Clearspring Howl

Happy New Year! We hope your and your families made lasting memories this winter break and are ready to get back to school and continue grow and learn in this new year.

Thank you for making sure your students are ready for school each day in the appropriate clothing for outdoor recess, checking folders and communicating when needed. It's going to be great week at Clearspring.

We have had an increase in families calling to change student dismissal plans minutes before dismissal. This is very difficult for the office as the school is already in motion for dismissal before the official bell rings. Please make sure that all dismissal changes are communicated before 3pm so that we have time to communicate with all staff and students involved.

All grade levels will participate in mid-year assessments in the month of January including Dibels, MAP-P/M (math) and MAP-R (Reading) and WIDA for our emergent multi-lingual learners. Teachers will communicate individually when those test dates will be so that students and families are well prepared to be attendance and use their effort, persistence and motivation to show us what they know.

• You can send in a check, cash or add money to your student's cafeteria account at myschoolbucks.com.

Traditional Calendar Overview:

• Includes a total of 181 instructional days, including four contingency days.

• Student Transition Day, a non-instructional day: Monday, Aug. 24, 2026.

• First day of school: Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.

• Last day of school: Wednesday, June 16, 2027.

• Winter break is Dec. 23, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027. Spring break is March 26, 2027–April 4, 2027.

• Key holidays and breaks align with state requirements, including Labor Day, Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks, and other observances.

WINTER will be upon us shortly and and we'd love to highlight your family's traditions, hobbies and holidays during this season. Do you love winter sports? Snow Days? Matching Pajamas? Lighting Candles or putting up lights? Share a photo with us so we can celebrate all of our amazing families. Photos shared will be shown on morning announcements, slideshows within the building and in our Husky Howl. We can't wait to see your photos!

• Jan. 6 - Damascus Cluster PTA Meeting
• Jan. 12 - Community Roundtable with Councilmember Dawn Luedtke
• Jan. 23 - PTA Snow BAll
• Feb. 5 - Clearspring PTA Meeting

Visit us at clearspringpta.givebacks.com

Meet the Clearspring ES PTA Board

• Vivian Bakal, President
• Marcie Raum, Vice President
• Maya Yovcheva, Secretary
• Candace Maynard, Treasurer

Want to volunteer? We LOVE volunteers!

Email us at Clearspring.PTA@gmail.com

Volunteers for student activities must take the MCPS Child Abuse and Neglect Training