• 2/10 at 6:00PM- RCPS School Board Meeting

• 2/11- Bank of Botetourt visits Central

• 2/11- Jump Rope/Hoops for Heart begins

• 2/12 at 6:00PM- PTA Board Meeting

• 2/13- 5th Grade visit to MRMS

• 2/14- Valentine’s Day Parties at 1:45PM

• 2/17- Boxerwood visits our preschool

• 2/18- Theatre IV presents “The Tortoise and the Hare” (Thanks, PTA!)

• 2/19 from 3:30PM-6:30PM- Parent/Teacher Conferences

• 2/23- Interim Reports home to families

• 2/27 at 12:45PM- Central and PTA’s Talent Show

• 3/2- READY Open House, Spaghetti Dinner, and Scholastic Book Fair

Volume 9, Issue 7 Ryan Barber, Principal Phone: 463-4500 Fax: 463-2225 February 10, 2015

Important Dates • • • •

1

The winter months always seem to bring an interesting variety of challenges! For some students, the winter months bring about a “slump” in study and homework habits. Taking a moment to review your child’s homework and study routines can go a long way to developing responsibility. Refining your child’s independent study skills and routines might help get things back on track.

The cold and dark winter months also make it more of a challenge to get up and get going in the morning. Absences and tardies have a direct impact on student success in school. By setting the expectation that your child regularly attends school and arrives on time is the single greatest factor affecting regular and on-time student attendance. Students who arrive late to school are at a disadvantage. They do not have the opportunity to settle in and begin their day organized and ready to go. They miss opening activities and valuable instructional time.

We have many events coming up in February such as: Bank of Botetourt visits on February 11th to speak to the students about the

2

importance of saving, Theatre IV presents “The Tortoise and the Hare” on February 18th, our Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for February 19th from 3:30PM-6:30PM, our Talent Show on February 27th, and of course, Valentine’s Day Parties on February 13th at 1:45PM. Our K-3 will have traditional Valentine’s Day classroom parties. Our 4th and 5th graders wanted to have a Valentine’s Dance. The “dance” will happen during the regularly scheduled party time on February 13th. I am very excited about what lies ahead of us in February. Please join us whenever you can!

As always, please call our school if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your child’s education.

Sincerely, Ryan Barber Principal

From the Desk of the Principal • • • •

Morning Drop-Off • • • • Just a friendly reminder: The front parking lot is for buses only in the morning. All students in cars need to be dropped off at the back of the building. When doing so, please form a single line of cars along the back curb. For safety reasons, please pull forward to the staff member located near the chain link fence. The staff member will help your child get out of the car. If at all possible, please have your child get out on the curbside. We understand that some families are unable to let their child out on the curbside. As a result, please do not swerve around a car that is parked letting their child out. Please wait until all children are safely on the sidewalk and then follow the line of cars out of the parking lot. Our goal is to make the parking lot safe for everyone.

COGAT Testing • • • • Form 7 of the Cognitive Abilities Test

(CogAT®) will be administered division-wide to second grade students during the testing window, March 2 – 13, 2015. The test has three batteries; each battery is composed of three short tests. CES will be administering these batteries on March 9th-13th.

The purpose of this test is to measure general thinking and problem-solving skills that students have learned through in-school and out-of-school experiences. It indicates how well the students can use these skills to solve verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal problems. Teachers can use the test results to help students learn more effectively.

It is important that your child keep his/her regular school routine during the three days of testing. Please make sure s/he has a good night’s rest, a healthy breakfast, and arrives to school on time. We appreciate your help in preparing your child for this important assessment.

• • • • • • • • • • •

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Central Staff!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Central Elementary School Newsletter

Library News • • • • ! Mark your calendars now! The Spring Scholastic Book Fair will be happening in the library at Central March 2-6. The book fair will be open each day from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Extended hours will be offered on Monday, March 2 from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. We can’t wait to see the new and exciting titles that will be offered!

You may also shop our online book fair beginning February 14-March 6. Books purchases through the online book fair will be shipped directly to Mrs. Tanner. She will then send the books home with your child. Please let her know if you are purchasing gift items so that arrangements can be made to pick these items up from her in the library. All online orders are shipped free to Central Elementary. Visit the online site at the following address: http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/centralbears

We will also be participating in the All for Books program this spring. This program not only helps Central’s library, but Scholastic will match any monetary donations raised with a donation of up to one million books to two non-profit organizations, Kids in Need Foundation and Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. We raised $68 during our fall book fair. This money allowed Mrs. Tanner to purchase several new titles for our library. We would love to see that amount doubled during our spring book fair. More information will be coming home soon. Thank you for your support in this wonderful program.

Mrs. Tanner is still looking for library volunteers. No experience is necessary. Help is needed shelving books, assisting with student check out, organizing shelves, etc. Please contact her at julie_tanner@rockbridge.k12.va.us if you are interested.!!

Kindergarten Registration for 2015-16 • • • • Our faculty and staff look forward to welcoming our rising-kindergarten students during our

Kindergarten Registration. The date of the registration will be announced soon. Please bring the following: 1. Birth Certificate 2. Immunizations/Physical Forms (Physical must be dated after 8/19/2014).

3. A recent utility bill.

Please share this information with any families that you know will join us next year!

PTA Fundraiser Yankee Candle Company Fundraiser- Beginning on February 17th, students will have Yankee Candle brochures to sell candles to friends and family. The candles are priced similarly to the ones at other vendors. The profit is going to be used by our PTA to continue their level of funding for the following projects:

Field Trips Theatre Performances

School Supplies School Equipment Teacher Stipends

SOL Snacks Clothes Closet Needs

Class Parties Library Books

Special Presentations, and much more!

READY News • • • • The Winter Session of READY is off to a great start. Our amazing teachers, core leaders, volunteers, and students are engaged and learning. We are so proud of our 21st Century Learning Community and thank you for your support and participation. Just a reminder: We will not have READY on February 19th and March 5th. The Winter Session of READY ends on March 19th.

S

Save the Date: READY Spring Open House will be held on Monday, March 2nd.

Junior Achievement • • • Junior Achievement has an internationally

known curriculum that is being shared with Central’s students in grades K-5. A great community partner, The Lexington Sunrise Rotary Club, has helped our school purchase the materials needed to implement the program. Dick Halseth, a member of the Rotary Club, has been instrumental in recruiting volunteers to deliver the Junior Acheivement curriculum. The key components being shared with our students include five sequential themes, each with five hands-on activities. The activities and lessons work to change students’ lives by helping them understand business and economics. Our students and staff are excited about the Junior Achievement Program and thank Dick Halseth, The Lexington Sunrise Rotary and the amazing volunteers for the great lessons they share with our students.

Lost and Found Is your child missing a hat, a pair of mittens, a lunchbox, a jacket, or a sweatshirt? Central has a number of them in our Lost and Found. Please come by our school if your child is missing anything. The Lost and Found is located near our library. At the end of the school year, all items that are not claimed will be donated to local charities. If we can help in any way, please let us know.

Central’s Talent Show will be Friday, February 27th at 12:45 PM. There is sti ll t ime to let us know you would like to perform.

The forms are due on February 20 th! Families are welcome to come and enjoy!

Reminder: February 20th is

now a regular school day!