Garrett Park E.S. March 2015 Newsletter

Garrett Park E.S.
March 2015 Newsletter
From the Principal
Dear Parents/Guardians:
March Highlights
This month, Kindergarten students will enjoy a visit from Potomac Pizza representatives who
will come and present to students the goods used in making pizzas. Students have been learning
about goods and services and will describe the requirements to perform the different jobs in their
restaurant. The students will be given the opportunity to prepare a pizza and will receive
directions on how to bake it at home! Potomac Pizza will also bring cooked pizzas to the school
for the students to sample.
Our first graders are learning how to measure various objects and use different units of measure
in math while learning about natural resources and how they are used to make new things in
social studies. In a Breadmake lesson coming up this month, the first graders will have an
authentic opportunity to apply their measurement skills. Students will measure the bread
ingredients using a variety of tools. They will also learn about the natural resources used in
making bread. All of the children will make their own loaf of bread to take home.
Our fourth graders will be attending a performance called “Wiley and the Hairy Man” at the
Imagination Stage. They have been learning about the characteristics of a play, identifying and
comparing similarities and differences between a text in a drama and an oral presentation of a
drama. Students will read “Wiley and the Hairy Man” and then identify similarities between the
oral presentation and the play.
This month, our Student Government Association is hosting a fundraiser to raise money to
donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through the Pennies for Patients program.
Students will be collecting donations and loose change using a collection box. The fundraiser
will run from March 2-20. The funds raised will help to find cures and ensure access to
treatments for blood cancer patients. Through this fundraiser, students at Garrett Park will learn
about service, leadership, philanthropy and how they can make a difference by changing
patients’ lives. Garrett Park Elementary School has its own online fundraising page that
students,
parents
and
family
friends
can
access:
http://nca.sy.llsevent.org/GarrettParkElementarySchool. For more information on the Pennies
for Patients program, please visit: www.schoolandyouth.org/nca.
Bell Time Changes for 2015-2016
Starting next school year, middle and high schools will begin 20 minutes later; elementary
schools will start 10 minutes later and end 20 minutes later. The elementary school day will be
lengthened by 10 minutes, with that time being used for lunch or recess. Garrett Park
Elementary School’s start and end times will be 9:25 a.m. – 3:50 p.m. During the 2015-2016
school year, students will be allowed to arrive to school at 9:05 a.m. Please note this important
change.
Spring 2015 Testing – Please Save the Dates!
This spring, students in Grades 3 through 5 will take English and mathematics assessments
developed by the multistate group, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC). These assessments are aligned with the Common Core State Standards,
which set clear guidelines for what every student should know and be able to do in math and
English language arts from kindergarten through 12th grade. The new assessments will provide a
better measure of whether students are meeting grade-level expectations and are ultimately on
track to be ready for college or a career by the time they graduate from high school.
Parents should be aware that these new tests are very different from the ones they replaced, the
Maryland School Assessments (MSA). One major change is that the questions will be more
complex, requiring students to think critically and demonstrate what they know in different
ways. Also, the PARCC assessments will be taken online and will consist of two components,
which are taken at two different times during the school year.
In March, students will take the Performance-based Assessments (PBA). In English, students
will have to write essays, drawing details and information from different sources, including
multimedia. In mathematics, the PBAs will feature multistep problems that require reasoning and
address real-world situations. In April and May, students will take the End-of-Year Assessment
(EOY). In English, students will be tested on reading comprehension using literary and
informational texts, while in mathematics, the EOY will assess student understanding and
application of specific concepts. The tests will be taken over multiple days.
For more information about the PARCC assessments, please feel free to explore the following
two websites:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/parcc/ and www.parcconline.org
Please note the dates which follow and apply to your Grades 3-5 child(ren). We encourage all
families to schedule vacations and appointments around the scheduled testing dates. We have
minimal make-up days restricted to a specific window scheduled for students who are ill or
absent for unavoidable reasons. We encourage all students to get a good night’s sleep the nights
before each test and to eat a good breakfast. If you have questions or concerns regarding any of
the tests mentioned below, please feel free to contact Mrs. Higgins, our assistant principal, or
your child’s teacher.
2015 PARCC Testing Schedule
PARCC Performance Based Assessments (PBA) - March 2 – March 26
PARCC English Language Arts (Literacy)
PARCC Math
Grade 3 - March 3, 4 and 5
Grade 3 - March 16 and 17
Grade 4 - March 11,12 and 13
Grade 4 - March 20 and 23
Grade 5 - March 6, 9, and 10
Grade 5 - March 18 and 19
PARCC End of Year Assessments (EOY) - April 20 – May 15
PARCC English Language Arts (Literacy)
PARCC Math
Grade 3 – April 20
Grade 3 – April 21 and 22
Grade 4 – April 23
Grade 4 – April 27 and 28
Grade 5 – May 5
Grade 5 – May 6 and 7
Shout out to Grade 3 Students!
Hats off to our 3rd graders and Mr. Smith for hosting three fantastic 3rd grade Recorder Concerts.
Special thanks to Mrs. Mary Moyer for playing the piano accompaniment. Everyone was
impressed with the number of songs our 3rd graders learned how to play.
5th Grade Promotion Ceremony – Please Save the Date!
The 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 11. Students need to arrive
by 6:30 p.m. with the ceremony starting at 7:00 p.m.
Superintendent Search
The Montgomery County Board of Education has launched a national search for the next
superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools. The Board is gathering input from the
community about the traits and characteristics it wants in our next leader. To that end, the Board
has asked its search firm to conduct four public forums to hear from the public. The four public
forums will be held as follows:
Wednesday, March 4, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
•
Eastern Middle School, 300 University Boulevard, East, Silver Spring—Interpretation in
Amharic, French, and Spanish
•
Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda—Interpretation in
Korean and Spanish
Thursday, March 5, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
•
Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard, Gaithersburg—Interpretation in
Chinese, Korean and Spanish
•
Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville—Interpretation in
French, Spanish and Vietnamese
Kindergarten Orientation – No School for Current Kindergarten Students!
Kindergarten Orientation will be held on Wednesday, April 29, Thursday, April 30 and
Friday, May 1. ON THESE THREE DAYS, THERE WILL BE NO SCHOOL FOR
CURRENT KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS in order for our kindergarten teachers to be
available to meet all incoming kindergarten students. Unfortunately due to increased enrollment
and the number of parents interested in pursuing early entrance to kindergarten last year, we need
to host kindergarten orientation for three full days. Last year, staff was spread very thin with our
reserving just two days.
All students, who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2015, are eligible to attend
Kindergarten during the 2015-2016 school year. Kindergarten attendance is mandatory. If your
child is eligible for kindergarten enrollment, but you do not want your child to attend
kindergarten, an enrollment waiver form must be completed. The enrollment waiver forms are
available in the main office.
To read more about our Kindergarten Orientation process and to access the registration form,
please go to this weblink on our school’s website:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/garrettparkes/news/index.aspx?id=353121
Student Transfer Application Season
Montgomery County parents 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 2 - April 1, 2015. The transfer process begins in the home school where
parents may request a COSA form and the Change of School Assignment Information Booklet
that describes the process and provides useful information. The booklet can also be found online
at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/transfers. For more information, please contact the
Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services at 301-592-2040.
There is a different process to access elementary language immersion programs. Full
information and copies of the Elementary Immersion Interest Forms are available at all
elementary schools and online at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms.
Grade 5 students currently enrolled in immersion programs should submit a COSA if they wish
to continue in the immersion program at the middle-school level.
For more information about the transfer process, parents/guardians can feel free to contact me. Also,
non-English-speaking 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.
Please Follow the Correct Traffic Pattern in our School’s Parking Lot
When entering our school’s parking lot, please remember to stop at the stop sign and always turn
right even after hours.
Nursery School Parking Lot
Parents should not use the nursery school parking lot when visiting Garrett Park. It is a private
lot reserved for nursery school purposes.
Plan Ahead for the 2015–2016 School Year
The Board of Education has set the calendar for the 2015-2016 school year. Classes will begin
on Monday, August 31, 2015, and are scheduled to end on Friday, June 17, 2016. Spring Break
will run from March 25 to April 1. The calendar is available in seven languages–Amharic,
Chinese, English, French, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese—and can be printed or downloaded
to
a
computer
or
mobile
device.
To
see
the
calendar,
visit
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/calendars/future/.
Staff and Families in Need Wish Lists – All items can be sent to my attention
~ hand and toe warmers for staff on outdoor duties
~ solid or seasonal print tablecloths (Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) you can part with to be
used as the background for our news reporters on GPTV
~ different colored or shaped “strings of light” for our TV studio productions
~ new or gently used indoor recess games
~ new or gently used sneakers for the PE teachers to have available for kids who forget their
sneakers
~ plastic bags for the health room
~ non-perishable snacks – many teachers are in need of non-perishable snacks that they can store
in case kids forget to bring snacks or simply cannot afford them
~ coffee, tea and hot cocoa Keurig cup donations for our Keurig machine in the staff lounge
~ napkins, forks, knives, spoons, coffee stirrers, plates (any size/color/design) for our staff
lounge
~ donations to support our After School Clubs – checks can be made payable to “Garrett Park
ES” with “After School Clubs” in the memo line.
~ clothing for families in need
~ woman’s size XL clothes for a grownup and a younger adult
~ woman’s size 8.5 and 10 shoes – 8.5 for a upper elementary aged girl, 10 for an adult –
we need tennis shoes for the size 8.5 girl
~ men’s size 12 shoes (dress and tennis shoes)
~ men’s socks (dress and regular) that fit a size 12 foot
~ men’s size large shirts including oxford shirts
~ men’s size 32/33 waist, 34 length khaki pants (blue, black & beige) and jeans
~ girl’s size 14-16 clothes
~ socks for a girl with an woman’s sized 8.5 foot
~ little girl’s sized 1-2 shoes (regular and tennis) and socks
~ little girl’s size 8 t-shirts and clothes
~ clothes and toys for boys and girls aged 6 months to 3 years old
The staff and I look forward to seeing you at the many upcoming events. Please feel free to
contact me at any time with questions, concerns or to share an idea.
Respectfully,
Elaine Chang-Baxter