WMES News You Can Use

Watkins Mill families,

I want to thank you for your outstanding participation in the parent-teacher conferences last month. We value our partnership with you and look forward to a continued relationship with you throughout the remainder of the school year.

There are so many ways that you can be engaged in your child’s education – Here are some ideas:

• Make it known that you value education and it is a priority.
• Talk with your child daily about their school day, homework assignments, and activities.
• Find volunteer opportunities at our school – in the classroom, media center, field trip chaperone, etc.
• Visit our school’s website for school activities and events.

Staying in Touch with MCPS

Winter weather is coming soon. MCPS offers numerous ways for parents to learn about school closures, delayed openings, and early dismissals due to inclement weather. Sign up for AlertMCPS and receive text messages or e-mails from MCPS during weather-related emergencies and other major events that impact school system operations. Parents can also sign up to receive alerts specific to their child’s school by visiting www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/alertmcps.aspx.

Student Safety

The safety of our students is a top priority and we appreciate your cooperation! Please be reminded of our safety procedures.

• Please do NOT drop students off at school before 8:40 AM.
• Please do NOT attempt to drop off students on neighboring streets from across, behind, or next to the school, as it is dangerous.
• Please utilize the car loop lane when dropping off students by pulling up all the way to the end of the car loop lane.

At Watkins Mill Elementary, we are especially thankful for our students, their families, and our staff members, all of whom play an essential role in shaping our school community. Thank you for your continued support.

Picture Make-Up Day

Friday, December 2

Family Market Day

Tuesday, December 6

4:00pm-6:00pm

Early Release Day

Wednesday, December 7

In-Person Parent Cafe

Thursday, December 8

9:00am-10:00am

Scholastic Book Fair

December 12-December 16

Chic-Fil-A Fundraiser

Monday, December 12

3:00pm-7:00pm

Family Book Fair Night

Thursday, December 15

4:00pm-6:00pm

STEAM Day

Thursday, December 22

Winter Break - No School

December 23-January 2

Our next WMES Family Market Day will take place on Tuesday, December 6 from 4:00pm-6:00pm at our school! Bring your own bags or boxes and come fill them with all FREE produce, non-perishables, and other food items to take home! This month, we will also have a variety of school supplies and books available for families to take home. Our Community Partners this month will be the Latino Health Initiative and Sheppard Pratt Adult English Classes! All Family Market Day items are limited and will be given on a first come first serve basis! Please see the flyer below for more details.

Please consider purchasing Chick-Fil-A on Monday, December 12 any time from 3:00pm-7:00pm! All sales that mention Watkins Mill Elementary School will have 20% donated to our school! Funds raised will be used towards assemblies, events, and materials for our students and families. Thank you for your support!

Great news! We have partnered with Holy Cross hospital to provide a 6-week parent workshop, 100% FREE to WMES families! The Road to Health workshop provides information about healthy food choices, physical activity, weight management, Type 2 Diabetes risk factors, and more! The classes will take place virtually on Mondays from 6pm-8pm, from February 27-April 3 (English session) and January 9-February 13 (Spanish session). Participants who complete the program will receive a food box from Hungry Harvest!

Click here to view the flyer with more details and registration!

Great news! The Smile Mobile School Dentist will be returning to our school for our annual dental visit!

If your student was seen by the school dentist in the fall, they are already cleared to be seen again during the spring visit for a 6-month cleaning! If your student does not already have a dentist they see regularly and you would like them to be seen by the full service school dentist during our Spring Dental Days, please complete the attached form and return to school OR complete the form online at www.MySchoolDentist.com

***Please read important tips below:

• The permission slip must be filled out COMPLETELY for your student to be seen by the school dentist!

• If you DO have dental insurance (Medicaid included), be sure to fill out the information fully to sign up for a FREE SCHOOL DENTAL VISIT

• If you do NOT have dental insurance, please select to either pay the fee of $70.00 for your student to be seen OR select the box to request a donated care form for a FREE SCHOOL DENTAL VISIT

• If you have any questions, please call the school or send Mrs. Aceves a message at Chelsea_J_Aceves@mcpsmd.org or on Class Dojo!

**THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE OF VIRTUAL BEDTIME STORIES THIS MONTH! THERE WILL BE NO VIRTUAL BEDTIME STORIES ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15!

During our November Parent Cafe, we explored Zones of Regulation during the virtual Parent Cafe. The letter below provides an introduction, resources and the chart that was shown during the meeting.

We will continue to use the Zones of Regulation in school. Please use the chart as a conversation starter to help students identify and regulate their emotions. This will help with being available for the academic rigor and expressing their needs. We will look forward to the next Parent Cafe where will explore more of this work!

Click here to view our Parent Guide to Zones of Regulation

Watkins Mill Elementary School is excited to continue our Friday Bags program in partnership with Watkins Mill High School and Manna Food! Every Friday, students who have signed up for Friday Bags will receive a bag of food to take home for the weekend. The amount of food and food items in the bag will vary based on each week's distribution.

If you would like your student(s) to receive Friday Bags this school year, please contact your student's teacher or a member of our WMES Family Support Team!

There are several free tutoring options available to MCPS students. FEV Tutor and Tutor Me Education offer free, virtual tutoring. By logging into their Clever accounts, students can join a tutoring session. Both companies offer the same two services: On-demand homework help that require no scheduling and scheduled, ongoing tutoring for longer term support.

FEV Tutor

More information linked in English and Spanish

To set up tutoring: mcps@fevtutor.com

*Offers tutoring without cameras for students in grades 3-12 who learn best without a camera.

Tutor Me Education

More information linked in English and Spanish

To set up tutoring: MCPS@tutormeeducation.com or 240-618-2549

In collaboration with MCPS, the Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) is offering free English as a Second Language classes for MCPS parents. Parents with questions regarding class availability and the sign-up process should email Kevin Ralph from LCMC at kevin@lcmcmd.org or call 240-665-0471.

Click Here to Register

MCPS will host a mental health forum for students and families on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Your Story Matters will focus on the topic and its impact on African American, Asian and Hispanic communities. The event will include panel discussions and workshops. The event will be held in person from 6–8:30 p.m. at Richard Montgomery High School. Doors open at 6 p.m. RSVP

The third holiday season with COVID-19 is approaching, and everyone agrees that COVID fatigue exists. A few simple steps of caution can make being with family and friends enjoyable while reducing the risk of illness from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses such as colds and flu.

Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services offers the following things to keep in mind when planning for family gatherings:

• Make plans with the highest-risk person in the family and friends group in mind. Talk to family members ahead of time to figure out the plan. Encourage everyone to take additional precautions if a high-risk family member is attending. This means being up to date on all vaccinations and could include limiting the number of people invited. If the weather cooperates, think about moving meals outdoors.
• Get the new bivalent COVID-19 booster. Everyone who is eligible (ages 5 and up at least two months after their latest dose) should get the new booster to add an extra layer of protection. There are County-operated clinics and private providers offering both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent boosters. Visit GoVaxMoco.com to see dates, times and locations.
• Pay attention to symptoms. In the days before the event, and especially the day of, watch out for COVID symptoms: sore throat, congestion, coughing, fatigue, headaches and muscle pain. People infected with BA.5, the dominant variant, are less likely to report losing their sense of taste and smell. If you feel sick, stay home—even if you have a negative rapid test.
• Test wisely. Everyone should test before a family gathering—the question is when to test and how many times. There are differing opinions on the exact timing and combination of tests that should be taken, but for the most accurate measure of whether or not you are contagious, take an at-home rapid test immediately before an event. If you have been wearing masks regularly, limiting contact and do not have symptoms, a negative test is a good measure. If you wake up with a scratchy throat and have interacted with someone who tested positive, consider staying home even if the tests are negative.
• Consider a mini-quarantine before a holiday gathering. Wear a mask in public indoor spaces and limit the time spent around crowds—for example, time trips to the grocery store for when they are not overwhelmingly packed. If traveling, check case counts for the area you are visiting.
• Mask up when traveling. Whether taking a plane, bus or train, make sure to wear a mask.
• Ventilate your space. If holding an event outside is not an option, increase air circulation and reduce the risk of trapping and transmitting the virus. Portable air purifiers with HEPA filters can be expensive, but even opening windows slightly can improve air flow.

The County continues to provide free N-95 masks and rapid test kits at multiple locations.

If your student(s) would benefit from having a use of an MCPS Chromebook device for home use during the school year, you can request a home device HERE.

*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.

SchoolCash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees. Now, with a few clicks, you can pay for your child’s yearbook, class trips and so much more from your own home. All you have to do is register an account, attach your children and in no time you will be able to make payments online.

Click here to view instructions in English

Click here to view instructions in Spanish

The MCPS Fall 2022 Parent Academy To Go session will begin on September 14. Please join us to engage in virtual workshops that will provide tips, tools, and strategies to support your child’s academic progress and social emotional well-being. Please see the schedule and register for upcoming workshops below.

Click here to view available MCPS Parent Academy Workshops

MCPS offers numerous ways to learn about potential school closures, delayed openings and early dismissals when there is inclement weather.

• ConnectED System Email and Text Messages
  Please make sure emergency contact information on file at your child’s school is up to date.
• AlertMCPS and MCPS Alerta (Spanish)
  Receive text messages or emails from MCPS during weather-related emergencies and other major events that impact school system operations. Parents can also sign up to receive alerts specific to their child’s school.
  Subscribe to AlertMCPS
• MCPS homepage
  www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org
• MCPS cable channels
• Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89
• Recorded information
  301-279-3673
• Ask MCPS
  240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish.
• Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in English and Spanish
  http://twitter.com/mcps
  https://twitter.com/MCPSEspanol
  https://www.facebook.com/mcpsmd
  https://www.facebook.com/mcpsespanol
  https://www.instagram.com/mcps_md
• Local radio and TV stations

Montgomery County Recreation Center membership passes will be free for County residents in 2023. Starting Jan. 3, a free pass will provide access to fully equipped fitness rooms, open gym (drop-in) activities and game rooms at any community recreation center during regularly scheduled hours.

Sheppard Pratt and MCPS Community Schools are hosting a Children's Book Fair for Community School families! They will be giving away thousands of FREE books and games! RSVP is required.

Good news! Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is now open to 20886 zip code residents! This is a FREE program for ANY family that live within this zip code with a child from age 0-5 years old (EACH child in the family has an opportunity to register)!

Families can register online for each of their children to receive one brand new shiny book in the mail monthly until the month of their 5th birthday! Some books are even bilingual!

Items to note:

• Processing takes up to 6 weeks from the time of registration to the time of first book arrival

•Families must notify Imagination Library of address changes to continue receiving the books so books can be mailed to new address

•Families MUST confirm email address after registering before processing begins*

See flyer below to for registration link and more information!

If you are in need of diapers and/or wipes at any time throughout the school year, please complete our WMES Diaper Request Form at the link below!

WMES Diaper Request Form

Mrs. Brooke Simon, Principal

Ms. Alejandra Olavarrieta, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Frances Avila-Miller, Assistant School Administrator

Email: Chelsea_J_Aceves@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/watkinsmilles/
Location: 19001 Watkins Mill Road, Montgomery Village, MD, USA
Phone: (240) 740-5280
Facebook: facebook.com/WMESCommunity
Twitter: @WMESCommunity

• Call: 240-740-3000
  Provides answers to community questions in English and Spanish from 7:30 a.m.
  to 4:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays

• E-mail: ASKMCPS@mcpsmd.org

• Visit: Department of Family and Community Partnerships (DFCP) at 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850