Takoma Park Elementary School
Newsletter
December 3, 2023
Outdoor Recess Policy (from MCPS)
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Schools should consider restricting or canceling outdoor recess during extreme or hazardous weather. Schools may use the information below in evaluating weather conditions for outdoor recess. In general, outdoor recess should be canceled when it is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder with a wind speed of 10 miles per hour or more (see red areas in the Wind-Chill Factor Chart below for hazardous combinations of temperature and wind speed). Outdoor time should be restricted to 15 to 30-minute increments with frequent hydration when the heat index exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit (84 degrees F with 70%+ humidity). Outdoor time should be avoided when the heat index exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit (see red areas in the second chart below - Heat Index Chart).
Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for school. There may be times when the students are required to leave the building and remain outside (i.e. fire drills, real emergencies and recess) and a coat will go a long way toward making sure your child is comfortable in cold weather.
Pro-parent tip: Consider moving your child's "off season" clothing to a storage bin or alternate space to avoid debates about appropriate clothing for the weather. In short, if your child dresses him, her or themselves and can only find weather appropriate clothing he, she or they will always be dressed appropriately for the weather. The child still has options without a debate over why a tank top without a coat is not a good choice when the outside temperature is below freezing.
TPES Online Book Fair
TPES Online Book Fair with Bookworm Central: The TPES PTA is excited to announce that we are partnering with Northern Virginia-based company Bookworm Central for this year's book fair. But you don't need to wait until the on-site book fair in the Spring. You can go to our online book fair right now and purchase books to support our school. TPES earns 15% of all online book fair sales! Purchases made by December 8 will ship in time for the holidays. There is something for everyone at Bookworm Central. Check out our online book fair at: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark. You can see the full list of available titles by clicking the "Books" tab at the top of the fair page. You can also help Ms. Anderson and the Media get the books they need by purchasing from the Library's Book Fair Drive. Those books will go right to the Media Center's collection. Let's get reading!
Blair High School STEM Night
Montgomery Blair High School is excited to host a STEM night on January 26th from 5-7pm in the Student Activity Center located at the University Blvd. entrance. This event is open to DCC K-5 students who have completed the attached registration form.
The event is being hosted by the Math honor society and will feature activities in the health services, robotics, engineering, neuroscience, mathematics, coding and more.
Due to space limitations, we are limiting the event to the first 200 students to sign up.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oEryCPcL-2W5ciUoC0FLpWxND9S5NWVwF7oylB5hMV8/edit?ts=655288d0
Celebrating Birthdays at TPES
Students are permitted to bring in goodies to be shared with classmates. Given the current demands of the curriculum, we cannot have birthday parties for students (no balloons, candles, party favors, hats, etc.). However, parents can arrange an appropriate time for a treat to be shared with the class by contacting the classroom teacher. It is the parent’s responsibility to make arrangements with the teacher to identify a date and time to honor your child’s birthday. Non-MCPS or TPES children are not permitted in the classrooms. In the event that a Non-MCPS child must accompany you, teachers can arrange for the celebration to be held in a common area of the building. All treats must be store bought. Parents should bring no more than one treat per child.
Reminder: Stay Connected with MCPS During Inclement Weather
With winter weather just around the corner, a reminder MCPS offers numerous ways to learn about your student’s school closures, delayed openings and early dismissals when there is inclement weather. Learn more about how weather decisions are made and how to receive information about any changes.
Recordatorio: Manténgase conectado con MCPS durante las inclemencias del tiempo
Con el clima invernal a la vuelta de la esquina, recuerde que MCPS ofrece numerosas maneras de aprender sobre el cierre de escuelas, aperturas retrasadas y salidas tempranas cuando hay inclemencias del tiempo. Obtenga más información sobre cómo se toman las decisiones sobre el tiempo y cómo recibir información sobre cualquier cambio.