Attention parents! Below is a link to the Fall 2021 flyer for Little Scholars programs. Registration is now open. Scholarships are available and more information on classes being offered and dates are located in the flyer.
Takoma Park Elementary School(TPES)
Piney Branch Elementary School (PBES)
Parent & Teacher Meeting (PTA)
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 from 7-8pm on Zoom
Please mark your calendar for our next PTA meeting on Tues, Nov 2 7-8pm when we’ll hear from Ms East and Ms Faulk, our TPES and PBES math specialists about our math curriculum and resources available to students and families
7:00 Welcome & Introduction of Interpreters
(Chris Campbell, TPES PTA VP Communications)
Upcoming Dates and Announcements from the MCPS Calendar
Emma Cheuse, PBES PTA VP Communications
— PTA is looking for volunteers who speak Spanish or Amharic to assist with translating and and interpreting PTA notices and events. Please contact Shellyhill711@gmail.com
— Starting in October, TPES and PBES are allowing volunteers in school. Please see Dr Gadsden and Ms Oberdorff’s notices re requirements for volunteers, which include COVID-19 vaccination documentation, a background check and completion of a 1-1.5 hour training around identifying child abuse and neglect. Forms can be found here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/student-leadership/volunteer.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3LcxGTkVE_zgiTrKqzhuFJAXdDsKY5vLdIefhL7Mb5TaP6hnhP0Axjrmg (will include link in meeting chat)
–Oct 5: 8-9pm, Orientation meeting for outdoor lunch volunteers at TPES directly after PTA meeting. Please contact Joyce McDonough if you’re interested in volunteering to support outdoor lunch and recess as colder months commence: JoyceKimMcDonough@gmail.com.
— Oct 6: walk to school day
— Oct 14-22: Registration for Little Scholars after school enrichment program at TPES. First session starts the week of Nov 9. Registration for LearnNowMusic.org/com is ongoing with registration deadline of 10/13 and classes starting 10/20.
— Oct 18: Sharing our Stories: Hispanic Heritage Month. Mid-September to mid-October, we are celebrating the unique culture and traditions of students, teachers, staff, and community members who trace their roots to Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. SOS will be held every Monday from 7:30-8pm on Zoom. Anyone interested in participating or volunteering to assist with the program, contact Shana Sabbath at Sabbathshana@gmail.com or fill out google form to participate: Sharing Our Stories sign-up form.
— October is LGBTQ History Month – this is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBTQ History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ community. In the United States, it is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on October 11 and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBTQ rights. The PBES and TPES PTA’s celebrate this month and encourage families interested in a newly forming Rainbow Club to reach out to Emma Cheuse at echeuse@gmail.com or Britt Peterson, brittpeterson@gmail.com
— The MCCPTA encourages every school to identify volunteers to represent their school community on these MCCPTA committees. If you’re interested in being the rep for any of these, you can sign up using the e-mail below. Jaime Koppel (jaimekoppel@gmail.com), one of our MCCPTA delegates can offer more context regarding these committees:
special education committee Stephanie Frumkin — specialed@mccpta.org
gifted child committee, Audra Dove — gifted@mccpta.org
DEI committee – diversityandinclusion@mccpta.org
— Nov 2 7=8pm: PTA meeting focused on math instruction where we will hear from Ms East and Ms Faulk, our TPES and PBES math specialists about the math curriculum and resources available to students and families to help to address learning loss and for enrichment
— Nov 8-12: PBES book fair- more to come!
— Nov: TPES’ Dolphin Drive- fundraising effort to support recovery efforts for students’ academic development, socio-emotional learning and physical and mental well-being overall
— Dec 7: PTA meeting focused on reading- will be joined by TPES and PBES reading specialists
Mr Max Althofer, School Counselor, TPES
Ms Karen Johnson and Mrs. Erin M. Coco-Content, School Counselors, PBES
Services school counselors provide for all students:
Services school counselors can provide to parents who may need more support
Tier 2- more support for a targeted group; not been successful with Tier 1 supports and need additional supports that is more specific and direct
Referrals to outside agencies: grief, anger management, anxiety, establishing and making friends
Groups for 6-8 sessions based on social skills anger management, study skills
Sometimes some schools run groups from outside agencies within the school ex. Good grief Group
Check in/check out- students check in and out with counselor each day to report progress
Weekly check-ins with the same student- teacher referral or parent request to address behaviors
Behavioral intervention plans: team develops a plan for the student- implement strategies to improve behavior in classroom/overall
Mentors/mentoring groups for student- assigned to staff member
Tier 3: functional behavior assessment- tried Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions, but needs not met
Team- parent, teacher, counselor, administrator and school psychologist or behavioral specialist
6 week intervention- collaborative team
Some steps parents can take to support SEL at home
Take care of yourself
Care for the whole you… mind body spirit before you can start talking about child
Small acts of self-care are entry point to broader wellness- one baby step at a time
Modeling how to handle stress
Know and demonstrate that it’s ok to not be ok all of the time
Problem-solving in real time
Do you have tap-out options- another person to hand off a situation if you need a break? Or at least “pause then proceed” protocols?
Wellness resources:
Yoga with Adriene- free online yoga videos tailored to support various physical or mental needs
Zenhabits.net minimalist blog focused on simplicity and mindfulness in daily life (use search bar and archives!)
Greatist.com light-hearted health and fitness content
Partner with your child in strategies
Taking walks together
Sitting and coloring a mindfulness coloring sheet together
Mindful breathing practice together
Yoga together
Reading books together that also teach skills
https://inspired-motherhood.com/social-emotional-books -for kids/
Have a toolbox of strategies that with trial/error are reliably effective for your child and family
The simple act of listening: dedicate time where your only job is to hear what your child is feeling/thinking, witholding judgement/solutions, etc.
Have safe zones in the house- spots that can be used as calm-down corners- a- do not disturb area
Asking about what worked: -ask your child how they were able to get a good grade, still make it to school when tired/not in the mood/ be brave, etc.
Goal-setting, intention setting- what are we hoping to accomplish most today? (Goal) what is our hope/plan for how we want to feel (intention)
Check-in Check-out- to provide framing and debrief before and after day (can be short)
Note-passing: when things get hectic, leave sticky-note messages in places your child will see with affirmations, compliments, things to look forward to, silly drawing, etc
Feelings thermometer or similar visual: google and find many options- helpful if identifying/verbalizing feelings at home can be hard
Emphasizing internal locus of control
List for 2020-2021 is in the document
Seeing anxiety more in 1st and 2nd graders, not as many in kindergarten
So far seemed like a typical year in what they have disagreements about/overall needs
Thunderstorms have been a trigger for so many students
Students are very anxious about it.
Also hard to being back with others, relating with others, sharing; a little regression.
Stamina is tough- used to having ability to break when they need it at home.
Incorporating student voice in everything is a work in process
Homework: most of homework is not graded, it is practice.
How to get students to talk about their day- open ended specific questions
What is something that went well?
what was a challenge and how did you overcome it?
Parent suggestions:
What was good, what was hard, what are you proud of?
Two truths and a lie about the day?
What did you do in special?
What book did you read during reading?
What was a yay, an oops, and a blah!
Ask them to teach us something they learned
7:50 Treasurer’s Reports and Membership Vote to Approve Budgets
Stephen Tippett, TPES Treasurer & Kate Bauer, PBES Treasurer
Stephen Tippett: Treasures report:
Total PTA Income- 33,550 (Tommy’s pantry- 60,000)
Tommy’s pantry will separate out in the next couple of months financially
Total cash balance July 1, 2021: 35,278
Fundraising expenses, outreach and social events, PTA admin expenses, school programs expenses, staff support expenses
Total PTA expenses 48,581
Budget approved with >10 for, none against
Kate Bauer PBES:
Carryover 27.373
Membership and booster: 4,000
Fundraising $12,115 about the same like last year- no in person fundraising events (pool-a-palooza)- Panther appeal, readathon, gear sales, TKPK5K box tops
Earmarked grants- $12,000
Other income $1- interest-
Total income 55,489
Expenses: Events and fundraising 4,000
Programming and committees 18,789- including swim instruction- PTA funds through
Staff support 8,000
PTA operating 3,470- paypal, communications translation
Membership dues and insurance
Earmarked grant spending 12,000
Budeted carryover 7,500
Expenses: 55,489
Budget approved with >10 votes for, none against
Become a PTA member: Takoma Park Elementary https://www.tpespta.net
Piney Branch Elementary https://pineybranchpta.membershiptoolkit.com
Zadia Gadsden is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: TPES/PBES PTA Meeting
Time: Oct 5, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/82738851239?pwd=dEphSnJMTHJwVzY2WU5KTi9KeGRlQT09
Meeting ID: 827 3885 1239
Passcode: PTA2021
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,82738851239#,,,,*5449941# US (Washington DC)
+16465588656,,82738851239#,,,,*5449941# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 827 3885 1239
Passcode: 5449941
Find your local number: https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/u/kcpA9usCwK