Rocky's Schoolhouse Scoop
September 15th, 2023
Principal's Message
Fort Families,
I hope this message finds you well as we embark on the fourth week of the school year. I want to begin by extending our heartfelt appreciation for making our recent Back-to-School Night such a success. Your presence and active participation meant the world to us, and we are truly grateful for your support.
As we settle into the school year, I want to take a moment to share a significant goal we've set for ourselves at Fort Smallwood this year: to lower chronic absenteeism. This goal is a critical part of our commitment to providing the best possible education and support for every student.
Chronic absenteeism, which refers to students missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, can have a significant impact on a child's academic progress and overall well-being. We believe that every day in the classroom is an opportunity for growth and learning, and we want to ensure that no student misses out on these opportunities.
To achieve this goal, we need your help and partnership. Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting regular school attendance. Here are a few ways you can help:
Establish a Consistent Routine: Ensure that your child has a regular bedtime and wakes up on time for school. A consistent routine helps establish good attendance habits.
Communicate: If your child is not feeling well or has other issues that may lead to an absence, please inform the school as soon as possible. Open communication helps us understand and address any challenges your child may face.
Encourage Engagement: Show interest in your child's school activities, ask about their day, and get involved in school events and activities. When children feel engaged and supported, they are more likely to attend school regularly.
Set a Positive Example: Demonstrate the importance of education by valuing and prioritizing school attendance in your family.
By working together, we can make a significant impact on reducing chronic absenteeism and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive academically and socially.
Once again, thank you for your active participation in Back-to-School Night and for entrusting us with your child's education. We look forward to a year filled with growth, learning, and success for all our students.
If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas related to our goal of reducing chronic absenteeism, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We value your input and partnership.
Warm regards,
Molly Courtien
Congratulations to Carly Ellis- FSES Teacher of the Year Nominee! 💐
📸Snapshots from the Week📸
Early Dismissal Requests
To help streamline our dismissal process and minimize disruptions to classroom instruction, we kindly request that all early dismissals be completed before 1:25 PM. This allows us to maintain a focused learning environment for our students and ensures their educational experience remains uninterrupted.
We understand that there may be exceptional circumstances that require an early dismissal, and we will always try to accommodate those situations. However, please communicate early dismissals to the front office before 1:25 PM.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Your commitment to this effort is greatly appreciated.
Meet Ms. Bowman!
We're thrilled to welcome Vickie Bowman as our new Front Office Secretary at Fort Smallwood! Vickie will be your go-to contact for attendance and enrollment matters. You can reach her at vbowman@aacps.org. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to our school community. We look forward to working with Vickie and know she'll be a valuable addition to our team.
Meals 🥗
Food and Nutrition Services maintains a website for meal menus, payment options, nutrition information, and wellness. In light of ongoing supply chain issues, some menus may change due to product availability. We suggest all families complete the application for Free/Reduced Meals as the income guidelines have changed.
The following price structure has been approved by the Board of Education:
- Breakfast (full price – all schools)$1.50
- Breakfast (reduced price – all schools) .00
- Lunch (full price – elementary) 2.75
- Lunch (full price – secondary)3.00
- Lunch (reduced – all schools) .00
- Milk $0.55
Meal Benefit Applications are available for SY 2023-2024! Log onto www.aacps.org/mealapplication Why apply? It's About More Than Lunch. If you have any questions regarding the school meals program, please call 410-222-5900.
Volunteer Information
Volunteers Successful completion of a background check is required before any person has access to volunteer with students, on or off school property (i.e. field trip). If you have not been fingerprinted by AACPS, begin the process by clicking here. A commercial background check is valid for up to two calendar years.
Yearbook Sentiment
e-mail smphillips1@aacps.org
A Peek Ahead...
Tech Assistance?
Resources for Instructional Tech Support are available. If additional assistance is required, please call the Help Desk at 410-222-5135.
Health Room News
Nurse Beth Kirchner can be reached at nurse2112@aacps.org. Our Nurse is assisted by Health Assistant Christina Smith. Medication forms and health orders should be submitted directly to Health Room staff. Please do not send medication or medicated lozenges/Chapstick with your student. Consider taking a moment to visit this website from NIH.gov that talks about healthy tips for returning to school.
Bus Schedules
Bus schedules can be found here: FORT SMALLWOOD BUS LIST
5th Grade Magnet Information
Fort Family Events
Community News
The Anne Arundel County Police Department PACT (Police and Community Together) Unit is hosting a Food Truck Festival at the Eastern District Station on September 29th, 2023 at 204 Pasadena Rd. Pasadena MD 21122 from 4 pm-8 pm.
PTA Corner
Interested in joining our PTA? Click HERE