FES Parent News
5.1.22
Together We SOAR
FES Updates
A Reminder: This week is Children's Mental Health Awareness and Staff Appreciation Week!! Be sure to check out the activities for the week in upcoming dates!
The Shorebirds Hit the Books Date for FES is May 21st. Game time is 7:05 PM. If your student turned in the Shorebirds bookmark the tickets will be sent home soon.
FES VISION
Attention 5th grade families.
RAISING A READER PROGRAM EXPANDS TO KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
Kindergarten students will soon be receiving a Raising A Reader bag each week filled with great books to take home and share with their families. Families should spend the week enjoying the books and reading with their kindergartener. Your child’s teacher will designate a day for the bag to be returned to class. On that day, the bag will be filled with a new supply of books for your child to once again bring home and share.
The Raising a Reader Program has been a big hit with Pre-K students, and we are happy to be able to offer it to our kindergarteners too. Enjoy taking time to relax and read good books together!
Attendance Reminder
FES STEAM and Paint Night with our FES Chorus & Band Concert
Save the date! Friday, May 13th! RSVP's were sent home. Please let us know if you need another copy or print the RSVP link. Please RSVP by May 6. Paint Night is open to the first 50 people who RSVP. (We will pass out tickets to those 50 people)
Enrollment for the 2022-2023 School Year Now Open
PowerSchool Online Enrollment (English) (Spanish) is now open for all new pre-kindergarten
through 12th grade students for the 2022-2023 school year.
For complete details, please visit the CCPS website news post page and, as needed, the PreK
and Kindergarten information page.
Caroline County Recreation and Parks Summer Camp Registration
FES Parent Guide to PBIS
Picking up a student
If you are sending someone to pick up your child, please be sure that they are listed as an emergency contact in power school and that they have a picture id with them. This includes anyone coming through the car rider line as well. Your child's safety is of utmost importance! Please do not be offended if a staff member asks to see your ID.
Lost and Found items
Choptank Health's School Based Centers
Every child needs healthcare to thrive and SBHCs can help them get there. Did you know that Caroline County, is the only public school system in the entire state to offer school based health center services in each of their schools?
Choptank Health’s School Based Health Centers Are OPEN and IN THE OFFICE!
Appointments can be made through the school nurse’s office by sending a note to school with your child or by calling the school based health center directly.
Common medical concerns and illnesses can be addressed during visits. Visit reasons could include:
· Well Child Checks and Sports Participation Physicals
· Medication refills
· COVID-19 symptoms/testing
· Cold and allergy symptoms
· Asthma and breathing problems
· Stomachaches
· Headaches
· Rashes and other skin complaints
· UTIs
· Minor injuries
· Other common complaints
Community School Coordinator's Corner
May 1st-7th, 2022 is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week in Maryland. Children’s mental health impacts: How children think, feel, and act; How children relate to ourselves and others; How children manage change, stress, and handle other life situations; It is also critical to how children explore their environment, develop, and learn.
Mental health applies to everyone throughout their lives regardless of age, gender, race, culture, income, or education. Mental health awareness helps all children have opportunities to be successful in school, at home, in the community, and in their future adult lives.
Next week students will be learning things to help themselves and others feel better when they are sad, worried, angry, or scared and how to care for their physical, social, and mental health.
Help our School be a Children’s Mental Health Matters! Champion! Thursday, May 5, 2022 is Children’s Mental Health Matters! Green Day. We encourage you & your child to wear something green to raise awareness of the importance of children’s mental health.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions and resources for help, contact (Rebecca DeHoff, dehoff.rebecca@ccpsstaff.org, 410-479-2761), your family doctor/pediatrician, or visit www.ChildrensMentalHealthMatters.org
Counselor's Corner
Since we are observing National Children’s Mental Health Matters week, I am sharing information on School Based Mental Health at FES as well as local mental health resources. Students are currently offered SBMH services by For All Seasons & Corsica River at FES, while other schools in the county work with different agencies. For All Seasons is currently committed to three days per week at FES, Mr. Tim’s office is located within the Wellness suite. Corsica River is currently at FES one day per week, Ms. Ashley’s office is located in the back corner of the media center. Corsica River has been with us only a few months but several referrals have been made.
The SBMH referral process begins with a parent request for services I then submit a Google form referral to Cara Calloway, CCPS Mental Health Coordinator and forward a copy to the appropriate agency. The agency or therapist will contact parents/guardians within two weeks to schedule an intake appointment. Parents/ guardians must participate in the intake as our students are under 16yo. Insurance is billed for the services, some grant funding and sliding scale fees may be available as needed.
Students must be enrolled as clients of the agency to be seen by either therapist. The therapists have full schedules while they are in the building and may not be available to respond to crisis situations. However , CCPS policy is that the therapist will be contacted for a RISK assessment if a student on their caseload is in crisis. Otherwise, RISK trained staff must complete student assessments. Students who have made suicide related statements verbally or in writing should be immediatley referred to administration and will be assessed by a school counselor or school psychologist if they are not SBMH clients. If neither the school counselor or school psychologist are present , Cara Calloway should be contacted. The RISK tool is a standardized assessment tool, staff must be trained and follow the procedures closely for the tool to be valid. While our primary purpose is always to keep students safe, using this tool offers some liability protection for the school system and individual assessors.
After completing the RISK assessment parents will be contacted, copies of the RISK go to the building administrator and to the Student Services dept at the BOE. Depending on the level of risk as determined by the assessment parents may be given a referral to a school or community based mental health agency, Mobile Crisis or an area emergency room. School staff are not permitted to transport students to the emergency room. The SRO may be permitted if Cara Calloway is contacted and arrangements are made through the Sheriff's dept.
As mentioned in previous newsletters, the recent needs for mental health services have increased exponentially among children and adults. Like many rural areas, we have limited resources and lack convenient public transportation to available resources. Inpatient pediatric beds are far and few, if a spot is available it is typically in Dover or across the bay.
So with all that being said, the key points are while FES is fortunate to have mental health services available on site it is important to remember parent consent & participation is required, HIPAA & student confidentiality must be respected and initiating services is often a process and not an immediate response.
EL News
Upcoming Dates of Importance
May 2: MCAP testing Grade 3 Math,
Powered by Kindness: Wear Super Heroes Clothing/ Shirts to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness
May 3: MCAP testing Grade 3 Math
Positive Tuesday: Wear Mismatch Clothing to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness
May 4: MCAP Makeup testing
Walk it out Wednesday: Wear Exercise Clothing to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness
May 5: MCAP testing Grade 4 Math
Show support: Wear Green to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness
May 6: MCAP testing Grade 4 Math
Feel Good Friday: Wear Pajamas To School to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness
May 13: STEAM Night 6-7:30
May 20: Career Day during school
CCPS Calendar Changes
The 2021-2022 school year calendar has been amended as detailed below. Changes impacting student days are bolded
May 27, 2022, has been changed to half-day for students, with May 27, 2022, early dismissal for all staff.
For complete details of these changes, please see the news release (Board Amends 2021-22 School Year Calendar) on the CCPS website.
All school calendars can for the 2021-2022 school year be found here, at the CCPS website in English and Spanish.
FES School Improvement Plan and Family Engagement Home/School
Please take a look at our School Improvement Plan and the Family Engagement Home/School Compact. Please feel free to provide feedback by emailing alfaro.lisa@ccpsstaff.org.
FES is a Community School
Where is FES- A needs assessment has been completed and the implementation plan is being developed. Information regarding the implementation plan will be shared before the end of the school year with staff.
Promoting a healthy and safe environment for ALL students and staff
CCPS is committed to providing a safe, respectful, nurturing educational environment where the worth and dignity of individuals are valued and their safety and rights are protected. Behaviors that compromise this environment, interfere with school operations or are otherwise contrary to the basic mission of our public schools will not be tolerated. Bullying, hazing, harassment or other discrimination affecting a student or a staff member should be reported by a victim, parent/guardian, witness, staff member or other person having knowledge.
Staff members with knowledge of such conduct are required to promptly report it to the building principal.
Non Discrimination Statement
FES is a Title I School
The FES Family will promote our S.O.A.R. core values by engaging in a supportive and collaborative learning community that nurtures and builds a foundation for lifelong success. To SOAR means to Stay safe and ready, Own our responsibilities, Achieve our goals, and Respect self and others.
Federalsburg Elementary School
Principal: Lisa Alfaro
Assistant Principal: Briana Walker
Email: alfaro.lisa@ccpsstaff.org
Website: http://federalsburges.org
Location: 302 S University Ave, Federalsburg, MD, USA
Phone: 410-479-2761
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FederaslsburgFalcons