Churchill Chatter - Issue 3, September 11, 2019
In This Week's Issue
- Digital Resources available to students; parental permission needed
- Getting to Know Churchill: Tammy Berick -- School Counselor
- Summer Reading Bingo winners
- CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
- CRS PTA News - Movie Night 9/13, Picture Day 9/12, Artist Workshop Orientation 9/12 and ASA registration information
Digital Resources for Students -- Parent Permission Required
Dear Churchill Road Families,
Churchill Road Elementary School, in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools, uses a variety of resources to support student learning. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year require parental consent as part of the terms of service and/or privacy policy of each individual resource. Churchill Road Elementary takes your child’s privacy and security very seriously, and follows the guidelines set forth by federal legislation.
A detailed explanation of each of the online resources, all of which have been thoroughly vetted for use across the county, is available on the Churchill Road Website. From there, click on “Full Menu” in the upper left corner and then “Digital Citizenship Information”. You will find “Parental Permission” at the top of the page and an abundant amount of Digital Citizenship information for you to peruse.
Direct link: https://churchillroades.fcps.edu/digital_citizenship_information
Yesterday, Tuesday, September 10, the digital resource permission slip, along with the list of online resources, was sent to all CRS families via email. If you have not already done so, please print, sign and return the “Parental Permission Slip” (Direct Link) to your child’s teacher. As educators, we believe that these county-approved online resources will enhance each child’s educational experience by providing a variety of practice methods, as well as increasing access to the various curricula.
Please Note:
- Not all tools will be accessed by all students. It is up to grade level teams to decide which resources are appropriate based upon the educational task presented to the students.
- Teachers will alert families, via regular newsletters, before students access any online resources so that all families are kept aware of resource utilization throughout the year.
Thank you for granting your child permission to use vetted online educational tools to support their learning!
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Jordan Craig-Kuhn,
Churchill Road Technology Specialist, jlcraigkuhn@fcps.edu.
Getting to Know Churchill: Tammy Berick,
School Counselor
Each school year brings new energy, new students, as well as new staff to CRS. This year we feel extremely fortunate to welcome Ms. Tamara (Tammy) Berick to CRS as our new school counselor.
Ms. Berick’s first few weeks with students at CRS have been fantastic. She has been enjoying the opportunity to get to know so many students from diverse backgrounds and appreciates that her role at CRS allows her to engage students and to help them to embrace and manage every facet of school. She has found the fun conversations and jokes over lunch to be a fabulous introduction to CRS.
Ms. Berick grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she had hiking trails to the mountains from her house. Ms. Berick started undergrad as a political science major. After spending time working on the Hill, she decided to redirect her focus to solving problems at the school level.
Ms. Berick has always loved working with kids. She has fond memories of when she was in elementary school and played teacher; she had a roster of students and her dolls helped her complete her homework. Following her graduation from American University with a B.A. in Psychology, she worked as a preschool teacher. She then returned to school to obtain her M.A. in Counseling from The George Washington University. She was working at an elementary school in Washington, D.C., before deciding to join CRS.
When Ms. Berick is not helping students at school, she enjoys cooking from her Community-Supported Agriculture program, taking road trips to hike and explore, visiting family in Arizona, and spinning with cycle classes—she strives for twenty classes a month!
Joining CRS is not the only exciting adventure Ms. Berick is embarking on this year. Ms. Berick and her spouse (a native Washingtonian) are delighted to be growing their family this fall.❤️
Congratulations Ms. Berick and welcome to CRS! We are thrilled to have your wisdom and experience to help our students navigate the adventures of elementary school!
Congratulations Summer Reading Winners!
Thank you to all the students who participated in Summer Reading Bingo this year. Great job! Congratulations to the following students (pictured above), who received a $10 gift certificate to this year's book fair: Jess B. (K), Finn M. (1st), Emily S. (2nd), Emilio F. (3rd), Lane H. (4th), Emma A. (5th) and Asiya M. (6th). A special thank you to Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Haines for sponsoring this popular summer activity.
Thank You Pack 665!
In preparation for the beginning of the school year, members of Cub Scout Pack 665 spent a Saturday in early August cleaning-up the school’s campus. The volunteers weeded around picnic tables, picked up sticks and debris, and cleaned up the gazebo/modular area. They gathered over 10 big bags of sticks and weeds. Their contribution to Churchill Road is appreciated. Thank you, Troop 665!
Fifth Graders Enjoy Sorting Ceremony
Students waiting to hear which house they would join.
Last week, CRS fifth and sixth graders excitedly waited to learn which house they would join during the annual sorting ceremony. The children from the two grade levels are mixed into groupings that promote teambuilding, collaboration and school spirit. The house names (Collaborare, Mollitium, Meditati, Moribus, Quantum and Communicare) are based on the attributes of Portrait of a Graduate: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/portrait-graduate.
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Fifth and sixth grade teachers dressed in their house t-shirts for the recent sorting cermony.
Wellness: The Benefits of Laughter
Third graders are all smiles in Mrs. Wallace's art room.
Science supports the old adage: “Laughter is the best medicine.” When we laugh our muscles contract, increasing blood flow and oxygenation. Our heart and lungs are stimulated, endorphins are released, and we feel more relaxed both physically and emotionally. Laughing has been referred to as internal jogging, massaging the internal organs and toning the abdominal muscles. Laughter is linked to boosting immunity, increasing resilience, decreasing stress levels, and relieving physical tension and stress. Plus, laughter is contagious, which fosters a sense of closeness and wellbeing.
If you are seeking a healthy dose of laughter, join us with your family and friends at our CRS PTA Movie Night this Friday, September 13, at 7:30 p.m. The Secret Life of Pets 2 is certain to tickle your funny bone, while also sharing a story of building courage and emphasizing the importance of family.
CRS Calendar of Upcoming Events
Thursday, September 12
Fall Picture Day
Friday, September 13
Family Movie Night, School Grounds (Gym in case of rain), 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 2 - Friday, October 4
Cognitive Abilities Testing (CogAT) for Grade 2, Classrooms, 8:45-10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 2
Martha's Table GR 1,3,5, Cafeteria, 3:30-4:15
Monday, October 13
Student Holiday
Tuesday, October 22
AAP Parent Information Night, Exploratory Arts Room, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 24
Make-ups for Fall Picture Day
Monday, October 28
FLE Preview Night, CRS Library, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Movie Night
Join us to watch Secret Life of Pets 2 on Friday, September 13! Ever wondered what are your pets really doing when you’re not at home? Watch Secret Life of Pets 2 and find out! Tickets are on sale online until noon on Friday – all tickets include a bag of popcorn and a raffle ticket! http://www.churchillroadpta.org/movie
- Children: 4 & under FREE, ages 5-12 $6
- Adults (13+): PTA members $7, non-members $9
- All walk-ins $10 per person
- Food will be on sale - all food purchases are cash only
- Doors open at 6:30 p.m., movie begins at 7:30 p.m. (as soon as it's dark enough)
Movie night is on, rain or shine – we’ll either be outdoors under the stars or in the gym.
Picture Day is Tomorrow!
DON’T FORGET! Fall picture day is this Thursday, September 12. Please have your child bring in the completed order form to his/her teacher by Thursday morning (or you can complete your order online). If you forget or haven’t decided whether to order pictures, you will receive an “oops slip” and have the opportunity to reconsider when pictures come in. Questions? Email crsyearbook@churchillroadpta.org.
Artist Workshop Orientation
Artist Workshop is a CRS PTA sponsored program where parents bring art to the classroom! Parents present curriculum topics through the perspective of fine art examples and fun art projects. All lessons and materials are provided for you and zero artistic skills are required. This program is a fun way for parents to volunteer in the classroom and connect with students. Artist Workshop projects are often the highlight of the week for students.
Sign up online at http://www.churchillroadpta.org/artist-workshop. New volunteers are invited to the orientation session tomorrow, September 12, at 7 p.m. in the Exploratory Arts room. Questions? Contact our Artist Workshop coordinator, Meredith Blankenstein at artistworkshop@churchillroadpta.org.
After School Activities
Registration for the fall session of After School Activities is open until 5 p.m. on Monday, September 16. Want your student to get their body and brain moving before school? Try Bobcat Fitness taught by Ms. Gift and Mr. Varhol! Learn about using professional cameras, editing, and more with Coder Kids Create a Vlog. Discover engineering concepts with Jedi Master Engineering! Rock out to pop hits in Hip Hop Kids. Discover our many options online at http://www.churchillroadpta.org/asa.
Links to PTA News
Link to the CRS PTA homepage:
http://www.churchillroadpta.org/
Link to the PTA Week-at-a-Glance:
https://churchillroadpta.membershiptoolkit.com/newsletters
As outlined by FCPS Regulation 1367.2, school principals shall offer options to nonprofit organizations that want to make their materials available to students and parents. At Churchill Road, non-profit organizations will be permitted to send home flyers in the take home folder 4 times during the year. The dates for the 2019-2020 school year are the weeks of September 16, December 2, March 2 and May 4. These fliers must be related to the school’s educational mission and be age-appropriate. Community organizations must submit their materials in advance to the school’s principal and must include the disclaimer “These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, or this School.” Once approved, the organization will be required to make the copies necessary for distribution. Any questions can be directed to Kim Moran, Churchill Road's Public Relations Liaison.
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