

White Marsh Elementary School
2023 - 2024
Week of February 5 - 9, 2024
A Week
Greetings, White Marsh Families!
This week, we celebrate National School Counseling Week. Thank you, Ms. Washington, for all you do to support our Bears, Teacher Bears, and Bear families! Also this week, the PTA will hold the Pencil Gram sale. You should have received forms last week in Wednesday folders.
WMES will offer a site based volunteer training on Monday at 9:30 am. For anyone planning to volunteer for Field Day or future class trips, please be sure to complete the training if you have not done so already this year. Remember, you must also be a SMCPS approved volunteer. Also on Monday, the Joe Corbi's items will be delivered and must be picked up. If you ordered items, please pick them up at the exterior Media Center Door anytime between 4 and 6 pm. Please note- we do not have the space to refrigerate items; they must be picked up on Monday.
Report Cards will be available on Tuesday, February 6. They are available for viewing on Home Access Center (HAC), and copies will be sent home with students on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, the PTA will meet at 6:30.
The Robotics Club will meet on Wednesday. Students should be picked up at 4:30 at the Media center door.
On Thursday, our Third Grade Bears will enjoy a field trip to Elms. Please read all communication that has been sent home and make sure your students are dressed appropriately for this trip.
Friday is a 2 hr. Early Dismissal. WMES will dismiss at 1:45 pm on Friday.
Have a great week!
WMES Attendance
Our school continues to be impacted by Chronic Absenteeism. To date, twelve percent of our student population has missed more than 9 days of school, and is considered chronically absent. School attendance is a predictor of student success. Our Bears miss so much instruction in a single day- instruction they can never get back! Please make every effort to have them attend school regularly.
See the SMCPS Student Handbook for more information about Attendance.
Save the Date!
Thursday, March 7 is our Winter Concert! Our Kindergarten, First and Second grade students will perform at 10 am. Doors will open at 9:40; please walk around to the rear of the gym. The Bears are eager to perform for our families, and will be putting everyone in a joyful mood! Students not performing will be viewing the concert at an alternate time, and will not be permitted to leave class to attend with families.
Dress for the Weather!
It's cold outside! Please be sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather. Our students have 30 minutes of recess every day, and we make every effort to get the outside, weather permitting! It is a good idea for students to dress in layers, and have a coat to wear outside.
Upcoming Events
Feb 14 Robotics Club; 3:45 - 4:30 pm
Feb 19 Presidents Day Holiday
Feb 21 Robotics Club; 3:45 - 4:30
Feb 22 All County Elementary Band/Strings Honor Concert- CHS
Feb 28 Battle of the Books, 3:45 - 4:30
Mar 1 Professional Day, No School for Students
Mar 5 Dress for Success Day!
Mar 6 PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm
Mar 7 Winter Concert (Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students), 10 am
March 8 WMES Site Based Volunteer Training, 9:30 am
Mar 11 - 15 PTA Penny Drive
Mar 21 Spring Pictures (Class Photos)
Mar 22 Virtual Instruction Day and 2 hr. Early Dismissal
Mar 25 - Apr 1 Spring Break
From the Music Room...
Band and Strings students are asked to bring their instruments to school every Wednesday! Sincerely, Mr. Guy
The following are general reminders:
SMCPS Evening Counseling
SMCPS Instructional Terms and Resources Definitions
Volunteer/Chaperones Reminder
1) register to be a SMCPS volunteer
2) attend a WMES Site Based Volunteer Training.
The SMCPS Volunteer information can be found on the WMES Family Links document, and the next WMES Site Based Volunteer Training can be found on the WMES website by accessing the calendar.
Have you Completed the Acceptable Use Agreement for your Student(s)?
Early Sign-outs and Late Arrivals
WMES Family Handbook
WMES Links for Families
Important Information: Electronic Devices
Chronic Absenteeism
Chronic Absenteeism: Students are chronically absent when absent 10% or more of the school days while enrolled at that school. For example, a student who is registered to attend a school for 30 days and who is absent 3 of those 30 days is considered chronically absent.
WMES will follow up with chronically absent students through the Pupil Services Team, Pupil Personnel Worker, and the Department of Student Services. In order to reduce the number of our students with Chronic Absenteeism, incentives to encourage good attendance include participation in the Bear Crawl, Running Club, and School Dance.
Text Alerts
SMCPS Text Alerts are a great way to get information quickly. They are not sent often, and usually only in the event of an unexpected school delay or closure. On occasion, WMES will send a text alert about a late bus, substitute bus, or school event. Click the link for information about registering for text alerts.
White Marsh Elementary School
Email: jwsteele@smcps.org
Website: wmes.smcps.org
Location: 29090 Thompson Corner Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301)472-4600
Twitter: @wmes_smpcs