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To read this newsletter in other languages, please visit our website.
Para leer este boletín en otros idiomas, visite nuestro sitio web.
이 소식지를 다른 언어로 읽으려면, 우리 웹사이트를 방문하시기 바랍니다.
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We were excited to welcome our veterans and active duty military connected to our community into our building today for a meaningful Veterans Day celebration! Our kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders filled up the hallways with their artwork and messages for the parade and our 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders prepared songs, poems, and letters for the ceremony. Additionally, our SCA representatives participated in the day’s event by interviewing our guests; members of our 5th & 6th grade Orchestra and 6th grade Band performed; and Girl Scout Troop #56084 presented the colors, all with the help of our SCA officers introducing each part of the program. We were delighted to welcome our special guests and families into our building to respect and honor them on Veterans Day and thank each of our military connected member of the community for your service to this country we call home. We are honored to carry on our namesake after a prominent member of the U.S. Military, General Colin Powell, and to continue to be recognized as a Purple Star school as well. A special thanks to our guest speaker, a veteran and teacher at Powell, Dr. O’Neill, and the dedicated staff especially the planning team, Mrs. Burke & Ms. Rowe, for making every part of today come to life. Happy Veterans Day!
Parents and guardians that visit during lunch, please take a moment to review these important reminders:
- Due to the limited seating, as well as assigned seats in some classes, please allow all students to be seated before sitting at a table with your child. At times, there may not be extra seating for parents and guardians and we appreciate your understanding if and when this occurs.
- Parents and guardians are welcome to eat while visiting in the cafeteria, and while at lunch please help our cafeteria attendants and school staff by assisting all students in the class, as needed. This might be to retrieve a forgotten fork, napkin or ketchup or simply open something for a student.
- For safety and accountability of our students, students may only leave the cafeteria or go to the bathroom if school staff give permission. If a student asks a parent or guardian, please ask the child to continue to raise their hand so school staff can address their need.
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Outside (restaurant) food is not permitted during lunch. Please refrain from bringing restaurant food for your child during visits. We understand that it can be convenient to purchase a lunch from a restaurant as you visit but concerns do arise when this occurs. First, restaurant food competes with our district’s Food and Nutrition Services. Second, a sense of inequity is perceived. We invite parents to bring lunches packed from home or to purchase school lunches.
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Students may only pass through the lunch line one time. Once seated, please do not permit students to leave their seat to return to the line for additional food, drink or lunch items.
As always, as questions arise, please don’t hesitate to ask the cafeteria hostesses for clarification. Thank you for understanding these reminders.
If you have a current 2nd-6th grader and feel their needs exceed the grade level instruction and rigor, you can submit a referral file for your student to see if they are eligible for full-time AAP services. If you are interested in submitting a referral file, here are the guidelines to help you. All referral materials must be received by December 15, 2023.
Parent Responsibility:
While some items are optional, it is highly encouraged that parents submit all materials to provide an opportunity for the parent to showcase what they see. All referral materials should be submitted at one time. You can either submit your referral file to the front office by December 15th or you may submit your referral file digitally with one email using only PDF or JPG attachments by December 15th. Please make note of the December 15th deadline. Any materials submitted after this date will not be accepted per county deadline. Once a file is received, I will email you a receipt of the file with what you submitted and if anything needs to be fixed to adhere to the guidelines.
**If your child is taking the CogAT this fall, please do not wait for scores before submitting a referral file. Those scores will automatically populate as I create the school materials for the file.**
If you have any additional questions, I have uploaded helpful information on the Parent Schoology site in the AAP folder. You can also find a convenient checklist that can help guide you through the process. As always, please reach out if you have any questions. ( Kathleen Bach, kmbach@fcps.edu , Advanced Academic Resource Teacher )
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Mrs. Bunch’s 6th Graders have had a productive first quarter analyzing the concept of systems. The class utilized the Jacob’s Ladder: Excerpt From President Barrack Obama’s Back-to-School Speech at Wakefield Highschool to prepare their evidence based opinions on the sentiments shared in the speech for a Socratic Thrash Out. Through this process they applied their first amendment rights to explore the concept of systems related to government.
Throughout their exploration of native peoples of North America, students dove deep into two tribe’s cultures through The DBQ Project Mini Qs, What Does the Longhouse Teach Us about the Iroquois? and How Did the Buffalo Shape Arapaho Culture? After analyzing the primary sources, sixth graders were able to conclude that the native people’s system of survival was reliant on their proximity to natural resources.
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5th Graders: To enhance our study of cultural universals, students examined their own cultural identities to prepare an exhibit for our first ever, Culture Share Fair |
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The 4th grade Comets explored visual art connected to our Virginia Studies unit on Indigenous Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands. We used a Kennedy Center CETA strategy to analyze facial expression, focal point, gesture, clothing, setting, objects, and color in the portraits and landscapes. Then we completed the K&W of a KWL chart to kick start our learning on this topic. |
The 4th grade Comets are continuing our discussion around the concept of CHANGE using the critical and creative thinking routine – Color, Symbol, Image (CSI). |
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Our third grade Pumas have been exploring the concept of relationships. Throughout the quarter, we explored our relationships at home, in school, to the environment, and the larger world. At the end of the quarter our Pumas hosted a showcase to present their personal narratives, an identity portrait that illustrated the contrast between aspects of their identity that are seen vs unseen, and a travel brochure for a place that was important to them. |
Our Fall Scholastic book fair November 27-December 1. The Family Night event will be Tuesday, November 28th 5-7pm. We would love your help! Sign up to help students preview and shop the fair, help during the family night event, or help us pack up the fair on Friday, Dec. 1st. Visit https://bit.ly/fairvolunteer23 to sign up! Book Fair flyers and more information will be sent home next week.
Book Fair Hours
Monday- Thursday 9:30-3:30
Tuesday Family Flannel Night 5-7pm
Friday 9:30-11:30
Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Employee Awards! To submit a nomination for a Colin Powell Elementary Outstanding Employee in one of the categories below, please complete the nomination through this Google form link: https://forms.gle/ePJFVzm8xUxbwgQk8. You may nominate one employee at our school or multiple employees.
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph or two about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work in the criteria for that category. The google form link has more information regarding the criteria for each of these awards and the eligibility requirements are below. Please keep in mind, if the person you nominate gets chosen to represent our school, you must be willing to complete a detailed nomination packet and recommendation.
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher or librarian
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher
Outstanding Principal
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a building principal
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position (Common positions in this category: Assistant Principals)
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position (Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Resource Teachers)
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position (Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons)
The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday, November 13 at 4:00PM.
If you have any questions, contact Caryn Baptiste: cabaptiste@fcps.edu.
Join us for our next PTA meeting virtually on Monday, November 13th at 7 pm. If anyone is interested in joining our committee to help plan our Spring Fair and Silent Auction, please attend our next meeting or email Ellen at president@cpespta.org.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86959132698?pwd=CGlQGP609asuQQ7bKgnEPJKenGhKa4.1
Meeting ID: 869 5913 2698
Passcode: 987178
November 13 - PTA Meeting, Virtual
December 7 - Spirit Night | Noodles & Company
January 3 - Spelling Bee Registration Opens
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