Dates and times are subject to change
Dear MVM Families,
Warm wishes to you as we slide into Fall and feel the beginnings of the cooler weather to come. I look forward to seeing what this next season brings. Please take a few minutes to read the information contained in this newsletter as there are many important updates. Moving forward, you may expect the school newsletter at the start of each month with an update at the mid-point. I hope you find this communication helpful.
October 25 marks the end of the first term and parents/guardians are encouraged to sign up for parent/teacher conferences. Teachers will provide an overview of your child's progress and suggestions for continued success. The meetings are brief (10 - 15 minutes) so concerns that require more in-depth consideration may need to be addressed at another time. You may contact your child's teacher to schedule a meeting any time throughout the year.
Ms. Renee, our administrative assistant, has left her position with us effective September 30. We are in the process of hiring for this position. Please plan accordingly when emailing communications to the school.
We currently have 48 parents who have signed up to volunteer through the Raptor system. Volunteers -- in any capacity -- need to complete the volunteering module. This includes parents who wish to chaperone field trips. Volunteers have been making a tremendous contribution in recent weeks to the grounds and inside the building. Plants have been tamed and weeds cleared, outdoor spaces beautified, and plans for outdoor classrooms and/or dining are underway. Volunteers have also done a wonderful job of organizing the media center and evaluating the collection and thinning the stacks. Over the summer volunteers helped with moving classrooms, procuring materials, and keeping the campus beautiful. We are grateful for the care and support that comes from our community!
We continue to receive feedback from neighbors who are affected by carline traffic during drop-off and pick-up times. We have generally enjoyed a congenial relationship with our neighbors, and we'd like to keep it that way. They have on occasion delivered mail and packages to us, tilled our front yard to prepare it for mulching, and corralled waylaid playground toys/balls for us. They also keep an eye on the building for us during off hours. Please follow the guidance provided by our Carline Parent Volunteers and Carline Staff/Safety Patrol. Bruner Alley (the dumpster side access) should only be used by families leaving the lot and not entering. The parking spaces (on the dumpster side) are reserved for volunteers and should not be used for families to park and walk to the awning. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
We continue to look for ways to improve and welcome your feedback.
There will be no pre-K classes on Tuesday, October 12 through Friday, October 15 due to Teacher Conferences.
Parents are asked to let the school know when a student will be out for extended absence. Students out due to mandatory quarantine should follow their teacher's schedule, complete assignments and check-ins, and will be marked present. All other extended absences, such as for vacation, are marked as absences and missed work must be made up. Either way, please notify the office in the event your child(ren) will be absent from school.
On-time arrival to school is important! Students who arrive late miss important components of the morning routine, and they may feel unsettled because of this. Families who arrive after the carline volunteers have gone and doors have been closed will need to come to the office and fill in a late slip for their child(ren). Students will go to their classroom independently.
A variety of school supplies will be available on the school parking lot during conference days for families to take. Please help yourselves.
Parents help us make the dismissal run quickly and smoothly! ~ When you come for dismissal, have your dismissal card with you and please know the name of your child's teacher(s) ~ Help your child understand during dismissal time they should be sitting quietly with their belongings and listen for their name to be called. Once their name is called they should move swiftly to the exit. The Safety Patrols are located in various parts of the building to help the students exit quickly and safely.
Primary
Primary students are learning about apples and seasons changing. Students are continuing to practice their preliminary skills (rolling rugs, restoring materials, grace and courtesy). Students (and adults) are creating a sense of community in the classroom. Students received beginning lessons with our curriculum (conflict resolution, the peace rose). Kindergarten students completed the KRA (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment). Parents will receive the feedback/data at conference time.
Lower Elementary
Lower elementary students have received two of the Five Great Lessons: The Story of the Universe and the Earth, and The Story of Life Coming to Earth. Lower elementary is scheduled to visit the Earth Space and Science Lab, with the first-year students enjoying their trip already on October 5. DIBELS, a reading screener, has been completed for all grade levels. This information will help guide our planning and instruction in reading.
Upper Elementary
Upper elementary students took state standardized testing for language and math, and sixth year students will take the state standardized test in science. Upper elementary students are learning about migrations to the American continents before the last ice age and the regional cultures that developed into Native American civilizations. Students are also learning to recognize the use of resources in culture, science, and how economic principles of resource management permeate nearly everything. Every student is a member of a literature study of various novels. Please talk to your children about the books they read.
Middle School
In science, middle school students began by exploring the process of science and why, as scientists, we do what we do. They carried this knowledge into the beginning of their unit on our "Dynamic Planet" by learning about cycles in nature and the rock cycle in particular. Students simulated the cycle in their first major lab.
In math, students have all finished their first units and either taken the unit exam or are preparing for the exam. In 7th and 8th grade classes, they have been studying the real number system and solving both contextual and non-contextual problems with rational numbers. The Algebra class has been revisiting solving linear equations and inequalities and have been introduced to exponential and quadratic functions as well as multiplying polynomials.
Specials
PE News: We have been doing lots of movement down in the multipurpose room. We are learning about the four components of fitness. The students have been working on their flexibility and muscular strength. We will be participating in activities that demonstrate why the four components of fitness are important in our daily lives. In future weeks we will be covering muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Reminders:
Art News:
We have been doing painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Please remind students to wear clothes they don't mind getting paint on.
Happy Birthday to all Staff Members Celebrating October birthdays!
Save the Date
217 Dill Avenue Frederick, MD 21701 240-236-6100 Principal: Amy Dorman