Dr. Sally K. Ride Elementary School
21301 Seneca Crossing Drive
Germantown MD 20876
301-353-0994
FAX 301-601-0349
Christopher Wynne, Principal
Craig Jackson, Assistant Principal
August 2014
Dear Sally Ride Families:
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year. I approach this school year with great enthusiasm to work with the Sally Ride community to promote our students’ academic and social achievement. I want to welcome all of the returning students and families and a very special welcome to those joining the Sally Ride community for the first time. Successful student learning thrives with open communication and an active parent-teacher-school partnership. We look forward to a productive and successful year.
In this letter you will find information and enclosures which will help you in planning for the school year.
Open House Sneak Preview: You and your child are cordially invited to our Open House on Friday, August 22, 2014 from 3:00 until 4:00. Come visit the classroom and meet your child’s teacher. Class lists will be posted on the front door at 3:00 and will stay up all weekend. During open house please take time to stop by our PTA table to join our PTA. We look forward to seeing you!
Kindergarten Back to School Night: On Thursday, August 21, 2014, at 7:00 pm, there will be a Back-to-School Night for kindergarten parents in the multi-purpose room. Class lists for kindergarten will be posted on the evening of the 21st.
Back to School Nights: Please mark your calendars for our Back-To-School Night on Monday, September 8, 2014, for grades 1 and 2 and on Tuesday, September 9, 2014, for grades 3 through 5. Each evening will begin with a brief PTA meeting beginning at 7:00 followed by classroom presentations. Please join us so you can learn about our school staff and student expectations for the 2014-2015 school year.
School Hours: 8:50-3:05 Kindergarten-Grade 5
7:30-4:30 School Office Hours
Students should not arrive prior to 8:30. Adult supervision of students will begin at 8:30. Please note that the late bell rings at 8:50. Students should be dropped off by 8:45. This allows your child 5 minutes to arrive in the classroom and get prepared for the day. Students who arrive later than 8:45 do not get to class by 8:50, which affects the lunch count, attendance and other morning classroom procedures. Late-arriving students must be walked into the office by a parent or other adult to be signed in and receive a late pass. If you are planning for your child to have breakfast, please have your child here by 8:40.
Student Breakfast: Please see the attached letter regarding Maryland Meals for Achievement. All students will have the opportunity to receive breakfast in their classrooms at no charge. Breakfast will be available beginning at 8:40 and our breakfast session will end at 8:55.
Transportation: If you are dropping your child off in the kiss and ride lane, please do not park your car to remove your child from the car. This causes a traffic back up which endangers the safety of our students. If you need to walk your child in, please use the parking lot on the left side of the school (when you are facing the school). Handicapped parking spots are designated for cars with the appropriate handicapped parking stickers. The front parking lot is closed for cars from 8:30-9:00 am and from 2:50-3:30 pm for bus arrival and departure. Thanks for your attention to the safety of our students.
Bus Information: Please see the attached enclosure regarding bus route schedules. If your child is normally going to ride the bus to and from school, please make sure that they ride the bus on the first day of school. This will allow your child to get into a structured routine as well as create a routine for school staff.
Morning Line-Up: On the first day of school, students in grades one through five will line up in the all purpose room for our town meeting. Kindergarten students will line up in the playground area in front of the kindergarten rooms on the first day only. After the first day, students in kindergarten through grade 5 will line up outside of their classrooms.
School Lunch: Beginning the first day of school, lunch will be served in the cafeteria (i.e., All Purpose Room). If your child has an allergy to specific food products, please notify the classroom teacher and cafeteria manager. A monthly menu will be sent home with your child. The menu for the first week of school is attached. The cafeteria prices this year are as follows: $2.55 for lunch, $.40 for reduced lunch. Please see the attached flyer on SNAP Cafeteria News for information about pre-paying for school lunches.
Lunch and Recess Schedule: Recess and lunch periods are as follows:
Grade Lunch Recess
1 & 3 11:30 12:00
4 & 5 12:00 12:30
Kindergarten and 2nd 12:30 1:00
Students may not bring in toys or games from home to play with during lunch or recess.
Sally Ride Thursday Folders: On Thursdays, a folder will be sent home with your child. The folder will contain your child’s graded work and communications from the school including the PTA Newsletter and the Principal’s Newsletter. There are occasions when we must send home time-sensitive material so we encourage parents to check the folder every day, but to be aware that on Thursdays, graded student work and school communications will be sent home. Additionally, a parent signature is required each week indicating that you reviewed your child’s Thursday folder.
Principal and PTA Newsletters: Our Monthly Principal and PTA Newsletters will be sent to parents through email attachments and will be posted on the school’s website: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/ridees/ at the beginning of each month. If you would like a paper copy, they will be available in our main office.
Health Room: Our health technician is Mrs. Toni Ingle. Medication cannot be administered in school without the completion of MCPS Form 525-13, "Authorization To Administer Prescribed Medication." This form requires both the written permission of the parent/guardian and a physician's statement. Forms are available in the school office and are required for each prescribed medication.
Student Birthdays: As a result of an increase in the number of students with allergies, we will no longer allow food items to be passed out during the students’ lunch times or brought to classrooms for birthday celebrations. Students will be recognized for their birthday on our morning TV show, our weekly town meeting and will be asked to come to the office to receive a small token of recognition. Please note that if food items are brought in for birthday celebrations, you will be politely asked to take them home.
Student Name Tag for First and Second Grade Students: If you are a parent of a first or second grade student, please complete the attached Student Name Tag and have your child wear it for the first week of school. This will allow us to make sure our students are sent home in the appropriate manner. Kindergarten parents will receive their name tags at our Kindergarten Back to School Night.
Staffing Updates
Please join me in welcoming the following staff members to the Sally Ride community:
Mr. Craig Jackson, Assistant Principal from Sligo Middle School
Mrs. Theresa Thornburg, Second Grade Learning Center Teacher from Hoover Middle School
Mrs. Lindsay Day, Fourth Grade Teacher from Greenwood Elementary
Mr. Kenny Goldsborough, Instrumental Music Teacher
Mrs. Gina Moxley, Attendance Secretary from Roberto Clemente Middle School
Mrs. Irene Wong, Media Assistant from Kingsview Middle School
Mr. Robert Lyles, Building Services Worker
Please note the following internal changes of staff members. Mrs. Jaime Reed will be moving from kindergarten to first grade. Mrs. Joanna Garner will be moving from second grade to first grade and Mr. Bill Selak will be moving from first grade to fifth grade.
Our learning center assignments include: Mrs. Seiss will be our Learning Center Coordinator, Mrs. Smith will be teaching kindergarten, Mrs. Westcott will be teaching first grade, Mrs. Thornburg will be teaching second grade, Mrs. Price will be teaching third grade, Mrs. Fisher (formerly Ms. Clodfelter) will be teaching fourth grade and Mrs. Sier will be teaching fifth grade.
Please note that MCPS staffing allocations are based on projected enrollment. We expect that at the beginning of the school year our actual enrollment matches the projected enrollment. Unfortunately, it may become necessary for staffing changes to occur if enrollment comes in below projection and doesn't justify the staffing that was allocated. If there is a need to make an adjustment in staffing based on actual enrollment, I will do my best to minimize the impact of these necessary adjustments. I will keep you informed and alert you of any changes that may occur at our school.
During the first week of school, a packet of information will be sent home with your child. Please take the time to review the packet and return the necessary information that is requested. I look forward to working with all of the families of Sally Ride during this school year and I envision a successful school year with excitement as we watch our children learn.
Sincerely,
Christopher Wynne
Principal
Attachments:
Welcome Letter from Mr. Jackson
School Calendar
Bus Route Schedule
MMA (Breakfast) Letter
SNAP Cafeteria News for 2014-2015
Lunch Menu for First Week
Recommended Personal Supply Lists
Open House Flyer
Name Tag for Grades 1-2