PANTHER PROGRESS

December 2024 Issue 5

Message From Our Administrators

Dear Lincoln Family,

Over these past four months, our students and staff have been putting forth huge efforts to meet grade level expectations. This is not an easy task, but our commitment continues to push high expectations to bring high achievement. We educate and elevate these expectations, but Lincoln cannot do it alone. As we exit 2024 and with only 15 school days in the month of December, your involvement and prioritization in your child’s learning will be a major determiner of future success.

Here is a recipe for success for your child:

• Making sure your child is getting 10-12 hours of sleep every night

• Arriving to school on time to establish consistent school routines

• Limiting screen time – both TV and devices

• Reading or being read to for 20 minutes a night

• Working on math skills/math facts

• Making sure you are looking at your child's weekly "Lincoln Learner Report," discussing it with your child, signing off and returning it so that the teacher knows that you've seen it

These outside/at-home efforts to reinforce the importance of learning will yield positive results. Year 2025 will bring a year of both GROWTH and PROFICIENCY = “GROFICIENCY!”

Together.

With DIGNITY and DETERMINATION,

Eric Rhodes - Principal

Mary Beth Smith - Assistant Principal

Crosby Blair - Community School Coordinator

Important December Dates

December 4: Picture makeup day

December 5: Panther Advisory Council 5 - 6pm (details below)

December 6: Space Pirates play performance at 7pm

December 7: Space Pirates play performance at 2pm

December 10: Multicultural Night (details below) 5 - 7pm

December 11 & 12: Dentist clinic (select students only)

December 12: Chorus Winter Concert at 6:30pm

December 17: Windsor Gardens Winter Holiday visit at 5pm

December 23 - January 1: No school (Winter Break)

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Our students are offered breakfast and lunch every day. Click the links below for this month's menu. For more information about FCPS food and nutrition, visit the FCPS nutrition website.

December Learning

Select the link below to check out what your child/children will be learning this month! Grading polices for grades PK-1, grades 2-5, and Encore classes are also included: December Learning

Events in the commUNITY

C. Burr Artz Public Library: December program

Dec. 10, 12 & 17: Mystery of the Christmas Star showings at the ESSL

Dec. 13 - 15: MET showing of "A Christmas Carol" at the Weinberg Theater

December 18: Christmas at the Frederick Rescue Mission

Spirit Week (Dec. 16 - 20)

All students are welcome to participate!

Attendance

Current Attendance Rates

Whole School: 94.2%

The FCPS goal is 96%

PreK: 91.6%

Kindergarten: 93.1%

First: 94.9%

Second: 94.5%

Third: 94.9%

Fourth: 95.5%

Fifth: 94.4%

Current Chronic Absence rate: 18.7% (for any students that have missed 10% or more of the school year so far)

Regular school attendance is important for a student's academic and behavioral success. We need your help! Please make sure your child is coming to school regularly unless they are sick. Per FCPS policy, anytime a student is absent, the school must receive written documentation from the guardian and/or medical provider. Written communication can be in the form of an email, a Talking Points message, or a hand written note. Our ratings on the Maryland School Report Card are heavily impacted by our attendance rates. Reach out to our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any attendance questions or needs.

Multicultural Night

Please join us for our next family engagement event, our Multicultural Night, on Tuesday, Dec. 10th from 5 -7pm. We'll have food samples from local restaurants, a performance from TAHIRA, and our usual non-profit vendors. Dinner will be served at 6:15pm.

If your family would like a table to showcase your country/culture, please fill out the form below. The form will close on Tuesday, Dec. 3rd at 4pm.

Interest form: https://forms.gle/oj9gGEJHk9bWNWdH9

Panther Advisory Council (PAC)

Be a part of our PAC to help us improve our school environment and our learning community! Our next meeting is Thursday, December 5th from 5-6pm. All parents or guardians are welcome to attend! Please email Crosby.Blair@fcps.org to RSVP.

Positive Referral Recess

Did you know that our students can be nominated for a positive referral each month? Students that demonstrate consistent good behavior and/or exhibit any of our habits of learning (self-advocating, practicing social responsibility, demonstrating perseverance and having a learning mindset) celebrate with an extra recess at the end of each month. We had 109 students nominated in November. Each student that is nominated also receives a certificate to take home. How cool!

Mobile Dental Clinic in December

In partnership with Smile Programs, the Mobile Dentist Clinic will be on site on December 11th and 12th. Fliers were sent home recently with students. If you have any questions, or would like an appointment for your child, please contact our CommUNITY liaison at Diana.Galaviz@fcps.org.

Preparing For Cold Weather

As the temperature drops, it's important to make sure your child is properly clothed for being outside. Please make sure to send your child with appropriate clothing, including a winter coat, gloves and hat. As long as FCPS says we can have recess outside, we will try our best to go out. If you or your child needs winter gear, please email our commUNITY liaison at Diana.Galaviz@fcps.org.

Green Schools Update

We are working on our application to become a certified Green School! As such, we are committed to environmental sustainability and creating a healthy learning environment for our students. Check out these tips for this month:

Avoid cheap stocking stuffers! If you celebrate Christmas you may know that many times stockings are filled with cheap plastic items that end up broken or discarded. However, they are a great Christmas tradition. And so with a little extra thought, each gift can produce a smile while not being tossed in the trash.
Eco Friendly holiday travel! If you’re driving home this year consider renting an eclectic vehicle or, if possible, opt for public transport like buses or subways. If you’re flying home, a great way to offset your carbon emissions is to purchase carbon offsets from reputable sources or fly like a NERD!
Lastly, surprise! Real Christmas trees are more sustainable than plastic ones. The artificial trees often get replaced every few years and can take years to break down in a landfill. Check with your local tree grower and ask for information about their sustainable practices and use of pesticides. True sustainable farms will plant more trees than they cut down each season.

FCPS Farm to School

Did you know our students get regular visits from the FCPS Farm to School team? Check out their monthly newsletter! English; Spanish

Volunteering Training

Per new FCPS policy, any parent or family member that would like to chaperone a field trip must complete the volunteer training process. Follow these volunteer directions to get started. Contact our Community School Coordinator at Crosby.Blair@fcps.org with any questions or needs.

Lincoln Learner Reports

The Lincoln Learner Reports have restarted! One of our Panther priorities is making sure that parents are informed on what their child is learning each week in all of their subject areas. Even though we include curriculum information by grade level in this newsletter each month (see above), it is important for students to become aware of their own learning each week, while building "student agency." Student agency is defined as "a student's awareness of their progress towards reaching the learning outcomes and how we can increase their ownership/agency of their learning." It's also important for students and their families to reflect weekly on their "work habits," which we call the "Habits of Learning." The Lincoln Learner Report does both! This weekly communication will provide information to families on their child's progress with the academic standards they are learning and highlight their "Habits of Learning." Parent(s) will need to sign and return the Lincoln Learner Report each week to the teacher, which will confirm that the parent(s) saw the report and strengthens the partnership between home and school.

Bus Transportation

Bus route information, including delays, can be found at the bus information site.

Counseling Corner

The school counseling team: The “Super Support Squad”

Ms. Ellis (grades 3-5) Madison.Ellis@fcps.org
Mrs. Quill (grades PreK-2) Heather.Quill@fcps.org
Ms. Dodson (Behavior Support Specialist) Heather.Dodson@fcps.org
Mrs. Tucker (Behavior Support Specialist) Mary-Kate.Tucker@fcps.org

December

Our brains are social organs. As human beings we need to feel like we fit in with the people around us. It is important for students to feel safe and connected in their educational environment so their brain can be optimized for learning. The school counselors will be focusing on lessons related to a sense of belonging throughout the month of December. Below are some of the opening lessons for families to enjoy and discuss with their students.

Short intro video by S3 (the Super Support Squad) about what Belonging means

Read aloud of the book, “Belonging is…” what creates a sense of belonging and what do students need to feel safe and connected.

Read aloud of the book “One” how can we each take a stand, and stand together, to make sure everyone feels like they count?

Lincoln Counselor Website

This website has multiple resources for students and families. It also has videotaped lessons we use with students and parent videos that explain our emotional regulation program.

Nurse's Corner

If your child experiences any of the following symptoms listed below please keep them home from school

Fever over 100 within the last 24 hours (must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school)
Vomiting/diarrhea within the last 24 hours
Rash
Red, itchy, crusty eyes or any drainage from eyes

Steps to Stop the Spread of Germs

Avoid close contact with people who are sick
If you are sick stay home from school
Cover your cough and sneezes
Wash hands often with soap and water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Get a flu vaccine