Website: http://www.woodford.kyschools.us/school_home.aspx?schoolid=5
Location: 830 Tyrone Pike, Versailles, KY, United States
Phone: 8598794670
Twitter: @SimmonsSchool

August 31, 2015

Parents and Guardians,

Our first significant milestone on the school calendar is nearly upon us. Labor Day weekend marks the end of our opening phase to the new school year. Here at Simmons Elementary, we consider this the “laying the foundation” period of our school year. “Laying the Foundation” refers to the everyday aspects regarding how we conduct our day-to-day business. More than likely a student review of this period of time at school, in most cases, would only relate to simple procedures pertaining to hallways, cafeteria and general playground procedures. Within our classrooms, our educators are explicitly “laying the foundation” for a host of academic, non-negotiable expectations, ranging from penmanship, speaking and listening routines, thinking routines, grammar and classroom discussion techniques.

As your child’s principal, I’m encouraging you to take advantage of this important period in our school year to interview and discuss academic, non-negotiable expectations with your child.

Here are several starter questions for the next dinner table discussion:

1. Neatness counts- How often are you reminded to return your class assignments in order to improve your penmanship? Does your teacher notice your efforts to improve your assignment’s appearance? How do you know when your work meets their standard for quality?

2. Classroom Discussions- How often are you given the opportunity to work in groups or discuss the lesson with your classmates? What does this look like? Can you give me an example from school today? Do you enjoy sharing your ideas with others while learning new content?

3. Grammar- If you were the teacher and if I were the student, do you think you could teach me today’s grammar lesson? What would you teach? How would you know I understood today’s grammar lesson?

4. Thinking Routines- Think about today’s subjects. Out of all of today’s lessons, which subject caused you to think the most? Follow your student’s response with, “What makes you say that?”

When discussing today’s school events, please don’t settle for the one-word, generic response, “good”. By changing your approach, I suspect your dinner table conversations will improve and you’ll gain a better understanding about the events during school and attention your child has given to their coursework.

Good luck with your conversations and if you can make time, let me know if it helps.

Sincerely,

Principal Caudill

Twitter @CaudillLarry

Twitter @SimmonsSchool

ATTENTION PARENTS - Please stop by any school to sign the 2015 - 2016 Annual Volunteer Letter of Intent. This is required to keep your background check current. Each school year after the initial background check, this form needs to be completed prior to September 15th in order to keep your status as an approved volunteer current. There will be many volunteer opportunities at Simmons this year so please get your letter of intent/background check up to date.

Where did you grow up? I grew up out in the country, in Franklin County, Kentucky.

How long have you been teaching?I began my teaching career in 1991 at a private school in Lexington.

Where did you attend college? I earned my Bachelor's degree in Spanish and English education from the University of Kentucky in 1991.I earned my Master's degree in Special Education from the University of Kentucky in 2000. I also earned a second Master's degree in Teacher Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands in February 2015.

What are your special interests? Personally, I spend a lot of time on sports' fields watching my 6 year old play baseball and football.

Professionally, I am interested in brain research and what makes the brain retain and lose information.

What grades have you taught? I teach them all.

How many years have you taught at Simmons? This is my 8th year back at Simmons. I also worked here as a long-term sub and then a half time teacher in the early 2000's.

What are you currently reading?Currently I am reading "Promoting Executive Functions in the Classroom" by Lynn Meltzer and "Do I really have to teach reading" by Cris Tovani.

Do you have a favorite quote? "Think you can, think you can't; either way you are right." Henry Ford

What is your classroom web address? The special education web address is http://tmagness.edublogs.org/.

Grandparent's Day Lunch is September 11th. Please let grandma and grandpa know we can't wait until their visit. Also, the Fall Book Fair will open on this day to allow our distinguished visitors a little extra time with their grandchild shopping for a special book. Look for more Book Fair information to come soon.

Attendance- Attendance calls for all students who are absent will be completed daily. If your student will be absent, you may call the school and let us know.

Head Phones!!! Please send head phones in for your child’s use. It would be helpful. With more and more computer usage, it is important your child has headphones they can use daily.

Don't forget to register for our 5th Grade RUN4DC 5K! www.run4dc.com

CHAMPs winners from the week Aug. 28th

Simmons T-shirts

Jonathan Gillispe

Kyra Stephens

Yoland Solis

Nash Raisor

Parker Rose

Isaiah Carroll

Dairy Queen

Rigoberto Reyes
Martha Jones

Kirsten Sumbaum

Shelby Talson

Brookelynn Sloan

Logan Cox

Woodford T-shirt

Samantha Barber

Kids Place

Dakota Tipton

Simmons Sweatshirt

Austin Hamilton

Falling Springs

Jose Avila

Selma Hernandez

Family 4 Pack to WCHS Football Game

Winter Johnson

Keagan Cleavinger

Jake Walker

McDonalds

Hannah Ite

United Bank Piggy Bank

Aaliyah Fisher

Lunch With Mrs. Dugan

Bella Crowe

What is WEEF?

• Staffed entirely by volunteers the mission of the Wooodford Educational Endowment Foundation is to ensure innovative, high-quality education is delivered to public school students throughout the Woodford County School system. Annually, since 1999, over 3,000 Woodford County Public School students have attended an array of fine arts performances, at no cost to the student, as part of the WEEF Performing Arts Program for the Woodford County Public School System.
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• Funding for WEEF projects is derived primarily from an annual golf tournament, sponsored by Citizens Commerce National Bank.
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• If you would like information about WEEF, please send your request to WEEF@woodford.kyschools.us

2015-16 WEEF Schedule

Puppets and Such-Spangle K Southside Elementary School (scheduling 2 performances for September 15, 2015)

A Winnie the Pooh Christmas 1st Woodford Theatre December 17, 2015

Marcus Wilkerson (African Music) 2nd Midway October 15, 2015

UK Opera-BIlly Goats Gruff 3rd Midway October 20, 2015

Adolph Rupp (Chatauqua Players) 4th Midway November 16, 2015

Lexington Vintage Dance-Romantic and Civil War 5th Midway November 11, 2015

A Kentucky Christmas 6th Woodford Theatre December 3, 2015

Lexington Children's Theater-The Legend of John Henry 7th Midway April 6, 2016

Lexington Vintage Dance-Romantic and Civil War 5th Midway November 11, 2015

Location: 830 Tyrone Pike, Versailles, KY, United States
Phone: 8598794670
Twitter: @CaudillLarry