The Puma Paw

Hello Puma Families,

The Pinebrook spelling bee was held on December 10, 2024. Twelve fifth-grade finalists competed for the honor of being Pinebrook Elementary School's Spelling Bee Champion. The terrific spellers persevered through 18 rounds of words before Akash M. was crowned the 2024-2025 Spelling Bee Champion. The runner-up is Shaf J. The other participants were Hailey B., Haasika P., Kate D., Bella H, Sahil K, Prakruthi A., Rithvik S, Anya I., Sai R., and Eddie B.

The fifth-grade students who participated in the spelling bee demonstrated remarkable courage and poise. Despite the nerves and challenges of competing in front of an audience, these young spellers stood tall and confidently tackled each word. The most impressive thing was their sportsmanship and willingness to encourage one another throughout the competition. It was a true testament to their character. Whether they won or not, these students exemplified the spirit of learning and the joy of taking on new challenges. Their display made all of us very proud of them and our community. They are wonderful leaders.

Congratulations to Akash and all of our fifth-grade super-spellers. Akash will represent Pinebrook at the LCPS District Spelling Bee later this school year, and Shaf will be Pinebrook's alternate! Well done by all!

-Denise Higgins, PNB Librarian and Spelling Bee Co-Coordinator.

The Points

• Dec. 16 - 20 is a B Week
• Dec. 16 - 20 is a Winter Spirit Week!
  • Monday - Holiday PJ Day
  • Tuesday - You are a gift: Dress like a present!
  • Wednesday - Dress as your favorite holiday character (any holiday) or song
  • Thursday - Jingle, Sparkle, and Shine
  • Friday - Ugly Holiday Shirt or Sweater
• See the flyer below!
• Dec. 20 - School Store! *School store is open every Friday from 7:40-8:00
• Dec. 20 - Last day before Winter Break - please attend to help our attendance momentum!
• Dec. 23 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break
• Jan. 6 - School Resumes - Please attend if your child is healthy!
• Jan. 9 - Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
• Jan. 14 - Reading MAP Assessment for grades 2-5
• Jan. 14 - Virtual PTA meeting at 7:00 PM. A link will be provided!
• Jan. 16 - Math MAP Assessment for grades 1-5
• Jan. 13 - Family Fitness Night 6-7:30PM - See Flyer

The Pawer

• Drop-Off on Mindful Court - Working with LCPS Safety and Security, LCPS Transportation Dept., and LC Sheriff's office, Mindful Court is available only to bus, staff, and resident traffic during arrival and dismissal. The purpose is to eliminate the blind spot between drivers and walkers when students cross Mindful Court onto the Pinebrook campus. A sign has been ordered and will be posted to remind families of the rule. Thank you.
• Also, please see the Kiss - N - Ride Etiquette Guide
• 5th Grade Promotion Event Guide! Click here for all things 5th Grade Promotion!
• WatchDog Signup! Please click here to be our next WatchDog!
• Attendance! Our average attendance rate for Nov. 25 - Dec. 6 is 90.11%. That's down from 93% for the average this year. Let's aim for 95%—attendance matters for our school accreditation. Please be sure students are in school when they are well.

Links will be updated the first full week of each month

We want to give a shout-out to the unsung heroes of the arrival and dismissal. Last week was wildly cold, and this week they are battling the heavy rain. Yet, they are in the weather to keep our students safe and the processes rolling for arrival and dismissal. Our fantastic weather rugged Pumas that Pounce are Roxanne Gustilo, Patti Blake, Krissy Quinn, Shawn McKinley, Tory Walker, Cynthia Salme, Kim Keener, Donna Johnson, Andrew Foote, Hillary Hennesy, Erin Wilhelm, Danielle Clark, Katie Rainier, Kara Hallet, Patrick McAndrews, Briana Ausgotharp, Sadaf Arif, and Ms. Carmen who puts out the new lane signs on Mindful.

Kudos to Hillary Hennessy and Jeanie Lambert, our reading team, who hosted a fantastic Family Literacy Night! Supported by the PTA, Pienbrook Chorus, and our community, it was a tremendous event and a total win for literacy.

Also, thank you to everyone who supported Parents Night Out on Friday eve. Your support is so vital to our effort to be part of the fight against cancer. The Teacher's Makin' Tracks team mentioned how the students behaved, which made for a fantastic event for everyone.

Lastly, great job to Grade 1 for a very busy and enjoyable Holidays Around The World! Students have the opportunity to experience economics concepts while learning about various holidays. It was a well-developed educational experience that was exciting and full of learning. Way to go first grade!

Check out our feature Partners in Parenting. We'll gather tips and tricks that you can use at home. Let us know if you have any questions!

Here's our parenting tip for today -

Did you know that some popular video games played by elementary-aged students (e.g., Roblox) allow random, anonymous game users to communicate with players? These anonymous game users may be other elementary-aged students, or they may be much older. Parents can help students stay safe when playing online games by learning about and engaging in game safety settings, explaining clear and appropriate expectations of what to do if they encounter questionable comments or interactions, and giving reasonable gameplay time limits.

Paul, Turner, and 5th Grade Counselor Lisa Morales talk about the overview, essential things to think about, and guidance to helping parents with moving students on to 6th grade. Check it out!

Or, search "Puma Pawd" on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and Google (Google by RSS feed). Click or search one of the listed platforms.

Do you have an idea for the Puma Pawd? -Big or small - click here to let us know! -And thanks again to those who sent some ideas! Send more!

At the beginning of this school year, after extensive community, staff and student feedback, LCPS implemented Policy 8655, Student Personal Device Use. This policy covers the student use of personal technology in schools, including cell phones, tablets, earbuds, personal gaming devices, and other technologies during the school day. We are asking for feedback on these changes. We want to know what is working well and what might still be confusing or need further clarification.

We are using ThoughtExchange so everyone can share their perspectives and understand what's most important to the group.

You may recall that the goal of this policy was to foster a productive academic environment and help ensure that LCPS students participate in their classes undistracted by cell phones. It was our belief that this change would boost student engagement in class, help promote more positive interactions between classmates and help reduce feelings of anxiety to help promote student's mental health and wellbeing.

This policy did not deny students with a valid accommodation access to their personal devices. Parents/guardians and multi-disciplinary team members supported students who required and requested access to personally owned devices as an accommodation.

Your input is valued and appreciated. Simply use the QR code below or this link to participate in the Policy 8655 ThoughtExchange, which closes December 20. All ThoughtExchanges can be found at www.lcps.org/thoughtexchange. Your participation is anonymous.

We're bringing back Friday Spirit Day! Each Friday, have your child wear their PNB Spiritwear or house colors!

School Colors - navy blue, maroon, white

House colors:

• Yukon - yellow
• Yosemite - red
• Patagonia - purple
• Sonoran - orange
• Everglades - green
• Andes - blue

*For many students, they might know their color ... we might not have locked up the specific house names yet.

• When you come to school, it's essential to be in the habit of three things:

1. Make an appointment
2. Have your ID;
3. Have your phone, especially if you are tardy, picking up, or returning a child to school, as we use an electronic form to record the child's return. You will access the form via a QR code scanned by your phone.

Website: https://www.lcps.org/pinebrook
Location: 25480 Mindful Court, Aldie, VA, USA
Phone: 703-957-4325

2023 All Rights Reserved – Loudoun County Public Schools