Dear Families, In January, we saw Dr. Ronald E. McNair ES pride and community come to life. The Dr. RMES STEM Night was a success! Ms. Dali and I were impressed by the student choices and the variety in projects. The students had great command of public speaking skills and clearly explained the facts and their learning from completing their projects and experiments. During the month of January, we welcomed our sixth kindergarten class. Throughout the process, our kindergarten parents, students, teaching team, and other McNair staff members came together to welcome Ms. Wendy Chalmers to our school. The students’ first day was January 31 and it was a smooth transition for them. Thank you for your flexibility and support, as our kindergarten classes went from 27/28 to 21/22. February may be a short month, but it is filled with many important dates. On February 4, the PTA will be hosting its second General Meeting with Movie Night of the school year. From February 4 through 8, the SGA will be hosting its Kindness Week challenge. It heralds the 100 th day of school, which is celebrated by our Kindergarten classes. This year it occurs during the second week of February; the 13 th to be exact. Next, students will be exchanging Valentines at our parties on February 14. Valentine’s Day parties will begin at 2:40. Then, schools will be closed on February 18 for Presidents’ Day. From February 11 through 15, our students will display their jump rope skills in our annual Kids Heart Challenge (formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart) event. Although we have already had some snow days and a few delayed openings, winter is not over! We know the weather can be very unpredictable. Please create and discuss a plan of action with your child for days when there is an unexpected early school closure. The following are a few sources you can access to be informed of school closures and delays. The complete list can be found at http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/. MCPS cable channel: Comcast 34, Verizon 36 or RCN 89 MCPS homepage: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org Recorded information (English and Spanish): 301-279-3673 AlertMCPS: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/alertmcps.aspx As we enter into the second semester, please remember it is very important students arrive to school on time. Students who are habitually tardy to school miss important instruction, announcements, and classroom routines that are essential for student success. Being on time is a critical life-long habit necessary for future success as well. In order to ensure a great start to each school day, students should be in their classroom seats before 9:20 a.m. Students buying breakfast may enter the building at 9:05 a.m., or when their bus drops them off, and proceed directly to the cafeteria. The cafeteria closes for breakfast at 9:20. All other students will be admitted into the building at 9:15 a.m. when the first bell rings. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 301-353-0854 if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Mrs. Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses Principal The first page and calendar from the Principal’s Newsletter is sent home during the first week of each month. You may access the newsletter in its entirety on the school’s webpage at http://www.montgomerys choolsmd.org/schools/ron aldmcnares/ or by coming in to the front office.. PTA GENERAL MEETING / MOVIE NIGHT, FEB. 4, 6:00 PM REPORT CARDS DISTRIBUTED, FEB. 6 VALENTINE’S PARTIES, FEB. 14, 2:45 PM PRESIDENTS’ DAY, NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS & STAFF, FEB. 18 NO PREK, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FEB. 21 FAMILY FUN NIGHT, FEB. 27, 6:30-8:30 PM Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses, Principal February 2019 Amanda E. Dali, Assistant Principal
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Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses, Principal February2019 · 9:15 a.m. – bell rings to admit students to class 9:25 a.m. – tardy bell rings (students must be in their seats before this
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Dear Families,
In January, we saw Dr. Ronald E. McNair ES pride and community come to life. The Dr. RMES STEM Night was a success! Ms. Dali and I were impressed by the student choices and the variety in projects. The students had great command of public speaking skills and clearly explained the facts and their learning from completing their projects and experiments. During the month of January, we welcomed our sixth kindergarten class. Throughout the process, our kindergarten parents, students, teaching team, and other McNair staff members came together to welcome Ms. Wendy Chalmers to our school. The students’ first day was January 31 and it was a smooth transition for them. Thank you for your flexibility and support, as our kindergarten classes went from 27/28 to 21/22.
February may be a short month, but it is filled with many important dates. On February 4, the PTA will be hosting its second General Meeting with Movie Night of the school year. From February 4 through 8, the SGA will be hosting its Kindness Week challenge. It heralds the 100th day of school, which is celebrated by our Kindergarten classes. This year it occurs during the second week of February; the 13th to be exact. Next, students will be exchanging Valentines at our parties on February 14. Valentine’s Day parties will begin at 2:40. Then, schools will be closed on February 18 for Presidents’ Day. From February 11 through 15, our students will display their jump rope skills in our annual Kids Heart Challenge (formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart) event.
Although we have already had some snow days and a few delayed openings, winter is not over! We know the weather can be very unpredictable. Please create and discuss a plan of action with your child for days when there is an unexpected early school closure. The following are a few sources you can access to be informed of school closures and delays. The complete list can be found at http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/. MCPS cable channel: Comcast 34, Verizon 36 or RCN 89 MCPS homepage: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org Recorded information (English and Spanish): 301-279-3673 AlertMCPS: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/alertmcps.aspx
As we enter into the second semester, please remember it is very important students arrive to school on time. Students who are habitually tardy to school miss important instruction, announcements, and classroom routines that are essential for student success. Being on time is a critical life-long habit necessary for future success as well. In order to ensure a great start to each school day, students should be in their classroom seats before 9:20 a.m. Students buying breakfast may enter the building at 9:05 a.m., or when their bus drops them off, and proceed directly to the cafeteria. The cafeteria closes for breakfast at 9:20. All other students will be admitted into the building at 9:15 a.m. when the first bell rings.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 301-353-0854 if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses Principal
The first page and
calendar from the
Principal’s Newsletter is
sent home during the first
week of each month. You
may access the newsletter
in its entirety on the
school’s webpage at
http://www.montgomerys
choolsmd.org/schools/ron
aldmcnares/ or by coming
in to the front office..
PTA GENERAL
MEETING /
MOVIE NIGHT,
FEB. 4, 6:00 PM
REPORT CARDS
DISTRIBUTED,
FEB. 6
VALENTINE’S
PARTIES, FEB. 14,
2:45 PM
PRESIDENTS’
DAY, NO SCHOOL
FOR STUDENTS &
STAFF, FEB. 18
NO PREK,
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT,
FEB. 21
FAMILY FUN
NIGHT, FEB. 27,
6:30-8:30 PM
Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses, Principal February 2019 Amanda E. Dali, Assistant Principal
10th. All Grade 3 students in our school will be centrally
reviewed for potential candidacy for the CES rather than
parents submitting an application. MCPS offers both
regional and local programs. All Grade 3 students will be
considered for a regional CES program, which is based
on their address, unless they attend a school that houses
a local program.
Schools that currently house a regional program include: Lucy V. Barnsley, Chevy Chase, Clearspring, Cold Spring, Charles Drew, Fox Chapel, Mill Creek Towne, Oak View and Pine Crest elementary schools.
Schools that currently house a local program include: Rachel Carson, Piney Branch, Spark Matsunaga, and Stonegate elementary schools.
Students who demonstrate an overall above average
academic profile will be considered for one of the seats
in the CES. You will be notified in early February as to
whether your child will be considered for CES. Upon
notification, you will have the option of requesting or
declining CES testing. Testing at McNair will occur on
February 21, 2019, with the selection results occurring
in late March.
NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK
National School Counseling Week 2019, “Providing
Lessons for Life,” will be celebrated from February 4-8,
2019 to focus public attention on school counselors and
their unique contribution in implementing
comprehensive school counseling programs. The school
counseling program actively engages students in
examining their abilities, strengths, interests, and
talents; and works in partnership with
parents/guardians as they encounter the challenges of
raising children. School counselors support teachers and
other educators in providing an educational system
where students can realize their potential.
I know you join us in expressing our appreciation and
support to Mrs. Privman and Mrs. O’Malley, McNair
School Counselors, for all they do to support the students
in our community!
VALENTINE’S DAY PARTIES
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! McNair’s
Valentine’s festivities will take place on Thursday, Feb.
14th from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. Classroom room parents are
busy planning the parties and should be contacting the
other room volunteers soon (if they have not already
done so). Please do keep in mind that only the
designated room parent volunteers may be in the
classroom during the party. There are no middle/high
school volunteers on that day and we ask that younger
siblings do not come with adult volunteers.
It’s Time to Order Your Candy Grams!!!
A Candy Gram is a Valentine Edition Lollipop with a
Personal To/From card attached! Parents and family
members can send them to the children and the kids can
send them to friends, teachers, and staff! Each lollipop
costs $1 and you can order as many as you like. You can
also order grams for an entire class for just $20.00. All
proceeds will be donated to our 5th grade class for their
promotion and end of year celebration.
The Candy Grams will be delivered to classrooms on
Valentine’s Party Day (Tuesday, February 14th). They
will be sold on a first come, first served basis, so get your
orders in early.
SGA UPDATE
Our annual Great Kindness Challenge will take place Feb.
4th through 8th. All McNair students will participate in
school-wide kindness activities each day, as well as
additional activities in their classrooms. We will work on
giving compliments, reflecting on how each of us can be
more kind, making Valentine's Day cards for the kids at
Children's Hospital, and learning how to be a kind friend.
Thank you for your cooperation and support with this
great program!
STUDENT TRANSFER APPLICATION PROCESS FOR
2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR
Montgomery County parents/guardians who wish to
request a Change of School Assignment (COSA) for their
children from their home school may begin the process
during the upcoming transfer season – the first school
day in February 2019, through the first school day in
April 2019. All COSA requests must be submitted no later
than April 1.
Except for students in the Northeast Consortium (NEC),
Downcounty Consortium (DCC), and Middle School
Magnet Consortium (MSMC) areas, MCPS students are
assigned to a school on the basis of their place of
residence or their Individualized Education Program
(IEP) and are expected to attend their home school.
Assignment changes for students from one school to
another are permitted under limited circumstances. For
more information, visit
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/transfers.
Please also see the attached flier for information about
the process.
VOLUNTEERING
All volunteers must complete online training on the
prevention, recognition, and reporting of child abuse and
neglect. Volunteers may access the training,
“Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: for
Volunteers and Contractors,” by visiting training found at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/childabuseandneglect.
If you completed this training last year, you do NOT need
to take the training again. The training is valid for three
years!
ONLINE SCHOOL PAYMENTS
Would you like to be able to pay for your child’s field
trips online via your debit or credit card? Well, you can
do that! On the front page of McNair’s website is a link to
Online School Payments. Look for your child’s field
trip, make sure you have the correct teacher and follow
the prompts to make your payment. It’s super-easy and
you don’t have to worry about sending in cash or a check.
Please remember to still send in your child’s permission
slip. If you have any questions on how to use the Online
School Payment system, please call the school at 301-
353-0854.
PTA INFORMATION
FAMILY FUN NIGHT – Please join
us for an evening of fun and
games, Wednesday, Feb. 27th at
Family Fun Night! The fun will take place from 6:30 to
8:30. Play games, and possibly win prizes! Borrow a
game to play with family and friends (or bring one from
home)! Also, enjoy pizza, snacks, and drinks to help raise
money for the 5th grade promotion!
Prize donations are currently being accepted. All
donations are welcome as we are looking for items that
appeal to both children and adults. Some examples
include board games, coloring books and crayons,
candles and gift cards. Donations can be dropped off at
the Ronald McNair main office and will be accepted until
Tuesday, February 23rd. Families who donate prizes
will receive 5 free bingo cards at the door. Please be sure
to leave your name with Mrs. Patterson or Mrs. Lynch
when dropping off donations.
Bring the whole family for a night of fun and
frivolity! Who knows, you may be one of the big
winners!
We also need volunteers to run this event and make it a
success. Please visit the PTA website to volunteer.
MCPS NEWS
DON’T BE DISTRACTED CONTEST OPEN TO ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY STUDENTS A Safe Kids study demonstrated that one in four high school students and one in six middle school students walk distracted. These distractions were most often texting or wearing headphones. Research also indicates that for teen drivers, a single glance off the road for two or more seconds increases the risk of a crash or near crash by almost four times. When students are distracted while walking or driving, they are putting themselves and others in danger. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is inviting all MCPS students to help raise awareness of this critical issue by participating in the 2019 Don’t Be Distracted Contest. Students are asked to create a 30- to 60-second public service announcement (PSA) video or artwork about one or both of the following topics:
1. Tell your peers the importance of not walking or driving distracted.
2. Tell adults the importance of not being distracted while driving, especially in school zones.
technology, and security. That feedback will be used to
support the continuous improvement of our educational
facilities. The contest tasks students to consider these
same elements as they design their vision of what an
ideal learning space might look like in the future. By
participating in this contest, students may also have the
ability to help influence future design. More details are
available on the contest website:
www.montvgomeryschoolsmd.org/events/unitedwe
learn/.
HONORING CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPECIAL EDUCATION Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to submit nominations to recognize individuals who have contributed to the success and acceptance of students with special needs. The recognitions are being given by the Special Education Committee of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, Inc. (MCCPTA, Inc.). Nominations are being accepted in four categories: Staff, Programs, Parents, and Students. Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged. Applications are due by Friday, March 22. Nominations can be submitted by e-mail attachment or in the body of an e-mail message to [email protected]. If you are unable to submit an electronic nomination, you may send a completed nomination form and a nominating statement, along with supporting statements, to the MCCPTA, Inc. office: Montgomery County Council of PTAs, Inc., P.O. Box 10754, Rockville, Maryland 20849. The nomination form can be accessed at the following link: news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/01/MCCPTA-2018-2019-Special-Education-Award-Nomination-Form.pdf. WINTER 2019 PARENT ACADEMY SCHEDULE The MCPS Parent Academy offers parents/guardians and community members the opportunity to attend workshops that provide information, resources, tools, and tips to support their children’s success in school. The 2019 winter season of workshops has begun. You won’t want to miss sessions on mindfulness, college and career planning, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) resources and much more. Parent Academy workshops are free. Childcare and interpretation services are provided at all sessions. A full list of courses is available on the Parent Academy website www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/. Registration is available here.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WORKSHOPS SET FOR FEB. 5 AND APRIL 2 Parents, guardians, and community members are invited
to attend a workshop on Tuesday, February 5, at Julius
West Middle School, and on Tuesday, April 2, at A. Mario
Loiederman Middle School from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to
learn more about the district’s restorative justice vision
and how this social justice platform allows students to
actively engage and problem-solve physical,
psychological, and disciplinary issues that affect their
lives and the community. More information can be found
here.
HBCU FAIR The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Fair will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on February 22 at the Universities at Shady Grove, Building 3, 9640 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville. All high school students and their parents/guardians are invited to participate. Dozens of colleges and universities will be present to talk to parents, guardians and students about their programs and several will conduct on-the-spot admissions interviews for high school seniors. You can register and view more information at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/familysupport/hbcu/.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
MCPS is holding a series of community conversations with Chief Academic Officer Maria V. Navarro to discuss the future of high school programs. Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss what high school programs MCPS should offer in the future to best support college and career readiness. Staff, students, parents, guardians, and members of the community are invited to attend. The forums are scheduled for:
Monday, February 11, Clarksburg High School, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Monday, April 8, Richard Montgomery High School, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Register online at mcpsweb.wufoo.com/forms/community-conversation/. UPCOMING COUNTY BUDGET MEETINGS Parents/guardians and members of the community are invited to join Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice, Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith, and Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard at upcoming Education Budget meetings scheduled for February and March. Attendees can find out how budget decisions are made, what the County is doing today to get ready for FY 2020 and beyond, and the opportunities residents have to influence budget decisions. The meetings will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations: February 20, Neelsville Middle School, 11700 Neelsville Church Road in Germantown February 27, Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School, 11800 Monticello Avenue in Silver Spring March 6, Rockville High School, 2100 Baltimore Road in Rockville March 11, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, 4301 East-West Highway in Bethesda March 27, Montgomery College Takoma Park Campus, 7600 Takoma Avenue in Takoma Park (Cultural Arts Center Theater 1)
The county executive will announce his Recommended
FY 2019 Operating Budget in March. In April, the County
Council will hold public hearings and approve the
operating budget at the end of May.
BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS
In order to ensure a safe, productive, and positive
learning environment, Montgomery County Public
Schools (MCPS) publishes two documents that help
students, parents, and staff and understand school rules
and regulations; the expectations for student conduct;
and the possible consequences for violating the rules.
A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities is an
overview of the rights and responsibilities students
enjoy in MCPS and a summary of the laws and
regulations that affect students.
The MCPS Code of Conduct provides an overview of
discipline procedures and protocols and the range of
consequences students could face for violating various
policies, regulations, and rules. The guide also discusses
the MCPS philosophy to discipline and defines the
various disciplinary responses.
Both booklets came home with students the first week of
school. Additionally, all students have met with Mrs.
Moses, Ms. Dali, Mrs. Privman, and Mrs. O’Malley to go
over behavior expectations. Parents and guardians are
encouraged to review these document with their
child(ren) so that our students understand their rights
and responsibilities and the district’s expectations for
student conduct. If you have questions, please feel free to
contact the school at 301-353-0854.
MCPS QUICKNOTES
MCPS QuickNotes is a free e-mail service that provides
subscribers with important news and information about