Panther Post

Happy Holidays Panther Families! 🎄

Happy December! We hope that you are having a wonderful Holiday Season! This month is full of lots of festive and fun learning experiences for our students. Please be sure to join us for our Holiday Program and Literacy Night on December 18th. We have already begun to hear our students singing their holiday songs in the hallways around the school. Students' iReady Diagnostic results will be sent home on December 17. Be sure to also check out our Holiday Countdown Calendar of dress down spirit days for our students (December 15 - 19). Let us know if you need anything and we wish you a very joyful Holiday Season!

Thank You,
Ms. Logan and Ms. Wolfe

Our school bell rings at 8:05 AM.

The tardy bell rings at 8:30 AM.

Early pick up ends at 3 PM.

School dismissal is at 3:30 PM.

If your child is absent from school, please submit a handwritten parent note or a doctor’s note when they return. All absence excuses must be turned in within three days of the absence. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept excuses submitted after this timeframe.

Attendance Do’s:

• Do send written excuses or legal documentation for any absences within 3 days of the student's return to school.
• Do prioritize scheduling appointments (e.g., doctor, dentist) and vacations/breaks outside of school hours when possible.
• Do communicate early with the school if your child is experiencing challenges that may impact attendance (e.g., transportation issues, health concerns).
• Do monitor attendance through the school's portal or by contacting teachers regularly.
• Do encourage punctuality—students arriving late often miss important instructional time.
• Do ensure students attend all classes on eLearning or remote learning days, especially in hybrid or online formats.

Attendance Don’ts:

• Don’t assume absences will be automatically excused—documentation must be provided for any excused absence.
• Don’t allow unexcused absences to accumulate. Excessive absences can result in academic consequences and potential truancy issues.
• Don’t ignore notifications from the school regarding tardiness or absenteeism—address concerns early.
• Don’t send excuses via text or email unless they obtain an original/written signature.

We all love a good vacation. Time away to relax, recharge, and make lasting memories with loved ones. While we absolutely understand the importance of family time, we also want to stress how important it is for students to be present and engaged in school.

With that in mind, we kindly ask that families plan vacations during school breaks or over the summer whenever possible. Consistent attendance is key to your child's academic success, and missing school can make it hard for students to keep up with learning and class activities.

Per CCSD District Policy JH – Student Absences and Excuses, students in grades K through 12 may not be eligible for promotion if they have more than 10 absences during the school year. While we understand that things can come up, we encourage all families to make school attendance a top priority.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s education!

Shout out to Ms. Sonnleitner's Terrific 3rd Grade Class for being the winner of November's Attendance Challenge! This class had the least amount of absences for the month of November.

Rankings are as follows

1st - 3rd Grade (Ms. Sonnleitner)

2nd - 2nd Grade (Ms. Fields)

3rd- 3rd Grade (Ms. Simpson)

4th - 4th Grade (Ms. Mellard)

5th - 1st Grade (Mrs. Spainhour)

6th - Child Development (Ms. Burns)

7th - Kindergarten (Mrs. Young)

Get ready to turn up the heat and keep attendance popping! Just like popcorn, great things happen when we show up. Let's get popping!

This month's attendance challenge is focused on POPCORN! P.O.P.C.O.R.N stands for:

Practice

Outstanding

Punctuality -

Coming

On time

Reflects

New success!

The class with the highest attendance percentage at the end of the month will receive a popcorn party.

Let's pop into Learning!

Mrs. Young’s kindergarten students shined with their teamwork, focus, and enthusiasm for learning. The class transitioned quickly to the carpet and confidently reviewed their classroom rules. Students sat criss-cross applesauce with hands in their laps, ready to learn and participate.

Even with unexpected internet issues, the class showed great perseverance. They sang their morning song without the video and completed all movement activities from memory. Proof of how well they know their routine! Students also took turns sharing something special they did over the weekend, building their communication and listening skills.

The class then discussed who had jobs for the week and easily refocused whenever the conversation became a bit too chatty. During calendar time, students practiced identifying shapes, days of the week, numbers, and even discussed shape dimensions.

My favorite activity was their “Disguise a Turkey” projects. Students proudly presented their disguised turkeys while their classmates excitedly guessed what each turkey was dressed as!

They also discussed appropriate voice levels and shared what they are learning in Second Step, focusing on recognizing and understanding feelings. Despite technology setbacks, Mrs. Young skillfully guided her class, and the students even counted all the way to 100!

Great job, Mrs. Young’s Kindergarten class!

Dear Students and Families,

Happy December! As we enter a season filled with celebration, reflection, and togetherness, our counseling focus this month will be Diversity. Throughout December, we will be encouraging students to recognize and appreciate the many cultures, traditions, identities, and experiences that make our school community unique.

Counseling lessons, we’ll explore topics such as:

• Understanding and respecting differences

• Celebrating cultural traditions and winter holidays around the world

• Practicing empathy and kindness

• Building inclusive friendships and classrooms

We invite families to continue these conversations at home by sharing your own traditions and encouraging curiosity about the world around us. When we learn from one another, we help create a school environment where every student feels welcome, valued, and seen.

Wishing you all a warm, joyful, and restful holiday season!

Sincerely,

Ms. Coleman

Diversity Lesson

Restorative Circles (Safe Touch)

SIC (School Improvement Council) plays a key role in the education of our state's children, bringing together parents, educators, and community stakeholders to work collectively to improve their local schools.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Please join us on the date below via zoom, at 5:30 PM.

JEES