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Mission Statement
We, the Manatee Bay
Elementary School Community,
pledge to provide a quality education
that focuses on high expectations
and achievement for all stakeholders
in a safe and supportive learning
environment.
Vision Statement
The vision of Manatee Bay Elementary is to be a community of lifelong
learners who value quality and integrity as we strive to create a nurturing environment in which children will develop self-esteem and
respect for themselves and others.
September
9/13
Cold Stone Family Night from
5:00pm to 8:00pm
9/14 SAC Meeting at 2:15pm
9/15 Early Release
9/19 PTA Boosterthon Kick Off
9/28 Parent Enrichment Seminar for
Parents of IND Students
9/30 PTA Fun Run Event
Manatee Bay Elementary School
September 2016
Volume V Issue 1
Manatee Bay
Messenger
Principal’s Message
Greetings to our Manatee Bay Community,
Welcome to the 2016 - 2017 school year! What an exciting time few weeks has
been! This newsletter marks the first of our monthly parent newsletters that
will be sent to you to provide another way to keep updated with our school
events and happenings. Each month we will also translate this message in
Español as well!
I know you agree that starting the year with great attendance equals positive
school success. Each quarter we give special report card feedback to those
students who have perfect attendance. Thanks in advance for your efforts in
coming to school on time every day! Coming late prevents your child from
being part of the opening routine and disrupts the flow of the classroom.
Please, please, please be on time!!
Spirit Day is every Friday! Students are encouraged to wear their class / or
Manatee Bay Sprit shirt. If you do not have one you may purchase one in the
PTA office.
As you know, we have listened to you through last year’s parent survey and
worked with parents and staff to design a more efficient car line arrival and
dismissal. Please see the video and information that was sent home. It is imperative that EVERY family watch it who plans on using the carline at any
time! Together we can make this work!
This year we are SUPER proud to add a STEM special to our amazing team of
special classes. If you are new to our school, the special classes that every student visits throughout the year is: Music, Art, PE, Science, Media, Technology
and now STEM where they will now learn and practice using robotics!
Each year we select a theme to keep us united. This theme will do just that.
We are a SUPER MANA Team this year and it’s all because of the outstanding and committed teamwork that goes into each accomplishment!
If you need any assistance, please first go to your child’s teacher. If there is
something above and beyond that please feel free to contact one of our SUPER Assistant Principals Mrs. Marie Dumervil or Mrs. Giselle Del Barrio or
myself!
Manatee Bay is a top school because of YOU! Thanks in advance in your involvement, partnership and team work to make this the BEST school year
yet!!!!
Sincerely,
Heather DeVaughn
Saludos a nuestra comunidad de “Manatee Bay”,
¡Bienvenidos al nuevo año escolar 2016 - 2017! Las primeras semanas de clases han sido ¡APACIONANTES! Con éste boletín marcamos el comienzo de nuestros boletines mensuales para los padres, en el transcurso de éste nuevo año escolar. A través de estos
boletines; ústedes los padres, podrán mantenerse informados acerca de las actividades diarias, de los acontecimientos; así como
de los eventos escolares a realizarse. ¡Ésta carta también contará con su respectiva versión en español!
Éste año lo comenzamos, promoviendo el principio de que la asistencia a clases es una de las bases fundamentales del éxito escolar. Sé que usted está de acuerdo con ésto, y es por eso que en cada trimestre será reconocido éste esfuerzo tan especial, en la
boleta de calificaciones de aquellos estudiantes que tengan una ¡ASISTENCIA PERFECTA! De ante mano, le damos las gracias por
todos los esfuerzos para lograr que sus hijos lleguen a tiempo todos los días a la escuela. Cada vez que su hijo llega tarde, el niño
queda fuera de la rutina habitual de apertura y el flujo de las actividades de la clase se interrumpe. Por eso le pedimos que ¡POR
FAVOR, LLEGUE A TIEMPO!
” Spirit Day”es ¡TODOS LOS VIERNES! Éste día se alienta a los estudiantes para que vistan la camisa con el color de su clase / o el
“Manatee Bay Spirit”. Sí aún no la adquirido, puede comprarla en la oficina de la Organización de Padres y Maestros, mejor conocida como: “PTA”.
Como ya ha de saber, las encuestas realizadas el año anterior en relación a las medidas de seguridad que debían de ser tomadas a
la hora de llegada y de salida de los estudiantes; trajo como resultado la elaboración -por parte del personal y un grupo de representantes de nuestra escuela-, de un sistema de circulación de vehículos más seguro y eficiente. Por favor vea el video y la información enviada a su casa. Es OBLIGATORIO que todas las familias que planean dejar y recoger a sus hijos en la escuela en cualquier momento, lo vean. ¡Juntos podemos hacer que éste proyecto funcione!
Nos sentimos muy orgullosos éste año; ya que fue añadida a nuestro equipo de clases especiales una materia innovadora, incluida
dentro del campo educacional de ciencia, tecnología, ingeriría y matemáticas:” STEM”. Para aquellas familias nuevas en la escuela,
estas clases especiales que los alumnos cursan a lo largo del año escolar son: música, arte, educación física, ciencia, medios de
comunicación, tecnología y ahora nuestros estudiantes podrán conocer, aprender y practicar acerca de ROBÓTICA, ésta materia
que forma parte del programa “STEM”.
Como ya es tradición en nuestra escuela; cada año es seleccionado un tema que mantiene unida a toda nuestra comunidad. Éste
año el tema va a tratar precisamente en una súper unión “MANA TEEM” o lo que es igual el “SÚPER EQUIPO DE MANATEE BAY”.
Ésto se debe precisamente al excelente y comprometido trabajo en equipo, que se evidencia en cada uno de nuestros ¡LOGROS!
Si usted necesita ayuda por favor, primero diríjase la maestra de su hijo. Si existe una razón más importante y que está por encima
del alcance de nuestros educadores. Por favor no dude en contactarme o contactar a nuestras asistentes: las ¡SÚPER ASISTENTES:
Marie Dumervil o Giselle del Barrio!
El nivel superior de nuestra escuela se lo debemos a ¡USTED! Le agradecemos de antemano por su participación, colaboración y
trabajo en equipo, para hacer de éste año escolar ¡EL MEJOR DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS!
Sinceramente,
Heather DeVaughn
Welcome Back!
We are so happy to see all of our SUPER students back at school! Here are a few reminders
to help you get through the first couple of weeks smoothly:
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School starts at 8:00am. Doors open at 7:30am. Students arriving to their classroom
after the 8:00am bell will be marked tardy.
Breakfast is open and free for all students (Breakfast Club Opens at 7:15am).
If your student is absent, please call the attendance line directly at 754-323-6452.
Lunch accounts can be reloaded at www.schoolpaymentsolutions.com.
Drive all the way to the front of the carpool line when dropping off your student.
Students may not be signed out between 1:30 and 2:00 pm. Please plan appointments
accordingly.
Office hours are from 7:30am—3:00pm.
As you have noticed, Manatee Bay has established new procedures for car arrival
and dismissal. There are a few important changes and we are asking our families
to watch this short, informative video which explains these changes in detail: https://splice.gopro.com/v?id=j6bNvWR6y Together, we can ensure a safe
arrival and dismissal for our students.
Kindergartner Corner
We finished our first week of school and it was a success. The children were
amazing at following directions and the rules of their class and the playground. Our second week brought Independence Day and the parents were
more scared for their child to walk to class themselves than the children
were. It will be easier every day for you parents!!!!
We are testing our children in math, letter recognition and letter sounds
putting them in the appropriate group that is a right fit for them. By this, I
mean, if a child does not speak any English, we put them in a group to do literacy centers, with children that speak both Spanish and English, to help the
child succeed and learn from them as well as the teacher.
We have 7 Special areas that the children rotate with their class on a daily
basis during their Specials time. They include, STEM, Music, Art, P.E., Media
Center, Computer Lab, and Science.
Do not worry parents, we will take care of your children while they are with
us.
Fabulous First Grade!
NonDiscrimination
Statement
The School Board of Broward
County, Florida, prohibits any
policy or procedure which results in discrimination on the
basis of age, color, disability,
gender identity, gender expression, national origin, marital
status, race, religion, sex or
sexual orientation. Individuals
who wish to file a discrimination
and/or harassment complaint
may call Equal Educational Opportunities (EEO) at
754-321-2150 or Teletype Machine TTY 754-321-2158.
Reasonable Accommodation
Statement
Individuals with disabilities requesting accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of
2008 (ADAAA), may call Equal
Educational Opportunities
(EEO) at 754-321-2150 or Teletype Machine TTY 754-3212158.
Evaluation Input
Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! We hope everyone
had a fun and restful summer. The First grade teachers are
completely committed to ensuring that we provide a worldclass education where students can grow in a safe and secure
learning environment, become critical thinkers, creative problem solvers and inspired learners.
Close collaboration between school and home is essential for
the success of our students. Please sign your child's agenda
and check his/her Homework folder nightly.
We encourage all of our students to develop a love for literature. Please have your child read for 15 minutes every night.
We look forward to an AMAZING year!
Respectfully,
The First Grade Team
Per state statute, parents have
the right to be provided input
into the annual performance
assessment of their child’s
teachers and administrators. To
provide such input regarding
any Manatee Bay employee,
please address your comments
in writing to Mrs. Heather Hedman DeVaughn, Principal. To
provide such input regarding
your principal’s evaluation,
please address your comments
in writing to, Dr. Mark Strauss,
at the Office of School Performance and Accountability.
The opinions expressed in
this publication are not necessarily those of Manatee
Bay Elementary School or
Broward County Public
Schools.
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Guidance
Welcome to another great
school year at Manatee Bay
Elementary School. It is
an exciting and often nerve
-wracking time of the year
for parents, students and
teachers.
September is Attendance
Awareness Month, a nationwide event recognizing
the connection between
school attendance and academic achievement. Please
visit this website for more
information:
http://
www.attendanceworks.org.
You are an essential partner in promoting good attendance because you are
responsible for making sure
your child gets to school
every day.
Broward County provides
services that can help families deal with complex issues and changes that are
experienced in everyday
life. These life challenges
often affect a student's
performance in school and
counseling can help. Call
The Family Counseling Program at 754-321-1590 for
more information.
Geri Norris
School Counselor, NBCT
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Second Grade
We had a great start to the school
year! We have been busy going
over classroom procedures and
school expectations. The students
are excited to begin reading their
books and writing in their journals.
We look forward to partnering with
you to ensure the success of your
child.
Here are some simple reminders to
help your child's day go smoothly:
*Please check your child's agenda
daily for homework and teacher's
notes.
*Please send a healthy snack every
day.
*Please make sure your child has a
book in their backpack to read in
the morning before the bell rings.
These are some helpful links that
your child will be using throughout
the school year: to access student
textbooks online math program.
beep.browardschools.com
www.tenmarks.com
cainc.i-ready.com/
3rd Grade
Welcome to an incredible New Year!!! We hope you all had a super and restful
summer and are ready for a successful third grade year. The children had an
awesome first week back meeting new friends and getting reacquainted with
old friends. We went over rules, procedures, and are getting adjusted to our
new home away from home. We had an awesome Open House meeting with all
of our parents. Please practice multiplication facts and read daily. Please
check agendas and backpacks on a daily basis. Please make sure your child’s
teacher knows how your child is getting home. If there are any changes please
send a written note to your child’s teacher. Please see our third grade web site
for additional information. We are looking forward to a very successful fun,
and fabulous third grade year with all our powerful little heroes.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
School Board Policy 5.5, Attendance, states both excused and unexcused absences
along with tardiness and early sign-outs will continue to be counted when determining
a student’s pattern of non-attendance. A student has a “pattern of non-attendance” if
he or she is absent from school a total of 30 hours (5 days) in any one marking period
or 60 hours (10 days) within 90 days.
The attendance policy is available online in the four major languages and can be accessed at www.browardstudentservices.com/attendance-resources/. Parents are required to maintain current contact information at the school. If you have any questions,
please call Geri Norris, Guidance Counselor.
Students absences may be reported 24 hours a day by calling our Attendance Line at
754-323-6452 and leaving a message, or by sending an email to [email protected]. Please remember to provide student name, teacher, date
of absence, and reason for absence. For prolonged absences, please be sure to provide appropriate documentation. Any calls received after 12:00 pm will be updated the
IND
4th Grade
Greetings from The Fourth Grade Team!
We want to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new
fourth graders and their families.
We have so many great things planned for this school year. If
you have not heard the news yet, the fourth grade classes are
now DIGITAL. This means we will be using a blended-model
approach to teaching and learning.
This is a great year for field trips. We explore the Everglades
ecosystem, go back in time to learn about Florida's great history on our visit to St. Augustine, and interact with marine life
on our trip to Biscayne Nature Center.
Fourth grade can be a big change for some students. Parents, we ask that you help keep your children organized by
checking their agendas daily. We also ask that students read
nightly and continue to improve their fluency of multiplication
facts.
Wow! What a great start to the school year!
We learned All About Me, then started our STEM unit on
Things With Wings: Hummingbirds.
This month we are going to Disney on Ice for our first field
trip! It’s going to be a blast. Our four classes are each housed
in their own room this year.
It’s so nice to spread out and have space to learn and grow.
We have lots of parent events happening this year, as mentioned at open house. Please make sure to keep an eye on the
InD website to stay up to date with any new information:
Mbeind.weebly.com
We are excited to work with your children and look forward to
building great relationships!
Speech & Language
5th Grade
Welcome back SUPER 5th graders! The 5th grade team is very
excited to see so many familiar faces and to welcome new ones
to Manatee Bay. This year is going to be an amazing experience
for our 5th graders. We have planned sensational field trips,
amazing educational adventures, and incredible 5th grade
events.
Even though it is only September, we are looking toward the
future. The 5th grade Washington, D.C. field trip is scheduled for
December 7-11th. A newsletter with additional information regarding payment dates and trip details will be coming your way
soon.
First in Math is up and running. First in Math is a 5th grade interactive website filled with a variety of math games designed to
increase your child’s critical thinking skills and reinforcing mathematical concepts. Let’s make this the 4th year in a row that a
Manatee Bay 5th grade class is the national First in Math champion!
We are off to a SUPER start to the school year in speech and
language classes! Ms. Rabone and Mrs. Kaplan are excited to be
working with your children again this year! We know that
there is some confusion as to the differences between speech
and language disorders.
Speech disorders affect the domains of articulation
(production of speech sounds), voice (quality and sound), and
fluency
(stuttering
or
flow
of
speech/ease
of
speech). Language disorders affect the domains of form
(syntax/grammar), content (semantics/meaning), and use (how
language is used).
Each month we will provide you with information for you to
have a better understanding of each type of disorder and
tips/suggestions for you in an effort to better meet the needs
of your children! It is extremely important for children to
receive speech-language services as early as possible in order
to maximize the benefits of therapy.
If you feel that you child is experiencing difficulty in any of
these areas, please speak with your child's teacher and let
them know about your concerns.
ESE
We are so excited to be back at school! Hope you all had a wonderful summer filled with happy family memories. As we move forward into the
school year, just want to make note of some things that will help make your child’s learning successful and positive. Most importantly, is getting back
into a routine. Summer is a fun time and perhaps you were away or just doing different things every day, but establishing a routine is important now.
Now that we are back in school, help your child by establishing a “school day” routine. Find a place to do homework, preferably a quiet area in the
house with the least distractions. Also, a reasonable time for bed is important, we all need time to rest and recharge our bodies and our brains. Don’t
forget to spend time talking to your child about his day. Ask about what they did, what they learned, and the social aspect of their day.
5 Although
school is about academics and learning, a very important part of the day includes learning how to be a member of a community, how to socialize,
and enjoy time with peers. It also includes expressing ourselves through art, music, and physical education. We look forward to creating a positive
and enriching environment so your child continues to grow and learn!
Special Area Classes
We would like to welcome everyone back to another exciting year here at Manatee Bay Elementary.
The Special Area teachers have a lot in store for all students in Kindergarten, IND. and through 5 th
grade.
We are very excited this year to add another Special Area teacher to our team. We would like to welcome Ms. Paula Fijalkowski who will be teaching S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Math) to all grades.
By adding Ms. Fijalkowski to our team, it eliminates double classes in most Specials.
Greetings Parents.
I would like to welcome our new as well as veteran Manatee Bay students and parents back to an exciting 2016-2017 year.
My name is Mr. Mark Henschel and I am pleased to again be teaching your children music. As you are reading this newsletter, our school is going through the process of adding to our existing music equipment through some bond money that was
awarded to us. I look forward to the addition of new instruments that will help to expand and improve our music program
here at Manatee Bay.
We are looking for parent volunteers to help us with our chorus program again this year. If you are willing to help please
don’t be shy. You may email me, call me or better yet; let’s talk in person. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to work
with your children after school in chorus.
Please get in contact with me if you would like for your child to study piano or any other instrument. It is a worthwhile endeavor that can provide a lifetime of pleasure for your child and family.
If you have any questions regarding the music program here at our school, please contact me.
“Sincerely,”
Mr. Mark Henschel
School Advisory Council (SAC)
Our School Advisory Council (SAC) is a
committee that sets up priorities and
standards that help guide Manatee Bay
when making important decisions for
our school. The SAC committee also
works on our School Improvement Plan
(SIP) as part of Broward County's continuous growth model. Each year we
look to expand our committee and we
are looking for new members. Our first
meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 13th at 2:15 pm in the media
center and all are welcome to attend!
Hope to see you there!
 In accordance with Florida Statute 1012.34,
parents have the right to provide input into the
instructional/administrative evaluations.
Manatee Bay Elementary School
19200 Manatee Isles Drive
Weston, FL 33332
Phone: 754-323-6450
Fax: 754-323-6490
www.manateebayelementary.net
Volunteer Procedures
Keeping students safe is a priority. The STAR System (Security Tracking
And Response) continues to be used at all schools. The STAR System
provides schools with high-speed security checks against local, state
and national sex offender databases and against state and local law
enforcement files. When parents, visitors, and volunteers come to
school, the office staff will swipe their driver ’s license into a bar code
reader, verify the name, take a photo and print a badge with this picture. All visitors are asked to check out in the office when leaving
school.
Volunteers must complete the on-line volunteer/ mentor application
before helping in school. Go to www.browardschools.com/getinvolved
to complete the online application. The first time volunteers come to
assist, the front office staff will ask for their social security number and
driver’s license. All returning volunteers must complete the online application. If you do not have access to a computer or you need
assistance, please contact the school.
Visit our website for
important information and
links to team web pages at
www.manateebayelementary.net