Weekly Firefly Newsletter

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Dear Flower Valley Community,

We have an exciting week ahead! Our PTA sponsored Fun Run is this Sunday at 2:00. Put your running shoes on and come have some fun!

We also have Shannon Stocker, author of books such as Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion and Can U Save the Day?, visiting FVES Tuesday. What a treat to be able to meet with an author and learn about her craft and her stories! A special thank you to Ms. Callen for arranging this and to our PTA for supporting this effort.

The fun continues next week with Career Day on Wednesday. Thanks to Mrs. Atanda, we have over 40 presenters coming to share their professions with our kiddos!

Don't forget that there is no school Friday, and spring break is the week of April 3rd . I hope you all have a restful spring break and enjoy some family fun!

Have a wonderful weekend!

With Firefly Pride!

Mrs. Fish

• Online Kindergarten Registration: Online March 27th
• Author Visit
  
• Testing Update
• Summer School
• Counseling Corner
• PTA Corner
• PTA Sponsored Fun Run
• Curriculum Corner
• Important Dates in March and April
• Save the Date
• Helpful Resources
• Zones of Regulation: Social-Emotional Learning at FVES
• Bus Transportation Updates
• Attendance, Early Dismissals, and Transportation Changes
• Covid and OUTCLASS: Out of Class On Demand Resources for Students
• Available Tutoring Opportunities for Students
• School Visitors and Volunteers
• School Cash Online
• School Contact Information

If you have an incoming kindergartener or know of anyone who has an incoming kindergartener, please spread the word. Families can enroll incoming kindergartners online beginning March 27th. Details about online enrollment can be found here.

Shannon Stocker will be coming to Flower Valley for a LIVE author visit March 28th during the school day! Thanks to the PTA she will be talking about the writing process, as well as Women’s History Month and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Month. Books can be purchased at this website: https://bookshop.org/shop/StoryHouseBookFairs. She can sign books in person or provide a nameplate for students to bring home.

Students in grades 3 to 5 will take the MCAP assessments in May. The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) provides information to educators, parents, and the public on student progress towards proficiency on the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards. Students will test on the following days and times. If you can avoid appointments during these times, it would be greatly appreciated.

Summer school will be by invitation only on a limited basis this year for MCPS. The focus will be to support students who are identified by the county as struggling to meet the grade level academic standards. We will be sending out invitations in the near future for families of students who have been identified to attend summer school. Our cluster's local summer school program will be at Barnsley Elementary School.

Many students talk about movies and shows they watch, video games they play, and social media platforms they frequent, that are not appropriate for elementary age children. There is a website for families to help them make decisions about what media their children engage with. Common Sense Media rates movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, social media, and video games, so that families can feel good about the entertainment choices they make for their kids. They offer the largest, most trusted library of independent age-based ratings and reviews. Our timely parenting advice supports families as they navigate the challenges and possibilities of raising children in the digital age. Visit their site and learn how they rate and review nearly everything kids want to watch, read, play, and learn.

This Sun. March 26, enjoy the spring sunshine at the free PTA-sponsored 2 PM Fun Run at school. Cheer runners on, or run in one, two or four lap races around the school.

Please join us this upcoming Weds. March 29 at the PTA General Membership Meeting in the Media Center 6:30 PM - 8 PM. Zoom dial-in also available (see email on PTA listserv). There will be a presentation on Elementary School Testing by Mrs. Pearcy and Mr. Bunge as well as information on PTA events this spring, updates and more.

Benchmark: Classes have started Benchmark Unit 6, which is centered on cultures, tales, and lessons. Students will explore texts from various cultures and discuss what mistakes can teach us, how to solve problems, and how to overcome obstacles.

Eureka Math: MCPS has a dedicated website which has support for each Eureka module in every grade level. Here is a Eureka Math support page for families. You will need to create an account to access the family resources called "tips for parents." "Homework Helpers" are tips for parents that are included with each homework assignment in the Math Succeed (HW) book. Additionally, this is a google document that contains helpful videos for parents to use. There are general Eureka videos and grade level specific videos included.

Please keep an eye out for grade level bi-weekly communication regarding details about what is happening in each of our classes.

ZEARN: With Zearn, students have the opportunity to learn the same concept twice—once with their teacher and once in the Zearn digital lessons—so they gain a deep understanding of math. All materials are top-rated, crafted to represent everyone, and backed by research to deliver results. This link goes further in depth to show how Zearn and Eureka are aligned.

March 26th: 2-3pm - PTA Sponsored Fun Run

March 27th: Online Kindergarten Registration Opens

March 29th: Career Day

March 29th: 6:30-8:00pm- PTA General Membership Meeting

March 31st: No School

April 3rd-10th: Spring Break

April 20th: 5:30-7:30pm - PTA Sponsored STEM Night

April 17th and 18th: Incoming Kindergarten Orientation (No School for Current Kindergartners)

April 21st: No School for Students

April 24th-28th: PTA Sponsored Book Fair

April 26th: Spring Individual, Class, and Grade 5 Panoramic Pictures

May 6th: 10:00-2:00pm - PTA Sponsored SAVERS Donation Drive

May 16th: Time 6:30-8:00pm - FVES International Night and Art Expo

May 19th: K, 1, 2 Field Day (rain date - May 30th)

May 21st: 2-5pm - PTA Sponsored Carnival

May 24th: 3, 4, 5, Field Day (rain date - May 31st)

May 29th: No School

June 1st: Spring Instrumental Music Concert at FVES, 7:00pm

June 6th: 6:30-7:00pm- PTA General Membership Meeting

June 14th: 5th Grade Promotion at Rockville High School

*Please remember these dates are subject to change.

MCPS Things to Know

FVES Letter to Families

School Supplies

School Website

MCPS Community Messages

Parent Handbook

Student Rights and Responsibilities (Spanish Version Available in Main Office)

Student Code of Conduct (English) (Spanish Version Available in Main Office)

At the PTA meeting this month, Mrs. Cheeks shared information about the Zones of Regulation. This is a social-emotional strategy we are using at Flower Valley to help students understand and verbalize how they are feeling and to develop a toolbox of strategies to support how they are feeling and how their emotions impact others. A link to the full presentation can be found here.

MCPS has created a transportation dashboard where you can check on the status of any bus delays or cancellations. Click here to access the dashboard.

If your child is going to be absent, please email your child's teacher and Mrs. Sintetos at Catherine_G_Sintetos@mcpsmd.org or call the office at 240-740-1780. When your child is absent, please send in a note explaining the reason for the absence within 3 days of the return to school. If your child sees the doctor, please bring in a doctor's note.

If your child is going to be arriving late, you need to bring your child to the main office and sign them in. If you will be picking up your child early or changing your child's dismissal process, please let your child's teacher and Mrs. Sintetos or Ms. Peckoo in the main office know in advance.

Beginning school year 2022-2023, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for lunch - meaning that students who qualify for reduced-price meals will eat for free! To learn more about eligibility for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) and apply for FARMs, click here. Deposits into lunch accounts can be made by any student and can be made ahead of time via the MCPS online payment system, My School Bucks. Details about how to add money to your student’s account can be accessed here. Menus can be accessed here.

When your child is symptomatic, it is encouraged that a home or PCR test is administered. Only positive test results need to be reported using the MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form. Individuals who have a positive COVID-19 test should report their positive result and follow CDC guidelines for isolation. Details regarding the MCPS back to school Covid safety protocols can be accessed here.

Please see the letter linked here. It provides information about the available learning tools while a student is out of school due to Covid.

There are several types of free tutoring services available for MCPS students. FVES has teachers who will be tutoring some of our students as part of the CARES Act services. Students are selected based on their current reading and math data including their levels of proficiency. If your student is identified, we will work to secure a tutor and contact you to coordinate dates and times for tutoring. During these sessions, FVES staff will provide additional support using Benchmark/and or Eureka curriculum, as well as Tier III evidence-based intervention programs.Students not selected for CARES tutoring may sign up for online tutoring services through FEV Tutor or Tutor Me Education.

Anyone visiting FVES must sign in at the main office and bring identification with them. We aren't able to have parents eating with students in the cafeteria due to space, but you can certainly sign your child out for lunch if you would like to enjoy lunch together.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, please contact Mrs. Atanda at Jennifer_T_Atanda@mcpsmd.org.

MCPS transitioned to a new online payment system called School Cash Online as its preferred method of payment for all school-related fees, except for meals. Detailed information about how to register can be accessed here.

Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:30PM Below are emails and phone numbers for the following departments:

Administration (240) 740-1780

Mrs. Angie Fish, Principal – Angie_L_Fish@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Angela Castillo, Assistant Principal - Angela_M_Castillo@mcpsmd.org

Main Office Staff (240) 740-1780

Ms. Nevine Peckoo, School Administrative Secretary – Nevine_A_Peckoo@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. Cathy Sintetos, Attendance Secretary – Catherine_G_Sintetos@mcpsmd.org

Counseling Office (240) 740-6680

Mrs. Jennifer Atanda - Jennifer_T_Atanda@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Colleen Smith - Colleen_B_Smith@mcpsmd.org

All Staff Directory

Be bright! Be kind! Be you!

We inspire all children to become critical thinkers who are imaginative, adaptable, and collaborative. We strive to cultivate peaceful, life-long learners who contribute positively to the community around them.

Email: Angie_L_Fish@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/flowervalleyes/
Location: Flower Valley Elementary School, Sunflower Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-1780
Twitter: @AngieFish_FVES