Stonegate Greetings
Weekly Newsletter
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Monday, September 23rd
Hispanic Heritage Month
Tuesday, September 24th
Hispanic Heritage Month
After School Girls on the Run 3:30-4:45
After School Boys Let Me Run begins 3:30-4:45
Wednesday, September 25th
Hispanic Heritage Month
After School STEM by Problem Solvers 3:30-4:45
After School Creative Adventures Art begins 3:30-5
Thursday, September 26th
Hispanic Heritage Month
Safety Day
After School Girls on the Run 3:30-4:45
After School Boys Let Me Run 3:30-4:45
Friday, September 27th
Hispanic Heritage Month
EARLY RELEASE DAY for Grades PreK to 5th Grade : Students dismissed at 12:55 pm
No School today for students in Ms. Mcadam and Ms. Tyler's PEP classes
Wear Stonegate Spiritwear
Kids Heart Challenge Kickoff Assemblies (formerly Jump Rope for Heart)
Summer Reading Bingo Parties during lunches
Dear Stonegate Families and Caregivers,
We are thrilled to have completed Week 4 of the school year, and it’s been wonderful to see the enthusiasm and hard work from both students and staff. We are in full swing, wrapping up our MAP and DIBELS assessments while ensuring that our students continue to enjoy their learning experience. The energy and dedication across the school have been truly inspiring!
We are once again super excited to partner with Kids Heart Challenge, which was formerly Jump Rope For Heart. Our kick off assembly is this Friday. We will have a Heart Health Challenge School Wide Community Walk and we hope that many of you will join us.
Please remember that **Friday, September 27th** is our first early release day for PreK to 5th grade. Students will be dismissed at 12:55 p.m. so please plan accordingly.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to our upcoming week.
Warmly,
Linda M. Jones,
Principal
Message from Union Church, meeting at Paint Branch High School
At Union Church, we believe we are blessed to be a blessing! We want to be a blessing to you and your family! We want to help you kick off the holiday season with everything you need to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for the family! Complete this form to receive a Thanksgiving Meal Kit for you and the family.
Form Link: https://theunionchurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/819358
The Thanksgiving Meal Kit would include:
Form Link: https://theunionchurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/819358
Every MCPS school completes practice drills for what to do in an emergency. By practicing, we ensure all staff and students know how to respond in an emergency.
This Thursday, Stonegate will conduct several required safety drills including:
Fire Drill: also called Evacuation Drill. We practice getting out of the building safely and quickly
Severe Weather Drill: We practice moving to the safer parts of the building in the case of nearby severe weather.
Drop-Cover-Hold Drill: also called Earthquake Drill. We practice what do to in case of an earthquake.
Shelter: we practice what to do if there were a public safety concern in the neighborhood.
Lockdown: We practice our response to imminent danger in the school or on campus.
During the year, we will conduct many of these drills again. Shelter and Lockdown drills are typically announced in advance to teachers and students. For fire drills, most (not all) are announced in advance.
You can read and review this Emergency Preparedness Brochure for families(.pdf)
English | 中文 | Français | 한국어 | Español | Việt Nam
How to Receive Emergency Information for MCPS Schools
Use this link to find all the ways you can connect with MCPS to receive emergency operational information from the school system.
The Kids Heart Challenge is a fun and exciting event where our students learn about their heart while helping others by raising money for the American Heart Association. Our goal is to raise $3000.
The American Heart Association will provide Hands-only CPR training for our grades 4-5 students during PE, educate all students about heart health during our kick off assemblies, and culminate in a community walk through the neighborhood. All are welcome to join us on the walk.
Kids Heart Challenge Kick Off Assemblies
The Kick Off assemblies will be on Friday, Sept 27. This is an early release day.
Grades 3-5 will attend at 9:15 and Grades PreK-2 at 10:00.
Community Walk
Our classes will walk through the Stonegate neighborhood guided by staff on Thursday, October 17th from 2-3 pm. The Rain Date is October 24 from 2-3 pm
All families are welcome to join us on the walk. Permission slips will be coming home for students to leave campus and walk through the neighborhood.
Affordable tutoring!
The George B. Thomas Learning Academy (GBTLA), and its signature program Saturday School, have been supporting youth education and academic achievement in Montgomery County since 1986. They offer very affordable academic tutoring for grades K – 12, nearby at multiple sites.
Register at: www.saturdayschool.org
Label your child’s items today and throughout the year!
Jackets
Sweaters
Water Bottles
Lunch boxes
Any items that could be left on the bus, recess, etc
We have partnered with https://mabelslabels.com/ if you would like to order amazing label products for clothing, water bottles and lunch boxes. Our Grade 5 students will earn 20% of sales. Be sure to select “support a fundraiser” and select “Stonegate Elementary (Silver Spring)”
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) appreciates the support of the parent and community volunteers who support the essential needs of the schools.
Field trip chaperone
Guest readers
Class celebrations
Student teachers & Interns
Recess, lunch, dismissal support
As a one time volunteer, such as guest reader or helping with student celebrations, you do NOT need to complete the online Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Training.
For our field trip Chaperones, you must have completed the online Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Training within the last 3 years (2022-2023, 2023-2024, current 2024-2025 school years). You can access the training through ParentVue.
Support Guides: How to take the training
All volunteers WILL need to check-in and check-out of the main office and scan their driver’s license/identification cards through the Visitor Management System (VMS). Once the volunteer clears the VMS, they must be badged (the VMS creates a sticker badge) and remain under supervision of an MCPS professional while with students.
Link to 7 minute Volunteer Expectations Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tpdZrX8MRqYutpNhA3siVOajmRnxlYPa/view?usp=sharing
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture. While we celebrate Hispanic and Latino communites beyond this month, from September 15 to October 15 we give extra recognition to the many contributions made to the history and culture of the United States, including important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more.
Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations. The Latino presence in America spans centuries, predating Spain’s colonization of what is now part of the United States, and they have been an integral part of shaping our nation since the Revolutionary War. Through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Treaty of Paris that followed the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars, the United States gained territories in the Southwest and Puerto Rico. This incorporated the people of this area into the United States and further expanded the presence of Hispanic Americans.
Today, the Latino population in the United States is over 60 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This makes up 18.9% of the total population and is the largest racial or ethnic group. Latinos continue to help fuel our economy and enrich our nation as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, entertainers, scientists, public servants, and much more.
Schoolwide Presentations
If you did not make it to Back to School Night,
please view our Welcome Back Video for families.
And meet our Well being Team:
Stonegate PTA Membership Drive
Dive into supporting our school by joining the PTA during The Big Splash Membership Drive! Help your child's class make waves in the competition—each class with the highest percentage of PTA membership will win tasty prizes. The overall school winner will get a pizza party, and the top class in each grade will enjoy a popsicle party. Check out this week’s leader board for each grade:
Leaderboard for this week:
PK: Wilson
LFI: Moore
K: Fabre
1st: Mitchell
2nd: Dantzler & Haas
3rd: Wolfe
4th: Congress
5th: Guidot
Way to go!
Joining the PTA supports vital programs like cultural assemblies, family events, and more. Plus, it’s a great way to stay connected with our school community. Let’s make this year unforgettable—become a member today!
Stonegate SpiritWear Update
New shirts for Spirit Wear Fridays are on the way! Items purchased during the Stonegate Spirit Wear Flash Sale are arriving this week and will be sent home in backpacks. Did you miss the flash sale? Don’t worry the Stonegate Spiritwear On-Demand store is open and you can order your favorite Stonegate apparel anytime. Items will ship directly to you.
PTA Meeting & Event Updates
Please join us on Tuesday, October 1 at 8 pm for the next PTA meeting. The meeting agenda will include updates from the PTA officers, chairs, and school staff. The PTA annual budget will be presented for approval. The Zoom link and additional details will be provided prior to the meeting.
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 16 and join us for a Restaurant Night Fundraiser at Bear Brick Oven Pizza from 4-9 pm. The restaurant will donate a portion of sales to support PTA activities.
Menus are sent home monthly and can be found on the MCPS’s website: Elementary Menu
Kindergarten- 5th Grade Menu: September 2024:
English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Pre-K/Headstart: September 2024:
English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Hot lunches are served daily with alternate choices. Lunch is $2.55 including milk. Milk may be purchased separately for 60 cents. Parents are highly encouraged to start a Myschoolbucks account for their child. This will eliminate lost or forgotten lunch money. The price of lunch or breakfast will be subtracted from the account. Checks should be made payable to Stonegate School Cafeteria.
Payments to student cafeteria accounts can be made either through My School Bucks (optional, not a requirement), or cash or checks payable to Stonegate Cafeteria and submitted to the cafeteria manager. MySchoolBucks.com is an optional service for parents/guardians to make prepayments to a student's cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch, and à-la-carte meals online with a credit or debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families.
By creating a secure online account, parents can monitor and manage their child's account.
There is a $2.49 (new) convenience fee for each payment transaction.
There is no cost to set up an account, check your child's spending history, and receive low-balance notifications.
Applying for Free Lunch
Students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for meals! Apply right away. One application covers the entire HOUSEHOLD. Translations in other languages are available through the online application.
Apply now at www.MySchoolApps.com
Here is a video about how to apply:
English Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJUapGLarBo
Video en Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdCrtCIFJc&t=4s
Here is the 24-25 School Calendar
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org//siteassets/district/calendar/2024/2024-calendar.pdf
Fall Dates
Sept 30 - After school Avanti Soccer begins 3:30-4:30
Oct 1 - PTA Meeting, Virtual 8:00 pm
Oct 2 - Walk to School Day
Oct 3 - No School, Non Instructional Day, Possible Make Up
Oct 4 - Cultural Arts Assembly Furia Flamenca for Hispanic Heritage Month 9:15 -11 a.m.
Oct 7 - Grade 5 Field Trip Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 7 - After school Spanish begins 3:30-4:30
Oct 8 - Student Picture Day 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 10 - After school Basketball begins 3:30-4:30
Oct 11 - Kindergarten Field Trip to Green Meadows Farm 9:40 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Oct 16 - PTA Restaurant Night at Bear Brick Oven from 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Oct 17 - Heart Health Challenge School Wide Community Walk 2-3 pm
Oct 17 - Math Night 6-7 p.m.
Oct 18 - No School, Possible Make up day
Oct 21 - SGA Food Drive Kicks Off
Oct 21-25 - School Library Pumpkin Contest - Drop off entries this week
Oct 24 - Grade 1 Field Trip to Baltimore Aquarium 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 24 - Grade 5 Field Trip to Strathmore Music Center 11:20 a.m. -2 p.m.
Oct 25 - Grade 3 Field Trip Butler’s Orchard 9:40 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Oct 25 - SGA Pumpkins and Plaid Dance
Oct 31 - Harvest Festival and Halloween Parade 2-3 p.m.
Nov 4 - No School, Grading and Planning Day, Possible Make up
Nov 5 - No School, Election Day
Nov 5 - 19 - Square 1 Art Fundraiser
Nov 6 - California Tortilla in Olney Restaurant Fundraiser 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Nov 11-15 - PTA Scholastic Book Fair
Nov 14 - Good Night, Sleep Tight Reading Night
Nov 16 - Boys Let Me Run 5K
Nov 17 - Make Up/Retakes Student Picture Day 9 - 11 a.m.
Nov 24 - Girls on the Run 5K at Wheaton Mall
Nov 25-26 - Early Release Day, Students dismissal 12:55 pm
Nov 27-29- No school, Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec 19 - School Wide Field Trip (all grades) to Xfinity Center UMD Girls Basketball Game 10 -2
Dec 23 - Jan 1- No School, Winter Break
Jan 2 - Return to School
Stonegate communicates using the “Remind” app. Schoolwide messages and messages from individual teachers will come through Remind. Caregivers will receive messages as texts. Some parents also choose to download Remind as an app on their device.
Adjust your account settings for Remind at www.remind.com.
Choose “Sign up” and enter your phone number. Your account as an MCPS parent will come up and will allow you to edit your communication settings.
Add a phone number for a caregiver:
Do you need an older sibling, a grandparent or other caregiver to receive text messages from the school? Add an additional phone to receive school wide Remind text messages by using that phone to text @436ch8 to the number 81010.
Clothing to Cash® is a program that collects New and Used Clothing, Shoes, Sheets, and Towels, (all Textiles) and pays the school 10 cents for every pound collected. The program is operated entirely OUTSIDE and will be located in the school parking lot, where students, parents, staff, and the community can drop off items throughout the year.
They have state-of-the-art photo quantity sensors installed in each bin that report 3 times daily to prevent overflow and allow the company to schedule service as needed (no other companies use this technology). They empty the collection bin, weigh the contents to determine our school earnings, and pay our school monthly.
The average school (500 - 1000 students) will earn $1000- $2000 yearly if each student would donate just one 13-gallon kitchen-size bag of textile mate! Add in parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, and staff, and Stonegate’s earnings could really increase.