Knightly News
April 12, 2024
Every Student, Every Day Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5255 Auxiliary 2023-2024 Awards Honorees
Illustrating America Contest Awards:
K-2
1st place ~ Abubakir S. (L. Wilson)
2nd place ~ Devonny L. (Henderson)
3rd place ~ Maximilliano M. (Harrison)
3-5
1st place ~ Haider A. (Wactor)
2nd place ~ Vi P. (Lewis-Bonner)
3rd place ~ Petar O.(Vlaic)
Getting Excited For the Red, White and Blue Singing Program:
1st place ~ Destiny S. (Colclough)
2nd place ~ Skylar G. (Williams)
Upcoming Events at Simonton
Wednesday, April 17
- Title I Parent Meeting ~ 4:00-5:00 pm
- STEM Night ~ 5:00-7:00 pm
Thursday, April 18
- FOCUS Family Workshop ~ 5:00-6:00 pm
Friday, April 19
- Field Day (Kindergarten & 1st Grade)
- School Tours (New Families) ~ 10:00-11:00 am
Saturday, April 20
- Better World Day- Garden Clean-up ~ 8:00-11:00 am
Monday, April 22
- GMAS ELA Section 1 ~ Grades 3-5
Tuesday, April 23
- GMAS ELA Section 2~ Grades 3-5
Wednesday, April 24
- GMAS ELA Section 3 ~ Grades 3-5
Thursday, April 25
- GMAS ELA Make-ups
- Field Day (2nd & 3rd Grade)
Friday, April 26
- GMAS ELA Make-ups
- Field Day (4th Grade)
- Progress Reports emailed to parents
- SES Movie Night ~ 7:00-9:00 pm
Monday, April 29
- GMAS Math Section 1~ Grades 3-5
Tuesday, April 30
- GMAS Math Section 2 ~ Grades 3-5
Wednesday, May 1
- GMAS Math Make-ups
- Field Day (5th Grade)
Thursday, May 2
- GMAS Science ~ Grade 5
- Kindergarten Roundup ~ 5:30-6:30 pm
Friday, May 3
- GMAS Make-ups
- Local School Council Meeting ~ 9:00-10:00 am
- Barber of Seville ~ Grade 3-5
Monday, May 6- Wednesday, May 8
- BOGO Scholastic Book Fair
Tuesday, May 7
- Celebration of Learning (K-2nd) ~ 9:00-10:00 am
Wednesday, May 8
- Celebration of Learning (3rd-5th) ~ 9:00-10:00 am
Thursday, May 9
- PTA Spirit Night at Sparkles ~ 5:00-8:00 pm
Friday, May 10
- School Tours (New Families) ~ 10:00-11:00 am
- PBIS Celebration
Tuesday, May 14
- Fine Arts Night ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Thursday, May 16
- Honor Ceremony (1st, 2nd, & 4th)
Friday, May 17
- Honor Ceremony (3rd)
Monday, May 20
- 5th Grade Celebration ~ 8:30-10:00 am
Tuesday, May 21
- 5th Grade Celebration ~ 8:30-10:00 am
- 5th Grade Walk ~ 2:00 pm
Wednesday, May 22
- Last Day of School
- Report Cards sent home
Georgia Special Needs Scholarships: SB10 and SB47
What: Under state laws passed by the Georgia State Legislature, parents of students who receive special education services or accommodations under a Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan may request to transfer their child to another public or private school in Georgia.
Who: Any student who receives special education services, grades PK-11th and any returning 12th grader, and students eligible for a Section 504 Plan and in grades Kindergarten-11th.
When: By April 29, 2024, share information regarding the Georgia Special Needs Scholarships. This information, forms, as well as parent letters are accessible on the GCPS Department of Special Education and Psychological Services website. This information can be shared via your school’s website, email, newsletters, as well as sending home parent information letters.
Parent Mentors Present: “Locating and Understanding Resources within the Community”
Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services
What: Parent Mentors Present: “Locating and Understanding Resources within the Community”
When: Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 AM or 6:00 -7:30 PM
Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00 AM session: https://forms.gle/qUDptcwAtFTsEVXj7
Zoom registration link for 6:00 PM session: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqcOCrrTwqE9zYkv4plbaci5fNYPS4QFyV
Upcoming Events:
April 17, 2024
5:00-7:00 pm
April 18, 2024
5:00-6:00 pm
April 26, 2024
7:00-9:00 pm
May 2, 2024
5:30-6:30 pm
May 9, 2024
5:00-8:00 pm
May 14, 2024
5:30-7:00 pm
Announcement from Jordan MS!
GCPS Parent Portal Transition to ParentVUE
On March 25, 2024, family accounts were moved from Parent Portal to ParentVUE. This change will require parents/guardians to reset their passwords.
The district sent out an email notification through ParentSquare on March 25th to families of active students with an email address in Synergy. The message to parents will contain a link parents should click to initiate the password change.
If you received the email, CLICK HERE for more guidance on resetting your password.
If you did NOT receive the email message, see below for steps to help access your account.
Open the link for the new ParentVUE access page:
https://ga-gcps.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True
Click the red lock icon with Forgot Password
Enter the email associated with your Parent Portal account and click Send Email.
When the email arrives, follow the link in your message.
Enter the First Name and Last Name associated with your Parent Portal account. (Sometimes this is where errors occur. Please contact your school's SDMC to confirm the name on your account if you experience problems.)
Enter the new password twice.
You'll get a message that you've successfully changed your password with a link to the login page.
Login with the email as your username and the new password you just set.
Camp Invention
Hello Simonton ES families!
We are excited to host Camp Invention June 3, 2024 – June 6, 2024 here at Simonton Elementary School. A special thank you goes out to the Nordson Foundation who have made a generous donation that will allow us to offer scholarships for Simonton ES students who attend Camp Invention. 30 scholarships will be awarded to the first 30 students who sign up using the google link below. The scholarship award will be $200.00. Parents will be responsible for paying the remaining $85.00. Scholarship funds are for currently enrolled Simonton ES students only.
https://forms.gle/m5J3G32gZp8uH3u76
Hola familias de Simonton ES!
Estamos emocionados de organizar Camp Invention de Junio 3, 2024 - Junio 6, 2024 en la Escuela Simonton. Un agradecimiento especial a la Fundación Nordson que ha hecho una generosa donación que nos permitirá ofrecer becas para los estudiantes de Simonton ES que asistan a Camp Invention. Se otorgarán 30 becas a los primeros 30 estudiantes que se registren utilizando el enlace de Google a continuación. El premio de la beca será de $ 200.00. Los padres serán responsables de pagar los $85.00 restantes. Los fondos de la beca son solo para los estudiantes actualmente matriculados en Simonton ES.
2023-2024 Student Class Placement Request
Student Class Placement Request forms are now available for the 2024-2025 school year. Parents are welcome to pick up a form in our front office. You may provide information about your child’s learning needs and the classroom environment that you feel would be beneficial. Please do not use a specific teacher’s name requests for a specific teacher will not be honored. As always, the placement of your child will be the school’s top priority. All forms must be returned to the Simonton ES front office by Friday, March 29, 2024.
Georgia Milestones (GMAS)
Students in Grades 3-5 will take the Georgia Milestones at the end of April.
Gwinnett Community Services' Event Calendar
Good News Club
Ready By 5
Simonton ES Handbook Highlights
Testing
Testing occurs throughout the school year. These include state, district and local assessments. Please refer to the parent/teacher newsletter to see when upcoming tests are scheduled and plan ahead to ensure your child gets a good night’s rest, eats a healthy breakfast and that your child will be present during testing days. Due to changes in lunch schedules and seating limitations, there will be no visitors to lunch on standardized testing days. This will be communicated through the parent newsletters prior to testing and on the school website.
Textbooks and School Issued Equipment and Devices
The Gwinnett County Board of Education provides a variety of teaching materials. Books and student issued Chromebooks are expensive and must be properly cared for throughout the year. Students will be responsible for damaged or lost textbooks and school issued equipment (chromebooks, computer headphones, etc.).
Mystery Science Videos
From our Counselors...
Information for Parents: New Resource for K-5 English Language Arts
Medication
Students may NOT carry medication of any kind to school. For student safety, we need to be aware of the medication and dosage in case there are any adverse reactions. The clinic worker is authorized to administer medications to students when proper paperwork is completed. Medications should always be in the original containers when brought to or picked up from school by an adult. Medication may not be brought to school by a student. These procedures are a safety precaution for your child, both on the bus and when they visit the clinic. Parents should inform the school if their child has a contagious disease.
Ice Cream for Sale
This year's ice cream selections can be seen in the picture to the side:
The application for free and reduced lunch is now available. There will be no waiver in place to offer free lunch for all students. Please complete the application if you feel this is a service your family will need. All students who have not been approved for free or reduced lunch service will be charged the full price each day.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c
Clinic Card
Does your child have a medical concern that we need to be aware of? Stop in to see Mrs. Tammy Jones in the clinic.
Complete the clinic card if your child has any medical concerns that we need to be aware of. We also need to know any medication your child is taking and directions of what to do while we are caring for your child until you arrive.
ParentSquare
We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.
ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:
- Weather-related closings & delays
- School and class information
- Share pictures and files
- See calendar items
- Upcoming class activities
District & school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
MyPaymentsPlus
We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. You will be able to read and digitally sign documents and/or make necessary payments. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.
MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.
Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.
Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.
Elementary e-Tips for Parents
Turn writing practice into front page news
To help your child have fun writing, pretend you are reporters hunting a feature story for your local newspaper. Take note pads, pens, a camera and your imaginations and set out to observe people making news. Try places like a shopping center, the park, even your front yard. Write up your story together and include pictures, a headline and a byline. Then, save your stories in a scrapbook "newspaper." https://tpitip.com/?14dO18608
Surround your child with reading
Experts say that encouraging your child to read may be the most important thing you can do to foster school success. To promote reading, set an example. Make sure your child sees you reading. You can also have family members take turns reading favorite parts of books aloud to one another. Keep lots of reading materials around your home, and take advantage of library offerings to find new ones. https://tpitip.com/?14dP18608
The 'black hole' helps kids respect belongings
In school, students share lots of supplies and equipment. If these things aren't put away properly, the children can't use them next time. To teach your child respect for belongings, create a "black hole" (a drawer or cupboard with a lock on it). When your child leaves things out past the time they should be picked up, the items go into the black hole. Your child must then do a chore to redeem them. https://tpitip.com/?14dQ18608
Play a game of That’s My Lemon
Successful students are careful observers. Here's a fun observation challenge for your whole family: Give each family member a lemon. Allow a few minutes for everyone to observe their lemons and jot down things they notice about them. Next, mix up all the lemons in a bowl and ask each person to find their own. Discuss which observation made it easiest to identify each person's lemon. https://tpitip.com/?14dR18608
Time with your child is precious
If there's one valuable commodity in modern family life, it's time. To maximize your time with your child, review your to-do list. Are there things you can do more efficiently? For example, you could combine exercise and family time by going on a family hike. If your frantic weekdays can't be changed, try to forgo some screen or chore time on the weekend and spend it simply being together. https://tpitip.com/?14dS18608
Review test-taking basics with your child
Tests are a fact of school life. Teach your child these basic test-taking tips: Read all the questions, then answer the easiest ones first (your child can circle the harder ones to go back to later). Tell your student to look for clue words in the question. Sometimes one word will indicate the answer or the way to find it. Then, remind your child not to spend so much time on one question that there's not enough for others. Your child should also allow time to double-check work. https://tpitip.com/?14dT18608
Negative comparisons are discouraging, not motivating
No two children are exactly alike, even in the same family. That’s why phrases that compare one child to another, such as "Why can't you be more like your brother?" aren’t fair or helpful…and can even be harmful. Instead, help develop your elementary schooler’s unique strengths and qualities. Compare your child’s present work only to your child’s past work and encourage striving for personal bests. Acceptance and encouragement may be the most valuable gifts you can give. https://tpitip.com/?14dU18608
SIMONTON ELEMENTARY- WHAT WE STAND FOR
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling
Simonton Elementary School
Superintendent ~ Dr. Calvin J. Watts
Board Member ~ Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal ~ Ms. Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Nicholas Gilmore
Assistant Principal ~ Dr. Joe Sanfilippo
Assistant Principal ~ Mrs. Amy Steinberg
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-513-6637
Twitter: @simontonPride
Instagram: @SimontonPride