Midway Mustang Memo
September 2019
Mustang Families
Dear Parents and Families,
Great News! Congratulations to our very own Mrs. Rita Kangas who will represent Midway Elementary as our Teacher of the Year! We are extremely proud of our teachers who are passionate about learning and are dedicated to our students.
Our Academic Student Led Teams nights were a huge success—we had about 75% overall attendance for this event, which has been consistent for the past five years! Students shared their goals and voiced how they will be able to achieve these goals, as well as who can help them. This is authentic practice for our students as they Plan with the End in Mind (one of Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). We appreciate your continued partnership in supporting your students’ goals at home. We look forward to the progress they will make that will be shared at our October student-led conferences.
You are your child's first teacher and home is where your child will get his or her first experiences with books and reading. Taking an active role in your child's reading ability, comprehension and language skills can improve your child's interest and attitude towards reading. Studies show that students score higher in reading and writing skills when regularly engaging in more home literacy activities. This shouldn't be confused with more school work; literacy at home is all about having fun! Read this article, “Literacy Development Begins in the Home” (Reading is Fundamental) about some fun and unique ways to build literacy in the home by incorporating storytelling, poetry, cooking and more!
Math is equally important for our students’ learning. Addition, and subtraction, and multiplication, oh my! Learning math facts is an important math skill and goes well beyond just memorization. Learning math facts has even more to do with strategy. You can support your students at home with learning math facts by using a few key strategies. Check out the article “To Master Basic Math Facts: Strategize, Then Memorize” for more information. Happy learning!
With warm regards,
Jan Munroe
Daphne Rogers
Jennifer Brown
Greg Walkup
Important Dates
September 25th: Picture Day-you will be able to preview proofs before ordering
September 30-October 4: Fall Break
October 23rd and 24th: Early Release
October 25th: No School
Save the Date
Sat October 12, 2019
EVENT: 5K RUN/WALK
Shiloh Point Elementary School
8145 Majors Road
Cumming, GA US 30041
DESCRIPTION
Packet Pick Up is available on Friday from 11:30am to 6:00pm at the Board of Education on Dahlonega Highway in Cumming, GA. -OR- on race day at Shiloh Point Elementary School starting at 6:30 AM!
Strollers are welcome, but please no animals. Packet pickup will be on Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Forsyth County Board of Education offices at 1120 Dahlonega Hwy, Cumming, GA 30040. Please make every attempt to pick up your packet (bib, t-shirt, swag bag) on Friday so that registration is quick and easy on Saturday. Thank you!
START TIME: 8:00am EDT
Price: $25.00 Race Fee + $3.00 SignUp Fee
Registration: Registration ends October 12, 2019 at 8:30am EDT
Signup https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Cumming/BYOT
All participants who register by September 25 are guaranteed a shirt.
Over 2000 families in Forsyth County do not have Internet in their homes. With so much of the schoolwork requiring online access, we want to make a difference in the lives of those who do not have the same privileges as others.
In 2019, students are expected to study and complete assignments online whenever there is an inclement weather day. Can you imagine what it would be like to have no Internet access - even for one day?
In five years, the Forsyth BYOT Benefit has raised over $220,000 to put Internet in the homes and devices in the hands of students without them. This has been accomplished through the efforts of our sponsors, golfers, runners and volunteers.
Please help us do more for those who need us!
Counselor's Corner
Counselor’s Corner
Social and Emotional Wellness (SEL) are extremely important to a child’s development and growth. There are several ways you can work on this at home with your child. Here are a few suggestions:
- Help your child label their emotions.
- Develop a daily schedule or chore chart for your child.
- Set small goals as a family to help them learn the process of attaining a goal for themselves.
- Teach your child how to give and receive compliments.
- Make lists of pros and cons with your child when planning.
- Model how to get the help you need.
- Discuss “the why” behind decision with your child. This teaches them about morals and ethics within your family.
- Talk about why something might not be safe to do or see.
Take a moment and pick one of two of these skills to work on with your child. They will help your child with their interactions with others and success as an adult. As always, please feel free to contact one of us for more information.
Have a wonderful September,
Dr. Collins and Ms. Driscoll
Watch Dog Dads
Dads we need you!
WatchDOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who volunteer for at least one day each year at an official WATCH D.O.G.S. school. During the day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their own students, but other students as well. Prior to the day of their participation, WatchDOGS are given a schedule of their involvement. On their service day they are to wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S t-shirt safely identifying them as WATCHDOGS.
For more information or to apply, please visit the Midway Elementary Website.
News from Nurse Monahan
Thank you to all the parents who have supplied paperwork regarding their child’s health condition, and medication if applicable. If your child has a health condition and you need an action plan please let me know. As a reminder, you can always keep medication in the clinic to help your child be more comfortable at school, things like Tylenol and cough drops can help avoid telephone calls home. However, only parents can bring medication to the clinic, children cannot carry medicine to school.
Encourage your students to build healthy habits by eating well, sleeping enough and washing hands frequently to avoid getting sick. The flu shot is available so plan ahead!! More information to be communicated on the annual flu clinic held at Sawnee Elementary in October. As always, if your child has a communicable disease, please notify the teacher and nurse.
Visit the Midway Elementary website, click Student Services then School Nurse for useful information about illness and school health policies.
From the Midway Café
September is here! Hope you had a fun Labor Day Weekend, as summer eventually comes to a close. 😊 Here in the café we’re still serving up fresh sweet watermelons & yummy green beans as part of our Harvests of the Month. We love having them while they’re in season. Both so good for us & watermelon, which is my personal favorite, is so refreshing on these hot summer days. Check out our picture below of Henry the Hedgehog. The kids loved him!
This month we’re also remembering 9-11 & honoring all the rescuers, and those families who lost so much that day. May we never forget the many lives that were changed forever and continuously grow together as a community that loves and protects each other. That’s our culture here at Midway and we love being a part of this family. We love your children and being part of their lives daily as they come in for breakfast and lunch. Their smiles brighten our day!
Please contact me if I can ever be of any assistance. Hope to see you soon!
Chris Pruitt
Mustang Café Manager
Next Month:
NSLW – National School Lunch Week – Oct. 14-18th
Red Ribbon Week
Harvests of the Month – Apples/Butternut & Summer Squash
Technology Information
Parents have an important role in online safely as well. At Forsyth County Schools, we value the rich learning experiences that technology brings to our classrooms. We believe that our students must be taught how to use online resources responsibly. With parents and guardians as our partners, we can help our students to gain skills, understanding, and mind-sets that will enable them to be responsible and safe in digital environments. Please follow this link for more information on how Forsyth County and parents can help their students stay safe in a digital world.
Use your student's log in when looking at Itslearning. Parents can see the planner and other information.
Itslearning parent info guide
Please contact Jennifer Lundstrum if you have any other questions.
MyFCS CLASSLINK
MyOn
Dreambox
Book Fair is Coming!
Book Fair will be in the media center from Oct 10th (set up day) -Oct 18th (Pack up day). Students can purchase books from Oct 14th -17th.
More announcements about special events during book fair coming soon!
We can't run the book fair without help! If anyone can volunteer, please contact Mr. Greg Orr at gborr@forsyth.k12.ga.us or call him at 770-475-6670 ext. 760301
General Reminders
We already have a growing collection of items in the lost and found. Please write your child's name inside their jackets, sweaters, lunch boxes, water bottles, etc!
REMIND
Get up to date info from Midway on your phone!
Want to be the first to know about school notices & reminders? You can receive a text message right on your phone by texting @midwayfam to the number 573 828 4436
Midway Elementary
School Handbook
Forsyth County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or gender in employment decisions or educational programs and activities.
Midway Elementary School
Email: jlundstrum@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Website: www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/midway
Location: 4805 Atlanta Highway, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Phone: 770-475-6670
Facebook: facebook.com/midwayes
Twitter: @MidwayES