Garrett Park Elementary School April 2014 Newsletter From the Principal

Garrett Park Elementary School
April 2014 Newsletter From the Principal
Dear Parents:
Change to Spring Break Dates and the Last Day of School
Due to the need to make-up school days lost to inclement weather, Spring Break is being cut one
day short. Spring Break begins on Monday, April 14 and ends on Sunday, April 20.
Originally, students were supposed to report back to school on Tuesday, April 22 but instead will
need to report back on Monday, April 21.
If you made travel arrangements and it will be a hardship for your child to return to school on
Monday, April 21, please send a note to your child’s teacher as well as Ms. Brogan, attendance
secretary, stating such. Students in this circumstance will be given an excused absence.
Also, Thursday, June 12 will be a full day of school and Friday, June 13 will be a half day
of school. Originally, the last day of school was June 12.
Lost and Found Items to be Donated on Friday, April 11
Our Lost and Found items are overflowing. Any unclaimed items by noon on Friday, April 11
will be donated to the National Center for Children & Families in Bethesda. Our school will be
open late on Wednesday night due to the PTA Science Fair so it is a great time to come take a
look at our lost and found items.
April Events
Between now and the end of the school year, I will be providing parents with staffing updates as
I have them so please be sure to read the staffing updates section of these letters if you are
interested in an update.
This month, Kindergarten students enjoyed a visit from Potomac Pizza who had employees visit
to share with our students the resources and products used in making pizzas while also
describing the requirements to perform the different jobs in their restaurant. The students were
given the opportunity to prepare a pizza to bake at home. Our PTA will be hosting their annual
Science Fair on Wednesday, April 9 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Please be sure to mark your
calendars and come out and see what Garrett Park’s budding scientists have been exploring. On
April 22, Mrs. Down will be taking her class to Imagination Stage. This is a rescheduled trip due
to the many snow days we have had this year. Also in April, on the 22nd and 29th, our third grade
will take a field trip to Brookside Gardens where they will explore how organisms can grow and
survive in a variety of habitats. Thursday, April 24 is Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work
Day and on Monday, April 28, the 5th grade classes will be taking a combined panoramic photo
together.
April Events:
April 8 – Grade 5 MSA Science Make-ups
April 9 – PTA Science Fair
April 9 – Report cards distributed
April 11 – 3rd grade to have an Italian Ice party – prize from the PTA for the most parent
memberships
April 14 – April 18, 2014 – Spring break
April 21 – School resumes
April 22 – 1st grade, Ms. Down’s field trip to Imagination Stage
April 22 – Earth Day
April 22 - 3rd grade, Mr. Suhre, Mrs. Mongia and half of Mr. White’s class going on field trip to
Brookside Gardens
April 23 – Administrative Professionals Day
April 24 – Take Your Daughters/Sons to Work Day
April 25 – Interested parents should return the Student Information Profile form
April 28 – Whole 5th Grade Class Picture
April 29 – 3rd grade, Ms. Frank, Mrs. Markle and half of Mr. White’s class going on field trip to
Brookside Gardens
April 30 – Dr. Starr Student Town Hall meeting, Herbert Hoover Middle School
Looking Ahead:
May 1 – 4th Grade Trip to St. Mary’s
May 2 – 5th Grade Trip to Mt. Vernon
Hats Off to our Musical Theater Club and Chorus Students!!
Congratulations to this year’s Musical Theater Club and chorus students along with Mr. Joseph
Smith for the fabulous and well-received production of Willy Wonka, Jr.
Secretaries’ Day
Thursday, April 24 is Administrative Professionals’ Day also known as Secretaries’ Day. Please
be sure to recognize our secretaries for their hard work in supporting our school.
Please Return Student Profiles for 2014-2015 Sectioning due Friday, April 25
If parents are interested in sharing information about their child to help us section your child for
the 2014-2015 school year, please feel free to send the attached Student Information Profile form
or a letter to my attention by Friday, April 25. Our staff will begin to preliminarily section
students for next school year starting in May. We will take all parent letters and student profiles
into consideration if they are returned before sectioning begins. We will do our best to take other
feedback into consideration following preliminary sectioning. Submitting a letter or student
profile is optional and not required.
2014-2015 Staffing Updates
Based on current numbers and projections for the 2014-2015 school year and current allocations,
we anticipate having the following:
~ 6 kindergarten sections
~ 6 first grade sections
~ 5 second grade sections
~ 4 third grade sections
~ 5 fourth grade sections
~ 4 fifth grade sections
I am very sad to let you know of three staff retirements: Mrs. Janet Georgatsos, Administrative
Secretary; Mrs. Rose Furr, Staff Developer; and Ms. Susan Lambrix, primary grade ESOL
Teacher.
I hired Mrs. Georgatsos to be my administrative secretary when I was appointed principal of
Garrett Park and am very sad to see her go. After closing a family business, Mrs. Georgatsos
began her MCPS career at Bannockburn Elementary School as an Attendance Secretary for a
brief period before transferring to Beverly Farms Elementary School where she served as the
Administrative Secretary for four years. For the past seven years, Mrs. Georgatsos has served as
my right hand. In her retirement, Mrs. Georgatsos plans on babysitting her soon to be born
newest grandchild, spending quality time with her husband and catching up on some travelling.
After 27 years of service to MCPS, Mrs. Rose Furr, Staff Development Teacher, will also be
retiring. Mrs. Furr was a grade 3/4 teacher at Bradley Hills E.S. for a year, followed by teaching
4th grade for 11 years at Carderock Springs E.S. In 1995, she was selected as the Montgomery
County Teacher of the Year and was also a finalist for the Maryland State Teacher of the Year.
She also served as an Academic Support Teacher, splitting time between Garrett Park and Pine
Crest elementary schools for two years before assuming the role of Staff Development Teacher
at our school in 2000. Mrs. Furr has been very actively involved in supporting new teachers to
MCPS and serving on a number of committees.
After 18 years of dedicated service, Ms. Susan Lambrix, ESOL teacher for our primary grades, is
also retiring. Prior to working for MCPS, Ms. Lambrix was a high school English teacher in
Ohio. She began her career with MCPS as an ESOL teacher at Cashell E.S., New Hampshire
E.S., and Parkland M.S. Her reading specialist and ESOL background combined has made her
an outstanding ESOL teacher for our school. Ms. Lambrix is ending her 15 year career at Garrett
Park E.S. at the close of this school year.
We are very honored to have these three extraordinarily talented women end their careers at
Garrett Park E.S. They have given of themselves to our school and we are incredibly honored to
have had them serve our students and school community for as long as they have.
Staff changes for next school year include Mr. John Suhre, currently a 3rd grade teacher, who
will be joining the 2nd grade team next school year and Mrs. Julia Martin, currently 4th grade
teacher, who will be joining the first grade team next school year. Both the first and second
grade teams are excited to have their seasoned colleagues make a switch to join their team.
Take Your Daughters or Sons to Work Day, Thursday, April 24
MCPS supports the idea of parents taking their child to work so that your child can learn about
the important work that you do. Thursday, April 24 has been designated as Take Your Daughters
or Sons to Work Day. If you are considering taking your child to work, it is considered an
excused absence from school if you send in a note to your child’s teacher as well as Mrs. Brogan,
the attendance secretary, in advance of the absence.
Kindergarten Orientation – No School for Current Kindergarten Students!
Kindergarten Orientation will be held on Thursday, May 15 and Friday, May 16. On these
two 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.
All students, who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2014, are eligible to attend
Kindergarten during the 2014-2015 school year. If you have a child who will be eligible, please
complete the kindergarten orientation form found on our website and email it to Ms. Brogan.
Instructions are on the form. Ms. Brogan will then call you to schedule your orientation slot
once she has had a chance to process your information. If you have a neighbor who is not
currently a Garrett Park parent and has a kindergarten aged child, please direct him/her to the
form found on our website or to call our school so that we can provide him/her with the form.
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.
5th Grade Promotion Ceremony – Please Save the Date!
The 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 11. Students need to
arrive by 7:00 p.m. with the ceremony starting at 6:30 p.m.
Prekindergarten and Head Start Registration for 2014-2015
Registration has begun for MCPS Prekindergarten and Head Start classes for the 2014-2015
school year. These programs offer a high-quality educational experience for children in order to
prepare them with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in kindergarten and beyond.
Children must be four years old on or before September 1, 2014, and families must be incomeeligible to apply. For more information about eligibility guidelines, locations, and times of
community registrations or required documents to complete an application, call 301-230-0676 or
visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/earlychildhood/prek/.
The 2014–2015 School Calendar is Now Available in Multiple Languages
The Board of Education has set the school year calendar for 2014–2015. The school year will
begin on Monday, August 25, 2014, and is scheduled to end on Friday, June 12, 2015. The
calendar was developed in partnership with the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, the
school district’s three employee associations, and the Montgomery County Region of the
Maryland Association of Student Councils, as well as other community members and school
system leadership. The calendar is available in six languages—Chinese, English, French,
Korean,
Spanish,
and
Vietnamese—and
can
be
downloaded
at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/calendars/future/.
Stay Informed About the MCPS FY 2015 Operating Budget
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett has released his recommended operating budget
for next school year and is proposing a $77 million increase over this year’s budget. This is about
$15 million less than the $2.3 billion operating budget the Board of Education had requested.
The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on the County Executive’s budget
recommendation on April 8, 9, and 10, and this is a chance for parents, staff, students, and
community members to share their thoughts with county leaders about how our schools are
funded. Information on registering to speak at a hearing and/or other ways to provide input to the
Council on the budget is available at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/.
The Board’s budget request represents a 4 percent increase over the current budget and is just 2.5
percent above the minimum funding level required by state law. The majority of the increase
allows us to provide the same level of services to a growing number of students. The budget
request includes strategic investments that will help lower class sizes in some high schools,
increase the number of counselors and other student support staff, add more technology to
schools, and improve services to English Language Learners.
The MCPS website has a series of briefs and videos that provide quick information about the
budget. Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org and search “Operating Budget.”
MCPS GIVE BACKpacks Campaign Under Way
The MCPS GIVE BACKpacks campaign is under way and needs your help to raise funds to
purchase backpacks filled with school supplies for MCPS students in need. Last year, MCPS
parents, staff, and community members generously donated more than $100,000 to the GIVE
BACKpacks campaign, and nearly 15,000 students in 41 schools received backpacks filled with
school supplies. We’re hoping to serve even more students this year. A backpack filled with
school supplies only costs $10, and donors have the option to sponsor an individual student, a
classroom, a grade level, an entire school, or a cluster of schools. Additional information is
available at www.mcpsgivebackpacks.org or by calling 301-309-MCPS.
College Prep Fair to be held May 10
A free College Preparation and Scholarship Fair will be held from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on
Saturday, May 10, at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), 9630 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville.
The fair is intended for students in grades 6–10 and their parents. Attendees will have an
opportunity to meet various colleges and universities, learn about financial aid and scholarship
opportunities and attend informative breakout sessions. There also will be a tour of the USG
campus. Space is limited, so be sure to register early! Registration can be completed at
www.mcpsparentacademy.org. Call 301-279-3100 for more information.
MCPSSUPER
mcpssuper is a television show hosted by Dr. Starr that provides viewers with an in-depth look at
the work of MCPS to engage and educate our students. The latest edition of mcpssuper features a
comprehensive look at the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program,
whose goal is to provide a seamless pathway from high school through college completion.
ACES is a collaborative program among Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery
College, and the Universities at Shady Grove that focuses on identifying and supporting students
who are underrepresented in higher education and those who are the first in their family to attend
college. The program can be seen on MCPS TV (Comcast Ch. 34 and Verizon Ch. 36), and
online at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/superintendent/mcpssuper/.
Part-Time Work Available at Garrett Park
Looking for part time work? Garrett Park Elementary School is in need of substitute
lunch/recess aides. Applicants need to be 18 years old to be considered and would be paid at a
rate of $13.88 per hour. If interested, please call the school office at 301-929-2170 for more
information.
Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, concerns or to share an idea. I wish
everyone a fantastic and restful Spring Break.
Respectfully,
Elaine Chang-Baxter