The Greencastle Gazette
A Message from Mrs. Dean
Happy Fourth Week of School!
Here is some important information for you to review this week:
1. Attendance Reminders: MCPS remains committed to working closely with families to support student attendance. A message will be automatically sent when a student is absent for three, five, and 10 days during the marking period. Remember, school staff are always available to help remove any barriers to your children’s attendance.
- Students in the Portables must report to the office if they are late. Please do not send your student straight to the portable and bypass the office.
2. Back-to-School Night Presentations: If you missed Back-to-School Night, don't worry! We will upload the class/grade level presentation to our website by Thursday, September 19th.
3. Grade-Level Newsletters: Grade level newsletters will start coming home this week now that we've hosted Back-to-School Night. These newsletters will inform families of instructional content, special events, testing schedules specific to your child's grade and important messages. Please keep an eye out for these newsletters and review them carefully to stay informed and involved in your child's education.
4. Extracurricular Activities at Greencastle: Check out our menu of activities and registration information at: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/greencastlees/ges-extracurricular-24-25/
- S.T.A.T. Performance After-School Activities Flyer: Register NOW, program starts on September 20th
5. Bees Nests Pesticide Notification: The portables are scheduled to receive pesticides to treat bees nest on September 13, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. See Emergency Notification to Parents, Guardians, and Staff of a Pesticide Application to School Grounds.
Thank you for your attention, and let’s make it another great week!
Mrs. Dean
Principal
September 15 - October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
Sunday, September 15 - Saturday, September 21: National 2024 Community School Coordinator Appreciation Week
Saturday, September 21: Annual Burtonsville Day Parade & Celebration
Friday, September 27: Early Release Day (Students dismiss @ 12:55 p.m.)
Tuesday, October 1: PTA Hybrid Meeting @6:30 p.m. & Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser Starts
Thursday, October 3: Non-Instructional Day (NO SCHOOL)
Friday, October 18: Professional day for all staff; No School for Students
Monday, November 4: Grading and Planning for the end of term; No School for Students
Tuesday, November 5: General Election Day—Schools and offices closed; No School for Students
Here is a link with information about Remind. The Remind tool will allow families to receive and send translated messages on any device - even a simple text message from your mobile phone!
MCPS created Remind accounts for all teachers, staff, parents, and students ages 13 and above using data from Synergy. I encourage you to watch the Getting Started with Remind Video and review the MCPS Parent Remind Quick Guide to get more specific tips on how to use Remind.
Translated Remind Quick Guides
English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Amharic, Korean
Important Vaccination Requirements
All school age children must provide documentation of required vaccinations or a permitted exemption. Maryland State law requires all Maryland students new to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and those entering Grade 7 provide documentation of required, age-appropriate vaccinations or a medical or religious exemption. This documentation is required within 20 calendar days from their date of admission.
Students who have not received their vaccinations may enter school if they provide evidence of an appointment to be vaccinated by Monday, September 16, 2024, (or 20 calendar days from their day of admission) must be excluded from school until such documentation is provided.
Please see the list of required vaccination here - Back to School Immunizations Requirements
Our school is fortunate to receive supplemental funding through Title I, a federal grant program for schools that serve communities with students who have high economic needs. The federal legislation that establishes Title I regulations is known as the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). ESSA requires Montgomery County Public Schools to inform you that you have the right to request information about the professional licensure qualifications of your child’s teacher, long-term substitute teacher, or paraeducator (formerly titled instructional assistant).
If you wish to request licensure information about your child’s teacher, paraeducator, or long-term substitute teacher, please submit a written request to the principal at your school. Your written inquiry may include information about the following qualifications:
• Degree status and subject area of licensure.
• State of Maryland licensure status, including conditional licensure status.
• Qualifications of paraeducators or long-term substitute teachers who may be working with
your student.
Your request will be forwarded to OHRD and you will receive a written response from that office
within thirty (30) business days.
Please contact the principal if you have any questions.
BIG NEWS! We are on the road to meeting our goal of 100 PTA members by October. Have you joined the PTA? If not, you can join online by clicking on the Greencastle ES PTA Store.
Also, Spirit Wear sale has been extended until September 20th! We strongly encourage online purchases. Be sure to grab some Greencastle swag so you’re ready for Spirit Week!
Registration is now open for Cheer Madness and Kaizen Karate. Spaces are limited, so register your kids ASAP if interested.
Fundraising Update: Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser will launch on Tuesday, October 1st. Stay tuned for more information. Be sure to follow us on our socials and stay up to date. To contact the PTA, email GreencastleesPTA@gmail.com
Instagram: Greencastle_PTA
Facebook: GreencastlePta
X: GreencastlePTA
Represent your ETHNIC HERITAGE @ the 2024 Annual Burtonsville Day Parade!!! Saturday, September 21st!
Come Dressed to Represent & Share the SITES & SOUNDS of your Native Culture; Bring the Exciting Energy of your Native Lands and Let's Dance & ENJOY as we Celebrate our Diversity and the Rich Cultural Fabric of our EAST COUNTY/NEC Community!
Parade Route starts at 10AM @ Paint Branch High School and Ends at 11AM @ Marilyn Praisner Recreation Center where an amazing Festival carries on till 3 & it's Free! Come out and line the parade route to see, celebrate and join in the fun!
NOW, if you want to BE IN THE PARADE and REALLY REPRESENT YOUR HERITAGE collectively please email us at parade@burtonsvilleday.org or register here https://forms.gle/oC1tF5UJpAQjEJp38 .
***SSL Hours available for students participating in the Sea of Solidarity Section of the Parade! Just show up wearing BLUE with your Crew to represent your school community. Ask your school and student leaders for more information on how to participate or email parade@burtonsvilleday.org!
Visit our updated school website to find updated information about general school policies and procedures pertaining to the opening of school. Please review this information with your student(s) to ensure a smooth beginning. Please continue to check our website regularly for more information at: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/greencastlees/