Middleton Moments - Owlet Edition
October 1, 2022
September 15th - October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the achievements, contributions, culture, and history of Hispanic and Latin American people. The month-long celebration begins on September 15 commemorating the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
The 2022 theme for National Hispanic Heritage Month is "Unidos (United): Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation."
Principal's Message
Middleton Owls,
Can you believe that it is already October and that we are halfway through our first quarter of the school year? Yes, this is true! Quarter 1 Interims will post in ParentVue accounts Monday, October 3rd.
Breakfast is served daily from 9:00-9:15. Our instructional day begins right at 9:15, which means this is when breakfast ends. If you want your student to eat breakfast at school, please ensure they arrive right at 9:00 AM so they have enough time.
Please contact our office if you have any questions or need additional information.
Sincerely,
Nicole L. Hawkins,
AMES Principal
Arrival and Dismissal Procedure Reminders
ARRIVAL: All students will enter through the main doors (walkers, drop off, bus riders, and daycare van riders). Doors open at 9:00 AM. All students MUST be in their seats by 9:15 AM or they are considered tardy. Breakfast is served daily from 9:00-9:15 AM. Please ensure our scholars arrive on time daily!
DISMISSAL: Walkers and Parent Pick Up will be dismissed first starting at 3:45PM. Walkers will exit through the back doors of the school where the gym/cafeteria are located. It is understood that as walkers, these students ARE NOT being monitored by school staff once they leave the gymnasium exit doors for the day. They are instructed to walk home and not linger around the school. Parent Pick Up students will meet their pick up person on the side of the school near the trailers. Signs will be set up by grade level and we ask that parents line up behind their signs. If you have students in various grade levels, you will have to go to each grade level to retrieve each of your students. ONLY adults aged 18+ with a photo ID and that are on the child's emergency contact list will be permitted to pick up their student. NO EXCEPTIONS!! This is for the safety of our students and this is the policy of Charles County Public Schools. Bus riders and daycare van riders will dismiss from the front doors at the end of the school day.
No cars are permitted in the main lot during arrival and dismissal - we have a lot of students dismissing and coming from various directions during these times. To keep all our children safe, we cannot allow any cars to move through our lot during these timeframes. For the safety of all our students, we ask that you PLEASE DO NOT pull into the main lot of the school. Thanks for your cooperation!
School Bus Reminders
CCPS transportation staff is working to ensure all students have bus assignments in School Locator as soon as possible. Click here to access School Locator online. Routes will continue to be added into the first few weeks of school. You can also access the school locator online using the QR code below. As a reminder, kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop in the afternoon by a parent/guardian/adult family member. Please remember to review with your child what bus number they ride to and from school. This will help to prevent students from getting on the wrong bus tomorrow.
Shuttle schedules for students who attend North Point High School out-of-zone for career and technical education (CTE) programs are loaded to the CCPS transportation website at https://www.ccboe.com/departments/transportation.
School Locator is updated regularly with routes and changes as they are made. CCPS encourages parents to check the system for their child's bus information. Due to the volume of students with unassigned bus stops, some information may not yet be available. Please continue to check the system for bus assignment information. If you visit School Locator but receive an error that is a result of high traffic to the site. Please try to access the system later if you receive the error.
Transportation staff is also working quickly to answer help desk tickets. Parents can submit a help desk ticket at https://www.ccboe.com/departments/transportation/help-tickets. Please review the help desk ticket topics prior to submitting a request for assistance. Parents only need to submit one ticket. CCPS is prioritizing transportation needs of students who do not yet have a bus or route assignment and will address all other tickets as quickly as possible.
The bus hotline is available 6 to 10 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Please note if you call and do not reach a live person, staff managing the hotline are helping other callers. CCPS will post any bus change information, including substitute bus numbers and delayed buses, to the transportation Twitter page @CCPSBuses.
Bus Safety Is Key (review letter with your children)
MyPaymentsPlus - Meal/Lunch Account Support
Parents who want to add money to their child’s meal account should use MyPaymentsPlus to deposit funds. Meal prices, menu items and a link to MyPayments Plus are posted online here. Parents will need their child’s six-digit student identification number to create and use a MyPaymentsPlus account. Please us the QR code below to apply for the free and reduced meals program.
Free and Reduced Meals Application
All families are encouraged to use the QR code below to apply online. This helps maintain funding at our school.
Technology Guide For Students and Parents
Please use the QR code below for technology support.
The Importance of Attendance
AMES teachers and staff are working very hard to become a school where students are achieving at their highest abilities. Regular student attendance is essential to this goal. Research shows that attendance is the single most important factor in school success. Learning builds day by day. If your child is not in school he/she cannot learn. Our passion is to teach your children and we need them here. You may be surprised at how much learning happens in one day of school.
Good habits begin early and the most important school habit is regular attendance. By building the habit of daily attendance, you’ll help your child see that school is serious and chances are you’ll also see an improvement in your child’s grades. So make every effort to get your child to school on time every day.
As a school, our goal is for students to miss “10 or less for school success.” Our hope is that each student strives to have perfect attendance. We understand that there are times when students will be absent but these should be limited and under special circumstances. Those special circumstances tend to be medical and with notes from a doctor. Students enrolled in public schools must attend school regularly Monday through Friday.
We treasure and value our time with your child and feel that regular, on-time attendance is an important piece of the academic and social development of your child. Please let us know if we can help: We hope to work together to improve your child’s attendance this school year.
Tips to prevent absences:
¨ Talk about family expectations about school attendance.
¨ Discuss family expectations for earning a high school diploma.
¨ Praise positive behaviors and achievement in school.
¨ Look for attitudes from your child that indicate unhappiness with school or fear of attending school. Listen to what they say and ask questions. Address issues of concern with the school. Start with the teacher or the counselor.
¨ Work with your child to create morning and bedtime routines.
¨ Identify a “back up” plan for getting to and from school.
Make a commitment to ensuring your child is in school EVERY DAY!
Attendance Matters
Please use the QR Code below for the Charles County Policy on attendance.
Dates To Remember
October 3rd - Interim Reports Posted in ParentVue
October 7th - Character Breakfast
October 10th - Columbus Day, Schools closed for students, parent/teacher conference day Reminder: Parents must show their ID's at the door and will sign in with the classroom teacher
October 17th -21st - Bully Prevention Spirit Week (see flyer below to participate)
October 17th - 28th - Book Fair (October 26th Parent Shop Night)
October 21st - Early Dismissal Day (students begin dismissing at 1:40 PM)
October 25th - Humane Society Visit (Kindergarten) - Getting a Bat Attitude
October 27th - Boo Thru (5:30-7:00 PM) and Book Character Day (during school/NO parade)
October 31st - 5th Grade Thomas to Nanjemoy (Halloween)
November 3rd - Early Dismissal Day (students begin dismissing at 1:40 PM)
November 4th - Humane Society Visit (Kindergarten) Talking Turkey
November 7th - Fall Pictures (Media Center)
November 8th - Early Dismissal Day (students begin dismissing at 1:40 PM)
November 22nd - Get Schooled Assembly (1:30-2:15 Primary 2:30-3:15 Intermediate) - 4th Grade has lunch in the classroom
November 23rd - 25th - Schools Closed for Thanksgiving Break
CCPS Dress Code Policy
Suggestive, provocative or excessively tight clothing is not allowed to be worn to school or to school-sponsored
activities. CCPS does not allow clothing to be worn on school property or to school-sponsored activities
which displays messages or images that are offensive, vulgar, harassing, or otherwise inappropriate for the school
setting. Clothing that is judged by the school administration to be disruptive to the orderly school process either
by virtue of the design or in the manner in which it is worn is also forbidden.
Members of the Charles County Association of Student Councils, in collaboration with parents, staff, and
community members, developed the following system-wide dress code, as amended and approved by the Board
of Education.
1. Clothing must be suitable for all scheduled classroom activities including physical education, science labs,
wood shop, and other activities where unique hazards exist.
2. Shorts and skirts are permitted as long as they reach the middle of the thigh, defined as shoulders relaxed
and arms straight down alongside the body where fingertips touch the thigh. Slits in the skirt may not rise more
than two inches above fingertips.
3. Clothing must cover the chest area, cleavage, torso, and undergarments. Tops may not be lower than midback.
4. Spaghetti straps and garments that are both strapless and sleeveless are not permitted during the school day.
5. Undergarments must not be visible at any time.
6. Pants must be secured no lower than mid-hip.
7. Ripped pants are permitted as long as rips fall below the shorts length criteria, are limited to the front side
of the leg, and do not exceed three inches in diameter above the knee. Skin exposed by all other rips must be
covered by opaque clothing that is not underwear.
8. Leggings, biker-type/spandex shorts, or joggers must be opaque and worn with a top that meets the length
expectations of shorts and skirts (see #2).
9. Backless and open-toed shoes with a hard sole are permitted as long as the shoes do not pose a safety hazard.
Foam and similar soft-soled shoes, such as flip-flops or beach footwear, are prohibited.
10. Headwear is not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, hats, skull caps, visors, bandannas, sweat
bands, shower caps, and hoods. Scarves may be worn as a headband only. (Exceptions may be granted based
on religious and medical reasons with proper verification.) Sunglasses are not permitted except during outdoor
activities.
11. Sleepwear and sleepwear-type clothing are only permitted for certain activities, such as overnight field trips
and spirit days.
12. Clothing that displays or symbolizes any language or material that is inappropriate for school or offensive
to any group is not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, material relating to drugs, alcohol, profanity,
obscenity, racism, gang activity and violence.
13. Formal attire must not be disruptive or distracting. Spaghetti straps and strapless formal garments are acceptable
as long as adequate coverage is maintained during the activity. Slits in skirts or other garments must
meet the expectations for the same in rule #2. Transparent attire is prohibited. Necklines may not fall below
mid-sternum. Backless garments are permitted at any formal affair.
14. The dress code is in effect for participating students at all school-sponsored events on and off campus.
Note: Administrators have the flexibility to exercise their judgment to determine if a student’s attire is considered
disruptive, distracting, or a safety hazard. Exceptions may be granted for medical or religious reasons.
Cell Phone Policy and Procedures
Charles County Public Schools allows the possession and use of cell phones and other personal electronic
devices by students. It is the intent of the Superintendent to ensure that this allowance does not disrupt the learning
environment, after-school activities, or the safe transportation of students. Students are permitted to use cell
phones while attending (but not participating in) general public events that occur after-hours and are open to
the community. The following conditions outline the standard expectations for the possession and/or use of cell
phones by students at school, on the bus or on other school-chartered vehicles.
Elementary School
- Students may only bring their phone or device with approval from the principal.
- Once approved, student must keep their phone or device powered completely off (not on vibrate or silent mode) and inside their book bag, locker or cubby throughout the entirety of each school day, unless other storage arrangements are made with the teacher.
- Once approved for school, students may use their phone or device on the bus or school-chartered vehicle, but use must not be disruptive or cause a distraction to the driver at any time. Sound must only be audible through headphones. Phone conversations are prohibited.
Birthday Treats and School Snacks (brought in from home) Guidelines
Due to allergies, students and their parents/guardians are not allowed to bring to school and distribute any outside food products unless the products are commercially manufactured, individually wrapped in single serving sizes, and are marked with the ingredients and the nutritional facts label. Parents/guardians must obtain permission from their child's teacher or school administrator prior to bringing outside food for distribution so that the teacher/administrator can review the timing and impact on the school day, the benefit and fairness to students, and other considerations.
Lunch and Other Items From Home
Please be mindful that when you are dropping items at the school for your student(s) that you bring the items in a bag with their name on it. For outside lunch items, these items must be in a lunch box, lunch bag, or brown bag with the student's name on it. This is the same for food from restaurants (i.e. McDonald's, Chic Fil A, etc.). Not all students have the opportunity to receive meals from outside the school. Therefore, we are asking that if you do drop it for your student(s) that you bring it in a concealed bag that does not display the name of the restaurant and that it has your child's name on it. If the items do not come in this way, they will not be permitted at the school. Finally, we ask that you be mindful of both arrival (9:00-9:30) and dismissal (3:30-4:00) times. The office is very busy during these times and this is not the best time to stop in to drop items or pick up materials. Please handle all office business during the hours of 9:30-3:30 daily. Thank you in advance!
AMES Title 1 Parent Compact
Please click on the attachment to read the AMES Title 1 Parent Compact. The school-parent compact is a written agreement between teachers and parents and provides an opportunity to create new partnerships in your school community. It is a document that explains what families and schools can do to help children reach high academic standards of excellence
AMES Staff Notes
Counselor's Corner - Ms. Spriggs
AMES Families it has been wonderful continuing to work with your students. I want to send a gentle reminder to please speak with your children about their social media usage. As the school year is getting underway, there have been a few conflicts to arise from things that have taken place outside of school and particularly things via social media and video games. It is important that we talk to kids about the way they interact on these platforms so that issues do not occur outside of these sites. With that said, we are all human and things may happen. Our students know there are lots of strategies for handling conflict and if they are unsure how to maneuver a situation with a peer, they are always welcome to meet with me so we can come up with a plan. Lastly, parents, we are collecting candy again for our annual Boo Thru (Trunk or Treat) and would love your support in making this event a success. If you are interested in donating and/or hosting a trunk or know of any local businesses or groups who may be interested, please reach out to me via email at kspriggs@ccboe.com.
Library Updates
It is time for our Annual Character Pumpkin Contest! Get your creative juices flowing and turn your pumpkins into book characters. See the attached flyer and form for additional details on how to create and submit your pumpkin entry. Good luck to all participants. The flyer and form are being sent home with all students as well.
Ms. Ferruzza, Media Specialist
Learning Resource Teacher
Hello Middleton Families,
Testing Highlights: The students have gotten off to a great start with testing in grades K-5. Even though it was previously stated that headphones are optional this year, they are very much needed for testing and instruction. If you have not already done so, please purchase headphones for your child so they will not have to share with entire school. Students do not enjoy having to use the same headphones as other students, and having their own ensures they are prepared.
Testing Tidbit: Make sure you share with your child that testing is a part of learning. Testing gives teachers insight into how to better instruct students.
Nurse News
Hello! My name is Jessica Hightower and I am the new school nurse here at AMES. I look forward to working with you all. As we begin this new school year, I want to remind everyone that we should be remaining diligent regarding pre-screening prior to reporting to school. If your students are feeling unwell and/or displaying any symptoms of viral illness, please reach out to your health care provider to be further evaluated and keep your child at home. Please click on the link below for the Endemic Operating Procedures for this school year.
Reading Resource Teacher
Challenge this week:
Encourage your students to BROWSE BOOKS! While out and about our even in the house, have child/children look at books and talk about what peaks their interest and why. Ask them if they make connections with the title, or even an illustration in the book. Talk about the types of books they like, and the genre (fiction, non-fiction, etc.) Encourage them to have a growth mindset about reading. A positive attitude goes a LONG way when becoming a reader with a love for books!
Here is a resource about raising a reader on the Scholastic website. The sign up is free!
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog.html
Math Instructional Resource Teacher
As a reminder we use Dreambox as part of our Math instruction across the county. This computer-based program helps to teach grade level skills using visuals and games to complete lessons. The goal for every student is to complete 5 lessons weekly. Some time is given in class for this activity, but students may also work on this at home. These are to be completed independently as the computer is able to adjust the lessons based on their answers.
Arthur Middleton Elementary School
1109 Copley Avenue
Waldorf
MD
20602
Feeder Schools: Hanson, Somers, & Stoddert Middle Schools
Total Enrollment: 600
School serves grades PreK-5
Main phone: 301-753-1749 | 301-645-3338
Fax number: 301-944-0881
School hours: 9:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.