W R E

WELLER ROAD ELEMENTARY
PARENT NEWSLETTER
Nov ember 5, 201 3
PARENT – T EACHER CONFERENCES – The dates for parent conferences are Monday, November
11, 2013 and Tuesday, November 12, 2013. There will be no classes for Pre -K or Head Start students on
those two days in order to be able to meet with all parents. All other students will be dismissed at 12:35
p.m. Conferences for grades K through 5 will be held after dismissal. For parents who have not already
scheduled a conference, please contact your child’s teacher to schedule a conference, and be sure to let
them know if you will need a translator. Our goal at Weller is to meet with every parent, to inform you of
your child’s first quarter performance.
FLU MIST CLINIC – The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will
conduct free, nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist) clinics in November for children 18 and under. On Friday,
November 1, 2013, flu clinics will be held at John F. Kennedy, Richard Montgomery, and Seneca Valley
high schools from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. These clinics will be open to any school -aged child. All
Montgomery County Public Schools elementary schools will host a flu clinic on either Monday,
November 11, or Tuesday, November 12, 2013, following early dismissal of students on those days. The
clinic at Weller Road Elementary School will take place on Monday, November 11, 2013 at premade
appointment times. All clinics are free, but registration is required due to limited vaccine supplies. For
more information about the upcoming clinics and the FluMist, visit the following websites:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/flu/
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/flu
Both the injectable seasonal flu vaccine and nasal spray flu vaccine will be available, at no charge, at other
DHHS flu clinics at various locations in the county, October through December.
Visit
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/flu or call 311 for county locations. The Flu vaccine also may be
available from your health care provider.
BUILDING ISSUES – As with any new building, small issues crop up that need to be fixed. One such
issue is an ongoing smell that permeates the building occasionally. The smell is no danger to students or
staff, but we did want to let you know about it and that the contractors are actively working to fix the
problem. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the office at 301-929-2010.
FROM T HE PARENT RESOURCE CENTER – Supporting Your Child at Home
 Establish a routine
 Provide a quiet space
 Have materials and resources
 Help your child with organizational skills
 Check your child’s assignments on a regular basis
 Provide support without doing the work for them
 Read to your child and/or encourage the child to read everyday
 Talk to your child about school life
Anna Saladino (Parent Coordinator)
COAT S – It is imperative that all children come dressed appropriately to school. Even though it is getting
colder, students will be going outside for recess as long as it is above freezing. Please send your child with
a coat, hat and glove/mittens every day. If you do not have a coat for your child, please contactMs.Catucci,
our school counselor, at 301 -929-2010.
PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS – Any time you leave a message for or send an email to a teacher or
administrator, please be aware that it may be as much as 24 hours before you receive a response. Also, if
you need to meet with a teacher or administrator, every effort will be made to schedule an appointment as
quickly as their schedules allow. Thank you for your understanding.
SUCCESS ASSEMBLIES – Our first Success Assemblies will be held in November. Students who will
be receiving an award will be notified in writing, and parents are welcome to attend to see the presentation.
We will have assemblies on two days. Kindergarten and First Grade will receive their awards on Tuesday,
November 19, 2013 at 9:15 AM. Then on Wednesday, November 20, 2013, Second and Third Grades will
receive theirs at 9:15 AM and Fourth and Fifth Grades will receive theirs at 2:15 PM.
HEALT HY EAT ING AT WELLER ROAD –Students are being encouraged to make healthier eating
choices. The Food Services Division of Montgomery County Public Schools is giving healthy food choices
to students who purchase lunch each day. With the holiday season coming up, especially Hallowe en, we
are asking that students not bring their candy to school, so that they’ll be more likely to eat the healthy
choices provided by you or the school cafeteria. Thank you for your cooperation.
HOW T O GET EMERGENCY WEAT HER INFORMAT ION – Winter weather, such as snow and
ice, and other emergencies may cause disruptions in school operations, including the closure of school,
a delayed opening or an early dismissal. Announcements of school closings or delays are made as early
as possible, generally in time for news broadcasts that begin at 5 a.m. If schools are closing early, those
announcements are made by 11 a.m. There are several ways to get the latest information on closings
or delays:
 Parents can subscribe to the MCPS QuickNotes e-mail news service to receive emergency
information. Subscribe at www.mcpsquicknotes.org. Be sure to select the school your child
attends.
 The MCPS home page at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org displays emergency
announcements in bold red letters at the top of the page.
 The ASK MCPS Telephone Information Center at 301 -309-6277 has English- and Spanishspeaking operators from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
 MCPS information telephone line at 301 -279-3673 has recorded information 24 hours a day.
 Local radio and TV stations and MCPS Comcast Channel 34, Verizon Fios Channel 36 and
RCN Channel 89 broadcast the information.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN – All schools develop or revise a School Improvement Plan (SIP)
each school year. During the summer and early fall, schools draft the SIP by examining data collectedfrom
student assessments and parent and staff surveys. This data is used to determine where to focus efforts to
enhance and improve instruction based on the needs of our students, staff, and parents; to allocate
resources; and to plan parent and staff training. Parents are an important and vital part of the SIP process,
and are invited to participate so that their ideas and suggestions can be incorporated into the school’s plan.
For further information about the SIP please contact your school’s principal.
PIRC: Parents as Essential Partners – Maryland’s Parent Information Resource Center
The Maryland Parental Information Resource Center (PIRC) launched a new website aimed at giving
parents and educators the tools they need to boost family engagement and achievement for all of
Maryland’s students. The user-friendly website is aimed at getting parents, parent advocates, community
members, teachers, principals, and other administrators working together for the benefit of the state’s
children. Ultimately, the website will be translated entirely into Spanish. The Maryland PIRC offers a
bilingual (English and Spanish), toll-free Parent Hotline. Parents, educators, and parent advocates can
access the toll free hotline at 1-877-MD-PARENTS. The website has a Frequently Asked Questions section
for parents and a question form parents and community members can use to submit questions. Other
website features include: lists of resources for parents, parent advocates, and educators; a searchable
database of studies, reports, news articles, and training materials; and lists of social service agencies,
advocacy groups, and relevant government agencies. For more information about the parent centerandits
programs, please see the attached brochure, visit the website, or call the office at 301 -657-7742.