August 23, 2024
Dear Prairie Trace Families,
Thank you for attending our Meet the Teacher Nights this week! We were thrilled with the turn out! Thank you for being such a supportive community who is truly committed to your child’s education.
Race to Prairie Trace Fun Run - Our Only Major Fundraiser of the Year
We are excited to announce that our annual Race to Prairie Trace Fun Run will be taking place on September 17th! This event is our largest fundraiser of the year, and the funds raised will go directly towards enriching our students' educational experience. We encourage all families to participate by registering and donating to your child’s fun run. PTO will be sending more information about the day and how parents can be involved as well. More details will be sent home soon!
Data Meetings
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, our administration and teaching staff will be holding data meetings throughout the year to assess student progress and tailor our instruction to meet each child's needs. These meetings allow us to identify areas where students excel and areas where they may need additional support. Your child's success is our top priority, and we will keep you informed about their progress through regular communication. NWEA results will be sent home in September. If you ever have questions regarding your child’s performance, don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.
Bullying Lessons
Creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students is essential. In line with this, Mrs. Rhyner and Officer Harris will be conducting bullying prevention lessons throughout the school year. These lessons aim to educate students about the importance of kindness, respect, and standing up against bullying. We encourage you to talk with your child about these lessons and reinforce the values of empathy and respect at home.
Picture Day
Mark your calendars! Picture Day is scheduled for September 5th. This is a great opportunity to capture memories of your child's school year, so please ensure they come dressed in their best and bring their brightest smiles. Information on ordering pictures has been sent home with your child.
The Importance of Reading at Home
Reading at home is crucial to your child's academic success. We encourage all families to set aside time each day for reading. Whether your child is reading independently or you are reading together, this practice helps develop critical literacy skills and fosters a love for learning. If you need book recommendations or tips on how to support your child's reading journey, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher. My suggestion is for the students to read for 20 minutes or 10 pages of a longer book!
Attendance and Keeping Sick Kids Home
I know many of you saw my email about the new law regarding attendance. Consistent attendance is vital to your child's success in school. Please remember that your student is expected to be in the classroom unless they have a fever, vomiting or are suffering from symptoms that will not allow them to properly participate in their day. If you feel this is warranted, we then ask that you keep your child at home to prevent the spread of illness and notify the office staff as soon as possible. If you call your student in with an illness, this will not be an excused absence unless you provide a physician’s note. It is understandable that students will develop illnesses throughout the year, so please use good judgment when choosing to keep them home for minor symptoms. The office and nurses are happy to help if you have any questions. Information on our health policies and our school nurses can be found here: https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/services/student-services/school-nurse-information. Please remember to call the attendance line or use School Dismissal Manager to report absences.
Thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, growth, and lots of fun! If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Warm regards,
Kim Piper
Principal
Important Dates
august
23 | Race to Prairie Trace Registration opens! |
29 | Fall Spirit Wear orders due! |
30 | Spell Bowl Tryouts |
september
2 | No School - Labor Day |
4 | Late Start |
5 | Picture Day! |
6 | Hawks Herald |
9 | Race to Prairie Trace Kick Off! |
10 |
Parent Information Night, 6pm |
17 | Race to Prairie Trace! |
18 | Late Start |
20 | Hawks Herald |
27 | Fall Tailgate, 5:30pm |
Make sure to bookmark this site so you always have the latest dates of things happening around Prairie Trace!
calling all 4th and 5th grade singers!
PTE Choir is open to all 4th and 5th grade students! This is a chance for students to develop their singing voice and expand their musical experience outside of the general music classroom. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn choral singing techniques while performing a varied repertoire of music. Choir will meet on Wednesdays after school from 2:30 - 3:15 in the music room. The first rehearsal is Wednesday, September 4th. The sign up is available on the Music Canvas Page under "modules". Please contact Mrs. Reed with any questions (sreed@ccs.k12.in.us).
PTE family directory
Prairie Trace utilizes DirectorySpot for our Family Directory. It gives you all the school and class info you need, directly from your phone or the web.
This is the only directory PTE utilizes for class information. So if you want to have information for playdates and birthday parties, this is it!
LOOKING FOR A 2023-2024 YEARBOOK?
We have a short supply of last year's yearbooks in the office. They are $20. Email pgreene@ccs.k12.in.us if you want one or stop by office.
order spirit wear by august 29th!
Check out all the options (shirts, hats, sweatshirts, stickers) for both PTE and Carmel!
parent information night
Please save the date for our upcoming Parent's Information Night. In addition to hearing from Mrs. Piper and the PTO, District Superintendent Dr. Beresford will be speaking. Come prepared to listen and ready to ask questions! See you there!
DROPPING OFF SOMETHING FOR YOUR CHILD?
Please remember that all items are to be dropped off at the table by the front door to help with traffic in and out of the school. There are markers and labels to apply to the item and we will get them on every hour. No reason to ring door bell - we will get what's needed to your child as soon as possible!
Preorder Quantum Interstellar Sports League
Author J. Scott Savage presented to Grades 3-5 on Aug. 21. If you'd like to order a copy of his book, Quantum Interstellar Sports League Book, complete the form below and submit your order to Mrs. Dragash by Sept. 3, 2024. You can pick up your book and meet J. Scott at Kids Ink, 5619 N Illinois Street, on September 28, 1:00-3:00 PM OR it will be delivered to PTE the week of September 30.
the race to prairie trace is on!
The Race to Prairie Trace kick off is Monday, September 9th and the Fun Run takes place September 17th. Our students and staff are so excited! Register & share today to help our school reach our goal of $55,000 for fun events, class parties, technology, professional development, teacher & student wish lists, curriculum & more. Thank you for supporting our school - we are grateful for our amazing school community!
Calling all volunteers!
The Prairie Trace PTO is looking for general volunteers to help throughout the year. Whether you have a lot of time or just a little, we would love for you to join us! With a variety of volunteer opportunities available there is something for everyone. Please submit the form below and a PTO Director will reach out to you with more information.
Note that all volunteers must have a criminal history background check on file & have viewed the CCS anti-bullying video.
Thank you for volunteering! Email ptoprairietrace@gmail.com with questions. #PTEFamily
ATTENTION ALL 4TH AND 5TH GRADE SPELLERS!
Spell Bowl tryouts are August 30th. This is open to all 4th and 5th grade students. Students will be tested on a group of 15 words from the first page of the Spell Bowl word list. Stop by Mrs. Jobs' Room (22) on Monday, August 26 for more details and a copy of the list. Try outs will be before school at 7:15 on Friday, August 30th. Mrs. Jobs will be giving the brief quiz as well as a quick overview of what to expect following tryouts.
CAFETERIA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We need parents just like you to help us in the cafeteria during lunch time. As a cafeteria helper, you will help the children find a seat, open their lunch items, get all the extras (think parmesan cheese, ketchup, napkins, and utensils!), and maintain PTE lunch room standards! ...all while getting to socialize with your kiddos and their friends.
Lady Pups Basketball Tryouts
August 28 and 29
For more information, including pre-tryout workouts, visit the Carmel Lady Pups Basketball website.
The 3rd annual Hamilton County HBCU Fair is rapidly approaching and is being held on September 5, 2024 at 5:30pm in Noblesville. If you have questions about any HBCUs, make sure to put this on your calendar!