The

Flat Shoals Flash September, 2018

From the desk of

Dr. McClain:The start of the 2018-2019 school year has been smooth! I have enjoyed welcoming new and returning students, parents, and faculty/staff. During the first month of school, our students have been learning classroom and school routines, procedures, and rules. We appreciate the efforts students are making to be “READY, RESPECTFUL, and RESPONSIBLE” each day to model the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) expectations. We recognize that the beginning of the school year can be uneasy at first; therefore, we are making every effort to build positive relationships with students and create a learning environment in which students feel safe.

During the first month of school, students also participated in beginning of the year STAR Early Literacy, STAR Reading and/or STAR Math assessments. Teachers will use the data from the beginning of the year assessments to make instructional decisions that promote rigorous and relevant instruction to meet the needs of all students. We ask that you help us ensure that all students receive complete instruction each day by making sure your child is at school on time each day. When possible, avoid scheduling doctor appointments, dental appointments, etc. during the school day.

Also, please assist us with making transportation changes. If your child’s transportation needs to be changed, please submit the change in writing. For the safety of the students,

transportation changes may not be made over the telephone.

Finally, we look forward to working with you this school year. We have an "open door" policy at Flat Shoals Elementary, and you are always welcome at school. We realize that one of the most important components of a good school is the partnership between the school and parents who work together for the best interest of children. A close partnership between home and school can be developed when teachers and parents communicate regularly regarding student progress. FSE provides opportunities throughout the school year to foster partnerships between home and school. Parents may join the PTA, volunteer to assist during school events, attend school meetings, and help in many other ways. Getting involved in school lets your child know you think his or her school is important.

Title I Reward School

Dr. Terry Oatts, RCPS Superintendent, and Mrs. Shirley Chesser, Chief Academic Officer, presented Flat Shoals Elementary with the 2018 Title I High-Progress Reward School flag and certificate. Congratulations to FSE’s staff and students.

Media Center NewsThe Flat Shoals Media Center has a collection of more than 12,000 books available for student, staff, and parent use. All our students are allowed to come to the media center to check out books. Parents are welcome to set up a patron account and check out books, as well.Good reading skills are required for every academic subject, and the best way to become a better reader is to

READ EVERY DAY!

Meet the Specials Team...

Mrs. Schie -- ArtMr. Isbell -- MusicCoach Richardson -- PEMs. Parker -- Math/Science LabMs. Askew -- Computer Lab

Specials classes provide students with learning outside of the core academic classes. Many children find talents they didn’t know they had by participating.

The Art and Music classes will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by learning songs and creating artwork from these countries.  Hispanic Heritage will be celebrated from September 15th through October 15th.

Ms. Parker has fun things going on in the science and math lab:K- Learning to sort by colors, shape, size, and texture.1st-Investigating magnets2nd- Learning all about the sun and stars

Specials

3rd- Learning about plants, and animals in Georgia's region4th- The roles of organisms in an ecosystem5th- Learning how to sort animals/plants into groups

Coach reminds everyone to wear sneakers on their PE day! Safety first!

Greetings from the FSE Mini-Mustangs!

Updates and Reminders:

We have had quite a busy but fun first month of school! For some of us this is our first school setting where we have structured routines and procedures. Please reinforce our class and school rules with your child daily.Class Rules: 1. Follow directions 2. Feet and hands to yourself 3. Small voices inside4. Work together

School Rules: Mustangs must be Ready, Respectful and Responsible (at all times and everywhere in the building).

*Our first field trip is scheduled for September 19th to the Georgia Aquarium.

Here is what we are learning:Language/Literacy-Alphabet recognition and letter soundsWriting-Practicing name writing and writing lettersMath-Number recognition and quantity

We have had a great start to Kindergarten! We continue to practice rules and procedures. We apply them everywhere we go in the building and on the playground.  Through our awesome behavior, we can earn

Mustang Tickets, which reinforce learning to be good citizens and community helpers. Social Studies: We will complete our

“All About Me” unit.Math:  We have learned about numbers up to 5. We will learn number order, the way to represent the number with a group of objects, how to write the number, how to compare more than or fewer than, and how to count backwards. Parents, we need help from home on this. Handwriting: Practice, practice practice!Reading:  We have been learning about the parts of a book: front and back cover, spine, author, illustrator, and title. We are beginning to learn about the characters and setting of a story. While you read with your child at home, please ask them questions about the story. Phonics:  We are still learning our capital and lower case letters; learning the sounds they make, what they look like, how to write them, and recognizing the sound when we hear it. We have begun to include recognizing and coming up with rhyming words. We are also working on compound words. We appreciate all your help and look forward to a successful school year!

Welcome to all our new first grade friends! Here’s what we’ll be working on this month.Grammar: We will focus on common nouns and proper nouns. Students will understand that a common noun is a person, place, thing, or an animal. A proper noun is the name of a specific person, place, thing, or animal.  We will also continue to focus on the five parts of a sentence. Students will identify and write complete sentences.Reading: We will focus on the concept of asking and answering questions by identifying key details in a text. The students will read a

passage and answer questions about the passage by underlining evidence in the text. The students will also identify the main idea of the story, the main characters, and the setting.Math: We will focus on number concepts. The students will identify numbers in various forms: number, word, number line, ten frame, tally marks, picture representation, number sentence, in coins (dimes and pennies), and base ten blocks. We will also continue to practice graphing and data skills.Social Studies: We will introduce map skills and learn about where we live. Students will have a narrative project to complete. Your child’s teacher will send home more information.

Over this past month, we have been hard at work on meeting FSE’s expectations of being READY, RESPONSIBLE, AND RESPECTFUL students. The students have also been hard at work at meeting expectations academically. Reading: We have been working on becoming even better readers by asking and answering questions found in stories, as well as identifying the central message (lesson) we can learn from the characters’ experiences within the story. Reading fluency will likewise be a major focus in 2nd grade this year. Every child will be expected to practice their reading fluency each evening to help improve their reading (Lexile) level. Math: We are working on a deeper understanding of how numbers work as we study place value. The students are also learning various ways to represent numbers up to 1,000. These math skills will help build the foundation students will need to be successful in upcoming math standards throughout the year.Social Studies: Our focus has been on Georgia and the different regions located within our state. Students have been busy learning about the different

landscapes, animals, and plants found in each region. The students have also enjoyed sharing their own personal stories of their experiences in the different regions. Some stories are quite entertaining tales, to say the least! We look forward to seeing those tales put into writing as the students work on their narratives this quarter.

Greetings and welcome back to school for all new and returning FSE third grade students! We are dedicated to having a wonderful world-class school year. In order to make this possible, the school provided an agenda to all students this year. Please sign your child’s agenda daily and communicate via Dojo, Remind, Blooms, etc., with your child’s classroom teacher. Here is what third grade is working on this month:Reading/ELA: Main idea and details and opinion writingMath: Multiplication and division. Be sure to practice math facts!Social Studies: American Indian cultures and map skillsScience: Habitats of Georgia

Please remember to send a note with your child each time a transportation change occurs.

Our 4th graders are off to a fantastic start, under the educational expertise of two teams. Mrs. Culver and Mrs. L. Thomas make up one team. Mrs. Adkins, Mrs. Britton, and Ms. Floyd comprise the other team. We have been working tenaciously to make sure our Mustangs are exhibiting the Ready, Responsible, and Respectful standards exemplified in Positive Behavior Interventions and

Supports (PBIS). Charged with managing their agendas, communicators (orange folders), and other supplies, students are also learning, with changing classes, that organization is one key to ensuring academic success. Common Formative Assessments are forthcoming. We will be working on the following in September:Social Studies: Students are discussing eight connecting themes used to enhance their understanding throughout the year. During the next few weeks, the students should be able to explain the causes, events and results of the American Revolution and effects of the War of 1812.  Science: Students are exploring the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers, including developing models to illustrate the flow of energy through a food web/food chain and demonstrate the effect of a change on an ecosystem. Reading/ELA: Utilizing ThinkCERA, a writing initiative that is new to the district, students are learning to command the conventions of English language when writing. They will be learning to refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text, as well as summarize and determine the theme of a text. Math: Students are wrapping up review of the multiple forms used to represent numbers, highlighting place value, comparing & ordering numbers and rounding.

Hello Magnificent Flat Shoals Family! We are off to a great start. In fifth grade, we have two teams of teachers: Mrs. Burrell-Sneed and Dr. Martin are one team. Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Malcolm, and Mrs. Richardson are the other team.Here is what we will be doing in September:

Reading/ELA: We will be reading non-fiction (fact) text and writing opinion papers.Math: We will be working on multiplication and division strategies for whole numbers. It never hurts to practice those basic math facts!Science: We’re learning about classification.Social Studies: Our focus is on American immigration and industrialization.

As you can see we are very busy. Please help your students to stay on top of assignments and to be focused in class. Organization is extremely important!

Early Intervention

ProgramOur Early Intervention Program team is here to support those students who need extra help. Our EIP teachers are Mrs. Kenyatta Anderson, Mrs. Tandy Cason, and Ms. Darice Prater.

Welcome back! We are excited and look forward to a productive and positive year.

All parents are encouraged to attend

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you.

If you are determined to learn, no

one can stop you.

Rockdale Parent Academy on September 22nd, from 8:30AM-1:30PM. The Academy is available to parents, as well as students ages 11-17. There will be many classes covering a variety of topics, such as parenting, computer skills, healthy eating, and organization. There are also classes that focus on special education. All the classes are free! There will be door prizes and lunch provided. Free childcare will be provided for those parents who register at www.rockdaleschools.org/parentacademy .

Contact information for your child’s teachers can be found on the Flat Shoals Elementary website.

September is Attendance Awareness Month.

FSE Parents and Staff,

PTA thanks you once again for your ongoing support!  Here are some reminders for the month of September: 

The Box Tops Competition is in full effect! Be sure to check your Box Tops for their expiration date. Students receive a treat with each submission. The class that submits the most Box Tops by 11/9/18 wins a FSE PTA Sponsored Pizza Party! In August, Mrs. Bivins’ 3rd grade class took the lead with the most Box Tops submitted.  September 9th - PTA will host a Stars and Strikes Spirit Night from 12pm - 6pm. For FSE to get credit for your purchases, you must leave your receipt (or a copy) with a PTA officer or in our receipt collection boxes located near each register. A free game card will be given to FSE families during Spirit Night while supplies last. You must see a PTA officer to receive a game card. September 14th is the FSE Teacher/Student Talent Show, which will begin at 6pm. Adult entry fees are $3 for PTA members who present their PTA card and $5 for non-PTA members. Children enter free. Concessions will be sold.  September 19th is the deadline for early return of money for our Cherrydale Chocolate Fundraiser and the chance to be entered into the drawing for a $50 VISA Gift Card.  September 20th is the FINAL DEADLINE for returning monies for our Cherrydale Chocolate Fundraiser. Please submit money to your child’s teacher or to the front office on or before September 20th to ensure prizes can be ordered promptly and to ensure no students are overlooked in the prize process. September 28th – PTA is hosting our first Mustang Corral of the year! This is a free and fun event to reward students for good citizenship. Snacks will be available ranging from 10¢-$1. Thank you to all our Mustang families who came out to our Cici's Pizza Spirit Night in August. Mr. Guest’s 2nd grade class had the most visitors, and each student was rewarded a card for a FREE Cici's Pizza Kids Buffet Meal. It’s never too late to join PTA. Joining does not mean that volunteering time

is a requirement. It is just another way to gain recognition for Flat Shoals and to support students and school staff with funding for classroom supplies, nurse supplies, and more. If you would like to donate some of your time, we are always looking for volunteers to help with events and small tasks, so please send your information to your student’s teacher.  ***Please be sure to find, like, and follow us on Facebook @flatshoalsptaconyers so that you can stay informed about any PTA sponsored activities and events.***  

September

11th- Early Release/Professional Learning/Independent Learning Day- (Dismissal Time-11:35AM)

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you.

If you are determined to learn, no

one can stop you.