A Message From Mrs. Starr

Transcription

1 Thursday, November 15, 2012 A Message From Mrs. Starr By this time, you have probably had your parent conference with your child s teacher. I hope that you found the information shared highly informative. One of our goals this year is to ensure that parents are fully aware of where their child is performing academically and with thinking and study skills. The new report card s format is quite different in K- 3rd. Any shaded area in any category means that it was not an area of focus this past quarter. Important assessment data using various tools to measure reading and math skills was also provided to you. Please remember that our goal is for all children to reach proficiency in the various subject areas and measurement topics by the end of the year. On the back of the report cards for 1 st 3 rd (Kindergarteners receive their first report card at the end of the semester) and enclosed within the brown envelope that accompanies the report card, you will find a detailed description of how to read your child s report. However, if you have any questions, please call the office and either Mrs. Walker, our staff development teacher, Mrs. McGreevy, our reading specialist, or I will interpret the county s new grading system for you. If your child is in grade 4 or 5, you have the traditional report card this year. However, next year, the county will most likely have Curriculum 2.0 in grades 4 and 5. That will mean that the entire school would then be using the new standards based grading system. Please take the time to compliment your children on their successes (of which there are many) and reflect on areas that they may need to devote more effort in order to reach proficiency. Eight Students Win Limo Lunch Ride On Thursday, November 8 th, eight winners of the Limo lunch from the Lavender s Fundraising went to lunch at the Music Café in style. The limo was a Hummer and the children really felt important. Anna Sladic (Grade 3); Brian Sherwood (Grade 5); Bryan Silva (Grade 1); Connor Beall, (Grade 1); Mason Mozie (Grade 1); Matthew Ventola (Grade 5); Micah Jablonski (Grade 5); Rayvon Thomas (Grade 4); and Samantha Uvary (Grade 1) each sold 35 or more items to qualify for this prize. Hats off to Mrs. Sandy McDarby for coordinating this very successful fundraiser. Mrs. McDarby also arranged the whole limo ride and lunch at Music Café. I was even invited to tag along and got to spend some valuable time with these very lucky winners. Halloween Celebration Despite hurricane Sandy, we were able to have our Halloween parade outside and then enjoy the parties in the classrooms. The costumes were absolutely amazing. Each classroom was adorned in various Halloween themes. The students had a great time. Thanks to all the wonderful homeroom mothers and the other parents in the classrooms who made this day so special for our children. Alternative activities were planned for those students who do not celebrate Halloween.

2 Community Day with Superintendent Starr On November 29, 2012 (date changed from Oct. 29), Superintendent Joshua P. Starr will be visiting our community. Dr. Starr will spend the day meeting with staff and students as he visits schools throughout the Damascus, Gaithersburg, Magruder, and Watkins Mill clusters. He will end this Community Day with a Town Hall meeting for parents, where you can ask questions and share your thoughts and ideas. The Town Hall meeting will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Shady Grove Middle School, 8100 Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg. Free childcare and interpretation services will be provided. For more information, visit the MCPS website at and search Community Days, or call I hope you will be able to join Dr. Starr at the Town Hall meeting on November 29. Counselor s Corner Classroom Guidance lessons continue to address living a healthy life. Comprehensive Health Education Standards are taught in all grades. While reading and completing writing tasks, students learn critical topics for lifelong wellness. Kindergarten and 1 st Grade have been focusing on staying healthy and learning about germs. 2 nd Grade is learning the difference between prescriptions and OTC medicines and safe practices regarding medicines. Grades 3-5 Health Indicators have helped address important topics regarding making healthy choices. Grandparents Day will be next st. Beginning at 9:00 our guests are invited to join us in the APR for refreshments. The invitation flyers were sent home last week. Please RSVP for the event by returning the cut out card on the invitation. We are looking forward to seeing many Special guests! Our SOAR Store was a HUGE hit this week! Many students turned in BLUE tickets and walked away with their hard earned prizes. Please join us at the December PTA Meeting on Tuesday, December 4 th at 7pm to hear about our PBIS Program here at Woodfield. We will be sharing information about our Expectation Matrixes, BLUE tickets, SOAR Store Rewards, SOAR Days, Try Harders, Self Check Forms, and how you can help support our efforts with implementing this program here at Woodfield. Come share your ideas and find out how you can help! From the Woodfield PTA: You should have already received your child's Square 1 Art packet with his/her free stickers. Orders are due this Friday, November 16. You can drop off your order form at school or, for the first time, place your orders on line using the code at the top of the page containing your child's stickers. The orders for Lavenders are coming this week and will be ready for you to pick up on Thursday, November 15 from 2:45 to 6:00 in the cafeteria. If you cannot pick up your order please make arrangements for someone to pick it up for you. Please join us on Friday for Family Fun Night from 7 to 8:30 pm. We will have candy bar bingo, a cake walk, and a silent auction with lots of fun items. 2

3 Early release for students prior to Thanksgiving 12:35 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 Friday, Nov. 23 Holidays Thanksgiving Offices and schools closed Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful, restful holiday!! A Special THANK YOU to All Of our Wonderful Volunteers who: Helped with Halloween Parties Supported the Lavender Fundraiser Helped and supported the Square One Art fundraiser Brought in food for Damascus Help Supported the Help the Homeless Walk Spoiled the staff with the basket of treats Your Assistance and Support Means So much to Us!!!!!! Every Friday is School Spirit Day Wear your Woodfield clothing or blue and white. Soar High Woodfield!! Important Dates Thursday, November 15 Friday, November 16 Thursday, Nov. 22 Friday, Nov. 23 Thursday, November 29 Friday, November 30 Mon. Dec. 3 Friday, Dec. 14 Tuesday, December 4 Wednesday, December 5 Thursday, December 6 Tuesday, December 11 Friday, December 14 Friday, December 21 Monday, December 24 Tuesday, December 25 Lavender Fundraiser distribution 2:45 6:00 p.m. PTA Candy Bar Bingo 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. Grandparent s Day 9:00 10:30 a.m. Early release for students prior to Thanksgiving 12:35 p.m. Holidays Thanksgiving Offices and schools closed Community Day With Superintendent Starr 2 nd Grade Field Trip Music Center at Strathmore SGA Make A Happy Holiday PTA Talent Show Auditions PTA Talent Show Auditions Woodfield ES Choral and Instrumental Concert 7:00 p.m. 5 th Grade attends Baker MS Winter Concert Damascus High School Band visits Woodfield ES Holiday Christmas Offices & schools closed Holiday Christmas Offices & schools closed 3

4 Wednesday, Dec. 26 Monday, Dec. 31 Winter Break No school for students and teachers Tuesday, January 1 Holiday New Year s Day Offices & schools closed Monday, January 7 - Tuesday, Feb. 1 MAP-PR testing Monday, Jan. 7 Fri., Jan. 18 Collection for PTA Student Book Exchange Monday, Jan. 7 Fri., Jan. 18 InView Testing Window for Gr. 2 Screening and Rescreening Gr. 3, 4, 5 Tuesday, January 8 Tuesday, January 8 Class and group picture day Friday, January 11 PTA Snow Ball 7:00 p.m. (time change) Wednesday, January 16 PTA Talent Show Rehearsal at Woodfield Thursday, January 17 PTA Talent Show Rehearsal at Woodfield Friday, January 18 2 nd marking period ends Monday, January 21 Holiday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Offices & schools closed Tuesday, January 22 Professional day for teachers No school for students Wednesday, Jan. 23 Fri., Jan. 25 PTA Student Book Exchange Students choose books Thursday, January 24 ES/MS/HS Choral Cluster Concert at DHS 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 25 Talent Show Rehearsal at Baker Saturday, January 26 PTA Talent Show Baker MS 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 29 NAEP Assessment Grade 4 Wednesday, January 30 ES/MS/HS Strings DHS 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 31 Report cards distributed (Grades K 5) Thursday, January 31 Flyer distribution day Friday, Feb. 1 Thursday, Feb. 28 African American Heritage Month Tuesday, February 5 Family Reading Night Sponsored by Target Thursday, February 7 5 th and 6 th Grade Cluster Band DHS 7:00 p.m. Thurs., February 7 Tues., Feb., 12 Valentine Grams sold Saturday, February 9 PTA Talent Show snow Baker Thursday, February 14 Valentine Grams Delivery Thursday, February 14 Valentine s Day - 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 18 Holiday Presidents Day Friday, February 22 Early release Planning/grading 12:35 p.m. Wed., Feb. 27 Thursday, Feb. 28 Hearing and Vision Screening Friday, March 1 Sun., March 31 Women s History Month Friday, March 1 Read Across America Dr. Seuss Day Monday, March 4 Wed., March 13 MSA Reading and Math Grades 3-5 Tuesday, March 5 PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 Science Expo 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 10 Daylight Saving Time Begins Thurs., March 14 Tues., March 19 MSA Reading and Math (makeup) Grades 3 5 Sunday, March 17 St. Patrick s Day Friday, March 22 3 rd marking period ends Friday, March 22 Hearing and Vision Re-Screening Mon., March 25 Thurs., March 28 Spring break No school for students and teachers (Note: Passover begins March 25) Fri., March 29- Monday, April 1 Holidays Easter Offices & schools closed Monday, April 1 Tuesday, April 30 Month of the Young Child Monday, April 1 - Tuesday, April 30 Autism Awareness Month Monday, April 1 - Tuesday, April 30 Arab American Heritage Month Tuesday, April 2 Professional day for teachers No school for students 4

5 Wednesday, April 3 Thursday, April 11 Flyer distribution day Thursday, April 11 Report cards distributed (Grades 1 5) Thursday, April 11 5 th Grade Family Life Information Night 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 15 Spring portraits Monday, April 15 - Friday, April 19 MSA Science Grade 5 Monday, April 22 Earth Day Thursday, April 25 Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Thursday, April 25 Desserts with Dad 7 p.m. Friday, April 26 Friday, May 3 PTA Buy One Get One Free Book Fair Friday, April 26 Kindergarten Orientation No School for Kindergarten Wednesday, May 1 Friday, May 31 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Wednesday, May 1 Friday, May 10 SGA Spring Canned Food Drive Thursday, May 2 4 th Grade Field Trip Living Classrooms Friday, May 3 Spring PTA Family Fun Night 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 6 Friday, May 10 PTA Staff Appreciation Week Monday, May 6 Friday, May 31 MAP-PR testing Monday, May 6 Thursday, May 9 PTA Spring Grams Sold Tuesday, May 7 5 th grade picture 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 7 Thursday, May 9 Chick-fil-A Spirit Night 5 8 p.m. Friday, May 10 Delivery of Spring Grams Friday, May 17 Field Day Grades K, 1, 2 Friday, May 17 Patrol Picnic 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 27 Holiday Memorial Day Wednesday, May 29 Woodfield ES Choral and Instrumental Baker MS 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 31 Field Day Grades 3, 4, 5 Wednesday, June 5 Volunteer Luncheon Media Center 11:30 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 7 Rain date for Field Days Last day of school for students Early release 12:35 p.m. K report cards go home Gr. 1 5 report card comments Flag Day Monday, June 17 Professional day for teachers Tuesday, June 25 Report cards mailed Gr. 1-5 Note: Dates that have been added this week are in bold 5