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BOBCAT BULLETIN
May June 2024
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Principal's Message
Dear Families,
Welcome to the May/June edition of our school newsletter! We have exciting news to share. Aldie Elementary School has been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as an Exemplar School. Aldie Elementary met the criteria for the Highest Achievement Award, as listed in the Exemplar Performance Awards Program. We will be recognized at the May 14, 2023 School Board meeting at the Administration Building at 6:30 pm. All families and staff are invited to attend the School Board meeting, as it takes a village!
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, we look forward to celebrating exciting achievements, memorable events, and plenty of learning opportunities for our students.
Fifth Grade D.A.R.E. Graduation
This event will mark the completion of the D.A.R.E. program by fifth grade students. D.A.R.E. is a widely recognized substance abuse prevention program that aims to educate young people about the dangers of drug use and violence. Students will showcase what they've learned throughout the program and will receive certificates of completion as they commit to to leading healthy, drug-free lives.
Author Trivia Competition
The entire Aldie community had so much fun reading our One Book, One School selection, Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins. We held an exciting whole-school trivia competition after the students finished listening to the book and The Toughy Buffaloes Team was crowned the winner. This team of 10 students will have the amazing opportunity to compete against the author on the YouTube show, Author-Fan Face-Off. Filming will take place on May 20th and we will let the community know when the episode is published.
Drama Club Performance
Please join us for the end-of-year Drama Club Performance on May 23rd from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. The student actors will present The Cleanest Town in Texas, which will surely entertain! We hope you'll come out to celebrate the actors and enjoy their performance.
Purcellville Cannons Game (National Anthem)
Save the date! Come on out to the ballpark on May 31! Our own Bobcat Chorus will be singing the National Anthem at the Purcellville Cannons game. We will be singing right before the 7:00 first pitch at Fireman's Field in Purcellville (250 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville, VA 20132). All Aldie families and friends are welcome! More general information about the Purcellville Cannons may be found at https://purcellvillecannons.com/. See you there!
Field Day
Get ready for a day of fun and friendly competition at our annual Field Day event on June 7th. Students will participate in a variety of outdoor activities and games, promoting teamwork, sportsmanship, and physical fitness. Please see below for volunteer opportunities.
Promotion & Awards Program
It's that time of year again when we come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students at the K-5 Promotion and Awards Program. This event is a joyous occasion where we honor the hard work, dedication, and growth of each and every student in our school community.
Fifth Grade Clap-Out
During the Fifth Grade Clap Out on June 14th at 2:00 pm, students, teachers, staff, and families gather in the hallways to create a tunnel of applause for our fifth graders. As the graduating class walks through the halls one last time, they are greeted with cheers, applause and high-fives from their peers, younger students, teachers, and staff. It's a moving and emotional moment that symbolizes the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. We invite all families to join us for this special occasion and show their support for our graduating fifth graders.
Other important dates can be found on the Student Calendar linked below. The calendar is frequently updated and we encourage you to check often.
If you have any questions or just want to chat, feel free to reach out to me orthe school office anytime. Thank you for being an important part of our school family!
Warmest regards,
Tracy Stephens, Principal
Thank You, Families!
Field Day Volunteers Needed
Field Day is scheduled for Friday, June 7 from 7:30 to 11:30 AM. All students in grades K-5 will participate in traditional and innovative Field Day events created by Mrs. Henry. Volunteers are needed to make this a fun and exciting day for our students. Volunteers are needed to set-up, supervise stations, clean-up and assist with outdoor lunch. Volunteers can sign up below. Thank you in advance for supporting our school! Click below to volunteer.
SNAP Assistance for Families
The SNAP in Schools initiative from the Virginia Department of Social Service, which is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), helps develop partnerships to bridge the gap of food insecurity among school-aged children. The objectives of SNAP in Schools are to reduce food insecurity in school-aged children, to increase the number of students directly certified for free school meals through SNAP, and to increase the number of students eligible without application for the summer EBT program.
If your family might benefit from this program, click the CommonHelp link to submit online SNAP applications.
The flyers below provide additional information:
Early Childhood Program for 3-4 Year Olds
The Career And Technical Education division in Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Teaching and Learning offers learning lab opportunities for children ages 3 to 4 years for interested Loudoun County families. Parents/guardians (Loudoun County residents) interested in participating in one of the eight learning lab programs offered in LCPS high schools can register their child(ren), ages 3 to 4, online beginning May 1, 2024. Children registered during the Online Registration process by May 15, 2024, will be included in the learning lab's lottery.
The LCPS Learning Lab program is a hands-on learning experience, designed for children ages 3 to 4, and staffed by dedicated LCPS employees and early childhood education students who provide a nurturing environment for every child's development. Learning Labs offer children a unique school experience.
After the registration period, a lottery will be conducted to determine the Learning Lab placements. All registered parents/guardians will receive an email notification of the lottery results between the end of May and the beginning of June 2024. The email will clearly state if a child was accepted or waitlisted. If a child is offered a spot, their parents/guardians must accept or decline the program placement by June 15, 2024.
For more information about the learning labs, including locations, registration, and enrollment timelines, visit the ECE Learning Lab webpage (www.lcps.org/ecelab) for details.
Summer School Information
The Elementary Summer School Program is designed to engage students who need to continue developing skills in reading, writing and math. The Summer School Program is designed for students who have received intervention in any of these areas during the school year and who continue to require remediation.
Participation in the Summer School Program requires teacher recommendation at the end of the third marking period. Recommendations were included in the comment section of the third marking period report card, and were communicated to parents directly by classroom teachers. The Summer School Program will be held at Goshen Post Elementary School from July 8, 2024 through July 26, 2024 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Bus transportation will be provided from Aldie Elementary to Goshen Post Elementary. Parents may also drop students directly at Goshen Post.
Please contact Mrs. Stephens or Mrs. Fumagali who will serve as the Summer School Lead Teacher with questions about the Summer School Program.
SOL Testing Schedule
Students in grades 3-5 will participate in SOL assessments following the schedule below. Please help students arrive to school on time, well-rested, and with a charged chromebook. SOL tests are untimed and students will begin testing promptly at 8:00 am. Students may have as much time as they need to complete each assessment, within the school day.
The SOL Assessments are computer adaptive tests. Unlike paper and pencil tests, where all students are asked the same questions and spend a fixed amount of time taking the test, these assessments adapt to the way each student responds to test items. That means every student gets a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions get harder. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier. By the end of the test, most students will have answered about half the questions correctly, as is common on adaptive tests. Results of the Virginia SOL Assessments will be available in ParentVUE at the close of each test window.
NON-WRITING SOL TESTING SCHEDULE
GRADE 3
May 22 READING SOL
May 29 MATH SOL
GRADE 4
May 16 READING SOL
May 23 VA STUDIES SOL
May 30 MATH SOL
GRADE 5
May 14 SCIENCE SOL
May 22 READING SOL
May 29 MATH SOL
Promotion & Awards Program
Families are invited to the Promotion and Awards Program on June 13th at 8:45 am. We look forward to this annual tradition, including recognition of the Aldie Ruritan Awardee, Daughters of the American Revolution Awardee, Aldie Heritage Association Awardee, and other recognitions. Students in every grade will be recognized and promoted with the usual Aldie fanfare. We hope you will join us and ask that only immediate family members attend. To help us ensure adquate seating, please complete the short RSVP below no later than June 7, 2024 (one form per family).
Google Authentication Update
Starting 6/3/24 at 5 PM, Student Chromebooks for grades 3-12 will have an updated login screen. Staff will also see a slight change when accessing Google resources. The experience should be more seamless when accessing on-campus and on a LCPS provisioned Windows device.
Although the screen will look slightly different, the login process will be the same. The student will enter their StudentID@lcps.org and then their password.
*Please note that the original date for this change was May 16th, but it was changed to June 3rd, on May 8th. This change was made to reduce any risk to SOL testing and school operations.
Yearbook Distribution
Yearbooks will be distributed to students who pre-ordered on June 11th. We have a small number of surplus yearbooks available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. If you were not able to pre-order a yearbook and would like to purchase one of the surplus yearbooks, please use the LCPS Online Payment app.
Please note, parents will need to set-up an account if you have not already done so. The LCPS Online Payment app is used across schools for a variety of purposes including yearbook, clubs, field trips, and other fees.
Summer Reading Program
Get ready to rock with this year’s Summer Reading Program sponsored by the Loudoun Library Foundation in partnership with the Washington Nationals. Details about the Summer Reading Program will be shared with students and families in the coming weeks. The program kicks off on Saturday, June 15. Create an online account and then track your progress as you spend the summer reading great books, completing challenges, attending programs and exploring your community. All ages are invited to join the fun — pre-readers, kids, teens and adults!
Please note that May 31st is the last day to check out library books from the school library this year. All Aldie library books are due by Friday, 6/7. We encourage families to visit the Middleburg Library or Gum Spring Library throughout the summer.
Sign Up for Lunch Visits
We welcome parents and grandparents to join students for lunch at their regularly scheduled lunch time. Sign-up is required due to limited seating. We can accommodate up to three familes each lunch period. Click below to reserve a table. Make certain to include the student(s) name. Check in at the school office upon arrival. Guests may purchase school lunch using your student's lunch account.
LUNCH SCHEDULE
K-2: 10:40 to 11:10
3-5: 11:10 to 11:40
Attendance Counts!
LCPS and Aldie Elementary School are making regular school attendance a priority! To help support improving school attendance, the Loudoun County School Board recently approved revisions to the policy that governs school attendance. This policy outlines what types of absences are categorized as excused or unexcused absences. The policy also provides guidance on make-up work following an absence as well as specific actions school administrators should take if a student demonstrates a pattern of absenteeism.
Some changes to this policy include:
Absences due to family trips or vacations are considered unexcused absences unless they are due to family emergencies or observations of religious holidays. Parents/guardians are advised to schedule such trips during school holidays.
The principal or the principal’s designee is no longer required to determine whether a student’s absence is excused or unexcused. That determination is outlined by the policy.
Excused absences due to personal illness have been expanded to include mental health issues or substance abuse-related illnesses. Principals may require medical documentation to support these absences.
This policy also provides guidance on make-up work following an absence as well as specific actions school administrators should take if a student demonstrates a pattern of absenteeism.
This policy revision was adopted on Oct. 24, 2023, and applies to all LCPS students. If you have questions about this policy, please speak with your school’s principals or contact the Department of Student Services.
PTA News
APRIL PTA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Thank you to our amazing PTA Board for all they have done to support children, teachers and families this year. From assemblies, after school clubs, family nights, and appreciation events, the Aldie PTA R.O.C.K.S.!!!!
Congratulations, and thank you to the new PTA Board members who were elected for the 2024-2025 school year.
President: Stefanie Clay
Vice President of Events: Adele Buytenhuys
Treasurer: Amanda Ruckman
LEAF Representatives: Rob Clay and Lorianne Terjesen
Drama Kids Summer Camp
Looking for a fun camp opportunity for kiddos? Drama Kids offers a summer camp program that compliments the after school club that many of our students enjoy. Click below for the camp flyer and come check-out the Drama Kids spring performance on May 23rd at 5:30 pm.
Aldie Elementary School PTA
President