Principal's Principles
Gayton Elementary Family News and Updates
OCTOBER 14-18, 2024
Hi Gayton Families:
A reminder that Monday, October 14th, is a student holiday/staff development day.
Movie Night is Friday, 10/18. We are showing Toy Story - a family favorite!
'Doors' open at 5:30 and the show will start promptly at sunset.
Don't forget your blankets/chairs!
Pizza, popcorn and concessions will be available for purchase 5:30-8:00p (while supplies last). Pizza is also available for pre-order through 10/16/ ( https://www.mpfundraisers.com/gayton/)
This is one of Gayton's most well-attended events and in order to continue to provide these full-school events, we need your help. For safety purposes, the playground will close as it starts to get dark. When we start the movie, students must stay with their parents/guardians for the duration of the evening. Students should never be unattended; we rely on parents to make certain all children are accounted for at all times.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE MOVIE NIGHT A SUCCESS!! We still have volunteer time slots available…Please consider signing up for a slot or two! We have time slots as little as 30 minutes!
Click here to sign-up!!!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0849A9A82BA64-51958036-gayton#/
This week is Digital Citizenship Week! Each October, Common Sense Media leads Digital Citizenship Week, an annual campaign to promote a healthy, balanced, and positive approach to media and tech use among young people.
Here is a daily calendar, which includes topics/questions, books, and additional resources to use with your children throughout the week. Teachers will be discussing the same topics in school.
Additionally, we will be holding a superhero poster contest! ALL students are encouraged to create a superhero poster to help promote good digital citizenship at Gayton. Posters can be drawn on paper (8.5”x11”) or created digitally in Canva or Adobe Express. There will be prizes for the winning designs! See the attached flyer for details.
Tuesday, October 15 — Gayton Gators are invited to Godwin’s varsity volleyball home match versus the Hermitage Panthers!!! Warmups start at 6:40 PM and the match starts at 7:00 PM. Wear any Red, Black, or White Gayton spirit wear that you have!
Come support 5th grade teacher— Mr. Ball (coach of boys’ volleyball) and the Godwin Eagles!!!
Every 1 general admission adult ticket purchased = 1 Gayton kid in for free. If you have multiple children, you’ll have to buy extra tickets…or bring another adult to get a second kid in! Any staff get in for free with their Henrico ID Badge! If you can make it, please leave any bags or large purses in your car or at home. Henrico has adopted a clear bag policy for all Henrico VHSL sporting events. The only thing you can bring is a completely clear bag, or small wallet/clutch.
CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS— https://gofan.co/event/1561583?schoolId=VA7824
Below are other upcoming dates:
October 23 Student Half Day/end of 1st quarter
October 24 HALLOSTEAM NIGHT! SEE FLYER BELOW FOR MORE INFO!
November 1 Student/Teacher holiday.
November 4 Student/Teacher holiday.
November 5 Election Day. Student holiday.
November 6, 7, 11. Parent Teacher Conferences. Teachers will be contacting you for sign ups.
November 8 Report cards go home.
November 11-15 Scholastic Book Fair in the library.
November 12 PTA meeting and Veteran's Day performance
November 26 Gayton Gobbler
November 27, 28, 29 Thanksgiving break.
Weekly Gayton Prayer Group with Mrs. Bouchard
I am excited to invite any kiddos interested to join us for a Weekly Prayer Group before school at 7:35 in Room 19. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to come together, reflect and find inspiration before starting their school day! My hope is that this environment would allow for deeper connections and meaningful friendships throughout our school and send us into the school day with peace, strength and motivation. It’s a chance for us to pause and connect amidst the busyness of school life. Feel free to have your children bring their friends along - the more, the merrier! Our first group will be held on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH! I look forward to seeing you there! - Mrs. Bouchard
Please note that this is a teacher sponsored club before school. Students would need to be brought to the school by parents at that time. In HCPS, teacher-sponsored prayer groups are allowed for any requesting groups. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the sponsoring teacher.
REGENCY MILE, November 3
Do Gayton Gators like to run?
Come join us at the Regency Mile – November 3, 2024 – Live Red Foundation
I hope you are doing well. I am writing on behalf of Live Red Foundation to let you know it's almost time for the Regency Mile! We are excited to invite your school to participate in the 2024 Regency Mile School Participation Competition. This year’s event will be held at Regency Square Mall on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
At Live Red Foundation, our mission is to provide free fitness programs that teach eight core life skills to children in underserved communities throughout Richmond. We believe that physical fitness is not only essential for health but also a vital tool for teaching important life skills such as positive risk-taking, self-belief, teamwork, resilience, and more. By engaging kids in fun, structured activities, we aim to empower them to lead healthier and more successful lives.
We are excited to invite your school to participate in the 2024 Regency Mile School Participation Competition. This year’s event will take place at Regency Square Mall on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Spread the Word to Your Students and Win Money for Your School!
The Regency Mile, along with the 5 & Under 400m Express Run, has held the record for the largest timed youth road race in Richmond for 15 years! With both in-person and virtual race options, an adult race, and a fall festival, this event provides a family-friendly day of racing. The event is also open to special-needs athletes, and we have an express run for ages 5 and under to introduce them to the sport of running. All proceeds from the event will go toward producing free fitness programs in local underserved neighborhoods, aligning with our mission to make fitness accessible to all.
A key aspect of what makes this event so impactful is our School Participation Competition. When students register for the race, they can enter their school name. The top 5 schools with the highest participation will win prize money to be used toward their physical education and fitness programs.
Award Breakdown:
· 1st Place: $600
· 2nd Place: $500
· 3rd Place: $400
· 4th Place: $300
· 5th Place: $200
Additionally, any school with at least 25 runners that does not place in the top 5 will receive $100. Schools must have at least 10 participants to be eligible for prize awards. We also offer a virtual run option, where students can still earn points for their school while participating on their own.
Here is the link where participants and schools can register:
https://livered.org/regency-mile/
We also need lots of volunteers to support the event, so if anyone is interested in volunteering, they can register here:
https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/VA/Henrico/RVARegencyMile
Sincerely,
Amy Swartz
Community Engagement
Live Red Foundation
HENRICO CARES
Families have a new mental health resource!
HCPS and Henrico County have partnered with Care Solace to help families find the mental health care and substance-use treatment services they need. The free confidential mental health care coordination service is part of the Henrico CARES initiative. Care Solace has a network of more than 425,000 providers. Visit the Care Solace website to learn more or call 1-888-515-0595 24/7.
- Watch a video of this week's HCPS Bridge Builders Academy discussion about Care Solace.
- Find a variety of helpful mental health care resources on the HCPS website.
LUNCHROOM VOLUNTEERS
Here are the sign-up links for lunch volunteers for each grade....
Kindergarten: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-kindergarten
First Grade: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-third
Second Grade: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-fourth
Third Grade: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-first
Fourth Grade: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-fifth
Fifth Grade: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4AABAC2BABF49-second
Volunteer Form
All volunteers must complete this form and watch the video above.
THIS MONTH'S FEATURED FAMILY APP
MySchoolBucks enables parents and guardians to easily pay for school meals, track balances and review purchased items. MySchoolBucks is for all students, in pre-K through grade 12. To use the service, go directly to the MySchoolBucks site and create an account. MySchoolBucks can be accessed using a browser on a computer, phone or tablet, or by downloading the app for Apple or Android devices. Please note that the app has some restrictions and does not display all menu options.
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GODWIN HIGH SCHOOL EVENTS!
Gayton is a feeder school to Godwin High School. Let's cheer on our team! Please see this link for Godwin events, such as football games, plays, and other performances.
Safety is Priority One!
We have shared the items below with you previously, and they are permanently linked below for your continued reference. At this time, we ask that you review/reference them (again) to have safety at the forefront in our partnership with you.
Another area that is very important to fostering a culture of safety at Gayton is student discipline. Please also see the following links for your review/reference.
Should you have any questions or concerns about student safety, crisis preparedness/protocols, or student discipline, please give Mrs. Reeves or Dr. Eggleston a call at 804-360-0820.
Walkers
- Only those students who are not assigned a bus are allowed to walk alone to/from school.
- Students assigned buses may walk to school if accompanied by a parent to/from.
- If you are picking up your child at the walker door, please do not arrive before 2:35. Students may still be on the playground at that time. Walkers will be dismissed at 2:40.
- Please do not park behind the school in Pine Run to pick up your child. You must use the carpool lane.
Car Riders
- If you drive your child to school in the morning, please seat him/her in the rear right seat. Do not exit the car; a staff member will assist your child from the car if needed.
- Please do not drop off your child before 7:50 or after 8:10.
- Please have your number posted prominently in your front window for PM dismissal only.
- Please be patient; the line may be long. It will go faster with each day.
- We encourage you to have your children ride the school bus.
Bus Riders
- Buses are safe. This year most of our buses will have A/C and seatbelts.
- Please be patient; the first few days of school our buses will likely be late in the afternoon.
- Kindergarten bus riders-- please see information below.
Daycare
- Make sure you inform your child's teacher which daycare he/she goes to after school..
- Daycare vans will take attendance before leaving Gayton.
- If your child is ever absent, please alert the daycare provider and the school.
WEAPON SCANNERS AND CAMERAS
HCPS will phase in the daily use of weapon scanners at all elementary schools during the first few weeks of school. When students arrive at school, they will pass through the scanners. They only need to open their backpacks to remove laptop computers or tablets (4th and 5th grades only). As shared previously, these scanners are similar to those at theme parks or sports venues. Our students had the opportunity to practice walking through the scanners last spring during PE class.
Walkers and carpool riders will enter each morning through the first grade door this year as we have just one scanner on that end of the building. Walkers will leave the building in the afternoon from the back door as usual.
HCPS has also installed additional video cameras in our building this summer.
Student IDs
Every HCPS student across the school division will receive a student ID on a lanyard for use throughout the school year. The white cards will include the student’s name and student number, but they will not include a photo. Students will scan their ID cards when getting on and off the bus, checking out books from the library and purchasing meals in the cafeteria. The new student IDs are part of a multi-layered safety plan and efforts to streamline operational processes at the school.
These will be provided to students on the first day of school.
Cell Phone and Smartwatch Use
As in years past, students may not have cell phones out during school. To further reduce distractions in the classroom, students must keep their cell phones, smartwatches, and other Wi-Fi-connected devices out of sight and silenced or in airplane mode during class. Devices may only be used for learning purposes with the teacher’s permission. If your child has a documented medical condition requiring a monitoring device, please contact the school nurse.
During class, students should keep their cell phones out of sight in their backpacks, bags, or safe storage containers provided by the school in each classroom. If a student leaves class to visit the restroom, clinic, etc., their cell phone must remain in the classroom. If a student fails to follow these guidelines, the following steps will be taken in alignment with the 2024-2025 Code of Student Conduct (insert link to Code when posted).
Consequences of Cell Phone Use Infractions*
First Offense
A verbal warning will be given to the student, and the parent or guardian will be contacted.
Second Offense
The device will be confiscated until the end of the day, and the student’s parent or guardian will be contacted.
Third Offense
The device will be confiscated until the end of the day, and the student’s parent or guardian must retrieve it from the school.
Fourth Offense
The device will be confiscated until the end of the day, and the student’s parent or guardian must retrieve it. Other student disciplinary consequences will apply.
Fifth Offense
The student must turn in the device to the teacher daily until further notice.
*School administrators may check for cell phones following the established HCPS Search and Seizure policy.
Student Medication
Written parental permission on the appropriate form is required before any medication may be administered. The school nurse or clinic attendant must administer all prescription and over-the-counter medications (including cough drops, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and cold and cough preparations) in the school clinic.
Daily Attendance
Daily learning and following established routines are essential for students, especially our youngest learners. Research shows that students who attend school regularly read better, are more proficient in math, and are more likely to graduate from high school and college. Students in every grade, including preschool and kindergarten, learn and develop new skills daily. Missing even one day of learning can cause a setback. Please take a minute to review the HCPS attendance policy and these family resources from Attendance Works.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Below you will find our Parent/Student handbook, school website, and other important links.