February 1, 2008
A Message From Mrs. Starr
Second marking period report cards were sent home on Tuesday. While your child may be excited to share the grades with you, it may also be a time of anxiety for him/her as well. It is essential to let your child know that although there are always areas of improvement that we can all make, we all have strengths that will assist us in reaching our goals. An important concept for all students to develop is effort leads to improvement and achievement. Many students can relate to the importance of frequent practice in their chosen sports. This can also be applied to the importance of practice that homework, nightly reading, and drilling of basic facts foster in the improvement and mastery of the desired learning objectives. Students frequently do not make the connection between the importance of homework and what they are learning in the classroom daily. Once your child has finished his/her homework nightly, sit down and review the assignment for accuracy and completion. Discuss how the days class work connected with that nights assignment. If your student is feeling challenged by the assigned work, a reminder of the amount of practice that was required for him/her to learn a new skill in the chosen sport and how it got easier as practice increased may assist in relieving that frustration. This additional, special time spent with you will also be an added benefit.
I hope that you found Curriculum Nights on Thursday or Friday night informative. Thanks to all the teachers who worked so hard to provide you with the information regarding the state and county grade level curriculum and the methods and strategies employed to teach your child that curriculum. Thank you for coming to one or both of these nights.
Holiday Presidential Primary Election No School Tuesday, February 12
Holiday - Presidents Day - No School Monday, February 18
20072008 Survey of School Environment and Survey of Supporting Services
Due to budgetary and fiscal constraints, the 20072008 Survey of School Environment and Survey of Supporting Services will not be administered to students, parents, and staff in the 20072008 school year. The surveys will resume in the 20082009 school year. We thank you for your continued support for the survey process.
PTA Talk About Positive Discipline
The PTA
is sponsoring a talk about Positive Discipline for your family on Thursday,
February 7th from 7-8:30 pm in the media center. Join us to learn how to move
away from punishment and toward using
encouragement, consequences, limits, agreements. This approach to discipline
strives to stimulate cooperation and self-restraint. A flyer should be coming
home today in your child's backpack with all
of the details. We hope to see you there! If enough people request it,
childcare will be provided.
February 2008 Elementary Fitness Calendar
Enclosed in this months newsletter you will find a family fitness calendar for the month of February. The calendar is designed by AAPHERD. AAPHERD is our professional organization for Physical Education, Health Education, Recreation and Dance. The calendar gives families ideas for physical activity. It is my hope that your children will enjoy participating in physical activity every day! The surgeon general recommends 60 minutes of physical activity each and every day. This is yet another way to encourage physical activity.
Kindergarten Orientation Dates Are Scheduled
Kindergarten Orientation for children who will be five years old on or before September l, 2008, will be held at Woodfield Elementary on April 17 and April 18. On these dates, there will be no school for our current kindergarten students. Please call the office to provide the school with your childs name. If you know of families who do not have students currently at Woodfield but have children who will be in kindergarten next year, please share this date with them. More information will follow.
5th and 6th Grade Cluster Band Concert
The 5th and 6th grade Cluster Band Concert with Baker MS, Woodfield ES, Damascus ES, and Clearspring ES will take place at Damascus High School on Monday, February 11th at 7:30 p.m. This is an opportunity for our 5th grade band members to perform with a larger ensemble as well as with the middle school students and band instructor. Every performance demonstrates our skills and knowledge of appropriate level music as well as meets the national standards.
Chinese Immersion Program Open House
The Chinese Immersion Program at College Gardens Elementary School will hold an open house on Friday, February 15th, 2008 from 10:00 11:00 a.m. for Kindergarten through Grade 4 for school year 2008-2009. The event will feature an information session followed by a school tour.
In the event of inclement weather, the open house will be held on Tuesday, February 19th at 10:00 a.m. For more information, call Mrs. Kuang-Tzu Gretz, Chinese Immersion Program Coordinator, at 301-279-8470.
Student Book Exchange
This week, thanks to the PTA volunteers, our students have had an opportunity to share their books with other students in the school. Thanks to all who sent in books for the students to choose. Start saving your books for next years event. To our people who made this event possible, Andi Carbonell, Beth Andrews, Kathy Croom, Sue Patton, Audrey Hill, Lucy Lock, Dee Santorelli, Anne Reinhold, Amy Dunham, Amy Simonic, Heather Manoogian, and Teri Knox, thank you for all of your many efforts.!
Science Fair Parent Information Night
Have you talked to your child about the science fair? Want to know more about it? Come to an informative meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 to learn more about this special event. This will be followed by the February PTA meeting which will begin at 7:00 p.m. Contact Ms. Tress Potter or Mrs. Deb Krizman with any questions.
Attention 5th Grade Parents - Incoming Sixth Grade Parent Meeting at Baker
The articulation process for incoming sixth graders to Baker Middle School for next year has started! Please note that a Parent Meeting will be held for incoming sixth grade parents on February 7th at 7 p.m. The snow date is February 20th.
Author Hilary Hyland is Coming to Woodfield Elementary
Wednesday, February 13th, Author Hilary Hyland will be coming to Woodfield. Attached please find more information and an order form if you are interested in ordering a copy of The Wreck of the Ethie.
Box Tops for Education Update
As you know, I set what I thought was a hefty goal for the kids...3,000 boxtops by February 25th. As of today, they have collected double that...6,102 Box Tops with another 25 days to go. For the springtime outdoor pizza party, Mrs. Paciotti's first graders have a slim lead on Mrs. Blakesley's class with Mrs. Buteau's class close on their heels. Keep your eye on Mrs. Moran, Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Deeb's class too. Check out the orange posters in the front hallway for weekly updates. Thank you everyone for your participation!!
2008 Important Dates
Wed., January 23 Friday, Feb. 15 MAP R Winter Window for grades 3, 4, 5
Friday, February 1 African American Heritage Month
Monday, February 11 Hearing and Vision Rescreening (K, 4, and new students)
Monday, February 11 5th & 6th Grade Cluster Concert at DHS 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 12 Holiday Presidential primary election No School
Wednesday, February 13 Hilary Hyland Author Visit
Thursday, February 14 Valentines Day Parties at 2:00 p.m.
Monday, February 18 Holiday Presidents Day No School
Tuesday, February 19 DHS and ES choral concert @ DHS 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 20 Snow date for Parent Meeting for Incoming 6th Graders
Wednesday, February 20 Damascus Cluster NAACP Parent Meeting 7:00 p.m. Friday, Thursday,February 21 A.M. Cultural Arts Billy B. - Song and Dance Man
Tuesday, February 26 4th Gr. Beginning Band & Strings - 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 27 Early Release Day 12:35 p.m.
Monday, March 3 DHS/BakerMS & ES String Cluster Concert @ DHS 7:30
Tuesday, March 4 Spring Portraits
Tuesday, March 4 PTA Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 13 Donuts for Dads
Friday, March 14 Donuts for Dads
Monday, March 17 St. Patricks Day
Tuesday, March 18 Science Expo (note date change)
Friday, March 21 Monday, March 24 Holidays Easter (Note: Passover begins at sundown 4/19) Tuesday, March 25 Friday, March 28 Spring break No school for students and teachers
Tuesday, April 1 Wednesday, April 30 Autism Awareness Month
Tuesday, April 1 Wednesday, April 30 Arab American Heritage Month
Tuesday, April 1 Wednesday, April 30 Month of the Young Child Celebration
Tuesday, April 1 PTA Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1 Friday, April 11 MSA Testing Window grades 3, 4, 5 (Math & Reading)
Tuesday, April 1 Wednesday, April 2 MSA Reading Grades 3 and 4
Thursday, April 3 Friday, April 4 MSA Reading Grade 5
Saturday, April 5 Frederick Keys for Reading Baseball Game 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8 Wednesday, April 9 MSA Mathematics Grades 3 and 4
Thursday, April 10 5th Grade Family Life Parent Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 Friday, April 11 MSA Mathematics Grade 5
Friday, April 14 Wednesday, April 16 MSA Make-up Window grades 3, 4, 5 (Math & Reading)
Monday, April 14 Friday, April 18 Staff Appreciation Week
Thursday, April 17 Kindergarten Orientation No School for Kindergarten
Friday, April 18 Kindergarten Orientation No School for Kindergarten
Monday, April 21 Friday, May 16 LAS Links (ESOL Testing) Grades K- 5
Tuesday, April 22 Friday, May 16 MAP R Spring Window for grades 3, 4, 5
Thursday, April 24 Take Your Child to Work Day
Friday, April 25 PTA International Night
Friday, April 25 A.M. Cultural Arts Nada Brahma World Music
Monday, April 28 Friday, May 2 Terra Nova testing Grade 2
Tuesday, April 29 4th Grade In School Field Trip In Space
Tuesday, April 29 Tuesday, May 13 MSA Testing grades 3, 4, 5 (Science)
Thursday, May 1 Sunday, May 31 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Thursday, May 1 5th Grade Picture 1:45 p.m.
Friday, May 2 Field Day Grades 3, 4, 5
Tuesday, May 6 3rd Grade Field Trip - Baltimore Museum
Tuesday, May 6 PTA Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7 5th Grade to Strathmore Concert
Thursday, May 8 Muffins for Moms
Friday, May 9 Muffins for Moms
Friday, May 9 Field Day Grades K, 1, 2
Friday, May 16 Rain date for Field Day K, 1, 2
Saturday, May 17 School Beautification Day 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Monday, May 19 Friday, May 23 Spring Book Fair
Thursday, May 22 Woodfield Art Show
Friday, May 23 Rain date for Field Day Grades 3, 4, 5
Monday, May 26 Holiday Memorial Day No School
Thursday, May 29 4th & 5th Gr. Band, Strings, & Chorus Concert (date change)
Friday, May 30 Damascus High School Graduation 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, June 11 5th Grade Promotion followed by a Pool Party
Thursday, June 12 Last day of school for students Dismissal 12:35 p.m.
Friday, June 13 Professional day for teachers
Saturday, June 14 Flag Day
Thursday, June 19 Report cards mailed
Tuesday, August 26 First Day of School
Note: Dates that have been added this week are in bold.