The Sylvan Sunday Swoop
Week 3
Week 3: Sylvan Elementary is the Best Place to Be!
Greetings Sylvan Blue Jay Families!
We had another amazing week with our Blue Jays. Our students are focused and excited to soar UP this school year. As we are beginning this new year, please take some time to review our school's PBIS (Positive Behavior) Matrix and discuss those expectations with your students. A copy was sent home in the first week of school, but if you cannot locate it, we have linked it here for you.
We are also including the link to the District’s Code of Conduct here. While each of you are familiar with our school handbooks, we wanted to make sure you had access to the District’s Code of Conduct that guides our decisions with consequences. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our administrative team.
We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding as we navigate the best way to handle transportation changes and also our afternoon car rider line, when our system goes down. The safety of our students is our priority. To streamline transportation changes, we will begin using a google form that will now be located on the webpage (in the parents drop down menu) and in this newsletter each week under the reminders section in the new section "Parent Portal". Keep scrolling below to see the directions. This will ensure we are applying the correct transportation changes on the correct day and ensure everyone is going home the way their parents/guardians have intended. As we transition to the new form for transportation changes, we will no longer receive or acknowledge transportation changes via email or Class Dojo starting Monday, September 16th.
Last week's attendance average was down to 94%. We understand illness and injury prevents students from being here and we want them to rest, get better, and be healthy. If your child is able to be at school, please make every effort to get them there. If you have barriers preventing you from getting your child to school, please reach out to our wonderful School Social Worker, Ms. Kristine Hahn at kristine_hahn@abss.k12.nc.us
September is Attendance Awareness Month!
We are going to have an attendance challenge in each classroom September 16th-27th. Each student will have a punch card and each day the student is present, they will get a punch, sticker, or check for being present. At the end of the 10 day challenge we will collect the punch cards of the students who had perfect attendance for those 10 day from each teacher. We will bring back the punch card with a prize for those students who accomplished the perfect attendance for the 10 day challenge.
During the afternoon dismissal, all parents/guardians picking up in the car rider line, must have their student's assigned yellow 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.
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.
Remember: This week, the expectation is for all students (K-5) to be dropped off in the car rider line. Parents will not be able to walk with their students to classrooms or to the classroom areas. It is time to let our Blue Jays spread their wings and be independent!
Let's get excited for Week 3 of learning, leadership, and collaboration as we soar UP to our Unlimited Potential!
#BlueJaysSoarUP
#SylvanisourHappyNest
Transportation Changes
Beginning Monday, September 16th, we will no longer accept transportation changes via email or Class Dojo. All transportation changes must be communicated on the google form linked here. You can also scan the QR code to access the form. Keep in mind that if you child is riding home with another child, this change must be communicated by BOTH parents/guardians. All transportation changes must be communicated on this form no later than 1:00 pm.
Preferred Name
Families, please use the linked form OR scan the QR code to indicate the preferred name for your student. For instance, if your student is named Daniel and you prefer for them to be called Danny, indicate that on the linked form. This is in accordance with North Carolina State Law (S.L. 2023-106; Senate Bill 49) Section 115C-76.45.(5).
Absentee Notes
If you need to submit a note or doctor's note for your student's absence, please use the form linked here. Please note, per board policy, notes must be submitted within 2 school days of the absences. Sylvan will not accept notes after 7 days (1 week).
Blue Jays Before & After School Program
Blue Jay's before and after-school program is designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for children to complete their homework and engage in fun, educational activities. Click here to register or scan the QR Code.
The last day to turn in health assessments for new students to Sylvan is Sept 24th. to avoid risk of suspension. If you need assistance getting an appointment to get health assessments and vaccines up to date, please reach out to Nurse Babb at frances_babb@abss.k12.nc.us
Viral Illness Policy: Click here for our updated policy on illnesses in ABSS.
As a parent or guardian of a Sylvan Blue Jay, you are a vital part of our school family. We would love for you to join us in supporting our students and teachers thru our PTA organization. If you would like to join, please reach out to our PTA president Ms. Ashley Faucette at ashley.faucette@gmail.com
We hold monthly meetings in the Sylvan media center, date/times for the meetings will be announced via Dojo, Facebook and our Sunday school newsletter each month! We already have a full calendar lined up for the school year for events and fundraisers and need your help!
For the month of September, we were able to provide our teachers and staff with a biscuit bar from Yesterday's Grill. We would love to have you join in on the fun of our next event in October. Come out to the next PTA Meeting on September 24th in the Media Center at 6 pm to help us plan!
3-5 EOG Proficiency Goal
An important school improvement goal this year is to increase the percentage of students in 3rd-5th grade who show proficiency on the NC EOG by 7%. In the 23-24 School Year we had 43.8% show proficiency. By June of 2025 we would love to have 50.8% or more show proficiency. We believe in our teachers, staff, and students that we can reach and maybe even surpass this goal.
The NC EOGs are standardized tests. Standardized testing assesses students' strengths and allows teachers to determine which topics need attention. Students in 3rd and 4th grade will take EOGs in reading and math. Students in 5th grade will take EOGs in science, reading, and math.
Here is how you can help your child with this at home:
Standardized tests can measure the knowledge your student has gained in the classroom, plus life skills such as critical thinking and comprehension.
Before the Test
Standardized testing is different than typical classroom testing. Luckily, you have the whole school year to prepare. The following tips can help your student confidently enter their standardized testing session.
Understand the Test Format
Understanding standardized test structure will give a student an idea of what to expect. These tests often include various question types, including multiple-choice, drag and drop and gridded response.
Parents should help students review specific subjects before evaluation. You can also discuss strategies such as quickly moving on to the next question to save time when they do not know an answer.
Try Some Study Techniques for Standardized Tests
Here are a few tips for effective studying for standardized tests:
- Study for a few hours every day.
- Get enough sleep the day before the test.
- Practice reading comprehension.
- Create a study schedule to balance practice time and your regular studies and family time.
Some standardized assessments provide practice tests. Students can use these tools to become familiar with the test process. Let your student know that those exact questions won’t appear on the tests so they don’t waste time memorizing specific questions and answers. To access released NC EOG tests and practice at home, click here.
Use a Timer
Since standardized tests often have multiple timed sections, it’s a good idea to have your student take a practice test with a timer. You can also use a timer to see how long it takes your child to complete specific sections and use this as a baseline to help them lower their times with each practice run.
Test Day Tips
When the day of the test arrives, it’s normal for your student to feel nervous. Here are some testing tips they can follow.
Try to Help Your Student Manage Anxiety
If your learner feels anxious, that’s OK. Encourage them to use the following tips to handle anxiety:
- Try relaxation techniques.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
- Get enough sleep each night.
- Exercise to ease stress and tension.
- Speak to a parent or teacher for help.
Follow Test Day Best Practices
Use these guidelines to prepare your student for the big day:
- Eat a healthy meal before the test.
- Have snacks and water on hand for energy.
- Get to school on time.
Plan Break Time for Your Student After the Test
Continue supporting your child after they complete the standardized test to recognize their accomplishment.
Because standardized tests can be stressful, plan some unstructured free time after school for your child do relax. Whatever hobby or activity they choose to do after their test, make sure they leave the testing space for a change of scenery so they can return feeling refreshed.
Reflect on the Results
Depending on the standardized test your student completes, you may have to wait a days or months to receive the results. During the waiting period, you can ask your student how they thought the test went and if they had trouble with any specific concepts or questions.
Once their results arrive, take the time to sit down with your child and go over their score together. As you review the report, you can use it to identify any future growth areas and set goals with your student.
During the reflection period, you should also take the time to recognize the hard work your child has put into the school year and express that you’re proud of them for completing the test regardless of their final score.
Standardized Testing Resources and Support
Click the links below to access these resources.
Understanding Assessment: Resources for Parents
Khan Academy- A great resources for students to practice with curriculum content at home.
It's a Muscle! 7 Effective Strategies for Test-Taking Skills
K-2 Reading Proficiency Goal
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.
Attendance Goal
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!
