November 2015
Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School Newsletter
Working Together for
Student Success
Parent/Teacher conferences
are coming soon. Nov. 18 th,
19th, and 20th are early release
days for students in order to provide time for parents and
teachers to meet and discuss student progress. Evening
hours will be available on Nov 19 th. Our amazing teach-
ers will be sen ding home schedules with dates and times
very soon. Please sign up right away so we can work to
get a time that is most convenient for you. We want you
to feel welcome, so here are some questions that might
help guide your discussions with your child’s teachers:
1. What is the best way to communicate with you?
Phone, email, notes,
2. What are my child’s strengths?
3. What do you think are the academic challenges
for my child?
4. How is my child doing socia lly?
5. Is my child on grade level in reading? What
about math?
6. What can we do to prepare for standardized
testing and reduce stress?
7. What is your homework policy?
8. What can I do to support what you are doing in
the classroom?
Interpreters will be available in the media center for
Spanish speaking families.
Please let us know ho w we can improve on the parent/
teacher conferences. Your feedback is welcomed an d
valued.
GIVING
This time of year, it always seems like we are the recipi-
ents of requests for many types of “giving”. Most of
that, of course, seems to be in the manner of monetary
support for things like Cub Scout popcorn, dancing cos-
tumes, school fundraising, church stewardship and prob-
ably many more that I have not named here, but are very
important to you or your family. Each request has a
unique goal, but, finding a balance bet ween all of them,
especially this time of year, can be stressful.
This Fall, CBB PTA has held several events that have
asked a lot from you. From Spirit Wear, Book Fair,
Walk-a-thon, Spirit Nights and school pictures, your
“giving” has been more than any school could ask for.
Your continued support for all of these events within the
first eight weeks of school has been phenomenal. What
is even more impressive, is that parents, teachers and
students, already supporting with donations, have given
even more with their time and talents to ensure school
success.
There is no doubt, your PTA plans a lot of things and
asks for a lot of support. I also know that no matter
what, you always find a way to “give”. You give of
your time; give of your talents; and continue to give
from your heart. So, if we have not said it to you al-
ready, THANK YOU for all that you “give”. We appre-
ciate it more than you will ever know.
Bear Pause
PTA President, Mike Loy Principal, Phyllis Dorsey
Flu Season
Cold weather has arrived and with that the beginning of cold and flu season. Some of you may
wonder if your child is well enough to go to school. Here are a few guidelines to help you.
Your child should not attend school if he/she:
• has a fever of 100° or more (should remain at home for 24hrs after fever is gone)
• has vomited or has diarrhea (should remain at home for 24hrs after vomiting/diarrhea has
stopped)
• has a persistent cough
• has any rash
• has open or draining skin sores
• has inflamed or draining eye or ears
If your child is well enough to attend school, but must have medication during the day, please
bring in the proper documents signed by a physician.
Margaret Bitler, RN
CBB School Nurse
Clinic 221-0949 option 1
Box Tops
It’s the Final Countdown for the Fall Box Tops Collection
We are in the process of counting all the box tops that all the families and teachers sent in. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to collectively raise money for CBB! The final count and winner of the ice cream party will be announced in the December newsletter.
Kristen Hooker-Watkins, Corporate Fundraising
If you have any questions, email [email protected].
The 8th annual Walk-A-Thon is only a few days away, November 2. The theme for this year is
LUV2WALK.
Thanks to our sponsors, every student will be given a CBB Bear Zipper Pull. Also, because of
the generosity of our sponsors, any student who brought in a minimum pledge of $25 by Octo-
ber 23, won a Walk-a-Thon T-Shirt. If your student won a T-shirt, please have him/her wear
it to school on November 2nd!
We are fortunate again to offer great prize packages for our students, thanks to the generous
donations of local businesses. Each student is eligible for the drawing for one of the four
prize packages. Every dollar earned gives a student a chance at winning a prize package.
The Grand Prize for the top student pledge earner this year is a $100 Target gift card and 4
passes to Busch Garden’s Christmas Town! Remember to look on the PTA Facebook page for a
list of the donations and prizes.
The money raised for this event will be used to help the PTA enhance the academic experi-
ence for all students at Clara Byrd Baker! If you are reading this before November 2, please
join us the day of the event to cheer our students along as they show CBB BEAR PRIDE!
You can pledge online at: https://squareup.com/market/clara-byrd-baker-elementary-school-pta-2/walk-a-thon-donation-pledge. Remember, all money must be turned in no later than October 30th in order to be
eligible for prizes.
The Walkathon Planning Committee
See the next page for Walkathon Sponsors and be sure to thank them!
CBB Walk-a-Thon: November 2nd
2015 Walkathon Sponsors
Platinum
Williams Landscape & Design
1st Advantage Federal Credit Union
Coldwell Banker Professional Realtors
Gold
Andrew G. Gilfillan D.D.S., Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
Drs. Boss, Blaney, Lachine & Wendell, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
Papa Murphy’s
Silver
Auto Parts and Supply
Tony Pauroso, realtor
Bronze
Center Street Grill
Clip It Up Pet Grooming
Thanks to the following businesses that donated prizes:
Busch Gardens
Nails Uptown
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
School Crossing
The WISC
Virginia Living Museum
Virginia Aquarium
Adventure Park at Virginia
Aquarium
Bounce House
William & Mary
Ripley’s Believe it or Not
Nauticus
Virginia Zoo (in Norfolk)
Stampin’ Up
Food Lion
Perfection Day Spa
Noodles & Company
Zoe’s Kitch en
Jimmy John’s
Papa Murphy’s
Coldstone Creamery
Tide Radio, Save 30 Store
Virginia Aviation Museum
(Richmond)
Chick-Fil-A Monticello
Cine Bistro
Trader Joe’s
Smallcakes –A Cupcakery
7-Eleven
Uno Pizzeria & Grill
November 2: Walk-a-Thon November 3: Election Day, Schools Closed November 12: Spirit Night, Wendy’s on Monticello 5-8 pm November 12 : PTA Meeting, 6pm, Media Room November 17: CBB Spotlight at School Board Meeting November 18, 19, 20: Early Release & Parent/Teacher Conferences November 23: Report Cards Sent Home November 25: Early Release November 27, 28: Thanksgiving Break December 21—Jan. 1: Winter Break
Cultural Arts
The PTA has 2 great performances from Theatre IV this
month:
Tales as Tall as the Sky on November 10th at 9:45am
for grades 3-5.
Country Mouse, City Mouse on November 16th at 9:30am for K-2.
Yearbook
We need your help in making a great yearbook! If you take any photos at CBB events, in class-
rooms or on field trips, please email them to: [email protected]
Photos taken from digital cameras or IPhone 5 or higher (or equivalent) will
produce the best images in the yearbook.
Counseling Corner
Encourage Your Children to Grow: A wise dad once said, “Can’t never could until she tried.”
You can help your child develop a growth mind set. Praise persistence and effort. When work is hard re
mind them that hard work pays off.
Focus on growth and improvement rather than waiting for complete success.
Encourage them to take the risk of making a mistake. We all learn from our mistakes.
When your child says, “I can’t do it” always add “yet!”
Help them see problems as challenges they can overcome with perseverance. A
problem is an opportunity to try your best.
Remind them they are not in a race. It is smart to take time to learn.
Whenever possible make the connection between effort and results. Effort is every-
thing.
Be wary of praising them for their intelligence or talent. This can give the child the wrong impression that
their ability is fixed. This can lead to fear of trying new things, fear of failure, and seeking validation from
others rather than striving for mastery of new skills.
Fifth Grade Parents: The next WJCC Parent Academy is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, 2015 -
6:00p.m., at the Central Office, James Blair. The topic is Success in Middle School and parents will explore aca-
demic planning, social influences in middle school, and career exploration. This is a great opportunity to get ready
for what lies ahead.
First Grade Parents: Is your child learning to cope with a changing family? He or she might benefit from a small
support group with peers who are also dealing with separation, divorce, and blended family. Activities will focus on
feeling expression, common areas of adjustment, and development of coping strategies. The group will be sched-
uled for 30 minutes a week for 6-8 weeks. Please call or email the counselor for further information.
Join Our Career Fair: The Resource team will coordinate our Baker Bi-annual Career Fair for 4 th & 5th Graders
the morning of Friday, March 18 th. We are eager to have parents from a wide variety of career fields: skilled trades,
public servants, artisans, and technical specialists, the milita ry and other professionals. It’s a fun and engaging
morning for presenters and students. Please contact me if you are willing to share your vocation with our future
work force!
Times are Tough: If your children need school supplies and you can’t provide them please call me. I have a closet
full of supplies so no child should do without. Also if you need help with holiday meals please let me know. The
agencies and charities that offer this type of help will be calling me soon.
You can contact me at 221-0949, ext. 42306 or [email protected]
Ginnie Szczypinski, Ed.S., School Counselor
______________________________________________________________________
Clara Byrd Baker PTA is now accepting credit/debit card payments using
Square Readers and Square Market Square is an electronic payment service, provided by Square Inc. A Square Reader is a portable credit/debit card transaction reader, which allows us to process PTA related purchases such as PTA Member-ships & Spirit Wear. This small pocket-size device allows our organization to accept all major credit card payments with our smartphones during events such as Back to School Night, by swiping the card on the Square device with the ability of the customer to sign for the transaction with their signature. Credit card information is encrypted at the moment of swipe and is secure. Square Market is an online store where you can purchase PTA related items or donate to events such as the upcoming CBB Walk-A-Thon. Again, credit card information is encrypted and secure. If you use the on-line store please remember to enter your child’s name, teacher and grade in the note section in or-der for us to process the purchase and deliver purchased items as necessary.
The website for the CBB PTA On-Line Store is:
https://squareup.com/market/clara-byrd-baker-elementary-school-pta-2
A Round of Applause for a Successful Fall Book Fair
Thanks to the generous support of our CBB families, we sold over $6,300 in books at the Fall Book Fair! This allowed the PTA to gift our dedicated teachers with over $2,700 worth of books for their classrooms and Mrs. Bell with $850 in books (pictured below) for the school library. Thank you to all the parent volun-teers who helped run the fair each day. We truly rely on volunteers to help make the Fair a success! And a special thank you to Mrs. Bell and Mrs. Geer for their patience, knowledge and support throughout the week. We look forward to see everyone at the Spring Book Fair! Kelley Sousa & Nicole Samuels Book Fair Co-Chairs
Parents—please be sure to check
your child’s account on Vue for updat-
ed information from his/her teacher to
include: class work, homework , daily
schedule, monthly calendar, grades
and more.
http://wjccschools.org/vue/
Physical Education &
more
Recycling:
The TREX plastic bag contest begins
on November 15, 2015 and ends on
April 15, 2016. CBB has won this
contest 7 times. Our rewards have
been park benches which have been
installed on our playgrounds. Please
recycle your clean, dry, empty plastic
bags (#3&4 plastic bags, newspaper
sleeves, bread bags, product wrap,
cereal liners, food storage bags, ice
bags, dry cleaning bags, produce
bags, case overwrap, and packaging
air pillows). The bags become an
earth-friendly composite decking and
railing. Check trexrecycling.com for
more information. Thank you for sup-
porting CBB’s recycling program.
The Fifth Grade Student Council
Association (SCA) election will be
held on Thursday November 5th. On
Monday October 26th the SCA appli-
cations will go home. Forms are also
found on the CBB website:
http://wjccschools.org/
cbb/2015/10/23/student-council-
association-elections/
and on Student Vue. Applications
are due to Mr. Goggin by October
30th. If your child decides to run for
an office, he/she will give a one mi-
nute speech on November 5th at 2:15
PM in the gym. All parents are wel-
come to hear the speeches. The chil-
dren will vote after the speeches in
their classrooms. Mr. Goggin will call
all candidates starting at 5 PM. It
usually takes 2 hours to complete all
the calls. If you have any questions,
please contact Mr. Goggin at either
757-221-0949 ext. 42321 or
Good luck to all the candidates!
The school store will open on Mon-
day November 9th. Please look for a
letter, during the week of November
2nd, explaining the prices and store
hours.
The 2015 Fall SHIP Clubs have
started successfully. 137 third, fourth
and fifth grade students belong to the
clubs: 67 children are in the coed
running club, 28 are in the Hip Hop
Dance Club, 27 are in the Karate
Club and 15 are in the cooking Club.
Thank you, Jim Goggin
A Word from the Bear
Pause Editor,
Karen Burden
It is an honor to serve as PTA Corre-
sponding Secretary for the 2015-2016
school year. I am responsible for pre-
paring and publishing this newsletter.
There is so much important infor-
mation about our school that you will
learn when reading through the news-
letter. I welcome your input about
ways to make our newsletter more
enjoyable and helpful to all of our
families, teachers and school staff.
All editions of the newsletter will be
electronic and you will receive an
email with a link to access it. It will
also be on the website each month
(http://wjccschools.org/cbb/
families/ptsa/).
Teacher Notes & More
Fundraising to Support CBB
MEGA Auto Spa and the PTA have partnered together to raise funds for the students and
staff of Clara Byrd Baker. MEGA will donate one dollar for every
purchase made by your supporters which goes directly to our
school. MEGA Auto Spa automatically records and compiles
these washes, and the CBB PTA receives a quarterly check! The
next time you get your car washed, use the Fundraising Code
9027 and we’ll watch the funds roll in. It's that simple. Please con-
sider CBB the next time you go to Mega Auto Spa – Our local
fundraising partner for 2014-15.
Help Our School Earn FREE Equipment!
Our school is participating in the Farm Fresh 123-4 Community Program.
Your grocery store receipts will help our school earn much needed free educa-
tional equipment and supplies.
What do you need to do?
Hopefully you received the key tag at Back To School Night or it was sent home with
your child (more tags are available in the CBB office if you need one). Simply give
the cashier the tag to scan. Or tell the cashier you would like the rewards to go to
Clara Byrd Baker.
Do you have an iOS or Android phone? Do you shop? If you said YES to both of those, consider sign-
ing up for Shoparoo. It's an easy, secure way to earn money for our school simply by taking photos
of your store receipts.
Simply download the app at http://www.shoparoo.com/, create your account and choose Clara
Byrd Baker Elementary as your school, and immediately start submitting your own receipts to earn
donations for CBB! You can create an “Anonymous” account if you have any concerns over your per-
sonal information being shared.
We only have 34 supporters on Shoparoo so far, but in just over 1 month we have already earned over
$20 for CBB. Imagine what we could earn in a year if we had 200 supporters!!