Montgomery Elementary News
December 18, 2020
Contact Us
Dr. Amy Debelak, Principal
Ms. Sally Ganz, Asst. Principal
Office 686-1730
Absence Line 686-1707
FAX 792-6131
School Nurse 686-1733
Cafeteria 686-1735
Transportation 686-1785
Website: http://www.sycamoreschools.org/Domain/13
Location: 9609 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: 513-686-1730
Facebook: www.facebook.com/montgomeryelementaryofficial/?fref=ts
Twitter: @Montgomery_Elem
JANUARY
1/4 - Remote Learning
1/5 - Remote Learning
1/18 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday - No School
1/29 - Virtual Family Fun Nights
6:00pm-6:45pm for grades K-2
7:00pm-7:45pm for grades 3-4
PTO will be sending links before the event
HELP WANTED
EA SUBS NEEDED
Would you like a job where everyday you make a difference? If you want to make a positive impact and help students grow, gain skills and work towards independence, this may be the job for you! If you are interested, please click here for additional information.
CogAT RESULTS
If your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade child took the CogAT in November, please check your child’s e-bakpack on Parent Portal for the results of your childs’ CogAT test. These test results are one measure of your child’s ability and not intended to be an all-inclusive report. Please keep in mind that other factors can also influence a child’s performance on an assessment on any given day. If your kindergarten or first grade child took the CogAT, those scores will arrive in January since those students took the paper-based assessment which takes longer to score.
The purpose of this assessment is to provide you with information specifically about your child, but ability tests can also be used to identify children as gifted in the area of superior cognitive. According to the state of Ohio, a student can be identified as superior cognitive gifted if he/she has received a composite score of 2 standard deviations above the mean minus the standard error of measurement. What does this mean in relation to the CogAT test your child took? If a student in grades K-2 achieves a composite score of 127 or in grades 3 – 12 achieves a composite score of 128, he or she is identified as gifted in the area of superior cognitive. You can click here to better understand how to read your child’s report.
Please note that in order to be placed into accelerated programming in Sycamore, grades 3 – 6, a student must have a composite standard age score (VQN) of at least 128 on the CogAT 7 in addition to a minimum of 95th percentile on one administration of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) in the content area of Math and/or Reading. To qualify for double accelerated math, a composite standard age score (VQN) of at least 144 is required in addition to a minimum of 98th percentile on one administration of the MAP Math test. If your child has met the district criteria for gifted programming in grades 3-6, more information will be provided from your building’s Gifted Intervention Specialist at a later date. Additionally, we will run every student through our matrix after the January MAP testing to determine additional qualifiers at that time. Note that new placements will begin in the 2021-2022 school year.
Single subject acceleration involves the assigning of a student to a higher grade level content area than is typical, given the student’s chronological age, for the purpose of accessing appropriate learning opportunities in one or more subject areas. Although instructional practices such as curriculum compacting and differentiating instruction can provide meaningful educational experiences for the academically gifted students, there are unique situations in which such strategies are insufficient for fulfilling the academic potential of a gifted student. In such instances, single subject acceleration may be considered as a viable option. If you would like more information regarding Sycamore’s acceleration process as an alternate means of qualifying for gifted programming, please contact Mindy Zellner at zellnerm@sycamoreschools.org.
It is our hope that this information will help you to better understand your child’s test results. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact your building Gifted Intervention Specialist or Mindy Zellner @ zellnerm@sycamoreschools.org. Please note it may take some time to respond to emails until after winter break.
Sincerely,
Mindy Zellner
District Gifted Coordinator, K-12
Virtual Families - Ordering Curbside Meals for 2021
Reminder to all virtual families to continue to order meals for your virtual students for pick up every Wednesday. You will need to fill out the order form and choose which weeks you will pick up meals.
Please, only order for the weeks you can be there. We prepare enough meals for every family that orders each week, and when no one shows up, some parts of those meals will have to go to waste. ORDER VIRTUAL MEALS HERE.
Virtual Meal Curbside Pick Up will resume on Wednesday, January 6th. More information can be found here. Look for some new menu options in your bags in January!
Dear Montgomery Families,
Whether your child is attending school face to face or virtually the PTO continues to strive to make sure you are kept up to date with information. Thank you for your patience and please see all the new information below in the S'more and also on the PTO website and Facebook!
The Montgomery PTO is an organization that consists of parents, teachers, and school staff that works together to enhance the education of every child. We support the school and teachers with volunteers, provide a forum for two-way communication, happily fund many school items/teaching tools, and host a variety of events. This year, obviously, looks much different than any other school year, but we want to let you know that the PTO is working hard to provide the same support as we always have.
This years Directory is up and running and available through the Directory Spot App! In light of this unusual school year we have decided to make the Directory Spot App available to ALL our Montgomery families and staff. New families should receive an email how to set up your account. If you have issues logging on or have any questions please email mtptodirectory@sycamoreschools.org but please make sure that you have not opted out in Final Forms first please. A special thank you to Wendy Andersen for all of her help with the Directory!
More information regarding the 2020-21 Yearbook is coming in January. Directions on how to submit photos and how to preorder the yearbook will be included. BE ON THE LOOKOUT.
Please consider (if you are able to do so) making a donation to the PTO for this school year. Our typical membership fees usually only cover about the cost of our yearly DirectorySpot membership! In the past few years the PTO has been fortunate enough to donate a new sound system for the gym/cafeteria, a new kindergarten playground, technology like chromebooks/iPads, and countless activities/programs for our students, such as the Author Visits this past school year. A link for PayPal is available after completing the Google Form and can also be found on the PTO Website if you wish to make a donation. This school year will not have the traditional fundraisers (Boosterthon and Carnival) so we ask that you please take this into consideration as we are not able to do what we do without the generosity of our families. We are brainstorming ideas for additional Hassle-Free donations, in addition to Kroger, Box Tops for Education, and Pipkins (see below for more information) and considering adding a spring fundraiser if possible, but nothing has been finalized.
As always please make sure that you are following updates from the PTO via these three ways:
1) Montgomery Elementary Facebook Group
2) Sycamore District Montgomery Elementary PTO Page (https://www.sycamoreschools.org/domain/648)
3) Montgomery Elementary Weekly Newsletter (S’more)
Building a strong Montgomery Elementary Community for ALL is a goal for the PTO. We are working hard on ways to increase student/teacher support this school year and thinking of ways to still have fun (and some FUN-Draising) activities throughout the year.
I, and the rest of the executive board, look forward to working with you this year as we do our best to make a positive difference for our children, the staff, and our school. Please contact me anytime with questions.
Sincerely,
Kristy Felss
Montgomery Elementary PTO President
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If you are part of the Montgomery Elementary family, we encourage you to join us in making our school a great place for all of our kids! PTO membership offers you many opportunities to learn about what is going on at the school, to be involved and make some friends along the way. PTO members can vote on the PTO budget and receive access to our directory via the DirectorySpot app. Joining the PTO does not obligate you to volunteer; it's just a great way to show your support of Montgomery Elementary!
Joining the PTO is a simple process! Please just fill out the Membership Form!
General PTO Virtual Meetings:
***Thursday, January 14 @ 7-8:30pm - Link to follow
***NOTE - DATE CHANGE
Wednesday, March 10 @ 9:30-11am - Link to follow
Wednesday, May 12 @ 9:30-11am - Link to follow
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Virtual (online) Family Fun Night:
January 29 (6-7pm) Link to follow.
A fun night for Face to Face and Virtual Learners to come together and have a great time!
HASSLE FREE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL
KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS
You can earn money for Montgomery Elementary PTO just by using your Kroger Plus card at Kroger. But first, you must log onto your Kroger account and designate Montgomery Elementary as the organization you want to receive Community Rewards. Here is how…
1. Log onto your Kroger.com account
2. Click “My Account”
3. Click “Community Rewards”
4. Choose Montgomery Elementary PTO (Organization # VP832)
5. You can verify if you are already set-up by looking at the bottom of your most recent Kroger receipt. It will indicate that you have designated Montgomery Elementary PTO as the organization you chose to receive your rewards.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
GOT CLIPS? Drop off all your unexpired Box Tops at school in the Healthy Drop Box (outside the front doors) between 10am-2pm Monday-Friday! Please make sure they are in plastic ziplock bags and at the school before October 19th!
GOT LABELS? Use the Box Tops app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of purchase. The app will automatically find the products and instantly add Box Tops to your school’s earnings online. No clipping required! NO MORE CLIPPING! SCAN YOUR RECEIPT! SEE HOW AT BTFE.
Click here for a video demonstrating how to scan your receipts and receive credit via the App. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-bNcykyK5Y
PIPKIN'S MARKET
Anytime you shop at Pipkins Market they will donate a percentage of your spending to Montgomery Elementary PTO. All you have to do is bring your receipt(s) to school just like the box tops!
Bring Box Tops and Pipkins Receipts to school between 10am-2pm in a plastic bag and drop them outside the front doors in the Healthy Drop Box! Please do not send them to school with your child at this time or drop them off during Morning Drop Off or Afternoon Pick Up!
Questions about any of the Hassle Free programs or alternative ways to turn in your Box Tops and/or Pipkin’s Receipts before October 19th please contact Molly Duffey at mduffeyrn@yahoo.com
FREE MEALS FOR ALL SYCAMORE STUDENTS EXTENDED
For all of the families that have been taking advantage of the free breakfast and lunches for ALL Sycamore schools and students this opportunity had been EXTENDED until the end of the 2020-21 school year!
All Sycamore families can enjoy free breakfast and free lunch all school year long.
Click here for more details for face to face families.
Click here for more details for virtual families
PEBT
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently authorized the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) through the 2020-2021 school year. To qualify for P-EBT during the 2020-2021 school year, children must be approved for free or reduced-price meals either in the 2019-2020 or the 2020-2021 school years.
If families qualify for free or reduced price meals LAST school year and you have not filled out a form yet for the 2020-21 school year, it is important that you fill out a form again this school year if you feel you will qualify.
If families did not qualify for free and reduced priced meals last school year but believe they might this school year due to financial changes during this unprecedented time please fill out a free and reduced price meal application online here. Any families who qualify this school year will not only receive P-EBT for each student they have in the district, but also receive free or reduced priced meals for the first 30 days of next school year.
We understand that everyone is receiving free meals this school year, but filling out this form is necessary for ANY other benefit that it provides - this includes but is not limited to the P-EBT through ODJFS, fee waivers, extracurricular waivers, building assistance programs, etc.
More information on filling out a free and reduced price meal application can be found here.
Contact the Child Nutrition Department with any further questions. (513) 686-1796.
Kelsey Warren RD, LD
Child Nutrition & Wellness Director
Sycamore Community Schools
(513) 686-1796
twitter: @SycamoreCNS
PARENT/CAREGIVER
There is a significant increase in stress, anxiety and suicidal ideation among children now; however, there is a decrease in children accessing mental health services. If you recognize any of these warning signs contact your child’s school counselor or school-based mental health partner to make a referral for treatment. For crisis needs, contact the numbers below. Additionally, a short video that discusses more about recognizing signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety during COVID is available here.
Crisis Support Local: Call 513-281-CARE (2273) or text 4Hope to 839863 for help National Crisis Line: Text 741741 or call 1-800-273-8255 when in crisis. Available 24/7.
No hablas inglés? Encuentra ayuda en el sitio web de Suicide Prevention Lifeline o llamada 1-888-628-9454.
NOTE: Call 911 or go to the emergency department if you’re experiencing a medical emergency, a life-threatening mental health crisis, or are directed to go there by a medical provider.
Know! Compassion and Caring
to Reduce COVID Stigma
COVID-19 continues to present new challenges, burdens, and consequences in our daily lives and that of young people. A sneeze or cough in a public setting may have once elicited a “bless you,” but nowadays it’s more likely to prompt heads turning with looks of disapproval. For people who have, or have had COVID, they may feel as if they contracted the plague, based on the way others treat them. They may experience feelings of isolation, depression, and abandonment. The stigma that surrounds this disease must end, not only for the physical health and mental wellbeing of those who have COVID, but in order to help bring an end to this pandemic in communities throughout our nation and world.
Click below for additional information.
Sycamore Band and Orchestra Boosters will not be hosting the 20th annual Arts and Crafts Show in 2020. However, we have created an online showcase to connect our vendors/shoppers. Please visit www.sbob.org/craftshow to view the list.