Knightly News
April 26, 2024
Every Student, Every Day Deserves to Learn, Lead, & Excel!
Message from our Principal~ Ms. Tamara Perkins
Our third, fourth, and fifth-grade students have done an amazing job working through the Georgia Milestones Assessment. They will complete Math Section 1 on Monday, April 29, 2024, and Math Section 2 on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Our fifth-grade students will finish on Thursday, May 2, 2024, with Science sections 1 and 2. Thank you ahead of time for making sure students get plenty of rest and arrive at school on time each day.
Each grade level has had a blast during field day. Thank you to all of the parents and families who have come out to support and cheer on our students. Our fifth-grade students will have field day on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 from 9:00 - 12:00 pm. If you are able to volunteer, reach to to Mr. Chaney at daniel.cheney@gcpsk12.org.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Simonton ES Gifted Student of the Year
Congratulations to Jayden H. He was honored at the Gwinnett Alliance for Gifted Education ceremony on Wednesday, April 24, 204 at the Simonton ES Gifted Student of the Year. We are so proud of him!
Upcoming Events at Simonton
Friday, April 26
- SES Movie Night ~ 7:00-9:00 pm
Monday, April 29
- GMAS Math Section 1~ Grades 3-5
Tuesday, April 30
- GMAS Math Section 2 ~ Grades 3-5
Wednesday, May 1
- GMAS Math Make-ups
- Field Day (5th Grade)
Thursday, May 2
- GMAS Science ~ Grade 5
- Kindergarten Roundup ~ 5:30-6:30 pm
Friday, May 3
- GMAS Make-ups
- Local School Council Meeting ~ 9:00-10:00 am
- Barber of Seville ~ Grade 3-5
Monday, May 6- Wednesday, May 8
- BOGO Scholastic Book Fair
Tuesday, May 7
- Celebration of Learning (K-2nd) ~ 9:00-10:00 am
- 3rd Grade Field Trip (Washington Farms) ~ 9:30-1:10 pm
Wednesday, May 8
- Celebration of Learning (3rd-5th) ~ 9:00-10:00 am
Thursday, May 9
- PTA Spirit Night at Sparkles ~ 5:00-8:00 pm
Friday, May 10
- School Tours (New Families) ~ 10:00-11:00 am
- PBIS Celebration
Tuesday, May 14
- Fine Arts Night ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Thursday, May 16
- Honor Ceremony (1st, 2nd, & 4th)
Friday, May 17
- Honor Ceremony (3rd)
Monday, May 20
- 5th Grade Celebration (Colclough, Vlaic, & Shoemake)~ 8:30-10:00 am
Tuesday, May 21
- 5th Grade Celebration (Battle, Elliott, & McCree)~ 8:30-10:00 am
- 5th Grade Walk ~ 2:00 pm
Wednesday, May 22
- Last Day of School
- Report Cards sent home
Upcoming Events:
April 26, 2024
7:00-9:00 pm
May 2, 2024
5:30-6:30 pm
May 9, 2024
5:00-8:00 pm
May 14, 2024
5:30-7:00 pm
Georgia Milestones (GMAS)
Simonton Elementary has just been approved as a Common Sense School, an honor that recognizes our efforts in teaching digital citizenship to young people and engaging the entire school community in this important discussion. The recognition acknowledges our school's commitment to helping students build skills that are essential for their well-being today—and for the opportunities they'll have tomorrow.
This honor is provided by Common Sense Education, part of a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.
We are one of the more than 80,000 schools across the country that use Common Sense Education's groundbreaking education resources. As a result, our students are better equipped to navigate the digital world and use devices for learning.
Virtual Zoom “EVERY DAY MAGIC” Camp
Learning and performing magic tricks have been shown to benefit children and adults with disabilities. The approach is being shown to be an effective treatment technique as it promotes motivation and improves physical, psychological, perceptual, or social functions in those who participate. For this reason, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is hosting EVERY DAY Magic camp free of charge to students with disabilities.
Who: Students with disabilities ages 9-18 years of age.
What: Parent Mentors Present: “Locating and Understanding Resources within the Community”
When: Camp 1: June 3 to June 28, 2024
Camp 2: July 8 to August 2, 2024
Where: virtually via Zoom. For additional information, email Arts in Medicine at artsinmedicine@uab.edu
Georgia Department of Education Parent Trainings
In honor of Autism Acceptance Month and in response to a growing need, the GaDOE has partnered with Emory Autism to provide two parent training sessions.
Who: Families of students with disabilities
When And Where: See dates listed below and utilize the hyperlinked title to join the zoom session.
Supporting Your Child’s Communication at Home
April 23, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM.
April 24, 2024, 6:00 - 7:00 PM.
Maintaining Structure and Routines
April 29, 2024, 6:00 - 7:00 PM.
May 2, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 PM.
Georgia Special Needs Scholarships: SB10 and SB47
What: Under state laws passed by the Georgia State Legislature, parents of students who receive special education services or accommodations under a Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan may request to transfer their child to another public or private school in Georgia.
Who: Any student who currently receives special education services, grades PK-11th and any returning 12th grader, as well as students who are eligible for a Section 504 Plan and are in grades Kindergarten-11th.
For more information click on the link below.
Georgia Special Scholarship (SB10/SB47) - Gwinnett County Public Schools (gcpsk12.org)
GCPS Parent Portal Transition to ParentVUE
On March 25, 2024, family accounts were moved from Parent Portal to ParentVUE. This change will require parents/guardians to reset their passwords.
The district sent out an email notification through ParentSquare on March 25th to families of active students with an email address in Synergy. The message to parents will contain a link parents should click to initiate the password change.
If you received the email, CLICK HERE for more guidance on resetting your password.
If you did NOT receive the email message, see below for steps to help access your account.
Open the link for the new ParentVUE access page:
https://ga-gcps.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True
Click the red lock icon with Forgot Password
Enter the email associated with your Parent Portal account and click Send Email.
When the email arrives, follow the link in your message.
Enter the First Name and Last Name associated with your Parent Portal account. (Sometimes this is where errors occur. Please contact your school's SDMC to confirm the name on your account if you experience problems.)
Enter the new password twice.
You'll get a message that you've successfully changed your password with a link to the login page.
Login with the email as your username and the new password you just set.
Camp Invention
Hello Simonton ES families!
We are excited to host Camp Invention June 3, 2024 – June 6, 2024 here at Simonton Elementary School. A special thank you goes out to the Nordson Foundation who have made a generous donation that will allow us to offer scholarships for Simonton ES students who attend Camp Invention. 30 scholarships will be awarded to the first 30 students who sign up using the google link below. The scholarship award will be $200.00. Parents will be responsible for paying the remaining $85.00. Scholarship funds are for currently enrolled Simonton ES students only.
https://forms.gle/m5J3G32gZp8uH3u76
Hola familias de Simonton ES!
Estamos emocionados de organizar Camp Invention de Junio 3, 2024 - Junio 6, 2024 en la Escuela Simonton. Un agradecimiento especial a la Fundación Nordson que ha hecho una generosa donación que nos permitirá ofrecer becas para los estudiantes de Simonton ES que asistan a Camp Invention. Se otorgarán 30 becas a los primeros 30 estudiantes que se registren utilizando el enlace de Google a continuación. El premio de la beca será de $ 200.00. Los padres serán responsables de pagar los $85.00 restantes. Los fondos de la beca son solo para los estudiantes actualmente matriculados en Simonton ES.
Simonton's Kindergarten Registration:
Other Kindergarten Registration Information:
The Department of Federal Programs' Office of Family Engagement in partnership with the Student Services Department invites all families to join an Engage, Equip, Empower Series titled: “Empowering Conversations: Let’s Discuss Youth Mental Health and Drug Abuse” on May 1, 2024, from 5:30 until 7:00 PM.
GCPS families will receive powerful information from district and community leaders about the importance of mental health and drug abuse awareness. Families will also learn how they can find help and support for both concerns.
Annual Parent Involvement Survey
Who: Families of students who are receiving special education services
What: Each state is required to conduct a parent survey to measure parent/family perceptions of the success of parent engagement between home and local schools.
When: Available now through May 31, 2024
Where: Parents can complete the survey via the survey link below. We ask that a copy of the attached letter be sent home with every SWD student. Additionally, we ask that the letter(s) and survey link be posted on your special education teachers e-class pages as well as your school website. Our goal is to ensure that all parents are aware of the survey and have the opportunity to participate.
Please use the following link to access the survey:
Gwinnett Community Services' Event Calendar
Good News Club
Ready By 5
Simonton ES Handbook Highlights
Testing
Testing occurs throughout the school year. These include state, district and local assessments. Please refer to the parent/teacher newsletter to see when upcoming tests are scheduled and plan ahead to ensure your child gets a good night’s rest, eats a healthy breakfast and that your child will be present during testing days. Due to changes in lunch schedules and seating limitations, there will be no visitors to lunch on standardized testing days. This will be communicated through the parent newsletters prior to testing and on the school website.
Arrival/Dismissal of Students
Students are expected to be at school on time and not leave unless they have permission. Staff members are involved in planning, conferencing, and staff meetings prior to 7:45 am. Students may NOT be dropped off BEFORE this time. At 7:45 am students should be dropped off in the car-rider line on the right-hand side of the school, not in the front office. This is for their safety. There is no one on duty to supervise students prior to this time. If students arrive after 8:15 am parents are to park in a regular parking space and escort their child to the office for check-in. School dismissal is at 2:45 pm. Car riders must be picked up by 3:05 pm. After this time, car riders will be taken to the front office for parent contact. Excessive incidents of late car rider pick up will result in a parent conference with school administrators and further action that may include the School Resource Officer and/or Division of Family and Children Services.
From our Counselors...
Information for Parents: New Resource for K-5 English Language Arts
Medication
Students may NOT carry medication of any kind to school. For student safety, we need to be aware of the medication and dosage in case there are any adverse reactions. The clinic worker is authorized to administer medications to students when proper paperwork is completed. Medications should always be in the original containers when brought to or picked up from school by an adult. Medication may not be brought to school by a student. These procedures are a safety precaution for your child, both on the bus and when they visit the clinic. Parents should inform the school if their child has a contagious disease.
Ice Cream for Sale
This year's ice cream selections can be seen in the picture to the side:
The application for free and reduced lunch is now available. There will be no waiver in place to offer free lunch for all students. Please complete the application if you feel this is a service your family will need. All students who have not been approved for free or reduced lunch service will be charged the full price each day.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
https://www.nlappscloud.com/Welcome.aspx?api=78f8fee54716f21218e523747d37a13c
Clinic Card
Does your child have a medical concern that we need to be aware of? Stop in to see Mrs. Tammy Jones in the clinic.
Complete the clinic card if your child has any medical concerns that we need to be aware of. We also need to know any medication your child is taking and directions of what to do while we are caring for your child until you arrive.
ParentSquare
We are excited to announce that our school district has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.
ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to receive and send information, such as:
- Weather-related closings & delays
- School and class information
- Share pictures and files
- See calendar items
- Upcoming class activities
District & school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
MyPaymentsPlus
We encourage all families to create a MPP account. No purchase is necessary to have a MPP account. You will be able to read and digitally sign documents and/or make necessary payments. It is a great way for you to manage and keep track of all of your student payments and forms in one place throughout the school year.
MyPaymentsPlus is linked directly to your school’s student information system (SIS), enabling us to show real-time balances and invoices, and eliminating the need to call or visit your school in search of information.
Whether you’re viewing what your 2nd grader ate for lunch, renting a locker for your middle schooler, or purchasing a parking permit for that new driver in your family, MyPaymentsPlus ensures you never miss a beat, from Pre-K to graduation day.
Simply create a free MyPaymentsPlus account to get started today.
Elementary e-Tips for Parents
Assign your child some laundry math
The next time you do laundry, help your young child build math skills while you complete the chore. Have your child sort the clean clothes. Ask "How many socks are there?" "How many pairs of socks?" "Are there more washcloths than towels?" Help your child keep a tally of different items and compare totals from week to week. Did your family use more towels this week than last? https://tpitip.com/?14dc18608
Watch and identify birds together
Here's a way to help sharpen your child’s powers of observation while learning together about nature and birds. With your child, look around your neighborhood for birds. Note the ones you see most often. Ask your child to make drawings of them. Can either of you identify them? Look online for a bird identification website or app, or check out a bird guide from the library to learn more about the birds in your area. https://tpitip.com/?14dd18608
Celebrate May holidays with learning
Memorial Day (May 27) is only one of the holidays you and your child can celebrate this month. Practice kindness to a pet during Be Kind to Animals Week (May 5-11). Write limericks on Limerick Day (May 12). Discuss cooperation, understanding and solidarity on the International Day of Living Together in Peace (May 16). Read about aviation on the anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's historic flight (May 21). https://tpitip.com/?14eA18608
There's value in putting numbers into words
Writing numbers out in word form can help your child to understand the mathematical concept of "place value." Give your child a list of four or five numbers, such as 562, 73, 184, 16 and 43. Have your elementary schooler write them in words: five hundred sixty-two, seventy-three and so on. Talk about how the words go from the highest place value to the lowest. Then, provide the words and ask your child to write the numbers. https://tpitip.com/?14eB18608
Strengthen skills with time outdoors
Being out in nature sharpens children's observation skills and builds creativity. Go outside with your child and allow time to quietly watch the environment. Then, ask some questions: "Can you feel where the wind is coming from?" "What's the ant doing?" To stimulate creativity, suggest making up poems, songs and stories about what your child is seeing and doing. https://tpitip.com/?14eC18608
Boost your child’s motivation to learn
To spark your child's desire to learn, be a learner yourself. Show curiosity and tackle new projects. Then, share what you learn with your child. Show an interest in what your elementary schooler is learning, too. Above all, express your confidence in your child's ability to learn, and make it clear that problems can be solved. https://tpitip.com/?14eD18608
Help your child picture positive possibilities
Does your elementary schooler think that success is something that just happens to others? One way to change that mindset is to talk about all the good things that could possibly happen to your child. Be creative. Show that you see a bright future for child. Chances are, you'll start your child thinking about positive possibilities, too. And that's an important step toward success. https://tpitip.com/?14eE18608
SIMONTON ELEMENTARY- WHAT WE STAND FOR
Vision
Simonton is committed to dynamic high quality instruction resulting in a passion for learning, leading and excelling.
Core Belief
Every Student Every Day, Deserves to Learn, Lead, and Excel
Commitments
We commit to giving our students a fresh start every day.
We commit to preparing quality and engaging lessons that will prepare our students to be successful in school.
We commit to teaching, modeling and holding our students accountable for appropriate school behavior.
We commit to providing our students with a structured and safe learning environment.
We commit to a great year of learning, leading, and excelling
Simonton Elementary School
Superintendent ~ Dr. Calvin J. Watts
Board Member ~ Mr. Steven B. Knudsen
Principal ~ Ms. Tamara G. Perkins
Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Nicholas Gilmore
Assistant Principal ~ Dr. Joe Sanfilippo
Assistant Principal ~ Mrs. Amy Steinberg
Website: gcpsk12.org/SimontonES
Location: 275 Simonton Road Southeast, Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-513-6637
Twitter: @simontonPride
Instagram: @SimontonPride