WESTBROOK EAGLE NEWS
February 2016
Westbrook Elementary School
5110 Allan Terrace
Bethesda, Maryland 20816
301-320-6506
Principal Jennifer Lane
Email address
[email protected]
School Web Site
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/
schools/westbrookes/
KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION: TWO DAYS!!
Share the good news, our orientation for incoming kindergartners is Thursday, April 7
& Friday, April, 8! Students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2016 to attend kindergarten in MCPS. Parents should call the main office to get an appointment time if
they have a student who will join us in the fall. Please share this information with your
friends and neighbors who do not presently have a child at Westbrook, but who live in
our neighborhood. A VERY important reminder that our current Kindergarten classes are cancelled for these two days so that our Kindergarten teachers can meet
the new students.
Westbrook Has TALENT!
Our PTA sponsored Westbrook Talent Show is right around
the corner! Please join us on Thursday, February 25th and show
your
support for our talented Westbrook students. The Talent
Show
will take place at Westland Middle School, please join us
there
at 6:00pm to enjoy the show.
SNOW? TOO MUCH!
At the time of this newsletter we have had FIVE snow days this year. The MCPS calendar has contingency days built in so that we can reach our state mandated 180 days
of instruction. IF schools are closed 5 days the school year will be extended one day to
Monday, June 20th, if schools are closed 6 days the school calendar will be extended
to June 21st, if schools are closed 7 days the school calendar will be extended to June
22nd, if schools are closed 8 days the school calendar will be extended to June 23rd,
and if schools are closed 9 days the school calendar will be extended to June 24th.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT (COSA) Parents/guardians who wish to request a Change of School Assignment (COSA) for their children from their home
school may begin the process during the upcoming transfer season—February 1 through
April 1, 2016. If you are interested please request a COSA booklet in the main office
of your child’s home school. Assignment changes for students from one school to another are permitted under the following limited circumstances:
 Younger sibling wanting to attend the school of an older sibling in the regular/
general program, if the older sibling will be attending the requested school the following school year, absent a boundary change;
 A continuation in a feeder pattern from middle to high school, except when affected by boundary change, application program acceptance, or Consortium Choice
guidelines;
 When a family moves within Montgomery County, preference to remain in the original school will be considered to complete the current school year only;
 A documented, unique hardship situation.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Westbrook Grade 5 Farewell
Ceremony is Tuesday, June 14,
2016 at 7:00pm at Westland
Middle School
Remember EVERY Friday is
Westbrook Spirit Day. Show
school spirit by wearing
Westbrook wear or our colors—blue and yellow.
The Boundary Study Process for BCC Middle School
#2 has begun. Share your
thoughts and stay informed
about the decision making
process.
Two important
meetings are happening this
spring.
The
February
1st
public information
meeting is to provide information on the process and
timeline for a decision on
the boundaries. The May
12th
public information
meeting is to present
boundary options reviewed
by the committee and to
receive feedback from attendees.
Your PTA contacts for the boundary
study are Erin Harcourt and
Maureen Kramer, please be
in touch with them to learn
more about how to be involved in this process.
STATE TESTING FOR GRADES 3-5
This year our Grade 3, Grade 4 and Grade 5 students will once again participate in state testing. Developed
by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) these assessments will be
delivered through a web based format, and students will use computers rather than paper and pencil to record their answers. The MCPS website has a great deal of information about the PARCC assessment, and you
may wish to access those materials. The PARCC testing window will take place during the month of May, and
your child may test in the morning or in the afternoon depending on his or her grade level. Please refrain
from scheduling routine dental and medical appointments during the May PARCC window May 9– 27 to
minimize the need for your child to participate in make-up testing sessions. A more detailed testing
schedule will be distributed once Westbrook’s schedule is approved by MCPS.
EMERGENCY DISMISSAL OR DELAYED OPENING
Remember to check the web, listen to the radio or watch the news to learn about delayed openings. If you
are signed up for emergency alerts you may receive a text or an email. For DELAYED OPENINGS students
should not arrive before 10:40am. Before this time no staff supervision is available and our grounds may not
yet be safe for arrival . In case of an EARLY DISMISSAL due to inclement weather we will send out a Connect Ed phone message to all. We will also make every effort to share information via the Westbrook PTA
Listserv. Make sure we have accurate contact information for these purposes. If you have new email addresses or phone numbers please contact the main office, so that we can update our records. Early dismissal
means that students depart 2.5 hours early, at 12:55. Busses run 2.5 hours early and your child’s drop off
time reflects that. The most important piece is to have a family plan. Does your child know what to do if
we dismiss early in an emergency? Please be sure to discuss this with your child. Send the classroom
teacher a note that she can keep on file about what your child should do in this situation. If you typically
pick your child up after school, make sure you have a back-up plan in case we have an early dismissal.
When we have a DELAYED OPENING our AM PEP students DO NOT attend school. In the case of an EARLY
DISMISSAL our AM PEP students are dismissed at 10:30am and our PM PEP students do not attend school.
PEP PILOT CLASSES at Westbrook
Do you have a younger child who will be at least 3 years old by 9/1/16? Perhaps you have neighborhood friends with preschool age children? Well then be sure to tell your friends and neighbors
that Westbrook will continue to host a PEP PILOT class next year. This means that we will have
space for neighborhood peers to join an inclusive 3 or 4 year old PEP PILOT class in the afternoon.
Sessions are from 12:55-3:25. The class follows the MCPS Pre-Kindergarten curriculum and is led
by a certified teacher and a para-educator. A small fee is charged for materials, approximately
$150 per semester. For more information contact Lynne Karp, PEP Parent Educator by phone (301320-6506) or via email [email protected]
The FY 2017 Operating Budget—A Call to Fund Our Future
Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers submitted a $2.4 billion Recommended Operating Budget for Fiscal
Year 2017 to the Board of Education on December 8. Mr. Bowers’ operating budget recommendation includes
investments to improve student literacy and math skills; build the cultural proficiency of staff; foster
stronger partnerships with the community and our families to support students; and better organize the district to ensure every student is prepared for college and careers.
There are a variety of ways that you can learn more about the MCPS budget and become involved in the
budget process this year, including the new Budget 101 website; Neighbor to Neighbor small-group discussions; Parent Academy workshops; and an overview video and other budget materials available on the MCPS
budget webpage. Visit the budget webpage at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/ to read
more about these resources and how to make your voice heard. Westbrook PTA Co-President Leyla Kenny
presented budget testimony with the support of a number of concerned Westbrook parents at the Board of
Education meeting on Thursday, January 14th. Continue to stay informed and involved in the budget process
as the budget moves to the County Council level.
February 2016
Monday
Sun
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sa
Send Your Child With A Warm Coat,
Glove/Mittens And A Hat Everyday.
We have OUTDOOR RECESS
1
2
Flyer
Distribution
PTA
Meeting
7:30 Media
Center
7
S W
P E
I E
R K
I
T
8
14
15
9
Pajama Day
Book Character
Day
16
NO
SCHOOL
Presidents’ Day
22
School
Improvement
Plan
Meeting
7:30 am
23
Group/Class
Picture Day
28
4
5
6
10
11
12
13
Red Carpet Day
Color Day
29
Interims
Go Home
17
No Pep Classes
24
Valentine Spirit
Valentine’s Day
Parties
2:20
Report Card
Distribution
No Pep Classes
21
3
18
20
19
Jump Rope for
Heart
Principal
Coffee
9:20
No Pep Classes
No Pep Classes
25
Gr. 5
Explore it All
Talent Show at
Westland MS
6pm
26
Early Release
12:55
27
March 2015
Monday
Sun
Tuesday
Wednesday
2
1
Thursday
3
7
8
10
9
Sa
4
5
11
12
Gr. 5
Explore it All
PTA
Meeting
6
Friday
No Pep Classes
MSA Science
MSA Science
MSA Science
MSA Science
Gr. 3
National Bldg.
Museum
13
14
15
17
16
Gr. 3
Wax Museum
Grade 1
World Fair
Principal’s
Coffee
9:20
20
21
22
No PEP
23
24
3RD Marking
Period Ends
27
28
29
30
Professional Day
No School
31
19
18
26
25
HOLIDAY