RES Rocket Weekly

Dear RES Families and Students,

This is our last week of school... and although it has not ended in a way we ever imagined, we want to thank you for sharing your most precious item with us - your child(ren).

Please be sure to check out ClassDojo and visit our RES Rocket Weekly this week as we take a walk down memory lane and virtually acknowledge events that had been scheduled for this week!

• Monday at 11:45 a.m.: Celebrating our 5th Graders
• Tuesday at 9:45 a.m.: Traditional Kickball Game
• Wednesday at 10 a.m.: Honoring our Pre-K Students AM Students PM Students
• Thursday at 9:30 a.m.: Honoring our 5th Grade Students
• Thursday at 1:00 p.m.: Message from our staff to our 5th Graders
• Thursday at 1:45 p.m.: Our "last" wave goodbye

As previously shared, families and students will be on site this week to drop off and return materials. Due to the current restrictions related to COVID-19, this will be done in a very strict and organized fashion. All CDC guidelines will be followed. CDC Guidelines linked here. Please read the entire contents of this letter and follow all instructions and times. If you have any questions regarding the collection of these items, please email Mrs. Batelka (hkbatelka@smcps.org).

You may drop off and collect student materials only during the time frame in which your student's grade has been assigned (see schedule below). If you have several students attending Ridge Elementary School, please plan on picking up materials for all of your students during the day/time assigned for your oldest student. If you cannot make the time slot given to you, please contact Mrs. Goddard.

Although the need for efficiency will prevent the opportunity for long conversations, we would love for you to bring your student(s) along for the "drive-thru" so we have the opportunity to see their faces, wave, and wish them our very best.

Below is specific information regarding the drop-off and collection of materials. Please take the time to thoroughly read the information. This information may also be accessed by clicking here.

When dropping off your items, you must wear a mask and remain in your vehicle the entire time you are on the Ridge Elementary School campus. This is to protect your safety and the safety of those around you.

Station #1: Bus Lane Entrance (Station Leader - Safety Security Personnel)

• Families will be directed to park in the parking lot (pulling into the bus lanes - 2 vehicles in each bus spot as directed by Station #2 Staff).

Station #2: Bus Lanes (Station Leader - Mrs. Cox)

• Station #2 Staff will direct families to park 2 vehicles in each bus spot (beginning with Lane 1 - Lane 11)

• Families will provide Station Leader #2 their student’s homeroom teacher and student’s name.

• Station Leader #2 will radio the homeroom teacher name(s) and student name(s) to Station Leaders #3 and #4.

• Station Leader #2 will tell the parents when to go into the parent drop-off loop (Station #3)

Station #3: Parent-Drop-Off Loop (Station Leader - Mrs. Batelka)

• Parents will pull up to the parent drop-off loop.

• Parents will drop off any materials through the vehicle window. (Designated tables will be set up for media books, instruments, instructional materials, and any other things.)

• Station #4 staff will bring out the belongings for each student and place them on a table.

• Station #3 staff will hand belongings to the parents through the window.

Station #4: Gym (Station Leader - Mrs. Miller)

• Storage location for all student belongings

If you have several students attending Ridge Elementary School, please plan on picking up materials for all of your students during the day/time assigned for your oldest student's grade.

If someone other than a parent or guardian will be dropping off or picking up materials, please notify Mrs. Goddard bdgoddard@smcps.org).

Instructional Materials

• Students are to keep all consumables (workbooks they write in) at home; these belong to the students.
• Please return all other instructional textbooks, reading books, and materials that may have been sent home prior to our school closure.

Media Books

• Please return any media books students may have at home. Several media books have been located in classrooms and will be checked into the system once Mrs. Deeney is on site.
• If you're unsure if a media book has been checked out to your student(s), don't worry! Mrs. Deeney will follow-up with individual families via ClassDojo once she has been able to verify what has been collected on site.
• Arrangements, as needed, will be made for Media Books to be retuned in the next couple of weeks.

SMCPS Instruments

• Please return any Band/Strings Instruments that were borrowed from Mr. Earley.
• Some instruments were located on site and those have been returned.
• Families should email Mr. Earley if they have specific questions regarding the instruments needing to be returned.

Safety Patrol Belts

• Please return all neon green/yellow belts that our 5th Graders used this past school year.

Yearbooks delivered to the school will be included in the student belongings being returned.

Mrs. Morrison has been following up with parents to individually arrange a time to come and pick up the medications. Only parents/guardians will be permitted to pick up medication.

SMCPS issued laptops may be returned beginning this week. Families may return them when on site this week when returning and picking up materials. Mrs. Batelka will follow-up with individual families as needed next week if laptops are not returned this week.

With the completion of the last full week of school this year Mrs. Simmons wanted to recognize and thank all the students who sent in a PE log during the distance learning time!

All traditional awards (3rd and 4th Marking Periods) will be mailed home with Report Cards.

4th Marking Period Awards Assembly will be done virtually at the end of June.

• The 4th Marking Period will be graded Pass/Incomplete based on students’ participation and progress in the online platforms, or paper packets as appropriate.
• Teachers are monitoring progress in the online platforms and are aware of the students who have received paper packets.
• The weighting of the 4th marking period grades in the final grade calculation will be determined based on the date of school reopening.

5th Grade recording of a student’s “participation and progress” in HAC in the 4th quarter will be captured as follows:

• Teachers will only use TAC/HAC as a recordation device for auditing purposes for each student’s “participation and progress.”

• Students receive one of the following alpha marks each week during MP4 that schools are closed. They are as follows:

• P – Participated,

• NP – Not Participated,

• PCC – Packet Check-In Completed, and

• NPCC – No Packet Check-In Completed.

The Division of Instruction presented the plan for grading during this fourth quarter to the Board of Education on Wednesday, April 29. The presentation can be viewed HERE on our YouTube Channel.

The Imagine Learning platform will be open for elementary students until August 15, 2020.

After that date we will roll over to the new school year and students will no longer have access to the 2019-2020 content in the platform.

Please take advantage of the summer reading program at your public library!

Also, check out these special events and activities!

Click here for the Imagine Your Story Challenge below!

Throughout this period of extended school closure, St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS) is providing continuous opportunities for learning.

This is not our normal way of doing business, so there are many questions. We will provide ongoing updates for these questions.

• Click here for the SMCPS Update 10 (June 11, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 9 (June 4, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 8 (May 28, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 7 (May 21, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 6 (May 14, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 5 (May 7, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 4 (April 30, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 3 (April 22, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 2 (April 16, 2020)
• Click here for the SMCPS Update 1 (April 9, 2020)

• June 12 was the final day for Pre-K/HeadStart.
  
• June 18 is the last day for students.
  

SMCPS meal preparation and distribution sites have been approved to reopen for full-service food preparation and distribution. St. Mary’s County Public Schools will resume no-contact, drive-up lunch service Thursday, June 4, 2020, and continue service through June 18, 2020, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily.

Meals will be provided at:

• Leonardtown Elementary School
• Greenview Knolls Elementary School
• Margaret Brent Middle School
• Lexington Park Elementary School

Meals will be offered to all children 18 years and younger free of charge. Parents and children can drive up to these locations and receive meals that they can take home during current school closures. For questions regarding the lunch service program, please email foodservice@smcps.org.

The Department of Social Services has launched a local Food Hotline for residents needing assistance with food supply and can be accessed by calling 240-895-7000.

For additional community resources, please visit the St. Mary’s County Government Community Resource map.

For more information visit our website.

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) provides nutrition assistance to families whose children have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to COVID-19 related school closures.

Families will receive money on a new or existing EBT card to help make up for these lost meals.

For information visit https://www.mdhungersolutions.org/pebt

Offering several different items to show your RES Pride all year!

Orders may be made at any time and most items come in a variety of color combinations.

If a paper copy is needed to place an order please contact the RES Main Office and one will be sent home.

Please click here to access the site.

Please follow us: @res_smcps. We will be using Twitter for updates and reminders as well as a means of showcasing for everyone all of our Ridge Pride!