Elementary School Newsletter 1.22.2024

Jan 22

Written By PCS

Dear Elementary School Families,

We are eager to share the spotlight on another one of our graduate aims – empowerment. At PCS, we believe in nurturing students to become empowered individuals, capable of shaping their own destinies. Empowerment is more than a goal; it's a guiding principle that influences our approach to education.

We strive to create an environment where students not only acquire knowledge but also develop the confidence to apply it in meaningful ways. Our teachers foster a sense of agency, encouraging students to voice their thoughts, explore their passions, and take ownership of their learning journey. You’ll see this show up all day, but it is especially highlighted in our community time and through project work. Together, let's continue empowering our young minds to thrive and make a positive impact on the world around them!

Virtual Learning Days

In the face of recent inclement weather, we made the challenging decision to shift to virtual learning late in the day on Friday. We understand the inconvenience this may have caused for those who couldn't retrieve their devices or lacked a compatible charger. Your safety, as well as our staff, remains our top priority, and we apologize for any challenges this may have caused. We are now on our second virtual learning day of the year so we wanted to discuss the importance of participation.

Attendance is crucial on virtual learning days, and open communication with teachers is imperative. Your student must participate in assignments and activities in order to be counted as present for the day. Failure to do so will result in an absence for the day. We recognize the challenges some may face with device or charger issues, and we're committed to flexibility. If you encountered difficulties, please reach out to your teacher promptly so that together, we can devise a plan to ensure continued learning.

While we hope future virtual days won't be necessary, should the need arise, your child's active participation remains vital. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during these unpredictable times.

Library News

February 7th is World Read Aloud Day

Many children's authors offer free zoom visits to classrooms on this day. 1st through 5th grade will visit the library to hear an author read from their book and to ask them questions. Please consider supporting these authors by visiting their website (click on the author below) and/or purchasing their book!

1st Grade: Natasha Yim and Andria Rosenbaum

2nd Grade: Natasha Yim

3rd Grade: Tanya Lee Stone

4th Grade: Sara Jane Marsh

5th Grade: Sonja Thomas

Winter Break Reading Challenge

Over 50 students from PK- 5th grade participated in our winter reading challenge this year! They will pick up their reading prizes during their next library visit. Be on the lookout for our Spring Break Reading Challenge in March!

Save the Dates for our Spring Coin Drive and Book Fair

Coin drive: March 4th-8th

Book Fair: March 11th-14th

Cold Weather Reminder

Students navigate between buildings daily to access various classrooms and facilities. Additionally, students engage in outdoor recess every day when the "feels like" temperature is 20 degrees or above. To ensure that our students are well-prepared for the winter chill, we kindly ask parents to send them with coats, hats, gloves, and any other winter necessities. Your cooperation in keeping our students comfortable and ready for all elements is greatly appreciated.

Field Day T-Shirt Order:

This year we are going to do field day t-shirts again. Each building will have a different color like we did last year. We are attaching a link to order and payment will be accepted in Cash, Check or on the parent portal. All payments and orders are due by Feb. 1st. Shirts will not be ordered until payment is submitted. Please check your sizes appropriately because we will not have extras to exchange out.

Thank you so much for your cooperation with this. Please make sure you fill out a form before you make a parent portal payment. To make a payment on your parent portal go to the school store and shop under the field day shirt products. You will add the appropriate size for each selected child to the cart. Then you will proceed to your cart to check out.

Field day shirt 2024

Upcoming dates: