Greetings Jaguars,
I want to thank each individual that comprises the Pineview Family.  Remember, We Can Do It!  We are on the official count down to FCAT!  Parents please continue encouraging our children to do their best, as we make final preparations for the administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).  We want to utilize every available moment for instruction.  Please assist us in meeting our goals by arriving on time.  
 
For information about next year's calendar go to:
http://mail2.leon.k12.fl.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.planning.leon.k12.fl.us/school_calendars.htm
 
FCAT Writing and Writes Upon Request
I would like to remind our parents that Tuesday, February 8th and Wednesday, February 9th are very important testing dates for many of our students. All fourth graders will be taking the FCAT Writes assessment and our 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th graders will be administered the Writes Upon Request on Tuesday, February 8th. It is so important for our Jaguars to do their very best on these assessments.
 
FCAT Explorer
The FCAT Explorer is available to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade parents and students on the Internet at www.fcatexplorer.org. The FCAT Explorer provides students with effective practice on reading and math skills based on the Sunshine State Standards.
 
New FCAT Parent Resource
The Florida Department of Education is pleased to announce the posting of a new web-based product called the About the FCAT Web Brochure. It provides general information about the FCAT in addition to links to other DOE resources like the Sunshine State Standards web page. You may access the brochure at http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatpub1.htm. The final web page of the brochure contains an embedded, downloadable PDF version of the brochure.
 
Test-Taking Tips
* Remind your child to listen and follow directions. Before giving a test, teachers tell students things they need to know-and that can make the difference between a good or bad score. Should students try to guess if they're not sure of an answer? Should the essay question be written on every other line? Make sure your child listens to what the teacher has to say.
* Give your child practice in following directions. Make a game of it. Give him/her a recipe and ask him/her to follow it. Or, ask him/her to look through a newspaper article and circle all the nouns. Try timing your children as they complete these tasks-tests often have a time limit.
* Make sure your child is physically ready to take the test. Aside from studying, the next best preparation is a good night's sleep before the test. Make sure he/she eats a good breakfast. Encourage him/her to wear a sweater that he/she can remove-there's nothing worse than being too hot or too cold.
 
Medication
The Leon County School Board has a strict policy in regards to administering medicine to students. Students are not to bring prescription or non-prescription medicine to school. If your child has medication that needs to be taken during school hours, a Medication Permission Form must be completed by a parent or guardian identifying the medication (Amoxicillin, Ritalin, etc.) and indicating the time it is to be taken. Forms are available in the school office. Medication is administered ONLY by the administrative staff or designee. All medicine is kept locked in the school's clinic. All medication must come in original containers clearly labeled with child's name and dosage. (Ask pharmacist to provide an extra bottle.) No permission to administer medication will be granted by phone, as per school board policy.
 
Children That Become Sick At School
If your child becomes ill or is seriously injured at school, we will contact you immediately providing we have accurate and operable information.  Please keep 2 current phone numbers on file in the office.  Let the office know immediately if these numbers should change.  We may not call parents when children get minor scrapes and bumps while at school.  Please remember, we cannot keep ill children at school.  It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure their children have recovered from contagious diseases before returning to school.
 
Current Information On Students
It is very important that we have accurate phone numbers in case we need to contact parents during the school day or after school hours.  We have found that many of the phone numbers we have in our files are no longer useful.  Please remember to send in any changes of emergency contact numbers as they occur (this includes home, work and cell numbers).  If at all possible, you should have 2 other emergency contacts that we may call.  If your address changes, bring in appropriate proof of address.
 
Nutrition Tip of the Week
A winter alternative to fresh fruit: Eating fruits and vegetables is easy in the summer when everything is fresh and readily available. What do you do in the winter? Try dried fruit.  It's always available. Like fresh fruit, dried fruit provides fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium and folate. Each serving of dried fruit may contain more calories than fresh, but in the dead of winter, it's still a good choice. Dried fruit is easy to carry. It can be added to salads, pancake batter, bread recipes or even your daily bowl of cereal.

Physical Activity Tip of the Week
Exercise and Energy:  Just 20 minutes of light exercise a day will dramatically increase your energy levels.  Stretching
decreases stress-induced fatigue.  Use it or lose it: energy sticks around only as long as you keep  exercising.

An Appointment is Needed 
Parents, an appointment is needed when you come to the school and want to meet with a teacher or to speak with a teacher.  Please keep in mind that you MUST call prior to arriving!  We are asking teachers to make us aware of all appointments in the front office and if you are not on the teacher's list of appointments, you will have to schedule an appointment or write the teacher a note.
 
Please join Leon County Schools for the American Cancer Society's RELAY FOR LIFE OF NORTH LEON KICKOFF @CABANNA'S 2915-301 Kerry Forest Parkway THURSDAY, JANUARY 27TH @ 6:30 P.M.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO: Learn about Relay For Life Sign up your team "Early Bird" Teams Can Choose Campsites Brainstorming for 2005 Relay Light Refreshments RSVP/QUESTIONS? Michelle Hayse (850) 297-0588 ext. 118 American Cancer Society Valerie Witters (850) 488-1756 ext. 223 Chiles High School

Other Relay for Life events in Leon County:
March 18-19 at FAMU Campus--contact is Mike Magnuson  297-0588 Ext 114
April 1-2  at FSU Campus--contact is Parky Parkhurst at 297-0588 Ext 128
April 8-9 at TCC Campus--contact is Parky Parkhurst (see above)
April 8-9 at Chiles HS-- contact is Michelle Werner-Hayse at 297-0588 Ext 118
May 6-7 at the N. Florida Fairgrounds--contact is Mike Magnuson at 297-0588 Ext 114

 
Upcoming Events
February is Black History & Dental Health Month!
February 4, 2005                                  FCAT PEP RALLY/ School Newsletter goes home/Spirit Day
February 8, 2005                                  4th grade STUDENTS TAKE FCAT  WRITING   TEST!
February 11, 2005                                Class News go home/Spirit Day
February 18, 2005                                School Newsletter/Spirit Day
February 21, 2005                                President's Day - NO SCHOOL
February 24, 2005                                Lunch with Parents & Principals @ 11:00 a.m.
                                                                           Family Reading Night @ 6:30 p.m.
February 25, 2005                                Reading Connection Newsletter goes home/Spirit Day
February 28, 2005 -March 4, 2005     FCAT TESTING for 3, 4, & 5 grade students
 
 
As always, please do not hesitate to call upon me at 488-2819 or email me at [log in to unmask]  
 
Have a electrifying week!
 
Dr. Marilyn Jackson-Rahming
Principal