Falcon Family Weekly Newsletter
April 14, 2024
Dear Lakelands Park Middle School Families:
This is a 5-day week. On Wednesday, we will have the Student Member of the Board (SMOB) election through English and ELD classes and our PTSA fundraiser at Isaac's Poultry Market. On Thursday, students will receive their report cards at the end of the school day. On Friday, we will have Wingspan and also encourage everyone to wear green in celebration of Earth Day. By this Friday, teachers will post assignments on their MyMCPS Canvas class pages for our asynchronous learning day, Monday, April 22. Students must complete these assignments in order to be marked present for Monday, April 22 and there will be no in-person school that day.
MCAP ELA Testing Success
Thank you to our families and Rachel Carson Elementary School for donations of hundreds of earbuds and headphones. We also want to thank our families and students for having those charged chromebooks and their own headphones ready. With all of this support, our MCAP English Language Arts testing went smoothly and all students present were able to demonstrate their knowledge on these assessments. Seventy-five students won doughnuts and three students won $20 restaurant gift card through our raffle. If your child missed all or part of the MCAP ELA,, your child will automatically be scheduled for make-up sessions.
Choir Adjudication Results
Congratulations to LPMS Choir 2 for their fantastic performance at County Adjudications on Friday, April 5th! They traveled to Watkins Mill High School and earned a score of "Excellent" for performance and "Superior" for sight reading. They represented Lakelands Park well and we are so proud of this amazing achievement. We are so proud of our Music Falcons and shout out to incredible Choir teacher, Ms. Gabby Green!
Dr. Vega Appointed Principal of Gaithersburg Middle School
Congratulations to Dr. Sofia Vega Ormeño, our Principal Intern, on being appointed as Principal of Gaithersburg Middle School by the MCPS Board of Education. Dr. Vega will continue in her role as Principal Intern and 7th grade administrator at Lakelands for the remainder of this school year. Please join us in celebrating Dr. Vega on her appointment!
The week ahead...
- Falcon Flight Plan "On Time and On Task" Week: Please encourage your child(ren) to be on time to all classes and to be focused on their learning during class.
- Wednesday, April 17th:
- Isaac's Poultry Market PTSA Restaurant Night, 5 - 9 PM. Bring your receipt to the main office on Friday by 1:30pm in order to be entered in a raffle for a gift card from the PTSA.
- Marking Period 3 Report Cards available on Synergy ParentVue and StudentVue
- Thursday, April 18th: Report Cards distributed at the end of the school day
- Friday, April 19th:
- Wingspan at the end of the day
- Wear Green for Earth Day
- Teachers will post assignments for April 22nd asynchronous learning day.
Looking ahead...
- Sunday, April 21st: Last Day to Register your child for Future Vote SSL opportunity, see below for more details
- Monday, April 22nd: Asynchronous Learning Day, no in-person school, see below for more details
- Wednesday, April 24th: PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm
Thank you for your continued partnership in creating a community of belonging with high expectations for everyone.
Sincerely,
Rose Alvarez (she/her)
Principal
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LPMS Upcoming Events
Plan for April 22 Asynchronous Learning Day
Monday, April 22 is now an asynchronous learning day and will be used as a make-up instructional day for all MCPS students. This means that April 22 will count as a school day but students will not attend school in-person or on Zoom. Instead they will complete assignments in each class in order to be marked present for April 22. Here is the plan for LPMS:
- Assignments will be posted to each class' Canvas (MyMCPS) page by April 19th entitled “April 22nd Asynchronous Learning Day Assignment.”
- Teachers will share expectations for assignments with their classes and provide any needed materials by April 19th
- Assignments for each class will take no more than 30 minutes. Given that students have 7 classes, excluding Fly Time, the work should take no more than 3.5 hours.
- Students will have 10 days following April 22 to complete the assignment in order to be marked present.
- If students need help with the assignment, they may ask their teachers during regular school hours starting on April 23.
- April 22 is professional development day for teachers and they will be engaged in their on learning. We ask that students and families refrain from emailing or contacting teachers on April 22, and wait until April 23 to ask questions. Thank you for your understanding.
May 8: Walk & Bike to School Day
All are welcome to participate in Walk, Bike, and Roll to school on Wednesday May 8th . Participate by: Biking, Walking, Scooting, Carpooling, or getting dropped off a couple of blocks away. Be part of the fun and cut down on greenhouse emissions.
LPMS Resources & Initiatives
IXL - Help Your Child Sharpen Their Math Skills
In an effort to help improve Math skills and help prepare students for the MAP-M test, MCPS has partnered with IXL to provide a platform for students to sharpen their math skills. IXL has skill plans that target Student's present MAP-M levels. They also offer practice problems and videos that align with our Illustrative Math curriculum. Students can access IXL through the Clever Portal under the MCPS Resources folder. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to our Math Content Specialist, Ms. Shaneé Satchell (shanee_d_satchell@mcpsmd.net).
School Cash Online
MCPS offers a School Cash Online payment system for parents and guardians to make payments for field trips, yearbooks, merchandise, and donations. If you have not registered and set up your account, we encourage you to do so today. Use this School Cash Online (SCO) link and follow the steps. Parent guides are linked below as well.
SCO Parent Guide (Español)
SCO - How to register
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (English)
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (Spanish)
District Initiatives & Messages
Parents & Guardians of Students Receiving Special Education Services: Make Your Voice Heard
Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 12, 2024. Click here to read FAQs. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope by May 24, 2024. The survey may also be completed online. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in our school system. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other children across the state of Maryland. To learn more and complete the survey, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com
MCPS Superintendent Search Survey
The Montgomery County Board of Education encourages all families, students, staff, and community members to take a few minutes to share their thoughts by completing a brief online survey. The survey is now available in multiple languages including Spanish, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Amharic. The survey is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, concerns and aspirations for the district's future. The survey closes at the the end of this month as the Montgomery County Board of Education, with the assistance of search firm Greenwood Asher & Associates, LLC, enters the recruitment phase of the search.
Prekindergarten and Head Start Registration Opens March 1
Prekindergarten and Head Start registration begins Friday, March 1, for the 2024-2025 school year. Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024, and families must be income-eligible to apply. Families can register their children online or in person. If your child was 4 on or before Sept. 1, 2023, you may still register for Prekindergarten/Head Start for the remainder of this school year. Click here for how to register.
For more information about eligibility guidelines, required documents or how to register online, call 240-740-4530 or visit the MCPS website.
District Upcoming Events
District Opportunities & Resources
SSL Opportunity: Future Vote Program for Students in Grades 6-12
The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking school-age students, grades 6-12, to participate in its “Future Vote” program. The Future Vote program is available to County students grades 6-12. Students must be able to speak, read and write the English language. Students with bilingual and American Sign Language skills are encouraged to apply. The initiative combines civic participation and the opportunity to observe democracy in action. Volunteers will earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for their service. Training is required for both students and guardians. Details and volunteer expectations are provided at training. To apply online, or for more information, visit 777vote.org and select the “Future Vote” tab, then select “FV FAQs”.
Guardians must register their children by April 21, 2024.
- Future Vote Registration Instructions: 2024_FV_Registration_Instructions.pdf (montgomerycountymd.gov)
- Future Vote Registration Portal: Sign in · Starter Portal (powerappsportals.us)
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission Award: Montgomery County MD 2018 Clearinghouse Award Winner | U.S. Election Assistance Commission (eac.gov)
The Importance of Reading by Third Grade
Fifty years of national research has indicated that a student’s ability to read by the end of third grade is paramount to future success. Reading by Grade 3 is the second milestone on the MCPS Pathway to College, Career, and Community Readiness. Watch the video and learn more about steps parents can take to help their children at home.
FREE English Classes Available to MCPS Parents
The Class to Community (C2C) organization offers free English as a Second Language (ESL), GED and college prep, and digital literacy classes. Visit the C2C website for more information.
To The Point: The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
Watch the latest episode of To the Point to learn about the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and how it plans to positively impact MCPS and school systems across Maryland. Janine Bacquie, MCPS director of the Division of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, is the show’s featured guest. The Blueprint is landmark education legislation designed to transform public schools in the state of Maryland over a 10-year period. The Blueprint has designated five focus areas, or pillars, which are: Early Childhood Education, High-Quality and Diverse Teachers, College and Career Readiness, More Resources to Ensure All Students Are Successful, and Governance and Accountability.
Update On Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias
MCPS convened an action team to work with internal and external stakeholders to develop a Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias to build on the district’s foundation to combat incidents of hate-bias. This framework and group’s work will be shared with the Board of Education on Tuesday, March 19. Click here to watch a video message
Other Resources and Events
George B. Thomas Saturday School
MCPS Parent Academy
Gaithersburg Youth Club
LPMS Digital Handbook & Future Events
Future Events
Monday, April 22nd: Asynchronous Learning Day, no in-person or Zoom classes
Thursday, April 25th: Soccer Games versus Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, boys at home, girls away
Wednesday, May 1st: Soccer Games versus Poole Middle, girls at home, boys away
Monday-Friday, May 6th-10th: Staff Appreciation Week
Monday & Tuesday, May 6th & 7th: Social Studies MCAP testing for 8th graders and MAP for 6th and 7th graders
Tuesday, May 7th: Soccer Games versus Hallie Wells Middle, boys at home, girls away
Wednesday-Friday, May 8th-10th: 8th Grade Hearing and Vision Screening
Thursday, May 9th: Last day of after-school activity busses
Tuesday, May 14th: No School, Primary Election Day
Wednesday, May 15th: Spring Orchestra & Jazz Concert
Thursday, May 16th: Spring Band Concert
Thursday & Friday, May 16th & 17th: Mathematics MCAP testing for all students
Friday & Saturday, May 17th & 18th: Spring Musical: Into the Woods
Tuesday, May 21th: Spring Choral Concert
Wednesday, May 22th: 4th Marking Period Interim Reports Available on Synergy
Monday, May 27th: No School, Holiday
Friday, May 31st: Music Department Trip to Hershey Park
Tuesday, June 11th: 8th Grade Cruise & Evening Celebration
Thursday, June 13th: Last day of school, early release day
Monday, June 24th: Report cards mailed home
Planning ahead?
Click here to see the 2024-2025 MCPS Calendar for next school year.
Contacting Us
Email: Rose_S_Alvarez@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakelandsparkms/
Location: Lakelands Park Middle School, 1200 Main Street, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-6450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LPMSPTSA/