Principal's Message
Dear Meadow Hall Elementary School Families and Staff,
I hope everyone enjoyed the long Labor Day weekend and had a chance to recharge. As we embark on another exciting week of learning, I want to take a moment to celebrate the completion of our first week of school. It’s been wonderful to see students settling into their routines, engaging in their studies, and beginning to form connections with their peers and teachers.
I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in our first PTA meeting. We had a record turnout, and the energy and enthusiasm were truly inspiring. Your involvement is crucial as we work together to create positive learning experiences that meet the needs of all our students. If you haven’t yet joined our PTA, I encourage you to do so—many hands make light work, and your contributions make a real difference in our school community.
Looking ahead, I am excited to invite you to our Back-to-School Night and Resource Fair on September 10, 2024. This will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with teachers, learn about the year ahead, and discover resources to support your child’s learning journey. We look forward to seeing you there.
Please take a moment to review the information enclosed for the week of September 3, 2024. Let’s make this another successful week of learning and growth!
Desmond Mackall
Principal
Meadow Hall ES
IMPORTANT DATES:
September
3- Labor Day (School Closed for Students and Staff)
3-10- PTA Spirit Wear Sales (Visit MHES Website and Click on PTA Link)
4- School resumes for students and staff (8:45 am)
10- Back to School Night & Resource Fair (6:00-7:30 pm)
20-27: MHES Book Fair
26- MHES Ice Cream Social (6-7:30 pm)
27- Early Release Day for Students (12:55 Dismissal for all Students)
Come out to our Back to School Night and Resource Fair!
We are excited to invite you to our annual Back to School Night and Resource Fair on Thursday, September 10, 2024! This is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about your child’s learning program, connect with our dedicated teachers and staff, and explore the various resources and after-school programs available at Meadow Hall Elementary School.
The doors will open at 6:00 PM for the Resource Fair, where you can gather valuable information about community resources and enriching learning opportunities for your child. Following the fair, you’ll have the chance to meet your child’s teachers, gain insights into their classroom routines, and hear about the exciting plans we have for the school year. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to make this a successful and fulfilling year for all our students.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application (Please Complete)
As a new title 1 school this is critical. We ask that ALL families take the time to complete a FARMS application. (Even if you do decide not to purchase lunch) Applications for Free and Reduced Meals must be completed yearly. Only one application per household is required and the form is now open. Information provided on the form is confidential and will not be shared. Complete your application online at www.MySchoolApps.com. We ask that all families complete this by Open House. If you need support with this please contact staff members below:
Need Assistance completing the form?:
Please contact
Mr. Eduardo Garduno Villa, our Parent Community Coordinator at Eduardo_Gardunavilla@mcpsmd.org
Mrs. Jessica Jackson, Community School Liaison at Jessica_E_Jackson@mcpsmd.org
or
Call the main office and Mrs. Algeo or Mrs. Mejia can assist you.
We can provide support in both English and Spanish!
MCPS Attendance Policy!
We understand that travel plans and family commitments sometimes require extended trips overseas. However, we urge you to consider this policy change when making such plans. Please keep in mind that classroom teachers are not required to provide extended leave homework assignments, as assignments will be closely tied to daily lessons. Nevertheless, teachers can offer guidance to families on ways to engage their children in learning activities if they choose to do so. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please reach out to the administration.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PTA!
PTA UPDATES:
Thank you to those who were able to attend our first PTA meeting of the school year! If you would like to join the PTA as a member please check out membership information here. If you were unable to attend meeting minutes can be found here.
If you are interested in volunteering for a community event or a volunteer committee please reach out to the PTA at info@MHESpta.org.
The Book Fair is coming up at the end of September, if you would like to volunteer for the Book Fair please sign-up here.
JOIN THE PTA
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!
Link to join the PTA this year:
* Join online at https://www.mhespta.org/membership/join-the-pta
OTHER MCPS NEWS!
Don’t Miss Back-to-School Night!
All schools are holding Back-to-School Nights in the upcoming weeks. This can be a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and staff, find out more about what your student will be learning in class and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Find your school’s event date and time.
Learn More About Superintendent’s Fall Community Engagement Sessions
As part of Superintendent Thomas Taylor’s entry plan, he will be meeting with as many stakeholders as possible to learn more about the Montgomery County community and to build lasting relationships. Part of this includes upcoming listening sessions at three schools. They are set for:
Monday, Sept. 16, Poolesville High School, 7–8 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 18, Richard Montgomery High School, 7–8 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 23, Montgomery Blair High School, 7–8 p.m.
More details are coming soon.
Welcoming Students to the 2024–2025 School Year
MCPS opened its doors on Aug. 26 to more than 160,000 students, welcoming them to the 2024–2025 school year. This year marks an exciting new chapter with the arrival of Dr. Thomas Taylor, our new superintendent. We want to thank you for sending in so many great photos from your first day at school; if you haven’t seen it, make sure to check out our photo gallery.
Mark Your Calendars!: Opening Day for Girls’ Flag Football
Sept. 4 is opening day for the inaugural girls’ flag football season! All 25 MCPS high schools will field teams and participate in opening day festivities that will be conducted at four locations across the county. Ceremonies will be conducted with support from the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders. The schedule and locations are below:
Host Site
Richard Montgomery HS
Wootton HS
3:30 - Game #1
Sherwood at Rockville
Poolesville at Walter Johnson
5:00 - Opening Day Ceremony
5:45 - Game #2
Springbrook at Einstein
Northwest at Quince Orchard
7:00 - Game #3
Gaithersburg at RM
Clarksburg at Wootton
Host Site
Paint Branch HS
Seneca Valley HS
3:30 - Game #1
Kennedy at Blake
B-CC at Damascus
5:00 - Game #2
Wheaton at Magruder
Whitman at Watkins Mill
6:15 - Opening Day Ceremony
7:00 - Game #3
Blair at Paint Branch
Churchill at Seneca Valley
Additional information is available on the Girls’ Flag Football website, including an overview of the season schedule.
Be Aware of Safety Updates Ahead of Fall Sports Opening Night on Sept. 5
MCPS is committed to promoting a safe and welcoming environment for student-athletes, coaches, spectators and our communities. Opening night for the fall sports season is Thursday, Sept. 5. The MCPS Athletics Safety Plan will drive operations and procedures for athletic events. To begin the season, all varsity football games and other large events will operate in Tier 1 of the safety plan. Tier 1 actions include:
- Students of the participating schools will be allowed to attend with a valid ticket and by presenting their student ID or StudentVue verification of their schedule. All other school-aged spectators must be accompanied by an adult chaperone—this includes all elementary and middle school students and high school students from other schools—adult chaperones must stay and supervise students for the duration of their stay at the game.
- Students and spectators must sit in the stands during the game. While there will be potential gatherings at halftime and postgame, gatherings will not be allowed during the game.
- There is no re-entry to events. Spectators will not be admitted after halftime (or halftime of the second game of a doubleheader).
- Backpacks are not allowed.
To prepare for the season, students should ensure that they have their student ID or other StudentVue verification of their schedule to get in to games. Elementary and middle school students and high school students from other schools (not the participating schools) must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, who must stay and supervise students for the duration of their stay at the game.
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 newsroom.
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
- Prekindergarten and Head Start Registration Open for Income-Eligible Families
- Kindergarten Registration for 2024-2025 School Year
More From MCPS
Phone and Email Communication
We maintain open lines of communication with parents and community members throughout the school year. The phone number for the school is 240-740-5260. You may also email Mr. Mackall at Desmond_Mackall2@mcpsmd.org or Mrs. Simhon at Ilana_N_Simhon@mcpsmd.org. We can also be messaged instantly on once you update your cell phone and email information. You will have instant access through the REMIND app to contact any MHES staff member at any time. All staff emails are also available on the school website at
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/meadowhalles/
(Note: We continue to update our website to reflect FY25 changes)
The administration expectation for all staff is to return calls within 24 business hours. If you choose to contact staff over the weekend please know that our expectation for them is to respond during school hours (weekday). We thank you in advance for your understanding!
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.
Home-School Communication: REMIND App!
REMIND will be our school-wide system for easy home-school messaging and communication. We use it to keep families informed of events, announcements, weekly newsletters from your child's teacher, and more. It also allows families to read messages in their preferred language. Please make sure your email and phone number are updated in ParentVUE as this will allow instant access to your child's teacher via REMIND. You can download the Remind app on your phone for instant communication. We will provide technical support to assist with this in the media center during our Back to School Night (Sept. 10th)!
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