Stonegate Greetings
Weekly Newsletter
Monday, September 30th
Hispanic Heritage Month
After school Avanti Soccer begins 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 1st
Hispanic Heritage Month
After School Girls on the Run 3:30-4:45 p.m.
After School Boys Let Me Run begins 3:30-4:45
PTA Meeting, Virtual 8:00 pm
Wednesday, October 2nd
Hispanic Heritage Month
After School STEM by Problem Solvers 3:30-4:45 p.m.
After School Creative Adventures Art 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 3rd
No School for all students
Friday, October 4th
Hispanic Heritage Month
Wear Stonegate Spiritwear
LFI Community Outings
Cultural Arts Assembly Furia Flamenca for Hispanic Heritage Month 9:15 -11 a.m.
Dear Stonegate Families and Caregivers,
We’ve now completed five wonderful weeks of school and the month of September! As we enter the fall season, there is a lot of excitement in the air. Our students have settled into the new school year beautifully, working hard and actively engaged in learning.
This past week, we kicked off our Kids Heart Challenge with an exciting assembly. A flyer came home on Friday, and we shared a video with more information. We encourage everyone to join the challenge, and we hope you'll all participate in our school-wide Kids Heart Challenge Walk!
October is shaping up to be a fun-filled month for our Stonegate Sharks! Upcoming events include Picture Day, SGA elections, Math Night, Pumpkins and Plaid, our Halloween Parade and Parties, the Harvest Festival, and field trips.
Join us in supporting Kids Heart Challenge! Stonegate is partnering with the American Heart Association to host an online fundraiser. The goal is to raise $3000 for the American Heart Association. They will provide hands-only CPR training for our grades 4-5 students during PE and as a community, we will walk through the neighborhood on Thursday, Oct 17 from 2-3 pm (Rain Date Oct 24 from 2-3 pm).
All families are welcome to join the walk on Oct 17th. Students have permission slips coming home for the walk.
Watch our Principal’s Challenge Video below with our counselor Mr. George serving as our heart mascot 😊. Kids Hearts Challenge 2024
It is free to Register your student at Kids Heart Challenge website and if 50% of our students register, Mr. Jones receives over $500 in PE equipment!
We look forward to an amazing October together!
With Shark Pride
Linda M. Jones
School Picture Day is Coming!
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
🛒 Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001153899
📸 Images Available: Approximately two-three weeks after picture day
📧 Questions about Ordering? Email us at underclass@vosphoto.com
Picture Retakes/Makeup day is : Nov 17
Message from Union Church, meeting at Paint Branch High School
At Union Church, we believe we are blessed to be a blessing! We want to be a blessing to you and your family! We want to help you kick off the holiday season with everything you need to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for the family! Complete this form to receive a Thanksgiving Meal Kit for you and the family.
Form Link: https://theunionchurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/819358
The Thanksgiving Meal Kit would include:
- Mac & Cheese
- Boxed Mashed Potatoes
- Canned Yams/Sweet Potatoes
- Canned Cranberry Sauce -Canned Corn
- Canned Green Beans
- Corn Muffins/Cornbread
- Stuffing -Gravy
- $25 Grocery Gift Card
Form Link: https://theunionchurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/819358
We have so many sweaters and hoodies left over at recess.
Even though it’s still September, the Lost and Found is packed!
Label your child’s items today and throughout the year:
Jackets
Sweaters
Water Bottles
Lunch boxes
Any items that could be left on the bus, recess, etc
We have partnered with https://mabelslabels.com/ if you would like to order amazing label products for clothing, water bottles and lunch boxes. Our Grade 5 students will earn 20% of sales. Be sure to select “support a fundraiser” and select “Stonegate Elementary (Silver Spring)”
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) appreciates the support of the parent and community volunteers who support the essential needs of the schools.
Field trip chaperone
Guest readers
Class celebrations
Student teachers & Interns
Recess, lunch, dismissal support
As a one time volunteer, such as guest reader or helping with student celebrations, you do NOT need to complete the online Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Training.
For our field trip Chaperones, you must have completed the online Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Training within the last 3 years (2022-2023, 2023-2024, current 2024-2025 school years). You can access the training through ParentVue.
Support Guides: How to take the training
All volunteers WILL need to check-in and check-out of the main office and scan their driver’s license/identification cards through the Visitor Management System (VMS). Once the volunteer clears the VMS, they must be badged (the VMS creates a sticker badge) and remain under supervision of an MCPS professional while with students.
Link to 7 minute Volunteer Expectations Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tpdZrX8MRqYutpNhA3siVOajmRnxlYPa/view?usp=sharing
Stonegate PTA Membership Drive
Dive into supporting our school by joining the PTA during The Big Splash Membership Drive! Help your child's class make waves in the competition—each class with the highest percentage of PTA membership will win tasty prizes. The overall school winner will get a pizza party, and the top class in each grade will enjoy a popsicle party. Check out this week’s leader board for each grade:
Leaderboard for this week:
PK: Williams
LFI: Moore
K: Fabre
1: McKnight
2: Dantzler
3: Wolfe
4: Congress
5: Guidot
Joining the PTA supports vital programs like cultural assemblies, family events, and more. Plus, it’s a great way to stay connected with our school community. Let’s make this year unforgettable—become a member today!
Stonegate Spirit Wear Update
YAY! The flash sale orders arrived and were delivered to classroom teachers last week. Thank you for supporting the spirit wear flash sale, and we can’t wait to see the Sharks sport their new gear on Fridays for Spirit Day!
Did you miss the flash sale? Don’t worry the Stonegate Spiritwear On-Demand store is open and you can order your favorite Stonegate apparel anytime. Items will ship directly to you.
PTA Meeting & Event Updates
Please join us on Tuesday, October 1 at 8 pm for the next PTA meeting. The meeting agenda will include updates from the PTA officers, chairs, and school staff. During the meeting, details about the school year activities and volunteer opportunities will be shared. The PTA annual budget will be presented for approval. The Zoom link and additional details will be provided prior to the meeting.
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 16 and join us for a Restaurant Night Fundraiser at Bear Brick Oven Pizza from 4-9 pm. The restaurant will donate a portion of sales to support PTA activities.
Town Hall with Dr. Taylor
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 23 from 6 - 8 pm for a Town Hall with MCPS Superintendent, Dr. Taylor hosted by The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity & Excellence. Help us show Black parents, caregivers, and community members (along with Latino families) are alarmed that the majority of Black and brown students are reading below grade level. Please register this week at this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDCALUD9AdEmhTplmLilgvaiAWKFBWCwv9wRvgOJ1xUTbN1A/viewform
Menus are sent home monthly and can be found on the MCPS’s website: Elementary Menu
Kindergarten- 5th Grade Menu: October 2024:
English | españolPre-K: October 2024:
English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Hot lunches are served daily with alternate choices. Lunch is $2.55 including milk. Milk may be purchased separately for 60 cents. Parents are highly encouraged to start a Myschoolbucks account for their child. This will eliminate lost or forgotten lunch money. The price of lunch or breakfast will be subtracted from the account. Checks should be made payable to Stonegate School Cafeteria.
Payments to student cafeteria accounts can be made either through My School Bucks (optional, not a requirement), or cash or checks payable to Stonegate Cafeteria and submitted to the cafeteria manager. MySchoolBucks.com is an optional service for parents/guardians to make prepayments to a student's cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch, and à-la-carte meals online with a credit or debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families.
By creating a secure online account, parents can monitor and manage their child's account.
There is a $2.49 (new) convenience fee for each payment transaction.
There is no cost to set up an account, check your child's spending history, and receive low-balance notifications.
Applying for Free Lunch
Students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for meals! Apply right away. One application covers the entire HOUSEHOLD. Translations in other languages are available through the online application.
Apply now at www.MySchoolApps.com
Here is a video about how to apply:
English Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJUapGLarBo
Video en Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdCrtCIFJc&t=4s
Here is the 24-25 School Calendar
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org//siteassets/district/calendar/2024/2024-calendar.pdf
Fall Dates
Oct 7 - Grade 5 Field Trip Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 7 - After school Spanish begins 3:30-4:30
Oct 8 - Student Picture Day 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 10 - After school Basketball begins 3:30-4:30
Oct 11 - Kindergarten Field Trip to Green Meadows Farm 9:40 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Oct 16 - PTA Restaurant Night at Bear Brick Oven from 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Oct 17 - Heart Health Challenge School Wide Community Walk 2-3 pm
Oct 17 - Math Night 6-7 p.m.
Oct 18 - No School, Possible Make up day
Oct 21 - SGA Food Drive Kicks Off
Oct 21-25 National School Bus Safety Week
Oct 21-25 - School Library Pumpkin Contest - Drop off entries this week
Oct 24 - Grade 1 Field Trip to Baltimore Aquarium 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct 24 - Grade 5 Field Trip to Strathmore Music Center 11:20 a.m. -2 p.m.
Oct 25 - Grade 3 Field Trip Butler’s Orchard 9:40 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Oct 25 - SGA Pumpkins and Plaid Dance
Oct 30 - Pre K Field Trip to Butler’s Orchard 9:40 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.
Oct 31 - Harvest Festival and Halloween Parade 2-3 p.m.
Nov 4 - No School, Grading and Planning Day, Possible Make up
Nov 5 - No School, Election Day
Nov 5 - 19 - Square 1 Art Fundraiser
Nov 6 - California Tortilla in Olney Restaurant Fundraiser 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Nov 11-15 - PTA Scholastic Book Fair
Nov 14 - Good Night, Sleep Tight Reading Night
Nov 16 - Boys Let Me Run 5K
Nov 17 - Make Up/Retakes Student Picture Day 9 - 11 a.m.
Nov 24 - Girls on the Run 5K at Wheaton Mall
Nov 25-26 - Early Release Day, Students dismissal 12:55 pm
Nov 27-29- No school, Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec 19 - School Wide Field Trip (all grades) to Xfinity Center UMD Girls Basketball Game 10 -2
Dec 23 - Jan 1- No School, Winter Break
Jan 2 - Return to School
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture. While we celebrate Hispanic and Latino communites beyond this month, from September 15 to October 15 we give extra recognition to the many contributions made to the history and culture of the United States, including important advocacy work, vibrant art, popular and traditional foods, and much more.
Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations. The Latino presence in America spans centuries, predating Spain’s colonization of what is now part of the United States, and they have been an integral part of shaping our nation since the Revolutionary War. Through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Treaty of Paris that followed the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars, the United States gained territories in the Southwest and Puerto Rico. This incorporated the people of this area into the United States and further expanded the presence of Hispanic Americans.
Today, the Latino population in the United States is over 60 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This makes up 18.9% of the total population and is the largest racial or ethnic group. Latinos continue to help fuel our economy and enrich our nation as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, entertainers, scientists, public servants, and much more.
Affordable tutoring!
The George B. Thomas Learning Academy (GBTLA), and its signature program Saturday School, have been supporting youth education and academic achievement in Montgomery County since 1986. They offer very affordable academic tutoring for grades K – 12, nearby at multiple sites.
Register at: www.saturdayschool.org
How to Receive Emergency Information for MCPS Schools
Use this link to find all the ways you can connect with MCPS to receive emergency operational information from the school system.
Read and review this Emergency Preparedness Brochure for families(.pdf)
Clothing to Cash® is a program that collects New and Used Clothing, Shoes, Sheets, and Towels, (all Textiles) and pays the school 10 cents for every pound collected. The program is operated entirely OUTSIDE and will be located in the school parking lot, where students, parents, staff, and the community can drop off items throughout the year.
They have state-of-the-art photo quantity sensors installed in each bin that report 3 times daily to prevent overflow and allow the company to schedule service as needed (no other companies use this technology). They empty the collection bin, weigh the contents to determine our school earnings, and pay our school monthly.
The average school (500 - 1000 students) will earn $1000- $2000 yearly if each student would donate just one 13-gallon kitchen-size bag of textile mate! Add in parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, and staff, and Stonegate’s earnings could really increase.