News from the Nest
December 6, 2023
A note from Mr. Thorne and Ms. Sobers . . .
Kicking off December with Bingo night was a great way to start an exciting month at Piney Branch. Many thanks to PTO for putting on the event and the silent auction! The event was a raging success, and we sincerely thank all who attended BINGO night, participated in the auction, and congratulate those who won!
Students earning S+ in conduct and work habits in Quarter 1 received a special water bottle as this year’s big reward for being an outstanding cardinal. We can’t wait for more students to set goals to earn these water bottles in Quarter 2! Students who’ve already earned their bottle will be able to earn special stickers to decorate their water bottles each quarter.
We continue to be proud of our students’ hard work as we finish out our last ten days of instruction in 2023. We have much to look forward to with Colonial Day in 4th grade, all grade levels sharing their dance performances in PE, and the winter classroom celebrations.
Please be sure to read all the Nest for information about:
- December Counseling Lessons
- PE Dance Performances
- Giving Tree
- Willy Wonka Jr. Production
Sincerely,
Steve Thorne and Monica Sobers
Fresh Takes
SCA Sponsored Spirit Week
SCA will be sponsoring our Spirit Week and a special day on December 20th before break:
- Monday-December 11th - Winter Wonderland Whiteout, wear white
- Tuesday- December 12th - Dress up as your favorite holiday, any holiday
- Wednesday- December 13th - Flannel day, wear your favorite flannel clothes
- Thursday- December 14th - Holiday hat and accessories day, wear a holiday hat with accessories
- Friday- December 15th - Ugly Holiday Sweater Day, teacher contest
- Wednesday - December 20th - PJ day
December Counseling Lesson
Our counseling team will be delivering their required Body Safety lessons in the month of December. This Family Life Education (FLE) Body Safety lesson will be in your child’s classroom. In accordance with the Code of Virginia, the FLE program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to communication make informed, responsible decisions related to growth and development; and relationships; and emotional and social health. Although the FLE program is highly compatible with existing curricula and serves to enrich the educational experiences of students, FLE content may be considered sensitive. Therefore, parents/guardians may choose to opt their child out of this FLE instruction. Students opted out will be provided with non-punitive activities during FLE instruction. Parents/guardians should review the FLE objectives (listed below) pertaining to their child’s grade before making opt out decisions. If you would like to opt your child out of the lesson, please complete the form and return it to school. You may also email the counselors at [email protected] or [email protected].
PBES Family Heritage Festival
On Friday, January 26, 2024, Piney Branch will celebrate its Family Heritage Festival at 6:30 p.m. We invite all students and their families to join us by sharing their own family's heritage. This is a fun night, where PBES families come together to share and learn about each other's cultures, traditions, countries/regions/states. Many families choose to share information about their culture and traditions on a poster, bring food to share, dress in traditional clothing, do an art or craft, perform dances, sing, martial arts, read stories in their language, and more! We hope your family can join us to celebrate and learn about the wonderful diversity within our school! We can't wait to see you what you have to share!
PE Dance Performances
For our culminating dance project, we are inviting family members to come and watch the dance performances. Kindergarten through 2nd grade students will be performing 10-12 dances from various cultures that they have learned throughout the dance unit. 3rd grade through 5th grade will be performing self-created group dances that incorporate dance steps/movements that they have learned throughout the dance unit as well as their own creativity. These will take place during the regular PE class that your child attends. The students have worked extremely hard over the course of the unit and would love to see you come in. The schedule below is subject to change if we have inclement weather. As space in our parking lot is limited, we ask that all family members ride together, if possible, to allow for safety in our parking lot and as many families as possible to be able to come to the performances.
Student Absence Information
As we enter the second quarter, we would like to share some key information to help your student(s) stay strong through the colder months and on track to have a successful school year.
Missing 2 days a month, or 4 ½ days in a marking period, adds up to 18 days a year (10% of the school year) which is considered chronically absent. Students who attend regularly are more likely to stay on track, and we are here to support you!
Cold/Flu season is nearing. View illness or injury exclusion criteria for more information on when your student could be sent home from school/School Age Child Care (SACC) or when you should keep the child home from school/SACC.
The second quarter contains many scheduled days off for students
· December 21 – January 1 – Winter Break
· January 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Remember to report your student’s absences. If your student is absent, please remember to contact us at 571-261-5309 or email [email protected] .
Giving Tree
If you have taken a tag from our Giving Tree to purchase a gift, thank you so much. Our families will appreciate the assistance. If you have not yet, there are still 25 tags on the tree. Please consider taking one tag to purchase a gift for one of our students. Thank you all in advance for any help you can offer.
If you have questions, please email Mrs. Biegler ([email protected]) or Mrs. Nicewonger ([email protected]). Thank you so much for your generosity!
Willy Wonka Jr. Production
Piney Branch is proud to present “Willy Wonka Jr.” this year. The cast will include students from grades 3-5. Students will be cast in lead roles, speaking roles, and ensembles. Auditions will be held on Wednesday December 13th after school. A second round of auditions will be held on Thursday December 14th for specific roles by invitation. Due to production limitations, it is possible not all students may be able to participate as actors in this production. Other opportunities will include art club (set design), stage and production crew, and performance greeters. If your student is interested in joining, please see this information.
Cold Temperatures/Wind Chill
Please review the following PWCS policy guiding outdoor activity during the winter months.
- When outside during recess or physical education, all students shall wear appropriate clothing to remain warm and dry. Students shall be physically active with limited periods of inactivity.
- At or above 32⁰F with or without wind chill: recess and physical education activities may be held outdoors.
- Below 32⁰F to 20⁰F with or without wind chill: principal discretion with the following considerations:
- Precipitation: snowy, wet, and icy conditions should be evaluated for student safety;
- Playground safety: the playground equipment and surface (i.e. icy conditions) should be evaluated for student safety;
- Student preparation: students have jackets, gloves, and hats. The ability to communicate to school community the intention to hold recess during cold spells and for children to come prepared to play outdoors;
- Sun/Ground: sun is shining and the grounds are safe for play; and
- Time: availability to limit outdoor time.
For Good Measure
Attendance/Dismissal
When you email your child’s teacher regarding their absence and/or dismissal changes, please include the office ([email protected]) just in case your child’s teacher has a substitute teacher. Absences can be reported by calling 571-261-5309. All changes of dismissal should be sent to your child’s teacher/office before 2:00 p.m. For the safety of our students, early dismissals need to take place before 3:15 p.m.
Watch D.O.G.S. is Back!!!!
The Watch D.O.G.S need you! Calling all dads looking to provide support at our school. The Watch D.O.G.S. program helps provide positive male role models for students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important. Meanwhile, you will provide an extra set of eyes and ears to enhance school security, reduce bullying, and provide a greater sense of campus safety allowing students and teachers to focus on learning and instruction. You will help by supporting lunch, recess, hallways, encore, and security around the school. Should you have any questions about this exciting program, please reach out to Jim Pawlak at [email protected]
If you are ready to become a Watch D.O.G.S, follow the link to sign up!
Accessing PBES Resources Outside of School
You can access our PBES resources like Canvas, Office 365 and Clever from almost wherever you are. Please see the following help videos to:
One Warm Coat Drive
SCA is hosting a warm coat drive. As the weather gets colder, there are many members of our community who do not have a warm coat to wear. One Warm Coat is an organization who collects coats to distribute to members of our community who are in need of new or gently used warm coats. When you clean out your closets, and find you have coats that do not fit you or your children, please consider donating them to this cause. Attached is a flyer for One Warm Coat. Once again, thank you for supporting SCA and One Warm Coat.
Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events
- December 15 – Giving Tree items are due
- December 18-20 PE Dance Performances
- December 21-January 1st - School closed for winter break
- January 2 – School Reopens
- January 20 – PTO Snowball
PTO News
Silent Auction/Family Bingo
Thanks to all who volunteered, donated items, planned and attended our first Bingo/Auction event! Everyone had a blast and we raised nearly $10,000 from the event! A special thank you to Malia Hayes for coordinating the Auction and to Amber Merriman and Susie Bacus for planning the Bingo fun!
Cookie Exchange
PTO will be holding their 7th Annual Cookie Exchange on December 19th for the faculty and staff at Piney Branch. If you are willing to donate please do so.
If you have any questions feel free to contact Trish Neall at [email protected]
PTO Meeting
Next PTO meeting will be held on January 18.
Join the PTO
Support our school and get free PBES swag by joining the PTO! Join online on our website!
Please visit www.PineyBranchPTO.com for all information related to the PBES PTO.
*This Website (Webpage) is not managed, approved, or sponsored by the Prince William County Public Schools.
Community Flyers and Announcements
Breakfast With Santa
New Life Church will be sponsoring a “Breakfast With Santa” on Saturday, December 9th from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at Piney Branch ES. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, crafts, games, and more! Santa will be dropping by to take pictures with the kids. Please see attached flyer for more information.
Marsteller Math & Science Speciality Program
The Marsteller Math and Science Specialty Program is an interest-based program. To be eligible to apply, students must have earned at least a grade of B in Math and Science and Cs in all other classes. Additionally, students must have satisfactory conduct/effort grades and satisfactory attendance based on PWCS attendance regulations. Students must maintain these standards throughout middle school. Please check Marsteller’s website for additional details.
Eligible rising 6th-grade students zoned for Marsteller MUST apply for the Math and Science Specialty Program if interested. There is no automatic placement without applying. Families apply for their students with the PWCS program’s online application. Students who are zoned to attend Bull Run, Gainesville, Nokesville, Parkside, Reagan, and Unity Braxton Middle Schools may be eligible to apply as transfer students. Families should check the PWCS find my school website to check school zones. Marsteller accepts 25 transfer students per year by lottery.
Important dates:
- Information Night: October 26 at 6:30 pm at Marsteller Middle School (Spanish translation will be available)
- Information Night: January 11 at 6:30 pm at Marsteller Middle School (Snow date Jan 18) (Spanish translation will be available)
- November 1st, 2023: Application opens.
- February 1st, 2024: Application is due (Firm deadline - No late applications will be accepted)
- Mid-Late February 2024 Program decision is released.
- March 5th, 2024: Program Acceptance is due if offered a seat (Firm deadline – seats will be dropped after this date)
Email Kerry Adkins, program coordinator, at [email protected] with any questions