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Principal's Message 2/5/24

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE: 

 

Good Evening, Stallion Families!

It’s a big week at Stough Magnet Elementary School!  We are celebrating the Year of the Dragon!  As you know, we are making some changes to our Chinese New Year celebration and welcoming all families (Mandarin and Traditional) to join us on Thursday, February 8th for an evening of music, dance, student performances, and delicious Chinese food (for purchase from food truck vendors).  We are still in need of volunteers.  If you can give any time at all, please sign up via the links in the PTA section of today’s newsletter.  I look forward to seeing you on Thursday!

 

Upcoming Events

  • February 5-9, 2024- National School Counselor Week

  • February 8, 2024- Stough Elementary Chinese New Year Celebration

  • February 12-16, 2024- National Love the Bus Week (Bus Driver Appreciation)

  • February 19, 2024- President’s Day Holiday- No School for Students or Staff

  • February 20, 2024- Teacher Workday- No School for Students

 

Shout outs!

  • This week we are celebrating our Stough School Counselors.  I want to take a moment to recognize and honor Ms. Sara Morlock (Grades K-2) and Ms. Carolyn Sears (Grades 3-5) for their hard work and commitment to our school community.  Sara and Carolyn are both new to Stough Elementary this year.  They have been working extremely hard to build relationships, support students and staff, and provide resources to our families.  Please take a moment this week to show your love and appreciation for our school counselors.  Sara and Carolyn- Thank you!  We love you beyond words! 

  • On Friday, February 2nd, we held our Annual Stough Staff Chili Cook-off.  Congratulations to Ms. Alycia Bensen for winning the coveted prize for the second year in a row!  If you need a great chili recipe, I’m sure Ms. Bensen will share.  

 

Chinese New Year Celebration

Mark your calendars! Stough's Chinese New Year Celebration will be held on Thursday, February 8th, 2024 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. All Immersion students and 3rd-5th traditional students will perform. All Stough families are welcome to celebrate the Chinese New Year with us.  Please view the following link for more information.

Chinese New Year Celebration

 

 

BIMAS 2- Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System (Spring Assessment)

  • Letters about the BIMAS screener will be sent home with students in Friday Folders on February 9, 2024.  Please check your child’s folder for this form and the opt-out form.  If you choose to “opt out” of this assessment, you must return the form before Friday, February 23, 2024.  Please contact Maggie Mariella, AP  (MMariella@wcpss.net) or Sarah Hamel, school psychologist  (SHamel@wcpss.net) with questions

Student Support Services

 

KidzArt

  • KidzArt drawing classes Session 3 begins on Feb 6 (Tuesday). Every week is a new project and returning students are welcome! Classes meet on Tuesdays at 4-5 pm in the Art Room for K-5th grades students. Your child will bring home a finished artwork that he/she will be proud of each week! For more info contact Chen the owner at cjiang@kidzart.com. To register please visit www.northraleigh.kidzart.com.

 

Substitute Teachers

  • Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  I am excited and grateful!  A good number of you have reached out to me to gather information about becoming a substitute teacher.  Remember, we can use you for any amount of time… as little or as much as you have to give.  To make this process easier, these are the steps to follow.

    • The Wake County Public School System has a process.  You can find it here.  https://www.wcpss.net/subs

    • Once WCPSS has cleared you to sub, and you have gone through orientation, please reach out to our lead secretary, Ann Coventry (acoventry@wcpss.net).  She will help you get set up in the system to accept sub jobs here at Stough.

 

The Positivity Project: February 5-9: Other People Matter- Cheering Others’ Success!

The Positive Project publishes a Family Newsletter each week.  Please use this link to learn more about this week’s character trait, and find some talking points to use with your family.  Cheering Others’ Success

Stough Magnet Elementary PTA

  • Yearbooks: 

    • You can now order your Stough yearbook! You can use the order form here, the paper copy sent home with students or go to www.ybpay.com and use the yearbook ID code 14638124.  The deadline to place your order is Friday, April 5. 

  • PTA's Second General Membership Meeting: 

    • We are so sorry we had to postpone our meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday. Check back here, in your member emails and on stoughtpa.com for details about the rescheduled meeting.

  • National School Counselor Week- February 5-9

    • We are grateful for Ms. Morlock (K-2) and Ms. Sears (3-5) and the important work they do to support our students and our school! PTA will be dropping by with a token of our appreciation next week. 

  • Staff Breakfast on February 6th

    • PTA will serve breakfast to the staff on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the monthly morning staff meeting. If you are interested in helping serve at this or any of the monthly breakfasts this semester reach out to elmcbrayer@gmail.com

  • Stough Chinese New Year Celebration: Thursday February 8 from 5:30-7:30pm

    • We can't wait for you to join us on THURSDAY for our Chinese New Year Celebration! Be sure to check out the scheduling details above and hop over to stoughpta.com for any further updates in advance of the event! 

    • CNY - Food & Beverage Options: 

      • Need ideas on how to feed your family on the evening of our celebration?  The PTA has you covered with food and beverage options on and off campus! 

        • (@Stough) Sister Liu’s Kitchen food truck will be at Stough to celebrate Chinese New Year with us offering various homestyle Chinese dumplings and noodle dishes for purchase.  For faster service, please consider pre-ordering using THIS FORM. Walk-up orders are also welcome. 

        • (@Stough) SweeTea Boboa & Ice will also be at Stough to celebrate Chinese New Year with us offering various Boboa and Fresh Fruit Teas for purchase.  Pre-order using THIS FORM. Walk-up orders are welcome.

        • Stop by Spring Rolls (5433 Wade Park Blvd) anytime on Thursday, February 8th to enjoy a Chinese dinner with the family before or after the performance! Just mention Stough and we will receive 20% back for Stough PTA.

    • CNY - Volunteer Help Needed: 

      • We need your help! Please review the event schedule and consider signing up to be a classroom helper!  We especially need help in the Immersion K, Immersion Grade 2 and Traditional Grades 3-5 classes.  You can sign up to volunteer below. 

      • Details and updates will also be posted to stoughpta.com under the volunteer and mandarin immersion tabs.

    • Volunteer in Classrooms during the Chinese New Year Program

    • Volunteer to Donate snacks for students

 

  • Wake County PTA Council to host "School Funding 101" February 8, 2024 @ 1:00 pm

  • Join the Wake PTA Advocacy Committee on February 8 from 1-2 pm for a presentation that will answer all of your burning questions about school funding such as:

  • Where does the money for our schools come from?

  • Who decides how to spend that money?

  • How do changes in government funding or policies affect our school's budget?

  • How transparent is the budgeting process, and are there opportunities for parent input or involvement?

  • How can we work to make sure our schools have the funding needed to meet the needs of our children

  • Leandrwhat?

  • February 8, 2024 @ 1pm

 

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Jodi Lay 

Principal, Stough Magnet Elementary School