CAES Weekly Updates March-April 2024

Carrollton Weekly Update •  3/2/2024

                                                                                          

T H E   P R I N C I P A L ’ S   P E R S P E C T I VE

When I was a child, I didn’t quite grasp how banks worked. All I knew is that my mother and I walked into the bank, the adults talked above me at the counter, and we left with money. It was years later that I realized that deposits had to be made before withdrawals could be completed. As I’ve gotten older, the concept of deposits and withdrawals has taken on fresh meaning outside of my finances, and I was reminded recently of the importance of sensory rich activities that create a healthy reserve for regulating my central nervous systems. Often the reason someone is emotionally exhausted, ready to give up, or burned out is because more has been taken out than put in. Some examples of withdrawals that drain the body’s nervous system include hunger, tiredness, changes in routines, unknown expectations, clutter, screens, and experiencing other people’s emotions – sounds like a typical day, doesn’t it?! To offset those withdrawals, there is a list of deposits that one can make to “fill the bank” and those include sleep, eating, quiet, movement, connecting with a loved one, dancing, and breathing deeply – all very simple methods to build your reserve.  Moms, dads, grandparents, you need to take care of yourselves in order to be able to properly take care of your kids, and I know (because I’m a caregiver, too) that we often focus on everyone else at the expense of ourselves. Maye it’s a martyr complex, maybe it’s just the reality of adulthood. I encourage you to make some deposits this weekend – the goal is one every two hours – to maintain regulation and to be equipped to invest in the lives of those you love without going bankrupt.

Take care of you,

Mr. B.

Mr. Brennan

 

C A R D I N A L   K U D O S

I don’t know who donated the latest additions to our College Cove display but I want to thank you for the Colorado University and Colorado State pennants.

Mrs. Gasparini would like to congratulate these Cardinals who have artwork being showcased for an entire month at the Art Gallery @ 319 in Downtown Smithfield. This showcase is to commence the celebration of Youth Art Month in our IOW area.

PK: R. Ellis and K. Miller

Kindergarten: M. Futrell and L. Gasparini

1^st Grade: K. Sheckells

2^nd Grade: E. Bogard and K. Peele

3^rd Grade: J. Mann, A. Gaines, A. Custis, E. Wiggins, E. Atkinson, A. Walker, S. McMillian, and A. Burnett

 

H E L P   W A N T E D 

Attention all 3rd Grade Caregivers: If you would like to donate snacks for our 3rd graders to eat before the Virginia Symphony Orchestra field trip, please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094EA5AF22A6FFCF8-48119851-3rdgrade#/ Please bring in all snacks by Monday, March 11, to Mrs. Wallace. Thank you for your generosity!

If you would like to donate any of the items below to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! 

• Fidget Spinners
• Jibbitz
• Erasers
• Octopus (different versions)

https://a.co/d/fBdRHg3

https://a.co/d/doRxM1w

https://a.co/d/biHxVw

https://a.co/d/cQUqPJY

https://a.co/d/iDOid8Y

Our big Career Day is April 19 and we would love to have you be a part of it; if you’re interested, here is the volunteer form: CAES Career Day 2024

 

F. Y. I.

Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ

 

If you missed the special school board session about the 24-25 budget Wednesday night, last night, here's the link youtube/iwcs/budget_session_Feb28 to hear conversation about our HVAC system.

Board member John Collick sad that our HVAC system has to be the number one priority on next year's budget. If you agree with that sentiment, please reach out to the Board of Supervisors to let them know that we need the $7,336,731 so our students and staff can be in a building that is comfortable and healthful. The fluctuation in temperatures, the temperatures well above or well below established set-points, and the lack of moving air is something that affects everyone in the building -- and something that can be fixed! Please tell your friends and neighbors to speak up for us!

Currently, 13.2% of our student body is considered chronically absent, meaning students with 10 or more absences with or without excuse notes. For your convenience, here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Note

Registration for the Little Sprouts Pre-K program is open. For additional information, visit the Little Sprouts website at https://sites.google.com/iwcs.k12.va.us/little-sprouts-pre-school/home or contact Program Director Julie Branch at [email protected].

There are limited quantities of previous CAES yearbooks (1994-2020) available. Your purchase will be ready for pickup in the main CAES office after the transaction is complete. Shipping is not available at this time.

https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/WH203-17

 

F R O M   B L U E   D O M I N I O N

WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:

·       Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.

·      Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/ZP6XN7

YEARBOOK ORDERING INFO:

·       Ordering: Yearbook ordering is online only. Read all instructions on the login page.

·       Deadline: The official deadline to order a yearbook is April 15, 2024.

·       Delivery: Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in late May or early June and go home with your student.

·       Yearbook Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/Q6GYF3

SPRING PHOTOS:

·       When: March 6, 2024 (Make-up day is March 27.)

·       Instructions: Spring photos are optional. If you would like your child to participate in spring photos, please email your child's teacher and let him/her know. If you do not notify your child's teacher, then your child will not be photographed.

·       Ordering: Photos will be ready to order about two weeks after picture day (more info to follow).

·       Background: The photo will have a spring nature background.

ORDER FALL PHOTOS:

·       Instructions: It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.

·       Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/KVQRW2

·       Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).

 

I N   T H E   Z O N E

Zones of Regulation allows the entire school as well as families to have a common language when identifying emotions. We identify four zones that anyone can feel and assign each a color: Blue, Green, Yellow, or Red. 

This week is sponsored by the GREEN ZONE. The Green Zone is used to represent calmness and leveled energy. In this zone, people are moving, focused, and ready to learn. The coping strategies or "tools" to focus on in the green zone involve maintaining that energy by practicing mindfulness, which can include eating healthful foods, drinking plenty of water, using positive affirmations, focusing on the present moment, and focusing on your breathing.  

Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation. 

 

F R O M   Y O U R   P. T. A.

We would like to start by thanking all the families that came out to Book Bingo Night last Friday.  We had over 250 people attend, which exceeded any exception we, the board, had. As far as we know, no one went home empty handed. We also raffled off six gift cards and a gift basket.

Since PTA and the events we host are 100% volunteer, I would like to extend a very grateful thank you to everyone who volunteered. There is no way we could do it without you! Angie Wallace, Kathleen Burnett, Mrs. Bryant, Amelya Bryant, Mrs. R. Nagy, Mrs. Hardee, Alice Thomsen, and Colin Wallace from Westside Beta Club. I would also like to give a huge shout out to the CAES Hospitality Committee for handling food for the event. This tied the whole family event together. What is a family event without food?  They really helped us out and took a lot off our plate (pun Intended). 

We would like to announce the available board positions opening for the 2024/2025 school year.  We will be having a PTA Zoom meeting March 28 at 6:00 p.m. to take any nominations. Voting will be April 28.  If you are interested in a position on the board, contact us at [email protected]. By being on the board, you will be a part of the planning and voting process in the budget and events we have next school year.

Open Positions:

   Executive Board Member:  Must be nominated and voted in

   Treasurer

Committee Chair positions: appointed positions

   Hospitality

   Spirit wear

   Fundraising

   Bookfair

   Trunk-or-Treat

   Family Events

We are excited to announce our next PTA event, Paper Pie Book Fair.  The bookfair will be March 11-15 during school hours. We will be hosting a family night March 13, 5:30-7:30.  We have invited the Easter Bunny to attend. We hope to see you there.

Respectfully,

The PTA Executive Board

 

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S 

3/4       No school: Division-wide staff professional development

3/6       Optional spring pictures

3/11     PTA-sponsored Paper Pie Book Fair (ends 3/15)

3/12     3^rd grade trip to SHS to see the VSO

3/13     Paper Pie Book Fair family night with the Easter Bunny (5:30 – 7:30)

3/15     Go Green! class spirit day

3/27     Spring pictures make-ups/retakes

3/28     PTA Zoom meeting 

4/1-5    Spring Break!

Carrollton Weekly Update •  3/9/2024

                                                                                          

T H E   P R I N C I P A L ’ S   P E R S P E C T I VE

Later today we spring forward – unless you’re a strict constructionist and actually wait until 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning to set your clocks ahead an hour. Daylight Savings Time isn’t nearly as much fun when we have to lose an hour and can’t sing like Cher because we aren’t getting to turn back time. Springing ahead an hour reminds me of how often I hear young people wish to be older. • My first daughter tried to convince me that she was a teenager when she was still only twelve; she wouldn’t settle for “pre-teen” or even “tweenager.” Now at 19, she has spent a year trying to convince me that she is an adult. • I’m not sure what magical things my current 17-year-old envisions are going to happen when her 18^th birthday rolls around in September, but she sure is hopeful and she’s been excitedly telling my wife and me about her birthday party ideas since January. • When do people quit longing to be older? I’m guessing it’s sometime before 39. I understand the appeal of fast-forwarding time, not because we want to age quicker but because we want the present reality to become a past event. Have you been there? Facing a situation that you’d rather not? In the middle of a conflict that you wish were over? Unhappy with the right-now? Often our kids yearn to be older because older sounds exciting: staying up late! Driving a car! Not having to go to school! We who are more mature, on the other hand, tend to want time to move faster because we want to bypass the present problem or skip the current chaos. • Parents do this as part of child-rearing, don’t they? Things will be better once the kids sleep through the night/are out of diapers/can go to school/can drive themselves. But in springing forward we tend to miss the moment or, worse, we lose the lesson. It’s important for our children to experience all the stages and phases (yes, even adolescence) because it is in those experiences that they can learn what they need for the next step. And as hard as it is to admit, it’s important that we adults hang in there, focused on what is directly in front of us and not always yearning for what’s further down the road. If you’re currently in a moment that you cannot wait to be over, let me remind you that this, too, shall pass – and if nothing else, in November we fall back and can sleep an extra hour.

 

Take your time,

Mr. B.

Mr. Brennan

 

C A R D I N A L   K U D O S

Now that February is over, I can reveal who our special Black History Month presenters really were: that wasn’t actually George Washington Carver and Madame C.J. Walker; that was Eian Blair from Mr. Sciarrotta’s class and Leah Wicker from Mrs. Lee’s class. It was Mrs. Jefferson’s students Tyler Foreman who portrayed Dr. Lonnie Johnson and none other than Abby Gaines who brought Oprah Winfrey and surprise gifts to the 3^rd graders.

Honking, near fender-benders, and colorful language – nope, not the streets of NYC: the CAES parking lot! Pulling into the parking lot and releasing/walking children tends to create confusion and potential incidents as has been observed for the past few weeks. For morning drop-off, it’s the expectation that students be driven through the line where they are greeted by staff or brought to the reserved spots where staff meet them to take them to class. I truly appreciate all of you patiently observe our morning drop-off procedures, and now it comes with a benefit: Introducing our Skip the Line opportunity! Here's your chance to skip it for the rest of the school year! $5 per ticket or 3 tickets for $12, if your ticket is drawn, you will have a VIP spot for the rest of the year. Your student(s) can be dropped off and picked up at the VIP location. No more waiting! The drawing will be held on 3/25 and announced via Remind. Proceeds will support Teacher Appreciation! Tickets can be purchased at our OSP using this link: CAES Skip the Line!

 

H E L P   W A N T E D 

Attention all 3rd Grade Caregivers: If you would like to donate snacks for our 3rd graders to eat before the Virginia Symphony Orchestra field trip, please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094EA5AF22A6FFCF8-48119851-3rdgrade#/

Please bring in all snacks by Monday, March 11, to Mrs. Wallace. Thank you for your generosity!

If you would like to donate any of the items below to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! 

• Fidget Spinners
• Jibbitz
• Erasers
• Octopus (different versions)

https://a.co/d/fBdRHg3

https://a.co/d/doRxM1w

https://a.co/d/biHxVw

https://a.co/d/cQUqPJY

https://a.co/d/iDOid8Y

 

F. Y. I.

Our annual One School, One Book kicks off Monday! If you would like to preview this year’s selection, check out this information on Commonsense Media for Judy Moody Was in a Mood. All families will receive a complimentary copy of the book and participation is optional; if you don’t feel that this is best for your family, simply return the book.

 

If you missed the initial school board session about the 24-25 budget, here's the link youtube/iwcs/budget_session_Feb28 to hear conversation about our HVAC system. Board member John Collick sad that our HVAC system has to be the number one priority on next year's budget. If you agree with that sentiment, please reach out to the Board of Supervisors to let them know that we need the $7,336,731 so our students and staff can be in a building that is comfortable and healthful. The fluctuation in temperatures, the temperatures well above or well below established set-points, and the lack of moving air is something that affects everyone in the building -- and something that can be fixed! Please speak up for your kids!

 

Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ

 

Remember COVID? We’ve come a long way since March 13, 2020, when we started our “two-week pause to help flatten the curve” – and then didn’t return to a semblance of normalcy at school until September 2021. On March 1, 2024, the CDC provided the following revised updates for staying healthy:

• Staying up-to-date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
• Practicing good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
• Taking steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.

When people get sick with a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends that they stay home and away from others. For people with COVID-19 and influenza, treatment is available and can lessen symptoms and lower the risk of severe illness. The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication. Once people resume normal activities, they are encouraged to take additional prevention strategies for the next 5 days to curb disease spread, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses. 

 

For your convenience, here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Note

There are limited quantities of previous CAES yearbooks (1994-2020) available. Your purchase will be ready for pickup in the main CAES office after the transaction is complete. Shipping is not available at this time. https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/WH203-17

 

F R O M   B L U E   D O M I N I O N

WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:

·       Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.

·      Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/ZP6XN7

YEARBOOK ORDERING INFO:

·       Ordering: Yearbook ordering is online only. Read all instructions on the login page.

·       Deadline: The official deadline to order a yearbook is April 15.

·       Delivery: Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in late May or early June and go home with your student.

·       Yearbook Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/Q6GYF3

SPRING PHOTOS:

·       When: Taken March 6 and make-up day is March 27.

·       Ordering: Photos will be ready to order about two weeks after picture day (more info to follow).

·       Background: The photo will have a spring nature background.

ORDER FALL PHOTOS:

·       Instructions: It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.

·       Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/KVQRW2

·       Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).

I N   T H E   Z O N E

Zones of Regulation allows the entire school as well as families to have a common language when identifying emotions. We identify four zones that anyone can feel and assign each a color: Blue, Green, Yellow, or Red. 

This week is sponsored by the YELLOW ZONE. The Yellow Zone is used to describe heightened levels of alertness and elevated energy. In this zone, people are experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, or nervousness. This zone has the biggest range of emotions. The coping strategies or "tools" to focus on in the Yellow Zone involve regaining control and calming yourself. These tools can include coloring, deep breathing, playing with clay or fidgets, or listening to calming music. There are tons of tools to include for this zone and trying different things can help you find ones that work for you!

Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation. 

 

F R O M   Y O U R   P. T. A. 

Just a reminder, next week we will be hosting a Paper Pie Book Fair. The book fair and shopping will take place during school hours. If you would like to come in and help your child shop, please let your student's teacher know in advance. When you arrive at the school, please be sure to check in as a visitor with the office staff. Once checked in, they will notify the teacher that you are there and send the student to meet you.

If you would like to shop online, the store is open and a flyer is attached with a QR code or https://tinyurl.com/CAESBookFairSpring2024. There may be titles online that won't be available in person, so take a peek.

In addition to shopping during school hours, we will be hosting a Book Fair Family Night on Wednesday, March 13, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.. The Easter Bunny will be making an appearance and would love to take pictures with your student(s) and/or family.

Last but not least, we are in need of some additional volunteers to help out during the school day. Volunteers will be helping kids preview the books and write their wishlists, as well as shop for books. Below is a link to our Sign-up Genius if you would like to sign up. Any help is greatly appreciated!

https://tinyurl.com/mpdytj6b

Believe it or not, the end of the 2023-2024 school is right around the corner. With the 2024-2025 school year in mind, we would like to announce an opening on the CAES PTA Board as our Treasurer, Jason Burnett, will be stepping down after this year. That said, according to Virginia State PTA by-laws, it is a requirement that our PTA Board have a Treasurer in order to remain an active PTA. If you would like a description of the Treasurer’s responsibilities and/or or are interested in filling this position, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible at [email protected].  This year has been so much fun, and we would love to keep the momentum going for next year.

In addition to an opening for Treasurer, we would like to add a second Vice President position to the board. In order to do this, we must vote among the PTA membership.

On Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m., we will hold a General Membership meeting via Zoom. During this meeting, we will be taking nominations for the Treasurer position and voting to add the new VP position. For these changes to be made, we must have at least ten non-board members participate and vote. 

After the March 28 meeting, the next step will be to hold an election on April 28, when we will vote for the new Treasurer.

We are looking forward to another great year and hope that we can add some new faces to the CAES PTA Board!

Respectfully,

The PTA Executive Board

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S 

3/11     PTA-sponsored Paper Pie Book Fair begins (ends 3/15)

3/12     3^rd grade trip to SHS to see the VSO

3/13     Paper Pie Book Fair family night with the Easter Bunny (5:30 – 7:30)

3/15     Go Green! class spirit day

3/27     Spring pictures make-ups/retakes

3/28     PTA Zoom meeting (6:00 p.m. – link to come)

4/1-5    Spring Break!

4/12     End of third quarter  /  Fancy-Schmancy Day

4/17     Purple Up Day to support our military-connected students

4/19     Career Day

Carrollton Weekly Update •  3/16/2024

                                                                                          

T H E   P R I N C I P A L ’ S   P E R S P E C T I VE

It’s okay for your children to see you sad.

It’s okay if you don’t know all the answers.

It’s okay if you can’t find the words and just sit quietly.

It’s okay to hug a little bit tighter and longer if that’s what you need.

While there are many obligations associated with being a parent (feed them, clothe them, shelter them), you are not obligated to be superhuman. You are allowed to be totally human. Being impacted emotionally; feeling unsure; wishing for better – this is what being totally human means. • Last weekend I received word that a close family friend chose to take his life, and I shouldered the responsibility of explaining to my four children that someone that they laughed with because of his goofiness, someone who encouraged them to be their best, someone just 25 years old just couldn’t go on another day. I wanted to be strong for my girls in that time of deep grief but I couldn’t muster it. I wanted to assure them that all is right with the world but had no way to explain such an unfathomable darkness that swallowed our friend and was now casting a shadow over those of us he left behind. I wanted to be fluent with wise, encouraging words but everything rang hollow before I could utter it. What I could do in that situation was be there to share in sadness and hold on to my daughters. • At times such as this it’s hard to be human, but that’s really all I could do. I admitted that I didn’t understand and that I was sad and that this was not how it should be. Parents, I encourage you to be human with your children because they need to see that. It’s fine if you don’t know all the answers. It’s fine if you cry in front of them. It’s fine if you’re the one that needs a hug. Sure, this means that they see past the adult façade we often too try so hard to operate behind, but it’s when we are our authentic selves that we can best relate to our young people and they can best understand their humanness.

 

Human. Being.

Mr. B.

Mr. Brennan

 

C A R D I N A L   K U D O S

• Once again our Reading Coach Mrs. Carrie Smith organized a fun kick-off for our One School, One Bookcampaign! 
• Towne Bank funded the cost of all those Judy Moody books, and the nice folks at our Smithfield branch put stickers on each one, helped distribute them Monday, and even read the first chapter to classes! 
• Grateful to our PTA Executive Board for bringing the Paper Pie book fair to our Cardinals and for sponsoring the family night – also thankful for the Easter Bunny taking time out of an undoubtedly busy schedule to make an appearance Wednesday evening!
• From Mrs. Madden: Thank you so much for all your support and generosity with the Kids Heart Challenge!  We were able to raise approximately $2,500 to donate to the American Heart Association, and our Jump Night was also a huge success as we had our largest turn out ever! Thank you to everyone that attended and joined in the fun and games! Our top fundraiser Cardinal and top fundraising class will be announced very soon. (If your Cardinal earned any prizes, those will be delivered soon.)
• On behalf of some very happy classroom libraries, thank you, Dr. Wallace and family, for your generous donation of books!
• CAES staff member Ms. D. Ombreck kindly donated a pennant so now the University of Washington Huskies are represented in our College Cove! 
• Thank you, Ms. Berkeley and Mrs. Bryant, for donating fidget spinners to the school store!

H E L P   W A N T E D 

If you would like to donate any of the items below to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! 

• Fidget Spinners
• Jibbitz
• Erasers
• Octopus (different versions)

https://a.co/d/fBdRHg3

https://a.co/d/doRxM1w

https://a.co/d/biHxVw

https://a.co/d/cQUqPJY

https://a.co/d/iDOid8Y

Mrs. Waibel, our Engineering teacher, is in need of red solo cups, wooden toothpicks, mini marshmallows, large craft sticks, and old playing cards for project-based learning she would like to have the students experience. 

 

F. Y. I.

For morning drop-off, it’s the expectation that students be driven through the line where they are greeted by staff or brought to the reserved spots where staff meet them to take them to class. I truly appreciate all of you patiently observe our morning drop-off procedures, and now it comes with a benefit: Introducing our Skip the Lineopportunity! Here's your chance to skip it for the rest of the school year! $5 per ticket or 3 tickets for $12, if your ticket is drawn, you will have a VIP spot for the rest of the year. Your student(s) can be dropped off and picked up at the VIP location. No more waiting! The drawing will be held 3/25 and announced via Remind. Proceeds will support Teacher Appreciation! Tickets can be purchased at our OSP using this link: CAES Skip the Line!

If you missed the initial school board session about the 24-25 budget, here's the link youtube/iwcs/budget_session_Feb28 to hear conversation about our HVAC system. Board member John Collick sad that our HVAC system has to be the number one priority on next year's budget. If you agree with that sentiment, please reach out to the Board of Supervisors to let them know that we need the $7,336,731 so our students and staff can be in a building that is comfortable and healthful. The fluctuation in temperatures, the temperatures well above or well below established set-points, and the lack of moving air is something that affects everyone in the building -- and something that can be fixed! Please speak up for your kids!

 

Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ

 

We’ve come a long way since March 13, 2020. This is the CDC guidance about COVID and other respiratory illnesses now:

• If you are diagnosed with a viral respiratory illness, or are having symptoms, please stay home and away from others until your symptoms are getting better AND you have been fever-free, without taking medication, for 24 hours.
• Stay up-to-date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
• Practice good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
• Take steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
• Go to CDC COVID Updates for more information

 

Here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Note

There are limited quantities of previous CAES yearbooks (1994-2020) available. Your purchase will be ready for pickup in the main CAES office after the transaction is complete. Shipping is not available at this time.

https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/WH203-17

Upcoming partial eclipse on Monday, April 8: Eclipse Guides and Resources from the NSTA - The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) has a variety of free resources for teachers, administrators, and families for the upcoming solar eclipse. The resources are designed to make learning about solar eclipses both engaging and safe. The solar eclipse will occur about 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. when many students are still in school or going home. Although Virginia will not experience a total solar eclipse, it will experience a partial eclipse between about 80-90% totality.

F R O M   B L U E   D O M I N I O N  www.bluedominionstudios.com

YEARBOOK ORDERING INFO:

• Ordering: Yearbook ordering is online only. Read all instructions on the login page.
• Deadline: The official deadline to order a yearbook is April 15.
• Delivery: Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in late May or early June and go home with your student.
• Yearbook Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/Q6GYF3

SPRING PHOTOS ARE READY!

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
  Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/PMMJ93
• Makeup & Retake Day: Wednesday, 3/27

WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/ZP6XN7

ORDER FALL PHOTOS:

• Instructions: It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/KVQRW2   
• Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).

I N   T H E   Z O N E

Zones of Regulation allows the entire school as well as families to have a common language when identifying emotions. We identify four zones that anyone can feel and assign each a color: Blue, Green, Yellow, or Red. 

Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation. 

 

F R O M   Y O U R   P. T. A. 

The Paper Pie book fair will remain open online until Wednesday, 3/20.

With the 2024-2025 school year in mind, we would like to announce an opening on the CAES PTA Board as our Treasurer, Jason Burnett, will be stepping down after this year. That said, according to Virginia State PTA by-laws, it is a requirement that our PTA Board have a Treasurer in order to remain an active PTA. If you would like a description of the Treasurer’s responsibilities and/or or are interested in filling this position, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible at [email protected].  This year has been so much fun, and we would love to keep the momentum going for next year.

In addition to an opening for Treasurer, we would like to add a second Vice President position to the board. In order to do this, we must vote among the PTA membership.
On Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m., we will hold a General Membership meeting via Zoom. During this meeting, we will be taking nominations for the Treasurer position and voting to add the new VP position. For these changes to be made, we must have at least ten non-board members participate and vote. 

After the March 28 meeting, the next step will be to hold an election on April 28, when we will vote for the new Treasurer.

We are looking forward to another great year and hope that we can add some new faces to the CAES PTA Board!

Respectfully,

The PTA Executive Board

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S 

3/27     Spring pictures make-ups/retakes

3/28     PTA Zoom meeting (6:00 p.m. – link to come)

3/31     Easter

4/1-5    Spring Break!

4/12     End of third quarter  

4/12     Our annual Fancy-Schmancy Day!

4/17     Purple Up Day to support our military-connected students

4/19     Career Day

Carrollton Weekly Update •  3/23/2024

                                                                                          

T H E   P R I N C I P A L ’ S   P E R S P E C T I VE

I read a very interesting article Friday – well, interesting if you’re into neuroscience and how to improve what we do in schools. Even if that’s not your area of interest, the article is practical for parents who are seeking to help their children’s minds grow stronger, and it’s applicable for anyone who needs an excuse to simply daydream. • Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang at the University of Southern California has conducted studies that have shown that downtime, or what she refers to as “constructive internal reflection,” is essential for making meaning out of information. Downtime (in neuroscientific terms) refers to time spent daydreaming or letting your thoughts wander with no agenda or deadline. During these moments, the brain processes and consolidates new knowledge, allowing it to be retained for the long term. Dr. Immordino-Yang observes, “The brain is not ‘doing nothing’ during downtime, but rather, performing functions that are vital to learning and working.” Her studies have revealed that specific brain regions become active during periods of rest and reflection. This network is essential for self-referential thinking and autobiographical memory – which is fancy scientist-talk for making meaning out of previous experiences and emotions. • The article states that downtime is essential for anyone who has experienced trauma, stress, or emotionally charged experiences (which is, of course, all of us.) Emotions play a pivotal role in decision-making, in motivation, and in overall well-being, and since the pandemic, educators have focused a great deal on mental health. There’s a reason behind recess: students and staff both need an opportunity to mentally reset; and brain breaks have become a regular part of class routines – ask your kid about Go Noodle! • Dr. Immordino-Yang advocates for “moments of constructive internal reflection” to help learners understand content better and to better deal with their emotions. So, how is this practical for you? 1) Allow your kids time to simply think: no homework, no screens, no pressure to produce – just daydream. 2) Allow yourself time to simply think: no work, no screens, no pressure to produce – just daydream.  If the neuroscience is correct – and who I am to deny it? – our brains need a chance to recover and to rest and to recreate. We can either be intentional about taking mental breaks or we will be potentially dealing with mental breakdowns. If your boss gets angry at you for staring out the window, tell him to call me and I’ll talk neuroscience at him!

 

Currently on a brain break,

Mr. B.

Mr. Brennan

 

C A R D I N A L   K U D O S

For morning drop-off, it’s the expectation that students be driven through the line where they are greeted by staff or brought to the reserved spots where staff meet them to take them to class. I truly appreciate all of you patiently observe our morning drop-off procedures, and now it comes with a benefit: Introducing our Skip the Lineopportunity! Here's your chance to skip it for the rest of the school year! $5 per ticket or 3 tickets for $12, if your ticket is drawn, you will have a VIP spot for the rest of the year. Your student(s) can be dropped off and picked up at the VIP location. No more waiting! The drawing will be held Monday, 3/25, and announced via Remind. Proceeds will support Teacher Appreciation! Tickets can be purchased at our OSP using this link: CAES Skip the Line!

H E L P   W A N T E D 

If you would like to donate any of the items below to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! 

• Fidget Spinners
• Jibbitz
• Erasers
• Octopus (different versions)

https://a.co/d/fBdRHg3

https://a.co/d/doRxM1w

https://a.co/d/biHxVw

https://a.co/d/cQUqPJY

https://a.co/d/iDOid8Y

Mrs. Waibel, our Engineering teacher, is in need of red solo cups, wooden toothpicks, mini marshmallows, large craft sticks, and old playing cards for project-based learning she would like the students experience. 

 

F. Y. I. 

If you missed the initial school board session about the 24-25 budget, here's the link youtube/iwcs/budget_session_Feb28 to hear conversation about our HVAC system. Board member John Collick sad that our HVAC system has to be the number one priority on next year's budget. If you agree with that sentiment, please reach out to the Board of Supervisors to let them know that we need the $7,336,731 so our students and staff can be in a building that is comfortable and healthful. The fluctuation in temperatures, the temperatures well above or well below established set-points, and the lack of moving air is something that affects everyone in the building -- and something that can be fixed! Please speak up for your kids!

 

Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ

 

This is the CDC guidance about COVID and other respiratory illnesses now:

• If you are diagnosed with a viral respiratory illness, or are having symptoms, please stay home and away from others until your symptoms are getting better AND you have been fever-free, without taking medication, for 24 hours.
• Stay up-to-date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
• Practice good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
• Take steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
• Go to CDC COVID Updates for more information

 

Here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Note

There are limited quantities of previous CAES yearbooks (1994-2020) available. Your purchase will be ready for pickup in the main CAES office after the transaction is complete. Shipping is not available at this time. https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/WH203-17

Upcoming partial eclipse Monday, April 8: Eclipse Guides and Resources from the NSTA - The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) has a variety of free resources for teachers, administrators, and families for the upcoming solar eclipse. The resources are designed to make learning about solar eclipses both engaging and safe. The solar eclipse will occur about 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. when many students are still in school or going home. Although Virginia will not experience a total solar eclipse, it will experience a partial eclipse with about 80% totality. Please start early in telling your kids to not look directly at the eclipse without eye protection.

F R O M   B L U E   D O M I N I O N  www.bluedominionstudios.com

YEARBOOK ORDERING INFO:

• Ordering: Yearbook ordering is online only. Read all instructions on the login page.
• Deadline: The official deadline to order a yearbook is April 15.
• Delivery: Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in late May or early June and go home with your student.
• Yearbook Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/Q6GYF3

SPRING PHOTOS ARE READY!

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
  Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/PMMJ93
• Makeup & Retake Day: Wednesday, 3/27

WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/ZP6XN7

ORDER FALL PHOTOS:

• Instructions: It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/KVQRW2.   
•  Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).

I N   T H E   Z O N E

Zones of Regulation allows the entire school as well as families to have a common language when identifying emotions. We identify four zones that anyone can feel and assign each a color: Blue, Green, Yellow, or Red.   

Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation. 

F R O M   Y O U R   P. T. A. 

In addition to an opening for Treasurer, we would like to add a second Vice President position to the board. In order to do this, we must vote among the PTA membership. On Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 p.m., we will hold a General Membership meeting via Zoom. During this meeting, we will be taking nominations for the Treasurer position and voting to add the new positions. For these changes to be made, we must have at least ten non-board members participate and vote. 

After the March 28 meeting, the next step will be to hold an election on April 28, when we will vote for the new Treasurer.

We are looking forward to another great year and hope that we can add some new faces to the CAES PTA Board!

Respectfully,

The PTA Executive Board

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S 

3/27     Spring pictures make-ups/retakes

3/28     PTA Zoom meeting (6:00 p.m. – link to come)

3/31     Easter

4/1-5    Spring Break!

4/12     End of third quarter  

4/12     Our annual Fancy-Schmancy Day! (a second chance to wear those Easter outfits)

4/17     Purple Up Day to support our military-connected students

4/19     Career Day

Carrollton Weekly Update •  3/30/2024

                                                                                          

T H E   P R I N C I P A L ’ S   P E R S P E C T I VE

Since I’m currently in spring break mode, I’m sharing what IWCS Director of Community and Media Relations Lynn Briggs e-mailed families this week:

We want to share some information about the upcoming partial solar eclipse, occurring between 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 8. While this astronomical event promises to be an awe-inspiring sight, it's crucial to ensure the safety of all members of our school community, especially our students. First, we want to emphasize that instruction and school hours will proceed on a normal schedule on April 8. • Observing a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can pose serious risks to vision. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of your children during this event. It is essential that children are not allowed to look directly at the sun without appropriate eye protection, such as solar viewing glasses or pinhole projectors. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about safety precautions regarding the eclipse as students could be outside during the event for recess, athletics, or dismissal. This same information has been shared with all IWCS employees as well so they can monitor the safety of the students in their care. • You will be notified should your child’s teacher have any plans to participate in outside activities related to the eclipse. If students will be participating in outdoor activities, you can send protective eyewear with your child Monday, April 8. Parents can also notify the teacher directly if they wish to opt their child out of these activities. • To help you prepare for the eclipse and ensure the safety of your family, the National Science Teaching Association has resources at this link, including information on safe viewing techniques and other educational materials. We kindly request that you take the time to review these resources with your children and emphasize the importance of following safety guidelines during the eclipse. Additionally, please discuss with your children the potential dangers of looking directly at the sun without proper protection. Your cooperation and proactive approach to safety are greatly appreciated. By working together, we can ensure that everyone enjoys this celestial event safely.

---

FYI: The partial eclipse begins at 2:03 p.m. with the maximum coverage (about 83% magnitude) occurring at 3:20 p.m. and ending at 4:32 p.m. Here are a few links to possible eclipse viewers that you can create with your kids: Pinhole Projector , Cereal Box Eclipse Viewer

 

C A R D I N A L   K U D O S

Our Cardinals raised $2,500 for the Kids Heart Challenge, and 2nd grader Ellie R. was our top fundraiser, bringing in $418.49 for the American Heart Association! Ellie will lunch with Mrs. Madden and a friend!

A big thank you to the Cutler family for donating 3D puzzle erasers and octopus plushies to our school store!

The Koles kindly provided 3D puzzle erasers for Casey’s Corner as well as pennants for our College Cove – now Tennessee Tech University and Austin Peay State University are represented. 

The Norfolk Tides provided lots of complimentary tickets for our students who participated in the team’s reading program and we are grateful for their partnership!

H E L P   W A N T E D 

If you would like to donate any of the items below to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! 

• Cardinal Squishmallows  (These are big-ticket items!)
• Cardinal stuffies  (Currently flying through these!)
• Fidget Spinners
• Jibbitz
• Erasers
• Octopus plushies (different versions)

https://a.co/d/fBdRHg3

https://a.co/d/doRxM1w

https://a.co/d/biHxVw

https://a.co/d/cQUqPJY

https://a.co/d/iDOid8Y

A note from Mrs. Waibel in Engineering:  Thank you to everyone that has sent in toothpicks and marshmallows. We are still greatly in need of old, used decks of playing cards.  They do not have to be complete decks -- any amount helps. We are trying to get enough for each student to have as close to their own deck as possible.

 

F. Y. I. 

If you missed the initial school board session about the 24-25 budget, here's the link youtube/iwcs/budget_session_Feb28 to hear conversation about our HVAC system. Board member John Collick sad that our HVAC system has to be the number one priority on next year's budget. If you agree with that sentiment, please reach out to the Board of Supervisors to let them know that we need the $7,336,731 so our students and staff can be in a building that is comfortable and healthful. The fluctuation in temperatures, the temperatures well above or well below established set-points, and the lack of moving air is something that affects everyone in the building -- and something that can be fixed! Please speak up for your kids!

 

Kindergarten registration for 2024-2025 opens April 8.

 

April is the Month of the Military Child. We will observe the division-wide Purple Up day 4/17 by wearing purple (the color of all the military branches when combined) and have a special parade of our military-connected kids. On 4/26 these special students will have a popcorn party.

 

Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ

 

Here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Note

There are limited quantities of previous CAES yearbooks (1994-2020) available. Your purchase will be ready for pickup in the main CAES office after the transaction is complete. Shipping is not available at this time. https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/WH203-17

This is the CDC guidance about COVID and other respiratory illnesses now:

• If you are diagnosed with a viral respiratory illness, or are having symptoms, please stay home and away from others until your symptoms are getting better AND you have been fever-free, without taking medication, for 24 hours.
• Stay up-to-date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
• Practice good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
• Take steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
• Go to CDC COVID Updates for more information

F R O M   B L U E   D O M I N I O N  www.bluedominionstudios.com

YEARBOOK ORDERING INFO:

• Ordering: Yearbook ordering is online only. Read all instructions on the login page.
• Deadline: The official deadline to order a yearbook is April 15.
• Delivery: Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in late May or early June and go home with your student.
• Yearbook Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/Q6GYF3

SPRING PHOTOS ARE READY!

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
  Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/PMMJ93
• Makeup & Retake Day: Wednesday, 3/27

WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:

• Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/ZP6XN7

ORDER FALL PHOTOS:

• Instructions: It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
• Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.com/KVQRW2

·       Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).

I N   T H E   Z O N E

Zones of Regulation allows the entire school as well as families to have a common language when identifying emotions. We identify four zones that anyone can feel and assign each a color: Blue, Green, Yellow, or Red. 

Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.