Stonegate Greetings
Weekly Newsletter
Monday, December 2nd
Second and Third Grade students: CogAT Day 1 of 3
NEW Winter session of after-school Avanti Soccer - must register
After-school Spanish
Gr 5 Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen Fundraiser through Dec 20
Tuesday, December 3rd
Second and Third Grade students: CogAT Day 2 of 3
After-school Sky’s the Limit Dance Gr K-2
Virtual PTA Meeting 8:00 pm
Wednesday, December 4th
MCPS will disable certain Chromebook models: Acer C720, C740, C738, and C771.
Thursday, December 5th
Second and Third Grade students: CogAT Day 3 of 3
NEW Winter session of Avanti Basketball - must register
After-School Sky’s the Limit Dance Gr 3-5
Friday, December 6th
Wear Stonegate Gear!
After-School Magnus Chess
Gr 5 Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen Fundraiser through Dec 20
LFI Community Outing
Dear Stonegate Families and Caregivers,
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and enjoyed time with family and friends. As we transition into December and the winter season, we are excited about the opportunities this month brings.
As the weather continues to get colder, please make sure your children are dressed warmly with coats, hats, and gloves as needed. Staying bundled up helps ensure our students are ready to learn and enjoy outdoor activities comfortably.
Also, a friendly reminder to return the permission slips for the upcoming Maryland Basketball Field Trip. We are excited to offer this fun and educational experience, and we want every student to be able to participate.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a fantastic December together!
Warmly,
Linda M. Jones
Principal
Earlier this month a letter went home to all 2nd and 3rd grade families about upcoming CogAT testing.
Please know CogAT takes place this week - Monday, December 2, Tuesday, December 3, and Thursday, December 5.
As part of the Universal Screening of second and third graders for Gifted and Talented (GT) Identification and to help inform your child’s teacher about how your student learns, your child will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The CogAT has three batteries: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal. Each battery has 3 subtests. Stonegate ES will administer the test over the course of three days: The mornings of December 2, 3, and 5. Testing will take place during the school day. Students will complete one battery with three subtests on each testing day. The tests are untimed for Grade 2 students, but each subtest typically lasts approximately 10-15 minutes. The test is timed for Grade 3 students and each subtest lasts 10 minutes. Please try your absolute best to ensure your child is in school these three days so that they do not miss instructional time to make up the test.
The CogAT is an abilities test, so children do not need to study or prepare for the test. Instead, they will be able to become familiar with the test format and items through teacher-directed practice activities before testing. Additionally, practice questions will be administered during the testing session to familiarize students with the online testing environment. It can be helpful for students to be well-rested and have a good breakfast on the day of testing.
Please let our GT Liaison, Michelle Bozel, know if you have any questions about the CogAT test, Michelle_T_Bozel@mcpsmd.org.
Get ready for the school wide field trip to University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center on Thursday, December 19th
Arrival and Dismissal time is NORMAL.
The field trip takes place From 9:40 am - 2:00 pm
The cost of the trip is FREE thanks to our PTA and successful Fun Run Fundraiser. Approximately $3,600 will go to cover the cost of the 14 MCPS buses.
Students MUST bring a bagged lunch this day OR purchase one from school. The cafeteria will provide a chicken sandwich, drink and fruit.
If you have not already completed the online permission form OR returned the paper permission slip, please do so today so we can gather EVERYONE'S permission and get our lunch count.
Fifth Grade Giving Campaign
If you are not interested in grabbing or gifting a digital dozen, but would still like to help our fifth graders have an amazing end of year party and promotion go here to donate: https://givebutter.com/rv8lIj
A new session of Avanti Indoor Soccer and Basketball starts this week.
Register here: https://avantiathletics.com/
Good Evening Parents. KIND Bag deliveries are well underway! As we approach the Holiday Season, if you or your family are in need of weekend delivery bags please reach out to me or any staff as soon as possible so that you may have snacks to provide to our children during extended holiday breaks!
Please complete the KIND form or reach out to Mr. George, our school counselor at Kedon_F_George2@mcpsmd.org.
Label every jacket, lunch box and water bottle with your child’s name or your family last name.
Stonegate has a diligent team of fifth grade student leaders who check every found item for a name and return it to the right student. Easily label with a marker!
Or if you prefer a printed label, 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)”
Stonegate Spirit Wear BLACK FRIDAY Sale
Stonegate Spirit Wear BLACK FRIDAY Sale - LAST DAY!
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Place your order now for the Stonegate Spirit Wear Black Friday promotion! Today is the last day for parents, teachers, and staff to enjoy 20% off their entire order. Best of all, these orders are shipped straight to their doors!
CODE: BLACKFRIDAY20
Expires: 12/1/24
Order by: 12/5/24 for guaranteed Christmas delivery
Jersey Mike's Restaurant Fundraiser
The STONEGATE ES PTA is having a fundraiser at Jersey Mike's on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH from 10am-9pm- so take a break from cooking dinner or go for lunch. Our PTA appreciates all your support.
You may order online, by phone, OR in the store with dine in or carry out. You can order online the day of or even the day before the fundraiser and give them your pick-up time and date of pick up. If you call the order in, make sure to let them know it’s for the “STONEGATE FUNDRAISER”.
You may also use the APP and have it delivered HTTPS://WWW,JERSEYMIKES.COM/APP. Just make sure when using the APP to put “STONEGATE FUNDRAISER” in the notes.
Instructions on how to order online are below.
1) Go to OLNEY Jersey Mike's website:
https://www.jerseymikes.com/28015/olney-md
2) Order on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH.
3) In the Checkout section of your order:
- Please put PICK UP DATE/TIME AND YOUR NAME
- Under 'Notes' please put: “STONEGATE FUNDRAISER”
Gift cards also count towards the fundraiser. They make great thank you, birthday or coach/teacher gifts. Pick up a few for stocking stuffers or better yet, grab one for your next visit and we get credit now! Thank you for all your support!
Menus are sent home monthly and can be found on the MCPS’s website: Elementary Menu
Kindergarten- 5th Grade Menu: December 2024:
Pre-K/Headstart: December 2024:
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.
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
This year has been full of photo opportunities! You may have pictures from a party, a field trip, or other fun event! Families and staff can use this Josten’s link to upload photos from field trips, class parties, class projects, assemblies, etc. for possible inclusion in the yearbook.
Yearbook Link to submit photos:
https://images.jostens.com/0UttG7hxhZq-7MutrNwsZcg
For Grade 5 families - ONLY: Please submit a photo of your student when they were younger, such as kindergarten, to include in the flashback section of the yearbook.
Here is the 24-25 School Calendar
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org//siteassets/district/calendar/2024/2024-calendar.pdf
Now thru December 20 - Gr 5 Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen Fundraiser (opens Nov. 20)
Dec 11 - PTA Restaurant Night Jersey Mikes
Dec 19 - School Wide Field Trip (all grades) to Xfinity Center UMD Girls Basketball Game 9:40 -2
Dec 23 - Jan 1- No School, Winter Break
Jan 2 - Return to School
Jan 14 - Gr 5 Chipotle Restaurant Night 5-9 pm
Jan 16 - Science Night 6-7:30 pm
Jan 23 - Winter Instrumental Music & Chorus 5:30-6:30 pm
Jan 27 - Grade 1 Field Trip Imagination Stage 9:40 - 12:30 pm
Jan 30 - Yearbook Club photos 9:15-11:15 am
Feb 4 - PTA Membership Meeting virtual 8:00 pm
Feb 13 - PTA Restaurant Night Vocelli
Feb 14 - Valentine’s Parties 2-3 pm
Feb 21 - Grade 4 Field Trip Arts on Stage “Lift Every Voice” 10:30 am -2 pm
Feb 24- Mar 14 PTA Read A Thon
Feb 27 - Black History Celebration - Paint Branch High School
Feb 28- Early Release dismissal at 12:55
Mar 3-5 - Hearing and Vision Screening
Mar 4 - PTA Membership Meeting virtual 8:00 pm
Mar 11 - Gr 5 Chick Fil A Restaurant Night
Mar 27 - Spring Student Portraits
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 Volunteer Expectations Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tpdZrX8MRqYutpNhA3siVOajmRnxlYPa/view?usp=sharing
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.