Principal’s Message
I’d like to thank all of the Volunteers who help make Canopy Oaks Elementary School such a great
and special place to learn.  February is the month set aside in Florida, where we honor and
recognize our school volunteers.  Whether you are in the classes once a week, supporting teachers
from home, financially supporting us as a business partner with resources from your business,
mentoring a student or serving on our School Advisory Council or in our PTO, we know that we are
lucky to have such wonderful support!  It truly makes a difference for our children to see the
positive effects of volunteerism and public service.  A BIG THANK YOU to Rachel Carns who is our
Volunteer Coordinator and to the PTO for supporting so many activities of our volunteers.  One
important way we document the level of community and parental involvement is through
completing logs of the volunteer time put in.  If you have volunteered this year, PLEASE be sure to
fill out your log so that we can “count” your hours of service toward our goal of earning a “Golden
School Award.”  Special thanks to ALL Canopy Oaks volunteers who have logged their hours so far!

We have been engaged in FCAT the past week with our third through fifth grade students and will
continue next week.  Thank you, parents, for your support in having your children here on time,
assuring an adequate breakfast and being well rested for the testing.  Once again, our students
seemed confident and focused, which will surely have a positive effect on their test results.  A big
thank you to the teachers and students for their efforts in preparing for the tests.  They have done
a wonderful job of keeping the test in perspective as they work on all aspects of the curriculum.
Thank you for being so supportive of your children and our school!

Missing Turtle
We are missing a turtle out of Mrs. Folsom’s classroom.  If your child has recently brought home a
“pet” turtle, please let the school know.  The turtle is small, about 4 inches in length and is a red-
eared slider turtle.

Cell Phones and Parent Pick Up/Drop Off
When you are in line to drop off or pick up your child(ren), please do not talk on your cell phones.
We have had several incidences where children and staff have been nearly hit due to distraction of
adults while talking on cell phones.  Two staff members have been bumped by car mirrors as
adults were on cell phones and not paying attention.  This is for the safety of everyone at the
school.

Transportation Changes for Students
**Parents Please Read**
Please let your child(ren) know how they are to get home and other after school plans before they
come to school.  If you change the way your child goes home, please send a written note to the
teacher.  This helps avoid confusion for the students and teachers in the afternoon.  If you have an
emergency occur and find that you must make transportation changes, please call the office
before noon.  (Please note:  Between 1:30 p.m. and 2:10 p.m. is one of the busiest times in the
front office.)  Emergency changes should only happen once or twice a semester, not every week.
Please, only call if it is a true emergency.

Volunteer of the Month
Congratulations Tonya Mantay for your hardwork & dedication for our school & kids.   Enjoy your
lunch and your front row parking space.

SAT10 Parent Meeting
The SAT10 Parent Meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 8th at 6:00 pm in the media
center.  This is an informational meeting for all parents of kindergarten, 1st,and 2nd grade
students.   We look forward to seeing you there.

**DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME**
Please note that daylight savings time begins several weeks earlier this year.  It will begin on
March 11th.  Remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
Leon County Schools has a NO TOLERANCE policy regarding weapons.  Anything that can be used
as a weapon, or looks like a weapon, is considered a weapon.  This includes guns, knives, sling
shots, nail files, rocks, etc.  Canopy Oaks has never had a problem with weapons on school
grounds.  However, there have been occasions when students have inadvertently brought look-
alike toy weapons or other similar items to school.  In the past, the school has worked with
parents to make sure such events are never repeated.  District staff have informed principals that
all students who bring a “weapon” to school, even if it is never used in a threatening way, must be
expelled regardless of the age of the student!  Please impress upon your child(ren) the importance
of NEVER having any sort of gun, knife, toy weapon, or any other such item at school.    Please talk
with your child(ren) about this very important rule and policy and impress upon them that they
cannot make a ‘mistake’ with this, as the consequences are very serious.  Also, please encourage
them to tell an adult if they see or hear that anyone at school has a weapon.

Carnival Time!
The Canopy Oaks Spring Carnival is coming up!  Mark your calendar for April 13th at 5:00 pm.
Lots of hard work is taking place to make the carnival great.  The PTO is sponsoring a contest
between all the classes for whose parents/guardians log the most volunteer hours the night of the
carnival.  All volunteers will receive a complimentary sheet of tickets when signing in.  If you are
able to help, please call or email Tonya Mantay at 524-0363 or mailto:[log in to unmask]

Spring Is In The Air!
Springtime is just around the corner.  With the season change comes warmer weather.  Please
remember children should be dressed appropriately.  If students wear sandals or flip-flops on a
day they have PE, put a pair of tennis shoes in their backpack for them to change into.  Spaghetti
straps, halter-tops, and t-back tank tops should not be worn nor should any clothing that shows
bare backs and/or midriffs.

Camp Woe-Be-Gone
A special event for grieving children
The Caring Tree Program of Big Bend Hospice and the Challenger Learning Center invite children,
ages 6-12, who have experienced the death of a loved one to join in for a day of fun, support,
exploration, and expression.  Campers will enjoy a day filled with sharing circles, creative arts, and
space simulations.  Lunch, snacks, t-shirts, and transportation to and from the Challenger Center
will be provided.  This camp is a free community service of Big Bend Hospice, Inc.  The event will
take place on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at the Challenger Learning Center from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Call Pam Mezzina at (850) 878-5310 ext. 199 or (800) 772-2862 for more information or to
register.  Space is limited so please register early.