Woodlin Elementary 2101 Luzerne Avenue Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Woodlin Elementary
2101 Luzerne Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
301-650-6440
Shoua Moua, Principal
Nora Nasser, Assistant Principal
August 2015
Dear Woodlin Families,
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! I trust that your summer was filled with quality family time and our students are ready
to begin another successful year at Woodlin!
It has been a busy summer at Woodlin with our building being closed for the HVAC upgrades. The Instructional Leadership
Team spent time analyzing student data in preparation for how we can continue to support the learning for all students. This year,
our school improvement plan will continue to focus on ensuring all students are proficient in all content areas. In alignment with
MCPS strategic focus, we will also be conducting monthly monitoring of our students’ reading levels.
Two years ago, MCPS identified a list of school photography companies that schools can contract. Our current photography
company, School Pictures, is no longer on this list. Therefore, we have selected and contracted Lifetouch to be our school
photography company. Lifetouch currently serves many other MCPS schools and provides a wide selection of services we believe
will meet our family’s photography needs.
Below this letter, you will find important information that will help support a smooth beginning of the school year. Please be
sure to read in its entirety. During the first week of school you will also receive Woodlin’s Family Handbook. Each family will
receive one copy (will be given to youngest child). The Family Handbook is a great resource for families to have an in-depth
understanding of Woodlin’s and MCPS’s procedures as we continue to be partners in educating our children.
On a personal note, I’m excited to share that our youngest son, Ethan will be attending Woodlin as a kindergartner.
I look forward to collaborating with you to ensure that Woodlin continues to be an excellent place where we can explore, learn
and succeed together!
Warmest Regards,
Shoua Moua, Principal
STAFFING
Those of you who were at Woodlin Elementary last year may be interested in some of the staffing changes we experienced
during the summer.
We are saying good-bye to the following staff as they join other schools that are closer to home:
 Patty Boyle, KindergartenTeacher
 Shannon Katz, Speech Pathologist
 Kryah Satterfield, Paraeducator
 Cindy Phu, Instructional Data-Analysis
 Lori Littrell, Media Assistant
We would like to introduce our new staff members:
 Leigh Bender, Kindergarten Teacher, coming to us from Carroll County
 Michelle Lee-Kwon, 5th Grade Teacher, coming to us from Wood Acres ES
 Sean Randall-Jones, 4th Grade Teacher, coming to us from Greencastle ES
 Michal Swerdlow, 2-3 LFI Teacher, recent graduate of University of Maryland
 Jeanne Dodd, 4-5 LFI Teacher, coming to us from Springbrook HS
 Gaylen Cramer, Media Specialist Teacher, coming to us from Page ES
 Jennifer Schmorr, (.2FTE) ESOL Teacher, we will share her with Montgomery Knolls ES
 Stacy Dobres, Counselor, coming to us from Clemente MS
 Kimberly Wilson, Speech Pathologist, recent graduate of University of Maryland
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Nathan Berry, PE (.1FTE) Teacher, recent graduate from Salisbury University and MCPS substitute teacher
TBD, Art (.1FTE)
TBD, Music (.1FTE)
Jeffrey Hazel, Paraeducator
Alexander Brown, Paraeducator
TBD, Paraeducator
Changing positions and grade levels in the school:
 Kristen Deane, moving from 3rd to 1st grade
 Sadiqa Satterfield, moving from 4th to 1st grade
 Cathy Zajac, moving from LFI to Home School Model Special Ed teacher
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
For a list of school supplies for each grade please visit:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/woodlines/parents/
OPEN HOUSE
Woodlin will hold its popular before-school open house where students can meet their teachers and find their classrooms
before school begins. A friendly reminder: Open House is for a quick meet and greet and not for individual parent
conferences.
What: Open House
Who: For parents and students in Grades K-5 & LFI
When: Friday, August 28
Time: Between 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
PTA and Kids After Hours activities at 3:45 p.m. in front of the school!
Why: Meet and visit briefly with your new teacher
The building will be closed prior to 3:00 p.m., as teachers will be in meetings or working with their grade level teams.
During your visit, nutrition staff will be on site for you to deposit money into your child's lunch account. Please be sure to
stop in the cafeteria before you leave the building. The PTA will have tables set up on the front lawn. Parents will have an
opportunity to join the PTA, sign up to become a school volunteer, or purchase Woodlin T-shirts.
BUSES FOR OPEN HOUSE
PTA will provide bus transportation for open house from selected locations. The bus will make its first pick-up at 2:00
p.m. and again at 2:30 p.m. The bus will remain parked at Woodlin between 3:00-3:45 p.m. in order for new kindergarten
families and students to explore. Beginning at 3:45 p.m., the bus will make its first return trip with a second return trip
made at 4:15 p.m. We hope families without transportation will be able to take advantage of the bus and join us for open
house. Bus stops for open house are:
● STOP #1 8600 16th Street (Suburban Towers Apts.)
● STOP #2 8504 16th Street (Summit Hills Apts.)
● STOP #3 8715 1st Avenue (Georgian Towers Apts.)
CLASS LISTS
Students will be able to find their classes and assigned teachers in the following ways:
o Attend our Open House on Friday, August 28, any time between 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., or
o Look at class lists, which will be posted after 3:45 p.m. on August 28 on the doors by the amphitheater, or
o On the first day of school, Monday, August 31, when adults will be available to greet students and provide class and
teacher assignments.
SCHOOL HOURS
Woodlin's student hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. each regular school day. The hours for ½ day early release are
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. Kindergarten sessions are full day and follow the same school hours. With the additional 10
minutes extended to our day, we will be extending lunch time by five minutes and add another five minutes to transition
students from recess to lunch. Do not bring students before 8:45 a.m. If a student is dropped off before 8:45 a.m., you
will be called and asked to come and supervise them, as adequate supervision is not available before that time. Students
arriving after 9:00 a.m. are considered tardy. If your child is tardy, they must be accompanied to the main office and signed
in by a responsible adult.
FIRST DAY PROCEDURES
Staff members and PTA volunteers will be available on the first day of school to help students find their way. Unlike in
years past, students will no longer line-up outside for arrival. Instead, students will directly enter the building through the
designated doors at 8:45am and line-up in the hall-ways by their class areas. Fifth grade students will line up in the hallway
leading to the portables.
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Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 5th grade students will enter the building through the first grade outside doors.
3rd and 4th grade students will enter the building through the atrium doors.
Students who eat breakfast will enter the building through the APR (Atrium side).
Car Riders will enter through the APR doors (near the parking lot).
Staff members will be on site to greet students and teachers will have large signs to direct you to your child’s classroom
lineup location. Due to limited staff supervision students should not be dropped off until 8:45am.
FIRST DAY NAMETAGS
School begins this year on Monday, August 31st. This will be a regular, full-day session and buses will begin their regular
routes on that day.
***Nametags are attached on the last page***
For our younger students,
 Tags should be cut out, completed, and pinned to your child's clothing each morning.
 A nametag should also be pinned to the inside of each child's backpack.
 Using the bus schedule please be sure to write your child's route number and color in the box.
 Please indicate if your child goes home as a walker, bus rider, car rider, or to child care.
These information tags will help our staff and volunteer parents make the first few days of school organized and safe.
SAFE ARRIVALS & DISMISSALS
Safety for our students at Woodlin Elementary is a high priority. In order to provide a safe environment for our pedestrians
and bus riders, we are asking that families who drop off and pick up students avoid the area dedicated to bus loading and
unloading. This area is along Luzerne Avenue, between Glenridge Road and Louis Avenue.
Parent Pick-up and Drop-off: Car Riders
The street in front of the school is reserved for school bus drop-off and pick-up.
 Traffic signs posted on Luzerne Ave. in front of the school remind parents/guardians that they are prohibited from
stopping on Luzerne for drop-off or pick-up.
 Please use the school parking lot drop off area if your child arrives and/or leaves by car.
 Unload children from the right side of the vehicle.
 Always obey the directions given by the school crossing guard and Woodlin staff on arrival/dismissal duty. We
want to remind and emphasize to pedestrians, the importance of using the school crosswalks.
 It is the law to stop and wait when buses have activated their signal lights and stop signs while children are
disembarking and boarding buses. The automated school bus camera enforcement continues. Cameras have been
mounted on several MCPS buses; citations will be issued and mailed to the registered owner.
For the safety of all students and to allow school buses access to Woodlin, it is highly recommended that parents use the
following designated routes, as shown on the map, upon your arrival and departure from the school during Woodlin's student
drop off (8:45 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.) and pick up time is 3:25pm., to drive through the Woodlin neighborhood. We strongly feel
this will create a safe environment for all of our students at Woodlin Elementary. We thank you in advance for your
cooperation.
1. Coming from Seminary Rd. onto Second Ave., turn right on Luzerne Ave., turn left on Glenridge Rd.
2. Turn right on Glen Ross Rd. and continue straight onto Warren St.
3. At the end of Warren St., turn right on Luzerne Ave. Turn left into school parking lot.
4. Exit the parking lot by turning right on Luzerne Ave., continue straight on Luzerne Ave., turn left on Louis Ave., turn
right on 3rd Ave., left on Hanover to Second Ave.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Coming from 16th St onto Second Ave., turn left on Glen Ross Rd.
2. Stay on Glen Ross Rd. (Glenn Ross Rd. will become Warren St.)
3. At the end of Warren St., turn right on Luzerne Ave. Turn left into school parking lot.
4. Exit the parking lot by turning right on Luzerne Ave., continue straight on Luzerne Ave., turn left on Louis Ave., turn
right on 3rd Ave., left on Hanover to Second Ave.
 Please do not drive on Luzerne Ave. to the parking lot. This street is used by the school buses. For the safety of all
children, parents who wish to park must do so in empty parking spaces and meet students in the student pick up area.
Students will not be allowed to cross the parking lot unattended.
DISMISSAL PLAN
If a student’s plans require a change from their normal dismissal (play date, child care changes), all changes must be made
in writing to the school. Please state your child’s name, the name of the individual they should be dismissed with, and your
signature. In the event of last minute changes to a student’s dismissal plans, please call the main office prior to 12:00
p.m. DO NOT EMAIL TEACHERS WITH SAME DAY DISMISSAL CHANGES-PLEASE CONTACT THE
OFFICE. We ask that you also call the school to confirm receipt. Staff does not always have the opportunity to check the
fax or read email during the student day. Any adults who come to school to pick up a child will be asked to show
documentation to verify identification and ensure student safety.
Kindergarten students will be dismissed from kindergarten classrooms according to bus color.
 Walkers will exit the building through the main doors of the school. They must be met by a parent.
 Car riders will be escorted by a patrol to the car pick-up area on the side of the school (by the gym). There will be
a teacher on duty monitoring the pick-up process.
 Bus riders will be escorted by a patrol to their buses. They will exit the building through the doors by the first grade
hallway.
Second and Third Grade (2nd and 3rd) students will be dismissed from the All Purpose Room.
 Walkers will exit the building through the doors by the All Purpose Room.
 Car riders will exit the building through the side doors by the gym.
 Bus riders will exit through the doors by the All Purpose Room.
First, Fourth, and Fifth Grade (1st, 4th, and 5th) students will be dismissed from the Gym according to bus color.
 Walkers will exit the building through the doors by the Ampitheatre.
 Car riders will exit the building through the side doors by the gym.
 Bus riders will exit the building through the doors by the Ampitheatre.
Kids After Hours Care:
 Kindergarten students will be picked up from their KAH counselor in the designated kindergarten area.
 Students in grades 1-5 will meet their counselor in the APR.
Woodlin Child Development Center:
 Kindergarten through 2nd grade students will be picked up by staff at the rear entrance of the school by the
second/kindergarten hallway. Students in grades 3-5 will be picked up in the rear entrance of the gym.
INCLEMENT WEATHER ARRIVAL
Dismissal will remain the same for car and bus riders. On rainy days all walkers will exit through the main entrance of the
building to meet their parents outside.
BUS INFORMATION
Bus route numbers, not bus numbers will be used again this year and will be displayed in the second window on both sides
of all buses. Families should also be aware that road construction, poor weather conditions, and accidents are real traffic
stoppers in the Woodlin area, so buses may be legitimately delayed when picking up students in the mornings. School
buses experience the same traffic delays as the rest of us sometimes even more since bus drivers tend to be even more
cautious than the average commuter.
For 2015-2016 Bus Routes please visit: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/woodlines/parents/busroutes.aspx
BUS DROP-OFF
To ensure your child’s safe return from school on the bus, please meet him/her at the bus stop. We stress the importance
of a parent or other responsible adult be at the stop to receive the child or make other arrangements for your child to get
from the stop to the home safely. In the event you or your designee are running late or are otherwise unable to get to the
bus stop, you should call the school early enough to have your child held at the school for pick-up rather than put on the
bus. Families are encouraged to keep the school’s phone number in their cell phone (or with them) so you can make such
a call easily.
According to the Department of Transportation, bus operators will let all children off at the bus stop, including kindergarten
and first grade students, even if there is no adult there to greet the child. When the bus pulls up and many students get off,
there is no one-to-one matching of students to parents. Please understand that safe student transportation is a joint
responsibility. Please remind your child to look for you before leaving the bus. We look forward to a safe and successful
school year.
PARENT PICKUP AND DROP OFF
If you drop off and pick up your child(ren), remember to do so in the parking lot on the side of the school so that buses can
safely load and unload students on the street. Do not block staff cars in the parking lot since staff members may need to
depart for meetings. For the safety of all children, families who wish to park must do so in empty parking spaces. We
respectfully request that parents do not go to their child’s classroom at dismissal. Teachers are not permitted to dismiss
students directly to parents from the classroom. If you come to pick up your child before dismissal, please walk into the
main office to sign them out and office staff will then call for them from class.
LUNCH PRICES
The Board of Education set meal prices for the 2015-2016 school year. School lunch prices for the paying students will be
$2.55 and breakfast will remain at $1.30. Remember that our cafeteria manager serves breakfast and lunch every day.
Eligible low income students will continue to receive meals that are either free and reduced price students get a free breakfast
and $0.40 cents for reduced price lunch. Applications for free and reduced-priced lunches will be sent home with all
students during the first week of school. YOU MUST REAPPLY EVERY YEAR. FAILURE TO REAPPLY CAN
RESULT IN DISRUPTIONS OR NO MEAL SERVICE TO YOUR CHILDREN. If you do not receive an application,
please call the office to let us know. Menus for the upcoming month will also be sent home with students. Don't forget
that lunch is a SNAP with MCPS’ computerized pre-payment system that is here for your convenience.
To make a prepayment:
Use MyLunchMoney.com, an online service to make a prepayment using a credit card. Parents can also check meal
account balances, sign up for recurring payments and much more. Go to MyLunchMoney.com to register.
MEALS
Meals are offered daily in our cafeteria. A variety of items are offered to meet each student’s needs and preferences. Under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a student may be entitled to receive menu substitutions when a doctor determines
that a child has a disability which substantially limits one or more major life activities. A signed statement from the student’s
doctor must verify the existence of the student’s disabling condition and an indication that the disability restricts the
student’s diet. If you believe your child needs substitutions because of a disability, please contact the main office.
For menus please visit: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/foodserv/menus/cafemenus.aspx
BEGINNING DATES TO REMEMBER
Thursday, August 27
Kindergarten Back to School Night & Parent Meeting @ 6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 28
Open House K-5 & LFI: Meet the teacher from 3:00 p. m. – 3:45 p.m.
PTA and Kids After Hours Event @ 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, August 29
Back to School Fair from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Carver Educational Services Center,
850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. For more information visit:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/community-engagement/fair/
Monday, August 31
First Day of School for Students
Thursday, September 17
New Parent Meet and Greet (optional) with Mrs. Moua & Ms. Nasser @ 9:30-10:30 a.m.
and 2:00-3:00p.m. in the All Purpose Room
Thursday, September 10
Back-To-School Night for 1-5th grades & LFI program @ 6:30-7:40 p.m.
(Instrumental Music info for 4th-5th grades @ 7:40-8:00 p.m.)
Monday, September 7
Holiday - Labor Day- No School for Students
**If you cannot attend the Back To School Night, please be sure to reach out to your child’s teacher to learn more about
grade level expectations.
Summer 2015
Dear Woodlin Families,
We are getting ready for a great 2015-2016 school year! One of the ways to help your family get back in the academic
swing of things is to connect with the Woodlin Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association (WES-PTA).
Whether this will be your family’s first year at WES or you’re a returning family, the PTA is the best way to stay
informed about WES and its community.
Purpose of the PTA
The purpose of the Woodlin PTA is to support the children of Woodlin by:
- Advocating on behalf of the school’s needs at the local, county and state levels;
- Holding Events that build community and increase the enrichment of the students; and
- Having Fundraisers to get additional resources to support our goals.
Advocacy
Woodlin has a Building Action Committee regarding the need for more space at our school. This fall the new CIP
(Capitol Improvement Plan) will be proposed by the Superintendent of Schools. We had a strong advocacy effort last
year to ensure Woodlin's voice was heard, and hopefully this will be reflected in the new CIP. Please look for more
information on what you can do to help, like writing letters, attending county-wide meetings, or by simply staying
informed by attending Woodlin PTA meetings. The PTA advocates for all the children at Woodlin, so that they may
reach their potential. Advocacy doesn't stop at the need for building improvements. Please let us know if you have
an issue you would like to champion!
PTA Events
The PTA’s calendar is full of programs and activities throughout the school year that are fun, educational, studentfriendly and family-oriented such as After School Clubs, Book Fairs, Woodlin Dance, Kids Night Out/Silent Auction,
STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) Night and the Spring Fair. Note: Whether or not you become a PTA
member, you are always welcome to all PTA events.
PTA Funding
The PTA directly funds many of its activities. We raise these funds through membership dues, private donations and
fund-raising events. Last year we decided to eschew the traditional “selling” type fundraisers and moved to a healthy
alternative, the Fun Run! It was a HUGE success and we look forward to another great Fun Run. Our other major
fundraiser will be the Silent Auction, which will be an adult only off-site night out with a great babysitting option
provided at the school.
Volunteer
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Joining the PTA is a great way to show your support for the WES Community and help fund our activities/events.
Visit our website at <www.woodlinpta.org> for more information and to download a PTA membership form.
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The PTA is always looking for volunteers and there are a variety of volunteer opportunities, for all kinds of
interests, schedules and skills. See our website for details or email us at <[email protected]>
Connect With the PTA and Woodlin Elementary Community
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WEBSITE: Our website <http://woodlinpta.org> has information about the PTA and its calendar of activities,
programs and events.
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LISTSERVE: The listserve is a great resource to share information about Woodlin, parent inquiries and
community news. Join the PTA listserve by sending an email to <[email protected]>.
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TWITTER
&
FACEBOOK:
Follow
us
on
Twitter
<https://twitter.com/WoodlinPTA>
and
Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/WoodlinPTA>
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EMAIL: Contact the PTA Board via our website then click ‘Contact Us’ for the board’s email list.
Important PTA Dates!!
August 28th: Open House
The PTA will be out in the front of the school starting at 2:30 to celebrate the new school year. Please bring your
wallets so you can start out as the year as an official Woodlin ES PTA member. When we advocate in front of the
Board of Education, and our local and state legislators, it helps us to have a stong membership. Individual
memberships are 12, a family membership (2 cards) is 20. Also a portion of the membership dues helps our county
and state PTA advocate for us! We also plan on having Spirit wear to sell, information about our year's activities,
and most importantly, we will have icy treats!
Sept. 8th: First PTA Meeting, Woodlin 101 and Volunteer Fair
Come out to our first PTA meeting to learn all about Woodlin, the PTA, and meet our volunteer leaders. Find the
acticvties you would like to support, and join in the fun!! We will have pizza and fruit staring at 6:15, the meeting
starts at 6:30. Win a DOOR PRIZE and have a lucky start to your year! Our Meetings/Programs are usually held in
the APR (cafeteria) and you enter in the door closest to the APR, on the parking lot side of the school. We offer
FREE childcare and pizza or other food for all attendees.
Oct. 2nd: Movie Night (tentative, more information coming soon!)
We need a volunteer to help make this happen!! Please contact [email protected] to help make this an
awesome event.
Oct. 6th: PTA Meeting and Program: Hispanic Heritage month, and Meet the Principal, Meet the Sligo Stallions.
Sligo Middle School visits Woodlin for a question and answer session. Enjoy food to celebrate Hispanic Heritage
Month!
Oct. 7th: Walk to School Day
Oct. 23rd: The Woodlin FUN RUN!! Look out for more information.
Enjoy the final weeks of summer, and on behalf of your PTA, we look forward to a great year for the entire Woodlin
community!
Woodlin 2014-2015 PTA Board Officers
Laura Stewart, President, President@woodlinpta,org
Karen Miller, Vice President
Jackie Fontana, Treasurer
Kristy Wright, Secretary
**Please complete and pin to your child’s shirt and the inside of their backpack. **
My Name is:
__________________________
I am in Grade:
______________
My teacher’s name is:
___________________________
I go home by:
□
□
□
□
□
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My bus number/color is:
Bus
Parent Pickup
Walker
Kids After Hours (KAH)
Woodlin Child Dev. Center
Other______________
_________________
My Name is:
__________________________
I am in Grade:
______________
My teacher’s name is:
___________________________
I go home by:
□
□
□
□
□
□
Bus
Parent Pickup
Walker
Kids After Hours
Woodlin Child Dev. Center
Other______________
My bus number/color is: __________________