Tuesday, October 30, 2012

So much to write about....

Well having so many good things to tell you about is wonderful, right?  Here goes:

The Fall Festival was OUTSTANDING!  We had a good turn out of Trailblazer families, the food was good, the entertainment was great and there was plenty of fun to be had all evening.  This night could not have been possible with out the hard work and diligence of our PTA and parent volunteers.  A big thank you goes out to everyone who helped make Friday night a success.  I can't wait for next year! Check out the pictures below!


Entertainment provided by elementary and middle school students

At 5:30 there was line to get tickets to get in and start having fun!

Ms. Laise brought Paul out for fun at the Festival!
 
The Kara family out for festival fun!


Face painting was a hit for all children.  Our very own 5th graders provided their face painting talents.
 

Bowling allowed for students to practice gross motor skills.

The hay maze provided friendly competition for students of all ages. 

Face painting station strikes again!

High school volunteers manned the candy corn estimating station.

Time to practice those throwing skills.

Hair painting was also popular at the festival!

Even our upcoming toddler trailblazers were able to join in the fun!

Ms. McGarry brought her little one out for Friday Festival fun!

Decorating pumpkins with Ms. Esposito and our high school volunteers was a popular station.

More pumpkin decorating

One of kindergarteners poses with her fresh face paint!
 The Fall Festival was another way the community and school come together! 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Fall Festival begins in just a few minutes!

We are working on the last minute preparations as I write this. The parking lot is busy with cars. The line is forming with Trailblazer families waiting with anticipation and the inflatables are ready for the first set of jumping students! Come one and come all to our first Fall Festival tonight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tonight is a great opportunity to support our school, the PTA and spend some time with your family. Ms. Livengood and I can't wait to see you!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fall Festival is tomorrow!!!!!



It's finally here!  Tomorrow is our Fall Festival  and we are so excited!  Please join us tomorrow night beginning at 5:30 for fun games, good food and great family time!  100% of the funds raised go back into the school to support our students.  There will be inflatables, cake walk, basket raffle, silent auction, sno cones, hair painting and much more!  Taylor's Catering and Concessions will be selling items so don't worry about cooking on Friday!  Auction items for the Silent Auction include:  Monkey Joe's Party Package, Golf packages, Hand-made crafts, ice skating passes, Symphony and theater tickets, NCSU football tickets, Women's lacrosse stick, restaurant gift cards and many more items!  Come one and all to our Fall Festival!!!!

Monday, October 22, 2012

November is approaching...


Time is moving quickly in October and we are gearing up for November here at BRES.  Please mark your calendars for the following important dates:
  • November :  Registration Opens for Girls on the Run!
  • November 6th:  2 Hour Delay for All Year Round Schools
  • November 8th:  PTA Meeting 1:00 p.m.
  • Week of November 8th:  Artist in Residence Program
  • November 12th:  Veteran's Day,  No School
  • November 15th:  Barnes & Noble Book Fair 6 p.m. Cary Location
  • November 19th:  Cultural Arts Performance:  African Dance Ensemble
  • November 22nd & 23rd Thanksgiving Holiday, No School
  • November  26th:  IOWA Tests for 3rd Grade Students Tracks 3 & 4
  • November 29th:  School wide Spelling Bee 2:00 p.m. Multipurpose Room
November also brings Tours and Talks back to BRES.  In order to support our prospective parents in exercising school choice and learn about the wonderful things BRES has to offer please plan to attend one one our scheduled tours. Tours are EVERY Friday at 10:00 a.m. during the month of November.  Please call the Front Desk to reserve a spot on our weekly tour at 919-890-7333. 

Fall festival count down...



This is it!  We are so close to Friday and our Fall Festival it's hard to contain our excitement!  This Friday we will hold our first fall festival.  Please join us this Friday beginning at 5:30 for fun games, good food and great family time!  100% of the funds raised go back into the school to support our students.  There will be inflatables, cake walk, basket raffle, silent auction, sno cones, hair painting and much more!  Taylor's Catering and Concessions will be selling items so don't worry about cooking on Friday!  Auction items for the Silent Auction include:  Monkey Joe's Party Package, Golf packages, Hand-made crafts, ice skating passes, Symphony and theater tickets, NCSU football tickets, Women's lacrosse stick, restaurant gift cards and many more items!  Come one and all to our Fall Festival!!!!

School Assignment Update from WCPSS

Please follow this link to find out more details about the assignment plan for the 13-14 school year.  There is also a place for public comment.  http://www.wcpss.net/announcements2/2012/10/wcpss-board-of-education-asks-staff-to-return-to-2011-12-base-assignment-maps-for-the-2013-14-school-year/ 

As I receive more information about the new plan I will update you. If you have specific questions about the plan that I can help you with, please let me know.  Thank you , Mrs. Graf

Friday, October 19, 2012

Fall Festival Countdown...one week away!

The Fall Festival is coming!  Our first fall festival is just one week away.  Join us next Friday, October 26th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. for games, food and fun here at BRES.  Our PTA is working hard to prepare for this wonderful event.  Do you have time to help?  Visit the PTA website or call the school and we can get you connected with a PTA representative.  More details to come about the Fall Festival...

Early Release Reminder

Just a reminder that Friday, October 19th is an Early Release Day.  We will begin dismissal at 1:15 p.m. for all students.  If you will be requesting a change in transportation, please be sure to send a note in to the classroom teacher or call the front office at 919-890-7333.  Thank you!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Music centers come to the 3rd grade!

Ms. Loftin has immersed our third grade students in music by planning music centers.  Students are put together in music learning teams called "ensembles" to learn and practice music skills, reinforce content, classify instruments into instrument families and repeat rhythms using an app on the iPads.  Additionally, the ensembles practiced 21st century skills of collaboration, team work and use of the iPad apps.  Ms. Loftin encourages a love of music in each student and the various music centers allow students to be engaged in music in a fun way!  Check out the photos of Ms. Bychurch's class in music centers today with Ms. Loftin!

Additionally, Ms. Loftin is leading the work of our BRES Chorus.  We are proud to share that our 4th and 5th grade chorus has almost 100 members spread over the four tracks.  Our chorus is preparing for their preview performance at Barnes and Nobles in November along with our Winter Performance scheduled for November 29th and the audition for Pieces of Gold in early December.  Parents of students in chorus should check Ms. Loftin's blog for information regarding these two upcoming events.

Race to the note!

Identify the music symbol!


Sort and classify the instrument into the correct instrument family.

Using an app on the Ipads to listen to and repeat different rhythms. 




Calling all Volunteers from 11-12 school year...it's time to reactivate!

All approved volunteers from the 2011-2012 school year (i.e., individuals approved as volunteers prior to 6/30/12) must re-activate no later than 10/31/12 in order to continue as approved volunteers during the 2012-2013 school year.

#1--WCPSS Intranet
#2--Business Applications
#3--Administrator Login
#4--Type in User Name and Login
#5--Expiring Volunteer Report
 
Additionally, after 10/31/12, the volunteer system will be open from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Mondays only beginning 11/5/12 through 5/20/13 with the exception of the follows dates: 12/24/12, 12/31/12, and 1/21/13.
Our media center is open each morning and we will support you in activating if you come by during the school day.  You must reactivate on a WCPSS computer.  You can go to any school to complete this process.  Please call us at 919-890-7333 if you have any questions.  Thank you.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Beautification Day!

Thank you to the Avant family, the Luke family, the Bone family, the Livengood family, the Brugler family, the Washington family and the Skonberg family for coming out and sprucing up our campus.  The beds look beautiful with fresh mulch and the trimmed trees really frame the entrance to the building.  Thank you so much for all the hard work this morning for BRES!  This morning was another way that shows our students and families blaze trails in all that we do! 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Join the BRES PTA and get connected!

Getting connected is easy at BRES!  There are so many ways you can get connected and support our school and your child's class.  First thing first...join the PTA!  We currently have over 250 members this year already, but we need you.  We would love volunteers to read with our students, support with clerical duties, or help with the various school and PTA functions that we host.  There are "little" jobs that need done and well as "big" jobs for those of you who may have more time to commit.  Either way we would love for you join our PTA and get connected! Please visit our school website and click on PTA or call the school for more information about our PTA. 

Fifth Grade Tree Planting Ceremony for Tracks 1-3


Today we held our annual tree planting ceremony for our fifth grade students on tracks 1-3.  The trees were purchased by our PTA along with a beautiful plaque to commemorate the Class of 2013.  Look at the pictures below!  The track 4 ceremony is scheduled for October 24th at 3:00 p.m.  Thank you to the parents who attended this morning!
Mrs. Yanez's Class


"Oh the places you'll go!" is the 5th Grade theme.  The plaque has a Dr. Seuss quote on it. 

Proud 5th graders!


Breaking ground!


Mrs. Nelson's class


Mrs. Johnson's class

Beautification tomorrow!

Bring your family and your "green thumbs" to beautification day tomorrow!  Join me from 9-12 a.m. on tomorrow, Saturday, October 13th here at BRES to spread mulch, plant some fall flowers and clean up our campus!  :)

Thursday, October 11, 2012

BRES practiced Lock Down Drill today

Dear Banks Road Elementary Parent(s) / Guardian(s):

I would like you to be aware of a drill conducted at school today.  This was the the first drill this year for students on tracks 1, 2, and 3.  Our purpose for a drill is to practice and continue to improve our safety processes and procedures.

Safety is a priority at our school. We have taken steps to help our teachers, students and community be better prepared in the case of an emergency. You may have heard school staff refer to lockdowns or may have visited a school during a lockdown.

We conducted a drill so that faculty, students and our community are familiar with these procedures, by working with our law enforcement agency and WCPSS Security staff on the drills at WCPSS schools, we can better prepare our students, faculty and staff for the unexpected. 

It is important for our students, parents, teachers and our community to see that we are vigilant and have well-established procedures in place during the time of an emergency. 

If you should have any questions, please call my office at 890-7330. Thanks for your continued support of teaching and learning at our school and of keeping our students safe.

Sincerely,
Carmen Montero Graf
Principal

Monday, October 8, 2012

Calling all BRES Parents...we need you!

Parents and school community members we need you!  We are calling on you to help up make our Fall Festival outstanding for Banks Road Elementary.  We are in need of volunteers to support us in various stations, set up, clean up, etc.  If you have the time, we will find a "job" for you!

 

The First Annual Fall Festival is just 3 weeks away!  The committee is doing a fantastic job planning a fun filled festival. But, we still need many volunteers to make this evening a success!  Also, if you know of any student's groups that could help out, please contact the PTA at banksrdpta@gmail.com or call the school at 919-890-7333 and we will connect you with the PTA. 

Thanks for all of your support!

Biscuitville is Tomorrow Night!


Just a reminder that join me tomorrow night, Tuesday the 9th at Biscuitville in Fuquay Varina for our Spirit Night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  There will be fun activities for kids to play as well.  This is a great opportunity to support our PTA by eating in or coming through the drive thru to grab dinner to go!  Don't forget to tell the cashier to place your receipt in the PTABanks Road Elementary Box.  Also, this is a great time to meet our new assistant principal, Mrs. Kathy Livengood.  


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Centralized Transportation Center



It's up and running and I want you to know about the WCPSS centralized Transportation Customer Service Center in order to better serve our 75,000 bus riders and their families.

Instead of calling one of the 15 individual transportation districts across the county, parents and staff may now call (919) 856-7890 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, to reach one of our customer service representatives.

With a centralized office, our customer service representatives will be better equipped to provide timely information on mechanical failures and other delays, and to contribute to more timely resolution of transportation-related issues.

All calls placed to transportation district offices will automatically redirect to this main number. Callers who reach the center after hours will be asked to leave a voice message with their name and contact information, the student’s name, bus route, bus stop and other pertinent information.  Because of the high volume of voice mail messages the district has experienced in the past several weeks and feedback from callers that mailboxes were full, the call center will be equipped with significantly increased voice mail capacity.

In addition to calling the Customer Service Center, parents may continue to contact transportation by filling out our online feedback form, or emailing transportation@wcpss.net with the student’s route number (indicate morning or afternoon), bus stop, student’s first and last name and parent’s daytime contact information. To request a new stop, parents may continue to use our current stop request form.
The establishment of a central Transportation Customer Service Center is one of several steps WCPSS will be taking in the coming weeks to improve service for families and school staff.

Frequently asked questions

What bus does my child ride? Where is my child’s bus stop?
Information regarding bus routes can be found on the district’s website. Check your child’s bus route now.

I want to request a new school bus stop, or change an existing school bus stop or bus route.
The Transportation Service Request Form is used to appeal a bus stop location or route. All route and stop appeals from parents should be submitted in writing to the transportation manager.

What is my child’s bus number? Is my child’s bus running late?
Call your child’s school. School phone numbers can be found here.

At what time does my child’s bus arrive?
We mailed letters that listed the time range in which you should expect the bus to arrive in August. If you did not receive this letter, call your school. Remember to have your child at the bus stop 10-15 minutes early.

I did not request transportation, but I need it now. How can I request bus service?
If you have a traditional-calendar student who is returning to school on Monday, August 27, and you want them to ride the bus, go to your closest bus stop and let the bus driver know that you want bus service. The bus driver will take down your information and send it to the district’s transportation office. If your student is eligible for bus service, he or she will be added to the closest bus stop.

I need to change my child’s transportation. Whom do I contact?
Please contact your school.

I have an emergency. Whom should I call?
Call the Transportation Customer Service Center at (919) 856-7890 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m – 8 p.m. After hours, parents with emergencies may call (919) 856-8050.

I have a concern with my child’s stop or route, or about a bus driver.
To let us know of a concern, contact us using our online form. Completing the form will help us direct your concern to the best staff member.

Student Assignment Update

The Board of Education asked Student Assignment staff Thursday to use 2011-12 base assignment maps to draft a new student assignment proposal for the 2013-14 school year. Click here to find out more information about this change: http://www.wcpss.net/announcements2/2012/10/wcpss-board-of-education-asks-staff-to-return-to-2011-12-base-assignment-maps-for-the-2013-14-school-year/

Don't forget...



Please join me this Tuesday at the Fuquay Varina Biscuitville from 5 p.m.to 8:00 p.m. and have breakfast for dinner!  It's our BRES PTA Spirit Night and it is sure to become a family favorite.

Calling on all green thumbs, well really calling on anyone who would like to come out to school on Saturday and help us spruce up our campus from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.  We will be here preparing our bushes and trees for winter weather, spreading mulch and planting some fall flowers.  We want our campus to look beautiful just in time for our Fall Carnival at the end of the month.

If you are interested in walking in the Autism Walk/Run with our staff in support of children with Autism, please call the school at 890-7333 and speak with Kelley Ryan. 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Book Fair is Coming!

This is definitely an early reminder, but we are so excited to let you know that Ms. McCool will be working with the Barnes and Nobles in Cary (760 Southeast Maynard Road) to host our annual BRES Barnes & Noble Book Fair Night.  This one night event is special, as our 4th adn 5th Grade Chorus will give a "sneak peek" performance into our Winter Program.  Ms. Stephenson will once again showcase many of the art pieces that our students have created over the first quarter and a half of school. Additionally, I will be reading a story.  You can participate in a scavenger hunt and there will be an opportunity to purchase books, games, cheesecakes and more!  Please join us on Thursday, November 15th at 6:00 p.m. for this annual showcase event. 

October is underway at BRES...

October is here and we have many educational and fun filled activities under way here at BRES.  Mark your calendars for the following dates and activities:

October 9th:  PTA Spirit Night at Biscuitville in Fuquay Varina 5:00-8:00 p.m.
October 11th:  PTA Board Meeting:  Everyone is welcome to join us in the Media Center at 6:30 p.m.
October 12th, 19th & 26th:  Spirit Day:  Wear your official BRES t-shirt or blue and green school colors
October 13th:  Beautification Day:  bring your gardening tools, wheelbarrows and green thumb to help spruce up our campus from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.  Great family fun!
October 26th:  Fall Festival 5:30-8:30 p.m. Fun and games at BRES!
October 27th:  Rain date for Fall Festival



Banks Road Elementary PTA wanted to send you the following message regarding the sign up: Volunteers for the Banks Road Fall Festival:

Good Evening Banks Road Families,

The First Annual Fall Festival is just 3 weeks from tomorrow! The committee is doing a fantastic job planning a fun filled festival. But, we still need many volunteers to make this evening a success! Please take a look at the available shifts and sign up for the one that works the best for you. If you have already signed up, thank you very much for your help!

Also, if you know of any student's groups that could help out, please contact the PTA at banksrdpta@gmail.com.

Thanks for all of your support!

To view the sign up, go to:
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C054CAAAF22A57-teacherstaff1/3466731

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Awareness is Key at BRES...

October brings many, many things for us to be aware and knowledgeable about. Did you know that October is Autism Awareness Month?

Autism impacts 1 in 88 children and more specifically 1 in 54 boys (taken from the following website http://www.autismspeaks.org/.)  Many children with autism functional typically in schools across the world, in North Carolina, Wake County and right here in WCPSS.  Banks Road Elementary supports Autism Awareness and many of our staff members will be participating in the 2012 ASNC Triangle Run/Walk for Autism on October 13th.  If you are interested in participating with us in support of our students with autism, please contact Kelley Ryan at 919-890-7333 or sign up on line at http://www.trianglerunwalkforautism.org/ under the team "Marching for the M-Train."  To learn more about autism click here: http://www.autism-society.org/

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Reflections Program coming to BRES!

Banks Road Elementary in conjunction with the PTA is excited to announce that we will be participating in the national Reflections Art Contest this year. This is a national program designed to encourage students to explore their talents and express themselves through artistic endeavors.  The theme for the 2012-2013 contest is “The Magic of a Moment.” Every moment of every day is unique. Good or bad – no moment is the same. We all have that one moment that we can look back on and say, “I wish I could live that day over and over again.” Students may submit work related to this theme in the categories of Dance Choreography, Music Composition, Visual Arts, Literature, Photography, and Film Production. Students in preschool through 5th grade are encouraged to flex their creative muscles and submit an entry. All artwork must be original, created specifically for this contest, and comply with the contest rules. You can find all the contest rules and the student entry form on the Banks Road website.  All artwork must be accompanied by an entry form and received in the school office by November 2 to be eligible for the contest. School winners in each category will advance to the county level of the contest. State and national winners are announced each spring. If you have any questions about the Reflections program, the contest rules, or the student entry form please contact Ms. Megan McCool at mmccool@wcpss.net or 919-890-7323.  Let’s blaze creative trails and explore the Magic of a Moment!
 Wake County Reflections Site:
https://sites.google.com/site/wakepta/programs/reflections-1

Monday, October 1, 2012

Spelling Bee is coming to BRES!

Banks Road Elementary is will participate again in the PAGE of Wake County Spelling Bee. Registration is currently open and ends October 15.  The champion of the 3rd Annual PAGE of Wake County Spelling Bee will win an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Our PTA has graciously paid our entrance fee so that our students can compete in classroom bees, our school wide bee and the regional bee.  For more information about the PAGE Spelling Bee and its origins please follow this link http://www.spellingbee.com/about-the-bee.  The dates for our spelling bees are as follows:
  • Classroom Bees: November 5-16th 
  • School wide Bee in the Multipurpose Room: 2:00 p.m. November 28th
  • Regional Bee:  NC State McKimmon Center February 23, 2013
Interested in learning more about the Spelling Bee at BRES?  Please call the school or email sfoxworth@wcpss.net.

Volunteer Reactivation: Deadline is Approaching!

Reactivation for Continuing Volunteers

·         All continuing volunteers approved for the 2011-2012 school year MUST reactivate as a volunteer no later than 4:00 p.m. on October 31, 2012. Volunteers may go to any WCPSS site and register through the intranet.  Access to the volunteer system is:  WCPSS Intranet – Business Applications – Volunteer Registration.
·         After October 31, 2012, individuals previously approved may not volunteer without a new criminal record check. 
·         The volunteer system will be open daily for reactivation/registration from July 2, 2012, through October 31, 2012 for 24 hours a day. 
·         From November 5, 2012, through May 20, 2013, the volunteer system will be open on Mondays only, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  However, during this time period, the volunteer system will be closed on the following Mondays:  December 24, 2012, December 31, 2012, and January 21, 2013.

Kids Voting at BRES!

BRES students will participate in the National Kids Voting Program.  Kids Voting North Carolina is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes voter participation by educating America's youth about the importance of being an informed citizen and the responsibilities of voting to sustain democracy.
Kids in a classroom

Kids Voting USA is the only organization that virtually replicates the voting process by taking students into official voting precincts on Election Day. Kindergartners through high school students register to vote and participate in an engaging classroom curriculum about the election process.
  • Kids Voting kids:
  • read newspapers
  • follow politics on television
  • talk to adults about candidates and issues more than other students do
To find out more information about the Kids Voting Program please follow this link:  http://www.kidsvotingnc.org/

(If you do not want your child participating in this program, please contact Mrs. Reed at 919-890-7336 or lreed@wcpss.net and your child's teacher.)

Lost and Found

  


Trailblazer Families,
Our Lost and Found is overflowing with clothing items. Our school psychologist has washed all of the items and returned them to the Front Office.  These are items that do not have names on them.  If your child has lost an item, please ask them to come to the office.  This Friday, we will sort the items that can be used in our Student Closet (for accidents, spills, etc.) and the rest will be donated to Guardian Angel.  Please call the Front Office at 919-890-7333 with any questions.  Thank you.