ACS Weekly Newsletter 4/21/24

Apr 21, 20247 min read

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear ACS Families & Staff,

Happy Sunday! Benchmark testing and end of the year testing are upon us. At ACS we use mClass, IXL, and NC Check-ins (depending upon the grade level) to obtain benchmark data. While we don't want to create undo stress for students about testing, we DO want them to understand how important it is for them to do their best so we can determine areas of strengths and areas where we can help them grow. This information helps us plan instruction and provides data regarding our progression toward our goals. Please encourage your student to take their time on IXL, NC Check-ins, and End of Grade testing and to always do their best to show what they know. Encourage them to try and practice positive things they can say or do if they become frustrated. For example, instead of saying, "I don't know how to do this one," teach them to say, "This one is tricky, but I'm going to read it again and give it a try." Teach them to take deep breaths and stretches they can do while seated.

Testing isn't the only thing going on these last few weeks! We have project celebrations coming up AND...despite the construction and the lack of a field, we are working on a plan to still have FIELD DAY! We will most likely have one day for grades K-2 and a different day for 3-6 due to the testing schedule for our upper grades. The days will be during the week of May 20th. Stay tuned for a separate email this week with more details!

As a reminder, this Friday is a Teacher Workday and there is no school for students.

Let's make it another great week at ACS!

Best,

Jamie Miller, Principal

PTO NEWS

This Wednesday, April 24 we will have our final public PTO meeting of the year virtually from 6:00-7:00pm. Topics will include end of year budget, Teacher Appreciation Week, and new Board Members! Join us here: https://meet.google.com/gjh-bzzo-jce

Now that the Book Fair has been finalized, we are so excited to share that all of you raised an astonishing $4,600!! These funds will be held in the bank as this school year is coming close to an end, and it will be used toward beginning of the year projects and supplies in August. Keep your eyes open for updates after summer!

Next week, on Monday, April 29 we will have our final Skate Night at RollABout Skating Center on Chapel Hill Rd in Burlington from 6:00-8:00pm. Come out and boogie down with us for only $5.00 per guest. The PTO will receive half of all entrance fees!

LOST and FOUND

To avoid having so many lost items, please label your child's belongings (particularly coats, jackets, sweatshirts, lunchboxes, books, and water bottles as these are the items that are typically left behind).

ATHLETICS

Congrats to ACS Golf! Coyotes faced a talented field of golfers on 4/17/24 in a match hosted by River Mill Academy.

Bryson would have his second top 15 finish of the season. In a field of 26 golfers, he finished 14th. Solid play by Jacob , Brenn and LJ! Coyotes would finish tied for 3rd Place with Discovery Charter School of six schools competing.

Families, if you have a rising 6th or 7th grader that wishes to participate in ACS athletics for the 24-25 school year, a physical examination form is required for tryouts and participation. Exams can be scheduled with your primary care physician, or local minute clinics.

Coach Long

STUDENT SERVICES (Mrs. Tribotte and Mrs. Gittens)

Carline Reminder - For AM carline the number of staff and students can fluctuate, if you feel comfortable please allow your student to begin getting out of the car on their own. If your younger student needs help you are welcome to wait for assistance and older students can hop out.

Clothing Needed - We have given out much of our back up clothing, particularly boys. If anyone can donate new underwear and/or gently used shorts as backups in case of accidents, that would be greatly appreciated! Please make sure if you have a younger child to send back ups with them everyday, just in case.

Phone Check/Safety Reminder - Please check your student’s(s’) phones. It's a good idea to check deleted items in photos/videos and to look through their social media accounts. Make sure they know everyone they are chatting with and that they are using kind words to reduce cyberbullying and protect student social/emotional health! Student safety is our priority.

ART

Thank you to everyone who submitted work to the Celebrating Art Competition this spring. We had over 60 entries and 6 pieces of art have been selected for publication in a national art book which will be added to our art library in October. Students may submit work for the competition again this fall. Congratulations to all who participated!

Below are pictures of those that were selected for publication.

WORLD CHANGERS

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, the Coyote Cafe is open through the month of April in the gym during morning carline. The Coyote Cafe sells drinks and snacks (ex: water, low sugar juice, lemonade, fruit, muffins, etc.).

All items cost $1.00.
All the money is going to fund World Changers projects (ex: helping with the food pantry, school community improvement projects, etc.)

SAVE THE DATE!

Thursday, May 9th & Friday, May 10th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Alamance Community School Musical Theater presents: THE LION KING KIDS! Join our wonderful cast and crew for a night of singing, dancing, and laughter. Tickets will go on sale at the end of April, so keep your eye out for that information! You won't want to miss out!

IMPORTANT DATES:

April 24: PTO Meeting (6:00-7:00)

April 26: Teacher Workday

April 29: 4th Grade Field Trip

May 9 and 10 : Lion King Kids performance (7:30)

May 16: 1st Grade Field Trip

TESTING DATES:

Remaining NC Check Ins
Tues. April 25: 5th & 6th Grade Reading
Thurs. April 27: 5th & 6th Grade Math
EOGs (see below for full EOG information)
Tues. May 14: 3rd - 6th Grade Reading
Wed. May 15: 5th Grade Science
Thurs. May 16: 3rd - 6th Grade Math

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

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