SEM Newsletter: Week 30

To ensure high levels of learning in a safe, respectful environment where all achieve personal and academic success. ALL means ALL.

📢 Important Week Ahead! 📢

Parents, this is a big week as we kick off State Testing with the Writing Assessment for Grades 4 and 5. Plus, Friday marks the start of our awards ceremonies! 🎉

Don't forget to read more below for other important updates and information. Let’s make it a great week! 💪📚✨

Mrs. VanderMolen, Principal

Mrs. Drazick, Assistant Principal

Although it’s April Fools’ Day, there’s no joking around when it comes to the Florida Writing Assessment for our 4th and 5th graders on Tuesday! ✏️📖 Help your child feel prepared by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, have a nutritious breakfast, and receive plenty of encouragement to do their best. Let’s set them up for success! 💪

April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day! To honor the day, we invite students and staff to show their support by wearing an autism awareness shirt or dressing in blue. 💙🧩

Here’s some basic information about Autism:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex condition that affects individuals differently, impacting social skills, communication, and behavior in varying ways. As the name suggests, ASD exists on a spectrum, meaning the symptoms and their severity can differ greatly from child to child. Each individual with ASD has their own unique strengths and challenges.

Currently, about 1 in 44 children are diagnosed with ASD, with males being four times more likely to receive a diagnosis than females.

While the exact cause of ASD remains unknown, research suggests that certain genetic factors may play a role. However, many other influences are still being studied to better understand this condition.

Where can I learn more?

Below are some helpful websites and resources from reputable sources:

HealthyChildren.org – Autism Homepage

HealthyChildren.org – ASD Basics

HealthyChildren.org – Early signs of ASD

AutismSpeaks.org

CDC Autism Homepage

CDC.gov – Autism fact sheet

CDC.gov – ASD tracking data

We are delighted to inform you that our community has access to a wonderful program called Footsteps2Brilliance® that can help your child develop reading and writing skills in English and in Spanish. Footsteps2Brilliance® provides a comprehensive curriculum of over 1,000 English and Spanish books, songs, and games that are fun for children and easy for you to access on any smart device or computer. No internet access? No problem! The app works even without an internet connection. Once the device is connected to Wi-Fi again, all the data will automatically upload to the teacher. Best of all, the program is proven to help children learn to read!

Check out the flyers below to learn more!

Our Lost & Found is Overflowing! Please stop by our office to see if your child's lost jacket is among our lost and found.

Do you have a child turning 5 before September 1st? If so, it’s time to register for Kindergarten! Check out the flyer below for more details and schedule your appointment for April 15th.

In an effort to increase the security and safety on campus, all visitors must have a photo ID to enter the front office.

Students in grades K-2 will take the STAR Assessment, while students in grades 3-5 will be taking the FAST Assessment. As a reminder, this state assessment plays a key role in determining your child’s progress for the 2024-2025 school year.

📅 Please check the schedule below for your child's testing dates. Attendance during the first few weeks of May is crucial! Let’s work together to set our students up for success! 💪🎓

Florida is leading a first-in-the-nation approach that empowers students to persevere and overcome life’s inevitable challenges. The Florida Department of Education developed state education standards and resources to equip students with skills that build resiliency.

These are the 11 resiliency characteristics to help your child overcome any challenge:

Perseverance, Responsibility,Self-Awareness & Self-Management, Grit, Responsible, Decision-Making, Mentorship, Gratitude, Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Citizenship, Honesty, and Empathy

Explore the skills by going to buildresilency.org and clicking each word to learn its definition and access downloadable resources.

A read-at-home plan is required to be provided to parents of any K – grade 3 student who has been identified with a substantial deficiency in reading. The Just Read, Florida! Office at the Florida Department of Education has compiled resources that each school district must incorporate into a read-at-home plan provided to the parent of a student who is identified as having a substantial

deficiency in reading. A read-at-home plan includes information and resources connected to the essential components of reading: oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. These resources are available in an electronic format that is accessible online, and a hardcopy of such resources must be provided by the school upon parent request. To access these resources digitally, click on each link provided.

Just Read, Florida!

Attention 5th-grade parents! You’re invited to our 5th Grade Graduation Ceremony on May 20th. Be sure to mark your calendars! Due to limited space, we kindly ask each family to bring no more than three guests per student.

Kindergarten graduation is right around the corner, and parents are invited! Due to limited space, we kindly ask families to limit attendance to three guests per student.

Okeechobee County VPK Registration is now open! If you have a child that will be 4 years old before September 1st, check out the flyer below for more information.

Link Here to Register for VPK

Parents, please use the roundabout towards the back of the school when dropping off or picking up your student. This helps us avoid congestion and issues with traffic back up. Do not use the driveway before the roundabout to turn around. This creates a very dangerous situation for cars that are driving to the roundabout or turning into the school.

Also, please do not exit your vehicle during drop off or pick up times. We have staff that will assist the students exit or enter the vehicles as necessary. This limits pedestrian traffic in the road and near our opened gates.

Thank you!

Parents, take a look at our Parent Family Engagement Plan here! This plan provides an overview of the ways we aim to foster strong partnerships between families and our school.an overview of the ways we aim to foster strong partnerships between families and our school.

Parent Family Engagement Plan English

Parent Family Engagement Plan Spanish

Take a look at the flyers below for the upcoming Treasure Coast Food Bank dates.

AfterCare is being offered at Seminole!

Please use the QR codes to learn more information and register your child for AfterCare!

Below is a link to the District Policy on Bullying and Harassment. In order to be classified as bullying, the physical threat or emotion distress must be continuously inflicted towards the student. A one time occurrence of teasing would not fall under bullying.

SEM takes bullying seriously! If your child is being bullied, please have your child tell an adult at school or call the office to inform administration of the situation.

Link to District Bullying and Harassment Policy

At Seminole, we are committed to Read Aloud A Lot. Students spend time daily reading aloud in class. Students daily are required to read 20 minutes at home for homework. Students K-2 should be reading the fluency passages sent home by the teacher and grades 3-5 should be reading books at home.

Stay Informed About Meals at Seminole! 🥞🍎

Access the March Breakfast and Lunch Menus on our District Website by clicking here. These menus are packed with delicious and nutritious options to fuel our students for success!

Remember, breakfast and lunch are completely free for ALL Seminole students. Make sure your child takes advantage of these healthy meal offerings every day! 🥪✨

Parents, please check out this wonderful free resource! Even if your family is not eligible to receive books, there are still free resources available to help your child with reading!

Link to New Worlds Reading Website

The Florida Department of Education has recently updated their Just Read, Florida! initiative. Click here to learn more about the updates!

Parents, does your child need additional assistance?

Okeechobee County School District has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools! All students now have access to the Varsity Tutors learning resources like live classes, chat tutoring, and more. Some students may have been assigned tutoring by your school, ask your teacher or school office if this has been provided to you. All Okeechobee County School District families can sign up for paid supplemental private tutoring for their students at a discounted rate!

Click here to learn more information about what it is, how to login, and so much more!