CES Weekly Smore

Dear Concord Family,

Thank you for another great week! Our students are really starting to settle in and learn their routines. Next week will be our first full week! There is a lot of information in this Smore. If you are pressed for time click here to access our 30 second Smore. For your convenience this Smore is organized with the following information.

• Home and School Association
• MAP Assessment
• Drop Off and Pick Up
• Bus Expectations
• The Clothes Bin
• Kids Night Out
• School Supplies
• Upcoming Dates and Reminders
• Toys
• Before and After Care
• Lunch Program
• School Time
• Pick up and Drop Off Procedures
• Bus Information
• Nursing Information

We know this is a lot of information. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions at all.

Dr. Adam Penning (pennina@garnetvalley.org)

Mr. Talley (talleys@garnetvalley.org)

Save the date for our first annual Fall Festival!

On Saturday, October 5th from 3-6 pm Concord Elementary HSA will kick off fall with bounce houses, games, crafts, hay rides, food trucks, and more!!

Plan to bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun with your Concord friends!

If you can help in any way, please see the attached flyer for ways to support!

See you there!

Library Readers

Looking for a way to interact with your child and their class during the school day? Be a library reader! During students' library time, guest readers come in for about 15 minutes to read books to the class.

For more information, please click here.

To sign up, use the following links per grade. Please look for your student's teacher at the top of the page to sign up for the correct class.

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

Dear CES Families,

Within the window of September 9th- September 20th, your child will take part in the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) benchmark and growth assessment during class. Benchmark assessments provide our teachers with information about a student’s current academic levels in relation to grade-level standards. The MAP assessment is unique in that it measures both achievement and growth. Teachers use MAP scores to meet students at their current academic level, tailor classroom lessons and instruction to support students’ academic growth, and set goals for students. The MAP assessment is non-evaluative and will not be used for grading or reflected in the progress report. To learn more, please visit the MAP Parent Toolkit or the Family Guide to MAP.

Below you will find more information regarding the administration of the assessment and other FAQs.

Sincerely,

Dr. Penning and Mr. Talley

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do MAP assessments take place now?

This testing experience means we can act on information quickly and track progress in areas of need. MAP provides a more complete picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn. These results will help us monitor students’ growth throughout the year and support their skills and math mindset.

When will my child take the MAP Assessment?

Students will take the MAP Assessment at school during the window of 9/11-10/6 with their classroom teachers.

What will my child need for the assessment?

Your child will need their charged iPad and a set of headphones.

Is this a timed test?

No, the MAP Growth assessment is not a timed test. We are providing two days for each cohort to ensure a large testing window for students to complete the test. If a student needs more time, the teacher will coordinate a makeup time and date.

Do MAP scores count toward students’ grades?

The intention of the MAP assessments is to help teachers meet students at their instructional level and support them in their academic growth. Student performance on MAP will not be reflected in a grade.

What if my child is absent during a testing day?

If your child is absent, he/she will make up the test at a time coordinated by the teacher on a given make-up day.

Drop Off/Pick Up

Hi Families,

Thank you for helping make the first week of school a wonderful experience for all of the children. The staff at Concord appreciates your patience and flexibility as we get into our routine for both arrival and dismissal in the car line. We recognize that this process has taken a little longer than we would hope, but we know that as we get further into the year this should speed up. The following are reminders to help make this process as smooth as possible:

• Car line side door will open at 8:40 each day, and close at 8:55

• Please pull forward to the first staff member before preparing to let your child out

• Please remain in your car, staff will assist your child out of the car

• If you arrive after 8:55, you will need to walk your child to the main entrance at the front of the building

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to a great year.

We are excited to introduce a new initiative at Concord Elementary School in partnership with Clothes Bin, a locally-owned company dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability while supporting our school. Clothes Bin provides a FREE, no-work, 24/7/365 recycling bin that will be conveniently located in Concord's parking lot.

This program offers multiple benefits to our community:

• Recycling Made Easy: The Clothes Bin allows you to recycle unwanted clothing, shoes, and textiles in any condition, keeping them out of landfills and contributing to a greener environment.

• Fundraising for Our School: Every item you recycle directly benefits our school. Concord

If you have items to recycle please consider using on Clothes Bin.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Concord Elementary School, will be able to serve students a school breakfast at no charge.

This change is only applicable to the School Breakfast Program in the 2024-2025 school year and does not affect a student’s eligibility status for lunch (free, reduced, and paid, respectively)

• September 2 - Labor Day: Schools & Offices Closed
• September 10 - HSA Meeting

We understand that our students are excited to share their favorite items like Pokémon cards, yo-yos, and other toys with their friends. However, these items often get lost or damaged at school. To avoid any disappointment, we kindly ask that toys remain at home.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

The Garnet Valley School District uses Infofinder for student transportation schedules. InfoFinder provides online access to assist in finding your child’s bus number, pick-up/drop-off locations, and times. Infofinder bus information will be turned on Thursday, August 15th by end of the day. Any questions please email transportation @ transoffice@garnetvalley.org

Infofinder I bus information will be turned on Thursday August 15th by end of day -- Infofinder I

*During the beginning weeks of school, pick-up/drop-off times will be adjusted. We ask parents/guardians to check Infofinder periodically during the first weeks of school.

The 2024-2025 Before and After Care sign up is open now -- Before and Aftercare Form

My School Bucks is a secure online platform that allows parents to easily manage and monitor their child's school-related expenses. With My School Bucks, you can make online payments for school meals, view your child's account balance, and set up automatic payments for recurring expenses. Access or setup your MySchoolBucks account.

More information on our Food Services can be found here.

For pick up and drop off we ask that you follow the procedures on the map below. Any student being dropped off should follow the red arrows. Our buses follow the yellow arrows.

Drop off time 8:40-8:55.

Pickup time 3:30-3:45.

Please update your child's SNAP Health Portal (directions below). This needs to be completed each year for your child's medical history as well as OTC medication administration permission.

SNAP Directions can be found here.

"Where caring and learning go hand in hand."

Website: garnetvalleyschools.com
Location: 114 Station Road, Glen Mills, PA, United States
Phone: 610-579-6100
Facebook: facebook.com/ConcordElementarySchool-GVSD
Twitter: @ConcordGV