The Eagle’s Eye
Rock Creek Valley Elementary School
5121 Russett Road, Rockville, MD 20853
(301) 460-2195 Fax (301) 460-2196
March 13, 2015
Catherine Jasperse, Principal
Julia Bialeski, Assistant Principal
Principal’s Message
Recently, schools received preliminary staffing allocations for next year. Although staffing is
not finalized until the annual operating budget is approved by the Board of Education and
County Council, I want to share with you some of the changes in this preliminary staffing. Due
to anticipated budget shortfalls, many schools experienced a reduction in staffing
allocations. This is what we experienced at Rock Creek Valley ES. Our preliminary staffing
allocation has reductions in the following teacher positions: 1 classroom teacher, 1 special
education resource teacher, and a portion of our overall ESOL teacher allocation. While
reductions in staffing are never welcomed, we are fortunate to have a devoted and talented group
of professionals at RCV who meet every new challenge with a positive attitude and an
unwavering focus on providing students with an outstanding instructional program. I will
continue to share staffing updates with you as we move through the formal transfer and hiring
season and am always available to answer any questions you might have regarding staffing at
RCV.
Counselor’s Corner
Happy March! Mindfulness is a new practice that you may or may not have heard about. I have
chosen to write about mindfulness this month because we are entering into testing season here at
RCV. Testing can cause some stress among students. Practicing mindfulness has been indicated
to help reduce stress and anxiety. It also helps with decision making, attention and helps students
regulate or calm their emotions. The basic premise of mindfulness is that you tune it to how your
body responds to certain situations. You become generally more aware and present in the
moment when you practice mindfulness. As described by Sarah Rudell Beach, "Mindfulness is a
big word for young kids to understand. Put simply, mindfulness is awareness. It is noticing our
thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and anything that is around us and happening right now."
Here is a link to her tips for encouraging mindfulness http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarahrudell-beach-/8-ways-to-teach-mindfulness-to-kids_b_5611721.html .
One of the main keys is to get the whole family involved in mindfulness!
Here are some simple ways you can do practice mindfulness at home from the following article:
http://www.parentscanada.com/school/tweens/teaching-your-tween-mindfulness
"Just before leaving for school in the morning, before opening the front door, stand together and
take three mindful breaths." *Mindful breathing is deep breathing, until you feel it all the way
down to your belly.
"You can also take three mindful breaths as a family before eating and try to begin the meal
mindfully." * Mindful eating is paying attention to each bite and taking the time to fully taste and
chew your food.
"Go for a walk with your child and pay attention to what you both notice around you, what you
see, hear, smell and touch."
"Before bed, share something that you are grateful for that happened that day – something that
made you happy. Have your child do the same. Then continue with some mindful breathing!"
I hope to encourage awareness and mindfulness in our students and please feel free to contact
me if you would like more information about how you can encourage mindfulness in your child.
Quarter 3 Peacemaker Assembly
Students who were selected as Peacemakers in the month of January, February, and March will
be recognized during a school wide assembly Thursday, March 26th at 9:30 am. Please note:
This is a time change from what information was provided to parents at the beginning of the
year! Parents will be invited to come participate in the assembly if your child was selected as a
Peacemaker in one of those months. This quarter students are being recognized for “Using
Thoughtful Words to Solve Problems”. We look forward to celebrating our students!
NOTE: NEW DATE FOR GROUP PICTURES
Again the group photos has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 24th from 9 -3
OPEN GYM
Whether you missed February's Open Gym at RCV or came and had a great time, you are in
luck. There will be another Open Gym on Sunday, March 15th! The RCV PTA invites all RCV
children for some warm, indoor fun in the school's gym. Come to this FREE Open Gym
session at RCV on Sunday, March 15th from 2 pm until 5 pm. Space is limited to a maximum of
25 children at one time and play time will be granted on a first come, first serve basis. At least
one adult must be present for every 4 children. The RCV PTA is not responsible for any injuries
or accidents that may occur and all children who play in the gym are required to have a parent or
guardian sign a liability waiver (attached) - if you have already signed the waiver, another waiver
is not required. If space allows, non-RCV siblings are welcome to play too, but preference will
be given to students attending RCV. Balls and equipment will be provided by RCV.
Questions, please contact David Goodman at [email protected].