

Seahawk News
March 1, 2025

Spirit: Sunderland Promotes Integrity, Responsibility, Independence & Trust
Information to Know
I am looking forward to conferencing with students about their progress on IReady and other informal assessments that teachers have been completing as we monitor progress and growth. In my conference, we will discuss doing our best (not rushing-the computer flags students who rush and they don't do their best when they rush), how to persevere and experience productive struggle to be successful. I will give the students I meet with a short summary to share with their parents. This will take place over the next several weeks.~Ms. Myrick
Check out the Monthly update to the Counselor's Corner!
Congratulations to Danielle Lantz, Kindergarten teacher, and her growing family on the addition of Sadie Jane on February 26th at 2:04pm. We can't wait to meet the newest Seahawk!
MISA testing Grade 5 only- All 5th graders will be taking the MISA test which assesses their science skills, processes and knowledge in Maryland. Please refrain from taking students out of school for appts on March 10th and 11th. We understand how dental appts may have been made months ago so please just let your child's teacher know if he/she will be absent. Please ensure your child arrives to school on time as well. Students arriving after testing has started will be in a makeup group for testing.
5th Grade Yearbook Dedications: Please see the flier for more details about the 5th grade dedication pages in the yearbook. Here's the link for creating your special memory. SES 5th Grade Dedications
Please do not use the handicap parking spots unless you have handicap tags. We have various people parking there who are not handicapped or parents using them when they are late to "run in". We have students on adjusted schedules with special needs whose families have been unable to use the spots because they are filled with late arrivals or non-handicap cars. Your attention to this is greatly appreciated!
Read Across America Spirit week flier is below.
The In-school Talent Show is coming up on March 14th. More details to go out to the performers about the times.
The Calvert County Special Education Citizens' Advisory Committee (SECAC) invites parents and guardians to nominate the CCPS staff who have made a difference in the life of your child with an IFSP, IEP or 504 accommodation plan in the 2024-2025 school year. This nomination can be an individual staff member or a team of up to 5 people. Nominations can be submitted online, by mail, or drop-off and are due Friday, February 28, 2025. Please help Calvert SECAC recognize all the good that happens every day in classrooms across Calvert.
Begin your nomination by clicking the following link https://forms.office.com/r/fv8ntBpV9r
You may also download the attached nomination form.
For more information, please visit https://www.calvertnet.k12.md.us/secac.
Parent Calendar
Community Resources
Community Resource Fliers
The following link includes events, activities, and opportunities for young people offered by organizations in the community.
These events and activities are not sponsored by the Calvert County Board of Education or Calvert County Public Schools. We provide equal opportunities to outside agencies to distribute materials that offer opportunities to students and/or their parents, but that permission should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the school district.
Attendance Notes
Counselor's Corner
Counselor’s Corner from Ms. Walzer and Ms. Williams: March 2025
Our character trait for the month of March is TEAMWORK! We will have our character trait assemblies next week to introduce the character trait of the month and recognize February’s Students of the Month. Our students of the month for February were selected by their teacher for demonstrating the character trait friendship. We will recognize those students in next week’s newsletter.
Our classroom counseling lessons in March will focus on careers. In pre-k through 1st grade, we will explore various occupations. In grades 2 through 5, we will introduce students to Xello, our online career exploration platform.
Each year, SES joins with Friendship Community Baptist Church for our HeartFELT (Filling Empty Little Tummies) program. The HeartFELT program provides qualifying students with meals and snacks each weekend. If you would like more information or would like your child to participate in the HeartFELT program, please contact your counselor to sign up.
Courtney Williams - School Counselor, Last Names A-K
williamscr@calvertnet.k12.md.us
443-550-9474
Danielle Walzer - School Counselor, Last Names L-Z
443-550-9387
Sunderland FSO- Family School Organization
SES FSO Website: FSO | Sunderland Family Student Organization (FSO | United States
Tentative Events for the Year
Calendar
Mar 4th 6-7pm, FSO Meeting**
Mar 14th (in school performances only), Talent Show
Mar 24th - 28th , Book Fair (BOGO)**
Apr 1st 6-7pm, FSO Meeting**
April 2nd 5-7pm, Military Appreciation Dinner
April 9th- Art and Music Show
April 25th and 26th - Drama Club Performance
May 6th 6-7pm, FSO Meeting**
May 5th - 9th, Teacher Appreciation Week
June 3rd 6-7pm, FSO Meeting - Elections**
Board Members
Samantha Manley, President
Nobert Akas, 1st Vice President
Serena Hight, 2nd Vice President
Niki Moore, Treasurer
Hannah Stanislawski, Secretary
Toni Crabb, Grade Level Representative
Sally Wolfe, Staff Liaison
REPEAT: Transportation
- Daily Car Riders must complete the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/UtcfJihh7H
- This information will be used for Tuesday's sign out. This form is to be completed for those who will be Daily Car Riders only. By listing adults to pick up, you are giving that adult permission to pick up your student. We encourage all students to ride the bus.
- Please tell your child that they will NOT have their name called. They are to dismiss when they hear Daily Car Riders are dismissed. This list will be shared with the teachers, too.
- Please have your ID at all times when entering the school to pick up your student. You will need to have your ID out to show the staff, even if we know you!
- Daily Car Riders: One adult will be expected to come into the cafeteria to sign out their Daily Car Rider student(s). We will open the exterior cafeteria door at 3:50PM (1:50PM on Early Dismissal Days) to allow for students to be signed out. Promptly at 4:05PM (2:05PM on Early Dismissal Days), Daily Car Riders will be called to the cafeteria. You and your child will exit. When you sign in, you will be given a card signifying how many students you are picking up. You will turn in your card as you leave the cafeteria. If an adult is not present by 4:05PM (2:05PM on Early Dismissal Days), the student will be sent home on their assigned bus.
- If your child is a bus rider and needs to be picked up due to an appointment, please arrive at the front office before 3:45PM (1:45PM on Early Dismissal Days).Our office staff and duty staff start preparing for Daily Car Riders and bus dismissal at 3:55PM (1:55PM on Early Dismissal Days) We have a 10 minute bus window to dismiss between 600-700 students so we will need to keep our focus on the dismissal process.
- We will permit Non-Daily Car Riders but we are still not able to accommodate Drop in, Surprise Car Riders. For Non-Daily Car Riders, you MUST send a paper note, NOT AN EMAIL, with your child, EACH day that you plan for them to be a car rider. Please let your child know that they must dismiss with the Daily Car Riders at 4:05PM when announced. We will NOT call individual students down for dismissal. Please do not send a note saying “every Tuesday” instead, send a note every Tuesday. We can not expect teachers to keep up with all students’ special request schedules. We ask that you send a paper note each day because there could be a sub in the class instead of the teacher.
Sign Up to be a VOLUNTEER
♥️Volunteers♥️
EVERYONE must reapply for being a volunteer. The system was cleaned out and you must reapply. Remember, if you want to be a chaperone or work events, you must be approved. If you are an employee of CCPS, you still need to complete the volunteer process for participation in events at school.
Even if you are not sure if you will be able to attend anything, please sign up early. Here’s the CCPS link of info:
Become a Volunteer - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
General Information and Resources
General Information about Sunderland Elementary School
- Morning Arrival Window: 9:15AM -9:25AM
- Instructional School Day - 9:25AM – 4:05PM
- Afternoon Dismissal Window: 4:05PM car riders; 4:10-4:20PM Bus Riders
- School Colors - Blue and White – Friday Spirit Days- Classes are assigned a Flock color as well. More to come on that!
- School Mascot/Motto -“SPIRIT” the Seahawk -Sunderland Promotes Integrity Responsibility Independence and Trust
SES Resources
Old News
Last Week's News
- Please review the attached Lice Fact Sheet from Nurse Pepper.
- Read Across America is the first week of March! The Vocabulary Parade is a part of our reading celebration! Looking forward to it! A detailed flier for the week will be sent on Monday!
- Summer School: Since covid, CCPS had additional funds to help support hosting summer school. Unfortunately, the funds are no longer available and there will not be a summer school program this year. For students with IEP's, Extended School Year services (ESY) are determined at the IEP mtg and is part of the IEP. Specific criteria must be met to qualify for ESY services. If you have questions, please contact your child's case manager and teacher.
Repeated and Relevant:
- 5th Graders only- The Yearbook Cover Contest is here! See the flier below!
- Looking ahead to March 7th, we will have the Vocabulary Parade in school for all students. Start discussing what vocabulary word your student wants to be in the parade! Get creative and have fun learning a new word and what it means! Last year, we had some very inventive multiple meaning words and costumes! Our inspiration was the book Miss Alaineus by Debra Frasier!
- The Mod Pizza Spirit night is February 27th in Dunkirk! See the flier below.
From Ms. Lendacky- Art Teacher: Please check out the flier for the Logo Contest for the Andrews Airshow that is coming up in September 2025. She will review details with students in class.
Mabel's Labels: We have an open campaign with Mabel’s Labels for fundraising. Here is the link to the campaign page: 'Mabels Labels: Support a fundraiser See the fliers below.
In School Events/Volunteers:
If you want to attend any IN-SCHOOL event such as VIP Day, Career Day, Field Day, field trip chaperones, etc you will need to be a registered approved volunteer. This is for safety of all students. Each of the special events that we have within our school day allows for you to engage with the students. You are not kept separated, instead, we have interactive activities and will need all adults (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc) who plan to attend to be an approved volunteer. The process takes less than 10 minutes. Please register as a VOLUNTEER. Become a Volunteer - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Nondiscrimination Statement
Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth programs.
Calvert County Public Schools does not refuse enrollment of a prospective student, expel a current student, or withhold privileges from a current student, or prospective student, or the parent or guardian of a current or prospective student because of an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, age, national original, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
Calvert County Public Schools does not discipline, invoke a penalty against, or take any other retaliatory action against a student or parent or guardian of a student who files a complaint alleging that the program or school discriminated against the student, regardless of the outcome of the complaint.
The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Ø Director of Student Services
Ø Director of Human Resources
443-550-8000
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
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Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement
Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals.
Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability. Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that they have been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.
Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.
Calvert County Public Schools Antiracism Statement
Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) explicitly denounces racism, bullying, discrimination, white supremacy, hate, and racial inequity in any form within our school community. Furthermore, CCPS will not tolerate the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.
Each member of the district, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing a safe, antiracist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member of the CCPS community.