The CPES BobChat

Friday, October 25 is our Bobcat Dash fundraiser for PTO. We are looking forward to having fun with our families and students as we come together to make a difference for our school. Here are a few reminders about "The Dash." 1. Funds raised will benefit our children. We will use funds this year to make some improvements on our kindergarten playground by adding a shade structure and some additional play equipment. All PTO funds are used for "above and beyond" projects that are not covered by federal, state and local taxes. In past years, PTO raised money for turf on our playground and for a climbing wall in the PE room. 2. All donations to the PTO are tax exempt. Our PTO is a 501c3 non-profit organization. 3. Check the schedule below for when your child will run. Feel free to bring signs, bring family and you are more than welcome to run and walk with your child. 4. Gather in the upper loop in front of the main office off of Caswell Street. Feel free to park in the Sullivan Auditorium Lot or in our lower Cherry Road Lot or in the Cherry Road Loop in the right hand lane. Please come early so you can secure a parking space. Also, once your child has run, please be ready to give up your parking space to others coming who will need one. 5. We will not have visitors at lunch on Friday. We expect to have about 1500 visitors (not including students and staff) on Friday. Our office staff will have limited capacity to sign in visitors for lunch as well as managing volunteers and communication for the day. (If desired, you could sign out your child for lunch.) 6. All Bobcat Dash volunteers need to have an updated prescreening completed. This should be updated every two years. 7. Signing Out Your Child--While the day will be a fun one, we also will continue teaching and learning when our children are not scheduled to run. If you need to sign out your child right after he/she runs, you will go to one of three white tables outside near the flagpole to do that. Please be sure your have your ID and that the person picking up is on your child's emergency contact list. Bobcat Dash is such a fun time where our school comes together to make a difference. It is an opportunity to cheer for our kids and enjoy time as a school family. We look forward to seeing you on Friday.

Strength and Blessings,

Mr. Maness

1. Reminders

a. Arrival and Dismissal Reminders--It is always best not to be on your cell phones when dropping off and picking up your child. It is easy to lose focus that leads to an accident. Also, our Safety Patrol is asked to open the door at their spot to help your child exit (and enter) the car. Once they reach your car, please stop your vehicle so they can help your child get out. We know everyone wants to drop off as closely to the main entrances as possible, but we want to be safe and efficient to keep our lines moving so everyone can arrive on time.

b. Picture Day--Is this Wednesday, October 23. All students will have their pictures made for the yearbook. Makeups will be November 14. Please see information below for ordering.

c. BIMAS--We're using the research-based screening tool Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System-2, or BIMAS-2. It is a tool used to help identify students who are at risk of future academic, behavioral, or emotional difficulties. Just like some students benefit from additional academic supports and interventions, we know some students would benefit from additional support to strengthen their behavioral, social, and emotional skills. Our homeroom teachers will complete these on Tuesday, October 22. For more information, see the "BIMAS Screener Parent Letter" below. Parents can choose to opt out of this screening tool to be used for their child. If so, please complete the Opt Out form in the Parent Letter below and send it to your child's teacher by the morning of 10/22.

2. Bobcat Dash Volunteer Signups, Pledge Forms, and Running Schedule--If you would like to help at the Bobcat Dash, please click on the following link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A4A923AAFBC70-51562882-bobcat?useFullSite=true#/ You can also click on the link below. Pledge Forms went home on Friday with students. Check your child's bookbag for them. Pledges are due Monday, November 4. See form below for more information. Here is when each grade level will run on Friday, October 25. Given all the activity of that day, we will not have parent visitation during lunch on 10/25. Please let any other family members know about that as well.

2nd Grade--8:15-9:00

3rd Grade--9:10-9:55

4th Grade--10:05-10:50

5th Grade--11:00-11:45

Kindergarten--11:55-12:40

1st Grade--12:50-1:35

3. Red Ribbon Week--Will be Monday, October 28-Friday, November 1. This is a week that is dedicated to helping our students make healthy choices. This year's districtwide theme is "Lights! Cameras! Action! Be Drug Free!!" Here is the schedule for Dress Up Days that week.

Monday: "Be the Star of Your Show" Dress for success and say no to drugs.

Wear nice clothes or dress like a movie star.

Tuesday: "Hats a Great Choice!" Put a cap on drugs. Wear a cap or hat.

Wednesday: "Be an ESPN Star" Team up against drugs. Wear a team shirt or jersey.

Thursday: "Know Yourself Inside Out" Choose to be drug free.

Wear clothes inside out or dress like an emotion.

Friday: "Take a Walk on the Red Carpet (and Away from Drugs) Wear red.

4. Halloween on 10/31--We will have a Dress Up Day for Red Ribbon Week. (It is Inside Out Day. See above.) Students should not wear their Halloween costumes to school that day. We do not want them to get damaged and it is not a school sponsored activity.

5. November Book Fair--Please see information below as we prepare for the Book Fair coming the week of November 11-15.

October 21--Report Cards Go Home for 1st Quarter for K-2nd; 3rd-5th Report Cards Available in Parent Portal

October 22--BIMAS Screenings Completed by Staff; Opt Out Forms due that morning

October 23--Picture Day

October 25--Bobcat Dash

October 28-November 1--Red Ribbon Week (See activities above)

November 1--Half-Day for Professional Development (Students are dismissed at 11:15)

November 5--Election Day (No School)

November 11-15--Book Fair

November 11--5:30 SIC; 6:30 PTO

November 27-29--Thanksgiving Holidays

School Improvement Council--This group seeks to determine how Cherry Park Elementary can be the best school it can be. It is a sounding board and feedback group for the school and district. Members are elected for two year terms. Members of this year's Council include Chelsea Eichorn, Jennifer Hutchinson, Matthew Query, Bernice Huskins, Heather Kagey, and Emily Parrish. Ex-Officio Members are Mr. Maness (Principal) and Mrs. Futrelle (Assistant Principal). Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. All parents are invited to attend.

Parent Teacher Organization--This group has three main goals: Raising funds for the school, appreciating the staff and securing volunteers as needed. The Cherry Park PTO is a 501c3 tax deductible organization. Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM (right after the SIC meetings.) All parents are invited to attend. All financial records are distributed and updated at each month's meeting. Officers this year are Amanda Winters (President), Emmanuel Daniel (Vice-President), Celia Kerr (Secretary) and Shannon Martin/Caroline Stubbs (Co-Treasurers). We appreciate all of our sponsors (above) who contributed to our Bobcat Dash this year.

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