
FROM THE DESK OF PRINCIPAL HERRING
ARDMORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL "HOME OF THE ANCHORS"
ANCHORS' PARENTS, GUARDIANS, AND COMMUNITY UPDATES
PRINCIPAL HERRING IN THE CLASSROOM
I AM READY FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
MEALS WILL BE SERVED!
MONDAYS - PICK UP MEALS FOR MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
THURSDAYS - PICK UP MEALS FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
SCHOOL YEAR 2020 - 2021 UPDATES
Dear Parent(s) and Guardian(s),
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! On behalf of our entire staff, we would like to welcome our new Ardmore Anchors and our returning kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, and FIFTH-grade students! First, let me thank you for your support and understanding as we, as a nation and community, responded to the unexpected invasion of COVID-19 in March. I am very proud of the way our Superintendent, Area 1 office, students, parents, staff, and community handled the demands we were faced with to protect everyone as we continued to educate and feed our students during the most unusual of circumstances. As you know, there continues to be concerns and questions related to how schools plan to reopen in August 2020. While we are in the business of educating, our priority is the safety of our students and our employees. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure that your child receives a high-quality education. The Ardmore Elementary School staff is recharged, energized, and excited to welcome back all students.
Let me introduce myself to our new Ardmore Anchors family members! My name is Mrs. Melreta Herring and I am your principal! I am thrilled to welcome you to this unprecedented 2020-2021 school year, and I am looking forward to virtually meeting new faces and revisiting with familiar ones.
This newsletter will provide you with information needed to get you off to a smooth start for the 2020-2021 school year. Please be sure to check our school webpage (https://www.pgcps.org/ardmore/), which will contain the latest news and updates. As always, should you have any specific questions please feel free to contact administration at florenc.herring@pgcps.org or follow me on https://www.smore.com/w3j9h for administrative updates. Enjoy the remainder of your summer. We look forward to seeing you soon! Below you will find all the information you need to begin the school year successfully. Your child’s future starts today! With your support, the 2020-2021 school year will be a great success. Thank you in advance for being our partners in guiding our students to be “PGCPS Proud.”
Sincerely,
Melreta Herring, Principal
Please review the following announcements in preparation for the first day of school:
School Vision: Please join us in supporting our school’s vision: Ardmore Elementary School is the education citadel, which catapults future career professionals into a global society. Through our academic program, we ensure students in grades Pre-K through fifth receive thorough across curriculum indoctrination, grounded in unpacking all lesson elements necessary to build a full-bodied understanding of core courses.
Ardmore Elementary School assures all stakeholders of our academic concentration in student writing expertise, accentuated vocabulary, arts integration, literary comprehension, as well as extended mathematical awareness beyond the basic facts, which connect students with real-world applications, transcending their formative elementary years.
Registration: If you have not completed the online registration, below is the link to do this. If you require assistance with Online registration, please contact our main office at (301) 925-1311. There will be no in-person registration during remote learning. Office/school visits will be by appointment only. Register Here
School Visitation by Appointment Only: All visitors must enter through the front doors. Mask and gloves must be worn when entering the school building. Social distancing must be followed and masks and gloves need to be worn in all common areas (front office, hallways, workroom, media center, etc.) Please keep a 6-foot distance between you and staff members.
Distribution Days: There will be designated days scheduled for the distribution of instructional materials and Chromebook devices before school begins. Students who previously received a Chromebook should continue to use them. Students who are in need of a device will have one assigned to them. More information is forthcoming.
*Nationally, there has been a high demand for the procurement of electronic devices, which has resulted in delay of receiving them for PGCPS. We have placed an order for our students and are awaiting delivery. If your child is currently utilizing a personal device in the home, we ask that they continue to do so until our order is received. We anticipate that additional devices will be available by September 21, 2020. Once received, you will be notified and a date and time will be scheduled for you to pick up a device. Your understanding is appreciated.
Instructional Platforms: Zoom, WebEx, Class Dojo, and Google Classroom will be the major virtual platforms used during Distance Learning at Ardmore Elementary. Please check our
PGCPS website for Technology support for our parents and students. One of the reasons for not using one platform for instructional purposes is to ensure accessibility and availability of instructional platforms.
Communication with School Community: Parents, Guardians, and our school community will receive information via phone calls, email, robocalls, school's website, twitter, and newsletter. Please make sure all contact information is updated in Schoolmax.
Pre-K/ Kindergarten – Fifth Grades “MOCK DAY”/Orientation: This event will be held “VIRTUALLY” August 28, 2020, 8:00 a.m. through 11:00 am. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend. This is an excellent time to meet your child’s teachers.
New Student Open House: We encourage Parents and Students NEW to the Ardmore Family to attend a virtual “MEET and GREET with Ardmore’s Administrative Team. This event will be held Thursday, August 27, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend. This is an excellent time to meet your child’s school administrators.
Family Portal: Family Portal is an online system that allows parents to monitor grades throughout the school year. Family Portal will be available beginning Monday, August 31, 2020. If you need assistance accessing this system after August 31st, please contact our main office at (301) 925-1311.
Back to School Night: We will hold “Back to School Night” for Pre-K- 5th grades Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at 6:00 pm. “Back to School Night” will be virtually and held similar to “Mock Day.” Please take advantage of this opportunity to have a discussion with your child’s teacher(s) and to learn about the curriculum and grade-level expectations.
Student Connectivity/Class Assignment: The first day of school for ALL students will be Monday, August 31, 2020. Our school hours are 7:35 am -2:10 pm and students will begin work promptly at 7:45 a.m. The office/school’s operational hours are 7:25 am through 3:00 pm. We are not requiring students to wear uniforms.
Attendance for Students during Distance Learning Instruction: Teachers will take attendance at the beginning of each day in SchoolMax. Attendance will be reviewed again after lunch to ensure students return virtually and are accounted for. In the event a student does not return for the afternoon, the student should be recorded as attending school for a ½ day and contact made with the home to ensure the student is safe.
· Students are expected to be in attendance for class daily and present for each session.
· Special attendance code used for students who are online learning.
· After a certain day, require students to provide an absence note in order to be considered lawfully absent.
Transportation: There will be NO bus services for the first and second quarters. Contact the PGCPS Department of Transportation if you have questions regarding transportation. The office can be contacted directly at (301) 952-6570.
Supply List: The 2020-2021 supply list is available on our school website, twitter page, and all instructional platforms.
Lunch Schedule: Ardmore Elementary School will offer meals to students each week. Students will be able to pick up breakfast, lunch, and supper all at the same time. Mondays, breakfast, lunch, and supper will be served grab-and-go style for Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesdays, breakfast, lunch, and supper will be served grab-and-go style for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All meals will have cold and/or cook-at-home options.
Parent/Teacher Organization: It is my mission to continue this work with my administrative team and teaching/support staff, paraprofessionals, our School Leadership Team, and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) to guarantee that all of our students are receiving rigorous instruction in a caring and supportive environment. I encourage you to please get involved with the PTO and attend the many parent engagement opportunities at our school. We welcome ideas and volunteers both for the upcoming school year and beyond. Your voice, involvement, and support are crucial for overall success.
ABOUT US
Email: ARDMORE@PGCPS.ORG
Website: WWW.PGCPS.ORG/ARDMORE
Location: 9301 Ardwick ARDMORE RD, SPRINGDALE, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 925 - 1311
Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/PGCPS
Twitter: @ARDMOREES