NEWSLETTER #19 301-599-2442 January 15, 2016
WE LOOK AHEAD
January 2016
18 Martin L. King, Jr. Day – Schools and Offices Closed
20 STEM Fair at Mattaponi 2:15 – 6:00 p.m.
21 End of 2nd Quarter
22 Grading/Teacher Planning – Schools Closed for Students
29 Ice Cream Social at Mattaponi
February 2016
2 PTO Meeting 6:15 p.m.
4 2nd Quarter Report Cards Released
12 Professional Development – Schools Closed for Students
15 Presidents’ Day – Schools and Offices Closed
17 Mr. Puglia’s Class to Newseum 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
18 Mrs. Mackall’s Class to Newseum 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
24 Mrs. Broadie’s Class to Newseum 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
25 Yearbook Groups/Candid/5th Grade Pano Pictures
March 2016
1 PTO Meeting 6:15 p.m.
7 3rd Quarter Progress Reports Released
23 End of 3rd Quarter
24 Grading/Teacher Planning – Schools Closed for Students
25-28 Easter Holiday – Schools and Offices Closed
29-31 Spring Break – Schools Closed for Students
April 2016
1-4 Spring Break – Schools Closed for Students
5 Classes Resume
5 PTO Meeting 6:15 p.m.
12 3rd Quarter Report Cards Released
20 Spring Individual and Class Pictures
26 Primary Election Day – Schools and Offices Closed
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER
Dr. Janice P. Hay, Principal
Mr. Stephen I. Green, Jr., Acting Principal
SRI Testing at Mattaponi ES
Students in grades 3-5 will take the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) onWednesday, January 20th and Thursday, January 21st, respectively. The SRI is a diagnostic assessment that measures a student's reading comprehension. This will be the second of three administrations of this assessment this year. The results are analyzed to show student growth and help determine instructional goals. The assessment will be administered in the morning and should take about one hour. Please avoid, if possible, any appointments that might take students away from the school during these times.
STEM Fair at Mattaponi ES
Mattaponi STEM Fair will be heldJanuary 20,2016 and the public viewing will be open at2:15-6:00 p.m.in themulti-purpose room. Please come out and see the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade projects. The fair is a competition where students present their science investigations in the form of a display board that they have created. The STEM Fair allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of the scientific investigation process and they are judged to see which student will move on to the county wide competition in April/May. We hope to see you there.
National Popcorn Day
Mattaponi Elementary will recognize National Popcorn Day on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. All students will be provided with a bag of popcornon Tuesdayafternoon. There will beno costto students or parents....it's free! Please notify your child's teacher if your child has dietary concerns and should not eat popcorn.
Mattaponi Elementary is in the Top 20 Elementary Schools in Prince George’s County per Cruvita
Prince George’s County is the second most populous county in Maryland and includes the cities of College Park, Laurel, Greenbelt, Hyattsville and Bowie, and hosts Joint Base Andrews, a U.S. Air Force facility. It shares borders with Montgomery County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Calvert County, Charles County, and Washington, D.C.
With easy access to the District and a number of great cities, Prince George’s County, Maryland, is becoming more popular among new homebuyers. Of 138 elementary schools in the county, 30 of them are in the top 10% of the nation and five of them rank among the top 5% of the nation. Cruvita has listed the top 20 elementary schools for Prince George’s County, Maryland at Three of the schools – John Hanson French Immersion, Benjamin D. Foulois Academy and Judith P. Hoyer Montessori– have special programs, focuses, or teaching methods and may require an application for admittance.
To view a complete list of schools in Prince George’s County,click here. For more information on the schools listed above, simply click on the school name and you will be redirected to the school’s specific page on Cruvita.com. To learn more about Prince George’s County, Maryland, you can visit thecounty government websiteor thePrince George’s County Wiki page.
Board Member Williams Holds Coffee Chat at New Location
Board of Education Member, District 9, Sonya Williams will host her morning coffee chat at a new location, Einstein Bros. Bagels, on Saturday, January 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. All are invited to attend. Einstein Bros. Bagels is located at 15810 Crain Hwy., Brandywine, MD 20613. To view flyer, clickhere.
Join Us at the Community T.A.B.L.E.
Carolyn Boston,Board of Education Vice Chair, District 6, is empowering families to build stronger communities. On Wednesday, January 20 at 6 p.m. at 505 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772, Boston is inviting the public to attend a community meeting to discuss the following topics:
- Common Core
- Public Safety
All are welcome! Please RSVP byFriday, January 15by contacting the Board Office at 301-952-6115.
Statement From Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, CEO: Department of Homeland Security Immigration Enforcement Actions
I am deeply troubled by the fear and uncertainty that exists in so many of our school communities as a result of the actions of the Department of Homeland Security. We urge federal authorities to see schools and other public gathering places as areas where no enforcement activities should take place and ask them to strongly consider the devastating impacts of their actions on the academic, social and emotional well-being of all of our students.
To our PGCPS students and families: We stand with you.
All of us in PGCPS will continue to provide a high-quality education to all, regardless of their immigration status. We urge parents and guardians to continue to send their children to school so they can learn in a safe and supportive environment. As always, we will continue to work closely with the Office of the County Executive and our community partners to keep our school communities aware of the supports available to them.
PGCPS Now Accepting Applications for its Specialty Programs
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is now accepting online applications for the following specialty programs for the 2016-2017 school year:
·French Immersion: Kindergarten only
·Talented and Gifted: Grades 2 to 8 and student must be TAG identified or in screening process
·Montessori: Pre-K;K-8 only with current, full-time cert. Mont. exp.
·Creative and Performing Arts:K-5 only; Grades 6-8 must audition
·Spanish Immersion/Dual Language:Kindergarten only
Interested families can submit an online application by visiting Families with children in grades 6-8 interested in the Creative and Performing Arts Program at Thomas Pullen, Benjamin Foulois or Hyattsville Middle, mustapply here.
Applications are due by March 14 at 5:00 p.m. For additional information, please contact theDepartment of Pupil Accounting and School Boundariesat 301-952-6300. PGCPS’Charter School Officeis also accepting online applications for the 2016-17 school year. All Prince George’s County families can apply to a Public Charter School and must complete an online application at January 29, 2016.
Brain STEM
Prince George’s County Memorial Library System is excited to partner with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/NIH to present fun hands-on programs promoting neuroscience education and awareness to students in Prince George’s County. Please see the link with dates and times on our web page.
Physics Discovery Days at University of Maryland
Physics Discovery Days: Making Sound onSaturday, January 16! The program showcases sound and how it is made through demonstrations, experiments, and hands-on activities. The program will run from10am-12pm. It is free of charge, though we ask that attendees register via our websiteumdphysics.com/outreachor directly atumdphysics.umd.edu/physics-discovery-days-registration.html.
Dress for the Weather – Brrr!
As the cold weather arrives, we stand by our belief that children need fresh air and physical activity even during the winter months. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for recess and P.E. class. Remind your children to wear hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and thermal undergarments. It is also advantageous to dress in layers, so students may adjust clothing according to the temperature at the time of the outdoor activity. Generally, the students have outdoor recess when the temperature is between 35° to 40° or above. The wind chill factor will be considered in the decision to have indoor/outdoor recess or P.E.
Box Tops for Education
We continue to raise money for our school by collecting Box Tops for Education! Please remember to send in your Box Tops.
Arrival Time
Children should arrive at school no earlier than 7:30 a.m. to enter the school building for breakfast or to report to class to prepare for the school day. School begins at 7:45 a.m.
Very Important Reminder for Change in Dismissal Plans
Any changes in your child’s regular dismissal plan MUST be in writing. We will no longer accept a phone call to make a dismissal change. Also, no students will be called for early dismissal after 1:40 p.m. Parents who need to pick up their child(ren) must do so before this time. We will not remove students from school buses once dismissal has begun. This is an unsafe practice and interrupts the bus schedules for our school and all subsequent schools serviced by our busses. Thank you for your support in keeping all our students safe!
How to Contact a Staff Member
Mattaponi’s school office hours are 7:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Teachers are available for phone calls from 7:15 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Calls will be sent directly to voicemail during instructional time and staff members are asked to return phone calls within 24 - 48 hours, if possible. All conferences must be scheduled with teachers before coming to the school to discuss your child’s academic program or any issues that may need to be resolved. Thank you for your understanding.
Lunch Accounts
The cost for lunch is $2.75 and $1.60 for breakfast. If a student does not have lunch money, the cafeteria will provide a cheese sandwich and a drink. Parents may pre-pay for school meals and monitor account balances at .
PTO Corner – Mrs. Spencer, President
While it feels like winter it sure does look like spring when students showcase their colorful spirit wear!! Thank you to the many families who are showing their school spirit! Many inquiries have been received regarding placing an order. Information will be forthcoming on that, stay tuned!
Keep your eyes and ears open, special events will be popping up from the PTO! Stay warm and enjoy your weekend!Feel free to contact us . We welcome all questions and suggestions! Remember, TOGETHER we make the difference!