Hello Dolphin Families!

Happy Sunday! Another great week at LNE! Many of our clubs are up and running and it is so wonderful to see our children involved in the enrichment opportunities we provide here. We had our first Early Release Day this past week. Just so our families, especially those who are new to us, are aware the purpose of the Early Release Days is to allow the time to have our teachers participate in professional development; this takes place the 2nd half of the day. Our professional development for this month focused on looking at our Beginning of the Year data and using that to inform our instruction. With our teachers only having a 50 minute break in the day it is hard to get the support and planning done; Early Release Days allow our teachers to learn, plan and further prepare the instruction for our children. I hope you all enjoyed the cooler weather and excited to embark on another wonderful week at LNE- get excited we will end this next week with our Dolphin Dash!

Thank you to all who have already signed up on tour to Costa Rica!

Now that a new school year has arrived and we're back in the swing of things, we wanted to provide one additional opportunity for all LNES families to learn about and enroll on this amazing experience.

UPDATE: NEW SPOTS AVAILABLE

Due to the overwhelming positive response, we are going to open 10 more spots, first come, first served! With new LNES families and a new interest from others, we expect these seats will go fast.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions that you have. You can also speak with EF’s dedicated Traveler Support Team online at https://www.eftours.com/contact-us or by phone at 800-665-5364.

Also, if your student has friends who have not signed up yet, feel free to pass this message along to their families, too.

Please read the information before directly emailing the club leaders- Robotics has been updated and there are still spots available in Chorus! Please remember families, each club can only take so many students so if your child was not one drawn for that club please encourage your child to look at another club/enrichment opportunity! Thank you!

We are very fortunate to offer our children some enrichment opportunities after school. Please understand some have grade level restrictions so ensure you fully read the flyer before signing your child up. A few guidelines regarding clubs:

• 3 unexcused absences/late pick-ups and/or warnings about behavior will result in your child being removed from that club
• Please ensure your child is truly interested in that club before signing up
• We cannot take everyone

If you have specific questions about the club please reach out to the staff member/community member who is over the club.

LNE partners with the two below you will need to reach directly out to them:

ATA Winners for Life

Soccer Shots

Click Here to Register

We are excited to announce the 2024 NC Farm to School Art Contest!

The NC Farm to School art contest encourages public school students in grades Kindergarten through fifth to create artwork showcasing “North Carolina Agriculture” Each year 13 winners are chosen and their artwork featured in the NC Farm to School calendar.

I have attached the rules and entry form for this year’s contest. You can also find them on our website, https://www.ncfarmtoschool.com/programs/nc-farm-to-school-art-contest/. In addition, you can find the winners and finalists featured in the 2024-25 calendar and the honorable mentions.

The contest is coordinated by NCDA&CS with support from the NC Farm to School Cooperative and the School Nutrition Association of NC. Deadline for entries is Friday, December 13, 2024.

• Nurse Teal is running low on pants and underwear- when children have accidents we like to have extra clothes on hand. Nurse Teal could use some donations of pants and new underwear.
• Our doors open at 7:00am and the tardy bell rings at 7:20am- please be mindful of this, we need to start school on time. We dismiss at 2:10pm- please do not line up before 1:45pm- when cars line up early it blocks access in the event there is an emergency.
• Please be mindful of families who are walking and children riding bikes in the morning.
• Parents can eat lunch with their child and only their child. Please ensure to utilize the designated parent tables in our cafeteria.

• Please remember all transportation changes must be emailed to Amanda LaBarbera (amanda_labarbera@iss.k12.nc.us) and Nichole Tilley (nicholetilley@iss.k12.nc.us) by 1:00pm
• Students are only released to those with a valid ID and those permitted on the pick-up list as indicated by the parent/guardian

• 4th and 5th graders can be released without a parent present but please speak with your children about safety, using crosswalks and sidewalks- if they have younger siblings walking with them we need a note on file permitting the younger sibling to be released with the 4th/5th grader.
• Parents picking up children K-3 are required to have a walker tag otherwise be prepared to show a valid ID in the front office to obtain a walker tag for pick-up.
• Families who are not truly walkers should not park to pick up their child.

• For AM car, please continue to follow the traffic signs, be kind to our neighbors, adhere to speed limits and know if our doors are closed (in the front and/or out back) you need to walk your child in and check them in at the office. Remember K-2 students cannot be dropped off out back.
  
• For PM car, please ensure you have your car tag (it is green this year, families will need a new one each year) ready to go- if you need one and/or need additional ones please let Mrs. Ford know at molly_ford@iss.k12.nc.us. All students are picked up in the front of the school.

• Our buses are full, please know we cannot permit additions to the bus for playdates.
  
• Please allow 10-15 minutes before and after pick-up and drop-off times
• Any student who does not ride the bus for 10 days will be removed from the route.
• See the flyer to track the bus!

• Dolphin Dash is going great we have earned almost $10,000 and earned our first 2 school wide prizes! We will be having a pajama day and Ms Tilley will be dressing up! If you would like to help with our Dolphin Dash event on September 20th- here it he volunteer sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CADAA2DA0FE3-51011177-dolphin
• Looking ahead to the Book Fair we will also need volunteers to make this successful for our kids! Sign-up here to help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CADAA2DA0FE3-51163955-fall
• PTO will be selling concessions at the BAYAA home football games this year at Lake Norman High School on Saturdays September 21, September 28, October 12 and November 9. Here is the sign-up to help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CADAA2DA0FE3-51302722-concessions#/
• We will be doing monthly drawings for our volunteers! For each slot you sign-up for in September your name will be entered to win tickets to the Renaissance Festival (we have 2 children and 2 adult passes).
• Just a reminder all volunteers MUST have a cleared background check! (Check with your child's teacher if you are unsure if it is cleared or not)
• Chick-Fila Spirit night is Wednesday, September 25th from 4-7pm at the River Hwy location!

• Interested in being a part of PTO and/or helping out with some of the events this year? Reach out to our PTO at lakenormanelementarypto@gmail.com
  

Click here for information about raising money for window coverings

Click here for a special video from Jaspen- Crossfit 77

• Cafeteria- https://www.k12paymentcenter.com/
• Technology- https://osp.osmsinc.com/ISS/
• Field Trips- https://osp.osmsinc.com/ISS/
• Class Donations- https://osp.osmsinc.com/ISS/
• Background Check (Chaperones and Volunteers): https://iss.quickapp.pro/forms/iss-volunteers-self-pay

We had a great year last year with LOTS of growth from our children but there is always room for improvement- nothing is perfect. This year at LNE our theme is 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. We are looking at how we can 'climb higher'. To be transparent with our families here is our focus as a school:

• Being intentional with our time
• Growing our relationships- greeting every child at the door, whether it is car line or at the classroom room, focusing on the relationships with our children
• Challenging our students with more rigor in our instruction- not more work but taking the learning deeper with our questions and activities

Lake Norman Elementary

Commitment. Dedication. Excellence

Principal Nichole Tilley

Email: nicholetilley@iss.k12.nc.us
Website: https://lakenormanelementary.issnc.org/
Location: 255 Oak Tree Road, Mooresville, NC, USA
Phone: (704) 662-8261
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeNormanES