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Dear Families,
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and I want to share my gratitude for our outstanding teachers, this year more than ever.
In the 2019-2020 school year, the challenges educators faced were evident. Teachers had to grapple with transforming their instruction in ways they never had before...transitioning to virtual learning in the midst of a global pandemic.
In the 2020-2021 school year, the challenges educators faced were evident. Teachers had to grapple with transforming their instruction in ways they never had before, again...establishing relationships online before changing their instruction multiple times, implementing hybrid learning, concurrent instruction, and a cavalcade of changing health and safety measures.
This school year may look from the outside to be the most "normal" of the pandemic. Yet the challenges educators face may be even more difficult, if less evident from the outside -- or maybe in part because they are less evident from the outside. Our teachers are expert in finding and building on students' strengths, but the truth is that students' needs are many this year. They have returned to (or started) in-person instruction with a range of pandemic-related social and emotional challenges we've never encountered on this scale. We've had to teach or reteach impulse control, emotion regulation, patience, work habits, self-reliance, respect for others, sharing, turn-taking, and more. Some students are in crisis or trauma, with mental health challenges, intense behaviors, anxiety or depression. Students are still developing fine motor skills, gross motor skills, balance, coordination, and even the sense of their own bodies in space. Most importantly, students have had to relearn how to be contributors to a kind, supportive classroom community -- they've had to rediscover how to belong to each other. Teachers have had to actively create a sense of community months longer than in past years. At the same time, teachers have had grappled with more assessments, more instructional demands, and more academic needs with less time, given COVID-related absences. Because all of this work is happening against the backdrop of a pandemic that isn't done with us just yet.
So please take this opportunity to express your gratitude to your child's teachers next week (see below). Our Cougars are so lucky to learn from this incredibly dedicated group of individuals.
Warm regards,
Diane Leipzig, Dr. L
Our PTA has put together a variety of activities to show love to our CWES teachers.
Teacher Appreciation Week (as well as Fun Fair) will have an 80s theme! Please help us show our teachers how much we love and appreciate them by participating in the following activities!
Chalk the Walk: Stop by the school on April 29th/May 1st (weather permitting) to draw pictures/write notes for all teachers to see when they arrive on Monday.
Monday: Write a thank you note or acrostic poem for your teacher and bring it to school
Tuesday: Wear neon
Wednesday: Bring in a flower or favorite treat for your teacher
Thursday: 80s day: Hairstyles, clothes, whatever you can think of! (Star Wars attire even works thanks to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi!)
Friday: Wear CWES spiritwear or CWES colors (green and yellow)
***Please consider writing a note/bringing a small treat for our specials teachers (Art, PE, Music, Library) too!***
This year, you can submit a recorded message thanking and celebrating FCPS’s amazing teachers and staff. Please submit your recording (up to 60 seconds) by noon on Wednesday, April 27.
Your video message may be selected to share with our teachers and community on the FCPS website and social media channels throughout Teacher Appreciation Week.
Surprising our teachers and staff with these messages of gratitude and support is part of the fun so keep your contribution under wraps.
More information and a submission form are available online. Please be aware, the submission form requires a Google account. If you do not have a Google account and wish to be part of the celebration, share your messages on social media and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The book fair is open from Monday, April 25 to Friday, April 29, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day. You can also order books online at
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/canterburywoods
We had multiple reports of book fair money being stolen today -- please check to make sure your child did not come home with a classmate's money or books you didn't provide them funds to purchase, and please talk to your children about keeping their money safe and out of sight until they are heading to the library to make their purchases.
If you have any questions about the Book Fair feel free to contact our librarian, Mairead Bauer, at mabauer1@fcps.edu.
Yearbook sales have been reopened for a limited time, through THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27.
Yearbooks are only $14!
Online ordering only at https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/LookupJob?jobNumber=14314322 - Yearbook Code #14314322. We will not be selling yearbooks at the school so be sure to order online.
Click here for yearbook flyer.
Join us on May 7th for our Annual Spring Fun Fair! The Fun Fair is packed with activities: Moon Bounces, Laser Tag, Carnival Games, Raffle Prizes, Face Painting (only 11-1pm), Balloon Animals, DJ and Food: Pizza, Chick-fil-A, Cotton Candy, Popcorn, and Anita’s Frozen Cotton Candy.
PRE-ORDER NOW (PRE-ORDERS CLOSE Thursday, May 5):
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WRISTBANDS*: unlimited game play, 1 popcorn, 1 cotton candy, 1 balloon animal, laser tag, moon bounces AND face painting!
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FOOD: Domino's Pizza and Chick-fil-A (Limited food options available for purchase at the Fair so Pre-Order Today!
- RAFFLE TICKETS
- https://cwespta.ptboard.com/formvw?store=2220&form=9
*Wristband cost will increase to $25 the day of the fair.
CWES PTA runs ONE volunteer-heavy fundraising event each year - the annual Fun Fair, which is coming up on Saturday, May 7 from 11:00 – 2:00.
Many years ago, CWES PTA raised over $25K/year by having the kids and their families sell holiday wrapping paper. At some point, the PTA Board decided to stop asking families to sell things to raise money for the school, and to focus instead on different types of fundraisers. As a result of that decision made long ago, our current PTA fundraisers include fun events that bring our community together (the Fun Fair, Monster Mash, and the Cougar Crawl), activities your children and family probably would do anyway (the Read-a-Thon, Restaurant Nights, and shopping at Amazon via our fundraising portal), and other activities/items that provide value to CWES families who participate (Spirit Wear, Family Portrait Day, and Display My Art).
We don’t ask CWES families to sell wrapping paper, mattresses, mulch, etc., but we DO ask for a significant number of volunteers to help with the Fun Fair FOR AN HOUR OR SO on ONE SATURDAY out of the year.
The Fun Fair, along with our other fundraisers, provides CWES with funds for classroom programs (special grade level events like 3rd grade's Egypt Day), Building and Grounds Improvements, Luncheons for Staff, and subscriptions to programs like Peardeck and Newsela.
We have planned a really fun event – the 2022 80’s Spectacular Fun Fair! It will include Carnival Games, Moon Bounces, Laser Tag, Face Painting, Selfie Picture Booth, AMAZING Raffle Prizes, and many other fun and delicious things! PLEASE help us make it a fun AND successful event!
Sign up TODAY to help! CWES sixth graders, older siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are welcome and encouraged to sign up!
We NEED YOUR HELP to make this Fun Fair a success! IF WE CAN'T GET VOLUNTEERS WE WILL BE UNABLE TO RUN GAMES!
Sign up below and receive one raffle ticket for each one hour slot!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B44ABAD2EA6F94-volunteers
Thank you in advance for your help!!
Sujata Sahgal, CWES PTA President
Donation items can be dropped off in the front office by Thursday, May 5
The Kindergarten/First Grade theme is Party in a Basket, and parents are asked to donate small toys, party favors, decorations/balloons, joke books, Mad Libs, game books, cake mix, or cake decorating items.
The Second Grade theme is Taking Care of Mom, and parents are asked to donate lotion, body wash, perfume, beauty products, nail polish, gift certificates to ULTA, Sephora, spas, or salons, bubble bath, jewelry, or other accessories.
The Third Grade theme is Gifts for Dad, and parents are asked to donate car care items or gift certificates, Dad snacks, As Seen on TV items, grilling items, sports themed items, or gadgets.
The Fourth Grade theme is Family Fun Night, and parents are asked to donate board games, card games, pizza gift certifications, snacks, popcorn kits, ice cream gift certificates, or puzzles.
The Fifth and Sixth Grade theme is Thank You Teachers, and parents are asked to donate classroom decorations and supplies, edible treats, rainy day games for the classroom, bubble bath, essential oils, lotions, coffee, tea, travel mugs, etc.
IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO DONATE MONEY RATHER THAN ITEMS, YOU MAY DO SO VIA THE PAYPAL LINK ON THE PTA WEBSITE: http://cwespta.org/?p=1077
If you own or work for a company that would be willing to donate a raffle prize to the Fun Fair Raffle Baskets, please contact Sophia Yang (vpfundcwespta@gmail.com). CWES PTA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible.
THANK YOU so much for donating and helping make our Raffle Baskets really awesome!
FREE SHIPPING through April 29th.
There are 2 ways to order:
1. If your child received a custom Display My Art brochure click HERE enter your order number and state to start shopping (discount pricing is already applied). Lost your order number? Call 800-394-2090 for assistance Monday-Friday 9-5 EST
2. Click on the link below and turn your child’s artwork, a family photo, your favorite saying or a school/business logo into a custom keepsake or gift. Best of all, Canterbury Woods Elementary will earn a profit from each item ordered. https://displaymyart.myshopify.com/CWESPTA25
Be sure to enter Canterbury Woods Elementary’s Discount Code upon checkout for 25% OFF your entire order: CWESPTA25
Each year, we solicit your input as we prepare for the placement process of developing balanced classes for the following school year. We do not save your responses from one year to the next, and we recognize that students' needs and their peer relationships evolve from one year to the next. If your child will be enrolled in CWES next year, please take a moment to fill out this Google form to provide us with information that will set your child up for success. Please submit one entry for each of your rising Cougars!
Responses will be accepted through Friday, May 20, 2022.
This week and next week are the READING TESTS.
On the horizon:
Thursday, April 28--4th Grade Reading
Tuesday, May 3--5th Grade Reading
Wednesday, May 4--3rd Grade Reading
Thursday, May 5--6th Grade Reading
Please be sure your child gets a good night's sleep, and please try to avoid scheduling appointments on your student’s testing days.
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3rd Grade: Reading on Wednesday, May 4th and Math on Wednesday, May 11th
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4th Grade: Reading on Thursday, April 28th and Math on Tuesday, May 17th
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5th Grade: Reading on Tuesday, May 3rd, Science on Thursday, May 12th, and Math on Wednesday, May 18th
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6th Grade: Reading on Thursday, May 5th and Math on Thursday, May 19th
Come grab a cup of coffee at our SEL Coffee Talk! All CWES parents and guardians are invited to engage with teachers, school counselors, psychologist, and social workers on Wednesday, May 18th at 11:00 – 11:45 A.M. or at 5:00 -5:45 P.M.
During the session, you will learn about the various small group curriculums we use for students who require support such as Zones, Unstuck and On Target, Kimochis, and Mind UP. These curriculums are a part of CASEL – Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning. Click this link CASEL to learn more about CASEL.
This year we are excited to offer in-person spring concerts for our band, strings and choral programs. We are also excited to return to Woodson High School for sixth grade promotion. Mark your calendars for the following dates:
FIELD DAYS
Our fabulous P.E. teachers will hold field days during regularly-scheduled P.E. classes over the past two weeks of school. No separate schoolwide events will be scheduled.
CHORUS
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OUTDOOR DAYTIME CONCERT FOR STUDENTS, THURSDAY JUNE 2: Fifth and sixth grade choral students will perform a capella for fellow CWES students at 11:00 AM.
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OUTDOOR EVENING CONCERT FOR FAMILIES, THURSDAY JUNE 2: Fifth and sixth grade choral students will perform a capella for families at 6:30 PM.
STRINGS
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LIVE SPRING EVENING CONCERT, THURSDAY MAY 26: Fourth grade performs at 5:30 PM; Fifth/Sixth Grade performs at 6:30 PM. Up to 2 family members for each strings student are welcome to attend these in-person events.
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VIRTUAL SPRING DAYTIME CONCERT, FRIDAY MAY 27: Fifth/Sixth grade performance will be live-streamed at 10:30 AM; Fourth grade performance will be livestreamed at 11:45 AM. CWES classrooms and CWES family members alike can tune in to enjoy during the school day.
BAND
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LIVE SPRING EVENING CONCERT, THURSDAY MAY 26: Fifth and Sixth Grade Band performs at 7:30 PM. Up to 2 family members for each band student are welcome to attend these in-person events.
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VIRTUAL SPRING DAYTIME CONCERT, FRIDAY MAY 27: Fifth/Sixth grade band performance will be live-streamed at 9:45 AM. CWES classrooms and CWES family members alike can tune in to enjoy during the school day.
SIXTH GRADE PROMOTION
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THURSDAY JUNE 9 at 2:30 PM in Woodson High School auditorium.
What an incredible celebration of family heritage we had on International Night. What a vibrant and diverse community we have. Below are some photographs from this wonderful event. Thanks to all who participated!
Thursday, April 28: SOL testing begins
April 25 - April 29: Scholastic Book Fair. NOTE: Students will have to pay tax on books this year. Budget accordingly.
May 2 - May 6: Teacher Appreciation Week
Saturday May 7, 11-2: CWES Fun Fair, an outdoor carnival event open to the whole community
Wednesday, May 18, 11 AM and 5 PM: SEL Parent/Guardian Coffee Talks
Thursday, May 26: In-person Nighttime Concerts for Band and Strings
Friday, May 27: Virtual Daytime Concerts for Band and Strings
Monday, May 30: Memorial Day Holiday. No school.
Thursday, June 2: Outdoor A Capella Chorus Concert
Thursday, June 9, 2:30 PM: Sixth Grade Promotion at Woodson High School
Friday, June 10: Last day of school
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