Stough Families,

I hope you are enjoying the clear weather as the calendar has turned to March (!).  Here are the weekly updates:

1.  Next week...

All In-person Students in grade K-3 and regional programs should attend school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  

In-person, Cohort 1 Students in Grades 4 and 5 should attend school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

In-person, Cohort 2 Students in Grades 4 and 5  remain home and learn remotely.  

Virtual Academy Students are learning from home.  

Friday, 3/12 is a Teacher Workday.

2.  At Tuesday's School Board Meeting, it was announced that there is a probable full-time return to school for fourth and fifth grade students (who are not in the Virtual Academy).  This would end the cohort rotations for those two grade levels as soon as March 15.  Look for updates from WCPSS and again in this message next week.

3.  This past week in P2, we enjoyed talking about the importance of enthusiasm. Next week, we'll begin learning about social intelligence. For a 1-page character card overview, click here. And, for P2 for Families (password: P2), click here.

Social intelligence means that you are aware of other people’s thoughts and feelings. You understand why they do things. It refers to a person’s ability to understand and manage interpersonal relationships — and is distinct from a person’s IQ or “book smarts.” It includes an individual’s ability to understand, and act on, the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of other people. This type of intelligence can take place “in the moment” of face-to-face conversations but also appears during times of deliberate thinking. It involves emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

4.  The Nomination window for Single Subject Acceleration or SSA at Stough is now open through March 22.  SSA allows students to show mastery of content in select elementary or middle school courses. Students who prove mastery do not have to take the course and may move on to the next level.  Parents may nominate their child to skip a grade level of content in either English Language Arts or Mathematics using this link.  Nominations must be received by 3:00 pm March 22.  No late nominations will be accepted.  Testing will be April 7-28.  Please email Mrs. Cecconi-Roberts at lcecconi-roberts@wcpss.net for more information.

5.  5th Grade Mural Project: Our 5th grade classes will be working with Anna Podris and Keith Norval to create a huge mural in Stough's main hallway. Virtual Academy students will need to pick up their supplies for the project on March 12th, 15th, or 16th during school hours under the Media Center overhang (where you pick up your library books). 5th grade VA students will need these supplies to participate in this project and make their mark on Stough's new building! Please contact Ms. Shumake (ashumake@wcpss.net) if you have any questions.

6.  Fourth and Fifth graders are asked to return EL books from earlier in the school year.  There is a box at the end of our carpool lane.  If your student rides the bus, he or she can return those to a staff member in the bus lot.  Please help us find these books!  Here are the lists:

• 4th Grade EL Texts
• 5th Grade EL Texts

7.  For rising sixth grade Immersion students, Oberlin Middle welcomes you with a virtual orientation next week on 3/10.  Here are the details.

8.  Here are your PTA Updates:

Thanks for reading.  No really - thanks to the four of you that make it to the end of each weekly message!

Have a great weekend!

Chris Cox, Principal