Cheetah Chronicles
January 28, 2024
Important Dates
February 1: Parent Information Session 5:30-6:30
February 1: Tennis Time begins for those who registered - 4:00 - 5:00 PM
February 2: Track 4 - Q2 Report Cards go home, Tracks 1 & 2 Q3 Interims go home
February 2: Kinds Heart Challenge - Event Day for Tracks 1 & 2 - All donations are due at this time
February 2: Cheetah Pride Day - Wear Holly Springs Gear or School Colors
February 6: School Store K-2
February 7: McTeacher Night Tracks 1 & 2 (5:00-7:30)
February 13: School Store 3-5
February 15: Cheetahs Got Talent Show!
February 28th: McTeacher Night Tracks 3 & 4 (5:00-7:30)
What's New
2023-2024 Track Change Request Form for the 2024-2025 School Year
Families of currently enrolled HSES students who prefer a different track assignment, other than the one to which they are currently assigned, should complete this form. Administration would like to grant all requests; however, state class size limits, keeping families together on the same track, and other variables must be considered when assigning students to tracks/classrooms. You will be notified of your final track assignment for the 2024-2025 school year in late spring (end of May). Thank you for your understanding and support. *Deadline to consider any track changes: March 8, 2024*
Spring Individual and Group Pictures
February 22nd: Spring Individual and Class Pictures-Tracks 1 & 3
March 14th: Spring Individual and Class Pictures-Tracks 2 & 4
Kid Heart Challenge:
Holly Springs Elementary is once again teaming up with the American Heart Association for the Kids Heart Challenge. Students in tracks 1-2 will have their Event Day on February 2. Track 4 students will have their kickoff assembly on February 5, 2024. You can see the schedule and other information for our Kids Heart Challenge HERE.
Reminder about WCPSS Volunteers and Field Trip Chaperones
Even if you were approved as a volunteer last school year you must be approved again this year. Many field trips are coming up and we do not want you to wait or miss out as it takes a while for volunteers to be approved. Follow the steps below carefully:
Register as a WCPSS Volunteer
All WCPSS parent and community volunteers are required to register through the new MyVolunteer system. Please complete your registration on a computer at home or school. It is very difficult to complete using a mobile phone. It can take several weeks for your registration to be approved so don’t wait until field trips to try and register. Register now so you are ready and able to volunteer in the classroom, volunteer for school events, or chaperone at any time this school year!
Click the link below to start your volunteer registration: https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login
Click create new account.
Complete the online form and select all the schools that you are requesting to volunteer or chaperone for the 2023-2024 school year.
It will then say pending.
Soon after you will receive an email with a customized link for you to complete next steps for your background check. This link expires 10 days from the day you receive the email. Follow the instructions in that email. You will fill out all items in red boxes and then you will review and digitally sign four documents (Summary of Rights Under the FCRA, Disc & Auth, NC Security Freeze Notice, and WCPSS Volunteer Agreement).
If you leave the CRC background site before completing your contact information, you will have to begin the process again.
You must include your social security number to register to volunteer. If you do not have a social security number, please contact volunteers@wcpss.net or call 919-694-8233.
Great news is that this year you will be notified by the MyVolunteer system if you are approved to volunteer!
Please Note: If you are a WCPSS Employee seeking to volunteer/chaperone in the schools, you do not have to complete a criminal background check. However, employees will still need to register in the MyVolunteer system (https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login) and complete the Wake County Volunteer Agreement and other required forms. Employees must select the “Current Staff of WCPSS” link on MyVolunteer to complete the volunteer registration process and must use their WCPSS email address to complete the registration.
Kindergarten Registration for 2024-2025
Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens Monday, October 16th. If you have a rising kindergartener for the next school year, you can begin registration on the 16th by going to the WCPSS website under enrollment and then under 2024-2025.
Reminder of the Student Device Agreement
Reminder of the Student Device Agreement (WCPSS issued chromebooks)
Please review the following link reminding everyone that the WCPSS issued chromebooks are to be used for educational purposes only and are the property of WCPSS.Digital Children’s Reading Initiative
Live Bus Updates
In the event that a bus is not running, Holly Springs Elementary will continue to send text and email messages through School Messenger, and post on Twitter. Text and email messages will not be sent through School Messenger if buses are running behind schedule. This is for both AM and PM routes.
Wake County Schools Transportation continually updates bus information for the Holly Springs area HERE.
Remember to refresh the page every 15 minutes in order to see the most up to date information.
If HSES is not listed, that means that all of our buses are running without any issue.
Decline Bus Transportation if Not Needed
If your student is assigned to transportation and is not a rider, please complete the information linked HERE so that WCPSS has the most up-to-date information for transportation planning. Note: Submitting this form will remove your student from both yellow bus and vendor (cab) transportation service.
Positivity Project
Click the letter below to learn more about the Positivity Project and to view the yearly calendar:
Tracks 1
Review Week
Track 2
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Love of Learning. Love of learning means you You master new topics on your own or in school.
Those with a love of learning are intrinsically motivated and engaged in a topic regardless of achieving an external standard. They enjoy learning simply for the sake of learning. They don’t need a prize or a high grade as a reward. Their reward is the process of doing the work and improving.
People who love learning experience positive feelings in the process of acquiring skills, building on existing knowledge, or learning something completely new. Over time, individuals with this strength may develop deep and wide knowledge. Their knowledge enables them to make
significant contributions to others’ understanding.
To practice and encourage the character strength of love of learning with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Track 4
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Humor. Humor means You like to laugh and bring smiles to other people.
Humor is a sense of playfulness and lightness. It is a way of looking at and describing the world that brings laughter to people. A person with the strength of humor is skilled at seeing the funny side of things, bringing smiles and laughter to others, and identifying and communicating the
absurdities in life. People with this strength don’t specifically need to be joke tellers, although many are. Humor can have a dark side, depending on how it’s used. Some humor is mean spirited and bullying. The type of humor that the character strength focuses on is that which
raises the spirits of other people.
To practice and encourage the character strength of love of learning with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Counselor Connection
Technology Resources
Parent Teacher Association
Wake Up & Read Book Drive
Our Wake Up and Read Book Drive has officially started! Drop off your gently used Children’s Books in the box located in the front lobby. We are collecting books from birth to 5th grade. This is a great way to clear out books you no longer need and know they're going to a great cause.
School Store Help!
School Store will be open on February 6th (K-2) and February 13th (3-5)! If you are able to lend a hand from 8:30-9:30am, please sign up HERE! Thank you!
AHA Jump for Heart
Coach Lee just kicked off our school’s Kids Heart Challenge! Students and staff are excited to get going on helping kids with special hearts and learning how to take care of our own. The classrooms in each grade level with the most students registered online will win the classroom challenge to receive a $25 gift card! Once you’re on the team, be sure to complete Finn’s Mission. That’s where you’ll learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR, which when given immediately can double (even triple) a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest. Other missions will help you raise funds for kids with special hearts and learn the warning signs of a stroke. As always, our students will have the opportunity to earn thank-you gifts for themselves and funds and equipment for our school.
Click HERE to sign up!
PTO Today Family Tech Talk - Wednesday, January 24th at 7pm
Being a kid in today’s digital world isn’t easy. As parents and caregivers, the best thing we can do is educate ourselves so that we can help our kids use the Internet safely—and your parent group can help! Family Tech Talk is a free parent education event for schools, from PTO Today and global cybersecurity leader Trend Micro. Parents will learn what kids are doing online, the risks they face, and how they can help their kids use the Internet safely.
Click HERE to attend!
Join this virtual event at: https://trendmicro.zoom.us/j/95645791400?pwd=WGZlSXRZSDREcEdjWDd1TGtZUnBjUT09
Passcode 564088
Cheetahs Got Talent Show! - Thursday, February 15th
For our Cheetah-rific 5th Graders!
Yard Signs
Yard Sign (Without Name): https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/962394
OR
(Personalized): https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/962395
T-Shirt Donations
T-Shirt Donation: https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/964567
Order Your 2023-24 Yearbook!
Yearbook Photos!
Cheetah FamilyFest (summer kickoff)
CheetahBlast (formerly O'Holly Night)
Fall Movie Night (Mario Movie)
Rent the Spirit Rock!
YES, you read that right! We have a NEW SPIRIT ROCK! Our new rock is directly behind our Carpool rock & sits facing the Bus loop. Now our bus and van riders will have a front row view of even more celebrations! Please pay close attention to CARPOOL or BUS LOOP when making your reservations. Choose either the CARPOOL LOOP or BUS LOOP. We cannot guarantee that your week will be available if you rent the wrong rock.
https://app.memberhub.gives/hsesspiritrock
The HSES Spirit Rock is a great way to send a message for all to see! Congratulate your favorite student on an accomplishment, wish a student a Happy Birthday, celebrate a team win or let everyone know how much you love our school. Reserve the Spirit Rock HERE ($25/week).