The TIGER Times
Together We Will Learn, Excel, and Succeed
Summer News and Updates
Principal's Message
Dear Lewistown Families,
Summer is in full swing and we hope you are enjoying the summer sunshine days! At Lewistown Elementary, we are busy preparing for the return of staff, students and families in just a few short weeks. For me, there is nothing quite like the feeling of preparing to go back to school! The fresh new supplies, classrooms coming to life and seeing those smiling young tigers ready to reconnect with their friends!
Construction is also in full swing at Lewistown! Starting the new school year, you will be greeted with a new entrance vestibule. This will add an additional level of safety and security to our building. In addition, our intermediate classrooms have shifted to a new 4th/ 5th Grade Suite and our Pyramid students have relocated to a new Pyramid Wing. In addition, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are boasting new tiled floors! Our custodian crew have been working tirelessly not only prepare for re-opening, but caring for our front gardens, grounds and completing those post-construction tasks to prepare for the return of our tigers!
Please watch your email for a special Find Out First welcoming you back to the 2022- 2023 school year! We are looking forward to seeing our young tigers at our Open house on Monday, August 15th!
Yours in education,
Ms. Belinda Fockler
Proud Principal of Lewistown Elementary School
Lewistown ELEVATE News!
Thank you to Melissa Sweeney, Mary Hoffman, Julie Chappell, Kaitlin Martin, Carly Crone, and Stacy Bokinsky for working hard and making this summer fun! #TeamLES
Lewistown Lunch Monitor Needed!
We are looking for a new Lewistown Team member for 2 hours a day to assist during student lunch times.
Please call the front office for more information!
Lunch Monitor Hourly Rate = $15.36/hour
First Day of School: Wednesday, Aug. 17th
We look forward to welcoming back our students to a fresh, new start on what promises to be a great year head!
Mark your calendars:
Monday August 15 - OPEN HOUSE, 4 - 5pm, Parents/ Guardians and students
Wednesday August 17 - First Day of School for Students
Thursday September 15 - Back to School Night, 5 - 6pm, Parents/ Guardians
Back to school letters will be mailed out the first of August listing these important dates and your child’s Homeroom teacher, and the staggered opening date for your Kindergartener.
School supply lists can be located on our website: https://edu.fcps.org/les/
You will find updated information throughout the summer on our website: Lewistown Elementary School
Transportation Changes for the New School Year?
Will your child be a car rider this year?
Will your child ride the bus this year for the first time?
If you have ANY changes to your child's transportation for the upcoming school year -
PLEASE notify Mrs. Little in the front office.
Transportation changes OR enrollment after August 8, will not have a bus stop assigned for several weeks. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Little at kimberly.little@fcps.org or at (240)236-3750.
Lewistown Grade Level Teachers
Welcome to our new and returning staff!
Pre-Kindergarten: Mrs.Hood
Kindergarten: Mrs. Keegin
1st Grade: Mrs. Lawson and Ms. Hardy
2nd Grade: Mrs. Kindred
3rd Grade: Ms. Jozwiak
4th Grade: Mrs. Hoffman
5th Grade: Ms. Sweeney
Special Education and Speech and Language:
Mrs. Nelson, Ms. Barlow, Ms. Baptiste, Mrs. Tucker,
Mrs. Parson, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Spurrier
Art: Ms. Jenkins
PE: Mr. Phillips
Music: Mr. Shippee
Media: Mrs. Bowen
SUMMER READING!
Here are some ideas to keep kids reading and writing all summer. Pick just one thing a week to kick start your week’s literacy adventures!
- Investigate your public library’s summer reading program. In addition to the Summer Challenge for students, Frederick County Public Libraries offer many fun and engaging programs during the summer like STEM activities, and LIVE animal and magic shows.
- Extend your reading circle. We often find ourselves checking out the same types of books over and over again. Challenge yourself to bring a new type of book into the house. Consider fantasy or science fiction, historical fiction, poetry, biography, or an informational book.
- Listen up! Audiobooks are a great way to engage readers and can introduce students to books above their reading level. Many libraries have audiobooks available for check out, and an Internet search can turn up several sites, including Speakaboos.com, that offer free audio books for children.
- Make your own audio book! Most phones and computers have simple recording apps on them which are perfect for making homemade audio books! Have your child make up a story, or reread a favorite loved book. The recordings will be priceless!
- Go wordless. Wordless picture books are told entirely through their illustrations — they are books without words, or sometimes just a few words. Grab a few wordless books the next time you’re at the library and have fun “reading” different versions of the same story. The language and the conversation will inspire you!
- Visit a museum, online! You’ll be surprised by how much you can explore without leaving your house. One example is the Smithsonian Institution Kids site. It’s complete with offerings from Art to Zoo, for kids and students of all ages.
- Pack in a whole adventure! Find FREE themed reading adventure packs that encourage hands-on fun and learning, centered around paired fiction and nonfiction books. Visit Reading Rockets and search Adventure Pack.
- Point, shoot, and write. Snap some photos and then encourage your child to write a silly caption for each photo. Not feeling that ambitious? Cut out some pictures from a magazine or the newspaper and have your child write original captions for those.
- Mix up the media. Your child has read every Clifford book on the shelf. But has she heard Clifford author Normal Bridwell talk about writing? Explore author interviews from over 100 authors on Reading Rockets Author Interview page. We’ll bet you can’t watch just one.
- Write it down. Encourage your child to keep a simple journal or summer diary. Track interesting things like the number of fireflies seen in one minute, the number of mosquito bites on a leg, or the different types of food that can go on the grill. Each entry is a chance to be creative!
- Ideas from www.readingrockets.org
Summer Math!
Are you looking for a way for your student to practice their math skills this summer? Below, you will find two great resources to support your student!
iReady My Path: Students in grades K-5 used iReady this school year. My Path is a personalized path of lessons specific to the skills that your student needs additional practice with. Students will also be able to access learning games for additional practice. This flyer provides more information, as well as directions for how to access iReady My Path from home.
FCPS Elementary Math Website: This website was created to inform families about the current math concepts being explored and practiced at each grade level. The purpose is to provide resources to help you support your child at home with his or her math learning. Each grade level page includes links to each unit that was covered this year. You will find a unit summary outlining what skills were covered during the unit, activities that you can do at home with your student, as well as instructional videos that you can use as review with your student or for yourself to understand the strategy being taught in class. Click HERE to access the FCPS Elementary Math Website!
Meal Prices for 2022-2023
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Breakfast $1.60
Lunch $2.65
• Adult meals are $4.25.
• Milk purchased a la carte (not as part of a meal) is $0.60.
FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEAL BENEFITS
Meal Benefit applications for school year 2022-2023 will be available in July. We encourage all families who feel they qualify or are not sure if they qualify to fill out the electronic free and reduced-price meal benefits application online once it is available in July. We cannot accept a 2021-2022 application for the 2022-2023 school year. A paper application is available if requested. • There is no cost for breakfast or lunch meals to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
To apply online for meal benefits: https://www.fcpsnutrition.com/
Summer Meals Program
Please click a link below to find information regarding the Frederick Department of Housing & Human Services summer meals program for children 18 and younger.
English: https://fcps.ezcommunicator.net/edu/frederick/GetFile.aspx?DocId=16877
Spanish: https://fcps.ezcommunicator.net/edu/frederick/GetFile.aspx?DocId=16878
School Picture Day!
SAVE the DATE:
School Pictures will be Tuesday August 30.(Our M/W 3yr PreK student class will be Wednesday August 31.)
Welcome our New Superintendent, Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson to FCPS!
Incoming FCPS Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson is looking forward to meeting community members at a series of informal meet-and-greet gatherings this summer:
Monday, July 25, 5-6:30 p.m. at Brunswick High (grassy area between the pool and the stadium), 101 Cummings Dr., Brunswick.
Thursday, July 28, 5-6:30 p.m. at Urbana High (stadium), 3471 Campus Dr., Ijamsville.
Thursday, August 4, 5-6:30 p.m. at Catoctin High (grassy area behind the school), 14745 Sabillasville Road, Thurmont.
The “Meet and Greets” are intended to be opportunities for the entire FCPS community to get to know Dr. Dyson and share their experiences ahead of the 2022-2023 school year. Dr. Dyson wants to hear from students too! Each location will have activities for children.
All events are open to the general community. Please register to attend the event that best meets your schedule: https://pubforms.fcps.org/view.php?id=96483
In inclement weather the events will be moved to the gym or cafeteria.
LES VISION STATEMENT
Lewistown Elementary School
Ms. Adrienne Mayonado - Special Education Coordinator
Mrs. Kim Little- Secretary
Ms. Stacy Bokinsky- School Counselor
Email: belinda.fockler@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/les/home
Location: 11119 Hessong Bridge Road Thurmont, MD 21788
Phone: 240-236-3750
Twitter: @TeamLES