Dolphin Whistle
WLES Family Newsletter
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Congratulations to our Black History Month Door Contest Winners!
View all of the participants doors at this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/x2gErTZ3m3KtbZvU8
What's Happening at the Landing?
WLES artwork is displayed at the Montgomery College Bioscience Building in Germantown. Thank you, Mrs. Felipe!
Sign up for Excel Beyond the Bell Elementary (EBBE) at the Landing!
We still have some spots available for families who want to sign their students up for EBBE at the Landing. Please email Mrs. Moore at Shanique_V_Moore@mcpsmd.org to sig your students up. Students and parents who are currently enrolled love the program. It is full of learning, fun and friends! It is important that we fill as many spots as possible to show that our community is interested in keeping this program at the Landing.
There will be camp after ELO to provide a full day of learning and fun for students. Make sure you have a ParentVue account so that you can register your students starting 4/8/2026!
WLES Garden Club:
Do you love growing things? Do you secretly talk to your houseplants? Then you will be among friends at the WLES Garden Club! Mr. Nelson and Ms. Tapscott are building a community garden, and we all know it takes a village to raise a garden so we need you! The purpose of the WLES Garden Club is to build community by planting and maintaining fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. We specifically need community members who will be able to take care of the garden in the summer (water it, weed it, and harvest it.) If you are interested in becoming a member of the Garden Club, please fill out this Google form by Friday, March 27th. The first event for our Garden Club will be to build the raised beds for the garden. Hope to hear from you!
This is Us:
Come and join us for a FREE celebration and learn about our school community's diverse culture. Eat delicious food, create fantastic crafts, listen to great music, and play fun games - all in one night! Does this sound good to you? Then we'll see you at our annual event called This is Us on Thursday, April 30th from 6:30-8:00 pm. Want to bring food and/or artifacts that represent your culture? Please respond on this Google form. Looking forward to seeing you!
Information from the POD
Join the POD by clicking here. Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 7, 2026 from 6:30-7:30pm.
PTA/POD Meeting Meeting in person (Media Center @ WLES) with virtual option
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84130778754?pwd=bXkBsrH6kcBitahzmMhn6pddd5qkqf.1
Meeting ID: 841 3077 8754
Passcode: 178124
We hope you can join us!
Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration
Are you the parent of a 3- to 5-year-old who’s ready to get started with MCPS? Prekindergarten and Head Start help 4-year-olds — and some 3-year-olds — build early skills in reading, math and social development. Eligibility is based on age and family income. If your child turns 5 by Sept. 1, register for full-day kindergarten. NOW is the time to sign up!
Preview Fourth Quarter Instructional Materials
The fourth quarter Refrigerator Curriculum, which provides a one-page overview of the main themes and texts students will study each marking period, is now available.
MCPS will be hosting a community meeting next week for parents/guardians to preview the materials. This meeting will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18 at Ritchie Park Elementary School, 1514 Dunster Road in Rockville.
Phone: (240) 740-1020 Fax: (301) 601-0392
School Office Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm
Mrs. Cynthia Alvarado, Registrar
Mrs. Evelyn Campos
Mrs. M. Deneise Hammond, Principal
(240) 753-9472 work cell
Mr. David Kim, Assistant School Administrator
Mrs. L. Orinda Nelson, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Padma Radhakrishnan, Administrative Secretary
Free Math Help - 36 WLES families are registered for this FREE resource! Be the next to register!
MCPS is funding the IXL memberships for Elementary for the first time. Middle and high schools have it already. This can help your student with Math. Please take a moment to sign up. Last week we had 11 families registered and this week we have 21 families registered. It's not too late to register your student.
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Girls, Sign up for Girls on the Run before March 18, 2026
Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering an after-school program for girls in 3rd through 8th grade, designed to build confidence, emotional skills, and physical health through running. The 8-10 week curriculum, led by trained coaches, uses games and discussions to teach life skills—such as managing emotions and resolving conflict—culminating in a celebratory 5K event. Click below to register:
The first practice is 3/9/26. The 5k is on 5/17/26. The last practice is 5/20/26.
Interested in Volunteering for Lunch and/or Recess at the Landing?
We appreciate all of our Parent volunteers at the Landing! Please sign up to volunteer at lunch and/or recess by clicking here. Here is the Waters Landing Elementary School Volunteer Handbook. Please review it prior to volunteering at the Landing. Make sure you have done all that is outlined on the MCPS website prior to coming to school to volunteer. Always bring your state identification when you come to volunteer at school. You will not be allowed to volunteer without it.
Are you interested in working with Oceans 25, the WLES Instructional Leadership Team?
Oceans 25 meets monthly. We'd love to have a parent perspective. Feel free to join us on any of the following dates/times to collaborate with us:
- 4/7/26 4:20-5:50 pm in Ms. Tung's room, #169
- 5/6/25 8:00-9:05 am in Ms. Buckley's room, #131)
- 6/2/26 4:20-5:50 pm in Mrs. Armogida' s room, #205
