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The

MANE

Idea

For those of you I have not yet met, my name is Kim Smith and I am the new principal at Fort Lewis Elementary. I am not the only new face. We have many dedicated educators joining our team.

Ms. Leigh Smith, recently retired principal of Mountain View Elementary, will be with us this school year. Leigh has been sharing her gifts and expertise with the students and staff and she will be stepping in when I have to be out of the building.

Mr. Stefan Castro, our new music teacher, joins us from Roanoke City Schools. Ask your child about the many instruments he plays in class!

Our new librarian, Mrs. Margaret Howell, also from Roanoke City Schools, is exploring new ways to collaborate with teachers and make the library-media center a place for deeper learning.

Mr. Mike Isbell returns to Roanoke County from Allegheny. Mike, also a FLES parent, is keeping our students engaged with his humor and fun activities.

Ms. Rebecca Kyle, our new art teacher, comes to us from Mount Pleasant Elementary. Ask your child about the creative activities they have been exploring in art class!

Mr. Joe Scott, our new guidance counselor, comes to us from Terrier country. Joe has successfully served William Byrd students as the SAP (Student Assistance Program) Counselor for many years.

Coming from Penn Forest Elementary, Mrs. Jackie Ryder, our new Reading Specialist, is sharing her expertise by working with teachers and students in the classroom. She has also spent many hours organizing our school’s bookroom!

Ms. Allie Willcox comes to us from Pennsylvania. She joins our team of learning specialists, helping all students achieve success.

Mrs. Ashton Bratton, a FLES parent, has joined our preschool staff and Mrs. Valerie Williams, a former FLES parent, joins our instructional staff part-time!

Mrs. Beth Bramble, a former FLES grandparent, serves our students lunch with a smile!

Changes Within Mrs. Margaret Scott has welcomed back some former students. Formerly a third grade teacher, she is teaching our 5th grade students math and science!

Third grade welcomes back Ms. Katy Balko. Last year, Ms. Balko worked with our 1st and 3rd graders.

Mrs. Deede Clifford, making a move from fifth grade, has enjoyed getting to know our second graders. Ms. Christi Southworth, instructional assistant, has also joined the second grade team.

Mrs. Debbie Feazel, IA, has joined our preschool team and Ms. Amanda Newman, IA, is working with our kindergartners this year.

Congratulations to Ms. Faith Griffin. She is serving our bilingual students; working with students at FLES, Glenvar Elementary, Glenvar Middle, and Glenvar High!

Faculty and Staff!

September 2018

A BIG THANKS to the many volunteers who have helped to get our school year off to a great start! Members of the Fort Lewis Christian Church, our neighbor, generously donated school supplies from their coffee house event this summer. Many members have also donated their time and energy coming to assist our students in the cafeteria and by providing summer meals.

We’d also like to thank Stanley Steamer on West Main Street for their donation to our students.

For all of you who helped to Load the Bus at Walmart, we are grateful!

Thank you to the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office for coming to teach our kindergarten and first grade students about safety!

Business

Safety: Please remember to bring a photo ID when coming to visit or volunteer. Our LobbyGuard system checks all visitors against the national registry for sex offenders. Student safety is our first priority. We appreciate your understanding and patience with school security measures.

Conferences: Be sure to read the letter noting parent-teacher conferences. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s progress.

Painting: All of our classrooms have now been painted and our dedicated painters are working hard to spruce up the rest of the building. Check out our blue doors!

Air conditioning: A few adjustments are still being made, but for the most part, Fort Lewis is nice and cool.

We are teaming up school-wide to be sure that “Everybody has a Buddy!” Our older students will be big buddies to our younger students as we partner up for engaging learning experiences. Our first Buddy Event will take place on Tuesday, September 12th (2 hour early dismissal and STEM Day). Students will explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math together as they collaborate for hands-on fun!

5th and 2nd graders will be designing and creating a model of a tool to help farmers pick apples without using a ladder.

4th and 1st graders will be Doodling a Story they have shared and then will collaborate to design and recreate a scene from the story.

3rd graders and their

kindergarten buddies will be

working on a “Get to Know

You” Venn diagram activity

and then doing a literature-

based STEM activity building a

bridge for the Three Billy

Goats Gruff (Lawrence and

Balko) or building a house for

the Three Little Pigs (Barrett

and Weikle).

Thanks to our PTA for a wonderful staff breakfast during the staff work week. We appreciate all you do to help our school a special place.

President-Hope Tingler President Elect-Heather Marks Secretary- Gretchen Alexander Treasurer- Heather Young VP Volunteers- Kristin Monclova VP Membership- Melanie Graffeo VP Ways and Means- Amy Driver Bylaws- Jeannie Keen Hospitality- Jennifer Ford Room Parent Coordinator- Heather Marks Fall Festival Chair- Jenna Magruder Color Run –Jenna Magruder Fun Run Chair- Heather Marks Holiday Shop – Stacy Brock Reflections/Red Ribbon Week: Jennifer Ford

UPCOMING DATES-EVENTS

9-11-18 PTA Board Meeting-Library 6 PM

9-12-18 2 Hour Early Dismissal (STEM Day)

9-13-18 Midpoint

10-09-18 PTA Board meeting 6pm

10-10-18 Early Dismissal

10-12-18 Report Cards Sent Home

10-13-18 Field Trip: Fifth Grade visits Carvins Cove

10/22-26 Red Ribbon Week

10-26-18 Fall Festival

10-29-2018 Field Trip: Jefferson Center-The Giant Dinosaur Musical, Mammoth Follies

10-31-18 FUN RUN!

EVERYBODY has a BUDDY!

PTA

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