December 18, 2023 – Dolphin Digest TPES PTA Weekly Newsletter

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Spirit Week this Week

The lead up to winter break means Spirit Week at school! If you want to participate, please see below for details:

Monday: Wacky Day (wear things on the wrong body part, inside out or that simply don’t match)
Tuesday; Rainbow Day (wear rainbows or just your favorite color)
Wednesday: Character Day (dress as your favorite book or movie character- no weapons or full face masks)
Thursday: Blue and White Day (show your TPES spirit while wearing our school colors)
Friday: Pajama Day (wear your favorite, school-appropriate PJs)

Volunteers Needed to Coordinate TPES/PBES Soccer Spring Event
This spring the TPES and PBES PTAs hope to hold a soccer game event to bring together our school community and potentially raise money for the various programs that the PTA supports. In the pre-COVID era, this event was a basketball game, but there have been calls for a soccer game instead. If you are interested in helping to make this happen, please reach out to Kaitlin Caruso (president@tpespta.net)

Next Joint TPES/PBES PTA Meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Please note the change of date since the first Tuesday of the month falls on the last day of winter break.

December TPES/PBES PTA Meeting Minutes 

Meeting minutes for the PTA meeting on December 5, 2023, are linked here. The Q&A portion is now complete. Dr. Gadsden and Ms. Hollis’s presentation, along with Piney Branch ES’s, on reading and math activities to do at home can be found in the minutes.

Literacy Night – DATE CHANGED TO JANUARY 11

TPES Literacy Night is now in January! Apologies for the multiple reminders to save the date in December. More information to come from the school.

OFFER: Free Computers
Montgomery Connects is relaunching the Computer for You Program. Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/computer for complete details.

  • Any Maryland resident over the age of 7 who does not have access to a computer can receive one new Chromebook laptop computer. You are not eligible to get a computer if you already received one from the County.
  • You do not have to be a U.S. citizen.
  • Limit one per person.
  • You must have a library card number (https://mcpl.link/DigitalCard).
  • You must make an appointment, appear in person to pick it up, and bring photo ID and proof of address.
  • Appointments are now open to pick up computers Tuesday 12/19, Thursday 12/21, Friday 12/22, and Saturday 12/23.

TPES Online Book Fair with Bookworm Central

The TPES PTA is excited to announce that we are partnering with Northern Virginia-based company Bookworm Central for this year’s book fair, but you don’t need to wait until the onsite book fair in the spring.

You can go to our online book fair right now and purchase books to support our school. TPES PTA earns 15% of all online book fair sales, which will ensure that the PTA can provide every eligible student with book vouchers at the onsite fair.

Check out our online book fair at: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark. You can see the full list of available titles by clicking the “Books” tab at the top of the fair page. You can also help Ms. Anderson and the Media get the books they need by purchasing from the Library’s Book Fair Drive. Those books will go right to the Media Center’s collection. Let’s get reading!

Absences from School and Changes to Dismissal 

A written explanation of each absence is required within three days of the student’s return to school. A written explanation can be an email, a doctor’s note, or a signed written parent note. Phone calls are not accepted for absences. Requests for late arrivals, early dismissals, or changes to dismissal must be authorized by the parent/guardian and emailed to the attendance secretary (Anne_M_Hottel_Cox@mcpsmd.org), administrative secretary (Johanna_A_Paz@mcpsmd.org), and your child’s teacher NOT Class Dojo! Only your child’s teacher can see Class Dojo, and they’re usually too busy teaching to see incoming messages for changes to dismissal!

2023-24 MCPS School Calendar Available

For the planners among you, the school calendar for 2023-24 has been adopted and posted!

Lost and Found

The lost and found item pile is growing! Feel free to come during school hours to look through the items (and bring your driver’s license to sign in!). Leftover items will be donated at the end of January. Be sure to label all coats, lunchbags, water bottles, etc. to help reunite lost items with your child!

Sign Up for the Remind App!

Remind is a messaging platform that will be used to communicate across MCPS, and messages can be translated into your preferred language. Sign up…Text @takomap to the number 81010. If anyone has trouble with 81010, try texting @takomap to (563) 265-6842.

TPES PTA Listserve Etiquette

Please remember to only post TPES-community related events, information, questions, etc. on this list serve! Let’s all be mindful of each other’s inboxes! 🙂

Upcoming TPES Events

December 18-22: Spirit Week
December 25-January 2: No School – Winter Break
January 9: PTA Meeting
January 11: TPES Literacy Night
January 15: No School

Upcoming Community Events

December 21: Winter Solstice Celebration with Rock Creek Morris Women Dancers @ the Takoma Park Library
January 26: Blair HS STEM Night for K-5

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December 2023 PTA Meeting Minutes

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Takoma Park Elementary School (TPES)
Piney Branch Elementary School (PBES)
Parent & Teacher Meeting (PTA)
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 from 7 – 8pm on Zoom 

Agenda: 

(1) Upcoming TPES and PBES dates and announcements
(2) Presentations by PBES reading specialist (Mr. Bledsoe), Math Coach (Mrs. Faulk), and Staff Development Teacher (Java Robinson) and TPES Principal and Vice Principal (Dr. Gadsden/Ms Hollis) with resources, tools, and activities to help kids at home depending on which areas kids may need help with based on report cards.
(3) Q&A

7:00 PM: Meeting Kick-off 

Ingrid Gardiner, PBES PTA President welcome

  • Intro to topics to be discussed
  • Reminder: PBES suggestion/feedback form at this link in chat asking for folks to give feedback regarding upcoming meetings or other PTA suggestions/ideas. Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffIWOOmTZloAzFJHnvKrJiRaD-hNiRRt-18VfwFjZyZgWTmg/viewform

7:05 PM: Upcoming Dates & Announcements

TPES ANNOUNCEMENTS: Claire Dean, TPES PTA Vice President

    • Online Book Fair:  TPES PTA is partnering with Bookworm Central for both an online and on-site Book Fair.  The online book fair is available right now.  Link: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark  You may also purchase books to go directly to the media center – see link on page. If you order books by December 8, they will arrive by December 22.  TPES PTA receives 15% of all proceeds from the online book fair.  
    • TPES Merchandise:  If you would like to purchase some TPES merchandise for the holidays or winter season, please contact TPES PTA VP Claire Dean.  If you are interested in TPES merchandise before the holidays, please send me an email to coordinate at VP@tpespta.net.  You can check out our online book fair at: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark. You can see the full list of available titles by clicking the “Books” tab at the top of the fair page. You can also help Ms. Anderson and the Media get the books they need by purchasing from the Library’s Book Fair Drive. Those books will go right to the Media Center’s collection. Let’s get reading!
    • The Health Room needs change of clothing donations for boys, girls and non-binary clothing sizes 4-10, specifically, underwear (new only), pants and shirts. As a PK-2 school, we have several accidents throughout the week where children need a change of clothes. 
  • Thank you – the TPES Holiday drive was fulfilled. All spots were taken for the holiday toy drive. The PTA encourages donations to STM toy drive and City of Takoma Park’s 2023 Toy Drive:

Small Things Matter’s Holiday Toy Drive:  https://smallthingsmatter.org/

City of Takoma Park’s 2023 Toy Drive:  https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/police/services-and-programs/2021-toy-drive/

  • Reminder to make sure your child has a change of seasonal-appropriate clothing kept in the classroom (top, pants, underwear, and socks). 

7:10 PM:  Dolphin Drive Update, Diana Hickey van Houwelingen, VP of Fundraising

Exceeded goal: $11,077; including Thanksgiving match partners = $14,077 total

7:12 PM:  Budget Updates

Amy Swift, TPES PTA Treasurer

Most of the income this month was from Dolphin Drive.

Rachael Pierotti, PBES PTA Treasurer

PBES also surpassed the goal for Panther Appeal.

 7:20 PM:  Report Cards – Tools, Resources, and Activities Presentation

TPES – Dr. Gadsden and Ms. Hollis

Resources for supporting math and reading at home

Link to presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x632rIFm-coLytxlrAWhGshv3LLAWvCMwJ43GSqfxes/edit?usp=sharing

Families can print reading resources information at home. If you don’t have print capabilities at home, you can email reading specialist Ms. Jennifer Fahrenthold: Jennifer_Fahrenthold@mcpsmd.org.

Math coach: Samikia East: Samikia_East@mcpsmd.org.

Questions during presentation: 

Q: Dr Gadsden showed an online portal for DIBELS. How do we access that? We only got a printout at our parent-teacher conference. 

A: The Home Connect website is listed at the bottom of the second page of the DIBELS report, and is also available at https://mclass.amplify.com/homeconnect/.  If you have any additional questions, please email Jennifer_Fahrenthold@mcpsmd.org.

Q: Math question: For students who complain about having to make drawings when they can solve problems in their head, how can parents explain to them why these strategies are important? 

A: Please let students know it is great that you know how to answer problems in their head, however, there are many ways to solve a problem and the teacher wants to see what strategies you used to solve your work that is why it is important to show your work.  The teacher might have a question about your work but you left for the day and if you show your work they can look at your work to get their question answered.

Q: When we observed during the open house, the teacher was using leveled readers typical of a balanced literacy approach, which surprised me given the move by MCPS to the science of reading.  Do classrooms need more decodable texts?  And could the PTA support this? Or, is the goal to use a mix of leveled readers and decodable books?  

A: Thank you for your kind offer, but we have an excellent selection of decodable books.  Teachers have access to both decodable readers and books that are not designed as decodable readers so that they can select the type of book that is most appropriate for the task the teacher is envisioning. If you have any additional questions, please email Jennifer_Fahrenthold@mcpsmd.org.

Q: Does TPES also have access to restorative justice training? 

A: We have a Restorative Justice Coach who trains staff.

PBES – Reading Specialist- Mr. Bledsoe, Math Coach-Mrs. Faulk, Staff Development Teacher-Java Robinson
Ms. Faulk, Math Coach: presentation on how you can support your child at home
Mr. Bledsoe, reading specialist: presentation on helping your child with reading at home. Email: Robert_Bledsoe@mcpsmd.org
Java Robinson, Staff Development Teacher: Presentation on Restorative Justice & Minority Scholars Program

Link to presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1se8TuxMn-Zc1LsexjtT7kYDTOjIcZHGfZE6VuWduTEE/edit?usp=sharing

7:45 PM:  Q&A

Facilitated by Chris Campbell, PBES VP of Communications and Aphra Adkins, PBES PTA VP

Form will be filled out and shared.

7:59 PM: THANK YOU

Ingrid Gardiner,  PBES PTA President

  • Reminder that next meeting will be on January 8 at 7 PM

December 11, 2023 – Dolphin Digest TPES PTA Weekly Newsletter

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December TPES/PBES PTA Meeting Minutes 

Meeting minutes for the PTA meeting on December 5, 2023, are linked here. The Q&A portion is still under development, so we will send it out in the coming weeks. Dr. Gadsden and Ms. Hollis’s presentation on reading and math activities to do at home can be found here.

TPES Online Book Fair with Bookworm Central
The TPES PTA is excited to announce that we are partnering with Northern Virginia-based company Bookworm Central for this year’s book fair. But you don’t need to wait until the on-site book fair in the Spring.

You can go to our online book fair right now and purchase books to support our school. TPES PTA earns 15% of all online book fair sales! There is something for everyone at Bookworm Central.

Check out our online book fair at: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark. You can see the full list of available titles by clicking the “Books” tab at the top of the fair page. You can also help Ms. Anderson and the Media get the books they need by purchasing from the Library’s Book Fair Drive. Those books will go right to the Media Center’s collection. Let’s get reading!

Literacy Night – DATE CHANGED TO JANUARY

TPES Literacy Night is now in January! Apologies for the multiple reminders to save the date in December. More information to come from the school.

Celebrating birthdays at TPES

Please see Dr. Gadsden’s latest newsletter for details on birthday celebrations at the school. TPES loves celebrating and recognizing your child’s birthday but please follow the school’s policies. 1) Only store-bought treats are permitted; 2) Please provide only one treat per child; 3) No balloons, candles, hats, party favors; 4) Non-TPES/ MCPS children are not permitted in classrooms; 5) Please contact your child’s teacher in advance to schedule a time to celebrate with the class

Absences from School 

A written explanation of each absence is required within three days of the student’s return to school. A written explanation can be an email, a doctor’s note, or a signed written parent note. Requests for late arrivals or early dismissals must be authorized by the parent/guardian – this includes all medical appointments.

Lost and Found

The lost and found item pile is growing! Feel free to come during school hours to look through the items. Leftover items will be donated at the end of January. Be sure to label all coats, lunchbags, water bottles, etc. to help reunite lost items with your child!

Lice is Still Here! 

Lice is still going around at TPES so be vigilant at home! Check for signs of lice (mainly itching/scratching of head). Lice and nits are being found at the crown of the head not just behind ears and nape of neck, so check all areas!

School Closing Alerts for Inclement Weather and Request your Chromebook! 

You can learn about school closures, delayed openings an early dismissals when there is inclement weather via text, email, webpage, hotline, social media, etc. Click here to learn how to sign up. Also, a reminder that for excessive weather-related school closings, MCPS may go virtual. Request a Chromebook for your child using the link.

Sign Up for the Remind App!

Remind is a messaging platform that will be used to communicate across MCPS, and messages can be translated into your preferred language. Sign up…Text @takomap to the number 81010. If anyone has trouble with 81010, try texting @takomap to (563) 265-6842.

Consider Purchasing TPES Gear for Holiday Gifts! 

The PTA has plenty of selection and sizes on TPES t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, magnet decals, and water bottles. Consider purchasing as a holiday gift while supporting the Dolphins! Email Claire Dean, vp@tpespta.net for more information.

Upcoming TPES Events

December 13: No School for Pre-K
December 18-22: Spirit Week
December 25-January 2: No School – Winter Break
January 15: No School

Upcoming Community Events

December 16, 1-4pm: Takoma Cocoa Crawl
December 21: Winter Solstice Celebration with Rock Creek Morris Women dancers @ the Takoma Park Library
January 26: Blair HS STEM Night for K-5

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December 4, 2023 – Dolphin Digest TPES PTA Weekly Newsletter

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Joint TPES/PBES PTA Meeting TOMORROW, 12/5, 7-8PM 

In response to questions that parents have raised about how best to support their children academically (after receiving feedback on report cards and in conferences), both schools will provide information on resources and tools, in both reading and math, that families can use with their children at home. Zoom link will be sent a few hours before the meeting.

HUGE Thanks for Contributing to the Dolphin Drive! 
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! We couldn’t have done it without your generous support. Diana, our VP Fundraising, will announce the grand total at our PTA meeting, but spoiler alert: We EXCEEDED our $10,000 goal! 

TPES Online Book Fair with Bookworm Central
The TPES PTA is excited to announce that we are partnering with Northern Virginia-based company Bookworm Central for this year’s book fair. But you don’t need to wait until the on-site book fair in the Spring.

You can go to our online book fair right now and purchase books to support our school. TPES earns 15% of all online book fair sales! Purchases made by December 8 will ship in time for the holidays. There is something for everyone at Bookworm Central.

Check out our online book fair at: https://www.bookwormcentral.com/TakomaPark. You can see the full list of available titles by clicking the “Books” tab at the top of the fair page. You can also help Ms. Anderson and the Media get the books they need by purchasing from the Library’s Book Fair Drive. Those books will go right to the Media Center’s collection. Let’s get reading!

Consider Purchasing TPES Gear for Holiday Gifts! 

The PTA has plenty of selection and sizes on TPES t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, magnet decals, and water bottles. Consider purchasing as a holiday gift while supporting the Dolphins! Email Claire Dean, vp@tpespta.net for more information.

Lice is Still Here! 

Lice is still going around at TPES, and due to the new protocols, you will likely not know if lice has been found in your child’s classroom. The PTA’s Health and Wellness Committee is working on additional communication and education but in the meantime, be vigilant at home! Check for signs of lice (mainly itching/scratching of head). Lice and nits are being found at the crown of their heads rather than behind ears and nape of neck, so check all areas!

Outdoor Recess Policy and Dressing for the Weather

Please see Dr. Gadsden’s latest newsletter for details on MCPS outdoor recess policy and ensuring your child dresses for the weather (including a pro-parent tip!). In general, for cold weather, outdoor recess will be canceled when it is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder with a wind speed of 10 miles per hour or more.

Celebrating birthdays at TPES

Please see Dr. Gadsden’s latest newsletter for details on birthday celebrations at the school. TPES loves celebrating and recognizing your child’s birthday but please follow the school’s policies. 1) Only store-bought treats are permitted; 2) Please provide only one treat per child; 3) No balloons, candles, hats, party favors; 4) Non-MCPS children are not permitted in classrooms (but teacher can arrange to enjoy treats in a common area like the atrium if siblings must attend); 5) Please contact your child’s teacher in advance to schedule a time to celebrate with the class

TPES Transitioning Communication Platform: Sign Up for the Remind App!

Remind is a messaging platform that will be used to communicate across MCPS. School staff, central office staff, students and parents will all have Remind accounts to enable them to send and/or receive messages using a preferred mode of communication, such as text message, email or phone call and in their preferred language. Sign up…Text @takomap to the number 81010

You will receive a welcome text from Remind.
If anyone has trouble with 81010, they can try texting @takomap to (563) 265-6842.

ParentVue is still the platform for checking grades, attendance, documents, etc.

School Closing Alerts for Inclement Weather and Request your Chromebook! 

You can learn about school closures, delayed openings an early dismissals when there is inclement weather via text, email, webpage, hotline, social media, etc. Click here to learn how to sign up. Also, a reminder that for excessive weather-related school closings, MCPS may go virtual. Request a Chromebook for your child using the link.

Small Things Matter Coat and Winter Gear Distribution

Families are invited to a second distribution event of coats and winter gear on Tuesday, December 5 from 4:30-6 PM behind the TPSS Coop. 

TPES Holiday Gift Drive FULFILLED – THANK YOU!
In less than 24 hours, our generous community fulfilled our gift drive for our TPES families! If you didn’t volunteer for this drive but would still like to give back to the larger local community this month, here are a couple of options:
  • The City of Takoma Park is collecting toy donations at the Police Department and Volunteer Fire Department through December 20.
  • Small Things Matter is collecting toy donations at several locations around Takoma Park through December 17.

Literacy Night – SAVE THE DATE – December 21st

TPES Literacy Night is approaching! More details to come but expect rooms throughout the building to be set up with different literacy games and activities that you can then practice at home!

Upcoming TPES Events

December 5 – PTA Meeting
December 8 – Deadline to order books from book fair to arrive by 12/25
December 21 – Literacy Night

Upcoming Community Events

December 16, 1-4pm – Takoma Cocoa Crawl
January 26 – Blair HS STEM Night

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