A.G. RICHARDSON BULLDOG EXPRESS

Volume 1, Issue 1

August /September 2018

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year! If you are new to Culpeper an A. G. Richardson, we extend a warm

welcome to you on behalf of our school and staff.

New Staff 2017-18:

Hello bulldogs! My name is Brittney Craig and

I am excited to be a part of the AGR team this year as

the new Behavior Interventionist. I was born and raised

in upstate New York and relocated to Virginia in 2014 with my husband and “fur child.” I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, specializing in Child and Youth Services from Cazenovia College and a Master’s

Degree in Human Services Counseling, specializing in Crisis and Trauma from Liberty University. My experi-ence includes many years of supporting and working with children and adolescents who have behavioral

challenges. My role at AGR is to help children who may

need more support in the classroom through positive behavioral interventions, goal-oriented plans, and crisis

management. I am very involved with our classroom

teachers and administration in order to determine what

is best for the children and classroom environment.

My name is Donald Downs and I am the new PE teacher at AGR! I have worked here for two years previous, as a para educator in a SPED classroom. I am a graduate of Culpeper County High School. I also went

on to graduate from Averett University with a Bachelors of Science in Physical Education. My passions are teaching, coaching football, and trying to stay physically fit! I currently coach football at CCHS for the Blue Dev-

ils and really enjoy it. I am from Culpeper, and I am so excited to be able to give back and educate the youth of

this community!

My name is Kimberly Hales and this is my first

year teaching. I graduated from Radford University in

2014 with a degree in Communication Sciences and

Disorders. I then pursued and finished my Masters in

Early Childhood Special Education from George Mason

in December 2017. I received a dual license to teach

Birth to 5 Special Education and in General Education

K-3. I just got married in July and moved to Warrenton

with my husband, Andrew. We have no children but we

have a fur baby, Cuzz. I am slightly obsessed with my

dog, and dogs in general so AGR is a great fit for me! I

really excited to be a part of the AGR family!

My name is Rachel Leary! This year will be my

first year at AGR and my first year working as a para

educator. I am from Culpeper and I graduated from

Eastern View H.S. in 2013. I am currently pursuing a

bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Liberty

University. I have a dog named Westley and I love to

read. I’m looking forward to a great school year!

My name is Leslie Tomblin, you may

know me as “Ben’s Mom” or “that PTO lady”. I

was born in Rochester, New York, but I grew up

in Atlanta, Georgia. After I married my husband

Mark we moved to York, Pennsylvania in 2011.

Our family moved from York to Culpeper in

2015 when my husband, who is a structural

engineer, was offered a job with the Virginia

Department of Transportation. Ben Tomblin is

my son, he’s in Miss Ruffo’s fifth grade class.

I’ve been an officer with the AGR PTO and a

regular volunteer in the school, so I’m a familiar

face to a lot of you. Just FYI, I’m an avid reader

-- love, love, love books. I’m so happy to be a

part of the AGR team!

Hello, my name is Julie Bostic and I

am the paraeducator for 2nd grade. I am a Cul-

peper native and some of you may know me

from the Culpeper County Public Library. My

daughter Brooke is a 1st grader here at A.G.

and my husband Chris is a science teacher at

Eastern View High School. Both of my parents

are retired educators. In my spare time I enjoy

hanging out with my family, my dog Ryder, and

my cat Sam. I enjoy working with 2nd graders.

My name is Samantha Oliveri. I at-

tended James Madison University for my under-

grad and Master's program in Education. I was

born and raised in Ruckersville, VA about 30

minutes south of Culpeper. I am extremely ex-

cited to start my first year as a Kindergarten

teacher here at A.G. Richardson. I am looking

forward to growing as a teacher and working

closely with my students and families.

My name is Nicolas Anderson and I am

one of the new paraprofessionals here at AGR! I

wanted to take some time to share a little bit

about myself. I am a graduate of Culpeper

County High School and currently am finishing

up my bachelor’s degree in Special Education

and Psychology through Liberty University

Online. I attended Liberty University for four

years before I decided to come home and finish

my last semester while working. The reason why

I want to do special education is because I have

a huge heart for it! I want my students to be

able to look up to me and be comfortable with

me so that they know that they are loved and if

they need help, they can come talk to me.

Welcome to AGR

Parent Points

of Interest

Students are tardy

if they are not in

the classroom at

8:20 a.m.

If there are changes

in your child’s

normal afternoon

routine PLEASE

make sure a note is

sent or a phone call

is made to our

school office before

2:00 pm. We CAN-

NOT take a students

word about these

changes.

All visitors are

required to sign in

at the office and

obtain a sticker

when they enter the

building. NO excep-

tions. Thanks!

Please make sure

that you complete

all school paperwork

and update phone

numbers if they

change.

If you must park

your car in the

morning, please

walk your child to

the front doors and

do not release them

to run through the

parking lot.

Please unload your

child inside the

cone area starting

at 7:45 a.m.

Do not enter the

bus loop before 9:00

am or after 1:45

pm. We have buses

entering and leav-

ing. Thank you!

Please drive slowly

and be patient. We

have lots and lots

and lots of car

riders.

Our job is to keep

all our students

safe. Please help us

by driving slowly.

Fourth Grade News The fourth grade team welcomes its

students and parents to an exciting

new school year, the #BestYearYet!

We are pleased to welcome back our

fantastic team of fourth grade teach-

ers, Mrs. Baird and her #BairdsBatch,

Mrs. Birch and her #AGRBirchBunch,

Mrs. Patton and her #PattonsPuzzlers,

and Miss Yard and the

#AGRYardSquad. We want to stay

connected with you through social me-

dia, so check out our Instagram at

agr_4th_grade. We will add some pic-

tures of the fun we are having in class!

We have a lot of fun things to teach

your fourth grader to start out the year.

In math, our students will be learning

more about large numbers (up to the

hundred millions!) As you see numbers in

the real world, see if your 4th grader can

read those numbers to you! We will also

be practicing multiplication facts to build

up their fact fluency. All 4th graders have

a Reflex Math log in - encourage them to

log in and get the green light at home!

They will be reading and writing as part of

Daily Five, a balanced approach to litera-

cy. In Virginia Studies, they will delve into

the geography of Virginia and will learn all

about the Native Americans who call Vir-

ginia home. Look for the weekly study cal-

endars so your child will be pre-

pared! Finally, they will be conduct-

ing science experiments as they

learn about the Scientific Method.

Has your child told you about our

polymer experiment yet?

We look forward to partnering with

you to make this year their

#BestYearYet!

ing and solving single and multi-

step word problems that involve addition, subtraction, and multi-

plication of whole numbers and

decimals. We will also be working

on order of operations, patterns

and rounding decimals. In read-ing this month, we will be working

on our writing skills and taking a

look at homographs and homo-

nyms. (Ask us to tell you the dif-

ference!) We’ll be reading realistic

fiction stories, poetry, and biog-raphies, and discussing plot,

School is back in session and we

are all excited for a super 2018-2019 school year! During the

next month, we will be exploring

matter and sound in science. Be

on the lookout for some fun pro-

jects! As we start back on our math journey, we encourage stu-

dents to be practicing their addi-

tion, subtraction, and multiplica-

tion facts. Having a good grasp

on math facts makes succeeding

in this subject much easier. Fifth graders will be working on creat-

theme, setting, characters, fact

and opinion, and cause and effect skills. We have a lot to accom-

plish, but we are off to a great

start!

Fifth Grade News

Greetings from the Music Depart-

ment! Hopefully, everyone had a restful and exciting summer and

is ready to start the year off on

the right NOTE! We will be start-

ing fall rehearsals with the A.G.R.

Stars and Ringers very soon in preparation for our Holiday Con-

cert 2018. Interested 4th and 5th

graders are encouraged to audi-

tion during school hours, allowing

them to choose to participate in

one or both of the ensembles. So keep an EAR open for those per-

mission forms!

Library News Music News

Welcome back! We are so excited about what is happening in the Library this year.

We are currently learning how to be re-sponsible with books borrowed from our Library. Students are excited about new books and are looking forward to a great

year. Mark your calendars: Scholastic Fall Book Fair will be coming, Sept. 27-October 5, 2018. We are in need of many volun-teers for set up, assisting students with

their wish lists, assisting students finding books, working our table of pens, erasers, etc.. and the breakdown of the book fair. Please email me

at Gk5476@culpeperschools.org if you have not done so to sign up for volunteer-

ing.

Page 2 A.G. RICHARDSON

Our Para-Educators: Jessica Bailey, Michelle Cason,

Wayne Jacques, Amy Cornelius,

Julie Bostic, Tina Ducote, Amy Fea-

ganes, Cindy Fox, Denise Goyer,

Janis Hunt, Dianne Johns, Dawn

Koshoffer, Kathleen Lange, Rachel

Leary, Pattie Lotts, Kathy Massey,

Nick Anderson , Cheryl Rowe, Melis-

sa Smith, Leslie Tomblin, Nancy

Sink, Kelly Goff

Our Custodians:

Shirley Johnson, Penny Johnson,

Cathy Rose, and Micheal Williams

Our Cafeteria Workers: Sherry Bow-ers, Lisa Coates, Dottie Edwards,

Sara Mauck, Deann Woodward

Lunch Room Monitors: Nita Williams

and Ann Marie Metzger

Office Staff: Sue Bridges, Brock Hodg-

son, Peggy Bailey, Joan Frye, and Kate

Decker

Fourth Grade Teachers:

Traci Patton, Molly Baird, Vanessa Yard,

Megan Birch

Fifth Grade Teachers:

Jan Aylor, Danielle Ruffo, Patrick Hallett,

Emily Kinzer

Special Education Teachers:

Kim Sawyers, Mary Greso, Sheila Hawkins,

Kim Hales, Becky Burgoon, Emily Wolfford,

Katelyn Breeden

TDT: Amy Lillard , Behavior Intervention-

ist: Brittney Craig

Data Specialist: Nancy Sink

Speech: Candice Rinker and Susie Carter

Reading Resource: Kim Berry,

Becky Rendell

Math Specialist: Candy Stand-

ley

Guidance: Janine Morrison

Music/Band: Chris Gibson and

Adam Roach

Art: Karen Testerman

PE: Sharon Gregory

Library: Gigi Kay

Ace: Clarissia Hicks

ITRT: Matt Ortman

Nurse: Christina Wade

Kindergarten Teachers:

Tracy Anderson, Samantha Oliveri,

Erin Mitchell, Christen Funderburk

First Grade Teachers:

Melissa Jenkins, Jason Berger, Te-

resa Myers, Lisa Minavio

Second Grade Teachers:

Mary Henderson, Idah Rhea White,

Tammy McFarland, May Beth Bopp

Third Grade Teachers:

Cindy LaFontaine, Ruby Martin,

Kelly Simpson, Hilary Seserko,

Missy Shurina

Hello to all and welcome back! We

are excited to see so many new faces

in second grade this year. All second

graders are looking forward to our

field trip to Carter Mountain Orchard

on September 21st. Please be sure to

check your child’s Thursday folder

for field trip information and the per-

mission slip. The second graders are busy review-

ing basic skills such as math facts to

20, reading, and following the rules

for writing good sentences. Please

continue to read with your child eve-

ry night for at least twenty minutes.

We alternate between science and

social studies. In social studies, we

are studying good citizenship. We

will be learning about magnets in sci-

ence. The children are happy to be using the

big playground equipment now that

they are bigger and have reviewed the

rules for playing safely on these struc-

tures. Also, be sure to read and sign your

child’s agenda nightly as this provides

a means for you to be informed

about what is expected for home-

work, offers insight regarding

your child’s behavior during the

school day, and allows both

teacher and parent to communi-

cate on a daily basis. As always,

don’t hesitate to contact us if any-

thing is needed or if you have any

questions. Thank you for all your

support. We are looking forward

to a great school year!

Second Grade News

Our Wonderful AGR Faculty and Staff

Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3

We love our students at

A. G. Richardson!!!

Third Grade News Speech-Language

The third grade students and staff are gearing up for another exciting school year! Along with working to establish our routines and classroom proce-dures, here are some of the things we will be learning about. In reading, students will be learning about story elements, context clues, and sequenc-ing events. In math, they will be ex-ploring place value and patterns. In social studies, the students will be

studying citizenship, government, and

diversity.

Parents, we look forward to working

with you and your child this year. It is important that we communicate often

as the students adjust to the new ex-pectations of third grade. Please re-view and sign your child’s agenda nightly to keep up with homework, announcements, and student behav-

ior!

On another note, we would like to

introduce our team. Ms. LaFontaine,

Ms. Martin, Miss Seserko, Mrs. Shuri-

na, and Miss Simpson are the 3rd

grade teachers at A.G.R. Together we

have over 85 years of teaching experi-

ence! We look forward to collaborating

and making this a wonderful school

year!

I hope everyone has had a smooth

transition back to school. It's so exciting to see everyone's smiling

faces. Classroom Guidance les-

sons will occur monthly to ad-

dress character trait development

and the School Counseling Stand-ards. I'm here to help you & your

child, please let me know if I can

assist in any manner.

Counselor Corner Kindergarten News

Melissa Jenkins is beginning her 28th year of teach-

ing. She has a Masters in Elementary Education.

Ms. Jenkins has three Siamese cats, Isis, Cleo, and Willy. She also loves to read, exercise, and work

crossword puzzles.

Teresa Myers is beginning her 13th year at A.G.R.

She taught Head Start and third grade previously in Stafford County. Mrs. Myers has been married for

40 years. She has three grown children, six grand-

children, and one great grandchild. She loves to read and go camping! She looks forward to growing

with her first grade students.

Lisa Minavio is beginning her 27th year teaching and

her 14th year in first grade. In her spare time, she

likes to travel, exercise, and read. She loves cheer-ing for the Philadelphia Eagles.

As always, please remember to look at your child’s

folder each night, sign and return it to school. Also, please make sure to help your child make sure that

homework is completed and returned to school

when it is due.

1st Grade Jumps into Learning For the first few weeks of school first graders are

busy reviewing kindergarten math and reading con-

cepts. With this review comes readiness to begin first grade work. ”What fun!” The first grade teach-

ers would like to share a bit of information about

themselves.

Jason Berger is beginning his 2nd year of teaching at A.G.R.. He is originally from Pittsburgh. He

previously taught f

our years in Cleveland, Ohio. Jason has a dog named Mia. He is a big sports fan. He especially

likes the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Page 4 A.G. RICHARDSON

Welcome back to an excit-ing 2018-2019 school year! We look forward to working with your child this year. Speech and language services have begun as listed on your child’s IEP, Individual Educa-tion Plan. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s speech and language development or program, please do not hesitate to con-tact Mrs. Rinker at 825-0616 ext. 3692 or Mrs. Carter at

825-0616 ext. 3694.

The first week of Kindergarten was

a great success! The boys and

girls have done a nice job adjust-ing to the daily routine. We will

continue to review classroom

rules and procedures. Please re-

view your child's alphabet, num-

ber, and sight word flashcards

nightly. We look forward to hav-ing a year full of learning and new

experiences.

P. E. News:

**Please remember students must wear tennis shoes to P.E. Class. Shoes must cover the en-tire foot and fit properly for safety reasons. Students not wearing the correct shoes are not allowed to participate for safety reasons.

During the first month of school we have learned about the playground rules and the black top games! The students have been learning about different movements such as skipping, galloping, and running. We have

also been practicing our running to prepare for the Boosterthon Fun Run! At the end of this month we will

be starting a football unit, where the students will practice skills like throwing, catching, punting, and run-

ning with the football. On September 7th we will have a "Back to Football" Friday where students can wear a

jersey or shirt of their favorite football team.

Parent Tips:

-Every child gets a little nervous about starting school. Let’s make this year the best ever! Get organized!

-Start your child’s year by making a calendar and blocking out regular times for homework, play and other activities. Then stick to the schedule so your child will know what is expected.

-Put school things in a special place every day so children know where to look. This will help teach your

child organization skills and end the morning hide-and-seek games.

-Make breakfast a habit!

-Take a few minutes at night to get out clothes, shoes and pack the backpack for the next day. It is helpful to pack a lunch and put it in the refrigerator, too! Make sure children have dinner and get in bed at a set

time. Introduce rules about watching a little less T.V. and reading a little more.

It is going to be a great year at A.G.R.

September Dates to Remember! Tuesday, 9/3 - Labor Day Holiday - No school for students Thursday, 9/6 - STEM Back to School Night for parents & students, 6-8PM Friday, 9/7 - Jersey Day - we celebrate the opening of the NFL season and promote students activity by wearing jerseys Tuesday, 9/11 - First Responders Recognition Day - SCA sponsors a reception for all First Responders Wednesday, 9/12 - Lion's Club on site to conduct vision/hearing screenings for all 3rd graders and students new to our school (grades 1-5 only) Thursday, 9/13 - Interim reports go home in Thursday folders - PTO Meeting & School Security Presentation for Parents - Mrs. Bridges and Mr. Hodgson will present information to parents, 6-8PM Friday, 9/14 - Lunch with the Principals at Country Cookin for selected 3rd-5th graders, 11-12:30 Thursday, 9/20 - AGR Spirit Night at Chick Fil A, 5-8PM Friday, 9/21 - 1st grade field trip to Carter Mountain Orchard - PTO Family Movie Night, 6-8PM Saturday, 9/22 - CCPS Maker Energy Faire, 10-2, EVHS Cafeteria Thursday, 9/27 - Fall Book Fair opens, through October 5. We need volunteers to help in the book fair!

INTRODUCTION TO ACE:

The first nine weeks is off to a flying start in the gifted program! Our ACE units in-clude Beyond Words for ACE 2, Journeys and Destinations for ACE 3, To Be A He-ro for ACE 4 and Beyond Base Ten for ACE 5. Students are not formally identified for service in kindergarten. First graders will be considered for evaluation for services at the end of the second nine weeks. If you would like additional information about the gifted program, please contact Ms. Hicks at chicks@culpeperschools.org.

News from Reading Resource

Can you believe we already have a few weeks of school under our belts? Now that the dust has settled, it is

time to keep up some of those reading habits you have worked on over the summer! ~Make reading a family thing! Even babies benefit from being read to, so encourage your young readers to

read to their younger brothers and sisters.

~Be a reading role model! Choose to read and show your child how excited you are about what you are

reading.

~Pick out fun places to read! Kids love novelty. Making a special fort, cozy corner space, or even filling a

bathtub with pillows and blankets may help keep that reading habit alive and even something to look for-ward to!

~Continue to use that library card! The library has so many great books, and they will continue to have a

lot of great programs for kids throughout the year!

~Find the moments! We know life is hectic! Instead of carrying tablets and phones, how about carrying books? The minutes add up by just reading 5-10 minutes here and there waiting in line!

No school for students on September 3, 2018

Reminder: If you have a student in grades 2-5, sign up for Parent Portal! It’s an excellent tool that allows you to check on grades and attendance.

This will be mandatory for students in our fifth grade as

September 13th - 6 p.m. PTO General Meeting / School Security / Pizza Night September 20th - 5 to 8 p.m. Chick Fil A Spirit Night September 21st - PTO Free Family Movie Night! Doors open at 5:30, Movie to start at 6. October 5th - Fall Festival/Book Fair Family Night October 11th - PTO General Meeting October 18th - Spirit Night Mama Mai’s

Upcoming PTO Events

Students have Resource classes everyday, please check your child’s agenda

for schedule.

Tardy bell rings at 8:20. Always be prepared and

ready for the day.

The Bulldogs News is posted on line at the beginning of each month.

Hard copies are available upon request.