- Cooper ES
- Principal's Message
Cooper Chronicles
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Cooper Chronicles (2-12-24)
Good day, Tigers. It has been quite a minute since I last took the opportunity to write you.
As I am sure you know, this is a short week for us. We will be on late-winter break, pre-spring break, February break... I am not sure what we call this break, but students and staff will have Thursday-Monday off to celebrate it. I pray you and your family will find time to rest, relax, and recharge as we continue plowing through the second semester.
I want to congratulate our Tigerbots First Lego League Team for their performance and achievement at Regionals (Grayson HS), Super-Regionals (Lanier HS), and most recently State (University of Georgia). They accomplished HUGE things during their competitions, but, in my opinion, the most important characteristic of this team is how they work together to problem-solve and how they respect each other. At each level of competition our team was recognized for their interpersonal skills by winning the Core Values Award at the Super-Regionals and winning second place at the state level for their Innovation Project. This is truly an exceptional group of students that are being led by two amazing educators, Mrs. Jaime Watson and Mr. Gary Fischer. Congratulations Tigerbots!
We have several events coming up that I would like to put on your calendar radar... the first being our annual Family Dance brought to you by our amazing PTA. The dance will be held on Saturday, February 24.
Also, our annual Culture Fest will be held on March 14. This special event, formerly known as International Night, is an opportunity for all of us to learn and appreciate the many different cultures that make-up our school. As of me writing this, we have 38 countries represented by our families with 34 different languages spoken at home. That is AMAZING! Since we have started honoring families by displaying their country's flag in our cafeteria several years ago, we have approximately 60 countries represented. Our diversity is our strength, and I hope you will join us on March 14 to share your family's culture and/or to learn about other families' cultures.
Penultimately, our PTA Spring Boosterthon will kick off on Monday, February 26. This is a no-sale fundraiser that relies on donations from friends and family. The fundraiser will conclude with a dance party for students on March 5. We ask that you help us raise funds to support our academic initiatives and programs.
Finally, I want to thank you, our families, and staff members, for supporting Cooper ES. I know it isn't always easy navigating through a school year, but as long as we stay focused on students and working to make sure they get all they need to be successful learners, we will manage the occasional bumps-in-the-road.
Until next time, stay dry, stay healthy, and be good!
Your VERY PROUD and APPRECIATIVE Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (1-5-24)
Happy Friday, Tigers.
I hope that you and your family have had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to tackle the demands of the second semester. Your child has already begun learning the AKS for the third quarter even though it was a short week.
Ask your child about the school's Double Buck Zone. I hope you hear something like this, "I can earn double Tiger Bucks if I am caught showing great Tiger Traits in the cafeteria this month. Next month it will be a different Double Buck Zone." Our students are doing such a good job earning Tiger Bucks. It's interesting to me to see each child's 'strategy'... some never spend them in hopes of buying something really big at the end of the year, while some spend them as quickly as possible in fear of the Tiger Bucks burning a hole in their pocket. Regardless of the strategy used, our school is benefiting from our students' focus on the Tiger Traits. Thank you for supporting this program and our Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program.
Our next PTA General Meeting will be held on January 11 at 6 PM in the school's cafeteria. We invite you out to engage with our wonderful PTA Executive Officers, hear about the work that has been done to benefit the school, students, and staff, and also hear of upcoming events. The PTA Executive Committee will be presenting a budget amendment to the general membership on this night, so we certainly would like as many PTA members as possible to be here.
Yearbooks can be purchased on MyPaymentsPlus for $37 through January 31. The price goes up to $42 for the month of February, then to $45 for March. Order now to make sure you get one!
Exciting news!!! Our First Lego League Robotics Team is headed to the Super Regionals on January 20 at Lanier HS. I know you join me in wishing our coaches, Mrs. Watson and Mr. Fisher, and the team the very best of luck.
Upcoming Events...
1/19 @ 7:30 AM- All Pro Dad
1/19, 6-9 PM, Parent's Night Out (purchased through MPP) in support of our school's PBIS Program
1/26, Streak Day, students and staff wear their streak colors and have lunch with their grade level streak mates
1/30- School Book Fair Begins
2/2, Digital Learning Day #3
I would like to wish all of our families a very happy 2024. Until we meet again, be safe, stay healthy, and be good!
Your VERY PROUD and RESTED Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (12-1-23)
Good evening, Tigers. I hope you are all doing well and getting in the holiday mood.
We are very busy with our students trying to wrap up the first semester. So many things are happening, like upcoming District Assessments, school performances, classroom parties, and more. We are speeding up to come to a sudden stop on December 15.
I would like to wish our First Lego League Team the very best as they compete tomorrow at Grayson HS. Our Tiger Bots have worked all semester building and coding their robot to perform specific tasks and identify, research, and present a "problem of practice". They have done amazing work and I know they will all shine tomorrow.
Our Performing Arts Club under the direction of Dr. Clark will be presenting The Toy Trial next week. Our students will have the opportunity to view the play next week as the club does a series of dress rehearsals. Their "BIG NIGHT" will be Friday, December 8 at 7 PM in the Cooper ES Gymnasium, or shall I say "Playhouse"? Look at MyPaymentsPlus for ticket information.
Also beginning next week and going through the following week is the Lil' Shopper's Shoppe. Your student should have a flyer in their Friday folder with details.
Lastly, for now anyway, is Pancakes with Santa and Holiday Bazaar on December 9 from 8:30 - 11:30. This Relay for Life fundraising event is an annual tradition at Cooper. We have several vendors signed up to sell their goods, members of the admin team will be flipping pancakes, and Santa will be here a professional photographer for pictures (sold separately). Look at your MyPaymentsPlus account for ticket information.
I wish you a wonderful, relaxing, and safe weekend. Until I see you again, be good and stay safe.
You VERY PROUD and JOLLY Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (10-20-23)
Happy Friday afternoon, Tigers. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this beautiful fall weather.
We have been collecting non-perishable food items this week for the Southeast Food Co-op and I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all you have sent. The co-op will pick up the items on Tuesday... so if we BEND the rules just a little, we can still collect items on Monday. So, let's do a food blitz on Monday to really fill the pantry at the co-op. This is the first STREAK challenge our students have participated in this year. I don't know exact counts, but the Isibindi Streak pulled a fast one and brough 8 cases of Ramen Noodles... that's 192 items! Just by observation, the Fiducia and Amistad Streaks look a little light...
I want to thank you for your participation in our Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences this past week. I know our teachers were here early and many stayed late. It is always an exhausting week, but the conversations, celebrations, and plan making make it well worth the efforts. Thanks again for your participation.
Field Days are just around the corner. We hope you are able to join us for your child's field day. Due to safety reasons and to ensure all of our students have the opportunity to enjoy field day, parents are responsible for any other children they may bring (younger siblings, etc.). Events/activities are only available for our students.
Field Day Schedule
Kindergarten... Monday, 9:30-11:30
First Grade... Monday, 12:45-2:45
Second Grade... Tuesday, 9:30-11:30
Fourth Grade... Tuesday, 12:30-2:30
Third Grade... Wednesday, 9:30-11:30
Fifth Grade... Wednesday, 12:30-2:30
Here are some other events coming up in the near future...
Red Ribbon Week, October 26- October 31
* Thursday- Wear your STREAK Colors
* Friday- Dress like a SUPER HERO or DISNEY CHARACTER
* Monday- PJ Day!
* Tuesday- Dress like your favorite STORY BOOK CHARACTER ($1 for United Way)
Sparkles Spirit Night, Thursday, October 26 (Costume Dress Up that is skate friendly)
Digital Learning Day, November 3
I hope each of you has a healthy, relaxing, and safe weekend. Until we see each other again, be good and stay healthy!
Your VERY PROUD Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (9-8-23)
Happy Friday afternoon, Tigers. I hope you have had a wonderful week and plan to take time to relax and recharge over the weekend.
We have had a very busy week at Cooper ES, despite having school four days instead of five. First, we had a wonderful turn-out at Bruster's-Grayson for our first PTA Spirit Night event. A LOT of ice cream left the building between 6 and 9 PM... A LOT! Mrs. Kelly Sims' first grade class won the class challenge. Congratulations, Mrs. Sims and class!
Last night PTA sponsored another great event, BINGO NIGHT. We had a great turn-out for this as well and had a ton of fun! A lot of people won a lot of gift cards and other prizes.
Then, this morning, we hosted A LOT of grandparents (and some parents snuck in :-) as we celebrated Grandparent's Day. We had a larger-than-expected turn out, but it looked like everyone left with a smile on their face (except one little girl that didn't want her Memaw to leave). Thank you goes to our Family Liaison, Kareen McKoy, for organizing this wonderful event.
You would think that our September would slow down after such a speedy beginning, but NOOOO, that's not the Cooper way. We are in the midst of our fall Book Fair. Literacy Night is just around the corner (September 14, 6-8 PM), and our annual Fall Festival is on Saturday, September 23.
We love seeing you out at these events, and we know you can't make it to EVERY one. However, the more plugged in your are to your school, the more you and your child get from the overall school experience. So, thank you for your participation and support.
Lastly, keep an eye out for some special announcements concerning PTA's upcoming fundraiser. Without these funds, PTA could not continue to offer such awesome events, so your support is very much appreciated. Our Fine Arts Program, which I know will knock your socks off soon, is looking forward to your support as well.
Until we see each other again, which there are many opportunities to do so, I hope you stay safe, healthy, and good.
Your VERY PROUD (because I really am proud to serve you and our community as your) Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (9-1-23)
Happy Friday afternoon, Tigers. I hope you are ready for a wonderful three-day weekend where you can relax and spend time with family. I know all of us "school people" are ready!
School Council elections ended this week. I'd like to congratulate Kaylee Adcock, Michelle Hawkins, Maria Hernandez, and Melissa Kiefer to the Cooper Elementary School Council. We look forward to working with you.
Two students, Daniel and Michael, helped co-author the following about our upcoming book fair... reading books helps your creativity and keeps you engaged. Reading is like "gaming in a book' and "fun in a book." Daniela nd Michael... I couldn't have said it better myself! Thank you for supporting our media center by participating in our fall book fair.
I want to point your attention to an additional piece of communication that started hitting your email boxes last spring... our monthly newsletter. Our Family Liaison, Kareen McKoy, produces the newsletter that has upcoming events and other bits of information so our parents can stay informed.
Car Riders... I believe things have settled to somewhat normal out in morning and afternoon dismissal. Please be reminded that we shut down operations in the morning at 8:47 AM. This is three minutes prior to the tardy bell. Rationale... kids must be IN CLASS at the 8:50 bell, and our staff must be in class at 8:50 to start our instructional day. If car rider has shut down, please park and walk your child into the building. Additionally, we still have parents wanting/trying to drop off in the bus lane. Please know and understand that this is not possible while we are in the loading and unloading of buses process. We appreciate everyone's understanding for this.
Last bit of information that is not in the newsletter... but is in your child's Friday Folder... Bruster's (Grayson) Spirit Night is Tuesday, September 5 from 6-9. Come out, fellowship, and eat some chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream, or a flavor of your choosing, while supporting our PTA. I look forward to seeing you there.
I hope each of you has a wonderful, safe, and relaxing three-day weekend. Until we see each other again, be safe, be good, and stay healthy.
Your VERY PROUD and READY-FOR-A-BREAK Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (8-18-23)
Good afternoon, Tigers. I hope you are all doing well and have a fun and relaxing weekend planned.
We have completed the first 13 days of school! We are finding our stride and getting our processes and procedures down inside our classrooms, inside the school, and in our parking lot :-)
Speaking of parking lot... just a reminder to our returning parents, and a "in case you missed it" to our new parents... car riders must go through the car rider lane, which enters at the stop light. Trying to enter the front drive during bus arrival/unloading will result in our staff getting into an awkward situation having to redirect you to the other parking lot. If you need to come into the school with your child to drop off documents or other items, we ask that you park in the car rider parking lot. Your help with this is greatly appreciated.
We had our first Curriculum Night last night. Thank you to those that came to hear more information about the school year from your child's teacher. PK-3rd grade Curriculum Night will be Thursday, August 24. Each child represented by a parent at Curriculum Night will receive a Tiger Buck for EFFORT... we know it takes time and energy to come, and we want to honor that commitment.
We will have our first PTA meeting of the year on Thursday at 6 PM in our cafeteria. This is a very important first meeting because we will be asking our general membership to approve the PTA operating budget for the school year. Immediately following the meeting, our teachers will be released to go to their classrooms, and parents will be released from the cafeteria shortly after.
Mr. Kashella will be hosting our first Special Education Family Night of the school year in the media center right after the PTA meeting on Thursday. Parents of students in our multi-grade programs are invited to join and learn more about our school, our programs, and the resources we have in place to support our students. Each student represented will also receive a Tiger Buck for EFFORT.
Finally, I want to invite you to attend the FREE Back to School Splash Bash next door at Anchor Church. The Splash Bash will be on Saturday, August 26 from 4-7 PM. I've heard there will be a dunk tank, and YOU KNOW WHO is expected to be in it at some time. Anchor Church has partnered with McConnell Middle School and Cooper Elementary School for several years and continue to support the faculty, staff, students, and families at both schools. Join us at Anchor on August 26.
Until we meet again, be good, be safe, and stay healthy.
Your VERY PROUD and TIRED Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (8-4-23)
Wowsers, Tigers. We did it! The first three days down, with two days to recover.
Thank you all for your time and attention to making our first week go so well. We will continue to hone our processes and procedures to ensure the safety of our students and the efficiency of our operations as we continue getting our rhythm for the school year.
Today was the first day we expected all of our students to go to their classroom on their own (staff were still available for guides). They did great!
Beginning Monday, we would like for ALL student drop offs to be via our car rider process... that's entering the parking lot at the stop light and weaving through. Never should students be dropped off in any other area (Ozora Road, Berry Road, front parking lot). This creates a very dangerous environment for our students. Our staff will kindly redirect vehicles to the car rider lane.
Our PTA is beginning to plan for the Fall Festival on September 23. If you are a business owner or know a person that would like to be a vendor at the Fall Festival, please see the attached flyer for more information. This will be a great event, and very well attended if the past few years can be used as an indicator.
Students will be introduced to Tiger Bucks beginning Monday. Tiger Bucks is our tangible token for our Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program. Be sure to ask your child about them on Monday.
Just a few dates for you to put on your calendar...
August 17, Curriculum Night for Grades 3, 4, 5
August 24, Curriculum Night for Grades K, 1, 2
August 24, Special Education Family Night
Rest up and get prepared for a full week of learning. Until then, be good, be safe, and stay healthy.
Your VERY PROUD and TIRED Principal,
Paul -
Cooper Chronicles (7-13-23)
Good afternoon, Tigers. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the last bits of summer before we all head back to school. I look forward to seeing you all, but also know that the beginning of the school year is NON-STOP, and I don't think I'm quite ready for that :-)
Have you considered working at Cooper Elementary School? We have positions that we are still trying to fill. We have custodial positions, paraprofessional positions with some of our special education programs, and we have a teaching position still open.
Although we prefer teacher candidates to have completed a traditional teacher prep program, we know that these folks are coming harder and harder to find. Did you know that their are pathways to teaching for those that hold a bachelor's degree or higher in any field? If you enjoy working with children and adults alike, are interested in making positive connections with adults and children, and would like to pursue a career in education, reach out and apply to Gwinnett County Public Schools. Not only do we have open positions, schools throughout the district are looking for highly motivated people willing to take on the challenge. Click HERE to being exploring what it takes to be a member of Team GCPS.
Save the Date
July 18, 5 PM - 6:30 PM, Principal in the Park w/Popsicles, Bay Creek Park playground, Ozora Road- I've had a blast hanging out with students and parents alike at the last two events on our playground. Let's step it up and hit the park before school gets going... connect and engage with each other, our PTA, and who knows who else might be there...
July 28, 8:30-11:30, Open House! Come meet your child's teacher, drop off those first day supplies, get transportation stuff figured out, and get the 'lay of the land'. No time breakdown by alphabet this year, but know that not EVERYONE has to be here at 8:30 :-) Parking can be a challenge on days like this, so pace yourself... and don't get here too early (we have to get the teachers in the building and in their classroom)
August 2, 8:00, First Day of School. Our PTA would like to invite all of our new parents (parents of kindergartners AND parents of students that have transferred to our school) to their Tears and Cheers Welcome to Cooper event in the media center right after you drop your kids off. They will have coffee and pastries, as well as tissues available. Key school staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. PTA looks forward to connecting with you!
August 17, 6 PM, Curriculum Night, Grades 3-5. Come to one of two sessions that will give you the details about the ins and outs of the school, the classroom, and other information
August 24, 6 PM, Curriculum Night, Grades PK-2, Come to one of two sessions that will give you the details about the ins and outs of the school, the classroom, and other information
Finally, I challenge you to join Cooper Elementary's PTA. Membership does not commit you to anything, but it does show your support to our school, our staff, our students, and our community. Our school's membership gives our school more influence at the council, district, and state level as the number of delegates we have is based on our membership. PTA will have a membership drive with incentives for classrooms, so get an early start. Join today! Begin by clicking HERE.
That's all for now... until we meet again, be good and stay safe!
Your VERY PROUD Principal,
P
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Cooper Chronicles (6-6-23)
Good afternoon, Tigers. I hope your first bit of summer has been relaxing and recharging.
It has been a few weeks since I have sent a school-wide message, but I wanted to first thank you for this school year and your support of the school, your child's teachers, and our staff. We are better together, and this community certainly lives by that mantra.
Second, I want to provide an invitation to anyone interested in joining our team at Cooper ES. We have several support positions open for the 2023-2024 school year. As our school grows in the ways we can serve our community, the need for outstanding, motivated people increases. Here is what we have:
Special Education Paraprofessional Positions
Job Code Program
84914 - Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level II
84913 - Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level I
84910 - Emotional Behavior Disorders
84909 - Moderate Intellectual Disabilities
84921 - Severe and Profound Intellectual Disabilities
Instructional Support Position
87514 - Instructional Clerk (KK Para)
Other Support Positions
87278 - Custodian (two) (12 month position)
The unicorn position... Part-time Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) (Job Code 87278)
If you are interested in working a schedule that is very similar to your school-aged child's schedule, and you have a passion for helping grow people, I would encourage you to apply to any/all of the listed positions. All of the positions listed are fully benefited, and with the exception of the custodial positions, are 190 day positions. Begin the application process by clicking HERE.
Lastly, I would like to invite you and your family to our first Playground with the Principal on Tuesday, June 13 from 5:00-6:30. I will borrow some equipment from Coach Blair and Coach Larsen, or feel free to bring your own, and we'll just have some fun down on our playground (weather permitting). I hope this time will be fun, relaxing, and an opportunity to engage at a different level with each other.
With that, I wish you a wonderful week and a wonderful summer. Be good, stay safe, and be healthy.
Your VERY PROUD Principal,
Paul