White Marsh Elementary School

Thank you for supporting the PTA family fun night last week. A great time was had by everyone! We appreciate our PTA, and everyone that volunteered and supported the event for our Bears!

This week, we will have the Character Tea on Tuesday and will recognize those Bears selected for being Thankful and Caring. Congratulations!

Also on Tuesday, our 5th graders will meet with Superintendent Smith and Student Board Member Hannah Heisler.

Thursday is the Winter Concert! Our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are looking forward to performing for you. Join us to help put you in the holiday spirit! Doors will open at 9:40; the concert starts at 10 am.

Finally, get ready for the last week of December...WMES will be very active! See the plans for our Spirit Week December 16 - 20 below!

Have a great week!

Principal Steele

After 30 years of dedication and excellence in teaching, Mr. Guy, our beloved music teacher, band, strings, and choral director, is retiring.

Mr. Guy's career has been marked by a steadfast commitment to nurturing the musical talents of students in St. Mary's County Public Schools. He has supported students of all ages in our school system over the past 30 years, including teaching at both Leonardtown Middle School and as Leonardtown High School's band director. We think he saved the best for last, though, as he will finish his tenure here with the White Marsh Bears! During his years here in SMCPS, Mr. Guy has led numerous ensembles, including bands, orchestras, and choirs. He has organized and conducted countless concerts, providing students with invaluable opportunities to showcase their talents and grow as musicians. His dedication to musical excellence for our Bears has been unwavering.

Our school community is grateful for Mr. Guy's influence on the lives of our White Marsh Bears. He has not only taught them how to play instruments and sing, but also imparted life lessons about discipline, perseverance, and teamwork. His patience, kindness, and understanding have made him a beloved teacher and colleague.

While we will undoubtedly miss Mr. Guy's presence in our school we wish him the best in his retirement. We hope that he will enjoy this new chapter in his life, filled with well-deserved rest, relaxation, and the opportunity to pursue personal interests.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Guy on his retirement. Mr. Guy's last concert at WMES will be on December 12, 2024, and his last day with students will be Friday, December 20, 2024.

The WMES Winter Concert is scheduled for Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 10:00 am.

Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will all be performing! This concert will be held in the gym at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:40 am, and guests will enter through the rear gym door. There will be no evening performance.

WMES students will be invited to view the performance at a separate time, and will not be permitted to leave class to attend with family members.

We are looking forward to having an opportunity for our Bears to perform for you!

Congratulations to the following students being selected to attend the Character Tea!

Students being recognized as "Thankful":

Kindergarten: Bella S, Damien O

Grade 1: Kylah B, Savannah A

Grade 2: Noa D, Lyon C

Grade 3: Kyle K, Riley R

Grade 4: Brent G, Rhys J

Grade 5: Lucas W, Gerald C

Students being recognized as "Caring":

Kindergarten: Kinsley K, Kyndahl T

Grade 1: Ellie M, Camryn K

Grade 2: Ella C, Scarlett M

Grade 3: Avery S, Zane P

Grade 4: Eric P, Lukas C

Grade 5: Quran G, Maverick A

Dec 20 2 hr Early Dismissal

Dec 23 - Jan 3 Winter Break

Jan 6 Schools Reopen

Jan 8 PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm

Jan 10 WMES Spirit Day!

A Week: Wednesday and Friday

B Week: Wednesday and Thursday

Students should bring their instruments and supplies with them on Wednesday. It's not expected for students to have all supplies and materials the first week or two of instruction. Students who are interested in renting an instrument from WMES will be notified if an instrument is available to rent from the school.

In order to participate, Band and Strings students must have their supplies!

Click Here for Band Supplies

Click Here for Strings Supplies

Our staff is also impacted by new guidelines regarding the use of cell phones during instruction. Please know that if you reach out to teachers during the day via Class Dojo or email they may not receive the message until after dismissal. For changes to your student's dismissal procedures, or other important messages, please call the Main Office.

Here Comes the Bus®

Available to parents of students riding SMCPS School Buses

• View the real-time location of your child’s bus
• Access the app from your smartphone, tablet or computer
• Receive push notifications or email alerts
• Send your child to the bus stop at just the right time, every time

How to get started:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
2. Click the Sign Up button
3. Enter school code (86563) and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
4. Complete the “User Profile” box
5. Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number
6. Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!

All absences count towards a child's school attendance, including both lawful and unlawful. Remember, students missing 1 day will miss 7 hours of instruction. We need the Bears here all day, every day. See the Student Handbook for more information on absences. Feel free to reach out to Nurse Parrish if student health concerns/questions arise.

You will receive a weekly Smore newsletter from Principal Steele on Sunday evenings. The newsletter will be sent to the email we have on file in the Main Office. Newsletters are also posted on our website. Please be sure to be familiar with the information in each newsletter; current information is kept at the top, and review information is posted under the "General Reminders" section.

In addition to the School Newsletter, your child's classroom teacher will communicate with you on a regular basis. You are invited to sign up for the Class Dojo.

Here is the electronic version of the WMES Family Handbook for you to view. It has important information about school policies and practices, including Volunteer Information, Breakfast and Lunches, School Celebrations, and more!

SMCPS Text Alerts are a great way to get information quickly. They are not sent often, and usually only in the event of an unexpected school delay or closure. On occasion, WMES will send a text alert about a late bus, substitute bus, or school event. Click the link for information about registering for text alerts.

A copy of the current School Supply List can be found on our school website. Feel free to have students bring their school supplies to Open House so that they don't have to carry them on the bus the first day of school.

As a reminder, returning students should have their devices (and charger) at home. Students in Grades 3-5 will transport their device to and from school daily. Students in Grades 1 and 2, wait for information from your teacher about bringing your device to school. This device is checked out to your student, and families may be responsible for replacing the device if damaged or lost.

For more information including replacement fees, see the SMCPS Student Device and Resource Accountability document.

Please note- when signing out a student from school you will be asked to present your photo ID every time.

From the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)-

Chronic Absenteeism: Students are chronically absent when absent 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.

WMES will follow up with chronically absent students through the Pupil Services Team, Pupil Personnel Worker, and the Department of Student Services. In order to reduce the number of our students with Chronic Absenteeism, incentives to encourage good attendance include participation in the Bear Crawl, Running Club, and School Dance.

Julia Steele, Principal

Email: jwsteele@smcps.org
Website: wmes.smcps.org
Location: 29090 Thompson Corner Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301)472-4600