The Sylvan Sunday Swoop

Greetings Sylvan Blue Jay Families!

The first day of school has finally arrived and we are so excited to see our Blue Jays back in our building this week!

The first day of school is an exciting time for everyone! We know that parents and guardians are going to want to get those "First Day of School" photos with the teacher or by the classroom door. Families in 1st-5th grade will be allowed to walk your student in for the first day of school if you choose. After tomorrow, we ask that you drop off in the car rider line. Anyone walking in with your child, will need to park in the overflow lot across the street. (See the map below) No passing is allowed in the car rider line. This is for the safety of ALL of our Blue Jays.

Please note: Traffic turning left into the car rider line cannot block the oncoming traffic on Sylvan Rd. per the Highway Patrol. Please utilize the overflow parking circle to turn around so that you can turn right into the car rider line drop-off.

During the afternoon dismissal, all parents/guardians picking up in the car rider line, must have their student's assigned number card visible on the dash or in the window. If you do not have a car rider tag, you will need to park in the overflow lot across the street and come in with your ID to get your student. This is a safety precaution to ensure that ALL students are going home with someone who has permission to pick them up. No passing is allowed in the car rider line. Please be patient as we work out any kinks and get in a groove with our afternoon dismissal. The safety of our Blue Jays is a priority.

Let's get excited for Week 1 of learning, leadership, and collaboration as we soar UP to our Unlimited Potential!

#BlueJaysSoarUP

#SylvanisourHappyNest

Kindergarten Meet the Teacher 4:00-6:00

NO SCHOOL: Labor Day Holiday

Title 1 Night 4-6 pm

Progress Reports

Welcome back bus parents,

Your child's bus route information was sent to you via email on Friday afternoon. Please have your child at the bus stop 10 minutes early to be safe. If your child is in kindergarten a parent will need to escort them to and from the bus stop. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 336-376-3350.

We are always looking for people that are willing to drive a bus for Sylvan Elementary. It is a very rewarding opportunity to work with our children. Contact the school if you or anyone you know may be interested in supporting our community.

We are so excited that your student will join us in kindergarten this year. Please read the important information below and feel free to call the front office if you have any questions (336) 376-3350. School starts at 7:50 am and ends at 2:35 pm.

Staggered Entry: Each student has been assigned a day to come for Staggered Entry. These days are 8/26, 8/27, or 8/28. If you are not sure of your student’s assigned day, please call the front office. ALL Kindergarten Students will report on 8/29 and 8/30.

Kindergarten Meet the Teacher: Kindergarten Meet the Teacher will be on Wednesday, August 28th from 4-6. This is when you can bring in your student’s school supplies and drop them off in their assigned classroom and meet your student’s amazing teacher!

Week 1 Arrival: Your student’s first day of Kindergarten is so exciting and we want to be sure you can enjoy it and feel comfortable when dropping your child off. During the first week of school, you can park in the grass lot across the street and walk your child into the building. You will walk up the sidewalk, up the steps, and follow the brick pathway in the courtyard. Once that pathway ends, you will turn left and walk in through the double glass doors, where one of our outstanding Kindergarten Teachers will greet you and allow you to walk your student to their classroom. (see map below)

Week 2 Arrival: You will still be able to walk your student to the double glass doors, but that will be where you give your student hugs, kisses, and words of affirmation and let our fantastic staff take them to class.

Moving Forward: After Week 2, we ask that you transition your drop-off to the car rider line. There is a map below showing where to go for that.

All students at Sylvan Elementary have the option to receive free Breakfast and Lunch.

Reminders:

• School begins at 7:50 a.m. for ALL students Pre-K-5. If you arrive after 7:50, you must park and walk in with your students to sign them in before they can go to class.
• School ends at 2:35 p.m.
• If you are signing your students out early (before 2:00 p.m.), you must go inside the front office and check them out. If you arrive early, but after 2:00 p.m., to sign your child out, you must wait until the dismissal announcements are made at 2:00 p.m. We appreciate your cooperation with this matter!
• If you need to change your child's afternoon transportation, please email Mrs. Moon (kristine_moon@abss.k12.nc.us) AND Mrs. Whitesell (shirley_whitesell@abss.k12.nc.us) before 2:00 p.m. Teachers cannot check and respond to messages and emails throughout the day when they are teaching. Please do not expect an immediate response from your child's teacher during instructional hours. Office hours for teachers begin after 3:00 p.m.
• Families may come to eat lunch with your students. Please reach out to your child's teacher 24 hours in advance to let them know you are coming so they can plan for seating. Remember: NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK MAY BE BROUGHT IN (in advertised packaging). Upon arrival, please sign in at the front office and get a visitor's tag.

One of our school improvement goals this year is to increase our reading proficiency (fluency, comprehension, decoding, etc). Early intervention in the younger grades is critical to ensure we are able to support our students as we grow each year. Below are our specific goals for our youngest learning in grades (K-2).

• By June 2025, 80% of students in grades K will be at grade level proficiency as measured by mClass. At the end of the 23-24 school year, we had 77% of our Kindergarten students on grade level.

• By June 2025, 70% of students in grades 1st will be at grade level proficiency as measured by mClass. At the end of the 23-24 school year, we had 67% of our 1st grade students on grade level.

• By June 2025, 65% of students in grades 2nd will be at grade level proficiency as measured by mClass. At the end of the 23-24 school year, we had 62% of our 2nd grade students on grade level.

We know with our amazing students and staff, we can surpass our goals in the 24-25 school year, but we need your help at home. Here is how you can help our youngest learners grow their reading proficiency at home.

If you would like to explore more early literacy resources, click the links below.

FCRR At Home Examples

K Family Involvement Guide

1st Grade Family Involvement Guide

2nd Grade Family Involvement Guide

3rd Grade Family Involvement Guide

Another school improvement goal this year will be to increase our average daily attendance to 94% or higher. While we know life can be hectic, we want to emphasize the importance of students being on time, being present, and ready to learn.

Students who are chronically absent--meaning they miss at least 15 days of school in a year--are at serious risk of falling behind in school. Missing a day of school here and there may not seem like much but absences add up!

When a student misses 2 days a month:

• they will miss 20 days a year.
• they will miss 30 hours or more of math over the school year.
• they will miss 60 hours or more of reading and writing over the school year.
• they will miss over 1 year of school by graduation.

When a student misses 4 days a month:

• they will miss 40 days a year.
• they will miss 60 hours or more of math over the school year.
• they will miss 120 hours of more of reading & writing over the school year.
• they will miss over 2 years of school by graduation.

Lateness=Lost Learning

Students who are late or tardy are also greatly affected too. Every minute counts!

• 5 minutes late each day = 3 days lost!
• 10 minutes late each day = 6.5 days lost!
• 15 minutes late each day = 10 days lost!
• 20 minutes late each day = 13 days lost!
• 30 minutes late each day = 19 days lost!

We want our families to know that we are here for you as partners in your child's education and we are here to support their success. We feel strongly that their success starts with their attendance. This school year we will be implementing the attendance flowchart below to notify and work with families when we are concerned about attendance. We are here to help, so please do not hesitate to reach out!