THE MIGHTY OAK

February 13-17.....................Student/Teacher Holliday

February 18..........................Students Return to School

February 18-20.....................Book Fair Buying

February 19..........................Chess Club

February 20..........................La Placita Spirit Night

A-G= K,1,5 grades and 1-8= 2,3,4 Grades

February 18.................................................Day B1

February 19.................................................Day C2

February 20.................................................Day C2

February 21.................................................Day C2

Parents,

It is that time of year where we ask for your input to help us better understand your child's needs for the upcoming school year. Please take a few moments to review the Parent Preference form linked below to support us in developing our classes for the 25-26 school year. The form deadline is February 21, 2025.

https://forms.office.com/r/8in1Bj0hs5

Congratulations to the students below for making it into the Gwinnett County Tapestry Art Show. Come join the amazing Art Show highlighting the talent and skills of so many great artists. The show will be on Monday, February 24th, from 5:00-6:30 PM. The Show will be at the Gwinnett County ISC (Instructional Support Center) Building: 437 Old Peachtree Rd NW #2978, Suwanee, GA 30024

The Art Show does not have a reception. You can come at any time (5:00-6:30 PM). If you cannot make the opening night, the Artwork will remain up until February 27th. You can visit the ISC Building, but check for their building hours.

Melisa Dinh (Roberts)

Thanh Vo (Roberts)

Zunairah Alam (Yeh)

Callan McGee (Stephenson)

Hassan Ali (Pelinsky)

Marjorie Calderon-Flamenco (Pelinsky)

Lianna Phan (Sheard)

Presley Huynh (Sheard)

Freedom Walker (Sheard)

Zaminah Damani (Sheard)

Abby Tang (Jameson)

Tue-Anh Dinh (Higgins)

Lucy Winslow (German)

Emiliano Esquivel-Miranda (Jameson)

Talyah Thornton (Jameson)

Lauryn Johnson (German)

Cordelia Garcia (Johnson)

Lydia Jameson (Hezlep)

Lydia Yoon (Hezlep)

Richel Manalad (Higgins)

The store is now open to purchase spirit shirts for all grade levels.

The store will close on February 28th.

All GCPS 4th grade students will be taking the Gwinnett Writes Assessment. The purpose of the Gwinnett Writes Assessment program is to assess writing skills for each student and measure student achievement relative to the knowledge and skills they have learned. Students have a choice of writing topics from Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies (see below). Important dates and information:

• Tuesday, February 25: Gwinnett Writes administration at GOES

• Click here to view the writing topics students will choose from. Important note: students will select one of the content options.

• Click here for additional information on the Gwinnett Writes Assessment.

GCPS Educational Effectiveness Survey for students:

Gwinnett County Public Schools is administering the Educational Effectiveness Survey (EES) to students in grades 3-12 between February 3 and 28, 2025. The student survey and wellness screener results provide us with information and feedback about how students feel about their school, practices that affect student learning, and how well their school is performing. Students will take the 30–45-minute survey and wellness screener at school between February 3 and 28, 2025. Survey results will be used to support and inform improvement conversations with staff and leadership at the school and district levels. Each school will receive their school-level reports, and the district leadership team will receive district-level summary views. The survey is confidential. Confidential means that student responses will only be seen by those with a right to know. More information about the EES Student Survey & Wellness Screener is available online at www.gcpsk12.org/families/surveys. We value the input of our students as we strive to continue to improve our school

GCPS Educational Effectiveness Surveys: Opportunity to Participate in Family Survey

Each year, GCPS collects feedback from our families about their child's school as part of our commitment to improvement. The Educational Effectiveness Surveys (EES) for Families provides feedback on nine characteristics of high-performing schools. Those characteristics are:

• A clear and shared focus

• High standards and expectations for all students

• Effective school leadership

• Strong communication and opportunities to work together

• What we teach, how we teach, and how learning is aligned with state standards

• Frequent monitoring of learning and teaching

• Focused professional development

• Supportive learning environment

• High levels of family and community involvement

In addition, the survey asks about two other areas associated with high-performing schools- district support for improvement and respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds. The survey will be available for you to complete through Friday, March 7. We hope you will lend your voice to making Gwinnett County Public Schools the best it can be for our students. Please use this link to access the Family Survey

The Gwin Oaks Student Council is collecting items for the month of February.

We need students and staff members to bring in needed items during the month-long drive from February 1st – 28th. The items must be in their original packaging and not expired. Here are some of the requested items ..

• Personal Care Items: deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo (adult/baby), conditioner, wipes, diapers size 2 & up/pull-ups

• Food Items: canned pasta sauce, pasta, applesauce, canned fruit, peanut butter and jelly, snacks (granola bars, fruit bars, cereal bars, and peanut butter crackers), oatmeal, canned chicken, macaroni and cheese, & baby food

Parents and guardians will learn the keys to positive parenting and the core building blocks for children to manage their feelings and become resilient in dealing with stress.

Please register by February 18.

https://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

This practice site is a chance for students to learn more about the structure and content of the Georgia Milestones Assessments, experience online testing, and practice using online tools. Parents and educators are also welcome to explore this site along with the Georgia Department of Education website which provides further information.

All GCPS 4th grade students will be taking the Gwinnett Writes Assessment. The purpose of the Gwinnett Writes Assessment program is to assess writing skills for each student and measure student achievement relative to the knowledge and skills they have learned. Students have a choice of writing topics from Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies (see below). Important dates and information:

• Tuesday, February 25: Gwinnett Writes administration at GOES

• Click here to view the writing topics students will choose from. Important note: students will select one of the content options.

• Click here for additional information on the Gwinnett Writes Assessment.

Click the link below to get your yearbooks before the price goes up on 2/18!

BUY YOUR YEARBOOK NOW!

Registration starts March 24th! Please go the the GCPS website for all registration information!

Order your 5th grade ad before it's too late! Ads are limited and on a first come first serve basis at $30 for an eighth of a page. The ad is a separate cost from the yearbook, so don’t forget to purchase a yearbook! Ad purchase deadline is Feb. 27th OR until ads sell out, whichever comes first.

Only COMPLETED ads should be purchased. Do NOT purchase an incomplete or blank ad. You can NOT go back and edit the ad once it is purchased.

Please click the link for more information - 5th grade yearbook ad

The Book Fair will begin on Thursday, Feb. 6 with browsing. We will have three days for browsing. During browsing, students look at the available books and create a shopping list. We will make every effort to ensure that students choose appropriate books. We suggest you allow your child the freedom to look for titles that interest them, along with the ones they find listed in the flyer. Buying starts on Wednesday, February 12. Your child’s teacher will let you know their browsing and buying time. You may accompany your child during browsing and buying.

1. We will have a teacher’s wish list if you want to purchase items for your child’s classroom. You can also purchase a gift certificate or an eWallet for your child’s teacher.

2. Please remember to add 6% sales tax.

3. Cash is not accepted. You may use a credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, check (payable to Gwin Oaks), or set up a Scholastic eWallet for your child.

4. You can learn more about eWallet on the Gwin Oaks web. You can add money to your child’s eWallet through this link or the link on the Gwin Oaks webpage.

1. Click Create Account.

2. Click Sign in (if you created an account in the 2022-2023 school year or before) OR click Register.

3. Follow the questions to complete the eWallet (Do not purchase a gift card).

4. After the Fair, your remaining eWallet balance transfers to an eGift card balance to shop online with Scholastic, fund an eWallet for a future book fair or donate the balance to Share the Fair to help other students purchase books from the book fair.

Proceeds from the book fair are used to purchase books and lesson supplies, supplement clubs, and pay for programs. Thanks in advance for your support. If you have any questions, please send a message through Parent Square to Sharon Amolo.

The next challenge starts January 27 and ends on February 21. Students will read two books. They will reread a favorite book and discover a new book. Students in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd may read a picture book and students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th will read a chapter book.

Students will use Beanstack to enter their information. Use the links below to learn how to use Beanstack and to access the website. These links are also on the Gwin Oaks webpage.

There will be 5 Reading Challenges throughout the year. Students who complete 4 or more reading challenges will attend a Glow in the Dark Party in May.

Reading Challenges:

Non Fiction (Sept. 23-Oct. 18) (4 badges)

Georgia Book Award (Oct. 31- Nov. 29) (16 badges)

Genres (Dec. 6- Jan. 17) (2 badges)

Something Old, Something New (Jan. 27- Feb. 21) (2 badges)

Read Across America (Mar. 3- April 4) (6 badges)

Each morning - car rider drop-off begins at 7:30am. We request you enter the car rider line no earlier than 7:30 am and no later than 8:05 am. This is the time frame during which the line will be moving for arrival and ensures that your child will not be tardy for school.

Each afternoon - please remember to have your car rider tag displayed every day during pickup. It should be visible in your window from the time you turn onto Gwin Oaks Drive until your child is safely in the car. This number helps our staff on Gwin Oaks Drive collect numbers efficiently and the staff at the pick up location need the numbers to make sure they have students ready to enter the car.

Final Gwin Oaks Check out time is 2:00 pm

Gwin Oaks Elementary

400 Gwin Oaks Drive

Lawrenceville, GA 30044

Elementary 770-972-3110

The mission of the faculty and staff of Gwin Oaks Elementary is to facilitate a safe and supportive environment where excellence in learning for all children results in responsible

and productive citizens and lifelong learners.