March Tidbits #2

Attendance Matters:

Maryland's attendance rate represents the average daily attendance rate of students in grades 1-12. The state’s proficient standard for attendance rate is 94% and the advanced standard is 96%

TCES Currently: 91.32%

The chronic absenteeism measure identifies students that are absent (lawful and unlawful) 10% or more of the school days while enrolled at that school. For example, a student who is registered to attend a school for 30 days and who is absent 3 of those 30 days is considered chronically absent.

Last year: 32% of students at TCES were considered chronically absent

Currently: 26% of students at TCES are considered chronically absent

3/4 - 3/8 TCES Attendance Rate: 93%

3/4- 3/8 Grade Level Attendance Award: 1st Grade with 96%

TCES Staff attendance: 99% percent

We're grateful to all for your efforts to be here! Everyday matters in the pursuit of knowledge.

You can check attendance records in HAC. If you notice any days that are unlawful (marked red), please send an email to smverhaagh@smcps.org, or submit the reason for the absence online through our school website.

PreK - June Sutton

Kindergarten - Bella Ha and Nolan Keiter

First Grade - Natalie Hattery and Aiden Singleton

Second Grade - Rowan Rivera and CJ Amburgey

Third Grade - Lillian Goss and Taylor Bowen

Fourth Grade - Omari Evans and Colin Edelbaum

Fifth Grade - Ethan Weisner and Opie Katzaman

Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from MSDE during the week of February 12, 2024. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope by May 24, 2024. The Survey may also be completed online. Parent feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in SMCPS. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.

This week, we started a new incentive to help make lunch time run smoothly. Grade levels can earn a ticket for following the school-wide cafeteria expectations. These expectations include raising your hand, not sharing food, cleaning up after yourself, using good table manners, and staying in seats. These tickets go into a bucket, and one ticket will be drawn on Fridays. The grade level whose ticket is drawn gets to have a golden fork and spoon hung outside their door. The PTO graciously purchased a Yacker Tracker to keep track of the noise level in the cafeteria. When the light turns red, it means the noise level is too high. We are keeping track of the total number of red lights each day.

This week, our Fifth Grade classes are the winner of the Golden Spoon and Fork! Way to go, Fifth Grade.

Ask your child to tell you more about our cafeteria expectations and the new lunch time incentive!

All 5th Grade students will be taking the MISA state test for Science from March 12-March 15 from 9:30am-11:00am. We know state testing can be very stressful for students. Below, you will find helpful things you can do to help your child with testing.

• make sure your child attends every day and is at school on time so we can begin testing promptly
• students who are not in the classrooms by 9:15 will not be able to test that day and will have to complete the test on a make-up day
• make sure your child eats breakfast- every student is offered free breakfast in the classrooms
• have your child get a good night's sleep

Students will need wired headphones for the test. We have headphones for all students, but if your child prefers to use their specific pair, please make sure they are wired and can be plugged into their laptops- Bluetooth headphones are not permitted!

If you have any questions, please contact the school.

Next week we'll be adding at-home practice for guardians and students to work on!!!

Kindergarten:

Parent Tip

Give your child a small serving of finger food — Goldfish, grapes, that kind of thing— and have your child count them before eating. Have your child eat one — but only one! Now how many are there? Gradually as the snack gets eaten, the counting will evolve into mental math.

First:

• Reading:

  • -ng and -nk glued sounds

  • who is telling the story, answer and asking questions, describe characters, setting and events using key details

  • writing: opinion text

  • grammar: adjectives, using commas

  Math:

  • 2D and 3D shapes

  • fractions

  Science/Social Studies:

  • day and night

  • the stars and moon

  • goods and service

Second:

• Reading
• Reading 15-20 minutes per night and making predictions using text clues and pictures
• Math
• Practicing measuring using a ruler, or tape measure
• Identifying equal measures such as 12 inches = 1 foot

Third:

• Reading: We are working on writing complex sentences. Ask your child to write about a recent event and provide them feedback on their sentences.
• Math: Fact fluency, accuracy and speed. Time your child as you have them solve single digit multiplication, division, subtraction and addition problems

Fourth:

• Reading:

  • identifying the structure of a text (cause/effect, problem/solution, compare/contrast, or chronological)

  • learning when to use commas and prepositional phrases

  Math:

  • identifying parallel and perpendicular lines

  • using protractors to measure angles

  Science/Social Studies:

  • identifying the causes of the Revolutionary war (French and Indian War, Boston Tea Party)

  • Understands that fossils indicate changes to Earth over time

Fifth:

• Reading: Summarizing text and writing 5 paragraph informative essays
• Math: Multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals
• Science: Matter and energy in organisms and ecosystems
• Social Studies: Resconstruction era and immigration

This week was so much fun, and our adventures in reading have just begun!

A huge thank you to all of our friends, parents, and administrators for their reading.

You all made a big difference!

SMCPS and SMC R&P have partnered to offer the new Summer Sports Academies. Campers will be instructed by area high school coaches. Camps are held Monday -Thursday. Click below for more information. Registration begins March 1st. Don't miss this opportunity.

https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/recreate/camps

https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/docs/thescoop.pdf

Thank you for your support!

Mr. Kent and the TCES family

1. Have a change of phone number, email, or address? Contact the office right away. We need to be able to reach you if your child is ill or has an emergency.

2. Let the office know IN WRITING if you are designating someone other than a guardian to pick up your child at any day and time.

3. Opt-In to the School Messenger Text Messaging Service. For more information, click on this flyer. There is also an FAQ with additional information.

4. Got a birthday to celebrate? Please familiarize yourself with the TCES procedures for Birthday Celebrations.

Ready to rock some new Town Creek threads? A wide variety of spirit wear is available, from hoodies to sweatpants! And now, we are offering a Town Creek baseball cap! This cap is available in the virtual school store on MySchoolBucks for $15. The cap is available in two sizes, Child and Adult. Samples are on display in the lobby case. (Our model, a second-grader, is shown here sporting a Child sized cap.)

Select this link to see pictures and detailed descriptions of the items currently available in both youth and adult sizes. You can check out the samples in the case in Town Creek's lobby, too!

To order, you can print this form and send cash or check, or you can order everything online in the My School Bucks School Store. For directions on how to order through the MSB School Store, please select this link.

The items will be delivered to your student at school as soon as they arrive at TCES. Hats are immediately available!

**NOTE: Do not put money into the lunch money account for this purchase! That is a separate account from the School Store and can NOT be transferred.

Thank you to everyone who attended our general meeting on Tuesday, February 6th. Here is the link to the meeting minutes.

The next general meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 15, in the media center. The meeting begins at 5:45 p.m.

Grab your robe and your wand: Book Bingo on Friday, March 15, is a Hogwarts-themed event! (The fun will begin immedately after the general PTO meeting.)

Want to get more involved? Be sure to fill out the membership application and join the PTO!

Questions? Contact PTO president Lydia Rivera at towncreekesptopresident@gmail.com.

From now through March 22, fish filets will be offered as an option on Fridays!

• March 12th-15th - MISA Testing for 5th Grade
  
• March 15th - PTO Book Bingo
• March 22nd - Virtual Instruction Day and Two-Hour Early Dismissal (End of 3rd Quarter)
• March 25th-28th - Spring Break - No school for students and 10-11 month staff
• March 29th - Holiday - All Schools and Offices closed
• April 1st - Spring Break - No School for Students and 10-11 Month Employees
• April 10th - Report Card Distribution (via HAC)
• April 19th - Two-Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Responsibilties