News from the Nest

Please be on time. We have seen an increase in tardies the past few weeks. Help your student have a positive start to the school day by ensuring that arrive on time.

I get daily communication from parents that we have folks trying to turn into the car line from Main St. This is a safety hazard, and it can feel very frustrating when others have waited in line using the correct entry way. Please respect this rule and use the line on Yost St.

• Tuesday, November 7th - Chorus Auditions after school (3rd & 4th Grade Only) -

  Audition Letter

• Thursday, November 9th - PTO Meeting - 8:15 am @ WvES Media Center
• Friday, November 10th - Veteran's Day Holiday (No School)
• Tuesday, November 14th - 3rd Grade Field Trip to Aquarium
• Wednesday, November 15th - Holiday Meal for 3rd and 4th.
• Friday, November 17th - Glow Dance Party at WPS (during specials, walking field trip)
• Monday, November 20th - School Health Fair (2nd Grade Vision & 3rd Grade Hearing & Vision)
• Wednesday, November 22nd - Friday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Break
• Friday, December 1st - Make-up Picture Day

District Calendars

• 2023-2024 Academic Calendar- English

• 2023-2024 Academic Calendar- Romanian

• 2023-2024 Academic Calendar- Russian

• 2023-2024 Academic Calendar- Spanish

We had such a great week seeing all our students dressed up. We have so much fun to look forward to in the coming weeks! Our PTO is working with staff to schedule the remaining rewards from reaching our Fun Run goals.

• Kona Ice (donations from all 50 states) ✅ Monday, October 30th
• Movie & Popcorn (reaching our goal) - Date TBD when our new AV equipment gets installed!
• Glow Dance Party (reaching our stretch goal) - Finalizing a date, but coming soon! This will be a walking field trip to the primary school.

Additionally, we raised $700 for Eblen Charities in October! Thank you for your support.

Finally, I want to share that our PTO has awarded over $6000 in grants to our teachers and staff at the primary and elementary schools. This is a direct result of your amazing commitment to raising money for our school. Teachers wrote grants for all kinds of exciting supplies and materials, and I am so thankful that our school community makes such a commitment each year to fund these requests. We'll be sharing pictures in the News from the Nest and on social media as our materials get ordered and arrive in the hands of teachers and students!

Reminder:

Our annual Holiday Meal is coming up on Wednesday, November 15th. 3rd and 4th grade parents are invited to eat lunch with their children on this day! 2nd grade families, you'll be invited to a Spring Holiday Lunch. I've included flyers below, but for your reference, here's the information you will need:

Adult Meals are $4.75. Non-student child meals are $4.25. You can pay cash that day, or you can pre-load your child's account. You can also pay with a check made out to Weaverville Elementary School.

3rd Grade:

11:00 - Clouse/Hintz

11:15 - Snyder/Webb

11:30 - Dunkel/Arnst

4th Grade:

12:00 - Graham/Bell

12:20 - Fields/Oliver

Our annual Health Fair is coming up on November 20th. Teachers will be sending home permission forms for your student to participate. This year things a bit different - parents must Opt IN for the student to go through the screening. In years past, this health fair was an Opt OUT.

Please know that these screenings are so helpful! Regarding my own child, I found out through a health screening that his hearing was below typical levels, and we were able to follow up with a doctor and get it addressed. Please consider taking advantage of this free service!

Additionally, please remember the following requests:

• If you need to check your child out early, please check them out BEFORE 1:45 pm. We will not be checking students out the last 30 minutes of the day as this interrupts instruction.
• If you need to make a dismissal change for your student, please call the front office before 12:30 each day.
• Do not enter the car line from Main Street. Please use Yost St. Please respect our school rules that keep others safe.

Mary Nichols

Previous Weeks' News from the Nest

Please look for your child's lost items in our lost and found! If you can't make it to school to look, please remind your child to look. We will be donating unclaimed items next week.

• Please do not enter our car line from Main St. in the mornings or in the afternoons. Please use Yost St. This keeps children and families safe.
• Please do not check your child out between 1:45-2:25 so that we can have a safe and calm dismissal for students each day.
• Please always let us know in writing if there is a transportation change for your child.
• Please let us know by 12:30pm if you are changing your child's regular dismissal procedure.

It's always important to have a plan for Winter Weather. We have several options to plan for when it comes to snow or ice:

• Delayed Start 2 hours or 3 hours (Doors open at 9:15 am or 10:15 am)
• Early Release due to Winter Weather (We will notify families via email, phone call, and text)
• Canceled School/Remote Learning

Please have a plan for your child on delayed starts or emergency early release days. Let your child's teacher know what the plan is if this were to occur. We'll be sending more communication about remote learning in case of winter weather.

MUSIC

• For more about what we are doing in music, and playlists of what we have been listening to, click the link to check out Mrs. Dauphinais’ “What Are We Learning in Music” Website! https://sites.google.com/d/1xL1SKF7YQSyJtrSngsSD65I7gdJBT7rP/p/1UHTGqqAv2olGHdrc1CDKUB40sXER7pWw/edit
• KINDERGARTEN: We have been learning to play percussion instruments, and are reading rhythms and composing our own using Quarter Notes (Ta’s) and Eighth Notes (Ta-Di’s) and rests (Shh!)!
• 1st GRADE: We are reviewing how to read and compose rhythms, and are now learning about Dynamics (Forté strongand piano soft) and applying these elements while singing songs, playing instruments, and playing games!
• 2nd-4th Grades: Students are learning how music can tell a story - even when there aren’t any words! We will be listening to some fantastic orchestral and symphonic pieces and imagine what stories they could be telling, and compare it with the story the composer had in mind! (Check out the playlists on my Teacher Website!)
• 2nd GRADE: is also learning to read and perform melodies on the xylophones!
• 3rd GRADE: is learning drumming from Africa and India!
• 4th GRADE: is learning about Cherokee music, and learning to perform two pieces: “Evening Rise” and the “Cherokee Morning Song”
• WVES CHORUS! : AUDITION PERMISSION FORMS will go home soon for 3rd and 4th graders only, and AUDITIONS will take place TUESDAY November 7th after school from 2:30-3:15 in the music room for students who have a completed permission form. For more info, see the form that will be sent home this week.
  

ART

Art class is really kicking into gear as we enter November, (the month called "Paintsgiving" in Mr. Martin's class). We will be exploring still-life painting, learning various watercolor techniques and learning about many artists including Robert Delaunay and Georges Seurat.

MEDIA

This first quarter students have been learning about digital citizenship. They have learned about copyright, cyberbullying, and how to care for their device. The links to the videos and user guides are included in this newsletter. The links are also available on the website in the parents tab.

Staysafeonline.org

Digital Initiative Belief Statements and Strategic Plans

BCS user guide

PE

In PE this month we will be learning how to play cooperative team games such as jumping rock paper scissors. Then towards the end of the month. We will be collaborating with Mr. Martin’s Art class. His students will paint ghost on bowling pins and the following week they will get to play a bowling game called “Ghost in the Graveyard”

STEM

In STEM we completed our Internet Safety Training. Each grade level focused on similar information regarding Privacy, Balance,Bullying,and Scams. Next up is review of the Engineering Design Process. We follow this for each of our challenges. Our first challenge will be focused on the structure of bridges and how to build a strong one, using fun materials like cotton swabs!

Our annual Health Fair is coming up on November 20th. Teachers will be sending home permission forms for your student to participate. This year things a bit different - parents must Opt IN for the student to go through the screening. In years past, this health fair was an Opt OUT.

Please know that these screenings are so helpful! Regarding my own child, I found out through a health screening that his hearing was below typical levels, and we were able to follow up with a doctor and get it addressed. Please consider taking advantage of this free service!

Did you know that if a student picks 3 items from our lunch line, it counts as a lunch? I share this because participation in our "everyone eats school lunch free" can affect how long we have access to FREE lunch for ALL students. We want as many students as possible to participate. 3 Items can look a lot of different ways. If your child brings their lunch, they can get a free fruit and milk, as well as another item, to add to their meal from home. Encourage your child to take advantage of these free items in our lunch line!

Remember, ALL students eat free!

It is already time to start working on the 2023-2024 yearbook! The 4th-grade students have a special place in the yearbook for their baby photos every year. It is always fun to try to guess who everyone is! Please email your favorite baby photo and your child’s name to karen.adair@bcsemail.org by November 10th.

If you cannot send a photo via email, please drop off a photo to your child’s teacher and we can scan and return the photo to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Ms. Adair!

Thank you!

Please take a moment to read our student device guides (translated into different languages). As we head into winter and students might have to take devices home/off campus, it's important for parents to know what the student is responsible for. Here's a link to the guides. I also like to tell parents and students some of the following interesting facts:

• If students type anything inappropriate, even in the search bar, the device will take a screenshot and send to me.
• If students type anything about violence or weapons into their screen, in a chat or in the search bar on any website, the device will take a screenshot and send to me.
• If the device breaks because of neglect or misuse, then the family is responsible for paying for the repair. We'll send the invoice in the students' folder, but we'll try to find out more about how the device was damaged before we do so.

If you'd like to volunteer for Fun Run before or during the event (or both!), you can sign up here:

Fun Run Volunteer Sign-up

If you'd like to volunteer for a PTO Committee, sign up here:

PTO Committee Sign-up

Becoming a volunteer requires an application and a background check. We have two levels of volunteers. A "Level 1" volunteer can volunteer in our building, but can not be alone with students. A "Level 2" volunteer might work more closely with students, for example in a reading or math group, or supervising students on a field trip. If you want to attend field trips with your child, or if you want to volunteer in our school during the school day, a volunteer background check is required. The button above has all the information you need to guide you through the process.

If you have been an approved volunteer before, please know that you must update your application annually. You should get a reminder email to update your information each year.

Ms. Ashley Mendoza has access to our list of approved volunteers. Ashley.Mendoza@bcsemail.org.

• August:
• What does the Science of Reading mean for parents?
• September:
• Expert Answers to Family Questions About Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency
• October:
• What does the Science of Reading mean for parents - https://sites.google.com/dawsonesc.com/risearkansas/family-resources
• Expert Answers to Family Questions About Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency - https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-sos-with-experts/phonemic-awareness-phonics-fluency#readslowly
• Expert Answers to Family Questions About Vocabulary and Comprehension - https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-sos-with-experts/vocabulary-comprehension

Don't forget that our students, staff, and visitors have access to masks all day long. We have regular 3-ply masks and KN95 masks available. Masks are available in the front office, and we have reminders at hand-sanitizing stations that you can get a mask in the front office.

If a student requests a KN95 mask, we must have parent permission since it is considered a respirator. Parents must complete the Voluntary Respirator Use Form and sign and return. Here is a link to the form. If a student requests a KN95 mask, and we do not already have the form on file, we will email it to parent/guardians for you to sign.

Ingles:

As we start another school year, remember it's time to link your Ingles Advantage Card to Weaverville Elementary School. This must be done each year to ensure the benefits from your card will support our school! Ingles Tools for Schools makes a huge difference in our school. Thanks for your support.

https://www.ingles-markets.com/tools-for-schools-link

Other Ways to Support WvES While You Shop:

• Publix: www.plublix.com/partners
• Amazon Smiles: www.smile.amazon.com
• Box Tops: www.boxtops4education.com
• Harris Teeter - www.tie.harristeeter.com

The information below are parts of our Student & Families Handbook. It's important that our families know all the procedures and safety expectations. I'll leave these in our News from the Nest for a few weeks

ALL parents and visitors to campus must sign in at the office and obtain a visitor sticker (or a volunteer pass if applicable). Please note that you must sign in even if you are only visiting the cafeteria. Your cooperation in helping us to follow Central Office policy and ensuring the safety of all children is expected and appreciated.

If you have an appointment or scheduled time to be at school in the morning, and wish to walk in with your child, please still plan to follow the established procedure of coming to the office, signing the visitor registry, and obtaining a visitor tag.

Visitors will only be allowed to visit a classroom if the visitor has scheduled the visit with the teacher beforehand or if the visitor is a scheduled volunteer.

Students must be in attendance for more than half a day (11:30 a.m.) to be counted present for the day. On a two hour delay, the half day mark is considered 12:15. On a three hour delay, the half day mark is considered 12:45. Students arriving at school after 7:55 AM must report to the office and to sign in. Tardies will only be excused if accompanied by a medical (doctor or dentist) statement or if excused by the principal. These notes/statements should be presented to the office staff when signing in. Upon returning to school from an absence, students must bring their teacher a parent note or medical statement (doctor or dentist) giving the reason for the absence.

Our day starts promptly at 7:55 am. Please work together as a family to have your child arrive on time, with time to get settled in their classroom, and ready to learn at 7:55 am. If your child plans to eat breakfast at school, please do your best to have them arrive with time to eat before lessons begin at 7:55 am.

Check your child's grades, attendance, and more! Email powerschoolteam@bcsemail.org and our BCS staff will email you a link, login, and password for your account. If you email this week, please be patient as they respond to many requests, especially right before school starts.

You can also manage your contact information through parent portal.

Email Dawn.Flanigan-Bryson@bcsemail.org, WvES Data Manager, to check your Powerschool settings and contact information.

Safety is one of my top priorities, and I want to be very clear with all of our families about the ways we will keep our students safe on our campus. The following procedures and expectations are in place with safety in mind. Please support our staff and students in keeping our campus safe by following these expectations at all times.

• All visitors must check in each time with no exceptions. You'll get a badge to wear, and you must wear the badge at all times. If you do not have the badge on, our staff will politely ask if we can help you, so please be kind to staff in response.
• Visitors are only allowed to visit a classroom if they have a scheduled appointment with the teacher. We want to protect the instructional time of all students.
• All doors will remain locked at all times.
• Please do not enter the front door unless you have been buzzed in by an adult. It may seem easy to slip in with someone else who is being buzzed in, but please help us keep our safety practices in tact by following this simple request.
• If you are already inside the school, please do not open the front door for others. Please allow our office staff to safely screen each person entering the building.

Please follow this "Multi-visitor Entrance Procedure:"

1. If you have buzzed in and are being screened and you notice another visitor is arriving, please don't hold the door and allow anyone in without being screened first.
2. If the other visitor is 15 feet or less from the door, please buzz in and be screened together.
3. If the visitor is more than 15 feet from the door, please buzz in and ensure the door is closed completely after you enter.

We certainly want to encourage politeness, and we also want our visitors to understand that it is unsafe to hold doors and allow visitors in without being verified by front office staff first. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

School safety is the most important component of our day. We know we must balance safety with having a welcoming school building so that parents and community members can be part of our school. Please help us do this by honoring these safety protocols about entering our building.

Parents are invited to eat with their child in the cafeteria; however, as a courtesy to other students, we ask that you do not bring outside food such as fast food and/or sodas into the school cafeteria. Parents should arrive at school in time to get a visitor’s pass and report to the lunchroom hallway five minutes before the scheduled lunch time. Please always let the teacher know ahead of time if you plan to eat with your child.

Parents are invited to have lunch with their child at the end of September. Please wait for an announcement from the principal that parents/family can come to school to have lunch with their child.

A monthly menu will be posted in the classroom and the daily menu will be read during morning announcements. Occasionally there will be a menu change due to late deliveries or snow days.

You can find links to BCS menus here: https://www.buncombeschools.org/page/menus-and-pricing

Please note that any outside food brought in for special snacks or birthday treats cannot be consumed until the last student has been served lunch. This will be at approximately 12:30 PM. Should you desire to bring in a special snack for your child’s birthday or another event, please coordinate this with your child’s teacher so as not to conflict with our lunchroom policies. In addition, any food brought into the school to be shared with students must be store bought with ingredients listed. Please allow school staff to distribute snacks due to their knowledge and understanding of students’ allergies and dietary needs. Our school also encourages healthy snacks and choices. Please refer to the School Wellness section in this handbook for more information.

• Free/Reduced Lunch Application: www.lunchapplication.com
• Please do not check your child out between 1:55-2:55 so that we can have a safe and calm dismissal for students each day.
• Please always let us know in writing if there is a transportation change for your child.
• Please let us know by 1:00 pm if you are changing your child's regular dismissal procedure.

Phone: 828-645-3127

Address: 129 South Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787

Email:

Mary Nichols - Principal (Mary.nichols@bcsemail.org)

*Please email both office staff if you have a dismissal change.

Dawn Flanigan-Bryson - Data Manager (dawn.flanigan-bryson@bcsemail.org)

• attendance
• student information/records
• immunizations
• enrollment

Ashley Mendoza - Head Secretary (Ashley.mendoza@bcsemail.org)

• general inquiries
• money questions related to school
• bus questions