THE CLARKSBURG CHEETAH
Week of
March 14, 2016
THIS WEEK:
Tue., March 15
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Classes to Meet with Representatives from the
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
Thur., March 17
5th Grade FLHS/DPC Parent Meeting, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
NAACP Student Empowerment Group of CES Meeting, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
A LOOK AHEAD:
Mon./Tue., March 21 & 22
Jump Rope for Heart
Tue., March 22
Mad Science Presentation for the Grade 3
Ms. Ennis: 1:30-2:30 p.m. & Ms. Walsh: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Wed., March 23
Grade 1 Field Trip to the Rockville Recycling Center, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Dear Clarksburg Elementary School Parents/Guardians,
I hope that everybody had a wonderful weekend. It finally appears that a vast majority of the staff and our
students are finally healthy. We had a couple of weeks filled with coughs, runny noses, sneezes, sore throats,
belly aches, and fevers, but the worst should now be in the past. We continue to ask that you keep any sick
students at home and that students do not return to school until they are “fever free” for at least 24 hours.
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
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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
Hillary
Anabelle
Hillmuth
Helena
Mokshith
St. Clair
Clyde
Mariyah
Hoilman
Garrett
Siddhi
Carpio
Maverick
Kayle
Chung
Sophie
Walter
Gamble
Zarrah
Frances
Ennis
Jared
Sofia
Walsh
Alex
Vishal
Howard
Diego
Katianna
Moyer
Amir
Angela
Dryman
Jacob
Immanuel
Ouska
Ashley
Cooper
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Change in Cafeteria Menu
We will have a “Cafeteria Manager’s Choice” on Tuesday, March 22. The menu choices for the day are:
Lunch A & B:
PHILLY STEAK
CHEESE ENCHILADA
CHICKEN CHERRY BLOSSOM
MACARONI & CHEESE W/SHRIMP
SHRIMP POPPERS W/ROSEMARY POTATOES
SPAGHETTI W/MEATBALLS
Lunch C:
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
A Message from One More Story – Online Ebooks
March is National Reading Month. To celebrate, we (One More Story) are giving away a free week of
unlimited reading. Just go to our homepage and enter your email address. We will email you a username and
password, which will give you access to our full library through our app or website. No credit card necessary.
Choose Respect Conference— #RespectYourSelfie
Students and parents: mark your calendars for the 2016 Choose Respect Conference. This free event will take
place on Sunday, March 20, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Richard Montgomery High School. Morning host
Tommy McFly of 94.7 Fresh FM and correspondent for WUSA9-TV will emcee the opening session of the
conference. Parents, teens, youth service providers, and educators will come together to discuss the problems
around teen dating violence and talk about ways to establish healthy relationships. Did you know that nearly 1.5
million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year?
This is an important conversation that all students must have. There will be raffles, prizes, free food, and live
entertainment. You do not want to miss this event. For more information and to register,
visit: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fjc/chooserespect.html.
College Prep Fair to Be Held April 9
A free College Preparation and Scholarship Fair will be held 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, at Montgomery
College (Bioscience Education Center), 20200 Observation Drive in Germantown. The fair is intended for
students in Grades 6–10 and their parents. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet representatives from
various careers, colleges, and universities, learn about financial aid and scholarship opportunities and attend
informative breakout sessions. Space is limited, so be sure to register early! Registration can be completed at
www.mcpsparentacademy.org. Call 301-279-3100 for more information.
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Honoring Contributions to Special Education
MCPS parents, students, and staff are encouraged to submit nominations to recognize individuals and programs
that have contributed to the success and acceptance of students with special needs. The recognitions are being
given by the Special Education Committee of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA). The
recognition ceremony will be held at Rockville High School on Monday, May 9. Nominations are being
accepted in four categories: Staff, Programs, Parents, and Students. Applications are due by Friday, March
18.
Nominations can be submitted by email attachment to Jeanne Taylor, or by hard copy to the Montgomery
County Council of PTAs, Upcounty Regional Services Center, 12900 Middlebrook Road, 3rd Floor,
Germantown, MD, 20874. Visit the MCPS website at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org, search “MCCPTA
Awards” to download the nomination form.
MCPS Operating Budget: Make Your Voice Heard!
Our community must begin to reinvest in education and change the way the MCPS budget has been funded for
the past eight years. Together, we must achieve full funding of the budget to ensure every child has the
opportunity for success. The FY 2017 Operating Budget includes resources to serve more than 2,500 additional
students; REDUCE CLASS SIZES; CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP; improve students’ literacy and
math skills; and build the cultural proficiency of staff.
It is critical that the county executive and the Montgomery County Council hear from our community about
MCPS’s budget priorities. Beginning March 17, community members can call 240-777-7803 or visit
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/PHSignUp.html to sign up to testify at the County Council budget
hearings. The hearings will be held at the following dates and times:
April 5
April 6
April 7
7:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Additionally, Montgomery County Council Education Committee Chair Craig Rice, in partnership with MCPS
and Montgomery College, is holding meetings across the county to discuss education funding. You can attend
and share your perspective about education funding in our community. The meetings will be held at the
following dates and times:
March 9
March 16
March 23
6:30 p.m. at Gaithersburg High School
6:30 p.m. at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School
6:30 p.m. at Thomas S. Wootton High School
Make Your Voice Heard!
MCPS has developed several resources to help the community understand the budget and get involved in the
budget process. Find more budget information at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/budget17.
FY 2017 Recommended Operating Budget
Budget Fast Facts: A short summary of the FY 2017 budget recommendation
Advocacy Infographic: A tool for advocating the budget priorities
Budget 101: The MCPS budget explained
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Mindsets Plus Skill Sets Equals Results:
Raising Resilient Kids in 2016
Workshop
Tuesday, March 15th at 7 pm
Centerville Elementary
3601 Carriage Hill Drive
Frederick, MD
Want to learn how to raise “Smart” kids? This workshop for parents will show you the latest brain research on
what it takes and will give you practical ideas and strategies for what you can do to support your child in
becoming his/her smartest self.
Topics Discussed:
 How hard work and discipline contribute more to school success than IQ or innate ability.
 How to foster good work habits and build self-regulation skill sets.
 How to instill the value of effort and discipline in your child.
 How saying, “No” to your child will make him/her stronger and more resilient.
 How to use praise in ways that empower not enable your child.
Workshop will be facilitated by Kathleen Kryza, MA, Chief Inspirational Officer of Infinite Horizons.
Kathleen Kryza has taught general education, special education, and gifted and talented students. Kathleen has
also worked with students of varying socio-economic and multi-cultural backgrounds. Workshops with
Kathleen are highly practical, brain-based and inspirational. Kathleen is co-author of the new book,
Transformative Teaching: Changing Classroom Culturally, Emotionally and Academically (2015). She is also
the co-author of Developing Growth Mindsets in the Inspiring Classroom (2011), Inspiring Secondary Learners
(2007), Inspiring Elementary Learners (2008), Differentiating in the Real Classroom (2009), and Winning
Strategies for Test Taking (2009). Kathleen is featured in the video, Differentiating Instruction in the
Intermediate Grades (2008). She has presented for school districts locally, nationally, and internationally for
over 24 years on various educational and motivational topics.
Please RSVP to April Miller, Centerville Elementary School Counselor, at [email protected]
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