NORWOOD NEWS

Our community is a community of superstars! Here are some updates as we work to bring out the best in our students and help them all reach for the stars.

Norwood Elementary provides relevant and challenging learning for all of our students. We believe all students are capable of achieving grade level standards, and provide the needed supports for each child on their learning journey. We strive for all of our superstars to reach their fullest potential in our ever-changing 21st century world.

• Wednesday, December 11th: Wellness Wednesday 9-10:30AM
• Wednesday, December 18th: Produce Market starting at 4pm at Holabird STEM
• Friday, December 20th: Christmas Holiday/Winter Break Begins at the End of the School Day; Schools and Offices Close 3 Hours Early 12:20pm dismissal
• Thursday, January 2nd: Schools reopen

Reminder: School Hours

8:20am arrival / 8:35am late bell / 3:20pm dismissal (no drop-off prior to 8:20am as there is no supervision outside before then)

PK Schedule: AM session (8:20am - 11:05am); PM session (12:40pm - 3:20pm)

To increase attendance this month, the Safe and Supportive Committee has created a December Attendance Challenge board in the front lobby. Every day a class has 94% attendance or greater, the class will earn a piece to build a snowman! Three days of 94% attendance or greater equals one whole snowman. When classes earn a piece to the snowman, the class will be announced on the announcements the following day. . The class that builds 4 snowmen (12 days with greater than 94% attendance) by Friday, December 20th, they will be celebrated by a surprise activity!

-Safe and Supportive Committee

Please have your child join in on the fun with our Norwood teachers and show your school spirit leading up to the Winter break. See the schedule below and if possible, have your child wear what it says for each day from Monday, December 9 - Friday, December 20. For example, Monday, December 9 is wear a pair of your warmest and fuzziest socks! Tuesday, December 10 each grade level can choose between 3 specific colors to wear. PK, Kindergarten, and 1st can wear red, orange, or yellow and grades 2 and 3 can wear green, blue, or purple. Read below for what to wear on the remainder of the days leading to winter break!

If your student is in need of a jacket or hats/gloves please let Mr. Diego or Ms.Hotchkiss know in the front office, or email dramosquinteros@bcps.org or mhotchkiss@bcps.org

Grade 3 artists hosted our 4th annual Norwood Parade! Modeled after the Macy’s day parade- students took a virtual field trip to the Macy’s Day Parade Factory warehouse and learned how the Macy’s Day Parade floats are created. They sketched balloon design concepts and are turning their sketches into a collaborative class float this week. Take a look at their amazing creations!

With each monthly newsletter you will gain access to unit overviews for math instruction at each grade level. Below are the unit overviews for unit 4 of math, available in both English and Spanish. The overviews share the main learning goals of the unit, show sample problems that students might see with instructional notes for family members, and include frequently asked questions.

Here are the current Math overviews below, both in English and Spanish for each grade level.

Kindergarten | Kinder

English | Español

Grade 1 | Grado 1

English | Español

Grade 2 | Grado 2

English | Español

Grade 3 | Grado 3

English | Español

Check out this amazing interactive family resource for math. This provides models and examples of what students are learning in class and can be used to sharpen their skills."

Grade 3

Grade 2

Grade 1

Kindergarten

Hello Norwood Families!

Get ready, get set, here comes Math at Home! If you were wondering how you can play FREE math games from the comfort of your home, look no further! This is a great way to help your mathematicians practice important math skills in English and Spanish. Math at Home offers discussion questions, games, and activities. Check it out and let your teacher know which game you enjoyed the most!

Click the following link: https://mathathome.mathlearningcenter.org/

We will be having our monthly free community produce market on Wednesday December 18th at Holabird STEM Middle starting at 4:00pm until supplies last.

***Please bring your own bag***

Join us on Wednesday December 11th from 9-10:30am at our Norwood Elementary Cafe. We will be learning about the resources that Baltimore County Public Library provides for our families! We hope to see you there!

Author Sylvia Liu will be virtual visiting Norwood PreK – Grade 1 students on January 24, 2025. Sylvia grew up with books and daydreams in Caracas, Venezuela. Once an environmental attorney protecting the oceans, she now spins stories inspired by high-tech, cool science, and the intricacies of family and friendship. She’s the author of the middle-grade books Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation and Manatee’s Best Friend and the picture book A Morning with Grandpa, illustrated by Christina Forshay.

If you would like to purchase one or more of her books for your student, please visit the website below or use the QR code to order BY December 20, 2024. Books will be delivered in January prior to the author’s visit.

https://sylvia-liu-book-order-copy.cheddarup.com

Students who did not pass vision or hearing screening will receive results in a sealed envelope in their take-home folder along with instructions to follow-up with a health care provider for further evaluation. Hearing and vision problems can interfere with learning if they are left untreated, so we highly encourage parents to consult with their health care provider if their child does not pass the screening.

Parents will not receive notification if their child passed the screening.

Please consider donating gently used clothes to the Health Suite. We are in need of pants sized 6-16. Remember to send in a change of clothes in case your student needs one during the school day. It will be kept in their locker. If you have lost any clothing, we have a huge lost and found collection that we hope you will check out before the holidays. Please remember to write your student's name inside their jacket or hoodie, which will help us to return items that are misplaced.

Parents are encouraged to check the lost and found in the Health Suite. We have a lot of jackets and hoodies that have accumulated this fall.

As we all know, getting proper sleep is very important to help our bodies recharge in order to fight illness and be attentive during the day. Attached are some articles with good tips for parents on how to help students manage screen time and get good sleep. (see attached flyer for more details on how to help your student manage screen time).

We love having your children at school all school year!

This is the time of year when winter weather takes a toll on school attendance. Snow and rain can make it hard to get your children to school. So can illnesses such as colds, flu, fevers, earaches and more.

These absences, even if they are excused, break the routine of daily attendance that contributes to students feeling connected and engaged in learning. Please consider these steps to keep your children healthy and in school this winter.

1. Develop back up plans for getting your children to school. Check who can give your children a ride if you can’t take them or see if your child can walk to school with other families.
2. If your children get sick or you are concerned about a cold, covid, or the flu, talk to your child’s medical provider or the school nurse for advice.
3. Stomach pain and headaches can be signs of anxiety and may not be reasons for keeping a child home. If you feel that anxiety or stress is playing a role, talk to your child’s teacher, the school nurse or counselor or your medical provider about how best to support your child.
4. Encourage children to wash their hands before and after eating and after using the restroom.
5. Avoid sharing cups and utensils with other individuals.
6. Dress your children for the cold weather. If you need help with winter clothing, call the school.
7. Encourage healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking fluids and getting exercise.
8. If your children need to stay home for a prolonged period due to illness, talk to your child’s teacher to find out about resources, including computer or internet access, that they can use at home to keep learning once they feel well enough.

Let us know how we can help you. If you’re having trouble, need resources or advice, please call us at 443-809-7055. You can talk with Nurse Debbie, Counselor Bullock, Mr. Ramos, or Ms. Hotchkiss

Thank you for partnering with us!

NORWOOD ELEMENTARY CLOSING AND EARLY DISMISSAL 2024-2025 CALENDAR

Access the yearly calendar of closings and early dismissal for Norwood Elementary students by clicking here

ATTENDANCE REFERENCES

Access a quick guide to better understand your students absences and codings by clicking here.

PARENT RESOURCE HUB

Access a variety of resources available to our superstar families by clicking here.

FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION LIST

Access a list of food pantry distribution sites by clicking here.

BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY MONTHLY EVENTS- DECEMBER

Access the monthly calendar of events that are happening at the local library by clicking here.

Maryland Insurance Assistance

Join us for a family-friendly event featuring local community resources and free in person enrollment assistance.

Come join us on December 14, 2024, for the 2nd Annual Open Enrollment Community Resource Fair (Baltimore County). This FREE in-person event will be held at the CCBC Dundalk (7200 Sollers Point Road, Dundalk, Md. 21222) from 10am - 2pm.This event is open to the public. However, we encourage you to reserve your spot(s).

• Come out and bring the kids to get FREE pictures with Santa Clause and receive FREE hats and gloves from Santa’s helpers while enjoying our kid’s activity corner
• Distribution of FREE food boxes available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Attendees must complete an event passport to access the free boxes. Inquire upon arrival.)
• Connect with local organizations and community partners who can provide a wide range of FREE resources and information.
• FREE on-site assistance with the Maryland Health Connection application provided by HealthCare Access Maryland

Maryland Health Connection Application Assistance
If you are interested in accessing the free on-site assistance with the Maryland Health Connection, you'll need:

• Birth dates
• Social Security number or other document number
• Employer and income information
• Citizenship or immigration information
• Information about any job-related health insurance available to you
• Photo ID, if applying in person

Norwood Elementary School is a Title I community school within the Baltimore County Public School system. We are located in Dundalk, MD, and we strive for all of our superstars to reach their fullest potential in our ever-changing 21st century world.

If you have any questions regarding any of the information on this newsletter, please contact Diego Ramos (Norwood Bilingual Family Services Liaison) at dramosquinteros@bcps.org, or by calling his direct line at 443-809-1505.

Website: https://norwoodes.bcps.org
Location: 1700 Delvale Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21222, USA
Phone: 443-809-7055
Facebook: facebook.com/NorwoodES
Twitter: @NorwoodES