WALTER S. MILLS-PAROLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
September 2011
ADMINISTRATOR’S MESSAGE
A Special Thank You and Best Wishes To Mr.
Geoffrey R. Casey
Dear Marvelous Mills-Parole Families:
Although we have experienced an earthquake, tropical
storms Irene and Lee the school year is off to a great start.
The teachers have been reviewing all the procedures and
assessing students to ensure academic success.
Our Superintendent, Dr. Kevin Maxwell, wants “Every
Student to the Standard and Beyond”. Therefore, the
teachers and staff are attending workshops and in-services
on the county’s six initiatives to Eliminate the
Achievement Gap. Those initiatives are the Common
Core Curriculum, Thinking Maps, Differentiated
Instruction, Elementary Reading and Cultural Proficiency.
There will be more information shared at the Back-to
School Night and in each monthly newsletter. These
initiatives will also be in the School’s Improvement Plan
that will be posted on the website and sent home.
We look forward to your continued support on these
initiatives throughout the school year. As we work
together, all students will be successful in receiving skills
that will help them reach the standard and beyond.
“Delivering Excellence: One Child at a Time”
The Mills-Parole staff, students, and community
would like to thank Mr. Geoffrey R. Casey for the
thirty plus years of dedicated service to the students
and community of Mills-Parole Elementary.
Mr. Casey has touched many lives in his years as a
dedicated classroom teacher, reading teacher and an
Assistant Principal. His commitment to ensuring that
all children are successful, as well as his relationships
with families, staff, and community members will
truly be cherished and missed. Especially his guitar
playing for the Pre-Kindergarten and in the evenings
to just wind down.
We wish Mr. Casey much success in his new
assignment at Southgate Elementary School. He will
always be welcomed where he has spent many
wonderful years. Be blessed Mr. Casey, we LOVE
YOU!
Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some stay for a while,
Leave footprints on our hearts,
And we are never the same.
Flavia Weedon
Sincerely,
Alfreda P. Adams
Principal
Nicole M. Henderson
Assistant Principal
P.T.O. School’s Fundraiser
Mills-Parole Elementary is participating in the Great
American fund-raiser for the 2011-2012 school year.
The kick-off will be September 22, 2011. This fundraiser helps to support assembly programs for the
children. Your support is always valued and
appreciated.
Federal Impact Aid Survey Forms
Appointments
On Friday, September 30, 2011, your child will bring
home a Federal Impact Aid Survey Form. Please fill out
the information requested and return it to school by your
child. The form can hold up to three children’s names.
Should you have more than three children, please use a
second form. Thank you for your assistance and if you
have any questions please call Ms. Donna Parker at 410222-5200.
Students may be picked up from school for medical
or dental appointments when it is impossible to
schedule them after school hours. It would cause less
disruption to your child’s instructional day if the
appointment could be made at the beginning or the
end of the school day. Please report to the office and
sign your child out in these cases.
School Visitors
Bus and Bus Stop Changes
All persons MUST report directly to the office once they
enter the school. A driver’s license is required at time
of check-in. A pass will be available in the office.
Visitors not wearing a pass during the school hours will
be asked to return to the office to obtain one. To minimize
classroom
interruptions
and
distractions
from
instructional times, we are requesting all visitors have
pre-arranged visitations during the hours of 8:25 A.M. –
3:10 P.M. Your cooperation is needed as we strive to
provide a safe and orderly environment for your children.
All children are to ride their regular bus and get off at
their regular stop each day unless a change is
absolutely necessary and has been pre-approved by
administration. This is done so children will not be
lost or left unattended, and to prevent overcrowding
of busses.
Attendance
Regular attendance is very important to a child’s progress.
We encourage all students to attend each and every day
possible. Patterns of good school attendance are set in the
elementary school years and will follow students
throughout their school careers. There are three legal
reasons for student absence:
Children are not to ride different busses or get off at
different bus stops to visit friends, to go to scouts,
sporting events, or other activities. Any temporary or
permanent bus or bus stop changes must be
absolutely necessary and cleared through the school
office and the transportation office in writing.
Special forms from the Transportation Department
are to be issued in all cases. Parents should come to
the school office to secure the form.
Our Mission
1.
2.
3.
Student Illness
Death in the Family
Court Order
All other absences will be coded as unexcused. When a
child is absent, he or she must have a note from home
explaining the absence when he/she returns. A doctor’s
certificate of discharge is required when a child has a
prolonged absence due to illness or injury (absences of 5
consecutive days or more). Remember to submit the note
excusing the absence to the school office within three
days.
Students must arrive by 8:40 A. M. each day. Students
arriving after this time will be marked tardy and will need
a note from their parent explaining the tardiness. Late
arriving students must report to the office with their
parent, for a late slip to be handed to the classroom
teacher.
P. T. O. (Parent Teacher Organization)
The P.T.O. is a vital component of our Mills-Parole
Family. We are looking for new members to become
officers for the 2011-2012 school year. Please look for
more information to be coming home.
Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary School will
provide an equitable education that equips our
students with skills in the areas of critical thinking,
technology, communication and collaboration to be
successful in a global, diverse world. This Vision will
provide our students the opportunity to make
meaningful choices academic course selection,
extracurricular activities and community service as
they matriculate from elementary middle and high
school; leading them to becoming contributing
citizens in a post secondary setting.
Our Vision
At Mills-Parole Elementary School we will focus on
meeting the state goals for academic excellence by
utilizing multicultural instructional materials which
address integrated curriculum, higher order thinking
skills, technology, and cooperative learning. The staff
of Mills-Parole Elementary School is committed to
parent
and
community
involvement,
high
expectations for students, staff and parents, high
academic standards, and working closely with the
students’ families to make quality education a reality
for each student.
Uniforms
Citizen Advisory Council (C.A.C.)
The C.A.C. meets four times per year. The C.A.C. is
organized in each school for the purpose of working on
local issues and individual school concerns.
If you are interested in serving, we would like to have you
join us. Please call the school and set up an appointment.
School uniforms will be worn daily during the school
day and on sponsored trips. The school uniform can
consist of bottoms, (shorts, skorts, skirts, slacks) that
must be khaki (tan) or navy blue in color. The belts
worn must be plain and either black, brown, or blue.
The jewelry worn must not be a distraction. Shirts
must be polo with a collar, white, navy or light blue.
As the season gets cooler, students can wear navy or
white sweaters or sweatshirts over their uniform. (No
hooded sweatshirts or logos of any kind). Thank you
for your continued support.
Character Education – Core Essentials
Sponsored by Chick-Fil-A
Sept 22
P.T.O.-Kick-Off Fundraiser
“Knowledge”- Discovering something new so you can be
better at whatever you do.
Sept 29
Rosh Hashanah
School /Central Offices Closed
Did you know we are ALL learners? Students, teachers,
parents, grandparents, cafeteria workers, bus drivers,
people in our communities..…grown-ups and kids
alike…we all learn all the time. Every thought we have
and decision we make is part of the learning process. New
things learned today connect with what we already know
to help us make decisions or improve our abilities.
Sept 30
Interims Go Home
Oct 11
P.T.O. Meeting 6:30
Our character education program “Core Essentials”, is
sponsored by the Chick-fil-A company. Each month we
learn about a new Value Word and facts about an animal
which exemplifies that word. This month during our
Morning Announcements we will learn a lot about
“owls”. For many years, across many cultures, owls have
been used in folklore and storytelling as a very wise and
intelligent animal, an animal of great knowledge. Students
will learn facts and concepts which will help them in their
daily lives. For example: How concentrating on listening
more to everything around us will increase our learning.
How learning to live & work together cooperatively can
help us be productive members of our families and
classes.
Oct 19
Professional Development Day
Eliminating the Achievement Gap!
2 hrs. Early Dismissal
Oct 21
School Closed for Students
Professional Development Day
Oct26
Fall Pictures
(Packets will be sent home)
We are all learning every day across a wide variety of
settings. Our brain is made for learning, and like the
muscles in our arms and legs, the more it is used, the
better it works. Take a few minutes at the end of each day,
perhaps at dinner, or before bedtime, to share something
new that each family member has learned. Share the
Knowledge – help it grow.
Oct 28
1st Marking Period Ends
2 hour early dismissal
Looking Ahead/Mark Your Calendar
Sept 5
Labor Day, Schools and
Central Offices Closed
Sept 13
Back-to-School Night,
6:30 pm
Sept 14
2 hr. Early Dismissal
Eliminating the Achievement Gap!
Professional Development
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Sept 15Oct 15
Hispanic Heritage Month