Dr. Royce L. Turner
Principal
Eagles,
As we enter this month, it is a great opportunity to reflect on all that we have, all those in our lives and the many things for which we should give thanks. We are all thankful for working in or attending a school with such an emphasis on academic achievement. I am certain that all of us will make the most of this opportunity.
This past month we completed another successful quarter. During this quarter we experienced a successful Homecoming week, PSAT administration, Naturalization Ceremony and Open House. We also navigated through several storms that threatened our coast. Yes, we are indeed thankful.
If after reflecting on academic progress during the first quarter there are adjustments to be made, please take advantage of available tutoring. We encourage everyone to reach out to our instructors to determine the dates and times tutoring is available. Khan Academy, Delta Math and Varsity Tutors are all platforms that are available to our students. As a reminder, students at Paxon School for Advanced Studies must maintain a designated grade point average to remain enrolled on our campus. Students not making adequate academic progress will be placed on probation and possibly dismissed.
This year we are placing our academic focus on differentiation. We have determined that to reach more of our students, we must differentiate our instruction to reach multiple levels of students. We are engaged in monthly professional development with an emphasis on differentiation. We are confident that this emphasis will improve our students’ performance.
Please note that due to the safety precautions for the weather, our calendar has been modified. November 1st, February 14th, and May 30th will now be regular student and faculty attendance days. If there are additional changes, we will keep you informed.
In an effort to continuously monitor safety, we ask that parents utilize our new Intake room, located east of the main entrance when picking up students. We also ask that parents refrain from using the student parking lots to drop off their student. We ask that all students be picked up by 3:15 PM daily. An additional fence is scheduled to be installed to assist in preventing students from entering the campus in this manner. We also ask that you have a conversation with your student stressing the importance of not opening exterior gates for other students. We must all work together to keep our campus safe.
Paxon is thankful for the hard work and dedication of those who show up every day to provide our students with the best experience. We ask that you consider helping us show thanks to our faculty and staff by donating gift cards in increments of $10-$25. These gift cards will be distributed during our holiday luncheon in December. We would like to ensure all employees receive a gift card. If you wish to give, please send your donation to the main office in a sealed envelope addressed to Dr. Allen. Please include parent name, student name, and a contact email address so that we can confirm receipt of your gift. We ask that you submit your donations by December 16th.
Thank you to both our PTSA and our SAC for their continued dedication to our students and campus. Our SAC meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 4 PM and all are welcome. The PTSA continues to assist our campus and will be announcing Coffee and Chat dates soon. If you have not joined the PTSA, please follow the instructions listed in the PTSA section to do so.
Congratulations to Mrs. Krystal Culpepper on being named the Paxon School for Advanced Studies Teacher of the Year. It is well deserved. Congratulations to our Paxon Chorus on being selected to perform at the DCPS Board meeting. Kudos to the Varsity football team on the most successful season in over 30 years. Congratulations to our Homecoming Queen Adrienne Jones and King Aaron Glover.
It is too easy to simply develop a list of items to be thankful for and site them. At Paxon we believe in reflection and adjustment. We will continue to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for and adjust our path forward accordingly. With Highest Expectations!
