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Irwin Academic Center PTA
Weekly Hoot Newsletter

This email newsletter, as well as social media, will be the PTA's primary method of correspondence. Be sure to encourage other Irwin parents to sign up to receive our Weekly Hoot by sending them this message. Once they receive it, they can click here to subscribe.

January 10, 2022

Welcome back to school! We hope everyone had a great first week. We're looking forward to more fun this week!

In this issue:

Important Dates
ParentSquare Highlights
Staff Spotlight
NEHS Fundraiser
Open House Dates
Randolph Middle School Open House
Piedmont Open IB Middle School Open House

Important Dates

January 17 - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - No School

January 24 - Teacher Workday - No School

Load the Irwin PTA calendar to your calendar app using the links found here - never miss an update!

ParentSquare Highlights

Are you getting updates from ParentSquare?

ParentSquare is the best way to stay up to date with important information at Irwin!

Here are just a few of the topics from the last week:

Parents of Bus Riders -
In order to get updated on late buses at 4:30pm, you will need to change your ParentSquare settings to instant messages (not digest). If you download the app, you can communicate directly with Ms. Pearce if you have any bus questions.

Upcoming MAP Dates -
The window is open for MAP K-8 Math and Reading Growth Tests. It is also open for MAP K-3 Reading Fluency. Irwin Teachers will communicate the dates their classroom is testing. Please look for that information in your next classroom newsletter.

Please Welcome our New Staff Members -
Irwin has hired two Guest Teachers. Depending on the day, you might find them substituting, pulling small groups, or team teaching. Please help us welcome Mr. Dailey and Ms. MacLaren to the Irwin Family!

Many more updates on the app!

Staff Spotlight

Each week, we would like to spotlight our wonderful teachers and staff through short interviews so that the Irwin community can get to better know those that make Irwin such an awesome place for your kids to call school!

This week we interviewed Ms. Crumpler, one of our 3rd grade teachers, and Mr. Faiella, one of our 5th grade teachers.

Mr. Faiella, 5th grade teacher:

What made you want to become an educator?

Mr. Faiella: "My younger brother, who is 11 years younger than me. I found myself always teaching and coaching him, so becoming an educator to others was a natural transition."

Do you have any hidden talents the students might be surprised to know?

Mr. Faiella: "I love to play and watch sports during my free time! Basketball is my favorite; my favorite NBA player of all time would be Jason Kidd. "

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only book and movies to watch, what favorite books and movies would you want with you?

Mr. Faiella: "My favorite books would have to be: Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and the Bible. Movies would have to be: Knives Out, Lion King, & all of the Marvel movies. I am a HUGE fan of mysteries & Disney!"

If you could take your students on a field trip anywhere in the world, where would you take them?

Mr. Faiella: "I would love to take my students to explore New York City, since I was born only 15 minutes away from the Big Apple! There are so many places to visit, and easy to navigate once you are in Manhattan. It would make for a great trip!"

What is your favorite thing to cook? And what is your favorite meal from the cafeteria?

Mr. Faiella: "My favorite thing to cook is pasta with seafood (clams, shrimp, or mussels)! Add a little bit of lemon to the dish as well and dinner is served."

Ms. Crumpler, 3rd grade teacher:

What made you want to become an educator?  
Ms. Crumpler: "Being born and raised in Charlotte, NC, I am a CMS kid myself. There were times I struggled in school, but there were teachers who helped me along the way and I got better at it. The reason I became an educator is to be the teacher along the way, to help students get to where they need to be, so they become better in their education."

Do you have any hidden talents the students might be surprised to know?
Ms. Crumpler: "I used to be a cheerleader, competed in a Triathlon, and played the clarinet."

If you were stranded on a deserted island with only books to read and movies to watch, what favorite books and movies would you want with you?
Ms. Crumpler: "One of my favorite books is The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and one of my favorite movies is It's A Wonderful Life."

If you could take your students on a field trip anywhere in the world, where would you take them?  
Ms. Crumpler: "The Great Wall of China because the wall is 13,171 miles long and I think the kids would be amazed to see how long the wall is."

What is your favorite thing to cook? And what is your favorite meal from the cafeteria?
Ms. Crumpler: "My favorite meal that I cook is chicken alfredo. My oldest son loves it. My youngest son likes when I cook salmon. My favorite meal from the cafeteria would be breakfast for lunch."

NEHS Fundraiser

Open House Dates for Prospective Families

Irwin has scheduled Virtual Open Houses for prospective families.

Share the dates with your friends and family, and anyone who might be interested in finding a school home at Irwin!

Tuesday, January 18th @ 9:45 a.m.

The dates are posted to the school website under "Announcements."

Parents need to click this link https://forms.gle/yyBjx6ZcpGzrUAQ99 to sign up to attend.

Randolph Middle School Open House Dates

Q&A Parent Information Live Zoom Sessions for Prospective Families for the 2022-23 School Year

The following Zoom sessions are for parents to come and participate in a Q&A session after watching our Parent Information Presentation video

January 18th, 2022- 9:30 am

Parent Information Presentation Video

Parent Presentation Slide Deck can be found in the RMS website under “Lottery Information”

ZOOM Link: https://bit.ly/ParentQsAs

Passcode:424507

Piedmont Open IB Middle School Open House Dates

Piedmont is hosting both virtual and in-person Open House sessions for prospective students.

Please use this sign up link to attend one of the upcoming sessions: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4caeac2fa46-piedmont

January 11 - 6:00 pm, in-person

Amazon Smile
Planning back to school shopping? Football parties? Birthday parties? Anything else under the sun?
Amazon donates to Irwin Academic Center's PTA when you shop @AmazonSmile!
Just click here and shop as usual... your PTA will get a teeny tiny cut of your purchase dollars with no further cost to you!

Support Irwin while you shop!
Register your loyalty program cards every year:

Harris Teeter VIC Card, school #1150. Sign up here to link your VIC card to Irwin! (Did you know you need to re-link every year?)

Amazon Smile program: sign up here by choosing Irwin Academic Center PTA

Got info for the Hoot? The Hoot is published every Monday. Any information to be included can be sent to secretary@irwinpta.org by the Saturday prior.

Irwin Academic Center PTA Weekly Hoot Newsletter