March Newsletter
New Market Elementary: Home of the Wolves
Message from Administration
Dear NMES Families,
We will welcome the first day of spring on March 20! Spring: A lovely reminder of how beautiful change can be. As we approach the new season, we are reminded of how much our students have changed from the start of the school year. Some changes observed include:
- academic growth
- new friendships
- more self-confidence
- stronger collaboration skills
- willingness to take risks
- empathy towards others
We encourage you to take time to note the changes in your child from the start of the year and to celebrate that growth. Before we know it this school year will come to a close. Let's enjoy and embrace all the wonderful changes this year has brought for your child and finish the year strong!
Dr. Lockard - Principal
Mrs. McGaha - Assistant Principal
Important March Dates
*Book Fair: March 13 - 17
- Tuesday, March 7: Author visit for our students in grades 3 - 5
- Tuesday, March 7: Hearing and Vision Screening (see information below)
- Wednesday, March 8: Hearing and Vision Screening (see information below)
- Wednesday, March 8: Joint PTA meeting at 6:30 - see details below in PTA section
- Wednesday, March 8: All grade 5 students take the MISA (2 testing sessions)
- Thursday, March 9: All grade 5 students take the MISA (2 testing sessions)
- Friday, March 17: Happy St. Patrick's Day - wear green!
- Tuesday, March 21: End of Term 3
- Tuesday, March 21: Staff Basketball Game at 6:30 at LHS (Students must be supervised by an adult)
- Wednesday, March 22: Schools closed for Teacher Work Day
- Thursday, March 23: Term 4 begins
- Wednesday, March 29: Spring Pictures
- Wednesday, March 29: PTA fundraiser at the Chipotle in Mt. Airy from 5:00 - 9:00pm
Hearing and Vision Screening
Hearing and Vision Screening will take place on Tuesday March 7th 2023 and Wednesday March 8th 2023 for all students in Pre-K, kindergarten, (if not previously screened in pre-kindergarten), 1st grade and new enterers to the Maryland public school system. 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 Wednesday March 1, 2023. 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 240-236-1310.
NMES Staff Recognition 🏆
Please join us in congratulating the following staff members on their recent FCPS nominations:
- Mrs. Barb Vogel, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, is our NMES Teacher of the Year nominee. The FCPS Teacher of the Year will be named in the Spring. We wish Mrs. Vogel the best of luck in the process!
- Mrs. Hildy Aldridge, Instructional Assistant, is our NMES Support Employee nominee. The FCPS Support Employee of the Year will also be named in the Spring. Good luck to Mrs. Aldridge!
We are so fortunate to have these two ladies on our NMES staff! They are positive, professional, experienced and caring people.
Update from Mrs. Anspach and Mrs. D'Onofrio🎨
Dear NMES families,
We wanted to update the NMES community on a change to this year’s Art Show. Unfortunately, this year we will not be holding our annual NMES Art Show. The company, Artome, that we have been working with for the past 10 years is no longer offering in-person shows in our area. We understand this is disappointing for many families and students, as the NMES Art Show was such a wonderfully celebrated and attended event. We are looking into replacement options for future shows. In the meantime, we are promoting Artsonia as an option for families who would still like to support our art program. Artsonia is a website that houses student artwork, PreK-5, and offers families the option to share student artwork with loved ones. This site also has the option of creating custom keep-sakes, including framed prints of your student's artwork. If you have not set up an Artsonia account yet please click on the link provided and it will take you to our NMES Artsonia page.
NMES Artsonia Link: https://www.artsonia.com/connect/KJR4BS33
If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Anspach (Elizabeth.anspach@fcps.org) or Mrs. D’Onofrio (Lanisa.donofrio@fcps.org)
Thank you so much for supporting the NMES art program!
-Mrs. Anspach and Mrs. D’Onofrio
State Testing
Our students in grades 3 - 5 will participate in state testing. The following state assessments will be administered:
- Grade 5 students will take the MISA state assessment on March 8 and 9
- Grades 3, 4 and 5 will take the MCAP ELA and Math assessments following Spring Break (We will share the schedule in our April Newsletter)
You can help your child in several ways to prepare for the state assessments:
- Ensure prompt arrival and full-day attendance on testing days
- Keep smart watches and cell phones at home on testing days as students are not permitted to have these during testing
- Provide a healthy breakfast
- Plan for a good night's sleep before each day of testing
- Build your child's confidence by giving them positive messages
We appreciate your support!
Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey
Attention Families of Special Education Students
All parents or guardians of children ages 3 to 21 who are receiving special education and related services through their local school system are invited to participate in a survey. The purpose of the survey is to determine how well your child’s school is partnering with you and promoting parent involvement in your child’s education. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in your local school system. The Survey is anonymous so please do not write any personally identifiable information. Click HERE to access the survey. The survey closes on May 19. We appreciate your feedback!
PTA Information
Upcoming PTA Meetings
Please join us on Wednesday, March 8th at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria for a joint PTA meeting and a presentation on internet safety from presenter, Vince DeVivo, Community Outreach Specialist from the United States’ Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland. The presentation is intended for parents/guardians.
Innocence Stolen: Protecting Our Children Online is a multimedia presentation that provides communities the necessary information to keep children safe on the internet. The presentation informs adults about how best to protect young people from negative and criminal influences online. Topics include social networking, cyber bullying, sexting, and internet predators. The program provides prevention and intervention strategies and internet safety resources.
Our PTA is hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday, March 29 from 5:00 - 9:00pm at the Chipotle in Mt. Airy. Click HERE to view the flyer.
April 5, May 4
7:00 pm in the school cafeteria.
For information about our NMES PTA, please visit our website at www.nmespta.com
FCPS Honors Chorus
Please join us in congratulating the following students who were chosen to represent NMES in FCPS Honors Chorus:
- Ivy Bangerter
- Nadilyn Meitzler
- Case Pilcher
- Clara Vinson
FCPS Honors Chorus allows for four students. We had 15 students audition for these four positions. We appreciate the interest, enthusiasm and passion for music! Thank you, Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Raynor, for the wonderful music program you lead at our school. Thank you to our wonderful parents as well for your support!
The FCPS Honors Chorus Program will be held on Wednesday, May 3 at 7:00 in the Weinberg Center. Mark your calendars for this wonderful event!
NMES Yearbook Information
Order Your Yearbook Today!
Don't delay in ordering the Cool Vibes 2022-2023 NMES Yearbook through Traditions School Photography. The cost is $25 for the softcover and $30 for the hardback yearbook. All online, cash or check orders are due by Friday, March 3, 2023.
Visit https://traditionsschoolphotography.inter-state.com/ and enter this code 75907C.
Media Center News from Mrs. Siderius
Book Fair Volunteers Needed
The spring book fair will be held in the media center from March 13th-March 17th! We would love to have parent volunteers help us run a successful book fair! All volunteers receive 10% off their book fair purchases. To sign up, please use our SignUpGenius at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4fabaf2aaaf58-spring1#/. For questions, please email our media specialist, Jennifer Siderius, at jennifer.siderius@fcps.org.
Book Fair
The spring book fair is fast approaching! Students will be able to shop during their media time during the week of March 13th and during their grade level's designated time each day. Parents may shop before school (8:30-9:00 am), after school (3:20-4:00 pm), throughout the school day, and during our late hours on Wednesday, March 15th (3:20-6:30 pm). Parents can also shop online at our book fair virtual website at https://www.bookwormcentral.com/school-online-store.php?id=8AAA2F21-D895-43B2-AD16-0390E960F799&pro_id=729&school_code=newmarket.
If you wish to send in money with your child, please put the check (made payable to NMES) or money in an envelope with your child’s name and the teacher’s name on the outside of the envelope. Please include 6% MD tax. We also accept credit and debit cards. Our bookfair company also has an eWallet, where parents can set up a maximum amount for their child to spend and then print a barcode to send to school in place of cash. A tutorial video on using the eWallet option is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWMjvmZ_hVU. You can find the eWallet website at https://www.bookwormbmaps.com/eWallet/.
For more information about the book fair, please watch for fliers coming home or visit https://www.smore.com/bdnz0.
Author Visit
Curious Iguana is hosting the powerhouse duo behind the instant bestseller Allergic at NMES! Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter will discuss their new middle grade graphic novel, Squished, on Tuesday, March 7th, with 3rd- 5th grade students! For questions, please contact our media specialist, Jennifer Siderius, at jennifer.siderius@fcps.org.
During the author visit, the authors will only be autographing the pre-purchased copies of Squished. However, if any students want their own copies of Allergic signed, they can visit the Curious Iguana that evening from 6-7 pm to meet the author again and have their own personal books signed!
Adopt-A-Wolf
Recently, our PTA adopted a wolf, Alawa, at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York in honor of our amazing NMES student wolves! In late March, students will learn about wolves and then experience a virtual field trip in early April to meet our adopted wolf! Be on the lookout for information at the end of March about our virtual field trip and Wolf Spirit Days scheduled for the first week of April!
Winter Reading Challenge Update
Mrs. Siderius would like to congratulate and thank everyone for participating in Beanstack’s All the Feels reading contest in January! New Market Elementary received an honorable mention from the rankings across the United States and earned $100 to purchase new books! Our students did an outstanding job!
Optional Choice Board
Did you know that March is Women's History Month and Music in Our Schools Month? Let all of the fun holidays in March bring music to your ears! Check out our optional choice board at https://bit.ly/MarchBoard to learn more about the diverse holidays this month!
March Schoology Tip for Families
Warmer weather has been in the air, and with it comes spring cleaning! Checkout these spring cleaning tips for your parent Schoology account! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JVujfu7mMqT6HqIYb8ZMKsr3Xyq7GT_wtMfZzc991x0/edit?usp=sharing
Schoology Resources for Parents/Guardians
- FCPS Schoology Page for Students and Families https://www.fcps.org/student-services/schoology
- FCPS Schoology YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGATg8OciCItdUiqHJyHHrA
- FCPS Schoology Troubleshooting Guide https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OJWzxwXeSumMlev5Ac8_-B0aaKhW5_ofMvuRO3a1pws/edit?usp=sharing
- How To View Grades in Schoology https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HG9UQhjKp3gqu7lj6zJJoPNuALXpsY8GGseM5Gu-yX0/edit?usp=sharing
Helping our Young Wolves
To support our Young Wolves still at home, we are sharing an idea to aid their development. When you prepare your little one for a new experience, you are building their brain and giving them the confidence to take on new challenges and adventures. Here are some simple ways to get started:
- Background Knowledge: When your child is about to do something new, or go somewhere they have never been, find pictures in magazines or on the Internet about places they might see. This will give them the opportunity to talk with you, to ask questions and help prepare them for this new experience.
- See What Your Child Is Learning: When you help your child know what to expect from a new experience, you help them feel good about trying something new. In addition, you help them learn how to explore and to take on challenges.
Lost and Found Items
We have accumulated a large amount of clothing in our Lost and Found area. If your child is missing an item then please encourage them to visit our Lost and Found area. Any remaining items will be donated at the end of the school year.
Reminders from FCPS about Weather Delays and Closures
Timing of decisions
Closure and delay decisions involve careful evaluation of a variety of factors in a short time period. FCPS Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson strives to give the community as much warning as possible for closures or delays so families can plan. Based on the forecast and existing road conditions, a decision is made by 5 a.m. whenever possible.
Once a decision is made, the FCPS Maryland Public Affairs team quickly communicates the closure or delay using several communication tools.
How to find out
FCPS swiftly updates several platforms with the inclement weather decision.
- Social media: FCPS on Twitter and on Facebook.
- Online: All inclement weather closures and delays will be posted to the home page via FCPS.org. By visiting, www.fcps.org/alert, the latest alert message will be posted.
- Email/Text messages: FCPS will share email and text alerts of inclement weather via OneCallNow. These messages will be shared in English and Spanish. Families and staff with cell phone numbers and email addresses entered into PeopleSoft will receive the texts and emails.
- FCPS-TV: FCPS will post inclement weather closures via FCPS-TV.
- Updating the media: FCPS notifies approximately 20 local and regional TV and radio stations. It is not possible to guarantee the news media will announce this information accurately. Be sure to check our platforms to ensure accurate information.
After-school and weekend activities
Generally, when schools are closed due to inclement weather, school-sponsored after-school and evening activities are cancelled or postponed. On non-school days, when the Snow Emergency Plan is in effect in Frederick County, all FCPS programs and activities are cancelled or postponed.
More information
FCPS Regulation 400-02 shares all details about inclement weather closures or delays.
Learning @ Home Days
As you may know, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been approved by the Maryland State Department of Education to implement up to three virtual instructional days in lieu of systemwide closure during inclement weather. While not necessarily the first option, the Learn @ Home days provide FCPS flexibility in responding to various weather emergencies. In developing the FCPS plan, our goal is to: mitigate disruption to learning mid-year; minimize additional days that often need to be added at the end of the school year; and keep students connected to learning in the event of an extended closure.
Instructional Activities: All assignments will be independent and self-paced (asynchronous). You can expect approximately 20-30 minutes per subject area that students can complete at a time that works for them or the household. Assignments and activities will be review and practice, not new content. In many cases, students will have choice in selecting the instructional activity. Please note that the design of these instructional days does not require students to follow a typical school or “live” virtual schedule.
All assignments will be posted in Schoology for grades 3 - 5 for digital access or for a copy of printed packet that will also be available.
Assignments will include instructional activities aligned to the curriculum, as provided by FCPS.
Grades PreK-2: The default format for PreK–2 is a printed packet, which will be sent home with your child on Thursday, January 19.
Grades 3-5: FCPS Chromebooks will be distributed as requested prior to the implementation of a Learning @ Home Day. Assignments will be posted in Schoology. Printed packets will be available if requested by student or parent/guardian.
Attendance: Students will be counted as “present” by logging into Schoology on the virtual learning day or turning in assignments upon return to school. Students who were unable to access the instructional activities during the Learning @ Home Day will be provided with additional time.
- Support: During a Learning @ Home Day, should you have questions regarding any of the instructional activities your child’s teacher will be available via email or by calling 240-236-1300.
Click HERE to view a FCPS graphic outlining the purpose of Learning @ Home Days.
NMES Front Office Hours
Our NMES Front Office hours for the 2022 - 2023 school year will be 8:30 - 4:00 Monday - Friday. Our front office phone number is 240-236-1300. If you call between these hours one of our front office staff will be able to assist you. If you call before or after these hours there will not be staff available.
FCPS Bus Delay Information
COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures
The COVID-19 dashboard will be updated daily with the latest information. Positive cases reported to FCPS will reported from each school.
We will continue to utilize several mitigation strategies in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.
New Market Elementary
Email: Steven.Lockard@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/nmes/
Location: 93 West Main Street, New Market, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-1300