1. education
2. school

SPRING 2015
THE
SELWYN SCOOP
A PUBLICATION OF THE SELWYN PTA
RED RIBBON READING
ARE YOU READY TO GET WILD? Wild about Reading, that is!
Red Ribbon Reading (RRR) is here and we are going WILD!
Selwyn’s 2015 RRR program kicked off on May 8th with a
fun and entertaining pep rally including a
“jungle-themed” skit performed by some of
the 4th graders and a great performance by
the Myers Park High School Dance
Company. We also heard from three of
Selwyn’s top readers from last summer who
shared their love of reading and some of
their favorite books. Our theme this year is
“Wild About Reading!” and we hope your
children are as excited as we are to kick off
summer and summer reading, too!
RRR encourages reading by all Selwyn
students throughout the summer and raises
money that pays for valuable learning
experiences that help make Selwyn such a
wonderful school.
RRR materials went home with your child on
Friday, May 8th and sponsor forms are due
back by Thursday, May 28th. If you have not
done so already, please help your child set a
reading goal and gather sponsors. Then, get
your sponsor forms turned in to us as soon as possible. Reading charts will go out
soon and summer reading begins on June 1st!
If you have any questions please contact one of the RRR chairs, Dawn Coleman
([email protected]) or Catinna Sideris ([email protected]).
TCBY SPIRIT NIGHT
Thursday, May 28, 3 - 9 p.m.
Come celebrate the end of May and EOGs at our first ever
TCBY Spirit Night at the TCBY on Selwyn and Colony!
Mention Selwyn at checkout and a portion of proceeds come back to our school! Can't wait to see you all there!
Selwyn Celebrates the Arts
Earth Without Art is Just Eh….
Selwyn Celebrates the Arts (SCARTS) involves the help
of many different people at Selwyn. The Selwyn Celebrates
the Arts committee would like to recognize those who made
this year's fun, beautiful event possible. A big thanks to our
wonderful art and music teachers, Ms. Swing, Ms. Speice, Ms.
Berthold and Ms. Pasour. Thanks also to Ms. Kilgo, Ms. Primm and Ms. Bailey
for their event and book fair help. Our volunteers deserve a
big round of applause for all their hard work. Also, thanks to
the Selwyn teachers, staff and administrators, for your help
clearing boards, picking up fallen art and forgiving us as we
took up entire hallways. Last, but certainly not least, we
would like to thank Selwyn's students, the artists and
performers whose work and performances we celebrate. Thank you all!
๏
THE
SELWYN SCOOP
From the Special Area Teachers:
The annual Selwyn Celebrates the Arts festival was a great success! We wish to thank all our
amazing volunteers and students who made SCARTS possible! And a very special THANK YOU to
the SCarts co-chairs Lisa Haner, Lisa Postal and Stacey Milam, Art Support chairperson Annie Lord
and Music Support chairperson Beth Cory.
Much appreciation to all the volunteers who also worked the book fair!
HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR
On April 26th, Coach Kilgo and members of SLT hosted a
Health and Wellness Fair for Selwyn families. The exhibitors
included a yoga demonstration, concussion education and
teaching families to grow their own Tower Gardens. Children
were entertained with races around the track, games and the
Sunset slush cart!
The Campus Beautiful committee appreciated the help
they received from Selwyn families who participated in our
campus cleanup for the event!
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
The Selwyn PTA invited FBI Special Agent Shawnda Drummond, who specializes in crimes
against children and cyber stalking, to speak to our families in April. She led a parent
presentation in the evening to discuss responsible parenting in the new age of technology and
returned the following morning to talk with the 3rd - 5th grade students only. The goal was to help
create a better awareness of the impact of social media and to discuss making good choices with
the students as it relates to the internet. We hope she helped to make good digital citizens! Agent
Drummond has been with the FBI for 10 years and works in their Charlotte Division.
THE
SELWYN SCOOP
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR RED AND BLUE DAY
✦June 8th: 9am - 10am (K, 1st & A Team),
✦June 9th: 9am - 11am (4th & 5th) and
✦June 10th: 9am - 11am (2nd & 3rd)
Come out and enjoy this fantastic opportunity to play with
your child...and get wet too! Over three days, all Selwyn
students will participate in the field day for their grade level. These games are lots of fun! They require teamwork and lots
of cheering parents! We would love to see you and your child
tossing sponges, passing pails of water, hanging out the wash
and dodging water in laser tag! Wear comfortable clothes for hot weather, water games or rain. If you
can help any of the above dates, please use the following link to sign up http://
www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a4daea92d6-redblue.
STUDENT COUNCIL representing you!
Our Student Council went to Myers
Park High School on April 2nd and
participated in the Walk for Wisdom on
behalf of Selwyn Elementary. The Walk for
Wisdom was presented by Mothering
Across Continents and sponsored by the
Any1Can Club at Myers Park. The Walk
for Wisdom is a great tool which Any1Can
Club is using to inspire others as they
educate them about global education
issues. Their goal this year was to invite
all of the schools that feed into Myers Park
to participate. Selwyn was just one of
many of the feeder schools who participated. We took our involvement a step further. We did not
just want Student Council to represent Selwyn. We wanted to share the educational experience of
Walk for Wisdom with all of Selwyn. So, we invited the Any1Can Club and Mothering Across
Continents to join us at our Health and Wellness Fair. They created a fun and healthy way to teach
our students about the challenges students in other countries face. Our students had to walk the
distance students in some countries must walk to get to school and to get fresh water. It was quite
an eye-opening experience. Next year, we hope we can do even more to broaden our global
learning with the Walk for Wisdom.
THE SELWYN
SCOOP
SELWYN BEGINNERS’ DAY
Selwyn welcomed our rising kindergarteners and their families to Beginners’ Day
on Friday, May 1st. The morning featured speeches from Mr. Lis, Jamie Curtis, Nurse
Sandy Roth, counselor Barb Kovach, and the Red Ribbon Reading co-chairs, among
others. Rising kindergarteners and their families visited the book fair and school store,
learned about after-school activities, enjoyed the RRR skit and school store fashion show,
and even met the Selwyn Eagle before visiting kindergarten classrooms for a snack and
story time. Thank you to all of the many volunteers who helped to make Beginners’ Day a
success! The Selwyn office has additional Beginners’ Day folders containing important
information for any families who were unable to attend the event on May 1st.
THE
SELWYN SCOOP
SELWYN PTA INCOMING BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Incoming Board of Directors was approved at the PTA meeting on April 30th.
Meet your new board and their families as well as where each grew up & their favorite mascot!
Jamie Curtis
President
Husband, Chris
Turner (rising 4th)
Lucy (rising 2nc)
Simms (10 months)
Winston-Salem, NC
Rameses (Tar Heels)
Kerri Porter
Financial
Secretary
Husband, Jim
Gavin (rising 3rd)
Macie (rising 1st)
Oliver (4 years)
Georgie (1 year)
Greenville, SC
Panthers
Nichelle Weintraub
1st Vice President
Husband, Sasha
Morgan (rising 8th)
Courtney (rising 5th)
Ryland (rising 1st)
Crofton, MD
Seminoles
Jennifer Martin
Audit Committee
Chair
Husband, Bill
Audrey (rising 6th)
Henry (rising 3rd)
Lansing, MI
Wolverines
Trina Cone
2nd Vice President
Husband, Sam
Darden (rising 3rd)
Wortham (rising 1st)
Asheville, NC
Tar Heels
Mandi Bell
Secretary
Husband, Keith
Jake (rising 4th)
Elizabeth (rising 3rd)
Merritt (rising K)
Salisbury, NC
Wolfpack
Catherine Austin
Director of
Communications
Husband,
Christopher
Mary Evans (rising
4th)
Whitney (rising 4th)
Charlotte, NC
Auburn Tigers
Jennifer Farrell
Director of Events
& Enrichment
Husband, Bart
Will (rising 7th)
Sophia (rising 6th)
Owen (rising 4th)
Cedar Rapids, IA
Hawkeyes
Tracie Northan
Treasurer
Husband, Mark
Emma (rising 4th)
Meredith (rising 1st)
Charlotte, NC
Wake Forest
Demon Deacons
Megan Anderson
Past
President
Husband, David
Kate (rising 6th)
Louisa (rising 4th)
Charleston, SC
Georgia Bulldogs
Our last Board meeting is Tuesday, June 2 at 6:30p.m. at Cantina 1511 in Park Road Shopping Center.
All Current and Incoming Board Members are welcome at this fun night of celebration!
Plenty of fun, plenty of food and plenty of fellowship!!
THE
SELWYN SCOOP
BACK TO SCHOOL PACK SALE
ON SALE MAY 1ST - JULY 10TH
Again this year, we are pleased to offer a convenient service that will
take the hassle out of buying your children’s Back-To-School supplies.
No more fighting crowds or having to visit several stores to get
everything on your teacher’s list. EPI
will package your teacher’s school
2015-2016 Pricing
supply list exactly as requested with name brand products at
comparable prices. Packs will be delivered to Selwyn and will be
$39
★ Kindergarten Boys
waiting for you child in their classroom on the first day of school.
$39
★ Kindergarten Girls
st
$69
★ 1 Grade Boys
This sale is brought to you by the Selwyn PTA. Teachers may
st Grade Girls
1
$69
★
request additional items throughout the school year.
Ordering Instructions
1. Go to www.epipacks.com. To buy school supplies, enter our
school number: SEL003.
2. Select the appropriate grade pack and gender for next year.
(Please note if you are buying for a girl or a boy.)
3. Pay with a credit card at checkout.
4. Your Back-to-School Pack will ship directly to Selwyn before
the first day of class and will be waiting in your child’s
classroom on Drop-in Day.
5. Questions? Contact Heather Simmons at [email protected]
or Kerri Porter at [email protected].
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
ROOM PARENT 411
While you don’t know yet who your student’s teacher is, it is not too
early to think about if you would be willing to volunteer as a Room
Parent. Room Parents play a vital role in supporting the classroom
teacher with all of their needs both in and outside the classroom –
soliciting volunteers, maintaining the online class volunteer calendar,
and communicating teacher requests and PTA information via email.
For every class, we are looking for two energetic, supportive, and
organized people! If this sounds like the job for you, please email
one of the Room Parent Coordinators, Jenny Hitt at
[email protected] or Jamie Morrow at
[email protected]. A lottery selection will take place after
the first week of school, so we encourage anyone interested to
volunteer. More information will be available at Selwyn’s “Meet
Your Teacher Day” as well as in First Day Folders.
2nd Grade Boys
$69
2nd Grade Girls
$69
rd
3 Grade Boys
$49
3rd Grade Girls
$49
th
4 Grade Boys
$45
4th Grade Girls
$45
th
5 Grade Boys
$64
5th Grade Girls
$64
A-Team
$50
✓ No shipping fee
✓ Tax will be added at
check out
A LETTER FROM THE PTA PRESIDENT MEGAN ANDERSON
I think the band Europe
said it best…”IT’S THE
FINAL COUNTDOWN!”
This has been a marvelous
year; I feel as though I
blinked and August turned
to May. I have been and continue to be
overwhelmed at what we, as a PTA, are able
to accomplish each and every day at
Selwyn. You all are amazing and deserve
sincere pats on the back.
Spring is always a busy time and
2015 has proven no different. We welcomed
March with Staff Appreciation week where
our PTA chairs and committee members
coordinated fantastic treats for our faculty
and staff. Our Green Committee Chairs,
Andrea Green and Christy Parbst,
coordinated two awesome assemblies for
our students. Recycling was the topic for
K-2 and grades 3-5 participated in a tree
planting on our campus in recognition of
Arbor Day. April brought our fabulous
annual Book Fair, chaired by Ali Price,
Heather Simmons and Shannan Ackerman.
The Selwyn Celebrates the Arts event whose
chairs Lisa Haner, Lisa Postal, Nicki
Morrow and Stacey Milam worked tirelessly
with their committee volunteers made the
event one to remember. The following day,
we hosted Beginners’ Day for our incoming
Kindergarten class. The Prospective Parents
Committee, led by Anne Lam, Tiffany
Matchett and Vivian Munson coordinated a
welcoming and fun morning to get our new
littlest ones ready to rock in August! Later
in the month, Red Ribbon Reading Chairs,
Catinna Sideris, Dawn Coleman, Kursten
Callahan and Carmalita Monroe kicked off
RRR 2015 with an exciting pep rally and
new logo!
Our Building Blocks campaign, led
by Beau and Louisa Fisher was
AMAZINGLY successful and our
participation percentage was as high as I
can recall it in my family’s time at Selwyn.
Throughout all of the big events, there are
so many other chairs leading monthly or
daily PTA commitments that I am so
thankful for…Chris Brenner made sure our
office has been staffed and ready to assist
Amy and Gigi; Liz Bundon and Christie
Hinshaw have done a fantastic job changing
up Student Recognition this year; our 5th
Grade Events chairs, Susan Wallace, Nicole
Stotts and Megan Stuart, have wowed me
with their creativity and have made 5th
grade so memorable for this year’s class;
Jenny Hitt worked with me and Catherine
Austin every single week on the Eagle
Email and did a FABULOUS job! The list
goes on and on. I am extremely thankful for
each one of you. I do want to take a minute
to thank our Board of Directors. Each of
these ladies is so special and have taken
their respective roles with responsiveness,
thoughtfulness, accountability and candor
that has made my job much easier. I am
grateful.
Finally, thank you to everyone for
having faith in me as your president. The
pleasure has been mine.
Have a wonderful summer!
A LETTER FROM PRINCIPAL SHANE F. LIS
It is hard to believe that we have already entered the month of May!
Our students continue to work hard and I continue to be impressed by the
progress that our students as an entire school continue to demonstrate.
May is an exciting time for all as the weather is heating up, the hours of
sunlight are increasing, and school is coming to a close. May also marks
the beginning of our state testing season (EOGs) here at Selwyn for our
students in grades 3-5. I am confident that our students are fully prepared
for these tests due to the daily quality preparations provided by our staff.
In order to assist you with preparing your student at home for these tests
consider the following tips:
Make sure that your student gets plenty of sleep prior to the test dates (May 21st-28th).
Research shows that elementary age students need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.
This is especially important when our students are expected to concentrate for long
periods of time as they complete the tests.
Eat a good breakfast. A full, nutritional breakfast is essential to provide fuel and
stamina for our students to be able to give the tests their very best efforts.
Encourage and reassure your student that you are confident that he/she will do his/her
best on the test. The last thing we want to do as a school or as parents is put added
pressure on our students as they take this test causing some to “lock up” and not
perform at a level at which they are capable. Let your child know that it is important
that they do their best but be very positive and encouraging when doing so.
Make sure that your student is in attendance and on time on test dates (May 21st-28th).
Our students typically test better within their own classroom with their own class. Being
absent on a test date will result in your student having to take the test in a “test makeup” session which will occur in a different room and likely with a different teacher. Also,
because we will need to start our test shortly after the school day begins in order to allow
our students the maximum amount of uninterrupted time, any student arriving after
8:00 a.m. will have to wait until the “test make-up” date to take their test.
I am looking forward to our students showing our school district and our state how much they
have learned this year. And, as usual, I am also looking forward to our students making us all
“Selwyn Proud!” In our constant quest for improvement we have already started to make changes for
the upcoming school year. Next year, students will not begin dismissal from their classroom until 2:45
p.m. This will delay the start of afternoon dismissal by approximately 10 minutes. Afternoon
dismissal will start at 2:45 p.m., 10 minutes later than this year. The best way to avoid the traffic of
carpool and ensure your child is on time is to have them ride the school bus. This is an option for
every student who attends Selwyn. Please contact the main office for more information!
Finally, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for your continued support and partnership
in your child’s education. Selwyn’s successes are due in great part to the hard working parents that
share their children with us. This was an amazing second year for me here at Selwyn and I look
forward to many more to come.
Thanks again for everything. I’ll see you around campus.