Chipmunk Chatter
For The Week of February 22 through 26
Administrators' Message
Dear Sandymount Families~
Thank you kindly to all the families that have reached out requesting four days of in-person learning. At this time, we are in the process of taking the necessary steps to offer this option to students should the Board of Education reconsider bringing students back in mid-March as recommended at their last meeting. Please allow us to share the process and steps Sandymount is taking to expand in person learning for groups of students.
The first task entails identifying students who are at risk for retention due to poor virtual/hybrid attendance, minimal work completion, and Special Education students not making progress on IEP goals. Next, we will look at cohorts and class sizes to ensure that we can maintain current guidelines described in the CCPS re-opening plan. Staffing must also be considered in order to accommodate the needs of our students. After this part is complete, we will notify the parents of students who were recommended for four days of in-person instruction. Our office staff will work with parents and Transportation to determine a student pick-up/drop-off and a start date. In the meantime, we will work with our custodians to provide additional desks and re-organize the cafeteria to allow for additional seating. Lastly, we will update school and bus seating charts for contact tracing purposes.
With this being said, please know that this is all subject to change pending the Board's decision for all CCPS students to have the option of four days of in-person instruction. CCPS will revise and resubmit the re-entry plan to MSDE for approval. The revised plan will allow for our hybrid students to return in-person four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) using a phased approach, by March 22nd. More information will be shared and discussed at the Board of Education Work Session on February 24th. You should expect to receive communication shortly thereafter from CCPS and Sandymount sharing updates of the new learning model option available for your child(ren).
In the meantime, we respectfully ask that parents refrain from making any additional requests for a student to return to four days a week given the information shared in this newsletter. Thank you for your patience as we work through this challenging time in education.
Have a great weekend!
Calendar Information
February 23rd - Hybrid Students Cohort A ONLY Picture Day
February 26th - Hybrid Students Cohort B ONLY Picture Day
March 1st - Kindergarten Registration Packets available for pick-up
March 3rd thru 8th - Kindergarten Registration Week
March 14th - Spring Forward Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 20th - First Day of Spring
March 25th - Maryland Day
Dismissal Changes
NEW INFORMATION for 20-21: The office/school can no longer accept emails for any dismissal change, unless it is due to a true emergency. All notes with regards to students being released from school must be handwritten & signed by the registered parent/legal guardian. Handwritten notes must be sent to school with your child informing us that he/she will be leaving early or will have a dismissal change for that day. If you have a true emergency and need to change your child’s dismissal, please call the school office. Otherwise, all students will be dismissed their normal way. Full day absences can still be e-mailed to sesattendance@carrollk12.org.
Kindergarten Registration 2021-2022
Below is the procedure Sandymount will use for Kindergarten Registration. Packets will be distributed beginning the week of 3/1/21. Packets will be placed in a blue bin in front of the school entrance each day between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
PLEASE no pickups before 10:00 AM or between 3:30-4:30 PM due to arrival/dismissal.
Registration Process for the Upcoming
2021-2022 School Year
- Packet Pick-Up (Please read all instructions & procedures)
- Gather all necessary documentation & complete paperwork at home (Information on accepted documents is contained in the kindergarten letter included in this packet)
- Once all paperwork has been filled out & you have gathered the necessary documents, call the school office at 410-751-3215 to set up an enrollment appointment during Kindergarten Registration Week, 3/8-3/12.
In an effort to keep visitors & staff as safe as possible, we ask that only one parent/guardian attends the enrollment appointment. Please remember to wear a mask at all times while on school grounds. For your protection, it is recommended that you bring your own pen to sign the back of the enrollment form. Please be sure to bring your valid photo ID as well. Appointments are given between the hours of 10am-3pm
Detailed Kindergarten Enrollment information is available on our school website www.carrollk12.org/ses
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
The Board of Education of Carroll County does not engage in discrimination that is unlawful or contrary to Maryland State Department of Education guidance on the basis of age, color, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, ancestry or national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
The Board of Education of Carroll County is firmly committed to creating equal employment and educational opportunities for all persons by providing an environment that supports optimal academic achievement and productive work and is free from any form of unlawful discrimination, including access to school facilities, educational programs, and extra-curricular activities.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of Human Resources, 125 North Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157, (410) 751-3070.
ADA ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment or the provision of services, programs or activities. Persons needing auxiliary aids and services for communication should contact the Communications Office at 410-751-3020 or publicinfo@carrollk12.org, or write to Carroll County Public Schools, 125 North Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, may use Relay or 7-1-1. Please contact the school system at least one (1) week in advance of the date the special accommodation is needed.
Sandymount Elementary
2222 Old Westminster Pike
Finksburg, MD 21048
Phone: 410-751-3215 Fax: 410-751-3925
Office Hours 8:00-4:00
Internet Address: www.carrollk12.org/SES
Attendance Email Only: SESattendance@carrollk12.org