School Messenger: August 26, 2014

August 26, 2014

Happy Tuesday Trailblazers! This is Mrs. Graf with your weekly school messenger.

On Friday, your child will come home with their Quarter 1 interims for students on track 4.  You should have also received your beginning of the year mClass Parent Home Connection letter and a letter from me explaining the assessment process.  Please take a moment to review the mClass report and interim.  We want to be sure you are informed of your child’s progress.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding mClass.

This week:

8/26 Read to Achieve Track 2 Camp

8/27 Ident-i-kid Make Up Pictures (select students only)

8/29 Read to Achieve Track 2 Test Day

9/1 No School Holiday

9/2 Boomer’s Practice at 8:00 in the Music Room

9/6 PTA Beautification Day at 8:30 a.m.  Come on out and help us spruce up our campus.  There will be a compass coin given to the class with the most participation.

What’s going on at BRES?

Trailblazers, we are magnifying the possibilities in classrooms and with our stakeholders.  Please be on lookout for enhancements to our campus on the 3-5 playground, in our Café, in our Media Center and in our computer lab.  Our PTA and our Kraft YMCA partnerships are supporting us in strengthening our student and staff access to technology, beautifying our campus and grounds and putting relevant and meaningful curriculum materials into classrooms.

Speaking of the good work of our PTA, our PTA Coin Drive begins on September 2^nd.  All coins brought in are put towards the grade level fund and helps pay for field trips, grade level orders.  The PTA is looking for volunteers to help out with the coin drive.  Please visit the PTA website for more information.

Lastly, the Fall Festival is just a few weeks away. Mark your calendars for September 26^th.  There will once again be fun activities for the young and the young at heart.  Classes are already accepting donations for their class baskets for the raffle.  All proceeds will go towards the grade level field trip fund.

That’s it Trailblazers!  All of this information will be posted on the school website and will go out on the Principal’s Desk Blog.  Please call the school with any questions.

Always Trailblazer Proud,

Mrs. Graf 

School Messenger August 12, 2014

Click here for the latest School Messenger from Mrs. Graf:

August 12, 2014

Interims Information and Link to Parent Letter regarding mClass

Trailblazers,

Quarter 1 Interims go home today with students on Tracks 1, 2 and 3 in Grades 1-5.  The interims are "new" and are generated from the same program used to create report cards in the last school year.   Kindergarten students will only receive the mClass Parent Letter not an Interim.  Please follow the link to learn more about the interim and mClass assessments.  Questions? Please email me at cgraf1@wcpss.net or call the school at 919-890-7333.

My Banks Best, Mrs. Graf

Kindergarten Student Parent Letter

Parent Letter for Students in Grades 1-5

Did you know....

Trailblazers,

Did you know we have a brand new PTA?  It's true! Our PTA is working in high gear to engage parents and support the learning and teaching environment at Banks Road Elementary.

Here are the PTA Officers for the 2014-2015 school year:

President:  Jackie Wenzel
VP Programs:  Sofiya Gouveia
VP Communications:  Angela Gregory
VP Ways and Means: Rebecca Campbell
Treasurer:  Claire DiBlasi
Secretary:  Allison Wood

Stay Connected:
jackiewenzel1220@gmaila.com (President)
PTA Main Account:  banksrdpta@gmail.com
Do you have Facebook? Join the PTA Facebook page.

Next Board Meeting is scheduled for September 5, 2014.  Next General PTA Meeting is scheduled for January 27, 2014.

Interested in learning more? Joining the PTA?  Contact Ms. Wenzel! 

Ident-i-kid Is Tomorrow for Track 4

This is to remind you that Ident-a-kid will be on campus tomorrow for Track 4 students.  If you have not yet returned the application form to your child's teacher, its' not too late to participate in the program.  Simply complete the form and return it with your child.  If you need a form, we have extra copies in the Front Office.

Questions? Please call the school at 919-890-7333.  Thank you, Mrs. Graf

School Messenger August 6, 2014

School Messenger

August 6, 2014

Trailblazers,

This is Mrs.  Graf with important information for our school community: 

This is a special school messenger specifically regarding carpool.  Trailblazers, I need your help to support an efficient and safe carpool process.  Yesterday’s carpool was no less than a hot mess! Track 4 is back and we have an increased number of Trailblazers utilizing carpool.  Additionally, we have two new pre K classes along with our two Track 4 Kindergarten classes. While we are tightening up our indoor carpool processes and routines, it would support us if you could do the following:

ü  If you are a Pre K parent or a Kindergarten parent we are asking that you position your car seats on the loading side of your car.  This will allow us to load your child in a timely manner into your vehicle.  I will be asking all parents who want to get out of their vehicles to pull into the designated parking spots for buckling.   This will allow the flow of carpool to continue.

ü  Work with you child to learn their carpool number.  Make it game or give a special treat if they can memorize and recognize their number being called.

ü  Additionally, all carpool parents, it is critical for the efficiency of carpool that you remain in your designated carpool lane.  If you switch lanes, it causes a misalignment of students in line at the wrong cones.  This slows down carpool. 

ü  And lastly, carpool should be a time when we have your undivided attention.  I understand the need to multitasking-we all have things to do, but I ask that once the line starts moving that cell phones and electronics not be used.  We have had a fender bender and several close calls of accidents.  I am requesting your support and would like you to honor this request. 

Questions about carpool? Please call the school or email me at cgraf1@wcpss.net. 

That’s it Trailblazers.  We are off to a wonderful start and I know that we can work together to make our carpool process efficient and safe!   

Always Trailblazer Proud, Mrs. Graf

Update regarding Spring EOG Scores

Trailblazers,

As of last Friday, all reports for state tests administered in Spring 2014 (EOG, EOC, NCEXTEND1, NCEXTEND2, etc.) have been mailed to parent/ guardian home addresses for traditional-calendar students, modified-calendar students, and year-round calendar (Track 1) students. Student score reports from year-round track 2, 3, and 4 are currently being mailed. 

Track 1 parents/ guardians who still have not received score reports for their students to contact either the school where the student tested, or the school where the student is currently enrolled (even if in a different district or state) and fill out the attached form.  Instructions for both parents and schools are on the form attached to this email. The form is also available for download here. 

Please let me know if you need assistance in getting your child's scores from the Spring EOG testing session.  Thank you, Mrs. Graf