Bobcat Bulletin

From your principal: Mr. Reaves

Upcoming Events:

04/01: Light Up Blue Day

04/01: Paws-itive Referral Celebration 1:15-1:45pm

04/02: FFEA Event

Deland High School 8:30am-1:00pm

04/05: VPK Sumer Registration 04/05 & 06: Southeast Volusia Track Event Indian River 9:00am-12:00pm 04/06: Early Release (No other Early Release days in April) 04/07: Parent to Kids 4:00-6:00pm

04/07: SE Volusia Chamber 5K Run

115 Canal Street 5:30pm

04/07: McBobcat Night

5:00-7:00pm

04/04: Awards Ceremonies

Gr 4 & 5 8:05-8:55am

Gr 2 & 3 9:05-9:50am

04/12: Autism Walk

5:15-7:00pm

04/14: Parent to Kids 4:00-6:00pm

04/21: Parent to Kids 4:00-6:00pm

04/22: Chick-Fil-A Night

5:00-7:00pm

04/28: SAC Meeting

2:30-3:30pm

04/28: Parent to Kids 4:00-6:00pm

04/28: PTA Meeting

5:00-6:00pm

04/29: Field Study

Gr 2 Museum of Arts

Through the shared responsibility of all, we will provide a safe learning environment

that fosters commitment, collaboration, and creativity in a changing world.

Bell Schedule: 7:30 Students may enter campus

7:50 First Bell

7:55 Bell to signal the start of

school

2:05 Bus students released (1:00

Early Release)

Twitter at:

EPS_HomeoftheBobcats

Edgewater Public School

801 South Old County Road-Edgewater-Florida 32132

386-424-2573

EPS_HomeoftheBobcats

Apps for Teaching Children Coding Skills

In February we hosted our Technology Parent Involvement Night. During this

fun-filled evening, students and parents were able to see the connections between an

education rich with technology and the workplace. One of the areas that holds a key to

the future is coding. A number of parents and students attending said they liked the

sites below and found them helpful. Take some time and let your students try these free

sites to explore and learn. Join in the fun. You might enjoy it too!

Code.org

https://code.org/

Cost: Free

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify

code and show that anybody can learn the basics. Look out for new ones coming for the

Hour of Code 2016.

Scratch

https://scratch.mit.edu/

Cost: Free

Scratch is one of the first programming languages that was created specifically for

8-to-16-year-olds. Scratch is web-based and more accessible. Students use a visual

programming language to create interactive games and more. You don't have to be a

programming expert to enjoy Scratch!

Hopscotch

IPad based

Cost: Free

Hopscotch looks a lot like Scratch and uses similar controls, but it only runs on the

iPad. The controls and characters are not as extensive as Scratch, but Hopscotch is a

great tool to begin helping students without coding experience learn the basics of

programming, logical thinking and problem solving.

Daisy the Dinosaur

IPad based

Cost: Free

From the makers of Hopscotch, Daisy targets the youngest coders. The interface is

similar to Hopscotch but much simpler. There is only a dinosaur to move and only basic

functions to use, but for your younger students, this is an excellent introduction to

programming.

Parents and guardians, when your student is out of school for

any reason, it is your responsibility to contact the school and

excuse your student. Our contact number is 386-424-2573

extension 35223. Thank you!

Notes from the South Forty…

Agri-Science with Ms. Taylor

Welcome to Spring…or Summer…?! We might not be sure yet. The one thing that is sure is

these 90-plus degree days are waking the butterflies and pollinators from their winter slumber

and they are hungry! Your Ag students will be working on Plants ‘n’ Pollinators for April,

mixed with facts on good nutrition leading into May. Students might come home with a little

soil under their nails or a grass stain or two, so please be patient with them while they learn

some basic skills, how to plant and propagate, what is an invasive or exotic, why xeriscaping

and low water maintenance plantings are the right things to do, and how to do it! If you want to

send an oversized “outside” t-shirt with them on Ag class day to wear, please do.

And speaking of plants, the IFAS/Agricultural Extension annual Master Gardener Plant Sale

at the Volusia County Fairgrounds, Hwy 44, east of DeLand, is Saturday, April 9, starting at

8:30 a.m. Get there early, it is always very busy. This is a chance to get native plants,

professional advice, great buys on starter plants, and to see things growing in their extension

gardens. EPS works with the MG program, Volusia County Extension, and Florida Dept. of

Agriculture for lots of information.

And speaking of IFAS programs, by Bulletin time, Ms. Taylor will have finished and received

her Advanced Florida Master Naturalist certification. Her last class on Habitat Evaluation

works into the last 9 weeks Bobcat Time when 3rd graders will be creating a “biome” for EPS,

complete with flora and fauna. A working, hands-on project for school wide use will be

researched and constructed by those students to show what lives where and the surrounding

environment. If your students come home talking about mesic hammock, scrub, and benthic

zone, you can be assured they are not talking furniture, washing up, or a new video game!

We are still looking for a volunteer to make a “Bobby the Bobcat” large logo for the front of our

new barn. Anyone with a scroll saw or good sabre saw skills will work – please contact the

school.

Speaking of the barn, hotter than normal spring days means making sure family pets and

animals get water more often, and plants need drinks between rains as well. Pests will also

arrive early. Good agriculture, whether rural or urban, means honoring the natural world

around us. We are stewards of the land and resources. Students have been learning a lot about

erosion, topsoil, water and land conservation. Want to get your student off the video game and

watch them light up when they discover something very cool? Have them explore in any of

these links:

www.volusia.org/services/community.../parks-recreation-and-culture

www.floridastateparks.org

www.nps.gov

Make sure your 4th graders have registered for their free National Park Pass at the

EveryKidInAPark site, good through August 31, 2016.

Have a safe spring, and watch out for those hungry, roving pollinators!

Ms. GreenJeans

We are excited to announce that Edgewater Public School has been selected as one of the first in the state of

Florida and nine in Volusia County to pilot a new App called the Parent Information Exchange. This free

smartphone app is designed especially for parents to make it easier to stay connected with your child’s school.

Here are some of the things you can expect when using this app:

A link to the school activity calendar

Text announcements from your child’s school

Social Media sharing with friends and families

App Comment button to submit comments and suggestions for

improvement

We are always looking for ways to better serve our students, families and community. When you

participate, you will gain access to information that will assist you to stay up-to-date about events and

communications with your child’s school.

Simply search your App store for Volusia County Schools or go to Google Play or ITunes and

download this FREE app.

If you have any questions, please contact the school at 386-424-2573. You can also contact IQ Onsite directly

at support@iqonsite.com.

FSA Testing 2016 Teachers and students in grades Third through Fifth have been working hard

throughout the year on the Florida Standards. Students will show their knowledge

on their grade level assessments administered in March and April. Below is our

testing schedule:

March 29 & 30: 3rd

Grade ELA

March 31 & April 1: 3rd

Grade Math

4th

Grade Math

April 11 & 12: 4th

Grade Reading (computer based)

5th

Grade Science

April 18 & 19: 5th

Grade Reading (computer based)

April 25 & 26: 5th

Grade Math (computer based)

The following link: http://www.fsassessments.org/students-and-families/

practice-tests/paper-based-practice-test-materials/ will provide you with practice test

questions and answers that can be used with your student at home.

Some tips for your student leading up to the assessment:

1. Take their time and read all of the directions

2. Go back into the text to find their answers

3. Go back over all of their answers

4. Relax and do their best

5. Get a good night sleep and eat breakfast in the morning

Melanie Amato

Melissa Cleveland

Reading Corner

In my years of teaching, I have had the opportunity to see many students who were certain they hated read-

ing, do a complete change of heart simply because of one book that somehow hooked them in. There is very

good literature written for our young children in the form of picture books, early chapter books and novels.

If you have access to the internet, do a search for “good reads for elementary school students”. Or, here

are some of my past students’ favorites: Matilda, Because of Winn Dixie (my favorite too!), Liza Lou and the

Yeller Belly Swamp, Where the Wild Things Are, Ella Enchanted, Hatchet, The Secret Garden, The Miracu-

lous Journey of Edward Tulane, Maniac Magee, The Puff Puff Fish, The Box Car Children #1, A Castle in the

Attic, The Bailey Kids Series, and so many, many more. It’s not too early to start getting your spring/summer

reading list together and start tracking down the books you’d like to read with your child. There truly is

nothing more satisfying than reading a good book with your child and watching them (and probably yourself

too) fall in love with reading.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Wylie

Literacy Coach

VOLUNTARY PRE-KINDERGARTEN SUMMER VPK REGISTRATION

For children that will be 5 years old by September 1, 2016.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

For information please call our registrar, Kay Holland for details.

386-424-2573 ext. 35225