RES Rocket Weekly

Continuous Learning Opportunities will begin on Tuesday, April 14th.

Students in grades Kindergarten through 5th Grade will be accessing the online program Imagine Learning.

• Classroom teachers will be monitoring participation and progress within the online instructional platforms (Imagine Learning Language & Literacy and Imagine Learning Math) for reading and math.

Students unable to access the internet or technology will receive print packets.

• Classroom teachers will also monitor participation and progress for students accessing print materials. However, the participation process is still being determined (packets are to be returned once schools are open again) and feedback on progress will not be as timely.

Pre-K students will receive printed materials following Spring Break.

Specials (Art, Media, Music, and PE) have worked to identify optional activities for students to work on and participate in during the period of school closure.

Any optional instructional activities, for content areas, provided by the classroom teacher will not be used to monitor a student's participation and progress during the period of school closure.

All schools and offices closed.

Get your schedule ready for the week!

• Click here for a suggested schedule for Kindergarten through 2nd Grade
• Click here for a suggested schedule for 3rd through 5th Grade

Academics:

• English Language Arts - 30 minutes
• Math - 30 minutes
• Written Language (Optional) - 20 minutes

Specials (Optional):

• Art - Draw a picture or make a craft
• Media - Read for 20 minutes
• Music - Sing a song or make up a beat
• PE - Participate in a physical activity for 60 minutes

5:30pm - 6:30pm Friends of Ridge (FOR) the Kids

• Please email Mrs. Batelka if you would like to be invited to attend the Zoom Meeting!

  
  

4:30pm - 5:30pm Relay for Life Team Meeting

• Please email Mrs. Batelka if you would like to be invited to attend the Zoom Meeting!

  
  

For students working on the online platforms:

• Log into Clever to access Imagine Learning Language & Literacy for 30 minutes

For students working on print materials:

• 30 minutes of English Language Arts

For students working on the online platforms:

• Log into Clever to access Imagine Math for 30 minutes

For students working on print materials:

• 30 minutes of Math
  

All students: Read for 20 minutes

Pre-K - 2nd:

• Tuesday: When I grow up... (click here for a template)
• Wednesday: If I had a Super Power... (click here for a template)
• Thursday: The Best Present... (click here for a template)
• Friday: My favorite Place... (click here for a template)

3rd through 5th:

• Time Hop Tuesday: If you could travel back in time to any year or event, what would it be? Why?
• Into the Wild Wednesday: If you could be any animal, what would it be? Why?
• I think I can Thursday: "What is your biggest goal you have and how will you achieve it?
• Future Friday: If you could meet your future self, would you? Why?

See below for a monthly calendar of Optional Free Write Questions of the Day for Intermediate Students.

We are living through history right now!

Calling all RES Students and Families to participate in a Time Capsule Activity!

Click here to access the Time Capsule Activities.

Please email Mrs. Goddard if you need a printed copy sent home for your child.

Be creative and have fun!

• Draw a picture or work on a craft!
• Click here to access SMCPS Activity Choice Boards

The activities being provided follow the National Art Standards and are modified in-class art lessons.

Students are being encouraged to complete at least on art activity weekly, but this is not required.

Each choice board provides instructions and guides for 6 different activities!

Mr. McCracken would appreciate seeing any artwork your students complete, and he is be happy to provide any feedback if desired! Mr. McCracken may be reached through his school email hmmccracken@smcps.org.

Media: Get into a comfy space and curl up with a good book or access read alouds and audiobooks!

• Pre-K through 2nd Grade Read Alouds
• 3rd through 5th Grade Read Alouds

The Media Center has a site that gives you access to at home activities, ebooks, read alouds, online databases, optional lessons, and other helpful resources. Enjoy, and have some fun with the opportunities on this site!

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Mrs. Deeney at jmdeeney@smcps.org.

Music: Make some noise, sing a song, and let the music make you smile!

• Make up a song or your own beat using pots and pans!
• Click here for K - 2nd Grade Music Lessons
• Click here for 3rd - 5th Grade Music Lessons

Students in Grades 1st -5th may also receive a Google Classroom invite from Mr. Earley in their school email. This contains a class assignment (with no due date or points assigned) that links to the same site with the optional music activities.

Students may choose to submit a music activity for Mr. Earley to see and comment upon via email. Mr. Earley''s email address is: bnearley@smcps.org.

Physical Education (PE): Get those muscles moving and keep your body heathy!

• Goal is to participate in a physical activity for 60 minutes
• Click here to access the OPENPhys Ed Program via Clever

Students are asked to record their physical activity time using a Physical Activity Log - Click here.

Mrs. Simmons has asked, when possible, for students to return the log via email or parents via ClassDojo (picture) on the following schedule:

• Monday: Kindergarten
• Tuesday: 1st Grade
• Wednesday: 2nd and 3rd Grades
• Thursday: 4th Grade
• Friday: 5th Grade

Click here for Fitness and Character Education Videos (Access Code: home)

Pre-K students will receive a learning packet in the mail focusing on Literacy and Math activities.

Ridge Pre-K students also have the opportunity to access the following optional resources:

• Epic Books
• ABC Mouse account

Invites were sent by email last week. Please email Mrs. Cendana if you did not receive an invite or could not successfully log into the programs.

Pre-K students are also encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle by moving their muscles! Record your child's physical activity (click here) and email/Dojo the log the Mrs. Simmons.

We know all of this is difficult. Many of us are working at home while trying to help our own kids learn, and many teachers (and your principal) have similar issues - kids sharing devices, glitchy internet, internet getting bogged down because we are working at the same time our kids are learning, etc.

Parents/Guardians may not access both the packet and Imagine Learning. Parents/Guardians must choose one or the other, based on each family's needs. If a parent/guardian is looking for additional resources, see the options in Clever, or options that teachers may have provided to you.

Imagine Learning is Dynamic:

• Pre-assessments will help identify students’ current proficiency levels in math and reading, and match instruction to their current level. Additionally, the platform is adaptive and will continue to gather information as students progress and adjust lessons to their needs.
• Lessons include incentives and instructional portions. Videos will provide students with instruction related to the independent work and earning tokens will incentivize students and help keep students interested.

• Imagine Learning will provide teachers immediate information to let them know how students are progressing through the lessons.

• In summary, Imagine Learning will be engaging, adaptive, and dynamic and provides access to instructional activities that students are not receiving directly from their teachers at this time. It will make learning easier for both students and parents, and provide teachers with immediate information about the progress to their students.

By Contrast, Printed Packets will be Static:

• There is no assessment to judge the current level, and will not be adjusted to the independent work level, or change for students. Students will receive the grade-level packet according to their assigned grade.

• Additionally, no instruction will be included with the print packets. They still provide something for your children to do, but they are not the best/first option.

• The process for gathering packets, for our RES students, is still being developed and there won't be the same real-time feedback provided to their teachers that Imagine Learning offers.

• Understanding that access to the internet or technology may be difficult for some families, we do want to continue to provide something to your children, and that is the intended use for the packets.

Families Needing Print Packets:

• Families who do not have the resources to support the online platform for continuous learning and need paper copies should contact Mrs. Batelka.
• Please be sure to include the student's full name and best contact information.

SMCPS ITS will be installing External Wireless Access Points that will broadcast a WiFi signal into our parking lots over the next few weeks for SMCPS staff and students at the following locations.

High Schools

• CHS

• GHMS

• JAFCTC

• LHS

Elementary Schools

• GWCES

• DES

• EES

• LMDES

• RES

Internet Service Providers Wireless Hotspots for Subscriber and Non-Subscriber Links:

Atlantic Broadband (ABB) has 50 locations - Click here for locations

• ABB has introduced “Atlantic Broadband Internet Assist” for a limited time for residents in need in its service areas who do not presently have internet with Atlantic Broadband.
• The new 15 x 1 Mbps service, normally priced at $9.99 per month plus taxes, will be offered free for 60 days.
• New Atlantic Broadband Internet Assist customers also will receive free installation and a free modem with the service.
• If the house does not currently have a connection to ABB, requests for a reduced connection fee would be considered on a case by case basis.

Comcast - Click here for locations

• Internet Essentials Free to New Customers.
• New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month.
• Additionally, for all new and existing Internet Essentials customers, the speed of the program’s Internet service was increased to 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream.
• That increase will go into effect for no additional fee and it will become the new base speed for the program going forward.

If there are technical difficulties - contact your child's teacher. If he/she can’t help, he/she will go to the appropriate tech support.

If there are multiple kids sharing devices, consider adjusting the schedule for them to work at different times. Elementary students only need an hour a day to participate online. This also might help if the internet speed is not supporting everyone working at the same time.

Imagine Learning works best using Chrome.

Please try working through issues before giving up and going to packets. At least one week of trying would be a good place to start.

Click here to access the link for Imagine Learning at Home Resource Site

Click here to access the SMCPS Online Learning Frequently Asked Questions

Students are currently able to access these platforms through the Clever app. This single sign-on portal uses their SMCPS login information. Once your student has logged in through the portal, he/she will be logged into all applications found there.

• Student Username: Initials and last 4 digits of Student ID (lunch number)
• Student Password: Student ID (lunch number)

Example for Clever login:

• Student Name: Jeffrey Scott Gibson
• Student ID: 123456
• Student Username: jsg3456
• Student Password: 123456

If you need assistance with your student's ID Number, please contact your child's classroom teacher or Mrs. Goddard and someone will follow-up with you to provide assistance.

If your student is unable to log into Clever, and you have verified his/her student ID Number, please email your classroom teacher. Classroom teachers will forward Clever Login issues through an internal process to be addressed as appropriate. Follow-up will be conducted via email with the parent/guardian reporting the issue.

English Language Arts: Students will have learning opportunities for English Language Arts using the computer platform of Imagine Learning Language and Literacy. This is a reading program that provides differentiated instruction on important reading skills critical to reading through engaging activities.

• Access Imagine Learning Language & Literacy through the Clever app.
• Students in Kindergarten through 5th Grade will participate in Imagine Learning Language & Literacy.
• RES has been using Imagine for the past two school years.
• If your child has "completed" the program in the past, he/she will still take an assessment and be placed in the program based upon his/her performance.
• If you child "completes" the program during the time-period of school closure, classroom teachers are able to assign additional instructional activities through Imagine Learning Language & Literacy identified and created by Central Office Content Supervisors.

Math: Students will have learning opportunities for Math using the computer platform of Imagine Learning Math. This is a math program that provides individualized instruction through use of games and interactive lessons to support mathematical concepts.

• Access Imagine Learning Math through the Clever app.
• Students in Kindergarten through 5th grade will participate in Imagine Learning Math

• Students in 3rd through 5th Grade will begin with a pre-assessment.
• Students in Kindergarten through 2nd Grade will not begin with a pre-assessment. They will begin their grade level instructional activities after they listen/watch the introductory song, complete the introductory lesson, visit the map, complete Lesson 1. They will then take the Beginning of Year (BOY) Benchmark for placement in the content sequence based on their BOY benchmark performance.

The primary method of communication with both students and families will be via email.

• Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten do not have an email address; therefore there is no direct communication between these students and their teacher. However, parents may contact the classroom teacher via email as needed.
• Students (1st through 5th Grade) are able to email teachers via their smcps email if they have questions regarding their online instructional program activities, the print materials (for those without internet access or technology), and the optional Art, Media, Music, and PE activities.
• Click here if you need assistance with your child's being able to access his/her email. If a student is still unable to access his/her email account, after viewing and following the directions in the PDF, please contact Mrs. Goddard (bdgoddard@smcps.org).

Classroom teachers will not be providing direct instruction during this period on online instruction.

Classroom teachers will be monitoring student participation in Imagine Learning Language & Literacy and Math.

Classroom teachers will be providing feedback on progress in the Imagine Learning Language & Literacy and Math Programs at least weekly via email.

Please note: Classroom teachers will not be sending individualized assignments or activities to students/families. Although optional activities may be provided (i.e.,: Freckle or Story Works) these activities will not be used to determine student participation or progress during this period of online instruction for our students.

At this time, SMCPS Staff may not interact with students with face-to-face technology (e.g., Face-Time or Zoom) and all communications with students are to be conducted via the student's smcps email. Students in 1st through 5th Grade have access to an smcps email.

RES Staff are available, beginning Tuesday, April 14th, to respond to email communications from both parents and students, during their designated Office Hours.

• Click here to access all Office Hours for RES Staff.
• RES Staff will be available via email to answer and respond to any questions parents or students may have.
• Although Staff may be available outside of these times, depending upon their schedules, please be aware that responses to any communications received outside of these hours may be delayed.
• In advance, thank you for your patience, flexibility, and understanding!

Please note: Email addresses are not hyperlinked.

Throughout this period of extended school closure, St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) is providing continuous opportunities for learning.

This is not our normal way of doing business, so there are many questions. We will provide ongoing updates for these questions.

Click here to for the SMCPS Update 1 (April 9, 2020)

Report Cards and Comment Sheets will be mailed home on April 15th.

Please Note: Student progress is reported based on information gathered through March 13, 2020. State-mandated school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the 3rd Marking Period by 10 school days.

The drive-up lunch service will continue from April 6th - April 17th, 2020, Monday-Friday, at the locations listed below from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Please note there will be no school site meal distribution on the designated holidays of Friday, April 10, 2020 or Monday, April 13, 2020. Meals will be offered to all children 18 years and younger free of charge. Parents and children can walk or drive up to these locations and receive meals that they can take home during our current school closures.

Leonardtown Elementary School

22885 Duke Street

Leonardtown, MD 20650

Greenview Knolls Elementary School

45711 Military Lane

Great Mills, MD 20634

Margaret Brent Middle School

29675 Point Lookout Road

Mechanicsville, MD 20659

Lexington Park Elementary School

46763 Shangri-La Drive

Lexington Park, MD 20653

For questions regarding the lunch service program, please email foodserrvices@smcps.org.

Additional Community Sites:

St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen, 20850 Langley Rd., Lexington Park is distributing take-and-go meals between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. One meal per person.

The soup kitchen also has bagged lunch distribution sites on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with a Pop-Up Pantry on Wednesdays between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot at the following locations:

• Ridge - Dollar General, 13270 Point Lookout Rd.

• Piney Point- Chief's Restaurant, 44584 Tall Timbers Rd.
  

• Charlotte Hall - April's Pools, on the corner of Rt. 5 and Rt. 6
  

• Bushwood – Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 23080 Maddox Rd.
  

For more information on the St. Mary’s Caring program, call 301-863-5700.

Sheetz

• Is proud to announce a new Kidz Meal Bagz program providing free food to help children and families in need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Meal Bagz will be available all-day starting Thursday, April 2 and will include a turkey sandwich, chips and a drink.
• Families interested in taking advantage of the free Kidz Meal Bagz program should go to participating Sheetz locations and ask an employee at the register for a meal.
• Families will be offered one bag per child and meals will be available daily while supplies last.

• The program began April 2, 2020, and is scheduled for a period of two weeks at which time it will be reevaluated based on community need.
  

• Click here for a full list of participating Sheetz locations.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools will accept online applications for its four signature Academy Programs: The STEM Academy, The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, The Academy of Global and International Studies, and The Academy of Finance.

Applications can be accessed online at www.smcps.org/academies and will open beginning

Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The application window will close on Friday, April 17, 2020. Please note that no late applications will be accepted.

Additional information about the Academy Programs, to include course offerings, application

criteria, and frequently asked questions, can be found at www.smcps.org/academies. For more information, contact the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at 301-475-5511, extension 32104.

FOR will meet again (virtually via Zoom) on Tuesday, April 14th at 5:30pm.

Please email Mrs. Batelka if you would like to be invited to attend the Zoom Meeting!

We hope to see more of our families as we work together to plan activities for our students and staff.

Working together, we're building a strong School Family!

Email Mrs. Batelka if you would like to participate in the ZOOM Relay for Life Meeting

Ridge Elementary School will have a Relay for Life Team this school year to support and honor our School Family Members affected by cancer.

Please click here to donate or join our team!!!!!

Our last Relay for Life meeting was held on Wednesday, February 12, 2020.

• Please click here for the February Meeting Notes.

Stay tuned for upcoming fundraisers and activities sponsored by our Relay for Life Team!

Yearbook sales are now open through April 15th.

For $20, students and families can capture this school year's memories!

Click here to order a yearbook!

Click on the site below to access the Friends of Ridge (FOR) the Kids Site for additional news and information. Also be sure to join the FOR Facebook group using the link above!

Website: https://sites.google.com/smcps.org/respto/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsOfRidge/

Please click here to access a folder of RES Staff members' "favorite" things.

FOR meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of the month with alternating times of 4:15pm and 5:30pm to accommodate the availability of parents and families.

As many families may not be able to attend evening meetings, other options are available to support and participate in activities FOR the Kids. Meeting notes will be posted below for families unable to attend meetings and notifications of volunteer opportunities will be shared via our Rocket Weekly for Families and ClassDojo.

Previous Meetings are posted below:

• March 2020 Meeting Notes - Will be posted once ready
• February 2020 Meeting Notes
• January 2020 Meeting Notes
• December 2019 Meeting Notes
• November 2019 Meeting Notes
• October 2019 Meeting Notes
• September 2019 Meeting Notes

Offering several different items to show your RES Pride all year!

Orders may be made at any time and most items come in a variety of color combinations.

If a paper copy is needed to place an order please contact the RES Main Office and one will be sent home.

Please click here to access the site.

Please follow us: @res_smcps. We will be using Twitter for updates and reminders as well as a means of showcasing for everyone all of our Ridge Pride!