THE NORCROSS ELEMENTARY EAGLE

Dear Families,

I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving Break with your loved ones. I had a relaxing time reconnecting with family and friends.

We are moving into the home stretch of the first semester. We have 15 days to do IMPACTFUL work. So my charge to you, the staff, and our students is to balance staying focused on the main thing, TEACHING and LEARNING, and enjoying the season.

Also, attendance is key to student learning. Students miss out on important academic, social, and behavioral opportunities when not in attendance. Some opportunities are difficult to 'make up". So unless your child is sick, please make sure your child attends school each and every day.

https://www.gcpsk12.org/schools/attendance

Parents, we thank you for your continued support.

Included in the newsletter is information to stay current with the most up to date happenings at our school. There are also opportunities for you to make an impact and collaborate with us.

Thank you for all YOU DO!

Sincerely,

Dr. Kassia Sutton

Proud Principal of Norcross Elementary

Every year, we ask parents and guardians to complete and send back dozens of important forms and permission slips. We are pleased to share that your back-to-school forms that were previously in MyPaymentsPlus are now in ParentSquare!

Action: If you have not signed the agreements, please use the button with the link below to complete the forms.

Congratulations to our very own, Dr. Kassia Sutton, who was named the Georgia School Counselor Association Supervisor/Administrator of the Year for 2024. She was recognized at the GSCA Conference in Savannah, GA in November.

Mrs. Sherwood and I are super excited to bring to light Dr. Sutton's vision of having a book vending machine at our school!. Here's where you come in......we have written a grant through Donors Choose and are asking that you share the link with your family and friends (and social media platforms). Please see the link below and a picture of the vending machine.

Thank you in advance for all of your support,

Sherwood, Parker, and the admin team!

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/reading-helps-us-soar/8898017/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=directlink&utm_campaign=tpc_complete&utm_term=teacher_7189336&rf=directlink-dc-2024-10-tpc_complete-teacher_7189336&challengeid=21584911

December 3 - United Way Campaign (see flyer below)

December 6 - Spelling Bee

December 7 - Extended Learning Program

December 10 - United Way Campaign (see flyer below)

December 12 - Winter Program

December 13 - Food Pantry

December 19 - Classroom Winter Parties

December 20 - PBIS 9 week celebration/Student of the Month

During the month of December students will participate in the following assessments:

• IReady for K-5th grades in Reading and Math from December 3 - December 9 (tentative)
• District Assessments for 3rd -5th Grades in Math, Science, and Social Studies (see below for the tentative District Assessment Schedule).

The United Way is one of our districts signature campaigns to support. Our staff and students are encouraged to give.

United Way of Greater Atlanta partners with nonprofits, community leaders, businesses and the legislature to address the challenges we face as a community. Together, we support systematic replication of innovation and best practices, stimulate greater financial investments for innovative ideas and solutions and expand needed services.

In previous years, our students at Norcross Elementary have contributed to the United Way Campaign and have raised hundreds of dollars to support this initiative. We encourage students to participate in United Way Tuesdays. Half of the donations our students raise stay at Norcross ES.

We would love for the students to join us in the 10 days of Comfort and Joy that begins on Monday, December 9. See below for the calendar.

Andrea Eberhart and Dr. Latonya Parker are our instructional coaches. Their role includes supporting teachers and students. Ms. Eberhart and Dr. Parker also plan and facilitate our LEVEL UP READING PROGRAM.

Below open the attachment for news from the Parent Center.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are important disciplines for our students to learn about and to have opportunities to explore learning. We strongly encourage your child to participate in our STEM fair.

Please use the resources below to learn more about the STEM Fair.

NES STEM Fair website

2024-2025 STEM Fair video

STEM Fair Kick-Off Assembly slideshow

STEM Fair interest "permission"

If you have questions, please reach out Lauren Dennis, our amazing STEM teacher.

Use the link below for media center news and information about Winter Bingo.

Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) provide an operational framework for achieving these outcomes.

Below is a picture our PBIS Matrix

Do you find yourself constantly yelling at your child and being negative and nothing changes?

The easiest way to change a behavior is to point out what a person does right! Using positive words (taking the words no, don’t, and stop out of your vocabulary) can lead to a change in the behaviors you are seeing in your child at home, and it could carry over to school as well. Be sure to model these expectations so that your child has a clear example for what to do, especially in difficult situations. Make sure to reward their positive behavior often! Here are some ways to turn a negative reaction into something more positive.

When misbehavior occurs, offer positive alternatives instead of harsh criticism. For example, use “walk” instead of “don’t run” and “use your inside voice” instead of “stop yelling”.

PBIS Information for Families
https://www.pbis.org/family

Positive Behavior
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/pbs-resources/

Dr. Fain is our PBIS Coach.

christi.fain@gcpsk12.org

On the hunt for free websites you can use at home? There's a ton out there, especially for helping kids learn and practice literacy and math skills. Use them with students from pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade to help them pick up new skills and build solid foundations in math, science, and reading.

Use the link below to access.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BfJe7IoF7CN8dqqruIUvO3XGUBICqugRhFPo85EGmjw/edit?usp=sharing

Hello Norcross Families! Tis the season for love, peace, comfort, and joy! Sharing these feelings and emotions is even better when we can share them with our loved ones. Here is a calendar of activities your family can do together this holiday season! Enjoy!

Art Club students have been working hard to create miniature ornaments, bracelets, and hair scrunchies to sell for Habitat for Humanity after Thanksgiving break. Their work is AMAZING! The items will be sold in the art room each morning for 1-3 dollars – what a bargain and they make great gifts!

MyPaymentPlus Offers Free 24/7 Access To

• Student cafeteria balances and purchase history
• Prepayments for breakfast/lunch, with auto-pay capability
• Meet Your Teacher Day (Open House) documents
• Other fees and activities such as yearbooks, spirit wear, field trips and more!

Using your MPP Account

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/MPP.setup.HOW_TO.mp4?ou=2323043

Creating an Account - Spanish

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/Spanish%20version%20(detailed).pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=j8rIvA3AnIlKoIU3fgtWbW8eI&ou=2323043

A Parental Guide: Reviewing and Acknowledging Orientation Agreements & Title I Documents

https://instruction.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/content/enforced/2323043-Federal_Programs_Communication_Center/MyPaymentsPlus/MPP%20How%20to%20review%20report.mp4?_&d2lSessionVal=j8rIvA3AnIlKoIU3fgtWbW8eI&ou=2323043

For customer service & support on your MyPaymentsPlus account, please call 1-877-237-0946

Up-to-date Safety Equipment and Technology

Our school uses a variety of technological tools to reinforce security. These are some—but not all—of the tools in place:

• Cameras — interior and exterior
• VMS and Raptor — visitor management systems that control access doors and screen adults against National Sex Offenders Registry. Every visitor is required to show identification.
• Vestibules — Double glass door entry with bullet-resistant glass film at designated single point of entry for the school (coming soon).

1. If your child has a medical alert/medical health management plan, please contact Lilana Martinez as soon as possible, and complete and return applicable forms to her in a timely manner.

2. We want our students to have a full day of learning, but sometimes illness(es) may interrupt their day. For the safety and health of your child and others, if your child gets ill at school and needs to go home, please do so promptly. If you’re unable to pick them up, please be sure that we have a current list of emergency contact(s) that we may reach out to.

We will continue our focus on the Whole Child through MTSS by using Supportive Community and Academic Press (see picture below). An example of Supportive Community is our Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program and an example of Academic Press is the implementation of the EL Education literacy pilot for Language Arts.

MTSS is a system or framework that integrates assessment and intervention within a school-wide, multi prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavioral problems. It promotes systems alignment to increase efficacy and effectiveness of resources. (Adopted for National Center on Intensive Intervention).

Implementation of MTSS is one of our LSPI goals.

A student who leaves school before the official ending time must be signed out in the office by his/her parent or guardian. Parents must report to the receptionist, not the classroom. The receptionist will call the room for the child after a photo ID (government issued) has been shown. Please remember that each time a child checks out early, we must call the classroom and disrupt instruction for everyone. Children will be called to the Front Office where they will be released to the parent/guardian. The office will not check out students after 2:30 P.M. (11:30 A.M. on early release days). Please do not ask school personnel to make exceptions.

A child will not be permitted to leave the school in the custody of any person other than the child's parent unless that person is listed as a parent/guardian or emergency contact in the school’s database. As telephone numbers and situations change, please make sure you report this information to the school so we have the most accurate information.

Arrival

• Doors open at 8:20am
• Classes begin at 8:50am

Dismissal

• The Day ends at 3:20pm

Check out our Parent Page in our School Website to find more information regarding Title 1 and what happens at Norcross Elementary. It’s important to stay informed about your child’s education. The Powerpoint Presentation of the Title 1 Annual Meeting is posted there for your review. https://www.gcpsk12.org/domain/1603

We are looking for volunteers to participate in our Local School Council and Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Reach out to our Parent Center team, Altavise Walker altavise.walker@gcpsk12.org or Eduardina Checo Eduardina.checo@gcpsk12.org for more information.

LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCIL (LSC)

The purpose of the LSC is:

• To help the local board of education develop and nurture participation
• To bring parents and the community together with teachers and school administrators to create a better understanding of and mutual respect for each other’s concerns
• To share ideas for school improvement

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA)

We are in need of a PTA board to support our school, our students, and our faculty. The board consists of a president/co-president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. Please contact me at kassia.morris.sutton@gcpsk12.org if you are interested.

https://www.pta.org/home/About-National-Parent-Teacher-Association/Mission-Values

Volunteer

Please partner with us and commit to volunteering at our school. Volunteer activities may include: working in the media center, laminating materials, counting out documents, cutting, and filing. Please contact Eduardina Checo (eduardina.checo@gcpsk12.org) for volunteer opportunities.

September Family Newsletter: https://secure.smore.com/n/dsvag

Principal – Kassia Sutton (kassia.morris.sutton@gcpsk12.org)

Assistant Principal – Gr. 1, 4, 5 – Contacia Cross (contacia.cross@gcpsk12.org)

Assistant Principal - Gr. K, 2, 3 - Katrina Bilal (katrina.p.bilal@gcpsk12.org)

Assistan Principal - Special Education - Alicia Lapinsky (alicia.lapinsky@gcpsk12.org)

Counselor - Gr. K, 1 - Shelby Gonzalez (shelby.gonzalez@gcpsk12.org)

Counselor Gr. 2, 3 - Amy Crapo (amy.crapo.@gcps12.org)

Counselor Gr. 4, 5 - Matt Ho (matt.ho@gcpsk12.org)

Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/NorcrossES
Location: 150 Hunt Street, Norcross, GA, USA
Phone: 770-448-2188
Facebook: facebook.com/NorcrossElementarySchool-GCPS

Please open the document for dates and times. Information was sent home in the Friday Folder.