THE CLARKSBURG CHEETAH
Week of
February 15, 2016
THIS WEEK:
Mon., Feb. 15
Holiday - President’s Day - No School for Students and Staff
Tue., Feb. 16
Clarksburg Cluster Band Concert at CHS, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
A LOOK AHEAD:
Wed., Feb. 24
NAACP Student Empowerment Group of CES Meeting, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Tue., March 1
1st Grade Choral Performance at Clarksburg ES, 6:15-6:45 p.m.
Literacy Fun Night at Clarksburg ES, 6:45-7:45 p.m.
PTA Meeting at Clarksburg ES, 7:45-8:30 p.m.
Dear Clarksburg Elementary School Parents/Guardians,
I hope that everybody is enjoying the long holiday weekend and staying warm in the comfort of friends and
family. This newsletter contains a great deal of information regarding a variety of topics. Please take the time
to review all of it.
As you know, most of our students are taking part in the CES PTA Read-A-Thon. Please continue to support
your children in meeting their goals. Reading Fun Night is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1. More information
is included about this event later in this newsletter. Remember to RSVP for Reading Fun Night so that we can
provision accordingly.
Please see the additional information below to learn about more of the exciting things that we are doing and the
Montgomery County Public School system is offering. Contact the office if you have any questions or
concerns.
Sincerely,
Carl Bencal
Principal
1
Golden PEM (Persistence, Effort and Motivation) Awards
This year, part of our School Improvement Plan focus is on helping students to increase their levels of
persistence, effort, and motivation in relation to their learning. To highlight students’ achievement in this area,
each week, two students from every class will be awarded The Golden PEM Award. Teachers will choose the
Golden PEM Award winners based on the students’ consistent performance throughout the week related to their
persistence, effort, and motivation in the classroom setting. Recipients of the award will take home a Golden
PEM Certificate as well as have their names listed in the Principal’s Weekly Parent Bulletin.
Teacher
Student
Student
Hammack
Veronika
Alex
Hillmuth
Noah
Ubayd
St. Clair
Alana
Evan
Hoilman
Julian
Diana
Carpio
Mahil
Fouzaan
Chung
Sophie
Lewis
Gamble
Jaiden
Gianluca
Ennis
Chris
Rachel
Walsh
Hira
Da’Shira
Howard
Charlotte
Phoenix
Moyer
Neeka
Benny
Dryman
Immanuel
Trianna
Ouska
Ryan
Devi
2
Read Across America Celebration
Tuesday, 3/1:
PAJAMA READ-A-THON - Wear pajamas and bring your favorite book(s) for reading!
Come back to school for Reading Fun Night dressed in your pajamas too!
Wednesday, 3/2:
SHOW YOUR SOCKS DAY - Wear fun socks and show them off!
Thursday, 3/3:
STRIPES DAY - Wear as many stripes as you possibly can!
Friday, 3/4:
READ MY SHIRT DAY - Wear a shirt with appropriate words to school!
Book Cover Art Wall
Students may choose to enter Dr. Seuss inspired art into a Seusstastic Gallery of Images. Your image can be a
drawing, photograph, collage...there are endless possibilities! The only requirement is that it can’t be larger than
8.5” x 11”. (This can be done at home or at school.) Submit your art to Mrs. Taylor by Tuesday, March 1st.
Art will be displayed at Reading Fun Night that evening.
3
Reading Fun Night RSVP
We appreciate your RSVP by Friday, February 26th. Please
complete this form or RSVP electronically at
http://bit.ly/ReadingFunNight
Thank you!
Join us for a ton of fun on Tuesday, March 1st!
The agenda for the evening is as follows:
 First graders sing in gym at 6:15 PM
 Reading fun rotations throughout building at 6:45 PM
 Brief PTA meeting at 7:45 PM
For the reading fun, you and your child will listen to a story, explore e-books, make book marks,
swap books and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies.



Wear your pajamas!
Enter the drawing to win reading book baskets!
Bring gently used books to swap!
o 1-3 books to swap = 2 tickets
o 4 or more books to swap = 3 tickets
Parents and students will rotate through 3 stations by grade level. If you have more than one
child attending with just one adult, we ask you to pick just one and have some fun!
Student 1: ______________________________________________________________
Parent 1: ________________________________________________________________
Teacher: __________________________________________________ Grade: _______
Student 2: ______________________________________________________________
Parent 2: ________________________________________________________________
Teacher: __________________________________________________ Grade: _______
Please send back to school by Friday, February 26th or
RSVP electronically at http://bit.ly/ReadingFunNight
Thank you!
4
5
Watch Video Recording of PARCC Webinar
MCPS presented a webinar on the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)
assessments for parents on February 10. Staff provided important information on the upcoming changes for the
2016 tests and provided tips to help parents better understand the score reports from the spring 2015
administration of the PARCC tests. If you were unable to watch it live, you can view the video recording of the
webinar on the MCPS website at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/parcc/. The presentation
document is available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Amharic. If you have
additional questions about the PARCC assessments, be sure to visit the MCPS PARCC webpage, which
features a variety of helpful tools, FAQs, videos, and much more.
Stay Informed About the MCPS FY 2017 Operating Budget
The Montgomery County Board of Education has recommended a $2.5 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2017. The budget request includes a $180.2 million increase from FY 2016, which will allow the district
to make targeted investments to close the achievement gap; improve students’ literacy and math skills; reduce
class sizes; foster stronger partnerships with the community and families to support students; and accelerate
efforts to improve and diversify the workforce. The Board’s budget request will be submitted to the
Montgomery County Executive and the County Council. The County Executive is expected to release his FY
2017 operating budget recommendation by March 15. The Montgomery County Council will hold public
hearings on the county budget in April before passing a final budget in May. Stay informed and engaged on the
Board’s budget request on the MCPS Operating Budget website.
Be sure to share your ideas and views on the importance of funding the MCPS operating budget with our
elected Montgomery County officials—the Montgomery County Board of Education, the County Executive,
and the Montgomery County Council—through emails, letters, short videos, and testimonials.
Five Education Budget Meetings, presented by Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice, MCPS
Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers, and Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard, are scheduled for
February and March. Find out how budget decisions are made, what the county is doing today to get ready for
FY 2017 and beyond, and the opportunities residents have to influence budget decisions. The meetings will take
place from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:
 February 17, Montgomery College (Germantown Campus), BE Building, Room 151, 20200 Observation
Drive, Germantown
 February 24, Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington
 March 9, Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Blvd., Gaithersburg
 March 16, Col. Zadok Magruder High School, 5939 Muncaster Mill Road, Rockville
 March 23, Thomas S. Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Pkwy., Rockville
Nominations Open for Counselor of the Year Awards
Parents can pay tribute to their child’s school counselor by nominating him or her for the MCPS School
Counselor of the Year Award. The award will recognize one outstanding counselor from elementary, middle,
and high school. Nominations are due Friday, March 6. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m.
on Thursday, April 2. Counselors may be nominated by parents and students. Visit the MCPS webpage at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ and search “School Counselor Award” for the criteria and nomination packet.
6
Board of Education Conditionally Appoints Dr. Jack R. Smith as Superintendent
The Montgomery County Board of Education has identified a finalist for the position of superintendent of
schools—Dr. Jack R. Smith, who is currently the interim state superintendent of Maryland schools and former
superintendent of schools in Calvert County. Dr. Smith has more than 30 years of experience as an educator and
administrator.
Community engagement was a crucial part of the search for the superintendent of schools. Dr. Smith met with a
community panel of Montgomery County stakeholders to provide feedback to Board members and help them
arrive at a decision on the appropriate candidate. In the coming weeks, a contingent of the Board will be in
touch with stakeholders and Dr. Smith’s colleagues. Based on the outcome of this feedback, contract
negotiations, and obtaining state approval, the Board plans to hire Dr. Smith as the next superintendent of
MCPS effective July 1, 2016.
A series of public meetings will be scheduled in the near future for parents and the community to meet Dr.
Smith.
7