request. Check the REGULATIONS regarding riding bikes on a military installation.

3. Student Health History Form- The form linked below is a part of the registration packet but must be printed, filled out and returned to nurse@sigsbee.org. You can also drop the form off in the office from 9 AM- 2 PM Monday-Friday or during Meet-the-Teacher. Click below for a copy of the form.

4. Free and Reduced Lunch- We encourage everyone to apply for FRL as several students qualify for this confidential award. Funding for FRL comes from the National Food Lunch Program. Click the button below to fill out your application. Families who complete the application will receive 1 hour of volunteer service. You must apply each year for the funding to continue.

4. Set up Carpools- Summer is a great time to set up carpools. Be sure you add all drivers to your pick up list during registration time.

5. Buy Your Basic School Supplies- Sigsbee provides most school supplies for students. However, there are a few basics that students need to purchase on their own:

• Reusable water bottle (to be filled with ice before school every morning). Please be sure that your student knows how to handle the bottle responsibly.
• Backpack for school supplies
• Lunch Box- if bringing snack/lunch to school. Reusable ice packs are recommended for anything that needs to stay cool.
• Combination Lock- Middle School Students only. We recommend you begin practicing with these.
• Earbuds (grade 3+) or headphones (grade K-2) - to be used with the school iPads and Chromebooks. Make sure connector is a 1/4 to 3.5mm Audio Jack, no Bluetooth please.

  
  

Kindergarten Round Up is a 2-day event intended to allow our staff to meet and observe our newest sailfish. It is also an opportunity for the students to familiarize themselves with the campus before everyone else returns. All incoming kindergarten students are expected to participate in both days.

What happens during this time?

Teachers and staff will interact with students to see how they socialize. The observation will be used to inform class placements. Students do not have an assigned kindergarten teacher during Round Up. The assignment of classes happens after the event is over.

Day 1 of Round Up

Families will meet outside and students will be lead to one of three classrooms. Parents/guardians will meet with Principal Jannes in the cafeteria for orientation. Please bring a hat and water for your child so they can join in outdoor play. Siblings will need to stay with their parents if attending.

Day 2 of Round Up

Parents/guardians will drop off their students and return two hours later. We will run car line for the first time so that students can get comfortable with the idea before the first day of school. Remember water and a hat!

This event will take place from 8:30-10:00 AM Wednesday, August 9th.

The day prior to the event, you will receive:

• an electronic campus map with room assignments
• am email welcome message from your child's homeroom teacher
• a Focus schedule for students in middle school

During Meet-the Teacher, children and parents will be able to greet their teachers and see their classrooms as well as take care of any paperwork that is needed. Please remember to keep your children with you at all times.

The expectation is that you will spend a few moments with your child’s teachers and then proceed to the library or office for any other needed items. Some of you have taken care of all of the pre-opening paperwork and will not need to stop by the general areas.

General areas will house:

Library - Car passes

You can stop here to pick up your car pass if you already dropped off your identification. If you still need a car pass and have not provided a copy of your license, please drop by the library FIRST, before visiting the classroom.

Outside Cafeteria- Help with rosters or map/PTO sign ups

Office- Important health or registration documents

Registration forms, medications, physical forms

Staff will post slide presentations with important information after the meet-n-greet for those who cannot make it.

NEW FAMILY ORIENTATION: will take place at 10:15 in the cafeteria. The school principal will be available to answer any questions and get you familiar with our Sigsbee routines. These events count toward family volunteer hours.

We are NOT requiring SCS uniform shirts for middle school students this year. There were logistical issues with our vendor that precluded us from being able to provide shirts in a timely manner. We do have several pre-worn uniform shirts for sale at a discounted price should anyone want to purchase them. They will be available at Meet-the-Teacher.

We will begin organizing a Spirit Wear order early in the school year for those who would like some school-related clothing items.

All students should continue to follow the required Dress Code.

Twitter handle: @sigsbeesailfish

Instagram: @sigsbee_charter

Facebook: @sigsbeecharterschool