Cedar Grove Friday Flash
September 1, 2023
Dear Cedar Grove Families,
Welcome to our new and returning students and families to the 2023-2024 school year! We hope you had a wonderful summer, and we are looking forward to what is sure to be another exciting year of learning for your child/children. Students were excited to be back and reconnect with old friends and met new ones, and they are off to a great start as they are learning routines, expectations, and participated in our first fire drill. We encourage you to take time to read this weekly newsletter so that you have all the important information and are aware of upcoming events.
Please consider supporting our school by joining the PTA. If you scroll below, you will see the PTA section with membership information and some of the events that are planned so far. We truly value our partnership with families and look forward to working together to benefit our kids.
We hope that you will join us for Back to School Night for parents of students in Grades 1-5, which will be held on Wednesday, September 6. There will be two sessions, with the same information presented at both sessions. The schedule is as follows:
7:00-7:35 p.m. - Session 1, including a video presentation from the PTA
7:35-7:45 p.m. - Transition to session 2
7:45-8:15 p.m. - Session 2
Parents, students are welcome to bring a water bottle to school to access throughout their day, but we ask that water is the only beverage contained in the bottle. This allows a quick clean-up in case of spills with limited interruption to classroom learning. Students are welcome to bring other drinks in their lunchbox to be consumed during lunch time. Thank you for your help with this matter.
As a reminder, there is no school on Monday due to the Labor Day holiday. Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Wynne and Mrs. German
To translate this newsletter, click here. Then click the "Websites" tab, choose the language desired, and copy and paste the Smore link into the box. Click on the blue arrow, and the newsletter will be translated in your chosen language.
Grade Level Newsletters
Parents, please click on your child's grade level to view class weekly newsletters. Any questions regarding the content of the newsletters should be directed to your child's teacher. Thank you.
School Counselor Parent Information Sheet
REQUEST CHROMEBOOKS FOR HOME USE
The home use device is to be kept at home. Requesting the device implies consent of use in accordance with MCPS policy (IGT-RA) and acknowledgement that the Chromebook, software, and issued peripherals are owned by MCPS.
Please use this form to request a chromebook for home use. Please be aware that it may take up to three weeks to receive the chromebook. Mrs. Hirschhorn, our Media Specialist, will not know the status of your request, as it is going directly to Central Office.
User Responsibilities for Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security can be found online. Montgomery County Public Schools retains the sole right of possession of the Chromebooks. The Chromebooks are loaned to students for educational purposes for the academic year. MCPS administrative staff retain the right to collect and/or inspect Chromebook hardware or software at any time including via electronic remote access.
Changes to SchoolCash Online
SchoolCash Online helps parents and guardians pay school-related fees—such as field trip costs—safely, quickly and easily. This system puts school-related fees online so payments can be made using a credit card or e-check, increasing efficiency and security by making payments directly into schools’ bank accounts and eliminating the need for teachers to handle money. Cash and check payments directly to schools will remain an option.
A new feature has been added so that parents will no longer need a pin to add their child/children to their SchoolCash Online (SCO) account. Parents will automatically get emails from SCO with instructions. For approved parents who do not currently have a SCO account, they will receive an automated email with an invitation to create an account. For approved parents who already have a SCO account, but who have not yet linked their student(s) to their account. An automated email from SCO for each unlinked student will be sent to the parent. The email will have an “Accept” button. If the parent clicks the button, the system will attach that parent's child to their account automatically based on the student Information data. Please see the link below for additional information.
Registration for Saturday School is September 9, 2023
Annual Notice for Directory Information and Student Privacy
Schools provide directory information for public listings such as honor roll, awards, and other notices in the newspaper or on the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) website. A student’s name, address, and telephone number may also be released to organizations of any combination of parents, teachers, and students of a school. Unless you tell them not to, schools can release the information without your prior consent. Directory Information includes the following items: student’s and/or parent’s name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number; student’s date of birth; major field of study; grade level; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; degrees and awards received (including honor roll); most recent school attended; dates of attendance; photograph, or other likeness; the weight and height of members of athletic teams; and other similar information.
If you do not want the school to release your directory information, complete the information and return this notice to your child's homeroom teacher by September 11, 2023. Additional copies of this notice can be found on the MCPS website, and are available in Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Amharic, and Portuguese. This form must be completed every year. If you would like a paper copy to complete, please notify the main office, and we will send one home with your child.
From Mrs. Hirschhorn, Media Specialist
It's here at last! The new school year! And we are so very excited to have our students back! We have been working diligently to make our media center a warm and inviting place where our students can explore, feel safe, and make new learning discoveries. We could not have done it without the help of Mrs. Lorey, who so kindly used her boundless energy and creativity to paint shelving that will make our books pop for our young patrons. Please bookmark the August/September newsletter which is, as always, full of instructional and program information, links to media events and a glance at the new books that have found a home with us. We are also looking for parent volunteers to help keep our media center open for book check out. We will update this newsletter every Friday to make sure you know what's happening in the Media Center!
Art, Music, and PE Newsletter
Please click the link below for the September overview of what your students will be doing in Art, General Music, Instrumental Music, and Physical Education. We hope you will take a few moments to read what is happening during these instructional spaces.
From Our PTA:
Welcome back students, staff, and families. We've missed you. Below is a list of our upcoming PTA Events/News!
PTA Membership Drive
When: NOW - September 15th at 3pm
What: Join the PTA and be entered into our Raffle! We are giving away four different grade level Scholastic Book Baskets! The baskets are valued between $60 - $80!! Winners will be announced during our Welcome Back Bash on Friday, September 15th!
Click HERE to purchase your PTA MEMBERSHIP or RENEWAL! Thank you for your support!
Scholastic Book Fair
When: September 11th-15th 9:30am-3:30pm with special evening hours on Fri, September 15th from 5pm-7pm
Where: CGES Media Center
What: Students will have an opportunity to shop at the Book Fair during the school week. If you do NOT want to send cash in with your child, you can set up an e-wallet by clicking HERE.
We are in need of volunteers to work at this event. Please consider signing up for a time slot by clicking the link below. Any help would be appreciated.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4aa8aa23a3ffc52-cges2#/
Welcome Back Bash
When: Friday, September 15th 5pm-7pm
Where: CGES Blacktop
What: Please join us for the PTA sponsored WELCOME BACK BASH! Click HERE for the event flyer. Parking is VERY LIMITED. There will be a FREE shuttle running from the Potomac Valley Church on rt 27 to the school, 4:45pm-7:15pm. We hope to see you there! You won't want to miss it!
Spiritwear
Show your school SPIRIT! Click HERE to get your spiritwear now!
After School Clubs begin in October. More information can be found at https://cedargrovepta.membershiptoolkit.com/afterschoolclubs .
PTA General Meeting
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 7pm - 8pm on ZOOM
Please try to log on to this meeting as we will be voting on the '23/'24 Budget.
Visit https://cedargrovepta.org for more information!
