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Principal's Intro Letter, 2022-23

Greetings Stough Families!

This will be the first of the regular weekly messages you will receive from us for the 2022-23 school year.  Below is the electronic version of the letter and information you will be receiving by mail in the coming days.  We look forward to seeing you and your Stallion students very soon!

 

 

 

August 5, 2022

 

Dear Families,

Greetings, and welcome (back) to Stough Magnet Elementary for the 2022-23 school year!  We are excited to invite all your students into our community again this school year.  Important dates and information are enclosed in this letter.  This message will also be emailed to you and posted in the Principal’s Message page of our website, wcpss.net/stoughes.

 

In addition to this letter, Wake County Schools has compiled a list of helpful information to begin the school year.  The below link includes the District’s student/parent handbook as well as information about school safety, COVID-19, transportation and school meals. (wcpss.net/Page/52343).

 

Do not fret about school supplies.  As usual, we will provide all the basic items your student(s) may need.  It is only recommended that students have a bookbag, a water bottle and a lunch bag (if you plan for your student to bring lunch).  Students should still plan to bring their laptops with them to school.  For those students that do not yet have a device, a Chromebook distribution plan will be initiated by our staff and sent out later.  You can learn more about the District’s technology plan at wcpss.net/technology.

 

Our leaders have already determined that our three core values should continue to be the cornerstones for the work that we do daily.  In short, we will continue to emphasize Character, Achievement and Community.  You can expect to hear these three themes resonate in my messages and in the work that we do on behalf of our students.

 

I’m so proud to start my seventh year as your principal.  We’ve been through so many changes (building transitions!) and trials (pandemic!) over our years together.  I believe this journey has only made us stronger as a school community.  I’m confident in our faculty’s continued focus on attaining the best social and academic outcomes for all our Stough Stallion families.  Here’s to a great year ahead!

 

Best regards,

 

Chris Cox, Principal

 

 

 

Important Dates

  1. “Meet the Teacher” will be an in-person event this year!  All students and families in grades 1-5 are welcome to visit the building either 10-11am or 2-3pm Friday, August 26.  These drop-by meetings will also offer the chance to learn more about schedules and school supplies in specific classes and grade levels.  There will be an opportunity to get carpool tags during these hours as well.

 

  1. The first day of school for 1st – 5th grade and some staggered entry for kindergarten is Monday, August 29.

 

  1. For kindergarten parents only: 

 

    1. North Carolina law requires a kindergarten health assessment before a child can enter kindergarten.   The health assessment must be conducted no more than twelve months prior to the date of school entry.  The Kindergarten Health Assessment Form must be completed, signed by a physician and returned to school, along with documentation of the required immunizations, within thirty days following the student’s first day of school. 

 

    1. Kindergarten students attend one full day during the first week of school.  This is called “Staggered Entry.”  Drop-off and pick-up times are the same as a regular school day. 

 

Your child’s Staggered Entry date is: (this is provided in the mailed version of this letter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    1. Kindergarten students and families may drop-by to “Meet the Teacher” on Friday, September 2 from 10-11am. 

 

    1. Students will all return for their first “regular” day of school on Tuesday, September 6.

 

    1. Please join us for our Kindergarten Playdate at our Stough playground on Thursday, August 25 from 4-5pm!

 

 

  1. Our Open House will take place on the evening of Thursday, September 15.  This event will include the first general PTA meeting and an approval of the PTA Budget.  We will send more details as the school year progresses.

 

  1. First quarter Progress Reports will be sent home the week of September 26.

 

  1. Here is the full Wake County School Traditional Calendar for 2022-23.  (It is also printed on the back of the introductory letter in the mail.)

 

 

 

 

Important Information

  • School Hours: Stough’s school hours are 9:15am – 3:45pm.  Drop off begins at 8:45am.  The tardy bell rings and the instructional day begins at 9:15am.  If you arrive after 9:15am, please sign-in at the office. 

 

  • Carpool Arrival and Dismissal: During arrival time, please follow the carpool line, which begins on Parklake Avenue.  During dismissal, please display your carpool tag on your rearview mirror for pick-up.  Remain in your car as our staff will ensure that your child gets to your vehicle safely.  Here’s a video we made last year to help you navigate our lot. 

 

  • Carpool Tags for returning families are still valid.  If you do not have carpool tags, a staff member will help you secure these at morning drop-off on your child’s first day of school.

 

  • Bus routes will be sent out by WCPSS and posted on our website once they are released by the Office of Transportation.  More information about buses can be found at https://www.wcpss.net/domain/30. Parents are encouraged to download the Here Comes the Bus app to track bus arrival and departure times.  We also tweet departure times each afternoon from @Stoughbuses.

 

  • Transportation Changes: If your child will have a change in transportation on a specific day, please send a hand-written note to your child’s teacher.  If the teacher does not receive the note, your child will be sent home on their regular afternoon transportation.  If you forget to send a note and need your child’s transportation changed, please call the school office before 3pm at (919) 881-4950.

 

  • Checking Children Out Early: We discourage early dismissals, however, if you need to pick up your child early for an appointment, please be sure to arrive to check him/her out by 3:15pm.

 

  • Friday Folders: Every Friday you will receive your child’s work folder from school.  Be sure to check bookbags at the end of each week for schoolwork or for any teacher/school communication.

 

  • Early Arrival Program: Stough offers an on-site Before-School Care Program run by our staff members in the cafeteria.  If your child is enrolled in the program, you may drop him/her off beginning at 7am.  The Before School Program will begin on August 29. Email Leonette Adkins (ladkins@wcpss.net) with inquiries.

 

  • Afterschool Programs:

 

 

  • Breakfast/ Lunch will be served daily.  Students are welcome to bring lunches or receive school lunch.  Information about school meals can be found here: wcpss.net/domain/1047.  You can also pre-pay for meals online at www.MySchoolBucks.com.

 

  • Volunteers who are approved through the District are welcome to support teachers in classrooms as well as chaperone field trips this year.  Parents who wish to volunteer must register at a Wake County school site.  More information can be found at www.wcpss.net/volunteer.

 

  • Media and Communication: Each teacher will utilize his/her own method of electronic communication.  There will be a whole-school, weekly email/text message with regular updates sent by the Principal at the end of each week.  Mass voice calls will only be used in urgent circumstances.  Below are some other useful sources of information: