PANTHER PROGRESS

September 2024 Issue 2

Message From Our Administrators

Lincoln Family –

We’d like to first thank our parents/guardians for their responsiveness last Friday with our school closure due to a power outage. If you did not receive a Talking Points message or an email from School Messenger, please reach out to your child’s teacher to make sure we have your updated contact information.

As we return from a 4-day weekend and begin our eighth day of school, Mrs. Smith and I had the opportUNITY to spend time in each of our 27 classes to discuss the “Panther Pride” at Lincoln. We also discussed two key words for this year: “DIGNITY” and “DETERMINATION.” Each student received a yellow “Panther Power Bracelet” to reinforce this messaging. We also discussed with over 600 students how their teacher will do whatever it takes to support them both socially and academically, while ensuring that each student meets their grade level expectations and can apply those skills independently. As many of you know, Lincoln has a mantra where we “Win small. Win often. All day. Every day.” but growth is not enough. We need students to be proficient at their grade level expectations. We emphasized that it’s not only the teachers’ job, but it’s also the expectation of your child to put forth the effort and “determination,” to have a growth mindset, and to celebrate their accomplishments in order to have their best school year yet! As always, your efforts as a parent/guardian have a direct correlation to student achievement. Your partnership with this work is everything; a reason that the only difference between “parent” and “partner” is one letter… “R” you ready?

Much Lincoln Love,

Eric Rhodes - Principal

Mary Beth Smith - Assistant Principal

Crosby Blair - Community School Coordinator

Important September Dates

September 6: Fall Instrumental Recruitment Show (4th & 5th graders only) 9:30am

September 17: Lincoln Learner Series #1 (back to school information) 5 -7pm

September 19: Early dismissal (mid-term); students dismiss at 1:30pm

September 20: Early dismissal (Fair Day); students dismiss at 12 noon

September 30: Harlem Wizards Assembly (whole school) 2:45pm

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Our students are offered breakfast and lunch every day. Click the links below for this month's menu. For more information about FCPS food and nutrition, visit the FCPS nutrition website.

September Learning

Select the link below to check out what your child/children will be learning this month! Grading polices for grades PK-1, grades 2-5, and Encore classes are also included: September learning

Events in the commUNITY

i9 Sports ongoing enrollment: registration link

Events at C. Burr Artz Library: September calendar

October 5th: 17th Annual Frederick Community Health Fair

Attendance

Regular school attendance is important for a student's academic and behavioral success. We need your help! Please make sure your child is coming to school regularly unless they are sick. Per FCPS policy, anytime a student is absent, the school must receive written documentation from the guardian and/or medical provider. Written communication can be in the form of an email, a Talking Points message, or a hand written note. The FCPS goal for overall school attendance is 96%. Reach out to our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any attendance questions or needs.

LNES attendance flier; English

LNES attendance flier, Spanish

Free and Reduced Meals

Please make sure you are filling out the Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) benefit application to determine if your student qualifies for free or reduced lunch. As a Title I school, we rely on these applications for funding from the federal government. The online application is the preferred method of submission and applications are available in both English and Spanish. The online application is currently open and can be found at this website: LINQConnect.com. For those that do not qualify, the cost of lunch is $2.65 everyday. If you have questions, or need assistance filling out the application, contact Diana Galaviz at Diana.Galaviz@fcps.org.

*The grace period for expiring benefits ends on October 3rd.*

Title I Information

Lincoln is a Title I school. Title I is a federally funded program that provides supplemental funding to schools for additional staff and/or resources to support student achievement. For more information, please use the following links:

Title I brochure

Right to Know letter (English)

Right to Know letter (Spanish)

FCPS Cell Phone Policy

FCPS updated regulation 434-01: Student Technology Use. This regulation includes language related to cell phones and other personal mobile devices (PMDs). Knowing there are some changes, school staff will spend time during the first quarter, teaching and reinforcing expectations for students. At the start of quarter 2, staff will follow the student code of conduct and progressive discipline when necessary to reinforce expectations related to personal mobile devices. The changes to regulation 434-01 are reflected in the excerpts from the regulation included below and are specific to the elementary level. The full regulation, including language for middle and high school is linked here.

Elementary school students may possess acceptable PMDs, however, they are to be silenced and kept out of sight including when riding FCPS transportation to and from school. During the school day, acceptable PMDs shall be silenced and kept out of sight as directed by school staff. School staff may grant permission, in individual cases, for a student to have their cell phone on, for medical necessity or other exigent situations. Students may wear smartwatches or similar devices, but during school hours these devices are required to be on “airplane mode” or “school time” modes to prevent distractions.

You can support us in teaching students about acceptable use of technology in school by:

Since students will have limited access to their acceptable PMDs during the student day, parents are encouraged to refrain from calling or texting their child’s acceptable PMD when its use is unauthorized.
Parents are encouraged to communicate by way of acceptable PMDs outside of school hours. In exigent situations, parents may contact the school office to request to communicate with their child.
If a child contacts their parent during school hours via an acceptable PMD, parents are encouraged to reinforce responsible student technology use expectations and remind their child to focus on learning.

Information Related to Student Tracking Safety Devices

Student tracking safety devices without audio or video recording capabilities are permitted. However, these devices or locators may not always be accurate as they rely on cellular network(s) outside of FCPS’ control. Therefore: i. FCPS is not liable for any damage to or loss of student safety tracking devices. ii. FCPS cannot guarantee the reliable, consistent, and accurate functionality of student safety tracking devices on school grounds or within FCPS’ facilities.
Under Maryland wiretap and privacy laws, individuals are not permitted to listen or record others without consent. Therefore, except as may be required pursuant to an IEP or Section 504 Plan, student tracking safety devices with audio or video recording capabilities are prohibited on school grounds. c. Student safety tracking devices must be managed by the parent and the parent recognizes and accepts that FCPS is not liable for any damage or loss of the device.

Lincoln Learner Series #1

In response to survey feedback, we are now offering our parent seminars, what we call the "Lincoln Learner Series" during the evening from 5-7pm. We hope this change will make it easier for parents and guardians to attend. The first part of this series, scheduled for Tuesday, September 17th, is designed to review components traditionally covered at a back-to-school event. Grade level information, including schedules, assessments, routines, expectations, etc. will be shared. As always, bus transportation will be available from Windsor Gardens and Fieldpointe Apartments. Contact our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any questions or needs. We hope to see you there!

After School Clubs

We are very fortunate to be able to offer a robust offering of after school enrichment programs. Some clubs are age specific so make sure to contact the club advisor with any questions. Starting soon, these clubs will be offered to students on a weekly basis:

Lincoln Leadership Club (Crosby.Blair@fcps.org)
Chorus (Stephanie.Lichtenber@fcps.org)
School play (in partnership with Maryland Ensemble Theater; Jillian.Trawick@fcps.org)
Panther Run Club (Aaron.Vetter@fcps.org)
Unicycle (Lisa.Tucker@fcps.org)
4H (in partnership with University of Maryland; McRembold@icloud.com)
Good News Club (Joseph.Daly@fcps.org)
Exito (in partnership with Centro Hispano; DJackson@centrohispanodefrederick.org)

Volunteering

Are you interested in volunteering? Our students (and teachers) benefit from outside support. Whether you'd like to read to a PreK student, help a 4th grader with math or assist our custodians in the cafeteria, we welcome your support! The first step in the process is registering and completing the required training linked below. Contact our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any questions or needs: Volunteer registration link

Lincoln's New Phone Number

All schools within FCPS received a new phone number as part of a modernizing upgrade. The number for our main office is now: 227-203-1580.

School Messenger Replaces Find Out First

FCPS launched SchoolMessenger for the 2024-2025 school year. This platform replaces FindOutFirst as the primary email platform. If your email address has recently changed, please contact the front office so that we may update our records. We will still use Talking Points as our primary texting service.

Bus Transportation

Bus route information, including delays, can be found at the bus information site.

Spirit Wear Sale!

Did you know that we have our own spirit wear page?! You can find all sorts of merchandise and designs. Plus, 10% of all proceeds are donated back to our school! We use these funds for field trips, school supplies and student incentives. There's a sale running from August 20 - September 24th in which you can get 30% off! Visit our Spirit Wear page to get started. Happy shopping :)

Box Tops

Did you know you can help our school raise money by simply scanning your grocery receipt? Many of us remember cutting out box tops from various food items during elementary school, but they've made it even easier! Our school receives donations twice a year. Simply download the free app to get started!

Counseling Corner

The school counseling team: The “Super Support Squad”

Ms. Ellis (grades 3-5) Madison.Ellis@fcps.org
Mrs. Quill (grades PreK-2) Heather.Quill@fcps.org
Ms. Dodson (Behavior Support Specialist) Heather.Dodson@fcps.org
Mrs. Tucker (Behavior Support Specialist) Mary-Kate.Tucker@fcps.org

Emotional Regulation @ LNES: Part 1

Click HERE to learn about Lincoln Elementary School's emotional regulation program. This is the 1st video in our series. In this presentation we will show you how to help your child become more aware of the sensations in their body to help them regulate their emotions. You will also learn about the 5 point scale used at school for emotional regulation.

At Lincoln, we recognize the power of our names. Our names mark our space in the world. With our space in the world, comes dignity. We want to say your child’s name correctly. For dignity and safety purposes, please teach your child the following:

Their first name
Their family name/last name
Names of the adults who provide care

The team works closely with students, staff, and families, to grow a learning community where all members are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged to be their best self. The three major areas of focus at Lincoln are:

Teaching and practicing emotional awareness and emotional regulation
Developing and maintaining healthy relationships, which includes the use of restorative practices to help all members learn to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a positive and productive manner.
Instructing students, staff, and families about the role of the brain in learning in order to increase student independence and academic stamina

Lincoln Counselor Website

This website has multiple resources for students and families. It also has videotaped lessons we use with students and parent videos that explain our emotional regulation program.

Nurse's Corner

If your child experiences any of the following symptoms listed below please keep them home from school

Fever over 100 within the last 24 hours (must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school)
Vomiting/diarrhea within the last 24 hours
Rash
Red, itchy, crusty eyes or any drainage from eyes

All students must complete the student Confidential Health Information Card every year. If you have not turned in your child’s Confidential Health Information Card please complete and return to the health room as soon as possible.

ALL medications to be taken at school, whether prescription or nonprescription (over the counter) must have a Medication Authorization form completed by a health care provider and parent. This form is available from the Health Room staff or at www.fcps.org. This form, along with the medication in a properly labeled bottle or unopened package, must be given directly the Health Room staff by the parent/guardian. Parent/Guardians will be notified at the end of the school year regarding pick up of medications in the Health Room.

Judy Center Corner

Upcoming Judy Center events:

Our focus for September is ROUTINES!

Friday, September 6 from 9 – 10:30 come to our Judy Center picnic and connection time
Tuesday, September 10 from 9 – 10:30 playgroup for babies (birth to walkers). Its PJ DAY!
Tuesday, September 10 from 2 – 3:15 playgroup for preschool age children (3 + 4 years). Its PJ DAY!
Tuesday, September 11 from 9 – 10:30 playgroup for toddlers (walkers to age 3). Its PJ DAY!
Friday, September 13 from 9 – 10:30 its our Judy Center Be Healthy Fair - children between ages birth through 4 years can take part in vision, hearing, and dental screenings at no cost!
Monday, September 16 from 9 – 10:30 its Potty Time! Potty training session for any Judy Center age child and their grown up.
Tuesday, September 17 – NO PLAYGOUP today

What does Judy Center do to support young children?

We serve pregnant families & families with children ages birth through 5 years by providing the following at no cost:

Engaging learning activities, strategies, and tools that target social-emotional, cognitive, language, and physical development.
Caregiver workshops and support, learning parties, and family events to create a collaborative and nurturing educational home environment.
Local service provider referrals, including healthcare, childcare, career and adult education, housing, food, and other areas of need.
Play and have fun with your children and other families!

Join our Judy Center Facebook page:

Please check out our Facebook page for more information and upcoming events:

Judy Center-LNES Facebook

Parent Interest Survey

Families, please open this link and complete this survey if you are interested in Judy Center. We are interested in learning if you have children in your family between the ages of birth to 4 and if you are pregnant. If you do have young children, we would enjoy having you join our Judy Center events. We can also support you in many ways!

Want to know about our upcoming events? Join Talking Points!

Please sign up for Talking Points to better communicate with Judy Center and receive notifications for upcoming events: Talking Points JC Class Code: SDY1ZH

Instructions to sign up

Want to help teach your child at home? Sign up for ReadyRosie

Families, YOU play an essential role in the education and well-being of your child. ReadyRosie exists to support you in that role!

How to reach the Judy Center:

Program Administrator: Holly Sontz Holly.Sontz@fcps.org, 227.203.4062

Family Services Coordinator: Erika Rape Erika.Rape@fcps.org, 227.203.4054