A Message from GARRETT PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A message from GARRETT PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dear Garrett Park Families,
We hope you find this new weekly email user-friendly and beneficial for staying informed and planning for upcoming school events. If there is information you would like us to share in upcoming editions, please let us know. You can either call the school at 240-740-0700 or email Dan at or Janet at . Follow me on Twitter:
Updates from GPES Administration:
Dr. Seuss Week begins Monday, Feb. 27. We are celebrating with a different themed activity for each day. You can read the list below or click the link to our website to find more information.
Monday 2/27: “Fox in Socks,” Wear silly or mismatched socks.
Tuesday 2/28: “The Cat in the Hat,” Wear your favorite hat.
Wednesday 3/1: “Wacky Wednesday,” Wear your clothes inside-out, backwards,
or mismatched!
Thursday 3/2: “Green Eggs and Ham,” Wear the color green.
Friday 3/3: “Sleep Book,” Wear pajamas or comfy clothes. Bring your favorite stuffed animal.
Please make sure to follow all posted neighborhood parking laws when visiting the school for any reason. We recently had some visitors illegally using the handicap spot at Parkside to access the school. Thank you again for your cooperation.
Teaching and Learning:
Our School Improvement Plan (SIP) outlines our goals for the entire year. This year we are focused on providing meaningful and targeted follow-up instruction to all of our students and demonstrating high expectations during planning and instruction. This means that students are provided with meaningful work that will help them progress when they are not meeting with the teacher. We are continually monitoring our collaborative planning and instructional practices to ensure each child is learning. To view the SIP, please click this link to our website.
Annex Updates:
There has been no decision regarding the use of the annex for additional classroom space to this date. This section will be used to update you on the progress of the conversations taking place toward a resolution.
Important Dates:
Feb. 25 GPES PTA Bingo and Silent Auction; 5:00-9:00 p.m.
March 1-31 Women’s History Month
March 3 Early Release; Students Dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
March 11 International Night, 6:00-9:00 pm
March 16 Field Trip- Grade 4 to Imagination Stage
March 17 Principal’s Coffee: “PBIS”
March 20 Field Trip- Grade 1 to Imagination Stage
March 29 Field Trip- Grade 5 to National Building Museum
MCPS Updates:
Nominations Open for Counselor of the Year Awards
Pay tribute to your child’s school counselor by nominating him or her for the MCPS School Counselor of the Year Award. The awards honor the dedication and hard work of counselors — one each at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Parents, students, staff, and administrators can submit nominations.
To be nominated, counselors must be actively working as a counselor in MCPS and have worked for the system for at least three years. Nominees also must show outstanding leadership; understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents and cultivate their self-esteem; foster collaborative relationships with colleagues, students, their families, and the community; and use data to help drive decision-making.
Nominations are due Friday, March 10. Counselors may be nominated by school administrators, staff members, parents, and students. The criteria and nomination packet can be found online at:
Stay Informed About the MCPS FY 2018 Operating Budget
The Montgomery County Board of Education has recommended a $2.52 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. The budget includes a $64 million increase from FY 2017, which will allow the district to manage significant enrollment growth and build the foundation and structure needed to ensure that all MCPS students are able to achieve at higher levels. The Board’s budget request will be submitted to the Montgomery County Executive and the County Council. The County Executive is expected to release his FY 2018 operating budget recommendation by March 15. The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on the county budget in April before passing a final budget in May. Stay informed and engaged on the Board’s budget request on the MCPS Operating Budget website.
Find out how budget decisions are made, what the county is doing today to get ready for FY 2018 and beyond, and the opportunities residents have to influence budget decisions at upcoming budget meetings with County Councilmember Craig Rice, Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith, and Montgomery College president DeRionne Pollard. The meetings will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations:
March 8, Mont. Blair High School, 51 University Boulevard East, Silver Spring
March 15, Montgomery College (Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus), Catherine F. Scott Building Room 211, 7600 Takoma Avenue, Takoma Park
March 22, Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda
March 29, Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville
Thank you for all your support!
Dan