Longbranch Weekly Newsletter

Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year for our 7th year as a school community. We're excited to see all of our Longhorns and to welcome our 120 new Kindergartners and our 62 new enrollees. We lost some great friends over the summer to other nations, states, and schools so at this point our enrollment remains steady at 845. We anticipate welcoming many more new friends as Ballyshannon and the surrounding areas continue to grow.

We are so excited to get the ball rolling this year. We are focused on year two of The Leader In Me which gives us a laser sharp concentration on goal setting for our school, our teachers, and our students. You may hear your child talk about this in terms of "x to y by when?" and then talk about how if he or she is not meeting his or her goal, we need to adjust the lead measures. All goals CAN be accomplished. This year we'll conquer them one by one whether it's reading a book a week or not biting our nails. Seriously. Personal and academic goals are important and we'll work on what the kids want to work on. They're in charge!

We will also have a greater focus on Project Based Learning as many of our teachers were trained by the Buck Institute this summer. This involves students brainstorming a concern, an issue, or a problem that needs to be solved. They then develop their driving question and from there the project explodes through the guidance of the teacher. It culminates with a project to demonstrate understanding of the academic standards rather than a test. For more info on the Buck Institute, click here: http://bie.org/ It is the commitment of the Boone County Schools that 100% or our teachers will be trained by 2020.

Welcome to our school! We're glad you are a part of our family. Let's learn, lead, and impact together!

Erika Bowles
Principal

8:15am: Students may begin dropoff in parent pickup line
8:30am: Buses unload
8:40am: Students are tardy to school
12pm: Morning kindergarten dismisses
12:30pm: Afternoon kindergarten begins\
3:35pm: Parents may enter side cafeteria door for parent pickup
3:40pm: School is dismissed

**All students receive a 30 minute lunch period.

Yes...if you are a first year parent (kindergarten or new enrollee).

We will have the front doors open for you and our halls will be heavily patrolled with parents and staff. You may walk your child to class, snap a pic, watch for a bit...but by 8:50am, it will be time to head on out the door and let us get down to business.

Parents may park in the lot or at Cooper HS in open spots and enter main lobby doors beginning at 8:15am. We will keep everyone in the cafeteria until 8:30am and then dismiss everyone to class. Teachers are not on duty until 8:30am, therefore we cannot dismiss to the room until then.

AM Kindergarten: On the first day, come to the office and we'll show you our procedure.

PM Kindergarten and Grades 1-5:
1. Park in the lot.
2. Mrs. Kegley will open the side door to the cafeteria at 3:35pm after the announcements.
3. Your child will be in the cafeteria waiting. Pair up and move to one of three tables:

a. Today Only Pickup

b. Daily Pickup (beginning of alphabet--will be marked)
c. Daily Pickup (end of alphabet--will be marked)

4. Sign your child out WITH A PHOTO ID.
5. Retrieve a slip of paper for each child you have checked out.
6. Proceed to the exit and give your slips of paper to Mrs. Lawson.
7. Exit through the vestibule to the parking lot.

If you have business to do in the office after school, please exit the vestibule and re-enter the main office doors.

Aug. 17: First Day of School

Aug. 29: Boy Scout Parent Night and Signup, 6:30p

Aug. 30: Strings Parent Night and Signup, 6:30p

Sept. 5: Labor Day--No School

Sept. 6, 7, 8: Curriculum Nights

Sept. 7-16: Boosterthon

Sept. 13: SBDM Mtg. at 4:30pm and PTA Mtg. at 6:30pm featuring The Leader in Me info

Oct. 7 and 10: No School

Oct 11: SBDM Mtg. at 4:30p and PTA Board Meeting at 6:30pm

Oct 11: Girls Basketball Parent Mtg. at 6pm

Oct. 11: Univ. of Ky. Opera

Oct. 12: Fall Lifetouch Photos

Oct. 14: Kentucky Kids Day and Cooper Homecoming

Oct. 20 and 24: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences

Oct. 27: Schoolhouse Symphony

Oct. 28: Book Character Day and Fall Celebrations

Oct. 31-Nov. 11: Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough Sale

Nov. 7: Longbranch's 1st Leadership Day

Nov. 8: No School

Nov. 10: SBDM Mtg. at 4:30pm

Nov. 11: Veteran's Day

Nov. 21: Symphony Orchestra Field Trip for 5th Grade

Nov. TBD: Fine Arts Night, Artome Student Art Fair, and Reflections Celebration

Nov. 23, 24, 25: No School

Dec. 5: Cookie Dough Pickup Night

Dec. 13: SBDM Mtg. at 4:30p and PTA Board Meeting at 6:30pm

Dec. 21: Winter Celebrations and last day before break

Dec. 22-Jan 4: No School

District Calendar