Stonegate Greetings
Weekly Newsletter
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Monday 1/15:
Holiday, Dr. Martin Luther King Day, No School for staff and students
Tuesday, 1/16:
2nd Grade MAP-P Testing
Sky’s The Limit Dance, Grades K-2. Sky’s the Limit has scheduled the K - 2nd dance class to join the 3rd - 5th dance class on Thursday, January 25th to make up for their canceled class last Tuesday.
Wednesday, 1/17
Thursday, 1/18:
1st Grade MAP-P Testing
Sky’s The Limit Dance, Grades 3-5
Curriculum Night for incoming students at Farquhar Middle School
Friday, 1/19:
Kindergarten MAP-P Testing
Spirit Day- Wear Stonegate T Shirts
LFI Community Outing 10 am -1:30 pm
Upcoming Dates
January 25: Winter Concert Stonegate Chorus and Instrumental Music
January 29: No School for all students
February 6: PTA Meeting
February 13: PreK Field Trip to Imagination Stage
February 16: Grade 1 Field Trip to Imagination Stage
February 19: Presidents' Day—Schools and offices closed
February 22: No School for PEP (Ms. Tyler’s class) and Prekindergarten (Mrs. Williams’ class) only
February 23: Grade 4 Field Trip Arts on Stage Harriet Tubman Play
February 29: Stonegate Elementary's Black History Performance at Paint Branch High School
March- June
March 1: Early release day for students; No school for Ms. Tyler’s PEP classes
March 7: Ms. Smith and Ms. Whitlock Grade 3 Field Trip to Croydon Creek Nature Center
March 8: Ms. Grammar and Ms. Rem Grade 3 Field Trip to Croydon Creek Nature Center
March 11: Grade 2 Field Trip to Kid Museum
March 14: Math Night 6-7 pm
March 19: Grade 4 Field Trip to St. Marys
March 25- April 1: Spring Break
April 2: Grade 4 Field Trip to Skate Zone
April 10: No School for all students
April 17: Spring student portraits and Class Photos
April 19: Career Day 9 am-12 pm
April 22: No School for all students
April 25: Take Your Child to Work Day
May 1: Grade 5 Panoramic Photo 2pm
May 8: Grade 3 In House field trip Bread Making
May 14: Election Day - No School
May 23: Spring Stonegate Chorus and Instrumental Music Concert 6:30 pm
May 23: Grade 2 Field Trip Robinson Nature Center
May 27: Holiday, Memorial Day - No School
June 12: Clap out for 5th Graders 2:45pm
June 12: Grade 5 Promotion location TBD
June 13: Early Release 12:55 dismissal/Last Day of School
See the MCPS Yearlong Calendar
Principal’s Message
Dear Stonegate Elementary Caregivers and Families,
On Jan 15, MCPS schools are closed in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
Commemorating the life and enduring legacy of Dr. King, we not only reflect on his groundbreaking efforts in the fight for civil rights, but also on the universal principles he ardently championed—equality, justice and the pursuit of harmony among all people.
He passionately expressed a dream of a nation where individuals would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Dr. King recognized the interconnectedness of humanity, understanding that the battle against prejudice in any form was a shared responsibility.
Beyond racial justice, Dr. King's vision encompassed a broader commitment to eliminating all forms of discrimination. In the face of persistent challenges, his vision remains a guiding light, compelling us to confront the shadows of hatred and discrimination that persist in the United States and around the world.
With Kindness,
Linda M. Jones
Principal, Stonegate Elementary
Emergency Closures or Delays at Stonegate Elementary and MCPS
Given the unpredictable nature of inclement weather, it is important that all families know how to receive MCPS emergency information alerts. These alerts will provide information on school closings, school delays or early dismissal and MCPS community events. To sign up to receive MCPS Alerts use the information below.
Schools closed or delayed opening:
For early morning decisions, road inspection begins at 3:00 a.m. so that a decision can be announced by 5:00 a.m. through MCPS emergency information sources and media, such as radio, tv and websites.
Early dismissal:
All announcements will be made by 11:00 a.m.
More about school closure , delayed opening, and early dismissal
See the information below:
MCPS Operating Status and Color Codes:
Green: Normal Operations
Yellow: Two Hour Delay
Blue: Early Dismissal
Orange: Schools Closed/Offices Open
Red: School System is Closed (Schools closed/Offices closed)
Purple: Virtual Learning Day
What does it mean for us at Stonegate?
1. Green: Normal Operations
All schools and offices are open on time.
2. Yellow: Two Hour Delay
Grades K-5 start at 10:40 a.m. and dismiss at the typical time.
Mrs. Williams' Pre-K class also starts at 10:40 a.m. and dismisses at the standard time.
Morning busses arrive at each stop 2 hours later than they normally would
Global Childcare will communicate about their hours and availability.
Ms. Tyler's AM PEP class is canceled. Ms. Tyler's PM PEP class starts at 12:50 p.m.
Parent meetings before 11:00 a.m., including IEP meetings, are canceled
Field Trips are canceled
When schools are delayed, the announcement is made no later than 5:00 a.m. (or the night before if possible).
3. Blue: Early Dismissal
K-5 and LFI start at the normal time and dismiss at 12:55 p.m.
Ms. Tyler's AM PEP class dismisses early. Ms. Tyler's PM PEP class is canceled.
Evening Activities may be canceled.
Global Childcare will communicate about their hours and availability.
When schools are closing early for emergency conditions, the announcement is made by 11:00 a.m.
4. Orange: Schools Closed/Offices Open
Classes are canceled for all students in MCPS, every grade.
Teachers and Paraeducators do not come to school
The office and school have limited staff available on site.
Parent meetings, including IEP meetings, are canceled.
Global Childcare will communicate about their hours and availability.
5. Red: School System is Closed (Schools closed/Offices closed)
Classes are canceled for all students in MCPS, every grade.
The office and schools have no one on site.
Parent meetings, including IEP meetings, are canceled.
Global Childcare is closed.
6. Purple: Virtual Learning Day
More information is coming. See the site aboout Code Purple here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/virtual-learning/
Your Remind Settings
Stonegate ES is communicating through Remind, which sends texts to parents. If you aren’t receiving the messages, you can add or remove email addresses and phone numbers.
Adjust your account settings for Remind at www.remind.com.
Choose “Sign up” and enter your phone number. Your account as an MCPS parent will come up and will allow you to edit your communication settings.
Add a phone number for a caregiver:
Do you need an older sibling, a grandparent or other caregiver to receive text mesages from the school? Add an additional phone to receive school wide Remind text messages by using that phone to text @436ch8 to the number 81010.
HOW TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY INFORMATION ABOUT MCPS
MCPS WEB: HOME PAGE
Weather-related messages are posted in English and Spanish.
Make MCPS your home page
TEXT AND EMAIL: ALERT MCPS
Alert MCPS provides you with emergency information about school operations via text messages (i.e. SMS text or email messages) to devices you register. Signing up for Alert MCPS is free, but your wireless carrier may charge you a fee to receive text messages. This service is provided in collaboration with the Montgomery County government. Weather-related messages are sent in English and Spanish. - Sign up for Alert MCPS
To sign up for weather emergency text alerts, please follow these simple steps:
Text "JOIN" to [Your School's Text Alert Number].
You will receive a confirmation message once you have successfully enrolled.
Rest assured that your contact information will be kept confidential, and these alerts will only be used for emergency notifications.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
TV: MCPS CABLE CHANNELS
Emergency announcements are posted on the following cable channels.
Comcast Channel 34
Verizon Fios Channel 36
RCN Channel 89
TELEPHONE INFORMATION LINE: 301-279-3673
Recorded emergency information.
TELEPHONE: ASK MCPS: 240-740-3000
Staff takes calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish.
TV AND RADIO: LOCAL STATIONS
Tune in to local TV and radio stations for information.
By opting in to the MCPS text alert system, you will receive timely updates and important information regarding weather-related emergencies, school closures, and other critical announcements. This service is designed to keep you informed and provide you with the necessary details to navigate any weather challenges.
Dressing for Cold Weather
Students should dress warmly every day.
Students regularly go outside for Recess for 30-35 minutes each day.
Students are outside during Arrival and Dismissal each day.
Some emergencies or drills require students to stand outside the building.
Some parts of the building feel cold. We continue to work on classroom temperatures every day.
We encourage students to wear long clothes and avoid bare legs.
Label coats, hats, and gloves.
It’s the perfect time to get organized by orderinig these labels! Mabel’s Labels has Household Labels available. Every order supports the Grade 5 students end of year festivities. This month’s special promotion from Mabel’s Labels is for baby items.
Middle School Curriculum Night- for incoming 6th graders at Farquhar Middle School
Farquhar Middle School is excited to invite the incoming 6th grade parents to their annual Middle School Curriculum Night. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet with the 6th grade team, gain insight into content specialists’ recommendations for success in middle school and hear students’ perspective about their experience at Farquhar.
This event will take place in the Farquhar M.S. cafeteria on Thursday, January 18th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!
Please email Amy Councilman, Assistant Principal at Farquhar, if you have any questions regarding this event at Amy_L_Councilman@mcpsmd.org
Career Day 2024
Winter MAP testing in January
Elementary school students in general education in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments during the fall, winter, and spring to measure student growth and achievement.
Kindergarten through second grade students take MAP-P, the primary math assessment.
Third through fifth graders take both MAP-R (reading) and MAP-M (math).
Attendance - Please make sure your child is on time to school and try to make an effort to avoid appointments if possible so your child doesn’t miss their class’s testing date.
Sleep and Breakfast - Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep and eats a healthy breakfast the day of testing.
MCPS uses results from the MAP assessments to monitor each student’s progress throughout the school year as well as progress from one school year to the next. Teachers and school staff utilize the MAP scores to inform instruction, personalize the learning as well as to measure the performance and growth of students. MAP scores are one data point of many that teachers utilize to inform teaching and learning on a whole class, small group and individual basis.
If your child receives accommodations through 504, English Learner (EL) Plan, or an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), your school case manager will work with the school test coordinator to arrange for the administration of the accommodations for MAP testing.
As an overview to understand the MAP assessment, an overview of how MAP works, what it measures, and common questions you may access this resource from the NWEA website, the creator of the MAP assessment.
Please see the calendar below for your child’s testing date(s). If you have any questions, please let your child’s teacher know.
*Only Testing related to the MAP testing is on this calendar.
ACCESS for ELLs Testing for students in English Language Development in Grades K-5
Emergent Multilingual Learners (previously called "ESOL" students) will participate in the annual ACCESS for ELLs assessment beginning this week. Students will take a reading, listening, speaking and writing subtest. This assessment will monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English.
Parent Resources:
PTA - Stay Connected!
The next PTA meeting will be Tuesday, February 6 at 8 pm. The meeting will be held via Zoom. More details will be provided prior to the meeting.
Stonegate Spirit Wear Store
Need some new Stonegate gear, check-out the Stonegate On-Demand Store for your new spirit we
Parent Academy To Go workshops
Managing Morning Mayhem and Bedtime Battles - Jan 17th - 6-7pm
Online Safety Tips for Kids and Teens - Jan 24th - 6-7pm
Visit the parent academy website to see full schedule and register: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/
January 2024 Lunch Menu
There are different menus for Pre-K, Elementary, Middle School, and High School.
The January Menu for MCPS school meals is here:
Apply now for Free Meals at https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
Interested families must reapply each school year. It takes 15 minutes!
Upcoming Field Trips
We are learning every day in school and on field trips! Here is a list of planned and upcoming field trips. This list will continue to grow as additional trips are planned and more details are finalized. We want to thank our PTA for sponsoring several trips so our students can enjoy them for free!
Permission slips are coming home with students. Please check your student’s folder and return the permission slip.
For field trip payments, we encourage online payments at https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/ School Cash Online is MCPS’ online payment system. Cash or checks payable to Stonegate Elementary are also accepted, but for safety and security purposes, online payments are preferred.
Students will not be denied the opportunity to attend a trip due to financial hardship. If you need to make special arrangements to cover the cost of the trip, please contact your child’s teacher via email or note.
SchoolCash Online
Pay for field trips online! Activate your account today. With your account, you will receive an email each time there is a new activity fee added for your child(ren).
One-Pager - Parent Registration Instructions - 2022 - Montgomery
MCPS Withdrawal Policy for 2023- 2024 School Year
Starting October 2023, MCPS has lowered the threshold of consecutive days of unexcused absences from 15 to 10 days.
If a student is absent 10 consecutive days they will be withdrawn. MCPS will require schools to complete the following forms: MCPS Student Permanent Withdrawal, regardless of student age and the MCPS Educational Interview for Withdrawal Prevention. Then the forms will be filed in the student’s cumulative folder.
Clothing To Cash Recycling Program
Clothing to Cash® is a program that collects new and used clothing, shoes, sheets, towels, and all textiles and pays the school for every pound collected. As your child is outgrowing clothes, don’t throw those clothes away, give clothes a second life by donating them to Stonegate.
This recycling program is a win-win! It’s free and convenient for families and also serves as an ongoing fundraiser that serves our students and school community.
The program is operated entirely OUTSIDE and is located in the school parking lot, where students, parents, staff, and the community can drop off items throughout the year. They have state-of-the-art photo quantity sensors installed in each bin that report 3 times daily allowing the company to schedule service as needed. They empty the collection bin, weigh the contents to determine our school earnings, and pay our school each month. Every donation helps. If each family donates just one kitchen-size trash bag, we will earn $1000- $2000 yearly.
Stonegate families, relatives, neighbors, and staff are all encouraged to participate!
ParentVUE
ParentVue is a central online location for students and their parents, guardians, or other authorized adults to access MCPS student information. Parents/caregivers who do not have an account created will receive a letter from MCPS with instructions and access codes for activation.
Here is a ParentView quick guide and directions for activating your account. If you need an activation letter or assistance, please contact the office.
Here is the MCPS Parent Tech Support Website:
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/tech-info-support
Stonegate Elementary School
Stonegate Elementary School
14811 Notley Road
Silver Spring, MD 20905
Main Office: 240- 740-7430
Arrival 8:40-9:00 a.m.
Dismissal 3:25 p.m.
All walkers will exit through the front doors. We ask that caregivers please greet your students behind the cones away from the front entrance of the double doors.
Picking up early?
If you need to pick your child up early, please do so before 3 p.m. The main office cannot accommodate parent pick-ups after 3:00 p.m.
Principal: Linda_M_Jones@mcpsmd.org
Twitter: @StonegatePrin
Assistant Principal: Franny_S_Wooler@mcpsmd.org
Twitter: @FrannyWooler
Visit us on the web at: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/stonegatees/