February 15, 2008
A Message From Mrs. Starr
On Wednesday, I attended the Superintendent’s Meeting where we were one of 103 schools in the county that was recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) in the 2007 Maryland School Performance Program for performers on the 2007 Maryland School Assessment (MSA). We received recognition for overall achievement.
We have only 24 instructional days left before Maryland School Assessments (MSA) begin for 3rd and 4th grade students on April 1st and only 26 instructional days left before the MSA begins for 5th graders. Please note that we will return from spring break on Monday, March 31st and then on April 1st, the 3rd and 4th grade will begin their reading assessments. Please arrange your vacation times to ensure that your 3rd, 4th, or 5th graders are here beginning March 31st. (We will have even fewer days if weather conditions close school or if we have delayed openings or early closings.) These assessments measure the level student proficiency in the areas of reading and mathematics. Daily attendance, on time, is critical in our efforts to prepare our students for success. It is one criteria that the state uses for evaluation. Please make sure that you maintain your high level of commitment to ensure that your children are in school every day unless they are ill. Students who arrive tardy to school are missing valuable instruction. Whenever possible, please make sure that you also schedule your children’s appointments for after school and try to get an early start each day so that your children are not arriving late to school. I have posted a testing schedule for MSA and Terra Nova. If your children are in grades 2- 5, please examine this schedule carefully and ensure that your child is in school on those days at the start of school, unless they are ill. If it is necessary to make doctors’ or dentists appointments, please do not schedule them on testing days or schedule them in the afternoon after 12:30 p.m., if it is necessary to schedule these appointments on the days of testing. Students feel far more comfortable taking standardized assessments at the regularly scheduled times. If your child is ill on the day of assessments, please call the school and let us know. We will try to make arrangements for the children to take the tests during the make-up window. Let us work together to ensure that your children are provided with optimal opportunities to succeed. We greatly appreciate your efforts.
SPRING TESTING SCHEDULE
Assessment Testing Window Testing Group
MSA Reading April 1-2 Grade 3 and 4
April 3-4 Grades 5
MSA Mathematics April 8-9 Grade 3 and 4
April 10-11 Grades 5
MSA Makeup April 14-16 Grades 3-5
Terra Nova 2 April 28-May 2 Grade 2
MSA Science May 5-May 6 Grade 5
Valentine’s Day Parties
Thank you to the wonderful homeroom and volunteer parents who made our Valentine’s Day parties so much fun. Each grade level classroom and the all-purpose room were beautifully decorated. It was great seeing the students having such a wonderful time.
Maryland Summer Centers
The Maryland State Department of Education recently announced the schedule of upcoming Maryland Summer Centers for students entering Grades 5 through 12. The Maryland Summer Centers program offers unique instructional experiences for gifted and talented students and gives them the opportunity to work in settings and with resources not available during the regular school year.
Centers are located throughout the state and offer one- to three- week residential and non-residential programs with a focus on the arts, creative writing, sciences, mathematics, technology, Chinese language and culture, engineering, law and government, physics, and history. Activities are designed to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving while challenging students academically. Tuition ranges from $100 to $700.
The 2008 Maryland Summer Centers brochures are available in the school office, as well as, a copy of the catalog of programs for viewing. Brochures, application forms and a video featuring the Summer Centers may also be found on the website of the Maryland State Department of Education at www.marylandpublicschools.org/summercenters.
Applications must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 15th, except for Fine Arts Centers, which have earlier deadlines. Materials are available in Spanish translation upon request. For more information, call Stephanie Zenker at 410-767-0821.
Heart Healthy Month and Jump Rope For Heart/Hoops for Heart
This year at Woodfield Elementary we are celebrating heart healthy month and Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart together. The students will be learning about the heart muscle and participating in heart healthy activities during their physical education classes in February. We have already begun to talk about the physiology of the heart muscle and ways that we can exercise our heart muscle to make sure we all stay strong and healthy! All students will color memory hearts either in memory of a friend or family member that has had or has heart disease/ailments or for heart healthy awareness month. Toward the end of February the students may turn in their donation envelopes to benefit The American Heart Association.
Holiday - Presidents Day - No School Monday, February 18
Early Release Day – Grading/planning 12:35 p.m. Wednesday, February 27
Yearbook Orders
Yearbooks are now on sale! Please complete a separate order form for each child.
Cost - $21.20
Please make checks payable to Blanton Studios!
Order deadline: February 22, 2008
Yearbook Cover Contest
This year we are having a contest to design the cover for the yearbook. There is a separate flyer with all the details. All entries must be received by February 22. There will be no extensions. If you have any questions, please contact Kim McCullagh at 301-528-0922.
Yearbook Pictures Wanted!
If you have any pictures for the yearbook, please send them to the office. They must be on a disc since the yearbook is now done digitally.
TOPIC: Resolving Everyday Conflicts with Teenagers
WHEN: Tuesday, February 19th
WHERE: Baker Middle School Media Center
TIME: 9:30 AM – 10:00 coffee, chat and introductions
10:00 - 11:00 AM - presentation
PRESENTER: David B. Sacks, Psy.D.
6th Grade Orientation Page for Parents of 5th Graders
Baker Middle School has created a 6th grade orientation page that you may refer to now and up until your child arrives in August at Baker as a sixth grade student. Additional information will be uploaded as it becomes available.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bakerms/newtobaker/
On Wednesday, Baker’s principal and counselor, came over to present their academic course offerings for sixth grade. Our fifth graders found this meeting very informative.
Keys for Reading Reminders
Early in January, special bookmarks were sent home for children to record the titles of four books read at home. The bookmarks can be returned to school anytime between now and February 29. Each child that turns in a bookmark will receive a free general admission ticket to the Frederick Keys baseball game on Saturday, April 5 @ 2:00 pm. (Tickets will be distributed closer to the game date.) Extra bookmarks are available if your child misplaced his/hers. A note can be sent to Mrs. McGreevy, Reading Specialist, to receive a new one. Let’s go Woodfield readers!
5th and 6th Grade Cluster Band Concert
This was a wonderful performance enjoyed by all. It was held at Damascus High School with Baker, Clearspring and Woodfield performing. Thanks to Mrs. Liebhold and the 5th grade band students for a fabulous concert.
Box Tops For Education Challenge Update
Another 738 Box Tops were collected this past week which brings the school total to 7,842. The numbers are going through the roof but the springtime outdoor pizza party standings have not changed. Mrs. Paciotti's class is still holding on with a 43 Box Top lead over Mrs. Blakesley's class with Mrs. Buteau's kids in third place. Just a reminder that this is a Box Top contest...all Campbells labels should be sent to the collection box located in the library. Thank you everyone for another great week! Remember the contest ends Monday, February 25th.
Damascus Cluster NAACP Parent Council
The Damascus Cluster NAACP Parent Council is offering free help for students who will be taking state tests. Volunteers will be on hand 3-5 p.m. every Sunday through March 16 at the Damascus Community Recreation Center, 25520 Oak Drive, to help students sharpen their skills in preparation for the Maryland State Assessments tests and High School Assessment tests. The next meeting of the Damascus Cluster NAACP Parent Cluster will be Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at Damascus High School.
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 child’s 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 Grade Chorus Sings in Cluster Concert
The Damascus Cluster Choral Concert with Woodfield ES, Damascus ES, Clearspring ES, Baker MS, and Damascus HS will take place at Damascus High School on Tuesday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m. This is an opportunity for our 5th grade chorus members to perform with a larger ensemble as well as with the middle school and high school chorus directors. The performance will demonstrate skills and knowledge of appropriate level music and
Kids College is an enrichment program for students in grades 4-12. Classes are held at Montgomery College after school or on Saturday mornings starting in February. The program brochure includes course description, applicable grades, and registration information. Some class offerings are: Keyboarding for Computers, Let’s Play Chess, and Cartooning.
This program is co-sponsored by Montgomery College and the Division of Community Outreach, MCPS. Program brochures and registration forms are available on the MC website: www.montgomerycollege.edu/youth. The deadline for receiving registrations is one week before the specific class is scheduled to begin. If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Wolfgang at 240-567-7264.
2008 Important Dates
Monday, February 18 Holiday – Presidents Day – No School
Tuesday, February 19 DHS and ES choral concert @ DHS 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 20 Damascus Cluster NAACP Parent Mtg. 7:00 p.m.@ DHS
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/Baker MS & 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. Patrick’s 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 – Wednesday, April 2 MSA Reading Grades 3 and 4
Thursday, April 3 – Friday, April 4 MSA Reading Grade 5
Friday, April 4 Third marking period ends
Saturday, April 5 Frederick Keys for Reading Baseball Game – 2:00 p.m.
Monday, April 7 Professional day for teachers – No school for students
Tuesday, April 8 – Wednesday, April 9 MSA Mathematics Grades 3 and 4
Wednesday, April 9 Flyer Distribution Day
Thursday, April 10 5th Grade Family Life Parent Meeting – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 – Friday, April 11 MSA Mathematics Grade 5
Monday, April 14 – Wednesday, April 16 MSA Make-up Window grades 3, 4, 5 (Math & Reading)
Monday, April 14 – Friday, April 18 Staff Appreciation Week
Tuesday, April 15 Report cards distributed
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
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
Monday, May 5 – Tuesday, May 6 MSA Science Grade 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
Friday, May 16 Read Aloud Day with Seniors
Friday, May 16 5th Grade Patrol Picnic
Saturday, May 17 School Beautification Day 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Monday, May 19 – Friday, May 23 Spring Book Fair
Tuesday, May 20 5th Grade Field Trip to Washington, D.C.
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.
Thursday, June 5 Volunteer Luncheon – Media Center
Tuesday, June 10 4th Grade Field Trip – Living Classrooms
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.