Principal Feezor's Blog

May News

Dear Milford Family,

How quickly another school year has gone by!  CRCT Assessments have finished up this week, and we thank you for supporting us by making sure your child was at school everyday on time.  Thanks boys and girls for all of your hard work! (Milford Staff)  We will let everyone know of the results as soon as they come in. 

Our students are looking forward to completing their school assignments and taking part in some of the exciting activities that the teachers have planned for them these last few weeks.  Check out our Milford Calendar below!  We hope that many of you will be able to attend some of these events.   

 

As the school year comes to a close, below are a few reminders that you may need to take care of before the last day of school:

• Register your child for Kindergarten.  See our Parent Liaison’s note about our Summer Kindergarten Camp at Milford.
• Notify our office if you know that you’re moving.  Please share any information you have, so that your child’s records can be prepared and sent to the new school, when the receiving school requests them.
• Stop by the nurse’s office to pickup any leftover medications, if meds were stored for your child.
• Return library books and/or other school property, and pay any charges for lunch, library books, and/or ASP.

Supply Lists for the new school year and our Sneak-a-Peek Fun Day flyer will be in your child’s mailed report card.  Summer office hours to pick up report cards that were not mailed are between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  Besides our May events, you may want to add these dates to your July/August calendar:

• Tuesday, July 22, New Student Registration from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, August 7, Milford’s Sneak-a-Peek Fun Day from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Monday, August 11,  First Day of School

Boys and Girls:  Don’t forget to keep reading and writing over the summer.  Why don’t you write a letter to your new teacher, and tell her all about yourself and the fun things you enjoy doing.  I think your teacher would love to have a letter from you that first day of school.  Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer!! 

Sincerely,

Denise S. Feezor

March and April News

Dear Milford Family,

       Welcome to Milford’s spring garden! The teachers have planted those academic seeds, students have been nourished with Performance Standards throughout the school year, and now students are anxious to show off the fruits of their labor.  In other words, beginning April 23^rd, our students will be participating in the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT).  By the way, please see how you are helping us do this too! (Turn to my note on page 2.)  Please be assured, we will make every effort to assist your child in obtaining grade level status in reading and math.  However, if this does not occur, your 3^rd or 5^th grade student will be able to receive additional instruction June 4 through June 24 at Norton Park Elementary.  On June 25 the CRCT in reading will be administered.  On June 26 the CRCT in math will be administered to 5^th graders only.  June 27^th will be a make up day for either or both tests missed on scheduled June testing days.  A pre-registration letter and form will be mailed to parents of 3^rd and 5^th graders during the week of March 2^nd, if recent assessment results show that your 3^rd or 5^th grader may be at risk for not passing the reading and/or math portion of the CRCT in April.

        Soon our Placement Committee will begin preparing for the 2008-09 school year.  Teachers, counselors, and administrators consider the needs of each student and recommend a tentative class placement.  It is our desire to provide the best possible learning environment for your child.  If there is information about your child of which we are not aware, you may submit that information in writing to Dr. Kuykendall, Assistant Principal, by April 28^th.  Requests for specific teachers or classmates cannot be honored.  You only need to tell us of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and optimal learning environment.  Time constraints prevent us from scheduling individual conferences about class placement.  Letters are optional, not required. 

We are looking forward to having parents participate in a number of activities planned over the remaining months of school, i.e., Cosmic Bowling, Cultural Arts Day, 5^th Grade Dance, Field Days, etc.  Please call the school office and speak with our secretary, Kym Taylor, if you would like to help out with any of these events.

Enjoy Spring Break!!

Sincerely,      

Denise S. Feezor                                    

(678)842-6966

What is Mrs. Feezor doing?  What are these pink slips being sent home these past 10 days?  Imaginations ran wild, as students and teachers alike tried to guess what these digits meant.  Did you try?

Well obviously, now that you figured it out, “Call me!” If my line is busy or I’m not in my office, leave me a message, please. Let me know if you like hearing from your child’s teacher every week. 

Asking your child each day what they’ve learned about something particular going on in class during the week is a great way to reinforce learning.  You don’t have to sign their Agenda, just write what your child tells you after you ask them, “What did you learn today about . . . . . ?”  Remember, I value your opinion, “Call me!”  After all, Milford’s mission is "Working Together for School Success!"

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Estimada Familia de Milford,

  Que esta haciendo la senora Feezor?    Por que ha sido mandando papelitos rosados a

casa por los ultimos 10 dias?  Todo el mundo estaba imaginando cosas increibles, y los estudiantes y los profesores estaban tratando de adivinar la significacion de estos numeros.    La adivino usted?

Ahora, porque usted ya sabe lo que significa, “ Llameme por telefono!”  Si mi linea esta

ocupada o no estoy en la oficina, dejeme un mensaje.  Digame si le gusta comunicar con

el/la maestro/a de su hijo/a cada semana.

Discutir con su hijo/a  algo especifico que el/ella ha aprendido en la clase es esencial para desarrollar la sabiduria.  No tiene que firmar la agenda; solamente necesita escribir

lo que responde el/ella cuando usted pregunte:  “  Que aprendiste hoy de . . . .?”  Recuerde, su opinion es importante para mi y, segun la meta de Milford, “Todos Estamos Trabajando Juntos para el Exito de la Escuela.”   Llameme! 

Sincerely,

Denise S. Feezor

January and February News

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!  Our teachers are looking forward to our first official Parent/Teacher Conferences next week. They are eager to share the progress your child has made this first semester of school; along with ways you can help support them at home.     

A reminder to all of our parents:  Our school-wide goal of increasing parent involvement can only happen if you support us and get involved as a volunteer for classroom activities, PTA committees and events, field trips, etc.  Remember, children love to see their parents help out at school, even if it’s just once a year!! 

Our 2^nd “Authors at Breakfast” will take place the last week of January.  It’s always fun to see so many parents attend and listen to their child’s creative stories and poems.  Thank you! Be sure to check out our “Writers Wall of Fame.”  Also, don’t forget to take advantage of writing a note to your child by dropping a letter in our postal box in the lobby.  Our new mail carriers will be delivering cards and letters to classrooms two days per week before school.  Happy Valentine’s Day!                           

Sincerely,                                                                                                 

Denise S. Feezor

            

December News

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and are looking forward to the holiday season.  Classroom parties are in the process of being planned by teachers and room moms.  Have you dropped a note to your child’s teacher to see how you can help?  I know they would really appreciate any assistance you could give in making this one annual winter party a fun time for all.  Times of these parties are listed below:                                                       

Holiday Parties – Friday, Dec. 21^st

Kdg.         12:30 - 1:15

1^st grade    1:15 – 2:00               

2^nd grade  12:15 – 1:10  Mrs. McCray  10:00

3^rd grade   1:15 – 2:00

4^th grade   1:15 – 2:00

5^th grade   1:15 – 2:00

I’m pleased to announce that we have three new parent representatives to Milford’s School Council.  They are Ms. Tiana Lovanice, Angelica Mondragon, and Shannon Perez.  Congratulations to you all!  We will be conducting our next School Council mtg. on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. 

On Tuesday, Dec. 4, at our 7:00 PTA mtg., our music teacher, Ms. Fieg and our 3^rd graders will be the stars of our holiday program.  Can’t wait to see them perform!  Also, have you received your invitation to our 2^nd annual Art Show?  From 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on this same evening, you are in for a treat!  Thanks to our art teacher, Ms. Thormeier, your child’s artwork has been framed and will be on display for purchase in our gym.  What a beautiful gift to hang in your home or give as a special present!  Proceeds for this fundraiser will benefit our art department.  It looks like we’ll be having an exciting evening this coming Tuesday, Dec. 4.  Hope to see you there!   

Once again, we will be selling raffle tickets for a McDonald’s-Dr. Pepper bike at our PTA mtg.  We will also be selling them at school with the children.  The drawing will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 19 during our morning Broadcast.  The tickets will only cost $1.00 each.  A beautiful bike and helmet—an offer you can’t refuse!!

During the holiday break, we hope that your child will continue to read and respond to literature. Reading and writing holiday cards together is a fun way to practice these life-long skills.

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and Happy Holiday Season! 

Sincerely,                                          

Denise Feezor

October News

Dear Parents,

Our Bobcats have been working hard at their studies these past seven weeks of school, and are looking forward to showing you how smart they are—“Are you smarter than a Milford student?”  Well, you will get a chance to find out, if you come to Curriculum Night scheduled for Tuesday, October 30.  Fifty percent of our classrooms are equipped with state of the art technology, and our students will be sharing their learning with you on this special night as our interactive boards simulate that popular game show that so many families are raving about!  Be on the lookout for flyers about this fun evening planned for you and your child.   

We are still waiting for those nomination letters to replace our three parents on Milford’s School Council.  As mentioned at our September PTA meeting, we need your support.  There are only four meetings per year, and they fall on PTA night, for your convenience.  The nomination due date has been extended to Friday, October 26, and voting will take place on Curriculum Night.  Remember, “School Councils bring communities and schools together!”    

We continue to have high expectations, time on task, and a safe place at Milford Elementary--Students are encouraged to do their best, make good use of their time, and follow the rules. We are also asking you once again to help us in making sure your child is at school ON TIME, so that they don’t miss any of the important learning taking place.  Being on time makes a big difference in a child’s day.  Time to unpack, time to sharpen their pencils, time to do their morning work, time to listen to announcements, time to just catch their breath and say, “I’m ready to learn!!”  As always, your support is appreciated!  See you soon!

Denise S. Feezor

August News

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome back to school!  We hope that everyone had a fun-filled summer.  Our faculty and staff are excited about the new school year.  Be on the lookout for some brand new activities we’ll all be participating in the months ahead.

Well we did it! Milford made AYP!!  Our teachers and staff worked very hard this past year to set high expectations for our students and helped them to meet with success.  Way to go boys and girls!  Making changes to our reading program and brainstorming ways to better address the needs of our students put us back on the road to progress.   

A vast majority of Milford students are performing at or above expected levels on statewide tests, and have for the past five years.  81.6% of our students met or exceeded the minimum score of 58.3% in Math, and 77.6% of our students met or exceeded the minimum score of 66.7% in Reading.

This year will be filled with newness—New math series, new implementation of K-5 math and science Georgia Performance Standards, new Kdg. report cards, new social studies teacher editions in winter ’08, and more Learning-focused strategies in the classroom.  We will continue to focus on student achievement in the areas of reading and math, writing across the curriculum, as well as technology integration.  Many of our classrooms are using the latest in technology instruction to incorporate content instruction and hands-on interactive participation by students.

Since parents play an important part in our school’s vision, we encourage you to take part in the activities we have planned for the students this school year.  As always, your support and communication are an important part of assisting us in meeting the needs of our children, whether it is visiting at lunch, volunteering in class, reading to a student, or attending PTA functions. 

We will continue to emphasize our “high expectations” for children, “time on task,” and a “safe and secure environment” for all.

Sincerely,

Denise S. Feezor

Principal

May News

Dear Parents/Guardians,

CRCT Testing is behind us!  We thank you for supporting us by making sure your child was here each and everyday on time, and prepared to put their test taking skills into action.  Thank you boys and girls for all of your hard work! (Milford Staff)  We will let everyone know of the results as soon as we receive them.

Meanwhile, our students are looking forward to completing their school assignments and taking part in some of the exciting activities that the teachers have planned for them these last few weeks.  We hope that many of you will be able to attend some of our May calendar events.   

 

As the school year comes to a close, below are a few reminders that you may need to take care of before the last day of school:

·         Register your child for Kindergarten.

·         Notify our office if you know that you’re moving.  Please share any information you have, so that your child’s records can be prepared and sent to the new school, when the receiving school requests them.

·         Stop by the nurse’s office to pickup any leftover medications, if meds were stored for your child.

·         Return library books and/or other school property.

By the way, a Supply List for the new school year will be in your child’s report card.  Due to construction of our administrative office this summer, we will post a note on our outside door, as to where our office staff will be relocated during this time.  Besides our May events, you may want to add these dates to your July/August calendar:

     Tuesday, July 24  Elementary New Student Registration  9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

     Friday, August 10  Milford’s Sneak a Peek Fun Day  ( Time will be on school sign)

    

Monday, August 13  First Day of School

Don’t forget to take plenty of  books and writing tablets on your travels, so your children can practice their reading and write about “Those Lazy Days of Summer!”  Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer! 

Sincerely,

Denise S. Feezor

March & April News

Dear Parents,

            It looks as though we will be having an early spring!  The academic seeds the teachers have planted are growing rapidly, and soon your children will have the opportunity to blossom as they show off what they’ve learned this coming April 16^th, when they take the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT).

Please be assured, we will make every effort to assist your child in obtaining grade level status in reading and/or math.  However, if this does not occur, your child should plan to receive additional instruction June 4 through June 27 at a specified elementary school in your area.  On June 27-28 (or June 29), the CRCT in reading and/or math will be given once again.  A pre-registration letter and form will be mailed to parents during the week of March 12^th, if recent assessment results show that a child may be at risk for not passing the reading and/or math (5^th grade) portion of the CRCT in April.

Soon our Placement Committee will begin preparing for the 2007-08 school year.  Teachers, counselors, and administrators consider the needs of each student and recommend a tentative class placement.  It is our desire to provide the best possible learning environment for your child.  If there is information about your child of which we are not aware, you may submit that information in writing to      Dr. Kuykendall, Assistant Principal, by April 27^th.  Requests for specific teachers or classmates cannot be honored.  You only need to tell us of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and optimal learning environment.  Time constraints prevent us from scheduling individual conferences about class placement.  Letters are optional, not required. 

We are looking forward to having parents participate in Cultural Arts Day and Milford Bingo Night at Chick-fil-A in April.  PTA is in need of 5^th grade parent assistance in the planning of our annual 5^th Grade Dance this May 4^th.  Please call the school office and speak with Kym Taylor. 

Enjoy Spring Break!!

                                    Sincerely,      

                                    Denise S. Feezor

January/February News

I hope that everyone had a restful and happy holiday season.  As you can see we are already about to end our first school month of the new year, and our 3^rd and 5^th graders are finishing up Performance Series testing.  This on-line testing program measures student performance in reading, language arts, math, and science. The information teachers receive will help them target students’ strengths and weaknesses, in order to improve instruction and increase learning. 

Please mark your calendar for our 2^nd Curriculum Night, planned for Tuesday,

February 27^th.  Parents and students will be taking part in hands-on activities in Language Arts and Social Studies.  (A special flyer will be sent out to all parents in February.) 

We hope you take the opportunity to sign up to volunteer in your child’s classroom or assist with some of the PTA activities planned for our students.  Children love to see their parents help out in the classroom, even if it’s just once a year!!  Please support our goal of increasing parent involvement!     

Our “Authors at Breakfast” seem to get larger each nine weeks.  It’s so good to see so many parents attend and listen to their child’s creative stories and poems.  Thank you!  Check out our “Writers Wall of Fame.”  Also, don’t forget to take advantage of writing a note to your child by dropping a letter in our postal box in the lobby.  Our new mail carriers will be delivering cards and letters to classrooms three days per week before school.  Happy Valentine’s Day!