SHADY GROVE MATTERS WEEKLY UPDATE
November 19, 2023
The Administrator's Corner
Greetings Shady Grove families! On behalf of our entire Timberwolf staff, we would like to take the time to wish all of our students and families a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving holiday. As we embark on this abbreviated school week, there are only a few updates for this week. Both Monday, November 20th and Tuesday, November 21st are early release days. On Monday, November 20th we will hold virtual parent teacher conferences from 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM. Families who were invited for a team conference are scheduled from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM in person. Please feel free to reach out to your child’s school counselor if you have any further questions about the schedule. On Tuesday, we will hold locker cleanouts throughout the day in PE and throughout the grade level hallways. Please encourage your child to bring home any items they may have to wash home. Lastly, we wanted to remind our students and families that outside food and drinks are not permitted at any time of the day. Please help us in doing our part in keeping Shady Grove clean and litter free. That is all for now #TimberwolfNation! Wishing you all a fantastic week!
~Ms. Merino
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2023
November Upcoming Events:
Native American/Alaska Native Month
Monday, November 20th - Early Release Day
Tuesday, November 21st - Early Release Day
Wednesday, November 22nd - Schools and Offices Closed
Thursday, November 23rd - Schools and Office Closed (Holiday)
Friday, November 24th - Schools and Offices Closed (Holiday)
December Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, December 12th - Orchestra Winter Concert (7:00 pm)
Wednesday, December 13th - Band Winter Concert (7:00 pm)
Monday, December 18th - Quarter 2 Interims in ParentVue
Friday, December 22nd - Pep Rally
Monday, December 25 - Holiday (School System Closed)
Tuesday, December 26-Friday, December 29 - Winter Break (No School for Students and Teachers)
January Upcoming Events:
Monday, January 1st - Holiday (School System Closed)
Tuesday, January 2nd - Non-Instructional Day (No School for Students and Teachers)
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
As the chilly season is upon us and we all have a natural need to be cozy and warm. Please remind your students to follow these guidelines for dressing for school. Dress is layers as it can be warm and cold in various parts of the building. Layers should not include blankets. No blankets are allowed in school as outerwear. Also, all footwear should be appropriate for the outdoors, for example getting to and from school, as well as appropriate for public spaces which includes the school building. Students should not wear slippers or house shoes to school as they do not have the appropriate tread or foot protection, especially in the busy hallways during class exchange. When students get dressed in the morning, please remind them to dress comfortably, but also to dress appropriately and for success. Thank you.
~Ms. Cooper
To All 6th Grade Families:
Please return your permission slips and volunteer forms for Outdoor Education by December 15th! Please contact Emily Matusek, Outdoor Education Coordinator at Shady Grove, if you have any questions.
~Ms. Matusek
Monday, November 20th the SGA will be collecting nonperishable foods in cans or boxes. All items turned in will go to a local food pantry called "So What Else." Help us support our community and give to those less fortunate. To make things even better each item turned in will be 1 point towards your grade level at the Pep Rally in December. Turn in to win. ☺️
~Ms. Wolfe
Did you know November 13th was World Kindness Day? The National Junior Honor Society is celebrating in many ways. There are World Kindness Day bookmarks hidden in the media center. Check a book out and see if you get a bookmark! Also, do you want a chance to win a Starbucks gift card? Go to the Media Center and make a simple coloring sheet into something creative! Embrace your creativity on the coloring sheet! The NJHS Kindness Coloring Contest will end on December 1st so get your entries in quickly! You can enter as many times as you want. Good luck!
~Ms. Kozma
Dear Friend of History and Education,
You are invited to be a judge at the Montgomery County National History Day Competition! This event is an exciting opportunity to be a part of your local students’ scholarship and creativity.
The National History Day (NHD) program was started in 1974 as a “science fair” for history, giving students a chance to become real historians. This year, students participating in NHD nationwide are researching topics based on the theme, “Turning Points in History.”
At the contests, students present their research in one of five categories: exhibits, performances, documentaries, websites, or papers. Judges evaluate entries based on historical quality and effectiveness of presentation. The evaluation of projects utilizes a national rubric and all judges will be trained prior to the event via a zoom session.
Students selected to represent their schools compete at the county event and the top entries chosen by judges advance to the Maryland History Day State Contest at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in May, 2024. History Day judging is a one day commitment from 8:00-2:00 on Saturday, March 9, 2024. This timeframe includes an orientation to the judging process, the evaluation of students’ research and presentation, and time to draft comments. Judges have a profound impact by providing an opportunity for students to discuss their work and receive feedback from an outside resource. Volunteers also have a tremendous amount of fun in the process.
“Every time I judge History Day, I come away with the same conclusion—the future is in good hands.” - Retired MCPS Middle School Teacher.
“My reasons for judging are selfish, really. Every time I judge, I learn a little more about historical events, people, and places. Every time I judge, the kids just ‘wow’ me with their passion for their topics. And every time I judge, it makes me a little more proud of the generations coming up who realize how history impacts us today.”-MCPS Parent and Local Business Owner
To volunteer “sign up to judge” by visiting our website to register. Your friends can volunteer with you — just pass along a copy of our letter. About four weeks prior to this event we will provide information about the judging process and the overall day. Any questions please contact Kelli Champagne (kelli_m_champagne@mcpsmd.org) and Abbie Lamb (abbie_lamb@mcpsmd.org)
Sincerely,
Kelli Champagne, Montgomery County Social Studies Instructional Specialist
Abbie Lamb, Program Coordinator National History Day Montgomery County
SGMS DESIGNER ONE OF A KIND ORIGINALS!
Only 8 bags remaining...
$12.00 online (a nominal fee is added when paid online).
$15.00 cash at the school.
Link for Preview: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wxDHLJlnMweUmZsLHng0j3GktICYkYrI
We have good news. It is fortunate for you. If you are still interested in purchasing an original SGMS designer tote.
Created and crafted by our tote designer “Kelly”
~Ms. Hayes
GAITHERSBURG LIBRARY TEEN PROGRAM
Please support the Gaithersburg Library by participating in their great programs! Please see the attached flyer for reference!
Dear MCPS Families,
Here are things to know. Get information about how to prepare for your student's parent-teacher conference, calendar feedback, an important message about attendance, the youth apprenticeship program, how schools are giving back and saying thanks ahead of the fall break, and more!
GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW
7:50 am - Building Opens to Students
7:50 - 8:10 am - Breakfast Available
8:15 am - Class Starts
3:00 pm - Dismissal
Shady Grove Middle School
Principal: Dr. Alana Murray
Asst. Principal: Ms. Jennifer Cooper
Asst. Principal: Ms. Elizabeth Merino
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/shadygrovems/
Location: 8100 Midcounty Highway Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Phone: 240-740-1440