November approaches makes me more aware of all I am thankful for and appreciative of when it comes to Shepherdstown Elementary School and all the stakeholders that make this school a priority. Working with professional staff members who love their career and colleagues makes coming to work very rewarding for me. I am in awe of the students and families who support the classroom efforts and indulge in the celebration of progress being made academically, socially, and emotionally. This community is strong in its commitments, dreams, and everyday boots-on-the-ground hard work that it takes to support the transformation of our children into prepared, caring, involved, and happy people to become our future leaders. November is the month of kindness with November 13th being recognized as World Kindness Day. We want all of our SES family to be involved with sharing kindness and participating in activities in which others know they are appreciated and thought of! It's an honor to be a part of the traditions, vision, and day-to-day work of an outstanding school.
S.E.A. had the pleasure of Assistant Superintendent Ron Stephens speaking at the October meeting to make sure our community has the knowledge behind the Excess Levy when voting in this year's election. Our county has made the JCS website full of important information to help understand the facts and details about the full Levy and what the money helps fund in our schools. If you haven't read it, please do! jcswv.org Our next S.E.A. meeting is on November 20th at 6:00 p.m. Check out the other November events in the S.E.A. yearly flyer in this newsletter.
Attendance matters in all areas of SES. You may notice if your children are absent from school, we are reaching out to talk with you or sending your child a postcard in the mail, because we want to help support all of our families in raising our daily attendance and not becoming a chronic attendance issue (18 or more absences in a year). In October, we rewarded children who came to school on time for a full day of school with a leaf. This leaf (learning everything attending faithfully) with your child's name on it, are filling our walls to remind us of its importance. Every child who did not miss a day in October will be rewarded with attending a session of minute-to-win-it games in the gym on November 1st!
In November, our attendance incentive includes the IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING SCHOOL IN BETWEEN THE MANY DAYS OFF WE ALREADY HAVE IN NOVEMBER. If a child is present on Nov. 4, 12, and 22nd, we will allow children to put their turkey ticket in a K-2 Jar/3-5 Jar. On November 22nd we will pull 1 winner from each and the child will win gift cards to take home and gobble up together for Thanksgiving break and enjoy with their family!
Our Lost and Found is growing! Please be sure to check what you send your child to school in is coming home and follow up with your child to look in Lost and Found if an item is missing. At the end of the semester, we donate all items left behind.
We have many families who pick up their children after school and we want to send out a reminder that you must hold your family sign. This is important to the staff who work this important process at the end of the day in making sure we are safely locating and putting our students in the right hands at the end of a hectic and busy time. Many times we have substitutes and new staff members to this responsibility and by parents doing their part in holding their sign helps make the process as quick and successful as possible for all of us! Thank you.
I hope this month is full of moments to be very thankful for and that you include your child's teachers on that list! May your Thanksgiving table be full of the people you most appreciate and enjoy and know that your family here is hoping for a safely traveled, happy, and restful fall break for your family!
~Mrs. Payne
