October Edition

The "Bobcat Bulletin" is our monthly newsletter for families at Sawgrass Bay Elementary School. It includes important updates, upcoming events, and student achievements to keep everyone informed and connected. Our goal is to foster a strong school community and ensure clear communication between the school and our families.

Greetings Bobcat Families,

Happy October! This month brings exciting opportunities for growth, learning, and connection at Sawgrass Bay Elementary. I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of regular attendance and staying engaged in our school community. When your child is present and actively involved in school, they are more likely to thrive academically and socially. Building a strong partnership with your child’s teacher is also crucial. Regular communication helps ensure that you’re aware of your child’s progress and can support their learning at home. By maintaining a routine that reinforces what they’re learning in the classroom, you can help set them up for success both now and in the future.

This month, we will also continue our focus on The Leader in Me and the 8 Habits. Our spotlight is on Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. This habit encourages students to set goals and create a vision for their success. When children learn to plan ahead and think about their long-term goals, they are better equipped to make choices today that lead to a bright future. Be sure to check out the Leader in Me section for ideas on how you can help your child practice Habit 2 at home!

Additionally, I invite you to explore the Paws for Learning section of this newsletter, which is packed with tips and resources to support your child’s literacy journey. Reading together is one of the best ways to boost academic growth, and we are excited to share tools that will help nurture a love of reading in your household.

Finally, don’t miss the Counselors’ Corner, where our counselors provide invaluable advice and activities to support your child's emotional well-being. Taking care of our students' mental and emotional health is just as important as their academic progress, and our team is here to ensure every student feels supported and understood.

Thank you all for your partnership and support. Together, we will continue making our school a happy and exciting place to learn. Let’s work together as we inspire EVERY student to LEARN, LEAD and SUCCEED. Let’s make October an inspiring and successful month for our Bobcat community!

Your Partner in Education,

Gary Locuson, Principal

October 2-31: Penny Wars

October 3: 3rd Grade Parent Night | 5-5:30 PM

Sawgrass Bay Elementary School is honored to be certified as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education.

This certification is due to the efforts and leadership of our students, staff, and school community. Achieving Lighthouse Certification demonstrates that our school has a strong leadership model and has produced outstanding results in school and student outcomes in learning and leading using the habits and paradigms of the Leader in Me model.

Begin With the End in Mind means to think about how you would like something to turn out before getting it started.

“I plan ahead and set goals. I do things that have meaning and make a difference. I am an important part of my classroom. I can make a difference and contribute to the vision and goals of my school and in my classroom. I look for ways to be a good citizen.”

Kid Language:

· I make plans in advance.

· I set goals for myself.

· I think about how my choices will impact my future.

· I do meaningful work.

Future skills learned by Beginning With the End in Mind:

· Use critical thinking to organize information.

· Develop intrapersonal skills of self-confidence and self-management.

· Use creative thinking to solve problems.

· Develop the ability to set goals and follow through.

· Develop strong oral and written communication skills.

Puzzle Activity

Preparation: Get a puzzle (about 24 pieces) and take the pieces out of the box so that

your family does not see the puzzle picture on the cover. Invite family members to put the puzzle together without the aid of the picture. After two

minutes, give them the puzzle picture and let them complete the puzzle. Ask: “Why is it easier to complete a puzzle with the picture?”

Discuss why having the end in mind helps achieve your desired results as a family.

Family Collage

(Resources: Poster board or paper, crayons, markers, magazines, scissors, family photos or memorabilia, and glue sticks.)

Gather as a family. On a piece of poster board, make a collage of what you want your family to stand for. Cut out pictures and words from magazines, find old photos, or draw words

and pictures that represent what you want your family to stand for. Talk about how the words or pictures represent your family’s values, hopes, and goals. Allow space for each

family member to make a contribution as they glue the items to the poster board to make a collage. Hang the collage in your home as a reminder of what is important to your family.

A Family Mission Statement

Work as a family to create a family mission statement.

Step 1: Gather inspirational ideas of what your family is about.

• Interview each other using the questions on page 25.

• Read inspirational quotes or listen to motivational songs or poems.

• Research other families’ mission statements on the internet.

Step 2: Draft a family mission statement.

• Brainstorm phrases that capture the values that are most important

to your family. Invite each family member to contribute.

• Write a draft. Check: Does the draft appeal to all family members? Does it

inspire? Does it help you make decisions? Is it short and memorable?

Step 3: Stay on course.

• Place the mission statement draft in a visual, central location.

• Live the mission statement for a while.

• After a month or so, revisit the draft mission statement. Does it

still represent the best of your family? Adjust as needed.

• Create family systems to reinforce the mission statement. For

example, offer small rewards for family members who get “caught”

living all or parts of the mission statement. Make it fun.

Hello Bobcat Families!

We wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves as Sawgrass Bay's counseling team. We are dedicated to supporting the academic, behavioral, and social well-being of our leaders here on campus and look forward to partnering with you to ensure your child's needs are being met. We are happy to provide a safe space for children to express their feelings, navigate challenges, and develop important life skills.

We provide a continuum of support services, including individual and group counseling, classroom life skills lessons, behavior intervention, and more. We focus on school-related topics like problem-solving strategies, conflict resolution, and other important life skills. We also collaborate with teachers and families to ensure every child has the resources they need to thrive.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or requests that we can assist with to ensure your bobcat students learn, lead, and succeed.

Hailey O'Connor - PK-2 School Counselor - oconnorh@lake.k12.fl.us

Erica Boyd - 3-5 School Counselor - boyde1@lake.k12.fl.us

Bernice Kendrick - PK-5 Mental Health Liaison - kendrickb@lake.k12.fl.us

Lecah Frazier - School Counseling Clerk - frazierz@lake.k12.fl.us

All students shall conform to the uniform policy that has been set forth by our parents and instructional personnel of Sawgrass Bay Elementary.

You can purchase SBE school uniform shirts, sweaters, and hoodies at the link below.

Thank you for reviewing our arrival and dismissal procedures below. You will find a map below with the entrances/exits for different modes of transportation.

The car rider, walker, and bus loop gates remain closed during the school day. The parking lot and front office can be accessed through a single-point entry using the front gate.

Main Car Rider Line (K-5):

Cars will be able to enter the car line close to dismissal. Please do not arrive earlier as that will cause a backup on Superior Blvd.

Walkers/Bike Riders:

Please meet your students at the walker gate. For safety reasons, we are asking families to remain at the gate and wait for their student to arrive.

Car Rider Line Path:

For safety purposes and to help reduce the wait time in the car line, please ensure the path below is followed in the morning and afternoon.

Students who live across Hwy 27 and those who live more than a mile away from our campus will receive transportation through Lake County Schools. Below is the link to the transportation page for Lake County.

If your child rode the bus last year, the bus routes, names, and times should be about the same.

Click on the button below to view our 24-25 SBE Student Handbook. This handbook provides lots of great information regarding some of our policies and procedures we have in place to ensure that our campus runs smoothly. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

We are pleased to inform you that the Lake County School Board will again be participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program called the Community Eligibility Provision for 2024-2025 School Year.

Schools that participate in the Community Eligibility Provision are able to provide a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge for ALL students enrolled during the 2024-2025 School Year. A la carte items will still be available for purchase.

Below is the link to the SBE lunch menu where you will be able to access the menu, nutritional fact, and allergy information.

The goal of the SBE ELC program is to provide a safe and affordable before and after school care program, which offers developmentally appropriate activities under the supervision of responsible staff members who are trustworthy, caring and competent to understand and meet the needs of children. Follow the link below for more information regarding the ELC program and registration.

Lisa Owens-Sawgrass Bay Elementary Sr. Site Coordinator

Email: OwensL@lake.k12.fl.us

Phone: 352-394-8547

All of our volunteers must have at least a level 1 background clearance.

• Level 1 - parent must always be in the visual presence of a school district employee
• Level 2 - parent may be assigned outside of the immediate presence of a school district employee

Volunteers must have a Level 2 clearance to chaperone field trips.

Please visit the website below for more information on how to become a volunteer:

If you have any questions, please contact our volunteer coordinator:

Barbara Eldredge

eldredgeb@lake.k12.fl.us

Follow us on Facebook for the most current information, updates, and great things occurring on our campus!

Email: locusong1@lake.k12.fl.us

Website: https://sbe.lake.k12.fl.us/
Location: 16325 Superior Boulevard, Clermont, FL, USA

Phone: 352-243-1845
Facebook: facebook.com/sawgrassbay