Meadow Hall Staff Newsletter
Week of January 22
January 22-26
Last week of Quarter 2! Please be prepared to finalize any assignments and entering grades. Monday, January 19 is a professional day to submit report cards.
We have a new staff member joining us on Monday!
Please welcome Jennyfer Contreras Zelaya as an Autism paraeducator in Ms. Blankenship's class.
In other staff news...
Kate Fensterstock will now be joining the media center as our new Media Assistant! Ms. Fensterstock's schedule will not change quite yet. We will work with Kate and Jenny to transition more of Kate's time into the media center. Kate will continue with MVA each morning for the 4/5 and 5/6 math.
We are posting a 6 hour paraeducator position if you know any qualified candidates!
SEIU - American Fidelity Open Enrollment
It’s time for the SEIU Local 500 Annual Benefits Review and Enrollment!
This year’s benefit enrollment begins January 22nd, 2024, with our partner, American Fidelity, who provides products and services designed with the specific needs of employees in the education community which can all be payroll deducted.
SEIU Local 500 members can choose the following benefits:
For more info on SEIU Local 500 Benefits, Click Here!
· Disability Insurance
· Accident Insurance
· Cancer Insurance
· Life Insurance
· Group Critical Illness
· Hospital Assist
Click here to Schedule your appointment today!
Garrick Alden will be here in person on January 31st and February 1st to meet with SEIU members in the staff lounge.
Family Game Night
Family Game Night is rapidly approaching. It is scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 1st. We would love to borrow board games and reading/math related games. If you would like to donate games for the raffle or loan us your games, please drop them off in room 40. Label them with your name if you would like us to return them or mark them as donate if you would like for us to raffle them off. We appreciate your support.
Additionally, we are looking for volunteers to help on the night of the event. Please use the sign up sheet in the workroom or email Casey. We are looking for staff members as well as a few trustworthy middle and high school students looking for SSL hours.
😊 The Family Game Night Committee
Go Guardian
Interested in using Go Guardian to better manage your students' use of technology? Check out this Go Guardian Presentation.
Optional Course (3 CPD credits) - Recognizing and Serving Twice-Exceptional Learners
#91476 CPD SA-106 Recognizing and Serving Twice-Exceptional Learners (CANVAS)
Section 135630
February 5, 2024 - April 29, 2024
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Mondays
We do not meet on Presidents' Day, or during Spring Break.
3 CPD Credits!
This course is designed to develop participants’ understanding of the characteristics and needs of twice exceptional (2e) students. Topics include learner profiles, social-emotional needs, strength-based instruction, and equitable identification.
Participants will be immersed in current research around the definition of “twice-exceptional learners.” Through this process, they will determine the availability of resources inside and outside of the school system. To ensure participation each will select a student with whom they currently work, who they believe is twice-exceptional or who has been recently identified as twice-exceptional, and begin a case study of this student. This case study is meant to provide a hands-on opportunity to become familiar with tools and resources used in the process of identifying and supporting 2e students.
This is a hybrid course which requires both synchronous (online) and asynchronous (through Canvas) work. All coursework, including discussion boards and the final project, are required for successful completion of the course. Questions about course expectations can come to the instructor, Sarah Jackson.
This course is appropriate for:
Classroom Teachers - general education
Classroom Teachers - special education or English Language Development
School Counselors
School Psychologists
Non-Classroom Based teachers (department chairs, RTSEs, instructional specialists, etc.)
Administrators who are interested in the topic
Digital Balance Update
The attached memo is for informational purposes.
Mobile Science Lab
Our Mobile Science Lab will be January 30 - February 2. Each class is assigned a time slot on a particular day. Please see the attached schedule below. Classes are scheduled for either 60 or 30 minutes and are not easily changed. If there is an error, let Ilana know by January 18th.
5th Grade Bake Sale!
We need your help! Please consider supporting our fabulous 5th graders by donating to the 5th grade bake sale that will be at the Game Night and Science Fair on February 1st from 6pm - 7:30pm. All money raised will be going toward the 5th grade promotion and celebration activities at the end of the school year. Both baked good and store bought items are welcome. Home baked items must be wrapped individually and an ingredients list must be provided. All donations can be dropped off at the main office now until January 31st. Thank you for your support!
Language Line App
The language line app is now available to all MCPS staff to use on a device of your choice. Download the app, enter the code, and it provides instant audio and VIDEO interpreters on the spot. Check it out!
Link from email: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/bulletin/2024-01/january-3-2024/new-language-line-app-available-to-mcps-staff/
Training guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BihvN-2eoE4o9attfEC8Fic9aBqqdjuu/view
Winter Testing Schedule
Please check the testing schedule daily at the link below. It will be updated frequently. Many ELD teachers, SPED teachers and Paras will be used for testing, so schedules will shift.
PTA News
February
-Thursday, 2/1, is the MHES Game Night and Science Fair. Come see some great work and play some games!
-Friday, 2/16, come move your feet and have some fun at our MHES Family Dance. Snacks, beverages, and baked goods will be available for purchase.
-Friday, 2/23, is the annual Ice Skating Party at the Rockville Ice Arena. Tickets will be on sale shortly and a portion of any purchases from the concession stand will go to the school.
To Do Items
Check the Mobile Science Lab Schedule
Frequently check Testing schedule throughout this month
Update grades - Quarter 2 ends on January 26!
Calendar Items
Tuesday, January 23
- Equity PLC mtg @ 3:45pm
Friday, January 26
- End of MP2
Monday, January 29
- Professional Day (no school for students)
- MP2 grades due
January 30 - February 2
- Mobile Science Lab (check the schedule!)
Thursday, February 1
- Game Night and Science Fair
Friday, February 16
- Family Dance Night!
Friday, February 23
- Ice Skating Party @ the Rockville Ice Area
