Down on the Farm
Quarter 1 Newsletter-November 2019
First Quarter Summary
Hard to believe that we have finished the first quarter of our school year. Report cards have been distributed and conferences are being held. At the end of the first quarter, our attendance rate was 96.3%. This is excellent and exceeds the state standard for excellence. While attendance has been very strong, we are still experiencing an increase in tardy arrivals. The late bell rings at 9:25 and students are expected in their rooms at 9:25, not arriving at the front door. Please help us get students into classrooms and ready to learn. Any students arriving after 9:25 need to be signed in by a parent. Additionally, please be mindful that our parking lots and driveways are a very busy place. It is very important that rules are followed and speeds are kept down. We appreciate your help with this. When visiting the school, please be sure to park in only legally marked parking spaces. Areas that are blocked by cones are not parking areas. Additionally, please avoid parking in designated handicapped parking spots unless you have a hang tag or plate that allows you access.
American Education Week was a success and we enjoyed the many visitors we hosted this year. Hopefully during your visit, you were able to see the wonderful instruction that occurs everyday at the Farm.
Policy and Rule 5470-Creating a Healthy School Environment
Policy and rule 5470 create guidelines for a healthy and wellness based environment at school. As part of the policy and rule, there are specific guidelines for the amount of calories students should consume while at school. In accordance with the guidelines listed in the rule and policy, we are going to discontinue the practice of having cupcakes or other treats that are not aligned with the policy. Any treats sent in to the school will be sent home at the end of the school day. If you would like to access additional information about BCPS' commitment to wellness, you can follow this link to the Office of Food and Nutrition Services. Additionally, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school office.
News From Your PTA
From the Library
This quarter in library, K-5 students have been learning how to be good digital citizens. All students have learned to safeguard their private information such as address, full name, and phone number, and how to be kind online in order to prevent or stop cyberbullying. In grades 3-5, students have learned that intellectual property is protected through patents, copyrights, and trademarks and are learning to avoid plagiarism. In future lessons, we will dig deeper into how and when to cite sources and practice using Noodle Tools, a citation tool and research management resource available to all BCPS students.
An excellent resource for navigating the media and digital world is Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ , a non-profit organization that reviews movies, TV shows, books, games, apps, and websites for kids as well as providing advice for parents related to media. In addition, Growing Up Digital, on the BCPS website, provides many excellent resources for parents and families. http://www.bcps.org/growing_up_digital/
Counselor Corner
Here is an update from our school counselors, Mrs. McHale and Mrs. Mizrachi.
Link to Counselors' Newsletter:
Notes from Our Nurse
We are asking that every pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1 student have a complete set of clothes to keep in his/her locker/cubby at school. We ask that you include: shirt/pants/shorts/underpants and socks in case an accident or spill happens during the school day. Please be sure to label all clothes and place them in a plastic baggie with your child's name and teacher written on the bag. These should stay in their locker/cubby. If you child uses their extra set of clothes, please be sure to send a replacement set back to school as soon as possible.
Thank your for your assistance and cooperation with this matter.
Stacey Williams, RN
ALICE Drill Training
Parent Resources
BCPS has created and excellent resource for parents. It can be found under the parent tab on the BCPS webpage. We have also included a link for quick reference. Schoology is also another great resource. You can access your child's grades and review their progress in real time. If you are having trouble accessing your BCPSOne account, please contact the school office. Additionally, we have create a new and improved school webpage. Please be sure to check it out.
VFES Website: https://vincentfarmes.bcps.org/
BCPS Parent Resource Page http://www.bcps.org/parents/