West Towson Elementary - Baltimore County Public Schools

WEST TOWSON ELEMENTARY
Sue Hershfeld, Principal
School Office: 410-887-3869
Dawn Hoffmaster, Assistant Principal
Health Suite: 410-887-8037
http://westtowsones@bcps.org
Go West Newsletter
May 2016
MAY
13
14
16
19
20
23
26
27
30
31
School Spirit Day
WTES Night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Kindergarten Conference Day – No School for Kindergarten Students
Kindergarten Field Trip – Towson Library
5th Grade Residency Verification – 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Volunteer Tea – 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM - Rotunda
PTA Movie Night
PTA Meeting
4th Grade Field Trip – St. Mary’s County
Birthday Celebration Kg, 1st, 4th, 5th
Memorial Day Assembly - 9:30 Am – Multi-Purpose Room
Memorial Day – School Closed
Patriot & Defender Field Trip – Washington, DC
A LOOK AHEAD TO JUNE
1
5th Grade Residency Verification – 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
2
Career Day
4th & 5th Grade Concert – 7:00 PM
6
Field Day
7
Field Day – Rain Date
15
School Awards Assembly
16
Schools Close 3 Hours Early
17
5th Grade Farewell
School Spirit Day
Schools Close 3 Hours Early
Last Day of School for Students and Staff
We are well into the final the quarter of the school year even though it doesn’t feel like
summer is just around the corner! The final weeks of school are going to be busy ones for the
students at West Towson Elementary School. Students in the intermediate grades are
preparing for vocal and instrumental music concerts. All students are working on increasing
their speed, agility, and stamina in preparation for this year’s Field Day. Our fifth grade
students are anticipating their end-of-the-year activities and their Farewell Ceremony.
It is often challenging to keep the students focused on learning as the weather turns warm,
the days grow longer, and the children anticipate the arrival of summer. Please continue to
emphasize the importance of school and learning by checking to ensure that your children
have completed their homework, discussing what your children are learning, and assisting
your children to prepare for assessments.
The administration would like to thank all of the teachers and support staff at West Towson
for all that they do to help the students learn and grow. Our wonderful PTA plans surprises
for our staff throughout the month of May. The staff has enjoyed box lunches, flowers, and
students wearing their teachers’ favorite colors. This month provides an opportunity for our
staff to be recognized and honored for their commitment to your children and their
education.
Congratulations to Mrs. Angela Robitaille, first grade teacher, who was nominated for
Baltimore County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year. In addition, at this year’s Excellence in
Education Awards Banquet, Mrs. Lisa VanderWal was recognized as the school system’s Special
Area Educator of the Year. Congratulations to Mrs. Robitaille and Mrs. VanderWal!
West Towson’s kindergarten registration was held on April 28, 2016. Families who were
unable to register on the scheduled registration day are urged to contact Mrs. Sidou at school
to arrange a time to complete the enrollment process. Mrs. Sidou can be reached at 410-8873869.
The Baltimore County Board of Education has officially announced that June 17, 2016, will be
the last day of school unless additional time is lost if schools need to close for extreme heat.
Schools will close three hours early on Thursday, June 16th, and Friday, June 17th. As a result
our students’ school day will end at 3:50 PM on the last two days of school. Many end of the
year school activities are in the planning stages, so please pay careful attention to dates and
times of upcoming celebrations and events as they are shared. This year’s Fifth Grade
Farewell will be held on June 17, at 9:30 AM.
Classroom assignments for the 2016-2017 school year will not be included on students’ fourth
quarter report cards. This information will be provided to families at the end of the summer
break. During the past several years, West Towson’s unpredictable enrollment has forced us
to make changes in classes during the summer months after class assignments were shared
with families. To avoid making these changes the assignments will not be shared until August.
This year’s Westy Walk was a huge success despite the weather. Everyone who attended
seemed to have a blast, enjoying the walk, spending time with family and friends, bidding on
items included in the silent auction, and munching on treats. Funds raised this year will be
used to complete the purchase and installment of safety blinds for classroom windows, cover
the cost of the fourth grade experience at Biz Town, and purchase additional books to
enhance the instructional program. Many thanks, to Mrs. Henson and her committee for
another successful event!
Thank you for all that you do to support the students and staff at West Towson!
SPECIAL AREA UPDATES
NEWS FROM LIBRARY LANE
All library books will be due back by June 3rd in order to be shelved for the summer. The last
week of book check out will be May 23rd- May 27th. Overdue notices were sent home on
Thursday and Friday last week. Please check to see if your child has any overdue or
missing materials. There has been lots of learning going on throughout the
end of April and will continue through the month of May. Check out what
your child/ children’s grade level is learning about:
K- In kindergarten we are doing an author study about Eric Carle. The students
will examine some of his popular titles while applying reading skills. Our final unit
for the year will be “Pets.” In this unit, students will be introduced to the research
process using a familiar concept – pet care. Please have your child practice typing their
BCPSOne username and password at home. There will be Kindergarten field trip to the
Baltimore County Public Library- Towson Branch on May 19, 2016. More information
should be coming home about it shortly!
1st- In first grade, we wrapped up our unit “Needs and Wants, Goods and Services”. In this
unit, first grade students’ understanding of economics were enhanced by exploring the
differences between goods vs. services and needs vs. wants while also classifying community
workers as goods or service providers who fulfill either the needs or the wants of their
customers. In our next and final unit, “Meet Mo,” students will complete an author study of
Mo Willems: his life, his artwork, and his writing. Students will analyze how the author adds
meaning to the text through his illustrations (and vice versa). Students will also study
Willem’s use of anthropomorphism.
2nd- In second grade, we are wrapping up unit on patriotism. In this unit, students used a
variety of digital resources to gather information about famous American Symbols. Students
selected one symbol to create an Infographic to present their new information. In our next
and final unit, “Independent Research,” students will use a variety of digital resources to
gather information about Animal Habitats. Students will create a visual presentation for their
new information about their selected habitat.
3rd-Students are wrapping up the “Awesome Chesapeake,” students will be researching a topic
related to the Chesapeake Bay and how it impacts life in Maryland. Students will develop a
divergent question to identify a focused topic of research related to the Chesapeake Bay.
Students will research using digital and web resources to answer their divergent question.
Students will organize their information and create a multimedia presentation in order to
share their findings on their chosen topic. In our next and final unit, “Power of Poetry,”
students will be introduced to different types (haiku, cinquain, limerick, diamante, shape,
free verse, and narrative) of poetry using the online slam dunk. Students will analyze each
form and ultimately choose one of the types to create their own poem.
4th- Students are in the middle of our “Media Literacy” unit. Students now have an
understanding of the amount and types of media they encounter each day. Students practiced
using questions to view media more critically, and learned specific advertising techniques
used to promote products. Students will select from these techniques to advertise a new
product they have created. Finally, students will create an informative comic or booklet to
share the new media literacy skills with others. In our next and final unit, “Go Maryland,”
students will use a variety of sources to gather information about all of the regions of
Maryland. Students will select one Maryland region and create an advertisement promoting
the region. The product will explain the physical features and the human activities which take
place in the region. The product may be a brochure, poster, radio promotion, or television
promotion.
5th- Students wrapped up the unit, “Colonial Kids.” Students researched the colonial period in
order to find information about what life was like during colonial times for children. During
this unit, students practiced note-taking skills (paraphrase, quote, and summarize) while they
completed research. They created a bibliography in order to responsibly cite sources. This
will be our last unit of the year as students will work on completing their personal slides for
the farewell slideshow. More information will be sent home by the 5th grade teachers about
how to send in pictures for this activity.
Don’t forget that that the library is always open 24/7 beyond the physical walls
of the library. Destiny Quest provides students with access to eBooks, as well
as excellent websites to use for research projects. There are great new ebooks, which would be perfect for summer reading! There is also the Destiny
Quest App for your mobile devices that will allow you to access it anywhere!
The library is looking for volunteers! If you have time during the day and would
like to volunteer in the library, please email
me at egleitsmann@bcps.org. You can also sign
up by using SignUp Genius and searching for
my email address under “Find a Sign Up.” Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter
@WTESLibrary to see all the wonderful things that are happening in the
library!
Information can be found about summer reading, May events taking place at the Towson
Library, and getting started with ebooks, by clicking on the links below.
Summer Reading MayTowsonEventsfo Getting_Started_wit
School Nights %40 Towson
rKids2016.pdf
branch Full Page.pdf
h_eBooks_in_Universal_Search.pdf
MARZO 2016
¡Saludos desde la clase de español!
In fourth grade and fifth grade Spanish classes, the students continue to practice their
Spanish communication skills with their classmates and their teachers. It is incredible to
hear the quality of their conversations…¡en español! In fourth grade, the students discuss
basic biographical information, day-to-day occurrences, personal preferences, community
features, professions, animals and habitats. In fifth grade, the students discuss
biographical information, personal preferences, homes, chores, necessities, and daily
school routines. It is exciting to experience the students’ enthusiasm as they continue to
acquire more of the Spanish language, especially as they make connections between what
they are learning and their own lives. Gracias, Señorita Reier
SAVE THE DATE
The 2016-2017 school year may seem a long way away, but it will be here before
you realize it. Please put Wednesday, August 24, 2016, on your calendars to mark
the first day of school for our students!
SHARED DOMICILE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Shared Domicile Renewal Forms were sent to the homes of all families residing
with another family. Your child’s enrollment must be renewed each year as long as you live in
a shared domicile living arrangement. If you received a form and are no longer living in a
shared domicile living arrangement, proof of residency must be provided for your new
address. If you have any questions about the documentation you need to provide, please call
Mrs. Sidou at 410-887-3869. These forms must be returned to the office by June 30, 2016,
or your child will be withdrawn from West Towson Elementary School. Baltimore County
Public School Policy prohibits us from making any exceptions for forms turned in late.
5th GRADE TRANSITION YEAR RESIDENCY VERIFICATION
All resident families with students currently enrolled in grades 5 or 8
are now required to verify residency with their sending school (West Towson
Elementary School) prior to the start of the 2016-2017 school year. Letters
were mailed out to the parents/guardians of our 5th grade students. Failure
to provide this information by June 17, will result in the receiving school (the students’
projected Middle School) withdrawing the student prior to the start of the 2016-2017 school
year, as indicated in Baltimore County Public School Policy Rule 5150. Please be advised that
after June 17, you will need to work with your child’s middle school to re-enroll your child.
For you convenience, the office staff will be available to assist you with your residency
verification on May 19 and June 1, from 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM, and 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Please
note that residency verification will not be accepted the week of June 13, through June
17, due to the numerous activities that will take place at West Towson Elementary School
during the last week of school. Residency verification can also not be done during end of
the year grade level activities, field day, or end of the year field trips. If have questions
about your residency verification or need additional information, please contact Mrs. Sidou at
410-887-3869.
CONGRATULATIONS MRS. VANDERWAL
On Monday, May 9, twelve staff members from West Towson Elementary
School were honored as nominees by The Baltimore Count Chamber of
Commerce at Martin’s West for the Excellence In Education Awards. Our
West Towson nominees were, Kelly Baker, Lee Bleser, Amy Conklin,
Sarah De Felice, Beth Gleitsmann,
Michelle Huber, Ben Rabin, Angela Robitaille, Erin Rossetti, Gretchen
Steffen, Alexandra Stein, and Lisa Vanderwal.
We would like to congratulate our school nurse, Lisa Vanderwal, who won the Special Area
Excellence in Education Award. We are very proud of all of our nominees and especially proud
of our awesome school nurse!
NEWS FROM MRS. VANDERWAL, SCHOOL NURSE - - FOR FIFTH GRADE PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Congratulations your student is about to leave elementary school and enter middle school.
This is an important transition for your student and for you.
Shortly, you will be receiving a copy of the physical and dental form. Both examinations
are recommended before your student enters 6th grade. These forms should be returned
to the middle school that your child will attend next year. Your child will be able to
start 6th grade whether these are completed or not. You may return them anytime
during the school year.
Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene recommend that pre-teens and teens be vaccinated to protect them against infection
with diseases like whooping cough, influenza, meningitis, chickenpox and human papilloma
virus infection.
A list of recommended vaccines for teens from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
will be attached to the forms for your review.
Please check with your child’s healthcare provider to see if your pre-teen needs any of the
above listed vaccines. Always keep a copy of your child’s shot records; it is one of the most
important health records you should have. Maryland law now requires Tdap (tetanus,
diphtheria and whooping cough) and Meningococcal vaccine for 7th grade students.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or your healthcare provider.
A HEALTH REMINDER FROM MRS. VANDERWAL, R.N.
If your child has been taking medication in school please read the following
information carefully. Students may not take unused or expired
medications home. A parent or designated adult must retrieve the
medication from school or it will be discarded. Medication should be picked
up by the last day of school. If you are unable to pick up medication by the
last day of school and want to make alternate arrangements, please contact
me at the telephone number below.
A copy of the doctor’s order will be sent to you in June with a reminder letter. If it is
necessary for your child to continue taking medication during the coming school year, please
return the form by the first day of school with the medication. All medication (over the
counter and prescription) must have a doctor’s order.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 410-887-8037.
EARLY ADMISSION INTO KINDERGARTEN TESTING
As mandated by BCPS’s Guidelines for Early Admission into Kindergarten,
requests for early admission to kindergarten are currently being accepted.
Parents or guardians may request early admission into kindergarten if his/her
child turns five (5) years of age after the September 1 entrance date
established by the Maryland State Department of Education, and no later than
October 14 of the school year for which early admission is requested. All requests must be
submitted prior to June 1, 2016. Following a parent conference, testing may be conducted
leading to a decision regarding if the child meets the criteria for early admission.
PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR
Are you planning to move your child to a different school for the 20162017 school year? If the answer is yes, please contact the office at 410887-3869 as soon as possible. This would also include 5th grade students
who will be attending a private school next year and not a Baltimore
County public School. This information will assist us as we plan next
year’s grade level organizations, as well as allow the office staff to complete
the necessary paperwork for your child that needs to be sent to the receiving
school.
END OF THE YEAR EVENTS AND FIELD TRIP REMINDERS FOR PARENTS
As we near the end of the school year, the teachers have planned many
exciting events that you may wish to share with your children and their
classmates. Any event (picnic, class party, Field Day) where you may be
interacting with other children will require that you be volunteer trained and
be placed on the Approved Volunteer list. The school office maintains this list of approved
volunteers, and only parents on that list will be allowed to participate in activities which
involve interacting with the other children in the classes. Parents not on the list will only be
allowed to observe the activities and/or to interact only with their children.
In order to fully participate in the class events, school events, or serve as a chaperone on
field trips, it is important that you complete the online Volunteer Training course provided
via the BCPS website. The training can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
http://www.bcps.org/community/volunteer_info/
The training takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. After completing the training, you
must print out both your completed application and your certificate of completion (two
separate documents) and send them to your child’s homeroom teacher or the school office.
Once your documents are received in the main office, the approval process which involves a
background check takes at least 24 hours. So, don’t wait until the day of the event
or trip to turn in the documents!
We value your participation and we do not want to disappoint any children or
parents in sharing the special joys and memories of our end of the year events and
field trips. Please contact your Mrs. Ruocco, School Counselor, or your child's
teacher with any questions regarding volunteering at West Towson.
All parents attending field trips are considered WTES parent volunteers. If you
are attending a field trip as a chaperone, you will need to submit your volunteer
paperwork to the main office at least 15 days prior to the trip. As volunteers, parents are
in attendance to enhance the children’s learning. The volunteers are expected to follow the
trip agenda/schedule provided by the teachers and to follow school procedures. Smoking is
not permitted on the trips. If the trip involves parents traveling on the bus with the children,
parents will need to park their cars in the lower parking lot at Greenwood, Baltimore County
Public School’s Headquarters, across Charles Street from the school. The teachers organizing
the trip will arrange for the bus(es) to stop by the Greenwood parking lot for pick-up and
drop-off. Parents may not park in the West Towson’s or Ridge Ruxton parking lots as there
will not be enough spaces left for staff members to park their cars. Your assistance with these
procedures is appreciated.
THANKS TO THE WEST TOWSON PTA
Each year, the WTES PTA selects and pays for a variety of
cultural arts programs for the students. This year’s
programs have included a visit from the Zoomobile (For
fifth grade art class), the Youth Mover presentation which
focused on an anti-bullying message, and a workshop
provided by internationally recognized trickstar, Joseph
Odhiambo. Mr. Odhiambo is a motivational speaker,
coach, and a celebrated basketball handling
demonstrator. The final program of the year brought an
introduction to opera to the students at West Towson.
PREKINDERGARTEN SCREENING
WEST TOWSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOES NOT HOUSE A PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.
However, all BCPS elementary schools are providing a pre-kindergarten screening day. West
Towson Elementary will hold pre-kindergarten screening on Monday, May 23. In order for a
child to be screened for the program, he/she must be four (4) years of age by September 1,
2016. To be age eligible for school year 2016-2017, your child must have a birth date between
9/2/2011 and 9/1/2012. If you would like for your child to be screened, please contact Mrs.
Ford at 410-887-3869 for an appointment.
Automatic eligibility for a prekindergarten program will occur when a child meets the
September 1 age eligibility requirement and is at least one of the following:
 From an economically disadvantaged background, (i.e., eligible for
 free or reduced-price meal program as established by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture).
 Homeless.
 Identified through the IEP team process and the development of an IEP as
necessitating special education classroom instruction within a general
education setting.
Children who do not meet the automatic criteria for eligibility will be considered for
enrollment based upon availability of space and prioritized criteria. As with automatic
eligibility, children must first meet the age of entry guidelines.
If it is determined that your child meets the automatic eligibility requirements, they will not
be placed at West Towson Elementary, but will be placed in a Baltimore County Public School
that houses a pre-kindergarten program
VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS FOR WEST TOWSON VOLUNTEERS
Would you like to volunteer at West Towson Elementary or chaperone a field
trip? The BCPS volunteer policy states that a BCPS Application for Volunteer Services
form must be submitted along with your valid Certificate of Competition form before
you can attend a field trip OR volunteer during the 2015-2016 school year. Both
documents must be submitted at the same time to be accepted and reviewed by
the school staff. Once your information is received by the office staff, there will be
a 24 hour turnaround time before your application can be processed and your
child’s teacher notified that you are able to volunteer. All parents attending
field trips are considered WTES parent volunteers. If you are attending a
field trip as a chaperone, you will need to submit your volunteer paperwork
to the main office at least 15 days prior to the trip.
To avoid disappointments throughout the school year, West Towson Elementary School
highly encourages EVERYONE WHO MAY WISH TO VOLUNTEER AT WTES IN ANY CAPACITY
TO GET VOLUNTEER TRAINED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. In addition, children not enrolled at
WTES including siblings, may not accompany parents or others who volunteer in the
school.
You may complete the volunteer training at your leisure. Online training can be completed at
home by utilizing the www.bcps.org website. Directions for completing online training are
listed below. Please refer to these directions prior to completing the online training.
Thank you for your interest in volunteering in Baltimore County Public Schools. Our schools
depend on volunteers and value their contributions to enhance the programs and services
provided for students. Volunteers are important members of Team BCPS and help our
professional staff sustain effective learning environments, enrich the education and experiences
of students and build critical partnerships to increase achievement for all students. Volunteers
are essential to the educational process, as they bring knowledge and skills into our schools
and strengthen classroom instruction.
VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTIONS:
All volunteers must complete the volunteer application and participate in an
orientation/training session annually. To do this, log onto the Baltimore County Public School
website at www.bcps.org. Click on the “Parents” tab. Scroll down to Volunteer with BCPS. Click
on this tab.
Step 1: Complete the BCPS Application for Volunteer Services. You must print this form
when you have completed filling it out.
Step 2: Complete the online volunteer orientation. You will be provided with a certificate once
you successfully complete the training. You must print the Certificate of Completion.
Step 3: Submit BOTH the application and the valid training certificate to the school in
which you intend to volunteer. Volunteers may provide hard copies. Both documents must
be submitted at the same time to be accepted and reviewed by the school staff.
IMPORTANT VOLUNTEER UPDATES
As we move in the second quarter of the school year, we would like to remind
all families about our school’s policies and the school system’s policies related
to the involvement of volunteers. The policies are not intended to keep parents and family
members out of our building but to ensure the safety of our children.
Please keep in mind that:
 A person cannot volunteer if they are younger than 21 years old.
 Baltimore County’s Public Schools’ policy regarding volunteers serving as
chaperones for field trips states that training must be completed 15 days in
advance to the date of the trip. Any volunteer who requests permission to attend a
field trip as a chaperone after the 15 day cut off will not be allowed to attend the
trip.
 West Towson needs at least 24 hours (from the time that your paperwork is received
in the main office) to process a volunteer’s information for an activity other than a
field trip (see above), complete the background check, adjust the school’s approved
volunteer list, and share the updated lists with the staff.
APPROPRIATE SPRING APPAREL
As the weather improves and the temperature rises, it is important that you discuss guidelines
for appropriate school apparel with your children. Children spend recess time outside on fair
weather days, and they should be wearing shoes that will protect their feet. Wearing flexible
shoes that enclose the entire foot (like tennis shoes that tie) help to prevent injuries and
insect bites/stings on the playground. A person’s foot is less likely to slip, causing a fall, when
and are less likely to slip on the steps if they are wearing appropriate shoes. To minimize
distractions children should not wear short shorts, short skirts, or revealing tops. Tee shirts
containing negative statements or inappropriate content should not be worn to school.
2016-2017 SCHOOL CALENDAR
The calendar for the 2016-2017 school year is attached. Please review the calendar
when planning family trips or vacations to avoid scheduling these important events
while school is in session.
ENVIROMENTAL NEWS
Thanks to everyone who donated clothes or textiles last month. We collected 3,130 pounds!
The final upcycling collection for the school year is approaching. Please drop off upcycling at
510 W. Joppa Road between May 28 and June 1. To check the current items that can be
upcycled, please see the Environmental Committee’s web page at the West Towson PTA web
site http://wtespta.org.
WESTY’S SUMMER PLAYGROUND UPDATE
This summer, Westy’s Summer Playground is being combined with, and held at, Rodgers Forge
Elemenmtary School due to facility conflicts at WTES. To register, visit www.towsonrec.com
and click on “Rodgers Playground” on the homepage.
SUMMER ART STUDIO
Towsontowne Recreation Council presents the Summer Art Studio. Students will experiment,
discover and express their own creativity as they explore a variety of media including
drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. Movement breaks will be built in as children
collaborate with some creative problem solving activities during the joyful week! Directed by
West Towson’s retired art teacher, Mrs. Whelehan and WTES parent/art educator, Mrs.
Talman. The summer art studio will take place from, June 20 through June 24, from 1:00 PM –
4:00 PM daily. This program is for rising grades 3 – 5 students and the cost is $125.00.
Register online at www.ttrec.org
NEWS FROM THE SPECIAL EDUCATION LIASION
Looking for adaptive Summer activities for your child with disabilities? Look no further than
the Leisure Resources website of Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks!
There are many offerings, from baseball and softball to fitness to horseback riding. And
many more! Please take a look at
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/recreation/programdivision/therapeutic/index
.html. Also, are you a parent of a child with an IEP? Do you know someone amazing who is?
Next school year, West Towson needs a new Special Education Liaison. This is a volunteer
position that is very rewarding. The liaison acts as a link between parents who need guidance
through the IEP process. The liaison also helps connect parents to programs and resources. It
does not constitute a huge commitment and is a wonderful support for parents of students
with learning differences. I have really enjoyed this role for the past few years, but I now
must pass the torch! Please contact me at tesstheartist@verizon.net if you are interested! I
would be happy to talk with you about it and give you more details.
FALL SOCCER OPPORTUNITY
Registration for Towsontowne fall 2016 travel soccer team try-outs and Towsontowne’s fall
2016 recreational soccer program are open. The relevant link is
http://tinyurl.com/TowsontowneSoccer. Or folks can access the soccer web page from the
recreation council’s site landing page at www.ttrec.org. The try-out schedule is up on the
web site.
FREE Y FAMILY MEMBERSHIP FOR WEST TOWSON ELEMENTARY FAMILIES WHO ENROLL IN
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PRIOGRAM
The Orokawa Y in Towson is holding open enrollment for its Y Before & After School
Enrichment program! Y Before & After School Enrichment gives children in grades K-5 a safe,
fun and healthy balance to the school day where they have lots of choices and opportunities
to discover new talents and interests! Children enjoy unique, hands-on activities
including STEM, strategy games, open swim, rock wall, Y Fit-n-Fun, science exploration,
sports, creative expression and more! Not to mention healthy snacks, homework
time and 30 minutes physical activity every day, plus transportation is included!
*All full-time (5 days a week) participants receive a complimentary Y Family Membership—
valued at over $900—included with enrollment and good for the 2016/2017 school
year! Register by May 16th and we'll even apply your registration fee to your 1st payment
in August!
West Towson Elementary School
Prekindergarten Screening
For:
Children born between 9/02/2011 and 9/01/2012
Date:
Time:
May 21, 2016
Location:
West Towson Elementary School
Return the tear-off to WTES. You will receive a
screening appointment time by mail.
Please return the tear-off to school as soon as possible. You will receive an
appointment time and a packet containing screening information.
PREKINDERGARTEN SCREENING FORM
Child’s Name: __________________________________________________________________
First
Middle
Last
Birth Date: ____________________________________
Sex: _____Male
_____Female
Name of Parent(s)/Guardian(s): ____________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
Home Phone: ________________________
Zip Code: _________
Work Phone:
____________________
Cell Phone: ______________________
E-mail Address:
__________________
Alternative Means of Contact: ________________________
Today’s Date:
___________________
Are you residing in temporary housing or do you lack housing? ___ Yes ___ No
Was your child born in another country? ___ Yes ___ No
Is a language other than English spoken in the home? ___ Yes ___ No
If yes, what language? ____________________
For Office Use Only – Screening Date: ____________
Appointment Time: _____________
2016 - 2017 SCHOOL YEAR
Approved: 11/13/15
August
Friday
12
Administrative & Supervisory Personnel Meeting
Wednesday
17
Teachers on Duty
Thursday
18
Systemwide Professional Development Activities
Wednesday
24
Opening Day for Students
Pupil Days
6
Teacher Days
11
Monday
5
Labor Day – Schools and Offices Closed
Sunday
11
Eid al-Adha*
Pupil Days
21
Teacher Days
21
Monday
3
Schools and Offices Closed – Rosh Hashanah
Monday
10
Columbus Day*
Wednesday
12
Schools and Offices Closed – Yom Kippur
Friday
21
Systemwide Professional Development Day/MSEA Convention – Schools Closed for
Students – Teachers on Duty
Thursday
27
First Marking Period Ends – Elementary and Middle Schools Close 3 Hours Early for
Students – Grade Reporting and Data Analysis** – Teachers on Duty; High Schools in
Session Full Day
Pupil Days
18
Teacher Days
19
Tuesday
8
Election Day – Schools and Offices Closed
Thursday
10
Report Cards Distributed; Preschool-3 and Pre-K Conference Day – No Preschool-3 or
Pre-K A.M. or P.M. Sessions – Teachers on Duty
Friday
11
Veterans Day*; Elementary Conference Day – Schools Closed for Elementary Students –
Teachers on Duty – Middle Schools and High Schools in Session Full Day
Monday-Friday
14-18
American Education Week
Thursday-Friday
24-25
Thanksgiving Holiday – Schools and Offices Closed
Pupil Days
18-19
Teacher Days
19
Friday
9
Half-Day Professional Development – Elementary and Middle Schools
Close 3 Hours Early for Students – Teachers on Duty; High Schools in Session Full Day
Thursday
15
Bill of Rights Day*
Thursday
22
Christmas Holiday/Winter Break Begins at the End of School Day
Pupil Days
16
Teacher Days
16
Tuesday
3
Schools Reopen
Friday
13
Second Marking Period Ends – All Schools Close 3 Hours Early – Grade
Reporting and Data Analysis** – Teachers on Duty
Sunday
15
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, Birthday *
Monday
16
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, Birthday Observed – Schools and Offices Closed
Tuesday
17
Systemwide Professional Development Day, Schools Closed for All Students, Teachers
on Duty
Thursday
26
Distribution of Report Cards
Pupil Days
19
Teacher Days
20
September
October
November
December
January
February
Sunday
12
Lincoln’s Birthday*
Friday
17
Half-Day Professional Development – Elementary and Middle Schools
Close 3 Hours Early for Students– Teachers on Duty; High Schools in Session Full Day
Monday
20
Presidents’ Day – Schools and Offices Closed
Wednesday
22
Washington’s Birthday*
Pupil Days
19
Teacher Days
19
Saturday
25
Maryland Day*
Friday
31
Third Marking Period Ends – Elementary and Middle School Schools Close 3 Hours Early
for Students - Grade Reporting and Data Analysis** – Teachers on Duty; High Schools in
Session Full Day
Pupil Days
23
Teacher Days
23
Friday
7
Easter Holiday/Spring Break begins at the end of the day
Tuesday
18
Schools Reopen
Thursday
20
Distribution of Report Cards
Pupil Days
14
Teacher Days
14
Monday
8
Pre-K and Kindergarten Conference Day – No Preschool-3, Pre-K, or Kindergarten
Sessions; Teachers on Duty
Tuesday
9
Pre-K Conference Day – No Preschool-3 or Pre-K sessions; Teachers on Duty
Friday
26
Last Day for Seniors
Monday
29
Memorial Day Observed – Schools and Offices Closed
Tuesday
30
Commencement Exercises Begin
Pupil Days
22
Teacher Days
22
Thursday-Friday
1-9
Commencement Exercises
Wednesday
14
Flag Day*
Thursday
15
Assessment Day*** – Grade Reporting and Data Analysis – Elementary, Middle, and High
Schools in Session Full Day – Last Day of Classes for Preschool-3 and Pre-K
Friday
16
Assessment Day*** – Elementary and Middle School Schools Close 3 Hours Early for
Students – Grade Reporting and Data Analysis** – Teachers on Duty; High Schools in
Session Full Day
Monday
19
Assessment Day*** – Last Day of Classes; Elementary and Middle Schools Close 3
Hours Early for Students – High Schools in Session Full Day – Grade Reporting and Data
Analysis** – Teachers on Duty
Pupil Days
13
Teacher Days
13
March
April
May
June
Total Pupil Days:189-190
Total Teacher Days:197
June
Thursday-Friday
29-30
Summer School Teachers on Duty (Teachers choose June 29 or June 30)
Tuesday
4
Independence Day – Schools and Offices Closed
Wednesday
5
Summer School Begins
Friday
28
Summer School Ends
July