Arcola Elementary School
Gator Gazette
1820 Franwall Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20902
(301) 649-8590
FAX (301) 649-8592
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/arcolaes/
Emmanuel Jean-Philippe, Principal
Angela Ventura, Assistant Principal
“Nothing but the best
will do!”
September 2013
Dear Arcola Families:
Our school year is off to a great start! The teachers worked diligently to
make their classrooms look beautiful, colorful, and engaging. Everyone is
ready for learning.
A special “Welcome” goes out to our new Arcola
families. We are so happy to have you as our newest Gators!
As we start a new school year, Ms. Ventura and I are excited about the many
great things that we are already seeing take place in classrooms.
Our
teachers are providing students with quality lessons that reflect Montgomery
County’s expectations for Curriculum 2.0.
Please join us for one of our
upcoming curriculum nights or parent coffees for more detailed information
regarding Curriculum 2.0.
This year we are incorporating a new school-wide behavioral program,
”Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)” that identifies and
teaches positive behavioral expectations. This program includes consistent
expectations, language and implementation throughout the building. A letter
explaining the system will be sent home next week. Teachers will explain
more about PBIS during our upcoming Back-to-School Night.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our Back to School Night on Tuesday,
September 10th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. We will begin our evening in the allpurpose room for a very brief general session and overview of the evening. At
that time you will hear about my vision for Arcola, an update regarding our
addition project, general information regarding Curriculum 2.0 and a
message from the Arcola PTA. Following our general session parents are
invited to visit their children’s classrooms. There will be two sessions of
classroom visits for people who have children in multiple grade levels.
The Gator Gazette is a monthly newsletter which will be sent out on the
first Friday of each month; this is another medium that we can share
information on a regular basis to inform you what is going on at school. This
year, you will have the opportunity to select how you would like to receive the
Gator Gazette. Please be sure to complete and return the brief survey at the
end of this edition.
Additionally, each grade level will send home
newsletters regularly this year. The grade level schedules will be shared at
Back-to-School Night and in the first issue of each grade level newsletter,
which will be sent home in a hard-copy format.
Sincerely,
Emmanuel Jean-Philippe
Principal
Angela Ventura
Assistant Principal
Important
September Dates

September10
Back to School Night
6:30-8:00pm

September 13
Back to School Picnic
5:00—7:00 p.m.

September 24
School Improvement Team
Meeting
7:45-8:45 Media Center

September 26
Parent Coffee
APR 9:00 –10:30 am

September 27
Early Release 1:00 pm
Wendy’s Night Fundraiser
5:00—9:00 pm

October 1
General PTA Meeting
7:00-8:30 pm
News from the Parent Community Coordinator
Welcome to a new academic year! If you are new to our school, we are excited you are part
of the Arcola family. My name is Magda Sobalvarro-Ochoa and I am here to help you as you
support your children with their academic experience. My role is that of liaison between
you and community resources as well as with the administration and teachers. I speak Spanish and
some French and serve as translator and interpreter whenever the need arises. I invite you to
attend the monthly coffees that I host every last Thursday or Friday of the month. These coffees
have become a fantastic way of meeting other parents and establishing new friendships but also
serve as a vehicle for communication between our school and families. The first coffee of this year
will be held on Thursday September 26 in the All Purpose Room. Be on the lookout for an
announcement flyer in your children’s backpacks! I look forward to meeting you and sharing all
the amazing resources we have in the community and here at school.
IMPORTANT SCHOOL FORMS
If you have not already done so, please make sure you have completed the Emergency
Yellow Forms, lunch forms (FARMS), and Parent/Child Reunification Forms that were
sent home during the first week of school. These forms are very important in case we
need to contact you during an emergency. Also important are the Free and Reduced
Meal Application forms. Even if you don’t think you qualify, please fill it out. As a designated
Title I school your applications are important to maintaining our school funding. If you need
assistance completing any of these forms, please call the Parent Community Coordinator, Ms.
Magda Sobalvarro-Ochoa, at school and she will be very happy to help you. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated!
FUTURE OPTIONS FOR 3rd AND 5th GRADE ARCOLA STUDENTS
If you are the parent of a third or fifth grade student you will soon have
some options to consider regarding Gifted and Talented and Middle School
Magnet programs. Be on the lookout for information coming in the mail in
mid-September from the special programs division of MCPS. In the meantime, check out
the website below to get a head start on what is best for your student.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/
MORE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Check out our new parent information bulletin board in the hallway
across from the media center! Need information on an English class?
Want to try a computer class? Would you like assistance on becoming
a US citizen? All of this and more can be found on this valuable new
resource. We invite you to take a look!
MyLunchMoney.com is a service which allows parents to directly manage
their children’s lunch account through the internet. Once you set your account, you can use
a credit/debit card to deposit money, establish recurring payments, check on balances and
receive notifications. No more sending in cash or wondering where the money
is going! Sign up today. You will be glad you did!
ASK MCPS AND QUICK NOTES
Be the first to receive emergency alerts about
changes in school system operations, such as
school closings and delayed arrivals. MCPS
QuickNotes subscribers receive emergency
announcements plus a monthly e-mail newsletter with the latest news about programs
and activities for students and links to helpful
publications and Web sites. Information is
available in English, Spanish, Chinese,
French, Korean and Vietnamese. Sign up today at www.MCPSQuickNotes.org. If you
have any questions at all about the MCPS
system please call 301 309-6277, MondayFriday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm or send an
email to [email protected]. Take advantage of these wonderful resources that will
PARENT ACADEMY WORKSHOPS
The new schedule for parent
workshops is on the PTA/Parent
Information bulletin. More than
1300 parents who attended
workshops last year agree that
the Parent Academy has made a
big difference in helping them advocate for
their children and support learning at
home. For registration and schedule information, visit www.mcpsparent academy.org today! Remember, they are free.
You can also check out the bulletin board
at school or call Mrs. Ochoa at (301) 6498590.
HOW DO YOU PREFER TO READ YOUR GATOR GAZETTE?
In order to improve our communication with you, we are conducting
a survey to determine your preference.
Please fill out this form and return to school with your child. Thank
you for your feedback!
___ I prefer to read the Gator Gazette online.
____I prefer to receive a hardcopy in my child’s backpack.