Glyndon Gazette

Important Dates for January

• 1/06: Picture RETAKE Day
• 1/08: Glyndon Grocery Day
• 1/09: BCPS Day - Wear Blue
• 1/20: Dr. Martin Luther King Day, All Schools & Offices Closed
• 1/24: Second Marking Period Ends - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
• 1/28: Family Night - Lunar New Year Celebration, 5:00-6:00 pm
• 1/29: Systemwide Professional Development - Schools Closed for Students

No toys/Pokemon cards, etc. are permitted at school unless they have been approved by the teacher.

For the month of January, Ms. Thomson's pre-school classes will begin Unit 3 of our Connect 4 Learning curriculum. This unit focuses on how structures and tools work and how to make or do things. Students will explore the form and function of objects through observations, simple experiments, games, and activities. The children explore emotions and recognize feelings and their causes, both in themselves and in others. They talk about anger and learn ways to calm down when they have strong emotions.

Happy New Year! In January, we will begin Unit 3, How Structures Are Built. Students will explore the relationship between form and function in both natural and human-made objects. They will use attributes of objects and materials when making predictions and solving problems. Students will engage in creative and flexible thinking about and discuss new uses for objects and materials.

In ELA, students will identify, blend and segment words. We will practice listening for words that begin with the same sound. PreK students will learn letters Ff, Gg, Nn, and Pp. In Math, students will name and describe the attributes of 2-D and 3-D shapes. Students will read and create simple repeating patterns.

PreK friends are demonstrating virtues of kindness and patience by talking about what we can do to help one another and make our classroom a peaceful and supportive place to be.

Ms. Juarez

Happy New Year! It is already January! As we head into January, we will be reviewing our classroom rules, expectations, and routines. We will continue to practice our foundational skills. For phonics, we will be learning two letters a week, and one or two sight words a week. We will continue to work on blending, segmenting, and fluently reading our decodables.

In math, we will be continuing to work with number lines, addition, and subtraction. We will start to learn how to measure and compare lengths. In reading, we will be practicing asking and answering questions and retelling a story using the main topic and key details.

In January, we will be learning the essentials of healthy living, like eating well, exercising, and practicing good hygiene. It ties in with our health unit, as we are learning about keeping our bodies safe and who we can trust.

Please continue to practice letter recognition, adding and subtracting, and reading stories to your child! Every day is a new day, and we are excited to be with your child each day!

Ms. Mecler, Ms. Shifflett, and Ms. Walkowiak

Happy New Year! We hope that you had a restful and enjoyable winter break. We are looking forward to another wonderful year of learning and growth in 1st grade!

Over the next few weeks in Reading we will be wrapping up our fifth module. This module describes how sources of light affect people. It explains the relationship between Earth and the sun. Children learn that the rotation of Earth causes night and day. They also learn how the seasons change as Earth revolves around the sun.

In Math we are in our 4th unit titled Leapfrogs on the Number Line. In this unit your child will:

• Locate, identify, and order numbers to 120 on a number line
• Count forward and backward by 1s, 5s and 10s
• Add, subtract, and solve word problems using a number line
• Measure, order, and compare height in inches

As we move toward the second half of the school year, please continue to complete our weekly homework packet and return it to school by the end of the week. Please refresh your child's spare set of clothes that are kept in the classroom. Make sure their bag contains a shirt, pants, underwear, and socks.

The First Grade Team,

Ms. Laughton, Ms. Gillum, Ms. Gabler

Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope you had a relaxing winter break and are rejuvenated and ready to begin a new year! The second-grade teachers are so excited to be reunited with our students and look forward to all the learning that will take place this month! January gives us an opportunity for a fresh start for our students. This month, we will be revisiting class expectations and reestablishing routines to help build our learning stamina for 2025.

In Reading, our class has been learning about stories that teach valuable life lessons. We will read many kinds of stories, from classic fairy tales to modern retellings, and even an informational text about how to appreciate a story. Children will also write a story about an imaginary friend or place. During this module about storytelling, try these activities during your reading time together: Tell which characters you’d like to be friends with and why. Talk about how a lesson that a character learns in a story can help you. Read the dialogue in a different voice for each character.

In Science we will continue to explore the unit “What’s the Matter with Trash”. Have you ever wondered what happens to trash once it is thrown away? You may know that trash is collected by workers in special vehicles. But what happens to the trash then? Some of the items in the trash will go to a recycling center, but a lot will go to a landfill. What about trash that never makes it into a trash can? What about all the pieces of trash that we sometimes see in our community, stuck in trees, on the side of the road, and in our playgrounds? In this unit, students have been exploring what matter is and some of its properties. We are using data to help propose a better way to limit the amount of trash produced by our community.

In Math, we will be working on the concept of measurement. Students will be learning about the importance of standard units of measurement. We will be investigating measurement through the context of a giant’s world complete with inchworms, footworms, and yardworms to explore the units of inches, feet and yards. Students will be given multiple opportunities to explore these units of measurement through hands-on-activities around the classroom.

As always, thank you for your continued support! Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Ms. Briggs, Ms. Mayle, and Ms. Marks

Happy New Year third grade families! We hope that everyone had a wonderful, restful winter break and that all students are rejuvenated and ready for the remainder of the school year!

Third grade students have demonstrated noticeable perseverance and diligence in the 2024 school year! We are so proud of all that our students have accomplished in the past few months and can’t wait to see their enthusiasm and commitment to learning in the 2025 school year!

In Math, we are working on Unit 4, Measurement and Fractions. This unit began with measurement concepts and skills. Students practiced telling time to the minute and solving elapsed time problems. At the end of the first module, students estimated, measured, and compared the masses of different objects. As we continue working through the second and third modules, students will be working with volume and solving measurement-related story problems, as well as introducing fractions. Students will use several different models to build, compare, and investigate the relationships among unit and common fractions.

In Advanced Math, students are working on Unit 5, Geometry. In this unit, students will describe and classify two-dimensional shapes, especially quadrilaterals. We will also continue to work on calculating area and perimeter and represent fractions as parts of a whole shape.

In Language Arts, we have been working diligently on our fifth module titled “Teamwork.” In this module, students will listen to, read, and view a variety of texts and media that present them with information about the concept of teamwork. A genre focus on realistic fiction provides students with opportunities to identify literary elements and author’s craft, in order to better understand unfamiliar texts. Students will also encounter narrative nonfiction and video to build knowledge across genres. As students build their vocabulary and synthesize topic knowledge, they will learn about the way that sports can bring people together to work as a team.

In our Content areas, the third graders are beginning our first Science unit, Driving Forces. In this unit, students will create a safe, self-driving vehicle by understanding the forces that act on it. The goal will be to answer the question, “How do forces affect the motion of objects?”. Students will learn about balanced and unbalanced forces and how to predict future motion. Then, they will design, build, and test a prototype vehicle that will keep a passenger safe during a crash. Students will also be learning about non-contact forces, like magnetism and electricity!

Third grade students have demonstrated noticeable perseverance and diligence in the 2024 school year! We are so proud of all that our students have accomplished in the past few months and can’t wait to see their enthusiasm and commitment to learning in the 2025 school year!

Ms. Kagel, Ms. Schinse and Ms. Waller

This month is a chance to restock, reset, and renew. This will be a time filled with rigorous learning and increased expectations. Remember: Attendance is super important. Come to school on time every day.

In ELA, we will begin Module 5 where we explore the question: How far will your talents take you? We will work in small groups to reteach and enrich the content to meet the needs of all learners. Fourth grade Math will continue to work on Unit 4 and Advanced Math will continue with Unit 5. Keep practicing your math facts at home because knowing those facts makes us more efficient mathematicians.

As the weather turns even colder, please make sure students dress in layers so they can regulate their comfort throughout the day. Remember to bring a water bottle every day to stay hydrated. Also, now is a great time to replenish supplies. We are always in need of pencils, glue sticks, and tissues. Thanks in advance for any donations you can provide. Ms. Houseal, Ms. Linsenmeyer, and Ms. Mitchell

Happy New Year, Fabulous Fifth Grade Families!

We hope your family enjoyed the holiday season and a much-deserved winter break. Fifth grade has been hard at work developing their learning stamina and independence in the classroom.

This month in ELA, 5th graders will be reading and writing about all things planet Earth! Students will build their knowledge around the essential question: How can caring for Earth and its living things improve life now and in the future? In reading, students will practice skills and strategies over various genres: a persuasive text, a play, a realistic fiction story, and an informational text. Students will also write an editorial for a newspaper by supporting their opinion on a topic.

In health, students will begin the Changes in Me unit. Students will learn about how to handle emotions and stress, promote healthy relationships, and understand the changes their bodies are going through.

In math, we will continue unit 4. In this unit, students return to the study of multiplication and division strategies, including the standard multiplication algorithm. Students investigate a number of strategies that help them access their estimation and mental math skills as well as help them to continue to develop their number sense. Students build their confidence with the standard algorithm of multiplication by reviewing area model and partial products. The unit ends with reinforcing the relationship between multiplication and division. Students use area model and ratio tables to help prepare students for long division.

In advanced math, students have begun unit 4, Equations and Expressions. In this unit, students learn to understand and use the terms “variable,” “coefficient,” “solution,” “equivalent expressions,” “exponent,” “independent variable,” and “dependent variable.” They begin to write coefficients next to variables without a multiplication symbol, e.g.,10x rather than 10∙𝑥, and note that 𝑥 is 1∙𝑥. They learn other situations in which the multiplication symbol can be omitted, e.g., 6∙(3+2) can be written 6(3+2) They work with expressions that have positive whole-number exponents and whole-number, fraction, or variable bases, using properties of exponents strategically to evaluate these expressions, given a value for the variable. They find solutions for linear equations in one variable and simple equations that include exponents, e.g.,2𝑥=32 and 100=𝑥2. They use these terms and representations (including expressions with two variables) in reasoning about real-world and geometrical situations, understanding that some values of variables may not make sense in a given context. They represent collections of equivalent ratios as equations and use and make connections between tables, graphs, and linear equations that represent the same relationships.

As winter is now in full swing, 5th grade would appreciate any donations of hand sanitizer, tissues, and disinfectant wipes. Ms. Chelton, Ms. Miller, and Ms. Wozniak

Mr. Allard is back from a short break and ready to get back into working with all of our Glyndon artists!

Kindergarteners are continuing to learn the basics of art with lines, shapes, colors, and more.

First graders are applying what they know about the zones of regulation and body language to make paintings of figures showing feelings.

Second grade students are learning about the concept of perspective and how it affects the way we see things.

Third graders are making some little ceramic monsters using some basic clay building techniques!

Fourth graders are continuing their weavings and expanding on some complicated techniques. If you have materials at home like special yarn, old clothes, plastic/paper bags, photos that can be cut up, etc. please have them bring it in to become part of their artwork!

Fifth graders are continuing their self portraits, which are off to a great start! They will need lots of moral support to keep working hard, but in the end you will be amazed at what they are able to do!

Congratulations to this year’s third grade Fire Prevention Poster Contest winners! We had three honorable mentions: Matthew P.D., Arianna F.M., Jeffrey B.G. Great job I am so proud of you!

-Mr. Allard

Happy New Year to our Glyndon families! As the winter weather sets in, we may need to find creative ways to celebrate a snow day! After a day of playing in the snow, nothing feels better than snuggling up with a good book and some hot cocoa, but sometimes you just want to be a little more creative. How about some snow day writing activities?

What would it be like to live in a snow globe? Draw yourself in a winter scene and write about what it would be like!

Make a list of adjectives to describe how snow looks, feels, smells, sounds, and tastes! Can you write a poem about snow using your list?

Would you rather be a snowball or a snowflake? Why?

What do you like about snow? What don’t you like about snow?

Write your own narrative of all the things you did while school was closed for a snow day.

After a snow day, share your writing pieces with your teacher and classmates to inspire others to be creative! Ms. Galvin & Ms. Conway

Happy New Year to all the Glyndon families and students. In the library, students are encouraged each week to return their old library books to check-out a new book. The first week back, we will review library norms and expectations for the new year. Students in grades Kindergarten through second grade are using their devices in library class to learn how to navigate Schoology to access and play Boom Cards and other BCPS databases and learning activities. Students are practicing logging into their device and learning how to navigate online.

Students in grades 2-5 have learned how to use Destiny library catalog to access online eBooks and Interactive eBooks. Students have access to these books online that they can read at their convenience. Students in grades 3-5 are using Discover Education to practice basic typing skills to improve their efficiency with typing.

All students have also reviewed device care and the importance of being a responsible digital citizen. Students understand the necessity of taking care of our school belongings such as our device to ensure they are ready for learning.

Ms. Keller

4th Grade Exploratory Music

Students will begin to explore the woodwind family of instruments. They will learn the history of the woodwind family, including ancient woodwind instruments. Students will also learn the characteristics of woodwind instruments as well as the three branches of woodwind instruments: no reed instruments, single reed instruments, and double reed instruments.

5th grade Band/Orchestra

All band and orchestra students are continuing to work on their first few notes and rhythms on their instrument. Students are also preparing their songs for our winter concert, which will be on January 28th at 4:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Each week students receive an assignment from their lesson book, which is written on their “Practice Journal” sheet that is kept inside their band/orchestra folder. Students are encouraged to complete their “Practice Journal” by documenting the number of minutes they practice their assigned songs each day. We are looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming winter concert!

Happy New Year! This is a great time of year to discuss ways that you and your family can be physically active together.

In physical education class, students in K-2 will be learning basic tumbling moves. They will be performing animal walks, balancing stunts, and jumps. Students will also be performing partner stunts and rolls. In grades 3-5, students will be learning tumbling and gymnastics moves to perform by themselves and with a partner. Students will perform different kinds of rolls, cartwheels, and handstands. Students in all grades will also have the opportunity to try to climb or swing on the rope and climb the cargo net.

Please remember to wear sneakers each day you have PE so that you can participate safely in class. Thank you for all your support.

Ms. Maher

Looking to increase your child’s math abilities? Play games! Board games with dice help with subitizing (knowing how many without counting) and adding. Moving spaces on a game board also help with one-to-one correspondence, an important skill for numbers and letters. Taking turns, patience, and cooperation are also skills that can be practiced with game playing. Trouble, Sorry, and Chutes & Ladders are some of my favorites; what are yours?

You are also encouraged to check out Early Family Math at https://www.earlyfamilymath.org/ or download their app. There are many activities, games, and storybooks to help with math concepts. They are available in several different languages as well.

Ms. Shaw

Hello, families! At Glyndon, we use virtue language to encourage and acknowledge responsibility and respect. This calendar contains the weekly virtues in the current month. Each day will have an activity that is assigned based on the weekly virtue. If your scholar participates in this activity, have them color in the box. When your scholar brings the completed calendar back to school at the end of the month, they will be entered into a raffle to win a prize! For every 5 activities completed, they will earn a raffle ticket, therefore increasing their chances of winning if they complete the whole month (ex. 20 days completed = 4 raffle tickets). Best of luck to your scholars as they continue to live the virtues! Calendar below.

Ms. Kram, Multi-Tiered Student Support

January Classroom Lesson:

For the month of January, the theme is character. Ms. Ho-Shing and I encourage you to discuss the content of the lesson with your child and help them reflect on the content.

Thank you for your support.

Ms. Hypolite & Ms. Ho-Shing

Happy New Year to all the Glyndon Community!!! I hope your holidays were filled with happy surprises and no sickness at home. Just a few reminders with the cold weather to remember to have jackets, gloves and hats to keep your child warm and to remember a change of clothing in school that reflects the Winter season.

Having time to spend with family during the holidays is very important to reflect on traditions. This is also the time when sickness is spread around from person to person. I have seen an increase in respiratory illnesses including Flu, RSV, Pertussis, Pneumonia, Covid-19, Strep throat and Pink Eye. I sent home an email listing the various respiratory illnesses in Baltimore County and symptoms. The CDC provides the latest information on respiratory illness at https://www.dcde.gov/respiratory-viruses/index.html. Or Maryland Communicable Disease Summary at https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/IDEHASharedDocuments/DCSummary.pdf . Please take time to read the flyer to view the differences between the illnesses. Also, please keep your child home from school if they are sick. Students are ready to return to school when . . .

• Students are free from fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication (e.g. Tylenol or Motrin).
• Free from vomiting for at least 24 hours or until cleared by a medical provider.
• Free from diarrhea for at least 24 hours or until cleared by a medical provider.
• Head lice or nits complete the recommended treatment and no evidence of new live lice.
• Pink Eye cleared for return with documentation from a medical provider, after taking antibiotics for 24 hours, or until symptoms have resolved.

Please remember that cold virus symptoms are no fever, runny nose, cough and sore throat with watery eyes. The common cold can still slow you down. If your child is coughing, please teach them to cough in a sleeve or to wear a mask. Use tissues to wipe nose and then throw away. Blow nose with tissues and to WASH THEIR HANDS FREQUENTLY!!!

The number one way to prevent sickness is hand washing. Try to reinforce good hand washing behavior with your child and to remember to cut fingernails frequently as most bacteria is under fingernails. Teach your child to take the time washing hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds. Use the ABCs song and repeat twice. Remind your child to wash hands before touching food, before eating, after using the toilet, after sneezing or coughing and when your hands are messy.

Just a reminder Vision and Hearing Screening was done November 11-15, 2024 for students in PreK, Kindergarten, 1st and 4th grades. The Health Suite contacted parents by phone to inform them of failed screenings late in November and letters sent home to parents in December. If you receive a letter, please follow up with your Health Care Provider. Please contact the nurse if the student will need assistance with vision or hearing.

Thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to working with students in 2025.

Kristi Ridgell, BSN RN

Hello Glyndon Families,

Welcome to 2025! Let’s start a brand-new year off right by attending school every day!

• Daily routines are essential for reducing stress and creating a sense of security for students and adults.
• Please continue to take steps to keep your child healthy and send them to school unless they are truly sick.
• Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as connect to peers and their teachers.

I am available at any time if you need resources or have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Stacey Martin, CARE Liaison

443-809-1867

All participants are asked to bring their Glyndon Elementary School reusable grocery bag. The Grocery Give Away will take place inside the Glyndon Community CARE Cottage (trailer), located in the front of the school. Each participant can fill one regular sized grocery bag. The shopping time is in the morning from 8:30AM-9:00AM and in the afternoon from 3:00PM-3:30PM.

Why Regular Attendance Is Important!

According to the Maryland Compulsory Attendance Law, "Under Maryland law, a truant student is one who is “unlawfully absent” from school for more than:

• 8 days in any quarter,
• 15 days in any semester, OR
• 20 days in a school year.

Dear Team BCPS:

We are writing to provide an important reminder about student cell phone use and expectations. While students may bring personal phones to school, the phones should not be used during class time or used inappropriately at any time during the school day. Failure to follow these rules will result in disciplinary actions against your child. We understand there are a number of reasons why parents/guardians have their children bring phones to school, however, they are a distraction and cause significant disruption to the learning environment. Please let your child know that cell phones and school time don’t mix and students who violate the cell phone policy will receive consequences.

As a reminder, students may have their cell phones on school property and during school-sponsored activities; however, students may not use their cell phones until the end of the instructional day with the following exceptions:

1. When instructional staff, in Grade 3 and above, has permitted such use for instructional purposes during instructional time.
   
2. High school students may use their cell phones during student lunch periods.
   
3. Middle school students may use their cell phones during student lunch periods, as determined by the school administrator of each individual middle school.

Team BCPS families, we need your help to ensure our schools are safe, welcoming, and distraction-free. Effective teaching and learning can’t happen when students are breaking the rules and distracted by their devices. Thank you for your support in reinforcing our cell phone policy at home.

Baltimore County Public Schools

Principals are asked to share information about the Baltimore County Police Department Youth Leadership Academy, scheduled for June 23-28, 2025. The deadline to submit applications is May 23, 2025.

A flier about this program (below) is linked here: Youth Leadership Academy Flier

The application and details about the program are available online: Youth Leadership Academy Details and Application

*NO CARS in the bus loop from 8:00-9:00 a.m. & 3:00-4:00 p.m.

*No student is permitted to walk across the bus loop by themselves. A parent/guardian MUST escort the student across the sidewalk and bus loop.

*NO double parking! (Double parking is ILLEGAL in the state of Maryland.)