Mar 106 min read

ACS Weekly Newsletter 3/10/24

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear ACS Families & Staff,

What an exciting week at ACS! On Wednesday we participated in the Statewide Tornado Drill. The students did a fantastic job of listening to their teachers and getting to their designated places quickly and safely. This week we also held our lottery for the upcoming school year. We are excited for new families and siblings to join the Pack!

Also this week, kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 6th grade held their Project Celebrations. Students were able to showcase their learning and end products. Kindergarteners became experts on countries around the world. Second graders learned about economics and created stores to sell goods and services during their celebration. Sixth graders created learning instruments such as slideshows and websites to teach others about a topic of their choice. These will be added to a shared drive so students in other grades can use them as learning tools.

On a different note, I want to take a moment to assure you that although I will be leaving ACS at the end of June, I remain dedicated to the growth and success of the school and am committed to a smooth transition. Student success, both academically and socially/emotionally, as well as safety remain my top priorities. I will continue to be a supporter of ACS no matter where I land because I believe in the mission and vision of the school and its impact on the community.

Best,

Jamie Miller, Principal

STUDENT SERVICES

Hello from your student services team, Mr. Tribotte and Mrs. Gittens! We have been working with the admin team and teachers to investigate several reports of inappropriate topics/language, mean/unkind words, etc. which has led to student issues inside the classroom. These discussions and conversations are via group chats, social media comments, etc.. Please help us maintain a positive Coyote Community both inside and outside of the school building by periodically and randomly checking your students phones and messages. Appropriate internet use needs to be a priority as it can bring real concerns of student safety and cyberbullying consequences in school. Please encourage your student(s) to report to you if they are seeing, reading, or hearing things that make them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. Taking screenshots to report to school administration can be helpful for dealing with and addressing this concerning behavior. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

IMPORTANT DATES:

March 11: Skate Night at RollABout 6:00-8:00 pm

March 12: Zaxby's night 5:00-8:00 pm

March 25-April 1: Spring Break

April 8-12: PTO Spring Book Fair (Family Night details coming soon!)

REMAINING 2ND TRIMESTER PROJECT CELEBRATION DATES & TIMES:

March 12: 4th grade at 1:00
March 13: 1st grade at 11:00
March 15 : 5th grade at 11:00 and 3rd grade at 1:30

END OF GRADE TESTING (EOG) INFORMATION (GRADES 3 - 6)

Dear 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Coyote Caregivers - As part of federal and state legislation, each school year North Carolina students are required to take state tests, including EOGs. The North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests are designed to measure student performance on the goals, objectives, and grade-level competencies specified in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. We are excited to see the growth our students have made during the 2023-2024 school year.

We are sharing this information now, so that you can plan accordingly. Students need to arrive on time each day and even a few minutes early, so your child can get settled and not be hurried or stressed upon arriving at school on the morning of assessment. Assessments will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. each day! Please note: If testing has begun for the day and if we do not have any extra test administrators to administer the EOG to late students, we may request that the parent take the student home for the day and they will need to take the test on the make-up day.

These are additional ways for you to help your child do their best:

Please make sure your child gets a solid night of rest the night before an assessment.
Please make sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast before coming to school.
Students should bring a snack and a filled water bottle to school on assessment days, in addition to their lunch and other items needed for school.
Remind your child they are ready for this, to do their best, and they will do an amazing job!

Our 3rd - 6th grade students will participate in End of Grade Testing at the end of May, according to the following schedule.

Date	Grade Levels	Assessment
Tuesday, May 14	3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th	Reading EOG
Wednesday, May 15	5th	Science EOG
Thursday, May 16	3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th	Math EOG

Attendance for EOGs is extremely important. However, we will have make-up EOGs for those students who were not at school on their designated EOG testing day. Designated Make up dates are:

Wednesday, May 15 for 3rd, 4th & 6th grade Reading makeups
Friday, May 17 for 3rd - 6th grade Math makeups
Monday, May 20 for 5th grade Science makeups
Tuesday, May 21 for 5th grade Reading makeups

If you have questions or concerns about the EOGs, you may reach out to your child’s teacher or please contact Catherine Quick, K-5 Curriculum Director, at cquick@alamancecommunityschool.net or Leslie Jewell, Student Information and Testing Coordinator, at ljewell@alamancecommunityschool.net.

*The Board approved the 2024-2025 calendar in November. It can be found on our website and is included here as well.

Rising 7th Graders: Required Immunizations

Students entering 7th grade are required to have one dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine and one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine for individuals who have not already received those vaccines. Please contact your student’s health care provider or the local health department if your child needs those vaccines.

Parents/guardians of students enrolled in 7th grade will be required to provide an updated current proof of vaccination (i.e., Certificate of Immunization from the NC Immunization registry) on or before the first day of school, August 13, 2024.

If proof of vaccination is not provided within 30 calendar days of the first day of school, your child will be excluded from school until a current shot record is provided, as required by law.

Please DO NOT send your immunization certificate to school at this time. You will be asked to provide this later this spring, during our re-enrollment process for current students.

For more information on required immunizations in NC, please visit: https://immunization.dph.ncdhhs.gov/family/nc_immnz_requirements.htm

REMINDERS

Please only use the far right lane when entering the campus for afternoon carline, do not enter in the 2nd left lane. This is a mandate from the City of Graham.
All MUST use the carline unless there are specific situations that require something different (wheelchair, child with special needs, etc.). Those situations are cleared with the front office. Not using the carline because the line is long, you are late for work, etc. are not acceptable reasons to skip the carline.

2023-24 Yearbooks are on sale now!

Order your student's ACS 2023-24 Yearbook!

$23.00 until 3/22/2024

www.strawbridge.net

Online code YB29266 (Note: past newsletters had a typo for the code)

ATHLETICS

ACS Golf is in full swing! Golfers had a great first practice and are eager to continue to develop their game. Coaches really enjoyed working with athletes that were open to feedback.

ACS Golfers shared, “ Golf is so fun, we learn a lot.”

-Peyton & Aniya

Special Thanks to all of our ACS Community who supported our young golfers through donations. We truly appreciate you!

PTO NEWS

Thanks to everyone who joined us for dinner at Texas Roadhouse last week, raising $226!

Monday, March 11th we will be shaking our tail feathers at RollABout Skating Center from 6:00-8:00pm. Entry is only $5 per person and includes skate rental! Make sure to bring cash for entry and the snack bar, and check clothing for rips and tears because little strings wrap around skate wheels and can cause falls.

Tuesday, March 12th the FIRST GRADE will be having their Zaxby's competition! Place your order inside, at the drive thru, or on the app, and 10% of ALL purchases will be donated to the PTO. If you are joining us for the dinner fundraiser, there is nothing more for you to do than grab a bite to eat between 5:00 and 8:00pm. If your student is a First Grader, make sure you pop into the dining room to drop their name into their teacher's cup on the fundraiser table in order to make your visit count in the competition. The class with the highest participation wins a catered lunch!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2024-2025

If you or someone you know would be a good fit for ACS, please apply through our website under the ‘Employment’ tab (see link below) and email a resume to Leslie Paynter: lpaynter@alamancecommunityschool.net

LINK TO APPLICATION