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Principal's Message 5/27/24

Good Evening, Stallion Families!

This weekend we honor those who have made the greatest sacrifice.  “Home of the free because of the brave.”  Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  

Upcoming Events

  • May 27- Memorial Day Holiday- No School for Students or Staff

  • May 30- June 7 EOG Testing

  • June 6- Stough PTA General Membership Meeting via Zoom @ 7:00pm

  • June 11- Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony

  • June 12- Last Day of School

 

Shout outs!

  • This week I am sending a BIG shout out to Michael McCue and Erin Tabler for leading our community in hosting Art and Music Night.  As I am sure you already know, the talent these two teachers possess is beyond measure.  Michael- Erin- thank you for a wonderful evening and for choosing Stough ES as your work community each and every day!  We love you!

  • A BIG shout of “Thank you” to our PTA Silent Auction lead- Lindsay Haydt and our PTA President Jenny Watson.  The time, the energy, the work you put into this event is impressive.  We are grateful for your commitment to our community!  Thank you!

 

Positivity Project: May 27- End of the Year: Other People Matter 

  • This week and for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year, we will be reviewing the 24 character strengths we’ve learned as part of the Positivity Project.

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

 

Summer Mandarin Opportunity

  • We are currently working with our Magnet Office at WCPSS to provide an opportunity for students enrolled in our Stough Mandarin program to attend a Mandarin camp for one week during the summer.  Classes will be taught by our Stough ES Mandarin teachers.

  • We are still in the process of tightening logistics, but I can tell you this:

    • Who- Offered to students enrolled in our Mandarin program at Stough Elementary School.  Priority will be given to students going into 5th, 4th, and 3rd grade.

    • What- Mandarin Camp.  This will not be curriculum based.  It will be fun activities with the Mandarin language integrated into activities.

    • When- August 12-16, 2024 from 8:00 am-12:00 noon.  (Lunch will not be served- Snacks will be provided).

    • Where- Stough Elementary School.

  • We need to gauge family interest in this program, before we can extend contracts to teachers for this program.  If you are interested, please complete this form by the end of the day on Wednesday, May 29th.

 

Fifth 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.  Please plan to arrive by 9:45am as we will start on time. 

  • Each student will be given 4 tickets to the event.  Tickets will be sent home during the last week of school.  

  • You will need to enter through the front doors to the school.  We will have staff present to collect tickets and distribute programs.

  • At the end of the ceremony, you can exit through the gym doors where you will have time to take pictures with your child in front of the building.

  • Celebration following the ceremony is for Stough 5th grade students only.

 

Talk to Me Tuesdays/Thursdays

  • I hear you!  In effort to respond to feedback received, some of you would like more opportunity and easier access to the school principal.  You got it!

  • Starting this summer, I will be hosting “Talk To Me Tuesdays/Thursdays”.  This is your opportunity to sign up for a time to come and talk to me.  You can share feedback, ask questions, the floor is yours.  Come by yourself, with a friend, in a small group… I look forward to talking with you!

 

Student ChromeBooks

  • 5th grade students will turn in their Chromebooks and chargers on June 7. They will be issued new devices when they arrive at their middle school. 

  • Any students (2nd-5th grades) who are leaving WCPSS should also turn in their Chromebooks and chargers by June 7th. 

  • All other 2nd - 5th grade students will keep their devices over the summer – even if they will be transferring to another WCPSS school.  

 

Student Library Books

  • It's almost time for all library books to return to Stough for the summer.  Please help your students locate their library books (look for the Stough Elementary barcode on the back!) and return them by June 7.   You will receive reminders, but if you would like to see what your student has checked out, visit Follett Destiny Discover in their Wake ID portal and choose the "My Stuff" menu.  Please contact Amy Galvan (agalvan@wcpss.net) with any questions.

 

Canvas

  • We are glad to see that many of our parents have logged in as "parent observers" for their students' Canvas accounts. Your Parent Observer account lets you see announcements from your child's teachers and assignments and teacher feedback.  If you have not yet connected to your child's account, please take a moment to do so.  Once you connect to follow your student's account, you remain connected throughout their years with WCPSS.   5th grade parents, with this one connection now, you will be connected to all of your child's classes and teachers in middle school as soon as they are enrolled in each teacher's Canvas course. You can find directions here: https://www.wcpss.net/Page/51339

  • Feel free to contact Amy Galvan (agalvan@wcpss.net) if you have any questions.

 

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 5

    • Thursday, June 6- Make-up testing

    • Friday, June 7- Make-up testing

 

EOG Breakfast

  • In past years, all students taking the EOG tests have had access to FREE breakfast during EOG testing days.  This program is no longer in place.

  • We will be serving breakfast on EOG days this year, but it is NOT FREE, unless you qualify for free/reduced lunch meals every day.

 

Story Walk- Crowder Park

  • This month’s story walk features a book written in English and Chinese

 

Sun Bucks Program

  • North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) are excited to launch USDA’s new SUN Bucks program for eligible students to address the summer hunger gap. SUN Bucks will help provide access to nutritious food for many children across North Carolina starting in summer 2024!

  • SUN Bucks will provide grocery-buying benefits to qualifying families with school-aged children during the summer months. Benefits can be used to buy healthy food at places like grocery stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers. Additional information and resources are available on the SUN Bucks website.

 

Safety Concerns- Dismissal for Walkers

  • Please be reminded that walker passes and walker dismissal are for students who are WALKING to and from school.  As I left campus for a school board meeting this week, I saw many walker students loading into cars that were parked in visitor spaces, outside by the loading dock, and in handicapped spaces.  This is a major safety concern, and for that reason, it will not be allowed.

  • If you are not walking to/from school, you need to join the carpool line or have your child ride the bus.  I am respectfully asking you to honor this process.  I do not want to be the principal who stands outside and directs you to the carpool lane.  That conversation feels bad for both of us.

 

Lost and Found

  • We have MANY items in our Lost and Found.  We encourage families to take a look in lost and found the next time you are on campus… you might be surprised to find items that belong to your children.  All items will be bagged and donated at the close of the school year (June 12).  

 

Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year

  • If your family is currently enrolled at a Wake County Public school, and has moved to a new address, please check here for your base school.

    • If your base school changed, contact the new base school for your next steps.

    • If your base remains the same or your family has magnet status, please submit new proof of residence to your school.

    • This is only for families who have moved to a new address.  🙂

  • If your family is completing a new enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year, complete the online enrollment, follow the steps , then submit an online enrollment.

    • Once the online application has been submitted, Ms. Brunda will reach out for next steps.

    • The online application and enrollment documents must be submitted to get your student ID # activated to apply for other special program schools.

  • If any of your family member will not be attending Stough for 24-25 school year Please let us know ASAP

 

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.

 

Stough Magnet Elementary PTA

  • Stough PTA General Membership Meeting June 6 @ 7pm via Zoom!

    • Be sure to save the date for our final general membership meeting of the year! We'll gather online to elect our officers and present our budget for next year!

 

 

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Jodi Lay 

Principal, Stough Magnet Elementary School