The Fulton Flier

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Dear Fulton Families,

This week is National School Social Work Week, which aims to celebrate school social workers across the nation and appreciate their work in helping students achieve academic success. National School Social Work Week, sponsored by the School Social Work Association of America, highlights the tremendous impact school social workers can have in advocacy, support and creative collaboration. The 2023 theme is We Rise - to support students, families, staff and communities, and to challenge inequities and support all students. Please join us in thanking our School Social Workers and PPW.

The Student Government Association (SGA) sent home reading coupons for our "March into Reading: Read-a-thon" in the Thursday folder. We are encouraging students to read 4 books during the month of March. If your student needs more reading coupons, please have your student see Mrs. Ciliberti.

SGA has set a goal of 1,600 books to be read by March 31st. If we reach our goal, then Dr. Burks will kiss a farm animal. If we get an additional 200 books, then Mrs. Ciliberti will also kiss the farm animal. If we get another additional, then Mrs. Brown will kiss the farm animal. And if we get a total of 2,200 books or more, then Mrs. Little will kiss the farm animal.

There are also a couple of spirit days planned during the month to encourage reading. These events are optional.

March 1st - Kick off to Reading - Students wear a shirt with words on it. Bring a favorite book so you can read it to someone in another grade.

March 3rd - Fulton Friday - Wear Fulton attire or the school's colors blue and raspberry.

March 3rd - Book Fair begins - Support literacy and the PTA.

March 8th - Book Fair Special Evening Hours 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

March 10th - Book Fair ends

March 17th - Lucky to be Readers - Wear something that makes you feel lucky - a shirt with rainbows, shamrocks, a certain color; a certain hat; etc.

March 24th - Maryland Day - Wear yellow, red, and black or something that relates to Maryland.

March 31st - Comfy, Cozy Day - Wear comfy clothing, bring a blanket or stuffed animal, a favorite book, and get ready to read. All the Read-a-thon coupons are due.

In Howard County, all schools will be partaking in the Educational Equity Survey. This is part of our school improvement process, and we are asking families to provide input about their equity priorities at FES. Please use the link below to complete the HCPSS Indicators of Educational Equity Survey. We use this data, along with other school data, as part of our school improvement process. This survey is anonymous and available in multiple languages. If you have children at more than one school, please complete one survey per school.

• English survey

• Spanish survey

• Chinese survey

• Chin survey

• Korean survey

The Fulton Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) prekindergarten programs are making preparations for classes for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. These classes include children with and without disabilities. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills. Parents of children who will be 3 by September 1st, applications are available and being accepted currently. Additional information can be found in this flyer.

In alignment with Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future, new applications for students turning 4 by September 1 will not be available or accepted for the Learning Together Program. The Howard County Public School System continues to offer a prekindergarten program for income eligible children who will be four years old by September 1. For additional information contact the school or visit: https://www.hcpss.org/schools/pre-k-programs/

Please visit or subscribe to the FES Calendar Webpage to view important upcoming dates.

• March 6th-10th: Book Fair

• March 7th: Spring Picture Day

• March 7th-10th: 5th Grade Science MCAP

• March 8th: 4:15 School Tour for New Families; Evening Book Fair Shopping; 7:00 PTA Meeting

• March 14th: PTA Restaurant Fundraiser- Chick-Fil-A Day 6:00am-10:00pm

• March 15th: Early Dismissal, 12:55pm

• March 20th: PTA Luncheon for Staff

• March 24th: Spirit Day- Wear Maryland Colors

• March 31st: Early Dismissal, 12:55pm, End of Quarter 3

• April 3-10th: Spring Break

**In-Person PTA Meeting and Evening Book Fair Hours**
3.8 * 7pm Cafeteria
Join us on March 8 for an in-person PTA Meeting for an explanation of MAP Test Results.

**Used Book Drive**
3.6 – 3.10
FES is hosting a gently used book drive to help new teachers in Fulton and around the community build their classroom libraries. There will be a drop off box outside the main entrance, and inside near the front office.

**Chick-fil-A Day**
3.14 * 6am-10pm
Please consider dining at Chick-fil-A and mention FES! Enjoy a tasty, convenient meal while raising money for FES!

**Teacher Luncheon Donations**
3.18
We are providing lunch for teachers and staff and would love to also help stock their lounge! If you’re able, please sign up for side items, drinks and desserts.

All non-perishable items are asked to be dropped to Jen Bogus’s house no later than March 19th; and all perishable items on March 18th or March 19th (no earlier please!)

https://signup.com/go/wBRhDwa

**Kidz Art FUNdraiser**
3.24 * 4pm Location TBD
See details below and check back soon - registration will open this week!
This is a fun filled evening for your student, who will work on a creative art project to bring home! The program is immediately following school, so your student will go straight there and you can pick them up after the program!

If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP by Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Please note, this is only for parents/guardians interested in volunteering during lunch and/or recess.

Did you know that February 27th - March 3rd is Employee Appreciation Week throughout HCPSS? We encourage you to take a moment this week to reach out to any staff members who have made a positive impact on you or your child(ren) during their time at Fulton Elementary School.

Please visit this link to find a google form in which family members can share kind words of support for those who work with your children. Each expression of gratitude will be shared with the staff member for whom it is intended. You may complete the google form more than one time as a way to show gratitude for more than one staff member! The full list of staff members including non-instructional staff (custodian staff, office staff, liaisons, nursing staff, cafeteria staff) can be found on the FES website at this link.

Thank you for taking a moment to share your appreciation for the work that is done at Fulton in support of your children! Your effort is appreciated!

Grade 5 students will take the MISA Assessment on March 7, 8, 9, and 10th.

The Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) is administered to all students in fifth grade, eighth grade, and high school. The MISA is aligned to the Maryland Next Generation Standards (NGSS). The NGSS integrates three dimensions necessary to understand science. The dimensions are the Science and Engineering Practices, the Crosscutting Concepts, and the Disciplinary Core Ideas. To assess the three dimensions of the NGSS, a set of interrelated items is required. All items on the MISA are part of an item set.

Test Preparation and Practice

The following link provides resources that can help students prepare for the MISA.

• Grade 5 and 8 Practice Tests - No username and password required. Click the “Practice Tests” link.

It’s time for the Scholastic Book Fair! Here’s some information to know . . .

1. The Book Fair is a fundraiser for the Fulton Elementary PTA. All checks need to be made out to Fulton Elementary PTA. Funds raised will be used for the subscription to BrainPop, to purchase materials for our library, and to support PTA budget initiatives. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Try the E-wallet! You can preload an amount your child is able to spend so they don’t have to keep track of cash at school. This would be a huge help, especially for younger students. You can access the wallet option on our Fulton Book Fair Web Page! ***** Please note! This option is like purchasing a gift card. Unused balances can be used towards a Scholastic order, another Fair, or donated to All for Books but can’t be reimbursed to you.

2. Some teachers have set up classroom E-wallets if you want to donate to their classroom libraries. Select this link to donate.

3. All students have the opportunity to preview and make a wish list, but they are not required to buy anything! (Really! We tell them that, too.)

4. Previews of the Book Fair start on Thursday, March 2nd. Students may purchase books DURING THEIR RECESS TIME from March 3rd- March 10th. We will close promptly at 3:00pm on Friday March 10th.

5. Please remember to send enough money to cover the 6% Maryland sales tax. This is a tough concept for kids to understand. It’s a good math lesson, and we try to help them; but your support from home is appreciated!

6. We offer Late Night Shopping from 5:30-8:00 pm on Wednesday, March 8th. You are welcome to come by and shop with your family! This is also the evening of our March PTA meeting from 7-8pm.

7. We also offer online shopping. There’s a bigger selection online, too! If you order between March 2nd - March 15th, your purchases will be shipped to your home. Orders over $25 ship free. Fulton Book Fair Web Page

8. We are NOT open for sales before school or after school. Public shopping isn’t available during school hours. Only students will be able to shop during school hours.

9. Many teachers create wish lists of books for their classroom libraries. These will be on display in the media center, if you would like the opportunity to donate books to the classrooms. You can also add money to a teacher's e-Wallet and they can use that money towards any purchases they make at the fair. (See #2)

10. We rely on fantastic volunteers to keep things running smoothly. If you are able to volunteer, sign up here: https://signup.com/go/WxNjfUB
    

We truly appreciate your support, not only with fundraising, but with everything you do to support literacy at home. We love to hear about how you read with your kids, and take them to the library. THANK YOU!!

During its Feb. 23 meeting, the Howard County Board of Education adjusted the start times of schools for the 2023-2024 school year. There is no impact to the current school year. All changes will take effect in August.

The exact start time for each school will be determined this spring and shared with the community as transportation routes are finalized. However, Fulton Elementary is part of Tier 3, which means our school start time will be approximately 9:15 next school year. If your child will attend a different school next year, the start times for all schoolsLinks to an external site. can be found on the HCPSS website.

I want to reiterate words that HCPSS Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano shared: “finalizing and fully implementing this plan will be a months-long process.” Much more information will be provided to students, staff and families from HCPSS and our school throughout that process.

I encourage you to read more about the process to evaluate school start timesLinks to an external site. on the HCPSS website. I know you may have questions; however, please note that there are many impacted pieces as a result of this decision and all details will not be available right away. We are working with HCPSS central office staff on the logistics related to the implementation, and additional information will be provided to you as it becomes available.

Thank you for your continued care and support of our students.

Justine Sillers, Assistant Principal, justine_sillers@hcpss.org

Meaghan Liwosz, Assistant Principal, meaghan_liwosz@hcpss.org

Email: tanisha_burks@hcpss.org
Website: fes.hcpss.org/
Location: 11600 Scaggsville Road, Fulton, MD, USA
Phone: 410-880-5957
Twitter: @hcpss_fes