Galway Chronicle Lions Roar!
Parent Newsletter November 3, 2023 Vol 14 Issue 7
Administrative Team
Nathaniel Hamilton, Assistant Principal
Latina Bobo, Assistant School Administrator
240-740-0140 Fax 301-902-1230
PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING on OPEN HOUSE
Monday, November 13 is a special day where we welcome all parents to visit our classrooms and to see student learning in action! Students should come to school on time and enter the building by 9:25 am, the typical school day start.
Parents are invited to sign in at the APR and have coffee until 9:40 am. This allows parents to sign our visitor log and get a visitor sticker before the visitation begins. After teachers take attendance, complete the lunch count and get the children focused on the learning tasks for the day, parents will join students in the classrooms.
Recess begins at 11:00 am, and we will announce the end of our official visiting hours at that time. We hope that you will be able to join us anytime between 9:30 am and 11:00 am on Monday, November 13, 2023, for a visit. Unfortunately, due to space restrictions, we do not have room for parents to join their children for lunch in our lunchroom.
Please remember that Open House is a day for parents to visit the classrooms; other arrangements should be made for the care of younger siblings and extended family members to protect the integrity of instruction and to keep students safe. Teachers will not be able to hold individual conferences with parents.
VOLUNTEER TRAINING
VOLUNTEER TRAINING
All parents interested in becoming volunteers can attend Volunteer Training immediately following Open House from 11:00-12:00 pm. If you are unable to attend this training, an evening training will be offered at 6:30 pm by Zoom. All volunteers in the classroom must attend volunteer training at Galway.
All field trip volunteers must take the Child Abuse & Neglect online module before participating on a field trip. Proof of completion the online module must be given to the school. You may forward the email you receive confirming the course or bring the proof to the office yourself. All training is good for three years.
Please do not wait until right before you are scheduled to volunteer or chaperone a field trip to complete this requirement.
SGA SPONSORS KIDS HELPING KIDS
KIDS HELPING KIDS
Students at Galway Elementary School have the opportunity to develop the skill of empathy and community building through The Kids Helping Kids Food Drive. During the weeks of November 6-17, the Galway Student Government Association (SGA) is sponsoring a can food drive to support food needs in the area.
Galway students benefit from the food drive in three ways: they meet a recognized community need, establish a community partnership , and develop student responsibility. One school goal this year is to provide fifth grade students with opportunities for leadership. Members of the SGA exercised leadership in thinking about how to bring this project into fruition. They needed to collaborate, develop a plan, present that plan to their sponsor, and decide on how they would publicize and energize the entire student body to participate.
Throughout the week, students will hear about the project and grade levels will be challenged to give generously. I cannot begin to tell you the excitement and the pride the SGA students already feel. Giving back to your community always makes the giver feel better than the receiver.
I will challenge our students to increase their donations compared to previous years. This is a heavy lift, but I believe our students are ready for the challenge. I am asking parents to support this endeavor by sending one can or boxed food item to the school during these two weeks. As your children ask you for a can for school, use this opportunity to share with them the importance of food for every child and the joy of giving as a way to build a strong community.
“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.”
Kathy Calvin
STEMARVELS DONATIONS NEEDED
PARENT COMMUNITY EVENT
Getting Reading Right, Now
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023, 06:30 PM
Gaithersburg High School, Education Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
REMEMBRANCE AND RECONCILIATION MONTH
Remembrance and Reconciliation Month
The purpose of Remembrance and Reconciliation month is to bring the people of Montgomery County together to build a better understanding of the county’s history in relation to African Americans.. Remembrance and Reconciliation Month was called for by the Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation in 2019. The Commission designated November to be a month of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Montgomery County and the State of Maryland has designated November 1 as Emancipation Day to commemorate the day that enslaved people in Maryland were emancipated on November 1, 1864. Commemorations, lessons, civic awareness activities, and community awareness on local history will take place countywide in the month of November.
Learn more about the Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation.
Parent/Caregiver Letters Elementary School [English / Spanish] Resources for Talking About Race and Racism [English / Spanish] Did You Know? Facts About Historic African American Communities in Montgomery County
PARENT CONFERENCE INFORMATION
PARENT/STUDENT CONFERENCES
Parent Conferences will begin this month. Please be on the lookout for communication from your child’s teacher about scheduling parent/ teacher conferences. November 20 & November 21 are two MCPS designated days, but teachers may arrange additional dates to accommodate student class size and parent schedules. Conferences can be held in person or virtually.
We’re excited to share that all 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students will participate in student-led parent conferences. Student-led conferences are when students facilitate the conference with their parents and teacher to discuss their academic progress. They set goals to meet academic milestones and identify how parents can assist them in meeting the student's goals.
Students will share a portfolio containing reading, writing, and math schoolwork. This work will represent artifacts of student work samples collected throughout the marking period. Student-led conferences allow students to reflect on their work and their role as a learner. Student-led conferences enhance student verbal communication and critical thinking skills, increase student responsibility and autonomy about their learning, and strengthen our open and transparent communication with parents about learning. We look forward to your participation in this process.
PARENT TIPS ON CONFERENCES
PARENT CONFERENCES
Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your conference: Aquí hay algunos consejos para ayudarlo a aprovechar al máximo su conferencia:
Before the conference/Antes de la conferencia
¨ Ask your child how he/she feels about school. Pregúntele a su hijo cómo se siente acerca de la escuela.
¨ Ask your child if there is anything that he/she wants you to talk about. Pregúntele a su hijo si hay algo de lo que quiera que usted hable.
¨ Tell your child that you and the teacher are meeting to help her/him. Díga le a su hijo que usted y el maestro se reunirán para ayudarlo.
¨ Make a list of topics you want to talk about or questions. Haz una lista de temas de los que quieras hablar o preguntas.
During the conference/Durante la conferencia
¨ Be on time (or early) for the meeting. Llegue a tiempo (o temprano) a la reunión.
¨ Ask the most important questions first. Haga las preguntas más importantes primero.
¨ Ask for explanations of anything you don't understand. Pida explicaciones de cualquier cosa que no entienda.
¨ Ask your child's teacher for ways that you can help your child at home. Pregúntele al maestro de su hijo cómo puede ayudar a su hijo en casa.
After the conference/Después de la conferencia
¨ Talk about the conference with your child. Hable acerca de la conferencia con su hijo.
¨ Talk about the positive points, and be direct about problems. Hable sobre los puntos positivos y sea directo sobre los problemas.
¨ Tell your child about any plans you and the teacher created. Cuéntele a su hijo sobre los planes que usted y el maestro crearon.
¨ Keep in touch with the teacher during the school year. Manténgase en contacto con el maestro durante el año escolar.
PARENT COMPACT
PARENT COMPACT
ACTIVITY BUS
ACTIVITY BUS
The activity bus is one of the benefits available to Galway students on Tuesday and Thursday beginning in October. After school activities are scheduled on these days from 4:15-5:15 pm. Students riding the activity bus will not get home in the same amount of time as the regular bus route because the activity bus makes numerous stops dropping off all students riding the bus. Unfortunately, during this season, some students may get home when it is dark.
Kindergarten students should not ride the bus during the first semester unless they have an older sibling on the bus due to safety concerns. Kindergarteners often become confused with the frequent stops and different routes taken by the activity bus and are often unable to tell the bus driver where they live.
Activity bus routes are on the Galway website. Please feel free to pick your child up from the activity at 5:15pm if you are uncomfortable with the long ride home or the time of night.
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, also referred to as Native American Heritage Month.
Despite a painful history marked by unjust Federal assimilation and termination policies, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples have persevered. During National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the countless contributions of Native peoples past and present, honor their influence on our Nation's advancement, and recommit ourselves to upholding trust and treaty responsibilities, strengthening Tribal sovereignty, and advancing Tribal self-determination. (Proclamation-White House 2021)
Keeping Healthy During Flu and Cold Season
Developing Healthy Habits-English
Cover Your Cough
Developing Healthy Habits-Spanish
PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE/SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM/PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
We welcome the valuable input we receive from the parents who participate on this committee. We meet to review progress toward improving student achievement and recommend budget considerations and parent activities. Please call the office at 240-740-0149 or send a note if interested.
Damos la bienvenida a los valiosos aportes que recibimos de los padres que participan en este comité. Nos reunimos para revisar el progreso hacia la mejora del rendimiento estudiantil y recomendar consideraciones presupuestarias y actividades para los padres. Llame a la oficina al 240-740-0149 o envíe una nota si está interesado.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
IMPORTANT DATES
CANNED FOOD DRIVE-NOVEMBER 6-17
Monday, November 6
4th Grade FT-Kingsley Wilderness Center
Tuesday, November 7
Assembly-Noodlez-Beat Your Feet
Thursday, November 9
Grab & Go Food Distribution 5:30 pm
Getting Reading Right-BBC 6:30 pm
Monday, November 13
Open House-9:35-10:55
Volunteer Training-11:00-12:00 (Galway)
Volunteer Training 6:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
Friday, November 17
2nd Grade FT-Strathmore Music Concert
Monday, November 20
School Dismisses at 1:20 Parent Conferences
Native American Literacy Day
Tuesday, November 21
School Dismisses at 1:20 Parent Conferences
November 22-24
School Closed-Thanksgiving
Tuesday, November 28
PTA Meeting 6:00-7:00 pm (Zoom)
Wednesday, November 29
HardWork Cafe'
Picture Retakes & Candids
MCPS PATHWAYS for ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
MCPS created a new guide to help families, students, and teachers work together to ensure student success. Learn about the new academic benchmarks for kindergarten, grade 3, grade 4, and grade 5.
CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSET CHALLENGE
Clothes for Cash is a fundraiser that supports classroom libraries. Support the school by bringing your discarded clothes to the white clothes bin. Donate your clothes to the school by placing them in the white bin near the soccer field when you clean out your closets.