Rock View Elementary School
Phone: 301-929-2002 Fax: 301-962-5986
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rockviewes
Twitter: @RVESRoadrunners (Ms. Alexander) @RockView_AP (Ms. Grigsby)
THE ROADRUNNER
April 13, 2016
School Beautification Day - RESCHEDULED
Due to the weather, our spring School Beautification Day that was
scheduled for April 9 was rescheduled for May 7. We hope that you can join
us on this new date to work with other Rock View families to spruce up our
school grounds! We will be working from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. – feel free to stop
by at any time for however long you can!
Newest Addition to the Rock View Family 
I am so pleased to share that Ms. Chae, 4 th grade teacher, welcomed Samantha
Sooyun Chae into the world! She was born on March 5. Baby Samantha, mom, and
the rest of the Chae family are doing well!
REMINDER - Tell Your Neighbors! Kindergarten Orientation Is Coming Soon!
We have just scheduled our Kindergarten Orientation to begin the process of
registering new Kindergarteners to our school for the 2016-2017 school year.
Kindergarten Orientation will take place on Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13.
Please note that there will be NO SCHOOL for current Kindergarten students in Ms.
Solender’s, Ms. Reyes’, Ms. Castillo’s, Ms. Laurie’s, and Ms. Kelly’s classes (Ms.
Iyomahan’s students WILL have school) on these days in order to host this event. If
you have neighbors with children who will be 5 years ol d by Sept. 1, 2016, please let
them know about our Kindergarten Orientation!
REMINDER - Planning for Next Year
Believe it or not we have already begun planning for next school! The level of staffing
we are allocated is based on actual enrollment. As a res ult, it is important for us to
have accurate information regarding your plans for the 2016 -2017 school year. All
students should come home with a sheet this week that asks you to share your plans
to attend Rock View next year. There is an optional parent s urvey on the sheet.
Parent input is a key component to having a comprehensive understanding of each
student’s learning strengths and styles. Please consider sharing your thoughts
Ms. Kris Alexander, Principal Ms. Nia Grigsby, Assistant Principal
Upcoming Events
Apr 11-22 – preK and Kindergarten Read-AThon (see section for more info)
Apr 13&14 – rescheduled 5 th grade field trip,
Smith Center “Daytime Astronomy” (see
teacher for specific schedule)
Apr 14 – PTA sponsored assembly,
Adventures with Raptors (2 sessions, preK-2
a.m. & gr.3-5 p.m.)
Apr 15 – Gr. 2 in-house visit from mounted
Park Police
Apr 15 – Familias de Rock View Family Game
Night, 6:30-8:30 pm (Spanish language event)
Apr 18 – Smile Checks for kindergarten & Gr.
3 (see section for more info)
Apr 19 – Lollipop Kids assembly-Smile, Don’t
Stare (2 sessions, preK-2 a.m. & gr.3-5 p.m.)
Apr 20 – ELVES volunteer event, 7-8:30 pm
Apr 21&22 – Gr. 2 in-house field trip, Making
Recycled Paper
Apr 22 – Marking Period 3 report cards go
home with students
Apr 22 – MCPS College Day! (see section for
more info)
Apr 23 – Family Field Trip, clean up of local
section of Rock Creek park (confirmationinfo
to families who sent in RSVP will come soon)
Apr 26 – Primary Election Day, schools and
offices closed
Apr 27&28 – Gr 5 Disease Prevention unit
Apr 29 – Variety Show! Newport Mill MS gym,
7-9 pm
Week of May 2 – Staff Appreciation week!
Week of May 2 – Gr 5 Family Life unit
May 3&4 – Gr 3 field trip, Kid Museum
May 3 – PTA meeting, 7-8:30 pm in Media
Center
May 4-6 – Book Swap!
May 6 – rescheduled BINGO Night, 7-8:30 pm
May 7 – rescheduled School Beautification
Day, 8-2 pm
May 9-June 3 – Gr. 3-5 PARCC testing window
(make up window June 6-10) see letter that
went home with 3th-5 th graders for schedule
May 11 – Field Day (see section for more info)
May 11 – Family Move! Night, 6:15-7:30 pm
(more info to come!)
May 12 – Gr 5 Patrol Picnic
May 12&13 – Kindergarten Orientation (see
section for more info)
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through the parent survey. Even if you do not wish to complete the survey, pl ease return the sheet with the information
about your plans for next school year to your child’s teacher – thank you!
Inaugural preKindergarten and Kindergarten Read-A-Thon is here!
It is Read-A-Thon time for our pre kindergarteners and kindergartners! We hope that you will encourage your child to
participate in this special opportunity for just our preK and kindergarten students! Please look for a Read -A-Thon packet in
your child's backpack - this will have lots of information about how your child can par ticipate. This a fun way to foster a love
for reading in our youngest students, as well as to support our school!
The Read-a-Thon is a fundraising event for our school which will help raise money while encouraging our children's love for
reading. It supports programs like the Back to School Picnic, Cultural Arts assemblies, Multicultural Night, In-housefieldtrips,
mini grants for teachers, Staff Appreciation, Movie Night and Bingo Night, school beautification efforts and the Outdoor
Classroom. The Read-a-Thon allows our children to raise money without having to sell anything. And, unlike other
fundraisers, 100% of the money they collect stays at Rock View. The success of the Read-a-Thon depends on the enthusiastic
efforts of Rock View students, parents, teachers and staff. Thank you in advance for supporting your child's participation in
this Rock View tradition!
Smile Checks – grades Kindergarten and 3 rd grade
Rock View was one of six schools chosen in Maryland to participate in “Smile Check” program this year. Our students will
have their Smile Checks on April 18, beginning at 9 a.m. It is a Maryland Public Health program to foster healthy dental care.
The “Smile Checks” are brief (about a minute for each “check,” visual dental exams for students in kindergarten and 3 rd grade
that are conducted by University of Maryland Dental School students. Each 3 rd grader and kindergartener should have
brought home an information packet last week. Inside each packet is a “Disclosure Statement” explaining the details of the
Smile Check project, “FAQ”, that provides useful information to parents and an explanation of what will happen during the
Smile Check, and an “Opt-Out” form. If you do not want your child to participate in the Smile Check, please complete the
Opt-Out form and have your child return it to his/her teacher.
Smile, Don’t Stare Assembly is coming!
We are excited to share that on April 19, we will be hosting the Lollipop Kids Foundations “Smile, Don’t Stare” assembly. This
assembly will celebrate the universal power of a smile in connecting friends and strangers alike, and how a simple smile can
make a person with a disability feel included rather than excluded. The assembly is designed to help students better
understand, and communicate with people with disabilities. Thank you to Ms. Dwyer for putting us into contact with Lollipop
Kids so that we can bring this important assembly to our school!
MSDE Special Education Parent Involvement Survey
All parents of students who received special education services should have received information in the mail about theannual
Maryland State Department of Education Parent Involvement Survey. Parents can either complete th e hard copy of the survey
they received in the mail (return it in the post-paid envelope) or complete the survey at www.mdparentsurvey.com. If you
would like another copy of the paper survey, please contact Joanne Liem at 1-800-287-1581.
Field Day is coming soon!
Field Day is scheduled for Wednesday, May
The first session (preK-2 nd grade) will be in the morning and the 3 rd – 5 th
grades will participate from in the afternoon. Parent volunteers are criti cal to the success of Field Day! If you would like to
volunteer, please be on the lookout for information coming home soon or contact Mr. Moran directly. His email is
[email protected]. Thank you for considering to volunteer!
11 th.
MCPS College Signing and College Awareness Day Set for April 22
The National College Signing Day is a component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative. The goal of the day i s
to celebrate seniors and their commitment to complete their education beyond high school. This year, MCPS will support the
national initiative by celebrating Grade 12 students who have committed to further their education beyond high school by
hosting the first annual MCPS College Signing and College Awareness Day (CSCA) on April 22. The MCPS CSCA Day will mirror
the purpose of the national event, but will go further to engage the entire school community in a celebration and recognition
Ms. Kris Alexander, Principal Ms. Nia Grigsby, Assistant Principal
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of all of our college bound students and highlight the benefits of postsecondary education at the elementary and secondary
levels. At Rock View, we will be recognizing this day by encouraging our students and staff to wear college spirit wear or Rock
View spirit wear on April 22 – we hope your child can join us for this fun celebration of MCPS students’ success!
Arrival/Dismissal Reminders
As we move into nicer weather, the number of foot traffic increases at our school near arrival and dismissal times. Please
help us keep your children safe and traffic moving during arrival and dismissal – thank you! Here are some important
reminders to be mindful of during arrival and dismissal:
 Follow all posted signs and markings.
 Pedestrians should only cross at crosswalks - on our campus and on Denfeld and Connecticut Avenues.
 Pedestrians who cross Connecticut Ave. should use the sidewalk around the parking lot.
 Be alert for pedestrians as vehicles enter and exit our drop off/pick up and bus loops areas.
 Students should not be dropped off or picked up in the bus loop during arrival and dismissal times. As a reminder
for parents who continue to do this, we have posted patrols with cones at the entrance of the bus loop to keep car
traffic out during arrival and dismissal times. Please do not pull into the bus loop during the timeframes that are
posted on the signage. Having additional cars in our bus loop during arrival and dismissal creates a very unsafe
situation for everyone!
 If you are parking your vehicle on Denfeld Ave, please pull into an open space along the curb. Vehic les that stop in
the area of the bus entrance pose a risk to traffic traveling on Denfeld Ave, as well as block our busses entering the
school.
 Please do not leave your vehicle if you are in the pick up/drop off line.
Character Wall of Fame for Marking Period 3
It is time again to recognize our students for their great character with the Character Wall of Fame! Each Marking Period, we
focus on one or two Character Traits through the Character Counts program. During the 3 rd Marking Period we addressed
Caring. Trustworthiness and Moral Courage are addressed during the 4 th Marking Period. Students learn about these
important Character Traits in a variety ways – classroom guidance lessons, morning announcements, problem-solving and
conflict resolution opportunities, and class meetings. Each of these Character Traits have characteristics that are frequently
shared with the students. Classroom teachers in kindergarten through 5 th grade will use these characteristics to identify
students from their classes to be recognized for exemplary character – the students who most notably demonstrate the
characteristics of the identified Traits from their classes will be recognized for the Character Wall of Fame.
Each recognized student will receive a certificate that indica tes which Trait they are being recognized for and have a group
picture taken with all the students who are recognized from their grade level. These pictures and student names will be on
display on the large bulletin board near the Main Office. The characteristics for the recognized Traits, as well as the next
Marking Period’s Traits and characteristics are posted on the bulletin board too.
In order to provide a more personal venue where students can truly be individually recognized for their character, Ms.
Alexander has lunch bunches with the students by grade level. Ms. Alexander provides a small treat and prize during the
lunch bunches for the students. Teachers notify students when students are identified to be recognized for the Character
Wall of Fame, and the students receive an invitation from Ms. Alexander to notify them of when they will have their lunch
bunch.
Students who most demonstrated exemplary Caring will have their lunch bunches during the April. Recognized students will
be notified by their teachers very soon, and they will receive an invitation from Ms. Alexander for their lunch bunch.
The FY 2017 Operating Budget—A Call to Fund Our Future
On March 1, the Board of Education transmitted its $2.5 billion Fiscal Year 2017 operating budget r equest to Montgomery
County Executive Isiah Leggett and the Montgomery County Council. The county executive is expected to release his FY 2017
operating budget recommendation by March 15. The County Council will consider the budget this spring, with final approval
happening in late May. After eight years of challenging economic times and a local educational investment of $1,200 less
Ms. Kris Alexander, Principal Ms. Nia Grigsby, Assistant Principal
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per student than in 2009, MCPS is asking for a budget this year to strengthen our foundation and accelerate efforts to close
the achievement gap. Anything less than full funding would likely require further cuts that could impact every school. It is
critical that we use this period to make our voices heard to ensure that our county leaders understand the needs of our
students and support the budget.
There are a variety of ways that you can become involved in the budget process and help advocate for full funding of the
MCPS budget. You can read Board President Michael Durso’s letter about the budget here. Your voice matters. Visit the
budget webpage at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/ to learn how you can get involved and advocate.
Study Released on MCPS Choice and Special Academic Programs
MCPS has released its comprehensive study of choice and other special academic programs. The study was commissioned
by the Board of Education to analyze how well choice and special academic programs advance the district’s mission, core
purpose, and core values, and to recommend ways MCPS can improve these programs. Over the next several months, MCPS
will engage with the community and work to develop a plan to address the report’s findings and recommendations. Three
community dialogues are scheduled to discuss the recommendations and the vision for choice within MCPS. The meetings
will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on April 6 at Gaithersburg High School; April 18 at Kennedy High School; and May 5
at Walter Johnson High School. The report is available at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/choice/report.aspx, where
feedback also can be submitted online.
Parent Academy Offers New Workshops
The spring session of the MCPS Parent Academy began on April 9. The Parent Academy helps equip parents with the tips and
tools they need to help their children succeed. All of the workshops are free and are held at schools and other locations
throughout Montgomery County. Spring workshop topics include active parenting, preparing for college, PARCC
assessments, and cybersafety and socia l media. Childcare and interpretation services are provided at all classes. The
schedule of workshops is available at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/workshops.aspx
MCPS Special Education Summit Set for May 14
MCPS parents, staff, and community members are invited to the third annual Special Education Summit, Leading the Way
Today, Partnering for a Better Tomorrow. The summit will take place on Saturday, May 14, 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., at
Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard in Gaithersburg. The summit is free and will feature resources and
workshops for families of students with disabilities. Families will also have an opportunity to meet representatives from
many MCPS offices, Montgomery County agencies, and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/events/.
Summer School Registration Begins May 4
Registration for the 2016 elementary summer school programs begins Wednesday, May 4. Both programs are open to all
students who are residents of Montgomery County, whether or not they are enrolled in MCPS. The elementary school
program runs from July 5 to July 29 and will be offered at Cannon Road and Candlewood elementary schools. The registration
period closes on June 20. Parents can contact the Summer School Coordinator at their chi ld’s school for information on
middle school programs. Visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/extendedhours/summerschool/ for more
information.
Ms. Kris Alexander, Principal Ms. Nia Grigsby, Assistant Principal
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