Document 2517642

DR. CHARLES R. DREW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
DOLPHIN DIGEST
October 2015
Wanda Means-Harris, Principal
Megan Murphy, Assistant Principal
From the Principal
Fall has arrived with its crisp mornings, changing leaf colors and shorter daylight time. The approaching month of October is
filled with lots of activities. It is also the month that we focus on helping our students remember good safety practices. At
school, we are teaching our children how to use our High 5 Standards to be safe to and from school as well as during the
school day.
Safety First
Throughout the school year, we practice emergency preparedness procedures. This includes monthly fire drills and six
Lockdown and Shelter drills throughout the year. Please refer to the student handbook for explanations of these drills. Ask
your children too. Students had an opportunity to practice all 3 drills over the past four weeks of school. Later in the school
year, we will practice severe weather and reverse evacuation drills. We remind our students that we practice these drills
regularly so they know what to do in case an emergency occurs. We also remind them that the most important point to
remember is to listen and follow all staff directions. Parents can help us by reviewing home safety procedures and reinforcing
school safety procedures. Finally, please be sure that we have current contact information on file and a list of adults who are
authorized to pick up your children in our main office and with teachers. If an actual emergency occurs, school and public
safety officials will be sent to assist our school immediately and will use the contact information to reunite students with
families.
MCPS Choice Study Starts This Month!
In previous newsletters I shared that Drew ES and its choice/special academic program, the Center for the Highly Gifted
Program (CHGP), is a site for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) choice and other special academic programs
study. As a reminder, the purpose of the study is to ensure that these programs, both individually and collectively, are wellpositioned to effectively advance the mission; core purpose; core values. Metis is the contracted company that will be
conducting this study.
The following dates are site visits for Drew ES:
Wednesday, October 7th
• Principal interview-after arrival
• Walk through & class observations
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Thursday, October 8th
Staff focus group 4pm-5pm
Parent (of students in the center program) focus
group 6pm-7pm
Parent (of students not in the center program)
focus group 7:30pm -8:30pm
Leadership/School Improvement Team
We are still looking for parents to join our team. We meet monthly to review our progress towards improving student
achievement. We welcome the valuable input we receive from the parents who participate on the leadership team. Please
consider joining the team. Contact the main office or send a note if you are interested.
Staffing Updates
We want to inform you of the following staffing changes.
• We are saying farewell to Mrs. Portia Babcock, who moved to B-CC High School. We welcome Mrs. Michele
Whiting (former attendance secretary) as our new administrative secretary. We are hoping to be able to hire a new
attendance secretary soon.
• Mrs. Hayes, the art teacher, is still on long-term leave. Mr. Anderson started the year with us but has a new
assignment. We will secure a long-term substitute to replace him soon.
• Mrs. Doll started the year substituting for Mrs. Kilcoyne, our media specialist, and will continue until the middle of
October.
1 DR. CHARLES R. DREW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOLPHIN DIGEST
Counselor’s Corner
School-Wide Character Education – RESPECT
Our new school year is off to a great start! As I am visiting classrooms this month, the students and I are having some great
discussions about what they already know about respect and some examples of how they can show respect here at school and
at home. I am introducing myself to our new kindergarten students and teaching them about what I do here in school.
Attention Grade 5 Parents
Magnet Middle School Information Sessions
Magnet middle school information sessions begin this Thursday, September 24, 2015 – 7:00 pm. at Richard Montgomery
High School. If you are interested in your child attending a middle school magnet program at Takoma Park, Eastern,
Loiderman, Argyle, or Parkland Middle Schools, please visit this link for dates, times, and locations of each session.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/enrichedinnovative/events/middle.aspx
Magnet Middle School Application Booklets
If you are interested in applying for a magnet middle school for your child, please look for the white Middle School
Application Programs for School Year 2016-17 booklet and the yellow Preparing for the Tests as part of the Application
Process booklet. These books have all necessary information on the application process and timelines. I encourage you to
attend one of the magnet middle school information sessions. Magnet middle school applications are due Friday, November
6, 2015.
If you have any questions, I can be reached by email [email protected]
Thank You! Thank You!
We want to thank the executive members of the PTA for their continued efforts to strengthen the PTA at Drew ES. The first
General PTA meeting was informative. The budget, programming, and ideas for additional supports to our school were
shared by the executive committee members. We encourage you to join the PTA and support its activities.
The fall fundraiser starts on October 14th and continues for 3 weeks. We really appreciate families selling items to raise
money for our school. We have so many parents who are actively involved in helping to make this year a wonderful one.
Joining the Giant A+ School Rewards program is another way you can support our school. A flyer is attached to this
newsletter with information for signing up today!
A special thanks to the parents who attended the Volunteer Training and are helping in the classrooms, the media center and
at lunch and recess; the children love seeing parents! They also look forward to seeing our dads help them work through
challenges. We greatly appreciate our parent/school partnership! The next Parent Volunteer Training will be Friday,
October 2nd, 7:30 am – 8:00 am and 9:45 am – 10:15 am.
BoxTops for Education
It’s time for BoxTops collection for Drew Elementary again! Last year we did a fantastic job raising money for our school, so
let’s all work on doing a great job again this year! Drew was able to purchase additional recess equipment, books, and
student recognition items for our school. The collection envelopes for BoxTops have been placed in teachers’ mailboxes and
should make their way back to your classrooms this week, so you can bring in BoxTops anytime! The first collection will be
during the last week of October. Thanks for all your support of Drew! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
the BoxTop coordinator, Laura Baxter ([email protected]).
Reminder: Free and Reduced Meals
Applications for this school year must be submitted by October 2th in order for this service not to be interrupted.
Parents and guardians will need to submit just one application that lists all the children in their household who attend
Montgomery County Public Schools. YOU MUST REAPPLY EVERY YEAR. FAILURE TO REAPPLY CAN RESULT
IN DISRUPTIONS OR NO MEAL SERVICE TO YOUR CHILDREN. If you need assistance with completing the
application, please stop by the office and someone will help you complete it and submit the new application.
Walk to School Day
Wednesday, October 7th is Walk to School Day. Annually, we participate in this event to highlight that walking daily is a
simple and great way to start the day as well as model pedestrian safety rules. Buses will be unloading at the Good Hope
Community Center. We will begin walking to school at 9:00 a.m. Please join us.
2 DR. CHARLES R. DREW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOLPHIN DIGEST
Columbus Day: Parent Coffee and Open House
Monday, October 12th is our annual Parent Open House. We will also be hosting a Parent Coffee from 9:05-9:30 a.m. in the
cafeteria. The coffee is a time for parents to come and have an informal conversation with the principal and assistant
principal before visiting their children’s classes. Classroom visits are an opportunity to see firsthand the wonderful
instruction your child receives. You are invited to visit classes from 9:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. When you visit, please be sure to
sign in and wear a visitor sticker throughout your stay.
Save the Date: Math Night for Families
Who? Students and Parents in K- 5
When? Thursday, October 22, 2015 from 6:45 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Where? Drew ES
Noche de Matematicas en la escuela
Que es? Una Noche de Matemática para toda la familia
Para quien? Todos los estudiantes de K-5 y los padres
Cuando? Viernes, Octubre, 22, 2015 6:45 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
Escuela? Drew ES
Fall Festival
Thursday, October 15th from 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm – More information to follow soon.
3 DR. CHARLES R. DREW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOLPHIN DIGEST
Tuesday,
September 29
Thursday,
October 1
Friday,
October 2
Monday,
October 5
Wednesday,
October 7
IMPORTANT DATES
After School Clubs Begin
Family Portrait Night with Freed Photography
5:00 pm -8:00 pm Note: See attached flyer
Parent Volunteer Training
7:30 am – 8 am and 9:45 am – 10:15 am
Early Dismissal 1:20 p.m.
Interim Reports go home
Walk to School Day
Choice Site Visit-Classes
Thursday,
October 8
Monday,
October 12
Wednesday,
October 14
Thursday,
October 15
Friday,
October 16
October 19 - 23
Wednesday,
October 21
Thursday,
October 22
Tuesday,
October 27
Wednesday,
October 28
Friday,
October 30
Monday,
November 2
Tuesday,
November 3
Information Meeting for the Center for the Highly Gifted
Northwest High School, 7:00 pm
Choice Site Visit- Staff and Parent Focus Group
Columbus Day – Open House K-12
Information Meeting for the Center for the Highly Gifted
Northwood High School, 7:00 pm
Pre-K Field Trip – Imagination Stage – 9:40 am to 1:00 pm
Note: Both morning and afternoon classes will attend.
Fall Festival – 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
No School – Maryland State Teachers Convention
Book Fair – Media Center
4th grade Field Trip – Flag Ponds Nature Center
Mrs. Byrne and Mrs. Leichtling
Math Night 6:45 pm – 8:00 pm
4th grade Field Trip – Flag Ponds Nature Center
Mrs. Doane and Mr. Logsdon
Individual Student Portrait Day
First Marking Period Ends
Professional Day for Teachers
No School for Students
Second Marking Period Begins
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