To All Carpenter Elementary Families,

 

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend and are ready for another fun filled week. We wanted to share some important school information with you:

 

Be Like CARY Celebration

We are so proud of our chameleons that earned CARY Awards recently: Sai Koganti, Anais Segundo-Cruz, Dhyey Bhagat, Charlie Munn, Nihira Nachane, Zuri Jones, Eloisa Brenes, Claire Kincaid, Bailey Johnson, Penelope Giordano, Olivia Yen, Elania Shah, Ushani Saravanakumar, Noelle Mease, Aditi Juvale, Jack Munn, Halo Short, and Pranavi Sunkara.

 

SSA Parent Meeting

This Wednesday, February 22nd, at 5:00 pm, we will be hosting a Single Subject Acceleration meeting. Parents are invited to our media center to learn about the process of children testing out of grade level subjects and going to a higher grade level for instruction daily.

 

SSA Nominations

Each spring, parents and teachers can nominate students for Single Subject Acceleration. If your child regularly receives enrichment in Math or Reading and 4s on their assignments, then they may be a good candidate for SSA. Students in grades K-5 may test in either Math or ELA. When students test in ELA there is a second exam in Writing that students must qualify for. If you would like to nominate your child for SSA please fill out this form. You may need to print it or make a copy of it before filling it out. 

 

Track 1 parents have until  February 24th to nominate their child. Parents with children on Tracks 2-4 can nominate students during the week of March 20th to March 24th. Testing windows are:

• Tracks 1-3 = April 4th - April 19th
• Track 4 = April 18th - May 3rd 

 

Black History Month Spirit Week 

To celebrate Black History Month, we are facilitating a spirit week.  Below are some items that we are encouraging all of our students to wear:

• Monday = red, black, and green
• Tuesday = business attire
• Wednesday = HBCU attire
• Thursday = 70s, 80s, & 90s attire
• Friday = greek attire
• Monday = favorite shoes
• Tuesday = all black

 

Black History Month Celebration

Join us on February 28th for our Black History Month Celebration at 5:30 pm. Our students in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade will be showcasing their research on black pioneers.  There will be displays throughout the building. Our students in 3rd through 5th grades will be facilitating a Living Wax Museum of notable black Americans that they have researched. Let us know if your child will come to participate by filling out this form.

 

Middle School Parent Meeting

Parents of our fifth grade students are invited to a middle school transition meeting on March 8th, at 8:00 am, in our media center. Ms. LeGrand, our school counselor, will be hosting the meeting.

 

International Night

Mark your calendars as we will be hosting an International Night on March 15th, at 5:30 pm. This will be a night for families and students to share and celebrate cultures from all around the world. We are looking for families to participate by sharing their traditions, clothing, and entertainment. This event will showcase student exhibits, live entertainment, and so much more. Let us know if you want to be a part of this multicultural experience by filling out this interest form. There are a limited number of spaces available so sign up today!

 

First in Fitness

We are so proud of our student athletes that will be representing our school at the district's First in Fitness Competition on March 16th. Congratulations to Benjamin Lei, Elania Shah, Jaxon Leone, Abigail Alston, Bracen Stanislaus, Sophie Notkin, Santiago Dlott, Briella Gitarts, Vihann Madam, Aastha Patel, Declan Bell, Sophie Anne Lemke, Hudson Smith, Chloe Williams, Justyn Clifton, Sadie Jones, Reme Stanislaus, Vashasree Challa, Evan Campbell, Aubree Jeffreys, Aarav Pandey, Audrina Vizcaya, Johan Brenes, Chaeyin Jung, Akash Murthy, Evelyn Gombar, Vinuth Senaviratna, Fabiana Tejada, Jourdyn Clifton, Berit Johnson, Dylan Yu, Chloe Hickman, Badr Fayyad, Aditi Juvale, Hajun Lee, Keerthi Perugupalli, Minh-Khoi Nguyen, and Bella Savinsky.

 

Dental Health

Many thanks to Wake-Raleigh Dental Society, Carolina Orthodontic and Children's Dentistry for donating toothbrushes to our Kindergarten students. These toothbrushes have helped our dental hygienist with her dental health lessons. We also want to recognize Samaritan Of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for treating many of the students that we have referred to them after our Kindergarten dental screenings. Other generous dentists that have worked with our student referrals have been: Brier Creek Pediatric Dentistry, Cary Pediatric Dentistry, Carolina Smiles, High House Pediatric Dentistry, Preston Pediatric Dentistry, and Dr. Dan Howell.

 

Cell Phones

Students should not have cell phones at school. If cell phones are seen on campus or a school bus, they will be confiscated. Parents will need to pick up the cell phones from the front office.

 

Bus Behavior

Safety is always our top priority. This is especially true in regards to operating buses with students. We have had three students that have now lost the right to ride our school buses for the remainder of the year. Remember that once students receive the fourth infraction for violating our bus safety rules, they will be taken off the bus for the rest of the entire school year. Even if students transfer to another WCPSS school, students still cannot start riding the bus until the following school year. Administrators always call parents and send an incident document with each bus referral. We also alert parents of the impending expulsion with an individual letter when students receive their 3rd bus referral. 

 

Parents Boarding WCPSS Buses

Know that when parents step onto a WCPSS bus, they can be charged with trespassing. When parents have concerns with their child or other children on a school bus, they need to call Mr. Miller, our Assistant Principal. Parents can also email Mr. Miller at nmiller5@wcpss.net regarding concerns about student behavior on a bus. Please do not attempt to talk to a school bus driver by stepping onto the bus. Talk to drivers through the side window or while standing near the open door to the bus. However, if parents are yelling and do not seem in control of their emotions, bus drivers are directed to close the bus door to protect the students on the bus. 

 

Remediation/Retesting Days

Students that do not pass their Reading or Math End of Grade tests will be expected to return to school for remediation and retesting. 5th grade students may also be invited back to remediate and retest in Science. Keep these dates on your calendar:

• Track 1 = June 5th & 6th
• Tracks 2-4 = June 29th & June 30th

 

PTA Spirit Night

The next PTA Spirit night is scheduled for Thursday, March 16th, at Piada's Restaurant. Review this flyer . Thanks in advance for your support.

 

PTA's Digital Marquee Sign

With your help, significant funds were raised through Boosterthon last year. The PTA worked with three vendors to get the best deal for a digital marquee sign. A vendor was selected and your PTA worked with the company to get the plans, specifications, and other documents needed. There were many town ordinances for adding signs and ensuring the plans complied with all the rules. Our PTA submitted maps, plans, and financial documents to our school district for approval. Unfortunately WCPSS ultimately denied our facilities modification request. They said that the maintenance and financial upkeep of the digital marquee signs were problematic. We had no way of predicting this outcome as we have seen digital marquee signs at other schools. We assume these signs were put in before the change in ordinances or that WCPSS initially approved them. 

 

The funds raised through Boosterthon in 2022 are still sitting in the PTA's bank account. However, that money was raised for a digital marquee. The PTA needs your vote to decide how to reallocate these funds. The PTA Board will be sending a Google Form of ideas to collect your feedback. Stay tuned.

 

Have a wonderful week.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Dr. Fay Jones