White Marsh Elementary School

We will have our first Bear Crawl this week! Students with Perfect Attendance (Bell to Bell) for August and September will get to crawl down our hallways and ROAR like Bears! Please be sure to check your students' attendance on HAC. If they have an absence that you feel should be excused to allow them participation in this event, email Principal Steele with the date(s) and the reason for the absence by 9 am on October 1, 2024.

Our Spiritwear sale continues this week, and will end on Friday. (They make great gifts!) Be sure to get yours this week, as they will not be offered again this year. Order your Spiritwear online at https://whitemarsh2024.itemorder.com

There will be a PTA meeting on Tuesday at 6:30. It will be offered in person in the cafeteria and online. Thank you for participating in the PTA Membership Drive- there are now 58 members in the PTA. Congratulations to three of our classes, as there was a 3 way tie for first place: Mr. Arnold, Mrs. Eagan, Mrs. Cord.

Wednesday is Building Service Worker Appreciation Day; we will recognize Miss Diane and Mr. C.J. on Wednesday. They work hard to keep a clean, safe learning environment for our Bears to work!

Have a great week!

Friday will be a wonderful day! It is a WMES Spirit Day! Encourage your Bears to wear their White Marsh shirts, or the color blue. Friday is also a field trip for second grade- they will be going to Calvert Marine Museum.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Principal Steele

It is time to order your spiritwear! Check out the new design! Order forms will be sent home this week in Wednesday folders. The spiritwear sale ends on October 4. This will be the only opportunity to order spiritwear this school year.

Click the photo below, and use code 24whtmrshstm25 to pre-order. More information will be coming home in future Wednesday folders.

As we approach the cooler months, nighttime temperatures have dropped significantly, which means our buildings may feel quite cool in the mornings, even though we're not yet ready to turn on the boilers and switch to heat. Given these fluctuating temperatures over the coming weeks, we encourage everyone to dress appropriately for the weather. Layering is recommended to ensure comfort throughout both the warmer and cooler parts of the day.

Students should bring their instruments and supplies with them on Wednesday. It's not expected for students to have all supplies and materials the first week or two of instruction. Students who are interested in renting an instrument from WMES will be notified if an instrument is available to rent from the school.

In order to participate, Band and Strings students must have their supplies!

Click Here for Band Supplies

Click Here for Strings Supplies

A Week: Wednesday and Friday

B Week: Wednesday and Thursday

On October 10, 2024, Frank Kros will present, ‘A New View of ADHD for Parents: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why’ from 6 pm- 8 pm at the Forrest Career & Technology Center, Dohrman A. The workshop is free but registration is required via email to parnersforsucess@smcps.org

Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is October 31st, 2024. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact The Department of Student Services at 301-475-5511 ext.32150.

Oct 1 PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm

Oct 4 Grade 2 to Calvert Marine Museum

Oct 4 WMES Spirit Day!

Oct 4 Spirit Wear Sale Ends!

Oct 7 Fall PIcture Day

Oct 14 2 hr. Early Dismissal/Parent Conferences

Oct 15 School Dance!

Oct 16 Book Fair Begins!

Oct 18 2 hr. Early Dismissal, Professional Responsibilities

Our staff is also impacted by new guidelines regarding the use of cell phones during instruction. Please know that if you reach out to teachers during the day via Class Dojo or email they may not receive the message until after dismissal. For changes to your student's dismissal procedures, or other important messages, please call the Main Office.

Here Comes the Bus®

Available to parents of students riding SMCPS School Buses

• View the real-time location of your child’s bus
• Access the app from your smartphone, tablet or computer
• Receive push notifications or email alerts
• Send your child to the bus stop at just the right time, every time

How to get started:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
2. Click the Sign Up button
3. Enter school code (86563) and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
4. Complete the “User Profile” box
5. Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number
6. Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!

All absences count towards a child's school attendance, including both lawful and unlawful. Remember, students missing 1 day will miss 7 hours of instruction. We need the Bears here all day, every day. See the Student Handbook for more information on absences. Feel free to reach out to Nurse Parrish if student health concerns/questions arise.

You will receive a weekly Smore newsletter from Principal Steele on Sunday evenings. The newsletter will be sent to the email we have on file in the Main Office. Newsletters are also posted on our website. Please be sure to be familiar with the information in each newsletter; current information is kept at the top, and review information is posted under the "General Reminders" section.

In addition to the School Newsletter, your child's classroom teacher will communicate with you on a regular basis. You are invited to sign up for the Class Dojo.

Be looking for a paper version of the WMES Family Handbook to come home the first week of school. In addition, we have created this electronic version of the WMES Family Handbook for you to view. It has important information about school policies and practices, including Volunteer Information, Breakfast and Lunches, School Celebrations, and more!

SMCPS Text Alerts are a great way to get information quickly. They are not sent often, and usually only in the event of an unexpected school delay or closure. On occasion, WMES will send a text alert about a late bus, substitute bus, or school event. Click the link for information about registering for text alerts.

A copy of the current School Supply List can be found on our school website. Feel free to have students bring their school supplies to Open House so that they don't have to carry them on the bus the first day of school.

Now is the best time to submit an application for Free and Reduced Meals. Remember- these applications must be submitted every year.

Information- Meal Benefit Information

Online Meal Benefit Application

SMCPS will post bus information here. Please note that it may not be available for a few more days. As a rule of thumb, please plan for students to be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the estimated time of arrival. Also know that buses may run slower the first few days of school.

If you wish for your student to be a daily car rider, you must complete an application (this must be done annually). Applications may be picked up in the Cafeteria at Open House.

As a reminder, returning students should have their devices (and charger) at home. Students in Grades 3-5 will transport their device to and from school daily. Students in Grades 1 and 2, wait for information from your teacher about bringing your device to school. This device is checked out to your student, and families may be responsible for replacing the device if damaged or lost.

For more information including replacement fees, see the SMCPS Student Device and Resource Accountability document.

Please note- when signing out a student from school you will be asked to present your photo ID every time.

From the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)-

Chronic Absenteeism: Students are chronically absent when absent 10% or more of the school days while enrolled at that school. For example, a student who is registered to attend a school for 30 days and who is absent 3 of those 30 days is considered chronically absent.

WMES will follow up with chronically absent students through the Pupil Services Team, Pupil Personnel Worker, and the Department of Student Services. In order to reduce the number of our students with Chronic Absenteeism, incentives to encourage good attendance include participation in the Bear Crawl, Running Club, and School Dance.

Julia Steele, Principal

Email: jwsteele@smcps.org
Website: wmes.smcps.org
Location: 29090 Thompson Corner Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301)472-4600