THE ROSEMONT ROCKET

Email: keely_r_cooke@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rosemontes/
Location: 16400 Alden Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 840-7123
Twitter: @RosemontES

We had a great first semester of school at Rosemont Elementary! Our staff is working hard to create learning opportunities for our students. Mrs. Roberts and I have visited many classrooms. We are pleased to report all students are engaged in learning and happy to be back in school.

In addition to providing a strong academic focus, we are working very hard to make our school a safe, caring environment for both our students and staff. We want to continue to make a special effort to promote positive social behaviors in our school.

As parents you can support our efforts in the following ways:

1) Reinforce with your child that name calling/ teasing is wrong and that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.

2) Contact school personnel should your child share with you that he/she does not feel safe in school.

We want to know about this information and we will do whatever we can to make your child feel safe and welcome at school.

We are having an amazing year and we are confident that this will continue. When students, staff and parents work together, great things happen for every student in our school. As always, thank you for your continued support.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, it is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across United States history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more.

At Rosemont, our mission is to --

· foster positive EQUITABLE RELATIONSHIPS with students, staff, and the community,

· deliver CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE RIGOROUS instruction, and

· achieve RESULTS for ALL students.

The PTA is a vital part of our school community. Please consider joining to support our staff, students, and families.

• President - Ms. Yvette Andrade - andradedc5@gmail.com
• Treasurer - Ms. Lakita Jessie - ashante36@live.com
• Secretary - Ms. Ayanna Upsher - ayanna.upsher@gmail.com

The PTA will be meeting the first Thursday of every month via Google Meet.

Link: www.meet.google.com/pcy-hfiu-zvk

Marking Period 2 report cards will be available in Synergy/ ParentVue on Friday, February 3. Paper copies will be distributed centrally on Monday, February 6.

Our Valentine's day parties will be on Tuesday, February 14. Send a personalized Valentine’s Lolligram to your child, classmates, and teachers. Jolly Rancher Lolligrams will help raise money for Rosemont's Safety Patrol's end of the year picnic costs. Lolligrams are $1 each; please send EXACT CASH/ COIN ONLY. Orders will be placed through homeroom teachers. You must know the recipient's first and last name, grade level, and homeroom teacher. Valentine’s Lolligrams will be on sale through February 10.

The 100th day of school might not be an official holiday, but it holds a place of significance in many schools. It is a time to celebrate the milestone of successfully completing 100 days of learning.

To Celebrate the 100th day of school, we are asking all students to join in the fun and dress like they are 100 years old.

School wide Valentine’s Day celebrations will be held on Tuesday, February 14. Please contact your child’s classroom teacher if you are interested in providing individually wrapped snacks that are store-bought and peanut-free for the celebration. Parents/ volunteers are welcome to attend.

This year the Rosemont International Night will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2023. We will have a Parade of Nations, cultural performances and displays, international board games, and an international food court. This will be a fun family event. We hope you will join us.

• Monday, February 27: Denim Day - Wear your favorite pair of jeans or denim.
• Tuesday, February 28: Sweats Day - Wear your warm sweats to school.
• Wednesday, March 1: Rosemont Day - Show your Rosemont spirit.
• Thursday, March 2: Favorite Book Character Day - Dress up like your favorite book character.
• Friday, March 3: Pajama Day - Wear your comfy pj’s to school.

On Thursday, March 2, we will celebrate Read Across America by inviting parents and guardians to read at Rosemont. During this event, volunteers will have the opportunity to show your love of reading by sharing some of your favorite stories. If you are interested in participating in our read-aloud, please fill out the form that will be sent home on Tuesday, February 21, and return it to your teacher by Friday, February 24. If you have any questions about the event or volunteer training, please email your child's teacher.

The George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. Saturday School program mentors and tutors MCPS students in Pre-K-12 grade. Each Saturday, transportation is provided at each center and breakfast is served. Elementary school students utilize MCPS aligned curriculum with benchmarks and Eureka math. For those students looking for acceleration, they introduce grade level appropriate extension activities to broaden learning experiences.

Saturday School costs $40 (FARMS)/$85 for the entire year of services. They have nine Saturday School sessions remaining from February 11 through April 29.

Families can register online at www.saturdayschool.org or bring the attached registration form to one of their physical locations on Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Preorder Your Yearbook Now!

It is time to preorder your Rosemont 2022-2023 Yearbook at a discounted price! Preorders are ONLY online for $20. We will have a limited number of yearbooks for cash purchases at the end of the school year for $25.

Order online through this link. Be sure to use the order code: 25470.

https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/ Order # 25470

MCPS Student Leadership and Extracurricular Activities unit will host the first annual Next Generation Leadership Day on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Northwood High School from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Rosemont ES will select three fifth-grade students to participate in a full-day leadership conference, where they will work on invaluable leadership skills that will allow them to develop confidence, and a student voice, help them see the leader in themselves, and meet other student leaders from across MCPS.

This event is free to the students. Free transportation will be provided from each high school at 8:00 a.m. to bring the students to Northwood HS and return to the high school by 4:00 p.m.

The Montgomery Virtual Academy, a full-time virtual learning program for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year. Students interested in the program are required to apply for admission and must be approved to participate. (Students currently enrolled in the Virtual Academy do not need to reapply). Applications will be considered on a rolling admissions basis. Application reviews will begin March 1 for initial enrollment and staffing purposes.

The Virtual Academy serves students in a comprehensive, full-time online instructional program. The program will continue to expand its infrastructure and services, innovative instructional approaches and flexible options to access coursework, particularly for high school students.

Admission considerations include:

• For elementary school students: Primarily for students with extenuating circumstances related to health or other reasons that can be mitigated through a virtual learning program.
• For middle and high school students: For students to gain access to innovative courses, flexible scheduling and specialty courses that may not be available in all schools, and for students with extenuating circumstances, including health and other reasons, that can be mitigated through a virtual program.

Applications can be submitted through ParentVUE beginning today, February 2.

• ParentVUE Log-In
• ParentVUE Help and Information

For families needing to submit paper applications or via PDF, please email MoCoVirtual@mcpsmd.org.

Note for Rising Kindergarteners

Students who will be kindergartners in the 2023–2024 school year must register at their home school prior to applying to the Virtual Academy. To receive a student ID number, contact your local neighborhood elementary school to schedule an appointment. Application reviews for kindergarten students will begin May 1.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uncategorized/application-to-2023-2024-montgomery-virtual-academy-opens-jan-5/

We have several state assessments coming up in the spring.

• Students in grades 3-5 will be taking the MCAP assessments in March/ April. This assessment will evaluate your child's progress in math and reading.
• Grade 5 students will also be taking the MISA assessment for science in March.
• All students K-5 will take the Spring MAP in April/ May

Your child's teacher will provide you with the specifics dates once they are determined.

The safety of our students is a top priority and we appreciate your cooperation! Please be reminded of our safety procedures.

• Please do NOT attempt to drop off students on neighboring streets from across, behind, or next to the school as it is dangerous.
• Please utilize the car loop lane when dropping off students by pulling up all the way to the end of the car loop lane.
• Please stay in your vehicle until your child is escorted to your vehicle for pick up
• Please be reminded to pick-up and drop off students during arrival and dismissal times in the car rider loop only.The bus loop should only be used for students getting dropped off by bus.

Good behavior is essential in a school if children are to be able to fulfill their learning potential. Poor and disruptive behavior in the classroom reduces children's ability to concentrate and absorb information. Below please find strategies to motivate your child to behave in school:

• Get involved
• Use positive reinforcement
• Reward effort rather than outcome
• Let them make mistakes
• Make the teacher your ally

Read more at the following site:

How to Help Your Child Get Motivated in School

Rosemont ES is offering FREE virtual after-school tutoring to help your child with math and reading each week. Please contact our Math Content Coach, Mrs.Vactor, for more information about FREE virtual tutoring camille.p.vactor@mcpsmd.net.

As a reminder MCPS has a process for students obtaining a Chromebook for students to use at home. Linked below are resources regarding a student Chromebook if you do not have a device at home to use:

• At Home Request for Chromebook Flyer (English)
• At Home Request for Chromebook Flyer (Spanish)
• Chromebook Form

An easy way to help Rosemont is by using Amazon Smile when shopping on Amazon. It has the same products, same prices, same services and you can use your current Amazon account. To get started click here and Rosemont Elementary as your charitable organization. Then every time you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases back to the school.

Amazon Smile Link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-6070574

Clothes Bin’s school recycling program helps raise money for Rosemont with a textile recycling bin. With contactless textile recycling bins, we can inspire change in our community while we educate students about the environment and the importance of recycling.

Clothes Bin provides for the collection, management and distribution of unwanted shoes, clothing, and other textiles. We have a textile recycling bin at Rosemont, in the parking lot next to the gymnasium. Rosemont receives money for every pound recycled in the bin.

A clean and safe environment for our students is top priority at Rosemont. Please remind your child of appropriate bathroom behavior.

• Paper towels should be put in the trashcan not the toilet
• Flush the toilet after each use
• Wash your hands after using the restroom
• Throw toilet paper in the toilet not on the floor
• Respect the privacy of others

Parents may bring individual store bought cupcakes, donuts, or cookies to school to celebrate their child’s birthday. Please do not bring cakes, drinks, decorations, cameras, or goodie bags. Cupcakes, donuts, or cookies need to be brought to the main office and will be served during your child’s lunch.

All cell phones and mobile devices should be turned off and:

• Placed in the main office upon arrival or
• Kept in student's backpack during the school day

Calls, text messages, and recordings are not allowed in the classroom, during recess/lunch or in the restroom. In addition, the school is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged devices while on school property. Thank you for your support regarding this matter.

COLDER WEATHER

Recess provides an important break for students, and is a chance to recharge energy for the remainder of the day. Students will go outside for daily recess unless the temperature or wind chill factor reaches below 32° F. Therefore, all students need to dress appropriately for the weather conditions.

APPROPRIATE DRESS

Please ensure your child are dressed in clothes appropriate for school. Stomachs and undergarments should not be visible.

LOST & FOUND

Have your child check the lost and found for missing items.

For the safety and security of our students and staff, the following procedures have been established for all parent/teacher meetings:

• If you need to communicate with your child’s teacher, you may email the teacher, schedule an appointment for a phone conference or a virtual meeting. All staff emails can be found here: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rosemontes/aboutus/directory/
  

When it is necessary to deliver books, lunches, chromebooks, or other items to students, please bring them to the office. The students will get the item quickly without interrupting instruction.

Girls on the Run is a girl-empowerment organization that inspires participants to be joyful, healthy and confident using evidence-based lessons that combine relationship-building, community strengthening, and goal setting with physical movement. Please view the attached flyer and contact the school or email info@girlsontherunofmoco.org for more information!

Head lice, also called Pediculus humanus capitis, are parasitic insects found on the heads of people. Anyone who comes in close contact (especially head-to-head contact) with someone who has head lice is at greatest risk. Occasionally, head lice may be acquired from contact with clothing or personal items that belong to an infested person. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice. See attached for more information.

For the safety of ALL students at Rosemont Elementary School, use the attached "RES Student Change in Dismissal" form when your child’s after school dismissal plans change. Please complete the form and send it to school in your child’s backpack for his/her teacher. All dismissal changes must be in writing, signed by the parent or legal guardian, and received by 2:00 p.m. Phone calls are discouraged to change dismissal plans.

Show your Rosemont spirit and get a head start on your holiday shopping by purchasing new Rosemont Rocket gear!

Order online now at https://www.rosemontspiritwear.com/.

*Free shipping for orders over $50!

Montgomery County Public Schools requires school volunteers and partnership agencies to complete certain compliance measures in order to volunteer within our school district.

• Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training via their myMCPS Classroom/ Canvas account
• COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation
• Gradesheet will show 83.3% for successful completion)
• Fingerprinting/Background check (only if the volunteer is working alone with students without supervision of an MCPS staff member or other type of volunteer service, per the Volunteers Regulation and FAQ)

If you need the forms translated, please access this link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IecE73crybtZ1SU51T_gtXDQXYU6pnDE?usp=sharing

Please save the date(s) for these important events:

February

• February 2: PTA Meeting
• February 6-10: School Counselors' Week
• February 14: Valentine's Day Celebrations
• February 20: Presidents' Day (No School)
• February 23: International Night
• February 27-March 3: Read Across America Spirit Week

March

• March 2: Read Across Rosemont
• March 3: Early Release Day
• March 15: Early Release Day
• March 22: Parent Coffee
• March 22: Multicultural Bedtime Stories
• March 31: No School for Students