The Eagle’s Eye
Rock Creek Valley Elementary School
5121 Russett Road, Rockville, MD 20853
(301) 460-2195 Fax (301) 460-2196
February 6, 2015
Catherine Jasperse, Principal
Julia Bialeski, Assistant Principal
Principal’s Message
I am sure that you have all now heard about the coming change in our superintendent. In talking to
many of you over the past week about this change in leadership within MCPS and also about the coming
maternity leave within our staff; I realize that change in personnel within your child’s school can make
everyone feel a bit nervous. With this in mind, I want to remind everyone that in a few weeks we will be
entering our annual staffing season in MCPS. This is a time when staff are allowed to consider voluntary
transfers, staff are able to request changes of grade assignments for the coming year, and new teachers
are hired into MCPS. As I have done in the past, I will inform you of any staffing changes at RCV through
weekly updates in the Eagle’s Eye. If you ever have any questions or concerns with regards to staffing
at RCV, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
PARCC Testing Dates
During the month of March, students in grades 3-5 will be taking the new Maryland assessment known
as PARCC. This is an annual assessment that has replaced the previous MSA testing that occurred
throughout the state. We want to share with parents of students in grades 3-5 the specific testing
schedule so that you are able to ensure that your child is in attendance for each day of testing.
March 2-4 PARCC Testing - Performance Based Assessment (PBA), English/Language Arts (ELA) for
students in grade 5 and 4th graders in Mr. Belfont's and Ms. Perez's classes
March 5-6 PARCC Testing - PBA, Mathematics for students in Grade 5 and 4th graders in Mr. Belfont's
and Ms. Perez's classes
March 9-11 PARCC Testing - PBA, English/Language Arts (ELA) for students in grade 3 and 4th graders in
Ms. Chin's class
March 12-13 PARCC Testing - PBA, Mathematics for students in grade 3 and 4th graders in Ms. Chin's
class.
Parent Academy Workshop
Earle B. Wood MS will be holding a Parent Academy workshop on Thursday, February 12. The
workshop title is Screen Issues: Taming Electronic Monsters in Your Home.
The workshop will be held in the Media Center from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm. The workshop is free for
parents, and interpretation and child care (age three and up) are provided.
5th Grade Fund Raiser
Wednesday, February 11th will be a Dinner at Silver Diner Night. From 5-8 pm come join RCV staff and
families for dinner. A percentage of your bill will go to support the 5th grade class. We hope to see you
there! (Attached flyer; English and Spanish)
Animal Shelter Donations
Girl Scout Troop 4611 is collecting donations for the Animal Services and Adoption Center of
Montgomery County. Animals in the shelter need a nice warm bed, toys, and food while they wait to
find a permanent home. Donations can be left in the box in the atrium. The shelter accepts a variety of
donations including: food and toys for cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets and birds, KONG toys, Temptation cat
treats, peanut butter, easy cheese, ping pong balls, new or gently used t-shirts, blankets and towels. For
additional information contact Angie Carey [email protected] or 301-949-6610.
Special Education Review
The Montgomery County Board of Education has contracted with WestEd, a national research and
service nonprofit organization, to conduct an independent review of Montgomery County Public Schools
(MCPS) special education processes. The goal of the study is to better understand the experiences of
students and their families related to IEP development, implementation, and dispute resolution. Please
see the attachment for more information.
Group Portrait Make Up Day
We have rescheduled the make-up day for Group Portraits.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 from 8:00am – 4:00pm
If you are interested in purchasing a group picture send the form (which was sent home before or you
can call the school office to ask for one) along with the payment with your student.
Kindergarten Is Coming!
Are you are the parent of a child who will be turning 5 before September 1st? If so, it’s time to start
thinking about kindergarten in the fall. Each year, we welcome incoming kindergartens to RCV. It is a
very exciting time as students throughout our community begin their school careers at RCV. There are
some important dates that we want to make you aware of:
Voluntary Parent Tours will happen on February 10th and March 10th. This is an opportunity for parents
to come and see the school and hear a little bit about the kindergarten instructional program. Each
tour lasts for about 30-40 minutes and begins at 10:00 a.m. on each of the identified days. If you are
interested in coming to one of these tours, please call the front office (301-460-2195) and let us know so
that we can make plans for the size of the group.
Kindergarten Orientation will be happening on April 16th and 17th. This is a time when parents sign up
for a specific appointment to bring their child in for orientation activities and registration. Each session
lasts approximately one hour and all incoming kindergarteners are strongly encouraged to participate in
orientation. Again, please call the front office (301-460-2195) to register for a specific date and time for
orientation. Prior to your scheduled orientation appointment, you will receive a packet of registration
information that will let you know what forms and documentation are needed for registration.
If you are not the parent of an incoming kindergarten student, but know of someone in the
neighborhood who will have a child eligible for kindergarten next year, please share this information
with them.