January 6, 2010

Winter Greetings, Parents:

The most important time for learning during the school year is right now. Students come back to school rested and relaxed and there are fewer interruptions in the school day. The theme at Soddy Elementary for the rest of the school year is FOCUS. Students must focus on rigorous learning expectations at school and focus on Read 20, homework, and mastering math facts at home. We have many more state standards to teach, and we are teaching at a higher thinking level than we have in the past. It is going to take a partnership between your child, the school, and the home to make certain your student is as successful as can be.

Outdoor Classroom: Weather Garden Grant:  Mrs. Jacquie Hauth has written and been approved for a substantial grant from Unum Provident. The grant money will be used to build a Weather Garden on the school site.

Afternoon Pick Up Traffic Flow:  Pull closely to the car in front of you parking on the cross walk.  Four vehicles can fit between the font of the line and the first cross walk; Right Turn Only from Oak Street because turning left into the driveway from School Street blocks traffic, a left turn is not allowed.

CoverKids:  Does you child need health insurance? CoverKids can help children get free, comprehensive, high-quality health insurance with no deductibles. Contacting CoverKids: www.CoverTN.gov; 1.866.620.8864.

READ 20 Clarification:  Read 20 is a school requirement and most grade levels actually take a grade for Read 20. If a complete form is turned in the grade is 100. If no form is turned in the grade is 0. If a partial form is turned in the grade is the percentage of reading sessions actually completed. (If 20 days are required and 15 days were completed, the Read 20 grade will be 75).  There have been some questions about Read 20 requirements. I hope to answer most of your questions.

#1 The READ 20 Calendar will give the number of days of required reading for that reading period. The READ 20 grade is based on the required number of reading sessions for the given period.

#2 For each day, record: The amount of time read (student reading orally/silently or parent reading to student); Title of book (you may abbreviate); Your initials (this certifies that the reading did take place).

#3 The form must be turned in on the due date. We do not accept late forms unless your child has an excused absence for that day.

We experienced our first Snow Day on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Thank you to all our faculty and staff for assisting in getting all the students home.

Mrs. LeeAnn Williamson Mills, Principal