Beaver Ridge ES Parent Newsletter
January 2024
Beaver Ridge Elementary School
Student Dismissal- 2:45 PM (early check-outs end at 2:00 pm)
Office Hours- 7:30 AM- 4:00 PM
Mission
The mission of Beaver Ridge Elementary School is to develop life long learners achieving academic and personal excellence.
Vision
The vision of Beaver Ridge Elementary is to be a community of empowered and productive lifelong learners.
Administrative Team
- Martina Luna-Liranzo, Principal
- Jenny Abreu, Assistant Principal (1st grade, Special Education)
- Nicole Browne, Assistant Principal (2nd and 3rd grade)
- Magaly Gonzalez, Assistant Principal (Kindergarten, Special Education)
- Reginald Watkins, Assistant Principal, (4th and 5th grade)
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/beaverridgees
Location: 1978 Beaver Ruin Rd Norcross, GA 30071
Phone: (770) 447-6307
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeaverRidgeES
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Mark your Calendars
January 23 Second Semester Curriculum Night - 5:30 - 6:30 pm
January 20 Little Learners Academy - 5:00 - 6:00 pm
February 02 Digital Learning DayFebruary 05-09 Kids Heart Challenge
February 13 PTA Sweetheart Dance
February 27 Parents Workshop - Testing - 10:00 - 11:00 am
February 28 Spring Picture Day
March 4-8 Parent-Teacher Conference Week
March 6-7 Early Release Days
March 19 Literacy Night
March 26-27 Field Day
April 1-5 Spring Break
Message from the Principal- Ms. Luna-Liranzo
Hello Beaver Ridge Elementary families!
Happy New Year! I hope each of you had a restful and meaningful time with your family during this winter break. The students and teachers enjoyed being back at school and catching up about all we did during the holidays.
At Beaver Ridge Elementary, we are thankful for all the great opportunities we have to teach and positively impact our students. Both our teachers and students worked really hard to teach and learn during the Fall Semester. You may review your child’s first semester report card on Friday, January 14, 2024, through ParentVue in the Parent Portal. All parents have access to the Parent Portal. This is where you can view assignments/grades, progress reports, and report cards. If you have not created an account, please visit the following link to https://www.gcpsk12.org/Page/26042.
The month of January brings cold and inclement weather. To prepare for unforeseen school closings and/or digital learning, we may send devices home with students. Please ensure that students are taking good care of the device and using them appropriately. We also ask that device come back with your students when they return to school the following day as we use them daily for teaching and learning.
We have a few events coming up this semester. Please stay informed by visiting our school website and reading our monthly newsletter.
As always, I do appreciate your continued support! I absolutely LOVE being the principal of Beaver Ridge Elementary. I feel extremely lucky to be able to spend my days with your children and their amazing and talented teachers! Beaver Ridge ES is a wonderful school.
With gratitude,
Martina Luna-Liranzo
Proud Beaver Ridge ES Principal
EES Student Wellness Screener
To help improve your child's school, Gwinnett County Public Schools’ students in grades 3-12 will participate in the EES Student Screener and Survey, which is confidential and measures what students think about their school experience, practices that affect student learning, and how well their school is performing.
The EES Student Wellness Screener and Survey will be open for students in grades 4-12 via the GCPS Student Portal from February 1 – February 29, 2024. During the same time, only the EES Student Wellness Screener will be administered to all 3rd-grade students.
Please use this link to preview the questions that your 3rd- 12th grade child will be asked.
Please use this link to preview the questions the 4th – 12th-grade child will be asked.
Parents may complete the Opt-Out process if they do not wish their student(s) to participate in the screener and survey. Parents may use the Parent Portal (hyperlink to parent portal) to complete this process or send a written request to the school to opt their student(s) out of this survey. Please note that any parent or guardian wishing to opt their student out of the survey should complete the online form or inform the school in writing by January 26, 2024, before the scheduled screener and survey administration to ensure that the student does not participate. Please use this link to access more information about the EES Wellness Screener and Student Survey.
Field Trips
We have a few Field Trips planned for the Spring:
- 5th Grade- Georgia Aquarium
- 4th Grade- High Museum
- 2nd Grade- Fernbank Museum
- 1st Grade- Children's Museum
The cost for this field trip is $12.00-$20.00 per student depending on the location. Please complete and turn in the permission slip along with the exact change or pay for on MyPaymentPlus. Students will not be denied the opportunity to go on the field trip if they cannot pay this amount, however, if enough funds are not raised to cover the expense of the field trip, the field trip may be canceled.
Please reach out to your student's teacher if you need a Field Trip permission slip.
Beaver Ridge Student Clubs
Girls on the Run Beaver Ridge is HERE
Spring 2024
Wednesdays and Thursdays, February 2024 - April 2024
Registration is now open! See Miss Crume for more information
SEL FAMILY NEWSLETTER-GRATITUDE!
The Imagine Learning Blockbuster Awards are here! Your students can steal the spotlight in Imagine Language and Literacy.
Imagine Learning is hosting a monthly contest for schools and classrooms from now through April 30th. At the end of the year, Imagine Learning will recognize three students, based on their growth, with a certificate and gift card as well as announce the end of the year school winner. For details, please see attached flyers.
Imagine Learning is available to every Beaver Ridge student. If your student doesn't remember their password, please email your student's teacher to request their password.
Spring Curriculum Night
First Semester Report Cards
Report Cards will be attached to the Student Documents as a PDF and available in ParentVUE and StudentVUE by Sunday, January 14, 2024.
Paper copies of the report cards will will be mailed the week of Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Water Testing
Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is committed to the safety and well-being of students and staff; this includes ensuring they have access to safe drinking water. In a continuation of that commitment, reaffirmed more than three decades ago, GCPS has resumed testing drinking water for lead.
The resumption of periodic testing, which began in 1987, is a proactive measure to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, parents, and the community. GCPS has no evidence of widespread water quality issues in any school or building.
GCPS is working with the Georgia Department of Education and RTI International, a North Carolina-based EPA Accredited Lead Testing Laboratory, to complete its comprehensive plan that involves testing all drinking and cooking water taps in GCPS schools for lead. Testing will start in elementary schools before moving to middle and then high schools. The process is tentatively scheduled to be completed by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
For more information about GCPS’ testing efforts, please review the following downloadable documents:
Water testing results will be posted on the Clean Water for Georgia Kids Website.
Questions about the water testing program should be submitted to water_testing@gcpsk12.org.
Car Rider Reminders
- Students may enter the building beginning at 7:45 a.m. They will report to either their classroom or to the cafeteria for breakfast (breakfast will be served until 8:15 a.m.).
- Please do not
- Attention Morning Car Rider families:
- The Car rider line will close at 8:10 AM. A staff member will close the car rider line and no more cars will be allowed in the car rider line. If you miss the window, you must park and walk your child to the front door of the school. If it is after 8:15, you will need to come inside and check your child in.
- Front Office is located on Beaver Ruin Rd.
- Students are counted tardy if they are not in the classroom at 8:15 a.m.
- If you must pick up your child early for an appointment, check-outs should occur before 2:00 p.m.
- Anyone checking a child out of school must show a valid photo identification card, and must be on the child’s portal as an approved contact.
- The dismissal process begins at 2:45 p.m.
Georgia Milestones Information
Georgia Milestones
- The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school.
- Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
- Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade assessment in some, if not all of, the content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies.
- Georgia Milestones is administered primarily on the computer and includes the following features:
- Technology-enhanced items in all grades and courses
- Open-ended (constructed response) items in English language arts in all grades and courses
- A writing component (in response to passages read by students) at every grade level and course within the English language arts assessment
- A reported Lexile score based on the English language arts assessment in all grades and courses, and estimated norm-referenced performance ranges for all grades and courses.
Georgia Milestones Calendar
Below is the GA Milestones calendar. Please schedule appointments in the late afternoon during the week of testing; preferably on non-testing dates. Students will not be allowed to be checked out of school while testing is taking place. We cannot interrupt testing to call students for checkout during the testing sessions.
Experience Online Testing Georgia
This practice site lets students see what testing online is like. Parents and educators are welcome to try it too. The items on the demonstration tests are general and are organized into three grade bands:
- Grades 3–5
- Grades 6–8
- High School Content Areas
The items do not necessarily represent the specific grade-level content that students learn daily in their classrooms. The primary purpose is to let students experience, firsthand, the functionality of the online testing platform. The sample tests are not graded.
Technical documentation, tutorials, and a link to your online experience can be found at the following link: Experience Online Testing Georgia
End of Grade Study/Resource Guides
The study/resource guides are intended to serve as a resource for parents and students.
They contain practice questions and learning activities for each content area.
The standards identified in the study/resource guides address a sampling of the state-mandated content standards.
End of Grade Study/Resource Guides:
What is the Family Center?
The Family Center offers parents help and resources they can use to support their child at home. Ms. Gomez and Ms. Alonso can assist families with questions and resources throughout the school day.
Parent Workshops
Parent Mentors Present: “Understanding Post-Secondary Outcomes and How it Connects to the Transition Plan in the IEP”
Who: Parents/Guardians of students receiving Special Education services
What: Parent Mentors Present: “Understanding Post-Secondary Outcomes and How it Connects to the Transition Plan in the IEP”
When: Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 AM or 6:00 -7:30 PM
Where: In-Person registration link for 10:00am session: https://forms.gle/KnmPiHRcNUH7wnN78
Zoom registration link for 6pm session: https://gcpsk12-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqf-6srT4vG9B3-Ldf5gQ1FD0SoqPW9OOV
Please use the following link to access the parent letters: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HekbppB8CB4h3IsDvcn-KGeh-OPuU2mu?usp=drive_link
2024 GCPS Transition Fair- SAVE THE DATE
GCPS will hold its 18th Annual Transition Fair for parents and students with special needs on March 16, 2024.
This resource fair brings 75+ community organizations and state agencies together, in one place, for families to learn more about services such as supported employment, community living options, and specialized funding for individuals with special needs.
Parent Center Resources
Chapter books make great 'installment' read aloud!
Young children have short attention spans, so short books work well for read-aloud times. But as they grow older, children can enjoy longer, more challenging books. Reading books aloud on the "installment plan" is a great way to read with an older elementary schooler. Try reading a chapter each night. Then, stop and ask what your child thinks might happen next. Who is your child’s favorite character? Why? https://tpitip.com/?14aH18608
Pre-K Pilot Program Lottery
For the 2024-25 school year, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) will continue its free Pre-K Program at Beaver Ridge ES .
The GCPS Pre-K Pilot Program is accepting online applications for the 2024-25 Pre-K Lottery February 19 through April 12.
Please here for more information about the Pre-K Pilot Program Enrollment Guidelines.
Spring Semester Curriculum Night
Join us on our 2nd Semester Curriculum Night on Tuesday, January 23rd from 5:30-6:30 pm. You will be receiving important information that will benefit your child's learning throughout the second semester.
Little Learners Academy
Come and join us on our "Little Learners Academy" on Tuesday, January 30 from 5-6 pm. All families with kids between the ages of birth and five years old are invited to this 60-minute hands on - fun night where you will learn how to engage with your child and learn through Play.
Please get in touch with giselle.gomez@gcpsk12.org or call 770-326-8093 for more information.
The cafeteria will have snacks and drinks for sale. The items and prices are listed above. If you do not want your student purchasing these items, please send an email to the Café Manager, Ms. Allyson Perras at allyson.perras@gcpsk12.org or to your child's teacher. We will add an alert to the account to prevent the student from purchasing these items
Each Friday students may purchase ice cream for $1 to enjoy at lunchtime.
Students will need to bring exact change or one dollar bill.
Parents also have the option to purchase ice-cream for their student's class to celebrate their birthday.
The cost for ice-cream is $1 per student.
You can send exact cash to your child's teacher the day you would like to celebrate with a note letting them know you want to purchase ice-cream in honor of your child's special day.
School Lunch
Free and Reduced Information
- As a reminder, SY23-24 Free and Reduced eligibility status will carry over for the first 30 school days of SY24 (through 9/14).
- Parents must fill out a new application for SY24 in order to maintain their Free or Reduced-Price meal benefits.
- The online 2023-2024 Free and Reduced application is now available. Click here to see if your child qualifies for free or reduced meals and to potentially avoid being charged.
Breakfast
- Meal Prices for breakfast are as follows: Reduced - $.30 cents; Full Pay - $1.50
Lunch
- All students will be charged for lunch based on their current eligibility status (Free, Reduced, Full Pay)
- Meal Prices for lunch are as follows: Reduced - $.40 cents; Full Pay - $2.25
MyPaymentsPlus Account Information
All Meet Your Teacher Day/Open House documents will ONLY be available on MyPaymentsPlus. We will not have paper forms available.
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
Creating an Account - Spanish
A Parental Guide: Reviewing and Acknowledging Orientation Agreements & Title I Documents
For customer service & support on your MyPaymentsPlus account, please call 1-877-237-0946
Addressing Concerns at School
Gwinnett County Public Schools finds that the quickest and most effective way to resolve a concern regarding your child is by addressing it at the most direct level.Addressing Concerns at School graphic
In our school district, we care about each and every student. We also believe that open and honest communication between parents and teachers is a key to student success. Thank you for partnering with your child’s teacher and school to address any concerns.
1. Teacher - First, talk to your child’s teacher or a counselor at school for assistance. Most concerns are resolved at the classroom level.
2. Assistant Principal - If the concern is not resolved at the classroom level, please contact your child’s assistant principal.
3. Principal - If working with the AP does not adequately address the issue, please contact the school principal.
Parent Square
We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.
ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:
- Weather-related closings & delays
- School and class information
- Share pictures and files
- See calendar items
- Upcoming class activities
Beginning July 18, 2023, district and school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
Communication Reminder
Please frequently check our website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/BeaverRidgeES, follow us on https://www.facebook.com/BeaverRidgeES and https://www.instagram.com/beaver_ridge_es, and read all emails from Beaver Ridge Elementary School to stay up to date on all current and upcoming events, important updates, and invaluable information.