Eagles' News from the Lake
February 2025 Events and Celebrations
All Month:
Black History Month Observance and Celebrations
2/12: PTA Restaurant Night~Mama Lucia~4pm to 9pm
2/14: Class Valentine’s Day Celebrations (details below)
2/17: No School (Holiday)
2/18-21~SGA Spirit Week
2/28: Early Release Day (Scholars dismissed at 12:55 PM)
March 2025
3/4: In-person PTA Meeting 7:00-8:00 pm (Media Center)
3/31: End of Marking Period 3
February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the rich heritage, achievements, and contributions of Black individuals throughout history and in our world today. This year, we reflect on the resilience, brilliance, and impact of Black leaders, artists, scientists, educators, and trailblazers who have shaped our society.
At Lakewood ES, we are committed to fostering an inclusive community where every scholar sees themselves in history and feels empowered to build the future. Throughout the month, we encourage meaningful conversations, learning experiences, and celebrations.
We invite you to take a few moments to complete our short, anonymous survey to share your feedback about your family's experiences at Lakewood Elementary from August 2024 to now.
Your input is invaluable and plays a crucial role in shaping decisions that benefit our student-scholars, families, and staff. We are committed to listening to your perspectives and using your insights to foster a positive, inclusive, and thriving school environment.
Thank you for partnering with us and ensuring your voice is heard. Together, we can continue to grow and strengthen our school community.
Online registration for kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, 3 Feb. Children who will be 5 years old by 1 Sept. 2025 are eligible to register. Registration will be online through the ParentVUE portal. If your family is new to MCPS, you will need to create a ParentVue account here. For more information about eligibility and the registration process, visit the MCPS Kindergarten Enrollment webpage or our school at 240-740-3545. Current Lakewood families please encourage friends and neighbors to register sooner than later. Thanks in advance.
2025 is the Year of the Snake! January 29th marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year! The Year of the Snake symbolizes wisdom, transformation, and intuition. In many cultures, the snake is celebrated for its intelligence, elegance, and adaptability, making this a perfect time to embrace curiosity, growth, and thoughtful learning.
To make this celebration meaningful, our scholars will enjoy engaging media presentations and explore books that highlight the rich traditions and significance of the Lunar New Year. These learning experiences will help deepen their understanding of this joyous holiday.
We wish all of our Lakewood families a joyful and prosperous Lunar New Year! May this year bring wisdom, harmony, and success to everyone in our community. Happy New Year!
Celebrate With US!
We are excited to announce our cherished Valentine’s Day celebrations, which will take place on Friday, 14 February 2025 from 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm. These events are a special opportunity for our school community to come together, celebrate, and create lasting memories for our scholars.
To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone, please adhere to the following schedule:
2:00–2:15: Parents arrive to set up in classrooms.
2:15–3:05: Class celebrations commence.
3:05–3:15: Parents, children, and staff clean the space and prepare for dismissal.
3:15–3:20: Parents leave the classroom as dismissal begins at 3:25.
We kindly ask for your cooperation in sticking to these times to help us maintain smooth instructional flow and operational efficiency throughout the day.
Thank you for helping to make this event a meaningful and joyful experience for our scholars. We look forward to celebrating together!
We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to share information about the upcoming Winter MAP and DIBELS testing, which will take place after the winter break and conclude by 28 January 2025.
Grades K-2: Scholars will take the MAP Primary (MAP P) and DIBELS assessments.
Grades 3-5: Scholars will take the MAP Reading (MAP R) and Math (MAP M) assessments to evaluate their progress in these subjects.
Your child’s homeroom teacher will provide specific testing dates and details.
Additionally, our Emergent Multilingual Learners will participate in the WIDA ACCESS testing to measure English language proficiency. This testing will run throughout January and close on 18 February 2025, starting on or around 8 January 2025. The makeup window is 19 February 2025 thru 4 March 2025.
For more information about the WIDA ACCESS test, click here.
Thank you for your continued support of our scholars. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
As the temperatures drop, we want to remind families that scholars will have outdoor recess whenever weather permits. Please ensure your child comes to school dressed appropriately for winter weather, including coats, hats, and any other necessary cold-weather gear.
If your child is missing any winter items, don’t forget to check our Lost and Found! It’s a great time to reclaim any lost coats, hats, or other belongings.
Fresh air and outdoor play are essential for our scholars’ well-being, even in the colder months.
Thank you for helping them stay warm and ready to enjoy their time outside!
Effective December 4, 2024, MCPS will be disabling and collecting older Acer model Chromebooks because they have reached end-of-life and should no longer be in use.
The models being retired include the Acer C720, C740, C738, and C771.
These Acer devices are currently being used in limited settings, including for home use and to run kiosks or signage in schools.
Students currently using one of the listed Acer Chromebook models should return their device to Mrs. McCaffrey in the Media Center.
Students who need a device for home use can submit a request for a new device by completing the Home Use form.
To avoid a disruption in access to a device while at home, students should complete the form prior to devices being disabled on December 4, 2024.
Please take a moment to update your child’s emergency contact information in Synergy-ParentVue. This is essential for both daily operations and in case of emergencies. Below are key points to remember:
Ensure all emergency contacts are current in Synergy, including parents and caregivers.
All individuals listed as contacts must have a valid ID when picking up scholars.
During a Parent-Child Reunification (PCR) process in the event of an emergency, we will only release scholars to individuals on the contact list with proper identification.
Keeping this information up-to-date is crucial to ensuring the safety and smooth dismissal of scholars, both in routine and emergency situations. Thank you for your attention and cooperation-much appreciated!
We've noticed an increase in the use of smartwatches during the school day. Per MCPS policy, shared in our Lakewood Elementary Community Playbook, smartwatches are considered personal mobile devices and should not be on or have mobile services activated during school hours. Scholars are not permitted to make calls during the school day nor should photos be taken from personal mobile devices. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a focused learning environment!
The Restorative Approaches Unit has created a resources hub for parents and caretakers. The hub is located in a canvas classroom. Please click the link to enroll. We hope you find the resources helpful. At Lakewood, we implement Zones of Regulations and Community Building Circles daily throughout the learning day.
MCPS is implementing the use of the Remind app for schools. Communication, such as text messages, email or phone calls can be selected in a preferred language. Lakewood ES is up and running! Be sure to download the app today!
Parents
Letter for Parents
Click on the button below to access the new Meal Viewer for Lakewood
Additionally, to learn more about the MySchoolBucks online payment system, which helps you manage your child’s meal account.
Lakewood PTA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Lakewood PTA Meeting
Time: Feb 3, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 938 6311 3881
Passcode: 701963
Please donate your gently used clothing and shoes. You will see the yellow bin near our entrance to the parking lot. This is a positive way to contribute to the environment and community. Partnering with Planet Aid makes it all so easy! Lakewood earns 10 cents per pound and will use this money for scholars and staff. Planet Aid accepts clothing, shoes, and other textiles (for example, bedding, towels, and curtains). This means that there is no need to separate items based on their condition. Even items that are stained, torn, or frayed can be recycled, so drop off your worn-out items, too! The only articles of clothing we cannot accept are those that are dirty, wet, or moldy.Thank you in advance.
Dr. Kelly, Principal
Yours in Partnership.
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakewoodes/
Location: 2534 Lindley Terrace, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
Phone: 240.740.5750
Twitter: @PrincipalLES5