Return to Headlines

Principal's Message 4/15/24

Good Evening, Stallion Families!

It’s hard to believe we are in the 4th quarter of the year already.  Like they say, “time flies when you’re having fun!”.

Our school community will be updating our school improvement plan including our mission, vision, and values as we move into the 2024-2025 school year.  We will be looking to gather feedback from families and other stakeholders on a variety of different topics in the coming weeks to support this process.  Thank you in advance for your engagement and support with this work.

Upcoming Events

  • 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

  • May 10, 2024- Super Kids Day

 

Shout outs!

  • On Wednesday, April 17th we will celebrate Data Manager Appreciation Day!  I want to extend a big shout of thanks to Ms. Brunda in the front office who works hard to serve our students, staff, and families.  Thank you, Brunda!  We are grateful for all you do!  

 

Positivity Project: April 15-19: Purpose

  • This week we will be learning about the strength of purpose.  Purpose means you have beliefs about the meaning of life and your life’s purpose.  You seek to be part of something greater than yourself.

  • Please use the following link to access the family newsletter for this week.

 

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.

 

Super Kids Day at Stough Elementary

  • Save the Date:  Friday, May 10th Super Kids Day (Rain Date May 17th)

  • It will soon be time for STOUGH STUDENTS to celebrate the summer getting closer with SUPER KIDS DAY!  This wonderful field day will only be possible with plenty of parent volunteers!  

  • We will need your help to run the games!  This fun event is easy – no timing events, no keeping score.  You just need to come with a smile, energy, and encouragement for our young participants as they enjoy games and popsicles on the playground.

  • A signupgenius link will be sent out soon if you wish to help out.  Please be reminded that if you do wish to help that day, you must be a WCPSS approved volunteer.  If you are not registered it can be done online at home or come to the office at Stough.  Approval can take about a week, so it is recommended to register as soon as possible.  Volunteers are able to apply at this link or wcpss.net>Community>Volunteers

  • Questions? Contact Mathew Hooker, PE Teacher (919-881-4950) or e-mail at mhooker1@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.  The survey will be given during Ms. Ivory’s science special in collaboration with Ms. Galvan (media/technology).

  • 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 19, 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