Ritchie Park Elementary School
Paw Prints
May 8, 2015
WOW! What an impressive Staff Appreciation Week. We felt the love! It started with a grand entrance with messages of gratitude and then we ate! We ate and ate wonderful food morning, noon, and night (if you were at the PTA meeting). I know it takes a great deal of effort to organize and provide goodies for all of the staff throughout the week. Thank you to all our families who contributed.
The Ritchie Park spirit was also strong at Chipotle two weeks ago. It meant so much to all of us that the PTA donated the proceeds ($1700) from that fund raiser to Sally and her family. The community turn out at the event was very touching. Thank you all!
Please note the following update on the celebration of our 5th graders. We’ve moved the clap out celebrationto Friday, June 12th. Students, staff and families will “clap out” the 5th graders immediately following the promotion ceremony. More details will be sent out closer to the date.
This is probably the longest edition of Paw Prints I’ve ever put out. If you don’t have time to read it all, skim to a section you are interested in. Topics in this edition are:
Arts & Science Night
School Improvement Team
Field Day
Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
Kindergarten Orientation
Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students
Policy JHC—Child Abuse and Neglect
Parent Academy MCPS Summer School
Gaithersburg Book Festival
MCPS Special Education Summit Set for May 16
Survey of Parents of Children Receiving Special Education Services
One of the Highlights of the Year- Arts & Science Fair
The annual Arts & Sciences Fair is Thursday, May 14th from 7-8:30pm in the Ritchie Park gym, lobby,and hallways. Come out and support our artists and scientists!
School Improvement Plan Team
Every MCPS school develops a School Improvement Plan each year. This plan analyzes data from a variety of sources to determine our goals for the school year and determine a plan of action to meet those goals. We draft a plan over the summer. It is presented to the staff during the August preservice days. The School Improvement Team meets 3 or 4 times a year to review our progress and make adjustments if needed. Parents are important members of the team. If you are interested in participating, please call the school and we can provide you with additional information.
Morning Volunteers arestillneeded for Field Day
Volunteers are needed for Field Day on the morning of Tuesday, May 19th! Parents (grandparents, aunts, uncles!!) are needed to lead sports activities for groups of students. Students have previous experience with the activities, but will need “how to” reminders and an encouraging coach. Times: 8:45 -11:15, Rain Date: Thursday, May 21st . If you are available (especially if you are available only on the rain date) please call Ms. Svejda at 301-279-8475 or email at
It wouldn’t have been the same without YOU!!
Please plan on attending the May22ndVolunteer Appreciation Breakfast from 8:00am to 9:15am The staff would like to say thank you to our many and marvelous volunteers. Our students’ experiences this year were greatly enriched by all the helping hands our volunteers provided. We hope you are there so we can say THANK YOU in person!
Kindergarten Orientation
Kindergarten orientation for next year’s kindergarten students is May 14th & 15th; therefore, there will be no school for our current kindergarten students on those two days. This enables our staff to learn a little about our incoming students and the new students have an opportunity to meet our amazing staff. We appreciate the PTA support to carry out this important event. It is very helpful to the school to have all incoming kindergarten students enrolled before July 1st. If you have any neighbors with children who will turn five years old by September 1st, please encourage them to enroll their child this spring rather than waiting until August.
Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students
The Center for Space Science in Howard County is back. Register now. The Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students is celebrating its 48th year this summer. The MSC Programs is available for Gifted and Talented students/advanced learners from grades 3 through 12 this year. Subject areas that are still open include Space Science, Engineering and Robot Design, Creative Writing, Space Engineering and Robotics, as well as Center for Biotechnology and Forensic Science. Some Centers offer a residential experience and others are held during the day only. ALL Centers offer partial or full financial assistance! Minorities and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information and to begin the NEW ONLINE APPLICATION process, please visit the Center website at : Application should be completed as soon as possible. They will continue accepting applications until Centers are filled (many may be open until mid-to-late MAY). The Center for Space Science at the JHU Applied Physics Lab in HOWARD COUNTY has JUST OPENED. Registration for most of the remaining Centers will close on about May 31!
Policy JHC—Child Abuse and Neglect
The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking public comments on revisions to Policy JHC—Child Abuse and Neglect. The policy guides Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) procedures and protocols related to recognizing, reporting, and preventing suspected child abuse and neglect of students.The Board of Education is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students,”said Board of Education President Patricia B. O’Neill. “This policy will serve as the foundation for the school district’s efforts to protect students and ensure that every employee understands his or her responsibilities if they suspect a student is being abused or neglected.”The Board tentatively approved revisions to Policy JHC on Monday (April 27, 2015), which will now be posted for public review andcomment.A copy of the draft policy is available on the MCPS website, as are draft protocols for reporting and investigating child abuse and neglect and an interim report from Praesidium, the external firm with whom MCPS has contracted to assist in the updating and improvement of policies and practices in this critical area. These documents can also be viewed in the Department of Public Information and Web Services by calling 301-279-3853.Individuals who wish to provide comments should respond in writing by June 8, 2015. All responses should be sent to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850 or to the Board of Education at . All responses will be shared with the Board of Education and the Interim Superintendent of Schools.
Parent Academy Offers New Workshops
The spring session of the MCPS Parent Academy has begun! The Parent Academy helps equip parents with the tips and tools they need to help their children succeed. All of the workshops are free and are held at schools and locations throughout Montgomery County.Spring workshop topics include active parenting, preparing for college, PARCC assessments, bullying prevention, and many more. Childcare and interpretation services are provided at all classes. The schedule of workshops is available at
La Academia Para Padres Ofrece Nuevos Talleres
¡La sesión de primavera de la Academia Para Padres de MCPS ya ha comenzado! La Academia Para Padres ayuda a equipar a los padres con los consejos prácticos y las herramientas que necesitan para ayudar a sus hijos a triunfar. Todos los talleres son gratis y se ofrecen en escuelas y otros lugares en todo el Condado de Montgomery. Las sesiones de primavera incluyen temas sobre la crianza activa, cómo prepararse para la universidad, las evaluaciones PARCC, prevención de abuso/intimidación (bullying), y muchos otros temas más. Se proveerá servicios de cuidado infantil e interpretación de idiomas en todas las clases. El horario de los talleres se encuentra disponible ingresando a
2015 MCPS Summer School Program
The MCPS summer school program helps keep thousands of students engaged and learning over the summer. Registration for the 2015 high school and elementary school summer programs will begin on May 4. For high school programs, MCPS students should register through their school-based counselor. Programs will be offered at four locations: Albert Einstein, James Hubert Blake, Gaithersburg and Northwest high schools. The first session runs from June 22 to July 10; the second session runs from July 13 to July 31. Registration ends on June 10 for session I and June 24 for session II. The elementary school program runs from July 7 to July 31 and will be offered at Lucy V. Barnsley and Waters Landing elementary schools. The registration period closes on June 19. Visit for more information.
Programa de Escuela de Verano de MCPS 2015
El programa de escuela de verano de MCPS ayuda a mantener a miles de estudiantes involucrados y aprendiendo durante el verano. Las inscripciones para los programas de escuela de verano 2015 en las escuelas secundarias y elementales comenzarán el 4 de mayo. Para los programas de las escuelas secundarias, los estudiantes deben inscribirse a través del consejero escolar de la escuela. Los programas se ofrecerán en cuatro localidades: las escuelas secundarias Albert Einstein, James Hubert Blake, Gaithersburg, y Northwest. La primera sesión es desde el 22 de junio hasta el 10 de julio; la segunda sesión es desde el 13 de julio hasta el 31 de julio. La inscripción cierra el 10 de junio para la sesión I y el 24 de junio para la sesión II. El programa para las escuelas elementales es desde el 7 de julio al 31 de julio y se ofrecerá en las escuelas elementales Lucy V. Barnsley y WatersLanding. El período de inscripción cierra el 19 de junio. Visite información.
Don’t Miss the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Montgomery County Public Schools is proud to be a partner in the 2015 Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday, May 16, on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall. The book festival has a great lineup of authors and activities for children of all ages. Several members of the MCPS community will be conducting readings at the festival and there will be many programs, workshops, and activities in the Children’s Village that are designed to promote interest in reading and writing. For more information, visit gaithersburgbookfestival.org/.
No se Pierda el Festival delLibro de Gaithersburg
Montgomery County Public Schools se enorgullece en colaborar con el Festival del Libro 2015 de Gaithersburg (Gaithersburg Book Festival), el sábado, 16 de mayo, en la sede de Gaithersburg City Hall. El Festival del Libro tiene un programa estupendo con autores y actividades para niños de todas las edades. Varios miembros de la comunidad de MCPS estarán leyendo en el festival, y habrá muchos programas, talleres, y actividades en la Villa de los Niños (Children'sVillage) diseñados para promover el interés en la lectura y la redacción. Para obtenermásinformación, visitegaithersburgbookfestival.org/.
MCPS Special Education Summit Set for May 16
Parents, staff, and community members are invited to the MCPS Special Education Summit, Leading the Way Today, Partnering for a Better Tomorrow. The summit will take place on Saturday, May 16, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard in Gaithersburg. The summit will feature keynote speaker Priscilla Gilman, author of The Anti-Romantic Child: A Memoir of Unexpected Joy; resources; and workshops for families of students with disabilities. Families also will have an opportunity to meet representatives from many MCPS offices and Montgomery County agencies and nonprofit organizations. To register for the summit, visit or call 301-517-5940. The summit is free and childcare and lunch will be provided.
Cumbre de Educación Especial de MCPS Programada Para el 16 de Mayo
Los padres, el personal, y los miembros de la comunidad están invitados a asistir a la Cumbre de Educación Especial de MCPS, Abriendo el Camino Hoy, Colaborando Para un Mejor Mañana. La cumbre tendrá lugar el sábado, 16 de mayo, de 8:30 a.m. a 2:30 p.m., en Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard, en Gaithersburg. La cumbre presentará a la conferencista Priscilla Gilman, autora de The Anti-RomanticChild: A Memoir of Unexpected Joy (El Niño Anti-Romántico: Memorias de Alegría Inesperada), habrá recursos, y talleres para familias de estudiantes con discapacidades. Las familias tendrán también la oportunidad de conocer a representantes de muchas oficinas de MCPS y agencias y organizaciones sin fines de lucro del Condado de Montgomery. Para inscribirse en la cumbre, visite llame al 301-517-5940. La cumbre es gratuita y se proveerá servicio de cuidado infantil y almuerzo.
Survey of Parents of Children Receiving Special Education Services
Parents of children receiving special education and related services should have received by mail the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education. Please fill out the survey and return it in the postage paid envelope or complete it online at The survey results will help guide the state’s efforts to improve special education and related services in public schools. The deadlineforcompletingthesurveyis Friday, May 29.
Encuesta Sobre la Participación de los Padres en Educación Especial
Los padres de estudiantes que reciben educación especial y servicios relacionados deben haber recibido por correo la Encuesta sobre la Participación de los Padres en la Educación Especial de Maryland del Departamento de Educación del Estado de Maryland. Por favor complete la encuesta y regrésela en el sobre pre-pagado o complétela en línea en . Los resultados de la encuesta servirán para guiar los esfuerzos del estado para mejorar la educación especial y los servicios relacionados en las escuelas públicas. El plazo límite para completar la encuesta es el viernes, 29 de mayo.
School Vision:
Students, staff, parents and community members will work together respectfully and cooperatively to create a safe, positive, inclusive, and academically-rich environment.
School Mission:
Our students will demonstrate academic excellence, independent thinking, and growth through the arts. Our staff will provide opportunities that challenge students to reach their potential while fostering the enjoyment of learning. Our parents will prepare students for learning and remain active in their children’s education. The Ritchie Park community will communicate openly, uphold the PAVE values, and share high expectations for self and others.