The Dolphin Whistle

Mrs. Cynthia Alvarado, Registrar

Cynthia_Alvarado@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. M. Deneise Hammond, Principal

MDeneise_Hammond@mcpsmd.org

Mr. David Kim, Assistant School Administrator

David_K_Kim@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. L. Orinda Nelson, Assistant Principal

L.Orinda_Nelson@mcpsmd.org,

Mrs. Padma Radhakrishnan, Administrative Secretary

Padma_Radhakrishnan@mcpsmd.org

A special thanks goes out to Mrs. Williams, a Third Grade parent, who was the only parent who attended our Summer Leadership meeting. We appreciated hearing her perspective as a parent about various aspects of the school. We hope that we can continue having a parent representative at our monthly Instructional Leadership Team meetings, which we refer to as "Oceans 25." More information will be forthcoming.

Thank you to the Ramos family for all of the work they have been doing to beautify the building, We appreciate your efforts.

We also want to thank our POD parents, Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Tate, Ms. MacDonald and Mr. DeFelice, for facilitating the Summer playdate last week. Another one is scheduled for tomorrow at 6:30pm for students in Grades 3-5.

Monday, August 25, 2025 is Transition Day. It is an opportunity for our Kindergarten students and any students who are new to Waters Landing Elementary School to engage in a practice run of what a school day will be like. Buses will run on the regular schedule. The first day of school when all students come will be Tuesday, August 26, 2025. There will be ba Chat & Chew with the Principal for any new parents who escort their children to school that day at 10:15am in the All Purpose room.

This year there will be two Dolphin Dive Ins. The first will occur on Friday, August 22, 2025 from 2:00-3:30pm for the families of our Kindergarten and students who are new to Waters Landing Elementary School. The second Dolphin Dive In, for students in Grades 1-5 who are returning to the Landing, will occur on Transition Day from 2:15-3:15pm. Dolphin DIve In is an opportunity for students and their families to come see their classrooms, meet their teachers, and tour the school. Families will receive messages from their teachers prior to the Dolphin Dive Ins.

This year there will also be two Back to School Nights. Tuesday, September 9, 2025 from 6:30-7:30pm is Back to School Night for families of PreK and Kindergarten students. Tuesday September 16, 2025 is Back to School Night for families of students in Grades 1-5. Back to School Night is another opportunity to meet WLES staff members. Our Prek and Kindergarten families are invited to come to the second Back to School Night, which is also a Resource Fair. Several of our Community Partners will be at the Landing that evening.

MCPS is hosting its annual Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at Westfield Wheaton mall (11160 Veirs Mill Road in Wheaton). Learn about the school system, and county programs and services, pick up giveaways and get your immunizations. Enjoy music, entertainment and children’s activities, such as the Bike Rodeo, a fun activity to teach kids essential bike safety skills.

Learn more.

Did you see them? Two, brand new portable classrooms on school grounds. We are excited to have received the additional space to support our instructional program. However, due to Montgomery County Building Codes and funding, they will not be in use until the 2026-2027 school year.

The expectation is that every student engage in respectful, responsible and safe behavior while they are at Waters Landing Elementary School. The Landing is a Restorative Justice School, so when students have difficulty abiding by these core values, a series of progressive steps to help the student understand the impact of their actions on the school community and to help the student make better choices moving forward will be taken. The goal is to educate and empower students to make good choices. Please click here to see the WLES Accountability Plan which is based on the Student Code of Conduct. It outlines the steps that will be taken when students make choices that negatively impact the school environment. Here is a Student Code of Conduct one-pager. Additional Student Handbooks available for your review include the Student Rights and Responsibilities, Guidelines for Respecting Religious Diversity in MCPS, and Guidelines for Student Gender Identity which can be found here on the MCPS website.

School Hours

Arrival begins-students enter the building: 9:10-9:25am

(Students are considered late after the bell rings at 9:25am)

Instructional hours: 9:35am-3:35pm

Dismissal begins: 3:50pm

Dismissal begins on early release days: 1:20pm

We want to ensure the safety of students, their families, staff and the community during arrival and dismissal. Please remember the following as you drop off and pick up your student(s) each day:

• Cars should never enter the bus loop - only buses.
• Please avoid parking along Waters Landing Drive, Locbury Drive, and in the Waterford Townhome community near the school during arrival and dismissal, as this will cause unnecessary traffic and congestion. There is a possibility of being ticketed and/or towed if parking on townhome property.
• Please walk on sidewalks only, not cutting across the bus loop or car circle.

Bus Riders

If you live more than a mile from school, there is a bus you can ride. During the first week of school, WLES staff will be placing colorful tags on the backpacks of bus riders during arrival. This tag will let the teacher know which bus your child rides each day. It is important that an adult be at the bus stop to put students on the bus and to meet them at the end of the day. This will alleviate any potential issues that could occur in the absence of adult supervision.

Bus routes are available at this link, and will be updated again on August 20, 2025. for the 2025-2026 School Year. Please use that link to ensure you are accessing the most updated version of the bus routes. School bus routes are subject to change during the first few weeks of school and any updates will be posted with a time and date stamp to indicate a change. For any questions about your bus route, please contact your Transportation Cluster Manager. Here are some Safety Tips and Reminders for students, families, and motorists as we begin the new school year

Daycare Van Riders

Several daycares in the area have vans that drop students off and pick them up from Waters Landing Elementary School each day. During the first week of school, WLES staff will be placing colorful tags on the backpacks of daycare van riders during arrival. This tag will let the teacher know which daycare van your child rides each day.

Car Riders

All cars enter the circle near the corner of Locbury Dr. and Waters Landing Dr. This is the only entrance for cars. Cars move from the circle through the connection to the staff parking lot. Continue to drive forward through the parking lot. All cars exit the parking lot by turning right on Locbury Dr. This is the only exit for cars.

For everyone's safety, the car lane is a single line during both arrival and dismissal. Please follow the directions of the Waters Landing Elementary School staff on duty at all times.

During arrival, please pull up as far as you can before stopping your vehicle. Your student(s) should exit the vehicle from the curbside only, then proceed to enter the building through the car circle door or the middle door of the school, whichever is closest.

During dismissal, students will be dismissed through the door at the end of the car circle line and escorted safely to their cars by staff and patrols. Each student, will have a number specific to them. Car tags will be provided to hang from your mirror or place on your front dashboard so that staff can read the number and request that your student come to the car circle exit doors.. The student number will also be attached to student backpacks. The numbers will be sent home the first week of school.

Kindergarten Walkers

During arrival, Kindergarten walkers should enter the building through the main entrance. A line will be formed behind a cone for families who arrive before 9:10am. There will be Waters Landing Elementary School staff and patrols available to help your child find the correct classroom.

During dismissal, Kindergarten walkers will be dismissed from the exterior doors of the Kindergarten classrooms in the Bus Loop. Each teacher will dismiss their own students. They must see the adult each student is supposed to leave with before sending the student out the door.

Walkers in Grades 1-5

During arrival, Kindergarten walkers enter the building through the main entrance. Students in Grades 2 and 4 enter the building through the car rider door. Students in Grades 1 and 3 enter the building through the middle door. Students in Grade 5 enter the building through the same door that car riders are dismissed from.

During dismissal, walkers in Grades 1-5 will exit the building through the rear door that faces the field. Families can meet their student(s) in the area outside of those doors to walk home together. Whatever path is chosen to walk home, please stay on sidewalks or grass, using caution to cross streets at crosswalks.

Please see the Arrival and Dismissal Maps below. Remember, the traffic flow is the same for arrival and dismissal.

Attendance at school is mandated by law. It is important that students attend school regularly so they can successfully learn the standards for their grade level and participate in the social emotional experiences necessary for maturation. Please notify the school when your student(s) will be absent for any reason on any given day by completing this form. The form is also located on the website under Quick links, Report a Student Absence.

If a student is absent more than 3 consecutive days, a doctor's note, written or emailed, must be submitted upon returning to school. If a student is absent for 10 consecutive days, he or she will be withdrawn from school and will need to be reenrolled.

If you are dropping your student off late to school or picking your student up early, please come inside the school office to sgn your student in or out using the QR code or virtual log in sheet. Office staff will assist you when you arrive.

Elementary school students with excessive absences and/or tardies, both lawful and unlawful, may be referred for appropriate intervention. At the discretion of the principal/designee, students who demonstrate a pattern of absences may be referred to appropriate staff and/or outside agencies for intensive interventions designed to increase regular attendance. Please see the MCPS Regulation JEA-RA, Student Attendance for additional information.

WLES staff will be contacting you via email and phone calls if there are concerns with your child's attendance.

This year there will be two Back to School Nights. Tuesday, September 9, 2025 from 6:30-7:30pm is Back to School Night for families of PreK and Kindergarten students. Tuesday September 16, 2025 is Back to School Night for families of students in Grades 1-5. Back to School Night is another opportunity to meet WLES staff members. Our Prek and Kindergarten families are invited to come to the second Back to School Night, which is also a Resource Fair. Several of our Community Partners will be at the Landing that evening.

Each student will be celebrated with birthday wishes over the announcements and the receipt of a birthday pencil on his/her birthday. Students who have birthdays in the Summer will be celebrated as well, prior to the end of the school year. No food will be shared with the class during lunch, recess or instructional time. However, you may choose to send a birthday item in for the entire class to take home that day. Please contact the homeroom teacher prior to bringing the item in to school. Parents can also bring a birthday lunch for their child only. Personal birthday invitations will not be distributed in school, unless one is provided for every student in the class. The office staff will remind any family of this as necessary.

Breakfast is free of charge to every Waters Landing Elementary School student from 9:10-9:30am on school days.

At Waters Landing Elementary School, we celebrated Swim Up Day on the last day of the 2024-2025 school year. That was the time when students had the opportunity to meet their homeroom teacher and classmates for the upcoming school year, as well as see where their new class was located. A card was sent home in backpacks with the teacher's name on them for parents. As a reminder and for those who are new to the Landing, you will receive a message from your child's homeroom, math and English Language Arts teachers prior to the Dolphin DIve Ins.

It is the goal of the Waters Landing Elementary School staff to ensure that you always know what is happening at the school. We are partners in your children's success and as such, we must keep the lines of communication open. Teachers want you to feel comfortable sharing information with them, as they are your number one contact at the school. WLES staff will be using ParentSquare to communicate with families this year in place of Remind. We will no longer be using Remind.

You will receive a weekly newsletter, The Dolphin Whistle, from administration on Thursday evenings, unless there is a holiday. A voice message summarizing events in the upcoming week also goes out on Thursdays. You will also receive a newsletter from your child's grade level team the first week of each month.

You can expect a response from any communication to any Waters Landing Elementary School staff member to be returned within 48 hours. If not, please reach out again. It is important for us to make connections with you in order to ensure success for our student(s).

Waters Landing Elementary School is a community school. Community schools work in collaboration with community partners, local governments, and other stakeholders to identify and address structural and institutional barriers to achievement. Leveraging the power of the collective allows community schools to provide resources to students and families where they need it the most—neighborhoods that have been historically underfunded and underserved. Community schools provide a wide array of wraparound services that enhance student’s ability to be successful. Examples of wraparound services include:

• Extended learning time

• Extended school year

• Safe transportation to and from school

• Vision and dental services

• Expanded school-based health center services

• Additional social workers, counselors, and psychologists

• Additional mentors and restorative practice coaches

• Healthy food in-school and out-of-school

• Access to mental health practitioners

During this school year, we will focus on creating and implementing a plan to address the needs elevated through our Community School Needs Assessment. Mrs. Melisha Creef is our new Community School Liaison, who will be facilitating this process. As a Community School, we have a full-time nurse onsite daily.

This is our second year using the English Language Arts curriculum, Amplify CKLA. Please click here to view the MCPS CKLA Introduction letter. We will continue using Eureka Math curriculum this year. Please click here and create an account for the Great Mind website so that you have immediate access to parent resources. English Language Arts and Math information sheets will be sent home at the beginning of each new unit. Please click here to go to the MCPS Academics page for additional information on all curriculum your child will engage in this school year..

We are in need of new underwear and gently used or new T-shirts, sweatpants and socks for the health room in all sizes. Any items you can spare would be greatly appreciated.

During the year, grade levels participate in field trips to enhance the curriculum and extend learning. Transportation is provided by MCPS buses or private charter buses, depending on the location and length of the trip. All students must ride MCPS buses to and from field trips. Students will not be allowed to travel to field trips via parental transportation. Students attending field trips are supervised by the school and remain under school supervision until officially "signed out" by a parent. Additionally, all parents/guardians who chaperone field trips must complete the online MCPS Child Abuse and Neglect Training. All students must have written parental permission to participate in field trips. Field Trip payments must be paid in advance of the trip through School Cash Online. If necessary, cash or a check will be accepted as well. If a family has difficulty paying for a trip, please notify administration.

The first day of school is Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Students should go to their homeroom classrooms when the doors open at 9:10am. Waters Landing Elementary School staff and safety patrols will be available to assist students in getting to their classrooms. Families are not permitted to walk students to classrooms. This hinders the student from getting into the routine of walking to class without assistance from home. Families are welcome to visit the main office, if they have any concerns.

Lunch is free of charge for every Waters Landing Elementary School student. We encourage families to view information about the Division of Food and Nutrition Services and menus here.

Please see the lunch schedule below. If you plan to bring lunch for your child, please arrive 5 minutes before the start of their assigned lunch time. We do not have space in the cafeteria to allow students extra time to eat if their food arrives late. It is highly recommended that students either eat a school lunch or bring their lunch with them from home in a lunchbox/bag.

There is no recess on early dismissal or late arrival days.

Student immunizations must be up to date in order for students to remain enrolled in any MCPS school. If a student's immunizations are not up to date by September 20, 2025, the student will not be allowed to return to school until they have been vaccinated. Students can be vaccinated at their primary care physician's office, a clinic, such as the Germantown Clinic or the Seneca Valley High School Wellness Center. You will be notified by the Health Room if your student needs immunizations.

All student medication authorization forms must be renewed each school year. Please bring medication along with the completed form, to the health room. Please call the health room at (240) 740-1022 to make sure our nurse, Mrs. Lange, or health technician, Mrs. Zimmerman, are available to accept medication. We cannot accept medication from a student and the office staff cannot accept medication in the absence of the Health Room staff. Please make sure to check the expiration date of the medication. Please find the necessary forms below:

• Authorization to Administer Prescribed Medication
• Emergency Care for the Management of a Student with Anaphylaxis (Epipen)

As part of the updated Cell Phone and Personal Mobile Device Regulation (COG-RA), MCPS will limit how personal mobile devices—including mobile phones, e-readers, smart watches, tablets, wearable technology, video and audio recorders and gaming devices—can be used during the school day for the 2025–2026 school year.

Limiting phone use during class helps students stay focused, engaged and better able to retain information. Other benefits include:

• Fewer distractions = better learning and participation
• Teachers can teach without interruptions
• Research shows that less screen time promotes social-emotional well-being
• Classrooms run more smoothly
• Everyone benefits from a more respectful, focused environment
• 
  

Bottom line: Less phone time means more learning time.

What families and students need to know:

• Before and After School: Students in all grade levels may use their personal mobile devices before the school day begins and after it ends.

  
  

• Elementary Schools: During the school day—including class time, lunch and transitions between periods—students will need to keep their personal devices turned off and stored away.

• On School Buses: Students are permitted to use their devices while riding MCPS buses.

  
  

• Student Responsibility: Students are expected to manage their devices responsibly, making sure they are turned off and out of sight when use is not permitted.

  
  

• Discipline and Expectations: If a student misuses their device, consequences will follow a progressive approach outlined in the updated Student Code of Conduct, which will be released in the summer, and focuses on education and accountability. Updates to the MCPS Student Code of Conduct will clarify and re-establish expectations for student behavior. Learn more. Principals have the authority to allow limited cell phone use during class time if the use supports instruction.

  
  

• Medical and Learning Accommodations: Students will continue to have access as documented in the 504 or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that allows for personal mobile device use.

  
  

This revised regulation reflects MCPS’ continued commitment to creating a school experience where students can thrive—balancing the benefits of technology with the need to stay focused, respectful and connected in the classroom.

The Partners of Dolphins (POD) is a group of dedicated parents, teachers, and staff who work together to:

✅ Enhance student learning

✅ Organize fun events and programs

✅ Raise funds for classroom needs

✅ Strengthen the home-school connection

Please review the information below. We'd love to have you join us.

School Cash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees. It eliminates the need for teachers and other school staff to handle money. Now, with a few clicks, you can pay for your child’s yearbook, class trips and so much more from your own home. All you have to do is register an account, attach your children and in no time you will be able to make payments online. They accept many different payment forms. Register your students here. Cash and check payments directly to schools will remain an option, if necessary.

Please see the list of recommended school supplies for students here. Parent donations of supplies will enhance the classroom experience and are very much appreciated, however, they are not required. The school will provide school supplies as necessary.

Students engage in Social Emotional Learning daily at WLES in every classroom and area of the school. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a process that helps students develop skills that will help them be successful in school, work, and life. Self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills are examples of SEL skills. People with strong SEL skills are better able to cope with challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. We began teaching the Zones of Regulation school-wide last year. The Zones of Regulation provides a system of four colored zones to help students identify emotions in order to help them get to a place where they are more in control, and to reflect on times where they have been in trickier places or lost control of their emotions. Please click here to see the Zones of Regulation glossary. More information will be shared with parents in the upcoming weeks. Your child will have a SEL special every other week with Mrs. Watkins, our SEL Focus Teacher. Your child will also take part in SEL lessons throughout the day with their teachers.

We wish the following former Dolphins the best. They swam on to different waters.

• Milena Bartosiewicz, OT
• Maureen Casey, LFI
• Matthew Collishaw, Long Term Substitute
• Teresa Cruz, Assistant Building Services Manager
• Amber Dezfoli, Grade 3
• Stephanie Feig, Grade 4
• Brad Gurda, STEM Focus Teacher
• Sheia Jennings, Attendance Secretary
• Nichola Jessee, Counselor
• Rachel Keller, Special Education
• Vanessa Reyes, Grade 2
• Diyana Sanders-Gunaratnam, Counselor
• Kelly Soderstrum, Physical Education
• Candace Trostel, LFI
• Jessica Wokas, CSL
• Eleanor Zhang, Intern
• Mark Zhou, Physical Education

Some Dolphins have switched positions within the Building:

• Brad Auyeung, Learning for Independence to Home School Model Special Education
• Meredith Howington, Primary Talent Coach to ELA Focus
• Carrie Morris, ELA Focus, with the addition of Primary Talent Coach
• Melinda Murnane, Kindergarten to Pre-K
• Valerie Parris, ELA and STEM Focus to Kindergarten

We'd like to welcome the following Dolphins to the Landing:

• Daniel Alvarenga, Counselor
• Jamie Baker, PEP
• Stacy Balbin, Grade 1
• Ethyl Byrd, Learning for Independence
• Katherine Cassidy, Grade 2
• Melisha Creef, Community School Liaison (CSL)
• Madison Ellis, Counselor
• Elise Healy, Grade 4
• Robert Hokanson, Physical Education
• Delaney Holland, Physical Education
• Jamie Lewis, Grade 1
• Craig Mariette, Assistant Building Services Manager
• Christopher Marquina, Grade 3
• Audra O'Neil, English Language Development
• Esmeralda Romero, Art
• Rogers Ssemogerere, Learning for Independence
• Gabriel Thompson, Grade 2
• Janey Xie, STEM Focus Teacher

Please make sure that your students' backpack and lunch box is labeled with his or her name. Also, please make sure that your student(s) have a note with their full name, grade level, and teacher's name in the front pocket of their backpacks. It may be a good idea to attach the note to the backpack or clothing of kindergarteners, especially if this is their first school experience. They may be nervous at first, but we will ensure that they are well taken care of and that they land in the correct classroom.

Some of our current Dolphins are moving to new positions within the building.

• Stephanie Feig from Focus Teacher to Grade 4 Teacher
• Brad Gurda from Grade 5 Teacher to Science Focus Teacher
• Bobbi Hammer from Long Term Substitute to Grade 1 Teacher
• Meredith Howington from Intervention Teacher to Primary Talent Coordinator/Reading Coach
• Allison Machado from One-on-one Paraeducator to Paraeducator
• Carrie Morris from Grade 2 Teacher to Reading Focus Teacher
• James Nelson from Grade 4 Teacher to Math Focus Teacher
• Valerie Parris from Grade 3 Teacher to Science and Reading Focus Teacher
• Alex Watkins from Grade 2 Teacher to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Focus Teacher

We'd like to welcome our new Dolphin staff members to the Landing. They come to us from within and outside of the county with a plethora of experience and ideas.

• Ayana Arrington, paraeducator
  
• Graham Hartung, Grade 5 Teacher
• Christian Johnson, Building Service Worker
• Jimin Kwon, Grade 5 Teacher
• Jiyoung Park, Paraeducator
  
• Candace Trostel, LFI Teacher

At the Landing, we reorganize classes in Grades 1-5 for English Language Arts (reading and writing). This means that your child will potentially be switching classes during the school day. Students attend lunch, recess and specials (Art, Media, Music, Physical Education, STEM, and Social Emotional Learning) with their homeroom class. Your child's homeroom teacher will also teach math, health science, and social studies in Grades 1-3. New this year, only students in Grades 4 and 5 will be switching for Math. Kindergarten students remain with their homeroom teacher for the first two marking periods. You will receive communication from each of your child's teachers before the Dolphin Dive Ins.

Waters Landing Elementary School is a Title I school. Title I is a federal education program that supports schools with a large percentage of low income students throughout the nation. Funds are distributed to high poverty schools, as determined by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. The funds can be used to hire additional teachers or teaching assistants, to provide computers or software, to fund before, after and summer school programs, and to purchase additional materials or equipment. This year we were able to add the following positions to our school as a result of Title I funding:

• Math Content Coach
• Science Focus Teacher
• Social Emotional Learning Teacher
• Primary Talent Coach

Monday, August 25, 2025 is Transition Day. It is an opportunity for our Kindergarten students and any students who are new to Waters Landing Elementary School to engage in a practice run of what a school day will be like. Buses will run on the regular schedule. The first day of school when all students come will be Tuesday, August 26, 2025. There will be ba Chat & Chew with the Principal for any new parents who escort their children to school that day at 10:15am in the All Purpose room.

We welcome visitors at the Landing, but please be sure to adhere to our school policies. All school visitors, with the exception of MCPS employees with badges, need to check-in and check-out of the main office and scan their driver's license/identification cards through the Visitor Management System (VMS). Once the visitor clears the VMS, they must wear the badge the VMS creates and remain under supervision of an MCPS professional while with students. Any necessary disciplining of students should be handled by Waters Landing Elementary School staff, not visitors. Mark your calendar for Mother Figure Mondays and Father Figure Fridays each month when you can come and visit your child's classes. We allow visitors beginning the first week of October, in order for students to establish their routines. Thank you for your understanding.

At the Landing we appreciate and embrace volunteers! More information will be forthcoming about our classroom and school-wide volunteer needs, but in preparation, please complete the necessary steps to become a volunteer as listed on the MCPS website:

• Complete the MCPS Parent/Guardian and Community Volunteer Form. This form serves as an introduction of yourself, your interests and availability in volunteering, and some important reminders about volunteers in school.
• Complete the mandatory online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training. This training is required for any volunteer who regularly supports schools, chaperones a field trip, etc. and is available in multiple languages. When the course is completed, a report is created to serve as proof of satisfying the training requirement.
• Provide our office staff with a copy of the completed MCPS Parent/Guardian and Community Volunteer Form and your online course grade sheet that will show 100% for completing the online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training.

There is plenty to do, both at school and in the comfort of your own home that will support Waters Landing Elementary School. Please let your child's teacher know if you are interested in volunteering. Speaking English fluently is not a requirement for volunteering. We allow volunteers after the second week of school in order for students to establish their routines. Thank you for your understanding.