Benchmark Testing

THE WAVE December News, 2015

Julie Pierce, Principal Alicia Daugherty, Assistant Principal & Kristin LaMotte, Itinerate Assistant Principal

G U L F S H O R E S E L E M E N T A R Y

Dec 3 - $2/slice Pizza Sales; Sales Close at 8:30 a.m.

Dec 3 - Skip the Magic Guy Show - World’s Finest Chocolate Show

Dec 4 - Pizza Day (no sales on this day)

Dec 7 - SILT Meeting 3:30

Dec 8 - Chick-fil-A Spirit Night 5-7 p.m.

Dec 9 - Bowling, Grades 2-6, $5.00 (Money due day before by 3:30 p.m.

Dec 9 - Out of Uniform for Chick-fil-A Spirit Night

Dec 11 - Rita’s Shaved Ice

Dec 14 - 6th Grade Band Concert 7:00 p.m.

Dec 15 - Dolphin Sound Christmas Performance 12:50 p.m. Parents Welcome!

Dec 16 - Gulf Shores Parent Partnership (GSPP) Executive Board Meeting 8:15. a.m. Everyone Welcome!

Dec 16 - Grand Surfing Party Trip to the Movies for Excellent Behavior $5.00 (Money due day before by 3:30 p.m.)

Dec 17 - SGA Christmas Gift: Whole School Out of Uniform!!

Dec 17 - 5th & 6th Grade Christmas Dance, Admission: Clean/Used Blanket for the local zoo; Casual Dress - Jeans

Dec 18 - Perfect Attendance Out of Uniform

Dec 18 - 11:50 Early Dismissal

Dec 21-Jan 4 - Christmas Holidays

Jan 5 - Students Return to School

Important Dates

7 HABITS CRASH COURSE FOR PARENTS

January, 2016

Please join us to learn more about Stephen Covey’s 7 habits, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Jennifer

Spruiell will review what your children are learning in school about the 7 habits! We are offering two 90

minute sessions in January.

When: January 27th 6:00-7:30 p.m.or

January 29th 8:15-9:45 a.m.

Where: Cafeteria

How To Register: complete the form on the back

page of The Wave, or call the office 251-968-7375

Three times per year, students are given short quizzes called benchmark tests to measure student growth so teachers can adjust instruction. Here are a list of benchmark tests that are used in December and January:• STAR Reading and Math, Grades 1-6, December 1- December 15• DIBELS, Grades K-4, December 1-December 15• ESGI, Grade K, December 1-December 16• Scantron Benchmarks, Grades K-1 Reading Foundations and Math, and

Grades 2-6 Reading and Math, January 25-February 5• Multiplication Facts, Grades 4-6, January 19- February 5

Alabama Marine Resources 2016 Youth Art Calendar Contest

GSES has two winners from over 2000 entries: Cailey Maddox and

Phoebe Naugle. Thanks to Mrs. McClay, our art teacher, for supporting

our students!

Student Council Canned Food Drive

The Student Council collected 2464 cans! That is more than last year! The cans will be donated to local food banks. Thanks to Student Council and Mrs. Rosado for organizing the Canned Food Drive!

Terrific Kids PreK Kaya Ellis Jace Wade

MD Jeremy Williams

Kindergarten Hadley Mullenix Henry Cork Sadie Stavens Kenny Sanders Bennett Morgan Blake Leonard Hampton Howard

First Grade Aidyn Becker Zoe Dumas McKenie Smith Breanna Bramlett Sam Creel Breelyn Tyson Brody Shiver

Second Grade Ariana Daily Chayce Williams Cooper Hopkins Logan Oglestreet Candice Knight Brandon Nunez Sophia Merrell

Third Grade Madison Hubbard Bella Sallin Keirra Waterman Nathan Sadlis Masha Turkic Jessica McClintock

Fourth Grade Sophia Braggs Lydia Dumas Matheus Siqueira Richard Nava Raleigh Boesel Elizabeth Vermillion

Fifth Grade Aiden Sallin Connor Harmon Brodie Harris Caleb Crum Beckham Smith

Sixth Grade Brailyn Gillis Madison Dowling Hunter Lassiter River Honsvick Amanda Watley Kaylee Brown

Holiday Programs!

December 14 Sixth Grade Band Concert 7:00 p.m. The Wharf

December 15 Dolphin Sound Christmas Program at 12:50 a.m. in the GSES

Gymnasium

Second PE Field Trips - BOWLING!! Grades 2-6 will be learning how to bowl this year under the direction of our great PE teachers! The students will travel to Gulf Bowl in Foley on Dec. 9.

The cost will be $5 per student. You may send extra spending money for games, concessions, and laser tag. Please look for the field trip permissions soon.

Rita’s Shaved Ice is Coming Friday, December 11

$2.00 Kids $3.00 Regular $4.00 Large

Buy Your Yearbooks Now! Preserve memories of your child’s

2015-2016 school year by buying a Gulf Shores Elementary School

Yearbook for $30. The last day to order will be February 6, 2016.

Congratulations to Gulf Shores Elementary School

Teacher of the Year for 2015-16, ESL Resource

Teacher Stephanie Montiel! 

Mrs. Montiel was chosen by her peers as our Teacher of the Year.Mrs. Montiel taught health education with Peace Corps Paraguay in 2003. She earned her Master’s of Education with ESL certification from UAB in 2008 and holds an undergraduate degree from Auburn University, 2000.This is her 9th year teaching at Gulf Shores Elementary School.

Pictured back row l to r: Mrs. Montiel with several of her 3rd grade students including Kevin Galicia, Mario Sabanilla, Patrick Nguyen, Mrs. Montiel, Johanna Lopez and Aileen Castellon.Front row l to r:  Masha Turkic and Bea Franca

More School Activities

More School Activities

World’s Famous Chocolate Our fall fundraiser of chocolate bar sales

has been a success. We raised $12,000 to help pay for instructional supplies and the

copier machines. Thank you for supporting our purchase of instructional

supplies.

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night November Spirit Night raised $260.34. The money will help to pay for buses and drivers

for field trips for our multiple disabilities class and the Surfing Party. Mrs. Ryall’s

class had the most participation. Her class gets to care for “The Cow” for one month.

The Student Council did a great job cleaning tables.

SURFING PARTIES

Positive behavior is rewarded with Surfing Parties! Surfing Parties are held for students who have had only 1 or 2 “wipe outs” during the 20 day period. There is party left. The last party will be on December 16.

“Grand Surfing Party” Students who have earned all four monthly Surfing Parties from September through December will be allowed to participate in the “Grand Surfing Party” on December 16 - a field trip to the movies for $5, including popcorn and Sprite! Let’s choose great behavior!

Play  the  Day  Away  Red  Ribbon  Community  Project  

Sophia Henry, our 2015 Red Ribbon Leadership honoree,

collected care packages for the children staying at the Ronald

McDonald House and the children admitted to Women and

Children’s Hospital as her Red Ribbon Community Service. Students collected tons of

coloring books, crayons, puzzles etc... Thank you, Sophia, for organizing a great project.

Concerned about Portables? The Community Advisory Task Force presented and released its report to the board of education last month. These citizens studied the challenges that our school system is facing with facilities, funding, leadership, curriculum and instruction, and communication. Here is a link to the report: http://www.bcbe.org/citizensreport 

The VERY BEST part of their work is reflected in the Chalkboard Chats. These 2-5 minute videos explain the complexities of school financial issues in very simple terms. Listen to their Chalkboard Chats on Facebook at Community Advisory Task Force.https://www.facebook.com/2015CATF/?fref=ts

Our very own Gulf Shores Elementary dad, Kevin Corcoran, led the Community Advisory Task Force!

The Power of Parents and Reading Aloud! Read Aloud partners are united behind the idea that 15 minutes of daily reading aloud from birth to age

8 can change the face of education nationally.

• Reading aloud is the single most important thing a parent or caregiver can do to help a children prepare for reading and learning.

• Nationally, 37% of children arrive at kindergarten without the skills necessary to begin their learning journey.

• If a child is not reading at grade level by the end of the first grade, then there is an 88% probability the child will not be reading at grade level by the end of the fourth grade.

• Even in higher-income households, nearly 40% of families do not read aloud every day.• More than half the children in this country –13 million children– will not hear a bedtime story tonight.

Let’s change the face of education nationally by beginning at home. Change begins with me!

Baldwin County Uniform Policy

Reminder Our superintendent, Mr. Eddie Tyler, would like for all schools to comply with the uniform policy as adopted by the Baldwin County Board of Education. Please take the holidays to check your closets and drawers for those navy blue and khaki bottoms, and white, navy, and light blue shirts. Afco light blue fishing shorts are not policy. Below is a reminder of the consequences for not following the policy.• 1st infraction -Warning and

parent notified• 2nd infraction-Referral to

the office and parent notified

• 3rd infraction-Detention• 4th infraction &

subsequent-One day suspension and parent notified

Volunteers Needed on Wednesdays

Teachers need volunteers to monitor students at lunch on Wednesdays. If you would like to help, please call the

office at 968-7375 or go to

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d4caaa629a1fb6-december

Oyster Bay Baptist Church has been handling the bulk of the volunteer spots for these past few months. We appreciate their volunteer hours more than they will ever know! Thank you to ALL of the volunteers!

More School Activities

7 HABITS CRASH COURSE REGISTRATION (Please return the completed form to your child’s teacher.)

_______I would like to participate in the evening 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Crash Course on Wednesday, January 27 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

_______I would like to participate in the morning 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Crash Course on Friday, January 29 from 8:15-9:45 a.m.

Name(s)_____________________________________________________________________

Phone Number_______________________________________________________________

Student Name(s)______________________________________________________________

Christmas Decorations Thank you!

Volunteers, organized through the GSPP (Gulf Shores Parent Partnership), spent

Monday morning decorating our Christmas tree and putting up the wreaths.

Carolyn MoserShelby Jurkiewicz

Terri EllisThank you so much!

Title I AdvancED Reports Available On Website

The following reports are available on the website www.gsesdolphins.com for your viewing.• Executive Summary• Improvement Plan Stakeholder

Involvement• Student Performance Diagnostic• ACIP Assurances• 2015-2016 Plan for ACIP• Stakeholder Feedback Diagnostic• Title I Schoolwide Diagnostic• Coordination of Resources-

Comprehensive Budget• Strategies to Increase Parental

Involvement• Local Indicator

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the front office at 968-7375.

What is a “DIBELS??” DIBELS are measures that help teachers and schools determine how students are performing on important reading skills. DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. These measures are designed for students in grades K-4. The critical skills necessary for successful beginning reading include: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. All students in grades K-4 are given the DIBELS test three times each year; usually this occurs in the fall, winter, and spring. Benchmark assessments generally take 2 to 6 minutes to give, depending on the grade of the student and time of year. A student’s scores on the DIBELS measures give the school information about whether or not a student is on track for grade-level reading success. For more information, please contact your child’s teacher. A letter was sent home during the 1st quarter with more details.