Hello Sanderlin Sea Turtle Learning Community,
I hope that everyone enjoyed the Starts with Hello week! This initiative is incredibly important for our students and I appreciate your support this past week. We are moving into the last week of 1st quarter. The quarter ends on Thursday and there is no school for students on Friday, Oct. 8th for a Professional Development day for staff. Please make sure that you are checking Portal to ensure that your students are completing all of their work in a timely manner so that all grades can be updated to finish the quarter.
My reminders for the week include:
1) I want to say thank you to all of the parent and volunteer support we have on and around campus! I would like to send a thank you out to Melanie Bowman for the amazing boxes for our counseling groups and to Julia Sharp for helping to coordinate that.
2) MYP families, I am sending home a flyer today for the Take Stock In Children scholarship program. This is an amazing program for those students with the desire to go to college, but that don’t have the financial means to get there. Requirements include a 2.0 GPA, financial need, good behavior, and regular attendance. Please contact Mrs Sprout with any questions, I am happy to help you submit your application.
3) The JBS DEI Committee of the PTSA continues the open conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion by way of the JBS DEI Talk Series this Monday at 6:00 pm. Participants are asked to watch the following video ahead of time; the group will meet for a 1-hour open, virtual community conversation about the thought-provoking content. Join us for the next talk Monday, October 4, from 6-7pm. If you miss this one, there will be more videos to discuss on these following dates: 10/25 | 11/15 | 12/06. Please come to any of the discussions that you can. Review the ground rules here.
No. You Cannot Touch My Hair! | Mena Fombo | TEDxBristol (16 minutes)
Have you ever considered how expectations about hair are based on whiteness? What other so-called beauty standards are based on race? What other standards are premised on mainstream culture and heteronormativity?
The Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA) has a mission to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. Our mission requires that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) be central to our work and used in our day-to-day decisions and actions. With all of this in mind, James B. Sanderlin I. B. World School PTSA has created a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee. We welcome you to get involved. Visit: jamesbsanderlinptsa.com
4) Our Lost and Found is overflowing!!! We have more than 50 water bottles and a bunch of lunch boxes and backpacks that students have left on campus. These items do NOT have names on them so we have no way to return them. If your student has lost something since the beginning of the year, please have them look in the lost and found boxes that will be on the cafeteria steps next week to reclaim their lost items. Also, in the future, please mark student names on all items so that they can be returned.
5) Thursday, October 7 – Picture Retake Day
All students that did not have their picture taken on August 24 will have their picture taken on Thursday October 7 – Picture Retake Day.
Also, families that ordered photo packets and want retakes done may do so on our retake day. If doing a retake, the student must turn in their picture packet(s) to the photographer when they have their picture taken.
Attached to the email version of this message is a copy of the flyer that were sent home with students today, Friday Oct 1.
6) Tuesday, October 12 6-8PM: Tacos and Tie Dye
Tacos and Tie Dye is an outdoor event where families can purchase a white Sanderlin spirit shirt (limited supply) or bring their own to tie dye and eat tacos. It is very casual and a great way to get to know other families.
7) Student ID Badges
All students IDs were distributed over the last two weeks. Please be aware of the following policies as outlined in the student handbook in the student agenda.
All KG – 3rd Grade students will have ID badges in their classrooms and these will be managed by their teachers.
4th through 8th grade students must wear their school ID tag around their neck every day. 4th through 8th grade students that are not wearing their ID badge will not be able to receive RISE tokens or attend incentive events. If students repeatedly do not wear their ID badge, the will being to receive escalated consequences. Please review the ID Tags section of your student’s handbook for more information.
Thank you for your support and assistance with these policies.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Carrie A. Cormier
Principal, Sanderlin K-8 IB World School