Knightly News
February 2, 2024
Every Student, Every Day Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
Message from our Principal~ Ms. Tamara Perkins
Today GCPS held it's 3rd Digital Learning Day. Please be sure students return their devices, charging cords and cases on Monday, February 5, 2024.
We are celebrating our fabulous counselors next week. The week of February 5, 2024 is National School Counselor week. We are fortunate to have Mrs. Laura Panzer and Mrs. Chandra Williams here at Simonton. They both are amazing counselors who go above and beyond to support our school community. We encourage you to send a note letting them know how much we appreciate them.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Some of the photos taken before the Ceremony began...
National Counselor Appreciation Week!
The week of February 5, 2024 is National School Counselor week! Join us in thanking Mrs. Laura Panzer and Mrs. Chandra Williams for all of the amazing ways they support the Simonton ES school community.
Lost and Found
Our student lost and found room is over flowing. Please take a moment, to stop by and/or encourage your student to take a look and take home lost items they may have left here at school. All unclaimed items will be donated after Friday, February 9, 2024.
Fashion Flashback
Music Flashback
Spirit Day Flashback
TV Flashback
February's Character Education Focus:
Student Survey (Grades 3-5)
We are partnering with the Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) to administer the Educational Effectiveness Survey (EES) to students. The survey and screener results will provide us with information and feedback within the
research-based frameworks of the Characteristics of High Performing Schools and CASEL (Social-Emotional Learning).
Over the last 20 years, the EES survey has been used in over 280 districts. Based on these experiences, here are some details:
• Data will be used to support and inform improvement conversations with staff and leadership at the school and
district level
• Each building will receive their building-level reports, and the district leadership team will receive district-level
summary views.
• The survey is confidential. GCPS and CEE will protect the confidentiality of each respondent.
To gather this information, your students will take the 30–45-minute screener and survey at school between February 1, and 29, 2024.
Please use this link to access more information about the EES Student Survey.
We value the input of our students as we strive to continue to improve our school.
Field Day Shirts
Field day t-shirts are now available for pre-order through MyPaymentsPlus or by returning the flyer to Coach Cheney with payment.
The shirts will be available in 6 different colors...one for each grade level.
**Colors have not been determined yet.
Upcoming Events at Simonton
Saturday, February 3
- Saturday Intervention Program ~ 9:00-11:00 am
Monday, February 5
- SES Chorus goes to see the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, February 7
- STEM Camp (Grades 3-5) ~ 3:00-5:30 pm
Thursday, February 8
- On Track for GMAS Parent Meeting ~ 5:00-6:00 pm
Friday, February 9
- Progress Reports emailed to parents
- School Tours (New Families) ~ 10:00-11:00 am
Saturday, February 10
- Saturday Intervention Program ~ 9:00-11:00 am
Wednesday, February 14
- Candygrams ~ Safety Patrol Fundraiser
- STEM Camp (Grades 3-5) ~ 3:00-5:30 pm
Thursday, February 15- Monday, February 19
- Student/Teacher Holiday ~ NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, February 21
- Black History Program ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Thursday, February 22
- PTA Spirit Night at Sparkles ~ 5:00-8:00 pm
Saturday, February 24
- Saturday Intervention Program ~ 9:00-11:00 am
- GCPS Readers Rally ~ 8:30-12:00 pm
Attention 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students!
Do you love STEM? Do you like doing experiments to learn more about the world around you? Are you interested in using science to help bring clean water to people around the world? Have you ever thought about how invisible ink works? Do chemical reactions get you excited? If any of this sounds like fun to you, be sure to sign up for our FREE Simonton STEM Camp coming up in February. Students will stay after school, but they will need to get picked up by someone on their approved pick-up list when camp is over at 5:30pm. You can get the link in the parent newsletter, on the STEM eClass page, or just click the link below! Once you sign up, look for an email and paper confirmation from Mrs. Aseltine!
2/7/2024 - Clean Drinking Water for All! - 3:00pm-5:30pm
2/14/2024 - Let's Get a Reaction! (Chemical Reaction, that is!) - 3:00pm-5:30pm
Instructional Resource Review Committee Applications Now Available
GCPS invites community members to participate in resource review committee Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is inviting parents and community members to apply for the district’s Instructional Resources Review Committee (IRRC), a group charged with evaluating print and digital instructional resources. Feedback from the IRRC and teacher reviews will be considered in the selection of resources to pilot in the district. This year’s IRRC will convene on Feb. 29 at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center (ISC) located at 437 Old Peachtree Road, NW, in Suwanee. Instructional resources will be reviewed for courses in the areas of Health (grades 5-9 - Sex Ed) and Career and Technical Education (select courses in grades 9-12). Learn more about the IRRC and complete the application online. The deadline to submit completed applications is February 1.
Chromebook Care Video
We all love our Chromebooks, right? They are more than just devices; they are our partners in learning and discovering new things. However, sometimes, they get injured, and that breaks our hearts. That is why we created this video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11FEy18eNG-k9WjJUq4Fl2oiMj0HEBdk5/view?usp=sharing
The following picture outlines 3 PBIS Family Workshop sessions that will be available to parents. If you are interested in attending one or all of the sessions, please scan the QR code to pre-register.
Families MUST be pre-registerd for these events!!
Please open the attachments below to scan the QR codes:
Families are required to register for the program using the QR code included on the flyer. Space is limited, so please sign up soon if you are interested.
Simonton ES Handbook Highlights
Clinic (770) 513-6654
A clinic worker is available to provide first aid assistance to students. Please do not send your child to school when he/she is feeling ill and/or running a fever and there is risk of infecting others. Parents/guardians will be called if a child is too ill to remain at school. Students with a fever will be sent home and need to be fever/symptom free (without medication) for 24 hours before returning to school. Parents should go to the office to sign out a child. If a parent wants to administer medication themselves at school to a student, this must take place in the clinic with school personnel present. For student safety we need to be aware of the medication and dosage in case there are any adverse reactions. The clinic worker is authorized to administer medications to students when proper paperwork is completed. Medications should always be in the original containers when brought to or picked up from school by an adult. Medication may not be brought to school by a student. These procedures are a safety precaution for your child, both on the bus and when they visit the clinic. Parents should inform the school if their child has a contagious disease.
Closing of School
In the event of severe weather or mechanical failure, the starting time of school may be delayed or school may be closed. Announcements will be made over the local television and radio stations. If no report is broadcast, school will be in session. Please do not call the school in an emergency. We will be focused on keeping your child safe and telephone lines need to be kept open for emergencies. ParentSquare and Class Dojo will be used to communicate with families.
Communication – IMPORTANT
The Simonton Parent Newsletter, ”The Knightly News”, will be sent electronically each week. This is our primary form of school-to-parent communication. Please make sure you read this each week to ensure you do not miss any important information or deadlines. Please check the website at gcpsk12.org/SimontonES regularly for updated information. ParentSquare will also be used to communicate district and school information.
From our Counselors...
Information for Parents: New Resource for K-5 English Language Arts
Around the Building:
Ala Carte Items in the Cafeteria
Currently, the Sparkling Juice is available in 2 flavors: Strawberry Kiwi & Fruit Punch.
The baked chips are Sour Cream & Onion and BBQ. The Doritos are Cool Ranch & Nacho Cheese.
Ice Cream for Sale
This year's ice cream selections can be seen in the picture to the side:
The application for free and reduced lunch is now available. There will be no waiver in place to offer free lunch for all students. Please complete the application if you feel this is a service your family will need. All students who have not been approved for free or reduced lunch service will be charged the full price each day.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c
Clinic Card
Does your child have a medical concern that we need to be aware of? Stop in to see Mrs. Tammy Jones in the clinic.
Complete the clinic card if your child has any medical concerns that we need to be aware of. We also need to know any medication your child is taking and directions of what to do while we are caring for your child until you arrive.
ParentSquare
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
District & 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).
MyPaymentsPlus
We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. You will be able to read and digitally sign documents and/or make necessary payments. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.
MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.
Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.
Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.
Elementary e-Tips for Parents
Play a guessing game with sound-alike words
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings (heal, heel; bear, bare; weigh, way). To sharpen your child's sense of language, think of a pair of homophones and give clues to guess it. For example, "I'm thinking of a word that is a letter and a drink" (T, tea). Get started with some of these pairs: ant, aunt; board, bored; hole, whole; meet, meat; rows, rose. https://tpitip.com/?14bE18608
The smart way to learn requires effort
Effort is essential for academic success. Students who try will learn and get smarter. Remind your child that when it comes to intelligence, "It's what you do with what you have that counts." Offer encouragement by saying often that you are sure that with effort and persistence, your student can learn anything. And when your child makes progress, be sure to say "You see? Your hard work is paying off." https://tpitip.com/?14bF18608
An audience makes reading aloud more fun
Kids enjoy reading to their families, and listening to your child read is a great way to instill a love of reading. When you're not available, give your child the next best thing: a captive audience. Gather a few stuffed animals or action figures around your student. They can listen while your child reads. Later, ask your child about audience reactions. "What was Monkey's favorite part?" "Did Batman understand the main point?" https://tpitip.com/?14bG18608
Break big tasks into small pieces to help your child see them through
Many elementary schoolers have a tough time thinking ahead and following through on their plans. One reason is that they lack a realistic sense of time. Your child may really think one day is enough time to finish a big project. Help your student break large assignments down into small parts to do over several days. https://tpitip.com/?14bH18608
Teach a respectful approach to questioning teachers
Teachers are human and can make mistakes. But there is a right way and a wrong way for students to question a teacher. It's disrespectful to speak up in the middle of the class and say, "You're wrong!" and try to prove the teacher incorrect. Instead, teach your child to respectfully ask questions that promote understanding: "Did you mean…?" "Well, what if…?" "What do you think about…?" https://tpitip.com/?14bI18608
Give back talk the silent treatment
It can be very irritating when children have to have the last word in every argument, or mumble negatively under their breath. But instead of getting angry, experts suggest that you ignore your child's last words. Back talk won't get your elementary schooler anywhere if you've ended the conversation, stopped listening and begun to walk away. Wait until you are both calm and then return to the conversation. https://tpitip.com/?14bJ18608
There are many positive reasons to talk to teachers
Have you contacted your child's teacher lately? You don't have to have a problem to talk to the teachers. You can mention how hard your child is working. Or let the teacher know about progress you think your child is making. Get in touch by email or ask the teacher for a conference appointment. The information you share about your student helps teachers be more effective. https://tpitip.com/?14bK18608 E
SIMONTON ELEMENTARY- WHAT WE STAND FOR
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling
Simonton Elementary School
Superintendent ~ Dr. Calvin J. Watts
Board Member ~ Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal ~ Ms. Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Nicholas Gilmore
Assistant Principal ~ Dr. Joe Sanfilippo
Assistant Principal ~ Mrs. Amy Steinberg
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-513-6637
Twitter: @simontonPride
Instagram: @SimontonPride