The Paw Print
Week of October 29, 2018
Updates from Mrs. Murphy
Our Halloween celebration will be on Wednesday. Please remember that student costumes should not be overly gory or bloody, and students should require minimal adult assistance to put them on. If you plan to come inside the building after the parade, you will need to be signed in through the main office. The following link should be used to preregister. If you complete this form before 12:00 p.m. on October 30th, a badge will be printed in advance for you. Please be sure to hit submit once you have completed the google form. If you do not preregister, you will still be welcome to join us inside, but will need to bring your identification and sign in through the main office before visiting your child's classroom. The parties will end at 3:30 p.m. In order to have a smooth dismissal, all cars that are parked illegally must be moved by 3:35 p.m.
Towards the end of next week (after Halloween), we will be getting a new Visitor Managment System. Please remember to bring photo identification when you visit the school, because it is required with the new system.
Lunch and recess is a very busy time of day at Seven Locks Elementary School. We can always use additional adults to assist our students and provide them with opportunities to develop their skills and sportsmanship through organized games. We know it is exciting to come to lunch and recess with your child. We do ask that if you come to volunteer, that you are willing to help all the students. If you are able to sign up for a lunch/recess block consistently or periodically we would appreciate it. We plan to use these volunteers to help with a zone (area on the playground) so that we can provide additional support to students on the basketball court, soccer field and/or kickball field. Our students would love the opportunity to have additional adults helping them build their skills as they play games with one another. Please click this link to sign up to volunteer.
SLESEF Wildcats Walk/Fun Run will be held on Monday, November 12th from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m. This year we will be supporting our sister school, Rosemont Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Five percent of the proceeds will be contributed to the educational needs of the students at Rosemont Elementary School. Please see communication from the PawsOnline and the SLES Educational Foundation for links and information on how to donate.
Students are encouraged to wear the color that represents their grade to show their spirit!
Kindergarten -- Yellow
1st Grade -- Purple
2nd Grade -- Red
3rd Grade -- Orange
4th Grade -- Blue
5th Grade -- Green
Thank You
Our Media Center has been transformed by the Book Fair! Many thanks to Meetra Farid, Sally Wu, Lisa Najafi, Uzna Knouss, Natasha Hartwell, Christine Tan, Glady Singh and the many, many parents who will be working at the Book Fair in the week to come! Students, parents and staff enjoy shopping for well-loved books!
Thank you to the Foundation for providing funds for substitutes so teachers can meet together to plan for Marking Period 2. We appreciate this valuable time together to plan for our students.
A big thank you to the fifth-grade parents for a yummy staff appreciation lunch last week. We really appreciate your thoughtfulness.
School System Updates
2019–2020 School Year Calendar
MCPS is developing the school calendar for the 2019–2020 school year. The Board of Education held a discussion at its business meeting on October 9, 2018, about the process, options, and challenges for developing the calendar and is considering two potential calendar scenarios.
As the district develops a calendar, it must adhere to several requirements from the state:
- September 4–June 15: the permissible time frame for instruction
- 180: the minimum number of instructional days required
- 15: the number of state-mandated days that schools must be closed
- 3: the number of snow make-up days required at the end of the year (before June 14)
For a more detailed explanation of the calendar process, visit the 2019–2020 calendar webpage. The scenarios are posted on the MCPS website for public information and review. If you would like to offer comment on the calendar, please do so using the drop box provided on the calendar information webpage.
The Board will hold a final discussion and adopt a final calendar later this fall. You can stay engaged and informed in this process by visiting the Calendar webpage.
What’s Good, MCPS
MCPS has created a new webpage to celebrate the good news about the district’s great students, staff, and schools. What’s Good, MCPS stories are collected from social media, MCPS community and staff newsletters, local media, and more. You can also join in the conversation and tell us about the great things you are seeing in MCPS by using the hashtag #WhatsGoodMCPS on social media or by submitting the following form when you hear about other good news: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyax02sFuOLtrFkdSzBmH7JLPfgY-HIST3uE1p_FyWvgWSjA/viewform. The webpage will be updated regularly so check back frequently.
MCPS Needs Your Input to Help Prepare the Operating Budget
MCPS is seeking specific input on areas the school district should prioritize in the operating budget for Fiscal Year 2020. Tell us which strategies, programs or efforts are working or are not working to help improve outcomes for all students.
Please complete a brief survey to provide your feedback. MCPS will use the information it receives from this survey to help guide the development of the budget.
New Anonymous Tip Line Available
The Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line is an anonymous reporting system used to report threats to the safety and/or well-being of students.
Students, parents/guardians, faculty, staff, and members of communities throughout Maryland may use this anonymous, app- and web-based reporting system to share their concerns, such as:
- Mental health crises
- Bullying
- School and community violence
- Drug activity
- Abuse
- Harassment
- Other issues affecting our Maryland students
The Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line is a tool for proactively addressing harmful situations and helping students who need it. By using a variety of communication modes to support the reporting and routing of tips, The Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line empowers the citizens of Maryland to create a culture of preparedness, prevention, and school safety for our students. For more information, to share a concern and to download the app, visit safeschoolsmd.org/.
2018 School-Based Seasonal Flu Clinics
The 2018 flu season is upon us. There are simple steps you and your child can take to stay healthy and help prevent the flu. That includes getting a yearly flu vaccine.
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services will conduct free injectable flu vaccine clinics on November 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for children 18 and under at John F. Kennedy, Northwest, and Rockville high schools. These clinics will be open to any school-aged child.
The clinic services are free, but registration is required due to limited vaccine supplies. For more information, visit the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services website.
Here are some additional steps that you and your family can take to help prevent the spread of the flu and other seasonal illnesses:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. MCPS-approved hand sanitizer dispensers are available for use at various locations throughout schools (e.g., near the cafeteria or all-purpose room, near the main office).
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth to minimize the chance for infection.
- Stay home from work and school if symptoms develop such as fever, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, headache, and body aches.
- If you have concerns about the health of your child, please contact your physician immediately or, in an emergency, dial 911.
Additional flu prevention information can be found at the following websites:
Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm
Montgomery County: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/resident/flu.html
Important Dates
10/28 - PTA's Fall Festival, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
10/28 - 11/2 - Book Fair
10/29 - Kindergarten Field Trip to Homestead Farms, 9:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
10/29 - Grade 1 Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
10/30 - Grade 4 Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
10/31 - Halloween Parade and Parties
11/5 - Kindergarten Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/6 - General Election. No school for students or staff.
11/7 - Early release day. Students are dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
11/9 - Student portrait make ups
11/12 - SLESEF Walk/Fun Run
11/12 - Early release day. Students are dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
11/13 - Rain date for SLESEF Walk/Fun Run
11/13 - Early release day. Students are dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
11/14 - Grade 2 Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/15 - Grade 3 Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/19 - Grade 5 Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/20 - Report card distribution
11/21 - Early release day. Students are dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
11/22 - Thanksgiving. No school for students or staff.
11/23 - No school for students or staff
Seven Locks Elementary School
Email: Megan_H_Murphy@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/sevenlockses/
Location: 9500 Seven Locks Road, Bethesda, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-0940
Twitter: @SLESPrincipal