August Newsletter

Dear Families,

    I hope everyone had a good summer break. The new school year has started and we want to welcome everyone back. There have been many changes in public education over the past year or so with more changes coming in the next year or so.

   One of the changes that you as families will see will be the shift to Common Core Standards. Common Core Standards are academic standards that have been adopted by 45 of the 50 states in an effort to align academics throughout the nation. If you would like to view those, you can find them on the Tennessee Department of Education website. This year, we will begin the transition to Math Common Core Standards. Also, our system is piloting the transition to Language Arts Common Core Standards.

   We are protecting all class instruction time as much as possible with a limited number of disruptions throughout the school year and on a daily basis. It is very important that all students remain at school and receive all classroom instruction. Students who are regularly picked up early will be at a disadvantage academically to those students who remain for the entire class. Class instruction will be given until the end of each class period. This is a result of new teaching methods that are being implemented with the transition to common core standards. Remember, TCAP test counts 20% of the second semester grade for each student.

   Attendance is very important component in your child's education. Please be aware that someone from the school will be calling to check on your child if they are absent from school. Mrs. Garrett will also be monitoring those who are habitually absent and will be contacting those parents along with obtaining a petition for truancy when needed.

   We are asking all families to NOT pick up students before the 3:10 car rider pick-up unless it is absolutely necessary. There are several things involved with picking up students early that have a negative impact for our school. First, your student is missing out on classroom instruction. Second, when we have to call to the classroom for your child that disrupts the learning for all students in that classroom. Third, we are held responsible by the State of Tennessee for the education of your child, and without your cooperation it is impossible to move them forward academically. And fourth, the end of the day is very hectic for the office staff trying to get messages to students from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. These messages usually contain vital information for students to get to where they need to be after school. Constant disruptions to call children to the office to be picked up makes it difficult for this to be done.

   The PEACE Program will begin on Monday, August 13th. The morning program will be for grades K-3, with the afternoon program for grades 4-8. The morning hours are 6:50-7:50, with the evening hours being 3:00-5:00. Please be looking for information about a PEACE Program kick-off dinner in the near future.

   There will be a dance on Friday, August 24th, from 5-7pm for grades 2-4, and from 7-9pm for grades 5-7.

   The Cub Scouts will meet on Wednesday, August 15th, at 6:00pm in the cafeteria.


Kenny Tompkins
Principal