Cedar Grove Friday Flash
January 26, 2024
Dear Cedar Grove Families:
This week, students enjoyed two assemblies! On Tuesday, January 23rd, all students attended our 5th grade winter concert featuring students in 5th grade chorus and instrumental music. Students will be repeating their performance tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Clarksburg High School. All parents/families are welcome to attend!
In addition to the winter concert, the Taikoza group, from the Arts for Learning Maryland, joined us on Thursday January 25th for the PTA’s second cultural arts assembly of the school year. Taikoza entertained students with their musical performance and rhythms drawn from Japan’s rich tradition combining drums, shakuhachi, and fue (both bamboo flutes) in an unforgettable treat for our students and staff. Many thanks to our PTA for providing these wonderful programs!
The 2024-2025 Change of School Assignment (COSA) transfer season opens on Thursday, February 1st. The COSA process allows families to submit a request for their children to transfer out of their assigned home school. All COSA request applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday, April 2nd. Read full details here.
Our PTA is sponsoring a fantastic evening of science, highlighted by our student science expo. An application packet was sent home last week. However, if you need another copy, you can print out and complete the 2024 Science Expo Application and return it to your student's teacher by Friday, February 2. Please email Jessica Lorey or Kavita Patel with any questions!
As a reminder, there is no school for students on Monday, January 29. Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Wynne and Mrs. German
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Reminder - Chromebooks for Home Use
We know that there is the possibility that MCPS will move to virtual learning should we have additional closures due to snow. If this occurs, it is important for children to have a device from which they can access learning on those days. If you do not have a device at home, this is the time to order one from our central office, as Cedar Grove will not be sending devices home. Please complete the Chromebook Form to Distribute to Families to request a home use Chromebook. It takes some time to get the home use device sent to Cedar Grove to distribute to your children, so please consider that when you decide to request a home use device.
Grade Level Newsletters
Parents, please click on your child's grade level to view class weekly newsletters. Any questions regarding the content of the newsletters should be directed to your child's teacher. Thank you.
Damascus High School (DHS) Renovation Update
Thanks to those who came out for our third community meeting on January 23rd. Click here for the presentation. Your continued advocacy is needed! The Montgomery County Council will be holding public hearings on February 6th at 1:30pm & 7pm. If you are interested in providing testimony, please see this site on How to Testify. Visit the project’s website for more information on our DHS major capital project. If you have questions about the project, you are welcome to email project managers, Patrick_M_Schmidt@mcpsmd.org and Robbie_S_Badstibner@mcpsmd.org from the Division of Design and Construction.
Kevin Yates, Principal DHS
From Mrs. Hirschhorn, Media Specialist
Please take a look at the January Media Monthly which now has more information about our fifth grade book club, the music cafe, as well as the lessons we're teaching in the media center.
Our read aloud night has been rescheduled, so please save new the date for our Readathon Read Aloud Night! We have wonderful readers scheduled, who have chosen excellent themes and books for our young readers to enjoy. This event will give participants double reading minutes!
Please remember, readathon participants need to not only log their minutes read, but also the titles of their books on the paper reading log . This is important because when we have any special events, we will know by the title what genre your child is reading, and they may get double points for that!
Our first minutes-read check-in was on Monday, although we accepted late logs. However, we cannot do that again because the time frame is too short. Our second check-in was today, which should show reading from Monday, January 22 through Thursday or even Friday morning. Your students received a new log to fill out for their three-day weekend reading. Our last check-in will be on Friday, February 2.
You should have received the science expo packet. The completed packets are due on February 2. However, you don't need to wait until then! We already have two applications/permission slips handed in! We are also looking for grownups to be our visiting scientists who have conversations with our young scientists during the Expo, which will be March 22. If you're interested, please fill out that section on the permission slip.
Art, Music, and PE Newsletter
Please click the link below for the January overview of what your students will be doing in Art, General Music, Instrumental Music, and Physical Education. We hope you will take a few moments to read what is happening during these instructional spaces.
From Our PTA:
News and Upcoming Events
Read-a-Thon
When: NOW - Friday, February 2nd (We extended a few days for the snow days)
The Read-a-Thon has been AMAZING so far. Our students have logged almost 50,000 reading minutes in the first 10 days of the Read-a-Thon! WOW! So far, 3rd Grade is leading the way for the PIZZA PARTY/MOVIE NIGHT! You can still register for the FINAL WEEK of the Read-a-Thon by clicking HERE ! We have 247 students registered so far! Registration to participate is FREE!
On the fundraising side of the event, we have almost reached our $8,000 goal for Field Trips. We are only a few hundred dollars away. As a special bonus, any child who sends 10 text messages through their dashboard to promote our fundraiser will automatically be entered into a nationwide drawing for a magical trip for four to Walt Disney Theme Park. The Read-A-Thon company will select one lucky winner each season from all the Read-A-Thons held during that season.
The genre of the day is REALISTIC FICTION! If your child reads a REALISTIC FICTION book today, they will get double minutes! Make sure to log the book on your paper log sheet. We will log their bonus minutes in the dashboard! We won't have a "genre" for the long weekend, but you'll earn DOUBLE MINUTES if you log any book from any genre with an ANIMAL in it!
Our FINAL check in will be next Friday, February 2nd! LOG SHEETS WILL NEED TO BE TURNED IN. LATE LOG SHEETS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Click HERE for a copy of the log sheet!
If you have any questions, please email Jessica Lorey at vpcommunications.cedargrovepta@gmail.com
STEM / Science Expo Night
When: Friday, March 22nd, 6:30PM - FOR GRADES K-5
What: The Science Expo is BACK! Application Packets have been sent home with your child and MUST be completed and returned by NEXT Friday, February 2nd. This event really gives your child their chance to SHINE, so you won't want to miss it.
Family Paint Night feat. Mrs Kim!
When: Friday, February 23rd 6:30PM
What: Back by popular demand...the PTA will be hosting a Family Paint Night again this year featuring our Special Guest Star, Mrs. Kim! Mrs. Kim will offer step by step instruction to help create your MASTERPIECE! There are ONLY a few seats left, so click HERE to reserve your spot!
We are also looking for volunteers to help run this event. If you are interested, please sign up HERE! Thank you in advance. None of these events can happen without you. :-)
Spirit Wear
Show your school SPIRIT! Click HERE to get your spirit wear now!
Yearbook
If you have photos from school events that you would like to make available for Yearbook use, you can upload them HERE! Thank you!