Otter Families!

On Monday, the solar eclipse will take place during the school day. Classrooms that choose to go out an view the eclipse with their students have already sought parent permission and procured appropriate eyewear. Please communicate directly with your child's teachers about their plans to view the solar eclipse. The solar eclipse will also continue to take place during our dismissal. Students will be reminded of how to safely exit the building during the dismissal process. I am also asking that you review this information with them, too.

• Never look directly at the sun, especially during a solar eclipse. It is dangerous and can cause permanent damage to the eyes. Do not look at the sun through sunglasses, telescopes, or binoculars.

On Wednesday, 3rd quarter report cards will be available to parents on HAC the morning of April 10th. If you need assistance accessing your child's HAC account, please reach out to the main office. Report Card Narratives will be sent via email by your child's teacher at the end of the school day on the same day.

This past Thursday, our 4th and 5th grade Math Teams competed in the county Math Challenge. We will not know the results for a little while, but I will sure to share them when I know! Thank you to Mrs. Nadeau for serving as our coach this year and to Mrs. Lloyd for assisting on the evening of the competition!

"Otterly" Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

OES will be having a Fall Book Fair from Wed Apr 17th - Friday Apr 26th. Currently, we are looking for volunteers to help run this fair. We usually have two volunteer shifts. The morning shift runs from 9:30 - 12:30 and the afternoon shift runs from 12:15 - 3:30 . If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Cummins jmcummins@smcps.org

Coming home to you soon is your child's custom catalog for the Square 1 Art fundraiser catalog - featuring their own name and art on the cover, WITH FREE STICKERS OF THEIR ART!

Get a head start, and start ordering keepsakes and gifts featuring your child's art online NOW, if you like! Simply search for your child's art using Art Search, and enter state, school name, and your student's name. Your student's art and code will appear, and you may order! NEW - *Ship to Home FREE. (*Customer pays a small $1.99 processing fee at checkout and order ships to home.)

Order by: 4/19/2024

Upload additional art if you like, using Art Upload!

If you have questions, or need anything at all, contact customer care online .

Thank you for supporting our school!

April is School Library Month. Please feel free to check out the School Library Month newsletter.

• Applications for STEM 6 will open on April 2 and close on April 30, 2024. No late applications will be accepted. The online application will be found on the Academies page of the SMCPS website.

• The annual Academy Open House will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 10th starting at 5:30 pm. More information is available via the Academy Open House Google Site.

Save the Dates!

Pre-K students, their families, and local private providers are invited to attend an upcoming evening event. The event will be Monday, May 6, 2024, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and focuses on the Transition to Kindergarten. Both events will occur in the Dohrman rooms at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center.

Please be aware of our MCAP assessment schedule over the next two months.

April 22-25

• 5th grade Math/ELA
• 4th grade Math/ELA

April 29-May 2

• 5th grade Math/ELA
  
• 4th grade Math/ELA

May 6-9

• 3rd grade Math/ELA

May 13-16

• 3rd grade Math/ELA

SMCPS and SMC R&P have partnered to offer the new Summer Sports Academies. Campers will be instructed by area high school coaches. Camps are held Monday -Thursday. Click below for more information. Registration begins March 1st. Don't miss this opportunity.

• https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/recreate/camps

• https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/docs/thescoop.pdf

Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 12, 2024. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope by May 24, 2024. The Survey may also be completed online. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in your local school system. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other children across the state of Maryland. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.

Our school's overall attendance rate, as reported to MSDE, for the school year so far is 93.84%. The goal is 94%.

This is the time of year where I switch to sharing data about attendance on a weekly basis and how it changes from week to week. Below are the attendance rates for each grade level for the week of

April 2nd - April 5th.

PreK: 89.86%

Kindergarten: 91.84%

1st Grade: 96.67%

2nd Grade: 97.06%

3rd Grade: 92.5%

4th Grade: 97.75%

5th Grade: 92.54%

Yearbook orders are due April 24th!

Evening Counseling: SMCPS is once again offering School-Based Counseling Support in the evening for SMCPS students. Counseling support focuses on the following areas: Healthy Relationships, Social Skills, Self-Esteem, Stress Management, Worry, Sadness, and Emotional Regulation. Services will be located at Margaret Brent Middle School and Greenview Knolls Elementary School on Tuesday evenings from 4-7:30 p.m. Please complete the Parent Contact Form for Evening Counseling to request services.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters.

All parent(s)/guardian(s) must complete an Acceptable Use Policy each school year. Click HERE to complete the Google form. School staff will be in touch with all families to complete the form throughout the month of August and September.

WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING WINTER EVENTS FOR EDUCATING AND CELEBRATING. You can email Mrs. Curtis directly, kvcurtis@smcps.org, or use the link below to submit events.

A WEEK

PTA Read-a-Fun takes place all week! Your child's teacher has more information for you.

Monday, 4/8

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• Solar Eclipse Activities

Tuesday, 4/9

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• 5th Grade Students take a required MSDE Survey
• Academy Open House will be held virtually starting at 5:30 pm. More information is available via the Academy Open House Google Site.
  

Wednesday, 4/10

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• Report Card Distribution

Thursday, 4/11

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Friday, 4/12

8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

• Community Gathering

Hello OES Otter Families,

I hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy. Be sure to eat right, get plenty of sleep and rest, exercise, cover your cough with your elbow, and wash your hands frequently. Don't forget to get vaccinated against the Flu and COVID.

We are looking forward to a great school year!

President: Beth Johnson Hill

Vice President: Stefanie Wines

Treasurer: Kim Burroughs

Secretary: Megan Russell

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpdietz@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org
Twitter: @OES_smcps