SPRINGWOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE 3815 Marquis Place Woodbridge, Virginia 22192 | (703) 590-9874

The PATRIOT December 2016 Reaching for the Stars

Visit our website at: www.pwcs.edu/springwoodses

Dates to Remember:

December 1 PTO meeting 6:15pm (See proposed constructions plans) Advisory Council 7:30pm

December 10 Lake Ridge Santa Parade

December 13 End of Interim

December 15 Winter Concert 7:00pm

December 19 Gifted Program Open House

December 21 Interims go home

December 22 Winter break begins

January 3 School Reopens

Parent Portal

Parent Portal, the school Web site interface which allows parents to view student grades, attendance,

and edit contact information, is currently available. Please use the Parent Portal button on our school Web site for instructions on how to register for

your login account.

Dear Springwoods Families, It is humbling to witness the generosity of spirit and action that occurs here at Springwoods. The outpouring of community support for those less fortunate is heartwarming. Thank you for the donations of nonperishable goods during our Kindness Food Drive and the items donated for the homeless. As the saying goes, “what goes around, comes around” - so I anticipate that the blessings shared this season will return in the coming months to those who have sown with such amazing generosity. Happy holidays to each and every Patriot family and to those you love! Just a few quick December reminders for you- First of all, learning never takes a break, so keep your kids reading everyday especially over the long holiday break. Secondly, mark your calendars for the fun events we have this month including the Lake Ridge Santa Parade featuring our Springwoods Chorus and the Winter Concert. Finally, hug and kiss your children repeatedly over winter break. It’s good for them and a great way to stay warm. They won’t be this young forever! Happy Holidays!

Mrs. Mainor Principal

“Springwoods- A bright shining legacy, a sky’s the limit future.”

Mrs. Mainor Principal “Springwoods- A bright shining legacy, a sky’s the limit future.”

Come to PTO, Dec. 1, to meet the architects and builders to learn about the new Springwoods 2-story addition. 13 classrooms and parking!

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Springwoods PTO:

Dedicated to Our School.

PTO meetings 6:30pm in the library, first Thursday of each month.

Our PTO plays a critical role in students’ education. Please consider lending

your time and talents to the PTO this year. Thank you.

School Advisory Council

Community members are welcome to attend our monthly meetings. These meetings address all matters related to the running of the school – from budget decisions to instructional initiatives and the creation of a strategic plan. Here are the 2016-2017 Meetings Dates. All meetings are on Thursday at 7:30pm in the Springwoods Library.

December 1

February 2 April 6 May 4

**Springwoods ES Representative for Superintendent’s Advisory Council: Shila Cooch

Advisory Council 2016-2018

With great pleasure, we welcome our new

Springwoods Parent Advisory Council members. These members will serve a 2 year term. Please join us at the next meeting on Thursday, December 1 at 7:30pm and meet your Parent representatives. There is still room for more parents to join!

Changes to Transportation Home by Noon If you need to change your child’s normal routine at the end of the day, i.e., riding the bus instead of SACC, car rider instead of bus, etc., this must be communicated in writing by a parent to the teacher and office by 12:00 pm. This will eliminate confusion and anxiety for your child at the end of the school day. If circumstances occur during the day that requires a last minute adjustment to be made, please notify the office in writing by 3:00 pm. Please note that the end of the day is a busy time in the office, therefore changes in transportation cannot be accepted after 3:00 p.m.

Kiss-n-Ride

Morning: Please arrive at 8:30am, not before. Kiss-n-

Ride is for families who cannot access bus service or cannot walk to school.

Afternoon: The Springwoods parking lot is closed 3:00-3:35pm daily. Please arrive to the Marquis Place car line at 3:30pm, not before. Kiss-n-Ride is for families who cannot access bus service or cannot park and walk to pick up children from the cafeteria. Also, Kiss-n-Riders must use the service at least 3 days every week. Kiss-n-Ride begins by 3:35pm after busses have exited the lane.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE: Be here. All day. All in. All the way. Springwoods absentee policy states that when your child is going to be absent, a parent should call the attendance line at 571.298.0357 before school or as early as possible. In order for the absence or tardy to be excused, a note from the doctor, for medical appointments, or a note from the parent explaining the absence is required within two days of your child returning to school. Absences may be excused for the following reasons only:

Personal illness of the student or Medical/dental appointments

Death in the family

Religious observance

Court appearance

Emergency situations related to weather conditions

Excessive absences or tardiness will not be tolerated. Please note that children will be marked tardy after 8:45am, when the tardy bell rings. Students must be in seats ready to learn at 8:45am.

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Café Corner

“You’ve Got Kale” Did you know that you can find kale in all Prince William County School cafeterias as a salad, or as a green smoothie in the middle and high schools? Not only does our kale come from local Virginia farmers, it is also packed with nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber! Vitamins are important nutrients that your body needs for growth and normal functioning. Vitamin A is used to maintain healthy vision, teeth, and bones. Vitamin C is used by your body to grow and repair tissues. It also helps your body absorb iron and heal wounds. Vitamin K is used for blood clotting, which is important for many other functions in the body. Lastly, fiber is not a vitamin, but it is a nutrient found in plants. Fiber helps food move through your body. Most Americans don’t eat the daily recommended amount of fiber even though it is so important to have! Now that you know more about the health benefits of eating kale, all you have to do is decide which toppings you would like to add to your make your own (MYO) kale salad!

PWCS Food Services

MyLunchMoney.Com is an online service that enables prepayments into student cafeteria accounts

and is now available for the 2016-17 school year. Cash and checks will continue to be accepted as prepayments in the cafeteria.

Information about student accounts, menus and nutritional information is available on the food services Web site www.pwcs.edu/menus/. Also available

online is a Virtual Cafeteria; this interactive tool helps students make wise food choices at home and at school.

Standards of Learning (SOL) Test News Many thanks to everyone who came to STEM Night. Speaking of Math, now that every student in Virginia takes the SOL test online the very nature of the test has expanded beyond multiple choice to include a variety of what are called “technology enhanced items”. The example here is a “click and drag” question requiring students to use the computer control buttons to place the correct answers in the appropriate box in the table. Although clicking and dragging is an easy computer skill for our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, it is easy to see that this single question is really 3 questions with six possible answers. In order to get the question correct, the student must correctly answer all three questions. From the 3rd Grade Released SOL 2013 Test: Click and drag a number to each correct box in the table.

It’s important that you are also aware that the SOL tests are not only all administered on the computer, but all Reading and Math tests are now computer adaptive tests (also called Tailored testing). Computer Adaptive testing is a form of computer-based test that adapts to the examinee's ability level during the testing session. We are looking forward to this tailored testing which offers shorter tests, appropriately leveled questioning for students and ultimately, a more productive assessment process. The link below directs you to the Virginia Department of Education and provides a Guide to Computer Adaptive Testing. If you have questions about testing for your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader, please contact Mr. Burton, Assistant Principal at burtonkx@pwcs.edu. Computer Adaptive Testing link

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/index.shtml

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Nurse’s Corner Beth Williams –School Nurse

ATTENTION PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF 11 YEAR OLD STUDENTS: If your child has turned 11, he/she is eligible for the mandatory Tdap immunization. Please consider getting this immunization as soon as they turn 11, so they will be ready to enter middle school. There is also a Tdap immunization for children who are 10 years old. Please check with your pediatrician to see if your doctor’s office may have this available. Please submit documentation to the clinic as soon as your child receives the immunization. Please call me in the clinic if you have any questions.

Check out these Career Day photos! Thank you to all of the parents who

supported this learning day.

Check out these Stem Night photos!

Thank you to all of the parents who supported this learning day.

The Prince William County Public School Division does not discriminate in employment or in its educational programs

and activities against qualified individuals on the basis of

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, age,

veteran status, disability.