Message from the Principal
We have been truly thankful for the warm weather and the sunshine of the past few days. We are nearing the end of the third nine-week grading period, which means the last grading period will begin on Friday, March 9th. Students will receive report cards on Thursday, March 15 before spring break begins. Please check your child’s report carefully. If you have questions or concerns please contact the school for a conference. Your child’s education is a team effort, and you are a major part of that team. Without you, our team is incomplete, and your child may not experience the level of success we all desire for him or her.
What’s going on at Bowers?
We are beginning to accept registrations for the Second Annual ShamWalk which is scheduled for Saturday, March 10th. We hope to have a large number of participants. Medals will be awarded to adults and children that participate. This is our primary fundraiser for the school year. We look forward to your participation with this event. For more information, please contact our PTO president Michelle Harris at 865-882-1185 or mharris@roaneschools.com. You can also register online at https://www.runnerreg.net/register/default.aspx?event=9704.
Join us this Tuesday night as we celebrate an evening of reading as our students display and present their reading story boards at our Reading Fair. We will begin at 6:00 PM and end at 8:00 PM; our book fair will be open during that time as well. Please come and see all the wonderful boards that our students have put together.
TCAP tests are scheduled to be given on April 24 – 27 for those students in grades 3 – 5. TCAP tests are important assessments as they determine each child’s progress for that school year. Beginning this year, the scores from these assessments will count for 15% of each child’s final grade for the second semester in each subject tested (Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies). This is a state-wide change and reinforces the importance of these assessments.
Our Valentine’s Day Dance was a HUGE success with over 400 students and family members in attendance. Many thanks to the staff and parents who helped organize and supervise the event. A special thanks to Mayor Chris Mason for providing the music, Krystal and Sonic restaurants for providing supplies, and Mr. Wendell Edmonds for chairing the event.
We sent home a copy of the 2012 – 2013 school calendar in the February newsletter. This calendar was approved by the Roane County Board of Education at their February meeting. This will allow you to plan family vacations and doctors’ appointments during days in which school is not in session. We encourage you to use these days and not take your child out of school for vacation. Lost days mean the loss of valuable learning time that cannot be replaced. School board policy allows us to excuse two days each year as discretionary days. Board policy does not allow us to excuse week-long vacation periods.
Bowers first Math Bee will begin the week of May 1 with each child competing to achieve 85% mastery to be able to attend a Math Celebration. The grade level competitions will be May 15. Please help your child study at home.
Each grade level is responsible to learn the following:
Kindergarten: Number recognition to 100 and shape recognition (squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, trapezoids, cylinders, and spheres)
1st grade – addition facts
2nd grade – subtraction and addition facts
3rd grade – subtraction, addition, multiplication facts
4th & 5th grade – subtraction, addition, multiplication, & division facts
More information to come in the next few weeks.
Our area has had several rounds of bad weather already this spring. We want to assure you that Bowers has a safety plan and regular drills. In the event of predicted storms, we monitor the weather very closely. If necessary, we have designated safe areas for our students and will keep them in that area until the weather threat is over. Student safety is our highest priority. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us.
Congratulations to Mrs. Wendy Flora for being chosen as Bowers Elementary School’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Flora has been a part of the kindergarten staff for 35 of the 36 years she has spent teaching children in the Harriman community. Mrs. Flora is a life-long resident of Harriman and has been deeply involved in the community and her church during this time. She is married to Chuck Flora, and has one son, Drew. Mrs. Flora will represent Bowers in the system-wide competition. She has been extremely effective in teaching our youngest students as they enter school for the first time.