Save the Date: Sherwood Open House
Our yearly open house will take place on Monday, November 11. There will be opportunities for families to visit the school and classroom during the school day.
Parents will be able to visit classrooms at two different times:
9:30am-10:45am or 2:15pm-3:30pm
Parents who pre-registered will be directed straight to classrooms when they arrive. Parents who do not pre-register will need to sign in at the main office the day of the open house.
Administration will also hold a drop in session for parents from 2:45pm-3:15pm for any interested parents.
Reminders for Parents for Open House
- Please do not take any photos or videos of students in the classrooms.
- It will be a regular day of school and instruction.
- Parents are welcome to observe, but there will not be time for conferences with teachers. Teachers are scheduling parent conferences with families over the next few weeks.
PEP Schedule for Open House:
The PEP Open House has been moved to Tuesday, November 19th.
Parking information: Parents may park in any open spots in the main parking lot and along the sides of the bus loop after 9:30am. Any parents parked in the bus loop must move cars by 11:45am and 3:30pm to ensure school buses have access. Parents may also park at the Sharpe Street Church across route 108. Please do not park on the grass.
Parent Night Session: Raising Children in a Tech-Driven World
Join us for an insightful talk designed for parents on “Raising Children in a Tech-Driven World,” presented by Montgomery County Police Detective Sergeant Jeremy Wojdan on Wednesday, December 4 from 6:30pm-7:30pm at Sherwood Elementary School.
Sgt. Wojdan is a 23-year veteran where he has spent the majority of his career serving families in various roles with MCPD. With a vast understanding and expertise in social media, open-source intelligence, digital forensics and investigations, Jeremy will explore the unique challenges technology presents for today’s youth, from screen time management to online safety and social media influence. Learn practical strategies to foster healthy digital habits, encourage open communication, and guide your children through the ever-evolving tech landscape. Equip yourself with the tools needed to navigate this digital age and help your children thrive both online and offline.
PTA Updates
PTA Restaurant Night at Chick-Fil-A - On November 19th from 5:00pm - 8:00pm, we will have a Fundraiser at the Olney Chick-Fil-A! All in-person, mobile, or drive-thru orders during that time frame will benefit Sherwood Elementary. If ordering in-person or drive-thru, please mention Sherwood Elementary; for mobile orders, write "Sherwood Elementary" in the order comment section (please note, the fundraiser does not apply to third-party delivery orders through DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.).
Save the date for the Scholastic Book Fair! It's almost the most wonderful time of the year - not that one, the Book Fair!! We'll have many more details soon (and opportunities to volunteer), but for now, put these dates on your calendars:
- Saturday, Dec. 7th - Family Preview Day
- Tuesday, Dec. 10th - Love of Reading Night (caregivers can shop the fair, while kids bundle up in pajamas with treats and listen to stories read by our wonderful staff and teachers)
- Monday, Dec. 9th - Friday, Dec. 13th - Book Fair in-school shopping days
Afterschool Activities
Looking to extend the school day and add some enrichment to your student's life? Join one of our fun afterschool activities this fall! The full list is available on our website (and we've just added information about soccer and basketball for winter), and individual organizations will be sending home fliers as the school year continues; we have everything from coding to drama club, and will continue to add new activities through the winter and spring. Click here for more information (and email afterschool@sesptamd.org if you have any questions): https://www.sesptamd.org/afterschool
Sign up to support our staff with Fri-Yays!
Are you looking for ways to show appreciation for our wonderful teachers and staff? Fri-Yays take place once a month on a Friday (unless otherwise noted), and are a chance to provide some themed treats (edible or otherwise) in the staff lounge.
You will be responsible for providing the items and setting them up in the staff lounge in the morning, to be enjoyed throughout the day. You would also be responsible for clean-up at the end of the day and potentially checking mid-day if the themed items need to be replenished. Feel free to sign up with a friend or two to share the load! Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4FAEAE2EA0F8C34-50543394-teacher#/
PTA Memberships and PTA Annual Fund
Exciting new membership opportunities and donations to the PTA Annual Fund (operating fund) are available on our Memberhub store! There is no P or T in PTA without you!
https://sherwoodelem.givebacks.com/store
School & Yearbook Picture Uploads
The PTA will be doing the yearbook this year with Treering. In order to upload pictures for the yearbook you will need to make an account at www.treering.com/validate. Attached is a flyer with information regarding yearbook costs and our school code: 1016149928682078
Please reach out to Marlene Campbell the yearbook editor with any questions at yearbook@sesptamd.org
SG Moco "Fun"raiser
We are having our "Fun"raiser with SG Moco again! SG Moco is owned and operated by a Sherwood Parent and is a local business. Pre-order your yard sign before November 15th with the code: SHARKS24 and the PTA benefits! https://www.sgmoco.com
2025-2026 School Year Input
This feedback represents one component of the development process incorporating feedback from our school community, including students, staff, and families.
We will consider educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, contingencies for inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, alignment with assessment schedules, etc.
MCPS provides a school year calendar that allows for effective use of time for teaching and learning, for professional growth opportunities, and planning instructional strategies focused on improving student achievement, while maintaining our lens of equity for all students and commitment to community engagement.
Please limit to one response per person.
Please see the Policy IDA, School Year Calendar for more information about the School Year Calendar for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd16B-_Gk3Ah1Kqv-SCr19fXh8sQ8OOGQw0lx21-XJxMlHfgA/viewform
Free Parenting Support for MCPS Parents and Caregivers
MCPS is continuing its partnership with the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), a local nonprofit that provides resources and support to parents and caregivers. The PEP Family Resiliency Program is a free, online eight-week program which helps parents and caregivers learn tools to strengthen family connections, support children’s mental health and encourage success in school. Earn a $50 gift card for taking at least five sessions and completing the evaluation. Sessions start the week of Oct. 14 and are offered in English, Spanish and Amharic. Register.
Supporting Reading at Home - Amplify CKLA Parent and Caregiver Hub
Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for Grades PreK–5 that combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—so that students learn to read and read to learn at the same time.
Every day in Grades PreK–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In Grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.
The Amplify CKLA Caregiver Hub will help caregivers support their student and enable them to have the most productive experience with the CKLA platform throughout the year.
Parents and Students are able to use the CKLA Hub for re-reading stories that were shared in class and to practice grade-level skills and vocabulary. The CKLA Hub is also a wonderful resource for absent students that need to catch up on any stories missed in class.
Log in @ ckla.amplify.com/home
- Select “Log in with Amplify” and enter the username and password.
- Click on the picture to see the grade level username and password.
Cafeteria Menus and Ice Cream
Cafeteria menus are posted monthly on the MCPS food and nutrition website. Please see the links below for the September and October menus. Our cafeteria also sells ice cream a la carte every other day.
October 2024:
English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
November 2024:
English |
Carpool Safety
Some general reminders to help everything work safely and efficiently.
- Please do not park in the handicap spots if you do not have a handicap placard.
- Please pull all the way up to the end of the carpool lane to allow as many cars as possible to pick up or drop off at once.
- When entering the driveway, please be patient and take turns with cars turning from the left and the right. Please be extra careful turning left onto route 108 when exiting the parking lot.
- When crossing the crosswalk, please wait for the hand signals from staff that the carpool lane is safe to cross. Please do not cross the driveway at other locations.
- Please do not enter the bus loop lane during arrival or dismissal.
- During the day, please do not park in the bus loop from 11:30am-12:30pm due to bus pickups.
- Please do not block any of the lanes.
- After 9:25, students need to be signed in at the main office by a parent or caregiver.
Severe Weather Emergency Information
The safety of our MCPS community is critical, and being able to communicate with students, staff, and families during severe weather or other emergencies is of the utmost importance. Use this link to find all the ways you can connect with MCPS to receive emergency operational information from the school system. The current operating status options for the school district appear on the MCPS website and on individual school websites. In the event of a change in operational status, this link will provide more information about the MCPS Operating Status options.
Transportation Information
Specific questions about bus routes and stops can be directed to Mr. Gregory Walker, Sherwood Transportation Cluster Manager.
Phone: 240-740-2606
Email: Gregory_R_Walker@mcpsmd.org
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/transportation/rules/
Need Help?
To address any concerns or issues with bus delays, we want to introduce the MCPS Transportation Hotline. This service will begin Monday, August 26, starting at 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, and will be available during the first week of school. MCPS transportation staff will be able to support families if questions, concerns or problems with a bus or bus stop need to be addressed. To access this service, call 240-740-7790.
Register for Kindergarten - Grade 5
Please use the link below to get started with Kindergarten through grade 5 registration. Parents can register online or contact the school directly to set up a time to complete enrollment at Sherwood Elementary School.
Link to Online Registration:
Directions for Online Registration
Please contact Ms. Christina Sierra at christina_m_sierra@mcpsmd.org or call the school main office at 240-740-0960.
School Supply Lists by Grade
School supply lists by grade are linked below. Please note that the lists are divided into personal classroom supplies, shared classroom supplies, and frequent donations. Families will be able to bring materials to our open house dates before school begins.
Any student who does not have materials will be provided materials from the school.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EnUXlVv5eNNQXhs7qytQ1WB_tTrxfTS_-quxmo_7cCw/edit?usp=sharing
Cafeteria Updates and Purchasing School Meals
Overview
Free Meals are No Longer Available for ALL Students, due to the end of Federal USDA waivers.
Meal Prices for School Year 2024-2025 are:
Breakfast: Regular Price: $1.30
Lunch: Regular Price: $2.55
MySchoolBucks is an optional service for parents to view recent purchases and make prepayments to your child’s cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch and a la carte meals via the Internet with a credit/debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families. By creating a secure online account, parents can manage their child’s account.
MySchoolBucks instructions:
English | español | 中文 | français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ
Free and Reduced Meals
Students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on household size and income.
They may also qualify if they are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Medicaid benefits.
Families may apply for meal benefits by completing an Application for Free and Reduced-price Meals for the current school year. Questions? Please call 240-740-7400.
Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will eat for free!
Apply online for free and reduced meals at MySchoolApps.com (translations available on the website) Click here for an English video tutorial.
Special Meal Plans
Does your child require a special meal plan, related to a medical condition or food allergy? You must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Website: http://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/meal-payments/#FARMS
2024-2025 School Year Calendar
Please use the link below to access the traditional school year calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.
Student Support Positions Available
Sherwood Elementary School is almost fully staffed to start the school year. We are still looking to fill several student support positions. These positions are working with individual students in grades 1-4 throughout the school day. Please share with the larger community if you know of anyone who might be looking for a position that loves working work kids in a busy school setting.
Health Room Information
Health room staff plan to be available beginning August 14, 2024. Forms may be submitted over the summer by:
a) Emailing to Lisa Rocco, Health Room Tech at lisa_j_rocco@mcpsmd.org
b) Fax: 301-924-3294
c) Mail: 1401 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
d) Drop off to the health room beginning August 14, 2024
Please Note: - Health room staff will NOT be monitoring health forms sent to the nurse's email and/or school over the summer; forms will be reviewed when health staff return in August 2024.Commonly Used Forms Included Below:
Medication Authorization Form,
Asthma Action Plan/Medication Form,
For immunization questions, please refer to the guidelines provided by the Maryland Department of Health: https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/OIDEOR/IMMUN/Pages/back-to-school-immunization-requirements.aspx
