Dear CMIT South Elementary Families,

As we enter this season of gratitude, I am filled with pride and appreciation for our remarkable school community. Each day, I witness the incredible dedication of our staff, the unwavering support of our parents, and the boundless enthusiasm of our students. Together, we are creating an environment where learning thrives and every child has the opportunity to succeed.

I am particularly moved by the spirit of giving that our community continues to demonstrate. This past Saturday, November 22, we held our annual coat drive, which proved to be a tremendous success. Thanks to your generosity, we collected over 100 coats! Twenty families from our community received warm coats for the winter season, and the remaining coats will be donated to local organizations serving families in need. For families who may need assistance during the winter months ahead, our next coat drive distribution will take place on Saturday, January 25, 2025. I want to extend special recognition to Ms. Hendy, whose leadership and compassion made this initiative possible.

As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for:

• Our dedicated teachers and staff who go above and beyond every day

• Our committed parents who partner with us in their children's education

• Our wonderful students who come to school eager to learn and grow

• Our supportive community that makes events like our coat drive so successful

Please note that school will be closed from Wednesday, November 27, through Friday, November 29, 2024, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Classes will resume on Monday, December 2.

I wish all our families a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving holiday. May this time bring you moments of warmth, connection, and gratitude with your loved ones.

As always, remember that the STEM Journey Begins Here at CMIT South Elementary! We're looking forward to a year filled with exciting learning opportunities, personal growth, and impressive achievements for all our scholars. Your partnership in education makes a profound difference in our students' success. Thank you for your continued support and engagement in our school community. Together, we're creating an environment where every child can thrive and reach their full potential. Remember, we can't continue this STEM journey without you!

Let's make this year a roaring success! 🦁📚

Wishing you all a 🐾 PawwRific 🐾 day and see you all Monday, November 18, 2024!

With Tiger Pride,

Ms. Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis

Acting Principal

Chesapeake Math & IT Academy Elementary South (CMIT)

Hazel Health

At CMIT South Elementary, we understand the importance of addressing both the physical and mental well-being of our students. That’s why we’re excited to highlight Hazel Health, a service that provides accessible and effective mental health support to students and families.

What is Hazel Health?

Hazel Health is a comprehensive program offering on-demand physical and mental health services for students directly in school or at home. This partnership ensures that students can receive the care they need, when and where they need it, without disrupting their learning.

Benefits of Hazel Health for Mental Health

• Immediate Support
  Hazel Health provides quick access to licensed mental health professionals. This reduces the waiting time for students who may need urgent emotional support.

• Convenient Access
  Students can access services both in school and at home via telehealth, making it easier to fit counseling into their schedules.

• Personalized Counseling Plans
  Each student receives individualized care, tailored to their unique needs. This approach ensures that every child feels heard and supported.

• Collaboration with Schools
  Hazel Health works closely with school counselors, like me, to provide a seamless support system, ensuring students’ emotional needs are addressed in conjunction with their academic growth.

• Parental Involvement
  Parents are involved throughout the process, from consenting to services to discussing strategies that can be implemented at home.

Common Challenges Addressed by Hazel Health

• Anxiety and stress

• Behavioral challenges

• Grief or loss

• Difficulty with focus

• Friendship and social issues

How to Get Started

Signing up for Hazel Health is simple! Families can register through the school’s Hazel Health portal or contact me to refer your child. Once registered, your child can access both physical and mental health services as needed. I have used it with students at our school and it has shown positive effects.

Together, we can foster a supportive environment where every student thrives. If you have any questions about Hazel Health or mental health resources at CMIT South Elementary, feel free to contact me.

Let’s continue to prioritize student well-being and make a difference—one step at a time!

https://getstarted.hazel.co/district/pgcps

Classroom Guidance Lessons

I will continue teaching personal safety lessons with our 2nd-grade students. These lessons are designed to help children understand important safety rules, including those related to appropriate and safe touch.

Thank you Kindergarten families supporting our first field trip. We are hoping to go to the MD Science Center next, so please be on the lookout for that information in the next month or so.

This will be week 2 (B week) for the specials schedule. As it will be a short week with a long break, we will give out a new homework assignment on December 2. During the break please have students practice on i-ready and Lexia to practice skills.

Lastly, Kindergarten will be having a pajama camp out on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

HAVE A GREAT BREAK!

IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-

NOVEMBER 26: Pajama Campout

NOVEMBER 27-29: Fall Break

DECEMBER 2: New homework will go home

Grade Level Updates:

Hello Tiger Family. We are approaching our Thanksgiving Break. Please be mindful of the change in weather. Let's make sure our scholars are dressed for the weather. A few reminders please keep up with the STEM Fair Timeline in the Handbook. Also, we are asking for donations of gently used coats for our coat drive. We still have time to donate.

Reading Updates:

This week we will be reading an Informational Text. Students will use text features and graphics to increase their understanding of the text. Phonics will consist of long “A” words and vowel teams.

Math Updates:

Students will further their understanding of addition strategies. They will be learning how to solve one and two step problems.

Science Updates:

Students are continuing to learn the Scientific Method to help as they begin to work on their Stem Fair Projects.

Social Studies Updates:

Students are learning how to locate places using a Map.

Grade Level Updates:

We are close to Thanksgiving Break! In the meantime, it is getting cooler outside. Please make sure your child has at least one outdoor coat for recess and dismissal. Thank you for your understanding! Additionally, our coat drive is continuing next week, so please feel free to contribute!

Reading Updates:

We have started Unit 2, Week 1! This unit addresses fiction and nonfiction text that discusses plants and animals, and this week’s lesson focuses on texts addressing patterns in nature. We also worked on V/CV and VC/V words, and we reviewed concepts from the last week of Unit 1!

Math Updates:

Students have been working on problem solving division with the numbers 0, 1, 2, 5, 9, and 10! Additionally, they have been working on using the properties of multiplication (associative, commutative, and distributive) to problem solve with the numbers 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8!

Science Updates:

Students have been learning about electricity and magnetism! They are learning about how electricity and magnetism are related, as well as the cause and effect relationship between the two!

Social Studies Updates:

Ms. Madison and Mrs. Flores’s classes just finished Chapter 1! Ms. Howard and Ms. Hendy’s classes have started Chapter 2 (economics)!

Health Updates:

Students have been introduced to our unit on the food we eat! Specifically, all classes learned about how food gives us energy, and what counts as healthy eating.

Greetings Tiger Family,

I hope this message finds you well. As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to take a moment to share this week's updates and highlight some of the activities we're engaging in with your child.

This month, we have focused on the theme of gratitude. We have discussed the importance of giving thanks and reflecting on what we are grateful for, including our family, friends, and the special people in our lives. It's a wonderful opportunity to encourage students to express their appreciation and recognize the positive aspects of their lives.

To support these conversations at home, you might consider spending a little time talking with child about the people and things they are thankful for. It can be a meaningful way to reinforce the values and experiences we're emphasizing in school

Wishing you all a joyful and heartwarming Thanksgiving holiday.

Scholars will need to have a pair of headphones that are to remain at school. Scholars are completing programs that require them to hear the materials. Many of the programs also read to them. Too many screens reading at once causes distractions for learners.

i-Ready:

i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. If scholars have access to a computer at home, we recommend that your scholar is getting at least 45 minutes of practice a week in both reading and math. Please encourage your child to complete lessons and ensure they complete the lessons independently to accurately improve their skills. i-Ready is accessed through clever.pgcps.org, and scholars will use their PGCPS logins to access the program.

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Thanksgiving Break- November 27- 29, 2024

• Friday December 20, 2024- 3 Hour Early Dismissal

• Monday December 23- January 3, 2025- Winter Break

Fourth Grade Reminders:

This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school. If a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.

If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher and attendance managers within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.

Uniforms:

We are a uniform school. Students must be in the proper uniform each and every day. Students are expected to have mostly black shoes. They may wear a navy blue or school logo jacket or pullover during class. Students will be asked to remove any jacket or sweater that is not following the uniform policy.

Communications:

Students must bring their agenda book each day. Teachers will note the agenda book and it should be signed nightly by the adult at home.

Please allow up to 48 business hours for all responses to emails and Classdojo messages. Teachers are not actively monitoring their emails during the day because we are engaged in instruction. Emails are not monitored over the weekend or in the evening hours when teachers have gone home. If the message sent relates to dismissal changes please call the school directly to leave a message with the front office.

Grading:

Please check Synergy weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades provided in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.

Parent Teacher Conferences:

Conferences with teachers are available with families as needed. Please reach out to the homeroom teacher about scheduling a parent teacher conference.

Reading Updates:

All texts that are being read in the classroom are also available for students to reread at home in their Vol. 1 textbooks. Please have students continue to read and discuss with you information that they find in the text. Students should always read a portion of the text and share any thoughts or questions they had while reading. Students should also note the text underlining, circling, and highlighting parts of the story that were important to know. Homework continues to be sent home on a weekly basis on the first day of the week.

This Week: We began reading a story about how animals adapt to their environment called “Animal Mimics.” In this text students learned about the adaptation of mimicry, the ability for a weaker animal to copy a predator. Students monitored their inner conversations while they read the text to understand the different types of mimicry. Students also identify the text structure of cause and effect and found examples. Finally students got an opportunity to begin researching an endangered animal to create a slideshow.

Next Week: Students will continue to gather research about their chosen endangered animal. Students will use the information they discover to create a slideshow to present to other students.

Math Updates:

This week we will complete the remaining lessons for Topic 2:Fluently Add and Subtract Whole Numbers. Our focus strategy for this week is subtracting across zero Second Quarter IXL Diagnostic.

Please check Synergy ParentVue and Canvas with your scholar to ensure the completion of assignments.

Science Updates:

This week we be wrapping up the final lesson of Topic 1.

*STEM FAIR REMINDER* Begin working on STEM Research Papers. Research Papers due December 18th. Speak with Reading and Language Arts Teachers and Research Paper Rubric for more guidance on Research Papers.

Please check Synergy ParentVue and Canvas with your scholar to ensure completion of assignments

Social Studies Updates:

This week: Students analyzed and explained the growing political, social, and economic divisions in the United States during the 19th century, identifying the key events, issues, and ideologies that contributed to the deepening divisions between the North and South, ultimately leading to the Civil War.

Next week: Students will analyze and explain how the United States emerged as one of the world's most powerful nations following the Civil War, focusing on key factors such as economic growth, industrialization, political changes, and the expansion of American influence both domestically and internationally.

Health Updates:

In health we are learning about our Mouths and keeping our Teeth Healthy and clean.

Dear Fifth Grade Families,

We hope this message finds you well and in great spirits as we continue through this exciting time in the school year. It has been a joy to see our students grow and take on challenges with determination.

As we approach the holiday season, we want to take a moment to express how thankful we are for your partnership and support. With the upcoming break starting next Wednesday, we encourage families to enjoy quality time together and reflect on all we have to be grateful for.

A Quick Reminder

Please don’t hesitate to communicate with any of the teachers if you have concerns about your child’s progress or needs. Open communication ensures we can provide the best support for all students.

Practice and Homework

As we dive into some of our more challenging topics this year, it’s especially important for students to practice at home and complete their homework. This extra effort reinforces what we’re learning in class and builds their confidence.

Reading Updates:

Date: Friday, November 22, 2024

Required materials and resources

Reading book: MyView literacy 5.1 and IXL and I-Ready accessed through Clever.com

Key concepts being covered

Learning more about observations by understanding point of view in realistic fiction.

Spelling words with r-Controlled vowels

Spelling Words

Armada, Conserve, Guitar, Proportion, Internal, Category, Vertical, Partition, Conform, Guardian, External, Cardinal, Excursions, Injury, Majority, Turbulent, Quarter, Harmony, Vertex, Minority

Support materials

IXL and I-Ready accessed through Clever.com

Social Studies

What I learned this week

Chapter 3 Lesson reviews: Lessons 1- Lesson 4

Chapter 3 Assessment

Upcoming lessons and assignments

Chapter 4: Life in the colonies

Lesson opener, What role does Geography (location) play in where you choose to live?

Required materials and resources

Social Studies book, IXL through Clever.com

Key concepts being covered

What does it take to build a new society?

Support materials

IXL and I-Ready

Math Updates:
Students have been working hard on Topic 4: Multiplying Decimals. Testing is underway, and we’re proud of how much progress they’ve made. Encourage your child to review their notes and practice at home.

Science Updates:

• Half of our students are learning about the Earth’s Water Systems. They’ve explored the water cycle, including how oceans evaporate into clouds and the processes that drive water systems.

• The other half of our class is focusing on the Four Spheres of the Earth—the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and how they interdependently interact. Students are learning key terms like interdependent and the importance of these interactions in sustaining life.

Health Updates:
We’re exploring healthy food options, and students had an exciting challenge to create a pizza that uses all the food groups. This fun activity helped them learn about balanced diets and sparked their creativity!

5th-grade RELA/ Social Studies Updates

Technology:

3rd - 5th are finishing up their Google slides presentations.

Kindergarten is making great progress using the computers

1st-2nd are exploring the world of computers with their peers

Updates from the Art Room!

Another year, another round of 5th grade self portraits! I am very proud of the artists they have become over the last 6 years. (NOTE TO EDITOR: Pictures are on the next page.)

Music:

Announcements

Mark Your Calendars for our Winter Concert, Thursday, Dec 19, 2024.

• Primary grades K - 2, 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

• Intermediate grades 3 - 5, 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

• Attire TBD

It’s the Holiday Season!

The Kennedy Center and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra have several upcoming performances for you and your family to enjoy. Feel free to take and look and see which performances you may want to attend.

Click Here for Kennedy Center

Click Here for Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

PE:

This week we started our throwing unit where students learned the underhand throwing pattern. We worked on underhand tossing, throwing, and rolling.

2024-2025 School Calendar

School Meals

School Violence Resources and Support

PGCPS TV

CMIT South ES Enrichment Program

Vendor Managed Child Care

Parent Handbook

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

Synergy ParentVUE Support for Parents and Guardians