Our Elmwood Monthly News
February 2024
From our Administrators
Elmwood School Family
The second half of the school year has arrived, and I am so proud of the many gains we have made as a united school community. Attendance has improved compared to the previous school year, foundational reading scores are on the rise, and mathematic module assessments are yielding more favorable results for our students. This is true evidence of your partnerships in your child's education in ensuring they are in school and ready to learn consistently. We look forward to our continued collaboration in order to further accelerate learning throughout the school year.
Elmwood is also finalizing plans and preparing learning opportunities to celebrate and honor Black History Month. Our goal is to illuminate the innovation, advancements, and achievements Black Americans have made to America, focusing heavily on Black Americans within close proximity to Baltimore/ MD, and creating a student designed museum. We are also generating a plan to host families to come inside Elmwood and explore the Black History museum with your child. More details will be made available when plans are solidified.
Thank you for your continued support of the Elmwood School Community. Make it a great February on purpose.
From our School Nurse
February is American Heart month.
Here are some tips to help prioritize your child’s heart heath:
60 minutes of physical activity each day
Encourage healthy eating.
Limiting beverages with added sugars
Make sure your child gets adequate sleep each night. Sleep can lead to a weakened immune system and can take a toll on your child’s heart.
Fun Facts
Newborns have the fastest heart rate.
Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day.
Is your child too sick for school?
Pink eye: pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is caused by a bacterial infection and is extremely contagious. Signs and symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, matting, and tearing. Treatment is usually antibiotic drops or ointment. Please contact your child’s doctor if your child has these symptoms.
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February Attendance Updates
This year, we have set two school-wide attendance goals:
*Decrease the percentage of students chronically absent from 42.5% in 2023 to 20% in 2024
*Decrease the percentage of EL students chronically absent from 48.3 in 2023 to 28.3% in 2024.
Please see the graphics for progress towards our goals.
Year to Date Chronic Absenteeism (updated 2/1/24)
Attendance Rate for English Language Learners (updated 2/1/24)
English Language Learner Chronic Absenteeism Rate (updated 2/1/24)
Academics - Math and English Language Arts
Our Elmwood School Progress Plan Academic Goals
Stay informed of your student's grades, attendance, etc.
Parent/Guardian Breakfast
Please join us for our next parent/guardian meeting on Tuesday, February 27th at 9:20am.
Please click the link to sign-up. https://forms.gle/N57H684gZDVh74ua8
Elmwood Eagles SOAR!
This month’s focus is Honesty. One way to think about Honesty is “being truthful in what you say and do.” Practicing Honesty helps strengthen our relationships and reduce stress.
In the Classroom:
Sharing how we feel with others is a way to advocate for ourselves. This month, students will practice sharing their emotions and expressing what they need.
Students will use the Emotion Elements to name their emotions and I-Statements to communicate when faced with a challenging situation.
Emotion Elements
● Wind (Bree) represents feeling words like inspired, anxious, playful, and nervous.
● Water (Brooks)represents feeling words like concerned, thoughtful, tired, and bored.
● Fire (Ember) represents feeling words like annoyed, overwhelmed, excited, and scared.
● Earth (Terra) represents feeling words like motivated, focused, confident, and proud.
I-Statement Structure: I feel ____ when _____ and I would like ______.
Emotion Regulation Strategies:
● Breathe It Out - take a nice deep breath or try out a specific breathing strategy
● Move It Out - move away from the situation or get some exercise
● Talk It Out - talk to a trusted adult about how you feel
Conversation Starters:
●What is 1 way you can show Honesty with yourself?
● Share with me how being Honest with ourselves can help us to be more confident, calm, or focused.
Q and A: Facts for Families About Bullying
SEL February Calendars
From our Special Area Teachers
To register for any of the events, click the link in the above pdf.
SEL Support at Home
Team Member Spotlights
Below are the Team Members who were highlighted in our weekly Team Member Spotlight on facebook last month. Enjoy getting to know our amazing Elmwood faculty and staff!
Inclement Weather Decisions
This winter, be prepared for emergency updates from BCPS. More information about closings, delays, cancellations, and postponements is available in the BCPS Inclement Weather FAQ.
We had SNOW much fun at our Winter Wonderland!
Elmwood Elementary
Email: lrode@bcps.org
Website: https://elmwoodes.bcps.org
Location: 531 Dale Avenue, Baltimore, MD, USA
Phone: 443-809-5232
Twitter: @elmwoodes