September 19, 2022- Eye of the Tiger Newsletter

Dear Barrett Families:

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weekend! This week, students will continue their beginning of year assessments in literacy and mathematics. This week, we will continue with the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) Assessment for our 1st-5th grade students and the Math Inventory. Please ensure students arrive to school with a good night’s sleep and breakfast. Please see the information below to help you get ready for this week!

• Barrett Runners: Do you like to run? Walk?  Interact with students and teachers you haven’t seen all week? Need a good place to sweat off the stress from your week?  Or, you just happen to look good in orange?Perhaps Barrett Runners is the answer?
  • Barrett Runners is a running and walking group for teachers, parents, and 3-4-5th grade students.  Each year over 100 students and 25 teachers/parents sign up to participate. Teachers and parents pair up with 1-4 students to walk, walk/run, or run 2-3 miles in the Barrett neighborhood and in Lubber Run Park. Teachers/parents work with students to mentor and improve pace and enthusiasm each week. Good sportsmanship is expected, inappropriate behavior is not tolerated.
  • Barrett Runners will begin on Friday, October 7. We will meet 4:00 – 5:00 on Fridays after school throughout the school year with a break during the colder months. (First round is five sessions – 10/7, 10/14, 10/28, 11/4, 11/18).
  • Student permission forms are going home next week to 3rd-5th graders!
  • What do teachers/parents need to do?  Let Jessica Kingsley, jessica.kingsley@apsva.us,  know by responding via email if you are interested in running or walking with them this year or if you need further information about Barrett Runners.  What should you send to Jessica?

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Are you a runner, run/walker, or walker?
               2. What level of commitment: Most every week or occasionally?
               3. What is your shirt size?

 ***Parents- Please contact Jessica via email (jessica.kingsley@apsva.us) before coming on Fridays so she can explain more about Barrett Runners and send you the volunteer permission forms.

• COVID In-School Testing: APS will continue to offer optional in-school COVID testing for all students and staff through our testing partner, Aegis Sciences Corporation. Our testing day is Thursday from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM right near the outdoor lunch eating location.  Please see this link for more information.
  • Please remind your child to get tested on Thursday mornings if you have opted them in.How to OPT IN to Testing:If this is your first time participating: You can OPT IN here (students)If you participated last year:
  • You should renew your consent directly through the PrimaryHealth portal. Instructions were sent to the email you previously registered with. If you need assistance renewing consent, please reach out to covid@apsva.us.
• Fall Growth Assessment: Please see this parent letter about the upcoming Fall Growth Assessment. The Fall Growth Assessments will begin on September 21, 2022 for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.
• Volunteering at Barrett: We will have a variety of opportunities for families to volunteer at the school to support our students this school year. Please complete the volunteer application and other important training to complete your volunteer training if you are interested in volunteering. See this link for more information on volunteering with us.