THE NORCROSS ELEMENTARY EAGLE

Dear Families,

It has been an amazing start to the 2024-2025 school year! Our Eagles are learning, growing and soaring each and every day, and have acclimated well to being in school. We cannot THANK YOU enough for making sure your child is prepared.

At the beginning of the school year, our teachers spend time teaching and practicing with students the routines, procedures and expectations. This provides clarity for students and creates a safe, positive learning environment. Teachers also review the routines, procedures, and expectations when needed. To further support a positive learning environment and a classroom community, teachers discuss and teach topics, such as kindness. Below is a picture of an anchor chart a teacher created with her class on kindness. What do you notice about the chart? How could you use this information at home?

Included in the newsletter is information to stay current with the most up to date happenings at our school. There are also opportunities for you to make an impact and collaborate with us.

Thus, our theme this year at Norcross is Making an Impact: We are All N. We need you "All N" with us.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kassia Sutton

Proud Principal of Norcross Elementary

Our 3 Classified Staff Finalist of the Year (COTY).

Jean Laventure (COTY, to the left)

Danita Hawes (1st Runner-up, center)

Sandy Head ( 2nd Runner-up, to the right)

Our Teacher of the Year Finaiist (TOTY)

LeTricia Parks (TOTY, center)

Jamal Liverpool (1st Runner-up, right)

Kristin Sanders (2nd Runner-up-left)

Every year, we ask parents and guardians to complete and send back dozens of important forms and permission slips. We are pleased to share that your back-to-school forms that were previously in MyPaymentsPlus are now in ParentSquare!

Action: If you have not signed the agreements, please use the button with the link below to complete the forms.

Our student participated in the pollinator census.

Each year in August, citizens in the Southeast participate in The Great Southeast Pollinator Census documenting the pollinator populations.

Please join us on Thursday, September 13 at 10am to review our Title 1 Plan.

This is a way for you to get involved.

Our Specials' Teachers have a created a newsletter to provide you with information the students are learning.

September 2: Labor Day Student/Staff Holiday

September 5 and 6: Field Trip for 5th Grade (on Campus Field Trip)

September 9: Boys' Scouts of America (BSA) visits

September 10: Mass Hearing Screenings for 3rd Grade students

September 10: Boys' Scouts of America Registration at 5:30pm - 7:00pm in the cafe

September 11 and September 12.Grandparent's Day Luncheon (see advertisement below)

September 12: Hard Lockdown Drill

September 12: Annual Title 1 Meeting

September 13: Progress Reports are sent home

September 20: Digital Learning Day/Students learn from home

September 26: International Night at 5:30pm

September 27: Local School Council Meeting at 7:30am (see below for more information)

Please join us for our Local School Council Meeting on Friday, September 27 at 7:30m..

LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC)

The purpose of the LSC is:

• To help the local board of education develop and nurture participation
• To bring parents and the community together with teachers and school administrators to create a better understanding of and mutual respect for each other’s concerns
• To share ideas for school improvement

If you are interested in being a member of our Local School council, please contact Altavise Walker altavise.walker@gcpsk12.org

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The tentative meeting dates are as follows:

September 27, November 15, January 31, and March 21 at 7:30am.

The theme for 2024 is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.”

Andrea Eberhart and Dr. Latonya Parker are our instructional coachers. Their role includes supporting teachers and students. Ms. Eberhart and Dr. Parker also plan and facilitate our LEVEL UP READING PROGRAM.

Ms. Desai and Ms. Evans have had their students’ artwork chosen to be on display at the Norcross Public Library throughout the months of September and October! Their mixed media work demonstrates a variety of lines in the artistic style of Kandinsky along with the use of primary colors red, yellow, and blue. It is an honor to have work selected for this public display and a great reason to visit our local library. CONGRATULATIONS to our kindergarten artists!

Norcross Elementary’s Art Club students are helping to organize Chairs for Charity for our cluster schools. Art students will paint donated wooden furniture and turn it into painted masterpieces! The work will be sold at a silent auction during the Norcross Art Splash October 5th & 6th! 100% of the proceeds will go back into the art program that created each painted masterpiece. We hope to see you there!

Explore the Arts and Express Yourself

All students in grades preK-5 will be invited to participate in the PTA Reflections Art Contest. Students will be asked to create artwork based on the theme “Accepting Imperfection”. Student winners from the local level have the opportunity to move up through their district, region, council and state PTA programs to the national level. National Reflections winners are announced in May and celebrated throughout the following year. ALL students who create work will be celebrated for their creative accomplishment! Official paperwork and entry dates will be shared soon!

Dear Norcross Elementary Parents:

I’m looking for some volunteers to serve on our Media Committee and/or in our Library. Please click the link below for more information.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GQfMSLCFfpsjcmjkXdDUUdUZbBr4WEAcMWZDWdK-8wY/pub

Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) provide an operational framework for achieving these outcomes.

Below is a picture our PBIS Matrix

Changes in routine and seasonal transitions can cause emotional upheaval for families. A few strategies, described below, might help families adjust to changes as students get back into the habit of going to school. To help set the stage for positive behaviors:

• Teach, pre-teach, and re-teach. Children need to learn behavior just like they learn colors and shapes. A quick reminder can help reinforce a developing skill: “When we get in the car, sit up, buckle up, and smile!”

• Give transition warnings or cues to signal the end of one activity and the beginning of another: “In five minutes, it will be bath time.”

• First/then statements set up a child for delayed gratification: “First take your bath; then we can play dolls.”

• Focus on Go instead of Stop. Children often tune out words like No, Don’t and Stop and only hear the word that comes next, which is what an adult is trying to avoid. Tell a child what to do instead of what not to do: “Take your plate and put it in the sink.” Save Stop and No for dangerous circumstances that need a quick reaction.

• Choices prevent power struggles: “Would you rather play for five more minutes or get in the bath now?” “Feel free to choose the pink pajamas or the green ones.”

PBIS Information for Families
https://www.pbis.org/family

Positive Behavior
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/pbs-resources/

Dr. Fain is our PBIS Coach.

christi.fain@gcpsk12.org

DEVICE EXPECTATIONS

• Use 2 hands when carrying device from one location to another

• Do not grab device by the screen

• Keep food, drinks, or other liquids away from the device

• Keep devices on a hard, solid surface like a table or desk

• Place device gently on table or desk

• Keep device within the residence of the student

• The device should not be taken on trips or travel destinations

• Nothing should be placed on top of the device

• When closing device, nothing should be between the screen and keyboard

• Store device in a clean bag when not in use

• Do not place stickers on your device.

CHARGER EXPECTATIONS

• Plug the device into a nearby outlet so that no one will trip over the cord

• When not charging the laptop, keep the charger stored in a secure location

• Chromebook is brought to school each day fully charged.

MyPaymentPlus Offers Free 24/7 Access To

• Student cafeteria balances and purchase history
• Prepayments for breakfast/lunch, with auto-pay capability
• Meet Your Teacher Day (Open House) documents
• Other fees and activities such as yearbooks, spirit wear, field trips and more!

Using your MPP Account

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/MPP.setup.HOW_TO.mp4?ou=2323043

Creating an Account - Spanish

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/Spanish%20version%20(detailed).pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=j8rIvA3AnIlKoIU3fgtWbW8eI&ou=2323043

A Parental Guide: Reviewing and Acknowledging Orientation Agreements & Title I Documents

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/MPP%20How%20to%20review%20report.mp4?_&d2lSessionVal=j8rIvA3AnIlKoIU3fgtWbW8eI&ou=2323043

For customer service & support on your MyPaymentsPlus account, please call 1-877-237-0946

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

Beginning July 18, 2023, district and 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).

Up-to-date Safety Equipment and Technology

Our school uses a variety of technological tools to reinforce security. These are some—but not all—of the tools in place:

• Cameras — interior and exterior
• VMS and Raptor — visitor management systems that control access doors and screen adults against National Sex Offenders Registry. Every visitor is required to show identification.
• Vestibules — Double glass door entry with bullet-resistant glass film at designated single point of entry for the school (coming soon).

1. If your child has a medical alert/medical health management plan, please contact Lilana Martinez as soon as possible, and complete and return applicable forms to her in a timely manner.

2. We want our students to have a full day of learning, but sometimes illness(es) may interrupt their day. For the safety and health of your child and others, if your child gets ill at school and needs to go home, please do so promptly. If you’re unable to pick them up, please be sure that we have a current list of emergency contact(s) that we may reach out to.

We will continue our focus on the Whole Child through MTSS by using Supportive Community and Academic Press (see picture below). An example of Supportive Community is our Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program and an example of Academic Press is the implementation of the EL Education literacy pilot for Language Arts.

MTSS is a system or framework that integrates assessment and intervention within a school-wide, multi prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavioral problems. It promotes systems alignment to increase efficacy and effectiveness of resources. (Adopted for National Center on Intensive Intervention).

Implementation of MTSS is one of our LSPI goals.

A student who leaves school before the official ending time must be signed out in the office by his/her parent or guardian. Parents must report to the receptionist, not the classroom. The receptionist will call the room for the child after a photo ID (government issued) has been shown. Please remember that each time a child checks out early, we must call the classroom and disrupt instruction for everyone. Children will be called to the Front Office where they will be released to the parent/guardian. The office will not check out students after 2:30 P.M. (11:30 A.M. on early release days). Please do not ask school personnel to make exceptions.

A child will not be permitted to leave the school in the custody of any person other than the child's parent unless that person is listed as a parent/guardian or emergency contact in the school’s database. As telephone numbers and situations change, please make sure you report this information to the school so we have the most accurate information.

Arrival

• Doors open at 8:20am
• Classes begin at 8:50am

Dismissal

• The Day ends at 3:20pm

Check out our Parent Page in our School Website to find more information regarding Title 1 and what happens at Norcross Elementary. It’s important to stay informed about your child’s education. The Powerpoint Presentation of the Title 1 Annual Meeting is posted there for your review. https://www.gcpsk12.org/domain/1603

We are looking for volunteers to participate in our Local School Council and Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Reach out to our Parent Center team, Altavise Walker altavise.walker@gcpsk12.org or Eduardina Checo Eduardina.checo@gcpsk12.org for more information.

LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC)

The purpose of the LSC is:

• To help the local board of education develop and nurture participation
• To bring parents and the community together with teachers and school administrators to create a better understanding of and mutual respect for each other’s concerns
• To share ideas for school improvement

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA)

We are in need of a PTA board to support our school, our students, and our faculty. The board consists of a president/co-president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. Please contact me at kassia.morris.sutton@gcpsk12.org if you are interested.

https://www.pta.org/home/About-National-Parent-Teacher-Association/Mission-Values

Volunteer

Please partner with us and commit to volunteering at our school. Volunteer activities may include: working in the media center, laminating materials, counting out documents, cutting, and filing. Please contact Eduardina Checo (eduardina.checo@gcpsk12.org) for volunteer opportunities.

Coming Soon

Principal – Kassia Sutton (kassia.morris.sutton@gcpsk12.org)

Assistant Principal – Gr. 1, 4, 5 – Contacia Cross (contacia.cross@gcpsk12.org)

Assistant Principal - Gr. K, 2, 3 - Katrina Bilal (katrina.p.bilal@gcpsk12.org)

Assistan Principal - Special Education - Alicia Lapinsky (alicia.lapinsky@gcpsk12.org)

Counselor - Gr. K, 1 - Shelby Gonzalez (shelby.gonzalez@gcpsk12.org)

Counselor Gr. 2, 3 - Amy Crapo (amy.crapo.@gcps12.org)

Counselor Gr. 4, 5 - Matt Ho (matt.ho@gcpsk12.org)

Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/NorcrossES
Location: 150 Hunt Street, Norcross, GA, USA
Phone: 770-448-2188
Facebook: facebook.com/NorcrossElementarySchool-GCPS

Please open the document for dates and times. Information was sent home in the Friday Folder.