Loch Lomond Elementary School

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE:

Dear Loch Lomond Parents,

The school year has been off to a very smooth beginning and we thank you very much for your cooperation and support. There are a couple areas where we would like to improve and ask for your assistance. We believe that every minute counts and students need to be in the classroom ready for instruction when the bell rings at 9:00. Dropping children off at 9:00 and expecting them to eat breakfast deprives your child of instructional time and is disruptive to the entire class. If your child eats breakfast at school, please drop them off by 8:45 so that they can eat and still get to class prior to 9:00.

Birthdays at Loch Lomond are very special occasions. Our Prince William County Schools Wellness Policy encourages all of us to provide snacks that make a positive contribution to our children’s diets and health. Cupcakes seem to be the birthday snack of choice; however, we ask that you please consider other alternatives to cakes and cupcakes. We have a growing number of children with food allergies and diabetes who may or may not be able to partake of the cakes and cupcakes. Please consider celebrating by sending in healthy snacks, giving school supplies or making a contribution to your child’s class in honor of your child’s birthday. If you would like to make a contribution to your child’s class, we will make those funds available to that specific teacher to be used for field trips, healthy snacks prior to SOLs, recess equipment, etc. If you would like to designate a specific cause, we will honor that designation and spend the funds accordingly. We greatly appreciate your generosity and desire to share in the celebration but ask for your help in making birthdays healthier for all children.

Thank You,
Mr. Horan
Principal

IMPORTANT DATES:

October

2^nd Picture Day

3^rd Lavender fundraiser due

13th Interims go home

13^th-17th Book Fair

15th Family Night Book Fair

20th Manassas Ballet Assembly

30^th 1^st Grade Field Trip

31^st 2^nd Grade Field Trip

November

3rd Teacher/Parent Conference (NS)**

4^th Teachers Workday (NS)**

5^th Fall Literacy Night

8^th Fall Festival

10^th Report Cards go home

11^th Veterans Day (NS)**

25^th Movie Night

26^th Early Dismissal 12:30

27th-28^th Thanksgiving Break (NS)**

December

9^th-13^th Holiday Shop PTO

13^th Breakfast with Santa

15^th Interims go Home

22^nd–31^st Winter Break (NS)**

January 2009

1 New Years Day (NS)**

2 End of Winter Break (NS)**

5 School Reopens

** (NS) = No School

LOCH LOMOND CLUBS

Homework Club:
Grades 1-5
Sponsors: Blevins, Kayne, Gross, Horan, Drake, O’Neill, Inesta, Zalweski, Slauson, Hollyfield

Patrols:
Grade 5
Sponsors: Masters, Bonkoski

School Store:
Grade 5
Sponsors: Masters, Blevins, Hollyfield

First Friends:
Grades 1-5
*Students chosen by the teachers
Sponsor: Griffith

Scottie Society of Readers:
Grades 4 & 5
Sponsors: London, Slauson, Yankey

Dramatic Scotties:
Grades: 4
Sponsors: Slauson

Chess Club:
Grades: K-5
Sponsors: Kempf, Nall, Drake

Scrabble Club:
Grades 4 & 5
Sponsors: Yankey, London

PTO NEWS

The PTO meetings will be held on the Second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm in the Multi-purpose room.

Oct 8, Nov 12, Dec 10, Jan 14,

Please mark your calendars for some of the events the PTO has planned for this year.

Lavender Fundraiser 9/12 thru 10/3

Fall Festival 11/8

Loch Lomond Movie Night 11/10

Holiday Gift Shop 12/9 – 12/13

Breakfast with Santa 12/13

Chuck E Cheese Night 2/12, 4/8 and 6/13

We look forward to having you volunteer and become active in the Loch Lomond PTO.

A+ SCHOOL REWARDS

www.giantfood.com/aplus

OR

Drop it off at any GIANT store

Help! Ms. Hollyfield, I don't know my card number! That's alright, just call 1-877-366-2668 and give your phone number and you will get your card number! You can also register your card over the phone at this number.

After you register your card, shop at GIANT to earn cash for your school. Our school will receive a check at the end of the program. The money can be used for our school's educational needs.

BREAKFAST

Did you know that Loch Lomond has breakfast also? Every morning Ms. Jensen cooks breakfast for all students. If you have free and reduced lunch it also counts for your breakfast. Your lunch ticket is also your breakfast ticket. Breakfast is served from 8:30-8:50.

Make prepayments online by visiting: www.mylunchmoney.com

ABSENTEE LINE

Please call the school before 9:00 am at 703-369-4060 to inform us of your child's absence.

ATTENDANCE

It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to see that their child attend school regularly. Absences are either classified as excused or unexcused.

A written statement which provides the reason for the absence and is signed by the parent is the preferred verification of an absence. Alternate means of notification shall include telephone contact with the parent. If your child will be absent or tardy please call the absence line at 703-369-4060. All explanations of absences shall be received by the school no later than the second day after the student returns to school. Failure to produce an appropriate explanation for an absence by the second day shall result in an unexcused absence. A student who is absent for a reason that is determined to be “unexcused” may receive a “0” for any graded work which occurred during the day of the unexcused absence. Students absent for more than ten days in a school year may be considered for retention. Advance notice (24 hours) is necessary for teachers to prepare make-up work. Students will be allowed 2 days for each day absent to complete make-up work.

HEALTH TREATMENT PLANS

If your child had a health treatment plan last year because of asthma, food allergies, diabetes, or any other medical condition, please remember that you must have a new one completed prior to the start of the next school year. Forms will be sent home with students for your convenience and can also be downloaded from the Prince William County School's website.

MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL

All medicine (over the counter or prescription) administered at school must have a medication authorization form on file in the clinic. Prescription medicine must have a physician's signature on the form before medicine can be administered. All medicine must be in its original and sealed container, with the child's name on it the form and medication must be brought to school by a parent or other adult and will be kept in the school clinic.

COMPUTER LAB
by Mrs. McKay

October is Computer Learning Month! Students are celebrating the month by working with graphics. They are also refining their Internet navigation skills. Kindergarten and First Grade students are learning proper mouse handling by using coloring and drawing programs. Second graders are drawing the water cycle. Third grade students are using the Internet to access websites on simple machines which complements their science unit. Fourth graders are working with graphics related to geography. Fifth graders are creating their own graphics and using them to illustrate their writing. Throughout Computer Learning Month, we will all focus on new “techno terms” and discuss how computers work and are manufactured.

COUNSELOR'S CORNER
by Mrs. Griffith

Tips for Study Success:

Students need good study skills to be successful in school. Give your child these tips to help them get the most out of study time.

*Have clear goals for studying.
*Set priorities. For instance, study the most difficult materials first.
*Get in the habit of studying as soon as you get home from school or right after dinner, when your mind is sharpest.
*Review frequently. A few minutes each day is best. Repeat main ideas out loud as you read them.
*When you get tired, go for a short walk. The exercise will energize you.
*Remind your child to be confident. Encourage them to imagine themselves doing well on the next test.

SCRABBLE CLUB

Fourth and fifth graders are invited to join the Loch Lomond Scrabble Club which meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 8 a.m. in the school library. There is no charge for the club, but transportation must be provided by parents. Scrabble is a fun game which increases vocabulary, and uses spelling and math skills The first meeting is scheduled for October 9, 2008. Permission slips were passed out to fourth and fifth graders and are due to Mrs. Yankey by October 7, 2008.

BOOK FAIR SAFARI

Join us on safari on October 13-17, 2008 when Scholastic's Book Fair Safari arrives at Loch Lomond. We will be trekking in search of good books! Family Night will be October 15, 2008 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. We're wild about books!

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS IN TITLE I SCHOOLS FOR "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND"
PARENTAL RIGHT TO INFORMATION ABOUT TEACHERS;

With the passage of the No Child Left Behind legisation on January 8, 2002, parents in Title I schools have the right to request certain information on their child's teachers.

The information that you have a right to request on your child's teacher is:

a. Whether the teacher has met state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subjects the teacher is teaching
b. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing has been waived
c. The baccaluaureate degree major of certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree
d. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

Here at Loch Lomond Elementary School, we are extremely proud of our teachers and teacher assistants and are happy to provide you any of the above information pertaining to your child's teacher. If you have such a request, please call the school at 703-368-4128 and ask for the information you are interested in.

The Prince William County Public School Division does not discriminate in employment or in its educational programs and activities against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, veteran status, or disability.