18820 Strawberry Knoll Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
E. Frank Kaplan, Principal
Rosemary Ford, Assistant Principal
Web Site Address—http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/
Strawberry Knoll News
ST RAWBERRY KN OL L E LE MEN TA RY S CH OOL
September 28, 2012
“Together Everyone Achieves More!”
We thank those of you that attended last week’s “Back to School Night.” As
you saw, we have an energetic staff and involved school community! The middle school students who assisted in the atrium during last Thursday evening’s
event are Strawberry Knoll graduates. We certainly thank them for their
support. We also wish to acknowledge another Strawberry Knoll graduate, Ms.
Edinam Kumazah, a junior at Gaithersburg High School. Ms. Kumazah captured
our attention as she read a few lines from her essay, “How Teachers Impact
Students.” We have every reason to be proud of our children!
Slots remain available for November’s parent-teacher conferences. If you
were unable to sign up for a conference during “Back to School Night,” conference sign-up sheets will be posted outside of classrooms at our” Open House”
on Monday, October 8, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We hope you can
visit and see how we are implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in
our daily instruction.
We are pleased to announce as of last month, 10 new families have joined our
school. Some of them were here for last night’s P.T.A./S.K.E.S. Physical Education Department sponsored Fun Run and Walk. Yes, we value our close working relationship with the Knoll’s surrounding communities. It was equally pleasing to see many of you at last night’s P.T.A. Picnic. We’ll do it again, next year!
Please continue to read with your children. As Edinam mentioned in her essay,
“Next to immediately family members, teachers possess a tremendous influence on their students’ lives.” We are a team and as such, “together everyone
achieves more!”
E. Frank Kaplan
Proud Principal
Gaithersburg High School’s Success Is Our Success!
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) outranked the state average on
last spring’s Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT.) The SAT is a standardized test
taken by U.S. high school students applying to colleges. Gaithersburg High
School’s students demonstrated a 16 point increase on last year’s SAT. We’ve
included a link for you to hear more about Gaithersburg’s success. Featured in
the video-clip is one of our very own, currently a senior at Gaithersburg High
School!
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/mainstory/story.aspx?
id=262915
Come to Open House
What are your plans for Monday, October 8, 2012? Consider visiting us for our annual Open House from
9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. We are always happy to see you at this event, as are your children. Open House will be
a regular instructional day for us. You are certainly the best judge of your future noble knights who are still at
home. If you decide to bring a youngster not currently enrolled in school, use your discretion when you visit us.
Again we want to make sure our students are able to focus and concentrate (us adults as well.)
Literacy Night
Come one, come all! Please join us for a “knight” of literary fun and adventure on Thursday, October 11, 2012 from
7:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Students, parents and guardians will
participate in literacy activities in our atrium and all purpose room. Guests will also take part in interactive read alouds and story-telling. Door prizes including books and
gift certificates will be awarded. Don’t forget to visit the
Book Fair from 8:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m.
Book Fair Returns
Our P.T.A. sponsored book fair begins Friday, October 5, 2012 and runs through Friday, October 12, 2012. This annual event is
always popular among our students. This
month’s book fair will be held in the Media
Center.
Volunteers needed. Please contact Mrs.
Lianne Halling at [email protected] or
Mrs. Rashida Thomas at
[email protected].
Lock Down, Shelter in Place and Evacuation Drills
Safety and security remain a top priority at the Knoll. Students and staff have already participated in two fire
drills and one Shelter in Place. Students, staff and visitors will soon participate in two of three other important
safety drills—Evacuation and Lock Down.
A Shelter in Place is called when it is necessary to secure a specific area of the building. Other reasons for
calling a Shelter in Place would be due a serious situation in the community or the severity of a weather condition such as a tornado warning. While under a Shelter in Place, students are under the direct supervision of
school staff. Additionally, students and staff in our portable classrooms will enter the building and report to a
nearby classroom.
A Lock Down exercise is called in the event that someone near or in the school poses a threat to students and
staff. During a Lock Down , instruction stops. The school is in complete lock-down. Teachers and staff lock
their doors, draw the window blinds and account for all students. Students remain quiet and wait for further
instructions.
An Evacuation is necessary if the emergency makes it more dangerous to stay in the building than to leave, then
we must evacuate. Our school evacuates to the upper fields by the Quail Valley playground. If necessary the
students would be bussed to Forest Oak Middle School.
Please take time to discuss the Lock Down, Shelter in Place and Evacuation procedures with your children. If
you happen to have any questions about our safety drills, feel free to contact with Mr. Kaplan or Mrs. Ford. As
always we thank you for your continued involvement and support!
Fall Holidays and Events
October 2
7:00 p.m. P.T.A Meeting
Curriculum 2.0/Grading and Reporting
October 5 – 12
P.T.A. Book Fair – Media Center
October 8
8:00 a.m. Curriculum 2.0 Parent Informational Meeting
9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Open House
October 11
7:00 p.m. Literacy “Knight”
October 15
SERT Energy Assembly 9:30 a.m. K-2, 10:20 a.m. 3-5
October 17
11:10 a.m.—1:50 p.m. 5th Grade to the Strathmore Hall
October 18
Individual Pictures
Mrs. Karolick’s Remembrance Service
October 19
State Conference for Teachers –
No School for Staff and Students
October 22, 23
Hearing and Vision Screening
October 25
2:15—6:30 p.m. Fundraiser Pizzas Delivered—Atrium
October 31
2:00 p.m. Halloween Parade/Parties
November 2
First Marking Period Ends
November 5
Professional Day for Teachers – No School for Students
November 6
HOLIDAY – Election Day
November 8
9:00 a.m. Curriculum 2.0 Parent Informational Meeting
November 12, 13
12:35 p.m. Early Dismissal Day
Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 14
10:00 a.m. Town Hall Meeting
November 15
PTA Fall Festival
November 21
12:35 p.m. Early Release Day
November 22, 23
HOLIDAY – Thanksgiving
November 30
10:00 a.m. Makeup Picture Day