parent & community
connection
A NEWSLETTER FOR STAFFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES & THE COMMUNITY
IN THIS ISSUE 2
Superintendent School Visits
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School Buzz
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For Parents
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Upcoming Events
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Partners in Education
Stafford County Public Schools scpscommunications@staffordschools.net
NOVEMBER 2016
Parents Speak and Officials Listen Superintendent and School Board Listening Tour On October 27, over forty parents and community members attended the first of three Superintendent and School Board Listening Tours. The event took place at Brooke Point High School Library and provided an opportunity for parents to engage directly with school leaders and provide input on issues that impact students and families, including budget. Director of Strategic Communication and Community Engagement Sherrie Johnson moderated questions and shared concerns from parents in attendance. The listening panel included Superintendent Dr. Bruce Benson and School Board Members Holly Hazard, Dewayne McOsker Jr., Scott Hirons, Melissa Ayers and Irene Egan. No question was left unanswered as school officials answered every question provided during the event. Parent Questions and Input from the Listening Tour included: • Is there an effort to have more collaboration between upper elementary teachers and middle school teachers for expectations and preparations for students? • What is expected of faculty and staff to help students get into college? • Some school districts and most colleges offer “Study Skills” strategies and techniques,
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would SCPS add study skills as an area of study for the students? When looking at how to save money in our school system, I think we should reevaluate the need for purchasing books.
If you are a parent and have input on issues or questions, consider attending the next series of Listening Tours scheduled for January and April 2017. Stay tuned for the December issue for more event updates.
From our Superintendent Dear Stafford Families and Community, I hope the first edition of Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) Parent and Community newsletter was informative. Parent and community engagement is valuable to our division. School board members and I had the opportunity to hear from and respond to parents last week at our first Listening Tour. On behalf of the school board and SCPS, I want to thank you for taking the time to bring concerns to our attention and share in the vision of making SCPS the best school division it can be. I invite all parents to attend the next tour in January 2017. Collaboration is one of the C’s of our C5W initiative with the goal that all Century Learners engage positively with others to achieve common goals. We actively participate in the process through deliberation, encouragement, flexibility, reflection, responding to constructive criticism, and honoring the strengths in others and ourselves. We are All Century Learners. Read more about the collaboration of community partners supporting the goals and well-being of our students. Keep warm and enjoy the time off with your families this month. Sincerely,
W. Bruce Benson, Ed. D Superintendent
In the Classroom
Superintendent Visits Schools Future Leaders Students lead the way for there fellow classmates. Dr. Benson heard from Mountain View High School class officers over a bite to eat.
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Prepared for Life “On-time graduation is one measure of success for our schools. However, graduation, in and of itself, is not our end goal. Ensuring our students have the knowledge and skills to be successful in what they want to do next is our goal – prepared for further education, work, and citizenship – for life after Stafford County Public Schools,” Benson notes on his blog after visiting Stafford High School.
PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
School Buzz
News from our Schools Firefighters Deliver New Winter Coats to SCPS Students
On a cold Wednesday morning, the bay doors of Stafford County Fire and Rescue Station 12 opened to tables of over 600 donated new coats. The Coats for Kids tagging event was in support of the Operations Warm initiative to provide new winter coats to children throughout America. Stafford County Public School (SCPS) counselors worked with Stafford Professional Figherfighter Association Local 4012 to identify and provide coats to students. SCPS principals and staff from Anne E. Moncure Elementary, Conway Elementary, Ferry Farm Elementary, Rocky Run Elementary, Shirley C. Heim Middle and H.H. Poole took part in tagging and sorting coats for all schools. Business partner representatives from Apple Federal Credit Union, Mission BBQ and Walmart assisted with raising money and acquiring gloves and hats. Concluding the event, fireman delivered coats to 28 SCPS schools and Head Start.
The Carnival doesn’t just benefit the Stafford area community; it benefits the high school students. Learn and Serve is a class that teaches students about service-learning, and students connect that learning to their academic studies. The event met all C5W core values: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Citizenship and Wellness. C5W is a set of skills and abilities that all Stafford County Public School graduates will possess to succeed in further education, work and citizenship. Jessie Schmedes, the Massad YMCA’s Group Fitness Director and Family Engagement Coordinator said, “I am thrilled to tell you that with the amazing work of the Stafford County High Schools’ Learn and Serve students, the Massad Y was able to raise over $4,900.00 at the Creepy Crawly Carnival. This money goes directly to providing financial assistance to families who would otherwise be unable to afford having a Y membership, giving them access to swim lessons, before and after school care, fitness classes, basketball, tennis, and more. The event depends entirely upon volunteers to make it a fundraising success, and would have been impossible without Learn and Serve. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!”
Click the links below to read more about the event. Stafford firefighters gather nearly 700 coats for kids in need Free Lance-Star, October 26 VIDEO: Stafford Fire & Rescue Coats ‘16 NewsTalk1230 WFVA, October 26
Helping the Community Isn’t Scary Unless. . .
For Students in the Learn and Serve program, helping in the community isn’t scary, but it does mean scaring others. On October 22, over one hundred students from all five Stafford County high schools participated in the Massad Family YMCA’s Creepy Crawly Carnival. The Learn and Serve students took charge of all aspects of the trail from start to finish. PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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For Parents
Helpful News for your Family Closings and Emergency Alerts
Winter is upon us and weather can be unpredictable. Stay up to date with weather related school closings and delays. Here are ways to receive updated information. SCPS Communication Tools • SCPS website: www.staffordschools.net • Stafford Alerts: www.staffordalerts.com • Robocall Social Media • SCPS Facebook: www.facebook.com/StaffordSchools • SCPS Twitter: www.twitter.com/scpschools Newspaper • Free Lance-Star/ Fredericksburg.com • Washington Post Radio • WFLA 93.3, The Vibe 99.3, The Rock 96.9 and WNTX 96.5 • WBQB 101.5 and WFVA 1230 AM • Thunder 104.5 and WGRQ 95.9 • WTOP 103.5, 103.9 and107.7 Television • ABC7 - News Channel 8 • CBS6 - WTVR Richmond • NBC12 • NBC4 • WRC TV 4 • WTTG FOX 5 • WUSA TV 9 • WTVR - Channel 6 Richmond • WWBT 12 Richmond
Stafford County Fire and Rescue Department Heating Safety Tips
Temperatures are dropping and you’ll find yourself curled up with a good book by the fireplace. Did you know that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths? With a few simple safety tips and precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening. Be warm and safe this winter! • Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater. • Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters. • Never use your oven to heat your home. • Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Test Smoke Alarms Monthly • It’s a sound you can live with. Heating Equipment Safety • Install wood burning stoves following manufacture’s instructions or have a professional do the installation. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. • Carbon Monoxide Alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For more information on safety tips, click here. 4
A Sustainable Place
As a community, we are responsible for the behaviors exhibited on a daily basis that contribute to either the conservation or waste of our natural resources, determining the footprint left for generations to come. Many are unaware of the money spent on resources consumed to provide an environment conducive to teaching, learning and growing. Resources provide heating, cooling, lighting, cooking, plugin loads and water consumption. On average, high schools cost more than $376,000, middle schools $176,000 and elementary $95,000 to operate per facility, per fiscal year. Factor in all other resources such as parking lot lighting, stadium lighting and support facilities, the yearly utility budget exceeds the $5,000,000 mark. On average, it costs $1.21 per square foot to operate one school. This makes the cost to operate an average size 800sq/ft. classroom more than $960 per year. While spending money needed to operate SCPS facilities is a must and unavoidable, the amount we spend is dependent on the ability of an individual to utilize resources in an environmentally and fiscally responsible manner. Remember: Think Globally. Act Locally. Join the Committee. Attend a Meeting. Spread Awareness. Do the Right Thing! For all questions, concerns and comments contact Energy Manger Joshua Schimpf at schimpfje@staffordschools.net. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Upcoming Events Education Appreciation Days November
National Native American Heritage Month American Education Week National Career Development Week Education Support Paraprofessionals Day November 13-19: American Education Week National Career Development Week November 18: Education Support Paraprofessionals Day
Important Student Dates: November 7
End of 1st Nine Weeks
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Election Day (No School for Students)
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Veterans Day (All Schools and Offices Closed)
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Report Cards (All Grade Levels)
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Early Release – Elementary Only
23-25
Thanksgiving Break (No School for Students)
PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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November 5
Middle School County Band Concert 3 p.m. | Stafford High School Featuring students from our eight middle school band programs. Free admission.
November 10
St. Jude Teen Gala 7 p.m. | The Inn at the Old Silk Mill Join us and and hear how your teen is making a difference for the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Learn more about the upcoming St. Jude Teen Gala, and how you can support your teen in reaching their fundraising goal for the kids of St. Jude. We will have snacks and soft drinks! RSVP by Tuesday, November 8 to Daniela Romero at daniela.romero@stjudge.org or 703-677-4412.
November 11
Veterans Day All Schools and Offices Closed
November 12
Daylight Saving Time Turn clocks backward 1 hour.
Keys to Successful Transition 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Chancellor High School Youth with disabilities, parents/guardians and professionals who support them attend a free transition conference and resource fair Pathways to the Future 2016. Explore the extensive vendor fair and attend three information sessions that will assist you preparing for the move from school to adult life in the community. The keynote speaker will be Mat McCollough, Executive Director, DC Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC). Register online by November 11 at pathways2016_participants.eventbrite.com. For more information contact Stafford PRC at 540-658-6710.
November 7
November 14-18
Learn Hands-Only CPR 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Stafford Hospital Parking Lot Help celebrate the life of Gwneth Griffin and make our community the safest for cardiac arrest survival in Virginia. Training begins at 9:30 a.m. with sessions every thirty minutes until 1:30 p.m. Training is complimentary, but not for certification. For questions, email Jennifer_gwynethsgift@hotmail.com or call 540-300-4831.
November 6
Falmouth, Ferry Farm, Hartwood, Grafton, Rocky Run and Stafford County Sheriff’s Office present information on how to help keep children safe. In this increasingly digital world kids are confronted with decisions and obstacles on phones, games, computers, etc. RSVP to your school or at https://goo.gl/ forms/daTIQ1bezbDZJHY2
November 17
Scared and Worried! Anxiety Workshop for Parents 6:30 p.m. | Hartwood Elementary Join us on Thursday, November 17 at 6:30 at Hartwood Elementary, as Dr. James Crist presents ways to help your child cope with anxiety. Dr. Crist is the Clinical Director as well as a child and adolescent psychologist at the Child and Family Counseling Center in Woodbridge, VA. Snacks and drinks sponsored by Chick-Fil-A and HES.
November 18
Education Support Paraprofessionals Day National ESP Day honors and recognizes the contributions education support professionals (ESPs) make to public education. It is a time to strengthen support and show respect for ESPs, who are equal and essential partners in public education.
Band Together to Fight Hunger Gates Open 5:30 p.m., Performances Begin 7:00 p.m. | Mountain View High School Stafford County Public Schools Band Parents Association presents the 6th annual Band Together to Fight Hunger. Stafford’s five high school marching bands will perform their shows and collect canned food for local families. The event will conclude when the students at all five schools “band together” for a grand finale. Bring your canned food donation for entry.
American Education Week American Education Week presents all Americans with an opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. This year’s theme is “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility.” For more information, visit http://www.nea.org/grants/19823.htm.
Early Release - Elementary Schools
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November 8
November 16
Save the Date
Election Day No School for Students
November 9
Public Hearing on School Budgets 7 p.m. | School Board Chambers The Stafford County School Board will hold a public hearing on citizen’s budget input towards the Superintendent’s recommended FY 2018 budgets. All interested indiviudals are encouraged to attend and present oral or written comments.
PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
November 15
National Career Development Day National Career Development Association promotes career development through its annual celebration. Every November, career development professionals are encouraged to celebrate with career related activities. For more information, visit http://www.ncda.org/ aws/NCDA/pt/sp/ncdmonth
November 17
Conversations with the Counselors - Parent Workshop on Internet Safety 10 a.m. | England Run Library, Room 2 Join the counseling departments of Conway,
November 23-25
Thanksgiving Break - No School for Students Offices close at 12 p.m. Wednesday, November 23. All schools and offices closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25.
December 17
Stafford County Christmas Parade 5 p.m. | Parade Route: Start at Black Hawke Drive. End at Stafford Hospital Drive and Courthouse Road. The Stafford County Crime Solvers hosts the Stafford County Christmas Parade.The theme is Christmas Memories. Enter a float into the parade. Registration deadline is November 10. For more information contact Parade Coordinator Gordon Shelton at 540-840-8992 or email storckroad691@aol.com. 5
Partners in Education
Community Business Partners Support our Schools and Students
Driving Out Hunger One Can at a Time Registration for CANstruction 2017 is now OPEN! The theme is Driving Out Hunger. The event takes place January 12-16, 2017 at the Spotsylvania Towne Center, 137 Spotsylvania Mall Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22407. “People’s Choice Award” is open to the public through the donation of $1 or one canned good per vote on Saturday and Sunday. Official judging for all other categories takes place on Monday, January 16, 2017.
Students, veterans, community, and business leaders will form a five-person team to build sculptures out of canned goods depicting how one can make a difference in the lives of the hungry right here in our community. Participants will use art/design, mathematics and problem solving skills to create fantastic, innovative structures using full cans of food. All proceeds benefit the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank.
Why get involved - HUNGER: 1/9 of Humanity is undernourished. That’s 795 million people. $1 on average will buy you two cans of food.
For more information or to register your team, contact Cynthia Lucero-Chavez: clucero@staffordschools.net or https://goo.gl/ forms/77uM806g6R14YGVI3
Canstruction is a unique competition showcasing colossal structures made entirely of full cans of food. After the structures are built, the creations are on display to the public as a giant art exhibition.
It starts with one can. To lift the spirit. To change the world. To end Hunger!
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Become a SCPS Business Partner
and organizations in the community to promote the common goal of improving educational opportunities for SCPS students.
SCPS seeks partners to work with us in designated platforms and meet specific engagement thresholds. The Community and Business Partner program provides opportunities to link schools, administrative departments and division employees with businesses
We are excited to learn more about your goals and the possibility of a mutual partnership. Begin your partnership by completing our Community and Business Partner Starter Form.
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PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Running for Classroom Support Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) hosted a 5K Fun Run/Walk to benefit Stafford Education Foundation (SEF) on Saturday, October 29 at 8:00 a.m. Nearly 150 SCPS employees ran or walked in the fundraising event. In support of the division’s All Century Skills, participants competed in a C5W costume contest. Judges selected winners based on their costume’s representation of the following skills: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, citizenship, and wellness. Costume contest judges included Superintendent Dr. Bruce Benson, School Board Chair Holly Hazard, and SEF President Cathy Yablonski. The event raised $3,000. All proceeds support SEF which is a nonprofit, independent organization committed to impacting and advancing education in Stafford County Public Schools through charitable activities that support sound educational programs and practices. The organization works to secure grants and raise funds for a broad range of educational activities, including scholarships for students and professional educators, enrichment or supplemental programs, and any other support or incentives that will enhance the educational opportunities for Stafford County students. Thank you to event sponsors: Anthem, Apple Federal Credit Union, AT Nails, Attronica, Augustine Opticians, Chick-Fil-A, Costco, Jostens, Liberty Mutual, McDonald’s, Party City, Pepsi, Sprint, Stafford Massage & Healing Arts, Wawa, Walmart, and Wegmans.
PARENT & COMMUNITY CONNECTION
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Stafford County Public Schools 31 Stafford Avenue Stafford, VA 22554 540.658.6000 • www.staffordschools.net
parent & community connection
November 2016
ABOUT SCPS Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) has an enrollment of more than 27,000 students with 30 schools. The district is located south of Washington, DC and serves a diverse population with suburban and rural communities. Although the school district has experienced rapid growth, the county has maintained a commitment to educational excellence. Support from the board of supervisors and the community have enabled the school district to maintain, improve and expand school facilities, transportation offerings, and instructional programs. Commitment to an excellent student-teacher ratio has enhanced quality instruction and attention for students. Significant technology advances ensure that students have the opportunity to learn practical work.