Here it is, the last newsletter of the year! We have had a very full, progressive, and energetic year this year that we are all very proud to be a part of! We hope our families know how much your children mean to us and even though they leave their current classroom walls, that their well-being, success and happiness remain a part of all of our hearts, always!
I have some thank you's to end this year with - starting with our community! Our entire staff and students were so proud to take our stroll on April 9th during our annual Story Book Parade, and be welcomed by so many present, past, and friendly faces who consistently support SES! I am already making plans for how this can be accomplished next year to continue this wonderful event we all look forward to! Thank you also to our incredible SEA who continually plans, shows up, creates and assists in tasks all year long related to our building, the staff, students and families! For our LSIC and community volunteers who have our students' and school's best interest at heart always - thank you for your time and many talents! Thank you families for learning to communicate through ROOMS this year and making sure your child's teacher or our office is always able to reach you and work together.
I am happy to be able to let you that we are formally preparing to move into our new school building and begin teaching there when we return from winter break next school year. We will have several opportunities for you to come to the building beforehand in our grand opening ceremony and another at an introduction to changes in processes such as car arrival/dismissals, etc. I am very excited about the progress they have made and the way the entire building is shaping up as the new home of the Shepherdstown Elementary Black Bears! We are so fortunate for this incredible opportunity and we will make it as smooth of a transition for your family.
Our 3rd-5th graders have finished their reading state test and we still have more to complete in the next 2 weeks ahead. Our schedule is as follows:
3rd Grade: May 8 - Writing; May 15 - Math
4th Grade: May 8 - Writing; May 14 - Math
5th Grade: May 7 - Writing; May 13 - Science; May 15 - Math.
One of our goals this year circulated among attendance and we are happy to note we have had a great decrease in our chronic absences when compared to last year. We decreased these absences from 16.13% to 11.54% We will continue to work with families next year to diminish these absences even more in order for Shepherdstown Elementary School to keep our priority of well-being and academics aligned with expectations and policies. Being chronically absent means students have missed 10% of the school year. Unfortunately, all absences are considered in the chronically absent rate, even if a doctor's note is submitted. Our focus here is to work with communicating to families if absences are impacting a child's education and how we can help in making sure the children can get to school for the opportunities and experiences that are crucial in their overall growth and social-emotional well being.
I want to thank all 52 parents who completed the online school survey this winter so that I can see your perspectives on the education and environment here at SES. As I compile information from all responses, I hope you see your replies in the coming year where I also feel growth is needed and how celebrations reach areas that are commendable. Your time and thoughtfulness is much appreciative in helping SES flourish.
It is teacher appreciation week next week (May 5-9), and this is a perfect way to say thank you to your child's teacher who grew a relationship with your child over the past 9 months and worked incredibly hard to give them a consistent and strong foundation for the next year to come! This staff is bursting with qualified, professional, compassionate, and friendly women who work well beyond the expectations to do what's right, needed, and fun for our students! It is also National Nurse's Day on Tuesday, May 6! We are so fortunate to have the best nurse in the county, so please be sure to remind her of our appreciation of her on her special recognized day!
Just like last year, all K-4 students will have a step-up day in May where they go meet the next grade level's teachers and visit with them in those rooms. On the last day of school, attached to their report card will be the name of the teacher who they are assigned to for the 25/26 school year. We work so many hours on these class lists to make sure they are as balanced as possible considering many factors including needed supports, behaviors, and grade level abilities, etc. etc. Please respect these decisions and know we have your child's best interest at heart when deciding placements.
I hope to see as many of you as possible at our upcoming concerts, picnics, fieldtrips and award ceremony as listed below! I hope that this summer is your family's best one yet and it has a wonderful balance of rest, leisure, fun and excitement!
Mrs. Payne😊
