Sycolin Creek Chronicle

Dear Parents and Students,

As we approach the end of February, it is remarkable how quickly the school year is progressing. March is set to be a busy and exciting month at Sycolin Creek Elementary School.

We will celebrate Read Across America Week from March 3rd to March 7th, and we look forward to sharing in this wonderful event through reading activities across the school. Additionally, we will honor Youth Art Month and Music in Our Schools Month during this time.

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is currently open for incoming kindergarten students and for those new to LCPS in grades 1-5. Please note that students who are already enrolled in LCPS do not need to re-register this fall. We encourage you to share this information with friends and neighbors who may need details about our registration process.

I trust that your children are enjoying a positive start to the second semester. I would also like to express my gratitude to our dedicated volunteers and the PTA for their invaluable contributions in making this year a memorable one.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to an exciting March ahead.

Sincerely,

Derek Racino

Principal

In celebration of Read Across America, we will be exploring "All the Places We Can Go... with Books" during the month of March! We will begin by celebrating Read Across America Day by wearing something that represents your favorite US destination spot on Monday, March 3. Sports teams, theme parks, cities, beaches, and parks all count! Feel free to be creative! March 3rd through March 7th we will showcase some books about different locations in America read by our very own 5th grade students on the Sammy Show. These books will all be located in Schoology for students to access at school or home. Once students have listened to books from each of the destination categories - beaches, mountains, cities, amusement parks, sporting events and National Parks - they will vote on their favorite spot. There will be an interactive bulletin board next to Mrs. Trainor's room for students to cast their vote (by placing their car sticker) and celebrate the great books they listened to during the month of March. We can't wait to see what everyone's favorite spot is and celebrate the month with great books!

PE Star Students for the month of February 2025

5th grade - Addie Martinez & Rhys Corso

4th grade - Logan Kitchen & Nigel Vaughan

3rd grade - Alexandra Thompson & Aarush Mehta

2nd grade - Avery Snead & Alessandro Guzman

1st grade - Emma Janumala & Landon Turrisi

Kindergarten - Abby Heller & Alexander Lin

Congratulations to our PE Classes for the Month of February, Ms. Bowns' 1st grade and Mrs. Reynolds' 2nd grade class.

In January and February, all students had the opportunity to explore various instruments from the band and orchestra. We extend our gratitude to the Music and Arts store for generously loaning us instruments including the violin, trumpet, French horn, trombone, clarinet, flute, and saxophone. We also appreciate Simpson Middle School for providing the tuba, baritone, cello, and double bass. Ms. Shockey did an excellent job introducing most of the instruments, and it was thrilling for students to engage with them up close, learning about their sounds and more!

In recognition of Black History Month, we studied the music of Florence Price. Second graders focused on reading and singing the notes re and do, as well as so, mi, and la. Meanwhile, third, fourth, and fifth graders have been identifying orchestra instruments by both sound and sight. First grade is preparing for their upcoming share night, themed "First Grade is Springing into Music!"

March marks Music In Our Schools Month, which we will celebrate by inviting parents of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to attend their child's music class. The schedule is available on the music website, and a paper copy will also be distributed. All students will receive a sticker featuring the Music In Our Schools Month logo, and teachers and staff at Sycolin Creek will be presented with pins to wear showcasing this logo.

To commemorate Youth Arts Month and Music In Our Schools Month, we encourage students to utilize their creativity by creating an artwork or a song that illustrates how music and art in education bring us together. We invite parents to participate as well! If you play a musical instrument, we would be delighted if you could perform for your child's class and join our Pep Band for the Matball Game. It is always inspiring for students to witness adults around them sharing their musical talents and experiences. Further information will be sent home on Friday, and we hope to see you at these special music events!

We would also like to acknowledge our Rock Star Music Classes for February

Kindergarten – Mrs. Hose

1st Grade – Ms. Bowns

2nd Grade – Ms. Kulak

3rd Grade – Mrs. Duis

4th Grade – Mrs. Forrester

5th Grade – Mrs. Comins

Congratulations to these classes for demonstrating exceptional behavior throughout the month of February!

We are busy as usual in the art room! We plan to begin working with clay towards the end of this month. The entire process of production, firing, painting, and a second firing typically takes several weeks, so please anticipate its return during April or perhaps even May. I know the children are eager to get started.

In addition, the upper grades will be engaging in watercolor painting. It is often necessary to allow the artwork to dry before applying additional layers of paint. We utilize hairdryers to expedite this process. If anyone has an old, functioning hairdryer they would like to donate to the art room, we would greatly appreciate your generosity.

Star Art Star Classes for February

Kindergarten - Mrs. Hose

First Grade - Ms. Bowns

Second Grade - Mrs. Brosan

Third Grade - Mrs. Duis

Fourth Grade - Mrs. Hermens

Fifth Grade - Mrs. Trainor

Thank you for supporting Sycolin Creeks Artists.

Dr. Bennett

During the month of March, Kindergarten students will use their Perceiving and Reasoning Keys as they explore Cuisenaire Rods to complete puzzles. First grade students will engage in a STEM activity that connects to their Force and Motion curriculum. Students will test out different heights of ramps to explore how distance and friction affect motion. Second grade students will be challenged to use their visual-spatial skills as they use pentomino pieces to solve various puzzles. Third grade students will have their last talent development and portfolio lessons as part of the gifted eligibility process. Gifted eligibility notifications will be sent to third-grade families in late-May.

We would like to congratulate all of the students that participated in the second test of the WordMasters' program. The top three scoring students from each grade level are below. Congrats!

Third Grade

1st Place - Jane Keigher

2nd Place - Aarush Mehta

3rd Place - Levi Janumala

Fourth Grade

1st Place - Gus Maslowski

2nd Place - (Tie) Brooklynn Chettiar, Aidan Pradhan

3rd Place - Olive Okpych

Fifth Grade

1st Place - Madeline Thoma

2nd Place - (Tie) Chaitra Tiparthy, Noah Hanley

3rd Place - Ethan Janumala

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is currently accepting nominations of educators, students, programs, parents and community members who demonstrate excellence in the LCPS special education community.

The Recognition for Excellence in Supporting Special Education Awards honors those who have gone above and beyond to foster meaningful inclusion that promotes adaptability, creativity, disability awareness, acceptance, and peer-to-peer interactions for students with disabilities. To submit a nomination, fill out the 2025 Nomination Form. Nominations must be received by midnight on Friday, March 21 to be considered.

Winners will be notified by SEAC in May. The SEAC Awards Ceremony will be on June 4 at Loudoun County High School.

Please contact the SEAC Chair with any questions.

The 2024-25 Yearbook Sale has officially begun and will end on Friday, April 18th. The cost of each book is $22, and all of the ordering will take place online.

https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/sycolincreekelementary

It is time to register your new LCPS student for the 2025/26 school year! The online pre-registration portal for kindergartners and students new to LCPS opened on Monday, Jan. 6. Current LCPS students do not need to complete this process. The LCPS student registration process involves two steps: online pre-registration and in-person registration appointments. The online pre-registration process includes determining your student’s home school, gathering the documents required for registration and uploading them to the pre-registration portal. Once pre-registration is complete, we will contact you to schedule a registration appointment to be held after Feb. 3, 2025. Paper registration forms are also available at school, or you may download them from the LCPS website. If you have questions, please contact our front office or LCPS Student Registration at RegistrationServices@lcps.org. See more information about Student Registration on the LCPS website.

March 3rd is International SEL Day! SEL Day is a time when students and communities around the world celebrate the importance of social-emotional learning. This year’s theme is “Skills for Success, Ready for the Future”. Throughout the week, we are going to explore some of the most important skills necessary to be successful as adults in the workforce. Some of these skills include communication, teamwork/collaboration, problem-solving, growth mindset, and relationship skills. One resource families can use at home to reinforce these key skills can be found HERE.

Attention Salamander Families -- the Lost & Found here at school is overflowing with coats, jackets, sweatshirts, water bottles, lunch boxes, etc. If your child is missing an item, and you believe it may have been lost at school, please stop by between 7:25 a.m.-3:40 p.m. to take a look. The Lost & Found is located in the hallway outside of the cafeteria. All unclaimed items leftover at the end of the year will be donated to charity, so please come take a look if your child is missing any items. Thank you!

If your child will be absent/tardy due to illness/appointment or other circumstances, please call our absentee call in line at 571-252-2911 or visit our Sycolin Creek website at https://www.lcps.org/sycolincreek and complete the online absence form. Families are now able to submit absences via ParentVUE. Should you need to speak to someone in the school office, please call 571-252-2910.

Email: derek.racino@lcps.org
Website: lcps.org/sycolincreek
Phone: (571) 252-2910
Twitter: @Sycolin_Creek