Sudlersville Elementary
October 2021
A letter from the Principal
Dear Sudlersville Elementary School Families,
I want to let you know first and foremost how very much I appreciate the warm welcome this school community has extended to me in my first month as Acting Principal at SES. We have hit the ground running and are well on our way to a successful school year! I am happy to report that we have had NO POSITIVE COVID cases reported in the last two weeks at SES! Please speak with your children to remind them of the importance of wearing their masks properly to cover their nose and mouth, washing their hands frequently and social distancing. These mitigation strategies are working as evidenced by no new cases at SES since September 17th! Students are receiving frequent mask breaks at school having the opportunity to step outdoors for a few minutes, in addition to their regular recess time.
Since we are a Title I school, under normal circumstances we would host a Title 1 information night for parents to learn what it means to be a Title I school. Since we are still unable to host events inside the building, I am including this Title I Information Video (click on link for video to play) for you to watch at your leisure. It is approximately 7 minutes in length. I am also attaching the Sudlersville Elementary School Family Title I Plan and Compact Survey 2021 for you to complete. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZFZUnk9CwiJAfXoVoHquYraDfyzvm1fM/view?usp=sharing. (Click on link to access survey). Please take a few moments to view the video and complete the survey. Completed surveys can be returned to school with your child.
We have a busy month in October. The following are some highlights for this month:
October 7th - MCAP testing will be completed next week. Make ups will follow.
October 8th - We are excited to welcome the Sudlersville Volunteer Fire Department to our school. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a short presentation from the fire fighters outside the school by the fire trucks as well as participate in the Fire Prevention Poster Contest.
October 13th - Virtual PTA Meeting at 6:00 p.m. - A ZOOM link will be sent out through school messenger prior to the meeting date.
October 14th - Interim report cards sent home.
October 15th - School closed for students - teacher professional development
October 15th - Hispanic Heritage Night at Sudlersville Middle School - Hispanic Heritage Night Flyer Click Here
October 20th - “We are Family” Family Engagement Night at SES outside from 5:00-6:30 - additional information will be forthcoming.
October 21st - School Picture Makeup Day
October 22nd - Trunk or Treat SMS - additional information will be forthcoming
October 29th - School Closed Half Day for Conference Prep for Teachers
October 29th - Classroom fall holiday celebration - additional information will be forthcoming.
SES has begun performing emergency drills for this school year. Please read below for a list of emergency drills we will be performing during the school year. It is important that all students and staff are prepared in advance for any type of emergency. You can help us prepare your children by speaking with them about what these drills are and why it is important for them to listen carefully for instructions during emergency drills.
Emergency Preparedness Drills
One of Maryland’s public education goals is to create and maintain safe, secure, and drug-free school environments that are conducive to learning. To achieve this goal, it is essential that local school systems and schools take measures to prevent/mitigate risks, prepare for hazards that cannot be fully mitigated, and that they are prepared to respond to a variety of emergency and crisis situations. Schools are an integral part of the communities they serve and, therefore, are not isolated from the issues that affect their communities and our Nation. The issues that impact the daily lives of children, families, and communities are also reflected in our schools. In accordance with Maryland and Queen Anne’s County policy; SES students, faculty, and staff will participate in the following emergency preparedness drills annually:
Fire Drills (students practice how to quickly evacuate the building in the event of fire or other environmental hazard)
Bus Evacuation (students practice how to evacuate from the front and rear of the bus in an orderly manner)
Lock-Down (classroom doors are locked and students are moved into safe positions in the room in the event of danger within the school building or community)
Evacuation (students practice how to quickly evacuate the building)
Reverse Evacuation (students practice how to quickly return to safety indoors and lock-down in the event of a danger outside while students are outside)
Severe Weather Drill (otherwise known as a “tornado drill,” students practice how to take shelter in safe spaces within the school building in the event of dangerous weather)
Shelter-in-Place (students practice how to take shelter in their classroom in the event of a hazmat situation or other danger in the community or environment)
I want to encourage parents to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding the education of your children. I would be more than happy to meet with parents in person as well if preferred.
Sincere thanks,
Mrs. Kaylene Kovach, Acting Principal
The mission of Sudlersville Elementary School is to educate and enlighten each of our students through an engaging curriculum and high expectations (for behavior and achievement) by dedicated teachers and staff with support of parents and the extended community.
Teacher Specialist, Stacey Troyer
MCAP testing is well underway for our 4th grade students. Thank you for making every effort to get a good night’s rest, get to school on time and do your best on this round of state testing! ALMOST FINISHED!
3rd Grade will be taking part in CogAt testing during the month of October. More information will be coming soon from Mrs. Phillips!
Thanks to everyone for your support getting this school year off to a great start! Please reach out if I can support you or your child in any way!
Math Specialist, Rachel Wagner
Math interventions and other groups are now in full swing here at SES. If you have a 3rd or 4th grade student the times and some of the students have changed in these groups. Ask your student about their FLEX block and see the fun things they are doing during that time.
Math Game- Tens Go Fish
What you need to play:
2 or more players
Number cards from 1-10 (this could be a regular deck of cards with the king, queen, jack and jokers pulled out)
How to Play:
The oldest person playing gives out the cards. If less than 4 people are playing, each player receives 7 cards. If more that 4 people are playing, each player receives 5 cards. The remaining deck is placed face down in the middle of the circle to form the “ocean”.
The youngest player goes first. When it is your turn you have two choices. You can lay down a set of cards that make 10 or you can go “fishing”. A player “fishes” by asking any other player if they have a certain type of card in their hand (“Do you have any 2s?”).
If the player asked does have the type of card asked for, they must give the asker all of that type of card.
If the asker gets the type of card they want then they can ask that player for another different card. If a player does not have the card asked for, they say “go fish” and the asker picks up the top card from the “ocean” pile.
Your turn is over after you pick from the “ocean” pile. The next player takes their turn.
If you choose to lay down cards on your turn instead of go “fishing” you can lay down as many groups of cards as you have that equal 10 when added together.
The game is over after all the cards in the middle “ocean” pile are gone. The player with the most groups of 10 is the winner.
This game could be modified if the student is younger by only making sets to equal 5. Take out all the cards 6 and above and then play the same way.
Reading Specialist, Jennifer Holden
October Reading News
by Jennifer Holden, Reading Specialist
Fall is a beautiful time of the year and a perfect time to enjoy reading with some fun activities. I am featuring these activities by Sammy Bosch to help families promote reading at home. Happy reading!
Fall Rhyming Word Game
Write fall-themed words on note cards and have your child sound out the word on the card. Try words like leaf, apple, fall, cider, corn, hay, and chilly. Then find a word to rhyme the one on the card. Have fun discovering how many words will rhyme and turn this children’s reading activity into a joyful game! This is an easy activity you can do at home, in the car, or before an after-school activity.
Word to Picture Matching Game
Help your child recognize and spell out words by matching the word to the picture! Draw pictures on six flash cards. Try drawing fall-themed pictures, or things you would see in the fall. Then write the corresponding words on the other six flash cards. Have your child choose a picture and then pick the word that matches. Sound out the word together or spell the word letter by letter to practice reading words. This kids’ reading activity will help with word recognition and spelling.
Fall Alphabet Tree
Create an alphabet tree with fall leaves that will help your child learn how to read! Cut a rectangle from brown construction paper and glue it to your background paper. Cut long, brown rectangle pieces as your tree branches and glue them around the tree trunk. Cut small squares from red, yellow, and orange pieces of paper—these are your colored leaves! Write each letter of the alphabet on the pieces of paper and glue them around your branches. Kids will have fun crafting their own fall tree and learning their letters at the same time! Hang this alphabet tree in your child’s playroom or bedroom and use it whenever you are practicing reading at home.
Website: https://www.qacps.org/ses
Location: 300 South Church Street, Sudlersville, MD, USA
Phone: (410)438-3164
Facebook: facebook.com/sespta
Judy Center Early Learning Hub at SES October Updates
We have been getting ready for our Superintendent’s visit! We’ve cleaned up the sign and spruced up the space with Fall decorations! Mrs. Walls is planning some fun Judy Center outings-Sudlersville Fire Hall-10/11 at 10 am, Sudlersville Park-10/14 at 10 am, Party Animals-10/21 at 10 am and Councell Farm-10/29 at 9:30 am! Let us know if you are interested in joining us! (410)438-3887 or angie.walls@qacps.org. Our playgroup room is ready for the upcoming Open House! Stay tuned…...
The Judy Center at SES hosted a recent Ice Cream Social at Heiser Family Daycare to kick-off the year and update parents about the new Frog Street curriculum being used by their childcare provider, Sam Heiser, who is a Judy Center partner. The Judy Center at SES provided the new curriculum and will be offering regular support to ensure childcare providers are confident as they embark on using their new evidence based curriculum.
Guidance Counselor, Tanisha Phillips
Health Room News
Any medication that your child must take at school must be in the original
container for nonprescription, or the pharmacist bottle for prescription
medication. These medications must also be accompanied by a “Physician
Medication Form”. Some doctor’s offices have copies of these forms, or you may
ask the nurse in the health room for this form at any time. A responsible adult
must bring in the medicine. This is a policy of the School Board and the Health
Department.
Please be sure to keep current phone numbers on file, in the event your child is ill
or suffers an injury. It is also important to have a “back-up” plan. Your sick child
will not be able to remain in school or go home on the bus.
If for some reason your child missed receiving their flu vaccine at school you may
take him/her to any Queen Anne’s Co. Health Dept. clinic and receive it for free.
Those of you who wish to receive the Seasonal flu vaccine may check out the
Queen Anne’s Co. Health Dept. website at: www.qahealth.org, or call the office at
410-758-0720 for clinic locations, dates, and times.
Please continue to check your child out each morning before sending to school.
If your child has any of the following current COVID-19 symptoms do not send
them to school.
- Temperature of 100.4F or more
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Any trouble breathing
- Really bad headache
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- New loss of taste or smell
- This includes students with chronic conditions such as asthma with symptoms
that represent a change from their baseline.
Pre Kindergarten News
Kindergarten News
First Grade News
- Please continue to bring a water bottle daily
- Fire Prevention Day is October 8th! Students will get to tour a fire truck and engage in other Fire Safety activities.
- Engage in conversations about fire safety at home! Plan an escape route and meeting place together as a family.
- Practice with your student to memorize their address! This will help in case of an emergency.
- Additionally, practice with letter recognition, sounds, and formation with your students at home when you can.
- Look around the house for math in your daily activities! Count the potatoes for dinner, count the pennies in your piggy bank, etc.! Math is everywhere, and our focus currently is building number sense, and adding/subtracting within 10.
- Happy fall!
Second Grade News
O – October is here!!
C – Can you believe September is gone? Make sure your child dresses appropriately for the changing weather. Also, make sure to label jackets, lunch boxes and other belongings. The temperatures vary from room to room, so wearing a sweatshirt or sweater is a good idea.
T – The 2nd grade has been working very hard establishing our reading routines. We are also learning various strategies to improve our addition skills!
O – Oh, the students are so excited about being Scientists! They are wearing goggles, and using microscopes and hand lens to observe all kinds of exciting things.
B – Be sure to check folders daily. Please place notes there for the office/teachers.
E – Everyone has been receiving Eagle Bucks for SOARing behavior!! Keep up the good work.
R – Read to your child daily. It is a great way to end their day. If you need books, please let us know.
Third Grade News
Outstanding October
Third Grade News
Happy fall! The students have acclimated well to the routines of third grade! Your child may have a different teacher daily from 9:30- 10:00 as this is our “Flex” reading and math block. Students will be either in a Reading or Math group for extra practice/ enrichment. A reminder that there will be no school on Friday, October 15th, 2021 as we will be closed for professional development.
We have enjoyed the first month of school and are looking forward to a rigorous, fun filled year of academic learning. Students should be reading at home or being read to on a regular basis. Please read with your children nightly. We are working on adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers with regrouping in math and ask that you please practice this at home as well. Feel free to contact us anytime and thank you for your continued support.
Mrs. Bildstein, Ms. Kane and Ms. Taylor
Fourth Grade News
October has started off with a bang! Our little 4th grade Ninja’s rocked MCAP testing. We are so proud of the hard work they put in showing us what they have learned in 3rd grade.
In RELA (Reading English Language Arts) we will be reading informational texts focused on different types of natural disasters. Students will be working on identifying the main idea and supporting it with several details as well as comparing and contrasting firsthand and secondhand accounts within the text. In Math, we have been working on adding and subtracting numbers up to the hundred thousands using various strategies. Students now have access to “First in Math”. This program allows students to practice basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts to mastery through games. Ask your child’s teacher if you need help accessing this program from home.
Please remember to send a water bottle with your child daily. We have bottle filling stations available to refill as needed. Classrooms in the 4th grade hall tend to get chilly this time of year so please send in a sweatshirt or jacket so your child is comfortable.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to reach out to your child's teacher. Thank you for all that you do to support our amazing 4th graders!
Unified Arts News
Unified Arts-October Newsletter
MEDIA- National Conflict Resolution Day is on October 21st. Students will be making bookmarks that reflect a conflict resolution or prevention theme, such as peer mediation, talking things out, inclusion, apologizing, respecting differences, solving problems together, listening, tolerance, peace building, or alternatives to violence. These bookmarks will be judged and the winning students, with their families, will be invited to an awards ceremony in December where their achievements will be celebrated. We’ve had past winners, let's do it again!
Music: What do we hear from the music room?
We are strumming ukuleles!
We are playing recorders!
We are beating drums!
We are singing with our beautiful voices!
Oh, The sound of music!
ART: In the artroom, we began our month celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! We explored line and shape through the creation of maracas for our hallway and projects that explore Folk Art. Remember, fall is a great time to get out and explore your surroundings. Using your environment can be an exciting and creative way to spend your time. Artist Any Goldsworthy is well known for his environmental installations. Check out his work: http://www.artnet.com/artists/andy-goldsworthy/ https://www.nga.gov/press/archive/andy-goldsworthy/andy-goldsworthy-bio.html . Don’t forget to take pictures and share your creations!!
Technology: In technology we have been learning about the parts of a computer, how computers work, basic typing skills and technological terms. We are learning to safely navigate through the internet and to make good digital decisions. We are having a great time showing each other all that we learned on the Chromebooks during virtual learning. Technology is very important in our modern world and I love to see the excitement in the students as they learn new things!
P.E.
For the Trick-or-Treater
Fill up first. What kid doesn’t want to eat their favorite candy right when it goes into their trick-or-treat bag? Having a healthy meal BEFORE your kids go trick-or-treating can reduce their temptation to snack while walking or to overindulge, because their tummies will be full.
Bag the monster bag. Choose or make a smaller collection container for your child and steer clear of the pillow case method. If you encourage kids to only take one piece of candy from each house, they’ll be able to visit more houses in the neighborhood.
Get moving. Get some exercise by making Halloween a fun family activity. Walk instead of driving kids house to house. Set a goal of how many houses or streets you’ll visit, or compete in teams to do as many as you can. Bring a bottle of water and a flashlight, and wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Partnering For Youth
Parent Teacher Association News
The PTA would like to thank everyone who participated in the Charleston Wrap fundraiser. Our top 3 winners will be announced, and prizes given out to them and the top selling class!
Please follow us on Facebook for announcements and free events, Sudlersville Elem Pta. We also have an email if you need to contact us Sudlersvillepta@gmail.com.
We will be hosting a Trunk or Treat on October 22 nd . A letter will be coming home to sign up to decorate a trunk or donate candy.
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming November 8-12. We will be sending out additional information.
Do you want to know a few easy ways to help the PTA?
1. Scan your grocery receipts to the Box Tops for Education App! It is simple! There will be a flyer coming home with directions. It is free money for the school.
2.Do you shop at Amazon?
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support SES, at no cost to you. When you shop
at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient
shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that Amazon will donate 0.5% of
your eligible purchases to us!
How do I shop at AmazonSmile? To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
How do I select Sudlersville Elementary as the charitable organization to support?
Step 1: In your internet browser go to smile.amazon.com and log in using your Amazon
credentials.
Step 2: After signing in, you will be directed to select (or change) your charity.
Step 3: In the “Or pick your own charitable organization” enter “Sudlersville Elementary School”
then click “Search”
Step 4: From the list of charity options, select SES.
Step 5: You will be redirected to the agreement page. Check the box next to “Yes” and then
click “Start Shopping”.
Step 6: You will be redirected to Amazon’s homepage that adds a disclaimer about how to add
Amazon Smile to your toolbar, should you want to add a particular bookmark for it.
For the iPhone app go to settings by choosing and then chose Amazon Smile and select
Sudlersville Elementary School PTA as your charity.
That’s it! You are now signed up for Amazon Smile! Just be sure to visit smile.amazon.com every time you normally visit Amazon to make sure your eligible purchases are having a portion of the price donated to SES!