CMIT South Elementary School
Dear CMIT South ES Families,
As we wrap up September, I want to share some important updates and express my gratitude for your continued support.
STEM Fair Projects and Parent University
We're thrilled with the turnout at our inaugural Parent University session focusing on STEM Fair Projects. Your enthusiasm and participation demonstrate our community's commitment to our students' success. During this session, we covered crucial information about project expectations and deadlines.
For those who couldn't attend, don't worry! We have more Parent University sessions planned in the coming months. These sessions are designed to keep you informed and involved in your child's education, so stay tuned for announcements about future topics and dates.
To help your young scientists get started on their STEM Fair Projects, we've prepared grade-specific resource links:
We encourage you to review these materials with your child and reach out to their teachers if you have any questions.
Scholastic Book Fair
Get ready for our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair!
Date: October 7 - October 14, 2024
Location: CMITSES Library/Media
We'll soon share additional details, including your student's classroom shopping time and parent shopping hours. Stay tuned!
To prepare, set up your Tiger's eWallet today in 3 easy steps: www.scholastic.com/bf/cmitsouthes 📚
Kindness Bucket Winner
Congratulations to Ms. Johnson's 5th-grade homeroom for being the first class to fill their Kindness bucket! They displayed positive behavior in CARTS, the cafeteria, hallways, during school-wide drills, and in their classroom. They will receive their Tiger Surprise reward on Friday, October 4, 2024. Photos coming soon. Who will be next to fill their bucket?
Important Dates and Reminders
Mark your calendars for these upcoming important dates:
October 7, 2024: School will be closed for students for parent-teacher conferences. If you haven't already done so, please sign up for a conference time with your child's teacher. These meetings are crucial for discussing your child's progress and ensuring their continued success.
October 8, 2024: Progress reports will be released online. Please be sure to check Synergy ParentVue for your child's progress report grades. This is an excellent opportunity to review your child's academic performance and discuss any concerns during your parent-teacher conference.
We encourage all parents to stay actively involved in their child's education by regularly checking ParentVue and attending scheduled conferences.
Assessments and Academic Programs
We are currently in the midst of our assessment period, gathering valuable data to support your child's academic growth. The MAP Growth assessments and i-Ready diagnostics are wrapping up for all grades. Additionally, our K-3 classes are still engaged in the Dibels assessments. Please note that the Dibels assessment takes a bit longer to complete as it involves one-on-one sessions between each student and their teacher, allowing for a more personalized evaluation of early literacy skills.
Once we have collected and analyzed all the assessment data, we will be extending invitations to our Tuesday Power or Saturday Academy programs. These invitations will be based on students' percentile rankings and grade levels. These specialized programs are designed to provide additional support and enrichment opportunities, helping our students reach their full potential and excel in their academic journey.
As always, remember that the STEM Journey Begins Here at CMIT South Elementary! We're looking forward to a year filled with exciting learning opportunities, personal growth, and impressive achievements for all our scholars. Your support and partnership in this journey are invaluable. Remember, we can't continue this STEM journey without you!
Let's make this year a roaring success! 🦁📚
Wishing you all a 🐾 PawwRific 🐾 day and see you all Monday, September 30, 2024!
Please take a look at these October calendar reminders:
- October 1 -31- National Principal Month
- October 2 - National Custodian Day
- October 3 Rosh Hashanah* (starts at sunset 10/2)
- October 4 -21- Read-a-Thon Fundraiser
- October 7 Parent-Teacher Conferences – Schools Closed for Students
- October 7 - October 14, 2024- CMIT South ES Book Fair
- October 8 - Progress Reports Released (online)
- October 12 Yom Kippur* (starts at sunset 10/11)
- October 18 Professional Development – Schools Closed for Students
- October 31 End of First Quarter
Birthdays are so much fun to celebrate with classmates. However, during the school day, the health and safety of each student are important, especially students with food allergies. Students are ONLY permitted to bring in NON-FOOD items to distribute to classmates at the end of the school day. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe at CMIT South ES.
Additionally, please note that teachers and staff are unable to participate in distributing communications/invitations or email addresses related to birthday celebrations. All planning for birthdays needs to happen outside of school so that it does not take away from the purpose of instruction.
As we get into testing season, here are some excellent resources to help you understand the data coming home and also how to best support your scholar with the resources we have available!
KVS is our school's dismissal tool for car riders. All parents MUST fill out their KVS number when picking up their scholar. It is imperative that numbers are entered once you reach the car line. If your scholar is a car rider, please take time to help him or her practice memorizing his or her number as this will make the dismissal process much quicker!
In November 2020, PGCPS launched an online volunteer application and approval process. Click here for more information on becoming a volunteer and to access the application.
Attendance in school each day is important. Let’s stay in school.
In order for an absence to be considered excused, a written note must accompany the student no later than three (3) days after return to school. The note should include:
- date(s) of absence
- scholar’s name
- Reason for absence
Late or make-up work will not be accepted unless the absence is an excused absence. Please review Administrative Procedure 5113 AP 5113 - Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy for further information.
Students who are absent for ten consecutive days will be withdrawn on the 11th day and will need to re-enroll.
Lawful Absences
Students enrolled in public schools are considered lawfully absent from school for any portion of the day, only under the following conditions:
- Death of a family member
- Illness of the student
- Court appearance
- Work approved or sponsored by a school
- Observance of a religious holiday
- State of emergency
- Suspension from school
- Mental Health (Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence
- in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs.
- Other emergencies
- Deployment-related absences
Unlawful Absences
Unlawful absence – any time a student does not attend school that does not qualify as the above-listed reasons for a lawful absence.
Tardy
Scholars will be officially tardy if they are not in the building at 8:05 a.m.
If your scholar enters the building after the 8:05 a.m. bell, a parent must escort them into the building and electronically sign them in the late arrival portal. Scholars will be given an orange tardy slip to be permitted to class.
Parents of students who have 10 or more tardies in a semester will be required to meet with the principal/designee to discuss the reasons for the tardies and to develop a plan for improvement.
School Meals
2024-25 School Year Meal Prices
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)
Breakfast: $1.60/day
Lunch: $2.75/day
How to Pay
MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, make tuition payments for Before and After School Extended Learning programs, and receive email notifications for low-account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
Principal Lunch Account
ALL breakfast,lunch, and Principal lunch payments should be made via www.myschoolbucks.com.
All money comes/goes to 1 account (child's). All that is needed to set up account (if not done) is
students lunch pin or student id.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
We encourage all families to consider applying for free and reduced-price meals! Visit www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict to apply online today!
To apply, you will need:
- The name, school, and grade of your school-age children
- The name of all adults living in the home
- Income information for all adults living in the home
- Student ID Numbers for your school-age children
Applications will also be sent home with students the first week of school. Applications are available at all PGCPS schools and can be submitted at any time.
This week, I visited the 4th-grade classrooms and gave a brief overview of the school counselor's role. I reminded the students about the ways in which the school counselor can assist the students throughout the year.
We then transitioned to a lesson centered on bullying, specifically on how to stand up for others. The goal of this lesson is to help students recognize how bystanders can support victims in bullying situations. We discussed the definition of a bystander and their role in these scenarios, providing examples of assertive statements they can use to advocate for victims. Additionally, we explored various ways bystanders can assist those affected by bullying and worked on creating bullying action plans.
I will meet with our 5th-grade scholars this upcoming week.
Grade Level Blurb:
Students are losing their personal belongings. Please label all items, sweaters and jackets especially, so that students will know what belongs to them. Please use simple reminders to help students learn to become and stay responsible for their own items
This week we would like to highlight some at-home reading strategies!
Invite a child to read with you every day.
When reading a book where the print is large, point word by word as you read.
Read a child's favorite book over and over again.
Stop and ask about the pictures and about what is happening in the story.
Read from a variety of children's books, including fairy tales, songbooks, poems and information books.
Reading
UNIT 1 WEEK 4- Going Places
Essential Question- What is fun about exploring new places?Phonological awareness: Phonological Awareness: Middle Sounds; Initial and Final Sounds; Recognize Alliteration
Phonics: Consonants Ii and Nn
High-Frequency Words: my, we, make
Spelling words found in weekly readings: slips, follows, chasing, scrambles
Unit Vocabulary: map, move, land, special
Learning Goals:
Learn words that can tell about actions
Plural Nouns
Orally respond to realistic fictions
Describe the setting
Math
TOPIC 2 LESSON 1- Compare numbers 0 to 5
Essential Understanding: Good math thinkers use math they know to show and solve problems
Compare groups to see whether they are equal by matching
Tell whether one group is less or greater than the other by matching
Use objects, drawings, and numbers to compare numbers
Vocabulary: compare, equal, group. Model, same number as, greater than, less than
Science
TOPIC 1 LESSON 3- Change movement with pushes and pulls (continued)
Essential Question: What does motion mean?
Investigate how objects move
Tell ways that a push and pull can move an object
Use directional words to describe a movement
Vocabulary: motion
Social Studies
CHAPTER 1 LESSON 3- Rules and Laws (continued)
Essential Question- How do people best cooperate?
Recognize why we need rules and laws
Know the consequences of breaking the rules
Identify community laws
Compare past/present rules and laws
Vocabulary: community, rule, law
Health
OCTOBER TOPIC- The Five Senses
Essential Question- What are the five senses?
Identify the five senses and the body parts they are associated with
Respect what your senses can do for you
Practice routines for healthful care of sense organs
Vocabulary: hear, touch, sight, smell, see, senses
Grade Level Blurb:
We are pretty much through testing season with the exception of a few make-ups! The next big test will be TAG testing, which is scheduled tentatively for the END of October. Thank you for all you have done to support learning thus far. We appreciate you! A few updates and reminders as we head into the next week:
Updates:
1. We are wrapping up topic 1 in math. Please review your teacher's digital agenda for information on testing and homework due dates.
Ms. Brown-Taylor's Digital Agenda
Students will receive a new math packet when we begin the next topic on fluently adding and subtracting within 10.
Reminders:
1. Students should be completing one homework assignment per night for a total of 4 by Friday, unless otherwise noted. Please ensure all homework is labeled with a title and date so it can be easily checked and graded.
2. Please be sure to check Synergy regularly for up-to-date grades. To access your parent portal account, please click here! For assistance with logging in, please find additional support and information here!
3. Please check green folders nightly and sign behavior calendars to acknowledge daily behavior. Please also be sure to empty and review all papers on the "Keep at Home" side.
4. Please send a healthful, DRY snack for your scholar to enjoy at the end of the day.
5. As we head into cold and flu season, please be sure to listen to your scholar when they say they do not feel well. Students should be symptom and fever free for 24 hours, without medication, before returning to school. We are doing our best to keep our classroom safe and healthy, but we need your help! Please refer to the PGCPS sick policy for additional information:
https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/school-health/docs---school-health/When-to-Stay-Home-From-School-or-Work.pdf
Reading:
Unit 1 Week 3
This week in reading, we will focus on the question, "How do signs in our neighborhood help us?" Students will identify and explain various text features as we read an informational text titled, "Look Both Ways!" In this text, students will learn more about different features and signs that keep us safe.
Phonics:
Letters/Sounds:
Oo, Bb, Ff, Gg
Heart Words
are, by, look, was, you
Math:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students are wrapping up topic 1! Homework will be collected and assessments given, tentatively, Wednesday, October 2nd. Please stay tuned to Class Dojo and your class' agenda in case dates need to be adjusted. Topic 2 involves fluently adding and subtracting within 10.
Science:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students will describe sound, make sound, and explain the uses of sound.
Social Studies:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students will focus on what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens.
Health:
Students will begin learning about different body parts, the functions, and how each contributes to keeping us safe and healthy.
As a result of this being a short week and testing, this week is a continuation of last week. Scholars have completed MAP Growth Testing as well as Dibels. Thank you for another outstanding week. Please check with your scholars’ teacher to sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences on October 7,2024
Reading-
Students will be reading Informational Text this week. Students will use text evidence and text features to support answers. Phonics this week will be centered around rhyming words.
Math-
Scholars are reviewing Topic 1 and preparing to test. Topic 2 will cover equal groups. Students will learn about arrays.
Science-
Science will cover how each property of matter is used.
Social Studies-
This week in My World students will focus on the history of a family. Also, they will learn about different cultures.
Health- Scholars are learning a variety of ways to be safe.
Grade Level Blurb:
We had a busy week with testing/testing make ups and continuing our curriculum! Please keep an eye out for conference sign up sheets and progress reports on Synergy!
Reading:
Students are continuing Unit 1 (Our Environment), and we are on Week 3! Specifically, students are learning about realistic fiction and suffixes.
Math:
We have continued our unit on division, in addition to review multiplication!
Science:
In addition to teaching Unit 1: Forces and Motion, students are learning about the scientific method. They should be picking their STEM project topics!
Social Studies:
Students are continuing to learn about geographic regions of the U.S.
Grade Level Blurb:
Greetings Tiger Family,
I hope you were able to dry during this rainy week. We have made it to the midway point of the 1st quarter!! Grades are being updated in Synergy for you to view. If you need support utilizing Synergy please use this link to get further information ParentVue Information. We have concluded all of our diagnostic testing for this quarter! Next week we will share all the data from scholars' diagnostic assessment. Teachers will also begin to have data conferences with students to discuss their data and help them to make a goal for improvement of the data.
This month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Each class has been assigned a Spanish speaking country to learn about and participate in the door decorating contest. Students will also learn about people of Hispanic origin that made a difference in the lives of others here in America and around the world.
Countries:
Crusoe- Cuba
Felton- Costa Rica
Holloway- Uruguay
Ramsey- Panama
Parent Teacher Conferences:
On Monday October 7, 2024 we will have parent teacher conferences. You will be able to meet with both of your scholar’s teachers. All conferences will be virtually using Zoom. Teachers will share their process for signing up for conferences within the next few weeks. We will prioritize students with the most need for conferences (failing grades, performing grade levels below on diagnostics, and behavior). But teachers are available for conferences throughout the year.
Important Information:
This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school.
Fourth Grade Reminders:
Students must bring their agenda book each day. Teachers will note the agenda book and it should be signed nightly by the adult at home.
Please check Synergy weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades provided in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.
If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.
Uniforms:
We are a uniform school. Students must be in the proper uniform each and every day. Students are expected to have mostly black shoes. They may wear a navy blue or school logo jacket or pullover during class. Students will be asked to remove any jacket or sweater that is not following the uniform policy.
Reading Updates:
Students have been given a copy of both Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 of their reading textbooks to be kept at home. They also received a pack of trade books that are to remain at home as well. Students should revisit the text of the week and can Please check your scholars backpack to ensure that they are not carrying these books back and forth to school.
This Week: Students continued reading a biography called “Rare Treasures.” This is the story of Mary Anning, an English scientist who was known for discovering fossils. As students were reading closely this week they were able to determine the main idea. Students also were able to generate questions to deepen their understanding of the text. Students also worked to build their vocabulary by working with synonyms and antonyms of words.
Next Week: Students will continue to generate ideas for their personal narratives. Students will also work with figurative language to create their own and be able to add into their personal narratives. Students will have a diagnostic assessment that will focus on the standards and skills that were covered while reading “Rare Treasures.” To review students should look over the skills that were practiced while reading the text.
Math Updates:
This week we wrapped up Topic 1. We will have a math assessment following the topic close. Please check your Scholar’s agenda book for their classes specific date.
Please check Synergy and Canvas with your scholar to ensure completion of assignments.
Science Updates:
This week we continued exploring Topic 1 Energy and Motion, by engaging in an investigation where scholars were asked to design and complete an investigation that focused on “How does the starting height affect an object’s energy? Students also received the 2024-2025 STEM FAIR Packet.
Please check Synergy and Canvas with your scholar to ensure completion of assignments
Social Studies Updates:
This week: Students explored the United States by diving into its five distinct regions: the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West. Each region has its own unique geography, climate, culture, and history.
Next week:Students will learn about the weather and climate that vary across the United States by exploring the following key areas:
Understanding Weather vs. Climate:
Defining weather (short-term atmospheric conditions) and climate (long-term weather patterns).
Regional Climate Zones
Health Updates:
In health we are learning about our Incredible Ears! How does the ear work? How do our ears and brain make connections to each other?
Grade Level Blurb:
Fifth Grade Update!
We’re back into our routine now that testing is behind us! The students have done an amazing job, and we’re ready to dive back into our regular learning activities. With testing complete, we can focus on building our skills, enjoying hands-on projects, and getting back into the groove of our daily schedule. Thank you for your support during the testing season—now it’s time to finish the first quarter strong!
Reading:
We’re diving into informational texts, where students are learning how to find important details, understand main ideas, and explore the special features that make nonfiction reading so interesting. It’s been great to see their curiosity and engagement!
Math:
We’re starting our unit on adding and subtracting decimals. This will help students sharpen their skills in working with numbers they see in real life, like money.. I loved seeing all the creative “Pick a Project” submissions last week of all the amazing solar system projects!
Science:
We’re kicking off Topic 2: Changes in Matter. Students will get hands-on with experiments to see how matter changes through physical and chemical processes. It’s going to be a lot of fun exploring states of matter, mixtures, and more!
Social Studies:
To wrap up our unit on the Age of Exploration, students created “Help Wanted” ads for sailors. They did a fantastic job showing what it would take to be a successful sailor during this exciting time in history. Their creativity really shined through!
Health:
In health class, we’re focusing on First Aid and Internet Safety. Students are learning basic first aid skills, like handling minor injuries and staying calm in emergencies. We’re also discussing how to stay safe online, protect personal information, and make smart digital choices.
PE:
Hello Families,
This week, in PE, students paired locomotor skills with memory by playing team games that focused on these skills. Next week, we will start our new unit!
Lego:
This week in Legos, we continued with our 2D and 3D building techniques to engineer food items for our Lego Feast! Once the food is complete, the students will decorate a huge table for their Big Lego Feast!
Music:
Announcements:
Julliard Opportunities
Additional Opportunities for Students Ages 8-18
Have students who aren’t yet ready to apply for college? Juilliard offers year-round opportunities for students as young as 8 years old. Follow the links below to explore program and application information as well as financial aid opportunities available for many of our programs, including the tuition-free Music Advancement Program.
Pre-College and the Music Advancement Program (MAP), two Saturday music programs in our Preparatory Division designed for ages 8-18 and held at our Lincoln Center campus in New York City. Learn more at juilliard.edu/prep.
A variety of summer programs including Juilliard Summer, a series of intensives at Juilliard’s campus designed for high school musicians interested in pursuing advanced music study at the college level. Learn about recent summer programs at juilliard.edu/summer and check back this fall for summer 2025 details.
Year-round virtual and in-person Music Theory and Ear Training courses with the potential for high school students to earn college credit. Learn More: juilliard.edu/extension/highschool.
Prince George’s County Honors Chorus
Auditions will take place in class September 23 - 26th! Students will need to sing the traditional rendition of Happy Birthday.
What we’re working on:
Kindergarten - Review Steady Beat, Learn Fast & Slow
1st Grade - Continue Reading, Writing & Creating Simple Rhythms
2nd Grade - Review Reading, Writing & Creating Simple Rhythms, Learn Meter Signature
3rd Grade - Review standard notation, magic dot. Create rhythms in 6/8.
4th Grade - Review Triplets, Learn 16th Notes
5th Grade - Review Triplets & 16th Notes, Learn Dotted Quarter Eighth Pattern, and Ties
Maker’s Lab:
Re- Cap and Finishing of the Cup Maze Project : This week's Makers Lab activity, "Cup Maze," was an exciting challenge that encouraged teamwork and creativity. Students worked in small groups to navigate a cup with strings through a carefully designed maze, all while ensuring that the ball perched on top stayed balanced and didn’t touch the lines. The task required collaboration, as teams strategized their movements and adjusted their approaches to avoid obstacles. Laughter and friendly competition filled the room as students cheered each other on, showcasing not only their problem-solving skills but also their ability to communicate effectively. The Cup Maze activity was a fantastic way to blend engineering principles with fun.
Media: This week in media class, we listened to an engaging story that sparked meaningful classroom discussions. After the story, we answered reading comprehension questions that challenged the students to think critically about the narrative's themes and characters. Our conversations highlighted what we found important, such as the underlying messages and the emotional impact of the story. Many of the students shared personal takeaways, reflecting on how the story related with their own experiences and the broader issues it addressed. Overall, it was a thought-provoking session that encouraged the students to delve deeper into the art of storytelling and reading comprehension.
CHESAPEAKE MATH AND IT SOUTH ELEMENTARY
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
• Grades: K-5
• Uniform: Yes
• Before After School Enrichment: Yes
http://clfmd.org/enrichment-2/
• School Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue
• School Mascot: "Roary" the Tiger
• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information