Meadow Hall Staff Newsletter
Week of January 15
January 15 - 19
No School on Monday! Enjoy the holiday:)
Please see below for the MLK week of service next week! We are collecting pairs of brand new socks to be donated.
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
Assistive Technology Professional Learning and Support
Hello,
As part of our continuous assistive technology professional learning and support, we are pleased to announce the following sessions for January 2024:
Paraeducators, please note: The column “Paraeducators” will indicate “yes” for sessions that are suitable for your role. Then search for the course that has “(SPT10)” in the title. You should only register for sessions with the “(SPT10)” in the title. Sessions without that designation do not have relevant content for your role and you should not register for them.
Upcoming Sessions
92200
Literacy Assessment with Students with Complex Communication Needs (InterACT PD)
This training is for educators or special educators who deal directly with literacy assessment. This training discusses strategies and supports to assist in conducting informal literacy assessments for students who are non-speaking or not able to produce clearly articulated oral language in a way that can be measured by our formal MCPS assessments. Literacy assessment will be reviewed with a discussion of some available tools and how to articulate your findings in a report.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
4:30 - 5:30 PM
92201
Supporting Students with Complex Communication Needs in HSM (InterACT PD)
This training provides an introduction to basic kinds of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools with strategies and resources for implementation of AAC throughout the school day.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
4:30 - 5:30 PM
92202
Clicker Part 1 (HIAT PD)
Clicker is a kid-friendly word-processing tool. Clicker features a talking word processor, speech-to-text, audio notes, word prediction, and word banks.
This two-part, in person, session will:
- Describe how to use Clicker to support students with written expression needs.
- Review the various features/tools within Clicker.
- Learn how to create and differentiate Clicker sets.
Thursday, January 11, 2024
4:00 - 5:30 PM
92203
Engineering the Environment for Communication (InterACT PD)
This training provides the purpose behind building your classroom with functional communication in mind, through specific examples of how AAC supports for communication and comprehension can be embedded throughout the classroom, and where to access and/or create resources to support functional communication in the classroom.
Thursday, January 18, 2024
4:30 - 5:30PM
After School Job Opportunity
S.T.A.T. (our Wednesday after school soccer/basketball program) is looking to expand their offerings at Meadow Hall. Staff members could run an after school club or sport each Wednesday after school starting next Session (in February). The pay is $50 each Wednesday ($250 for the 5 week session).
Staff may want to run a dance club, theatre, lego club, game club, coding club, book club, softball, flag football, etc.... It's up to you!
If interested, contact Coach Tree.
Coach Tree
240-389-4384
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.
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.
😊 The Family Game Night Committee
Principal Chat Sign-Up - Optional
The purpose of these voluntary chats is to get an opportunity to learn about your experiences at MHES and consider feedback as I continue to work with Mrs. Simhon and school leaders here at Meadow Hall. Each chat will be no longer than 20 minutes. For your reference, I have included the focus questions I would like to discuss at the bottom of the page. However, if a longer conversation is needed, we can set up a time to continue our conversation. Please take a moment to put your name in one of the slots that I have listed for the months of January and February. I will add the Google link if you would like to chat post-work hours. If none of these times work, please reach out via email to set up another time. I ask that all staff who would like to chat please sign up by January 15th.
MLK Week of Service
PTA News
January
-Thursday, 1/18 Please stop by Jersey Mike's at the Wintergreen Plaza for a MHES Dine Out from 10am-9pm. Additional details can be found here.
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
Sign up for a Principal Chat (optional)
Frequently check Testing schedule throughout this month
Update grades - Quarter 2 ends on January 26!
Calendar Items
Monday, January 15
- No School; holiday
Tuesday, January 16
- Staff mtg @ 3:45pm
Thursday, January 18
- Dine Out night - Jersey Mike's
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
