Otter Families!

Our parent night was a success! Thank you to the parents that came out for the event. A good time was had by all! Thank you to Mrs. Woodard, Mrs. Furr, Dr. Reineke, and Mrs. Curtis for sharing their expertise with families. I especially enjoyed watching parents take part in actual math and reading lessons! I will host another round of Parent Lunch Bunches during the 3rd marking period. Be on the lookout for those dates and times!

We will close out January quietly! The PTA will host a Spirit Night at Ledo's on Wednesday, January 31st.

"Otterly" Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

The warmer temperatures we are experiencing reminded me of this sweet picture of one of our PreK students waiting for parent pick up earlier in the year! I hope you were able to find some time to relax in the warm weather today!!

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

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

Our school's overall attendance rate, as reported to MSDE, for the school year so far is 93.94%. The goal is 94%. We are now below the expected attendance rate.

This is the time of year where I switch to sharing data about attendance on a weekly basis and how it changes from week to week. Below are the attendance rates for each grade level for the week of January 22nd - January 25th.

PreK: 89.86%

Kindergarten: 96.63%

1st Grade: 95.54%

2nd Grade: 94.92%

3rd Grade: 93.25%

4th Grade: 89.53%

5th Grade: 85.59%

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.

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.

B WEEK

Monday, 1/29

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

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

Tuesday, 1/30

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

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

Wednesday, 1/31

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

• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser
• PTA Spirt Night at Ledo's

Thursday, 2/1

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

• OES Joe Corbi's/Claire's Gourmet Fundraiser
• Color War Day - Wear Class Colors

Friday, 2/2

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

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

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