Stonegate Greetings

• Traduzca este boletín usando el botón "Translate" en la parte superior de esta página.

• Dịch bản tin này bằng nút "Translate" ở đầu trang này.

• Traduza este boletim informativo usando o botão "Translate" no topo desta página.

Gr 5 Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen Fundraiser –DEADLINE - this Friday, Dec 20

Holidays around the World Activities throughout the week in every class

Monday, December 16

• Spirit Week - Wear plaid or stripes

• After school Avanti Soccer

• After school Spanish

Tuesday, December 17

• Spirit Week - Wear a festive shirt or ugly sweater

• After school Sky’s the Limit Dance Gr K-2

Wednesday, December 18

• Spirit Week - Wear festive or cozy socks

Thursday, December 19

• Spirit Week - Wear a holiday hat, jewelry or light up accessories PLUS wear a basketball jersey or Stonegate Gear

• Field Trip to University of Maryland Xfinity Center 9:40-2

• Gr 1-5, Ms. Hairston and Ms. Moore’s LFI classes

• After School Avanti Basketball

• After School Sky’s the Limit Dance Gr 3-5

Friday, December 20

• Spirit Week - Wear comfy pajamas & slippers

• Full Day of School

• LFI Community Outing

• NO After School Chess–ended last week

Looking ahead:

Dec 23 - Jan 1- No School, Winter Break

Thursday, Jan 2 - Return to School

To support the field trip on Thursday, we changed Monday and Thursday’s outfits. Revised flyer above.

MONDAY: Wear plaid or stripes!
THURSDAY: Wear a holiday hat, or festive accessories PLUS wear a basketball jersey or Stonegate gear

Thanks to Stonegate, we met our ComuniBuild community goal of at least 100 Toys for Tots with 35 coming from Stonegate!

Families are welcome to join us for the Holiday Gift Giving & Awards Celebration next Thursday from 5-8pm at 2221 Broadbirch Drive, Silver Spring MD 20904

If interested in serving, there are SSL and volunteer opportunities available through Montgomery County Volunteer Center.

https://montgomerycountymd.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=1025743

Thank you so much for your support.

Charisse Scott, Co-Founder

ComuniBuild Foundation, Inc

https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/StonegateES

The Division of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) has made it easier to view student’s school menus. MCPS students, parents, and community members can now view school menus with MealViewer, providing increased access to:

• School specific menu offerings

• Nutritional information for each meal

• View and filter by the top allergens

MealViewer can be accessed on a computer browser, through the MealViewer app on Android and iPhone, or using any browser on a smartphone. No sign-in or passwords are required to view menus. It is also possible (but not required) to rate food items, star favorite items, utilize a nutrition calculator, and create a profile. Check out your school's menu today!

As winter temperatures settle in, we want to remind you to bundle up for arrival and dismissal times. The mornings this week in Silver Spring are expected to be very cold, with "real-feel" temperatures even lower due to wind chill.

Additionally, please remember that students play outside for recess as long as the temperature is above 32°F, so it’s important for them to be dressed appropriately to stay warm and comfortable.

Please ensure your child comes to school with a warm coat and any other cold-weather accessories like gloves, mittens, hats and scarves. Students should not be arriving at school in T shirts and light hoodies. Students know this expectation

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and warm while they enjoy their day!

And, as always, add your child's name to all items!

At Stonegate, we are so grateful for the incredible support of our school community. Fundraising plays an important role in enhancing the experiences and opportunities we provide for our students. We want to take a moment to share how the funds raised through various events and initiatives are used to benefit our school community. Your support helps enrich the experience of our students in many ways:

1. The School: Fundraising helps support school-wide needs, field trips and busses, events, and improvements that benefit all students.
2. Fifth Grade: Funds go toward memorable events and activities to celebrate the fifth-grade year, including end-of-year celebrations.
3. SGA: The Student Government Association uses funds to support school events and activities that bring our community together.
4. Our Learning for Independence (LFI) program: Contributions help create a unique and meaningful end-of-year experience for our LFI students and families.
5. Charities: We proudly support causes like the Kids Heart Challenge and participate in drives for food, toys, and other essential items to give back to the larger community.

We want to emphasize that participation in fundraising is always optional, never mandatory. Whether through volunteering, donating, or simply cheering us on, your involvement means the world to us. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a big difference. Thank you for your continued support in helping us make Stonegate a place where the heart truly is!

The University of Maryland field trip has proven to be very popular--- many MCPS schools are going. MCPS transportation is only able to provide only 4 of our 13 requested buses. We revised who is attending so only 10 buses are needed. We were able to book 6 charter buses to help get us there.

REVISED ATTENDANCE: Grades 1-5 and Ms. Hairston and Ms. Moore’s LFI classes WILL be attending this field trip.

The following Grades will NOT be going: PEP, Prekindergarten, Kindergarten and Ms. Clutts LFI class. They will be having a fun day at school.

REVISED COSTS: Given the additional cost of the charter buses vs. MCPS buses, we are asking students in Grades 1-5 to pay $10 for the field trip. The school and PTA are still paying $3600 toward transportation expenses.

Please pay the $10 field trip fee online at https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/ or send in cash or check payable to Stonegate.

• Students will not be denied the opportunity to attend a trip due to financial hardship. Please contact your child’s teacher if you need financial assistance.

• Students MUST bring a bagged lunch this day OR purchase one from school. The cafeteria will provide a chicken sandwich, drink and fruit.

• If you have not already completed the online permission form OR returned the paper permission slip, please do so ASAP so we can gather EVERYONE'S permission and get our lunch count. Students without permission will not be able to attend and will remain at school. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2NNE59O4WVzNsXEqIYf9C4q5_5nW_P_z9ZfBLQafsTqtGvQ/viewform

Join us for Science Night on January 16 from 6:00-7:30! Investigate, experiment, and have FUN at different stations. Fliers will come home this week so be sure to RSVP!

We are excited to announce our Stonegate Annual Career Day, and we would love for you to participate! We are inviting parents and family members to share their careers with our students in fun and interactive ways. This special event will give students the chance to learn about different careers and the many possibilities for their futures.

I am happy to announce that Career Day will be Friday, April 25th, 2025!

You can sign up using the Google Form below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflrx-53I4Gjwisc6_CsIFZm_sKIDlOX7Jw3J6mpnrBZ-jarw/viewform

Return the form by February 7th, 2025 to ensure we have time to organize the event.

Please note that regrettably we will not be able to select everyone that is interested as we have limited openings for presenters. We are so grateful for your support and look forward to an exciting Career Day with your involvement!

KIND BAGS

Our KIND weekend bag deliveries are well underway. If you have not received a bag, please do not forget to reach out to our Counselor to let him know via Email at Kedon_F_George2@mcpsmd.org or via Remind. We want to make sure that during this Holiday Season all of our Families are being fed.

Warm regards,
Kedon George,

School Counselor

Please reach out at Kedon_F_George2@mcpsmd.org or 240-740-7340

The Stonegate 5th Grade promotion fundraiser kick off includes Krispy Kreme Digital Dozens! You can order as many gift cards as you like to give for birthdays, holidays, office gifts, or to have and use for a quick breakfast grab. We will be collecting order forms with payment and disburse digital dozen gift cards to your email on December 20, 2024. Each gift card is good for 1 dozen glazed Krispy Kreme Donuts for $14.00 or if you buy 3 or more get $2.00 off!

If you are not interested in grabbing or gifting a digital dozen, but would still like to help our fifth graders have an amazing end of year party and promotion go here to donate: https://givebutter.com/rv8lIj

Many of our Fall programs are wrapping up. Enroll now for Winter/Spring 2025 Activities

Flyers on Stonegate Website : https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/stonegatees/homepage/extracurricular/

A new session of Avanti Indoor Soccer and Basketball starts this week.

Register here: https://avantiathletics.com/

Reflections is a National PTA program for students to show their creative talents. This year’s theme is Accepting Imperfection. Students must select one category for their entry: visual arts, dance choreography, or music composition.

The Stonegate Reflection due date has been extended to Friday, December 20th. Download the entry form and submit the entry form and art by the deadline. Reflections begins at the local PTA level and then the top students from each local PTA compete at the MCCPTA level. Honorees at the county level then progress to the Free State PTA and eventually the National PTA.

PTA Meetings & Events

Mark your calendar for the next PTA membership meeting on Tuesday, February 4 at 8 pm.

Snack Pantry

The PTA Snack Pantry provides a snack for students during their school day, if needed. To support this ongoing effort, you can order snacks online, make a donation, or drop snacks off at the main office.

Stonegate PTA Membership

Although the membership drive has closed, membership is open year-round. You can show your school pride and join the PTA online today! Your support makes a difference in our school community!

This year has been full of photo opportunities! You may have pictures from a party, a field trip, or other fun event! Families and staff can use this Josten’s link to upload photos from field trips, class parties, class projects, assemblies, etc. for possible inclusion in the yearbook.

Yearbook Link to submit photos:

https://images.jostens.com/0UttG7hxhZq-7MutrNwsZcg

For Grade 5 families - Dropbox: Please submit a photo of your student when they were younger, such as kindergarten, to include in the flashback section of the yearbook.

https://www.dropbox.com/request/wmCXiOLgHsm1x956egJM

Makeup/Retake Day images are now viewable online.

Please visit: vosphoto.com/uc

use your student ID when prompted for the online code.

For questions regarding school pictures

please email: underclass@vosphoto.com

All volunteers WILL need to check-in and check-out of the main office and scan their driver’s license/identification cards through the Visitor Management System (VMS). Once the volunteer clears the VMS, they must be badged (the VMS creates a sticker badge) and remain under supervision of an MCPS professional while with students.

Link to Volunteer Expectations Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tpdZrX8MRqYutpNhA3siVOajmRnxlYPa/view?usp=sharing

Students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for meals! Apply right away. One application covers the entire HOUSEHOLD. Translations in other languages are available through the online application.

Apply now at www.MySchoolApps.com

Here is a video about how to apply:

English Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJUapGLarBo

Video en Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdCrtCIFJc&t=4s

Once your account is created you can bookmark this link to log in: https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com

Clothing to Cash® is a program that collects New and Used Clothing, Shoes, Sheets, and Towels, (all Textiles) and pays the school 10 cents for every pound collected. The program is operated entirely OUTSIDE and will be located in the school parking lot, where students, parents, staff, and the community can drop off items throughout the year.

They have state-of-the-art photo quantity sensors installed in each bin that report 3 times daily to prevent overflow and allow the company to schedule service as needed (no other companies use this technology). They empty the collection bin, weigh the contents to determine our school earnings, and pay our school monthly.

The average school (500 - 1000 students) will earn $1000- $2000 yearly if each student would donate just one 13-gallon kitchen-size bag of textile mate! Add in parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, and staff, and Stonegate’s earnings could really increase.

Main Office: 240- 740-7430

Stonegate Elementary School

14811 Notley Road

Silver Spring, MD 20905

Arrival 8:40-9:00 a.m.

Dismissal 3:25 p.m.

Caregiver Handbook

Principal: Linda_M_Jones@mcpsmd.org

On X: @StonegatePrin

Assistant Principal: Franny_S_Wooler@mcpsmd.org

Visit us on the web at: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/stonegatees/

9.21.24 Stonegate Greetings

9.15.24 Stonegate Greetings

9.8.2024 Stonegate Greetings

9.1.2024 Stonegate Greetings

8.27.2024: Arrival and Dismissal Message

8.25.2024 Stonegate Greetings

Welcome Back Summer letter