Otter Families!

My apologies for the late arrival of this week's In "Otter" News. I hope the start of the week has been a good one for you.

We will host our Parent Night this Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 beginning in the cafeteria. I will be presenting an overview of our progress toward our School Improvement Plan and how that fits with our academic and behavioral programs. Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Furr will be presenting ELA and Math curriculum in the primary grades. You will be able to participate in instruction that your children receive daily as well as experience the activities that support that instruction. Dr. Reineke will be presenting ELA and Math curriculum in the intermediate grades. She will have our new ELA curriculum (Benchmark Advance) available as well as a demonstration of how our math curriculum progresses from third through fifth grades. Parents of intermediate students will also be able to participate in activities that support the curriculum. The schedule for the evening is below. I will be available in the cafeteria during the rotations for any parent questions.

• 5:30 - 6:00 - Chat and Chew - Come and enjoy some Chick-Fil-A (complimentary) and mingle with other parents and Mrs. Anderson (Cafeteria)
• 6:00 - 6:30 - Whole School Overview - Academic, Attendance, Behavior Data and School Improvement Plan Progress (Cafeteria)
• 6:35 - 7:15 - Rotation #1 - Primary ELA and Math with Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Furr (Room #1) and Intermediate ELA and Math with Dr. Reineke (Room #9)
• 7:20 - 8:00 - Rotation #2 - Primary ELA and Math with Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Furr (Room #1) and Intermediate ELA and Math with Dr. Reineke (Room #9)

"Otterly" Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

This is NOT the final update. Classroom tubs will be counted today and a winner will be announced.

Celebrate our "P.A.W.S.ome" Otters!

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Evening Counseling: SMCPS is once again offering School-Based Counseling Support in the evening for SMCPS students. Counseling support focuses on the following areas: Healthy Relationships, Social Skills, Self-Esteem, Stress Management, Worry, Sadness, and Emotional Regulation. Services will be located at Margaret Brent Middle School and Greenview Knolls Elementary School on Tuesday evenings from 4-7:30 p.m. Please complete the Parent Contact Form for Evening Counseling to request services.

Our school's overall attendance rate, as reported to MSDE, for the school year so far is 94.09%. The goal is 94%.

Here are the grade level attendance rates since returning to school from the Winter Break. Congratulations to 3rd Grade for maintaining an attendance rate of 94% or greater! I know this is the time of year when sickness seems to be never ending, but please refer to the graphic below about when it is OK to send kids to school. Please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Curtis or Nurse Pratz with any questions or concerns with your child's attendance.

PreK: 83.95%

Kindergarten: 92.93%

1st Grade: 93.73%

2nd Grade: 93.45%

3rd Grade: 94.46%

4th Grade: 91.47%

5th Grade: 90.05%

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.

Check it out!

WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING WINTER EVENTS FOR EDUCATING AND CELEBRATING. You can email Mrs. Curtis directly, kvcurtis@smcps.org, or use the link below to submit events.

A WEEK

Monday, 1/22

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• PTA Penny Wars
• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser
• 3rd and 4th Grade STEM For All Experience

Tuesday, 1/23

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• PTA Penny Wars (Last Day)
• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser

Wednesday, 1/24

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser

Thursday, 1/25

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser
  
• Parent Information Night - 6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m. (Food will be out at 5:30 p.m. for all to enjoy)

Friday, 1/26

No School for Students - Professional Development Day for Staff

Hello OES Otter Families,

I hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy. Be sure to eat right, get plenty of sleep and rest, exercise, cover your cough with your elbow, and wash your hands frequently. Don't forget to get vaccinated against the Flu and COVID.

We are looking forward to a great school year!

President: Beth Johnson Hill

Vice President: Stefanie Wines

Treasurer: Kim Burroughs

Secretary: Megan Russell

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpdietz@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org
Twitter: @OES_smcps