volume 16, issue 7 march...
TRANSCRIPT
Page 1
A Message from the Principal . . . March is known to be the month of expectations as the snowy days of winter wind down and the sunny days of spring begin. MAP test-ing (Maryland Assessment Program) is finally ending for students in grades K—Five. The teachers and students have worked very hard dur-ing this testing process. We are really proud of their tech savvy skills!
As you read this months newsletter Ms. Simpson and Nurse Gor-man have focused their messages on making sure your child get’s a good nights sleep. Baltimore County has designated March 7th—11th National School Breakfast Week. Eating breakfast helps to “fuel their brains”; if your child doesn’t have time to eat at home, they can eat breakfast in the cafeteria. If you would like your child to have breakfast at school, please send your child in by 8:40. A staff member takes the students down every morning at this scheduled time.
Our PTA has been busy creating fun ways to spend time with your child during Family Nights. This month they will host our first CAMP-IN where families will have special camping treats as they dye eggs for the festive spring season. It’s never too late to support your PTA by volun-teering time. Volunteers are always needed and welcome. Please view the calendar and make time to support the activities with your presence as a volunteer. We can’t have the Family Nights without your help.
Teachers are still planning field trips and classroom activities. In order to attend field trips and volunteer in the classroom, you MUST be Volunteer trained. Information and instructions are enclosed in this news-letter.
Mrs. Holcomb is preparing for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten registrations for the 2016—17 school year. If you have a child or know someone in the neighborhood with children ready to begin school in the fall, please see the important information enclosed in this months newslet-ter.
Mrs. Hoffmaster is headed back to her school at West Town Ele-mentary. She shared with Mr. Quinn and I how wonderful her experience was as acting Principal. She found our students engaging, and hard work-ing and complimented our teaching staff on their phenomenal instruction. She also found our families to be very welcoming to her short internship here at Essex. I knew she would enjoy this school and the community as I certainly missed my Essex family while visiting other schools in the coun-ty. It’s good to be back seeing the smiling faces of your children that make me so thankful to be a part of their educational journey.
Spring Break is early this year as schools will be closed March 25th—April 3rd. We hope you use this time to read and practice math facts with your child.
March
The month of March has just blown in,
To say that Spring will soon begin.
March roars in like a lion, with a bluster and a slam!
And tiptoes out gently like a quiet little lamb.
March
3/2 PTA Meeting 6P
3/4 Professional Development/
Schools Close 3 Hours Early
3/11 Gr. 5 Ecotrekkers Field Trip
3/15 Chess Club Chick Fil A Family Night
3/23 Spring Picture Day
PTA Camp-In/Egg Dying Family Fun Night 6P
3/25—4/3 Spring Break/Schools Closed
April
4/4 Schools Re-Open
4/6 Accelerated Reader Reward Assembly
4/8 End of 3rd Qtr. Close 3 Hours Early
4/13 STEM FAIR DAY
4/15 PTA Family Game Night
4/19 PTA Meeting 6P
4/20 PTA Sweet Frog Family Night
4/21 Report Cards Distributed
4/26 Primary Election Day/Schools Closed
4/28 Take Your Child To Work Day
Kindergarten 2016-17 Registration
May
5/2-6 Teacher Appreciation Week
5/3 Pre-K 2016-17 Registration
5/10 Field Day
5/11 National School Nurse Day
5/13 PTA Family Night/Spring Dance
5/16 Pre-K/Kg Conference Day/
NO SCHOOL FOR PRE-K/KG
5/17 Pre-K Conference Day/
NO SCHOOL FOR PRE-K
PTA Meeting 6P
5/18 PTA Sweet Frog Family Night
5/27 Salute to Building Service Workers
5/30 Memorial Day/Schools Closed
Volume 16, Issue 7
DATE: March 2016
Essex Elementary School Phone: (410) 887-0117
Amy Grabner, Principal Fax: (410) 887-0118
Randy Quinn, Assistant Principal http://essexes.bcps.org
MARCH NEWSLETTER
Page 2 Volume 16, Issue 7
PHYSICAL EDUCATION NEWS . . . A message from Mrs. Howell
In the Gym
For the month of March Kindergarten through 5
th grade will be working on their Basket-
ball skills. They must wear their tennis shoes to participate and to get full credit.
5th and 4
th graders will also be completing
their Fitness Gram testing. All results will be sent home before April.
Marathon Kids
Please make sure your child is completing their Marathon Kids mileage log. They should be on Log 3.
Labels for Education
We are still collecting all Labels for Educa-tion. All money will help purchase field day and recess equipment. You can deposit all labels in the Labels for Education box in the school lobby.
Please see blow for participating products
Field Day T Shirts
Field day t-shirts will be on sale starting Monday, February 29 until Friday, March 11. Cash will only be accepted. You may use the order form attached.
Save the Date
Field day will be Tuesday, May 10 with a rain date for Thursday, May 12. This year all Essex students will get a water and a snowball during the event.
Coke Rewards
Please keep collecting the Coke Rewards from cases, 2 liters and 20 oz sodas!! You can deposit all Coke Rewards in the barrel in the school lobby.
Please open an account today with My Coke Rewards. If you give me the email and the password that you used, I will put the codes in for you. Please fill out the information below and send it into school as soon as you can. You will receive emails stating that the points are being put in.
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My Coke Rewards information for Mrs. Howell:
Email: ________________________________________________
Password: ______________________________________________
Page 3 Volume 16, Issue 7
CHESS CLUB NEWS . . . A message from Mr. Gray
On February 5th, Essex Elementary had its annual winter
chess tournament. There were 46 competitors, and the tour-
nament was divided into three sections.
5th grade
Champion – RJ Ayhon
2nd place - Trevor Valentijn
3rd place - Gavin Richardson
3rd Grade
Champion- Henry Tang
2nd place – Samuel Diaz
3rd place – Alyssa Vest
4th Grade
Champion – Joshua Alvarado-Alvaraz
2nd place – Ian Mullaney
3rd place- Nick Cannon
Page 4 Volume 16, Issue 7
PTA CORNER NEWS . . . The PTA would like to say “Thank You”
for all the support Essex Elementary families
have given so far this year. We only have a few
months to go and we are excited to have many
fun new activities & fundraisers scheduled for
students and families. Committees are being
formed for both Teacher Appreciation Week and
the Spring Luau Dance; we are in search for vol-
unteers, moms, dads, grandparents to help with
ideas, planning, setting up, etc. We completely
understand schedules are tight, and some may
like to get involved but just are limited. We can
use volunteers in many different areas; email us
at [email protected] if you are interested in
volunteering, we would be happy to work around
your schedule. A little time can go a long way!
Listed below is a schedule of activities
planned for the rest of the school year. Take a
moment, and see if there are some areas where
you could volunteer.
March
2nd - PTA Meeting @ 6pm at school
15th - Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night Come support the Chess Club!
23rd – Family Camp-in & Egg Dying Fun Night
Volunteers Needed!! - (time TBD)
April
15th – Game Night 6-7:30pm
19th - PTA Meeting @ 6pm at school
20th - Sweet Frog Family Night
28th - Math Night at Food Lion 6-8pm (Martin Blvd)
May
2nd-6th - Teacher Appreciation Week -
Volunteers Needed!!
13th - Spring Dance - Volunteers Needed!!
17th - PTA Meeting @ 6pm at school
18th - Sweet Frog Family Night
June
1st – Paint w/ Ms. Kate Fundraiser Night (Adults only)
7th - PTA Meeting @ 6pm at school
Spirit Week - (Date TBD)
End of School Event (Date TBD)
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR NEWS . . .
A message from Ms. Simpson Winter is almost over! And with this comes spring….yes there is more energy in the air and your little ones are still in need of sleep to keep up with all the demands of school and play!
Did you know that children age:
4 and 5 years need 10 to 12 hours of sleep?
6-9 years need 10 hours of sleep?
10 -12 years need 9-91/2 hours of sleep?
Teens need 8-9 hours of sleep?
Children who come to school sleep de-prived are not able to do their best work in school. Usually they miss key instruction, are not as alert, and have low energy levels, and are unable to cope with peer difficulties as easily.
Sometimes children will come to school and say that they did not get enough sleep be-cause they were watching TV or playing video games in their rooms late at night while others in the house were sleeping even though they were put into bed on time.
Please monitor your child’s sleep situa-tion and make sure that they have a restful night’s sleep free of distractions. After all it is your child’s job to come to school and do their best. And getting a good night’s sleep will en-able them to better do that!!!!!!
BCPS NEWS . . . SURVEY EXTENDED TO
HEAR FROM MORE OF TEAM BCPS
The last day to take the 2016 BCPS Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey will be Sunday, March 6. 2016. Taking the survey is a quick way for the entire community to give feedback on academics, safety, communica-tion, and organizational effectiveness.
Team BCPS stakeholders, including students in Grades 4-12, parents/guardians, community members, school-based staff, school-based leaders, and central office staff, are asked to take the survey online at: https://bcps.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQm7Z37Wguu2eRT.
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 5
ART ROOM NEWS . . . A message from Mrs. Skeels
ART Happenings at Essex Elementary ...
In the art studio we have a new face, Ginger Corbett, Senior Art Education Intern, from Towson University. Ms. Corbett is a natural to teaching art. She has developed inspiring, cultural-ly diverse, standards based lessons that our students are loving.
March is Youth Art Month and two of our very talented artists will have their work displayed at the Walters Art Museum on Saturday, March 12
th. The students are: 5th grader, Am-
ber Jourdan and 1st
grader, Samantha Dean. Information will be coming home to each of these students very soon.
State of the Schools ‘Selfie’ Display will have our very own first grader, Joseph Schmitt’s Bed Head self-portrait representing Essex Elementary.
5th
graders, 4th
graders, and 3rd
graders have been learning to think and behave like artists this year. They have created artist trading cards based on their own ideas and themes to trade with each other during Youth Art Month. Fifth graders participated in an ATC exchange with students from around the country. Students sent one high quality card to trade and will be receiv-ing their trade this month.
2nd
graders have been learning about the art of Faith Ringold and creating their own narrative painting collages inspired by the children’s book, Tar Beach.
1st
graders completed their laugh out loud, self-portraits with bed head hair, inspired by Oliver in the story of Bed Head. They incorporated paper sculpting, drawing and collage to create them. Ceramic animal sculptures inspired by studies in Science and Language Arts are proudly on display. They are currently working with Ms. Corbett on Asian inspired yarn bowls.
Kindergarten students have been working in collage with Ms. Corbett, using painted papers and their own story ideas. Students are learning how to follow directions, use art supplies properly and work cooperatively to build successful experiences in the art room.
Baltimore Counties Summer Visual Arts Enrichment Camp July 11-22, 2016 for Grades 3-5, and 6-8 Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.. Location: Perry Hall High School. Applications can be downloaded at http://www.bcps.org/academics/va/summer_art_EP.html
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 6
NURSE’S CORNER . . . A message from Nurse Gorman
Healthy Sleep Habits – Tips to Help Bedtime Behaviors Sooner or later, most parents face challenges at bedtime. From infants and toddlers to school-aged kids and teens, sleep problems can affect everyone in the family. Studies show that adoles-cents who don’t get enough sleep often suffer physical and mental health problems and a decline in academic performance. Sleep loss in children and adolescents is one of the most common public health issues in the U.S. today. Here’s the good news - it’s easily fixable! Did you know? 1) Sleep Is Incredibly Important for Kids Sleep should be a top priority for parents because lack of rest could negatively affect kids (and adults, too). The body and brain have specific functions related to healing, growing and learning new information, which play critical roles, especially in growing children. A lack of sleep affects mood, concentration and the ability to recall information and learn the next day. Consistently poor sleep habits in childhood set the stage for adult sleep problems, and place kids at greater risk for childhood obesity, as well as adult obesity and diabetes later on. 2) Children & Teens Need More Sleep Than You Might Think While quality rest is important for people of all ages, kids and even teenagers actually require more sleep than adults. Individual children can vary somewhat in sleep needs, but the general guidelines outlined by the National Sleep Foundation below. How can I establish good sleeping habits? The #1 tip for good sleeping habits in children is to follow a nightly routine. A bedtime ritual makes it easier for your child to relax, fall asleep and sleep through the night. Typical Bedtime Routine (Example outlined for 10 hours of sleep) 1.Have a light snack (7:00pm) 2.Take a bath. (7:30pm) 3.Put on pajamas. (8:00pm) 4.Brush teeth. (8:05pm) 5.Read a story. (8:10pm) 6.Make sure the room is quiet and at a comfortable temperature. (8:20pm) 7.Put your child to bed.(8:25pm) Say goodnight and leave. (8:30pm) Helpful Tips for a Bedtime Routine
Make bedtime the same time every night.
Make bedtime a positive and relaxing experience without TV or videos. According to one recent study, TV viewing prior to bed can lead to difficulty falling and staying asleep. Save your child’s favorite relaxing, non-stimulating activities until last and have them occur in the child’s bedroom. Keep the bedtime environment (e.g. light, temperature) the same all night long. For more information, please visit the following websites:
National Sleep Foundation https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/children-and-sleep
American Academy of Pediatrics https://www.aap.org
HealthyChildren.org https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/Sleep-and-Mental-Health.aspx
Page 7 Volume 16, Issue 7
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 8
Library News!
Follow us on Twitter @EssexBCPS
Our Twitter feed is also on the bottom of our homepage (essexes.bcps.org).
Like us on Facebook ~ Essex Elementary
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Don’t forget to submit your Box Tops every month.
Help our library and school raise money!
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Don’t forget to check out the Baltimore County Public Library website at
www.bcpl.info. Go to Kids/Teens then Kids Page to view a ton of resources you
can use right at home. Check out Storyline. Children ages 3 through 10 are
invited to have an adult call Storyline at 410-887-6116 and listen to imagina-
tive and seasonal stories selected by our Youth Services librarians just for
them. Hear two new stories every week. Check the schedule on the website to
find the stories for this week and upcoming weeks.
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Do you need access to BCPS One to view your child’s grades and access coun-
ty resources? Email your child’s teacher or Mrs. Frank ([email protected]) for a
unique activation code. All you need is an email address and access to a com-
puter, phone, or tablet to activate your account and log in!
Page 9 Volume 16, Issue 7
Page 10 Volume 16, Issue 7
YEARBOOK NEWS . . . A message from Mrs. Bowings &
the Yearbook Committee
Attention 5th Grade Parents! Forms will be going home with every 5th grade student regarding purchasing a yearbook for the 2015—2016 school year. The cost of the yearbook will be $25.00. Every 5th grade stu-dent that purchases a yearbook will receive a FREE 1/4 page ad. The 1/4 page ad is ON-LY FOR 5TH graders. The ad must be sub-mitted to the office NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6th.
All students can purchase a yearbook. Flyers for the yearbook will go home to all fami-lies in the upcoming weeks. The cost for all students is $25.00. Parents may also log on to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter job #4925016 to order a yearbook through a secure site ex-clusive to or school. Any questions regarding the free ad, or yearbook sales, please call the school office or email Mrs. Bowings at
Fill this space with your pictures,
good wishes, poems, etc.
5th Graders Only
Cut along lines and return to office.
The Yearbook Committee is also looking for pictures taken throughout the school year
during concerts, classroom events/party’s and club programs. If you have pictures you would like to share
and have in the yearbook, please email them to ybowings@bcps. $1 Messages are also on sale by
the YEARBOOK COMMITTEE. Place one letter in each block and be sure to leave one block empty between words. Don’t start a word on one line and finish it on the next line. One COM-PLETE word on the lines please, no dashes to complete a word. Remember, EACH LINE cost $1.00. If you need additional space, please use a separate piece of paper. Each line consists of 18 letters/spaces. Return this slip by April 6th
Students Name: ____________________________
Teacher: _______________________________
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 11
BECOME A VOLUNTEER! BCPS VOLUNTEER TRAINING RESOURCES
Thank you for your interest in volunteering in Baltimore County Public Schools. Our schools depend on volunteers and value their contributions to enhance the programs and services provided for students. Volunteers are important mem-bers of Team BCPS and help our professional staff sustain effective learning environments, enrich the education and experiences of students and build critical partnerships to increase achievement for all students. Volunteers are essential to the educational process, as they bring knowledge and skills into our schools and strengthen classroom instruction. VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTIONS: Go to the BCPS Website www.bcps.org Click on the COMMUNITY tab Click on the VOLUNTEER WITH BCPS tab You can access the application on and line training as directed. All volunteers must complete the volunteer application and participate in an orientation/training session annually. Step 1: Complete the on line BCPS Application for Volunteer Services. (The school also has copies.) Step 2: Attend a scheduled BCPS volunteer training at any school or complete the online volunteer orientation. You will be provided with a certificate once you successfully complete the training. Step 3: Submit the application and the valid training certificate to the school in which you intend to volunteer. Volunteers may provide hard copies or the documents may be emailed to the school volunteer coordinator. Both docu-ments must be submitted at the same time to be accepted and reviewed by the school staff. Once the application is reviewed and training has been verified, volunteers may be placed by schools and offices ac-cording to identified needs to perform tasks that support our established goals. Goals of the BCPS Volunteer Program
* Expand parental involvement and engagement strategies to meet the unique needs of all families in the school communities. * Acknowledge parents and community members as important partners in the education of all students. * Strengthen the relationship between schools and parents, guardians and community stakeholders through meaningful service opportunities. * Support teachers and staff with the implementation of curriculum and school programs. * Utilize the knowledge and skills of volunteers to promote student achievement. * Offer direct support to students needing additional assistance with assigned tasks. * Assist school staff and students with extra-curricular activities, afterschool programs and fundraising opportunities. * Provide supervision and direction for students while participating in off-campus learning experiences (field trips).
Types of Volunteer Activities
* Classroom Assistant - assisting teachers and students with classrooms activities * Academic Tutoring * School PTA Councils * Area Education Advisory Councils * Music and Sports Booster Programs * Field-trip Chaperones * After School Activities * Student Mentoring * Career Awareness - speaking to students about career pathways and opportunities * Clerical/Office/Library support
The Baltimore County Kindergarten Classroom Volunteer Initiative The Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Baltimore County has partnered with Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) to help our youngest learners through their first year in public school. This opportunity is available ex-clusively for citizens 55 years old and older. (Learn more from a recent blog entry by the RSVP director.) Interested sen-ior citizens can contact RSVP at 410-887-3101 or visit them online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/aging/volunteer/rsvp.html.
For additional information about volunteering with Baltimore County Public Schools, please contact The Office of Family & Community Engagement at 410-887-4554 or by email at [email protected].
Page 12 Volume 16, Issue 7
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 13
Bay-Vanguard will have a
representative available at
Essex Elementary School
on the following dates:
March 15, 2016
April 19, 2016
May 17, 2016
Buzz into Saving with a
Busy Bee Account!
Teach Your Children How to
Save For The Future
Minimum deposit of $5.00 to open account. Minor must be the primary account holder
with a parent or guardian as a custodian
and signer on the account.
Interest is compounded daily and credited
quarterly. No monthly maintenance fees.
Save $250.00 in the 2015-16 school year
And your child will receive a special gift.
Bay-Vanguard
Federal Savings Bank
532 Eastern Blvd.
Essex, MD 21221
410-686-5940
Nancy Coomer
Bay-Vanguard Federal Savings Bank is not affiliated with Baltimore County Public
BUSY BEE
Bay-Vanguard Federal Savings Bank
Volume 16, Issue 7 Page 14
Page 15 Volume 16, Issue 7
Akers [email protected]
Batchelder [email protected]
Blahut [email protected]
Boursalian [email protected]
Bowings [email protected]
Boyd [email protected]
Butler [email protected]
Champagne [email protected]
Carp [email protected]
Collins [email protected]
Currier [email protected]
Essex Elementary [email protected]
Essex PTA [email protected]
Frank [email protected]
Gorman [email protected]
German-Bennett [email protected]
Gogel [email protected]
Gray [email protected]
Hafez [email protected]
Heil [email protected]
Henn [email protected]
Hiner [email protected]
Holcomb [email protected]
Hosier [email protected]
Howard [email protected]
Howell [email protected]
Jackson [email protected]
Johannes [email protected]
Karolkowski [email protected]
Knight [email protected]
Levine [email protected]
Little [email protected]
Loehr [email protected]
Markwood [email protected]
Miller, S [email protected]
Neumeister [email protected]
Norton [email protected]
Pasciuto [email protected]
Pivonski [email protected]
Pomeroy [email protected]
Rogers [email protected]
Rostek [email protected]
Sanzone [email protected]
Summers [email protected]
Scurto-Diven [email protected]
Simpson [email protected]
Skeels [email protected]
Weaver [email protected]
You may send a non-emergency
e-mail to your child’s teacher.
Page 16
It’s NEVER to late to Join the PTA! Your investment, your child … goes a long way!
Membership $8.00
Volume 16, Issue 7
NEXT MEETING
Wednesday, March 2nd
6 p.m. Join us!