Welcome to Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School's 2024-2025 academic year.

The start of a new school year brings fresh energy and optimism. Our dedicated staff has been preparing diligently to ensure an exceptional year ahead. Seeing the enthusiasm radiating from students and staff has been heartwarming.

We've successfully conducted Town Hall meetings for all grades. During these sessions, Mrs. Mason (Assistant Principal), Mrs. Privman, and Mrs. Lavo (Counselors) and I introduced our Leader In Me habits and emphasized the importance of S.O.A.R. - being Safe, Organized, Actively learning and Respectful (SOAR). We continually model these behaviors and celebrate students who embody them, helping us all SOAR towards Success.

Our commitment to providing rigorous, engaging instruction remains steadfast. Students are at the heart of everything we do, inspiring our daily commitment. It is important to us that our students know and feel this daily. We will continue fostering diverse learning opportunities and building strong relationships with each student and family. The staff and administration are committed to making this another great school year!

Please remember the school day is 9:25 am to 3:50 pm. We do not have staff on duty prior to 9:05, so we ask that you do not allow your student to come to school before 9:05 am.

To our parents and guardians, your partnership is invaluable. We encourage your active involvement in your student's education because your involvement and support play a pivotal role in our students' success. Our doors are always open, and regular communication with teachers is vital. Even more important is the daily conversations you have with your student. Here are a few conversation starters:

1. What was the funniest thing you heard all day?
2. Tell me about the best part of your day.
3. What subject was the most interesting today?
4. Who did you play with today? What did you play?

*** Bonus: What are you looking forward to tomorrow? ***

Together, let's make this another fantastic year at Dr. McNair Elementary!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email both Mrs. Moses (Sherilyn_R_Moses@mcpsmd.org) and Mrs. Mason (Rebecca_Mason@mcpsmd.org).

Sincerely,

Mrs. Sherry Moses, Principal

&

Mrs. Rebecca Mason, Assistant Principal

Emergencies can arise at any time. It is important to your child’s safety that we have your current address and current home and work numbers on file. If you have not already done so, please remember to sign and return all important forms that were sent home on the first day of school.

After only one week of returning to school, our arrival and dismissal processes have found a good rhythm.

If you drive your child to school, we encourage you to use our car rider line, rather than parking. It is important that you follow the posted signs and the traffic flow. When going through the car rider line, please be sure your child is ready to exit from the passenger side of your car onto the sidewalk.

When parking around the school, we encourage you to use the Leaman Park parking lot and the Manchester Farms Clubhouse parking lot, and be sure to only park in designated areas. Many families are parking in areas where parking is prohibited. Please avoid doing so, as it makes our dismissal more difficult. We have also received notice that some families are parking and blocking neighborhood driveways and mailboxes. We appreciate you being respectful to those who live near our school. We do anticipate sporadic visits from the Montgomery County Police Department where they issue citations for these violations.

As for arrival, if you are walking your child to school, you are a model for your child. Please remember to cross at the crosswalks and follow the directions of the staff. The biggest safety issues in the morning are parents and children crossing the roads, not at the crosswalks. Both of these issues are easily solved by crossing only at crosswalks and listening to the directions of the patrols and staff on duty.

If you are walking along the bus loop on Steeple Road, we ask that you do not walk through the bus loop to access the school. You will need to cross over the bus loop entrance and exit to access the sidewalk to the building. While we know it adds time and extra steps, there is no sidewalk in the bus loop and it becomes a safety concern for our buses entering the school when pedestrians are in the loop.

Welcome back from the Media Center! We hope everyone took the time to read this summer. Don’t forget to bring back your Summer Reading chart. Please bring the completed sheet to the Media Center.

In the library, we are talking about book care and library use. Please check your child’s library day to make sure they bring their books on time. Children need to return their books before they can check out new ones. Remember, kindergarten and first grade can choose 1 book, second and third can choose 2 books, and fourth and fifth grade can choose 3.

We look forward to seeing your students in the Media Center this year!

Mrs. Jacobs & Mrs. Montgomery

If your child is going to be absent or late for school, please call the school at 240-740-6830 to notify us.

Absences:

Parents should keep children at home when illness is suspected, a communicable disease has been diagnosed, or lice nits have been found. The child must bring a note from home upon his/her return. After five consecutive days of absence, a physician’s note is required. Parents will receive an attendance call for students who are absent without notice.

Tardies:

Students who are not in their classroom by 9:25 a.m. are tardy. All students who are tardy must enter with an ADULT, who will sign them in at the office and receive a pass to enter the classroom. Please do not drop your child off if they are late without walking him/her into the office.

Recording attendance:

Attendance in Montgomery County Public Schools is recorded in accordance with the Maryland Student Records System Manual by the Maryland State Department of Education.

• Students will be recorded as AM Absent if they arrive at school more than two hours late.
• Students will be recorded as PM Absent if they leave school more than two hours early.
• Students will be recorded as either AM Absent or PM Absent if they are absent from school for more than two hours, but less than four hours during the school day.
• Students will be recorded as Full-Day Absent if they are present for less than two hours of the school day.
• Students will be recorded as Full-Day Present if they are present for more than four hours of the school day.

If a student’s plans require a change from their normal dismissal (e.g. play date, child care changes), the change must be made in writing to the homeroom teacher and front office. Please state your child’s name, the name of the individual they should be dismissed with, the date the change is occurring and your signature.

In the event of last minute changes to a student’s dismissal plans, please call the main office prior to 3:00 p.m. All students will be dismissed via their normal plan unless we have been notified of a change. Please arrange your child’s transportation home so that it is consistent. It is difficult for a child to remember where they are to go on a particular day if the routine changes daily. Students are not to call home from the school to make after school plans.

Any adults who come to school to pick up a child early will be asked to show documentation to verify identification and ensure student safety.

The front office will have quiet hours between 3:30 and 3:50 where students will not be called down for early dismissal.

We know your student's birthday is an important day for your family. As a school, we will celebrate your student's birthday by announcing their name on the Dr. McNair Morning Show and asking them to come to the office to pick up a birthday pencil.

• Parents are not allowed to send in party decorations, cupcakes, cake, candy, trinkets, or treat bags to celebrate their student's birthday. Please do not ask your child’s teacher to bend these rules.
• Birthday party invitations may be distributed at the end of the school day under the supervision of the homeroom teacher.
• School staff members are not allowed to give out student addresses or contact information.