June 2025
The Carillon 6/7/25
the Carillon
car·il·lon /ˈkerəlän,ˈkerələn/
your weekly update from Carrollton Elementary
June 7, 2025
From the desk of Mr. Brennan…
If you read last week’s Carillon, you’ll remember that I listed the upcoming calendar of events. Nowhere on that list was what we experienced Monday nor was there scheduled the emotional fallout that would ensue. Monday was hard. And while it didn’t turn out as traumatic as it could, there was still trauma. And all of that made all of Friday even sweeter. Students bounding out of cars smelling like sunscreens, bright t-shirts, caregivers buzzing around having as much fun as the kids, lots and lots and lots of freeze pops consumed! Field Day is always one of the best days of the school year and yesterday was no exception. It was nice to be able to focus on fun and end the week on a high note. As we move into our last week, here’s the good stuff that’s planned:
6/9 Kindergarten promotion ceremony (10:00 a.m.)
6/10 Mrs. Rosenberry’s pre-K promotion ceremony (9:30 a.m.)
6/10 2nd grade Fun Day (10:30 a.m.)
6/11 3rd grade promotion ceremonies (Teachers will communicate start times.)
12:50 dismissal
6/12 Mrs. Rowland’s pre-K promotion ceremony (9:30 a.m.)
12:50 dismissal
Report cards come home
Students’ last day!
6/13 All lost & found items will find new homes.
6/15 Happy Father’s Day!
6/16 The office staff will start our summer residency at Smithfield Middle School.
6/19 All IWCS buildings will be closed in observance of Juneteenth
Let’s Grow!
Mr. B.
Mr. Brennan
Cardinal Kudos
On behalf of a very grateful staff, thank you, PTA officers and other parents, for the kindness and refreshments provided to us Tuesday.
We truly appreciate Ms. Hogan for decorating the flower pots outside and for bringing the office staff pizza Wednesday!
Our librarian Mrs. O’Byrne is thankful for the help of four very dedicated volunteers and two amazing co-workers; with their help, the library inventory has been completed and overdue notices sent home.
Our Field Day volunteers are the best! Thank you very much for investing the time and putting up with the heat to make the fun happen. Things are always better around school when we have lots of positive people around!
Help Wanted
The Westside Elementary School PTA is looking to recharter for the 2025-2026 school year, and they need to find a Treasurer. Please fill out this Google form if you’re interested in helping: Interest Survey about WSES PTA
Good to Know
Free instructional materials are available in our lobby until June 11; feel free to take whatever you’ll use.
If you are moving over the summer or intend to enroll your student in another school, please let our office staff know as soon as possible so your child's records can be pulled before we move to Smithfield Middle for the summer. (Effective June 16, our main office staff will be located at Smithfield Middle School while our building is in “construction zone mode” for the HVAC overhaul.)
Annual Zone Transfer Requests: School zone transfer requests must be submitted annually. If a request is not submitted, families will forfeit the option to attend a different school and will be required to enroll their child in the school assigned to their residential zone. All requests must be received at the zoned school by July 1.
Be sure to pick up your child’s medicine, inhalers, EpiPen, etc. from our clinic by June 12.
Lost & Found items will find new homes after June 13. The stuff will be outside Door one all next week for your convenience.
Please reach out to our cafeteria manager, Ms. Butts ([email protected]); Child Nutrition tech Mr. Ruffin ([email protected]); or the Child Nutrition Director Mrs. Couch ([email protected]) if you have questions or concerns about your child’s food debt.
Personal devices such as laptops, game systems, cell phones, tablets, e-readers, etc. are not allowed for use at school for Pre-K through 3rd grade students across the division. Smart watches are permitted as long as they are not used to communicate or access the Internet during the school day; during assessments, these watches should be powered off and placed in the student’s book bag.
IWCS preschool registration is open for the upcoming school year! If you have a child who will be 4 by September 30, you are invited to apply to our high-quality, nurturing preschool program designed to help your child grow, learn, and thrive. Spots fill up quickly, so don’t wait. Visit our IWCS Website or call 757-357-4393 for more information.
From Our Librarian, Mrs. O’Byrne
Books are due. As of Thursday morning, there were still 506 books needing to be returned to the CAES library. Please continue to look for those books and send them back to the library where they can enjoy summer break on a comfy shelf.
To keep honing those developing reading skills and discover some fun books, here are some Cardinal Summer Reading suggestions for your kids – and a few recommendations for you to take to the beach!
Lots o’ Links
Our school’s handbook: CAES Family FAQ ('24-'25)
Information about the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) and the division’s new language arts curriculum, myView, is linked here: Virginia Literacy Act and here: IWCS Language Arts Info
Here’s a link to a collection of resources to help you keep your children engaged with reading over the winter break and beyond: VLP literacy opportunities
Here is our school counselors’ referral form.
All students enrolled in Isle of Wight County Schools are given an opportunity to apply for free and reduced-price meals. Applications may be completed privately and securely online at www.schoolcafe.com, and forms can be obtained at any school's cafeteria or main office.
Cafeteria menus are posted monthly on the IWCS website at IWCS Cafeteria Menus ('24-'25)
Here’s the link to an “online note” that you can use to report your children’s absences: CAES Absence Noteand information about IWCS All Things Attendance
A copy of the school division’s calendar: 2024-2025 School Calendar
Bus info: IWCS Transportation Information
Reminders
If you would like to eat lunch with your child, please reach out to the teacher at least 24 hours in advance to schedule the visit; this will allow the teacher to communicate if there are any changes to the lunch schedule and to notify the office of your upcoming visit.
Early pick-up ends at 3:15 daily. From 3:15 to 3:35, students are receiving valuable instruction, at recess, or transitioning between classes, so your support is appreciated.
From Blue Dominion (www.
Be on the lookout for the yearbook you ordered as they were sent home. All extra books have been purchased.
All school photos can still be ordered and 20% of the net profit will go directly back to support the school. (Use link above.)
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The Carillon 6/14/25