The Paw Print
Week of March 2, 2020
Updates from Mrs. Murphy and Mr. Ajamian
Thank you to all our parents who joined our parent coffee last week. School staff enjoyed our collaborative conversations regarding race and culture. We look forward to continuing this conversation at our next parent coffee on Friday, May 22nd at 9:30 a.m. We hope even more parents will be able to join us.
Our school is extremely lucky to have so many active and supportive parents. Without parent support the activities that enrich our students' lives would not be possible. We are always in need of new ideas and continued parent involvement! Please join the administration and the current PTA board for breakfast on Wednesday, March 11 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. All parents are encouraged to attend to discuss ongoing activities and brainstorm about new ways to support our children and families. This is a great way to ask questions, share ideas and get involved. The PTA will be selling spirit wear!
Thank You
Thank you to our 2nd grade parents for a very yummy lunch last week!
Thank you Kunjal Bandukwalla for several years of overseeing the spelling bee! Thank you to Beth Vu, Rayhana Hassani, Aby Filomeno, Carolyn Bauduin, Wendy Pilon and Lucy Lin for working behind the scenes to support the spelling bee.
Congratulations
Congratulations to all of our students who participated in the spelling bee! We are very proud of their hard work. A huge congratulations to Huy Changvu. As our school spelling bee champion he will represent SLES at the regional bee on March 7th! We are also very happy to recognize our school runner-up Kaylee Tang, our 2nd Grade champion Alexander Stutsman, and our 2nd Grade runner-up Anay Sood.
We are proud of all of our participants: Rumaysa Ali, Moussa Baggili, Stella Choi, Henry Phillips, Ella Patil, Julia Chahalis, Florence Ou, Larissa Deng, Shaun Feng, Sofia Ou, Rania Ali, Lucas Nielsen, Ali Yazdi, Saloni Roy, Kumayl Bandukwalla and Neil Luthra.
Message from SGA
CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL UPDATES
SCHOOL SYSTEM UPDATES
Board of Education Tentatively Adopts Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget
The Board of Education unanimously voted Monday, February 10 to tentatively adopt a $2.805 billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. This includes an increase of $124.1 million from FY 2020. The budget will allow MCPS to manage significant enrollment growth and focus on strategic investments to address disparities in student achievement. Visit
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/ to learn more.
Survey Open to Special Education Parents
Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services (such as speech, physical, or occupational therapy, etc.) are asked to complete this year’s Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey. The information you provide will help guide the state’s efforts in improving special education and related services in public schools. Complete one survey for each child receiving services. The survey is anonymous and can be completed online at www.mdparentsurvey.com/.
The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, May 15. View more information at the following links:
Maryland Preschool Special Education Parent Involvement Survey
Spring Theater Schedule
The curtain is rising on spring theater productions throughout the school system, at middle schools and high schools. Get your tickets now to see these great performances, which begin in early March and run into May. From “Mamma Mia!” and “Frozen” to “The Great Gatsby” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr.” there’s something on stage for everyone. Visit
news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2019%E2%80%932020-Spring-Theater-Schedule.pdf to see a complete list of productions.
Equity and Achievement Feedback Form
Meetings Set to Explain Changes to the ESOL Program
Staff, parents/guardians, and community members are invited to a series of meetings to learn about upcoming changes to the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. These changes are targeted to students in middle and high school ESOL programs and are being made for several reasons:
· To ensure that ESOL students have access to grade-level content classes;
· To increase the graduation rate of ESOL students;
· To ensure that these students are college- and career-ready; and
· To maintain high-quality English language development for all ESOL students.
The meetings will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Carver Educational Services Center
Room 134
850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Rocking Horse Road Center
All Purpose Room
4910 Macon Road, Rockville, Maryland
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Watkins Mill High School
Media Center
10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
East Montgomery Regional Services Center
3300 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring, Maryland
Annual Extraordinary Minds in MCPS Forum Set for March 18
The 12th Annual Extraordinary Minds in MCPS Forum will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18 at Julius West Middle School, 651 Great Falls Road in Rockville.
The event informs parents/guardians about public school placements and services for students across the autism spectrum in Montgomery County, and helps parents participate meaningfully as members of their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.
The event will be hosted by the Partnership for Extraordinary Minds. It will feature several breakout sessions for parents/guardians. Topics will include: reading comprehension strategies; organizational skills; functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans; transition planning; improving social skills; and the alternative learning outcomes curriculum.
Childcare will be provided at this event. Visit this website for more information and to register.
Nominations Open for Annual Distinguished Service to Public Education Awards
The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking nominations from the public for its 23rd Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education. The awards are sponsored by the Board to recognize and show appreciation to individuals (including students), groups, and organizations that have made exemplary contributions to public education in Montgomery County.
Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:
· business
· community individual (which can include students)
· community group
· MCPS staff
· school service volunteer
· individual pioneer
Nominations in other categories must be of individuals (including MCPS students), groups, or organizations that have, within the past three years, provided service, support, and commitment to public education as demonstrated by:
· an outstanding contribution of time and expertise to school system programs,
· development and/or implementation of an exemplary program or project, or
· a contribution that results in systemwide benefit.
Nomination forms are available on the Board of Education website or from the Board office. Completed nomination forms must be received in the Board of Education office by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6. More information is available at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/community/awards/.
Nominations for Presidential Awards Open to STEM Teachers
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the highest honors given by the U.S. government specifically for K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching. The awards were established by Congress in 1983.
The awards recognize teachers who have deep content knowledge of the subjects they teach and the ability to motivate and enable students to be successful in those areas. Since the program's inception, more than 4,800 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession.
Parents/guardians, students, or members of the general public may nominate exceptional individuals who teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science in Grades K-6 for this award year. Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree and have at least five years of teaching experience. The nomination deadline is Sunday, March 1. The application deadline is Friday, May 1.
Winners receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, along with recognition and professional development opportunities. For more information and to complete a nomination form, visit www.paemst.org/nomination/nominate.
Important Dates
3/3 - 5th Grade Study Circle #4 & 4th Grade Study Circle #3
3/5 - Interim Grades available on Parent Portal
3/9 - 5th Grade Quarterly Planning Provided by Educational Foundation
3/10 - No Place for Hate Committee Meeting, 8:15 a.m., Room 146
3/10 - Group Pictures
3/11 - PTA Breakfast, 9:30 a.m., Room 146
3/13 - 2nd Grade In School Field Trip
3/14 - Spring Fling
3/16 - 3rd Grade Quarterly Planning Provided by Educational Foundation
3/16 - 5th Grade In School Field Trip
3/17 - 1st Grade Quarterly Planning Provided by Educational Foundation
3/18 - 2nd Grade Quarterly Planning Provided by Educational Foundation
3/20 - 2nd CogAT Testing
3/23 - 5th Grade MISA Testing
3/23 - Variety Show Rehearsal, Cabin John Middle School
3/24 - 5th Grade MISA Testing
3/24 - Variety Show, Cabin John Middle School
3/25 - 5th Grade MISA Testing
3/26 - 5th Grade MISA Testing
3/27 - Last day of 3rd Marking Period
3/27- Early Release, 1:20 p.m.
3/30 - Author Visit Provided by SLES PTA
3/31 - 4th Grade Quarterly Planning Provided by Educational Foundation
Seven Locks Elementary School
Email: Megan_H_Murphy@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/sevenlockses/
Location: 9500 Seven Locks Road, Bethesda, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-0940
Twitter: @SLESPrincipal