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Principal's Message 4/8/24

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE:

 

Good Evening, Stallion Families!

We are so excited!  It is always a wonderful thing when what we are learning in school aligns with a real-life event.  On Monday, April 8, 2024, the second total solar eclipse in the U.S. in less than seven years will travel up through the country from Texas to Maine. The 2024 eclipse, known as the "Great North American Eclipse," promises to be an exciting, nationwide event. Stough Elementary School will be in the path of a partial view of the eclipse with a magnitude of around 82% here in Raleigh, NC.

In preparation for the eclipse, we ordered 700 pairs of solar glasses so every student and staff member will have them.  Our teachers are prepared to support our students as they take some time on Monday to safely view the solar eclipse.

We do understand that even with all of the safety precautions in place, some families will want their children to remain inside away from the eclipse.  We want to honor that request.  A copy of our waiver was sent home in Friday folders this week.  You can also print a copy from this link if needed and return it to your child’s teacher on Monday.  We are looking forward to a great week here at Stough Elementary School!  

Stough ES- Eclipse Parent Waiver

 

Upcoming Events

  • April 8, 2024- Solar Eclipse

  • April 10, 2024- Teacher Work Day- No school for students

  • April 24, 2024- Student Led Conferences (4:30pm-7:00pm)

  • April 26- May 6- SSA (Single Subject Acceleration) Testing

  • April 29, 2024- Teacher Work day- No school for students

 

Shout outs!

  • This week’s shout outs go to all the parent chaperones who spent Thursday and Friday in the Outer Banks with our 5th grade students.  We know this trip takes a lot of energy, a great deal of patience, and a good sense of humor.  Our chaperones exceeded our expectations and as a result, all of our students, our 5th grade teachers, and your principal had a wonderful experience.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  We appreciate you!  

  • I also want to thank Mr. Card, Ms. Dasanaike, Ms. Bryan, and Ms. Li for planning and executing a wonderful experience for all of our 5th grade students… those attending the trip, and those who did not.  Thank you!

  • Thank you to the Stough Elementary School PTA for the support you provided for this trip.  Every 5th grade student received a t–shirt, funding was provided for families needing support, and pizza was delivered to students who did not attend the trip.  Thank you… we are grateful for all that you do!

 

Positivity Project: April 8-12: Review Week

Student Services Newsletter

 

Student Led Conferences

  • Student led conferences will be held on Wednesday, April 24th from 4:30pm- 7:00pm in your child’s classroom.

  • The purpose of this event is for students to take ownership of their education.  Students will share what they are learning with their families during this time.  Please note- this is NOT a teacher conference, so please do not expect to spend a great deal of time talking with the teacher.  This is a night for students to shine.

 

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA)

  • The Test Request window for Single Subject Acceleration or SSA at Stough will be open from April 1- 12.

  • Please use the district link to request testing:  https://www.wcpss.net/domain/20929.

  • Please email Dr. Cecconi-Roberts with any questions. (lcecconi-roberts@wcpss.net)

 

Save the Date- 5th grade promotion ceremony and celebration

  • The 2024 Promotion ceremony for 5th grade students will be held on Tuesday, June 11th in the gymnasium from 10:00-11:00 am.  Each student will be given 4 tickets to the event.  Please plan accordingly.

 

EOG Testing

  • End-of-Grade Testing Schedule for 2024 will be as follows

    • Thursday, May 30- Test for students with 1-on-1 accommodations

    • Friday, May 31- Math test for students in grades 3-4-5.

    • Monday, June 3- Make-up testing

    • Tuesday, June 4- Reading test for students in grades 3-4-5

    • Wednesday, June 5- Science test for students in grades 3-4-5

    • Thursday, June 6- Make-up testing

    • Friday, June 7- Make-up testing

 

Student Engagement Survey

  • In the spring, students in the 5th grade will be asked to complete the annual WCPSS Student Engagement Survey.  I will confirm the exact dates of the survey in next week’s principal’s message.

  • The survey includes questions about teacher-student relationships, relevance of school work, and future aspirations and goals.

  • The results of this survey help schools monitor their School Improvement Plans, and help the district track student perceptions about their educational experiences. 

  • You can click here to review the questions included on this survey  and click here to review results of the survey from previous years.

  • If you have any questions, or if you would prefer your child not complete the survey, please contact your child’s teacher by Friday, April 12, 2024.

  • If you have any questions concerning the content of the survey, please contact the Wake County Public School’s Data, Research, and Accountability Department at wcpssdataaccountab@wcpss.net

Spring is Here!  Let’s talk about dress code.

  • One of the best measures of how much your child has grown over the winter is the fit of their clothing come springtime.  All of the sudden, shorts and shirts that fit last summer are too short, too tight, too small.  I know how busy and hectic morning routines can be.  I want to remind you to be intentional about looking at what your child is wearing, especially if you have an older elementary student.  Please make sure students are appropriately covered with no exposed undergarments or bare midriffs, even when they remove layers of clothing like hoodies or jackets.  Thank you!

 

Cell phones

  • We are beginning to see an increasing number of students using their cell phones during the school day.  The expectation is that students do not have cell phones on campus.  With that said, I do understand they are needed for safety reasons in some situations.  Please speak to your child about cell phones expectations.  We are not going to search for cell phones.  If a cell phone rings during class, or if a student has a cell phone out of their book bag during the school day, we will follow protocol:

    • First offense- teacher confiscates a cell phone and turns it into administration.  Cell phones will be returned to students at the end of the day.

    • Second offense- teacher confiscates a cell phone and turns it into administration.  Cell phones will be returned only to a parent/caregiver.

    • Third offense- teacher confiscates a cell phone and turns it into administration.  Cell phones will be returned at the end of the school year.

 

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.

 

Stough Magnet Elementary PTA

  • PTA Communications: 

    • We endeavor to send a newsletter at least once every two weeks. You can find our newsletter for the week using this link.   

    • Want to see the latest in your browser instead of your inbox? The Stough PTA Events & Updates page is a great place to see what's going on at the moment. There you can scroll through our current announcements, see links to volunteer signups, event dates, and more! 

    • Like always, we continue to post the highlights here in the Principal's Weekly Message.

  • Spring is around the corner

  • We have lots of events and volunteer opportunities coming up as we look to warmer weather! Staff Appreciation Week, Super Kids Day, Fifth Grade Promotion, Spring Auction & More! Get in on the planning now. We'd love to have your voice and help! Email us at stougpta@gmail.com to share your thoughts and interest.

 

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Jodi Lay 

Principal, Stough Magnet Elementary School