Monocacy Elementary School Principal’s Newsletter A Look Ahead

Monocacy Elementary School
March 10, 2016
Principal’s Newsletter
18801 Barnesville Rd., Dickerson, MD 20842
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/monocacyes/
Thanks & Celebrations
A Look Ahead

Below are important reminders to help
you stay involved in your child’s success

during the school year at Monocacy

Elementary.
Thank you to our 2nd grade families who provided lunch to the staff in February.
We loved the baked potato bar and tasty deserts.
Thank you to Mrs. Kmiecik for putting on a fantastic concert.
Thank you to an anonymous donation from a community member for their $1,000
donation to the school for the purchase of the myON Digital Literacy Program.
Information & Reminders
Fri. 3/18
Spring Fling Dance
Tues. 3/22
Drama Production Beauty and the

Beast
Thurs. 3/24 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Professional Day for teachers
3/25 – 4/4 Spring Break

Tues. 4/5
PTA Meeting 7pm
Fri. 4/8
End of 3rd Marking Period
Kindergarten
scheduled
for
May 4,
Orientation

is
2016. Classes for
kindergarten students will be cancelled that day.
As of this week we have had 15 children sign up
for their enrollment slots and early enrollment is
important as it supports our school staffing
models. If you are aware of any neighbors or
friends who have students who will be attending
kindergarten in the fall and have yet to sign up
for Kindergarten Orientation, please encourage
them to do so as soon as possible by calling Mrs.
Chittenden at 301-972-7990.
Have you been clipping those Box Tops?
Please continue sending them into the
school! Right now many products have
double and triple Box Tops available.
Through the Box Tops for
Education Program our school has raised
thousands of dollars that have been
used to enhance our classrooms.
301-972-7990

To celebrate Reading Month and Dr. Seuss’s Birthday we will be having
Reading Spirit Days throughout March. Please consider participating in: Crazy
Hat Day Mon., March 21st, Crazy or Mismatched Socks Day, Tues., March 22nd,
and PJ Day, Wed., March 23rd. We are also sending home a reading log with
students to track their reading over the rest of the month. Our goal is for
each student to read at least 150 minutes between now and March 22 nd. Time
reading on myON counts!
Due to the loss of instructional days caused by emergency weather closures,
the third marking period has been extended. As a result, the 3rd marking
period will now end Friday, April 8th! Report cards will now be sent home
Friday, April 22nd.
Attention Grade 2 Parents: Our school is in the process of gathering
information about students to plan for the upcoming school year. This
includes the Grade 2 screening for gifted and talented programming. Please
tell us about your child’s strengths by completing the questionnaire that was
already sent via postal mail by MCPS.
Please join us at John Poole Middle School for our annual Humanities Night on Thursday,
March 17! Dinner will be available for purchase from 5:15 – 6:00 and the activities run
from 6 – 7:30 pm. You will be treated to a sneak peek of our spring musical, “Fame, Jr!”
and Shakespeare skits! You will learn about ancient alphabets, play games, hear student
presentations, and compete in Geography Jeopardy, too! Visit the middle school and
see the wide array of Humanities experiences available for our students!
Dear Parents,
Spring is almost here! Sunday, March 20, 2016, is the first day of
spring. We are looking forward to the warmer weather, which
allows for more opportunities to enjoy outdoor recess. Prior to that,
don’t forget to “Spring Forward” move your clocks one hour ahead
at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 13, 2016, for Daylight Savings Time. As we
leave school in a few weeks for our Spring Break vacation, it is my
hope that all of our families are able to enjoy some well-deserved
rest and relaxation and are able to take some time to enjoy one of
the many day trips that our region has to offer. For those of you
who may be heading out of town, I wish you safe travels and look
forward to your return in April.
~ Ms. Alban
I can be reached at [email protected]
News from Staff and Community
myON Reading
I am very excited to tell you about a reading program we have purchased for the remainder of the school year. We
will be using an online program called myON reader. MyON reader is a new digital library with hundreds of digital
books from Capstone Digital! MyON reader can be accessed anywhere in school, at home, or wherever there is
Internet access! Students and parents can access these digital books for individual reading, homework, research,
and fun! As of March 4th all of our students know how to log on and have had an introductory lesson to myON.
Families are encouraged to spend time together reading and learning with myON reader. All digital books are complete
with optional reading supports – highlighting and audio – and glossary to help increase reading achievement. MyON
reader covers fiction genres and nonfiction titles ranging from monsters and sports to biographies and health topics.
All of the digital books are created to help your child expand their imagination into the digital world of reading.
In the classroom we will be using myON reader during reading groups and center time. I welcome all feedback you
have about the program and encourage you to explore this amazing resource with your child at home! Please contact
your child’s teacher or me with any questions or concerns. We will also share more information about myON at our
spring showcase in April.
BOARD OF EDUCATION CONDITIONALLY APPOINTS DR. JACK R. SMITH AS SUPERINTENDENT
The Montgomery County Board of Education has identified a finalist for the position of superintendent of schools—
Dr. Jack R. Smith, who is currently the interim state superintendent of Maryland schools and former superintendent
of schools in Calvert County. Dr. Smith has more than 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator.
Community engagement was a crucial part of the search for the superintendent of schools. Dr. Smith met with a
community panel of Montgomery County stakeholders to provide feedback to Board members and help them arrive
at a decision on the appropriate candidate. In the coming weeks, a contingent of the Board will be in touch with
stakeholders and Dr. Smith’s colleagues. Based on the outcome of this feedback, contract negotiations, and obtaining
state approval, the Board plans to hire Dr. Smith as the next superintendent of MCPS effective July 1, 2016.
A series of public meetings will be scheduled in the near future for parents and the community to meet Dr. Smith.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: TESTING!
Fifth graders will be taking the MSA Science test on March 9 and 10. PARCC State testing begins on May 9 for
students in grades 3, 4, and 5 and continues through June 4. Specific dates for each grade level have yet to be
determined as we await guidance from MCPS. Once a final schedule has been determined specific to subjects and
grade levels we will get the information to you promptly. Please try not to schedule any appointments for those
days or at least avoid the mornings during the testing window. Thank you!
PREK/HEAD START REGISTRATION BEGINS MARCH 14
Registration will begin on Monday, March 14, for prekindergarten and Head Start programs for the 2016–2017 school
year. The programs serve income-eligible families with children who will be 4 years old by September 1, 2016,
including children with disabilities. Walk-in applications will be accepted Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., at
Rocking Horse Road Center, 4910 Macon Road in Rockville. Additional information about eligibility, registration, and
required documents to complete an application is available on the MCPS website at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org,
search “preK”, or by calling 301-230-0676.
THE FY 2017 OPERATING BUDGET—A CALL TO FUND OUR FUTURE
On March 1, the Board of Education transmitted its $2.5 billion Fiscal Year 2017 operating budget request to Montgomery County
Executive Isiah Leggett and the Montgomery County Council. The county executive is expected to release his FY 2017 operating
budget recommendation by March 15. The County Council will consider the budget this spring, with final approval happening in late
May. After eight years of challenging economic times and a local educational investment of $1,200 less per student than in 2009,
MCPS is asking for a budget this year to strengthen our foundation and accelerate efforts to close the achievement gap. Anything
less than full funding would likely require further cuts that could impact every school. It is critical that we use this period to
make our voices heard to ensure that our county leaders understand the needs of our students and support the budget.
There are a variety of ways that you can become involved in the budget process and help advocate for full funding of the MCPS
budget. You can read Board President Michael Durso’s letter about the budget here. Your voice matters. Visit the budget webpage
at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/ to learn how you can get involved and advocate.
MCPS OPERATING BUDGET: MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Our community must begin to reinvest in education and change the way the MCPS budget has been funded for the past eight
years. Together, we must achieve full funding of the budget to ensure every child has the opportunity for success. The FY 2017
Operating Budget includes resources to serve more than 2,500 additional students; REDUCE CLASS SIZES; CLOSE THE
ACHIEVEMENT GAP; improve students’ literacy and math skills; and build the cultural proficiency of staff.
It is critical that the county executive and the Montgomery County Council hear from our community about MCPS’s budget
priorities.
Beginning
March
17,
community
members
can
call
240-777-7803
or
visit
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/PHSignUp.html to sign up to testify at the County Council budget hearings. The
hearings will be held at the following dates and times:
April 5 7:00 p.m.
April 6 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
April 7 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Additionally, Montgomery County Council Education Committee Chair Craig Rice, in partnership with MCPS and Montgomery
College, is holding meetings across the county to discuss education funding. You can attend and share your perspective about
education funding in our community. The meetings will be held at the following dates and times:
March 9 6:30 p.m. at Gaithersburg High School
March 16 6:30 p.m. at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School
March 23 6:30 p.m. at Thomas S. Wootton High School
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
MCPS has developed several resources to help the community understand the budget and get involved in the budget process. Find
more budget information at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/budget17.
FY 2017 Recommended Operating Budget
Budget Fast Facts: A short summary of the FY 2017 budget recommendation
Advocacy Infographic: A tool for advocating the budget priorities Budget 101: The MCPS budget explained