CMIT South Elementary School
Week of November 27, 2022
Friday, November 10, 2023
Themes of the Month
CMIT South Elementary November Themes
Character Theme: Gratitude
Be present in all things and thankful for all things. - Maya Angelou
STEM Theme: Mathematics
"The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics." -
Paul Halmos
Principal's Desk
Dear Students, Parents, Staff, and School Community,
I hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and high spirits. We have some exciting updates and acknowledgments to share with you this week.
1. Successful Read-a-Thon Fundraiser:
I am thrilled to announce that our recent Read-a-Thon fundraiser was a tremendous success! Thanks to the incredible efforts of our students, parents, and staff, we were able to raise over $20,000. This remarkable achievement will greatly benefit our students by providing additional resources for student activities, instructional technology, and staff professional development. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to every one of you who participated, supported, and contributed to this fantastic initiative. Your dedication and commitment to our school community are truly commendable.
2. Get Well Soon Wishes:
Unfortunately, we have had a few staff members who have been under the weather or experienced minor and serious injuries while serving our students. I want to take a moment to send our heartfelt get-well-soon wishes to these dedicated individuals. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we hope for their swift recovery. We are grateful for their unwavering dedication and look forward to welcoming them back to our school community soon.
Mrs. T. Mathews 3rd grade
Ms Curtis 1st grade
Ms. Washington Lego
Ms J. Lewis 3rd grade
Mrs. Wright 1st grade para
3. Appreciation for Volunteers:
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the volunteers who have generously given their time and support to our school. Whether it was assisting on field trips or helping out within the building, your contributions have made a significant difference in the lives of our students. Your selflessness and commitment to their well-being are truly inspiring. Thank you for being an integral part of our school community and for your continued support. As we continue through the school year, I encourage you all to stay involved and engaged in our various activities and initiatives. Your active participation is crucial to creating a nurturing and enriching environment for our students.
Thank you once again for your unwavering support, and I look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you in the upcoming weeks. We had a great turnout at the PTO meeting on Wednesday and if you missed any updates please feel free to review my Principal’s Corner from our meeting at the following link below.
November Principal’s Corner -
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fHoNPCsVHPiD1ya-Vl9-2SRye_lU7tU6Np6eWW1pP8E/edit?usp=sharing
Sincerely,
Ronald A. Miller, Jr
Principal
Chesapeake Math & IT Academy South Elementary
Dates to Remember
Please take a look at these November calendar reminders:
11/13/23 - Fall Make Up Picture Day
11/16/23 - Education Support Professionals Day
11/21/23 - 1st Qtr Report Card release (hard-copy)
11/22-24/23 - Thanksgiving Break – Schools and Offices Closed
12/01-07/23 - Parent 1st Qtr Grade Appeal Window
Happy Veteran's Day
Veterans Day is a designated U.S. legal holiday honoring American veterans from all wars. In 2023, Veterans Day will be observed on Saturday, November 11. The origins of this day trace back to November 11, 1918, when an armistice, signaling a temporary halt to hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, then referred to as "the Great War."
Initially observed as Armistice Day in many countries the following year, the United States officially recognized November 11th as a federal holiday in 1938. Following World War II and the Korean War, the holiday underwent a transformation and came to be known as Veterans Day, dedicated to honoring the service of military veterans.
Professional School Counselor's Den
Hazel Health Services Coming to CMIT South Elementary
What is Hazel Health?
Hazel Health has partnered with Prince George's County Public Schools to provide access to quality healthcare services for all students, at no cost to families, this school year. Students can be referred by the school counselor or their parent/guardian. A designated person at the school or a parent/guardian can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while your child is at school or at home to provide either physical or mental health services. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.
How can your child receive services?
Waitlists for mental health services for children are sometimes long or sometimes as parents it's tough to find the time to take our children to appointments which makes it difficult for them to receive the immediate support they need. Hazel Health is geared to bridge that gap. Students are able to receive these services free, virtually and while in school. If you have any questions please feel free to visit their website https://www.hazel.co/ or reach out to me.
Honey Bake Ham Fundraiser
The HoneyBaked Ham fundraiser is only available until November 14th! Just 5 days left.
Details and price list are available via the link below.
Click Below to Order
https://cmitsouthespto.org/shop/ols/categories/honeybaked-ham
Dress for the Weather
Lost and Found
The “Lost and Found” collection bin is located in the cafeteria. Any found articles (coats, hats, gloves, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc.) are placed in the bin. Found small items (keys, glasses, jewelry) are stored in the Main Office. Students may check the “Lost and Found” for lost items before or after school, or during lunch. All items left unclaimed at the end of each academic quarter are donated to charities or are discarded. Parents are strongly encouraged to label all belongings with first and last names.
Sign Up to Volunteer
In November 2020, PGCPS launched an online volunteer application and approval process. Click here for more information on becoming a volunteer and to access the application.
Tutoring
Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation (CLF) is offering CMIT South ES scholars at-home Math tutoring by Carnegie Learning. This resource will help students excel in their math studies for students in grades 2-5. Scholars will access tutoring by logging into their PGCPS Clever, choosing the Littera Education tutoring app, and clicking Join Session at their chosen start time. Tutoring commenced in October 2023 and will continue until January 2024, spanning a total of 10 weeks.
TutorMe
TutorMe is an online tutoring program that will enable all PGCPS students to connect with an online tutor in less than 30 seconds, 24/7. Students can get help with a single problem or participate in a 2-hour lesson. The virtual tutoring space features a virtual whiteboard, text editor, audio/video chat, screen sharing, and more. All lessons are archived and students will be able to get help in over 300 subjects.
TutorMe's tutors are highly qualified from the best universities and are ready to assist students.
Registration Information
Students can access TutorMe through Clever
For more information click the following link: https://www.pgcps.org/offices/curriculum-and-instruction/tutoring/tutorme
Mathematics Tutoring sessions
On-Demand Tutoring
Mathematics tutoring sessions are designed to provide students in Grades 3-12 with 1-on-1 online, on-demand mathematics support that students can access at home after school or on Saturdays.
Session Information
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS Grades 3-5
- Monday-Thursday: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Contact Information
Mrs. Joneida Nelson-Generette
Elementary Mathematics Supervisor
jone.nelsongenerette@pgcps.org
Birthday Celebrations
Birthdays are so much fun to celebrate with classmates. However, during the school day, the health and safety of each student are important, especially students with food allergies. Students are ONLY permitted to bring in NON-FOOD items to distribute to classmates at the end of the school day. Birthday invitations will not be distributed.
Attendance
Attendance in school each day is important. Let’s stay in school.
In order for an absence to be considered excused, a written note must accompany the student no later than three (3) days after return to school. The note should include:
- date(s) of absence
- scholar’s name
- Reason for absence
Late or make-up work will not be accepted unless the absence is an excused absence. Please review Administrative Procedure 5113 AP 5113 - Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy for further information.
Students who are absent for ten consecutive days will be withdrawn on the 11th day and will need to re-enroll.
Lawful Absences
Students enrolled in public schools are considered lawfully absent from school for any portion of the day, only under the following conditions:
- Death of a family member
- Illness of the student
- Court appearance
- Work approved or sponsored by a school
- Observance of a religious holiday
- State of emergency
- Suspension from school
- Mental Health (Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence
- in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs.
- Other emergencies
- Deployment-related absences
Unlawful Absences
Unlawful absence – any time a student does not attend school that does not qualify as the above-listed reasons for a lawful absence.
Tardy
Scholars will be officially tardy if they are not in the building at 8:10 a.m.
If your scholar enters the building after the 8:05 a.m. bell, a parent must escort them into the building and electronically sign them in the late arrival portal. Scholars will be given an orange tardy slip to be permitted to class.
Parents of students who have 10 or more tardies in a semester will be required to meet with the principal/designee to discuss the reasons for the tardies and to develop a plan for improvement.
👩🏽⚕️Nurse's Station
Health Forms
Please be sure to submit all required health forms! Please note that ALL medications, cough drops included, cannot be administered or consumed without appropriate documentation.
You can access all health forms here for the 2023-2024 school year.
Remember: masks remain a tool to reduce the spread of illness and vaccinations continue to be the best defense against COVID-19. When children are sick, please keep them home.
Cafeteria Updates
School Meals
2023-24 School Year Meal Prices
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)
Breakfast: $1.60/day
Lunch: $2.75/day
How to Pay
MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, make tuition payments for Before and After School Extended Learning programs, and receive email notifications for low-account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
We encourage all families to consider applying for free and reduced-price meals! Visit www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict to apply online today!
To apply, you will need:
- The name, school, and grade of your school-age children
- The name of all adults living in the home
- Income information for all adults living in the home
- Student ID Numbers for your school-age children
Applications will also be sent home with students the first week of school. Applications are available at all PGCPS schools and can be submitted at any time.
Portable Electronic Policy (Administrative Procedure 5132).
Morning Arrival Instructions
Dismissal Protocol
Kindergarten
Grade Level Updates
Thank you Kindergarten families supporting our first field trip. We are hoping to go to the Baltimore Aquarium next, so please be on the lookout for that information in the next month or so.
Please ensure that your child has the proper outerwear on for recess. It is pretty chilly out and they will not be able to go out for recess if they do not have a coat/jacket on. The CMIT fleeces and jackets are not warm enough for this fall/winter weather. Many students are becoming sick during this cold and flu season. Please be mindful of your child's illnesses and when it is appropriate or not to send them to school. You may also want to send them in with a mask if you are aware that they are recovering from an illness. Please email the nurse, the school’s registrar, and your child’s teacher when your child is out sick.
Staff Directory – Chesapeake Math and IT Academy South Elementary School (cmitsouthes.org)
IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-
NOVEMBER 22-24: Fall Break
Reading Updates:
UNIT 2: Living Together
Week 1: Animals on the Move
Essential Question: Why do some animals move from place to place?
UNIT 1 ASSESSMENT
Phonological Awareness: Initial and Final Sounds; Segment and Blend Phonemes
Blend and Segment: Onset and Rime
Phonics: Consonants Dd and Kk
High-Frequency Words: of, are, that
Spelling words found in weekly readings: butterflies, geese, whales
Unit Vocabulary: grow, need, share, depend
Learning Goals:
Identify the main idea to understand informational text
Find the Main Idea and Supporting Details
Make Inferences About Main Ideas
Words that Name Different Animals
Adjectives and Articles
Rhyming Sort
Math Updates:
TOPIC 4- Comparing Numbers 0 to 10
Essential Understanding: Two groups can be compared by counting the number of objects in each group and telling which group has more objects or fewer objects.
Finding the position of each number within the counting sequence helps to compare
The number that tells more is greater than the other; the number that tells fewer is less than the other.
The use of matching, drawing, ten frames, and counting to compare numbers
Vocabulary: zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, compare, ten frame
Science Updates:
TOPIC 2 LESSON 3: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Essential Question: How can you identify three states of matter?
Uses senses to obtain information on different types of matter
Look for matter in our classroom
Determine what type of matter an object is
Sorting solids, liquids, and gases
Vocabulary: solid, liquid. gas
Social Studies Updates:
CHAPTER 2 LESSON 2- Symbols of our Country
Essential Question- What are the important symbols of America?
Recognize the American Flag, what it looks like, and what it represents
Identify important national symbols that represent the U.S.
Recognize different songs important to our nation
Vocabulary: pledge, landmark, freedom
Health Updates:
NOVEMBER TOPIC: Healthy Foods
Lesson 1:
Vocabulary: senses, impaired, need, challenges
First Grade
Grade Level Updates
Families, This past week, students completed OLSAT practice tests and assessments. Topics are ongoing for next week: Again this week, students will read informational text, Please support and encourage scholars to select and read informational text when they visit the library. This helps to build critical thinking and prepare them for doing well on these questions when they are assessed.
Reading Updates: Identifying main idea and supporting details in informational texts. Learning will also include foundational skills. You will notice this as homework comes home next week. We will be reading The Life of a Frog. This weekend, show students how to research the topic. They can write down words, and short sentences that include the facts on frogs. Next week, as they read, they will learn more as they make connections with the text.
Math Updates: Finding the unknown number in an equation. Students will also practice subtraction facts in sum 20. They will learn about true (9+9=18) and false equations (2=6=9), and add three numbers (2+3+9). Strategies students have learned and will keep using include number line, pictures, manipulatives, ten frames. Problem solving will be incorporated across these lessons.
Science Updates: Exploring Natural Light
Social Studies Updates: Public Leaders in the community, the state and the Nation.
Health Updates: How food is transformed into energy.
Second Grade
Grade Level Updates
We are pushing right along through 2nd grade! Thank you for everyone’s hard work for quarter 1 and we look forward to seeing what you all can do in quarter 2. Thank you again to all of the chaperones who attended our first field trip check out this google drive for additional pictures!
Reading Updates:
We are now on Unit 2 Natures Wonders in reading! Your scholar is working through informational text and realistic fiction. When reading at home be sure to look for text features and ask comprehension questions to your scholar.
Our spelling words will focus on the vowel team ie.
Math Updates:
Your scholar has now tested for Topic 3 and will begin Topic 4- Fluently adding within 100. Please ask your homeroom teacher about additional resources like the optional homework packet and CANVAS site.
Be sure your scholar is answering at least 10 Boddle questions daily as part of their homework.
Science Updates:
We will be transitioning back into our SAVVAS curriculum for Topic 2- Changing Matter. Please continue to work through your STEM Fair project and work through the steps of the scientific method.
STEM Fair - All beginning parts of the STEM Fair project should be submitted by now, with feedback from your homeroom teacher. The final video and presentation will be due January 17, 2024.
Social Studies Updates:
We are working through Topic 2 - People, Places and Nature. Focusing on the Big Question of : What is the world like?
Health Updates:
The focus for the month of November is “Let’s Eat” where we will focus on the importance of healthy eating habits.
Third Grade
Grade Level Updates
We have made it through another week of school! Thank you for everyone’s hard work for quarter 1 and we look forward to seeing what you all can do in quarter 2. Thank you again to all of the chaperones who attended our first field trip and for being patient with us through this process.
Reading Updates:
Fleet/Lewis: We have been working on personal narratives. This week we have explored different examples of personal narratives and have brainstormed topics for our own. Next week we will finalize a topic and begin writing our own personal narrative.
Mathews/Madison: We have been working through the story Living in the Desert
Math Updates:
Fleet/Lewis: We are making our way through Topic 4. The Topic 4 Pick-a-Project will be due next Friday, November 17th. Student should have brought the directions home last week and they are on Canvas as well. Students should also prepare for their Topic 4 assessment on Friday, November 17th.
Mathews/Madison: We have wrapped up Topic 4 and will be moving into Topic 5 next week. Be prepared for your Topic 4 assessment on Monday, November 13th.
Science Updates:
Fleet/Lewis: We are about halfway through Topic 3 studying weather. Please be on the lookout for a date for their topic assessment.
Mathews/Madison: We are moving through Topic 2 studying electricity and magnetism. Please be on the lookout for a date for their topic assessment.
STEM Fair: Students should have submitted their questions, hypotheses, materials, procedures, and variables at this point. Please be on the lookout for feedback on these components from your child’s teacher. Students should also begin working on their research papers. A reminder that research paper drafts are due November 29th. The final paper is due December 13th. Final projects are due on January 17th. Happy experimenting!
Social Studies Updates:
Fleet/Lewis: We have been working on Chapter 2 Lesson 2- Types of Resources.
Mathews/Madison: We have been working through Chapter 1 Lesson 2- Weather, Climate, and Forces of Nature
Health Updates:
The focus for the month of November is “Let’s Eat” where we will focus on the importance of healthy eating habits.
Fourth Grade
Grade Level Updates
We have finished our excellent eleventh week of school! We have now begun the 2nd quarter. Your scholar’s first quarter report card grades are available to view on Schoolmax. As we enter the 2nd quarter please be mindful of upcoming due dates for the STEM Fair activities. We thank all those who came out and joined us at “Chuck E Cheese” for our PTO fundraiser night! Please check out our fourth-grade reminders to ensure that your scholar is properly prepared for school each day. Please check your scholar’s agenda book nightly for updates on homework and notes from the teachers. Finally please label all of your scholar’s belongings in case something is misplaced throughout the day.
Fourth Grade Reminders:
As the weather changes, it is imperative that students come to school prepared for outdoor recess or outdoor P.E. A suggestion would be to dress scholars in layers so they can remove outer layers as they get warmer.
Scholars should come to school each day with a fully charged Chromebook. As a STEM school technology is utilized in all classes and students are completing assignments digitally. It is difficult to charge Chromebooks during class.
Scholars must have a reusable water bottle. We do not have water bottles to provide to students nor do we have cups to provide water. Water bottles must have a resealable cap to prevent spillage if dropped or knocked over! Scholars can refill their water bottles at one of the filtered water fountains that are provided around the school.
Please check Schoolmax weekly to see the scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System that scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials. The grades provided in Schoolmax are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.
If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher within 3 days of your scholar returning to school. In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and the reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.
Each week we suggest checking your scholar's browser history and YouTube history. This is to make sure that your scholar isn’t going to a site or watching videos that you would not approve of. Teachers are limited to only seeing activity on your scholar’s screen when they are in class. We utilize a system called Hapara that allows us to prevent access to certain sites. We are asking that you check your scholar's computer history weekly.
Reading Updates:
This week: Students brought a close to our text that we read closely “Barbed Wire Baseball.” Students this week showed they were experts in the text content by completing a written response. Students also had a quiz that asked questions based on information given in the text.
Next week: Students begin Unit 2 Adaptations. In this unit, students will read various stories about how living things adapt to the environment. The first text we will read is an informational text called “Feathers: Not Just for Flying.” In this text, students will discover the different ways that birds use their feathers for survival and not just for flying. Students will monitor inner conversations while they are reading. We will also work with the skills of the main idea and cause and effect. Students will be given new spelling words this week.
Math Updates:
Students continued working in sub topic 2-5 Subtracting Whole Numbers and 2-6: Subtract Greater Numbers where students are learning how to subtract whole numbers up to million using standard algorithms and estimation. Next week students will be working on sections 2-7 Subtract Across Zeros and 2-8 Problem Solving: Reasoning in this subsection students will learn to use previously learned concepts and skills to reason abstractly and make sense of quantities and their relationships in problem situations. Students will also begin reviewing for the upcoming Topic 2 Assessment.
Please check Schoolmax and Canvas with your scholar to ensure completion of assignments.
Science Updates:
In Science this week students engaged in an investigation designed to explore the concepts of energy transfer, more specifically which materials (glass, plastic, paper, metal, Styrofoam) transfer energy in the form of heat energy the best and worst. This week students also celebrated National STEM DAY on Wednesday, November 8. Students participated in a science experiment where they had to find out which paper airplane design allows the plane to fly the straightest. Students also turned in their STEM FAIR; materials, variables, and procedures.
STEM Fair Reminder:
All students were given a hard copy of the STEM FAIR Packet, and a downloadable copy was also added to Canvas. STEM FAIR Questions and Hypothesis was Due Wednesday, October 25, 2023. STEM FAIR Procedures and Materials is due November 8, 2023 STEM FAIR Projects are due Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Social Studies Updates:
This week: Students began reading Chapter 2: Americans and Their History and described how the first Americans lived, and identified European explorers and colonies, and their impact on the country.
Next week: Students will begin reading Lesson 2: A New Nation and explain how the United States grew out of the English colonies and became an independent na
Health Updates:
Students have begun their unit exploring the mouth and teeth.
Fifth Grade
Grade Level Updates
Hi everyone!
We are moving right along in quarter 2 in 5th grade! Please check the assignment calendar on our Google site to see what upcoming assignments students may have. We have been having tests, quizzes, and homework, so we want to make sure students are keeping up with their work. Students should click on their homeroom teacher’s name to see their assignments. Here is the link to the 5th-grade website for those who need it: https://sites.google.com/pgcps.org/5thgradeclasssite/home
Just a head’s up, online report cards are coming out soon and physical copies will be sent home later in November!
A reminder that we are happy to have volunteers come in to assist us with different things throughout the year, so if you are interested, please make sure your volunteer requirements are completed. We would love it if people wanted to come in and volunteer during lunch times for students, so let us know if you are interested.
We are in November focusing on our character trait, gratitude! We want to show gratitude in any way we can!
Reading Updates:
We finished Unit 1 and had our test, so we are moving along into Unit 2 which is about observations. Our story is an informational text and it is called “From Far From Shore.” We also got new spelling words that follow the V/CV and VC/V patterns.
Math Updates:
Students are in the third unit of Math which is about multiplying multi-digit whole numbers. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!
Science Updates:
Students are finishing the first unit of Science, about the properties of matter. Homework will be posted on the assignment calendar as we get started so keep an eye out!
Social Studies Updates:
Students finished chapter 2 in our Social Studies textbook on exploration. We had our chapter 2 test, so now we’re moving on to chapter 3 about settling the colonies in North America!
Health Updates:
Students are in the first unit of Health which is about first aid.
CARTS
Updates from the Art Room!
This week, Kindergarten used watercolors to create an underwater painting, second grade learned about bilateral symmetry, third grade created a piece of Pop Art using color families, fourth grade gained vocabulary knowledge about tertiary and analogous colors, and fifth grade took notes on a video about portrait making!
FAQ
CHESAPEAKE MATH AND IT SOUTH ELEMENTARY
• Hours: 8:00 a.m to 2:25 p.m
• Grades: K-5
• Uniform: Yes
• Before After School Enrichment: Yes
http://clfmd.org/enrichment-2/
• School Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue
• School Mascot: Tigers
• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information
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CMITs offer high tech, STEAM education to all our Prince George’s County students grades K-5!
In partnership with students, parents and the community, CMIT Elementary School will attain educational excellence by providing a rigorous and technology-integrated education for elementary school students with an emphasis on mathematics, science, and information technologies.