MCPS Climate Survey
Your family's input is crucial in shaping the future of our school community, and we invite you to participate in our Family Survey.
This survey aims to gather valuable insights into your experiences and opinions regarding various aspects of our school district. Your honest feedback will help us understand what's working well and identify areas where we can improve to create a more supportive and engaging learning environment for all students.
Participating in this survey is easy, and it will only take a few minutes of your time. Your responses are completely confidential, and the information you provide will be used solely for the purpose of enhancing our educational programs and services. The survey opens February 12, 2024 and closes March 15, 2024.
To access the survey, please click on the link provided below:
https://parentsurvey.mcpsmd.org/
We appreciate your commitment to our school community and value the unique perspectives each family brings. Together, we can continue to build a positive and thriving educational environment.
Community Wellness Fair at Farquhar Middle School
March 12th, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Come prepared to engage in activities and resources focused on physical and mental well-being including yoga, pickleball,personal training, anxiety, depression, addressing overall mental health while balancing the influence of social media, and more!
Zones of Regulation Parent Information Session
Mrs. Matthews, school counselor, will be holding an information session on the Zones of Regulation program that is used at Sherwood Elementary School. Zones of Regulation is a color coded framework to help students develop emotional self-regulation and control. The meeting will take place on Thursday, February 29th at 6:30pm in the media center.
Winter Testing Update
All K-5 students were assessed during the month of January in Math and Literacy. Students took either the Dibels assessment and/or the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessment. Teachers will be sending home assessment reports this upcoming week. Please look for them in backpacks.
The link below provides more information about the Measures of Academic Progress test and what it measures.
Advanced Chorus Fundraiser
Please help our Advanced Chorus compete at Hershey Park this June! We are fundraising to offset bus and competition fees through a t-shirt fundraiser. See the link below to order yours now!
PTA Updates
Multicultural/International Night - Join us on Friday, February 23, from 6-7:30 PM! Learn about the many cultural traditions that make up our diverse school community and share your own! There's still time to sign up and enjoy cultural displays, delicious food and drinks, activities, student performances and PRIZES. Families are welcome to host a showcase table, contribute a favorite food, perform, or simply join in an enriching night. All Sherwood students and families are welcome at this free event! Sign up to volunteer or RSVP here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4FAEAE2EA0F8C34-47054013-sesmulticultural#/
Restaurant night at Chipotle on March 6th! - Take a night off from cooking and support Sherwood Elementary with our Chipotle restaurant night, on Wednesday, March 6th from 5-9pm! Any orders made either in-person or through the official Chipotle app/website during that time period (from the Olney Chipotle) will earn money for the Sherwood PTA. If using the app/website, please use the promo code QJRAGCV; if ordering in-person, just mention Sherwood Elementary School when you check out. Also, keep an eye out for more information about a Parents' Night Out at Olney Winery, coming in March!
Glow Run - Save the date for this year's Glow Run, hosted by the PTA on Friday, April 12th from 5:30-8pm! We will have a DJ, fundraising opportunities, food trucks, and of course lots of glowing fun! Sponsorship opportunities are also available. More details to come!
STEM Fair - Save the date for our STEM Fair on May 2nd! More details to come soon!
Pre-order your 2023-2024 Yearbook! All orders received on or BEFORE February 29, 2024 are $25.00; orders received on/after March 1, 2024 are $28.00. Order today and guarantee your child a yearbook. We only order a few extra yearbooks over the number of pre-sold orders. It will be a collection on the best candid photos, group photos, individual portraits of all students and faculty and pictures of all your special friends having fun while they learn. Order here: https://sherwoodelem.memberhub.com/store/items/882128
Teacher and Staff Favorites and Wishlists - Interested in showing our amazing Sherwood staff how much you appreciate them? We now have staff favorites and classroom wish lists available for you to view online! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1q88VagFCFKP3vVJjqGuj2WQelWTh-FBZ7tmoAZctLXU/edit?fbclid=IwAR3t_NWfsww_q5RIR9Qhd7Iy7BuJ5mozBNuxTnV5bdZFKvrEHGcBerBeMfM#slide=id.g27dff308c6d_0_75
Please consider joining the PTA! Your membership helps the students in our school, assists toward school-wide events, supports our school faculty, and helps improve our school facility. Your membership is greatly appreciated! You can join by scanning the QR code below, or by visiting https://sherwoodelem.memberhub.com/store/items/709844.
Potential Virtual Instruction During Future Snow Days (Code Purple)
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) continues to improve its process for informing the community when weather requires an operational status change and if any closure might justify a shift to virtual instruction. Our six operational status options are detailed in our Emergency Information. It is important that students experience as few learning disruptions as possible. For that reason, MCPS will consider a transition to virtual learning when schools are closed due to inclement weather utilizing the following guidelines. These are days when the district would otherwise determine that a system closure would be needed for safety reasons.
On inclement weather days, there are various options for the school system’s operating status, including closure and virtual. If the decision is Code Purple then we will move to Virtual Learning.
Transitioning to virtual learning is considered when:
- The impacting event is predictable
- The impacting event is part of a multi-day scenario (blizzard etc.), or
- Prior preparation and communication with families, students, and staff has taken place
More information can be found at the following link: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/virtual-learning/
Sherwood Code Purple Information
In the event of a code purple day(s), Sherwood Elementary School will run a 2-hour delay schedule.
- The school day would run from 11:25am-3:55pm.
- A visual schedule and zoom links would be sent to all families and posted online.
- A schoolwide lunch break will occur from 12:00pm-12:30pm to align with other cluster schools.
- Chromebooks will be sent home to all K-5 students the day before any code purple day.
Requesting Chromebooks or Mi-Fi Devices
Students, parents, and MCPS staff can use this form to request a home use Chromebook for MCPS students who do not have access to a personal or home device and are attending a school, and grade level, returning to a classroom Chromebook cart model. When a request for a device is fulfilled, it will be pre-assigned in the inventory system, and the device will be delivered to the school for distribution to the student. The home use device is to be kept at home. Requesting the device implies consent of use in accordance with MCPS policy (IGT-RA) and acknowledgement that the Chromebook, software, and issued peripherals are owned by MCPS.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdDNdqO31soXKLffjcEzgVQ9C2Z2koPm6ifKm7-K77e44ZhAg/viewform
Los estudiantes, los padres y el personal de MCPS pueden usar este formulario para solicitar un Chromebook de uso doméstico para los estudiantes de MCPS que no tengan acceso a un dispositivo personal o doméstico y vienen asistiendo a una escuela y nivel de grado, volviendo a un modelo de carro de Chromebooks del salón de clases. Cuando se completa una solicitud de un dispositivo, se se asignará con anticipación en el sistema de inventario y el dispositivo se entregará a la escuela para que se distribuya al estudiante. El dispositivo de uso en el hogar deberá mantenerse en el hogar. Solicitar el dispositivo implica el consentimiento de su uso, de acuerdo con la política de MCPS (IGT-RA), y el reconocimiento de que el Chromebook, el software y los periféricos emitidos son de propiedad de MCPS.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdDNdqO31soXKLffjcEzgVQ9C2Z2koPm6ifKm7-K77e44ZhAg/viewform
Please contact Mr. Jefferson directly to request a Mi-Fi device for home use to connect to the internet.
Winter Season and Health Reminders
As we move into the winter weather season, MCPS aims to ensure you are kept up-to-date with timely and accurate information about weather-related delays, closures and early dismissals.
MCPS has six operational status options, which are reported by easy-to-understand, color-coded messages on the main page of the MCPS website, and this information is linked to each school website. Read more.
Health Guidance for Staying Home When Sick: Staying home when sick is important to keep our school community healthy. But how sick is too sick to go to school? Check out this guide from the National Association for School Nurses to help determine when.
Reporting Attendance and Main Office Updates
Please use the link below to report absences to the main office. Parents and caregivers may also email teachers to provide updates as needed.
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/sherwoodes/absence/
Main office secretaries and contact information:
Administrative Secretary - Louise Rampersaud louise_j_rampersaud@mcpsmd.org
Attendance Secretary - Christina Sierra christina_m_sierra@mcpsmd.org
Arrival and Carpool Safety
Some general reminders to help everything work safely and efficiently.
- Please pull all the way up to the end of the carpool lane to allow as many cars as possible to pick up or drop off at once.
- When entering the driveway, please be patient and take turns with cars turning from the left and the right. Please be extra careful turning left onto route 108 when exiting the parking lot.
- When crossing the crosswalk, please wait for the hand signals from staff that the carpool lane is safe to cross.
- Please do not enter the bus loop lane during arrival or dismissal.
- During the day, please do not park in the bus loop from 11:30am-12:30pm due to bus pickups.
- Please do not block any of the lanes.
- After 9:25, students need to be signed in at the main office by a parent or caregiver.
2024-2025 School Year Calendar
MCPS has approved the calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. Please use the link below to access the traditional school year calendar for next year.
Looking for Parent Volunteers for Lunch, Recess, and the Shark Supercenter
For those who have been trained, the two Sign Up Genius's (one for lunch/ recess and the other for Shark Supercenter) have been updated with January dates.
If you haven't taken the training, please sign up for the MyMCPS Classroom Course here: https://mcpsmd.instructure.com/enroll/36HMFY
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Vaughn-Smith at matthew_d_vaughn-smith@mcpsmd.org
Afterschool Programs at Sherwood Elementary
Please see the list below of afterschool activities currently offered at Sherwood Elementary School by external vendors. Sherwood ES and the Sherwood PTA do not directly run the clubs. Parent volunteers help coordinate the activities and are present during after school activity days to assist with logistics and attendance. If you are interested in volunteering to support afterschool activities, please email Mr. Jefferson at: jason_a_jefferson@mcpsmd.org
SES FALL 2023 AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
*Any scholarship/ financial assistance opportunities you would need to reach out to the company directly.
Tuesday
Indoor Soccer: 4-5pm
Company: Little Stars Soccer
January 9- February 27
$160
Grades K-2
Registration link:
Thursday
Indoor Soccer: 4-5pm
Company: Little Stars Soccer
January 11-February 29
$160
Grades 3-5
Registration link:
Friday
Daily Schedule including Recess and Lunch
Please see the schedule below for daily times for recess and lunch by grade level and program.
This year, recess is before lunch to encourage students to eat a full healthy lunch. Recess and lunch have also been expanded by 5 minutes to give students a full 30 minutes after transitioning from different locations.
During the recess blocks where grades 1 and 2, or grades 3 and 4 are together, students will rotate between the playgrounds, blacktop, and field areas throughout the week.
Transportation Information
Phone: 240-740-2606
Email: Gregory_R_Walker@mcpsmd.org
Cafeteria Updates and Purchasing School Meals
Overview
Free Meals are No Longer Available for ALL Students, due to the end of Federal USDA waivers.
Meal Prices for School Year 2023-2024:
Breakfast for All Schools: $1.30
Elementary Lunch: $2.55
MySchoolBucks is an optional service for parents to view recent purchases and make prepayments to your child’s cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch and a la carte meals via the Internet with a credit/debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families. By creating a secure online account, parents can manage their child’s account.
MySchoolBucks instructions:
English | español | 中文 | français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ
Free and Reduced Meals
Students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on household size and income.
They may also qualify if they are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Medicaid benefits.
Families may apply for meal benefits by completing an Application for Free and Reduced-price Meals for the current school year.
Students who qualify for reduced-price meals will eat for free!
Apply online for free and reduced meals at MySchoolApps.com (translations available on the website) Click here for an English video tutorial.
Special Meal Plans
Does your child require a special meal plan, related to a medical condition or food allergy? You must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Website: http://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/food-and-nutrition/meal-payments/#FARMS
Saturday School
Saturday School provides academic tutoring and instruction with certified
teachers in a nurturing and supportive environment. The program is
aligned with the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) curriculum.
This support is offered every Saturday.
MCPS students Grades K through 12 may attend after registering for
Saturday School for $85 per year ($40 for students who receive FARMS).
Website: saturdayschool.org
Health Room Information
Health room staff plan to be available beginning August 23, 2023. Forms may be submitted over the summer by:
a) Emailing to Lisa Rocco, Health Room Tech at lisa_j_rocco@mcpsmd.org
b) Fax: 301-924-3294
c) Mail: 1401 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
d) Drop off to the health room beginning August 23, 2023
Please Note: - Health room staff will NOT be monitoring health forms sent to the nurse's email and/or school over the summer; forms will be reviewed when health staff return in August 2023.Commonly Used Forms Included Below:
Medication Authorization Form,
Running Calendar
CALENDAR- NEW INFO IN BOLD
January
1/23 - Winter Concert at Sherwood ES
1/29 - No School for Students - Professional Day
February
2/19 - No School for Students and Teachers - President's Day
March
3/1 - Early Release Day for Students
3/25-3/29 - Spring Break
April
4/1 - No School for Students and Teachers
4/10 - No School for Students - Professional Day
4/22 - No School for Students - Professional Day
May
5/14 - No School for Students and Teachers - Primary Election Day
5/27 - No School for Students and Teachers - Memorial Day
June
6/13 - Early Release - Last Day of School