PTA CONNector
Parents, educators, and students working together to build a stronger school community
SEPTEMBER 2009
Principal’s Message
Dear Conn Parents and Families,
Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year! It is always
a treat to see our students return after summer vacation –
their smiles tell me that they are glad to be returning to
school!
It has been a busy and productive summer for the
Conn Family. Our office and custodial staff has worked
to prepare our building for the return of over 600
students and 75 teachers and support staff. As you are
aware, there have been a number of changes as a result
of budget shortfalls and staffing adjustments. We have
made staffing adjustments in an effort to maximize our
resources and to minimize staff and student impact. We
will not offer Spanish to our K, 1st, and 2nd graders this
year. We look forward to maintaining our 3rd, 4th, and 5th
grade Spanish program under the direction of Señora
Ramirez. We will continue to work with our staff and
with county leaders to reinstate K-2 Spanish as our
budget permits.
In our ongoing effort to keep you informed, I will
utilize two specific tools to share information with you –
the CONNector monthly newsletter and my weekly
telephone message. The CONNector will come home in
Tuesday folders at the beginning of each month. I record
my phone messages on Mondays (unless we are not in
school) and those are delivered to the phone number on
your child’s official school record. If you do not receive
the phone message, contact our Data Manager Karen
Foye in the main office. I hope you will find these two
methods of communication to be effective!
We have received End-of-Grade (EOG) test results
for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in math, reading, and
science. Our students performed quite well and we are
proud of the work of our teachers and students in
preparing for these annual tests. We met the target scores
for all 21 subgroups under the Adequate Yearly Progress
(AYP) accountability program. Additionally, we
achieved expected growth on the state’s ABCs
accountability program. Hats off to our entire school
community for these accomplishments.
Our PTA continues to be an invaluable member of
our school-home-community partnership efforts. The
PTA board and I met three times during the summer to
coordinate calendar events, plan the 2009-2010 budget,
September 2009 CONNector 
and outline the role that our PTA will play throughout
our school. Please show your support of our PTA by
joining – memberships are $5 per person. You can also
support our PTA by participating in the passive
fundraisers outlined later in this newsletter.
Savings Trees is Easy! – Vote “No”
CONNector Hard Copy Opt-Out Option
In our hope to save trees and printing funds, the
Conn PTA is asking parents this year to choose
whether or not they would like to receive the
monthly CONNector in hard copy form in their
Tuesday folder or access the newsletter
electronically. The newsletter will be posted each
month on the PTA Conn website
(http://www.connpta.org/communications/connector).
Also, those parents that choose to sign up for the
Conn Listserve will receive monthly emails that
include links to the newsletters as they are published.
Thank you for taking the time to check the
option you prefer on the sticker you will find inside
your child’s Tuesday folder. The address for the
Conn website is listed there as well for easy access.
If you have any questions or concerns, please
feel free to contact Julie Snee, CONNector Editor.
Her phone number and email address are listed
elsewhere in this newsletter.
We ask for your support in maintaining a safe and
orderly campus by adhering to the following guidelines:
1. School starts at 9:05 daily – please see that your
child arrives on time.
2. If your student walks to school, escort them to
our campus – do not allow them to cross the streets
without supervision.
3. Use our crosswalks and pay attention to the
traffic on Brookside Drive.
4. Carpoolers should wait in the carpool loop until
carpool duty staff arrive at 8:45.
5. Carpoolers must be dropped off in the carpool
loop – not in the parking lot.
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 6. Do not use cellphones while in our parking lot or
carpool lane.
7. Display your carpool tag so staff can easily
identify student names.
8. School dismisses at 2:40 on Wednesdays and at
3:40 on other days – please refrain from checking your
student out before these times.
9. Encourage good attendance and responsibility
by sending your child to school on time daily.
Join us in welcoming three new staff members: Ms.
Missy Overby, Speech Language Pathologist, Ms. Hang
Van Vo, Special Programs Teacher Assistant, and Ms.
Leslie Taylor, Principal’s Fellow. Plan to attend our
annual Parade of Staff on Thursday, September 10 at
6:30 to meet our entire staff
We look forward to working together with parents
and families to support all of our students’ academic and
personal development. If you have questions about your
child’s learning, please contact his/her teacher by note,
email, or by leaving a message in the main office. If you
have questions about our school program, please contact
the main office. We appreciate your support and are glad
you are part of our school family.
P.S. Please read the enclosed information on the
H1N1 and follow the recommendations so we can
maintain a healthy school.
Diann P. Kearney
Conn Elementary Principal
PTA President’s Message
Dear Conn Families,
Welcome to our 2009-2010 school year! The Conn
Elementary PTA invites you to join us in supporting our
students and staff in the classroom and at events
scheduled throughout the year. We are looking forward
to an exciting year for us all!
The PTA board and Conn staff have been working
hard over the summer to create a calendar that will bring
many exciting events to our community. Familiar events
like the Fall Carnival (CONNivale) in November and
Family Spirit Night in February, as well as a spring Yard
Sale will continue to bring excitement for the entire
community. Our Cultural Arts program will enhance our
students’ curriculum thorough the grade level
residencies in music, writing, story telling, and Batik.
We will continue to support the Media Center with new
materials. The Green Team and Butterfly Garden will
continue to cultivate interest in learning about and
interacting with our environment. Don’t forget to check
out the Kindergarten garden, which received certification
as a Wildlife Habitat, due to the variety of birds that
have made their home at Conn.
September 2009 CONNector  
I am honored to serve as your President this year. I
encourage every Conn parent, grandparent, aunt, and
uncle to join the PTA and be involved in some way this
year. We are always looking for new faces and new
ideas to enhance the wonderful education our students
receive at Conn. Feel free to contact me
(lgd919@nc.rr.com) or Dakeisa Parker , PTA President-
Elect (blakedakeisa@hotmail.com) with questions, ideas
or comments.
Linda Davis
Conn Elementary PTA
Counselor’s Corner
Happy New School Year!
Welcome to all of the new students and parents, as
well as our returning Conn family!
The start of a new year holds the promise of new
experiences and new opportunities, as well as the
anticipation of personal growth for all students. My
objectives this year are to provide continued support to
parents and students, and address personal and social
issues that discourage academic success in any way. I
will spend the majority of my time offering responsive
services, designing individualized plans to address
students’ needs, and delivering direct guidance services
to all students via classroom and/or small group lessons.
It is my goal to see each child reach his or her fullest
potential.
I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to
contact me via email or phone with any concerns you
have for your child during the school year. My email
address is: rfaison1@wcpss.net / phone: 919-856-3028. I
anticipate meeting you at some time during the course of
the school year. Please also visit
www.schoolcounselor.org and click on the link “Parents
and Public” to find out more about the role of a school
counselor and various informative articles for parents.
Thank you and I wish you a happy and successful
school year.
Robyn D. Faison
School Counselor
H1N1: Information for parents,
students and staff
Wake County Public School System works closely
with Wake County Human Services on any cases of
communicable diseases or viruses. WCPSS and Wake
County Human Services are carefully monitoring the
situation and will keep parents and the public updated.
With Year-round schools in session and with the start of
Traditional schools on Tuesday, Aug. 25, taking simple
steps to protect your health are very important.
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 As with any virus, cold or other illness, students
and staff with cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,
fever or feverishness, tiredness, body aches, headache,
chills, diarrhea and vomiting should stay home from
school/work until they have recovered. CDC
recommends that people with influenza-like illness
remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free
of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without
the use of fever-reducing medications.
Tips for parents on talking to children about
H1N1 (provided by National Association of School
Nurses):
Concern over H1N1 can make children and parents
anxious. There is still uncertainty about how far and
quickly the virus will spread during the fall and winter
flu season. Acknowledging some level of concern,
without panicking, is appropriate and can result in
people taking actions that reduce the risk of illness.
Helping children cope with anxiety regarding the flu
requires providing prevention information without
causing alarm.
Children look to adults for guidance on how to react
to stressful events. If parents seem overly worried,
children may panic. Parents should reassure their
children that health and school officials are working hard
to ensure that people throughout the country stay
healthy. However, children also need factual, age-
appropriate information about the potential seriousness
of disease risk and concrete instruction about how to
avoid infection and spread of the virus. Teaching
children positive preventive measures, talking with them
about their fears, and giving them a sense of some
control over their risk of infection can help reduce
anxiety.
Remain calm and reassuring. Your children will
react to and follow your verbal and nonverbal reactions.
What you say and do about the flu virus and current
prevention efforts can either increase or decrease your
child’s anxiety. If true, emphasize to your children that
they and your family are fine. Remind them that you and
the adults at their school are there to keep them safe and
healthy. Let your children talk about their feelings and
help put their concerns into the appropriate perspective.
Make yourself available. Your children may need
extra attention from you and may want to talk about their
concerns and questions. Make time for them. Tell them
you love them and give them plenty of hugs and kisses.
Review basic hygiene practices. Encourage children
to practice everyday good hygiene by washing their
hands, by covering their mouths with a tissue when they
sneeze or cough, and by not sharing food or drinks.
These simple steps are very effective at preventing the
spread of flu and other illnesses. Giving children
guidance on what they can do to prevent infection gives
them a greater sense of control over the flu and will help
to reduce their anxiety.
September 2009 CONNector  
Be honest and accurate. In the absence of factual
information, children often imagine situations far worse
than reality. Don’t ignore their concerns, but rather
explain that at the present moment the vast majority of
people, even those who are sick, will be okay.
Nationwide, the number of people who are currently sick
is very small. Children can be told that there are many
ways to avoid the virus and how doctors can help to treat
people who do get sick. Contact your pediatrician and/or
refer them to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) for factual information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)
H1N1 (Swine Flu) Web site, is http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, is
updated frequently and is the best source for general information.
Information can also be found by contacting the North Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services CARE-LINE at 919-855-
4400 (English/Spanish) Additional WCPSS Information:
http://www.wcpss.net/swineflu
Academically Gifted
Hello and welcome back! Students, are you ready
for some challenges? We’ve got plenty in store! The
Conn AG website will list many important dates for
meetings and news about Explorers and module classes
throughout the year, along with some general
information about the program. The website can be
accessed through Conn’s homepage directly at
http://connes.wcpss.net/html/classes/index.html. Just
click on the Academically Gifted link highlighted at the
bottom.
If you are interested in learning more about the
Wake County AG model, and/or the services offered at
Conn, please consider attending one of the information
sessions on September 8. Additionally, Wake County
AG brochures are available upon request and will be sent
home three times to parents of all third graders in Wake
County Schools. More information about Wake
County’s A.G. Program is available via the Wake
County website: www.wcpss.net. I look forward to
another fantastic year at Conn!
Nancy A. Hanley
Academic Gifted Specialist
Media Minute
While you enjoyed reading over the summer break,
lots has been happening in your media center! Thank
you to Chris Tully for making furniture modifications,
including moving stationary shelving and creating a
book return slot in the check out desk. Kim Bowen,
Linda Dohme, and their children spent many summer
days moving all of our books, creating a more user
friendly space for our children. Welcome to Ms. Rozar,
our new media assistant! Please come check us out as
we grow and improve!
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 Support our growth through Celebration Books, a Labels for Education. By sending these labels back to
program that allows you to dedicate a new book in the school, Conn receives a variety of benefits.
media center with a $10 donation. Your child will Our Fall Fundraiser again this year will be with
choose the book and be the first one to check it out! InnisBrook Wraps. This will help fund PTA projects that
Dedication forms are available in the media center, on support our school throughout the year. Typically. this is
the Conn website, and periodically through Tuesday our most successful fundraiser of the year.
folders. Celebration Books are a great way to honor
students, teachers, grandparents, and special occasions.
Another way to encourage your child’s literacy and
support the media center is our annual Book Fair. Mark Conn PTA Spirit Night 
your calendar for October 12 – 16, with Family Time on
Tuesday, October 13 from 4 – 6 p.m. Watch the Wed. Sept. 23 
Tuesday folder and website for more information and
opportunities to volunteer. 4 – 8 pm 
Parent resource books are located outside Ms.
Faison’s office. Please see media staff to check them Join us at Chick‐fil‐A at North Hills for dinner and 
out. Also, watch the bulletin board outside the media connect with other Conn families. Conn Elementary 
center for all the media center happenings!! will receive a portion of the sales generated.  
Brenda Shore
Media Coordinator
Your delicious 
Title I Intervention Program
Chick‐fil‐A meal 
What is Title I? It is a federally funded intervention
program that offers students an extra support in reading on 9/23 equals 
and math. We use a balanced approach to reading and 15% back to 
math instruction. Our direct instruction includes
working with words and vocabulary, using reading and Conn! Hope to 
math strategies, comprehending stories, books, word
problems, and fluency. The lessons are structured and see you there! 
fast-paced. Each Title I teacher works with a small group
of students in all grade levels. We meet 5 days a week  
for 30 minutes. This is done in addition to their regular
classroom instruction. “OUR STUDENTS” need all of
us (parents and teachers) to support them.
You will be contacted if your child qualifies for our
program. Our first parent meeting (PAC) will be held With each Conn family participating, we can reach
September 24th. our fundraising goals. The Fall Fundraiser this year will
be Friday, September 18 through Friday, October 2.
Amy Allen Dameron Julie Thomas, the PTA VP for Fundraising, will be
Title I Literacy Teacher/Testing Coordinator sending more information out soon.

Passive Fundraising at Conn

There are a number of easy ways to give back to
your school. We will outline them here each month. The
start of the school year is a great time to renew your
commitment to Conn through your grocery shopping
customer card.
We are locally registered with Food Lion, Harris
Teeter, Kroger and Target. Please make sure your
customer card is connected to Conn by visiting their
customer service desk or their website.
Another easy way to help our school is with Box
Tops for Education, Tyson A+ Labels, and Campbell’s

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September 2009 CONNector  
 AG Calendar 2009‐2010
Date  Event/Meeting  Time 
Tuesday,  DEP meeting for parents of 4th and 5th grade  8:00 AM or 5:00 PM in room 206 
September  identified AG students. Invitations were 
1, 2009   sent home on August 25. 
Tuesday,  Information session regarding Conn’s Jr.  8:00 AM or 5:00 PM in room 206 
September  Explorers/Explorers Program for parents of 
8, 2009  K‐3 students. 
Tuesday,  *AG modules begin for 5th grade students.   
9/8/2009  *Whole‐class Explorers/Jr. Explorers  
lessons begin for grades K‐3/ 
** To find out more about Explorers topics, 
selection‐criteria and procedures, access 
the Conn AG website.** 

Tuesday,  Make up session for 4th/5th grade DEP  5:00 PM in room 206 

September  meeting via invitation. 
15, 2009 
7/1/2009‐ Fall Nomination window for AG   
9/28/2009  identification. 
9/29/2009  Make up session for parents of K‐3 students  5:00 PM in room 206 
interested in Conn’s Jr. Explorers/ Explorers 
Program. 
Week of  CogAt/ITBS testing for Fall Nomination   
October 5th,  Window (This is not the third grade CogAt 
2009  testing) 
1/4/2010‐ Spring Nomination window for AG   
2/8/2010  identification.  
Week of  CogAt testing for all Wake County’s third   
January 11,  graders.  
2010 
Week of  ITBS testing for select third graders   
February 15, 
2010 
Week of  CogAt/ITBS testing for Spring Nomination   
February  Window (Not the third grade CogAt testing) 
22nd, 2010 
June 2010  AG identification letters go home to   
parents/guardians of identified third 
graders. 
 
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September 2009 CONNector  
 2009-2010 Conn Elementary PTA
HOME CELL
PTA CONTACTS NAME PHONE PHONE EMAIL
President Linda Davis 821.7602 210.4420 lgd919@nc.rr.com
President-Elect Dakeisa Parker 250.0642 417.6798 blakedakeisa@hotmail.com
VP Fundraising Julie Thomas 434.9690 thomasja@us.ibm.com
VP Membership Melissa Madrid 255.5219 Melissamadrid1@yahoo.com
Secretary Dionne Lester 792.2442 dlesterpta@nc.rr.com
Treasurer Toddi Steelman 513.0408 271.2844 Toddi_Steelman@ncsu.edu
Asst. Treasurer Joe Sinsheimer 821.9487 jsinsheimer@nc.rr.com
Butterfly Garden Christine Murphy 832.3298 345.1807 tomeichenberger@bellsouth.net
Communications Reid Serozi 807.1878 reid@serozi.com
CONNector Julie Snee 210.5586 jsneeze@gmail.com
Cultural Arts Peggy Hayes 870.0599 522.7995 peggy@peggyhayes.com
Soo Keith 834.1811 sookeith@sookeith.com
Lisa Ferrando
(Staff Liaison) 828.3534 lferrando@wcpss.net
Fall Carnival – Lisa & Rob
CONNivale Vanderberry 872.0741 271.4350 lvanderberry@nc.rr.com
Family Spirit Night CHAIR NEEDED

Green Team Jeff Cherry 915.1012 pakbakr@hotmail.com

CO-CHAIR NEEDED
Holiday Shop Chrissy Pressley 834.6488 368.3856 cjpressley@gmail.com
Hospitality Capricia Conyers 833.1732 Capricia.conyers@yahoo.com
Legislative Matthew Brown 834.6488 askmisterbrown@yahoo.com
Literacy Night &
Campaign Pam Hartley 428.0992 pamhartley@earthlink.net
Media Center CHAIR NEEDED
Parent Classroom
Liaison, K-2 Carmon Pullen 376.0844 291.8803 carmonellen@yahoo.com
Parent Classroom
Liaison, 3-5 Jaime Baker 231.9878 931.1478 bakers5@bellsouth.net
Positive Behavior
Support Mary Williams 846.5019 mawatwilliams@aol.com
Reflections Kelly LeVoyer 833.2297 kelly.levoyer@sas.com
Betsy Alexieff 524.8936 Betsy_alexieff@ncsu.edu
Room Parent Coord. Carol Lawson 761.1013 cdlawson2@aol.com
School Store Daphne Shuler
School Spirit Merch. Mary Williams 828.5599 mawatwilliams@aol.com
Student Directory Adrienne Berney 828.5599 awberney@bellsouth.net
Teacher Apprec. Susan Robson 212.8733 luvoureducators@yahoo.com
Yard Sale Gabriella Corter 833.2078 827.3681 magicrabbit@nc.rr.com
Yearbook Mary Williams 828.5599 mawatwilliams@aol.com

September 2009 CONNector  
6
 
 September 2009
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Bell Schedule: 1 2 3 4 5
M,T,Th,F – 9:05-3:45
W – 9:05 – 2:45
Early Release Day
9/23 9:05-12:30

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
-10th Day of School -Innisbrook Fundraiser
-Modules Begin Begins
-Conn Open
House/Parade of
Teachers/PTA General
Meeting – 6:30 pm

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
-PTA Board Meeting -Green Team Grounds
6:15 pm Work Day 10 – noon

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
-5th Grade Field Trip to -5th Grade Field Trip to -Early Release Day
Blue Jay Point (2 Blue Jay Point (2 Student Dismissal 12:30
classes) classes) -Conn Community
-Interims Issued Night – Chick-Fil-A at
(2nd-5th) North Hills 4 – 8 pm

27 28 29 30
-Wake County Teacher
Workday – no school
for students

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 October 2009
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17
-PTA Board Meeting -BOOKFAIR -BOOKFAIR -BOOKFAIR -BOOKFAIR -Green Team Grounds
6:15 pm -Fall Scholar Night Work Day 10 – noon
-BOOKFAIR (K-5th)

18 19 20 21 22 23 24
-Early Release Day -Conn Community
Student Dismissal Night – Chick-Fil-A at
12:30 North Hills
4:00 – 8:00 pm

25 26 27 28 29 30 31
-Conn Staff Meeting – -Conn Showcase 6:30 -Wake County Teacher
PTA will provide pm/PTA General Workday – no school
snacks – 4:30 pm Meeting for students
6:00 pm