Mrs. Cheryl A. Bunyan, Principal-Greenwood Elementary School

Where Students Are Respectful, Responsible and Ready to Learn!

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

(Parents please note for your convenience, this information is also archived weekly on the Greenwood Elementary School Website)

# 10: OCTOBER 22 to 26, 2017

LET’S KEEP OUR SCHOOL SAFE! Thanks to everyone who has been following the requested arrival and pick-up procedures. You may have noticed that the Montgomery County Traffic Police Officer (Officer Laudermilk) here sometimes at pick-up and drop-off times. He has issued verbal warnings to some drivers during his visits and plans to issue citations for repeat offenders.

LOST AND FOUND ITEMS

As the weather changes, there is a lot more layers to wear which are usually shed at recess when the temperature gets warmer. Parents please remind your boys and girls to stop by the lost and found bins that are housed in the cafeteria in the All-Purpose Room to retrieve missing items. We also have had a pair of purple glasses in the office for over a week that were found outside in case anyone is missing such an item.

COMMUNITY FLASH MOB AT FAIR HILL SHOPPING CENTER: For the last six years many of you know that there’s a flash mob dancing to “Thriller” at The Fair Hill Shopping Center on Halloween sponsored by Mrs. Krisie Allen, a former Greenwood parent. Mrs. Allen came to practice with the students at recess on Tuesday. Ask them to tell you all about that.

This year it will take place on Tuesday,October 31st. All community members (of all ages) are invited to participate in this fun event. For those interested, plan to meet at the shopping center in front of Baskin Robbins/Grill Marx at 4:30pm to sign two waiver forms. We will perform “Thriller” at 4:45pm. Here is the You Tube video to practice with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot1NxjODIdc

Please arrive dressed in a “danceable” Halloween costume or in festive attire. This will be a FUN way to kick off Halloween!

Greenwood Yearbook2017-2018

Pre-sale Extended until November 25, 2017, $18.00. Price will increase to $20.00 after this date!

·  This year’s memories captured forever

·  Staff & Class Pages – portraits & candids of students

·  Grade Collage Pages

·  Hundreds of candid photos, group portraits, and event pictures

·  Special 5th Grade Baby Gators Section

Online ordering (preferred)https://commpe.pictavo.com/, (our school code is 72803)

Additional yearbook sales dates:

·  After November 25, 2017- $20.00

·  After March 1, 2018- $22.00

·  After April 30, 2017- Final sale on First come First serve basis. $25.00

If you’d prefer to order by check, complete theYearbook Order Formand return it to your child’s teacher. Please make checks payable to Great American Photo.

Yearbooks will be distributed at the end of the school year.

Thank you for supporting our Yearbook!

Maryellen Zack, Yearbook

It's time again for the Scholastic Book Fair! The Wild West Book Fair runsfrom November 6 - 10 with Setup on November 3. We can't make it happen without your help! Cashiers, floor runners, and set-up & take-down volunteers are needed.Evening Hours are Wednesday night during other school events-- that isone ofour busiest times so consider lending a hand. Can't wait to see you there!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f45a5aa2fa0fc1-wild

Scholastic Book Fair at Greenwood. Volunteers needed. Please contact Mrs. Jenny Corrado, our media specialist if you would be willing to help.

Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences are just around the Corner!

If you have not already done so, please contact your child’s teacher to arrange for yours. To assist you with your planning, please review the checklist of items that should be covered at the conference.

Keep in mind too that if your child is taught by multiple teachers and you have questions for them you should email them individually or let the home room teacher know in advance.

KINDLY MARK YOUR CALENDARS: October, November and December Dates. (Please note: Updates are continuously added as information becomes available)

Oct. 15: World of Montgomery Festival: MCPS is proud to be a partner in the 2017 World of Montgomery Festival on Sunday, October 15, from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. at Montgomery College’s Rockville campus. The World of Montgomery Festival celebrates and displays the rich cultural heritages of Montgomery County and the Washington, D.C., area. Sponsored by the Fund for Montgomery, Montgomery County Government, Montgomery College, and KID Museum, the free festival includes an international village, a global kitchen with chef demonstrations of traditional ethnic food, a craft market, a Parade of Cultures, two performance stages, and fun interactive activities for the whole family. Please share this information with your school community. A blurb is provided below. For more information, visit worldofmontgomery.com/.

Oct. 22-29: Celebrate the 31st Annual Montgomery County Community Service Week. Get ready for a week chock-full of volunteer opportunities across the county in honor of Montgomery County’s 31st annual Community Service Week, set for October 22-29. There will be lots of ways for students and families to help a variety of local nonprofits, schools, and government agencies throughout the week, including many projects preapproved for student service learning hours.Check the Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s online calendar of volunteer needs for the latest list of projects (and check back regularly as projects are being added daily), and pick any or all that match your interests! Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/volunteercenter/volunteers/Community-Service-Week.html for more information.

Oct.31: Halloween Parade and Party 2:00 to 3:00 PM. All are welcome!

NOVEMBER

Early November: Parent Teacher Conferences: Sign-ups occurred at BTSN. Please contact your child’s teacher if you did not already sign up for your November conference!

Nov. 3: Attend Open Houses for Middle and High School Consortia Application Programs

The deadline for applications to participate in the Choice process is November 3. Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to attend open houses to learn about the Choice programs scheduled in October at Northeast Consortium (NEC) and Down County Consortium (DCC) high schools, and at the Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC) middle schools. Get dates and locations here.

Grade 8 DCC and NEC parents/guardians will receive information about the Choice process in the mail in mid-October. Grade 5 families received information about the middle school options in the mail in late September.

Parents/guardians and students are also encouraged to attend information meetings to learn more about the application-only programs. Get dates and locations here. Visit this website for more information about the magnet programs at the elementary school Centers for Enriched Studies, Roberto W. Clemente, Eastern, and Takoma Park middle schools, and Montgomery Blair, Richard Montgomery, and Poolesville high schools.

Nov. 6 – 13: Wild West Book Fair

Nov. 7: PTA Meeting in Media Center 7:30 to 9:00 PM

Nov. 9: First Marking Period Ends

Nov. 10: Second Marking Period Begins

Nov. 14 and 15: SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP/CRAFT NIGHT 6:30 to 8:30PM

Nov. 17: Early Release Day

Nov: 22: Early Release Day/Report Card Distribution

Nov. 23/24: Holiday – Schools and Offices Closed

DECEMBER

Dec. 5: PTA Meeting in Media Center 7:30 to 9:00 PM

Dec. 25: Holiday- School Closed

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Winter Break

OTHER NEWS AROUND MCPS

Setting the 2018–2019 MCPS School Calendar

It’s that time of year again when the district develops the school calendar for the following school year. Since last year, school districts across Maryland have been discussing how best to design their school calendars given the new time constraints placed on the length of the school year. The current 2017–2018 school year is the first school year operating under these new rules, which are that school cannot start before Labor Day and must end before June15.

MCPS has been meeting with focus groups of parents, staff, and other stakeholder groups and is seeking your feedback on how best to design the 2018–2019 school calendar. Next year, the district will have even fewer days to work with than in years past to accommodate instructional and non-instructional traditions.

For a more detailed explanation of the calendar, as well as to see various examples of how the calendar could be developed, please visit the school calendar webpage. If you would like to offer comment on the calendar, please do so using the drop box provided on the calendar webpage.

Public Comments

Changes Coming to Public Comments Sign-Up Process at Board Meetings

Beginning Monday, October 23, 2017, the Montgomery County Board of Education will be changing the process to sign up to speak at Board business meetings.

Based on feedback from the community and the growing use of technology, we will be asking the community to use a Google form, located on our website, to sign up to speak. Rather than individuals calling the Board Office on the Monday before a Board meeting, theGoogle formwill be open to use on the Friday morning before a Board business meeting until the following Monday at noon.With this new process, telephone calls will no longer be accepted.

Community feedback is essential to informing the Board’s decisions and it is critical that the Board hear and understand the different perspectives of our community members. By changing to an online format, the Board believes it will be able to reach and hear from more individuals within the community. The Board will use many outreach platforms to communicate this change with as many people as possible. Questions may be directed to the Board’s legislative aide, Patricia Swanson.

Flu Clinics

Sign Up for the 2017 Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Clinics

Flu season is upon us. There are simple steps you and your child can take to stay healthy and help prevent the flu. That includes getting a yearly flu vaccine. The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will conduct free, injectable flu vaccine clinics on November 9, 2017, for children ages 3 to 18 at three MCPS high schools.

The clinics will be held at John F. Kennedy, Northwest, and Rockville high schools from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. All clinics are free; however, registration is required due to limited vaccine supplies. For more information about these and other upcoming clinics, please visit the following website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/flu.

Register your child at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/resident/flu.html or call 311 for assistance. The Flu vaccine may also be available from your health care provider.

HHL

Homework Help Available to all MCPS Students

Free homework help is available from MCPS-TV’s Homework Hotline Live (HHL). Students may call, or submit a question online, to Homework Hotline Live at 301-279-3234 or go to AskHHL.org. Students can watch teachers address their homework questions live on MCPS-TV from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, or get after-hours online help from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. New this year, students and parents can download the free Homework Hotline Live app, where you can send questions, watch live, and find more homework help resources, all from your phone (now available in App Stores for your Apple or Android device).

Ways to contact Homework Hotline Live for free homework help:

·  Phone: 301-279-3234 (during TV broadcasts)

·  Web: AskHHL.org

·  Text:724-427-5445(7244-ASK-HHL)

·  Email:

·  Snapchat (username: AskHHL)

·  The new Homework Hotline Live phone app! (download forApple or Android)

Ways to watch Homework Hotline Live, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday:

·  Comcast 34 & 998(HD)

·  Verizon 36

·  RCN 89 & 1058(HD)

·  AskHHL.org

·  YouTube (search: AskHHL)

·  Homework Hotline Live phone app

Go to AskHHL.org to learn more.