Welcome to Mechanicsville Elementary School

1. Welcome to Mechanicsville Elementary School Back to School Night Thursday, August 29th, 2013 Grades 1 & 2

2. Schedule for Tonight • 6:00-6:30 Introductions, Parent Guides, and PTA • 7:30-7:50 Volunteer Training (Gym)

3. Introductions Administration: • Steve Wernick, Principal • Ms. Jensen, Assistant Principal Office Staff: • Ms. Halvorsen, Secretary • Ms. Morelock, Secretary • Ms. Scanlon, Secretary • Ms. Parker, Nurse • Ms. Preller, School Counselor PTA: • Ms. Sobieck, President

4. First Grade Team • Ms. Blank (TL) • Ms. Mull • Ms. Purper

5. Second Grade Team • Ms. Heim (TL) • Ms. Lynch • Ms. Tighe • Ms. Winebrunner

6. Resource and Special Areas Teams Specials Teachers: • Ms. Anastassion (instr. & vocal) • Ms. Dorsey (art) • Ms. Frock (art) • Ms. Haislip (vocal music) • Ms. Kahler (media) (TL) • Ms. Koslowski (health) • Ms. Murphey (P.E./health) • Ms. Schlipper (P.E.) (TL) GT Teachers: • Ms. Pelletier • Ms. Walsh Resource Teachers: • Ms. Dorsey (TL) • Ms. Milnes • Ms. Morie • Ms. Nott (TL) • Ms. Wallace Resource Specialists: • Ms. Bailey (ILA) (TL) • Ms. Chucko (Math)

7. Vision and Mission Our Vision: To become a model school of caring, sharing, and high student achievement. Our Mission: To work together to promote high student achievement and lifelong learning for all by providing a quality education in a safe learning environment.

8. Our Values and Beliefs • Collaboration among and across all stakeholders • Positive learning environment for our students • Life-long learning for all • The success of each individual student

9. Our Priorities • Continue “first-pass” Instruction and student-centered teaching • Full implementation of the Common Core Curriculum (K-5) • Additional support for all classrooms • New reading series (grades 3-5) • Continue to be “results-oriented” through data utilization

10. CCPS Parent Guides • Mr. Bob Lord & Mrs. Cindy Lord guide@lordindustries.com • Carroll Values Education http://carrollvalueseducation.wordpress.com/ • Family Forum: Common Core State Standards and the PARCC Assessment • Thursday, September 19th • 7:00PM to 8:30PM • Winters Mill High School (560 Gorsuch Road)

11. Attendance • Doors open for students at 9:00 AM. • Dismissal begins at 4:00 PM. • Students need to be in their seats by 9:30 AM to avoid being marked tardy (late). • If your child is absent, please send a note when your child returns. If a note is not received, the absence will be marked as UNVERIFIED.

12. Attendance (continued) • After a period of time, unverified absences are coded as UNLAWFUL. • Students who leave prior to 4:00 PM will be marked tardy for the afternoon. • Extended absences require prior approval.

13. Transportation • Bus transportation is available for every student. • We have great bus drivers! • Riding the bus is statistically safer than riding in a car. • We have a very small parking lot. Please help us decrease the volume of traffic in our loop. • Please adhere to the directions of our staff members in the parking lot.

14. Lunch Prices • Student breakfast $1.25 • Student lunch: $2.25 • Milk: $0.60 • Ice cream $0.75

15. Cafeteria • Lunch Guests-Please wait at least 2 weeks. • Lunch guests must sign in at the office and receive a guest sticker. We must have a note in advance for anyone other a parent or guardian requesting to have lunch with a student (Grandparents, etc.). • Please consider purchasing lunches through the prepay lunch program. This can be done for a few meals, the month, or the year. • Pre-pay forms can be found in a link on the MES website. • Breakfast is available daily. • Ms. Quinn, Awesome Cafeteria Manager!

16. Birthday Celebrations/Special Activities • Please do not bring in food for Birthdays. • Special activities involving food items must be pre-approved by the teacher. • A good alternative: consider purchasing ice cream in the cafeteria for the class at $0.75 per child. • Other ideas: • Pencils and/or stickers for each student in the class or • A book donated to the teacher w/child’s name and birthdate in it as a keepsake for the class.

17. Student Dress • Please make sure students are dressed appropriately and comfortably for learning and the environment. • Student dress should not be a distraction to the student or other students. • Appropriate shoes should be worn daily • Students will be going outside daily for recess and PE. • Coats/sweatshirts

18. Involvement/Activities • PTA meetings, activities, and events • PTA committee chairs • Classroom volunteers • Help at home • Field trips • Guest speakers • Volunteer training (7:30 this evening) • We need your help!

19. We are a Green School! • REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE • Recycling projects • Conservation projects • Rain garden, butterfly garden, song bird garden, nature trail, and outdoor classroom • Curricular connections • PLEASE: • Send lunch items in plastic containers instead of baggies • Have your children ride the bus to conserve fuel and help reduce emissions!

20. Partnerships • Professional Development School w/ Stevenson University • 5 Senior Interns • 8 Sophomore Student Field Experiences • 2 Carroll County Career and Tech Center Students • CHANGE Volunteers • Lions Club • DARE Officers

21. MES Website: www.carrollk12.org/mes • School information • Calendar • Staff contact information • Newsletters • PTA website link • Student handbook • Menus and meal plans • Supply lists • School improvement plan • Media links

22. PBIS & Behavioral Rewards • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports • CARE (Cooperation, Attitude, Responsibility, Effort) • CARE tickets • Over 52,000 CARE tickets awarded last year • Student incentives and recognition • Communication

23. Misc. Information • Alert Now email system • Update contact information when changes occur • E-School Plus (Home Access Center) • Field trips • Chaperones (volunteer training) • Volunteer - Please no “shadowing”

24. Our PTA is Awesome! • Ms. Sobieck, President • www.mespta.org • Fun family events • Digi-blocks • Computer carts • Carpets for classrooms • Funds for classroom teachers • LCD projectors/document Cameras • Outdoor classroom • Flip cameras • Recess equipment • Field trip funds • New playground • Bird box camera

25. Mechanicsville Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

26. Welcome Back to School! • PTA Officers for 2013-2014 • Stacy Sobieck, President • Dawn Bainbridge, Vice President • Carolyn Boggs, Treasurer • Colleen Kelly, Secretary • PTA Membership Drive underway now. • PTA Meetings will continue to be bi-monthly on the third Wednesday from 7 to 8pm. Free childcare is provided. The first meeting is September 18th.

27. What’s New for 2013-2014 • Family Fun Night • Spring Spruce Up Day

28. Upcoming Events for 2013-2014 • Ice Cream Social on September 12th • MES Fun Run • Parent/Grandparent Breakfasts • Book Fair, November • Mardi Gras, March 29th • Play Day

29. Secure Online School Directory • Contains contact information for all participating families • PTA Supported and Driven • 100% Parent control over what information is shared • Communication tool-parent to parent and PTA to parents • More information will be sent home detailing how you can participate

30. A Few Good Volunteers • Volunteer – A Little or A Lot • Homeroom Parent • Choose your committee or event (all need help!) • Need Mardi Gras co-chair • Need Parent/Grandparent Breakfast co-chair • Tell us about your skills and talents • At home volunteer opportunities are available too!

31. Raising Money = Necessary Evil • Activities and Events help us have fun while raising money needed to fund programs. • Restaurant/Shopping Nights scheduled monthly • Redemption Programs (Grocery Stores, Target, BOX TOPS) • Mardi Gras Spring Carnival and Auction • Fall Fundraiser (The MES Fun Run)

32. Join us • Complete Simple Membership Form • $6 Membership Fee

33. Learn More • Come to a meeting • www.mespta.org • PTA Newsletters • Find us on Facebook!

34. Thank You! • We are looking forward to a wonderful year! • Please feel free to contact us at school if you have any questions. Circle of Friends(author unknown) We've joined together as classmatesas the new year begins...A year full of learningwhile we become friends.We'll share and be kindas we work and we play.And our friendship will growwith each passing day.