October Newsletter
New Market Elementary: Home of the Wolves
Message from Administration
Dear NMES Families,
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place in October. Parent conferences are an important opportunity to directly talk with your child's teacher about their progress in school. We encourage every family to participate in conferences in order to stay informed and active in your child's education. Just as our teachers will prepare for parent-teacher conferences we encourage every family to prepare as well. Below are sample questions you may choose to ask:
- What are my child's strongest and weakest subjects?
- What are some examples of their strengths and weaknesses?
- Is my child actively participating in class discussions and activities?
- How are my child's social skills?
- Does my child seem happy in school?
- Do you think my child is achieving his or her potential?
- What can I do at home to support my child's academic progress?
Our conferences are scheduled to be 15 minutes in length so preparing questions in advance can help to make the most of the allotted time. As always, we thank you for your support and collaboration. When home and school work together kids win!
Dr. Lockard - Principal
Mrs. McGaha - Assistant Principal
Important October Dates
*Questions regarding field trips should be directed to your child's classroom teacher
- Tuesday, October 4: PTA meeting from 7:00 - 8:00pm in the cafeteria
- Wednesday, October 5: Schools closed in observance of Yom Kippur
- Tuesday, October 11: Grade 1 field trip to LHS Fair Days
- Wednesday, October 12: Kids Heart Challenge for grades PK - 2 from 11:30 - 12:30
- Wednesday, October 12: Elementary and Middle schools open 4 hours late for evening parent conferences (arrival between 12:30 - 1:00)
- Thursday, October 13: Kids Heart Challenge for grades 3 - 5 from 11:30 - 12:30
- Thursday, October 13: Elementary and Middle schools open 4 hours late for evening parent conferences (arrival between 12:30 -1:00)
- Friday, October 14: Schools dismiss 3.5 hours early for afternoon parent conferences (dismissal begins at 11:55am)
- Wednesday, October 19: Kindergarten field trip to Sharp's at Waterford Farm
- Wednesday, October 19: End of Term 1
- Thursday, October 20: Schools closed for Teacher Work Day
- Friday, October 21: Schools closed for Teacher Professional Learning day
- Friday, October 28: PTA event "Trunk or Treat" from 7:00 - 9:00
- Monday, October 31: Fall Parties
- Monday, October 31: Fall Book Fair opens
CogAT Test Administration:
Grade 5 (All students):
- Wednesday, October 12
- Thursday, October 13
Grade 2 (All students):
- Monday, October 24
- Wednesday, October 26
- Thursday, October 27
New Staff at NMES
NMES is very excited to have two guidance counselors. Mrs. Carl and Mrs. Blake make a wonderful counseling team for our school. Please welcome Mrs. Blake!
"Hello everybody! My name is Katherine Blake, and I am a new school counselor here at New Market Elementary. I earned my Master's in Counseling at Hood College, Bachelor's in Education from Mount St. Mary's University, and Spanish degree from the Costa Rica Language Institute. Before I became a counselor, I spent many years teaching fifth graders at Tuscarora Elementary School. Much of my experience as a counselor stems from my love of cultivating supportive relationships with children, as well as honoring their unique strengths and identities. My experiences meeting the multicultural, educational, and socioemotional needs of the students and their families are why I am so passionate about service in my own community. Recently, I had the pleasure of marrying my best friend of nearly a decade! We love going for walks in the park, eating amazing food, and spending quality time with our families. It has been such a joy to be welcomed into the NMES community."
Attendance
Being successful in school begins with being present and available to learn. Attending school regularly also helps children feel better about school and themselves. Families play a critical role in establishing routines so children arrive at school on time and are consistently present.
Here are a few ways you can support your child by establishing positive attendance habits.
- Follow a regular bedtime and morning routine
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks/lunches the night before
- Send your child to school unless they are too sick to attend (fever, vomiting, diarrhea and contagious illness are reasons to stay home from school)
- Talk to school staff if your child appears anxious about going to school
- Schedule appointments and extended trips so they do not interfere with the school day
If/when your child will be absent please send a note to nmes.attendance@fcps.org
Information about attendance in FCPS is available at: https://www.fcps.org/student-services/general-info-for-parents
PTA Information
PTA Meeting
October 4, 7-8 pm, in the cafeteria. Planning and ideas for the Fall/Winter are welcome!
Wolves Howl Trunk or Treat
NMES PTA Trunk or Treat, Friday, October 28th, from 7-9pm in the NMES parking lot and gym. Join us for an evening of treats and tricks, music, crafts, and lots of family fun!
Fliers for Wolves Howl Trunk or Treat went out in red folders last week. Please send in the bottom portion if you plan on coming with a decorated trunk. Also, anyone who would like to donate a bag of candy may send those in with their students and we will pick them up. Any questions, or to sign up for a decorated trunk, may also email the PTA at nmesptainfo@gmail.com
For information about our NMES PTA, please visit our website at www.nmespta.com
Media Center News
Book Character Pumpkin Contest
The media center is gearing up for fall with our annual Book Character Pumpkin Contest! Families may work together to decorate a real or fake pumpkin or gourd to look like their favorite book character and enter it into our contest. Prizes will be given in many categories and winners will receive a $10 gift certificate to our fall book fair. Watch for the orange flier coming home with students with all the guidelines for the contest!
Book Fair Volunteers
Mrs. Siderius, our media specialist, is excitedly preparing for our fall book fair! It will be held in the media center from October 27th-November 4th. We would love to have you volunteer to help students at the book fair! All book fair volunteers receive 10% off of their purchases. If you have questions, please email Mrs. Siderius at jennifer.siderius@fcps.org. Or, sign up for the book fair at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4fabaf2aaaf58-fall.
Book Fair
Mark your calendars for our Fall Book Fair! Students will preview the book fair on Friday, October 28th, to make wishlists. Then, they will shop during their media class during the week of October 31st-November 4th. More information will come as we get closer to the book fair!
Holiday Optional Choice Board
Fall has arrived and with it, many great holidays to celebrate in October! From Indigenous Peoples' Day to Diwali to Sweetest Day, this month is full of opportunities to learn and celebrate! Visit our optional Holiday Choice Board at https://bit.ly/NMESOctBoard to read and explore all month long!
October Schoology Tip for Families
It's almost time for the end of Term 1! Did you know you can check your child's grades or missing assignments from your parent Schoology account? Learn how with this information!
Schoology Resources for Parents/Guardians
- FCPS Schoology Page for Students and Families https://www.fcps.org/student-services/schoology
- FCPS Schoology YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGATg8OciCItdUiqHJyHHrA
- FCPS Schoology Troubleshooting Guide https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OJWzxwXeSumMlev5Ac8_-B0aaKhW5_ofMvuRO3a1pws/edit?usp=sharing
- How To View Grades in Schoology https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HG9UQhjKp3gqu7lj6zJJoPNuALXpsY8GGseM5Gu-yX0/edit?usp=sharing
NMES Front Office Hours
Our NMES Front Office hours for the 2022 - 2023 school year will be 8:30 - 4:00 Monday - Friday. Our front office phone number is 240-236-1300. If you call between these hours one of our front office staff will be able to assist you. If you call before or after these hours there will not be staff available.
FCPS Bus Delay Information
COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures
The COVID-19 dashboard will be updated daily with the latest information. Positive cases reported to FCPS will reported from each school.
We will continue to utilize several mitigation strategies in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.
New Market Elementary
Email: Steven.Lockard@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/nmes/
Location: 93 West Main Street, New Market, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-1300