The Paw Print
Week of October 28, 2019
Updates from Ms. Ahern and Mr. Ajamian
Our Halloween celebration will be on Thursday, October 31st. 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: https://forms.gle/Dw5h2JbgzdzA8iSb7. 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 are still welcome to join us inside. However, you will need to bring your driver's licence or 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.
SLESEF Wildcats Walk/Fun Run will be held on Monday, November 11th 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 -- Purple
1st Grade -- Orange
2nd Grade --Green
3rd Grade -- Blue
4th Grade -- Yellow
5th Grade -- Red
Thank You
Our Media Center has been transformed by the Book Fair! Many thanks to Meetra Farid, Kathleen Tayman, Tess Uhl, Julie Martinez, Emily Cevallos, Nan Zhang, Saskia Alonso, Beth Vu, Uzma Knouss, Diana Owen, Amanda Chen, Lisa Najafi, Cheryl Winn, Valeria Keats, Qing Yu, Caroln Bauduin, Wendy Pilon, Sherri Persh, Christine Tan, Lisa Najafi, Mimi Sun, Marie Wilson, Noelle Chadwick, Lily Chadwick, Neal Orringer Rachael Datch 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 for your help in the main office! Many thanks to Aby Filomeno, Sienna Johnson, Kristine Willard, Rachael Datch, Clotilde Rexach and Samantha Holmes for helping to fill in the gaps over the last couple of weeks. We truly appreciate your help!!
Thank you to the Foundation for providing funds for substitutes so teachers can meet together to plan for the second marking period. We appreciate this valuable time together to plan for our students.
Fall Festival
We hope our community and friends of our community plan to join us on Sunday, October 27 for our annual Seven Locks Fall Festival and the kick off of the Scholastic Book Fair!
Starting at 12 noon, your family will enjoy food, music, games and other fun and exciting activities! At the book fair, you will be able to access your child's wish list, making purchases for them as well as the opportunity to purchase books for your child's class. This is one of the BEST events of the year! The Fall Festival will be held from 12:00 - 4:00 and will be held rain or shine!
Please visit the Seven Locks PTA website at https://sevenlockspta.org for more information and to purchase Fall Festival tickets in advance.
Book Fair
We are excited to announce that the Book fair is set up. On October 24th and 25th each class went to the Media Center and chose books to put on their wish lists. The wish lists will be kept in the Media Center, so you can see which book your kids want at anytime during the sale.
The Book Fair will be open during Fall Festival from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Then, the Book Fair will be open the following week everyday, from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m., 11:00-2:00 p.m., and 3:30-4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday Oct 29th, the Book Fair will stay open until 6:30pm, and on Thursday Oct 31st, it will be open before and after the Halloween parties until 4:30. Students will be able to make their purchases during recess.
If you are interested in helping at the Book Fair, please click the link to access the Sign-Up Genius: Seven Locks Book Fair 2019
School System Updates
2019 School-Based Seasonal Flu Clinics
The 2019 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 Tuesday, November 12 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 clinics are free, but registration is required due to limited vaccine supplies.
For more information, visit apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/FluVaccine/.
Additional flu clinics for all county residents will be held on Monday, November 18, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Both clinics will be held at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. Appointments are required. For more information and to make an appointment visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/resident/flu.html.
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
MCPS Seeking Feedback on 2020-2021 School year Calendar Scenarios
During the regular business meeting on Tuesday, October 8, the Board of Education reviewed calendar scenarios for the 2020–2021 school year. As a result of legislative action in last spring’s Maryland General Assembly, school districts in Maryland have the authority again to start school before Labor Day and end the school year after June 15th. As a result, MCPS has developed three calendar scenarios that reflect different start and end dates for School Year 2020–2021. To view the draft calendar scenarios, please visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/proposed-calendar-2020-21.aspx.
All draft scenarios for the calendar include:
- 182 student instructional days.
- Full spring break.
- Full professional day for grading and planning at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters.
- Possible make up days both during the school year and extending the school year.
The Board is seeking feedback on the calendar options in the comment box on the website. The Board is scheduled to adopt a final school calendar later this year.
Save the Date: STEM Festival Set for November 2nd
MCPS and educational partners are hosting a STEM Festival Showcase from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, at Northwood High School. The event will showcase elementary, middle, and high school science, technology, engineering, and math opportunities with engaging hands-on activities and dynamic demonstrations. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Sara Faggi, an astrobiologist at NASA and American University, will be the keynote speaker. The event sponsors are still seeking STEM opportunities from programs, clubs, and curriculum-related projects. Interested groups should complete this form.
As part of the event, a Cybersecurity Competition will be held from noon to 4:00 p.m. The competition is geared toward high school students with basic networking and computer skills. Winners will receive cash prizes and be recognized at a ceremony at the National Cryptologic Museum on Tuesday, November 5. The MCPS STEM Festival Showcase is among hundreds of community-based events that showcased STEM activities for Maryland residents. The mission is to encourage students to take a greater interest in STEM and perhaps pursue STEM-related careers.
MCPS to Host Mental Health Fair November 9th
MCPS is hosting a Mental Health Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, at Gaithersburg High School. Students, staff members, and the community will be able to learn about community and school resources that support students’ physical, social, and psychological well-being.
Celeste Malone, associate professor and coordinator of the school psychology program at Howard University, will deliver the keynote address. She will speak on the topic, Breaking Barriers to Access Youth Mental Health Care.
The event is being sponsored by the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement and the Montgomery County Psychologists’ Association.
Important Dates
10/27 - PTA's Fall Festival, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
10/27 - 11/2 - Book Fair
10/28 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Kid Museum, 9:45-11:45 a.m.
10/28 - Kindergarten Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
10/29 - 4th Grade Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
10/30 - 1st Grade Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
10/30 - Kindergarten Field Trip to Homestead Farms, 9:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
10/31 - Halloween Parade and Parties
11/4 - 2nd Grade Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/5 - 3rd Grade Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/5 - PTA Meeting
11/6 - 5th Grade Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation
11/7 - Thank you to 5th Grade parents for providing lunch to staff today!
11/7 - PTA Community Service Project, 4:00-5:00 p.m., Room 146
11/8 - Early Release Day, 1:20 p.m. dismissal
11/8 - End of 1st Marking Period
11/11 - Wildcats Walk, 9:45-11:00 a.m.
11/11 - Early Release Day, 1:20 p.m. dismissal
11/11 - Parent Conferences
11/12 - Rain Date for Wildcats Walk
11/12 - Early Release Day, 1:20 p.m. dismissal
11/12 - Parent Conferences
11/14 - Community Flyer Distribution Day
11/15 - Portrait Make ups (Freed Photography)
11/20 - 2nd Grade Field Trip to Strathmore, 9:40 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
11/20 - Report Card Distribution
11/21 - PTA Reflections Night
11/25 - Rotary Club Dictionary Distribution for 3rd Grade, 10:30 a.m. in the APR
11/27 - Early Release Day, 1:20 p.m. dismissal
11/28 - Thanksgiving Holiday
11/29 - Thanksgiving Holiday
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