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FES Knightly News
Weekly Family Newsletter
Week of February 19th-February 23rd
New and Important Information
Reading Foundation Groups
One of the core beliefs at Florence Elementary is to differentiate instruction based on each individual student’s needs. One area of reading that we acknowledge our students need more support in is phonics. Phonics is knowing the various ways that letters and combinations of letters are used to make the different sounds and spellings in the English language. Students typically master the majority of phonics concepts by third grade. However, we recognize that our students in kindergarten through second grade represent various levels of mastery and we are working hard to get them all to proficiency by third grade.
Knowing this, our instructional team has been hard at work planning a new approach that will start on Tuesday, February 20th. Students in Kindergarten, first and second grade will begin meeting in groups for customized instruction in foundational phonics reading skills. Over the last couple of months, every K-2 student was screened on their understanding and application of phonics skills. From this screening, we grouped kids with like needs to create 23 groups.
What does this mean for your child? Starting tomorrow (February 20th), all K-2 students will meet for the first 40 minutes of their day to receive instruction at his/her level in a group smaller than a typical class size. It might mean that your child rotates teachers for this time so that the instruction he/she receives is the perfect level, not too easy and not too hard. We will be assessing their progress as they move through the lessons to make progress in phonics. We will be utilizing this structure from February 20th until the beginning of May. We are very excited for this opportunity to meet our kids where they are and move them forward.
Message Regarding Recent Threats Made to Boone County Schools
You have probably heard by now that several Northern Kentucky Schools, including some in Boone County, have received bomb threats in the last couple of weeks. While none of those threats has been directed specifically at Florence Elementary, please know that these are taken very seriously and we are fully prepared to respond appropriately in the event that a threat is made.
Florence Elementary has a safety plan that is regularly reviewed by school and district personnel as well as area public safety experts. This plan lays out procedures and protocols for a variety of safety threats. We practice for each of these threats regularly throughout the year. The safety of our students is the ONLY thing more important to our staff than providing them with a high-quality education, and we take it very seriously.
In addition to this comprehensive safety plan, we have worked to strengthen the security of the Florence Elementary building this year by fully fencing our playground and purchasing additional security cameras for the building. As you know, the district and county also provide a highly trained, full-time School Resource Officer for each school. At Florence Elementary, that officer is Boone County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Combs. Deputy Combs walks the building multiple times a day, checking exterior doors and monitoring neighborhood foot traffic. He also continuously monitors the live feeds from our multiple security cameras.
Florence Elementary students are safe during their time at school, and we will all continue to work extra-hard to ensure that they stay that way. Please see the message below from Superintendent Matt Turner regarding the recent threats.
Dear Boone County School District Families and Community,
As you may have seen in the news or on social media, several school districts in Northern Kentucky have been victims of bomb threats this week also known as “swatting events.” These threats are also occurring across the nation, the latest count is six states so far. The threats are coming through a national hotline and are being turned over to local law enforcement agencies upon receipt. At this time, none of these threats are deemed credible by law enforcement, however they are still being investigated to identify those responsible. The following is a collaborative statement from Sheriff Michael A. Helmig and Florence Police Chief Tom Grau.
The Boone County Sheriff’s office and the Florence Police Department are working diligently with other law enforcement partners in the area to thoroughly investigate and identify the individual(s) responsible for making these threats. The safety of the students and staff is our top priority.
Even though these threats are not currently credible, the school district will continue to respond accordingly to any additional threats by following each school’s safety plan as well as following the guidance and direction of local law enforcement. Decisions on what actions to take are dependent upon the situation and information available at that time.
As is our policy, you will be notified as quickly as possible during a threat or other emergency. As a layer of protection for everyone, students are not released during a lockdown or a ‘secure in place’ action until we have been given the ‘all clear’ by law enforcement. For this reason, we ask that you not come to the school until you are notified that the lockdown or a ‘secure in place’ action has been lifted. This is to ensure the safety of all students and staff and to decrease traffic on the school campus to allow law enforcement to do their job.
We understand that incidents such as these can be unsettling, and we appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process. Rest assured that the district and law enforcement agencies are taking all necessary steps to ensure the continued safety of our school community. Threats of any kind will be investigated thoroughly and could result in disciplinary action by the school district followed up by criminal charges.
Thank you again for your support and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Matthew Turner
Non-Cognitive Survey
Dear Boone County School Families, We thank you and your family for being our valued partners as we work together to educate the children in our district. Boone County Schools value input from our community - and we need to hear from your child or children! Students are important partners as we work to improve our communication, academic program and overall experience for everyone.
In order to learn more about student experiences at school, we will be asking for your child's feedback via an online survey they will be completing at school. The survey shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes to complete.
We are asking that all of our students participate in the surveys, as their feedback will provide invaluable insights into their experiences and how we can improve and adapt our district to their needs. If a student doesn't feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to skip the item altogether. The responses to these surveys will be completely confidential. We are partnering with a third-party vendor to support us in administering these surveys.
Please notify us if you would like your child to opt out of taking the surveys by completing the Google Form below with your name and your child's name by March 1, 2024. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don't hesitate to contact us at Florence Elementary School 859-282-2610. https://forms.gle/wAPadtQrLy3rHa3X8
Zonar Card Information for Parents
Haga clic aquí para ver esta información en español
Cliquez ici pour voir ces informations en francais
Soon, Florence Elementary students will be issued a card to scan when they get on and off their school bus. This card works with the Zonar app to inform parents that their student is on the bus. Please see the message below from the district about this program:
The Boone County School District strives daily to ensure the safety of your children in
everything we do. In our continued efforts, we are excited to begin the rollout of the new
ZPass student ridership program. This tool will aid the school district and parents in quickly
locating students and will provide transportation with real time rosters for each bus. This
program will be offered to all elementary school students and students grades 6- 12 who use
special transportation.
How does the card work? Each Zpass card contains a passive RFID chip which is assigned
a unique identifier when the card is issued to the student. When the card is tapped on the
scanner, the RFID is activated and automatically logs their entry or exit time and location. The
card does not offer any capability to track a student - it merely tells us when and where a
student scanned the card on and off of the bus. Parents can download the My View Parent
App and choose to receive information instantly and securely regarding when their child
boarded or loop exited a bus.
What happens if my child loses their card? Students without cards will still be permitted to
board the bus. If the card is lost or damaged, a new card can be requested by notifying your child’s
school. If the card was recently lost, we ask that you look for one day before reporting the card as
lost. If it is still lost after that time, please notify the school and a new card will be issued. If a lost card
is found please return it to school.
What information is stored on the card? The only information that is stored on the ZPass
card is the unique identifier that is only meaningful to the ZPass program. A lost or stolen
ZPass card does not put sensitive student information at risk. Parents will only have access to
their student’s information. Under our terms with the company providing this technology, all
student information is protected.
Students whose families opted out of this program will receive a NON-RFID card. The
NON- RFID card will still contain the student barcodes for use in the cafeteria and media
center but will be clearly labeled “NON RFID Card”. This student identification card will still
need to be presented when a student boards district transportation so that transportation staff
will be able to identify students who are present on the bus.
Still have questions? A list of frequently asked questions has been compiled using responses from
the parent survey and from other districts who have already implemented this program. This
document is found on the transportation page of the district website. If after reviewing this document
you still have questions, please reach out to the transportation department directly.
Transportation Department Phone Number: 859-384-5340
Transportation Web Address: https://www.boone.kyschools.us/transportation-department
Family Resource Center Donation
Thanks to the Florence Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 33 for their generous donation to each of the Boone County School's Family Resource Centers! The Family Resource Center at Florence Elementary is run by Lindsay Chappell and is an invaluable help to our students and families.
Repeats from Last Newsletter
Spring Picture Day Rescheduled
Spring Picture Day has been rescheduled for Monday, February 26th. Be on the lookout for order forms to come home with your child.
Jolly Plumbing Teacher Award
Does your child's teacher deserve some special recognition? Nominate him or her for the Jolly Plumbing Teacher Award at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc971BfcdTmxbsuCWTgKa2wIXZTWwzZy84574dNPW-btjTXkQ/viewform
Kindergarten Registration
Please spread the word! If you know have a child or know a family who has a child who will be 5 years old on or before August 1st, 2024, kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year will be on March 4th from 4:30-6:30 at all Boone County elementary schools.
All registrations will be online, and paper registration packets will no longer be accepted. If you don't have access to a computer or have questions about registering, there will be staff on hand to assist at Florence Elementary on March 14th.
The following items are required to complete registration:
- Certified Birth Certificate
- Proof of residence (phone bill, utility bill, lease agreement, etc.)
- Current KY Immunization Certificate (must be dated within 1 year of start date of school
- Current Physical
- Social Security Card
Parents with children currently enrolled in Boone County preschool will still be required to register their child for kindergarten.
Knights of the Week
The Knights pictured below were chosen as Knights of the Week because the ROCK! They consistently RESPECT themselves and others, OWN their actions, make the CHARACTER count, and KEEP expectations for themselves high!
Here's What We're Learning this Week
Kindergarten
Reading/Writing- We finished with our introduction to opinion writing and will be doing Valentine writing this week.
Math-We finished decomposing numbers to 10 and addition. This week we will be subtracting.
Science-Weather change.
Social Studies-Solving problems in our community.
First Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will continue to learn about the solar system. This week we are diving into stars and constellations!
Math- Students will continue to practice addition and subtraction of tens.
Science- Students are going to continue to work on our solar system unit! We will make constellations on Thursday.
Other information from 1st Grade- Makerspace will be visiting our classes on Thursday! They will help us create constellations!
Second Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will doing an author study on Helen Lester. Students will be explaining how Helen Lester used humor in her stories. Students will also be doing a variety of writing prompts to demonstrate understanding on a text. This week students are starting new phonics groups and will switch classes first thing in the morning.
Math- Students will continue to work on adding and subtracting three-digit numbers using regrouping.
Social Studies- Students will use this week to catch up on lessons and activities about North America.
Other information from 2nd Grade- Our second grade schedule is changing this week.
8:30- Arrival and welcomed to class 8:50-9:30- Foundations ( phonics- switch classes) 9:30-10:15- Whole Group Literacy 10:20-11:05- UA 11:10-11:55- Knight Time Reading 12:05-12:35- Lunch 12:40-1:00- Recess 1:00-1:30- Science/Social Studies 1:30-2:30- Whole Group Math 2:30-3:15- Knight Time Math 3:15- Get ready for dismissalThird Grade
Reading/Writing- As we continue to learn about biographies, students will explain the relationship between information from two or more texts on he same topic.
Math- We are still learning about fractions.
Other information from 3rd Grade-
- Students will be completing their Cogat testing during their usual social studies and science times.
- Our field trip is on Wednesday. We will be going to the Taft Theatre for the Cinderella performance.
Fourth Grade
Reading/Writing- Students will be learning about poetry, and point of view.
Math- Students will review previously learned standards and begin to learn long division.
Science- Students will learn about weathering and erosion.
Fifth Grade
Reading/Writing- In reading students are explaining relationships in scientific and technical texts
Math- Students are learning about multiplying decimals greater and less than 1.
Science- Students are learning about how the earth spins.
Social Studies- Students are learning about The American Revolution: Fighting for Freedom
Gym
Kindergarten is learning to follow a rhythmic activity leading up to a dance.
First grade is learning to move in various pathways and levels during a dance.
Second grade is focused on aerobic activities and Cardiovascular.
Third grade has started a learning a dance sequence and pattern leading to a dance.
Fourth grade is working on muscular endurance using plyometric
Fifth grade is learning how flexibility and muscular endurance can be beneficial in their daily life.
Photos from Around the Building
Read Aloud in Ms. Ballard's Class
Ms. Windham's Class
Storytime in preschool
Ms. Bodenbender's Math Class
Kindergarten Themes in Stories
I have a dream....
Happy Birthday!
Birthdays this week include:
Students
- Lynzie W.
- Abigail M.
- Alyana F.
- Luz V.
- Max D.
- Sheril V.
- Oakley C.
- Bobby T.
- Khloe W.
- Jordan S.
Staff
- Ms. Bennett
From the First Aid Room
Information from health services regarding Covid:
If your student tests positive for Covid and have no sick symptoms, please contact your primary care provider to obtain guidance and determine when your child can return to school. If your child is sick and tests positive for Covid please contact your primary care provider for guidance on care and when to return to school. Students should not return until they are recovered, and symptoms resolved.
Pictures from Our Past
Did you have a guess as to the identity of this mystery Knight? It's our very own Ms. Cindy O'Hara. Ms. O'Hara is one of our fabulous interventionists. She works daily with students in grades 2-5 to ensure they are ready for the next grade. Thanks for your hard work, Ms. O'Hara.
From the Cafeteria
These menus are accurate at the start of the week, adjustments may be required due to supply issues. If you have any questions about meals or food service, please contact the FES cafeteria manager at Melody.Linneman@boone.kyschools.us.
SBDM Update (UPDATED FROM LAST WEEK)
The School Based Decision Making Council at FES is made up of the principal (Ryan Burch), three teachers (Alicia Bachman, Abbigail Supe, and Megan Timmerding), and two parents (Alicia Coulter and Vee Miller). This group makes policy decisions and approves some of the school's financial and instructional activities. Meetings are usually held on the first Monday of each month at 4:15 in the FES library. Meetings are open to the public (except for occasional closed sessions).
Click here to view the January minutes. At the February meeting, SBDM approved the hiring of two special education para-educators for the remainder of the year. They also reviewed and approved the family engagement policy for next school year. The full minutes of the February meeting will be available after the March meeting. The next meeting is March 4th at 4:15 in the library.
All of our SBDM policies are available on the FES school website.
On the Calendar
Important January/February Dates
- February 21st- 3rd Grade Taft Theater field trip
- February 27th- Boone's Beginners, FES; 5:30-7:00 PM
- Feburary 29th- Grandparent's Math Bingo Night (other family members invited as well); 5:30-7:00 PM
Click the calendar above to see the schedule of all events throughout the year.