Welcome to Mechanicsville Elementary School Back to School Night Thursday, August 29 th, 2013 Grades 1 & 2

Schedule for Tonight  6:00-6:30 Introductions, Parent Guides, and PTA  7:30-7:50 Volunteer Training (Gym) Grade 1Grade 2 6:30-6:55 Teacher Presentations in Media Center 6:30-6:55 Teacher Presentations in Gym 7:00-7:20 Classroom Visits 7:00-7:20 Classroom Visits

Introductions Administration:  Steve Wernick, Principal  Ms. Jensen, Assistant Principal Office Staff:  Ms. Halvorsen, Secretary  Ms. Morelock, Secretary  Ms. Scanlon, Secretary  Ms. Parker, Nurse  Ms. Preller, School Counselor PTA:  Ms. Sobieck, President

First Grade Team  Ms. Blank (TL)  Ms. Mull  Ms. Purper

Second Grade Team  Ms. Heim (TL)  Ms. Lynch  Ms. Tighe  Ms. Winebrunner

Resource and Special Areas Teams Resource Teachers:  Ms. Dorsey (TL)  Ms. Milnes  Ms. Morie  Ms. Nott (TL)  Ms. Wallace Resource Specialists:  Ms. Bailey (ILA) (TL)  Ms. Chucko (Math) Specials Teachers:  Ms. Anastassion (instr. & vocal)  Ms. Dorsey (art)  Ms. Frock (art)  Ms. Haislip (vocal music)  Ms. Kahler (media) (TL)  Ms. Koslowski (health)  Ms. Murphey (P.E./health)  Ms. Schlipper (P.E.) (TL) GT Teachers:  Ms. Pelletier  Ms. Walsh

Vision and Mission Our Vision: To become a model school of caring, sharing, and high student achievement. Our Mission: To work together to promote high student achievement and lifelong learning for all by providing a quality education in a safe learning environment.

Our Values and Beliefs  Collaboration among and across all stakeholders  Positive learning environment for our students  Life-long learning for all  The success of each individual student

Our Priorities  Continue “first-pass” Instruction and student-centered teaching  Full implementation of the Common Core Curriculum (K-5)  Additional support for all classrooms  New reading series (grades 3-5)  Continue to be “results-oriented” through data utilization

CCPS Parent Guides  Mr. Bob Lord & Mrs. Cindy Lord  Carroll Values Education  Family Forum: Common Core State Standards and the PARCC Assessment Family Forum: Common Core State Standards and the PARCC Assessment  Thursday, September 19 th  7:00PM to 8:30PM  Winters Mill High School (560 Gorsuch Road)

Attendance  Doors open for students at 9:00 AM.  Dismissal begins at 4:00 PM.  Students need to be in their seats by 9:30 AM to avoid being marked tardy (late).  If your child is absent, please send a note when your child returns. If a note is not received, the absence will be marked as UNVERIFIED.

 After a period of time, unverified absences are coded as UNLAWFUL.  Students who leave prior to 4:00 PM will be marked tardy for the afternoon.  Extended absences require prior approval. Attendance (continued)

Transportation  Bus transportation is available for every student.  We have great bus drivers!  Riding the bus is statistically safer than riding in a car.  We have a very small parking lot. Please help us decrease the volume of traffic in our loop.  Please adhere to the directions of our staff members in the parking lot.

Lunch Prices  Student breakfast $1.25  Student lunch: $2.25  Milk: $0.60  Ice cream $0.75

Cafeteria  Lunch Guests-Please wait at least 2 weeks.  Lunch guests must sign in at the office and receive a guest sticker. We must have a note in advance for anyone other a parent or guardian requesting to have lunch with a student (Grandparents, etc.).  Please consider purchasing lunches through the prepay lunch program. This can be done for a few meals, the month, or the year.  Pre-pay forms can be found in a link on the MES website.  Breakfast is available daily.  Ms. Quinn, Awesome Cafeteria Manager!

Birthday Celebrations/ Special Activities  Please do not bring in food for Birthdays.  Special activities involving food items must be pre- approved by the teacher.  A good alternative: consider purchasing ice cream in the cafeteria for the class at $0.75 per child.  Other ideas:  Pencils and/or stickers for each student in the class or  A book donated to the teacher w/child’s name and birthdate in it as a keepsake for the class.

Student Dress  Please make sure students are dressed appropriately and comfortably for learning and the environment.  Student dress should not be a distraction to the student or other students.  Appropriate shoes should be worn daily  Students will be going outside daily for recess and PE.  Coats/sweatshirts

Involvement/Activities  PTA meetings, activities, and events  PTA committee chairs  Classroom volunteers  Help at home  Field trips  Guest speakers  Volunteer training (7:30 this evening)  We need your help!

We are a Green School!  REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE  Recycling projects  Conservation projects  Rain garden, butterfly garden, song bird garden, nature trail, and outdoor classroom  Curricular connections  PLEASE:  Send lunch items in plastic containers instead of baggies  Have your children ride the bus to conserve fuel and help reduce emissions!

Partnerships  Professional Development School w/ Stevenson University  5 Senior Interns  8 Sophomore Student Field Experiences  2 Carroll County Career and Tech Center Students  CHANGE Volunteers  Lions Club  DARE Officers

MES Website:  School information  Calendar  Staff contact information  Newsletters  PTA website link  Student handbook  Menus and meal plans  Supply lists  School improvement plan  Media links

PBIS & Behavioral Rewards  Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports  CARE (Cooperation, Attitude, Responsibility, Effort)  CARE tickets  Over 52,000 CARE tickets awarded last year  Student incentives and recognition  Communication

Misc. Information  Alert Now system  Update contact information when changes occur  E-School Plus (Home Access Center)  Field trips  Chaperones (volunteer training)  Volunteer - Please no “shadowing”

Our PTA is Awesome!  Ms. Sobieck, President   Fun family events  Digi-blocks  Computer carts  Carpets for classrooms  Funds for classroom teachers  LCD projectors/document Cameras  Outdoor classroom  Flip cameras  Recess equipment  Field trip funds  New playground  Bird box camera

Mechanicsville Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Welcome Back to School!  PTA Officers for  Stacy Sobieck, President  Dawn Bainbridge, Vice President  Carolyn Boggs, Treasurer  Colleen Kelly, Secretary  PTA Membership Drive underway now.  PTA Meetings will continue to be bi-monthly on the third Wednesday from 7 to 8pm. Free childcare is provided. The first meeting is September 18 th.

What’s New for  Family Fun Night  Spring Spruce Up Day

Upcoming Events for  Ice Cream Social on September 12 th  MES Fun Run  Parent/Grandparent Breakfasts  Book Fair, November  Mardi Gras, March 29th  Play Day

 Secure Online School Directory  Contains contact information for all participating families  PTA Supported and Driven  100% Parent control over what information is shared  Communication tool-parent to parent and PTA to parents  More information will be sent home detailing how you can participate

A Few Good Volunteers Volunteer – A Little or A Lot  Homeroom Parent  Choose your committee or event (all need help!)  Need Mardi Gras co-chair  Need Parent/Grandparent Breakfast co-chair  Tell us about your skills and talents  At home volunteer opportunities are available too!

Raising Money = Necessary Evil Activities and Events help us have fun while raising money needed to fund programs.  Restaurant/Shopping Nights scheduled monthly  Redemption Programs (Grocery Stores, Target, BOX TOPS)  Mardi Gras Spring Carnival and Auction  Fall Fundraiser (The MES Fun Run)

Join us  Complete Simple Membership Form  $6 Membership Fee

Learn More  Come to a meeting   PTA Newsletters  Find us on Facebook!

Thank You!  We are looking forward to a wonderful year!  Please feel free to contact us at school if you have any questions. Circle of Friends (author unknown) We've joined together as classmates as the new year begins... A year full of learning while we become friends. We'll share and be kind as we work and we play. And our friendship will grow with each passing day.