April 2019 Principal’s Newsletter
Congratulations!
We want to thank all of our Science Fair participants and congratulate this year’s winners: K- Jackson Jenkins (1st), Brooklyn Chastain (2nd), Sadie Rodriguez (3rd), 1st- Andrew England (1st), Aubrey Ryan (2nd), Nikolai Wallen (2nd), 3rd- Emma Ibsen (1st), Haylee Carver (2nd), Wilo Horton (3rd), 3rd- Laura Barrett (1st), Sierra Williams (2nd), Clamon Barrett (3rd), 4th- Sawyer Jenkins (1st), Olivia Childress (2nd), Hadyn Roberts (3rd), Evan Laster (overall winner), as well as Lakota Campbell for winning the drawing for a new TV!
During National School Breakfast Week from March 4-8 students were entered into a drawing for a new bicycle each day they ate breakfast. The winner of our drawing was Kyleigh Greene! Getting a good breakfast is a great way to get your child’s day started on the right foot. Breakfast is served at our school each morning beginning at 7:15, and ask students to be at school by 7:45 if they plan on eating.
Congratulations to the following SES teachers for receiving a UTrust mini-grant for their classroom: Betty Brown (3rd grade) for Lego Learning Solutions; Abigail Daniels (4th grade) for tables for flexible seating; Susanna Hauk (2nd grade) for books, tuning forks, and classroom materials; Mindy Hunley (3rd grade) for a laptop, graphic tablet, software, and camera; Ginger Little (ESL) for reader pens! Amy Arnold from Kindergarten also received a $500 grant from our local HCEA for classroom materials! Congratulations to all!
We would also like to congratulate this year’s Teacher of the Year from Surgoinsville Elementary School, Mrs. Jessica Hurd! Mrs. Hurd is a fabulous 1st grade teacher who strives to continue learning for her students by participating in activities such as Math Elites, presenting at workshops, and writing grants for her classroom. She demonstrates compassion with students and always has a smile on her face. She is greatly respected by her peers, and she is a tremendous asset to our school!
Upcoming Testing
Students in grades 2-4 will once again participate in the TNReady State Assessment beginning mid-April. This assessment provides us with feedback about students’ academic progress. Students in all grades will also be completing Spring AimsWeb Benchmark testing beginning in April and beginning of May. This allows us to see a student’s progress from beginning to end of the school year in the areas of reading and math. Students are busy preparing for the assessment during classroom instruction and Walk and Learn Interventions. Students may access additional practice at home through online programs such as IXL, Reflex, XtraMath, Ticket to Read, Moby Max, and freerice.com. One of the best things you can do at home to help your child prepare is to ensure that they read each night. This builds vocabulary and reading fluency, which impacts all subject areas. Writing about what they read is also a strategy students can practice at home. Specific information and parent resources for TNReady may be found on the TN Department of Education website: https://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/tnready/tnready-parent-resources.html
60’s Dance
We will be holding a 60’s Dance on Friday, April 5th from 5:00-7:00 for our students to commemorate the anniversary of Surgoinsville Elementary School. During this special dance, students may dress in their 60’s attire, but we ask that you not feel expected to spend money for a new outfit. The cost for entry to the dance will be $3 per student. Concessions and a photo booth will be available with the photo price of $1 per print.
Positive Behavior
As we are nearing the end of the school year, we want to remind students to continue to be on their best behavior and make good choices. We will have positive behavior reward incentives coming up, and students must have good behavior in order to be able to participate in these activities. Every morning we go over our BEST rules: Be Respectful; Excel; Stay Safe; and Take Responsibility. We are so thankful for our wonderful, caring students at Surgoinsville Elementary School. They truly are the BEST!
Kindergarten Registration
If you know of a student that will begin kindergarten next year, please share with them that registration will take place at the school they are zoned from 1:00-3:00 on April 26 (last name A-M) and May 3 (last name N-Z). Parents/guardians will need to bring the following: the student’s birth certificate, Social Security Card,immunization record, shot/physical record, and proof of residency (utility bill).
Attendance
We encourage students to have less than five absences during the school year. It is extremely important that students be at school to receive instruction and be engaged in learning in the classroom. Should it be necessary that your child is absent, please use the form provided in your child’s planner (unless it is a doctor’s excuse). Excuses are not accepted after five school days upon the student’s return, and the student will be written as unexcused. Only five parent notes are allowed per semester. Early dismissals / tardies accumulate and can result in a day’s absence. Once all parent notes are used, days will then be unexcused unless there is a doctor’s note.
Collections
Our school is still collecting Box Tops and used ink cartridges. If you have either at home, we would love it if you would send those to school with your child. Thank you for your help!
Upcoming Events:
April 2 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:15-6:15
April 5 60’s Dance 5:00-7:00
April 10 Moon Pie Fundraiser Ends
April 11 PTSO Popcorn and Drink Day
April 11 PTSO Meeting at 3:30
April 15-26 TNReady Testing for grades 2-4
April 18 Toy Day for Positive Behavior Reward
April 19 No School
April 25 Job Fair at CHIS from 4:00-6:30
April 26 Kindergarten Registration from 1:00-3:00 (last name A-M)
May 3 Kindergarten Registration from 1:00-3:00 (last name N-Z)
Surgoinsville Elementary School’s mission is to educate with excellence
by meeting all state standards in a positive, safe, and caring environment.
At SES, we do our BEST!
