Turtle Talk 10/3/2025

A word about our WAAG - Watershed also uses a cultural calendar to ensure visibility of all holidays, holy days, and national days of recognition, across various backgrounds. Watershed continues to be a space of learning, dialogue, and safety for all people. If you have a comment or correction regarding the WAAG, please contact our Turtle Talk editor, Sage Magness-Hill.

Attendance: Way to Go, Turtles! I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the awesome attendance we have each day - I am one proud principal! Keep up the great work with over 97% of you showing up each day!

Schoology notifications: Each week, caregivers/parents receive an update from our Learning Management Platform: Schoology. In this update, you will have missing assignments and absences noted. If you have a note to excuse an absence, please send it in with your child. Please remember that BCPS grading guidelines does not allow students to make up work for unexcused absences and those assignments missed will be marked as LS (lowest score).

Field Trip to Patapsco: This month is full of amazing and incredible opportunities for our Watershed Turtles. On October 16, thanks to the hard work of Ms. Guelcher, our Academic Director, the entire school will be going on a field trip to study macroinvertebrates, the native plants, insects and animals at Patapsco and enjoy a half day in nature. Thanks to a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, we will be able to provide this field trip free of charge for every single student! See more information below.

Watershed is delighted to share that ALL students will be participating in a half-day field trip to the Avalon Area of the Patapsco River on 10/16. The day of environmental learning is being funded by a grant from Chesapeake Bay Trust and implemented with the support of Patapsco Heritage Group. Students in grades k-4 will attend from 8:30-11 and 5-8th from 12-2:30. Prior to the 16th students will enjoy at-school activities during their specials/innovation times to build background knowledge for the trip. This total experience will inspire them to be stewards of the Chesapeake Bay for their lifetimes and culminate with a schoolwide artistic creation to commemorate their learning.

Look for a permission slip and information on the trip in the coming days.

It's Watershed enrollment lottery season and an easy way to help spread the word about our school is to place a yard sign at your home. We have 14 yard signs that need a temporary lawn or balcony from October-December and families who do so can give themselves 1 hour of volunteer time. Please use the form below to let us know you would like to help:

https://forms.gle/pHtpJK2whFGH7PR4A

The first round of Pokémon Club is open to 2nd and 3rd grade students. The club will meet on Mondays—October 13, 20, 27, and November 3rd—from 3:15 to 4:30 PM.

Pokémon Club runs in 4-week cycles and focuses on teaching students how to play the Pokémon card game while reinforcing math, reading, and problem-solving skills.

No Pokémon cards are required to participate.

Space is limited to the first 10 students who sign up using the SignUpGenius link below. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040C49AAAB2EA3FC1-46594247-4th6th

Our Cafeteria is a peanut and nut free school.

You can check the menu for the day or week by visiting the link at the top of every Turtle Talk.

*Cafeteria serves Hummus, and it contains sesame seed*

Check your child's account to see their ala carte spending/snacking.

BCPS Daily Menu: https://bcps.nutrislice.com/menu/bcps-weekly-menus

• Always park in a parking space - never the fire lane or in a non-line spot - to pick up your child.
• Slow and steady wins the race (it's how the tortoise beat the hare!) - please make sure your speed is between 5-10 mph on the lot.
• When there is the food pantry at the church, please avoid parking at the end of the parking spot lines so that the pantry line moves easily.

We are working with Baltimore County Public Schools and County Government to look at adding traffic calming measures. We hope to have an update from that collaboration soon! Your patience and support is appreciated!

Every year, Watershed participates in a challenge to recycle plastic bags. In 2024-2025, the Watershed community recycled 555 pounds of plastic! Last school year, we got even closer to our goal! A new challenge year begins September 10th and our school's goal is to recycle 1,000 pounds of plastic! There are 2 large white containers outside of the front office to deposit your plastic recycling. Here is a list of items that are accepted: produce bags, store bags, ice bags, Ziploc and other re-sealable bags, cereal box liners, bread bags, newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap and plastic shipping mailers.

Any questions, please email Nurse Flor at ftorres@bcps.org

• A doctor's note is needed if your child is injured, if your student will be using crutches, have a cast or splint or is wearing any orthopedic shoes or splint, etc. and will be limited or will need to be excused from PE and recess; will need to use elevator or will need an assistive device for writing due to injury or will need any other accommodation like frequent bathroom breaks due to related health problem.

• Please send an updated doctor's note as well if the limitation/accommodation is extended. You can also call nurse Flor if the accommodation/restriction is lifted.

• 24 hrs. fever-free without the use of any medication
• 24 hrs. diarrhea-free
• 24 hrs. vomit-free

Clothes: Please make sure you have extra clothes in your child's book bag. If Nurse Flor loaned your student clothes, please return the clothes to Nurse Flor once washed/cleaned, please and thank you! The nurse's suite currently doesn't have any more pants to lend for any age.

Our 5th graders are using the Engineering Design Process to create marble runs in Innovation class. To make this project a success, we need lots of cardboard rolls—paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, wrapping paper rolls, etc.

If you have any at home, whether it's just one or a whole bunch, please consider donating them! You can drop them off with Mr. Mendel any morning during drop-off at the chicken coop.

Thank you for your support!

Garden Class is looking for donations! We've been busy these first few weeks of school - clearing out weed foes from our raised beds and working to get a compost system up and running. Now that it's fall, we've got some leafy greens and garlic planted by Watershed students and growing in the garden. The following supplies will help us keep pests off our greens and keep them protected and nourished: neem oil, fish emulsion fertilizer, and white ag fabric (such as those pictured above). I can't wait to see what these students create in the garden! - Ms. Bolling

Hello families! I’m Alecia Rives, your child’s school counselor here at Watershed. As your School Counselor, my role is to support every student’s academic, social-emotional, and career development. Students may see me individually, in small groups, or during classroom lessons where we practice skills like problem-solving, managing stress, building friendships, and planning for the future.

Confidentiality is an important part of my role—students can trust that most of what they share stays private, unless there is a concern for their safety. In addition to direct counseling support, I also connect families with community resources and referrals when extra help is needed. I also serve as our school’s Service Learning Coordinator, helping students find meaningful ways to give back to their community, and I am a resource for student mental health services.

This year, one of the ongoing challenges we are addressing together is the increase in hate language, “roasting,” and “rage-baiting” among students. These behaviors can cause harm and create conflict quickly. As a counselor, I work with students through restorative conversations, classroom lessons, and skill-building activities to help them better understand the impact of their words and to learn healthier ways to connect.

Parents and caregivers play a powerful role, too. Talking at home about empathy, respectful communication, and how to pause before reacting online or in person reinforces what we’re teaching at school. When school and home work together, we send a clear, united message that hateful or hurtful language is not acceptable and that students can learn to repair harm when it happens.

Please know that my door is always open—I’m here for students, families, and our school community - you can always reach out at rrives@bcps.org.

Warmly,

Alecia Rives

School Counselor

As always, I’m here to support not only our students but also our families. I can share local mental health resources as well as connect families directly to therapists through our school-based mental health partnerships with Thrive Behavioral Health and Lighthouse Youth Services. If I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out at rrives@bcps.org

As your school’s Student Service Learning (SSL) Coordinator, I want to share a quick reminder about how SSL hours work in Baltimore County. All students need 75 SSL hours to graduate, and they can start earning them as early as the summer before 6th grade.

Some hours are earned through infused projects in courses, while others can be completed through independent projects in the community. Independent projects need prior approval using the SSL form to make sure they meet BCPS guidelines. Every project must include preparation, action, and reflection to count.

Once projects are complete, students submit their verification so hours can be recorded in FOCUS. Families can see whether requirements are met on report cards or check total hours directly in FOCUS.

If you have questions about qualifying projects, need forms, or would like ideas for meaningful service opportunities, please reach out—I’m here to help support students in reaching their SSL goals. Families can also find the Student Service Learning Forms on the BCPS website under Student Service Learning

Do you love history and diversity? We need a diverse group of students to participate in the Black Excellence program October - February! Interest forms will be out soon.

As we settle into the school year, there’s so much to celebrate and look forward to on our campus. From exciting progress on the Upper School Modulars to the launch of our 2026–2027 enrollment season, our community is continuing to grow and thrive. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and partnership—you play an essential role in making all of this possible.

Progress continues on our Upper School Modular project! The team is working through the final document submissions for site permits, with the grading permit expected soon, followed by the building permit. Many of you have already noticed the construction fence and temporary trailer on site—thank you for your patience as we adjusted arrival and dismissal routines to keep everyone safe.

We are also awaiting final contracts and drawings from BGE for permanent power, and design work for ramps and decks is underway. We appreciate your continued support as we move this important project forward safely and efficiently.

It’s hard to believe, but the application window for the 2026–2027 school year opened this past Wednesday, October 1! The application is now live on our website.

This fall, Watershed will host five open houses for prospective families. Sign-up information is available on our website with the application details. Please help us spread the word—our families are always our best ambassadors!

We invite families to join two upcoming virtual planning meetings:

• Parking Lot Committee – Friday, October 17 at 11:00 a.m.
• Move Planning Committee – Thursday, October 16 at 5:00 p.m.

Your input and ideas are a vital part of these conversations!

👉 Sign up here: Parking Lot & Upper School Move Committee Sign-Ups

• On October 2, additional intercom work was completed, adding connections to exterior speakers, the gym, stairwells, and six second-floor classrooms.
• That same day, Alliance for the Bay replanted trees and shrubs on campus—thank you to St. Gabriel Church for supporting this effort!
• For the next nine weeks, Towson University students will be on campus Wednesday and Thursday afternoons to help with outdoor projects and activities. Please give them a warm Watershed welcome!

Ideas/Questions/Concerns Contact us at PTO@watershedpto.org

If you haven’t already done so, sign up today to join the Watershed PTO! Our Membership Drive is going until October 3rd! Anyone who signs up during the drive will be eligible to win one of our raffle prizes!

https://tinyurl.com/joinwpto25-26

An agenda will be emailed to the membership ahead of the meeting. We hope you can join us!

In lieu of charging annual membership dues, the PTO has a direct donation link that remains open throughout the year for contributions to our general fund. This is also a great way to contribute to the PTO if you are unable to participate in our fundraisers. Donations made through my.cheddarup.com/c/watershedptofund support the PTO’s events and initiatives for the year. Donations of any amount are welcome and help us meet our fundraising goals. As always, thank you for your support!

Thank you to everyone who was able to participate in the Mum Sale!

Orders will be ready for pick up from 3:15 to 5:00 pm on Friday, October 10th.

Pickup will occur rain or shine!

THIS IS THE ONLY PICK UP day/time!

Contact Christina Adams with any questions. christydip@yahoo.com

This fundraiser is not sponsored by or endorsed by the Board of Education of Baltimore County or the Superintendent. This fundraiser is not an action of the Watershed Board or school leadership.

Save the date for our Upcycle Boutique! The Hospitality committee will be hosting a clothing swap for our Turtle families on October 24th. Collection for gear will begin on October 22nd and end on October 23rd. Clean coats, rain gear, boots, hats, gloves, and outdoor clothing are some of the items the committee will be looking to collect and offer. Members interested in helping should reach out to Hospitality Committee chair Mia Hunter-Pappas at miahprealtor@gmail.com.