Arbutus Elementary School Newsletter – October 2015
Principal: Brent Grabill Assistant Principal: MaryJane Salaga
Coming Events
Thurs., Oct. 15 –Consent forms for Flu Mist are due
Fri., Oct. 16- School Closed for MSDE Convention
Fri., Oct. 16 – PTA Trunk or Treat and Fall Fun Fair
Fri., Oct. 30- First Marking Period Ends. Elementary and Middle Schools
close 3 hours early.
Sat., Oct. 31- Happy Halloween
Administrator’s Corner
This year, Grades 3-5, received new math resources. The enVision series
consists of a variety of materials including 2-volume consumable workbooks
which increase student engagement with Common Core content. Some revisions
have been made to the elementary mathematics curricula including resources to
support various instructional models and grouping models. The instructional
models include direct instruction, project-based, problem-based, and inquirybased models, while the grouping models focus on whole group, small group,
same ability, and mixed ability models. Technology-based enhancements have
also been incorporated into the K – 2 curricula. These include small group
activities, and extension activities.
Please check out the BCPS website under Parents, Office of Family and
Community Engagement, Learning at Home Resources and Monthly Learning
Calendar for Families for ways that you can practice math skills at home with
your child.
Seasonal Flu Vaccine (FluMist) Delay
We have been notified by the county health department that our FluMist clinic
originally scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2015 has been delayed until
December because of a delay in the manufacturing of the vaccine.
The consent forms returned to the nurse for the October administration of the
vaccine will be shredded. In November, a new consent form with the rescheduled
date will be sent home to all students.
Please call our school nurse, Mrs. Canaan-Reisz, RN at 410-887-1489 to answer
any questions you may have.
Attendance is tremendous,
all day, every day!
Safe School Ambassadors
The Catonsville High School feeder system has been
selected to be part of a National Institute of Justice
grant-funded project to promote the emotional and
behavioral health of our students. The multi-tiered
project is called Emotional and Behavioral Health
Crisis Response and Prevention. Since some of our
students will eventually go on to Catonsville High,
Arbutus Elementary School is also part of this
initiative. One part of the project is called Safe
Schools Ambassadors (SSA), a bullying prevention
program. Last month, teachers invited several 4th and
5th grade students to be Ambassadors. If the students
who were invited would like to participate and have
returned their signed permission slips, they and
several teachers will be involved in two full days of
training at the end of the month to learn how they can
be leaders in promoting kindness and bullying
prevention at school. As a group, the Ambassadors
will decide how they can best make their presence
felt on campus. In some places, Ambassadors have
led campaigns like Random Acts of Kindness,
Brotherhood Week, and the like. In other places,
their activities are quiet, but meaningful. They are
trained how to notice and take action if they see
trouble starting between people; they notice if people
are being left out, or if somebody is emotionally
upset. They will quietly connect people in need with
channels of help. They will not be responsible for
solving the problems of others, but will simply offer
support, care, and information. They will be great
observers of what's going on, and will try to get help
to people before situations escalate. These are people
of influence, who can really make a difference on
campus.
Arbutus Elementary School
Code of Conduct
As an Arbutus Elementary School Bulldog

I am respectful

I am responsible

I am prepared

I am safe

I am important
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Volunteers
Please remember that if you would like to volunteer you must watch the volunteer training
video and complete the volunteer application which are on the BCPS website. You must print
out the certificate after watching the video and the application and send it to school ASAP. If
you plan on attending a field trip this MUST be completed at least 10 days before the trip.
Student Behavior Handbook
Student Behavior Handbooks were distributed in September. Parents were asked to
demonstrate their support of the Baltimore County Student Behavior Handbook by reviewing
its contents with their children. If you have not done so already, please sign and return the
form acknowledging receipt of the handbook. All students are expected to adhere to the
rules and regulations outlined in the handbook.
Free and Reduced Lunch
All Household Meal Benefit Applications MUST be renewed EVERY YEAR. The deadline
is October 8, 2015. If you have not completed a new application for this year, you must do so
as soon as possible. If you did not fill one out yet, you may need to deposit money in your
child’s account for breakfast and lunch until the application has been processed
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