Falcon Family Weekly Newsletter
April 21, 2024
Dear Lakelands Park Middle School Families:
This is a 4-day week. Tomorrow, April 22nd is an Asynchronous Learning Day. There is no in-person school tomorrow, but students must complete an assignment for each of their classes in order to be marked present. Students have 10 days from tomorrow to complete the assignments. We do encourage students to complete these assignments right away to best support their learning. Please see more details below.
Today, Sunday April 21, is the last day to Register your child for Future Vote SSL opportunity, see below for more details
Leaving LPMS or MCPS Next Year?
If next year, your child(ren) will not be returning to LPMS for 7th or 8th grade or an MCPS high school for 9th grade, please contact our Registrar, Denise Perez, so that she can help ensure a smooth transition. Contact her at Denise_F_Perez@mcpsmd.org or call 240-740-6460.
The week ahead...
- Falcon Flight Plan "Navigating Halls and Lockers " Week: Please encourage to follow school expectations for using their lockers and hallways. These rules help us ensure a safe school environment focused on learning.
- Wednesday, April 24th: PTSA Meeting, 6:30pm. At this PTSA meeting, I will review and answer questions about the serious incidents in March that led to the Shelter in Place. Lieutenant Vance of the Gaithersburg Police Department will also be present to answer questions. The PTSA will also share information about upcoming events such as staff appreciation week, 8th grade celebrations, and nominations for the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. All LPMS students who participate with a parent or caretaker will earn SSL hours.
- Thursday, April 25th: Soccer Games versus Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle, boys at home, girls away
Upcoming Events:
- Monday-Friday, May 6th-10th: Staff Appreciation Week. See note below from the PTSA.
- Monday & Tuesday, May 6th & 7th: Social Studies MCAP testing for 8th graders and MAP for 6th and 7th graders
- Wednesday-Friday, May 8th-10th: 8th Grade Hearing and Vision Screening
- Wednesday, May 8th: Walk, Bike & Roll to school day
- Thursday, May 9th: Last day of after-school activity busses
Sincerely,
Rose Alvarez (she/her)
Principal
A note from the PTSA...
Teacher and Staff Appreciation week is fast approaching!
This year we will be celebrating May 6th-10th. During this week we would encourage families to recognize their students’ teachers, para-educators, and staff that have helped them this year-anything from a handwritten letter to a gift card would brighten their day. The LPMS PTSA will be raising money to sponsor a staff lunch that will cost approximately $1,700. To help us appreciate the staff, please consider making a donation through our PTSA website by clicking the Staff Appreciation 2024 button. Please also see the sign-up genius to help us with collecting $10 gift cards. These $10 gift cards will be supporting para-educators, building service workers, cafeteria workers, secretaries, security assistants, and others. Thank you for supporting all the staff at LPMS!
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LPMS Upcoming Events
Plan for April 22 Asynchronous Learning Day
Monday, April 22 is now an asynchronous learning day and will be used as a make-up instructional day for all MCPS students. This means that April 22 will count as a school day but students will not attend school in-person or on Zoom. Instead they will complete assignments in each class in order to be marked present for April 22. Here is the plan for LPMS:
- Assignments were posted to each class' Canvas (MyMCPS) page by April 19th entitled “April 22nd Asynchronous Learning Day Assignment.”
- Teachers shared expectations for assignments with their classes and provide any needed materials on Friday, April 19th
- Assignments for each class will take no more than 30 minutes. Given that students have 7 classes, excluding Fly Time, the work should take no more than 3.5 hours.
- Students will have 10 days following April 22 to complete the assignment in order to be marked present.
- If students need help with the assignment, they may ask their teachers during regular school hours starting on April 23.
- April 22 is professional development day for teachers and they will be engaged in their on learning. We ask that students and families refrain from emailing or contacting teachers on April 22, and wait until April 23 to ask questions. Thank you for your understanding.
May 8: Walk & Bike to School Day
All are welcome to participate in Walk, Bike, and Roll to school on Wednesday May 8th . Participate by: Biking, Walking, Scooting, Carpooling, or getting dropped off a couple of blocks away. Be part of the fun and cut down on greenhouse emissions.
LPMS Resources & Initiatives
IXL - Help Your Child Sharpen Their Math Skills
In an effort to help improve Math skills and help prepare students for the MAP-M test, MCPS has partnered with IXL to provide a platform for students to sharpen their math skills. IXL has skill plans that target Student's present MAP-M levels. They also offer practice problems and videos that align with our Illustrative Math curriculum. Students can access IXL through the Clever Portal under the MCPS Resources folder. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to our Math Content Specialist, Ms. Shaneé Satchell (shanee_d_satchell@mcpsmd.net).
School Cash Online
MCPS offers a School Cash Online payment system for parents and guardians to make payments for field trips, yearbooks, merchandise, and donations. If you have not registered and set up your account, we encourage you to do so today. Use this School Cash Online (SCO) link and follow the steps. Parent guides are linked below as well.
SCO Parent Guide (Español)
SCO - How to register
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (English)
SCO-Auto Subscription Multi Guardian User Guide (Spanish)
District Initiatives & Messages
Student PSA on Bullying, Harassment and Hate-Bias
A group of MCPS students have come together to spread awareness about the impact of bullying, harassment and hate-bias. This student-led video campaign is part of the ongoing work to address and help educate their peers and the school community. Read more.
Parents & Guardians of Students Receiving Special Education Services: Make Your Voice Heard
Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 12, 2024. Click here to read FAQs. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage-paid envelope by May 24, 2024. The survey may also be completed online. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in our school system. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other children across the state of Maryland. To learn more and complete the survey, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com
MCPS Superintendent Search Survey
The Montgomery County Board of Education encourages all families, students, staff, and community members to take a few minutes to share their thoughts by completing a brief online survey. The survey is now available in multiple languages including Spanish, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Amharic. The survey is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, concerns and aspirations for the district's future. The survey closes at the the end of this month as the Montgomery County Board of Education, with the assistance of search firm Greenwood Asher & Associates, LLC, enters the recruitment phase of the search.
Current Enrollments Open: PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, High School Summer School Registration
Kindergarten: Children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2024 are eligible to register for kindergarten.
Read more.
Prekindergarten and Head Start: Children 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024 can register online or in person. Families must be income-eligible to apply. Read more.
High School Summer School: Regional Summer High School Programs will be offered in person at Montgomery Blair, Seneca Valley and Richard Montgomery high schools.
Read more.
District Upcoming Events
Tune In for Champions for Children Event on May 1
The event will honor top educators of the year, and unveil the 2024–2025 Teacher of the Year and Supporting Services Employee of the Year. Tune in on the MCPS website on May 1 at 6:30 p.m. You can also watch it live on YouTube.
Know anyone shopping for a New Car or Computer?
Students in the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) and Information Technology Foundation (ITF) will sell used cars and computers they have refurbished from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, at Thomas Edison High School of Technology/Foundations Officer, 12501 Dalewood Drive in Silver Spring.
USG Hosting Open House on May 4
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) invites students and guests to learn more about their campus and the degree programs offered by its university partners from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. The event will be held in Building IV (the Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Facility), 9631 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville.
Safety Day Event on May 11
The Montgomery Department of Transportation (MCDOT) in partnership with MCPS invites all families to Safety Day on Saturday, May 11 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Carver Educational Services Center (CESC) parking lot in Rockville. Families will learn about traffic safety in a fun and festive environment. There will be dozens of activities and community partners to visit with FREE giveaways and prizes.
There will be free shuttle buses (school buses) picking up attendees from the following high schools:
John F. Kennedy High School
Seneca Valley High School
Walter Johnson High School
Pick-ups will run 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 pm. The last drop-off is 1:30 pm. These buses will run approximately every 30 minutes during the event.
Newcomers Resource Fair on May 18
Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 18 for the Newcomer Resources and Services Fair at Takoma Park Middle School from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. This free event will have immigration attorneys, resources, classes and more. Families must text "FAIR" to 240-447-1862 on WhatsApp to attend.
District Opportunities & Resources
SSL Opportunity: Future Vote Program for Students in Grades 6-12
The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking school-age students, grades 6-12, to participate in its “Future Vote” program. The Future Vote program is available to County students grades 6-12. Students must be able to speak, read and write the English language. Students with bilingual and American Sign Language skills are encouraged to apply. The initiative combines civic participation and the opportunity to observe democracy in action. Volunteers will earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for their service. Training is required for both students and guardians. Details and volunteer expectations are provided at training. To apply online, or for more information, visit 777vote.org and select the “Future Vote” tab, then select “FV FAQs”.
Guardians must register their children by April 21, 2024.
- Future Vote Registration Instructions: 2024_FV_Registration_Instructions.pdf (montgomerycountymd.gov)
- Future Vote Registration Portal: Sign in · Starter Portal (powerappsportals.us)
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission Award: Montgomery County MD 2018 Clearinghouse Award Winner | U.S. Election Assistance Commission (eac.gov)
The Importance of Reading by Third Grade
Fifty years of national research has indicated that a student’s ability to read by the end of third grade is paramount to future success. Reading by Grade 3 is the second milestone on the MCPS Pathway to College, Career, and Community Readiness. Watch the video and learn more about steps parents can take to help their children at home.
FREE English Classes Available to MCPS Parents
The Class to Community (C2C) organization offers free English as a Second Language (ESL), GED and college prep, and digital literacy classes. Visit the C2C website for more information.
To The Point: Pathway to College, Career & Community Readiness
Watch the latest episode of To the Point about The Pathway, a new guide that MCPS created to help families, students and teachers work together to ensure student success. The Pathway to College, Career and Community Readiness helps identify students’ strengths and areas of improvement to ensure each student receives the support they need. The Pathway has a series of milestones and core competencies that students should meet by certain grade levels. The overall goal is to prepare students for life after high school.
Update On Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias
MCPS convened an action team to work with internal and external stakeholders to develop a Districtwide Approach to Educating, Preventing and Addressing Hate-Bias to build on the district’s foundation to combat incidents of hate-bias. This framework and group’s work will be shared with the Board of Education on Tuesday, March 19. Click here to watch a video message
Other Resources and Events
George B. Thomas Saturday School
MCPS Parent Academy
Gaithersburg Youth Club
LPMS Digital Handbook & Future Events
Future Events
Wednesday, May 1st: Soccer Games versus Poole Middle, girls at home, boys away
Monday-Friday, May 6th-10th: Staff Appreciation Week
Monday & Tuesday, May 6th & 7th: Social Studies MCAP testing for 8th graders and MAP for 6th and 7th graders
Tuesday, May 7th: Soccer Games versus Hallie Wells Middle, boys at home, girls away
Wednesday-Friday, May 8th-10th: 8th Grade Hearing and Vision Screening
Thursday, May 9th: Last day of after-school activity busses
Tuesday, May 14th: No School, Primary Election Day
Wednesday, May 15th: Spring Orchestra & Jazz Concert
Thursday, May 16th: Spring Band Concert
Thursday & Friday, May 16th & 17th: Mathematics MCAP testing for all students
Friday & Saturday, May 17th & 18th: Spring Musical: Into the Woods
Tuesday, May 21th: Spring Choral Concert
Wednesday, May 22th: 4th Marking Period Interim Reports Available on Synergy
Monday, May 27th: No School, Holiday
Friday, May 31st: Music Department Trip to Hershey Park
Tuesday, June 11th: 8th Grade Cruise & Evening Celebration
Thursday, June 13th: Last day of school, early release day
Monday, June 24th: Report cards mailed home
Planning ahead?
Click here to see the 2024-2025 MCPS Calendar for next school year.
Contacting Us
Email: Rose_S_Alvarez@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakelandsparkms/
Location: Lakelands Park Middle School, 1200 Main Street, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Phone: (240)740-6450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LPMSPTSA/