News from the Nest
September 27, 2023
A note from Mr. Thorne and Ms. Sobers . . .
We look forward to seeing all our families at our Back to School Nights. The evening is an open house format and allows you to be led through the day and the life of your students while also hearing them reflect on their learning this school year. During this time, the library will host its fall book fair, Dr. McDade’s video will play, and we will be sharing brief overviews of the school’s goals for the year in the cafeteria. We look forward to seeing our K-2 families this evening, and grades 3-5 tomorrow, 6:30-7:30. Please be aware parking will be challenging as always. Please be patient as spots should turn-over and utilize the backside of the school as well as the playgrounds.
Please be sure to read all the Nest for information about:
- Food Drive/One Warm Coat Drive
- Fall Book Fair
- October School Counseling
- Watch D.O.G.S.
- Back to School Night Details
- PTO Color Craze
Sincerely,
Steve Thorne and Monica Sobers
Fresh Takes
Food Drive/One Warm Coat Drive
SCA is hosting a Food Drive to benefit Northern Virginia Family Service. Please see a list of the items needed and we are collecting through October 23rd. Please consider donating for this cause. There will be a special marked box in each grade level hallway and there will be a grade level contest to see who can collect the most items. The winning grade level will receive a special treat. Thank you for supporting our SCA and the Northern Virginia Family Service.
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.
October School Counseling Lesson
During the month of October, Piney Branch's school counselors will be delivering required Substance Awareness/Medicine Safety Lessons to all students in grades K-5. If you would like to opt your student out of the lesson, please complete the Opt-Out Form or contact your child's school counselor at 571-261-5300.
Back to School Nights
Piney Branch runs special student led Back to School Nights where students guide their families through their classroom reflecting on their learning thus far this year, sharing their daily routine and organization, and discussing self-assessments. Families should plan to attend with their students for this child guided tour of our students’ days and first 6 weeks of school. The format runs as an open house, so families are invited to come anytime between 6:30-7:30pm on 9/27 (K-2) and 9/28 (3-5). This event provides valuable insights that can be discussed with your student’s teacher further at 1st quarter conferences through October and early November.
PTO Color Craze
Please consider joining the PTO. Your membership financially supports the PTO and keeps you in the loop with events as well as opportunities to volunteer. Memberships range from $10-$50. The PTO’s efforts fund a wide variety of projects including highly engaging science lesson materials, technology enhancements, and playground expansions including our soon to be installed shade structure. Please consider attending PBES PTO’s first meeting of the year next Thursday 9/21 evening at 6:30pm and supporting the Color Craze event.
For Good Measure
PBES Fall Book Fair
Piney Branch Fall Bookfair is coming! Your students will pre-view the book fair on the 26th or 27th to make "wish list" to share with you at home. See flyer with more details on sales days and Family Nights. We are also in need of volunteers to help make our book fair happen. Please consider offering some of your time to support our wonderful library and make this event a success!
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!
PWCS Food and Nutrition Updates
**If you would like your child to be able to purchase a second lunch (at full price), please email our Cafeteria Manager, Mayra Merida, [email protected].
In celebrating of National School Lunch Week (October 10th-13th), Food and Nutrition will be holding a contest to design a t-shirt. The t-shirt will be worn by PWCS Nutrition employees. You could win an Xbox or Nintendo Switch. All designs need to be submitted by September 29th. See flyer more information and guidelines.
PWCS Food and Nutrition will also be hosting a Minecraft Education Build Challenge all about school lunch. Designs need to be submitted by September 29th. See flyer for more information and guidelines.
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:
You can see other helpful videos on our website's Tech Tutorials Page.
Mark Your Calendar/Upcoming Events
- September 27- Back to School Night (K-2)
- September 28- Back to School Night (3-5)
- October 9 – Teacher Workday (no school for students)
- October 9 – Mod Pizza Spirit Night
- October 13 – PTO “Color Craze” Run-a-thon
- October 19 – PTO Meeting
- November 6 – Parent/Teacher Conference Day (no school for students)
- November 7 – Teacher Workday (no school for students)
- November 10 – Veteran’s Day (schools closed)
PTO News
Mod Pizza Spirit Day
Come join us at Mod Pizza on October 9th (from open to close). Use digital code for online orders: MODGIVES25. See flyer for more information.
Spirit Wear Update
All Spirit wear orders that have been placed thus far (via PTO memberships, etc.) will be delivered in early October!
Color Craze
We’re so excited for our upcoming Color Craze on October 13th! Please see the flyer sent home with your student for more information and information can be found here!
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
Cardinal Dance and Cheer Fall Clinic
Interested in dance or cheer? Gainesville High School will be hosting a fall clinic. Learn dance/cheer routine and techniques and perform at the Varsity football game on October 13th. See flyer for registration information.
William & Mary’s Center For Gifted Education Summer/Saturday Enrichment Program
William & Mary’s Center for Gifted Education is excited to share its Summer/Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP) with your family. SEP is an academically challenging program with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning. The program is not meant to replace the regular school curriculum; rather, it recognizes the importance of allowing able children to explore additional specialized areas of science, mathematics, humanities, and the arts. There are in-person and virtual courses available in the areas of engineering, music, STEM, coding, writing, social science, and many more. For more information, please visit our website.