Our Elmwood Monthly News
January 2024
From our Administrators
Happy New Year, Elmwood Family.
We trust that you had an enjoyable and restful winter break with your family. As we welcome 2024, I want to encourage all of you to reconnect with your child’s teacher, as we are expecting your child’s teacher to do the same.
Typically, this is the time of year where we see exponential growth in students academically and socially. Continue to expect your child to have home practice every day of the school week and students should be reading to/or with an adult or older sibling on a nightly basis. As children begin gaining confidence in their reading skills, the better a reader and writer they will become.
We look forward to a robust and rigorous end to Marking Period 2, and a highly successful second half of the school year.
From our School Nurse
January is National Healthy Weight Awareness Month.
Being physically active is very important to you and your child’s well-being. People who are inactive can improve their health by becoming more active. Winter months may seem hard to get out and be physical. Some people may believe that cold weather can make you sick, but viruses, not cold weather, make you sick.
Here are some suggestions for physical activities:
Build a snowman.
Nature scavenger hunt
Indoor or outdoor skating
Build a fort inside or outside.
Go Sledding
Winter is here! Please send an extra pair of winter clothes your child no matter what grade. Any student may need a change of clothing for a variety of reasons. It is nice to have some clothes in their locker.
Fun Fact: Not only does everyone have unique fingerprints, but humans also have unique tongue prints!
Save the Dates
Stay Connected
January Attendance Updates
This year, we have set two school-wide attendance goals:
*Decrease the percentage of students chronically absent from 42.5% in 2023 to 20% in 2024
*Decrease the percentage of EL students chronically absent from 48.3 in 2023 to 28.3% in 2024.
Please see the graphics for progress towards our goals.
Year to Date Chronic Absenteeism
Attendance Rate for English Language Learners
English Language Learner Chronic Absenteeism Rate
Congratulations!
Check out the following classes who have 94% or greater attendance for Quarter 2!
Academics - Math and English Language Arts
Our Elmwood School Progress Plan Academic Goals
Stay informed of your student's grades, attendance, etc.
Parent/Guardian Breakfast
Please join us for our next parent/guardian meeting on Tuesday, January 30th at 9:20am.
Please click the link to sign-up. https://forms.gle/i3iMpdqvvB9SNxPeA
Elmwood Eagles SOAR!
In the Classroom:
While practicing Perseverance this month, we will be focusing on flexible thinking. Students will work on their ability to adapt to new situations and challenges by finding multiple solutions to different problems. One of the ways we will be practicing these flexible thinking skills is by setting TOP Goals.
TOP stands for…
● Target: Visualize your goal and think about why this is important for you.
● Obstacles: Plan for challenges. If _____ gets in the way, then what can you do?
● Plan: Create 3 action steps you will need to take to complete your goal.
This technique helps students Persevere by clarifying different types of goals and taking thoughtful actions to achieve them.
Conversation Starters:
●Can you describe the difference between getting stuck and having Perseverance?
● What does it mean to be engaged at school?
Q and A: Facts for Families About Bullying
That's Amore! Family Night
SEL January Calendars
From our Special Area Teachers
Click on the above pdf to access the links to register.
January 9 – 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn – Building Confidence, Trust and Hope: Three things you can do to help your child when they are anxious.
Session 1 Virtual Presented by Mariposa Education
THIS IS A FOUR (4) WEEK COURSE FOR BCPS PARENTS – please only register once Anxiety and stress are on the rise. And as parents, many of the ways we try to help don’t work or even make the situation worse. In this course, we offer the brain science around children’s stress and anxiety, as well as specific strategies to lower their stress responses, and take steps towards competency and confidence. In this researched approach, you will learn the language you need to connect with your child and help them grow.
January 12 – 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn – Are the Parents Ok? Why Sharing Your Feelings With Your Children Helps Your Relationship and How To Do So In a Way That You Are Understood
Virtual Presented by Mariposa Education
As parents, we’re often asked to stay calm under pressure. We know yelling, complaining, and losing our cool is not helpful. So, we often find that we don’t share our authentic feelings. We rely on rules or lessons to teach our kids how they should treat others. And even when we feel disrespected, ignored, or frustrated, we tend to shy away from sharing this with children. We don’t want to burden our children with those feelings or give them a guilt trip. However, not sharing decreases the likelihood that you will feel heard and understood, which is essential for connection and their social-emotional development. In this workshop you will learn how to communicate your feelings in an authentic AND nonjudgmental manner, so you can feel understood and even more connected to your children.
January 19 – 12:30 PM Lunch & Learn - Music is More than Fun: The Importance of Music in Early Childhood Development
Virtual Presented by the Center for Family Success
Center for Family Success is partnering with Parent University to offer monthly Lunch & Learn sessions on parent hacks, early learning, and health related topics.
SEL Support at Home
Team Member Spotlights
Below are the Team Members who were highlighted in our weekly Team Member Spotlight on facebook so far this year. Enjoy getting to know our amazing Elmwood faculty and staff! Moving forward, each month we will share the previous month's spotlights!
Congratulations Mrs. Novak!
Congratulations to Ms. Novak (Reading Specialist) for achieving National Board Certification! It is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools.
We are so proud of you, Ms. Novak, and incredibly grateful for all you do for our Elmwood students!
Elmwood currently has 5 NBCTs (Dr. Rode, Ms. Lofredo, Ms. Welly, Ms. Shaw, and Ms. Novak) and 5 more going through the NBCT certification process! Watch us SOAR! #TeamBCPS
Inclement Weather Decisions
This winter, be prepared for emergency updates from BCPS. More information about closings, delays, cancellations, and postponements is available in the BCPS Inclement Weather FAQ.
Elmwood Elementary
Email: lrode@bcps.org
Website: https://elmwoodes.bcps.org
Location: 531 Dale Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USA
Phone: 443-809-5232
Twitter: @elmwoodes