Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary School

14516 Nadine Drive

Rockville, MD 20853

Main Office: 240-740-3260

School Website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/barnsleyes/

Parent Handbook: https://secure.smore.com/n/4cuaf

Hello Barnsley families!

This week we will be celebrating and highlighting random acts of kindness. We will be celebrating kindness with a spirit week, as well as, a focus on kindness during our social-emotional lessons. Please see the below for more information about our spirit week. Grade level teachers and liaisons should be reaching out to you with more specific information regarding grade level plans for Valentine's Day celebrations. If you would prefer that your child not participate in the Valentine's festivities, please contact your child's homeroom teacher directly.

In recent weeks, Montgomery County and the state of Maryland have experienced a substantial increase in respiratory virus illnesses (including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV) resulting in outpatient visits and hospitalizations. We are seeing an uptick in respiratory illnesses and overall sickness in staff and students.

Symptoms of respiratory illness include:

• Fever, sweating and chills

• Cough, which may produce thick sputum

• Difficulty breathing

• Chest pain when breathing deeply or coughing

• Fatigue and muscle aches

• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

• Headache

Please try and keep your child home if they are experiencing any of these symptoms. We appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Ms. Robertson

Office Staff:

Christine (Chris) Robertson, Principal

Gillian Jablonski, Assistant Principal

Danielle Jones, Administrative Secretary

Candice D’rozario, Attendance Secretary

Office Hours

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Staff Hours

8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

School Hours

Students Enter the Building/Breakfast

9:10 a.m.

Instructional Hours

9:25 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.

Early Dismissal Time

1:20 p.m.

• February 4th: VIRTUAL PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
• February 7th: PTA Science Fair, 7:00 PM
• February 10th-14th: Random Acts of Kindness Week/Spirit Week
• February 17th: NO SCHOOLS FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS; OFFICES CLOSED FOR PRESIDENT'S DAY

• February 18th: Club & Group Photos for Yearbook

UPDATED:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/calendar/2025/24-25-traditional-calendar-months.pdf

Please use this new link to find the Barnsley ES lunch menus each month.

Ms. Hollis' 4th Grade Class

Mrs. Hoppman's Kindergarten Class

Follow us on X: @LVBESPrincipal and @LVBES_AP and our PTA @LucyVBarnsley for more pictures and information!

We had a great turnout for our PTA Science Fair! Thank you to everyone who helped plan and facilitate this amazing event!

The Rockville High School and Wood Middle School Choruses will present a brief demonstration concert of pieces they are working on for the district festival adjudications in March. This FREE concert is Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Wood MS Gymnasium. Please contact Bree Cox with any questions (bree_h_cox@mcpsmd.org)

Online registration for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, Feb. 3. Children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2025 are eligible to register. Registration will be online through the ParentVUE portal. If your family is new to MCPS, you will need to create a ParentVue account here. For more information about eligibility and the registration process, visit the MCPS Kindergarten Enrollment webpage or contact your local elementary school.

MCPS has clear procedures in place to ensure student safety if immigration officials visit a school. These steps help staff respond appropriately while prioritizing student well-being:

• Verify the visitor's identity and obtain official documentation.
• Notify MCPS legal counsel for guidance.
• Contact the impacted student’s family in their preferred language.
• Follow security protocols to protect all students and staff.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS- ENGLISH

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS- SPANISH

For more information and Frequently Asked Questions, visit the MCPS Immigration Supports page.

As the weather begins to get colder, please know we do go outside almost every day. We stay inside or go inside when weather does not allow for recess due to rain or temperatures and/or wind chill go below 30 degrees. Sometimes we may begin outdoors and shift to indoors if the weather changes. We try to go outside as often as possible. Please make sure your child is ready with the appropriate weather gear such as a coat, hat, and gloves.

For more information about the MCPS guidelines for recess, please visit the website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/safety/playground/#recesstemp

We are excited to welcome volunteers to support our students! Please know to volunteers must complete the mandatory online voluntary training, sign in at the main office. Currently, we are providing opportunities for lunch support; however, we are working closely with our Instructional Leadership Team to develop a menu of items for each grade level where our parent volunteers can be more helpful. We will share this information as soon as it is finalized.

More information about MCPS volunteering requirements: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/student-leadership/volunteer

LVBES February Volunteer Lunch Sign-Up (NEW)

The PTA is excited to celebrate Kindness Week! To show appreciation for our wonderful teachers, please have your child complete the attached card and return it to the main office by Wednesday, February 12th. The Barnsley Bear will deliver cards to teachers later in the week. Multiple cards can be sent in, so don't forget our awesome specials teachers! (English card / Spanish card)

Thank you to the families who have contributed to our "Buy Nothing" February fundraising campaign - you have helped us get halfway to our fundraising goal! If you would like to "Show Your Love for Barnsley" with a 100% tax deductible contribution to directly support our school, please go to barnsleypta.org/fundraising or submit a check using the envelope sent home with your child. Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated!

We are also excited to announce our FIRST EVER Winter Spiritwear Sale, on now through March 15th! Get cozy and show your Barnsley pride with awesome gear, while supporting our school community! Tees and hoodies are up to 20% off and magnets are 60% off (only $2). For more info and to place your order, see the flyer or email barnsleywaysandmeans@gmail.com.

For the latest PTA updates, please visit www.barnsleypta.org or join the Barnsley PTA email list by signing up for the Membership Directory!