PANTHER PROGRESS

February 2025 Issue 7

Message From Our Administrators

Greetings Lincoln Family –

February is the time of year to recognize multiple celebrations, including Black/African American History Month and the celebration of love for Valentine’s Day! Lincoln encompasses both of these themes: love and preservation. Lincoln has a RICH history that we pride ourselves with, "honoring history while making history."

With term 2 report cards distributed last week, there is much to celebrate, but much to support when it comes to meeting grade level expectations. In addition to maximizing our last 81 days of school, our current attendance rate is at 93.7%. Our current attendance goal is a minimum of a 96% attendance rate. Attendance is also another factor of achievement. Let’s continue to work together to get your child to their highest achievement levels; “making history.”

For the fourth year in a row, Lincoln will celebrate a “Love 4 Lincoln Day” on Wednesday, February 14th. Students’ families should not purchase Valentine’s Day cards as your child’s class will be with their Buddy Class to fulfill the opportUNITY to show appreciation for each other, without the cost.

Again, we are beyond grateful to serve in our Lincoln CommUNITY and we appreciate the partnership between home and school.

With DIGNITY and DETERMINATION,

Eric Rhodes - Principal

Mary Beth Smith - Assistant Principal

Crosby Blair - Community School Coordinator

February Learning

Select the link below to check out what your child/children will be learning this month! Grading polices for grades PK-1, grades 2-5, and Encore classes are also included: February Learning

Important February Dates

February 6: Parental Advisory Council 5-6pm

February 6: 100th day of school (details below)

February 7: 101st day of school (details below)

February 13: "Heart and Sole" AttenDANCE 5-7pm (details below)

February 17: No School (Presidents' Day)

February 21: 2 hour early dismissal (Mid-term; students dismiss at 1:30pm)

February 26: Judy Center Dinner 5:30-7pm

February 28: Spring Pictures

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Our students are offered breakfast and lunch every day. Click the links below for this month's menu. For more information about FCPS food and nutrition, visit the FCPS nutrition website.

"Heart and Sole" AttenDANCE

All students are invited to Lincoln's first school dance! Our "Heart and Sole" AttenDANCE is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13th from 5-7pm. There will be separate dance floors for students (PreK - 2; and 3rd - 5th), dinner, a DJ and refreshments. Dress is casual, but you're welcome to get as fancy as you'd like. We're giving away brand new shoes as raffle prizes!! Bus transportation is provided from Windsor Gardens. Parents must stay in the building, but they're welcome to attend our adult learning session about state testing coming up this spring. This is an event you don't want to miss!

Events in the commUNITY

February 8: Community Health and Resource Fair @ Centro Hispano 11am-3pm; English, Spanish

February 12, 19, 26: Free Laundry Days from 9:30am-3:30pm @ Spot Laundromat (1080 W. Patrick St.)

C. Burr Artz Public Library: February Program

YMCA "Day Out" programs

GEMS Summer program (grades 4-11)

March 8: Youth Symposium (registration is for 4th & 5th graders only; flier below)

100th day and 101st day

We invite all students to help us celebrate the 100th day of school on Thursday, February 6th by dressing up like they're 100 years old! The fun continues the next day on the 101st day of school. Students are invited to dress in black and white as Dalmatians! English & Spanish flier

DIBELS

Students in grades K-3 are given the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills) assessment three times a year. Your child's MOY (Middle of Year) DIBELS Home Report will be sent home in your child's Thursday folder on Thursday, February 6th. If you have any questions about your child's results on DIBELS, please reach out to your child's teacher.

Support Staff Employee of the Year Nominee

We would like to recognize Jillian Trawick, one of our Instructional Assistants in PreK. She has been nominated as our 2025 Support Staff Employee of the Year!

We nominated her for her constant dedication to PreK and her student-centric mentality, her willingness to always lend an additional hand, her commitment to our Lincoln CommUNITY, her leadership with the school play, and overall, her positivity. Thank you Jillian for your endless demonstration of genuine Lincoln Love to our students, staff, and families!

2024 - 2025 Yearbooks

Order your yearbook today! You can order online, by going to TraditionsSchoolPhotography.inter-state.com and entering code 91661G. Orders are due by March 12th.

FCPS Special Education Family Resource Center

The Office of Special Education is excited to announce the opening of the FCPS Special Education Family Resource Center! This is a space for families to come and receive help and resources. An Open House is being held on Friday, February 21, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. to unveil this resource for families: English & Spanish flier

Out of District Applications

Out-of-district enrollment applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open and will be accepted by the Office of Student Services from February 1 to March 1, 2025.

Students may be considered for enrollment outside their designated attendance area. Parents or guardian who wish to request an out-of-district enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year must apply by completing the application.

All students who are currently enrolled outside of their designated attendance area must reapply because approval is granted on a year-to-year basis.

Please contact our CommUNITY School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any questions or needs.

PreK Accreditation

Our Pre-K Program is currently undergoing the Maryland Accreditation Process. This is a year-long reflective practice aimed at program enhancement as outlined in Pillar One of the Maryland Blueprint for the Future's legislation . In addition to supporting program enhancement in this process, we worked collect family input via Annual Program Surveys completed in Spring 2024 and have develop a Program Improvement Plan to guide our efforts. To learn more about this process, please see https://marylandexcels.org/maryland-accreditation/ or contact the Early Childhood Office of Frederick County at 240-586-7735 for more information.

Panther Advisory Council (PAC)

Be a part of our PAC to help us improve our school environment and our learning community! Our next meeting is Thursday, February 6th from 5-6pm. ALL PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND! Please email Crosby.Blair@fcps.org to RSVP.

Positive Referral Recess

Did you know that our students can be nominated for a positive referral each month? Students that demonstrate consistent good behavior and/or exhibit any of our habits of learning (self-advocating, practicing social responsibility, demonstrating perseverance and having a learning mindset) celebrate with an extra recess at the end of each month. We had 122 students nominated in January. Each student that is nominated also receives a certificate to take home. How cool!

Attendance

Current Attendance Rates

Whole School: 93.7%

The FCPS goal is 96%

PreK: 90.5%

Kindergarten: 92.8%

First: 94.5%

Second: 94.2%

Third: 94.5%

Fourth: 94.7%

Fifth: 93.9%

Current Chronic Absence rate: 21.9% (our school goal is to be lower than 18%)

Regular school attendance is important for a student's academic and behavioral success. We need your help! Please make sure your child is coming to school regularly unless they are sick. Per FCPS policy, anytime a student is absent, the school must receive written documentation from the guardian and/or medical provider. Written communication can be in the form of an email, a Talking Points message, or a hand written note. Our ratings on the Maryland School Report Card are heavily impacted by our attendance rates. Reach out to our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any attendance questions or needs.

MCAP notification

Results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program were included in term 1 report cards.

School Closures & Delays

Occasionally, inclement weather requires FCPS to close, delay opening or dismiss early. Closing and delay decisions involve careful evaluation of a variety of factors in a short time period. Whenever possible, decisions are made by 5am for morning closures and delays, and by 10am for early closings. Check the FCPS Closings & Delays webpage for more information.

*If you or your child needs winter gear, please email our commUNITY liaison at Diana.Galaviz@fcps.org.*

Green School Tips

Looking for a fun and sustainable hobby this winter? Try knitting or crochet! Learning these crafts can help you create beautiful clothes and blankets to keep you warm and give you a fun activity during the colder months. Homemade gifts are also great for Valentine's Day. By using sustainable yarn you can cut down on the environmental impacts that come from purchasing winter clothes or bedding from big box stores while channeling your creativity.

Make your own stovetop simmer pot! When getting cozy this winter, ditch the scented candles which generate waste and release harmful toxins into the air. Instead, try combining different ingredients and simmering them on the stovetop, bonus points if the ingredients are in season and sustainably sourced. The best part is that these pots can be reused, just reheat when you are ready to fill up your space with yummy scents.

FCPS Farm to School

Did you know our students get regular visits from the FCPS Farm to School team? Check out their monthly newsletter! English; Spanish

Volunteering Training

Per new FCPS policy, any parent or family member that would like to chaperone a field trip must complete the volunteer training process. Follow these volunteer directions to get started. Contact our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any questions or needs.

Lincoln Learner Reports

The Lincoln Learner Reports have restarted! One of our Panther priorities is making sure that parents are informed on what their child is learning each week in all of their subject areas. Even though we include curriculum information by grade level in this newsletter each month (see above), it is important for students to become aware of their own learning each week, while building "student agency." Student agency is defined as "a student's awareness of their progress towards reaching the learning outcomes and how we can increase their ownership/agency of their learning." It's also important for students and their families to reflect weekly on their "work habits," which we call the "Habits of Learning." The Lincoln Learner Report does both! This weekly communication will provide information to families on their child's progress with the academic standards they are learning and highlight their "Habits of Learning." Parents/Guardians will need to sign and return the Lincoln Learner Report each week to the teacher, which will confirm that the parent(s) saw the report and strengthens the partnership between home and school.

Bus Transportation

Bus route information, including delays, can be found at the bus information site.

Counseling Corner

The school counseling team: The “Super Support Squad”

Ms. Ellis (grades 3-5) Madison.Ellis@fcps.org
Mrs. Quill (grades PreK-2) Heather.Quill@fcps.org
Ms. Dodson (Behavior Support Specialist) Heather.Dodson@fcps.org
Mrs. Tucker (Behavior Support Specialist) Mary-Kate.Tucker@fcps.org

February: Love of Lincoln Month

During the month of February, Frederick County Public schools recognizes Black African American History month (BAAHM). We are especially excited to celebrate Lincoln which was the first school for African American students in Frederick County established in 1923. This month we will be focusing on the ways that we can live the Lincoln legacy of love and education for all. We will be talking to our students about how they represent the dreams of their families and community. Students will be making “I am the Dream” signs to hang around the school. We would love it if families could talk to students about their dreams for the future. You can even write your hopes and dreams for your child(ren) on their sign so we can all celebrate their special space in the world and our school family.

Lincoln Counselor Website

This website has multiple resources for students and families. It also has videotaped lessons we use with students and parent videos that explain our emotional regulation program.

Nurse's Corner

If your child experiences any of the following symptoms listed below please keep them home from school

Fever over 100 within the last 24 hours (must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school)
Vomiting/diarrhea within the last 24 hours
Rash
Red, itchy, crusty eyes or any drainage from eyes

Dental Health:

At our school, students have been on a journey to learn about proper oral health. You can continue this journey at home by practicing these tips for a bright smile. Help your child "answer the call" by modeling these steps for being an oral health hero!