The Greencastle Gazette
Dear Greencastle Elementary Families,
I am honored to serve as the Acting Principal of Greencastle Elementary School. I bring a wealth of information and knowledge to Greencastle as a retired administrator. I look forward to serving the students to ensure their continued success over the next few weeks. I will work closely with the administrators, faculty, and staff to continue the great work already in progress at Greencastle.
I welcome the opportunity to meet you if you happen to be in the building. Also, feel free to reach out to me by email at Veronica_J_Matthewson@mcpsmd.org. Rest assured, Mrs. Dean will return as soon as possible to continue the great work she has started. I look forward to working with you until then!
Sincerely,
Veronica Matthewson (Ronnie)
Acting Principal
Greencastle Elementary School
Here are additional important reminders and updates for you this week:
1. Supporting Our Diverse Community: Dr. Thomas Taylor, MCPS superintendent, states, "our schools are and will always remain safe places where every child—regardless of immigration status—is welcomed, valued, affirmed, validated, respected, and loved which is a huge strength for us, and it’s our duty to ensure every individual feels valued and supported." Please keep the following resources in mind:
2. Due to Weather Closures, MCPS School Year Extended By One Day: The school year will be extended by one day, with the last day of school for students now scheduled as an early release day on Monday, June 16, 2025. Additionally, Friday, June 13, 2025, which was scheduled as an early release day, will now be a full instructional day for students. See the updated Traditional School Day Calendar here.
3. Winter Parent Academy Schedule Now Available: Families and students can stay engaged throughout the school year with Parent Academy TO GO, a series of virtual webinars for families to watch at home. The January, February, and March webinars are available on the Parent Academy website. Registration is available here.
This Week
- Monday, January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
- Tuesday, January 28: Last day of Marking Period 2.
- Tuesday, January 28: PTA Fundraiser at Chuck E. Cheese
- Wednesday, January 29: Grading and Planning Day; No School for Students; Lunar New Year
Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, February 4: 6:30 p.m. PTA Meeting
MCPS Budget Community Meetings
The Montgomery County Board of Education invites the community to join us for a budget information session, Inside the MCPS Budget Process: How It Works and What’s Included. This event is an opportunity to learn firsthand from Board President Julie Yang and MCPS Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor about the budget process and how this year’s recommended operating budget reflects the Board’s values and priorities.
Following a brief presentation, a Q&A session will allow attendees to ask questions and share thoughts directly with district leaders. Understanding the district’s budget is important for everyone and we encourage your participation in this vital conversation.
The Board’s next in-person session is Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., at Paint Branch High School (RSVP).
A virtual session will be held Thursday, January 30, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. (RSVP).
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.
MCPS Curriculum Overviews (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 5)
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/english/es
Family Resources --> A Letter from Ms. Cofield, Greencastle ES Reading Specialist
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x0KZPFjwDUzczz_dSVqL4OPc3J_oxsLvTzzgFnyBkb8/edit?usp=sharing
Family Mathematics Support Center
MCPS schools and families building mathematics proficiency for all through:
- A better understanding of the curriculum.
- Building a deeper understanding of concepts, skills and practices.
- Providing additional support and practice opportunities for parents and students.
Elementary domains of mathematics learning include:
- Counting and Cardinality (PreKindergarten and Kindergarten only)
- Operations and Algebraic Thinking (PreK-5)
- Number and Operations in Base Ten (K-5)
- Number and Operations: Fractions (3-5)
- Geometry (PreK-5)
- Measurement and Data (PreK-5)
Visit this link for additional support for math help at home (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 5)
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math-support/
Greencastle ES Breakfast and Lunch Monthly Menus: https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/GreencastleES
By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, the percentage of Greencastle students who are chronically absent will decrease from 32% to 27%.
We continue to show a slight increase in our percentage of our students demonstrating chronic absenteeism. We want to continue to work to get this number to continue to decline so that it is closer to the average for MCPS which is 17.84%. We can do it, Greencastle! Help us to continue to meet and exceed our goal by decreasing the number of students chronically absent.
Click on the link below from Attendance Works that outlines the Health Guidance for Attending School when your student is not feeling well.
Hello, Knight Community!
Family Knight Out
Mark your calendars! Our next Family Knight Out is at Chuck E. Cheese on Tuesday, January 28th, from 3:00–9:00 PM. We hope to see you there for an evening of fun and community!
Yearbooks Go on Sale!
Yearbooks will be available for purchase ONLINE ONLY starting Monday, January 6th. Don’t wait—order yours early to secure your copy! Yearbooks will be distributed in May and come with options:
- Soft Cover $17.00+Tax
- Hard Cover $22.00+Tax
- Personalization $3.00
Let’s make the rest of the school year amazing, Knights!
