Stonehedge News

This page provides thoughts and commentary from Amanda Simmons, the Principal of Stonehedge Elementary School in the West Genesee Central School District.

Dear Stonehedge Families-

Happy Friday, Stonehedge. Another week has flown by. I had the good fortune to fly down to some of our kindergarten classes to share the book, My Principal is a Superhero by Joey and Melanie Acker. It's a fun book that highlights some of the jobs principals do around the school. If your child suddenly thinks I am a superhero, that might explain it! I'll fly on down to the rest of the rooms next week.

Another school year benchmark occured this week.... SCHOOL PICTURE DAY! The staff and I enjoyed seeing those beautiful smiles and faces light up for the camera. The children told me one of the photographers was quite the comedian. Just in case you missed picture day or the picture isn't all you hoped for, Picture Day Retakes are scheduled for Thursday, November 7th from 6-8 pm.

Our school's P2 focus this week was Teamwork. We shared how teamwork can really make the dream work when it comes to collaborative problem solving and completing big tasks. As you know, we also use a curriculum called Second Steps to teach our students social emotional learning skills. To supporting working as a team, we also focused on the importance of making mistakes and how much we learn from those mistakes. The lessons range from paying attention, practicing skills and making solid plans. Next week, we'll focus on the importance of using kind words.

As we close the week, I want to remind all families that we will continue with our emergency drills, evacuations and lockdowns throughout next week. These drills are essential to ensuring the safety of all staff and students. We encourage you to talk with your child about the procedures and protocols we practice.

Next week, the book fair coming to our school! We hope you'll stop by afterschool to check it out. AND--don't forget to send in those pennies for our PTA sponsored PENNY WARS-- just a little grade level competition to build some school spirit and to support our PTA activities.

I hope this weekend brings you joy and time with your loved ones. Looking forward to seeing our Stonehedge Wildcats Monday morning.

Mrs. Simmons

Stonehedge Main Office

phone: 315-487-4633

fax: 315-487-4699

email: stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org

Stonehedge Health Office

phone: 315-487-4636

fax: 315-487-4599

9/30 - 10/4 - PTA Penny Wars Fundraiser

10/1 - 10/3 - PTA Scholastic Book Fair - 4:00pm - 7:00pm - Blue Gym

10/2 - BOE Meeting - 6:00pm - WGHS Library

10/9 - PTA Meeting - 6:30pm - Library

10/10 - CODE Assembly Grades K, 1 and 2

10/11 - 4th Grade Spirit Day

10/14 - No School - Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day

10/15 - CODE Assembly Grades 3 & 4

10/16 - Wellness Wednesday

10/16 - BOE Meeting - 6:00pm - Split Rock Elementary Cafeteria

10/16 - Open Library Night - 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Stonehedge Library

This week we focused on the character strength of Teamwork. People with the character strength of teamwork work well as a member of a group or team. They are loyal and sacrifice their individual desires for the greater good.

Some of our 3rd graders shared their thoughts about teamwork.

"I show teamwork when I listen to my teammates and friends."

Important reminders for students dismissing by car. All changes in transportation must be made in writing. There is a 2:30pm deadline for early dismissal, students being picked up after 2:30 should plan on dismissing in the car line. Parents/Guardians should follow the traffic pattern pictured below. For the safety of our students we ask that you remain in your vehicle, staff members will be outside to assist during dismissal. While waiting in the line, please do not block the entrance or exit to the bus loop! All motor vehicles are prohibited from entering the bus loop.

Staying connected is key to ensuring a successful school year for our Wildcats. Here are a couple of important ways to stay in the loop:

• Check bookbags and folders nightly: Classroom teachers send home valuable information and communication through this method. We don't want you to miss out on any important updates, so please make it a habit to review these each evening.

• Get ParentSquare up and running: This platform is essential for receiving regular communication from both the classroom and the building. It’s also where you’ll get time-sensitive messages when needed. If you have any questions or concerns about ParentSquare, please email us at stonehedgeoffice@westgenesee.org.

• Daily Routine: Please be sure to send you child to school each day with a water bottle and a snack. Students also need sneakers for gym. Also, be sure to LABEL ALL ITEMS, you will be glad you did!

By staying connected, we can ensure a smooth and successful school year for everyone!

As a reminder, we would like families to review our policy regarding electronic devices. Our elementary policy regarding such devices reads:

"Personally owned electronic games and devices, such as cell phones, CD players, iPods, remote control cars, hand-held video games etc., must be off and away throughout the school day. These items can be lost, stolen, broken and are a distraction. The school cannot and will not be responsible for these items. Please help us by keeping them at home."

Students who violate this policy may be subject to the following disciplinary sequence:

First Report:

The student will receive a warning.

Second Report:

Parents will be notified.

Third Report:

The device will be taken away and a parent/guardian will be required to pick it up.

Please note at this time all apple watches or similar devices are allowed but are not to be used for anything other than telling time and must not be a distraction, during school hours. These watches or similar devices will follow the same reports above if they are a distraction and/or being used inappropriately.

At Stonehedge, we take great pride in recognizing the hard work and dedication of our custodial team. In honor of National Custodian Appreciation Day on October 1st, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the individuals who keep our school running smoothly, clean, and safe every day.

From ensuring that our classrooms are clean and welcoming to handling unexpected maintenance issues with a smile, their efforts often go unnoticed but are always deeply appreciated.

The work they do behind the scenes is invaluable. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated team that goes above and beyond to ensure our school remains a great place to learn and work.

PTA Meeting

Join us for the next Stonehedge PTA on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:30 PM in the library! It's a great opportunity to meet fellow parents, learn about what we do, and discover how you can get involved in supporting our school community. We’d love to see you there!

Book Fair

It’s time to get ready for our Scholastic Book Fair, running October 1st through October 3rd, 4:00pm - 7:00pm in the Blue Gym. Please enter through the Main Doors (#1). Support our PTA while purchasing books and gifts for your child.

We wouldn't be able to do the Scholastic Fair without our wonderful Volunteers! Click here to volunteer.

Penny Wars

Get ready to dive into the Penny Wars! This exciting event kicks off September 30th through October 4th. Be sure to check the flyer that was sent home with your child for all the details and how to participate

Spirit Wear

The Stonehedge PTA has officially kicked off the Spirit Wear sale! Proceeds from all purchases will go directly to support the PTA's initiatives. Be sure to check it out!

The PTA District Council will be holding a Winter Coat Drive from October 1st through October 31st to benefit West Genesee families in need. Donations of winter wear can be brought to the school and placed in the designated blue donation bins. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Special Education PTAs (or SEPTSAs) are designed to help parents advocate for special needs children. It is a place for parents, teachers, and students exchange information on various programs, funding, ever-changing state and federal laws and to support each other on the many problems of adjustment, growth, and development our members face. SEPTSA has regular meetings just like any other PTA, with speakers to run lectures or workshops on many pressing issues for our children.

Join us this Tuesday, October 1st, at 6:00 PM on the Split Rock Elementary School Playground for our first SEPTSA meeting of the year. We’ll have kickball, chalk art, and ice cream for everyone to enjoy. This is a wonderful opportunity for kids and parents to meet, play, and discuss the exciting events planned for this year.

New members are always welcome—come learn more about what we do and how you can get involved!

While school lunch and breakfast are provided at no cost, items such as chips and ice cream are not included and must be purchased separately. Snacks and ice cream are an additional cost.

• Chips $1.00
• Ice Cream $1.50
• Milk $.75

For any and all information pertaining to breakfast and/or lunch, including the process of MySchoolBucks please visit the district's food service website!

During PE class this week, students participated in a team-building activity using topple tubes.