Falcon Family Weekly Newsletter
March 17, 2024
Dear Lakelands Park Middle School Families:
I would once again like to commend the cooperation of our staff, students, parents, and caretakers throughout the serious incident on Friday. When something like this happens, children may feel a range of emotions. We recommend that you take time today to listen to any further questions your child may have. You may wish to use the resource provided below.
Montgomery County Public Schools will work with the Lakelands Park staff to provide counseling and support resources for our students tomorrow. Students who need additional support should contact our school counseling office. Additionally, if you feel that your child would benefit from talking with our social worker or our school psychologist, please call us at the school and share your concerns.
The faculty and staff here at Lakelands Park thank you for your understanding during what may be a troubling and confusing time for our students. Please do not hesitate to call me at school at Lakelands Park with any questions.
This is a 5-day week. There is no school next week and on April 1st for Spring Break. School will resume on Tuesday, April 2nd. The Falcon Family Weekly Newsletter will be on hiatus next Sunday and return on Sunday, March 31st.
Advanced Orchestra Earns Excellent Rating
A huge congratulations goes out to the LPMS Advanced Orchestra for their work and dedication as they represented LPMS at Gaithersburg High School last Thursday! They impressed the judges from the stage and in the sight reading room and earned a rating of "Excellent!" We want to congratulate our Orchestra Falcons as well as our fabulous Orchestra teacher, Mr. Stuart. You make us proud!!
The week ahead...
- Falcon Flight Plan "Appropriately Use Devices" Week: Please encourage your child(ren) to keep cell phones off and away and to bring their fully charged Chromebook to school every day.
- On Monday, March 18th, before 1:30pm students whose families purchased Neal's Bagels on Friday should bring their receipts to the main office to be entered in a PTSA raffle.
- On Thursday, March 21st, the 8th grade will take their class panoramic picture. More information on ordering the picture will be sent home soon.
- On Friday, March 22nd, we will have a special schedule so that students will may take the Maryland School Survey in homerooms. Students who are absent on Friday, will automatically called for a make-up survey session following Spring Break.
- Also Friday, March 22nd, is the new deadline to complete the MCPS Culture and Climate Survey to tell us how we are doing at LPMS and in MCPS. As of last Thursday, 62 parents or caretakers had responded. We want to hear from you! See more details below.
- This is our final week of March MATHness IXL competition and we are continuing with Signs of Suicide lessons.
Other news and events in this issue...
- Order Your Yearbook Now. Price Increase April 1.
- Virtual Sessions on the MCPS CEO 2.0 Program, March 18 or 19
- Student Transfer Application (COSA) Open Until April 2
- BOE Seeking Community Feedback for the Next Superintendent
- Youth Climate Summit April 13
- Game Changer Conference Set for April 20; Essay Contest Deadline: April 10
- MCPS Earth Day SSL Opportunity, April 22
Thank you for your continued partnership in creating a community of belonging with high expectations for everyone.
Sincerely,
Rose Alvarez (she/her)
Principal
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LPMS Upcoming Events
MCPS Parent & Caretaker Survey: Deadline Extended to March 22
We want to hear from you! Time is almost up and as of last Thursday, we have had 62 parents or caretakers responded, that's only 6.2%. If you haven't responded yet, please do. The survey is available in many languages. Watch the video below for more details!
MCPS is inviting ALL students, staff and parents/caregivers to share your experiences and thoughts on academics, communication, and overall satisfaction with your school and the district and/or experience working at MCPS. Your input and insight is essential in helping us understand what is working well and areas of improvement. Your participation and any identifying information is completely confidential. The feedback collected will be used to inform decisions and help create a more supportive and enriching environment for students, staff, and families in our district. Click here to access more information about the surveys. This is the last week to complete the survey which now closes on March 22.
Note: LPMS students completed the student survey and a Wingspan survey on Friday, March 8 in Fly Time. Please ask your child to complete it if they have not done so already. They can find the link in their gmail or above.
IXL - Help Your Child Sharpen Their Math Skills
In an effort to help improve Math skills and help prepare students for the MAP-M test, MCPS has partnered with IXL to provide a platform for students to sharpen their math skills. IXL has skill plans that target Student's present MAP-M levels. They also offer practice problems and videos that align with our Illustrative Math curriculum. Students can access IXL through the Clever Portal under the MCPS Resources folder. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to our Math Content Specialist, Ms. Shaneé Satchell (shanee_d_satchell@mcpsmd.net).
Annual Signs of Suicide Training
Please read this letter for information on our annual Signs of Suicide (SOS) program for students. Counselors will provide the lessons during the month of March via science classes. We ask that parents, guardians, and caretakers review the information in the presentations linked below and/or watch the video below.
Plan for April 22 Asynchronous Learning Day
Monday, April 22 is now an asynchronous learning day and will be used as a make-up instructional day for all MCPS students. This means that April 22 will count as a school day but students will not attend school in-person or on Zoom. Instead they will complete assignments in each class in order to be marked present for April 22. Here is the plan for LPMS:
- Assignments will be posted to each class' Canvas (MyMCPS) page by April 19th entitled “April 22nd Asynchronous Learning Day Assignment.”
- Teachers will share expectations for assignments with their classes and provide any needed materials by April 19th
- Assignments for each class will take no more than 30 minutes. Given that students have 7 classes, excluding Fly Time, the work should take no more than 3.5 hours.
- Students will have 10 days following April 22 to complete the assignment in order to be marked present.
- If students need help with the assignment, they may ask their teachers during regular school hours starting on April 23.
- April 22 is professional development day for teachers and they will be engaged in their on learning. We ask that students and families refrain from emailing or contacting teachers on April 22, and wait until April 23 to ask questions. Thank you for your understanding.
LPMS Resources & Initiatives
School Cash Online
MCPS offers a School Cash Online payment system for parents and guardians to make payments for field trips, yearbooks, merchandise, and donations. If you have not registered and set up your account, we encourage you to do so today. Use this School Cash Online (SCO) link and follow the steps. Parent guides are linked below as well.
SCO Parent Guide (Español)
SCO - How to register
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (English)
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (Spanish)
District Initiatives & Messages
Virtual Session on the MCPS CEO 2.0 Program
The MCPS Office of Systemwide Safety and Emergency Management invites high school families to join an interactive virtual community engagement session to learn about the MCPS Community Engagement Officer (CEO) 2.0 program. This session offers an opportunity to learn about the program, ask questions and engage in meaningful conversation. Meetings take place between Monday, March 18 for Northwest Cluster and Tuesday, March 19 for Quince Orchard Cluster via Zoom from 6 p.m.–7 p.m. on assigned dates for each high school cluster.Families can learn more about each session here.
Career Day For Students Set For April 10, RSVP by April 1
MCPS will host a “Grow Your Own” career day from 9 a.m.–noon on Wednesday, April 10, at Northwest High School when students are off from school. High school students are invited to learn about job opportunities and careers available in Montgomery County and take advantage of on-the-spot job interviews. Please RSVP by April 1. Visit the Out-of-School-Time website to learn more about opportunities offered through the year.
Student Transfer Application Open Until April 2
The 2024-2025 Change of School Assignment (COSA) transfer season is open. The COSA process allows families to submit a request for their children to transfer out of their assigned home school. All COSA request applications must be submitted by Tuesday, April 2. Read full details.
BOE Seeking Community Feedback for the Next Superintendent
The Montgomery County Board of Education is launching a nationwide search for the next superintendent of MCPS, who will assume the role on July 1. The Board invites input from the community to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive search. The vital characteristics of the next superintendent will be collected through multiple channels including a general Feedback Form, a survey to Surveys to students, staff and families, which was released on March 13 and community engagement events during the first week of April on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday April 2, 3 and 4.
Prekindergarten and Head Start Registration Opens March 1
Prekindergarten and Head Start registration begins Friday, March 1, for the 2024-2025 school year. Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024, and families must be income-eligible to apply. Families can register their children online or in person. If your child was 4 on or before Sept. 1, 2023, you may still register for Prekindergarten/Head Start for the remainder of this school year. Click here for how to register.
For more information about eligibility guidelines, required documents or how to register online, call 240-740-4530 or visit the MCPS website.
District Upcoming Events
NACAC College Fair on March 19 and 20
The Montgomery County National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National College Fair will be on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19 and 20, at the Maryland SoccerPlex and Adventist Healthcare Fieldhouse in Germantown, from 9:45 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. for students in Grade 11. On Tuesday, the fair is open to all high school students and their families from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The free fair attracts representatives from approximately 300 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and internationally. Students will learn about college life, popular majors, admission criteria and much more. Visit here for more about the evening workshops.
Come Out to the Next Youth Climate Summit April 10
Attention middle and high school students! MCPS is hosting the 3rd annual Youth Climate Summit from 8:30 a.m.–3:35 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at Tilden Middle School. Read more.
Game Changer Conference Set for April 20; Essay Contest Deadline: April 10
Calling all parents/caregivers of young male students Grades 4-12! Register your student for the spring 2024 Game Changer conference and help empower and ignite their path to success. The conference will be held on Saturday, April 20, at the Universities at Shady Grove, 8 a.m–2 p.m. Transportation may be available through MCPS from your area. Registration closes Wednesday, April 3. Spaces are limited.
MCPS Earth Day SSL Opportunity, April 22
Build the first MCPS farm, and earn SSL hours while giving back to the Earth!
- Students may earn 4.5 SSL hours for participating. Breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided.
- To learn more, please click here.
District Opportunities & Resources
The Importance of Reading by Third Grade
Fifty years of national research has indicated that a student’s ability to read by the end of third grade is paramount to future success. Reading by Grade 3 is the second milestone on the MCPS Pathway to College, Career, and Community Readiness. Watch the video and learn more about steps parents can take to help their children at home.
FREE English Classes Available to MCPS Parents
The Class to Community (C2C) organization offers free English as a Second Language (ESL), GED and college prep, and digital literacy classes. Visit the C2C website for more information.
Summer RISE Host registration closes on March 22
The Department of Partnerships is seeking businesses, government agencies, higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations to host students for a minimum of 50 hours of in-person, virtual or hybrid experiences. Organizations must submit by March 22.
To The Point: The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
Watch the latest episode of To the Point to learn about the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and how it plans to positively impact MCPS and school systems across Maryland. Janine Bacquie, MCPS director of the Division of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, is the show’s featured guest. The Blueprint is landmark education legislation designed to transform public schools in the state of Maryland over a 10-year period. The Blueprint has designated five focus areas, or pillars, which are: Early Childhood Education, High-Quality and Diverse Teachers, College and Career Readiness, More Resources to Ensure All Students Are Successful, and Governance and Accountability.
Update On Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias
MCPS convened an action team to work with internal and external stakeholders to develop a Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias to build on the district’s foundation to combat incidents of hate-bias. This framework and group’s work will be shared with the Board of Education on Tuesday, March 19. Click here to watch a video message
Other Resources and Events
Google for Doodle Contest Deadline is March 22
Doodle for Google is holding its 16th annual art contest for students in grades K-12. Kids are invited to create their own Google Doodle for the chance to have it featured on Google.com, as well as win college scholarships and tech packages for their schools. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 21.
Montgomery Commission for Women and Montgomery Women to Host Free Virtual Career Seminar for Middle and High School Students
The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women will host “A Virtual Career Exploration for Her,” a free virtual career guidance session for middle and high school female students from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. The Zoom event is free, but registration is required. Register here. Students completing a brief survey at the event's conclusion can earn two hours of student service-learning (SSL) hours.
The event will offer an opportunity for middle and high school female students to begin exploring careers of their interest and that are non-traditional for women. “Women in Maryland earn about 87 percent of what men earn,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “In order to create more gender pay equity in the future, it is important that we provide career mentorship opportunities to young women in middle and high school now. I appreciate the effort of our Commission for Women during Women’s History Month to engage our next generation of leaders and provide them the tools and inspiration to make their own history.” Panel discussions will look at careers ranging from fire services, STEM careers, the law and entrepreneurship, and they will give students the opportunity to hear from professional women who will share their experiences, knowledge and education.
For more information about this event, contact Ijeoma Enendu at ijeoma.enendu@montgomerycountymd.gov or Carmen Kaarid at carmen.kaarid@montgomerycountymd.gov.
George B. Thomas Saturday School
MCPS Parent Academy
Gaithersburg Youth Club
LPMS Digital Handbook & Future Events
Future Events
Monday, March 25th - Monday, April 1st: No School, Spring Break
Wednesday, April 3rd: Soccer Games versus Ridgeview Middle at 3:20pm, girls at home, boys away
Tuesday, April 9th: Last day of Marking Period 3
Tuesday, April 9th: Soccer Games versus Kingsview Middle at 3:20pm, boys at home, girls away
Tuesday, April 9th: PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm
Wednesday, April 10th: No School, Professional day for grading and reporting
Thursday & Friday, April 11 & 12: English Language Arts MCAP testing for all students
Tuesday, April 17th: Isaac's Poultry Market PTSA Restaurant Night, 5 - 9 PM
Wednesday, April 18th: Marking Period 3 Report Cards available on Synergy ParentVue and StudentVue
Thursday, April 18th: Report Cards distributed at the end of the school day
Monday, April 22nd: Asynchronous Learning Day, no in-person or Zoom classes
Thursday, April 25th: Soccer Games versus Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, boys at home, girls away
Wednesday, May 1st: Soccer Games versus Poole Middle, girls at home, boys away
Monday-Friday, May 6th-10th: Staff Appreciation Week
Monday & Tuesday, May 6th & 7th: Social Studies MCAP testing for 8th graders
Tuesday, May 7th: Soccer Games versus Hallie Wells Middle, boys at home, girls away
Thursday, May 9th: Last day of after-school activity busses
Thursday & Friday, May 9th & 10th: Mathematics MCAP testing for all students
Tuesday, May 14th: No School, Primary Election Day
Wednesday, May 15th: Spring Orchestra & Jazz Concert
Thursday, May 16th: Spring Band Concert
Tuesday, May 21th: Spring Choral Concert
Wednesday, May 22th: 4th Marking Period Interim Reports Available on Synergy
Monday, May 27th: No School, Holiday
Friday, May 31st: Music Department Trip to Hershey Park
Tuesday, June 11th: 8th Grade Cruise & Evening Celebration
Thursday, June 13th: Last day of school, early release day
Monday, June 24th: Report cards mailed home
Planning ahead?
Click here to see the 2024-2025 MCPS Calendar for next school year.
Contacting Us
Email: Rose_S_Alvarez@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakelandsparkms/
Location: Lakelands Park Middle School, 1200 Main Street, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-6450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LPMSPTSA/