📅 October 12:  Planning Day, No School 

📅 October 16:  Report Cards will be availble to view in the Focus App    

📅 October 26-30: Red Ribbon Week    

📅 October 30: Halloween Parade and Early Dismissal Day!    

 🎯 Make sure to regularly visit our website and social media pages to stay informed about  the latest events at Paterson.

Paterson Elementary is excited to celebrate Red Ribbon Week from Monday, October 26th through Friday, October 30th! This year’s theme is "Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free!" Throughout the week, our students and staff will participate in themed dress-up days designed to empower everyone to be everyday heroes by choosing a healthy, positive lifestyle.

Here is our schedule of daily spirit dress-up themes:

Monday, Oct 26 – "CAMO"-flage Yourself Against Bad Choices! Wear camouflage, olive green, or khaki clothing to blend out bad influences and stand strong!

Tuesday, Oct 27 – Shine Bright for Your Future! Wear glitter, metallic, or your brightest colorful clothes. Stand out by choosing a healthy lifestyle!

Wednesday, Oct 28 – Paterson Pride: School Colors & Gear Day! Wear your Paterson school colors or school gear! Show your school spirit by choosing a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Thursday, Oct 29 – Double Up Against Bad Choices! (Twin Day) Match outfits, shirt colors, or styles with a friend, classmate, or teacher. Work together to make positive life choices!

Friday, Oct 30 – Say "BOO" to Drugs! Wear school-appropriate Halloween costumes as we scare away bad choices to wrap up the week!

Please note: All outfits and Halloween costumes must remain school-appropriate throughout the week. Thank you for your support in making Paterson a safe, healthy, and fun place to learn!

We are so excited for our annual Halloween Parade on Friday, October 30th starting at 9:30 AM! Check out the "wicked" guidelines below to help us create a fun, safe, and secure event for all of our students, staff, and families. Please read the details carefully and refer to the parade map!

👻 Parade Route & Student Info

The Procession: The parade kicks off around 9:30 AM. PreK through 3rd-grade students will line the hallways and march in the parade, with each grade joining as the group passes their building. Our 4th–6th graders will line the route on campus to cheer everyone on!

Outdoor Route: Students will exit through the South Parent Pick Up (SPPU) and Media Center gates, turn right along the sidewalk to the pedestrian crosswalk on Pine Ave, cross left, head north toward the bus loop, and re-enter campus through the bus loop gates.

Live Music: Catch our amazing school band jamming in the bus loop area! They will follow the parade back into the courtyard to finish out the procession.

🍿 Viewing Area & Safety Guidelines for Families

Where to Watch: Spectators are welcome to watch from the designated viewing areas in the South Parent Parking Lot (see map).

Parking Lot Closure: The South Parent Parking Lot will be closed to all traffic starting at 9:15 AM (cones will block entry). No parking is permitted in the bus loop at any time.

Campus Gates: For student safety, parents and visitors will not be allowed to enter any gates with the students while the parade is underway.

Office & Student Check-Outs: The Front Office will be closed during the event. Standard student check-out protocols apply through the front office after the parade concludes—no early check-outs will be authorized during the event.

Thank you a bunch for your support in making this a spooktacular and safe celebration! We can’t wait to see all the awesome costumes! 🎃✨

Skip cooking dinner and support Paterson at the same time! Order your favorites from Papa Johns, and they’ll take care of the rest:

10% OFF your entire order 💰

20% DONATED back to Paterson 🏫

Use code PATERSON10 at checkout on https://www.papajohns.com/. Best of all, this promo code works all school year long!

Attendance counts! This month, we are highlighting what it means to Show Up Strong every day.

Ready to Learn: Arriving on time and rested set the stage for success.

Engaged Classrooms: Interactive lessons keep students involved and eager to participate.

Stronger Together: Celebrating individual attendance gains and collective classroom goals.

Join us this month in encouraging your children to bring their best energy to school every day!

Mrs. Shipp is a dedicated veteran educator who works tirelessly to prepare her students for junior high and beyond. Driven by a passion for sparking curiosity, she teaches her students the lifelong values of responsibility, accountability, and perseverance. As an essential team leader, she generously shares her experience, knowledge, and uplifting spirit with her colleagues. We are truly blessed to have Mrs. Shipp in our school family—her vibrant smile and joy bring warmth to our campus every single day!

Mrs. McKenzie is a dedicated veteran educator at PES who works tirelessly to tailor her teaching to the unique learning styles of every student. As her students’ biggest cheerleader, she finds joy in celebrating their growth and achievements every single day. Her warm, caring demeanor and radiant smile set a positive tone not only in her classroom, but across our entire campus. Mrs. McKenzie is an integral part of our Manatee family, and we are truly honored to have her guiding and inspiring our school community!

Bring Free Books to Your Home: New Worlds Reading Initiative

Did you know your child could receive nine free books delivered straight to your home this school year?

Through the New Worlds Reading Initiative, eligible Florida students can build their very own home library at zero cost to families. Created in partnership with the Florida Department of Education, the UF Lastinger Center for Learning, and Scholastic, this program helps students strengthen their reading skills and build confidence through books tailored to their interests.

Program Highlights:

9 Free Books Each Year: Your child gets to choose nine brand-new books every school year through 5th grade.

Family Activity Kits: Every book delivery includes fun literacy activities to help you support your child's reading journey at home.

No Income Requirements: Eligibility is based purely on reading progress, not household income.

Who is Eligible?

Students enrolled in VPK through 5th grade at a Florida public, charter, or participating VPK program.

Students who are working toward grade-level reading expectations (often identified during FAST Progress Monitoring assessments in August or December).

Help spark a lifelong love of reading in your child! Visit newworldsreading.com to learn more and apply today.

Caitlin Curtis: School Counselor 

As your school counselor, I am committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where each child feels valued, heard, and understood. I believe that a strong partnership between the school, parents, and the community is vital to helping our students succeed. Whether through individual sessions, counseling groups, or classroom lessons, my goal is to help students grow not only academically but also emotionally and socially. I am also involved in a variety of student support services, including handling 504 plans, MTSS behavior plans, and referrals for gifted services, speech, and occupational therapy. My role is to ensure that every child receives the support they need to succeed in all areas of their development.

Nikiah Washington: Mental Health Clinician

Clinicians work to engage with students and staff school wide to promote mental health awareness, be available for informal interactions, provide Tier 2 interventions on an individual and/or group basis, assist school administration with crisis issues, and serve on the district wide crisis response team.  After gaining parent or guardian consent, Clinicians will provide services to students to identify an immediate issue and resolve concerns in 4-6 sessions either in individual or group format by focusing on positive core values and increasing resiliency through life skills such as self-esteem, anxiety, conflict management, relationships, problem solving, and anger management.  Mrs. Washington serves Paterson Elementary and Fleming Island Elementary.  She is available to students at Paterson Elementary School on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  

Jenni Bell: Military Family Life Counselor

Paterson Elementary School is proud to support our military-connected students and families with a full-time Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC) program. The MFLC program is designed to address the unique lifestyle of military families. Benefits to our students include easing transitions, meeting other military children who share similar circumstances, learning coping skills, and support through deployments and moving.   Activities include Lunch Bunch groups, Yellow Ribbon Ceremonies for deployments, and Deployment Groups.  

🏈 Big news, Manatee Families

We are excited to partner with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl for a special fundraiser celebrating the 82nd Annual Game!

Not only can you score half-price tickets to one of college football’s biggest traditions, but $15 from every ticket sold goes directly back to support Paterson Elementary! 🎒✨

Here are the game day & fundraiser details:

🎟️ The Deal: $25 tickets (regularly $50)

⏰ Sales Deadline: Sunday, November 30th, 2026 at 11:59 PM

🗓️ Game Date: Wednesday, December 30th, 2026 at 11:30 AM EST

📍 Location: Bill Gay Grounds at EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, FL)

📺 On TV: Broadcast live nationally on ESPN

🔥 The Matchup: ACC vs. SEC (Teams announced Sunday, Dec. 6!)

Don't wait until the clock runs out! Grab your tickets, support our school, and get ready for game day.

👉 Get tickets & info: https://www.gofevo.com/event/PatersonxTSGB

Be ready to show your Paterson Pride with new PES Gear!  Many items are available for purchase at our Mascot Shop.  Click the link below to start shopping today!

PES Mascot Shop

Did you know parents can update their student’s details (phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts) right inside the Focus Mobile App? It takes less than a minute!

Here is how to do it:

➡️ Open the Focus App and tap More Info in the top-right corner.

➡️ Tap the light blue Student Info box.

➡️ Tap the General drop-down menu right under the student's picture.

➡️ From the list, select the area to update

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous Paterson Elementary business sponsors! Your support plays a vital role in keeping our classrooms stocked, our special programs running smoothly, and our students' everyday needs fully met. We are immensely grateful for your investment in our school community and couldn't do it without you. 💙💛

Thank you to:

Ripple Effect Martial Arts

Huntington Learning Center

Overtime Athletics

Oasis Orthodontics

Growing Healthy Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

Air-Max Heating & Cooling Inc

Chad Hollingsworth with Farm Bureau Insurance

Librera Insurance Group LLC

GameGO!

G2 Dumpsters

Epic Powertrain

Primrose School of Fleming Island

Code Ninjas

Dentistry 4 Children & Teens 2

Carlton Construction

Sydney Killian Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty

Don’t ghoul around—send a ghost-ly sweet surprise to your favorite little monster!

Boo Grams are just $1 each and are a fun way for students to treat their friends, or for parents and family members to send a special Halloween trick-or-treat to their student(s).

Here’s how it works:

Pick up a form: Look for the flyer in your child’s folder, or swing by the front office to grab one.

Send it back: Fill out your Boo Gram and return it with $1 cash per gram to the front office by Wednesday, October 22nd.

The Sweet Part: We’ll attach a lollipop to every Boo Gram and hand-deliver them just in time for Halloween! 🍭

Note: To make sure our Halloween elves have enough time to deliver all the sweets, Boo Grams returned after October 22nd or without payment unfortunately cannot be delivered.

🎃 DANCE ’TIL YOUR BONES CREAK! 🦴👻

Get ready for a night of music, fun, and Halloween flair at the annual PFA Halloween Dance! Admission is FREE!

🗓 WHEN:

       ⏰ 3rd & 4th Grade: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

       ⏰ 5th & 6th Grade: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

📍 WHERE: School Cafeteria

🎟 DETAILS:

🎃 Costume Contest: Show off your Halloween spirit! Costumes must follow school dress code and be age-appropriate. (Reminder: No masks or play weapons allowed!)

🍕 Refreshments & Fun: Food, drinks, and spooky novelties will be available for purchase (CASH ONLY).

🚗 SAFETY & PICK-UP NOTICE:

Students may be dropped off, but parents/guardians MUST pick up your student(s) in front of the cafeteria left hand doors at the end of their session. For everyone's safety, no child will be permitted to exit the building alone.

We can’t wait to see your best dance moves! Who’s ready to celebrate? 🕸️✨

PFA Meeting: Weds., October 14th

Join us for our first Parent Faculty Association (PFA) meeting of the school year on Wednesday, September 6th, in the Media Center! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about volunteer possibilities on campus and after school, as well as discover how our PFA collaborates with teachers and staff to support our school community.