A Message from GQES Administration!
GQES Vision: Thriving Literacy Community in a STEM School
GQES Mission: Chameleons RISE (Raising Intentionality by Strengthening Expectations)
GQES Belief: Chameleons Got HOPE!
Week 8: 9/30/24-10/4/24
Dear GQES Families,
We want to have joy daily!
We are safe, daily at GQES.
We want our students to BE KIND and LEARN LOTS daily!
It's imperative to send your child to school every day, on time, and ready to learn. Here is some information on why attending school is so important: Attendance Matters!
Information for the Fireside chat with the First Lady of Virginia (Governor Youngkin's wife: Suzanne Youngkin) and Dr. Jonathan Haidt, author of the best seller book: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,
1. Children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media, and recent studies indicate that spending more
than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health for adolescents.
2. Most alarming is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2019-2021, reporting that the rate
of suicide has increased 167% since 2010 for girls and 91 % since 2010 for boys.
3. In the same timeframe, boys and girls experienced a spike in depression of 161 % and 145%, respectively.
4. In addition to the worsening state of youth mental health in the past decade, the state of academic
achievement also suffered, as measured by the precipitous drop in the National Assessment for Educational
Progress (NAEP) scores beginning in 2012.
5. Studies indicate that students who use their phones during class learn less and achieve lower grades.
6. The issue extends beyond mere distraction; substantial phone and social media use can have a cumulative,
lasting, and detrimental impact on adolescents' ability to focus and engage in their studies.
1. American Psychological Association (April/May 2024). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-h�1lth.
2. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (n.d.). Additional notes and figures from
The Anxious Generation here.
3. National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (n.d.), U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Additional notes and figures from The Anxious Generation here.
4. Clayson, D. E., & Haley, D. A. (2013). An Introduction to Multitasking and Texting: Prevalence and Impact on Grades and GPA in Marketing Classes.
Journal of Marketing Education, 3 5( I), 26-40.
5. Kuznekoff, J. H., & Titsworth, S. (2013). The Impact of Mobile Phone Usage on Student Leaming. Communication Education, 62
6. Glass, A. L., & Kang, M. (2018). Dividing Attention in the Classroom Reduces Exam Performance. Educational Psychology, 39(3), 395--408.
More updates:
- Let's get to UPLIFTING! See: https://youuplift.com/garland-r-quarles-elementary-kindness-wall/. All Chameleons can submit uplifting messages!
- Please know your child needs to have their name labeled on their belongings including coats, jackets, hoods, backpacks, etc. This way, if it's left behind, we know who the owner is. DO NOT SEND VALUABLES to school like jewelry, etc. Thank you.
- On Friday, 9/27/24, you received your child's VALLSS risk level related to the new Virginia Literacy Act as well as your child's school picture. Stay in contact with your child's teacher so you can learn how we aim to help students who are high risk and moderate risk through the required Individual Reading Plans.
Information on how we teach children to play safely but also learn Rough and Tumble Play
If you have any questions or concerns, please each out to us at 540-662-3575. Thank you for partnering with us to help your child thrive!
Sincerely,
Joanie Hovatter
Principal, Garland R. Quarles Elementary School
(540) 662-3575 (Phone)
(540) 662-8449 (Fax)
