Dear Bobcat Families,

Can you believe how quickly September has flown by? It looks like we might be in for more of the same in October! This is one of our busiest months of the school year, packed with exciting activities and important events.

As we head into October, please be aware of the many things happening around the school. The first quarter ends on October 11th, and we have several special events to look forward to, including conference day and PTA's Family Movie Night and Trunk-or-Treat. Our second graders will be participating in Y-Splash, our fifth graders will enjoy The Great History Tour of Fincastle, and we have several field trips to pumpkin patches. And that’s just the beginning—there’s much more to come!

As always, I want to stay connected with you. The best way to reach me is via email or by calling the front office. While I do check Class Dojo to see what's happening in our classrooms, I don’t use it as a method for one-on-one communication, so please use the other methods if you need to get in touch with me.

Lastly, a quick reminder for afternoon pickups: please allow all buses to exit the parking lot once they are in transit before driving down Schoolhouse Road. This helps ensure a smooth and safe dismissal for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to an amazing October!

Warm regards,

Catey Moretz

Principal

Buchanan Elementary School

What is literacy?

Literacy means that someone can read and write. The goal of reading is to be able to understand (comprehend) what one reads. Children need to be able to: 1. decode –blend sounds together to read words 2. encode – spell words 3. understand and use language As children’s skills improve in these three areas, they develop fluency and comprehension.

What is a screener?

A literacy screener (also known as a test or assessment) is designed to identify children at high risk for reading problems. If students are identified as needing additional support, they receive intervention (i.e., extra instruction) to help the student make progress. Early intervention is critical because research tells us that risk for reading difficulties can be detected as early as kindergarten. Additionally, PALS task scores allow teachers to target instruction to meet student needs.

What is PALS?

PALS is the Virginia Department of Education sponsored literacy screener that is designed to give a snapshot of critical literacy skills at a single moment in time. Rather than focus on all parts of literacy, PALS focuses on decoding and encoding. PALS does not offer a comprehensive picture of your child’s literacy skills.

What do PALS scores mean?

PALS has individual task scores which show the number of items a student answered correctly on each task and an overall Summed Score. If a child’s Summed Score is below the Summed Score Benchmark, the student is eligible to receive state dollars for intervention. There is a different Summed Score Benchmark for each grade-level and each time period (fall/spring). There is not a Summed Score Benchmark at Mid-Year. Mid-Year screening allows teachers to monitor students’ individual task scores in between the Fall and Spring assessment periods. If your child’s Summed Score meets or exceeds the Fall or Spring benchmark, your child’s individual task scores may still indicate that your child needs instruction in these particular areas. If your child’s Summed Score is below the Fall or Spring benchmark, this indicates that your child is significantly behind in basic literacy development and has been Identified below the Summed Score Benchmark by PALS. Students who have and/or by their name have a Fall or Spring Summed Score below the benchmark and are required by the Early Intervention Reading Initiative (EIRI) to receive 2.5 hours of additional instruction per week above and beyond regular classroom instruction. Divisions and schools may decide what intervention looks like and how to communicate the plan to families. The 2.5 hours may include time with a person or a program, or a combination of the two. You may ask your child’s school about EIRI intervention provided for your child. The Virginia Literacy Partnerships Office provides a letter template that divisions and schools can use to give you additional information about your child’s PALS scores.

What are spelling features?

Students spell a list of words as part of the screener. A student may get the entire word correct and/or parts of the word correct. Knowledge of the parts, or phonics features, is critical in encoding (spelling) and decoding (reading). By analyzing students’ spelling, the teacher can determine what phonics features to teach and what features are already known. These features progress from easier to harder.

This information sheet was taken from https://literacy.virginia.edu/families

The Final Guidance for Cell Phone-Free Education Pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order 33 was issued in mid-September. You can find additional information by using clicking here.

We are excited to introduce another new member of the Buchanan Elementary family! Our new instructional assistant, Victoria Bennett, is from Eagle Rock, VA, where she lives with her fiancé, two young children, and four hardworking dogs who assist on their mini farm. She has love for fishing, painting, gardening, and caring for animals. Ms. Bennett brings a hands-on, creative energy to our team.

She is a graduate of James River High School, her favorite colors are pink and mint green, and when it comes to food, she can’t resist Mexican or Italian cuisine. This year, she is eager to work with our students, embrace new experiences outside of the home, and create lasting memories while learning from the children as well. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!

Are you or someone in your family a Veteran? If so, Buchanan Elementary would like to honor them on our Wall of Honor in November and invite them to our Veterans Day assembly. Simply fill out the Google Form.

PTA Scheduled Events for the 2024-2025 School Yea

*10/8 - Talent Show @ 6:30 PM

10/25 - Movie Night and “Trunk-or-Treat”

12/6 - Jingle Bell Jam 5 PM-7 PM

*2/11 - “The Marriage of Q and U” @ 6:30 PM

*3/11 - Maker’s Market @ 6:30 PM

*4/8 - Fine Arts Celebration @ 6:30 PM

* indicates PTA meeting

If you are a Kroger customer, please consider signing up for the Kroger Community Rewards Program to help support Buchanan Elementary School. You can even encourage your extended family to participate, regardless of where they live. It's a simple process: just log into your Kroger account, go to your profile, click on Community Rewards, and use our organization number JF994.

Thank you in advance for your support! It truly makes a difference for our students.