Beacon Bulletin

Piney Point families,

I hope all of our PPES Beacons and their families have had an enjoyable summer. We are gearing up for another fantastic school year at Piney Point Elementary School. I am thrilled to be joining the PPES Community. This newsletter contains important back-to-school information. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Be sure to review this entire newsletter each week as it will provide you with valuable resources and information. Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Zeier

Ms. Alison Timmermann- Grade 5

Mr. Jack Getty- Grade 2

Mr. Charles Schroyer- Grade 5

Ms. Katheryn Shepherd-Special Education

Ms. Krista Pelton- School Counselor

Ms. Jessica McLane- 3rd grade

August 18th - Home Access Center (HAC) opens at 5pm

August 21st -Open House

2:00=3:30 for all grade levels

August 23rd - First Day of School for students K - 5th

10:30-11:30- Pre-K Open House

August 24th - First Day of School for Pre-K students

Welcome back Beacon Families. Open House will be on Monday, August 21st from 2-3:30pm. You may bring in your school supplies on this day as well. If you need assistance with buses, car rider tags, HAC, ect. we will be in the Cafeteria to answer your questions. Please take some time to find out your child's bus in the links below. This will help us with a smooth arrival and dismissal on Wednesday

We are looking for some parents that would be willing to come in on Friday, August 18th to assit our teachers with getting ready for the first day of school. Some of the activities you may be asked to help with are preparing folders, Xeroxing, laminating, cutting out bulletin board letters, sorting materials. You may also be asked to help with some weeding in our courtyards. Please email me directly at tbzeier@smcps.org if the weeding is your passion and would like to help! All are welcome to come and help. Please complete the form below by clicking on the button and pick a time. We look forward to seeing you.

Office will be open daily from 8:45 am- 4:15pm.

As we plan our return to school for the 2023-2024 school year now is a great time to find your laptop and charger. Please run all of the updates and make sure that it is working order. Chargers are to remain at home.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters.

All parent(s)/guardian(s) must complete an Acceptable Use Policy each school year. Click HERE to complete the Google form. School staff will be in touch with all families to complete the form throughout the month of August and September.

** 2nd grade students will be receiving a new laptop the week of September 11th.

The SMCPS website has information for parents regarding Back to School. Included in the link below is information related to:

• Open House
• Registrations and Vaccinations
• Buses and Transportation
• Student Handbooks
• Food and Nutrition
• Supply Lists
• Back to School Photos

Please click the link below for information regarding your child's bus number, bus stop location, and pick-up and drop-off times. If you have specific questions regarding bus transportation, please call the Department of Transportation at (301)-475-4256.

For all parents of PreKindergarten and Kindergarten students: An adult must be present at the bus stop when students are being picked up or dropped off. If an adult associated with a PreKindergarten or Kindergarten student is not present at the bus stop at the end of the school day, the bus driver will return the student to the school and the parents will be contacted to come to the school to pick up the student.

HAC for the 2023-2024 school year will be active for parents at 5:00 pm on August 18th. Please contact the front office if you need assistance accessing your HAC account.

Please find below information regarding student meals for the 2023-2043 school year.

A link to the Food and Nutrition Services website is below. It has information regarding school meals, including a link to school meal menus. Paper copies are also available if you are more comfortable. They will be sent home the first day of school as well as be available at Open House!

The Board of Education and MSDE have approved the amended 2023-2024 SMCPS Calendar. The new calendar is posted online at www.smcps.org/calendar

The Amended calendar included two virtual instruction days:

• Monday, October 9: Asynchronous day: parent conferences/ early dismissal

• Friday, March 22: Synchronous day: End of 3rd Marking period/ early dismissal

In addition, due to the change in the Primary Election Day, May 14 is a required school holiday. There will be no school for students on May 14. May 14 will remain a staff duty day. Telework options may be offered as a result of school site use as polling locations.

As a result of the required school holiday, the last day of school will be moved and June 13 will be the last day of school for students. Students will have a two-hour early dismissal on June 12 and 13.

Click here to check your child's breakfast/lunch balance and add money to their account

Both new and previously registered volunteers must complete a new volunteer application. The application process will end on May 1 of each school year. There is no application fee for school volunteers. Parental involvement is a key component to student success. Thank you for your support.

School Messenger Text Messaging FAQ's

Schoology is a very helpful tool and resource for teachers, students, and families. Please ensure that you are able to access Schoology for updates and information from the school and your child's teacher. If you need support in obtaining your Schoology log in information please email schoology@smcps.org for support. Please click Parent Notifications for directions to ensure your notifications are set to receive important information about your student.

Log Into the Schoology Mobile App

If you already have a Schoology account, download the Schoology app from Apple App Store, Google Play or the Amazon App Store. Tap the app icon to open it on your device.

You can use an email address or username to log into the application, depending on how your account was set up:

Log in through your School

1. Use the keyboard to enter SMCPS. As you type, matching choices populate in the list. The name, ID number, city, state, and zip code for the school should appear below.

2. Tap the name of your school or organization when it displays.

3. Use the email address or username to log in to the application, that was sent to you via email from Schoology with an app password. If you are an SMCPS student or teacher this is NOT your SMCPS password.

4. Tap LOG IN to complete.

If you are able to sign in with Google, and you are an SMCPS student or staff, please use that login process and follow the provided instructions in the prompts.

Want to enable notifications? Please check this document

https://www.smcps.org/ss/student-handbooks

Birthday treats present the potential for allergic reactions for many of our students. They also interrupt instruction. However, we understand that some students enjoy celebrating their birthday with their friends at school. Because of all of these factors, birthday treats may NOT be edible. Gift bags with stickers, pencils, crayons, erasers, and/or other small toys are acceptable. They can also be shared at recess or the end of the day which doesn’t compromise instructional time. Parents who wish to provide birthday treats to a class are asked to notify the homeroom teacher in advance and to drop them off in the front office as early as possible.

Medication Administration

Medications occasionally need to be administered to students by our nurse during the school day. Please see the attached guidelines. Students can not transport medication of any kind to school including over the counter medications. All medication must be brought to school by a parent, guardian, or other authorized adult. Please call the school nurse if you have any questions.

What to Do if Your Student is Ill

While school attendance is vital to your student’s education, a sick child belongs at home. Please review the Sick Day Guidelines below to assist you in making that decision.

SEND ME BACK TO SCHOOL WHEN...

• My symptoms have significantly improved or resolved.
• I haven't had a fever for 24 hours and have not had any fever-reducing medication.
• I haven't thrown up or had diarrhea.
• If antibiotics have been prescribed, I have been taking them for at least 24hr.

CALL THE DOCTOR IF...

• I’ve had a temperature higher than 100°F for more than 2 days.
• I've been throwing up or having diarrhea for more than 2 days.
• I've had the sniffles for more than a week and they aren't getting any better.
• I still have asthma symptoms after using my asthma medicine (and call 911 if I'm having trouble breathing after using an inhaler).

Email: tbzeier@smcps.org
Website: https://ppes.smcps.org/
Location: 44550 Tall Timbers Road, Tall Timbers, Maryland 20690, USA
Phone: 301-994-2205