CAES Weekly Updates January-February 2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/6/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/6/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
Next Friday, January 12, we will have a learn-at-home day due to the James River Bridge closure. The big, fancy word for this is asynchronous learning but saying that reminds me too much of how we schooled during the COVID pandemic, which makes my eye twitch a little. Instead of just making January 12 a student holiday, we can count it as a school day because students will be provided work to complete at home. Here is information about how we will handle this at the elementary level:
- All material will be a review of skills previously taught. No new material will be given to the students.
- Assignments will be limited to core content (math, reading, scienc, social studies) and should not exceed two hours of independent work time (30 minutes per content). The amount of work will be commensurate to the age/grade of the students.
- While work may either be electronic or in paper format, our students will be provided paper-and-pencil assi
gnments since only 3rd graders have school-issued devices. There will be no mandatory assignments requiring devices or Internet access. - For students with disabilities served in a self-contained setting, work will be modified to meet the individual needs and abilities of the learner.
- Student assignments can be graded/scored at the teacher’s discretion. I have directed our teachers to give the students credit for the assignments so they will be valuable and not just “busy work.”
- Completed work assignments will be used to determine student attendance, and students will be given five school days to turn in assignments in order to be marked “present” for January 12.
You can help your Cardinal be successful with this learn-at-home opportunity by doing the following:
- Making sure that a space is set up for the assignments to be completed.
- Ensuring that materials are ready to be used.
- Allowing brief brain breaks to get out the wiggles and refocus.
- Encouraging quality work.
- Rewarding the effort invested in completing the work.
- Making sure the completed assignments get back in folders and backpacks for submission Tuesday, January 16.
Happy New Year!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
The Woman’s Club of Smithfield made a very kind and generous donation to our reading program, supporting our Cardinals’ literacy growth!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
Cardinal Care Club 3rd graders are sponsoring our 7th annual Giving Tree through Feb. 3 to help our others in need. Donated new scarves, hats, and gloves are placed on the big tree in the lobby where folks are able to access items as needed; these cold-weather articles left after Giving Tree season ends will be donated to a local children’s charity.
Second Grade’s Winter Music & Art Show will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. -- more info coming in 2024!
On Friday, Jan. 26, we will have a special Role Model Day. This will be a time for students to dress up in a way that represents someone who they revere because of his/her positive character qualities and/or important contributions to society. This can be as general as first responders, members of the clergy, doctors, family members, etc. or as specific as certain historic figures or contemporary leaders.
School pictures taken in the fall can be ordered at https://AccessMyEvent.com/
F R O M O U R P. T. A.
Happy New Year, CAES families! I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday and are ready for 2024. The board has been working on planning some exciting events for the rest of the school year. This month we have partnered with the Norfolk Admirals to help cheer them on against the Newfoundland Growlers. The game is January 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Norfolk Scope. Attached is a link to purchase tickets. We hope to see everyone there. https://fevo-
H E L P W A N T E D
The Ecology Club is collected live, undecorated Christmas trees again this year to be fed to the goats at the IWCS Land Lab in Windsor. We will have a trailer on-site Saturday, Jan. 13 from 9:00 a.m. to noon for trees to be dropped off at school.
Our art teacher, Mrs. Gasparini, is collecting recyclable brown egg cartons for sculpture projects this year and she would appreciate any you can donate. If you happen to be purging for the new year, the Art Classroom would be happy to take a large blender or food grinder off your hands and give it a new purpose!
We currently have openings for the following positions:
· Library Media Specialist
· Special Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
· General Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
· 3rd Grade teacher
If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the listings on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links:
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S Be sure to check the dates in the JRB Closure section below…
1/11 3rd grade reading Virginia Growth Assessment
1/11 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.) We have 2nd graders presenting their work!
1/15 No school: MLK, Jr. Day
1/19 3rd grade math Virginia Growth Assessment
1/23 2nd Grade Fine Arts Night
1/26 Role Model Day!
1/31 Regular school day
2/1 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
2/2 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/5 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/8 Class pictures
2/8 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.)
R E G A R D I N G T H E J. R. B. C L O S U R E
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced primary and backup dates for closing the James River Bridge (JRB) related to cable replacement on the structure. During these dates, traffic heading to or from the peninsula will be rerouted to the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel (MMBT) or the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. VDOT is anticipating extreme congestion throughout Hampton Roads during the closures. Many of our employees travel over the JRB or MMBT to work in IWCS and we anticipate significant disruption to employee arrival times on these days.
In response to these concerns, IWCS School Board approved the following changes to the school calendar for January and February.
- January 31: The School Board approved this as a Regular Student Day. It will be the last day of the 2nd quarter and 1st semester.
- January 12 (1st Primary Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
- January 15 (1st Primary Closure Date): Schools Closed for all Students/Staff (MLK Holiday)
The following dates will be used if the 1st primary closure dates are cancelled:
January 19 (1st Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
January 22 (1st Backup Closure Date): Schools Closed for all Students/Staff
February 1: Student Holiday; Staff Professional Development Day
February 2 (2nd Primary Closure Date): Student Holiday; Staff Virtual Workday
February 5 (2nd Primary Closure Date): Student Holiday; Staff Virtual Workday OR Regular School Day (if no closure)
These dates will be used if the 2nd primary closure dates are cancelled:
February 8* (2nd Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual PD Day for Staff
February 9* (2nd Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
*These dates are Thursday & Friday, versus the other options which are Friday & Monday.
The 3rd Quarter/2nd Semester will begin either February 5 (if no bridge closure) or February 6 (if the bridge is closed February 5).
Why is IWCS recommending changing the calendar for the bridge closures?
Over 35% of Isle of Wight County Schools’ teachers live on the peninsula or southside. With the forecast for high traffic volumes on these days, it is highly likely there will be employees arriving significantly late for work. The uncertainty of these situations creates issues for schools with securing classroom coverage for absent or delayed staff and providing students a productive instructional day.
I still need to report to work. With the schools closed, I will need to find childcare for those days. Did IWCS think about the impact on parents before making this decision?
Absolutely! We realize closing school creates a need for childcare for working parents. We do not like to close our buildings, but carefully weighed the impact to instruction on the closure days and decided this was the best decision given the circumstances.
We don’t have reliable Internet at our house. How is our child expected to participate in asynchronous learning?
Teachers will provide students with materials for their assignments if they are not able to access the internet on the asynchronous days. There will be no Zoom sessions or times to check-in with their classes. They will simply be working on assignments from home on the asynchronous days.
If the bridge does not close on January 12, will the students go to school as usual?
Perhaps. If VDOT does NOT plan to close on January 12, they could announce as late as 3:00 a.m. that morning. IWCS will finalize a decision to close, or open, by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11. At that point, even if the bridge closure is cancelled last minute, IWCS will still be closed. We don’t want families scrambling the morning of January 12 due to a late schedule change.
Is the same true for the February 2 and 5 closures?
The good news with these dates is that February 2 is already a student holiday. If the bridge does NOT close for the primary dates, we can announce to parents on Friday, February 2, that school will be open February 5.
Additional questions or concerns can be shared with IWCS through the web page at https://www.k12insight.com/
Carrollton Weekly Update ATTACHMENTS • 1/6/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/13/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/13/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. is attributed with issuing the challenge “Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” In a society that is obsessed with celebrity and impressed by stature, this wisdom from MLK now seems to be counterintuitive. The Reverend King was preaching that not everyone can be big and that’s okay. The esteemed civil rights leader declared the truth that one can be important in ways that aren’t immense, that we can do a lot in ways that are little: as a matter of fact, isn’t that how we are most profoundly impacted? By the simple gestures of concern, the quiet counsel of a friend, the random acts of kindness. By now, those of us who aren’t media celebrities or who aren’t powerbrokers in politics or tycoons in industry have come to realize that our spheres of influence aren’t vast; however, MLK’s message encourages us that we still have a sphere of influence. The truth is we can’t all be Mother Teresa or Martin Luther King or Taylor Swift, but we can all be somebody to somebody else. And we should all strive to be the best of whatever we are. I think it’s necessary to impress this truth upon our children because youth can easily be enamored by the fame and flash of Internet influencers and overpaid athletes. Our children should be encouraged to lead lives of importance and value no matter how big or little for it isn’t by size that they will win or fail.
Be the best!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
Our 2nd grade gifted students who presented during the “I on Instruction” portion of the School Board meeting Thursday night did a wonderful job explaining their castle-building project-based learning experiencing and representing Carrollton!
A special thanks to Ms. A. Jester of the Virginia Department of Social Services for donating some much-appreciated office supplies to the school!
One of our parents demonstrated genuine empathy and generosity by anonymously taking care of a student’s cafeteria account!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
The pulley rope on our flag pole broke so Old Glory will be flying again once it’s fixed.
In a move to provide better security for the building, Deputy Currier will be stationed by the front of the building during dismissal as opposed to directing traffic.
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
Second Grade’s Winter Music & Art Show will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. -- more info coming in 2024!
On Friday, Jan. 26, we will have a special Role Model Day. This will be a time for students to dress up in a way that represents someone who they revere because of his/her positive character qualities and/or important contributions to society. This can be as general as first responders, members of the clergy, doctors, family members, etc. or as specific as certain historic figures or contemporary leaders.
School pictures taken in the fall can be ordered at https://AccessMyEvent.com/
Cardinal Care Club 3rd graders are sponsoring our 7th annual Giving Tree through Feb. 3 to help our others in need. Donated new scarves, hats, and gloves are placed on the big tree in the lobby where folks are able to access items as needed; these cold-weather articles left after Giving Tree season ends will be donated to a local children’s charity.
F R O M O U R P. T. A.
The board has been working on planning some exciting events for the rest of the school year. This month we have partnered with the Norfolk Admirals to help cheer them on against the Newfoundland Growlers. The game is January 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Norfolk Scope. Attached is a link to purchase tickets. We hope to see everyone there. https://fevo-
H E L P W A N T E D
The Ecology Club is collected live, undecorated Christmas trees again this year to be fed to the goats at the IWCS Land Lab in Windsor. We will have a trailer on-site today from 9:00 a.m. to noon for trees to be dropped off at school.
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
Our art teacher, Mrs. Gasparini, is collecting recyclable brown egg cartons for sculpture projects this year and she would appreciate any you can donate. If you happen to be purging for the new year, the Art Classroom would be happy to take a large blender or food grinder off your hands and give it a new purpose!
We currently have openings for the following positions:
· Library Media Specialist
· Special Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
· General Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
· 3rd Grade teacher
If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the listings on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links:
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S Be sure to check the dates in the JRB Closure section below…
1/15 No school: MLK, Jr. Day
1/19 3rd grade math Virginia Growth Assessment
1/23 2nd Grade Fine Arts Night
1/26 Role Model Day!
1/31 Regular school day
2/1 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
2/2 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/5 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/8 Class pictures
2/8 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.)
R E G A R D I N G T H E J. R. B. C L O S U R E
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced primary and backup dates for closing the James River Bridge (JRB) related to cable replacement on the structure. During these dates, traffic heading to or from the peninsula will be rerouted to the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel (MMBT) or the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. VDOT is anticipating extreme congestion throughout Hampton Roads during the closures. Many of our employees travel over the JRB or MMBT to work in IWCS and we anticipate significant disruption to employee arrival times on these days.
In response to these concerns, IWCS School Board approved the following changes to the school calendar for January and February.
January 31: The School Board approved this as a Regular Student Day. It will be the last day of the 2nd quarter and 1st semester.
January 12 (1st Primary Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
January 15 (1st Primary Closure Date): Schools Closed for all Students/Staff (MLK Holiday)
The following dates will be used if the 1st primary closure dates are cancelled:
January 19 (1st Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
January 22 (1st Backup Closure Date): Schools Closed for all Students/Staff
February 1: Student Holiday; Staff Professional Development Day
February 2 (2nd Primary Closure Date): Student Holiday; Staff Virtual Workday
February 5 (2nd Primary Closure Date): Student Holiday; Staff Virtual Workday OR Regular School Day (if no closure)
These dates will be used if the 2nd primary closure dates are cancelled:
February 8* (2nd Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual PD Day for Staff
February 9* (2nd Backup Closure Date): Asynchronous Day for Students; Virtual Workday for Staff
*These dates are Thursday & Friday, versus the other options which are Friday & Monday.
The 3rd Quarter/2nd Semester will begin either February 5 (if no bridge closure) or February 6 (if the bridge is closed February 5).
Why is IWCS recommending changing the calendar for the bridge closures?
Over 35% of Isle of Wight County Schools’ teachers live on the peninsula or southside. With the forecast for high traffic volumes on these days, it is highly likely there will be employees arriving significantly late for work. The uncertainty of these situations creates issues for schools with securing classroom coverage for absent or delayed staff and providing students a productive instructional day.
I still need to report to work. With the schools closed, I will need to find childcare for those days. Did IWCS think about the impact on parents before making this decision?
Absolutely! We realize closing school creates a need for childcare for working parents. We do not like to close our buildings, but carefully weighed the impact to instruction on the closure days and decided this was the best decision given the circumstances.
We don’t have reliable Internet at our house. How is our child expected to participate in asynchronous learning?
Teachers will provide students with materials for their assignments if they are not able to access the internet on the asynchronous days. There will be no Zoom sessions or times to check-in with their classes. They will simply be working on assignments from home on the asynchronous days.
If the bridge does not close on January 12, will the students go to school as usual?
Perhaps. If VDOT does NOT plan to close on January 12, they could announce as late as 3:00 a.m. that morning. IWCS will finalize a decision to close, or open, by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11. At that point, even if the bridge closure is cancelled last minute, IWCS will still be closed. We don’t want families scrambling the morning of January 12 due to a late schedule change.
Is the same true for the February 2 and 5 closures?
The good news with these dates is that February 2 is already a student holiday. If the bridge does NOT close for the primary dates, we can announce to parents on Friday, February 2, that school will be open February 5.
Additional questions or concerns can be shared with IWCS through the web page at https://www.k12insight.com/
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/20/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/20/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
My wife and I have a friend with dogs related to our chocolate lab, and Tuesday she sent us a picture of a puppy whose scheduled “adoption” didn’t go as planned; this friend said we should just go visit the puppy, so visit we did. And then we brought him home Wednesday because, after all, how do you say “No” to an eight-week-old chocolate lab? Actually, we’ve said “No” a lot lately. “No” to biting our hands, “No” to chewing furniture, “No” to nibbling on shoes. Saying “No” is part of the training process and hearing it is part of the learning process. One of my favorite comedians, Tim Hawkins, does a bit about the Gift of No that he gives his children, the truth being that our kids need to hear “No” for the same reasons that puppies do: to be safe and to make good choices. I recently read an article about negative things caregivers should want their kids to say, all of which are generated by the adults in the relation saying “No.” Here are three examples:
1. “I’m bored.” It is not your job to keep your kids busy. In fact, it’s your job to say “No” to busyness.” Study after study has shown that some degree of boredom is actually healthy for kids and stimulates creative thinking and inventiveness.
2. “That’s not fair!” Undoubtedly you said this as a youngster and you’ve heard it from your youngster. “That’s not fair” can just as easily mean “That’s not what I want.” Doing what we believe is good for our children includes helping them deal with the reality that life is full of “No.”
3. “It’s so embarrassing!” Your saying “No” may mean that your child doesn’t fit in or meet some societal expectation; the opinions of others may not be worth saying “Yes,” though.
It is perfectly fine to not always say “Yes” to your children – as a matter of fact, they need the Gift of No in order to experience disappointment in the controlled setting of your home and to develop the ability to wait and to persevere.
Want to read the whole article about negative things your kids should say? Here’s the link: www.allprodad.com
I believe in you!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
Thank you to those who brought your Christmas trees up to school so our 2nd grade Ecology Club could repurpose them as goat food -- the goats at the IWCS Land Lab will enjoy snacking on the 13 pines you dropped off!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
Believe it or not, the division is already accepting feedback on the 2024-2025 school calendar! Your voice needs to be heard, so to provide comments on the proposed calendar, please complete this Online Survey. The calendar survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. January 31. A final draft calendar will be shared with the School Board at their February 8 meeting, and the board will vote to approve a calendar at their March 14 meeting.
Please be sure to have your children turn in their work from our asynchronous learning day by Monday in order for them to be considered present for Jan. 15.
Second Grade’s Winter Music & Art Show will be next Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m.
Music Performances begin at…
6:00 p.m. for students in these classes: Mrs. Brake, Ms. Brett, Mr. Goerger, and Mrs. Midnight
6:45 p.m. for students in these classes: Mr. Evans, Mrs. Oparaji and Mrs. Joslin
Please have students dressed in casual-dressy attire to be on stage 5 minutes before their performance begins.
Our 2nd graders’ art work will be displayed in the lobby for all to see and enjoy!
On Friday, Jan. 26, we will have a special Role Model Day. This will be a time for students to dress up in a way that represents someone who they revere because of his/her positive character qualities and/or important contributions to society. This can be as general as first responders, members of the clergy, doctors, family members, etc. or as specific as certain historic figures or contemporary leaders.
Is your child in 3rd grade and interested in programming using Scratch?
Is your child in Kindergarten-2nd grade and interested in programming using ScratchJr?
Are they creative, hard-working, and competitive? They might be interested in competing on the Carrollton Elementary Great Computer Challenge team on April 27 at Old Dominion University! Mrs. Pealo is looking for a team of 3 students to work together to represent our school in the Visual Programming category this year. Please fill out the form below if your child is interested! https://forms.gle/
The pulley rope on our flag pole is broken so that’s why the American flag isn’t currently displayed.
In a move to provide better security for our students and staff, Deputy Currier will be stationed by the front of the building during dismissal as opposed to directing traffic on New Towne Haven.
School pictures taken in the fall can be ordered at https://AccessMyEvent.com/
Cardinal Care Club 3rd graders are sponsoring our 7th annual Giving Tree through Feb. 3 to help our others in need. Donated new scarves, hats, and gloves are placed on the big tree in the lobby where folks are able to access items as needed; these cold-weather articles left after Giving Tree season ends will be donated to a local children’s charity.
The Lost & Found cart will be stationed outside by the front door Feb. 1 and 2; after that, all items will be removed from campus.
I N T H E Z O N E
Why is self-regulation important? As Charles Swindoll stated, “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” As students navigate their school day, they are reacting to many different situations and environments around them. Discussing what those emotions are and ways to handle those emotions can allow students to develop self-control, sensory regulation and higher academic achievement. Children who can self-regulate become teens who self-regulate and ultimately adults who can regulate themselves.
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
H E L P W A N T E D
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
If you have microwave you would like to donate to our faculty dining room, the staff would truly appreciate it!
Our art teacher, Mrs. Gasparini, is collecting recyclable brown egg cartons for sculpture projects this year and she would appreciate any you can donate. If you happen to be purging for the new year, the Art Classroom would be happy to take a large blender or food grinder off your hands and give it a new purpose!
We currently have openings for the following positions:
- Library Media Specialist
- Special Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
- General Education Instructional Assistant (full-time)
If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the listings on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links: Squishies / Erasers / Goldfish
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S Be sure to check the dates in the JRB Closure section below…
1/23 2nd Grade Fine Arts Night
1/26 Role Model Day!
1/31 Regular school day / deadline for the 2024-2025 school year calendar Online Survey
2/1 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
2/2 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/5 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/8 Class pictures
2/8 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.)
2/13 Report cards sent home
2/14 Happy Hearts Day! (our annual Valentine’s spirit day)
2/19 No school: Presidents Day
2/23 3rd grade field trip to the Virginia Air & Space Museum
2/29 Leap Day / Jump Rope for Hearts family event (6:00 p.m.)
R E G A R D I N G T H E J. R. B. C L O S U R E
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced primary and backup dates for closing the James River Bridge (JRB) related to cable replacement on the structure. During these dates, traffic heading to or from the peninsula will be rerouted to the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel (MMBT) or the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. VDOT is anticipating extreme congestion throughout Hampton Roads during the closures. Many of our employees travel over the JRB or MMBT to work in IWCS and we anticipate significant disruption to employee arrival times on these days.
The first phase of the James River Bridge cable replacement work was completed on Monday, January 15, 2024. VDOT announced they will NOT use the January back-up closure dates of January 19 and January 22. Therefore, these days will be REGULAR days for all students and staff.
VDOT plans to conduct a second closure in February. As a result, IWCS has announced that February 2, which is already a student holiday, will be a staff virtual workday. February 5 will also be a student holiday and a staff virtual workday.
If there are any changes to the February dates, IWCS will notify families and employees by 3:00pm on Thursday, February 1.
As a reminder, the School Board approved January 31 as a Regular Student Day. It will be the last day of the 2nd quarter and the 1st semester.
Questions about the schedule can be shared with IWCS through the division's website at: https://www.k12insight.
Why is IWCS recommending changing the calendar for the bridge closures?
Over 35% of Isle of Wight County Schools’ teachers live on the peninsula or southside. With the forecast for high traffic volumes on these days, it is highly likely there will be employees arriving significantly late for work. The uncertainty of these situations creates issues for schools with securing classroom coverage for absent or delayed staff and providing students a productive instructional day.
I still need to report to work. With the schools closed, I will need to find childcare for those days. Did IWCS think about the impact on parents before making this decision?
Absolutely! We realize closing school creates a need for childcare for working parents. We do not like to close our buildings, but carefully weighed the impact to instruction on the closure days and decided this was the best decision given the circumstances.
We don’t have reliable Internet at our house. How is our child expected to participate in asynchronous learning?
Teachers will provide students with materials for their assignments if they are not able to access the internet on the asynchronous days. There will be no Zoom sessions or times to check-in with their classes. They will simply be working on assignments from home on the asynchronous days.
If the bridge does not close on January 12, will the students go to school as usual?
Perhaps. If VDOT does NOT plan to close on January 12, they could announce as late as 3:00 a.m. that morning. IWCS will finalize a decision to close, or open, by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11. At that point, even if the bridge closure is cancelled last minute, IWCS will still be closed. We don’t want families scrambling the morning of January 12 due to a late schedule change.
Is the same true for the February 2 and 5 closures?
The good news with these dates is that February 2 is already a student holiday. If the bridge does NOT close for the primary dates, we can announce to parents on Friday, February 2, that school will be open February 5.
Additional questions or concerns can be shared with IWCS through the web page at https://www.k12insight.com/
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/27/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 1/27/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
Last week I shared about the Gift of No and how children (and puppies) need the structure and safety that hearing “No” can bring. Today I want to focus on the yin to that yang: the words adults can use to balance the emotional scale. If “No” doesn’t seem to be registering with your child because the same question gets asked, you can recognize him when you address the desire and show empathy with a statement like, “I understand that you want ___, but right now we need to ___.” Communicating clearly and consistently can help take some of the sting out of an unmet request. Other ways you can fill your child’s positive tank is to praise authentically and specifically; tell your child what she did well and why you’re pleased: “Great job taking your dishes to the sink without being asked. That shows responsibility and really helps me get the table cleared quickly.” Sure, that’s a lot of extra words, but young kids are still developing their vocabularies and their ability to reason, so clear, specific praise is just what they need. Steer aqay from evaluation and, instead, focus on the effort the child’s making. “What a great painting! You’re such a good artist!” rings hollow to a child who knows she is not a great artist. Instead, notice what the child did, show interest, and ask the child to reflect on the painting. “I see lots of blue over here and lots of green over here. Tell me about this.” While hearing “No” can be a bummer, it’s made easier when the adults in a child’s life can be enthusiastic with the everday positives: “Wow, super job tying your shoes all by yourself!”, “I’m really glad you remembered to bring your coat home from school today!”, “Thanks for being such a good example to your little sister!” In the same way that our children need “No” to realize that we grownups establish the parameters for their protection, they need our positivity as we set the tone for fostering their growth.
Interested in reading the article in which I found some of these pointers? Here’s the link:www.mother.ly/parenting/
I appreciate how hard you’re working at being wise, nurturing parents!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
Thank you to those who brought your Christmas trees up to school so our 2nd grade Ecology Club could repurpose them as goat food -- the goats at the IWCS Land Lab enjoy snacking on the 13 pines you dropped off!
The teachers appreciated the duty-free lunch provided by our PTA volunteers Wednesday -- those twenty minutes of sitting quietly and staring at a wall can be very therapeutic!
For our School Store fundraiser, we currently have over 60% participation! Our goal is 100% so every student can have a book buddy to read with every day. There's still time to register and send 6 emails in order to receive the book buddy participation prize. Teachers are very grateful to have received over 500 gift cards so far!
Bravo, Mrs. Gasparini and Mrs. Wallace, for organizing the 2nd Grade Fine Arts Night – thanks for giving these talented Cardinals a chance to shine!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
Believe it or not, the division is already accepting feedback on the 2024-2025 school calendar! Your voice needs to be heard, so to provide comments on the proposed calendar, please complete this Online Survey. The calendar survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. January 31. A final draft calendar will be shared with the School Board at their February 8 meeting, and the board will vote to approve a calendar at their March 14 meeting.
February is School Board Appreciation Month. Please consider writing a note or e-mail to board members and/or having your children write a letter to a board member. All members cover geographic areas that encompass multiple schools, and you can check the map on the IOW website to see the different districts covered by our school zone. When in doubt, you can certainly encourage all of the board members!
The Lost & Found cart will be stationed outside by the front door Feb. 1 and 2; after that, all items will be removed from campus.
Cardinal Care Club 3rd graders are sponsoring our 7th annual Giving Tree through Feb. 3 to help our others in need. Donated new scarves, hats, and gloves are placed on the big tree in the lobby where folks are able to access items as needed; these cold-weather articles left after Giving Tree season ends will be donated to a local children’s charity.
Whole class pictures are Thursday, Feb. 8. Students without media release forms cannot participate in whole class pictures because these photos go in the yearbook. Students without media release forms will stay with their class until they report to the photographer.
School pictures taken in the fall can still be ordered at https://AccessMyEvent.com/
Registration for the Little Sprouts Pre-K program opens on February 14. For additional information, visit the Little Sprouts website at https://sites.google.com/
From our PE teacher, Mrs. Madden:
Our students are gearing up in PE for our Kids Heart Challenge sponsored by the American Heart Association starting Feb. 5 and ending Feb. 29 with our Jump Night! (more info coming soon) The Cardinals will be moving more while doing things like jumping rope, cardio exercises, learning about what makes a healthy plate, and hands-only CPR -- all during their PE Encore! And here’s my secret: while they’re having fun, they’re learning what it takes to have a healthy heart and learning about physical and emotional strength while they support a great cause – a true “win-win!”
You can join the excitement. Visit www.heart.
|
From our Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Pealo: Is your child in 3rd grade and interested in programming using Scratch? Is your child in Kindergarten-2nd grade and interested in programming using ScratchJr? Are they creative, hard-working, and competitive? They might be interested in competing on the Carrollton Elementary Great Computer Challenge team on April 27 at Old Dominion University! Mrs. Pealo is looking for a team of 3 students to work together to represent our school in the Visual Programming category this year. Please fill out the form below if your child is interested! https://forms.gle/ (You may submit separate forms for multiple children) |
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/
I N T H E Z O N E
Lots of students this week have expressed what Zone they believe matches their feelings. Try checking in with a Zone at home, and let your children help explain the difference of each zone and what coping skills help them. https://vimeo.com/
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
H E L P W A N T E D
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links: Squishies Erasers
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 (See attached flyer.)
We currently have openings for the following position:
- Library Media Specialist
If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the listings on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S Be sure to check the dates in the JRB Closure section below…
1/31 Regular school day / deadline for the 2024-2025 school year calendar Online Survey
2/1 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
2/2 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/5 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/8 Class pictures
2/8 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.)
2/13 Report cards sent home
2/14 Happy Hearts Day! (our annual Valentine’s spirit day)
2/19 No school: Presidents Day
2/23 3rd grade field trip to the Virginia Air & Space Museum
2/29 Leap Day / Jump Rope for Hearts family event (6:00 p.m.)
R E G A R D I N G T H E J. R. B. C L O S U R E
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced primary and backup dates for closing the James River Bridge (JRB) related to cable replacement on the structure. During these dates, traffic heading to or from the peninsula will be rerouted to the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel (MMBT) or the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. VDOT is anticipating extreme congestion throughout Hampton Roads during the closures. Many of our employees travel over the JRB or MMBT to work in IWCS and we anticipate significant disruption to employee arrival times on these days.
The first phase of the James River Bridge cable replacement work was completed on Monday, January 15, 2024. VDOT announced they will NOT use the January back-up closure dates of January 19 and January 22. Therefore, these days will be REGULAR days for all students and staff.
VDOT plans to conduct a second closure in February. As a result, IWCS has announced that February 2, which is already a student holiday, will be a staff virtual workday. February 5 will also be a student holiday and a staff virtual workday.
If there are any changes to the February dates, IWCS will notify families and employees by 3:00pm on Thursday, February 1.
As a reminder, the School Board approved January 31 as a Regular Student Day. It will be the last day of the 2nd quarter and the 1st semester.
Questions about the schedule can be shared with IWCS through the division's website at: https://www.k12insight.
Why is IWCS recommending changing the calendar for the bridge closures?
Over 35% of Isle of Wight County Schools’ teachers live on the peninsula or southside. With the forecast for high traffic volumes on these days, it is highly likely there will be employees arriving significantly late for work. The uncertainty of these situations creates issues for schools with securing classroom coverage for absent or delayed staff and providing students a productive instructional day.
I still need to report to work. With the schools closed, I will need to find childcare for those days. Did IWCS think about the impact on parents before making this decision?
Absolutely! We realize closing school creates a need for childcare for working parents. We do not like to close our buildings, but carefully weighed the impact to instruction on the closure days and decided this was the best decision given the circumstances.
We don’t have reliable Internet at our house. How is our child expected to participate in asynchronous learning?
Teachers will provide students with materials for their assignments if they are not able to access the internet on the asynchronous days. There will be no Zoom sessions or times to check-in with their classes. They will simply be working on assignments from home on the asynchronous days.
If the bridge does not close on January 12, will the students go to school as usual?
Perhaps. If VDOT does NOT plan to close on January 12, they could announce as late as 3:00 a.m. that morning. IWCS will finalize a decision to close, or open, by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 11. At that point, even if the bridge closure is cancelled last minute, IWCS will still be closed. We don’t want families scrambling the morning of January 12 due to a late schedule change.
Is the same true for the February 2 and 5 closures?
The good news with these dates is that February 2 is already a student holiday. If the bridge does NOT close for the primary dates, we can announce to parents on Friday, February 2, that school will be open February 5.
Additional questions or concerns can be shared with IWCS through the web page at https://www.k12insight.com/
Carrollton Weekly Update Attachments • 1/27/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 2/3/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 2/3/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
“Careful the things you say: children will listen.” This is a wise and haunting line from a song I heard last Sunday in my daughter’s production of Into the Woods. The warning to be mindful of what is said to kids became somewhat of a theme throughout the week as during my drive to work Tuesday the DJ’s were discussing things children have been told that weren’t true but that were accepted as truth. For example, to discourage gum-swallowing, parents have warned that it takes seven years for the stomach to dissolve a piece, and when I was growing up, adults prevented us from jumping back into the pool for at least 45 minutes after we ate. It almost seems like a rite of passage to believe “facts” like these – but according to the Mayo Clinic, neither is true. Will carrots improve your vision just in case you sit too close to the TV and go blind as a result? Nope to both. While I’ve tried to practice veracity when providing advice to my children, I have perpetrated a myth or two along the way. (Despite the science, I’m still pretty sure that knuckle-cracking causes arthritis so I don’t want my young ladies doing it.) Good parents don’t set out to mislead their children. Sometimes we simply repeat the falsehoods we were told as kids; sometimes we say what needs to be heard at the moment. To this day, if any of my daughters sees a balloon floating through the air, they say it’s going to Texas because that was the first thing that came to mind to console my firstborn who lost a balloon as we walked out of Red Robin; she seemed comforted when I assured that her grandparents in San Antonio would take care of the balloon when it arrived. Be careful what you say because your children are listening and your words have the power to inform not only them but also your gun-swallowing, after-lunch-swimming, knuckle-cracking progeny.
Here are some more debunked myths we were told as kids.
Good news: Spiders don't crawl in your mouth when you sleep!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
The Education Foundation for Isle of Wight County Schools granted $8,295.97 to Carrollton Elementary personnel and I want to give them a huge thank you as well as a shout-out to the following staff members who made the effort to submit successful grant requests: Mrs. Oparaji, Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Fraas, Mrs. Baker, Ms. Blose, Mrs. C. Smith, Mrs. Pealo, Ms. Berkeley and Mrs. Barrilleaux -- our students are truly the benefactors of all this generosity!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
February is School Board Appreciation Month. Please consider writing a note or e-mail to board members and/or having your children write a letter to a board member. All members cover geographic areas that encompass multiple schools, and you can check the map on the IOW website to see the different districts covered by our school zone. When in doubt, you can certainly encourage all of the board members!
Whole class pictures are Thursday, Feb. 8. Students without media release forms cannot participate in whole class pictures because these photos go in the yearbook. Students without media release forms will stay with their class until they report to the photographer.
Registration for the Little Sprouts Pre-K program opens on February 14. For additional information, visit the Little Sprouts website at https://sites.google.com/
From our PE teacher, Mrs. Madden:
Our students are gearing up in PE for our Kids Heart Challenge sponsored by the American Heart Association starting Feb. 5 and ending Feb. 29 with our Jump Night! (more info coming soon) The Cardinals will be moving more while doing things like jumping rope, cardio exercises, learning about what makes a healthy plate, and hands-only CPR -- all during their PE Encore! And here’s my secret: while they’re having fun, they’re learning what it takes to have a healthy heart and learning about physical and emotional strength while they support a great cause – a true “win-win!”
You can join the excitement. Visit www.heart.
|
From our Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Pealo: Is your child in 3rd grade and interested in programming using Scratch? Is your child in Kindergarten-2nd grade and interested in programming using ScratchJr? Are they creative, hard-working, and competitive? They might be interested in competing on the Carrollton Elementary Great Computer Challenge team on April 27 at Old Dominion University! Mrs. Pealo is looking for a team of 3 students to work together to represent our school in the Visual Programming category this year. Please fill out the form below if your child is interested! https://forms.gle/ (You may submit separate forms for multiple children) |
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/
Bus #26 has been “promoted” to Bus #185 -- same route, new number.
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 Blue Zone. The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness and down feelings such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored. In this zone, people are moving slowly and have little energy. The coping strategies or "tools" to focus on in the Blue Zone involve regaining focus, waking our bodies up, and feeling better. These tools can include going for a walk or getting other exercise, having a drink, eating a snack, or taking a nap.
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
F R O M B L U E D O M I N I O N
WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS:
-
When: February 8, 2024.
-
Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read the instructions on the login page.
-
Ordering: Photos will be ready to order about two weeks after picture day (more info to follow).
-
Product Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).
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: 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/GGSK94 - Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).
H E L P W A N T E D
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links: Squishies Erasers
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
We currently have openings for the following position:
· Library Media Specialist
If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the listings on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
2/5 No school: Division-wide staff clerical day (The building will be closed.)
2/8 Class pictures / division-wide American Heart Society Go Red Day
2/8 School Board meeting (6:00 p.m. at Westside Elem.)
2/13 Report cards sent home
2/14 Happy Hearts Day! (our annual Valentine’s spirit day)
2/19 No school: Presidents Day
2/23 100th Day of School!
2/23 3rd grade field trip to the Virginia Air & Space Museum
2/29 Leap Day / Jump Rope for Hearts family event (6:00 p.m.)
3/4 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
3/6 Optional spring pictures
R E G A R D I N G T H E J. R. B. C L O S U R E
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced primary and backup dates for closing the James River Bridge (JRB) related to cable replacement on the structure. During these dates, traffic heading to or from the peninsula will be rerouted to the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel (MMBT) or the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry. VDOT is anticipating extreme congestion throughout Hampton Roads during the closures. Many of our employees travel over the JRB or MMBT to work in IWCS and we anticipate significant disruption to employee arrival times on these days.
The first phase of the James River Bridge cable replacement work was completed on Monday, January 15, 2024.
VDOT plans to conduct a second closure in February. As a result, IWCS has announced that February 2, which is already a student holiday, will be a staff virtual workday. February 5 will also be a student holiday and a staff virtual workday.
As a reminder, the School Board approved January 31 as a Regular Student Day. It will be the last day of the 2nd quarter and the 1st semester.
Questions about the schedule can be shared with IWCS through the division's website at: https://www.k12insight.
Why is IWCS recommending changing the calendar for the bridge closures?
Over 35% of Isle of Wight County Schools’ teachers live on the peninsula or southside. With the forecast for high traffic volumes on these days, it is highly likely there will be employees arriving significantly late for work. The uncertainty of these situations creates issues for schools with securing classroom coverage for absent or delayed staff and providing students a productive instructional day.
I still need to report to work. With the schools closed, I will need to find childcare for those days. Did IWCS think about the impact on parents before making this decision?
Absolutely! We realize closing school creates a need for childcare for working parents. We do not like to close our buildings, but carefully weighed the impact to instruction on the closure days and decided this was the best decision given the circumstances.
We don’t have reliable Internet at our house. How is our child expected to participate in asynchronous learning?
Teachers will provide students with materials for their assignments if they are not able to access the internet on the asynchronous days. There will be no Zoom sessions or times to check-in with their classes. They will simply be working on assignments from home on the asynchronous days.
Additional questions or concerns can be shared with IWCS through the web page at https://www.k12insight.com/
Carrollton Weekly Update • 2/10/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 2/10/2024
February is School Board Appreciation Month and I would like to introduce you to the five members who represent citizens across the county and determine much of what happens in our nine schools.
Mr. Jason P. Maresh is the chairman of the board and a U.S. Navy veteran, serving over 21 years on active duty. As a Navy Master Training Specialist, Mr. Maresh has provided formal training and assessments in classroom, laboratory, and on-the-job environments. Mr. Maresh is also a parent of children attending IWCS and as a resident of Windsor. A third-generation resident of the county and a Smithfield High School graduate, vice-chair Mr. Mark Wooster represents District 2 (formerly the Newport District). He has six children, four of whom have graduated from IWCS. He is currently a Federal Firefighter/Paramedic and has been in the medical field for 37 years. Mr. Wooster has a background in education as a Fire and Emergency Medical Services Instructor teaching initial programs in Basic Life Support as well as Advanced Life Support. Mr. John Collick was elected to the School Board in November 2021. Mr. Collick graduated from Campbell University and from Northcentral University, where he earned his MBA in Homeland Security. He is a retired Marine First Sergeant, Counterterrorism Expert, and Immigration Officer, with over 35 years of Intelligence experience. Mr. Michael Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Arts/Technology Education from Virginia State University and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retired US Army Officer. Mr. Cunningham is a former substitute teacher who has worked in almost every school in the county. The newest member of the IWCS School Board is Mrs. Brandi Perkins who was elected last November. Mrs. Perkins is a retired homeschool mom of three and brings a unique perspective to the board. She is dedicated to making sure our schools are as safe as possible, parental rights are upheld, and that the education we provide helps set our children up for a successful future.
Click here to learn more about the IWCS School Board.
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
At Carrollton, we are super grateful for our school counselors, Ms. Berkeley and Ms. Bryant! They tirelessly provide a safe space for students (and staff) to process big feelings without judgement and with exemplary empathy.
Thanks to the generosity (and Roll Tide spirit) of the Rice family, the University of Alabama is now represented in our College Cove! If you don’t see your school of higher ed among all the pennants on display, I will gladly receive any that you donate to us.
We have new colleagues! Mrs. B. Brashares, Mrs. C. Byrd, and Ms. L. Lindgren have all joined the staff as Instructional Assistants and we’re grateful to have them on our team!
H E L P W A N T E D
The Ecology Club is looking for a replacement pump to run the hydroponics system located in the circle hallway. Here is a link to the pump the students need, and whoever helps get the water flowing again will have first dibs to the basil crop the students harvest!
If you would like to donate squishies, erasers, and Goldfish crackers to our school store, the students would greatly appreciate it! Here are links: Squishies Erasers
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
We are currently looking for a Library Media Specialist. If you’re interested or know someone who is, please check out the employment info on the division’s webpage at this link: Join the CAES Staff!
F. Y. I.
Here’s the link to our CAES handbook, the Family FAQ: 23-24 Carrollton Family FAQ
Kindness Grams are on sale now! Pre-order forms should have come home this week. Kindness Grams will also be on sale during breakfast Monday and Tuesday. Kindness Grams are a handwritten kind note with an emoji button attached and are 50¢ each. Students and staff can send Kindness Grams to classmates, friends, and staff and they will be delivered on Valentine’s Day. All proceeds go to support future kindness projects from the Cardinals CARE Club.
From our PE teacher, Mrs. Madden:
Our students are involved in PE for our Kids Heart Challenge sponsored by the American Heart Association which culminates Feb. 29 with our Jump Night! (more info coming soon) The Cardinals will be moving more while doing things like jumping rope, cardio exercises, learning about what makes a healthy plate, and hands-only CPR -- all during their PE Encore! And here’s my secret: while they’re having fun, they’re learning what it takes to have a healthy heart and learning about physical and emotional strength while they support a great cause – a true “win-win!”
You can join the excitement. Visit www.heart.
|
From our Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Pealo: Is your child in 3rd grade and interested in programming using Scratch? Is your child in Kindergarten-2nd grade and interested in programming using ScratchJr? Are they creative, hard-working, and competitive? They might be interested in competing on the Carrollton Elementary Great Computer Challenge team on April 27 at Old Dominion University! Mrs. Pealo is looking for a team of 3 students to work together to represent our school in the Visual Programming category this year. Please fill out the form below if your child is interested! https://forms.gle/ (You may submit separate forms for multiple children) |
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/
As the cold and flu (and COVID!) season continues, please remind your children to be careful to keep their hands away from their faces and others people’s faces. (Cheek-pinching will have to hold off until the spring!)
Registration for the Little Sprouts Pre-K program opens on February 14. For additional information, visit the Little Sprouts website at https://sites.google.com/
F R O M B L U E D O M I N I O N
WHOLE CLASS PHOTOS: Whole class pictures are ready to be ordered!
· Instructions: Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
· Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.
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.
SPRING PHOTOS:
· When: March 6, 2024 (Make-up day is March 27.)
· Instructions: Spring
· Ordering: Photos will be ready to order about two weeks after picture day (more info to follow).
· Background: The photo
FALL PHOTOS:
· It's not too late to order Fall photos. Online ordering only. Please read all instructions on the login page.
· Ordering Link: https://AccessMyEvent.
· Delivery: Photo
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
2/13 Report cards are coming home – check those backpacks!
2/14 Happy Hearts Day! (our annual Valentine’s spirit day)
2/19 No school: Presidents Day
2/23 100th Day of School!
2/23 3rd grade field trip to the Virginia Air & Space Museum
2/29 Leap Day / Jump Rope for Hearts family event (6:00 p.m.)
3/4 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
3/6 Optional spring pictures
3/12 3rd grade trip to SHS to see the VSO
3/15 Go Green! class spirit day
Carrollton Weekly Update Attachments • 2/10/2024
Carrollton Weekly Update • 2/17/2024
T H E P R I N C I P A L ’ S P E R S P E C T I VE
Wednesday was a pretty stressful day around the building. Maybe it was because of all that red we were wearing or because of the excitement of exchanging cards. Or the class parties. Or the infusion of candy. To be honest, as a principal Valentine's Day is not my favorite due to the craziness that we invite and the additional stress I feel is placed on you caregivers to make sure that your children can keep up with the holiday spirit. As a confirmed bachelor until I was 33, I often viewed Valentine's Day as a conspiracy by card and candy companies to create consumeristic chaos once the Christmas clearance was complete. I am still of the firm opinion that Valentine's Day is not a reliable indicator of how loving one is or how much one is loved; it's what one does all year long in word and deed that demonstrates love, whether that love is reciprocated or not. My love language is gift-giving so with a wife and four daughters, I feel enormous self-inflicted pressure to produce: I want to make sure that my wife feels cherished and that my girls have a positive example of a man's affection. Each February I’m often tempted to prove my love with price-gouged bouquets and chocolate-filled hearts that are more box than bonbons. It's easy to fall into the trap of being Pinterest perfect, isn’t it? And when we do, we can become competitive or prideful or frustrated by the quality of the expression over what the expression is meant to represent. It really didn’t matter Wednesdy if your child handed out leftover cards purchased last year from Walgreen’s (like mine did) or if you were up all night handcrafting mini masterpieces with Swarovski crystals and calligraphy – the kids were just excited to be able to give something to their classmates and thrilled to be a part of all the fun. Maybe if adults loved more like children do we'd be less stressed about getting it right. Those crayoned “works of heart” are often more representative of the love the giver feels than any splurge initiated by the Hallmark-induced pressure to express February 14 what should already be obvious all year.
Stock up on some heart-shaped candy now that it’s 50% off!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
C A R D I N A L K U D O S
Thank you, Ms. Paxson, for donating the replacement water pump in Tristan’s honor -- our Ecology Club’s hydroponics system will be back in business and a “bushel of basil” is coming your way!
Our students appreciate Madison T.’s donation of squishies & Goldfish and Trace L.’s donation of squishies to our school store! And thank you, too, Katherine A., for your contribution to Casey’s Corner!
H E L P W A N T E D
Teachers love chocolate! If you have any extra bags of Valentine’s candy that you would like to donate, we will gladly add it to our stash for the teachers’ weekly professional learning community times.
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)
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
IWCS is seeking input on the budget priorities for the 2024-2025 school year. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey which closes Sunday, February 25, at 11:59 p.m. link: Budget Priorities Survey
You’re planning to come to our PTA-sponsored Book Bingo Night Friday, Feb. 23, but don’t plan to make dinner – we have you covered. You can order a medium cheese pizza or a medium pepperoni pizza for just $10 and drinks and chips will be sold for $1 apiece (cash only). The pizzas are coming from Domino’s and will be ready for pick-up from the school lobby between 6:00 and 6:30 – doors open for Book Bingo at 6:00.
You can pay with
- Cash
- Check made out to CAES.
- Or through our online app with this pizza ordering link https://osp.osmsinc.com/
p/WH203-39
From our PE teacher, Mrs. Madden:
We are well on our way with the Kids Heart Challenge!!! Here are a few reminders just in case you had questions.
- SCHOOL GOAL: $5,000!!!
- If you haven’t joined our Kids Heart Challenge team you can register online at www.heart.org/schools
- JUMP NIGHT:
Thursday, February 29 from 6:00 - 7:15
Students and caregivers can participate in a variety of fun and exciting stations, including bounce houses, creating a healthy snack, listening to your heart, jump rope, and so much more!
No sign up or rsvp required! Come ready to play!
There will be a donation fee of $1 per person and all proceeds will be donated to our wonderful cause!
Thank you for your support and generosity! I look forward to another successful Kids Heart Challenge fundraiser!!
February is School Board Appreciation Month. Please consider writing a note or e-mail to board members and/or having your children write a letter to a board member. All members cover geographic areas that encompass multiple schools, and you can check the map on the IOW website to see the different districts covered by our school zone. When in doubt, you can certainly encourage all of the board members!
Registration for the Little Sprouts Pre-K program opens on February 14. For additional information, visit the Little Sprouts website at https://sites.google.com/
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From our Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Pealo: Is your child in 3rd grade and interested in programming using Scratch? Is your child in Kindergarten-2nd grade and interested in programming using ScratchJr? Are they creative, hard-working, and competitive? They might be interested in competing on the Carrollton Elementary Great Computer Challenge team on April 27 at Old Dominion University! Mrs. Pealo is lookinfor a team of 3 students to work together to represent our school in the Visual Programming category this year. Please fill out the form below if your child is interested! https://forms.gle/ (You may submit separate forms for multiple children) |
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/
F R O M O U R P T A E X E C U T I V E B O A R D
The PTA Executive Board would like to thank Hannah Robinson, Pei-Ju Hall, Johnathan Hardee, Kathleen Burnett, and Julie Sell for volunteering at Duty-free lunch this past week. The PTA could not make this happen without the help of volunteers. Also thank you to Jason Burnett and Kathleen Burnett for taking time to bake cupcakes for the CAES staff to enjoy. We are so grateful for the amazing CAES staff. You are a huge part of our students' lives and we were thrilled to show you our love in return.
Remember, Book Bingo will be February 23. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. which will give you time to collect any pre-ordered food, game cards, and find a place to sit. We will be having a brief PTA meeting before our first game. First game will kick off at 6:30 p.m.
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.
With the program Zones of Regulation, our students are learning about how to identify their emotions. They are also learning tools to help regulate themselves to stay focused and productive throughout the school day. However, it doesn't have to stop at school -- students can continue these practices at home. Here is information that you may find helpful about Zones of Regulation.
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.
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/GGSK94 - Delivery: Photo orders will process immediately and ship directly to the address you provide (not the school).
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
2/19 No school: Presidents Day
2/23 100th Day of School!
2/23 3rd grade field trip to the Virginia Air & Space Museum
2/29 Leap Day / Jump Rope for Hearts family event (6:00 p.m.)
3/4 No school: Division-wide staff professional development
3/6 Optional spring pictures
3/12 3rd grade trip to SHS to see the VSO
3/15 Go Green! class spirit day
Carrollton Weekly Update Attachments • 2/17/2024