Cedar Grove Friday Flash
October 22, 2021
Dear Cedar Grove Families,
We hope that you and your family are doing well!
The Damascus Community Recreation invites parents and children to Outdoor Movie Night on October 29 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. There is also a costume contest at 8:30 p.m. and a Trick-or-Treat table. Please see this Flyer for more information and to register for this event.
In addition, the Montgomery County Recreation Sports and Damascus Community Center is
offering an in-house basketball clinic for boys and girls in grades kindergarten through six. Please call the community center at 240-777-6930 to register.
Please see the following communication from MCPS regarding in-house COVID testing:
COVID-19 testing will help reduce quarantine and keep students and staff safe. One significant mitigation tactic MCPS is using is random COVID-19 screening tests and rapid testing across grades. MCPS, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health, is offering COVID tests to students at no cost. Testing requires parent permission; one form provides consent for both tests.
Screening Testing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends random asymptomatic COVID-19 testing because it detects and can limit the spread of the virus, even in the absence of visible symptoms.
Rapid Testing: Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will determine whether a COVID-19 rapid test should be administered when a student presents to a health room with potential COVID-19 symptoms.
Parents/guardians only need to fill out one form to provide consent for both types of tests. Please note that this is separate and in addition to the the weekly testing conducted by CIAN, the vendor contracted by MCPS to conduct the testing. In this case, testing is conducted by our health technician or school nurse. Please click on the links below for the consent form and additional information.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Derby and Mrs. German
Mental Health Awareness Week to be Held November 8-13
MCPS and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association will host free virtual events the week of November 8–13 to give youth and families the opportunity to hear from mental health experts on issues that are important to them. The weeklong expo will feature daily themes, dynamic speakers and breakout sessions, as well as three live events: a Waymaking Special on Student Mental Health, a Careers in Mental Health information session, and a Resource Fair and Q&A session on Saturday, Nov. 13. More information is available here.
FROM The Cedar Grove PTA:
Thank you to the parents and staff who have already joined the Cedar Grove PTA! We are looking for as many people as possible to become members and volunteer if you are able. Family Membership is $25 and $15 for teachers. Please consider becoming a member of the PTA. Together we can accomplish much by supporting our school and our students.
To join the CGES PTA, please print and complete the form using the link below. You may have also received this form at the school picnic. Once the form is complete, please return it to the school in an envelope marked “PTA Membership” with your child’s name and grade.
If you have any questions, please email- sonalpurohit@gmail.com.
Parents of 5th Grade Students from Mrs. Spoales, School Counselor
I hope you are doing well! MCPS offers enriched and accelerated programming in both the local middle school and regional middle school magnet programs (Grades 6-8). The Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) is comprised of three magnet themed middle schools. The MSMC is interest based, and our 5th graders are eligible to apply on Google. Placement is by a lottery. The MSMC schools include Argyle, Loiederman, and Parkland middle schools. There are two criteria-based magnet programs located both upcounty and downcounty, and the program includes both Humanities and Communication and Math, Science, and Computer Science. A student's home elementary school determines their eligibility for the location. This video has an overview of the three programs, interviews with the magnet coordinator and student reps, and a FAQ at the end. Please reach out to Erin Spoales, School Counselor, with any questions.
Reminder About the Holiday Giving Assistance Program
If you and your family are in need and would like to be referred for possible assistance for the holiday season, please complete this referral form below as soon as possible to provide the required information. Resources are limited; please apply only if you and your family are truly in need. While a referral is not a guarantee of assistance, the Project helps as many families in need as donations allow.
English Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qZGDS8GtdR1UhpRRrL6b4Ouk1iCJhtf9iKE_BKYLEeY/edit
Spanish Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pcrtMQvfRugfq_m2s0gsjOOSSD2T7lzLlhXHx3VNK4s/edit
Tech Tips and Reminders
From Mrs. Hirschhorn, Media Specialist
As October is coming to an end, we still have plenty of October going on in the media center -- such as highlighting pumpkin and Halloween books! Although our annual pumpkin decorating event is closed, we will still have another Pink Out Wednesday so we hope your children participate! The October Media Monthly has been updated to reflect how things are going!
Art, Music, and PE Newsletter
Parents, each month our Arts team will share a newsletter that will provide you with what grade level students are doing in their classes.
Here is the the October 2021 Specialists' Newsletter.