LCTA PTA NEWS
Community Connect Program "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." - Coretta Scott King Introducing our Community Connect Program: In light of the COVID-19 situation, our LCTA PTA board is brainstorming on how we as a community can best strengthen and encourage one another as we balance work, distance-learning, childcare, and self-care while keeping worries — both our children’s and our own — under control. We don’t have to do it alone. This program is designed to connect LCTA community members to each other to provide support and foster relationships. And also a way for parents to connect and share ideas regarding home schooling, fun projects, etc. Our hope is that this program will provide a means through which we can truly be there for each other and we highly encourage you to participate! Enrollment: https://www.lctapta.org/communityconnect Feedback During this unprecedented time we welcome any feedback you have for the LCTA PTA. Feel free to visit our feedback survey at any time. It will remain up on our website and continue to evolve. General Membership Meetings Thanks to all who attended our April General Membership meeting. It was really great to see everyone's face. We will be holding monthly Zoom General Membership Meetings (mark your calendars for May 20th and June 10th at 6pm). To join, please use the following link or meeting id and password in the Zoom app. For security, please use the name "Parent of ...". Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84240210328?pwd=SENYMVlNSTFIZExIK1ZxbU9Gc05tZz09 Meeting ID: 842 4021 0328 Password: 144434 Sprout School Supplies Get your back-to-school shopping done in minutes and never leave home with the Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy back-to-school supplier. The exact, teacher approved supplies for every grade level are just a couple clicks away at: www.sproutsupplies.com School Code: LCTA001 Order deadline is July 14th. Please check out Ms. Knoll's Donors Choose Project! Keep Our Students Reading Help me give my students the ebooks they need for pleasure and learning. Right now (through this week only) Donors Choose will match donations up to $50.00 with the code LIFTOFF. DONATE! Attention Lyles-Crouch Animal Lovers: The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter has a wish list for the animals staying at the shelter and they also have a great program that helps elderly Alexandria residents take care of their pets at home. This would be a great community service project-- if you want to show your ROARS click the link below to view the Wish List! Woof! Woof! Meow! Meow! Animal Shelter Wish List K Registration May 15, 2020: The online application process will open for forms to be completed online. Paper forms will be available by request. Paper forms can also be printed from the PDFs. https://www.acps.k12.va.us/enroll June 15, 2020 (subject to change, pending the lifting of the Governor’s stay-at-home order on June 10): In-person verification of documentation will start at schools. Appointments will be needed. (We are not accepting appointments at this time) Yearbook ORDER NOW for $30. (Staff members, please email me, in order to reserve your yearbook, there is no online payment option for the $20 price) With several of our beloved events not happening this school year we would love to add a learning at home section to our yearbook! Please email photos of your students learning at home and any special projects/creative activities to: lctayrbk@gmail.com (please remember to send photos in the highest resolution possible for optimal printing) View previous eROARs: LCTA PTA Latest News Upcoming: May 20, 6pm - General Membership Meeting June 10, 6pm - General Membership Meeting
KEEPING BUSY!
Keeping Active with Mr. Abed!
This week we will start our 2-week unit on Cup Stacking skills! Click the buttons below to download the skills information, as well and some great website resources to help you stay active at home!
Cup Stacking Part I WEVIDEO
Cup Stacking Skills: Week 1
Online Resources for Staying Active at Home
Mr. Abed - peter.abed@acps.k12.va.us
Library with Mrs. Knoll
Join Mrs. Knoll in her Google classroom for stories and activities. Currently she is reading James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl. If you'd like to follow along, her Google Classroom code is cjtx6oz.
For kindergarten, first and second grades, Mrs. Knoll has a read aloud on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These can be accessed through the Lion Tales, or from Mrs. Knoll at brigitte.knoll@acps.k12.va.us.
Art with Ms. St. Louis
I have indicated which grade levels I will be gearing my lessons for, but that does not mean a student cannot attend a session higher or lower than their grade. Please be respectful and responsible and remember that I cannot admit a student into a Zoom meeting without proper identification ie "Awesome Me" is not someone I can admit. And as always these meetings are voluntary and not required. I love seeing everyone and I miss you all very much.
If there are any questions please feel free to email me: marisa.stlouis@acps.k12.va.us
Take care and keep on creating!
Art Zoom Schedule
Missing music with Ms. Seto? Here's where you can find her:
Go to Ms. Seto's Clever page to find links to each site
3-5 on Google Classroom
Grade 3 code: ldjkwtd
Grade 4 code: ub4lgog
Grade 5 code: 5jfbbf5
K-2 on her blog: Ms. Seto's daily blog post
Blogs will be posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Videos will now also be posted on Ms. Seto's Clever page
Zoom with Ms. Seto every Friday
This week will be movie sing along! Yes, Disney, and more!
Grades K-2 at 3:00 pm
https://acpsk12.zoom.us/j/98655309741?pwd=OFA2MzBTNEtRNk5DckV0SU8wZ0d5Zz09
Grades 3-5 at 3:30 pm
https://acpsk12.zoom.us/j/95640643310?pwd=NXdJcTg4WHRMYW1YK0hpb3lTTHEydz09
Social Emotional Learning Read Alouds with Mrs. Bustard
Have you seen Mrs. Bustard on ACPS TV? In case you missed them, here are some 30 minute lessons for K-2 grade students that are support social emotional learning. ACPS TV can be found on channels 70 and 71 and is another resource for students and families during distance learning.
Something Might Happen read aloud: In this lesson Mrs. Bustard reads the story Something Might Happen by Helen Lester and teaches students to manage worries by focusing on what in in their control. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1685926391
Sometimes I'm Bombaloo read aloud: In this lesson Mrs. Bustard reads the story Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail, gives students an opportunity to practice identifying feelings, and offers students healthy and safe coping strategies. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1666439174
The Little Engine that Could read aloud: In this lesson, Mrs. Bustard teaches students about having a growth mindset and the power of positive thinking by reading The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1654767375
Peanut Butter and Cupcake read aloud: In this lesson, Mrs. Bustard explores making friends with the fun book, Peanut Butter and Cupcake by Terry Border. There are some tips included for students who are missing their friends during distance learning. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1654413354
The Little Blue Truck read aloud: This lesson is for our youngest learners and focuses on themes of friendship and leadership. Mrs. Bustard reads some of her family's favorite books about the little blue truck by Alice Shertle. https://www.wevideo.com/view/1666544422
You can contact Mrs. Bustard at sarah.bustard@acps,k12.va.us if you are have any questions or social emotional needs.
ACPS NEWS
Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards ACPS is collaborating with the state to ensure all families who need it have access to food. Any family with a student in ACPS who is already approved for Free or Reduced Priced Meals will automatically receive one of these cards, which can be used to purchase food during the crisis. Eligibility School Board News New Ways to Contact the School Board: Due to the fact that we are no longer able to hold in-person meetings, the School Board will be posting written comments to the agenda on each of the Virtual Special Called School Board Meetings held each Friday at noon through June. This is in lieu of in-person comments that would have been held at each School Board Meeting. More information on how to get comments to the School Board can be found on the ACPS website under School Board Meetings or Contact the School Board. Public Comments must be submitted by Noon on Thursday to be included in the next day's meeting.
Ways to watch the Virtual Special Called School Board Meetings: There are several ways that the public may watch the Virtual Special Called School Board Meetings held each Friday at Noon.
On the School Board Meetings webpage, the public may click on the Watch Meeting Live link to join the meeting as an attendee through the video conferencing application Zoom. That link is found next to the meeting date in the table that lists the meetings taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom will provide a link and walk the user through the process. Participants will be in a "waiting room" until just before the meeting begins.
School Board Meetings are streamed live on the School Board Meetings webpage and requires no login. This can be found under the table for Virtual School Board Meetings held during COVID-19.
Comcast channel 71 in Alexandria broadcasts the School Board meetings live with closed captioning.
FY 2021 Combined Funds and FY 2021-2030 Capital Improvement Program Budgets: The School Board is currently in the process of Add/Deletes for the FY 2021 Operating Budget. There are expected to be significant changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The City's adopted budget leaves ACPS with a $7.4 M shortfall and ACPS must also plan for the probability of reduced revenue from other expected resources. Here are some key budget dates:
This Friday (May 22), the FY 2021 CF and CIP Add/Delete Work Session #1 will be held immediately following the conclusion of the Virtual Special Called School Board Meeting. Information about the Superintendent's Adjusted Proposed Budget and School Board proposed Add/Deletes are available at the link above.
The FY 2021 CF and CIP Add/Delete Work Session #2 is scheduled for May 29, 2020, however, this work session is only held if needed.
The final adoption of the FY 2021 CF and FY 2021-2030 CIP Budgets will take place during the Virtual Special Called School Board Meeting on June 5, 2020.
The public is welcome to provide comment to the School Board using the information provided above.
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan: This Friday at the Virtual Special Called School Board Meeting, the first part of the DRAFT Strategic Plan will be presented to the School Board. The second part will be presented at the May 29th meeting. A Public Hearing has also been scheduled for June 9th at 12:30p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in order to get community feedback on the Strategic Plan. To sign up for the public hearing, the same form as the Public Comment during Virtual School Board Meetings would be used. This form gives one the option to sign up to give comments at this public hearing using the video conferencing tool Zoom. For those who may not be able to participate by electronic means, they may use the comment form to submit comments that would be published under public comments on the agenda.