The Glade Gazette
February 1, 2024
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Feb 2: Spirit Day - Team/Jersey Day
Feb 2: Picture Day for Clubs, Gr.5 class portrait & candid pictures
Feb 5: Kindness Club 7:45-8:30
Feb 5-9: National School Counseling Week
Feb 6: PTA Sponsored Spelling Bee, cafeteria, 6:00
Feb 7-8: Hearing and Vision Screening
Feb 9: Valentine's Parties (classroom times will vary)
Feb 12: Kindness Club 7:45-8:30
Feb 14 & 15: KISS (Kids Invite Someone Special) (see info below)
Feb 16: 2-Hour Early Dismissal
Feb 19: Schools Closed - President's Day
Feb 20: Restaurant Spirit Night @ Noodles & Co. 4:00-8:00 pm
Feb 26: Kindness Club, 7:45-8:30
Feb 29: Stop Bullying Assembly
March 5: General PTA Meeting, Media Center @ 7:00pm
April 12: Last day to order Yearbooks
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Glade Families,
Below you will see some news from Glade's Media Center. I would like to add how it is another heartfelt example of the wonderful partnership the school has with Glade's PTA in providing support for the learning and atmosphere here for students and staff. On behalf of those that walk these halls daily, thank you all for your ongoing human, financial, capital and spirited partnership!
Gladefully,
Steve Raff
YEARBOOK - RESERVE YOUR COPY
To order your yearbook, please visit: https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/gladeelementary
Price: Soft Cover $16 or Hard Cover $21
Last day to order is April 12, 2024
FROM YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Hi Glade Families!
My name is Karaline Win, and I am the school counseling intern working with Mrs. Gordon. I am in my final semester of my master’s program studying school counseling at Loyola University Maryland. I am a former FCPS student and graduated from Oakdale High School in 2018. I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology and education from the University of Tampa in 2022. I am eager to be helping some of your students! If you have any questions or concerns my email is Karaline.Win@fcps.org.
National School Counseling Week: February 5-9, 2024
“STANDARDS-BASED, STUDENT-FOCUSED”
The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) uses this week to focus public attention on the unique contribution of School Counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights school counselors’ tremendous impact in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February.
This week is a special week for us and we wanted to share it with YOU! Throughout the week, there will be several activities to show you our appreciation. Our theme this year is “STANDARDS-BASED, STUDENT-FOCUSED” and we are thankful for everything our staff members, students, and community do to work together toward this goal! 🙂
Monday 2/5
- We absolutely LOVE our job! All students will receive a heart sticker as a reminder we care about YOU ALL!!
Tuesday 2/6
- “Standards” are goals written for us to help you succeed! - Make sure to come to school today for a chance to win lunch with the counselors this week!! Attendance is an important piece of success and we want everyone to be successful.
Wednesday 2/7
- Being a School Counselor is a dream come true…Let’s see how much you know about Ms. Gordon and Ms. Leahy BEFORE we were your School Counselors?
Thursday 2/8
- What helps you feel happy to be at school? Write it down on a heart to be displayed!
Friday 2/9
- Thank you for a great week - Enjoy Valentine Parties! 😊
MEDIA CENTER NEWS
Check out the before and after pictures our library media center furniture! A huge THANK YOU to the PTA who purchased the new tables and to Mary Jo Richmond, FCPS Media Supervisor, for her assistance in purchasing new chairs. The squeals of joy and excitement from students as they enter the library media center has made this investment incredibly special. Thank you to the entire Glade ES community for your part in making our library media center an even more welcoming space full of learning and fun!
VALENTINES PARTIES
Valentine's parties will vary in time so check with your student's teacher. If you are volunteering, please make sure you have taken the FCPS volunteer training found on the website. Unfortunately siblings are not permitted to attend the classroom parties. If you have any questions, please call the front office.
REPORT CARD ENVELOPES
Just a little reminder to send back your student's report card envelope. We were not provided extras. Thank you.
HEALTH ROOM NEWS
Hearing and Vision Screening will take place February 7th-8th for all students in kindergarten, (if not screened in pre-kindergarten), 1st grade and new enterers to the Maryland public school system. Rescreens will be on February 28th. Maryland State Law mandates this screening. Parents/guardians who have an objection to this screening based on their church or religion practices must submit a request for their child to be exempt from screening. All written requests must be submitted to the health room by February 2nd. Please make sure if your child wears glasses or contacts that they have them on the screening days. If you have any questions, please contact the health room at 240-636-2056. Thank you.
PTA NEWS
We start our month with a spelling bee that our 4th & 5th graders may participate in. Winners will have the opportunity to go on to the Frederick County Spelling Bee!
KISS - Kids Invite Someone Special
Our students may be inviting some special individual's to come to breakfast at the school! Thank you to Rachel Perry for chairing this amazing event again! If your student's last name begins with letters A-M, you are invited to join us on Wednesday, February 14 from 7:45AM - 8:45 AM. If your student's last name begins with N-Z, you are invited to join us February 15 from 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM. We will have a splendid breakfast for our students and up to 2 special someone's that the student invites to our Glade Elementary Cafeteria. Please keep in mind that students cannot be released to the school until 8:30 AM and must remain in parent/caregivers care until then. Please RSVP by Feb 9th!
Yearbook
Thank you to Jess Lee for being our Yearbook Committee Chair!
We are always collecting more pictures for the yearbook. If you have been to the school or attended any events, we invite you to submit pictures to our google form for the Yearbook. We can never have too many pictures!
Check Yourself: Bullying Others is Bad 4 Your Health
Towards the end of the month, we will have our first PTA sponsored school assembly since Covid. This assembly will address bullying and the negative affects it has on our school community and oneself. WombWork Productions will be at the school on February 29th, 2024 to use performance arts as a way of explaining the serious issue that is bullying. With this performance, they hope to heighten awareness and encourage to students to have a positive behaviors and attitudes to prevent bullying all together. Speaking the Language of Virtue is the primary strategy for building and enhancing character among students. With factual information, character building strategies, through dialogue and role-playing nonviolent solutions, students will see the experiences of bystanders, bullies, and victims. The students will enjoy the performances and connect with the message.
Thank you to Mary Meyer for working so hard bringing back a school assembly! We are very excited to offer this assembly to the school!
Restaurant Spirit Nights
Our next spirit night is Tuesday, February 20 at Noodles and Co. from 4:00PM - 8:00PM. Get your dinner here! December's Spirit Night at Coal Fire raised $280.15 and January's Spirit Night at Panera raised $166.66! This is awesome! Go Jaguars!
PTA Nominating Committee & Elections
The PTA will be looking for Nominating Committee members, so we can have a candidate slate ready to vote on by the general meeting in May. Our board is made up of a President, Vice President of Academic, Vice President of Social/Family Outreach, Treasurer, and Secretary.
EARLY DISMISSAL & ABSENCE NOTES
If your student is leaving early or has an appointment, a written note to the office is appreciated. This not only lets the teacher know to have them ready, but assists the office with identifying the parent/guardian of the student and prevents delays.
Any changes in your child's transportation home needs to be shared with the front office. Please CALL the office for dismissal changes before 2:30. If you email the teacher only and they are absent, nobody will get that information. Thank you.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
- Address change: Please provide a new proof of residency (a copy of a property tax bill, gas bill, electric bill, water/sewer, cable bill or a signed current lease/rental agreement; NO phone bill or mortgage statements).
- Custody change: If there is a change in child custody, please make sure you share that information with your child’s teacher and the office. It is extremely important that a copy of the court document be delivered to the school and placed in the child’s permanent record folder. Should the school not have this documentation, we have no recourse but to release your child to either parent upon request.
- Weapons: Possession of any firearm or other weapon by a student on school property is strictly forbidden. This also includes look-alike weapons. The penalties for violation are detailed in the Discipline section of the FCPS handbook. Please remember it is a serious offense to possess a weapon of any kind on school property.
Stay Connected
The Glade Gazette will continue to be available first via Find Out First. Links to the Gazette can also be found through:
- Twitter: Steve Raff @FCPS_GES
- Facebook: Principal Raff, as part of the Glade Elementary Community group
Email: stephen.raff@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/ges/
Location: Glade Elementary School, Glade Road, Walkersville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GladePTA
Twitter: @FCPS_GES