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December 2016
Sawnee Elementary School Newsletter
In This Issue
Dates to Know:

Dec. 3rd - Science Olympiad scrimmage at Vickery Creek ES, 7:30am

Dec. 5th - Sawnee Singers 3:00pm

Dec. 6th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm; Sawnee Singers concert, 6:30pm Cafe 1

Dec. 8th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm; Girl Scount Recruitment Meeting 6:30pm, Cafe 1

Dec. 12th - Sawnee Singers 3:00pm

Dec. 13th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm

Dec. 15th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm

Dec. 19th - Sawnee Singers 3:00pm

Dec. 20th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm; End of 1st Semester

Dec. 21st - Jan. 4th - Holiday Break

Jan. 5th - 2nd semester begins; Science Olympiad 3:00pm

Jan. 10th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm; PTA General Meeting 6:30pm, Cafe 1

Jan. 12th - Science Olympiad 3:00pm

Jan. 13th - Report cards go home

Jan. 16th - MLK Holiday, No School
 
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Chief Chat

Dear Sawnee Families,

 

It looks like fall has finally arrived with cooler temperatures and hopefully we will see some winter weather soon! The cooler temperatures bring out our winter gear, so make sure all your children's coats and hats are labeled with their names. This time of year our lost and found gets really full!

 

There's a great deal of information and reminders in this month's newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it and seeing what your children have been doing here at Sawnee!

Important Reminders
Staying in touch with Sawnee - We have several ways we share information with you; classroom newsletters, monthly newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, Remind and Forsyth Messengers. If you have not liked our Facebook page, followed us on Twitter or signed up for Remind texts please click on the following links and/or follow the Remind instructions below:
 
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To sign up for Remind texts simply text:
@sawneef to 81010

Car Rider Reminder: Our car rider line closes at 8:15am to allow teachers and staff time to return to their rooms and begin their day. If you enter the car rider lot at 8:15am or after, please park and walk your child in to the back building if they are in K-2nd grade. Or if they are in 3rd-5th grade please drive around to the front building and walk them in through the main entrance.
 
Early Check-outs: As a reminder our latest check out time is 2:30pm. Please plan accordingly and arrive by 2:30pm if you need to check your child out for an appointment at the end of the day. Thank you for adhering to these policies to help us ensure a smooth day for our students and staff.
Original Works Art Orders
Students will bring home your Original Works 
Prod uc ts Dec. 14 - 16th.   If you have a problem with your order, p lease contact Celeste DuHamel  @ cduhamel@forsyth.k12.ga.u s
News from the Counseling Dept.
Holiday Donations & Assistance
The Counseling department has several opportunities for assistance this holiday season as well as opportunities to give back. If you have any questions contact Trish Morriss (3-5) at tlmorriss@forsyth.k12.ga.us or Ruth Urban (K-2) at rurban@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Stocking Stuffer Toy Drive -  ends December 2nd. If you would like to help make the holidays special for a child please send in a new toy that would fit in a stocking or a small toy

Holiday Assistance - Sawnee is partnering with Holiday House to provide assistance to families in need this holiday season. For more information on Holiday House
click here  for the English version or here f or the Spanish version of their informational flyer. 
Clinic News
The clinics are in need of some supplies. If you would like to contribute the following, it would be greatly appreciated:
  • Tissues, Band aids (regular & large size), Saltine crackers, Ziploc sandwich size bags and 9oz. paper or plastic cups.
With cold and flu season right around the corner, please review Forsyth County Schools 24 hour sickness policy.
  • Your child must be free from vomit for 24 hours before returning to school.
  • Your child must be free of diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.
  • Your child must be fever free (under 100 degrees) for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to school.
  • Children with strep throat and pink eye must be treated with an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school.
Yearbook Ordering
This year the 2017 Sawnee yearbook can be ordered only online. To order your child's yearbook today, simply go to www.balfour.com  and type in Sawnee to place your order. The ordering window is October 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017. Don't delay, the yearbook does sell out every year! For more information click here to read the full yearbook letter. 

Cafe News
December Cafe Focus for the Month - 
Every month Nutrition Services always focuses on a Strong 4 Life topic. This month's topic is about reducing screen time. The American child spends more than 4 1/2 hours a day in front of a screen, which leads to inactivity. Strong 4 Life recommends limiting screen time to 60 minutes a day. To read more about this topic and view the December menu click 
here

Lunch Visitors Reminders  -We are always excited to have parents join their child for lunch, please sign in at the fr o nt desk using the visitor sign in system and wait outside  the cafeteria for your child's class, so you can enter the cafeteria with your child. Please eat at the designated parent tables with your child if seating is available. Upon completion of lunch, please sign out using the visitor sign in/out system, so teachers can return to the classroom and continue with instruction. R emember no outside fast food is allowed to be brought in. Thank you for adhering to our lunch room policies.
Many Thanks!

PTA Reflections -  Thank you to all the students who submitted entries! Your works were fabulous and represented Sawnee well! A big THANK YOU to Iveth Caruso and her committee for their organization and support of this great program! Congratulations to the following students who will be representing Sawnee at the State level:

Finn W. - 1st Film Production
Terry H. - 1st Photography
Everett H. - 2nd Photography
Madalynn F. - 5th Grade Music Composition


FISH Student Recognition - Congratulations to all of our 1st Quarter FISH students! These students exemplified the four tenants of the FISH philosophy: 
  • Be Present (Show up!  Not just physically...be engaged in your work!)
  •  Play  (Even tedious work can be enjoyed in a funenvironment!)
  •  Make Their Day  ( Encourage others with your words and actions!)
  •  Choose Your Attitude  (Circumstances can be out of our control, but a positive attitude is something we can choose!)
Thank you to Cheryl White and her committee for organizing the new student recognition program, the student breakfast and the award night. 
Girl Scouts Recruitment
Girls, are you looking for something fun to do?  We're looking for a few more girls in 3 rd and 5 th grades to join our Girl Scout troops for their first meeting Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 pm in CafĂ© 1.  Adults will attend to get all the information needed to register, while girls attend the scout meeting.  www.gsgatl.org   or camorse1@comcast.net

PTA News
Stay Informed: The PTA will be sending out updates via email this year. These emails will include important news and event information. 
Please register online to receive the updates.  Simply use the "Subscribe to Sawnee PTA's news & updates" widget found in the left column of our website. Our website is http://www.sawneepta.org/.

Box Tops - Please keep clipping those Box Tops and sending them in with your homeroom teacher name on the bag. The next competition ends Feb. 10th!

Meet Sawnee's New Faces
Robyn Bailey - Ms. Bailey is a lead teacher in one of Sawnee's Autism classrooms. After being in the sales industry for the past six years, Ms. Bailey is very excited to start her 12th year of teaching, and her third year of teaching children with special needs. Ms. Bailey is from Birmingham, Alabama where she received her B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her three grown children.  Ms. Bailey is very excited to be a part of the wonderful team at Sawnee Elementary!

Sharon Hamilton - Mrs. Hamilton is excited to be at Sawnee as a Secretary in the K-2nd building. Prior to Sawnee she worked at Big Creek ES for three years after taking 10 years off to be a stay-at-home mom. Mrs. Hamilton has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and attended the University of South Florida for her Masters in Health Administration. Prior to taking time off to be a mom, she worked in the healthcare industry as a Financial Analyst, Manager and Group Account Representative. During her time off, she was very active in PTA and thoroughly enjoyed working with the schools and teachers so she decided to join them. She grew up in Florida but after marrying her husband who was in the Air Force, they were moved to North Dakota. So in one year she went from a climate of 98 above zero to 98 below zero! Luckily they were able to get back to the east coast and settled here in Cumming 13 years ago. Mrs. Hamilton has three children, Hayley, CJ and Hannah, three dogs and a cat.

Michelle Jarvis - Mrs. Jarvis is excited to join Sawnee as a
3   rd  grade teacher for her tenth year of teaching!  She previously taught 1st and 3rd grade for 9 years in Hall County.  Mrs. Jarvis received her B.S in Psychology from NGCSU, followed by ECE certification from Brenau University, and M.S. in Reading and Literacy from Walden University.  She is also ESOL endorsed.  Mrs. Jarvis is newly remarried with 3 wonderful children, Abby, in college, AJ and Madison, both high school seniors.  She enjoys reading and spending time with her family.  Mrs. Jarvis is looking forward to a great year a Sawnee!

Emily Lofstrand joins us from Fulton County where she
taught for 10 years and before that she taught for a year in Barrow County. She is very excited to be joining the Special Education team teaching kindergarten and 1 st  grade IRR here at Sawnee Elementary! She graduated from North Georgia College and State University in 2005. She moved to Cumming back in April of this year with her family. She is happily married and is the proud mother of Finn who attends kindergarten at Sawnee, Madelyn who is 3, and Sarah who is 7 months. She is very excited to be here working with the amazing staff and students at Sawnee Elementary!

Gary Stancel  -  Mr. Gary is a native of Forsyth County and a
graduate of South Forsyth High School. He's been married to his "best" half, Angela, for 21 years and they have three children, Halianna 21, Justin 17 and Jeremy 16. Mr. Gary worked for Mt. Airy Glass Co. right out of high school making stained glass windows. He worked there until 2007 and shortly after he began working for Forsyth County Schools at West Forsyth High School. Mr. Gary worked at WFHS until May of this year when he was asked to come to Sawnee as our Head Custodian. He absolutely loves it here at Sawnee and we are glad to have him!

Stephanie Wood - This is Ms. Wood's 2nd year teaching here at Sawnee and its her 1st year teaching Interrelated Special Ed. She received her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from the University of North Georgia, along with Reading and Gifted endorsements. Ms. Wood is a Forsyth County native and attended Sawnee Elementary as a student many years ago!When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Ms. Wood is very excited to be back at Sawnee as an IRR and looks forward to a fantastic year
Sawnee Smiles :)
Here are just a few pictures of what the Sawnee students have been doing this year!

Our Veterans Day program was a wonderful time for all who attended! Here are just a few pictures of the day.



Mrs. Densmore's class celebrated Thanksgiving with a play titled "The Meal Must Go On"



Mrs. Densmore's class celebrated everyone meeting or exceeding their 2nd quarter sight word goal.


Mrs. Hahn's class participates in a mock election and voting.