Timberwolf Times -April 24, 2023

Welcome Back to School - 2022-2023

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

Dear Timberwolf Families,

This week - one of our best attended family events - the STEAM Expo will take place at 5:30 pm in our school.

It is Secretary (Administrative Professional Appreciation Week) - please take a moment to THANK Mrs. Kanakasabapthy, Mrs. Iqbal, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Hardwick, Mrs. Hacherl, and Mrs. Young for all they do to support our school, students, staff, and families!! We have the Best Office Staff!

Also, please continue to pay attention in our car rider lane when dropping off students or picking them up:

When picking up or dropping off your children - please follow all safety procedures:

• Do not drive around the loop while on your phone - we have seen some near collisions when drivers appear to be texting.
• Follow the speed limit and drive vigilantly - young children can dart out in the road, cars come from all areas as do buses, and vans
• Do not enter the building through the exit lane.
• If students are entering and exiting the car, please have them enter or exit on the passenger side. If you have to have them come around the driver's side then have the student walk in front of their own car and not behind it.
• If your student arrives tardy, please part and walk him or her to the office. Students should not be dropped off when the staff is inside.
• If you are parking in the parking lot, please be sure to get out of your car and walk your student to the cross walk. Students are not allowed to walk unaccompanied in the parking lot.
• Please do not leave your car unattended while in the car loop. Cars are allowed to line up in the loop even though it is our fire lane ONLY if they are attended so they can quickly be cleared if needed.

Attendance Email: cwes-timberwolf-attendance@pwcs.edu Phone:– 703.594.3992

All 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.

2022-2023 – Back to school information: https://www.pwcs.edu/parents/backtoschool

2022-2023 – Calendar link: https://www.pwcs.edu/cms/one.aspx?pageId=654031

Code of Behavior link: https://www.pwcs.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=340225&pageId=767701

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

Masks will continue to be optional if students would prefer to wear them

.

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

“Like the Sun, I am here to Shine”

Kindergarten registration is open. SPACE is still available at T. Clay Wood for your Rising Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year.

We need your help! Please pass the word to your neighbors who have rising Kindergarteners for the 23-24 school year. It is important for planning and staffing purposes to get all our rising Kindergarten Timberwolves registered as soon as possible.

Registration for PWCS is now available online. KG families will start the process online by going to this site:

https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/student_services/registration__new_students_and_transfers_/kindergarten_registration/index

Registration is required for all new students.

You can share with families that they can begin registration on March 20,2023.

https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/student_services/registration__new_students_and_transfers_/p_w_c_s_registration_process/index

It is important that we register our rising Kindergarten (and all other new students coming to T. Clay Wood in the fall) right away.

Thank you in advance for your help and support!

Padres/tutores: ¿Tienen un estudiante de kindergarten que necesitan inscribir? Se requiere la inscripción de todos los nuevos estudiantes. Comiencen la inscripción en línea ahora. Por favor visite: https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/student_services/registration__new_students_and_transfers_/kindergarten_registration/index

Student Placement for 2023-2024

We are beginning to look at student placement for the 2023-2024 school year.

Placement of students is an important decision and we consider it very carefully.

If you have information that you feel is significant for us to be aware of regarding your child’s placement, we would like to know about it.

These letters are OPTIONAL and we do NOT expect or require anyone to send placement input. This is just optional for those families that feel there is some additional information which they would like to share with us.

It is very important to note, however, that we cannot accept any specific teacher requests or any requests to have students placed with other students. (The only exception would be siblings).

When placing students, we look at individual learning styles, class make up and how classroom teachers can support individual learning needs.

I can assure you that all our teachers are excellent educators and are dedicated to doing their best for all of their students.

I know your children will be happy, safe, and successful in any one of our teacher’s classrooms.

However, please share information, which you feel would assist the placement committee as we develop our class lists, regarding your child’s:

· learning style,

· academic strengths or weaknesses,

· organizational skills/work habits,

· how you feel your child learns best

· PLEASE DO NOT List any specific teachers or students with whom you want your child placed.

You may share this information with me by emailing me at buchhear@pwcs.edu or mailing a letter to my attention. If you are moving out of our school ☹ - please let me know as well. THANK YOU!

If there are students with whom you feel your child should NOT be placed with, you may include this as well. Please do NOT include names of students with whom you would like your child placed.

I cannot accept letters asking to place your students with specific students or specific teachers.

I will share each letter with the current classroom teacher as well since their input will also be a significant part of the placement decisions.

I will accept letters of input between April 10, 2023 thru April 28, 2023

SUMMER SCHOOL – July 10 – July 28, 2023

General Information: Prince William County Schools offers a strong academic summer learning program to meet the needs of K-12 students. Space is limited so families are encouraged to enroll their students early. The enrollment period opens in April 10th and ends May 26th.

The Summer School program is designed to be an extension of the school year and help support students to develop skills to prepare them to be successful going into the next school year. The program provides opportunities to improve necessary skills through interactive and engaging activities. Students will receive instruction in language arts, mathematics, and social skills. Students will be recommended for the Launch program by their current teachers or counselors.

Students needing additional academic support to prepare for the upcoming school year will benefit from the Launch Program. In grades K-5, the Launch Program provides reading, writing, and mathematics support in an engaging camp-like model.

PWCS Website Information: Here is the PWCS link for more information about Summer School - https://www.pwcs.edu/academics___programs/summer_school/elementary_school

Criteria: Students who meet any of the following criteria are encouraged to register anytime between April 10 and May 26.

If you have any questions about your students performance, achievement score, or reading level, please check with your child’s teacher.

Any student that meets any of the following criteria should be encouraged to register anytime between April 10 and May 26:

1. Being considered for retention.
2. Receives special education services, performed below grade level, and follows the SOL curriculum. Qualified students will be served in an inclusive setting.
3. Receives ESOL services, regardless of proficiency level.
4. SOL less than 375 in reading and/or math if available from previous year
5. Performing "Below Benchmark" on Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program: Early Mathematics Assessment System.
6. Scoring "Below Grade Level" on Assessing Math Concepts Assessments.
7. Not meeting Spring Benchmark PALS (K-3).
8. HMH Growth Measure Scaled Score G01-G40 (grades 2-8).
9. Below grade level on another standardized assessment.
10. Developmental Reading Assessment scores:
11. Grade 1 DRA Level 2 or below.
12. Grade 2 DRA Level 10 or below.
13. Grade 3 DRA Level 20 or below.
14. Grade 4 DRA Level 24 or below.
15. Grade 5 DRA Level 34 or below.
16. Students who receive speech services only are not eligible for tuition-free summer school unless they meet other qualifying criteria above.

Location of Summer School: T. Clay Wood Students will attend Summer School at Bennett Elementary School.

Dates/Times of Summer School: Summer School will take place from July 10-28, 2023 at from 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Students absent for more than two consecutive days of the 15-day program may be withdrawn.

Transportation: Transportation service is provided. Bus stops for summer school may be different from the regular school year bus stops. No special bus stops will be established for individual students. Summer school bus stop locations will be posted and communicated the before the start of summer school. Please see the Summer School Transportation webpage for more information.

Cost: The Summer School Program is tuition free.

Registration: Registration Window: The registration window for 2023 Summer School is April 10 - May 26, 2023.

HOW TO REGISTER – Families will register their student using ParentVUE:

1. To register a PWCS student for summer school, log in to ParentVUE.
2. In the top right corner, select Online Records.
3. Scroll down to the online packet menu and select 2022-2023 Summer School Registration.
4. Complete and confirm the following student information:
1. Introduction
2. Family
3. Parent/Guardian
4. Emergency
5. From the Student screen:
1. Exclude students who are not participating in Summer School; OR
2. Edit to register any students who will participate in Summer School

Remember to review and press submit.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) must complete summer school registration in ParentVUE.

Canceling Registration - We understand summer plans can change so if you need to cancel your registration, you will have the following options:

• To change the program that your student is currently registered for, complete a new registration in ParentVUE. Your new registration will cancel the old registration.
• To cancel a registration before June 15, contact your child's school. If you need to cancel a registration after June 15, email your student's name and school name to SummerSchool@pwcs.edu.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding Summer School, please contact us at SummerSchool@pwcs.edu

If you have any question if your students could benefit from summer school, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

For questions about Extended School Year (ESY) please contact your child's special education teacher for additional information regarding ESY services.

Think Win-Win

4th grade:

Monday -- Young/Cortash

Thursday -- Aracich/Browning

Friday -- Sanfilippo/Curry

5th grade

Day 1 -- Van Gelder/Watson

Day 2 -- Van Gelder/Watson

Day 3-- West/Wood

Day 4 -- West/Wood

Day 5 -- Smith/Warren

Day 6 -- Smith/Warren

Thursday, April 27 - STEAM (Science, Technology, and Math) Night

We will administer a quick Leader in Me survey for our students in 3rd-5th grade, our teachers, and parents starting the week of April 24. This survey provides us information about the Leader in Me Program effectiveness and implementation. If you would like to opt out your student out of this brief survey, please email Mrs. Cunningham at cunninax@pwcs.edu

Lock Down Drill will take place on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

Dear Timberwolf Families!

The 2022/2023 Yearbook is on sale now! All yearbooks will be delivered to your child's classroom during the last week of school. Simply click the link below to order today! The last day to order is Friday, May 5th .

https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/TCWES2023

-T. Clay Wood ES PTO

School Wide Focus: Habit 4 - Think Win-Win

Timberwolf Trekkers - April 17- May 26, 2023

Monday, April 24,, 2023 -Day 3

Tuesday, April 25, 2023- Day 4

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 - Day 5

Thursday, April 27, 2023 - Day 6

STEAM Expo - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Friday, April 28, 2023 -Day 1

2022-2023 Calendar - As a reminder, due to current supply chain issues with paper, the Communications Department will not be printing the 2022-23 School Guide and Calendar at this time. A printable PDF version of this year's School Calendar and Reference Guide, as well as a printable PDF Month-at-a-Glance Calendar, are available on the PWCS Calendar webpage.

• Think Win-Win

  
  

I want everyone to be a success. I don’t have to put others down to get what I want. It makes me happy to see other people happy. I like to do nice things for others. When a conflict arrives, I help brainstorm a solution. We all can win!

People who think win-win believe that there is plenty for everybody and that one person’s success in not achieved at the expense of others - win-lose.

Kid Language

Everyone Can Win: I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. I make deposits in others’ Emotional Bank Accounts. When conflicts arise, I look for third alternatives.

Ways to practice Think Win-Win:

• Ask an older person what the golden rule is. After you know, try it out on someone.
• Try to go one whole day without sulking, pouting, or feeling sorry for yourself.
• The next time you want to argue or fight with someone about who should get the best toy, ask, “How can I make you happy too?”
• Make a “wish poster”. Start by drawing a line down the middle. On one side, cut and paste magazine pictures of things you want (like an ant farm). On the other side, cut and paste pictures of things your mom or dad want (like a clean room). Together, look at your “wish poster”. See how you can work with each other to make both your wishes and your parents’s wishes come true.

Interested in Volunteering at T. Clay Wood? You can first check with your student's teacher. Then you can also look into these areas:

1. Welcome Table:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAFAD28A4F5C52-welcome

2. Library Volunteers -

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C4AA4AF2AA5F94-library

3. Book Fair- -

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C4AA4AF2AA5F94-tcwes2

Upcoming Dates:

SAVE THE DATES FOR UPCOMING TCWES PTO EVENTS

April:

Tuesday, April 11th - 6:30pm PTO Meeting

Thursday, April 27, 2023 - STEAM night Fun

May:

Monday, May 1st-5th - Teacher Appreciation Week
Tuesday, May 23rd-31st - Boosterthon Fun Run

Cell Phones and Watches with text/calling capabilities

We have seen an increase in students using watches to text during the instructional school day. In order to preserve instructional time, students are not permitted to text, on a phone or watch, during the school day.

If you need to relay a message to your child during the school day, please call the front office.

Please refer to the Parent Handbook regarding the use of Cell Phones (which includes calling and texting on watches). It states, "If cell phones are brought to school, they should be turned off and kept in book bags during the school day."

Students may continue to wear the smart watches but calling should be turned off. Our Elementary school students should NOT be receiving messages (or calls) during the school day. If students misuse the watch by sending or receiving calls and/or messages, taking pictures or videos, or making recordings, playing on games or searching the internet, etc.; the teacher will need to have the student put the watch in their backpack similar to a cell phone or another device.

We thank you for your support in ensuring our students are focused on the learning process while at school. We want to be sure watches, phones, other devices are not used to distract from the learning environment or used in a way that is not appropriate for school. I appreciate all our parents and guardians taking the time to have these conversations with their children prior to allowing their students to come to school with a cell phone, smart watch, or other device.

Phones and watches can be removed if students are using them in ways that are distracting or not appropriate to their learning or the learning and safety of other students.

Dear Parents,

T. Clay Wood ES and Prince William County Schools has purchased an incredible reading program for your student for this school year. It is entirely free for your student to use this year. We are encouraging all students to use the program each day.

Lexia is a program to help your student with reading. We are encouraging all students to use Lexia for 10-20 minutes per day. (at least 40-60 minutes a week). Lexia is engaging and works at your students personalized reading level.

All students have been shown how to access Lexia. Please help your student remember to log on to Lexia and work on Lexia each day.

Below are the 3 step directions to access Lexia:

1. Go to https://clever.com/in/pwcs

Log in - Clever

https://clever.com/trust/privacy/policy. https://clever.com/about/terms

clever.com

2. Log in with Office365

3. In Clever, scroll down until your see the blue globe for Lexia Core 5- Click on the Lexia

DIRECTIONS FOR ACCESSING LEXIA:

-Login to your child’s Office 365 account

-Click on the 9 dots (also called the “waffle”) on the top left-hand side of the screen

-Click on “Clever”

-Scroll down to “Apps purchased by schools”

-Click on “Lexia Core5”(The app with the world)

OR

-Login to Canvas

-Click on account

-Click on “Clever”on the right-hand side

-Scroll down to “LexiaCore 5” under “PWCS Resources”

-Click on “Lexia Core5” (The app with the world)

PWCS has partnered with Paper to provide K-12 students with unlimited tutoring, 7 days a week—at no cost to families.

Students can get help with their homework, receive feedback on their writing assignments, or ask questions about any academic subject. Experts are available to assist students with any subject or content area via a secure, chat-based platform.

Tutors are currently available to help students in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin.

You can access Paper right from your student's Clever Account. Or you can use this Link to Access Paper: https://paper.co/

Learn how to use the Free Online Paper Tutoring Service by clicking on this PWCS Link: https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/Instructional_technology/paper

Our Prince William County School Transportation Department continues to update and implement some tools to help us all when it comes to buses. I have included some helpful links below that are now on their PWCS Transportation Webpage. I believe these will help families throughout the school year. Please take a moment to check these out.

1. The main Transportation Website - most of the below links can be accessed from this site: PWCS Transportation

2. Delayed Bus Page will inform you of any buses that are expected to arrive at least 15 minutes late. Delays will be removed after 12pm for morning runs and after 5:30 pm for afternoon runs. Bus Delay Site

3. Here Comes the Bus APP - See real-time map location for students' buses and get push notifications when the bus gets close by - Info on Here Comes The Bus App

4. Looking for your student's bus schedule? Remember it is located in the Hub which you can access in your ParentVUE account -

5. Transportation Contact for T. Clay Wood (PWCS Western Area Transportation): trns-westernbusroutes@pwcs.edu or 571-374-6593

Early Dismissal

We encourage all families to avoid, when possible, taking students out early from school. Instruction and learning continues until the end of the day. If you need to pick up your child for an appointment, please notify your teacher and school office at cwes-timberwolf-attendance@pwcs.edu and plan to arrive before 3:15pm.

Please park and report to the office. Please do not leave your car unattended in the pickup line. All parties picking up a student from the office must show a photo id.

Please do not make changes to your child’s dismissal time after 3pm. Anyone other than parent/guardian must have prior written approval to pick up a student even if listed on the emergency card.

Dress Code Reminders

All students are expected to dress appropriately and maintain a reasonable appearance. The Prince William County Schools’ Code of Behavior has addressed several areas that are considered improper dress in any Prince William County school. Please refer to the Parent Handbook in the Timberwolf Folder and the School Division’s Code of Behavior.

Cafeteria

PLEASE NOTE - if Packers/Lunch Bringers would like to purchase school milk, the cost this year is $1.00. If a student who has purchased lunch, would like a 2nd lunch, the cost this year for the 2nd lunch is $4.00

Volunteering

Please feel free to coordinate times to volunteer in the classroom with your child's teacher. Teachers and students appreciate our volunteers. Thank you again for everything you are doing to help us build our Positive School Community. I want to formally invite all parents to become involved in your child’s education at T. Clay Wood Elementary School. It has been shown that strong parental involvement and interest in education is a crucial factor in student success. There are many ways to volunteer at T. Clay Wood Elementary School as well. Joining the PTO or Advisory Council, helping out in your child’s classroom, volunteering in the library, working at our Welcome Table Counter and chaperoning field trips are just a few of the many, many ways you can become a part of our Community of Leaders and Learners. Please review the regulation on volunteering: Regulation 511-10

Classroom Interruptions

In order to limit interruption to the teaching and learning environment and protect instructional time, if you drop off forgotten lunches, homework or materials, we will ask you to leave these in the front office. We will inform the teacher who will pick it up at a more convenient time. We want to thank you in advance for your understanding of this procedure and hope you know that our only intent is to maximize your children's instructional time.

Change in Transportation Home

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.

Bus Passes

If it is necessary for a student to ride a bus home other than the one he/she is normally assigned, a bus pass is required and must be approved by the office. A note must be sent to school indicating the bus number that the child should ride and a phone number to verify the information. Thank you for helping us ensure the safety of all our students.

Drop Off and Pick Up

Drop off and Pick Up - When dropping your students off in the morning, please drive all the way around to the front of the drop off area in front of our school. Please do not allow students to exit your vehicles until staff members are outside. If you will be picking your students up frequently, please come into our office to sign up for a car pick up tag. You can get a tag on August 19, 2022 during the Open House Meet and Greet and Orientation times. If you choose to park in the parking lot, you will need to park your car and walk your student to the cross walk.

Drive Carefully

Drive Carefully - Drive carefully and obey the posted speed limits around our parking lot and the neighboring streets. Please pay close attention to posted speed limits and reduced speed limits during the start and ending of our school day and Patriot High School’s day. There are many students and families driving in our two parking lots and around these neighborhoods. Please be extra careful and follow all signs and cones and directions. Please do not enter the parking lot through the exit lane. Car drop offs and pick up should enter through the T. Clay Wood Entrance and not through Patriot HS.

Student Inclement Weather and Emergency Dismissal Plan

In the event of inclement weather, power failure or any situation in which we are faced with an early closing of our school; we will activate our Automated Auto Dialer Calling system to inform our parents of the early closing. We will send out both a phone message and email message with the early closing information. Please make sure your phone number and contact information is updated. We will also place this information on our school website, Facebook and Twitter sites.

I encourage you to sign up for PWCS Weather alerts from PWC Schools. You can access this link from the PWC website or by this link:

https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/communications/p_w_c_s_weather_alerts_subscription

Kindergarten teachers will contact their students’ parents to confirm dismissal.

If schools close early, the SACC program will not open. Parents of students who attend SACC will be contacted by our SACC staff. Parent of SACC students should have an Emergency Back-up Plan.

When school does close early, we will send your children home via their regular dismissal method for that day, unless we hear differently from you.

Please contact the school office immediately in case of a change to their dismissal procedures

All Students in Prince William County Schools will be issued a school laptop or similar device. Students and their families are responsible for the safe and appropriate usage of the devices.

Families can opt to purchase low cost insurance to protect the device in case of accidentally damage. Here is the link for information on the optional digital device insurance. https://securranty.com/pwcs If purchased, the insurance covers unlimited repairs or replacements for everything from broken screens, lost chargers, and accidental damage, with a zero deductible for one year on a school-issued HP device. The insurance cost is $32.95, which may be significantly less than repair or replacement costs without insurance.

I do encourage all families to consider the optional low-cost insurance. After last year, I observed it was very beneficial for families to purchase the insurance PWCS was offering for the devices.

As we get ready to start using the devices again, please look for emails from Mr. Taylor about how to reset passwords, etc.

Also this is a good time to remind all families to always know what your students are doing when they are on the internet, using devices to complete their school work, using social media, texting with friends, or playing online games. We continually are reminding our students about appropriate and acceptable use of technology. I encourage all parents and guardians to regularly check what their students are doing on the internet and while using technology -(school devices, gaming systems, home devices, phones, etc). Just as you monitor where your children go in person, I encourage you to monitor where they go on the internet.

I would also encourage all families to consider adding parental controls on their personal devices that students use. If you have any questions about student devices, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Taylor, our Instructional Technologist at TaylorBi@pwcs.edu. Thank you.

Phones - Reminder: If students bring in phones to school they must remain in their backpack and turned off. Please let all your family members know not to call your elementary school student during the day. If you need to change dismissal, please let our front office know by calling 703.594.3990.

Also I recommend that all parents and guardians turn off the Air Drop feature on their Iphones. I have heard of students at secondary schools air dropping inappropriate photos into all phones that can receive airdrop and then other students accepting those photos. You can turn this off on your students' device.

PWCS is now a fully one-to-one School Division; laptops are provided by PWCS for every student and all instructional staff. As such, the use of personal devices by students and staff for any instructional or official PWCS business is strongly discouraged. The PWCS technology support will not support issues with Personal Technology Devices.

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: 9:15 am – 3:55 pm

(Office hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Doors Open: 9:05 a.m.

Students tardy after: 9:15 a.m.

Dismissal: 3:55 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.pwcs.schoolfusion.us/
Location: 10600 Kettle Run Road, Nokesville, VA, USA
Phone: 703.594.3990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TClayWoodES
Twitter: @TClayWooElem