Strawberry Knoll News
STRAWBERRY KNOLL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
August 30, 2013
18820 Strawberry Knoll Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
E. Frank Kaplan, Principal
Rosemary Ford, Assistant Principal
Web Site Address—http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/
strawberryknolles/
Welcome to a New School Year!
Can you believe we completed our first week of school? We have already seen
an air of confidence among our Kindergarten students as they can now locate
their classrooms, enter their SNAP account PIN numbers, and assemble in their
designated recess lines. I laughed with genuine appreciation when corrected by
one of our newest Noble Knights this past Monday. Unfortunately, the student
forgot his teacher’s last name and as such could not find his recess line. So I
asked, “Is your teacher a boy or a girl?” The student replied, “She’s a woman!”
We not only welcomed 95 Kindergarten students to our school, but an additional
36 new students in first through fifth grade. Each new school year brings
changes and opportunities. This year’s no exception as 10 new staff members
joined our Strawberry Knoll family, along with Dr. Smith, Associate Superintendent, and Dr. Greene, Director of School Support and Improvement, both for
the Northeast Consortium, Gaithersburg, Magruder, and Sherwood cluster elementary schools. Learn more about our newest Strawberry Knoll staff in our
next “Knoll News!”
Curriculum 2.0 updates and resources you may access throughout the year are
included in today’s publication. We value our partnership with you and as such
will continue to communicate via our bi-weekly principal’s newsletter, grade-level
publications, and updates posted on our school’s homepage. Some staff have
suggested I “tweet.” Stay tuned!
Although the year is new, our school’s culture and reputation remains the same.
As this is our school’s silver anniversary, traditions of sorts have evolved during
our 25 years. That said, we held our first Town Hall meeting of the year this
afternoon, “Flamingo Friday!” Some of our talented staff performed skits before our Noble Knights and modeled the positive behaviors we expect to see
among our students. Students assisted our newest staff in a game that required
participants to provide information related to Strawberry Knoll’s mascot, school
colors, opening year, building design, significant staff members, and unique days
of the week. Pride filled the gym when students and staff ended this afternoon’s gathering with the singing of, “The World is a Rainbow!”
Enjoy the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Safe travels to those of you destined
for points beyond the metro area. We look forward to seeing our students on
Tuesday, September 3, 2013. Happy New School Year!
E. Frank Kaplan
Proud Principal
Join Us for Next Friday’s Fun-Run/Walk and SKES/P.T.A. Family Picnic!
Prepare to join us for our upcoming Fun-Run/Walk and SKES/P.T.A. Family
Picnic on Friday, September 6, 2013. As in year’s past, this year’s Fun-Run/Walk
course will consist of a 1.6 mile loop around Quail Valley. Registration for next
week’s fun-fit activity begins next Friday, September 6, 2013, at
5:45 p.m. The race/walk will begin at 6:00 p.m. Our family picnic will begin
soon after our first runners complete the race. We look forward to seeing you!
Speed Limit and Pedestrian Safety Update
Now that school has resumed, it’s important for us drivers to follow the speed limit, particularly in
school zones, and remain mindful of pedestrians. Thank you for driving the speed limit (25 MPH) along
Strawberry Knoll Road and throughout Quail Valley. We appreciate your vigilance of students and
families as they walk to and from school each day. As we adults are role models for our children, let’s
continue to use designated crosswalks here at the Knoll and throughout the school community.
“Change is Our Friend!”
Dr. Bill Wilhoyte, Strawberry Knoll’s first principal reminded staff during the school’s first year in
1988 and during his four years at our school, “Change is our friend!” We thank you and certainly our
Noble Knights for respecting the necessary change we made regarding our students’ morning arrival
procedures. Those students who arrive for breakfast may enter our school starting at 8:20 a.m. All
other students will assemble by the front doors (near the drop-off/pick-up circle) and enter our
school at 8:30 a.m. As always, if there’s a need for our Strawberry Knoll parents/guardians to enter
the building, we ask you first ring the buzzer and then report to the Kare-A-Lot Office where we can
welcome you!
New and Improved MCPS QuickNotes: Subscribe today!
The MCPS QuickNotes newsletter has been redesigned to make it quick and easy for you to get the news and
information you need about Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). MCPS QuickNotes will be published more
often, with a new edition delivered to your inbox every other week during the school year. MCPS will continue to
send emergency notifications, such as school closures and delays, and other information through MCPS QuickNotes. Visit www.mcpsquicknotes.org to subscribe!
NO SCHOOL
For
Staff and Students
MONDAY,
SEPTEMBER 2, 2013
Labor Day
NO SCHOOL For
Teachers and Students
THURSDAY
Dates and Events
5, 2013
9:30 SEPTEMBER
a.m. Town Hall Meeting
Upcoming
June 12
June 13
June 25
August 23
August 26
September 19
9:30 a.m. Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony
Report Cards
Home
RoshMailed
Hashanah
Open House
First Day of School for Students
7:00 p.m. Back-To School Night
MCPS QuickNotes Nuevo y Mejorado: Suscribase Hoy!
El boletín informativo, MCPS QuickNotes, ha sido rediseñado para hacer posible que recibas las no-
ticias y la información que necesitas de Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) de manera rápida y
facil. MCPS QuickNotes será publicado más a menudo, con una nueva edición que será enviada a tu
buzón de correo electronico, cada dos semanas durante el año escolar. MCPS continuará enviando mensajes de emergencia, tales como cierres y retrasos, y otro tipo de información a traves de MCPS
QuickNotes. Para suscribirse, visite www.mcpsquicknotes.org!
Curriculum 2.0: Building a Stronger Foundation
MCPS is continuing to introduce its improved curriculum for the elementary grades—Curriculum 2.0. It
is designed to provide a strong foundation in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics, while placing a renewed emphasis on other areas, such as social studies, the arts and physical education. Curriculum 2.0 also helps students develop the creative and critical thinking skills that are important for success in the 21st century. This year, Curriculum 2.0 will be implemented in grades K–5 in all schools.
More information is available on the website at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/2.0/.
Currículum 2.0: Construyendo una Base Solida
MCPS continúa la introducción de su currículum mejorado para los grados de educación elemental—
Currículum 2.0. Éste currículum está diseñado para proporcionar una base sólida en las áreas de lectura, escritura y matemáticas, mientras pone un enfoque renovado en otras áreas de aprendizaje como
los estudios sociales, las artes y la educación física. El Currículum 2.0 también ayuda a los estudiantes a
desarrollar las destrezas de pensamiento crítico y creativo que son tan importantes para tener éxito
en el siglo XXI. Éste año, el Currículum 2.0 será implementado en los grados K–5 en todas las escuelas.
Más información se encuentra disponible en el sitio de internet www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/
curriculum/2.0/.
How to Receive Emergency Information from MCPS
MCPS parents can receive emergency information from the school system in a variety of ways including
MCPS QuickNotes, Alert MCPS, Twitter, the MCPS website, MCPS TV, and a recorded telephone information line. Please visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency for more information on how to
keep in touch with Montgomery County Public Schools and stay informed in times of emergencies.
Cómo Recibir Información de Emergencia de MCPS
Los padres de estudiantes de MCPS pueden recibir información del sistema escolar en casos de
emergencia de varias maneras incluyendo MCPS QuickNotes, Alert MCPS, Twitter, el sitio de
Internet de MCPS, MCPS TV y la línea de información con mensajes grabados. Para más información de cómo mantenerse en contacto con Montgomery County Public Schools y mantenerse informado
durante emergencias visite www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency.