February 20, 2020
Dear Falcon Families,
Hard to believe we have surpassed the 100th day of school! Wow! Are you receiving your child's grade level team newsletter? We have been focusing on putting this out once a month so you feel more connected to the academics occurring in the classroom. We collect each one that is returned so that we can see if we are reaching you! Right now 4th grade is in the lead with the most returns.
Thanks for coming to our Falcon Awards! We will be sure to send invitations in the mail even earlier next time as we are hearing some families did not get their invitation in advance. Teachers will also attempt to email you ahead of time as well. Please be sure to update your email information with the front office if something has changed. Thanks for your help as we strive to do better to serve you.
We are in a busy learning time right now where it is so important that your child attend school as much as possible. It is very hard for our teachers to try to prepare make up work on new concepts and send them home as a replacement to the experience of the teaching in the classroom. If your child is not sick, we need them! Their everyday attendance builds their confidence in learning new concepts and helps them to move forward faster. We are teaching new skills at a rapid pace right now as we work in quarter 3!
Thanks for your support!
Mrs. Seiss
Elementary Magnet Program Application
Applications are due February 27
The Elementary Magnet Program Application season is now upon us! This program is designed for academically gifted students in grades 3 – 5 with superior performance in both language arts and mathematics.
Application information will be available beginning January 24, 2020, and may be obtained online at www.fcps.org/academics/elemmagnetprg . The 2020-2021 Elementary Magnet Program application is for students currently in Grades 2, 3, and 4.
Parents and teachers are encouraged to review information, including some characteristics of gifted students. All information may be found:
via this flyer.
online via https://www.fcps.org/academics/elemmagnetprg.
via information at your school’s front office
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Advanced Academics at 301-696-6891.
School closings or delays due to inclement weather can be found in multiple ways- 1) FCPS will send out a Find Out First with the information as early as possible, 2) you can check on www.FCPS.org, 3) TV and local radio stations. We respectfully request that you use these ways to be informed. The school front office is not informed sooner than Find Out First and at times struggles handling the volume of calls with weather questions. Thank you for your help!
Blessings in a Backpack is looking for Volunteers here at NFES to help pack weekend food for our kids. We pack on Thursday mornings beginning at 8:30am in our Cafeteria. Please use the Sign Up Genius below so that we know we are covered. We pack for 340 of our students! Sign Up Genius
Looking Ahead
NFES Math in the Morning and Classroom Visit
Math in the Afternoon and Classroom Visit Click here for all the information!!
*Dates and times are subject to change.
Keeping You Informed
Attendance
Good attendance leads to success and boosts graduation. Our school goal is 96%.
2019 - 95.7% Our Attendance Year to Date is 95.7%. Our goal is 96%.
Please help us meet our goal by sending your child to school and on time.
Help us keep our attendance percentage above 96% this year!
From the Front Office:
- We require all transportation changes, both daily and permanent to be provided in writing via a note or email for safety reasons. Emails can be sent to Jennifer.mathers@fcps.org. We appreciate transportation changes to be submitted by 2pm if possible.
- Morning Car rider line- If possible, please help us by having your child able to exit out of the car on the curb side to keep everyone safe and help to keep our line moving efficiently. Thank you!
- The front office is closed from 2:30-3pm every day to allow the front office to dismiss all children in a safe and timely fashion.
- Please remember to bring a government issued photo ID when visiting the school and/or signing students out of the school.
Thank you for being so understanding and helping NFES keep our students safe.
Movie Night coming February 21
Math in the Morning/Afternoon March 5
MET Play March 6 and 7, 7pm
Lunch with Loved Ones March 17
Scholastic Book Fair March 17-20
NFES Fashion Show April 4
Spring Carnival May 29
Thursday, March 5
Click below for all the Information Math in the Morning/Afternoon Flyer
The NFES Science Fair and STEM Night are coming! How can you prepare?
-Our NFES Science Fair and STEM Night will be held on Tuesday March 31st in the school Gym
-The FCPS County Wide Science Fair is Saturday, March 28th. This is optional. You can register online. You will need to complete your project sooner if you plan to participate in this.
The links below have the Timeline to follow
Science Fair and STEM Night (English) Science Fair and STEM Night (Spanish)
Numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are approximate dates to assist you in planning.
Numbers 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10 are exact dates.
PATHS®
Daily PATHS® lessons continue in all classes each week. We encourage you to think about ways you can reinforce these skills and concepts at home.
Do your children ever have difficulty calming down? You can use the steps in the control signals poster as a way to help your child get control of their behavior.
Using the same steps at home that students are learning for problem solving at school will help your child remember and follow these steps more often when they have a problem. Helping your child solve their own problems builds self esteem!
Students are learning how to "do the turtle" as part of PATHS lessons. This includes using a body movement which mirrors that of a turtle going into its shell (hands on head and tucking your chin towards your chest). As students move into the turtle position they work through the steps on the poster shown above. This process promotes their ability to identify their emotions and self-regulate their response to something that has happened. This is first step in the problem-solving process.
Students are learning to use a stoplight approach to problem solving. Stopping to recognize the problem and how they feel about it (part of doing the turtle) is the first step. Then students begin to think of ways to solve a problem and what might work best. Finally, students select the best solution to the problem and then evaluate how it worked. Teachers are supporting students in using control signals during times problems arise individually and as a class.
Students use feeling faces cards to identify comfortable or uncomfortable feelings they may have during the day. Recognizing emotions is an important step in communicating how you feel and what you need when problems arise.
Did You Know...?
You can put money on your child's lunch account online! - If you would like to update your child's lunch account, please visit: http://www.myschoolbucks.com.
BUS DELAY INFORMATION
FCPS has a Transportation Delay Board that you can access easily when you wonder why your child's bus hasn't arrived yet.
Bus Delay will let you know!
This can also be found on the FCPS.org website under "Our Schools" tab. The Bus Delay link is on the right side under "Quick Links". It updates often, so keep checking. This is faster than calling your child's school!
PTA News-
Tomorrow!
Friday, February 21
Sign up for Concession Donations
Tickets on sale Feb. 12th - March 13th.
Save the Date!
Spring Book Fair coming Tuesday, March 17-Friday, March 20
Sign up to Volunteer HERE
Great News!!! We have an online store for you to shop and the school earns 25% of all sales! Please visit the online store by clicking HERE The online book fair is available March 11th-24th
Please “like” our PTA Facebook Page to keep up to date on all events!! Click the link above, or search“North Frederick Elementary School PTA”
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Do you know that NFES earns $.10 for every clipped box top? Thanks for remembering to clip, save and send them in with your student. We are still collecting Box Tops, so keep them coming! Learn More
Counselor's Corner-
February 1-29
Dear North Frederick Families,
Black History Month is here and with that our staff will be educating and celebrating the many accomplishments of African American men and women with your child! There are a few fun contests we encourage your child to enter.
1) Writing Contest: A short paragraph describing, "What Black History Means to Me." All students are invited to participate.
2) Art Contest: A piece of art celebrating Black History. Any expression of art is accepted.
3) Important figures past and present. Students verbally discuss the person they researched, their accomplishments and legacy, and what it was or is about that person that is of particular interest to them. Students are invited to be videotaped and we will make a video collage of all presentations to share school wide.
4) Students and staff share family/cultural traditions during community time.
5) Posters/Banners (any visual display students would like to share regarding Black History).
All entries are due to Ms. Vogtman no later than Feb. 29th
Laura Vogtman School Counselor North Frederick Elementary 240 236-2020 fax 240 236-2001
Laura.Vogtman@fcps.org
Learn More
Media Center News
Media Center
2019-2020 Weekly schedules:
Monday – O’Hara, Sgouveakos, Porter, Stefkovich, Roland, Saunders
Tuesday – Mee, Winfield, Pruett, Riedesel, Maher, Lindsey
Wednesday – Hooper, Wenner, Moses/Hudson, Pallansch, Clas, Spevak
Thursday – Anderson, Roark, Prouty, Inkrote, York, Brown
Friday – Wagner, Jones, Bridges, Walton, Warrenfeltz
Media Specialist: Sherri Thomas
Visit Our Online Resources
Health Room News -
Cold vs. Flu Symptoms Fever: A fever happens rarely with a cold, but it is usually present with the flu.
Aches: Slight aches and pains occur with a cold, but severe aches and pains occur with the flu.
Chills: Chills rarely occur with a cold, but they are common with the flu.
Tiredness: Slight to moderate levels of tiredness occur with a cold, but moderate to severe levels of tiredness occur with the flu.
Onset: A cold's onset takes place over a few days, but the flu's onset is sudden.
Coughing: A cold often has a mucus-producing, sometimes dry, cough, but the flu typically has a dry cough, occasionally mucus-producing.
Sneezing: Sneezing is common with a cold, but it is not typical with the flu.
Stuffy Nose: A stuffy nose is common with a cold, but it is not typical with the flu.
Headache: A headache is common with a cold, but it is not common with the flu.
School Nurse: Bridgid Knott, RN BKnott@FrederickCountyMD.gov Health Room Technician: Nikki Riffle NRiffle@FrederickCountyMD.gov
Social Worker's Suite -
What is mindfulness in schools?
In the Mindful Schools community – educators, parents, and school community members – many of us are exploring mindfulness because we’re excited to share mindfulness with our students who are facing an increasingly complex and technology-based world. Research shows that in addition to benefits for adults, youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well-being.
Watch and listen to how students and educators explain what mindfulness means to them.
https://youtu.be/6s1_m28B7ek
Why Is Mindfulness Needed in Education?
Today’s educators and students carry so much on their shoulders. Meeting academic and social expectations – and simply growing up and developing a sense of self and belonging – can be tough. Yet the pressures in today’s educational environment reach far beyond these basics. Our world is moving and changing faster than ever.
We need a response that addresses the overall health and sustainability of learning environments and supports the well-being of every educator, student, and member of the school community.
Students Face New Challenges
Nearly 1 in 3 adolescents will meet criteria for an anxiety disorder by the age of 18.
46% of all children in the U.S. have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE).
On average, U.S. teens spend 9 hours a day on digital entertainment, excluding school work.
Nearly 40% of high school seniors report that they often feel lonely and left out.
An increasing number of today’s students face challenges that affect their ability to focus attention, regulate difficult emotions, build inner resilience, and form healthy and supportive relationships.
The Benefits of Mindfulness
Solid scientific evidence shows that mindfulness practice improves attention, self-control, emotional resilience, recovery from addiction, memory, immune response, and more. This summarizes benefits that are particularly relevant to educators; these are fundamental human abilities that when fostered through mindfulness practice will contribute to greater well-being in our school communities.
Manage Stress & Anxiety
Mindfulness practice helps educators notice the impact of toxic stress and anxiety and develop the skills to more effectively transform stressful situations.
Strengthen Cognitive Health & Attention
Mindfulness contributes to greater clarity in executive choice, decision-making, and healthy cognitive functioning. It strengthens our “mental muscle” for bringing focus back where we want it, when we want it.
Model Compassion & Kindness
As an educator’s mindfulness practice deepens, they develop a stronger capacity for self-care and self-compassion and ability to nurture, comfort, and heal themselves, students, and others.
Cultivate Awareness & Balance
Mindfulness gives us the skills to be present with our emotions, especially the difficult ones. Mindfulness practice can help reduce their intensity and impact on us and allows for new possibilities and patterns.
Foster Empathy & Connection
Mindfulness practice is a powerful way to develop a deeper sense of connection with both ourselves and others. Building our capacity for empathy supports us in effective communication, collaboration and leadership.
Grow Resilience
Mindfulness equips educators with resources like patience, flexibility, and equanimity, helping them to cope with adversity. Cultivating positive states – calm, relaxation, and peace – builds our inner strength to take on the daily challenges in schools.
For more information please check out www.mindfulschools.org
Ayana White, LCSW-C at 240-236-2006 or email ayana.white@fcps.org
Photos-
PRINCIPAL Kimberly Seiss NORTH FREDERICK ES 1010 Fairview Avenue Frederick, MD 21701 240-236-2000 Phone 240-236-2001 Fax
Follow Principal Seiss on Twitter See Our School Website
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Nicole Bell
School Cash Online
Menus & Meals www.fcps.org