S.S. Dixon Intermediate School
Mrs. Gooch’s Good News
It is hard to believe there are only 60 school days left! This year has flown by to me. We begin
what many consider a stressful time of the year known as the testing season. To me, this is a
time for our students to shine. They can show how much they know! Please encourage your
student to do their very best on any assessment they might take. Please do your best not to
schedule appointments on testing dates because most students do better when they can take the
assessment on the same day as their classmates in their own classrooms. Thank you to everyone
who participated in PRIDE STRIDE to raise money for Relay for Life. We raised almost
$3000.00. We have several events coming up during March. On March 11th, we have a group of
4th and 5th grade students participating in the Pi Math Competition at Pensacola High School.
They will compete individually and in SSDI teams against other schools from Santa Rosa and
Escambia Counties. On March 14th we have our annual Pi Night. This is a family event that allows
families to participate in math games/activities and earn a slice of delicious pie! Field day/kite
day follows on March 15th. This is a great day for the students to participate in individual and
class events. We hope you will join us for both events. Spring break begins on March 17th with a
planning day and then the following week off. Students return to school on March 27th. Did you
know that any time you make a purchase at Office Depot and mention our ID number: 70023237
you help us earn 5% of qualifying sales? Please share concerns or areas in which you believe we
could improve. More information about SSDI: https://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/schools/dis.html.
Mr. Balsavich’s News
Tutoring: Math tutoring will continue until March 16th. If your child is participating, please have
them at school by 7 am for morning tutoring OR pick them up at 3:45 for afternoon tutoring.
PBS Program
As spring break nears we are continually focusing on our P.R.I.D.E. expectations. Our goal is to
have students strive to do their best academically as well as behaviorally. As a school we have
seen a decrease in behavioral referrals as well as students being motivated to go above and
beyond to demonstrate being Prepared, Respectful, Integrity, Doing the best, and showing
that Everyone matters. On March 16th we will be rewarding those students who have earned their
3rd 9-weeks PBS event during the school day. The event will include a presentation by our local K9 unit followed by a live demonstration of how these K-9’s are used to help officers locate lost
children.
Afternoon Car Rider Dismissal
I want to start off by saying THANK YOU for all of your patience and understanding as we have
implemented new policies and procedures to enhance the safety of our students during afternoon
car rider dismissal. Just a few reminders as you pick up your child in the afternoon.
Please have your car rider tag hanging and visible to be seen as you enter the car rider line.
Please stay inside your vehicle at all times, we will make sure your child finds you.
Please be on the lookout for your child as they are loading and drive with caution as you exit
the line.
If you do not have a car rider tag visible you will be directed to park in the school parking lot and
present a valid identification to the front office to verify you have permission to pick up that
particular child. If you need a car rider tag and have not been issued one, please stop by the
front office and they can provide you one.
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Access at home and school
We have purchased a new computer program that every child now has access to at school and at
home. Flocabulary is a learning program for all grades that uses educational hip-hop music to
engage students and increase achievement across the curriculum. Flocabulary offers standardsbased videos, instructional activities and student creativity tools to supplement instruction and
develop core literacy skills. Please contact your child’s teacher for additional information and
access to user name and password.
Literacy Night
What an outstanding night to celebrate literacy! Listening to teachers read in their classrooms,
activities that went along with the stories, and cookie decorating afterwards couldn’t be any
better. Thank you for all of you that were able to attend and show your love and support for
reading.
2017 STANDARDIZED TESTING
Here are the dates for Florida Standards Assessment
FSA English Lang Arts
3rd grade
FSA Math
3rd grade
FSA English Lang Arts
4th grade
FSA Math
4th grade
FSA English Lang Arts
5th grade
FSA Math
5th grade
NGSSS Science
5th grade
testing:
March 28 & 29
April 12 & 13
April 24 & 25
April 26 & 27
April 18 & 19
April 20 & 21
May 1 & 2
paper based
computer based
computer based
computer based
computer based
computer based
paper based
NEWS FROM THE MEDIA CENTER
The students participating in the book club have their next meeting on March 16. The book for
March is Gabby Duran and the Unsittables.
NEWS FROM P.E.
Greetings from PE!
Bicycle safety is off to a great start! We need volunteers to help students learn to ride and to
make minor bike adjustments/repairs. Come out anytime Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30
p.m. Bike safety will continue until March 9 (not on Fridays because of running club/choice).
Students may pick up their bikes that afternoon, Thursday, March 9, or Friday, March 10. We ask
that all bicycles be removed from the school grounds by 3 p.m. on March 10.
ATTENTION MARATHON PARTICIPANTS: Please remember that miles must be logged no later
than March 9, and all log sheets must be returned by March 10. No late log sheets will be
accepted. Your child is welcome to turn their log sheet in sooner if they reach 25.2 miles before
March 10.
Field Day/Kite Day will be held on Wednesday, March 15 here at SSDI. Students may bring a kite
of their own to fly or fly with a friend. Students may purchase a Kona Ice at Field Day for only
$3. All money must be given to your child’s teacher by March 15 for Kona Ice.
Physical Education is sponsoring a blood drive here at the SSDI campus on Friday, March 17 from
10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Walk in donors are welcome! Enjoy your Spring Break March 20-24!
Coach Keller, Coach Williams, and Coach Smith
NEWS FROM PTSO
It is time to start looking for parents to serve as PTSO board members for the 17-18 school
year. More information will be sent home soon. Please consider serving! Box Tops: Our next
collection day is March 3rd. Coupon Fundraiser: We appreciate the families who were able to
support SSDI during the coupon fundraiser.
POP TABS
Students may bring in pop tabs and give them to their teacher. Each grade level has a container
that is weighed and we announce the winner each month. The pop tabs are donated to the Ronald
McDonald House of NWFL and they use the money to pay their utility bills.
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Our school improvement plan, agenda, and minutes from meetings are posted on our website. The
document is a working document and can be updated during the year. Parents are welcome to
send suggestions. Our next meeting will be held on March 16, 2017, at 9 am.
TITLE ONE
The district’s parent involvement plan is located on our website. SS Dixon Intermediate’s parent
involvement plan was sent home with students and is also available on our website. Both
documents are found in our parent resource center. As a reminder, parents may request
information about the qualifications of their child’s teacher and/or paraprofessionals. To do so,
please contact the school’s office and request information from Mrs. Gooch or Mr. Balsavich
Please contact the school with questions.
VOLUNTEERS
If you haven’t completed a volunteer application and plan to chaperone any field trips or help in
the classroom, please make sure to request a form to complete and return to school. If you only
plan to go on field trips you may request only the field trip form.
WEBSITES
We hope you are using Classlink to access programs students may use at home in addition to
checking grades on the parent portal, putting money online in your child’s lunch account, or
checking the Durham bus tracker. Please contact your child’s teacher if you need log in or
password information. Classlink may be access on the district’s webpage or SSDI webpage
(https://santarosa.k12.fl.us/SSDI).
The following websites have English Language Arts (lafs) and Math (mafs) standards listed for
grades K-12. http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5390/urlt/0081014-lafs.pdf
http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5390/urlt/0081015-mathfs.pdf
If you are looking for information about FSA testing, please visit: http://fsassessments.org/
Flocabulary: https://www.flocabulary.com/
March’s Calendar of Events
1-9
7
11
14
15
16
17
20-24
28 & 29
Bike Safety
Jersey Mike’s Night 4-8 pm
Pi Math Competition
Pi Night 530-730
Field Day & Kite Day
Book Club meeting; SAC meeting 9 am; PBIS reward activity; end of
3rd 9 weeks; last day of math tutoring
Planning Day NO SCHOOL
Spring Break NO SCHOOL
3rd grade FSA ELA testing