Timberwolf Times -November 13 ,2023

Welcome Back to School - 2023-2024

"It's A Great Day to be a Timberwolf""

Dear Timberwolf Families,

Yahoo - a full week of School.

Our Advisory Council Meeting for November is on Thursday, November 16, 2023 -on ZOOM. If you would like to attend, please email me and I will send you the ZOOM link. Please email me at buchhear@pwcs.edu

Parent Tea - 10am. If interested in attending, please email me at buchhear@Pwcs.edu. Please indicate in the subject line it is for the Parent Tea- Timberwolf Talk. Focus on supporting your students in Reading, Math, and Technology

We truly do Everything Better Together as a Community of Leaders and Learners Achieving Excellence.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Dr. Andrew Buchheit

Principal

#TimberwolvesROCK

“At T. Clay Wood, Everyone Belongs”

The November 17, 2023 Parent Tea/Timberwolf Talk will take place at 10:00 am and focus on how to support students at home in reading, how to extend and enrich Math, and how to use technology, websites, and school approved programs to support student learning.

RSVP to me at buchhear@pwcs.edu - subject line - Parent Tea.

November is diabetes awareness month, and November 14th is World Diabetes Day.

This day was selected because it is the birthday of Sir Fredrick Grant Banting. He was born 11/14/1891. He was a Canadian physician and scientist who co-discovered insulin. The first insulin injection was given to a 14 year old girl on January 11, 1922. The discovery of insulin changed the lives of children living with Type 1 diabetes. In 1923 Sir Banting was honored with the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Currently there is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. It is not anyone's fault if a child has Type 1 diabetes. They didn't eat too much sugar!

Diagnosis is more common in children, but can occur at any age. The symptoms can be confused with other illnesses, like flu, UTIs, and stomach virus. Symptoms include excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss, fatigue, frequent urination, new bedwetting, weight loss, nausea or vomiting.

A simple finger stick, done at the doctor's office, can determine if your child needs additional testing or care. People with Type 1 diabetes need lifelong medical care. It includes checking their blood sugar multiple times a day, using insulin injections or an insulin pump, and sometimes treating low blood sugars with a juicebox or a piece of candy. But the good news is that Type 1 diabetes has effective treatment. With good management it won't stop affected kids from doing everything their friends are doing.

If you want more information checkout www.jdrf.org or www.beyondtype1.org

Week of November 13-17, 2023 -

Students in grades 3-5 will have an opportunity to complete a survey during the week of November 13-17. The survey asks students about their experiences at T. Clay Wood in order to continuously improve the school environment and address student needs. Please email Amy Cunningham, School Counselor, by Nov. 9 if you DO NOT want your child to take the survey (cunninax@pwcs.edu). The following questions will be asked:

• What is your teacher's name?
• At your school, how much does the behavior of other students affect your learning?
• If you answered MEDIUM or A LOT to question #2 above, please explain what others are doing to disrupt your learning.
• Overall, does it feel good being in the school?
• How often does your teacher seem excited to be teaching your class?
• How well do you think people at your school understand you as a person?
• Overall, how much do you feel like you belong at your school?
• I can control myself when I am upset. (Most of the Time, Some of the Time, A Little, Not at All)
• How can we help you feel more like you belong at T. Clay Wood?
• What can we do to make our school even better than it is?

Our mission at T. Clay Wood is to create a safe, positive, inclusive, and culturally responsive world class learning community. We feel that seeking input from our students on a quarterly basis allows us to address concerns in a prompt manner, meet individual students' needs, and build on our successes throughout the year.

On December 20, we will have a school wide Holiday sing along. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Meyer and your classroom teachers.

If you do not want your student to participate in any of these activities or assemblies please let your child's teacher know.

Social Media Reminders: T. Clay Wood ES only puts up photos or videos on the Official T. Clay Wood Social Media Sites - on the T. Clay Wood Facebook, X(Twitter), Instagram, and You Tube.

You will see the following Notice on our Official Site -

“This PWCS social media account has been approved by the PWCS Communications Department.”

Social Media sites have to be approved annually by the PWCS Communication Department. Regulation 790-3 , Section B of the Attachment provides further information as well as information about Opt-Out. When filling out the Back to School Packet, information is included that discusses and references this regulation.

SEP Oct 23 - Dec. 8, 2023

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 Day 6

• World Diabetes Awareness Day - Wear Blue to show support to all our students and families who are facing the challenges that Diabetes may bring.

Wednesday, November 15,, 2023- Day 1

• 2nd grade Fall Music Concert; 6:30pm

Thursday, November 16, 2023 - Day 2

• Advisory Council; 6:30 pm. - on ZOOM if interested in attending, email me at buchhear@pwcs.edu. Please indicate in Subject line if is for Advisory Council

Friday, November 17, 2023 -Day 3

• Parent Tea - 10am. If interested in attending, please email me at buchhear@Pwcs.edu. Please indicate in the subject line it is for the Parent Tea- Timberwolf Talk. Focus on supporting your students in Reading, Math, and Technology

Habit Three - Put First Things First

The Habit of Integrity and Execution

People who put first things first focus on the important, not just the urgent, act on priorities, plan weekly and act daily. You are putting first things first when you organize your time around the most important things and eliminate the unimportant.

Kid Language

Work First, Then Play: I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.

Ways to practice Put First Things First:

• Talk with your family about your most important jobs or responsibilities, such as doing homework, making the bed, or taking out the garbage.
• Do your chores before being asked.
• Do the hardest part of your homework first.
• Think of something you’ve been putting off for a long time, like cleaning up your room or pumping up the flat tire on your bike. Go do it right now!

PWCS has a late bus link for buses that will be late 15 minutes or more - https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/transportation/bus_delays

You can also sign up for the Here Comes the Bus App at - https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/transportation/here_comes_the_bus

For more information about buses - please the Transportation Website -

https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/transportation/index

Our 2023-2024 PTO BOARD

President - Kate Case

VP - Kelsey Fisher

Treasurer - Beth Feliciano-Rivera

Asst Treasurer - Cooper Waterman

Secretary - Sandra Oviedo

Director - Amelia Hunter

Teacher Director - Tiana Marshall

Upcoming Dates:

October 10: MOD Pizza Spirit Night

October 16-27: Read-a-Thon Fundraiser

October 20: Chuck E Cheese Spirit Night

October 23: Fall SEP Starts

October 27,: Costume Bingo Night

Please visit the PTO Facebook page and PTO website for updates and more info: https://www.tclaywoodpto.com/

Next PTO Meeting, November 30, 2023 - 6:30pm.

On ZOOM - Join Zoom Meeting

https://pwcs-zm-edu.zoom.us/j/88559394298?pwd=TDh1dWJYSmtWcTVSRUlZajBiUmJNZz09

Meeting ID: 885 5939 4298
Passcode: PTO

Your TCWES PTO has a lot of fun events and projects planned for the year. Come see what this year holds in store for the PTO! Email tclaywoodpto@gmail.com for more information!

PTO Membership is still open!

Membership (tclaywoodpto.com)

As always, keep an eye on our T Clay Wood PTO facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/timberwolvesrock) and our website (https://www.tclaywoodpto.com/) for up to date information

*Every Tuesday - Every Tuesday during the school year Gainesville Papa Johns will give you 40% off your order and donate 10% back to the PTO!

In case of inclement weather when school is closed, PWCS will provide live virtual (Synchronized) instruction to all students through ZOOM. PWCS Expectation is that all students participate. Attendance will be taken. Students must keep their cameras on to be counted as present. Instruction will take place between 9am - 2pm with 1 hour for lunch and recess time.

Prior to late fall/early winter, please make sure you are able to access the internet. Any family needing assistance with home internet should contact their school during the first month of school to receive a school-issued take-home “hotspot.” If you are not able to access the internet, please reach out to Mr. Taylor at taylorbi@pwcs.edu or 703.594.3990.

At T. Clay Wood Elementary School, we love to have visitors and volunteers every day. To help ensure the safety of our students, visitors to Prince William County Schools are expected to report promptly to the school’s main office when entering school buildings. Visitors and volunteers will be asked to provide a valid government issued photo identification. There are no exceptions. Every visitor to our school must bring with them a photo id. Visitors will then be issued a temporary identification badge. We will not permit any visitor or volunteer into the building without this identification. Our main goal is to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff at school.

If a situation occurs which makes it necessary for your child’s transportation home to change, please send in a note with your child in the morning giving clear directions as to how your child should go home at the end of the day. Only a parent/guardian can change their child’s transportation plan for any given day. A note from the parent must be received by the office AND the teacher before noon that day indicating the change. This is for the safety of the children and will alleviate any confusion at the end of the day.

Changing Dismissal Routine – Parents, if you are changing your child’s dismissal, you must send an email/note to the office or notify the office by 3:30 pm. The teacher and bus driver cannot accept a change if a student just tells him or her about the change without a note. In these cases, students are sent home the original way. In addition, please try to avoid changing dismissal procedures in the middle of the day and please send all dismissal changes to our office by calling our office at 703.594.3990 or sending a note in the morning. Emails sent to the teacher in the middle of the day may be missed if there is a substitute that day or if the teacher is not able to check his or her email.

3:30 pm - If you must pick your student up early, please arrive before 3:30 pm. We will not be able to call students to the office after 3:30 pm until all car riders are picked up. Students called for dismissal after 3:30 pm will be sent to the car rider area and will be brought up after all car riders are dismissed with the supervising teachers. This way we can reduce interruptions to the classrooms, provide continual supervision for all our students and give our focus in the office to dismissing students. Parents coming in after 3:30 pm will be asked to wait in the vestibule outside of the office and once their students are brought up to come in and sign their students out.

2023-2024 – Calendar link: https://www.pwcs.edu/calendars/school_calendar/index

You can also subscribe to the PWCS Calendar. To learn how, you can go to this PWCS Site and then follow the directions - How to Subscribe to the PWCS School Calendar

Code of Behavior link: https://www.pwcs.edu/about_us/code_of_behavior/index

Link to Family Life Education objectives and Opt out - https://www.pwcs.edu/academics___programs/science___family_life_education/family_life_education

Please take a moment to view our 2023-2024 T. Clay Wood Continuous Improvement Plan by clicking this link: T. Clay Wood 2023-2024 Continuous Improvement Plan

We have three Academic Goals this year - Increase Reading, Math, and Science Achievement Rates for all students at T. Clay Wood to at least 85% or higher.

We also are focused at increasing student satisfaction rates to 90% or higher and increasing number of active business partnerships at T. Clay Wood.

A Prince William County School of Excellence

“A Community of Leaders and Learners Achieving Excellence”

10600 Kettle Run Road; Nokesville, VA 20181

Andrew Buchheit, Principal - buchhear@pwcs.edu

Melissa Yuditsky, Assistant Principal yuditsml@pwcs..edu

“A Community of Leaders and Learners Achieving Excellence”

School hours: 9:20 am – 4:00 pm

(Office hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Doors Open: 9:10 a.m.

Students tardy after: 9:20 a.m.

Dismissal: 4:00 p.m.

School Phone Number: 703.594.3990

School Fax Number: 703.594.2653

Attendance Email: cwes-timberwolf-attendance@pwcs.edu

Attendance Phone Line:– 703.594.3992

Motto: “I seek to make a POSITIVE DIFFERENCE AT SCHOOL”

Website: http://tclaywoodes.schools.pwcs.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TClayWoodES

Twitter @TClayWoodElem

Instagram: tclaywoodelementary

Email: buchhear@pwcs.edu
Website: http://tclaywoodes.schools.pwcs.edu
Location: 10600 Kettle Run Road, Nokesville, VA, USA
Phone: 703.594.3990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TClayWoodES
Twitter: @TClayWoodElem