The Green Valley Gazette
March 13, 2019
Dates to Remember
GVE News
Letter from the Principal
3/14/19
Hello Green Valley Families,
Hopefully all of the winter weather is behind us and we can move into spring with continuity in our schedule. As we get ready for spring, please remember that we may have some cold days still in the forecast, so please be sure your children are prepared for outdoor recess.
Congratulations to our 5th graders who showed their GIANT Pride on the most recent administration of the Science MISA. With that being said, PARCC testing will begin at the end of April. As we get closer to the testing dates, parents will be informed with more specific information regarding schedules for their child’s class. As we plan the testing schedule, our goal is to minimize the impact of the assessment on regular routines and class times.
Please read this next section carefully for arrival and dismissal. With our growing population, it is extremely important to follow all arrival and dismissal guidelines for the safety of our entire community. Remember that safety during these times is everyone’s responsibility.
GENERAL ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL GUIDELINES
No students shall be left at school prior to 8:30AM without a staff member present. Students arriving at school via private vehicle prior to 9:00AM will be dropped off at the back of the school by the sidewalk. Staff members will be stationed at the back sidewalk to receive arriving students from 8:30AM - 9:00AM. Private vehicles will not be allowed to park in the back lot between 9:05 AM – 4:00 PM because students will be using that area for recess and PE.
CAR RIDER DROP OFF IN THE BACK LOT
I would like to remind you to keep a safety first priority when using the back lot for drop off. The following expectations are in place to ensure
All students who are being dropped off must stay in their car and exit onto the side walk.
If your child is walking in from the middle area where cars are parked, AN ADULT MUST BE WITH HIM/HER.
If you need more time to settle your child or to gather his or her belongings, please park in the middle area of the parking lot.
Please be patient as you are waiting in the line. DO NOT DRIVE AROUND the other cars. If you cannot wait, then have your child ride the bus.
Remember that the safety of the children is our TOP PRIORITY.
LATE ARRIVALS
After 9:00AM, children cannot be dropped off. An adult must walk their student into the school and complete the sign-in log at the front office.
CAR RIDER DISMISSAL
Parents who are picking students up will remain in their cars and make a loop around the back playground to the front stop.
Students will be escorted to their vehicle by a staff member.
Your child will need to enter the car on the right side and quickly be seated and buckled.
In order to ensure the safety of all children and maintain security, there must be a car rider pass displayed on your visor in the front window of the car for a student to be released.
Car rider passes can be obtained by completing the Car Rider Pass form available in the front office.
If your child is a car rider frequently, please complete the form to request a car rider pass.
If your child is rarely a car rider, please call the front office on the day you need your child to be picked up and we will create a car rider pass for your child. As a courtesy and to ensure proper dismissal we ask that you give us a call before 3:15pm
Finally, when parking out front, please remember to use the designated cross walk area in the front of the school when you are walking from the parking lot to the school during the arrival or dismissal process.
Redistricting Study Survey Says…
As shared earlier this year, increased enrollment has led FCPS to need more schools. A redistricting study is underway to help the BOE balance enrollment and determine attendance areas for two new schools* in the Linganore-Oakdale-Urbana (LOU) area. The study involves 18 schools, including ours.
Family and community participation are essential in the redistricting process, particularly in helping the BOE determine which factors should weigh most heavily in drawing boundaries.
A recent survey yielded 1,372 responses with 640 typed comments. Considering factors listed below (from BOE Policy 200), FCPS asked respondents to rank the three most important to them for establishing new attendance boundaries:
- Students’ educational welfare
- Frequency of redistricting, with every attempt made to limit individual student redistricting to not more than once every 5 years
- Proximity to schools, in order to maximize walkers and minimize distance or time of bus runs
- Student demographics
- Student academic performance
- Operating and capital costs
- Established feeder patterns
- Impact on neighborhoods and communities
- Impact on specialized school programs or a change to school capacity
- Instructional and operational capacity of involved schools
826 people selected Proximity to schools, in order to maximize walkers and minimize distance or time of bus runs.
757 selected Impact on neighborhoods and communities.
605 selected Educational welfare of students.
Asked what high school attendance area respondents live in, 43% selected Oakdale, 38% Urbana, 17% Linganore, and 2% did not specify a high school attendance area.
Asked what middle school attendance area respondents live in, 35% selected Oakdale, 24% Urbana, 19% Windsor Knolls, 12% New Market, 8% Gov. TJ, and 2% did not specify.
Asked what elementary attendance area respondents live in, in rounded percentages 24% selected Deer Crossing, 16% Oakdale and 16% Centerville, 11% New Market, 9% Green Valley, 8% Urbana, 7% Kemptown, 4% Spring Ridge, 3% Twin Ridge, 2% did not specify, and 1% selected Liberty.
See the Survey Results Report for details: www.fcps.org/louredistrict. The survey is not used alone as a decision-making tool; all forms of feedback are considered.
Using all feedback, CropperGIS consultants and FCPS staff will develop a range of attendance-area options. They’ll come back to the community for refinements to help create and identify a few of the best choices that the Superintendent will propose in September for BOE review. The Board will make a decision in November 2019 to enable bus routing and staffing for the 2020-2021 school year.
Attend meetings to see the first round of options from 7-8:30 PM:
Monday, March 18 at Linganore HS
Tuesday, March 19 at Urbana HS
Thursday, March 21 at Oakdale HS
There’s also a Facebook Live Presentation scheduled for Tuesday, March 19 at 1 PM.
Your participation is vital. At every stage, FCPS seeks your views, concerns and ideas. Community engagement is more than sharing information; it’s bringing the community together to share your ideas and unique perspectives.
Please visit www.fcps.org/louredistrict for links to videos plus LOU Facebook and Twitter accounts: https://www.facebook.com/LOURedistrict/ and https://twitter.com/LOURedistrict/. Share your views at meetings, via social media and email to LOURedistrict@fcps.org.
P.S. Also online: a recently recorded podcast and a roundtable with high school principals Donna Clabaugh, Nancy Doll and Dave Kehne
*The new schools are:
- Sugarloaf ES in Urbana (temporarily serving Urbana ES students until their school re-opens for the 2020-2021 school year)
- A not-yet-named elementary in the Lake Linganore Hamptons West neighborhood, opening in the 2021-2022 school year.
The Counselor’s Corner
Healthy Sleep Habits for Children
How Many Hours of Sleep Does Your Child Need?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends sleep guidelines dependant on your child’s developmental age. Having the recommended amount of sleep will help your child’s mental and physical health, as well as their ability to learn and grow.
Tips for Healthy Sleep Habits
Keep Regular Daily Routines
Be Active During the Day
Monitor Screen Time
Have a Consistent Bedtime Routine
Create a Safe Sleep Environment
- Avoid Over Scheduling
Yours in teaching and learning,
Giuseppe
Dr. Giuseppe Di Monte
Principal
From the PE Department
Science Fair Update
We had a great turnout and a very helpful information session last week about helping your child with their science fair project! As promised, attached are the presentation slide show and outline handout from last Thursday afternoon.
If you weren't able to make it, please check it out!
If you have any further questions,
please email Ms. Murrill at dana.murrill@fcps.
Here is the link again to the county's guidelines and resources:
https://education.fcps.org/scienceelem/sciencefair
Also note:
*Students who display their project at STEM night on 3/28 will have the option to stand with their project to informally show and explain it to anyone looking at it during the event.
*If your project display involves any substance that may cause allergic reaction, the substance must be clearly labeled on the display. (i.e. food ingredients, latex, slime ingredients)
*Stay tuned for more details about turning in projects closer to the due date of Thursday, March 28th.
*If you are interested in helping Ms. Murrill with the facilitation of the science fair, please email her at dana.murrill@fcps.org.
Order Your Yearbook Today
Our Yearbook Committee is working hard
to provide you an awesome memory book!
You can pre-order your GVES 2018-2019 Yearbook
ONLINE NOW!
Go to www.ybpay.lifetouch.com
and
enter Yearbook ID Code: 11058319
Kindergarten Registration
On Monday, March 18th registration will begin for children who will be entering kindergarten in September 2019. Eligibility for kindergarten for the fall of 2019 requires that the child be age 5 by September 1, 2019.
Beginning Monday, March 18th, 2019 the registration and application process will be held at our school building during school days from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Please bring your child's birth certificate, proof of residency (i.e. electric bill, water bill, tax bill, signed lease agreement), immunization record (if available) and transportation form.
We encourage you to register early as current registration numbers affect our staffing.
Special Evening hours:
April 3 – 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
April 17 - 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
COMING SOON! GVE Scholastic Book Fair - March 28th-April 4th!
The Scholastic Spring Book Fair will be here
March 28th - April 4th!
Every item is Buy One, Get One FREE!
More details will come in next week's Thursday folder.
We need volunteers to help the kids purchase their books.
Please sign up using this link:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/70a0b4da5a62ca20-bogo
GVE Cultural Celebration - April 26th - SAVE THE DATE!
SAVE the DATE
GVES CULTURAL CELEBRATION
Friday, April 26th at 6:30 PM
More information coming soon!
PTA News
Don't Miss Movie Night - The Lorax - This Friday!
Please come and join us for a fun Movie Night!
Friday, March 15, 2019
6:30 PM
GVE Cafeteria
Bring your blanket & pillow!
Popcorn will be provided!
*Please note: This is not a drop off event.*
Our expectation at the movie night is that everyone will follow Green Valley Rules!
Being Respectful - Zero Voice / Use your Manners with Food and Drink
Being Responsible - Stay Seated / Clean up area
Being Ready - Listen, watch and enjoy
Please enter and exit quietly
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ON MOVIE NIGHT! Please volunteer!
Skate Frederick and Roy Rogers Fundraiser - March 24th!
Family Bingo Night - April 3rd
Join us at the GVES PTA Family BINGO Night on April 3rd for a free, fun night of bingo and prizes! Doors open at 6:15 p.m.; bingo begins promptly at 6:45 p.m.
Leave the cooking to us! Pre-purchase a whole pizza at a discounted rate and have a fun family-night out. A limited number of cheese pizza slices will be available for sale at the event for $2 each. The PTA will also be selling drinks, snacks, and bingo daubers ($1). This is not a drop-off event.
SPIRIT WEAR ON SALE APRIL 1 -12!
GVE Spring Carnival - May 18th - SAVE THE DATE!
11 AM - 3 PM
We're looking for volunteers to help create an awesome Spring Carnival for the kids!
Look out for a SignUp Genius link soon. Please help!
Stay Up-to-Date
Here are ways to ensure you're getting the latest news and updates from GVE:
- Find Out First E-mails - There has been a change with the way you sign up for "Find Out First" messages. We use the email addresses that you provide us when your student enrolls. If that email address changes, please notify us so that we can update your information.
- PTA Website - The GVE PTA has created a new website for parents and caregivers! The website, which is updated frequently, provides information about upcoming PTA events and activities, membership and volunteer opportunities, current and previous editions of this newsletter, and more. Bookmark it today! http://www.greenvalley.my-pta.org/
- PTA Facebook Page - Stay informed about PTA events, activities, and school information by liking the Green Valley Elementary School PTA Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/GreenValleyESPTA