White Marsh Elementary School

It's hard to believe we only have a few weeks left of the 2022-2023 school year! As expected, there continues to be a lot going on at White Marsh! Thank you to those parents volunteering to assist with Field Day; we now have enough volunteers and are not in need of more. However, Mrs. Baril is still in need of a few volunteers to support the Book Fair; see her sign-up linked below.

A reminder that Running Club is now over; a big thank you to Mrs. Hancock and our volunteers for their time- our students really enjoyed each day!

Wednesday is the last day to make an online order for the Schoolkidz kits. This is a simple way to be sure your student has the needed supplies for next year. This week, we have the PTA sponsored Bike Safety Night on Wednesday at 5 pm. There are still a few spaces left; permission forms can be brought in on Monday, May 22. Thursday is our Spring Concert featuring the Band, Strings and Chorus! The concert will be held in the gym at 10:00 am. Doors will open at 9:40 (at the rear of the building by the gym).

Have a great week!

The WMES Spring Concert is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 10:00 am.

Our Band, Chorus and Strings students will all be performing! This concert will be held in the gym at 10:00. Doors will open at 9:40 am, and guests will enter through the rear gym door. There will be no evening performance.

WMES students will be invited to view the performance at a separate time, and will not be permitted to leave class to attend with family members.

We are looking forward to having an opportunity for our Bears to perform for you!

• Laptops, Chargers, and Student Accountability: As we approach the end of the school year, it is a good time to remind students and families about their accountability for laptops and chargers. Below are a few resources you can share far and wide.

• Student Laptops and Chargers

• Accountability Newsletter

• Print and Resource Accountability for SMCPS Students

The sale ends Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

Hello everyone! The Book Fair will be here in a few weeks, and we are in need of Volunteer Support! Please sign up for as many days as possible. Tuesday and Thursday I have students, so those are the days I need the most assistance! Please click this link to sign up----> Book Fair Volunteers

*A reminder that all volunteers must be approved through SMCPS and have attended the WMES Volunteer Training.

The windows for both Pre-Kindergarten Registration and Kindergarten Registration are now open. It is time to register!

*If your student is currently in Pre-Kindergarten at LMDES, you do not need to register them for Kindergarten; they will roll over to WMES automatically.

Pre-Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten Registration

May 29 Memorial Day Holiday

May 30 - Jun 6 Book Fair!

Jun 2 Field Day

Jun 6 5th Grade Fun Day (Gr 5 Awards: 2 pm)

Jun 8 K - 4 Awards Assemblies; K, 1 and 2: 9:30 am; Gr 3,4: 2:15

Jun 9 2 hr Early Dismissal, Last Day of School!

Please be thinking about a safe place to store your child's laptop for the summer. Students will bring them home for the summer, and will be responsible for their safety. Students will use the same laptop next year.

Suggestions and information:

1. Keep your laptop in a secure place. The laptop should not leave home or be taken on vacations.
2. It is your responsibility for the care and upkeep of your device.
   
3. A school laptop costs 500.00.
4. Laptop charger replacements cost 40.00.

If you break a laptop, there is a repair cost. Please take care of your device.

See more information in the general reminders section below.

Band and Strings Rehearsal Schedule:

A Week: Wednesday and Friday

B Week: Wednesday and Thursday

Parents and guardians should be mindful of all debt that their students accrue throughout the 2022-2023 School Year. Student debt could take any one of the following forms:

• Lost/Damaged Computer Devices

• Lost/Damaged Textbooks

• Lunch Debt

Parents/Guardians play a key role in monitoring not only their student's actions but also their fiscal responsibilities regarding lost/damaged issued devices (such as computers and textbooks) and/or food purchases made by your child in our school cafeteria. Payment can be made in the form of cash or check and should include your child's five-digit Student ID# (e.g., #12345). For further convenience, families may also pay by credit card online at http://www.myschoolbucks.com/. All questions and concerns should be directed to the school bank or the principal's secretary.

Please consider joining the PTA; the membership form is here.

ALL students in SMCPS must have a completed Acceptable Use Agreement on file for School Year 2022-2023.

Elementary (PreK-5th) Link: https://bit.ly/22022-2023_Elementary_AUPForm

From the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)-

Chronic Absenteeism: Students are chronically absent when absent 10% or more of the school days while enrolled at that school. For example, a student who is registered to attend a school for 30 days and who is absent 3 of those 30 days is considered chronically absent.

WMES will follow up with chronically absent students through the Pupil Services Team, Pupil Personnel Worker, and the Department of Student Services. In order to reduce the number of our students with Chronic Absenteeism, incentives to encourage good attendance include participation in the Bear Crawl, Running Club, and School Dance.

SMCPS Text Alerts are a great way to get information quickly. They are not sent often, and usually only in the event of an unexpected school delay or closure. On occasion, WMES will send a text alert about a late bus, substitute bus, or school event. Click the link for information about registering for text alerts.

Email: jwsteele@smcps.org
Website: schools.smcps.org/wmes
Location: 29090 Thompson Corner Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301)472-4600
Twitter: @wmes_smpcs