Economics Day: Students have earned their next class reward! They had decided to work towards getting economics day which we will have on Friday the 20th. It's planned that far into the future so kids have time to think about what they want to make and then actually make it. The way it will work is we'll have a little class market where kids can "sell" their products (I will give them fake money). Kids could make things such as homemade greeting cards, fidgets, origami, cookies etc. The main rule is that it must be homemade, please do not go out and buy anything for this project. Students need to make at the minimum 5 items and at the most 20. Let me know if you have any questions.
Valentine's Day: We'll celebrate on Friday the 13th next week. Kids will get a paper bag to decorate that morning to collect their valentines in. It is optional, but if you'd like to participate, you can send your student in with a treat and/or card for the other kids. Please just make sure that if your student brings something, that they bring one for everyone. Here is a list of our class first names so you can check spelling.
Report Cards: Report cards are coming home on Friday! As you look over them, please let me know if you have any questions or would like to schedule a conference. Please put the report card envelope back into your student's Tuesday folder so I can reuse them next quarter as well! You can keep the actual report card at home.
Mclass scores: You will also be receiving Mclass scores in their Tuesday folder. These scores show where they are in reading (broken down into different skill categories) relative to where we would expect them to be in the middle of third grade.
PUE Scholastic Book Fair: will run from February 9 to 20, 2026. Get your kiddos excited about reading!
VOLUNTEER!
Our class is previewing and making their wish list on Wednesday, February 11th from 11:20-12:05 and purchasing on Wednesday, February 18th from 11:20-12:05.
Please sign up for a volunteer slot here. We need two volunteers per classroom shift. PTA has other volunteer opportunities, too.
BUYING BOOKS
We suggest that students use eWallet for payment. Families can create a digital wallet and share it with family and friends to add funds. Any unused funds can be used for Scholastic online. Please include additional funds to cover tax. Create eWallet here.
Cash is accepted but NO checks. We highly recommend eWallet.
The online book fair also begins 2/9. Orders made here will be shipped home. Purchases made during the book fair will also count toward book fair proceeds.
CLASSROOM BOOKS
If you would like to donate funds for our classroom library, please use this link to contribute to the classroom eWallet: https://shop.scholastic.com/ewallet/fund?lang=en_US&walletId=fe9e987d-f1bf-4101-a102-0597080b35a6
READ AND RISE EVENT
The PUE cafeteria will be hosting a cash-only breakfast event “Rise and Read” from 8:00–8:45 AM on 2/13 and 2/18. Families are invited to shop after breakfast. This is not a drop-off event—please stay with your student until the 8:45 AM bell rings.
Questions about the book fair? Please email:
Kate Reekes – bookfair@puepta.com
Dave Skibo – engagmentvp@puepta.com
Katie Makhija – enrichmentvp@puepta.com
ISO: Hand sanitizer bottles please!
Field Trip Info: On Friday, February 6th our class will be going to Marbles for our space themed field trip! Students will see an Imax documentary movie called Deep Sky and then will have time to explore the exhibits. We'll be back at school around 1 pm. We will have pizza and snacks at school when we return, but if your child would prefer to pack a lunch they can also do that!
Remote learning days digital option: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pcp88OZxSdcavLLc7cN1WRtnmgt9m2UC?usp=drive_link
I can't believe Quarter 2 has come to a close! Thank you so much for making it a wonderful quarter and I hope everyone has a wonderful track out!
Track out work: If you would like your kid to continue their work during the break, here are some fun suggestions of things they can do:
-Daily analogies: Discussing analogies is an excellent way to push your student's thinking! This can be done any day throughout the year, not just during track out. Click this link to get to the site.
-Reading different genres: Encourage your student's reading comprehension by having them read across a wide variety of genres. Click this link for ways for your student to record their learning!
-Typing practice: Students can practice their typing skills on Typing Club
SSA Testing Information:
Single Subject Acceleration Testing is right around the corner. For those interested in learning more, here is a link to the WCPSS Parent Information Presentation
We will also be holding a PUE SSA Parent Information Meeting
Hosted by Heather Kenney (Formerly Shipley:)
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 · 2:45 – 3:15pm
Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/pie-bspa-jdx
**This meeting will be recorded and posted on PUE's Acceleration Website
SSA Test Request Window
T1,2,3: January 5 - 23
Track 4: January 23 - February 13
Testing Windows
Track 1: February 17 - March 2
Track 2, 3, and 4: March 16 - 27
SSA Resources:
PUE's Acceleration Website
During our last week of school (Dec. 15th-19th) PUE will have a spirit week! Please see the flier below.
Last day of Q2: Our last day of quarter 2 is quickly approaching! It is Friday, December 19th.
Field Trip Payments: The payment for our field trip to Marbles/IMAX is now available through the school payment system. You can access this through the school website under "Families" and "Online Payments." Please try to make this payment as soon as you can.
If you are interested in being a chaperone, please send me an email!
Multiplication songs: If you want to sing multiplication songs at home with your kids to help them memorize their facts, this slide show has the times tables set to popular songs!
Interims: Interims are in their Tuesday Folders in their backpacks today. There is a place to sign at the bottom but you don't need to do that. You can keep it at home.
Assembly: Our assmely was a Didgeridoo concert. Here is a resource for your student to read and look at to learn more!
Please fill out this 2 question survey: https://forms.gle/QM3Do77qSL9RWQ9P6
Conference sign up: Conferences are optional. If you'd like to do one please sign up here. It can be virtual or in person.
PUE Holiday Giving Tree - Opportunity To GIVE Holiday Gifts to PUE Students
The holidays are quickly approaching, and our school is preparing to support families through our Annual PUE Giving Tree.
If you would like to sign up to give a gift(s), please click the sign-up sheet below to view available slots and sign up for the gift(s) you would like to purchase. Please do not sign up for more than 5 slots! You may also stop by the main office to sign up. All gifts must be wrapped and labeled and dropped off to the main office by December 2nd.
PUE Giving Tree - Sign Up to GIVE Gifts
Please contact Mrs. Bratt, School Counselor, if you have any questions: (919) 870-4230 ext. 20417 cbratt@wcpss.net
Thank you for your generosity!
Food Drive: Ends November 21! Please check out this flyer and remember to bring in food!
Third: Cans or Pouches of Tuna/Chicken, Canned Stew, or Single Packets of Hot Chocolate
Veterans' Day Concert: The concert will be on Friday, November 7th at 11:20. Please come join us if you can!
Report cards: Please take out the report card papers to keep at home then RETURN the envelope to school signed.
Mrs. D shared the songs for tomorrow's concert if any kid wants to review them
CHANGE!!!! Panther Dash: The actual fun run event will be on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st at 10 am! If you can, please come join us for the fun event!
Report Cards: Report cards for Quarter 1 will come home on Tuesday, the 28th. We have a different system to input grades and make the report cards/interms this year. On the paper there is a spot to sign, but you do not have to do that. Please keep the paper at home with you. Instead, sign the outside of the envelope and return just that to school.
Homework update: We are adding in cursive practice to our homework routine. Students will have a packet from which they need to do at least one page front and back per week. If they want to do more, they can! I have the next levels in cursive practice that I will give them once they've completed level 1.
PUE Holiday Giving Tree - Opportunity to RECEIVE Holiday Gifts for your PUE Student(s)
The Holidays are quickly approaching, and our school is preparing to support families through our Annual PUE Giving Tree.
It is Pleasant Union's hope that during this holiday season the school community will be able to provide gifts to students in need. These items are not guaranteed and are contingent upon the level of participation we have.
If you would like your child to RECEIVE gifts this holiday season, please submit the following form for EACH child by October 31st: 25-26 Sign up to RECEIVE Giving Tree Gifts
Thank you:
to everyone who helped with our force and motion learning experience!
to Mr. Zito (Keegan's dad) for coming in to teach the class about geography!
and to everyone for a wonderful quarter! I hope the break is relaxing!
Track out: Our last day of this quarter is Friday the 26th.
Track out work: If you would like your kid to continue their work during the break, here are some fun suggestions of things they can do:
-Daily analogies: Discussing analogies is an excellent way to push your student's thinking! This can be done any day throughout the year, not just during track out. Click this link to get to the site.
-Reading different genres: Encourage your student's reading comprehension by having them read across a wide variety of genres. Click this link for ways for your student to record their learning!
-Morals in stories: Morals of stories are what the author wants us to learn about the real world. Being able to pick out those morals and find proof from the text to back it up can be hard. Read picture books that have a strong moral and discuss it with your student.
-Typing practice: Students can practice their typing skills on Typing Club
Force and motion games: Students can bring things from home, starting Monday, to help with the game they are building but they aren't supposed to go and buy anything new for the construction.
New PUE Attendance email address!!!
Starting Monday, September 15, 2025, Pleasant Union is launching a centralized Absence/Attendance Email location.
ALL parents are to now email their child’s absence reason to: Attendance531@wcpss.net
The student’s first and last name, child’s track, and teacher must be included in the email.
For a medical-related appointment during school hours, the dated doctor or appt note is necessary to be counted as an excused tardy.
A doctor’s note is also necessary for 3 consecutive days of absences due to illness.
Absences will only be excused when proper documentation is received by the attendance office within 48 hours of the student's return to school.
For details, read School Board Policy 4400: Attendance
Trip Payment: Please pay for the United Skates field trip online at this link: https://wcpss.schoolcashonline.com/ The cost is $21.
In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all our students, we will be administering a universal screener of social, emotional & behavioral health. WCPSS is using the Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System-2 (BIMAS-2) research-based screening tool. We believe this will help all of our students thrive academically by identifying students who may benefit from additional social and emotional support and interventions, much like some students benefit from additional academic support and interventions. For more information about the BIMAS-2 Screener, please view the BIMAS-2 Parent Letter.If you do not want your child screened, please complete this Opt Out Form by August 29, 2025.
Fifth Grade Fundraiser: Go Play Save fundraiser
Fifth grade students are selling Go Play Save coupon books to raise funds for their field trip to Washington DC.
PTA is also opening up book sales to grade k-4 students. The proceeds from the k-4 sales will go to a scholarship fund for 5th grade students who otherwise may not be able to participate in the trip.
Families can scan the QR code on the flyer that went home in last week’s Tuesday folders (also attached to this email) and set up an account for their student. A link will be generated and can be shared by text, email, and social media. Mobile and physical books can purchased from the link, or families can collect cash.
PTA is managing books and cash- the only involvement teachers have is informing PTA if students have cash purchases.
Online paper book orders will be delivered to student's classroom within a few days of purchase. Mobile orders are delivered to purchasers instantly.
If students collect cash, please send an email to Katie Makhija enrichmentvp@puepta.com or Rebecca Olsen president@puepta.com
Students have taken their first math test and are working on making corrections in a different color on top of their original test. They will come home next week in Tuesday Folders (the week of the 25th). It's important for them to take the time to analyze their errors in order to grow, which is why there is a delay in them coming home.
Our room can be cold, so feel free to send your student in with a hoodie or sweater. They can leave it in their cubby for the week.
Mclass Scores: We have completed our Mclass reading tests that give us more information about how students are doing on the subskills of reading. The scores will be coming home in Tuesday folders. If you have any questions about how to interpret those scores, please send me an email!
On top of the paper, I have written their lexile level that Mclass calculated based on their scores. Lexile levels are not perfect measures but can be helpful when determining if a book is too hard or easy for your student. You can google a book title and lexile level (example: Percy Jackson lexile level) and typically it will pop up. Then you can compare that level to your student's to see if it's an appropriate match. The level doesn't have to always match perfectly but it will give a ballpark idea of if the book is a good challenge.
Specials Calendar : This is especially important for knowing which days are PE!
Homework: My philosophy with homework is that it is extra practice and helps students learn to build responsibility and routine with work outside of school. That being said, homework should never make a student cry or feel negatively about themself. If this is happening, please let me know so we can brainstorm and better tailor what their work is to their needs.
Each Monday, I will give students their homework folder. Each Friday morning, they will turn in their homework.
Reading: Students should read at least 20 minutes every day. This can be reading independently or reading aloud with another person. If it's a tricky book, try reading one page to them and having them try the next page. After they read, they can check off that day on their paper. We want to build the love of reading, so if your student dreads this part of the homework, please let me know so we can find a way to make it fun for them!
Reading comprehension sheet: There are many facets to reading comprehension. One is being able to read a passage and figure out what word is missing/which word makes sense in a sentence. That's the purpose of this practice page. Students will practice this skill with me on Monday so they understand how to approach the homework. It is okay if you need to help them with this part of the homework as it is a new skill and the text might be challenging.
Writing: Students need to choose a prompt from their sheet and write at least 10 sentences. They will have lined paper in their homework folders to write on.
Math: The math sheet will typically be a review to make sure students are keeping up with skills they've previously learned, even if we aren't currently working on them.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns!
Family Support Resources: Our school social worker, Emily Pulley, is available to support students and families with a variety of needs. If you’re in need of assistance or have concerns you'd like to share, please complete the Google form linked here: PUE Cares. She can help connect families with helpful resources and services. Feel free to reach out to her directly at epulley@wcpss.net or 919-800-9553. PUE cares and is here to support you!
Potential Proctors: As of last year, the state let us know they would be requiring teachers to either have proctors or have their class tested by another teacher who does not teach the same grade/subject when taking a state assessment, such as the EOG. We know based on research, that kids test best when in the classroom with the teacher they are familiar with. In order to make this happen, we need parent volunteers to be proctors. As a proctor, you would need to have volunteer clearance from the county and a simple training when the time comes to test. It's important to note that you won't be able to proctor our class (as your student would be in the room), but doing this will help all kids test with their teachers. If you're interested, please fill out this form.
PUE Backpack Buddies Program (Food Assistance)
Pleasant Union has a food assistance program called Backpack Buddies. Students in this program will receive a bag of non-perishable food every Friday while they are tracked in. If you would like your child to receive food, please complete this form: PUE Backpack Buddies Program
If you have any questions about this program, please contact Mrs. Bratt, School Counselor at cbratt@wcpss.net or 919-870-4230 ext. 20417
Please fill out this family expertise survey
Please fill out this survey about your student
Remind code: The school will use this app to notify families of bus changes as we are informed by transportation.
Pleasant Union Elementary
2025-2026 Bus Riders
Code to join group: @e7kbka
Message from Mr. Stern:
Parents,
I am looking forward to another great year in physical education with the students. We will continue to do numerous activities throughout the year that include locomotor and non-locomotor movements, skill development, fitness assessments, lifetime sports, and many more activities. To help ensure that students are able to FULLY participate in ALL parts of Physical Education, I ask for your help to ensure that students come to school dressed correctly for physical education following the dress code guidelines attached. These guidelines are established to ensure students are SAFE as well as in appropriate attire to do all activities and movements during class. To help you know the correct day for your students physical education class, you will also find on the document links to your track specific specials calendar. Please note that students who are not dressed correctly may be limited in their ability to participate in class. If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (bsstern@wcpss.net).