Mustang Weekly
Building Students, Building Leaders Vol. 3 Issue 22
Principal's Message
Dear MHES families and staff,
We hope you had a restful weekend! We are excited to kick off another fantastic week of learning and engagement at Meadow Hall Elementary School.
This Tuesday, January 14, 2025, we are thrilled to host our Chorus Concert at 9:15 am and 10:00 am. Families of our chorus members are warmly invited to join us in celebrating the hard work, dedication, and talent of our student performers. It’s sure to be a wonderful showcase of their efforts, and we can’t wait to see you there!
Additionally, Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) testing will continue this week for Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades. Thank you for your flexibility as we adjust schedules to ensure all students have the opportunity to demonstrate their growth. To support your child’s success, please make sure they get a good night’s sleep, arrive at school on time, and are ready to give their best effort. Remember, our doors open at 8:45 am daily.
We are looking forward to seeing our students’ bright smiles tomorrow morning as we begin another productive week of learning and growing together! Please see the information below for the week of January 12, 2025.
Desmond Mackall
Principal
Meadow Hall ES
A Word from Mrs. Jackson: Community School Liaison!
COMMUNITY SCHOOL UPDATES
Coffee and Conversation
We are very excited about the increased participation at our monthly principal/parent coffees. In addition to the question and listening sessions with Mr. Mackall and Ms. Simhon, we are working hard to bring in guest speakers who can discuss different topics of interest to the Meadow Hall Community.
- On January 23, 2024, Reading Specialist, Ms. Bartee, will hold a workshop on our new reading curriculum, CKLA. Parents will walk away with a better understanding of how to support their student’s reading at home.
- On February 6, 2024, Clinical Director from The Tree House Child Advocacy Center, Molly Cupid, will lead a discussion on addressing the behavioral responses associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Community Reach Montgomery
Our twice weekly English conversation classes will resume on January 13, 2025. Tutoring will be available for K-5 students while their caregivers participate in class. We are also offering supper for students and high school volunteers!
We are hopeful that everyone will return to class, and we are excited to welcome many more participants! Register here: https://forms.gle/n6yZkMfWZPALsYuH6
Thank you to PTA Parent, Ms. Rechy, for her continued support of this initiative!
PEP Parenting is coming to MHES!
We will host an 8-week program for parents and caregivers where parents will learn new tools each week; and meet with parents to share ideas and support one another. I am so thrilled for this community building opportunity for our families. Please register here: https://pep.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_03CvGtuV4kCee5o
Meadow Hall Market - Opening January 2025
We are building a community pantry where families can stop by if there is an emergency need for food. I expect that we will have it up and running twice per week starting January 23, 2025. I would like to express my appreciation for Ms. Asencio (first and second grade parent), Ms. Monterossa (third grade parent); and Stacey Weng (big sister to MHES 3rd grader) who volunteered their time organizing the pantry shelves!
Summer Camp registration begins soon!
Montgomery County Recreation will host two summer camp fairs this month. January 5th in Germantown and January 11th in Silver Spring. Follow this link for more information:
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=46340
Jessica Jackson, MSW, LCSW-C
Community School Liaison for Meadow Hall Elementary School
Department of Student Engagement and Behavioral Health
Office of Well-Being and Student Services
Cell: 227-216-1193
IG: @meadowhalles_CSL
Twitter/X: @MHES_CSL
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PTA!
Want to get involved in the PTA?
MHES PTA is looking for members to participate on the PTA in various ways.
Next school year we will have 3 open board positions at the end of the school year. Please reach out to any current board member if you want to learn more about the board.
We encourage all families to look at the link below and consider supporting the PTA and getting involved on a committee for the new school year. See the link below:
PTA Committee Volunteer Positions-FY24
Box Tops for Education
Box Tops for Education is a program that gives money to schools for their family’s participation just by purchasing products and scanning the receipt in the Box Tops App. Box Tops earnings are used to fund items for the school and events. If you haven't done so already, Download the Box Tops App on your smartphone using Referral Code WZTM9R7Z. We promise it is a super easy task to get used to. Register and select Meadow Hall as your supporting school. SCAN your receipt with the Box Tops app within 14 days of purchase and EARN cash with every Box Tops product you buy.
Why join the PTA? Among the many, many good reasons, it basically boils down to being a great way to benefit your child, the school, and yourself by being involved in the PTA functions and connecting with other parents and staff. And for those of you who have been members in past years, don’t forget to renew your membership. Memberships are $10 for family and community members (only one membership is needed per family). We are thrilled to get to know everyone and see you all at our meetings and activities!
OTHER MCPS NEWS!
Join Us for Operating Budget Public Hearings
Superintendent Thomas Taylor has proposed a $3.61 billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2026, designed to stabilize the school system and prioritize resources for student learning and school support. The recommendation reflects a “Focus on Fundamentals” approach that targets investments directly to schools, supports student success and addresses structural deficits within the system.
The Board of Education will now hold public hearings and work sessions on the budget. The timeline follows:
- Public Hearings: Thursday, Jan. 16, and Monday, Jan. 27, 2025.
- Work Sessions: Tuesday, Jan. 14, Thursday, Jan. 23, and Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025.
- Board Approval: Tentative adoption of operating budget; Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
- Final Adoption: Adjustments based on revenue projections will follow, with final adoption expected Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget website
Stay Informed About Weather-Related Changes
With winter weather just around the corner, updates to school schedules and operations may sometimes need to be made. To receive the latest information on delays, closures and operational changes, Stay Connected, subscribe to Alert MCPS, and monitor our color-coded status system.
Keep Your Contact Information Current
To ensure you receive timely notifications, please update your contact details via the ParentVUE link on the MCPS Community Tech Support website.
Learn more about the color codes.
MCPS Operating Status Inclement Weather, 2024-2025
Don’t Miss These Upcoming Events
The Special Education Resource Fair: Set for 5:30–7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in the auditorium at Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. This event is open to all parents who have children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). MCPS families can learn more from community organizations about after-school activities, summer programs and tutoring.
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Fair: Will be held from 6–8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). This event offers an opportunity for students in Grades 8 through 12 and their parents/guardians to meet with representatives from more than 50 HBCUs and participate in workshops. More information
FAFSA/MHEC One Application Completion Event: Set for 6–8:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at USG, this event is open to all high school seniors and their parents. More information
Dine with Dignity Seeks Donations
MCPS provides meals to all students, ensuring they are ready and prepared to learn in school. The Dine with Dignity program fundraises to address and pay off debt accrued by students while their families wait for approval to receive free meals. A donation to Dine with Dignity supports students continuing to receive nutritious meals and learn alongside their peers. Donate today.
Student Opportunities
SMOB Candidate Filing Period: Students interested in running for the Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) may begin filing their nominations at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The filing period ends on Thursday, Jan. 23. Students are eligible to run for the SMOB if they are a current Grade 10 or Grade 11 student, enrolled in an MCPS high school, and a Montgomery County resident. Candidate nomination forms can be found on pages 31-32 of the SMOB Election Protocols. Completed forms should be scanned and emailed to Shella Cherry, director, Student Leadership & Extracurricular Activities. More information
Save A Student Summit: High school students are invited to attend from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, in the Walter Johnson High School auditorium. The summit will educate students on the impact of opioid and fentanyl use and train them on how to use Narcan in an overdose emergency. Students can earn three Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for participating. RSVP. Walter Johnson is located at 6400 Rock Spring Drive in Bethesda.
SSL Hours Due Jan. 3, 2025
Students who have completed Student Service Learning (SSL) hours since June 1, 2024, should submit the required SSL Activity Verification Form to their school’s SSL coordinator by the recommended due date of Jan. 3, 2025.
All MCPS students must earn 75 SSL hours to graduate from high school. To learn more, click here. Translated information can be found here.
Students may also access their SSL record, forms, guidelines and other resources at the MCPS SSL Hub for Students/Families.
Stay Connected
VISIT the MCPS homepage.
CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845)
READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.
FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in English and Spanish.
http://twitter.com/mcps
https://www.facebook.com/mcpsmd
https://www.instagram.com/mcps_mdhttps://www.facebook.com/mcpsespanol
https://twitter.com/MCPSEspanol
https://www.instagram.com/mcpsenespanol/SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.
WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89
Open Registrations
More From MCPS
ParentVUE and other Important Online Resources
Sign Up For ParentVUE to Stay in Touch With Your School
Families new to MCPS are encouraged to sign up for a ParentVUE account at the beginning of the school year. ParentVUE is the online parent portal that serves as the primary communication vehicle for schools to share information regarding grades, attendance, scheduling, access to myMCPS Classroom, and more.
ParentVUE provides a way to view school-related information and data for students. Register for athletics, and special programs, communicate with teachers, and verify your student information annually.
ParentVUE also allows access to Canvas/MyMCPSClassroom, a digital learning platform. Parents and guardians can view instructional information and resources, and get alerts about assignments and grades.Sign up for Alert MCPS
Alert MCPS provides emergency information about school closures or emergencies via text or email messages to devices you register. Sign up here.Know These Important System Resources A. GoFan: This online digital ticketing platform offers fast and easy access to tickets for high school events, and allows fans to enter games quickly and safely. For ticketed sports, tickets are no longer sold at the gate and must be purchased online. B. SchoolCash Online: https://www.schoolcashonline.com MCPS has transitioned to this online payment system as its preferred method of payment for all school-related fees. Schools and offices will now use SchoolCash Online for fundraising, field trips, course fees and extracurricular activities. This new payment system is not related to school cafeteria accounts.
MySchoolBucks:Use MySchoolBucks to add school meal money to your child’s account. This will eliminate the need for your child to bring money to school every day. This year, meals (lunch and breakfast) will not be universally free. If your student wants to buy lunch in school, they will need a MySchoolBucks account. Families who believe they qualify for free and reduced-price meals can apply here.
Meadow Hall Principal
Email: Desmond_Mackall2@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/meadowhalles/
Location: 951 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-5260
Twitter: @MHES_Principal
Meadow Hall Assistant Principal
Email: Ilana_N_Simhon@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/meadowhalles/
Location: 951 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-5260
Twitter: @MeadowHallAP