incipal’s newsletter of Stone Mill Elementary School The pr

The principal’s newsletter of Stone Mill Elementary School
Kimberly A. Williams, Principal
September 16, 2015
Newsletter #1
SEPTEMBER
23
28
29
30
9:30
Dinner
NO SCHOOL
Grade 3 MAP-R
Grade 4 MAP-R
Individual student pictures
Family fun night at Potomac Pizza
OCTOBER
1
2
5
6
7
7-15
8
9
10
12
13
14
16
19
20
21
22
23
26
30
10:30
9:30
1:15
9:30
9:30
9:30
9:30
9:25
9:30
8:30am-noon
9:25 am-11:05
9:30
9:30
9:30
10:30
9:30
5:30-8:30
2:15
Grade 5 MAP-R
Mrs. Brosious MAP-P
Early dismissal
Mrs. Carmi MAP-P
Ms. Cooper MAP-P
Mr. Saborio MAP-P
Book Fair (opens Friday afternoon at 2:30)
Mrs. Schwartz MAP-P
PEP fieldtrip to Homestead Farms
Ms. Young MAP-P
PTA sponsored “yard sale” in SMES parking lot
Parent visitation day
Mrs. Donaldson MAP-P
Family night at the book fair
NO SCHOOL
Grade 3 MAP-M
Grade 4 MAP-M
Mrs. Greaney MAP-P
Grade 5 MAP-M
Ms. Linnell MAP-M
Dance party!
Booster-thon fundraiser begins!
Halloween Parade and parties
PRINCIPAL’S WRITING WALL – Each week, students’ work is selected by teachers as exemplary and
will be displayed in the front hall of the school. Teachers are on a rotating schedule, and not all classes are
displayed every week. We have adjusted the schedule this year to allow for many more, if not all, students’
writing to be posted during the year. I invite you to read the wall regularly to see some fabulous writing!
Congratulations to the students whose writing has been highlighted this week!
Grade 5 – Heritage Adekunle, David Anderson, Aditya Basam, Jordana Dinallo, Adam Hussein, Gavin
Johnston, Sara Sawhney, Prahlad Shelvapille, Ella White
Grade 4 – Stanley Anshon, Kurtus Hsu, Ryan Hu, Rachel Huang, Shruthi Kishore, Emily Miranda, Karen
Moon, Kelly Ren, Yoni Zaslavsky
Grade 3 – Lauren Ibacache, Makeda Girma, Lincoln Park, Allison Zhang, Chester Jinn, Ethan Qian, Grace
Zou, Shayan Kurup, Justin Kim
Grade 2 – Athena Wang, Anthony Lau, Nathan Wolfe, Yongle Xin, Sophie Zheng, Grace Song, Kele
Zhang, Grace Cao
WELCOME BACK – We’ve had an amazingly smooth start to the academic year. It was so great to see
all of our returning students and meet so many new children and families. Thanks to all of our families for
being so involved!
KEEPING EVERYONE HEALTHY – As mentioned in the summer mailing, our goal is to keep everyone at Stone Mill healthy and learning! Should your child have fever, he/she may NOT come to school and
must stay home for a full 24 hours AFTER the fever ends. It is not okay to give fever reducing medicines
(like Tylenol, Motrin, etc.) and then send the child to school. Should your child have a fever, cough or sore
throat, please consult your doctor. As part of our school plan to continue learning should the illness cause
our school to close, teachers will be asking each family to provide an email address. (If you don’t have one,
our counselor, Mrs. Dulli, will assist). We will send information about assignments to your inbox.
INJURIES/HEALTH ROOM – Should your child have an injury requiring a cast, ace bandage, etc., our
health room requires a doctor’s note stating any and all limitations (PE, recess, stairs, etc.). Also, should
your child become injured at school, it is imperative that we are able to reach you at a local phone
number during the day. Some of our parents have not given their work numbers thinking that cell
numbers are enough. They are not. Please make sure that we have your work number as well as your
cell number.
LICE – We have had some cases of lice already. Be alert for the signs of head lice! If your child mentions
a tickling or itchy feeling (especially at the back/base of the head) or is scratching his/her head more than
usual, this could mean lice. To check for lice you will need a magnifying glass, a pointed stick (not too
sharp) to separate the hair, some hair clips to keep it separated, and a very bright or natural light – near a
window. Start at the nape of the neck and cover the entire head. Part the hair in a straight line and examine
the exposed scalp. Make parts every quarter inch from the previous one and do this for the entire head.
You are looking for either adult bugs or eggs also called nits. The adult bugs are about the size of a sesame
seed, have six legs, no wings and are tan to greyish white. Some are almost clear. The eggs/nits are very
small, about the size of a knot in thread, teardrop shaped, hard to see and are often confused for dandruff or
hair spray droplets. Ordinary combing, brushing or shampooing will NOT remove them. To treat lice, use
a medicated pediculicide treatment from your doctor or pharmacy. Please use it exactly according to
directions. After the treatment and the hair is dry, you will need to remove the nits by either a nit comb or
your fingernails. Check the hair every day for 2-3 weeks to be sure all lice and nits are gone.
COMMUNITY YARD SALE – The Stone Mill PTA is hosting the second community yard sale in the
school parking lot on Saturday, October 10 from 8:30am until noon. If you are interested in participating,
you have the opportunity to rent a spot that day to sell your goods. Twenty-five dollars (payable to Stone
Mill PTA) rents a spot (which is the size of two parking spaces, the minimum). Whatever money renters
make, they keep.
DONATIONS WELCOME! – Please feel free to donate germicidal wipes to the school! We will use
them to wipe down door knobs and various surfaces as needed. Also, Mrs. Bayer in the Health Room could
use donations of used children’s clothes – particularly socks, shorts and pants. Thanks for your help!
WHEN COMING INTO THE BUILDING – Our building opens each morning at 8:15 am. If your child
is participating in an early morning activity, please do NOT drop him/her off prior to 8:15 am, he/she will
not be able to get in and will therefore, be unsupervised and alone outside. If children are coming after
school for SSL hours, they will not be admitted prior to us dismissing at 3:50.
VISITOR SIGN-IN – Parents, please remember to always come into the main office with your driver’s
license any time that you come into the school. Also, to maintain safety, please do not ask a staff member
if you can follow him/her into the building. Please ring the bell for entrance. Thanks!
EXCUSES FOR ABSENCES – State regulations require that parents send written excuses for absences
when their child returns to school. The absence will be coded “unexcused” without a written excuse. This
is still required even when you notify the school by telephone the day your child is absent. Please call the
office by 9:30 a.m. if your child will be absent on a particular day. If you are choosing to send an
email, please make sure to copy in our registrar at : [email protected].
EMERGENCY SHEET AND FORMS – If you have not already completed the emergency sheet, please
do so immediately. Please check the information that is pre-printed to ensure accuracy. Please discuss
early dismissal and emergency plans with your child. Many families have returned the Authorization for
Release of Student (PCR) sheet partially blank. In the event of an emergency school evacuation, we will
take the binder with the Authorization for Release of Student forms with us – not all the emergency forms.
The emergency forms are for in-school use. The listing of phone numbers on the PCR sheet, although
seemingly redundant with the information on the emergency sheet, is needed as we might need to contact
parents about their children once we are out of the building. The PCR form gives us your permission to
allow your child to go home with a friend or neighbor in the event of your inability to pick up your child.
We ask that you list at least two people on this form. In the past, we’ve seen events cause traffic to stop and
keep parents from being able to get their children. Rather than having children stuck at school for hours,
your authorizing us to release your child with another family could enable your child to be in a more
comfortable setting while waiting for you. Please fully complete and return both forms as soon as possible!
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION INFORMATION – Each child’s birthday is highlighted with an
announcement on the morning announcements, a special birthday pencil, and his/her name on the birthday
calendar in the main hall. If you would like to send in a birthday treat (one item and no juice, balloons,
flowers, goody bags, etc.) with your child, please check with your child’s teacher and remember that it
must be a store bought item. MCPS policy forbids homemade food to come into the school. No child with
documented allergies will be given foods that are sent in by others for birthdays. As I cannot guarantee an
allergic child’s safety to foods brought in by others, I will not risk lives for birthday treats. Instead of
food, you are welcome to bring a VERY small treat such as a pencil, eraser, stickers, etc. to give out for
your child’s birthday.
CROSSING STONEBRIDGE – Parents and students should please cross the street at the crossing
guard/crosswalk. We have had people crossing inbetween traffic, and we want to make sure everyone stays
safe.
LUNCH AND RECESS – We would love for you to help us out with our daily lunch and recess times!
We are in need of donated recess games for classrooms to use for indoor recess AND would love for
someone to apply with Montgomery County Public Schools to work at Stone Mill as a daily or a substitute
lunch/recess aide.  If you are interested in being a daily or a substitute aide, please contact Joyce
Budman in the main office.
LUNCH INFORMATION – Daily prices are:
Breakfast $1.30
Lunch
$2.55
Reduced breakfast .00
Reduced lunch
.40
Milk .60
Reminder, the National School Lunch Program does not permit the cafeteria to extend credit. If your
child does not have lunch money, s/he will be given a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cheese sandwich,
or plan jelly sandwich and water.
Children in grades 1-5 should memorize their PIN numbers so that purchasing lunch can happen
quickly. Please practice this four-digit number with your child(ren) at home.
NUT AND SEED FREE TABLE – We have an extra table in the cafeteria that is available for our
children who are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds. Friends who have lunches free of these items are
allowed to sit there as well. If your child is choosing to sit at this special table and/or if your child is
allergic to one of these items, please make sure his/her entire lunch is peanut, tree nut, and seed free. We
have had children bring almond butter or seed-encrusted bread to this table which defeats the safety of this
table. Should your child have a nut or seed allergy and you would prefer for your child to sit with his/her
regular class, please just send a note to the office giving your permission.
FIELD TRIPS – Due to the contracts we sign with various field trip locations, most field trips are nonrefundable should a child become sick and/or not be able to attend on the day of the trip. The cost of field
trips can change from the amount charged to the student due to driving route changes, mileage adjustments,
etc. Should you have any questions about a specific situation, please call Mrs. Wynant in our main office.
Finally, field trips are now paid for online rather than by sending in money. If you need help with this,
Mrs. Wynant can assist you.
A NOTE ON MEDICATIONS – It is likely that during this school year, your child will have a medication
prescribed for the treatment of a health issue. As a general policy, we recommend that children receive
medication at home whenever possible. In the event that your child needs to receive medication at school,
please note the following key points:




All medications, including over the counter meds, require a physician’s written
authorization (Authorization to Administer Medication, form #525-13).
Prescription medications must be provided in a container with the pharmacists’ label
attached and the name of the child and the dosing must be printed on the label.
For the safety of your child, as well as other students at school, all medications must be
delivered to the school by the parent.
Under no circumstances will school personnel administer medication or allow children to
take medication that does not follow the aforementioned rules.
CLASSROOM VISITATION DAY – Monday, October 12, 2015*, is our annual Columbus Day Parent
Open House. Parents are welcome to visit their children’s classrooms and watch the learning occur.
Parents of children in grades K-5 are asked to sign in and can be in classrooms between the hours of 9:25
and 11:05. For details with the PEP visitation, please see below. In order to ensure a productive learning
environment for all of our children, I ask that younger siblings not attend. Thanks!
Grades K-5
AM PEP, INC
PM PEP, INC
Monday 9:2511:05
Mon. 9:2511:05
Mon. 12:501:50
Beginnings &
PEP-C
Mon. 9:25-10:25
AM Classic
PM Classic
*Tues. 9:2510:25
Mon. 1:202:20
INTERPRETERS – If you or a friend needs an interpreter for the November parent conferences, please
send a note to your child’s teacher to inform the office as soon as possible.
TRAFFIC SAFETY –Quietwood Drive (the road adjacent to the school) is not for dropping off or picking
up children. The street is marked that there is no stopping, standing, or U-turns allowed. School staff are
not present on that side of the building, and for student safety, no children will be permitted to be dropped
off or picked up on Quietwood. During arrival and dismissal, the bus drivers have great difficulty seeing
pedestrians walking in the bus circle. If you are walking up to the school or have your child and are
walking away, please do not cross through the bus circle. Please walk along the sidewalk and cross at the
crosswalk. Finally, the law states that cars should not park within 30 feet of an intersection. Our bus
drivers are having difficulty turning right off of Quietwood on to Stonebridge View Drive because they
cannot see around the parked cars. Please be sure to obey all posted traffic signs in our parking lot and the
surrounding area. Thank you for helping us keep our children safe!
PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICES – Just a reminder, for elementary school children, the
MCPS policy on cell phones, BlackBerrys, etc., requires prior permission from the principal. If you feel
your child should be carrying a cell phone, please make sure you send a letter to the office. All cell phones
must be turned off (not on vibrate) at all times and are not allowed to be used on school grounds. Should a
student violate the rules, he/she will no longer be allowed to carry a cell phone. Thanks!
FUNDRAISER BEGINS!– This year we will be participating in an amazing fundraiser that infuses
character education and healthy fitness. Our kick-off is October 26th and we end with a fun run on Nov 6th.
We loved this big fundraiser last year and were thrilled by how much the kids enjoyed it. We’re so excited
about this and thank you in advance for your support!
PLANNING AHEAD FOR HALLOWEEN – As we have children as young as 3 in our school, should
you be purchasing a Halloween costume/mask for your child, please know that scary masks can’t be worn
at school and no pretend weapons are allowed. 
OUR WEBSITE - If you haven’t visited the Stone Mill Elementary School website lately, please do!
The website address is: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/stonemilles/
SPECIAL TIGER TAILS THANK YOU TO:

Shruti Japee, Susan Bock and the PTA for providing the great meet and greet for
parents and the yummy breakfast during pre-service for hungry staff!

Maggie Anderson for organizing our fabulous fund raiser!

Chris Morin for setting our bells!