Red and White Times
August 2021
Montclair Elementary School
Email: parksas@pwcs.edu
Website: https://montclaires.pwcs.edu/
Location: 4920 Tallowwood Drive, Dumfries, VA, USA
Phone: 703-730-1072
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MontclairES/
Twitter: @montclair_elem
Be Kind--Be Respectful--Be Responsible--Be Safe
Welcome Back!! It is so hard to believe it's August. I hope that you have all had a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer! Our cardinal staff has been busy preparing for the return of our students. Teachers have attended professional development, collaborated with their teams, and taught summer school all in preparation for an amazing year!
It has been a busy and exciting summer of adjustments at the Parks’ house! We welcomed baby Carleigh and are still working on our routines as a family of 5! Thankfully her brother and sister adore her and always want to help (and touch her face 😆😷). I am still on maternity leave, so thank you for being patient with communication and information as we approach our start. The office is always available to assist and answer any questions you may have.
I have attached the PWCS Back to School Plan. I would encourage you to read over this, especially page 2 with the key highlights! I will cover some of this in our upcoming Montclair Webinars as well. Please find that information below to register.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon! ❤️ Mrs. Parks
Two Back to School Webinar Options
Zoom webinar.
When: Aug 6, 2021 02:30 PM
Topic: Montclair Back to School Webinar
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://pwcs-zm-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_drC6cv_UTXusMDJx2ashvQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Zoom webinar.
When: Aug 9, 2021 06:00 PM
Topic: Montclair Back to School Webinar
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://pwcs-zm-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4aNuuD3NR-yTbiE6CiFFFQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
2021-2022 School Supply Lists
They have also been attached below. Please click on the file for the grade level list that you need.
Bell Times
Mask Guidance
Class Assignments
Meet the Teacher
There will be 2 Meet the Teacher events. All kindergarten students will have Meet the Teacher on Thursday, August 19 from 6-7pm. KG teachers will present all of their information at this time and will not be available during the day on Thursday.
Grades 1-5 will have Meet the Teacher on Thursday, August 19. Due to the limit on the amount of people that can be in the building at one time, the Thursday event will be broken down by last name. During this time, you can meet your teacher and drop off your school supplies. Please remember that masks are required.
Last names beginning with A-H attend from 8:30am-9:30am
Last names beginning with I-R attend from 9:45am-10:45am
Last names beginning with S-Z attend from 11:00am-12:00pm.
First Day of School
- No parents in the bus loop. This will help us to keep bus riders separate and Door 1 clear for arrival.
- Walkers will enter from the side of the building at Door 21. Walkers from Lake Terrapin will be met by a staff member, or on Day 1, parent may walk student along Tallowwood to the walker door.
- Car Riders will have staff ready to meet students at the parking lot to walk them inside.
It helps us all be on the same page and set students up for success if they come to school on the first day the same way they will go home and come to school each day after.
School Breakfast and Lunch
Student Medications
If you are still missing required immunization records or school physicals, please bring those as well. The last day to provide school physicals and immunizations is Friday, August 20th to ensure that your child can start on Monday, August 23rd. Remember that your child will NOT be able to start on the first day of school virtually or in-person without these documents.
If you have questions, concerns or need a copy of the required paperwork, please email Mrs. Sutton at:
Bus Schedule and the HUB
Bus stop and schedule information will be available in The Hub’s StudentVUE and ParentVUE portals as follows:
Preliminary bus stop information will be available on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. As enrollments can change up until the first day of school, parents are encouraged to check for any changes prior to the first day of school, which is Monday, August 23, 2021.
Elementary school schedules will be available Wednesday, August 18, 2021, and secondary school schedules, including K-8 and traditional schools, will be available Friday, August 20, 2021.
Information on how to access The Hub’s StudentVUE and ParentVUE applications can be found on The Hub page of the PWCS website.
Volunteers and Lunch Room Visitation
Dismissal
Our dismissal options for this year are:
1. Bus- Numbers and time will be available in Parent Vue. Please remember these change each year.
2. Car Rider- you receive a number and come through the line in your car. If you are ONLY driving your student and dropping them off in the morning, you do not need a number. You will just follow the car line and drop your student off in the parking lot car rider line if staff is visible. If you will be picking your student up in the afternoon, you will need a number. This number is assigned to you and placed in the windshield of your car. Car Rider numbers will be available during Meet the Teacher events if you need a new one!
3. Walker- You are in our Walker zone area and you arrange with your student to come outside as a walker and they walk home or meet you somewhere walking. This does NOT mean you park on Tallowood and pick your child up by car—you would then be a car rider. Following these procedures helps us to keep traffic controlled to ensure a safe dismissal for all students!
Please Encourage Friends and Neighbors to REGISTER!
ATTENTION KG CARDINALS!
If you have or know of an incoming KG student, please be sure to share this link! It's important that our students register for KG as soon as possible so that we can plan appropriately for staffing. We will also be completing KG screenings for students before school begins. More information will be sent once families are registered.
https://www.pwcs.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=340225&pageId=775554We are currently in the height of our registration season. If your child attended Montclair last year, they are automatically registered for this year. Please help us by encouraging new neighbors to register ASAP. We are trying to get an accurate student count for staffing.
Are You Moving or Have You Moved?
Please help us to plan for next year by filling out this form.
Technology Collection
PTCO News
The PTCO needs YOU!
Welcome to all our new Cardinals and Welcome Back to our returning families! For those new to Montclair, the PTCO is the Parent Teacher Organization and our goal is to support our students while building community and having some fun! We accomplish this goal through events and fundraising throughout the year. One of the easiest ways to help us reach our financial goals is by joining the PTCO. Memberships are $20 per family and you can join here. There are current board positions for members to consider and open committee positions. We would love to have you join us! While we are still awaiting details regarding what this school year will look like in terms of events sponsored by the PTCO held at the school, brainstorming has begun. A PTCO meeting will be held August 11th at 6:30 to discuss the upcoming year. We would love to have you join us for conversation and sharing of ideas in the school parking lot. Unable to attend, but want to get involved? You can always reach us by email at montclairesptco@gmail.com or on Facebook. Enjoy those last few weeks of summer and we can't wait to kick off the new school year!
Community Input
COVID, Health, and Safety
Remember, your child MAY NOT come to school with any cold or flu symptoms. You will be called to come to school to pick them up. We take health and safety very seriously and we are taking all precautions to keep everyone safe! Please continue to do the daily screening form before sending their kids to school.
https://www.pwcs.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=340225&pageId=43888626
If your child is in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID (parent, daycare, friend, etc) you must contact us to let us know. We will explain the next steps for the quarantine period. Please also let us know if you're WAITING on test results for someone suspected of having COVID.
Thank you for helping us do the best we can to keep our cardinals safe! We are here to help you with this, so please reach out any time to the office (703) 730-1072, the nurse Mrs. Sutton, or you can also text/call Mrs. Parks at 703-869-2797
Symptoms we will send students home for include ANY of the following:
cough
fever of 100.4 or greater
chills
muscle or body aches
shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
sore throat
new loss of taste or smell
nasal congestion or runny nose
nausea or vomiting
diarrhea
stomachache or abdominal pain
fatigue
headache
If you have questions or concerns, please contact via email at suttoncr@pwcs.edu.
~ Cindi Sutton, BSN, RN, NCSN
COVID-19 Information and Resources for Parents
PWCS Daily Health Screening
https://www.pwcs.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=340225&pageId=43888626
PWCS Health Protocols 2020-21
https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/student_services/student_health/p_w_c_s_health_protocols_2020-21
Free testing
https://coronavirus.pwcgov.org/testing/
VDH Algorithm for evaluating a child with COVID-19 symptoms or exposure
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/182/2020/08/Evaluating-Symptoms-in-a-Child.pdf
When is it safe to end Isolation and/or Quarantine:
COVID-19 International Travelers Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html#travel-1
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/frequently-asked-questions/international-travelers/
School Counselor Corner
Please check out our resource information on our website for the latest in food, counseling resources and other pertinent information.
Resource Links - Montclair Elementary School (pwcs.edu)
If you have questions or concerns please contact Mrs. McDonald at: mcdonaaj@pwcs.edu or Mrs. Smith at smithkw@pwcs.edu.
Follow Us on Social Media
Be sure to follow our new Montclair Instagram! pwcs_montclaires.
Our Facebook page is Montclair Elementary School-PWCS or follow us on Twitter @Montclair_elem and our hashtag #montypride. Twitter allows a unique opportunity for families to have a daily view into the awesome learning experiences happening throughout the day at Montclair. Twitter is not only an awesome way for us to communicate the variety of learning opportunities that students participate in regularly, but it can also give parents a starting point for engaging their student in conversations about what they're doing in school throughout the week.