Dear MVM Families,
Happy Fall to everyone! I have noticed the morning air feeling quite crisp the past few days and it makes me wonder how we got to October so quickly. Last weekend I had the pleasure to attend the Fair, bringing along my daughter and granddaughter. I ran into students, parents/guardians, and former staff. It was lovely to connect with our community in this way!
A few requests and reminders as we hit our stride:
Students are encouraged to complete any unfinished work from the day/week in order to be prepared and start fresh with their peers. Falling behind can fuel stress and zap some of the joy of learning that MVM hopes to provide. Students who need to catch up on work should make a plan with their teachers and parents for carving out time to get this done.
It’s natural for students to experience a range of interactions when at school – with school work, peers, staff, and sometimes even with siblings. When concerns arise, please reach out to your child’s teacher to troubleshoot solutions. They care deeply about their students and value your input and partnership.
That said, please be curious about your child’s day. When speaking with a teacher, inquiring about a concern often clarifies a situation. Many times the teacher has addressed a concern a significant number of times with a student before it is brought to a parent’s attention. Approaching the concern with an open mind will make it easier to work towards a solution.
Suggested Habits for Your Child’s Health: A good night’s sleep is imperative for optimal learning to occur. A regular bedtime routine leads to better sleep, and turning off screens prior to bed is recommended. (Students should not be taking cell phones or tablets into the bedroom with them). Encourage them to eat a variety of healthy, fresh foods, and opt for hobbies and entertainment that include fresh air and exercise (not hours upon hours of couch/game time).
Speaking of screen time: please monitor your child’s access to the WWW. We are seeing a trend of younger and younger children speaking words and sharing concepts that are well beyond their years and that, frankly, they are ill-equipped to understand. When they bring these topics into the school, they confuse their peers and disrupt the learning environment for everyone.
Attendance: Did you know that attendance, including tardiness, is tracked and is a contributing factor to our MSDE Report Card score? When students miss school, they miss lots of opportunities: academic, arts, physical, social/emotional, clubs, etc. When students arrive late, they miss their morning check-ins and the opportunity for getting situated. That is why this metric is tracked and reported upon. Attendance letters will be sent from the front office to families not meeting attendance standards.
School Climate: School climate is another metric that is tracked due to its importance to the learning environment. All students need to feel safe at school. Student behavior referrals are written by staff when a misbehavior has occurred. Referrals are sent home, typically delivered during dismissal at carline, and depending upon the seriousness of the behavior, may be entered into eSchool for tracking. Both school attendance data and school climate data will be reported at the monthly GC Meetings and addressed in the School Improvement Plan.
MVMS does not celebrate Halloween at school. Costumes and candy distribution are to be enjoyed by our families who celebrate after school hours. Thank you in advance.
Conferences are scheduled for October 12, 13, & 14th. Please be on the lookout for sign ups to be emailed from your child’s teacher or access using this link. In-person and virtual conferences will be offered. Please be signed up for your conferences by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 11.
Dear Families,
The past month our students have been busy as students took part in the beginning of year testing. These tests allow students and teachers to see where they are currently and set goals for learning throughout the year. These tests also allow parents, students, and staff to see their growth through the school year. Students are now working toward their goals that they had set up with their teachers. 2nd Grade parents a letter will come home soon about information about CogAT testing that will take place in late October.
During the month of September, students have learned about Patriot Day (September 11), Constitution Day (September 17), and began to learn about Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15). As we move into October we will continue to learn about Hispanic Heritage month in morning announcements and also learn about Columbus and Indigenous Peoples Day (October 10).
As you talk with your child about their day, ask them what was great about school today. Helping your child find the positives of the day is a great habit to build as it is normally very easy to point to the negatives and ignore the positives of a day. Switching to a positive mindset will show your child how great it is to be a MVM Meerkat.
Parent Handbook The parent handbook was approved by the GC at the September 2022 monthly voting meeting. Please review the 2022-23 MVMPCS Parent Handbook and sign pages 45 and 46.
Attendance Please provide a note if your child is not able to attend school. Email your child's teacher as well as the MVMPCS Attendance email address MVMS.attendance@fcps.org.
Volunteering Reminder: FCPS volunteer training is mandatory to volunteer in the school, in the classroom, with after school clubs, and to chaperone field trips.
Only 1 parent will be approved for each email address. If you use a joint email, one parent will need to use or create an additional email address to be approved as a volunteer.
Volunteers, please bring your ID with you to the office when volunteering.
School Cash Online (SCO) This is MVM's preferred payment method for field trips, after-school clubs, and classroom materials. Please sign up for School Cash Online in advance of your child's next field trip or club activity. There is no service charge when paying through SCO.
Arrival Arrival for all students is between 8:30-8:50 am. Instruction begins promptly at 9:00 am (students who arrive after 9:00 will be marked late and must come to the front office for a late pass.)
If you need to relay a message to a teacher, please send a note with your child or email the teacher.
Breakfast & Lunch Menus and meal prices can be found here.
Picture Day Fall pictures are scheduled for Thursday, October 27th. Click here for more information.
Early Pick Up Parents, please understand that the end of the day is a busy time and early pickups are disruptive to both the classrooms and the front office. We are asking that you make every effort to schedule appointments and activities for a time that is least disruptive to the school environment, when possible - first appointments of the day and after 4:00 pm.
Dismissal For the safety of your child, families must have their carline card when picking up your child through both carline and awning. Without it, children can not be dismissed to an adult. The adult must go the office and have their child(ren) called down for dismissal. Parents should check backpacks for their carline card. If you need a new card, email Ms. Regina. They can not be printed on demand.
To keep the carline moving quickly, please park in the lot and pickup your child at the awning with your card if your child can not buckle themselves in.
For the protection of our students, walkers will now be dismissed at the end of dismissal. They must walk off school property.
At the end of October, we will be taking a field trip to Gaver Farm. Please make sure to return your permission slips and make payments online via School Cash Online.
Kindergarten students have completed both the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and the first round of DIBELS reading assessments.
In October, students will begin to learn about pumpkins and what living creatures need.
Students, parents, and lower elementary staff enjoyed the field trip to the Great Frederick Fair to observe and learn about local agriculture.
Students made peace doves by sponge painting on paper plates and some also folded origami doves. We also enjoyed singing Light a Candle for Peace in our classrooms.
Our second grade students will be walking to the Earth Space and Science Lab at the end of October.
We will be presenting our Montessori Third Great Lesson; The Coming of Humans during October. The Clock of Eras will be presented.
The phases of the moon will be introduced.
The human skeletal system will be investigated.
Our beginning of the year testing provided valuable information that we use to ensure that every child is receiving math and language instruction at the appropriate skill levels. Every student also participates in a book study group. Ask your child about their math, reading and language work in school.
Each child made a square for a peace quilt that we will display in school. After the quilt has been on display for a time, we will make a gift of it and send it with our wishes for peace to another school.
We are continuing our study of earth’s history and the coming of life on earth. On October 25, we will have our field trip to the Natural History Museum. Remember to complete your volunteer training before October 24th if you are a chaperone. Visit this link to complete the training.
Please check Schoology and your child’s cycle graph regularly to help them stay on top of assignments. Interims were mailed home Tuesday to students who are in danger of a failing grade for Term 1. The greatest contributor to this danger is either not doing work or not turning it in. Please help them make a plan for work completion before the end of the term on October 19. This date also coincides with the end of Cycle 1. That means all tasks on their cycle graph will need to be completed.
Headphones are a MUST for MS students. Each student should have their own pair. They are often required to watch videos independently to support concepts being taught. We have a limited class supply and sharing is not sanitary. Please make sure your child has their own pair for school use.
Planners have been received here at MVM. One was ordered for every student. Thank you to those of you who have paid for your child’s planner. If you haven’t yet, the cost is $5.45. You should have received an email from School Cash Online with information about how to pay online. If you did not, you can still login here and pay online. Cash and checks work, too. As soon as we receive payment, your child will be given their planner. We have already started using them in class as an organizational tool.
Be on the lookout for the next permission slip that will be sent home soon for our trip to the American Indian Museum on November 1. We will be asking for chaperones for this trip. We ask that you pay this fee online through School Cash Online.
We are in the process of planning the end of the year (overnight for two nights) trip and hope to have information for you soon. This trip will cost anywhere between $400 to $500. We will be sending home information on fundraisers as well to help offset the cost. Please also consider having your child complete chores to earn and bank their own contribution to this trip. Once all details are finalized, we will make arrangements for you to be able to make payments as well, rather than having to pay all at once.
Physical Education
Please remind students to be prepared for PE by having the correct shoes and hair pulled back. Cold weather is coming and students like to wear boots. Students can leave a pair of shoes down in the Multipurpose Room if that would help them.
Primary students are working on the Locomotion Unit. They are working on side steps, slide, leaps, skips, jogging and other modes of movement. They are also at different speeds and heights.
Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary have worked on the different components of fitness. They are now participating in the Fitness Assessment.
Middle School is learning to be aerobic instructors. They are identifying parts of a song, counting beats and creating choreography that they will teach each other.
Art
Art is seeking donations of unscented baby wipes (preferably aloe free, to avoid allergic reactions) if you have any to spare. I’d also like to thank everyone who has donated any supplies to the art room so far, it’s because of you that we’ve gotten the year off to a great start. Thank you!
Primary is continuing exploring the art element of pattern this month, and tying it into the idea of one point perspective with artist Robin Moline. Robin Moline is responsible for the art that’s on Celestial Seasonings Tea- if you see any in the store, take a picture and send it to Miss Watson so we can share with the class! After Robin Moline we will be looking at a classic favorite, Rainbow Fish, to finish out our unit on pattern.
Lower Elementary is about to begin a deep dive into color, starting with the monochrome art of Pablo Picasso. Later on we will learn all about color relationships, including primary/secondary and complementary colors.
Upper Elementary is continuing our lesson on how to draw still lifes with artist Yayoi Kusama for a twist. Our lesson after this one will be about quotes, if you would like to find quotes your student likes and talk to them about what quotes are so they are prepared!
Middle School is about to start a long exploration into the study of value, or how we make things look 3D in art using dark and light colors. This will be an in-depth exploration that will likely go into November, working our way up into making a realistic still life. This month we are beginning by making a value scale using pencils.
Music
Primary has completed their unit on Dinosaurs. They have learned how to do the Triassic Twist, the Brontosaurus Bump, and the Cretaceous Conga line while clapping, stomping and singing on the beat. We have just started our unit on Fall.
Lower Elementary has learned how to identify, sing, clap and count the pitches C and D or Do and Re. They have learned how to write them in their sheet music. We have just started learning about E or Mi. Students have also begun to play these pitches on Xylophones and keyboards.
Upper Elementary has almost completed their mystery song by writing down measures, identifying the pitches and counting out the rhythm. Students have been using the Xylophones and the Keyboards along with clapping and singing. Students have also picked their long term project for the year.
Middle School has been working on persuasive arguments and a good old fashioned debate while researching the type of projects they wanted to do for the year. Ms. Peer’s class has decided to do an Educational Video on Dinosaurs, including original music and Mr. Worrell’s class has decided on doing the Music Album Master project with a music video as an accompaniment.
Chorus Club has a downtown concert on Tuesday, December 13th on the steps of Colonial Jewelers at 5:30 pm. Please come join us!
The Upper El Drama Production of Maria Montessori the Musical will be on Friday, November 18th at 6:30pm and Saturday, November 19th at 6:30 pm. A link to purchase tickets will be in the next newsletter.
Fact fluency contributes to a student's ability to solve math work more accurately. This builds confidence in a learner’s math ability. Confident learners are more likely to choose and progress to more complex work. Fact fluency is a foundational math skill. Building fact fluency doesn’t have to involve flashcards and drills. Discussing math in the grocery store, while cooking and baking, engaging in games, and making counting and skip counting a part of routines can all help grow a foundation in number relationships. From counting to binary numbers visit this Number Skills page for content and resources.
Community Resource Links
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Food Bank
Frederick County Health Department Information
“The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” - Maria Montessori
One of the main goals of a Montessori education is to instill a sense of independence in our children. Children want responsibility and independence; just ask the two year old toddler that insists on buckling up his own car seat.
At school, teachers and staff have created an environment where children can slowly gain independence and responsibility as they master a set of sequential materials and skills. Students enjoy doing classroom jobs as they feel that they are helping their classroom to remain tidy and organized. They have ownership of their environment.
Parents can help their children reach greater independence by encouraging their children to take care of their own needs. For example, Primary children can help to set a table or sweep the floor. Starting in Lower Elementary, students can plan their lunch menus for the week and pack their lunches. Upper Elementary students can start to do their own laundry, and Middle School students can start creating menus and meal prepping. These activities are also a great way to teach children about nutrition, budgeting, and shopping. You can read more about it here in Three Steps to Instill Confidence.
Meerkat Camp and Power Hour are returning this October. Meerkat Camp (grades K-3) and Power Hour (grades 4-8) are tutoring opportunities for students who need more support and practice with math and reading skills. Like last year, participation is by invitation only.
One of my biggest projects this fall is to inventory all of our school’s technology devices. This includes Windows computers and Chromebooks as well as phones, projectors, document scanners, and technology accessories, including cords and connectors. Broken items will be recycled when possible.
We are missing several Chromebook chargers. Some of these may have been sent home with your students during COVID, but unfortunately they didn’t make it back to our building. Could you please look at home and send in any school chargers that you find? Here are some photos to help you to identify them:
Dell 3100 Chromebook charger (flat connector) FRONT:
BACK:
Older Dell Chromebook charger (round, barrel connector)
FRONT:
Here’s a photo of the two charger connectors next to each other:
Thank you for your support!
Interested in becoming an FCPS substitute? Click here for more information including some of the requirements and benefits of the job. Substitute Information
Join the 2nd annual Children’s Business Fair. Will be Saturday November 5th from 12-3pm. This year they will be hosting up to 100 businesses! This event is being offered to any child ages 6-17 years old who lives in or outside Frederick County or up to 12th grade for FCPS students. Participation is free and the children get to keep 100% of their sales. The Acton Children's Business Fair, Frederick, MD and Global STEM +AR Outreach Foundation, Inc believe this is an excellent opportunity for students to experience entrepreneurship, apply math skills, and learn people skills.
Free Range Kids and Teens enables young artists, creative thinkers, and leaders to find and elevate their unique voices and skills through the performing arts. Schedules and registration at freerangeworld.com
The Salvation Army is offering Christmas assistance again this year. The angel tree application can be done either online at www.SAAngelTree.org or to make an in person call (301-662-2311), extension 102. Starting as soon as October 1st through October 31st. For more information, English Flyer Spanish Flyer
http://education.fcps.org/mvmpcs/ 217 Dill Avenue Frederick, MD 21701 240-236-6100 Fax: 240-236-6101 Principal: Amy Dorman