Dr. Ronald E. McNair ES Parent News
September 4, 2023
Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School.
The beginning of a school year is always a time of excitement and hope, and this year is no exception. Our hardworking staff has been working nonstop to guarantee that this school year is nothing short of amazing. It has been great to see all of the smiles on the faces of students and staff.
We successfully held our Town Hall meetings with all grade levels. These meetings are where Mrs. Graber (principal intern), Mrs. Privman (counselor), Mrs. Lavo (counselor), and I introduce our Leader In Me habits, emphasize the importance of SOAR and making good choices everywhere and at all times. As a staff, we are continuously modeling and reiterating these behavior expectations. We praise the students throughout the day for following the expectations so that they are Safe, Organized, Actively learning and Respectful (SOAR) so we SOAR towards Success.
The McNair staff and I will continue to ensure all students have access to rigorous and challenging instruction. We want our students to realize that they are at the center of all we do. They are the reason we come to school with enthusiasm and determination every day. We will continue to create opportunities for our students to be actively engaged in a variety of learning tasks. Finally, we will continue to create and foster positive relationships with each student and their family. The staff and administration are committed to making this another great school year!
Please remember the school day is 9:25 am to 3:50 pm. We do not have staff on duty prior to 9:05, so we ask that you do not allow your student to come to school before 9:05 am.
To our parents and guardians, your partnership is invaluable. Your involvement and support play a pivotal role in our students' success. Please know that our doors are always open, and we encourage you to be active participants in your child's educational journey. Regular communication with your scholar’s teacher is very important to their academic success. However, daily communication with your scholar is even more important. Open the lines of communication with your scholar by telling them about your day. Try some of the following conversation starters:
- What was the funniest thing you heard all day?
- Tell me about the best part of your day.
- What subject was the most interesting today?
- Who did you play with today? What did you play?
*** Bonus: What are you looking forward to tomorrow? ***
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email both Mrs. Moses (Sherilyn_R_Moses@mcpsmd.org) and Mrs. Graber (Jessicabay_Graber@mcpsmd.org).
We look forward to working with each of you throughout the school year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Sherilyn Moses, Principal
&
Mrs. Jessica Graber, Principal Intern
Dr. REMES PTA Back To School Picnicn
The Dr. REMES PTA is hosting a Back to School Picnic on Friday, September 8th. From 5:30 to 8:00.
There will be bounce house inflatables, a giant slide, obstacle courses, a dunk tank, cotton candy and face painting for families to enjoy. This event is free to attend, with tickets for premium activities and concessions. Tickets will be available for sale at designated PTA tables.
Food trucks will be on premises for dinner and all food trucks will be donating a portion of the evening's proceeds back to the PTA.
Don't forget to visit Sponsor tables, purchase Spirit Wear, or sign up to become a PTA member for this school year.
Friday, Sep 8, 2023, 05:30 PM
13881 Hopkins Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Contact Information
Emergencies can arise at any time. It is important to your child’s safety that we have your current address and current home and work numbers on file. If you have not already done so, please remember to sign and return all important forms that were sent home on the first day of school.
Arrival and Dismissal
After only one week of returning to school, our arrival and dismissal processes have found a good rhythm.
If you drive your child to school, we encourage you to use our car rider line, rather than parking. It is important that you follow the posted signs and the traffic flow. When going through the car rider line, please be sure your child is ready to exit from the passenger side of your car onto the sidewalk.
When parking around the school, we encourage you to use the Leaman Park parking lot and the Manchester Farms Clubhouse parking lot, and be sure to only park in designated areas. Many families are parking in areas where parking is prohibited. Please avoid doing so, as it makes our dismissal more difficult. We have also received notice that some families are parking blocking neighborhood driveways and mailboxes. We appreciate you being respectful to those who live near our school. We do anticipate sporadic visits from the Montgomery County Police Department where they issue citations for these violations.
As for arrival, if you are walking your child to school, you are a model for your child. Please remember to cross at the crosswalks and follow the directions of the staff. The biggest safety issues in the morning are parents and children crossing the roads, not at the crosswalks. Both of these issues are easily solved by crossing only at crosswalks and listening to the directions of the patrols and staff on duty.
If you are walking along the bus loop on Steeple Road, we ask that you do not walk through the bus loop to access the school. You will need to cross over the bus loop entrance and exit to access the sidewalk to the building. We will be adding signs and patrols to assist with this concern. While we know it adds time and extra steps, there is no sidewalk in the bus loop and it becomes a safety concern for our buses entering the school when there are pedestrians in the loop.
Grades K - 5 Back To School Night
Please see the flyer below!
Thursday, Sep 21, 2023, 06:30 PM
13881 Hopkins Road, Germantown, MD, USA
Specialist Corner
Physical Education - Quarter 1
Ms. Rogers and Mr. Karns are looking forward to a fantastic 2023-2024 school year. Every student has physical education one day each week. Please check your child’s schedule to ensure that they are prepared with sneakers and loose, comfortable clothing in order to participate safely during their PE class each week.
Students in Pre-K-2 will learn/review how to move in pathways, while keeping personal space and practicing locomotor movements. In addition, students will also learn and practice how to dribble, pass and kick a ball with their feet.
Students in grades 3-5 will be able to apply the concepts of speed, endurance and pacing for running while fleeing, dodging, in addition to practicing offensive and defensive strategies while practicing soccer skills.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
If your child is going to be absent or late for school, please call the school at 240-740-6830 to notify us.
Absences:
Parents should keep children at home when illness is suspected, a communicable disease has been diagnosed, or lice nits have been found. The child must bring a note from home upon his/her return. After five consecutive days of absence, a physician’s note is required. Parents will receive an attendance call for students who are absent without notice.
Tardies:
Students who are not in their classroom by 9:25 a.m. are tardy. All students who are tardy must enter with an ADULT, who will sign them in at the office and receive a pass to enter the classroom. Please do not drop your child off if they are late without walking him/her into the office.
Recording attendance:
Attendance in Montgomery County Public Schools is recorded in accordance with the Maryland Student Records System Manual by the Maryland State Department of Education.
- Students will be recorded as AM Absent if they arrive at school more than two hours late.
- Students will be recorded as PM Absent if they leave school more than two hours early.
- Students will be recorded as either AM Absent or PM Absent if they are absent from school for more than two hours, but less than four hours during the school day.
- Students will be recorded as Full-Day Absent if they are present for less than two hours of the school day.
- Students will be recorded as Full-Day Present if they are present for more than four hours of the school day.
PROCEDURE FOR A CHANGE IN THE WAY A STUDENT GOES HOME:
If a student’s plans require a change from their normal dismissal (e.g. play date, child care changes), the change must be made in writing to the homeroom teacher and front office. Please state your child’s name, the name of the individual they should be dismissed with, the date the change is occurring and your signature.
In the event of last minute changes to a student’s dismissal plans, please call the main office prior to 3:00 p.m. All students will be dismissed via their normal plan unless we have been notified of a change. Please arrange your child’s transportation home so that it is consistent. It is difficult for a child to remember where they are to go on a particular day if the routine changes daily. Students are not to call home from the school to make after school plans.
Any adults who come to school to pick up a child early will be asked to show documentation to verify identification and ensure student safety.
The front office will have quiet hours between 3:30 and 3:50 where students will not be called down for early dismissal.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS:
We know your student's birthday is an important day for your family. As a school, we will celebrate your student's birthday by announcing their name on the Dr. McNair Morning Show and asking them to come to the office to pick up a birthday pencil.
- Parents are not allowed to send in party decorations, cupcakes, cake, candy, trinkets, or treat bags to celebrate their student's birthday. Please do not ask your child’s teacher to bend these rules.
- Birthday party invitations may be distributed at the end of the school day under the supervision of the homeroom teacher.
- School staff members are not allowed to give out student addresses or contact information.
Meet our Front Office Staff
Mrs. Sherry Moses - principal
I am excited to enter my 10th school year as principal of Dr. Ronald E. McNair ES (Dr. REMES). My journey to being the principal at Dr. REMES was built from a love of learning and family. I received my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Marymount University in Virginia. Beginning in 2000, I taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades as well as served in the role of instructional technology specialist in kindergarten through 5th grade. In 2005, I joined Montgomery County Public Schools, teaching at Gaithersburg Elementary School (GES). During my time at GES, I earned my administrative certification in Educational Leadership from Hood College. This provided me the opportunity to serve as an assistant principal at Fox Chapel Elementary School for three years. This time was followed by my assignment as principal intern at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. My principal internship was abbreviated, when on February 1, 2014, I joined the Dr. REMES family as acting principal. In May of 2014, I was appointed as principal of Ronald McNair Elementary School. My quest for learning continues as I pursue by Doctorate in Instructional Leadership through Bowie State University. I am honored to be the principal of Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School. I am proud to be working with a dedicated staff and community, continuing to provide all students with a positive educational experience through a high level instructional program.
I was born and raised in the US Virgin Islands, but as the daughter of two military parents, I had the opportunity to travel and live around the country. This developed an appreciation for various perspectives and cultures that sustain me today. I currently live in Frederick, Maryland, with my husband, Chris, and youngest daughter Abigail. My oldest daughter, Shantelle, is a graduate of Shepherd University and UMBC. She currently works for the State Attorney's Office in Frederick and coaches cheerleading as a way to remain connected to the sport she loves. When not working, I enjoy the opportunity to read, spend time at the beach, or be with my family.
As I lead and serve the Dr. McNair community, I do so with the following quote in mind. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” ~ Aristotle
Mrs. Jessica Graber - principal intern
I am very humbled and honored to introduce myself as Dr. Ronald E. McNair’s Principal Intern.
I did not take a straight path to education as I attended NYU, where I received my B.F.A. in theater and consequently spent years performing in New York City and around the country. Part of my performance career led me to TYA, Theater for Young Audiences. These became my favorite experiences. The art of storytelling is a cherished tradition in all cultures and the ability for children to suspend disbelief and fully immerse themselves into the world of others really connected with me. I found young minds were able to navigate so many vast landscapes of emotion, socialization and growth through the arts, that I wanted to learn more about those connections and ways to embrace that work to educate students in the classroom.
While working in a private school in New Jersey, I got my Masters in Early Childhood Development from The City College of New York while continuing to work with students in the arts. With these diverse experiences, my passion for engaging teaching and learning as well as building effective relationships grew, guiding me in my work as an educator.
My husband grew up in Montgomery County and we moved back here almost a decade ago to start our family. My MCPS career started as a 2nd grade teacher where I had a teammate inspire me to work towards my administrative certificate from Hood College. I moved throughout the county as a Pre-K, 2nd grade, 3rd grade and staff development teacher before moving into administration.
In all of my work I look to infuse creative ways to work with students, staff and the community in an engaging, positive, and safe environment.
Ms. Desiree Lee-Thompson - administrative secretary
Greetings Dr. REMES,
I am the administrative secretary for RMES, this is a recent position for me, and I am excited to be a part of the McNair school team.
My background in education and administration spans over two decades from classroom teacher in Montgomery, Prince Georges counties as well as Washington DC to GED instructor with Job Corps. More recently I was with the MCPS Division of Appeals, before transitioning into this new role of administrative secretary.
I attended Frostburg State University and Bowie State University earning a degree in History and Government with a concentration in Pan-African Studies. While I loved being in the classroom, I also loved learning about the foundation of administrative protocols and welcomed the change of routine.
I am a product of Montgomery County Public Schools graduating from Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, Maryland. I am the proud mother of an MCPS 8th grader , a pup mom to a Shiba Inu named Chiko and I currently reside in Montgomery County. I love the water, shopping and traveling. My family and I are extremely active in community service, and I love supporting the Paint Branch basketball program- Go Panthers!
Mrs. Laura Mosquera - attendance secretary
Hello Dr. McNair Families,
I am looking forward to a wonderful school year as the attendance secretary and registrar here at Dr. McNair Elementary! I started at Dr. McNair in the Fall of 2005 - 2006 as a lunch/recess aide. From the Fall of 2010 until the Spring of 2020, I was a paraeducator here at Dr. REMES. Starting in the Fall of 2020, I became the attendance secretary after Mrs. Lynch decided to retire. I am enjoying my position and look forward to helping all current and new students and families.
I was born and raised in Massachusetts. My husband, Jack, and I met in college in Salem, MA. After getting married, we came down to Maryland, as he had gotten a job in Washington, DC. We have 3 adult children, Jonathan, Zachary, and Rebecca, all of whom have been Dr. McNair students. We have two cats, Tiger and Prissy.
I have many hobbies that I enjoy in my free time. I love gardening, photography, quilting, reading, and hiking. My family loves to play board games, and I am always on the lookout for someone who wants a good game of backgammon and/or scrabble.