The Thunder

Are you looking for something fun and educational to do with your child over winter break? Try planting a paperwhite bulb (similar to narcissus and daffodils). Students were sent home with a brown paper bag containing the bulb and directions for planting. Click HERE for more supplemental activities to do with your child at home. Thank you to the Piedmont Master Gardeners and the Stony Point PTO for funding this project!

We want your child learning and laughing with us here at school when they are well, but please remember to keep them home if they have had a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea within the last 24 hours. Thank you for helping keep our learning community healthy as we approach the winter break!

Next week, we will continue to have some chilly temperatures in the morning. Don't forget to bundle up and bring winter coats since our recesses will continue to be outside unless we have inclement weather!

Students in grades 3-5 completed the Virginia Department of Education Winter Growth Assessments in reading and mathematics this week, with make-up assessments continuing into next week. The Student Detail by Question (SDBQ) reports for your child will be coming home at the end of next week.

These Growth Assessments have been developed using existing grade-level SOL test items and were reduced in length, compared to the spring SOL. While the Growth Assessments will not report a performance level showing whether the student passed or failed the assessment, the data will report how the student performed on each of the items included on the test.

This data will help teachers and other school staff identify areas needing additional support to and prepare students for the 2023-2024 school year’s content. Parents and Guardians can also use this information to better understand the topics their child will be ready to learn and which topics may present more of a challenge for their child. These assessments are considered formative and not “high stakes” tests.

Please reach out to Paula Gately (pgately@k12albemarle.org) if you have questions regarding these assessments.

Nominations are now open through January 24, 2023 for this year's Golden Apple Awards, a program designed to honor outstanding teachers in public and private schools in Albemarle County and Charlottesville City. Each Golden Apple recipient will receive a $500 grant, which can be used for classroom materials or to support the recipient’s professional development. Click HERE to view the nomination criteria and directions for how to nominate a fantastic Stony Point educator!

Click HERE to view literacy resources from UVA's Virginia Literacy Partnerships site to support your child at home in reading. These resources were introduced in Ms. Heckathorn's presentation on the Science of Reading during Camp Out for Reading!

Spring 2024 registration for baseball with Northside Cal Ripken League is now open! Co-ed Baseball is available for ages 4 to 12. Practices start mid-March and the regular season wraps up by the beginning of June. Practices and weekend games take place primarily at Hollymead, Baker Butler, and Woodbrook Elementary. Further information, along with the registration link, is available on the website: https://www.playnorthside.org/

This calendar will continually be added to and updated as the year goes on and new events are scheduled. Bold items are events or special information and italicized items are days where students do not have school.

• Wednesday December 13th at 6:30 PM: Grades 3-5 Winter Music Performance
• Monday December 18-Monday January 1: No School for Students (Winter Break)
• Wednesday January 3: PTO Meeting (6:30-8:00 PM)
• Monday January 15: No School for Students (Holiday)
• Thursday January 25: No School for Students (Teacher Professional Learning Day)
• Friday January 26: No School for Students (Teacher Work Day)
• Wednesday February 7: PTO Meeting (6:30-8:00 PM)
• Wednesday February 21 from 6:00-7:30: Dragon Dinner
• Wednesday March 13: PTO Meeting (6:30-8:00 PM)
• Tuesday March 26th from 6:30-7:30: STEAM Night
• Friday March 29: No School for Students (Teacher Work Day)
• Monday April 1-Friday April 5: No School for Students (Spring Break)
• Wednesday April 10: PTO Meeting (6:30-8:00 PM)
• Monday April 29: No School for Students (Teacher Professional Learning Day)
• Wednesday May 1: PTO Meeting (6:30-8:00 PM)
• Thursday May 2: K-2 Music Performance at 6:00 PM
• Monday May 27: No School for Students (Holiday)
• Friday May 31: Quest Fest (during the school day)
• Tuesday June 4: TENTATIVE Field Day (during the school day)
• Friday June 7: 1/2 Day for Students and Last Day of School