Week of: December 10, 2018
Volume 3, Issue 17
Student and Teacher Testimonials: What do you love about Pinecrest Inspirada? 

"I have been at Pinecrest Inspirada since it has opened and it has been a great experience. I have many great friends here and have gotten a great education during middle school. All of the teachers here don't just do what they have to do, but strive for more to make sure that the students are comfortable with the lesson. Everyone at Pinecrest really cares about every student, versus at other public middle schools where many students tend to go unnoticed." Justine Dunaway-8th Grade

"I love teaching at Pinecrest Inspirada because of the small class sizes and collaborative nature of the middle school team. The small class sizes allow me to get to know my students on a personal level and build strong relationships with them. We get to talk about their lives and create a community of learners that are invested in their future. I also get to check in with my former students daily since they have classes right across the hall. In addition to the students, I love teaching here because of the staff. I enjoy the friendships I have built with my peers, office staff and administrators. We work together to create an environment for our students that fosters citizenship, leadership, and academic growth."
Christy Grismanauskas- 6 th grade ELA
Family Survey :  I value your feedback and input. Please take a few moments to complete the Family Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/inspiradaq1parent18-19   and provide the staff and me some feedback and input on your child’s educational experience.   The survey link will remain open until Monday, December 10 at 5:00 p.m.   In each comment section, please feel free to give a “Shout Out” to any staff member as appropriate. In addition, feel free to add a comment or suggestions to help us improve in our delivery of exceptional instruction.  Parents : As you complete the survey, please print the final screen, write the names of all your children that attend Pinecrest Academy Inspirada, and bring the form to the front office. Each child listed will receive a “Free Homework” pass they can use for one assignment (not a big project).   
Declaration of Intent to Return to Pinecrest :  Last week, each Pinecrest family should have received an email with a “Declaration of Intent to Return to Pinecrest Academy” for the 2019-2020 school year. On this Declaration of Intent, we ask each family to let us know if they will be returning to Pinecrest Inspirada for the 2019-2020 school year, will not be returning to Pinecrest, or would like to transfer to another Pinecrest campus.  Your intent must be submitted by the end of the day on Wednesday, December 17, 2018.  If a response is not received by this deadline, your child’s 2019-2020 seat will be released for Open Enrollment. Please see the email for complete details. If you have any questions, please contact our Registrar, Mrs. Lydia Sanchez, at 702-473-5777.  
i-Ready Diagnostic #2: The second i-Ready Diagnostic window will be open from December 3-14th. Please refer to teachers for specific testing schedules for your child.

i-Ready at Home: Once students have completed their second i-Ready Diagnostic, students will be permitted to use i-Ready at home as well as school. As a reminder, students are asked to complete 45 minutes of math and 45 minutes of reading each week. For elementary students, working on i-Ready at home is new, so please refer to your child's teacher as to how many minutes of each subject they would like completed at home for homework. Middle school students will continue their already established requirements for home use.
Middle School Semester One Exams: Middle School Semester One Exams will be given the week before Winter Break.  The exams will take place on Tuesday (12-18), Wednesday (12-19), and Thursday (12-20). Attendance is mandatory.  Exams will not be given prior to these dates. All absences during these days will be reviewed by administration to determine make up eligibility.
Winter Concerts/Performances:  
  • Drama Winter Play: Thursday, December 20, 2018, 6:30 p.m.

  • Kindergarten Winter Performance: Monday, December 17, 2018, 5:30 p.m. (Student call time at 5:00 p.m.)
  • First Grade Winter Performance: Tuesday, Dec.18, 2018, 5:00 p.m. (Student call time at 4:40 p.m.)
  • Second Grade Winter Performance: Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (Student call time at 5:40 p.m.)
  • Third Grade Winter Performance: Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018, 5:00 p.m. (Student call time at 4:40 p.m.)
  • Fourth Grade Winter Performance: Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018, 6:00 p.m. (Student call time at 5:40 p.m.) 
In this season of giving we are organizing a food drive to benefit some of our Pinecrest families, including families at other Pinecrest campuses who are in urgent need of food items for the holidays. Some students rely on school lunches and will be without this help for the winter break. Our Pinecrest community is truly amazing, and we believe with your support and generosity we can help meet the needs of these families. If you would like to donate any of the items listed below, please bring them to the front office beginning December 3  rd  through Monday December 17  th  .   
 
Items needed:
  • Grocery store gift cards – Smiths/Albertsons/Vons
  • Walmart/Target gift cards
  • Turkeys (drop off only on Monday December 17th)
  • Hams (drop off only on Monday December 17th)
  • Nonperishable items /Canned food items
  • Lunch type food/snacks for kids – easy prep, ready to go snacks
 
We request that any  perishable  items be dropped off the morning of December 17  th  which will be the day they are distributed to the receiving Pinecrest campuses/families.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Olivia Centuori at Olivia.Centuori@pinecrestnv.org.

2 Lunch Tuesday, December 11th:
  • This week! Brown bags will be sent home with students on Monday. Help our community in need by packing an extra lunch on Tuesday.
Lost and Found Clean Out:
  • This Friday, December 14th, PTO will be cleaning out the Lost and Found Bins. If you are missing something, please stop by to claim it!
Restaurant Fundraiser Day:
  • This Tuesday, December 11th, PTO's Restaurant Fundraiser will be held at Chick Fil' A from 12-8 p.m. Take a night off of cooking and help support our fundraising efforts!
PTO Meeting:
  • This Tuesday, December 11th, PTO will have a meeting in the MP Room at 2:15 p.m.
Barnes and Noble Community Event: Join us on Saturday, December 15th for PTO's Barnes and Noble Community event at the Henderson location from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Special activities include:
  • Teachers will be reading aloud to students
  • Gift wrapping will be provided by Inspirada Student Council
  • Inspirada Orchestra will be performing
  • Parents receive 20% off for all purchases (mention Inspirada Community Event)
  • A portion of proceeds during this time will be given back to our students
Master Teacher Gala 2018-19
Pinecrest Inspirada is proud to announce our 2018-19 Master Teacher Nominees:
  • Michelle Consalo, Kindergarten
  • Ernestine Escalante, STEM
  • Christine Grismanauskas, 6th Grade ELA
  • Tim Johnson, 7th Grade ELA
  • Cherylyn Markovich, 6th Grade ELA
  • Michele Pressler 7th/8th Grade Math

The second annual Pinecrest Master Teacher Gala will be held on May 18, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. at Green Valley Ranch (formal dress attire). Tickets are now on sale for this amazing event! Please visit the link below to reserve your seats. 

Additionally, each school will be creating themed baskets that will be part of a silent auction on the night of this event (these are similar to the baskets PTO organizes for our annual Fall Festival). Pinecrest Inspirada would like to theme our baskets as follows:
  • Golden Knights Basket (i.e. free tickets, GK gear, autographed items, etc.)
  • Spa/Relaxation Basket (i.e. massage gift cards, spa packages, spa products, etc.)
  • Gift Cards Basket (any and all gift cards welcome)
  • Date Night Basket (i.e. hotel stays, show tickets, dinner, etc.)

If you are able to donate any items to one of the baskets above, please contact Tiffany Bailey at  tiffany.bailey@pinecrestnv.org ​​​​​​​.
Pinecrest Academy of Nevada - Sloan Campus
8th Grade Parent Information Night
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Pinecrest Sloan Canyon will be holding an 8th grade parent information meeting on Wednesday, December 12th at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at Pinecrest Inspirada in our Multipurpose Room. Please join us as we discuss this exciting new high school opening next summer for the 2019-2020 calendar year.
Data Day :  Our next Data Day will be held on Friday, December 21, 2018. Students will attend school from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Students must be picked up at 11:30 a.m. or be registered to attend TEAMS. TEAMS coverage will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Lunches may be purchased at your discretion at least three (3) days in advance. 
Open Enrollment :  The Open Enrollment period for Pinecrest Inspirada will be January 07, 2019, through February 28, 2019. A lottery will be run the beginning of March 2019. Please share these dates with your friends and neighbors!  
Thank you to our 2018-19 STEM Sponsors!
If you are interested in sponsoring our STEM programming, please click here for more information.
Fee Balances :  Don't forget to log into Infinite Campus frequently to check your student's fee balance. Please note, students who have balances over $50 will not be able to participate in after school activities (sports/clubs), TEAMS, or field trips.

(click on image to access the Infinite Campus Parent Portal)
Solar Fundraiser:
Pinecrest Academy has partnered with Today’s Energy Store for the cleanest fundraiser yet.
This month, Today's Energy Store will donate $500 to Pinecrest Inspirada when family members or friends switch to solar energy. Also, families or friends who switch to solar energy though Today's Energy Store will receive an extra $500 in holiday spending money for the month of December!

Please call Robb Domnitz of Today’s Energy Store for details directly: 702-750-7157. 
Basketball games are underway! Visit the NCSAA website for schedules. Go Pioneers!!!
PTO Holiday Shoppe: December 17-20, 2018
Kindergarten Winter Performance: December 17, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Grades 1-2 Winter Performance: December 18, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
Grades 3-4 Winter Performance: December 19, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
Drama Winter Play: December 20, 2018, 6:30 p.m.
Golden Knights Family Night Out: December 20, 2018
Data Day: December 21, 2018, Dismissal at 11:30 a.m.
Winter Break: December 24 - January 4, 2019
Pinecrest Inspirada PTO Fall/Winter Calendar