July 2008

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the start of a new school year. I am excited about starting my fifth year at Ellis as the Principal, and my eleventh year as an administrator in Prince William County. I hope that this letter will help you to know what to expect this year and answer any questions you may have.

Ellis Elementary is named for Suella Gilbert Ellis, who was the first African American administrator in Prince William County. Her portrait hangs proudly in our lobby.

As a school community we are committed to providing a safe and challenging academic environment that promotes excellence and develops a love for learning. Our staff uses an inquiry based learning approach to learning to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of our diverse population.

As the Ellis Explorers our students are involved in a variety of activities to enhance our instructional program. We are a Baldrige in Education School and a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. We encourage parents to become involved by volunteering in their child’s classroom, attending PTO meetings, Advisory Council Meetings, and family nights.

I am looking forward to a working with you and your child this year and helping him/her to achieve his/her full potential.  As a parent, you can do a great deal to help your child succeed. Here are some strategies that can be used through the year:

·        Encourage your child to do his or her homework on a regular basis.  Provide a regular place and time to do homework.

·        Have your child show you his or her work and explain to you what he or she has been doing in class.

·        Help your child to be more organized.

·        Have your child explain vocabulary words that are critical to a content area.

·        Encourage your child by explaining that you believe that he or she can succeed through trying and working hard.

·        Stay in contact with your child’s teacher on a regular basis.

Appropriate behavior at all times is an expectation for riding the bus, and everywhere at Ellis Elementary. We operate on two main principles:

·        I am responsible for my own learning

·        I am response able to the success of the group.

Your child’s teacher will introduce these principles to your child the first few days of school and develop a classroom management system that supports our S.T.A.R. school wide discipline plan and the Code of Behavior for Prince William County. 

I am excited about this school year and its potential for helping your child develop strong knowledge and skills.  If you have any questions or concerns at any time during the year, please feel free to contact me by phone 703-365-0287 or email me at www.moorej@pwcs.edu. I look forward to meeting you at our open house on August 28, 2008 (see the website for exact times).

Sincerely,

Jewell Moore

Principal