The Tiger Times

Dear Amazing Tiger Families and Community,

What an extraordinary few weeks we've weathered together—literally! Thank you for your incredible patience and flexibility during this historic winter weather. Despite snow days, schedule changes, and virtual learning challenges, our Tiger community has remained strong and resilient. Your adaptability reminds me why CMIT South Elementary is such a special place!

As we continue celebrating Peace as our Character Word of the Month, I'm moved by Mother Teresa's words: "Peace begins with a smile." Even during challenging times, we have the power to create peace through simple acts of kindness. Let's remind our Tigers that peace is the presence of joy, patience, and compassion. A smile, a kind word, or a helping hand can transform someone's day. Let's spread peace throughout our Tiger community, one smile at a time!

❄️ Winter Weather Update & Virtual Learning Preparation

These past weeks with the snow, ice, and freezing temperatures have truly been unbelievable and historic! Thank you for your continued flexibility as we navigate this challenging winter season together.

Virtual Learning Preparation:

PGCPS is preparing for the possibility of virtual learning in the event of another major storm this winter. If virtual learning is announced, students may use personal devices at home to access their instructional materials.

Need a Temporary Device for Virtual Learning?

Parents and guardians may request a CMIT South ES Chromebook to use temporarily during virtual learning by completing this form:
Chromebook Request Form

⚠️ Important Notes:

• This form is ONLY for students who need a temporary device for virtual learning

• You will only receive a device when PGCPS officially announces virtual learning days and must be returned immediately upon the return to school.

• Complete the form now to be prepared in case virtual learning becomes necessary

📅 Inclement Weather Make-Up Plan

To meet state requirements for instructional time, PGCPS is adjusting this year's school calendar using all five of our built-in make-up days:

Make-Up Days:

• Friday, March 20, 2026

• Wednesday, May 27, 2026

• Monday-Wednesday, June 15-17, 2026

Impact on Activities: Many of our scheduled activities have been postponed and will continue to be adjusted due to weather-related closures. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we reschedule events to ensure every Tiger has opportunities to participate and shine!

Current Testing Window: Students are continuing to complete assessments this week. Thank you for ensuring your Tigers arrive on time, well-rested, and ready to show their growth!

🎉 New 100th Day of School: Thursday, February 19, 2026

We'll celebrate this special milestone with fun activities and recognition of how far our Tigers have come this year!

☕ Principal's Chat & Chew - RESCHEDULED

Join us in-person for our Quarterly Principal's Chat & Chew: Leveling Up with Principal Lewis!

Due to weather-related closures, we've rescheduled to ensure maximum family participation.

NEW 2nd Quarter Meeting Schedule (8:30 AM - 9:30 AM):

• K & 1st Grade: Tuesday, February 17, 2026

• 2nd & 3rd Grade: Wednesday, February 18, 2026

• 4th & 5th Grade: Friday, February 20, 2026

What to Expect:

• Important school updates and achievements

• Grade-level successes and student progress

• Answers to your questions and concerns

• Meaningful discussions on topics important to your family

Submit Questions & Confirm Attendance:
https://forms.gle/qLogQcF8NFC6JD3r8

Light refreshments will be provided!

Your voice matters, and these sessions ensure every family feels heard, valued, and informed. We can't wait to see you!

🔬 STEM Fair Showcase - Saturday, February 21, 2026

Celebrate Innovation and Scientific Thinking!

Our Tigers have worked incredibly hard on their STEM Fair projects, and we're excited to showcase their innovative work!

STEM Fair Showcase Details:

• Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026

• Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

• Location: School Gymnasium

• Audience: Families & Community

This showcase celebrates excellence in STEM education and provides students the opportunity to present their innovative work to peers, teachers, families, and the community. Come see the amazing scientific thinking, creativity, and problem-solving our Tigers have demonstrated!

Questions? Contact Mr. Holloway, Science Department Chairperson

📚 Cookbook Extravaganza - Wednesday, February 18, 2026

A Celebration of Creativity, Culture, Food, and Community!

The Library Media Center is thrilled to present The Cookbook Extravaganza, a special evening where our 4th and 5th-grade students will proudly showcase the recipes they created!

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026

• Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

• Location: School Library

What to Expect: During this delightful evening, 4th and 5th-grade students will present their original recipes, and we will enjoy sampling a variety of American and International dishes that reflect our diverse Tiger community!

This event celebrates:

✨ Student creativity and writing skills
🌍 Cultural diversity and traditions

🍽️ The joy of food and community

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family engagement and support

We would love your presence and support as we celebrate our young chefs and authors!

Questions? Contact Ms. Washington, Library Media Specialist

☀️ Summer 2026 Academy & Camp - Interest Form

Planning Ahead for Summer Fun and Learning!

CMIT South Elementary is excited to begin planning our Summer 2026 Academy & Camp, a program designed to combine learning, enrichment, and fun in a safe and engaging environment for our students.

Action Required: Complete the Interest Form

To help us plan effectively and ensure we can meet family needs, we ask all interested families to complete our Summer Camp Interest Form.

📋 Complete the form here:
Summer Camp Interest Form

Form Deadline: Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 11:59 PM

Important Notes:

• All program options, schedules, and pricing listed are tentative and subject to adjustment based on enrollment interest and staffing needs

• Final details will be shared after interest forms are reviewed

• Completing the form does not commit you to enrollment—it simply helps us plan appropriately

Start planning now for a summer filled with learning, discovery, and Tiger fun! Any questions about Summer Academy & Camp, please contact Mrs. Caple-Price.

Remember: We are Leveling Up the STEMTastic Way! Let's make every day peaceful, positive, and purposeful as we continue our journey toward excellence together!

With Peaceful Tiger Pride and Endless Gratitude,

🌟 Welcome Our New Mental Health Clinician!

We are excited to share that CMIT is welcoming Ms. Bradley, our daily on-site Mental Health Clinician who will be joining our Counseling Department. This addition reflects our continued commitment to supporting the social, emotional, and mental well-being of our students.

Ms. Bradley is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. In her role, she will support students’ social-emotional well-being through individual and group services and family support as needed.

Outside of work, Ms. Bradley is a proud mom to a 6-year-old daughter, loves to travel, try new foods, and considers herself very adventurous. Ms. Bradley will work collaboratively with families, teachers, and staff to provide additional support for students who may benefit from mental health services during the school day.

We look forward to introducing Ms.Bradley to the school community and sharing more information about how families can access these services.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we support the whole child at CMIT.

Grade Level Update:

New dates for Winter DIBELS Testing will soon be announced, please check Class Dojo for the specific date for your scholar’s class.

Students are losing their personal belongings. Please label all items, sweaters and jackets especially, so that students will know what belongs to them. Please use simple reminders to help students learn to become and stay responsible for their own items. Also please continue to practice tying shoes and turning sleeves of jackets from inside out to the correct way with your scholars.

During these cold months please ensure that students have the gear to be outside during recess, if the temperature is 40 or above the classes will be going outside for recess.

When your child has been absent please communicate to the teacher and complete the online document submission form, because we are not taking paper notes: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lp2fJsfDLjWNINllvX10OKjiGDn443yAB8Hq8BMBa-E/viewform

IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-

February 13- 3HR Early Dismissal

February 13- Dress Down:Spread the Love

February 16- No School

February 19- 100th Day of School : Students are invited to dress like they are 100 years old

Reading Updates:

Finishing UNIT 2- Week 5: Run, Jump and Swim and week 6: Pet Research

Essential Question: How do some living things make what they need?

Phonological Awareness: Initial and Final Sounds; Segment and Blend Phonemes

Blend and Segment: Onset and Rime

Phonics: Short /e/ middle sound and Letters W and Y

Word Families: -op, -ot, -en, -et

High-frequency words: go, from, yellow, blue, what, green

Spelling words found in weekly readings: swim, push, climb, and carry

Unit Vocabulary: grow, need, share, depend

Learning Goals:

Learn what a persuasive text is

Understand Informational Text Structure

Find details in a text

Capitalization for the beginning of a sentence

Adjectives preposition and Verbs

Rhyming Sort

Math Updates:

Topic 7: Understanding Subtraction

Essential Understanding: What types of situations involve subtraction?

Show numbers in many way

Express smaller parts of a bigger number with actions

Represent subtraction as taking away from numbers up to 10

Practice using an subtraction equation

Show subtraction using number lines, ten frames and pictures

Vocabulary: minus, take away, equal sign, take apart, left over, patterns

Science Updates:

TOPIC 4: Changes to the Environment

Experience 3: How do People protect their environment?

Review living vs non-living things

Inquiry about the relationship between people and where they live.

Demonstrate the relationship between the needs of people and the places they live, which together make up a system.

Describe habitat relationships using relational language and simple adjectives.

Vocabulary: environment, system, model, change, recycle, reuse

Social Studies Updates:

Chapter 4 : Geography of the Neighborhood

Essential Question- What is the world like?

Understand different places and areas that are around us

Look into the into a map as a tool

What is a globe?

The parts of a map

Analyze how we interact with jobs that help the community and the location of places

Vocabulary: street, community, neighbors, map, neighborhood, globe, legend

Grade Level Blurb:

Hello Second Grade Families! 👋 Please take a moment to review these important updates:

📝 DIBELS Testing
Next week, Monday–Thursday, our second graders will participate in DIBELS testing. Please help scholars do their best by ensuring they get a good night’s rest and arrive on time each day.

🚌 Field Trip Update
Our upcoming field trip is being rescheduled tentatively for the last week of February.

• 💰 No refunds will be issued for students who have already paid.
  

• 👨‍👩‍👧 Approved chaperones who have paid will be notified immediately once the new date is finalized.
  

• ⛔ The payment window is now closed.
  
  

💌 Valentine’s Day Celebration
We will hold our Valentine’s Day celebration on Thursday, February 12, 2026, since Friday, February 13, 2026 is an early dismissal day. Please check with your child’s teacher for specific information regarding celebrations in their classroom.

✊🏾 Black History Month
February is Black History Month, and we are celebrating all month long! Be sure to check Class Dojo for details about our Friday Dress Down Days in honor of Black History Month.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership—we truly appreciate you! 💙✨

Reading Updates:

Unit 3 Wrap-Up: Folktales, Fables & Fairytales!

Second grade families, we are finishing up Unit 3, where scholars have been exploring folktales, fables, and fairytales—and they’ve done a fantastic job!

🔤 Spelling Test Alert!
We will take our final spelling test for this unit on Friday, February 13, 2026. The test will focus on the oo, ue, ew, and ui sounds.

Please be sure to study the spelling words at home to help your scholar feel confident and ready!

Thank you for your continued support!

Math Updates:

This week, we are beginning Topic 4: Using Addition Strategies! Scholars will practice different ways to add numbers and explain how they solve problems.

📄 Please be on the lookout for the math packet coming home—if it hasn’t already. This packet will support what we’re learning in class and give your scholar extra practice.

Thank you for your continued support at home!

Science & Social Studies Updates:

Our scholars will soon begin an exciting project where they will research a Black scientist or inventor . Through this project, students will learn about important contributions, creativity, and perseverance while building their research and presentation skills

📌 More details and instructions will be shared with scholars later this week, so stay tuned! Thank you for supporting our learners as we celebrate history, innovation, and excellence together

Health Updates:

Our second grade scholars are learning all about the different stages of life, focusing on how we grow from a baby into a child! They’re exploring how our bodies, abilities, and responsibilities change as we grow.

Families can support this learning by talking with your scholar about:

• What babies can do vs. what children can do 👶🧒
  

• How they’ve grown and changed over time 📏💬
  

• Ways we care for ourselves at each stage ❤️
  
  

These conversations help make learning meaningful and fun—thank you for partnering with us!

Grade Level Blurb:

During our short week, we were still able to have a wonderful week of learning across all subjects, filled with thoughtful discussions, hands-on activities, and exciting scientific observations! Our field trip is quickly approaching and the students are ready to leave the building on this adventure. Please make sure you are staying current with the school updates by checking the weekly newsletter sent out each Sunday morning. Good luck to our third grade scientists representing our team in the upcoming STEM Fair showcase!

Reading Updates:

This week in reading, we continued our historical fiction story Below Deck: A Titanic Story. Students strengthened their comprehension by identifying new vocabulary and analyzing the plot as it developed. In grammar, we learned about subject–verb agreement, focusing on how singular subjects match with singular verbs and plural subjects match with plural verbs, and students practiced applying this skill in their writing.

Social Studies Updates:

In social studies, we began learning about Black History Month and discussing its importance. Students are continuing to work on their African American Heroes projects, where they are researching influential figures and highlighting their contributions to history and society.

Math Updates:

In Math, we focused on the distributive property while strengthening our multiplication and division skills. Using Brainingcamp digital manipulatives, students modeled problems, broke numbers apart, and practiced solving in multiple ways. It was great to see them reasoning through their thinking and explaining their strategies!

Some of our third graders completed the division fact unit. Please make sure your third graders are working on memorizing those facts.

Science Updates:

Our scientists continued observing the growth of our plants, and excitement is building as our seeds begin to sprout! We also rotated through literacy stations centered on the life cycles of insects, plants, and animals, comparing similarities and differences across each group.

I’ve included photos of our relish seed and lima bean plants, which are currently in the young sprout stage—a big milestone in our investigation!

Some of our Scientists continued learning about animal adaptations and survival. We discussed migrations vs hibernation. They also engaged in healthy discussion while trying to decide which bearded dragaon (out of 3 choices) had the best chance of survival in their “desert habitat.”

Health Updates:

In Health, students explored positive and negative attitudes and how our mindset can influence our choices and relationships. We also spent time writing about values—what they are, where they come from, and how family, culture, and experiences help shape who we are.

Some of our students discussed how families are not all the same and that’s okay! However, we know that our families love and support us. Having a “healthy and happy” family is the greatest!

Grade Level Blurb:

Greetings Team 4Ward,

Warm greetings to each of you. We hope this message finds your household well and cozy. We are thankful for school staff, facilities crews, and families who worked together to clear pathways and support each other so our school could safely reopen. The second quarter has come to an end and final grades are available for viewing on Synergy. Grades are updated each and every week on Synergy for viewing. Students are also encouraged to view their grades using Studentvue.

🚌Field Trip

4th Graders are going on a field trip to the Publick Playhouse on Tuesday February 24, 2026. We will watch a musical performance about the first two Black Olympic gold medalists, and the challenges they overcame to reach their goals. All money is due by Monday February 16, 2026. If the trip is cancelled refunds will not be issued but applied to another trip to the Publick Playhouse. Chaperones for this trip have already been selected and informed. If you are interested in chaperoning a field trip before the end of the year, please contact your student’s homeroom teacher.

💵Please submit your payment using the link here: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZHVZTLU9O052WP_ZZ69VXCHU84OLTK

📄Permission slip: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sBRVD1HO8u3zPJQKbzbAPzLbro4fsOWY/view?usp=sharing

🍎If your scholar will need a bag lunch please complete the Google Form here: https://forms.gle/Ltd8FhgyEFMCe7J57

💻Many class activities use online tools. A charged computer ensures your child can fully participate in lessons and complete assignments. Our students also need a pair of wired headphones to complete activities and for testing. Students who arrive on time are better prepared for learning and reduce classroom disruptions. Please plan to have your child at school a few minutes early each day. A healthy breakfast helps students focus and have energy for learning. School breakfast is available daily until 8:00 when students arrive in the morning.

In our classrooms, we will be working on a variety of assignments and projects designed to challenge and inspire them. I encourage you to check in regularly with your scholar about what they are learning.Your support at home is greatly appreciated and makes a significant difference in their academic success.

Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey. We are grateful for the partnership between home and school — together we help every student thrive.

Warmly,

Team 4Ward

Important Upcoming Dates:

• 4th Grade Museum Thursday February 12, 2026

• Teacher Planning Friday February 13, 2026 Half Day for Students

• President’s Day Monday February 16, 2026 No School

• 4th Grade Field Trip to Public Playhouse Tuesday February 24, 2026

Fourth Grade Information:

i-Ready:

i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. This program will be available all summer for students to continue to utilize in both reading and math. Please help your child complete at least 45 minutes of math and reading to grow their abilities.

Absences:

This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school. If a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.

If your scholar is absent, please complete the CMIT South ES Absence Google Form within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. https://forms.gle/euXzCpDvNGbLwb8U6 In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.

Communications:

Students must bring their agenda book each day. Teachers will note the agenda book and it should be signed nightly by the adult at home.

Please allow up to 48 business hours for all responses to emails and Classdojo messages. Teachers are not actively monitoring their emails during the day because we are engaged in instruction. Emails are not monitored over the weekend or in the evening hours when teachers have gone home. If the message sent relates to dismissal changes please call the school directly to leave a message with the front office.

Grading:

Please check Synergy weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades entered in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.

It is imperative that work is complete and turned in on time in order to receive full credit. Our district has set policies regarding assignment completion and make-up assignments. Only students that have an excused absence will be given an opportunity to receive and complete missing assignments.

Uniforms:

We are a uniform school. Students must be in the proper uniform each and every day. Students are expected to have mostly black shoes. They may wear a navy blue or school logo jacket or pullover during class. Students will be asked to remove any jacket or sweater that is not following the uniform policy. Students are not allowed to wear Crocs on school grounds.

Scholastic Book Club:

In order to support our scholars independent reading I would like to participate in the Scholastic Book Club. This program allows families to order books directly from Scholastic to be sent to the school. By shopping online families are able to have various options to book sets and packs at discounted prices. Purchasing books helps the class earn points to be used to buy new books for the school library. I have attached an interest form below if you would like to participate in monthly ordering of books.

https://forms.gle/wVQV8pymWSveZDyu9

Dear Tiger Family,

This year, our class is reading with Scholastic Book Clubs! You’ll have access to expertly curated, affordable books that help boost your child’s reading skills, build your home library, and maybe even create moments of quality time you can share together.

Plus place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout).

Family Order Due Date: 03/10/2025

Shop Our Class Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/MF27J

Shop Flyers: https://clubs.scholastic.com/all-flyers

Invite relatives and friends to help your child discover the joy of reading when you share our class page link. Every order benefits our classroom, helping me earn FREE books and resources that every child can enjoy.

Thanks so much for your support!

Ms. Crusoe

Reading Updates:

We are in Volume 2 of our textbooks Unit 4: Impacts. Within this unit students will explore diverse literature styles from all over the world.This year writing is a main focus within our school. As we enter the second quarter scholars' writing will increase in frequency and length. We are expecting them to write at least 8 sentences per essay. How they organize and how clearly they share their points and ideas will also be important in scoring their writing.

This Week:

This week students read a Historical Fiction called “The Secret of the Winter Count.” A historical fiction is a story that has narrative elements but the story is set in the past. This story is about a girl named Emma who tries to help her family find water during a drought. In this story students will seek to answer: how can what we learn from stories guide our actions? We will work on determining the theme of the text. This week our word study words have prefixes -im, -in, -ir.

Next Week:

This week students read a Historical Fiction called “The Secret of the Winter Count.” A historical fiction is a story that has narrative elements but the story is set in the past. This story is about a girl named Emma who tries to help her family find water during a drought. In this story students will seek to answer: how can what we learn from stories guide our actions? We will work on determining the theme of the text. This week our word study words have prefixes -im, -in, -ir.

Math Updates:

As we return from the break, we will continue with our Multiplication Focus. This week and next in Math, scholars continued working through Topics 3 and 4, focusing on using strategies and properties to solve 1-digit and 2-digit multiplication problems. Please continue to build math fluency through repetition of basic math facts to build speed and math confidence.

Please encourage scholars to practice their facts at home using Prodigy, IXL, i-Ready, and XtraMath to boost automatic recall. A few minutes of daily practice goes a long way!

Science Updates:

In Science, scholars are focusing on STEM Fair presentations! This week we took time to showcase each scholars’ hard work with an in-class STEM Gallery walk, touring each board exploring the different STEM topics. Next week, we will begin STEM presentations and choose our top 3 classroom representatives for the STEM Fair.

In addition to the STEM Fair, in Science we will begin our next topic, Human Use of Energy. In this topic, scholars will describe how fuels humans use for energy are derived from natural sources. They will learn that some of these resources are renewable over time, and others are not, and that human use of these energy resources can affect the environment in multiple ways.

Social Studies Updates:

This week students brainstormed an important American who helped shape the U.S. nation to prepare for their in class quest presentation project.

Students will work on their Chapter 2 In-Class Quest project, where they will research and present information about an important American who helped shape our nation. Students will explore their figure’s contributions, analyze their impact on U.S. history, and create a presentation to share their learning with the class.

Grade Level Blurb:

Hello Families!

We had a busy and productive week of learning, and our students are continuing to grow and show effort across all subjects. Here’s a look at what’s happening in our classrooms:

📍 Upcoming Field Trip

Our field trip to the Prince George’s Publick Playhouse is scheduled for February 24.

Please send in signed permission slips and complete payment online using the link provided by your child’s homeroom teacher. More details and reminders will be shared as the date gets closer. We’re excited for this experience!

Reading & Writing Updates:

Students are working on argumentative texts, focusing on stating opinions and supporting them with reasons. We are also strengthening skills with base words to build vocabulary and comprehension.

Social Studies Updates:

We are beginning Chapter 5, Lesson 1, where students explore new concepts connected to early American history.

Math Updates:

•Mr. Barr’s Class: Topic 7–8, adding mixed numbers with unlike denominators

•Ms. Jenkins Class: Topic 4: Estimating the product of a decimal and a whole number, with a focus on using place value and reasonable estimates

Science Updates:

This week is MISA Prep Week, as students practice skills and strategies to prepare for the assessment. We are also reviewing concepts related to the hydrosphere and atmosphere.

Health Updates:

Students are learning about “Love Your Lungs,” focusing on how to keep their lungs healthy and why breathing clean air matters.

Thank you for your continued support at home. Please reach out if you have any questions!

The Fifth Grade Team

General CARTS Message:

Please remember to check your student's Canvas assignments and Synergy grades regularly!

Music:

Please see below for what students in each grade level will be working on in music this week!

Kindergarten - High & Low, Long & Short Sounds

1st Grade - Solfege and Tempo (Presto & Largo)

2nd Grade - Solfege and Dynamics (Piano & Forte)

3rd Grade - Standard Treble Clef Notation and Tempo

4th Grade - Rhythms using dotted quarter, eighth notes and ties

5th Grade - Syncopation and The 4 Voices (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)

We are sure to have a fun time with these lessons!

Media:

Don't forget to get your calendars and stomachs ready! The Cookbook Extravaganza presented by Library/Media is happening Thursday February 16!

2025-2026 School Calendar

School Meals

School Violence Resources and Support

PGCPS TV

CMIT South ES Enrichment Program

Vendor Managed Child Care

Parent Handbook

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

Synergy ParentVUE Support for Parents and Guardians

Student Absence Form