CMIT South Elementary School
August 8, 2024
Dear Chesapeake Math & IT Academy South Elementary School Family,
Welcome back to another exciting school year! As your new Acting Principal, I'm thrilled to embark on this educational journey with you. Our theme for this year is "The STEM Journey Begins Here." We're committed to igniting a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in our young learners. Together, we'll cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that will be the foundation for your child's academic future.
Please take note and adhere to the following:
Kindergarten Orientation - Friday, August 23, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Sneak a Peek at Your Seat (Grades 1st-5th)-Friday, August 23, 2024
1st & 2nd grade (11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; 3rd - 5th grades (1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
This is an opportunity for students and parents to meet the teachers and visit the classrooms. Students are welcome to bring their school supplies to leave on their desks for the first day. (School Supply List)
Please refrain from having student-specific conversations with teachers at this time. Parents are encouraged to set up phone, zoom, or face-to-face conferences with teachers to discuss specific concerns via teacher’s email at a later time.
Please remember that time has been spent determining appropriate classroom placements for all students, and class lists are final.
Please do not worry if you cannot make it to Sneak a Peek at Your Seat. Back to School Night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. and parents will have another opportunity to meet the teachers and visit classrooms. More information is coming soon.
First Day of School - Monday, August 26, 2024 (Parents & Guardians are not permitted in the classrooms on this day)
Students are permitted into the building at 7:35 a.m.
Students will eat breakfast in the cafeteria. The cafeteria will not serve breakfast after 8:00 a.m.
Class begins at 8:00 a.m. Students are considered tardy after 8:05 a.m. and will receive a tardy pass to be permitted to class.
The back gate will close at 8:00 a.m.
All schools will be evaluated on student success as well as student attendance. Therefore, we will need your support to get students here on time.
Uniform: CMIT South ES is a uniform school, and we strive to be on time all the time. Please support students as they learn to take TIGER pride in wearing their uniform and coming to school every day on time. Click the link below for the School uniform and PE uniform expectations. CMIT South ES requires that all embroidered tops be ordered through our
Uniform supplier: Flynn O’Hara Uniforms. You can order online at www.flynnohara.com. Address: 8807 Annapolis Road Lanham MD, 20706 Phone: (240)764-4545
PTO is having a gently used uniform sale in the school’s cafeteria
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Student Conduct: The success of any school is dependent on several variables. According to research literature, student conduct helps determine our schools' success. Please reinforce school and class rules and remind students to follow all of them. This is necessary as we try to make a difference in providing a safe and supportive environment for them to be outstanding scholars. The PGCPS student code of conduct will be shared via a link. Please familiarize yourselves with the tenets of the document and support your children in exemplifying the positive behavior that they are learning at home.
Students at CMIT South Elementary will abide by the following School-wide Behavioral Expectations:
1. I will treat everyone with kindness and respect.
2. I will keep my hands and feet to myself.
3. I will use appropriate language toward everyone.
4. I will never tease, cause harm, name-call, or bully another student.
5. I will immediately notify my teacher or another staff member if I am bullied or see someone else being bullied.
Communication: This year, CMIT South Elementary School will use the application School Messenger, Class Dojo, and the CLF Point Reward System (PRS) to disseminate school-wide messages/alerts. If you would like to receive these alerts via text message, please ensure your contact information is updated in Synergy. Stay informed through Class Dojo, weekly newsletters, and teacher emails. The parent handbook will be shared on the first day of school.
Our dedicated staff is eager to guide your children through engaging, hands-on STEM experiences that will inspire and challenge them. Let's make this year a launchpad for exploration and discovery!
We appreciate your support in ensuring student attendance and punctuality, as these factors contribute significantly to student success. Together, we can create a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for our outstanding scholars.
I look forward to a productive and exciting school year ahead!
Have a Pawww-Rific Day!
Educationally,
Ms. Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis
Acting Principal
Chesapeake Math & IT Academy Elementary South (CMIT)
9601 Fallard Terrace
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
(240) 767-4820
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
SCHOOL HOURS:
Classes begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 2:25 p.m. It is a strictly enforced requirement that all students are present daily for learning.
Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
School Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Teacher & Staff Hours: 7:25 a.m- 2:55 p.m
CLF Enrichment Hours
Registration and information can be found on their website below. Students enrolled in Enrichment may be signed in beginning at 6:30 am and must be signed out by 6 pm.
Registration for enrichment can be found here - https://clfmd.org/clf-enrichment/#
If you have any questions about enrichment please contact Mrs. Caple - Price at kcaple@clfmd.org
Morning Hours: 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
Afternoon Hours: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
MEALS
We will be charging for meals this year. MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that allows parents to pay for meals securely, monitor student cafeteria purchases, make tuition payments for Before and After School Extended Learning programs, and receive email notifications for low account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
By cash, cashier's check, or money order
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)
Full Price Breakfast
Daily $1.60
Weekly $8.00
Monthly $32.00
Full Price Lunch
Daily $2.75
Weekly $13.75
Monthly $55.00
Send payment to your school's cafeteria to update your child's account. Cash will not be accepted during lunchtimes, so we need to make sure we can adhere to distributing meals to students.
REGULAR DROP OFF / PICK UP
Students not enrolled in enrichment, a club, or a school-sponsored activity may be dropped off at 7:35 am for breakfast and must be picked up by 2:55 pm.
LATE PICK UPs: Staff are off duty at 2:55 pm. We encourage all families to have their student(s) enrolled in after-school Enrichment with CLF.
Students picked up late will be assessed a $5 /per minute fee to be paid to Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation. After three late pick-ups, the School Administration will meet with the family to discuss alternative arrangements and placement. As a charter school, we do not provide transportation for students. But we will partner with you to be solution-oriented.
IMMUNIZATIONS: Incoming students must meet all immunization requirements by the beginning of the school year (August 26, 2024). Failure to do so will lead to students being excluded from school. Please contact Ms. Teresa Martin, our School Nurse, for questions and support at sandra.aneke@pgcps.org.
VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS: Please Note: All visitors /parents to Chesapeake Math & IT Academy South Elementary School must report to the office as soon as they enter the building. Additionally, all visitors should have an appointment approved by the school administration. The school district and Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation guidelines may alter visitation to the building. The health and safety of students, staff, and guests in our building is paramount. All visitors will need to check in and receive a visitor’s sticker to wear while they are in the school building. It is essential for the safety and instruction of our children that visitors do not go to the classrooms until after they have checked into the office.
GRADING POLICY: Please review the AP 5121.1 - Grading and Reporting for Elementary Schools, Early Childhood through Grade 5
ATTENDANCE: Your scholar should be prepared for school on time and in class daily. Time lost from instruction can never be fully regained simply by doing make-up work. Please be advised that students will not be provided with make-up work for unexcused absences. Illnesses and emergencies are excused absences; oversleeping, lack of transportation, and missing school are unexcused absences. Students cannot be expected to perform in a satisfactory manner if they are not present and prepared daily for instruction.
ADMINISTRATION
Acting Principal: Ms. Tauheedah Lewis
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Lesma Watkis
Program Coordinator: Mr. Fatih Metin
Guidance Counselor Ms. Deidra Chandler
Special Education Coordinator Mrs. Tamara Mathews
COUNSELING DEPT:
Professional School Counselor Ms. Deidra Chandler is here to support students as they grow. She can provide counseling services that are comprehensive in scope, preventive in design, and developmental in academic achievement, college and/or career readiness, and personal/social development for all students. As students cope with an ever-changing world and “new” normals, Ms. Chandler is here to support them and the impact academically. Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health will also be a district-wide and schoolwide focus for CMIT South Elementary. We are here to support your student in as many ways as we can.
School Website for a few updates and reminders: https://cmitsouthes.org/
Follow and interact with us on Social Media
Twitter - @EsCmit Instagram - @cmitsouth_es_tigers
CMITSouthTigers
PGCPS School Calendar: 2024-2025 School Year Calendar as a PDF
Please take a look at these August calendar reminders:
- 8/15/24 - Gently Used Uniform Sale
- 8/22 -Gently Used Uniform Sale
- 8/23- Kindergarten Orientation - 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
- 8/23 - Peek at Your Seat : 11:30 a.m. - 12: 30 p.m. (1st & 2nd grades) 1: 00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ( 3rd -5th grades)
- 8/26 - First Day of School
- 8/30 - Back to School Bash
In November 2020, PGCPS launched an online volunteer application and approval process. Click here for more information on becoming a volunteer and to access the application.
Attendance in school each day is important. Let’s stay in school.
In order for an absence to be considered excused, a written note must accompany the student no later than three (3) days after return to school. The note should include:
- date(s) of absence
- scholar’s name
- Reason for absence
Late or make-up work will not be accepted unless the absence is an excused absence. Please review Administrative Procedure 5113 AP 5113 - Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy for further information.
Students who are absent for ten consecutive days will be withdrawn on the 11th day and will need to re-enroll.
Lawful Absences
Students enrolled in public schools are considered lawfully absent from school for any portion of the day, only under the following conditions:
- Death of a family member
- Illness of the student
- Court appearance
- Work approved or sponsored by a school
- Observance of a religious holiday
- State of emergency
- Suspension from school
- Mental Health (Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence
- in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs.
- Other emergencies
- Deployment-related absences
Unlawful Absences
Unlawful absence – any time a student does not attend school that does not qualify as the above-listed reasons for a lawful absence.
Tardy
Scholars will be officially tardy if they are not in the building at 8:10 a.m.
If your scholar enters the building after the 8:05 a.m. bell, a parent must escort them into the building and electronically sign them in the late arrival portal. Scholars will be given an orange tardy slip to be permitted to class.
Parents of students who have 10 or more tardies in a semester will be required to meet with the principal/designee to discuss the reasons for the tardies and to develop a plan for improvement.
School Meals
2024-25 School Year Meal Prices
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)
Breakfast: $1.60/day
Lunch: $2.75/day
How to Pay
MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, make tuition payments for Before and After School Extended Learning programs, and receive email notifications for low-account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
Principal Lunch Account
ALL breakfast,lunch, and Principal lunch payments should be made via www.myschoolbucks.com.
All money comes/goes to 1 account (child's). All that is needed to set up account (if not done) is
students lunch pin or student id.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
We encourage all families to consider applying for free and reduced-price meals! Visit www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict to apply online today!
To apply, you will need:
- The name, school, and grade of your school-age children
- The name of all adults living in the home
- Income information for all adults living in the home
- Student ID Numbers for your school-age children
Applications will also be sent home with students the first week of school. Applications are available at all PGCPS schools and can be submitted at any time.
CHESAPEAKE MATH AND IT SOUTH ELEMENTARY
• Hours: 8:00 a.m to 2:25 p.m
• Grades: K-5
• Uniform: Yes
• Before After School Enrichment: Yes
http://clfmd.org/enrichment-2/
• School Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue
• School Mascot: Tigers
• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information