Notes from Principal Simmons: Weekend Update February 11th

If Stonehedge has any magical predicting powers...the game is going to be a close one with the Bengals squeaking out a win. Thank you for your GENEROUS donations to our PTA sponsored SOUPer Bowl and thank you to our PTA members for organizing this food drive. The kids really enjoying seeing the collection grow each morning! While it is too soon to call the game, the true winner of the STE SOUPer Bowl is, of course, the Camillus community. The generous donations will go to our local food pantries and our Stonehedge families in need.

On another note, I hope you can help us with a growing concern of the misuse of smartphones, iPads, and tablets during the school day. According to our Stonehedge Parent Handbook, smartphones and other devices are prohibited at school or on the school bus. Our young students often do not have the maturity to sensibly use phones without adult support and supervision. I asked one of our ADAPEP counselors to weigh on this topic... Susan H-P's advice -
no elementary student requires a smartphone. If you need a way to connect with your child via technology use a device with the least amount of access to other content. Use a device that allows texting or facetime only with trusted family members and adults. Otherwise you are allowing your child access to content well above their developmental capacity to understand. Please see the articles on this topic I have included below. I do hope you will help us by keeping electronic devices at home and used under your strict supervision.

https://www.activefamilymag.com/the-first-cell-phone-rules-for-responsibility/

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cellphone-parenting/whats-the-right-age-for-parents-to-get-their-kids-a-cellphone

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/5-questions-to-ask-before-you-get-your-kid-a-phone

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2018/10/children-and-cell-phones

Next Week:

Wednesday, February 16 - Board of Education Meeting - 6:00 pm - WGHS Library

Wednesday, February 16 - Gertrude Hawk Orders Due

Thursday, February 17 - Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test Distribution

New York State continues to support Covid-19 testing and has been very supportive in supplying testing kits to schools. With that, test kits will be available for all interested students and their families (ONE test kit per student). We will be distributing them on the following dates and times:

February 17: Stonehedge Support Office Pick Up 8:00am - 4:00pm Stonehedge families may come and pick up a test kit at the Stonehedge Support Office (door #4). A staff member will be assisting the process.
February 18: Parents who can not make it between 8:00am - 4:00pm may send a note or contact the office to give the building permission to send a kit home with your child on Friday, February 18.

Please understand Rapid Antigen Tests are only acceptable when a student is not showing signs or symptoms of illness (Asymptomatic).

In the Near Future:

Monday, February 21- Friday February 25 - Winter Recess - No School

Saturday, March 5 - WGCSD Culture Fair - 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm - WGHS

Friday, March 25 - Professional Development Day for Stonehedge (No School for Students)

More Important Information:

Outdoor Recess

Students should come to school dressed for the weather and prepared to go outside. All

children go outside for recess until the chill factor temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Outdoor recesses give the children a much needed break in routine and fresh air.

Students should have a heavy, winter weight coat, snow pants or a snowsuit, warm hat or hood, and gloves or mittens. Boots are essential for outdoor recess. A pair of shoes should be brought to school to wear inside the building. Sitting with boots on all day is not healthy for feet. Contact

the school nurse if you need help securing these items for your child.

Label Those Clothes!

This is the time of year when students tend to lose their boots, snow pants, gloves, etc. Please take a few minutes to clearly label your child's belongings. You will be glad that you did! Also, if you have any gently used snow pants, boots or gloves you'd like to donate to the school, we'd love to take them off of your hands!

Kindergarten Registration Begins in December

Kindergarten Registration for the 2022-2023 school year opened virtually on December 1, 2021, and will go until March 31, 2022. This will allow our families to register their children from the comfort of their home or office. Please click here to start the Virtual Registration process. This will schedule a telemeeting with you.

When registering, parents should be prepared to upload the following:

proof of residency (ie. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement)
proof of immunizations
proof of age

A physical examination is also required and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2022.

To access the most updated health requirements click here.

Positivity Project:

We continue pay tribute to the generations of African Americans who have contributed to our country's history. Students in Mrs. Hayes' 3rd grade class read to the school how some of these great Americans showed humility; this week's P2 focus.

"Ruby Bridges showed humility being the first African American to be part of the change to desegregate schools."

"Rosa Parks showed humility by starting a boycott on the busses because they did not treat all the passengers fairly. She stood up for the rights of African Americans to end segregation."

Love

Love, fittingly, is next week's P2 character strength focus. Love means that you value close relationships with others and being close to people. The character strength of love represents the way we think, feel, and behave towards people with whom we have close relationships. To read more about the character strength of love, click here.

PTA:

Gertrude Hawk Orders

Wednesday, February 16, all Gertrude Hawk Orders are due. The profits we make on the sale of chocolate is what the PTA counts on to fund the many assemblies, virtual field trips, Educational Line Funding and so much more. Please make one last push to sell that chocolate and support our PTA.

School Counseling Week

The PTA has been celebrating our incredible school councilors this week. They do so much for our students.