Greetings Green Acres Families!

Thank you for opening our new "Green Acres Gazette!" In addition to our school website, parent bulletin board, flyers, and periodic phone messages, I am hoping you feel informed, included and valued as an important Green Acres partner in the education of your child. So much has happened and continues to happen here at our wonderful school, so I hope you are filled with pride as you read all the wonderful tidbits of information.

At the beginning of the school year, I invited all students to attend a Lion Culture Climate Assembly in which I explained: the purposes of coming to school, behavioral expectations, setting academic goals, and encouraging social-emotional behaviors that contribute to the overall positive culture of our school. I explained the rule of five for attendance (do not miss more than five days of school for the year) and put them in charge of helping to create and maintain a happy school. I shared that we each play an important part in helping others feel safe to learn and feel valued as members of our learning community. Well, I am so proud to report that students were listening! The first trimester here at Green Acres has been full of successes. Several students have met their first-trimester academic goals, several students have earned perfect attendance bracelets, and several classrooms have had 97% attendance rates! Students have collectively been awarded hundreds of Poga Paws for displaying wanted behaviors and many have been awarded certificates of honor at our monthly Lion Pride Assemblies. Goals matter and we make sure students know this because it empowers them and increases their self-efficacy. I will continue this messaging at our next Culture Climate Assembly and offer continued encouragement to establish goals, check them periodically and help students realize them. We are in the business of creating a champion mentality in which all kids believe that they can. Go Lions!

Below I will share more on attendance, our school governance, and important updates that impact our school. Please check our website regularly for calendar dates and events.

I hope you enjoy the newsletter and I look forward to your continued support as we enter the second trimester of school. See you on campus!

Respectfully,

Ms. Taylor, Proud Principal

Here on campus, we have made a lot of changes to help parents get students here for example; we have supervision in the cafeteria and the playground at 7:30 am to encourage breakfast at school and early drop-offs. We have created recognition programs to encourage attendance; perfect attendance bracelets, pizza parties, kinder chocolate kisses for parents and parades for kinder students. Teachers and office staff make daily phone calls when students are absent and every effort is made to let students know that when they are not here, they are missed. Our efforts have shown great improvements!

DATA: Period #1 = 97%, Period #2 = 96.46%, Period #3 = 96. 64%

It's important that everyone understand that these efforts are to prevent academic gaps, student disconnectedness, and to protect our valuable and costly resources. I would like to thank all parents that have made efforts to avoid taking students out of school for unexcusable reasons and for getting students here on time, as well as avoiding early checkouts. As many of you have heard me say; the 180 days of school have been planned and the curriculum is set. We just need our students here! Every minute counts as we work to deliver a high-quality education to all students every day and all day! Do not underestimate the power of your influence in helping Green Acres meet our attendance goals. You matter too! Let's continue to work together to help students achieve!