Arbor Springs Elementary School
Testing Time! April 2016
Our Mission: Arbor Springs Committed to Student Success.
Dissecting Owl Pellets in Science
Student Learning Celebration
Spring Chorus Concert
From Dr. D. and Dr. T.
Dear Parents,
Isn't it wonderful to enjoy our sunny days and cool nights! Spring is such a beautiful time of year, as we welcome all things new and fresh. This spring, we have begun preparing our students in grades 3-5 for our upcoming Milestones testing. All of our students will take the test online, and we are bringing them Chrome Books so that they can practice navigating the testing site and so that they can understand the kinds of questions they will encounter. Our testing will cover two weeks, with tests in ELA and math the first week, and tests in science and social studies the second week. We love spreading the tests out over a longer period of time, as that gives students an opportunity to rest between sessions. As always, we have been preparing our students to be successful on these academic accountability measures since the day they first walked into Arbor Springs, and we are confident that they will know everything they need to know in order to demonstrate their preparedness for the next grade level. Students in grades 1-2 will take similar end-of-year assessments in the classroom closer to the end of the year.
Even though testing is quickly approaching, our focus is still on learning our content with fun and exploration! Students in Ms. Householder's 5th grade classroom recently enjoyed dissecting owl pellets and sorting the bones that they found via a classification chart. Students in Ms. Fogle's kindergarten class enjoyed a learning celebration where they competed with parents to see who knew the facts behind some of our national symbols, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, and our nation's bird, the bald eagle. In addition, our chorus program drew quite a crowd at the Centre for Performing Arts in March! We are so proud of all of our students and their accomplishments, and we thank YOU and their teachers for bringing out the best in them.
Please let us know if we can help with anything, at any time. We can be reached at 770-463-5903.
Dr. Julie Durrance, principal
Dr. Page Tarleton, assistant principal
PTA News
PTA had been busy preparing for our annual Spring Fling to be held on May 6 from 5-8 pm. Many companies have been generous in donating items and gift cards for our Silent Auction. Please support your classroom's basket for the Silent Auction by donating items or money - teachers and room moms will contact you directly. Don't forget - for every 10 Box Tops your students bring in they will receive a ticket for Spring Fling! Thanks to everyone who sends in Box Tops and of course Labels for Education, Coke points and SunnyD UPCs.
Our first Newk's Spirit Night is right around the corner - April 14 from 5-8 pm. Hope to see you there!
BETA Students Ready to Go!
Sorting Items at the Food Pantry
Our Awesome BETA Club!
Counselor's Corner
Kindness Week April 11-15 at Arbor Spring!
In honor of celebrating the life of Abby Bacho, Arbor Spring will have a random acts of kindness week. Kindness is a virtue and consider a helpful act! April 11-15, each grade level will complete random acts of kindness. Each time a student displays acts of kindness, they will write in down on a hand cutout and place it on the Kindness Wall under their grade level. Talk with your kids about the importance of being kind to one another. Also, here is the link to learn more about Abby's story and Abby's Angels Foundation.
Swimming in a School of Character:
This month’s character word is initiative. Initiative means thinking and taking your own action. People will face many obstacles in life. It is important that we teach our children how to be problem solvers to overcome challenges they may face. When kids take initiative their talents will multiply! Initiative is a positive spirit, an awareness, a proactive mindset.Initiative is essential for excelling in school. Students who begin projects when they’re assigned and work diligently are bound to do better than those who procrastinate and wait until the last minute to start working.Initiative is a trait that will serve our kids well all their lives. And what our children learn now regarding initiative will likely determine what they pass on to their own kids.
Tips to foster initiative
Always be available, but on the sidelines, to help children’s learning.
Encourage your child to get back on his own after a fall; show that you believe in them.
Always be a guide as your child identifies challenges; help them arrive at a decision.
Develop listening skills; watch, listen and guide
Child needs a role model; who better than a parent! Show them how you do things on your own but don’t do anything that they can do themselves
Encourage – the value of positive reinforcements can never be over emphasized!
Third through fifth grade students will begin taking the Georgia Milestones April 18-April 28. With Georgia Milestones quickly approaching, please talk to your children about being prepared and committed to doing their best on the test. Certainly students sometimes dread testing experiences, so it is important to prepare students to their best. You can prepare your child for testing by doing the following:
Get a good night’s sleep.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Arrive to school on time.
Maintain a pleasant home environment and refrain from any unnecessary conflict.
Encourage and praise your child before and after the test.
Remind your child that they are special and that you believe in them!
Remind your child the importance of using their time wisely and to give the test their best effort!
Arbor Springs needs your help! A mentor provides additional attention and support for students and serves as a guide, a counselor, and a friend. Please email me, (keivia.clay@cowetaschools.net) if you are interested in becoming a mentor for next school year! The last mentor training date is April 14 for this school year!
Jr. BETA Reminders:
No April Meeting! Bake Sale April 14th! Please return Bake Sale forms!
Thank you to all BETA members and their families that participated in our community service project at Midwest Food Bank.The mission of Midwest Food Bank to alleviate hunger and poverty by gathering and distributing food donations to nonprofits and disaster sites without cost to the recipients. Beta Members were able to impact the lives of thousands of families in just two hours! Midwest Food Bank is always looking for volunteers to help! Visit Midwest Food Bank.
For school counseling program updates, please visit Mrs.Clay's Counseling Corner.
Keivia Clay,
School Counselor
Upcoming Events
Arbor Springs Elementary School
Website: www.cowetaschools.org/arbor
Location: 4840 Highway 29 North, Coweta County, GA, United States
Phone: 770-463-5903
Twitter: @ASESGators