The Dolphin’s Tale The bi-weekly principal’s newsletter of Travilah Elementary School

The Dolphin’s
Tale
The bi-weekly principal’s newsletter of Travilah Elementary School
Susan J. Shenk, Principal
February 1, 2016
Issue #10
February African American History Month
2
3
7:00 – 8:00pm
5
7:00 – 8:30pm
10
2:00pm
11
12
15
17
18
19
23
24
25
26
5:00 – 6:00pm
7:00 – 8:00pm
1:20pm
PTA meeting – Media Center
Lunar New Year celebration – Year of the Monkey
Report Cards distributed
Club, group, and candid photos taken
Bingo Night – AP Room
Grade 4 Knoblach to Wegman’s Market
Grade 5 to Frost for Band Concert
School-wide Spelling Bee
Grade 3 to Imagination Stage Jack and Phil
Valentine’s Day parties
President’s Day – schools and offices closed
Grade 4 Hart to Wegman’s Market
Grade 5 Poet in Residence
Jump Rope for Heart
STEM Fair set up - Gym
STEM Fair - Gym
Grade 5 Poet in Residence
Early Release – Grading and Reporting
March
1
2
3
10
7:00 – 8:30pm
11
17
23
7:00 – 8:30pm
24
25
PTA Meeting – Small Group Instruction presentation
Cultural Arts Adventures with Raptors
Grade 5 Poet in Residence
Grade 2 Mad Science All About Animals
Grade 5 Poet in Residence
PTA Movie Night – AP Room
Grade 1 Mad Science Magnets
Flyer distribution Day
Grade 5 to Baltimore
3rd Marking Period ends
No School for students – Professional Day
Spring Break begins
April
4
School Resumes
Visit our website! http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/travilahes/
School Phone: 301-840-7153
School Attendance Line: 301-670-8223
School Fax: 301-670-8230
Visit the PTA website! http://www.travilahpta.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
WELCOME BACK! - Hope the snowstorm did not cause you too much trouble and that you were able to enjoy
our “Snowcation.” A huge than you to our building service staff for the fabulous job they did clearing our school!
Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Mallawaarachchi, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Cousins, and Mr. Thompson worked extra hard to make sure
our school was safe and ready. Since there was plenty of time, I hope everyone has been working hard on their
reading for the Read-A-Thon. This is our biggest PTA fundraiser of the year, so we are hopeful that parents will
support this worthwhile cause and encourage everyone to participate. A big thank you to Mrs. Halpern for all her
hard work organizing this project and for the wonderful P.J. Party! This Wednesday, we will be celebrating the
Lunar New Year. Parents were here last week decorating for the event. We are all looking forward to the many
activities that will take place in the gym during recess. Afterwards, we will be having our annual Lunar New Year
parade. We hope many students will dress up in traditional clothing for the parade. We will also have students
display their many crafts that they have made in art class and in the classroom. This Friday night is Bingo Night. It
is always an exciting evening for families. We hope you will join us. See the attached flyer. Our annual Spelling
Bee has been rescheduled. It will take place on Wednesday, February 10 th. Our Valentine’s Day parties will be
held the afternoon of Friday, February 12th. Many parents have been busy planning this fun activity. Please make
sure that your child has Valentine cards for every child in his/her class. As you can see, we are coming back to a
very busy schedule with lots of reading, activities, and of course, learning. Here’s to a terrific second semester!
CHANGE OF SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT FOR FY17 - Montgomery County parents/guardians who wish to
request a Change of School Assignment (COSA) for their children from their home school may begin the process
during the upcoming transfer season—February 1 through April 1, 2016. Except for students in the Northeast
Consortium (NEC), Downcounty Consortium (DCC), and Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) areas,
students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) are assigned to a school on the basis of their place of
residence or their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and are expected to attend their home school. Assignment
changes for students from one school to another are permitted under the following limited circumstances:
 Younger sibling wanting to attend the school of an older sibling in the regular/general program, if the
older sibling will be attending the requested school the following school year, absent a boundary
change;
 A continuation in a feeder pattern from middle to high school, except when affected by boundary
change, application program acceptance, or Consortium Choice guidelines;
 When a family moves within Montgomery County, preference to remain in the original school will be
considered to complete the current school year only;
 A documented, unique hardship situation.
The transfer process begins in the home school, where parents/guardians may request the Change of School
Assignment (COSA) Information Booklet that contains the COSA form, describes the process, and provides useful
information. The COSA booklet is available in schools and online at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/transfers. The booklet will be available in both English and Spanish. Exempt
countywide programs that do not fall under the transfer guidelines are listed in the information booklet.
There is a different process to access the elementary language immersion programs. Full information and copies of
the elementary Immersion Interest Form are available at all elementary schools and online at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms.
For information about assignments for students residing in the NEC, DCC, or MSMC areas, please contact the
Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services at 301-592-2040 or visit the website at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/schoolchoice.
For more information about the transfer process, parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the principal at their
home school. Non-English speaking students and parents/guardians who may require assistance may contact ASK
MCPS to get the information they need by telephone at 301-309-MCPS (6277). Telephone operators who speak
English and Spanish are available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parents who speak
languages other than English or Spanish who call the ASK MCPS telephone line and identify their language will
have their questions answered through a telephone interpreter.
PTA FUNDRAISER - Travilah Elementary School is inviting you to participate in a unique fundraiser to “Pave the
Way” for our students. Leave a lasting legacy by purchasing a paver to be permanently displayed and remembered
forever. Each paver that you sponsor may honor you, your student, a teacher or staff member, former student, a
family member, friend, local business or anyone! The pavers will be etched with your custom inscription and placed
within the landscaping around the circle, in front of our school.
All of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go to our PTA.
Please submit orders before Friday, April 15, 2016 for spring 2016 installation.
For more information please visit the PTA website or contact:
Erinn Foster at 301-370-4502 or mail to: [email protected]
PLAYGROUND SUPERSTARS – Week of January 11-15, 2016 are:
Grade 5: Charles Makobongo, Christian Vande Krol, Franklin Ayissi Etoh, Lunah Schleret, Becca Katz,
Adriana Cruz, Pratyusha Mandal, Jessica Winson
Grade 4: Coby Pinto, Alex Bergen, Michael Purring Ali Abdullah, Sammy Somwaru
Grade 3: Tejusvi Vijay, Sietse Venema, Chassidy Davis
Grade 2: Mackie Noble, Krish Balkee, Roshali Abeywarna
Grade 1: Linda Wang, John Chu, Damian Sanchez
Kindergarten: Audrey Caulder, Cynthia Yu, Alisia Yan, Hasti Sobhani, Menna Negussie, Lily Pratt, Elai Zief
SPECIAL DOLPHIN TALES THANK YOU TO:
 Renee Halpern and her committee for organizing the outstanding Read-A-Thon!
 Wayne Pan and his committee for the beautiful Lunar New Year decorations!
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