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Principal's Message 6/3/24

Upcoming Events

  • 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!

  • Today’ shoutout goes to ALL of our K-2 Stallions and their teachers who took time to make cards, signs, posters, shoutouts, etc. for our EOG testing students.  Our little Stallions are cheering on their big friends and I am so proud of the strong character they continue to show each day!

  • Another big shoutout to our 3-5 Stallions who are taking EOG tests this week.  We are excited to see your best work!  Go Stallions!!!  

 

Positivity Project: June 2- 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.

 

EOG Testing

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

    • 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.

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.

 

Last Day of School (June 12)

  • I have communicated my expectations for the last day of school activities with our staff, and wanted to share them with families as well. 

    • All last day of school celebrations are to be held on June 12 only. (With the exception of Grade 5 who will celebrate on June 11)

    • White celebrations can look different in each classroom, they are to be similar in magnitude across the grade level (both Mandarin and traditional classes).  Every student deserves a great experience on the last day of school!

    • Celebrations are to be designed so that they are inclusive of ALL students in the classroom.

    • Most of our teams have opted for a “student only” celebration as it is a special time for the class community.  

    • This can be a challenging day for students.  I assure you it is a hard day for teachers/staff as well.  They love your children very much and this day represents the end of a wonderful chapter.  I encourage you to support your teacher in any way that he/she communicates a need for this special day.  Thank you!  ❣️

 

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-  Rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students enrolled in Mandarin immersion at Stough Elementary.

    • 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.

  • If you have not yet expressed interest in your child attending this camp, please do so NO LATER THAN Wednesday, June 5, 2024 by sending email to Jodi Lay (jlay@wcpss.net).

  • Your feedback is received- I waited too long to present this opportunity and a lot of families already have summer plans.  I hear this.  Now that the “hoops” have been jumped this year, I should be able to share information about next summer in February 2025.  🙂

 

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.

 

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.

 

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/Summer 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

  • Spring Auction Update: 

    • Thank you to those who participated in our Spring Auction! Thanks to you we reached our goal of raising $10,000 which will help support our programs next semester! There are still some who have yet to retrieve your items. We will reach out to you next week to follow up or you can email us at stougpta@gmail.com

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

    • We will gather online to elect our officers and present our budget for the 24-25 school year! This is an important meeting for starting next semester strong and we need your attendance in order to hold these votes. Only PTA members may vote but all are welcome to attend the meeting. Please log on at 7pm if you can! 

 

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Jodi Lay 

Principal, Stough Magnet Elementary School