Timberwolf Times -Sept. 25, 2023
T. Clay Wood - Facts at your Fingertips
Welcome to T. Clay Wood ES
Welcome Back to School - 2023-2024
"It's A Great Day to be a Timberwolf""
Dear Timberwolf Families,
As a reminder, all PWCS schools are closed on Monday, September 25, 2023 for Yom Kippur.
Back to School Night is this week as well. All sessions start at 6:00pm.
Mrs. Vlach and Mrs. Strosser's families, please note that they will have their Back to School Night on Thursday, September 28, 2023.
- Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - 4th and 5th
- Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 3rd and 2nd (Except Mrs. Vlach's and Mrs. Strosser's class)
- Thursday, September 28, 2023 - Kg and 1st and Mrs. Vlach's and Mrs. Strosser's 2nd grade class.
When you arrive, please go straight to your child's classroom.
This night is just for parents. However, both Kindergarten and Second Grade have invited students to participate in their Back to School Night.
Just a reminder – it is at 6pm for each Back to School Night
Click this link for Dr. McDade's September 14, 2023 Letter to the Community.
Click on this link to read the September 14, 2023 Scoop -
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”
CONGRATULATIONS to our 23-24 Student Lighthouse Leadership Team
President: Carsen Daugherty
Vice President: Hailey Owusu
Community Outreach: Sofia Grupposo, Maryam Oomer and William Yuditsky
Communications: Keeti Teressa, Tyler Paul and Olivia Cannon
Hospitality: Kate Davis, Daniela Sipina and Harper Mize
Advisory Council Representative: Leena Canny
PTO Representative: Piper Morris
IMPACT AID
What is Impact Aid?
Impact Aid is a federal education program that reimburses school districts for lost revenue and additional costs due to the presence of nontaxable federal property (such as military installations, Indian lands, national parks, national laboratories, and Veterans Affairs hospitals) in a community.
What are the funds used for?
Impact Aid, like revenue generated by taxes, can be used for any general fund purpose, such as instructional materials, teacher salaries, transportation, technology, social-emotional supports or facilities. All decisions on how Impact Aid funds are spent are made by school district leaders and locally elected school boards. This flexibility and local control ensure funds are targeted to where the greatest needs exist.
Additionally, Impact Aid data allows us to apply for competitive funding from other sources such as Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) K12 Partnership grants to provide tailored support services to children of active-duty uniformed services personnel. These grants support specific schools in which 10% or more of the student population is military-connected according to Impact Aid data.
When is the Impact Aid Survey available?
The Impact Aid Survey will become available on September 30, 2023, in ParentVUE. Be on the lookout for additional information regarding the opening of the survey.
Book Fair Sign Up
T. Clay Wood ES will be having a Fall Book Fair on October 16-19th. We need volunteers to help with set-up, clean up, cashiers, etc. If you can help, please sign up on the following link-
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090C4AA4AF2AA5F94-44416158-fall
Code Orange - Devices Information
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.
Bus Information
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 -
School Wide Information
Our PTO has arranged an Author Assembly on Friday, October 20, 2023 for all students. The Author is Ada Ari. If you would like to learn more information about her - please see her website - www.ada-ari.com If you have questions about the assembly please reach out to our PTO at tclaywoodpto@gmail.com If you do not want your student to participate in the assembly, please let your child's teacher know.
On November 2, Mr. Taylor and our school counselors will join me in reminding our 3rd-5th grade students about Internet Safety. We will also have an evening event as well for parents. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Taylor at taylorbi@pwcs.edu or one of our school counselors at 703.594.3990. If you do not want your students to participate in this assembly, please let your child's teacher know.
On November 9, we will have a school wide assembly honoring our Veterans and Active duty service members. If you do not want your children to participate in this assembly, please let your child's teacher know.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! T. Clay Wood Elementary is collecting play-doh, small toys, games, and Legos for Inova Children's Hospital. Children each receive a brand-new toy or game to play with while receiving treatment. Collection boxes will be in the front hallway from Sept. 18-29. September 29 is Go Gold Day! Wear gold or yellow in honor of all the survivors, fighters, & angels in our community! Please contact Mrs. Scarce if you have any questions.
Free and Reduced Price Meal and Meal Prices
Only students who qualify for free and reduced meals will receive free meals. This year, students whose families qualify for reduced-price meals will also receive free meals, based on a Virginia General Assembly expansion of the program. Applications will be available in August.
Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications were mailed by the School Division to families with children registered in Prince William County Public Schools. If you did not receive an application, please contact School Food and Nutrition Services at 703.791.7314 or your school. You may also complete the application electronically. Visit the School Division Web site at https://pwcsnutrition.com/index.php?sid=0408101731444083to access the electronic application.
Following are the USDA-approved school meal prices for the 2023-24 school year:
- Breakfast
- Student full price - $1.60
- Adult price - $2.75
- Lunch
- Elementary student full price - $2.60
- Middle student full price - $2.75
- High student full price - $2.85
- Adult full price - $4.50
- A la carte - Milk, $1
If you have questions, please contact the Food and Nutrition Department at 703-791-3151.
- Breakfast
Free and reduced breakfast and lunch are free to those who qualify for Free and Reduced
Insurance for your student's device
For Grades 3-5 Students in grades 3-5 this year have HP 360 Windows laptops. If students damage the device, they are responsible for any repairs or replacement for the device. The cost for a total replacement is prorated based on the age of the device and maxes out at $308. Students are also responsible for the case and the charger issued with the device. Insurance is available to cover any damage or total loss of the device. The cost of the insurance is $29.95 and you can purchase it through Securranty. (https://securranty.com/pwcs) We strongly recommend the insurance for the Windows laptops, as they can be susceptible to drops and water damage. Contact Mr. Taylor, our Technology Coach, if you'd like more information or have questions (taylorbi@pwcs.edu).
Students in grades K-2 have iPads this year. Our iPads are Generation 9 and use Lightening charge cables; they are brand new devices this year, fresh out of the box! All iPads come with AppleCare included at no additional cost to families. AppleCare will cover any physical damage to the iPad so long as you return the damaged device to your teacher. AppleCare does not cover total loss the device. If your child loses their iPad, they will be responsible for a replacement cost. Since all devices are new this year, they will not be prorated and the replacement cost will be $285. Insurance is available to cover loss of the iPad. Keep in mind that damage to the iPad is already covered, so insurance would only be beneficial if your child loses their iPad. Insurance is $29.95 and is available through Securranty. Contact Mr. Taylor, our Technology Coach, if you'd like more information or have questions (taylorbi@pwcs.edu).
For Grades K-2
Attendance - Why is it important?
What's Happening at T. Clay Wood during the week of September 25-29
Yom Kippur - No School
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 Day 5
Childhood Cancer Awareness Week
Chorus- 8:15 am
3rd grade Math VGA
4th and 5th grade Back to School Night; 6pm
Wednesday, September 27, 2023- Day 6
Childhood Cancer Awareness - Go for Gold
5th grade Reading VGA
3rd and 2nd grade (Not Mrs. Vlach's class) Back to School Night; 6pm
Thursday, September 28, 2023 - Day 1
Childhood Cancer Awareness - Go for Gold
4th grade Math VGA
Kg and 1st grade Back to School Night; 6pm
Mrs. Vlach's Back to School Night; 6pm
Friday, September 29, 2023 -Day -2
Childhood Cancer Awareness - Go for Gold
Wear Gold or Yellow Spirt Day
LEADER IN ME Corner
Habit 1: Be Proactive - Focus and act on what you can control and influence instead of what you can’t.
It is the Habit of Choice -
Proactive people choose their own way and take responsibility for the results. You are being proactive when you:
- Remain calm.
- Take responsibility.
- Think before acting.
- Focus on solutions.
- Take initiative to make things happen.
- See alternatives, not roadblocks.
- Focus on what you can influence.
Kid Language
You're in Charge: I am a responsible person. I take initiative. I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I do not blame others for my wrong actions. I do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.
Ways to practice Be Proactive:
- Start sentences with “I choose to…” “I get to…” “I want to…” “I can…”
- The next time you feel bored, do something nice for someone else.
- Try doing something today that you’ve always been scared to do. Make a new friend or raise your hand in class.
- If you do something wrong, say you’re sorry before someone asks you to apologize.
PTO CORNER
Our 2023-2024 PTO BOARD
President - Kate Case
VP - Kelsey Fisher
Treasurer - Beth Feliciano-Rivera
Asst Treasurer - Cooper Waterman
Secretary - Sandra Oviedo
Director - Tabitha Rich
Teacher Director - Tiana Marshall
Next PTO Meeting, October 5,2023 - 6:30pm.
Art ROOM
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!
*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!
Visitors and Identification
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.
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.
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.
Code of Behavior, FLE Objectives and Opt Out and Calendar Now Online
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
T. Clay Wood Continuous Improvement Plan
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.
Information about T. Clay Wood ES
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