The Pine Crest Newsletter

Pine Crest Elementary School

Email: Joan_M_Stump@mcpsmd.org

Website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pinecrestes/

Location: 201 Woodmoor Drive Silver Spring, MD 20901

Phone: 240-740-1970

• Message from Ms. Stump
• Important Morning Arrival & Safety Reminders
• Free & Reduced Priced Meals
• Grade 5 Central Review Process for Middle School
• Open House
• Help Shape the Future of Eastern Middle School
• Eastern Middle School Capital Project
• Important Messages from MCPS
• Election Day Bake Sale
• PTA Thank you!
• PTA Reminders

• Two Schools One PTA

• Important Dates

On behalf of the entire school staff, I want to share our deepest gratitude for our incredible PTA and their unwavering support of our school community. Our staff was feeling incredibly spoiled this week thanks to the wonderful gestures and partnerships led by our PTA:

• Wednesday Coffee Bar: The PTA treated the staff to a spectacular made-to-order coffee bar. It was an absolute hit, highly attended, and provided a wonderful boost of energy and joy to our midweek routine.
• Thursday Family Yoga Night: A special thank you goes out to Ms. Kern and the PTA for their partnership in planning and hosting this event. It was wonderful to see so many vibrant smiles on the faces of our students, staff, and families as we stretched and relaxed together.

We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated, thoughtful PTA. Thank you for your continued support and for making our school a truly special place to work and learn!

As we work together to keep our school community vibrant and thriving, the safety of our students remains our absolute top priority. We have noticed, and it has been reported by families, several safety concerns during morning arrival, and we need your partnership to ensure every child starts their day safely.

Please review the following critical updates and expectations with your children:

• Arrival Timeline: Official student arrival is between 9:10 AM and 9:25 AM. Students arriving after 9:25 are considered tardy.
• Supervision Expectation: School staff and safety patrols begin supervision duty precisely at 9:10 AM. If your child arrives on school grounds prior to 9:10 AM, families must remain with and supervise their children. Students should not be left unattended before staff supervision begins.
• Wheels on Campus: All scooters, bikes, and skateboards must be walked—not ridden—once students reach the school grounds. Riding through crowds is hazardous for standing students, staff, and visiting grandparents.
• Bus Loop & Street Safety: Students are strictly prohibited from playing ball games or running near the bus loop and street. Chasing balls into traffic zones puts our students at severe risk.
• Property Boundaries: For student safety, climbing, playing, or jumping off the walls near the KidsCo entrance is not permitted.

Please help us reinforce these expectations at home so we can maintain a safe, welcoming environment for everyone each morning.

The deadline for applying for Free & Reduced Priced Meals is approaching on Friday, October 30th. Don't forget to Apply online for meal benefits today! A new FARMS application must be completed every school year, even if your children qualified the previous year. Households meeting federal income standards are eligible for free school meals, but must apply to receive this benefit. Only one application is needed for all students in a household. Learn more.

All middle school information can be found here.

Grade 5 Central Review Process for MS Enrichment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (Preguntas frecuentes en español)

• November 6, 2026- MSMC Choice Form Deadline

• October 19, 2026- Middle School Magnet (Criteria Based) Parent Presentation

• Upcounty (Roberto Clemente and Martin Luther King Middle Schools)
• Presentation in English (available on 10/19/26 at 5pm)
• Presentación en español (disponible 19/10/26 a las 18 horas)
• Downcounty (Eastern and Takoma Park Middle Schools)
• Presentation in English (available 10/19/26 at 7pm)
• Presentación en español (disponible 19/10/26 a las 20 horas)

MSMC Program Booklet,

• September 16, 2026- MSMC Parent Presentation
• English Presentation
• Presentación en español

Open House gives families a firsthand look at their child’s school experience. By visiting classrooms and observing learning, parents and caregivers can better understand what students are learning, how teachers support them, and how classroom routines help children succeed.

Pine Crest Open House will be November 11, 2026. We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Open House!

Please note these important details for this year's event:

• Two Time Slots: We are offering two different time slots, 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-3:30. You can choose which part of the school day works best for your schedule to observe our classrooms. SY 26-27 Comprehensive Schedule

• NEW - Snack & Chat with Administration: At 10:30 and 2:30 families will have the opportunity to snack and chat with admin. Please complete this brief survey to share some topics you are interested in learning more about.

• Short Visits: We invite you to stop by for a brief visit within your chosen time slot so we can welcome all families.

• Adults Only: For space and focus, we kindly ask that all visitors are adults.

The Conversation Is Underway. Your Questions, Concerns and Ideas Matter.
Why is MCPS studying school closures and consolidations? What does the data tell us? How will decisions be made? These are important questions, and they're exactly why we're bringing our community together. Our engagement sessions are underway, providing families, staff and community members opportunities to learn about the challenges facing our schools, ask questions and share what matters most to them. No schools have been selected for closure, no recommendations have been made and no decisions have been predetermined. You don't need to have all the answers, or even know all the questions, to participate. This is a process of learning, listening and planning together, and there's still time to be involved. Read the full story here.

Also visit MCPSStudy.org
Watch the Videos

English = https://youtu.be/vtn_QeqKZ2Q

Spanish = https://youtu.be/h2PJYSelS1c

Inside MCPS: The Realities of Our Aging Facilities
Leaking roofs. Failing heating and cooling systems. Aging buildings. Rising construction costs. The hard truth is that MCPS has significant facility needs, and waiting to address them only makes the problems more expensive.

In a new video series, "The Hard Truth," MCPS takes you inside schools and support facilities to show the real facilities challenges facing our district.

The Hard Truth: Doing nothing is not an option.
Watch the Video Series

Be Sure to Weigh In on the 2027-2028 School Calendar
As MCPS continues to develop the 2027-2028 school calendar, the district is seeking more input from you! Complete this second survey to share input on the proposed draft calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. The survey will close on Friday, Nov. 6. Take the survey.

Board Seeking Public Comment on Two Policies
The Board of Education is seeking public comment on proposed amendments to two policies — Policy IPD: Travel Study Programs, Field Trips and Student Organization Trips and Policy BLB: Rules of Procedures in Appeals and Hearings.

• The comment period for Policy IPD closes Friday, Nov. 6. Submit comments on Policy IPD.

• The comment period for Policy BLB closes Friday, Nov. 6. Submit comments on Policy BLB.

Policies for Public Comment

Now You Know — Career & Technical Education Program Changes
Important changes are coming to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Starting in fall 2027, MCPS will move from 51 to 37 state-approved CTE programs of study. Some will be phased out; others will be combined or updated. These changes provide great opportunities for students to explore new, integrated and modernized pathways that prepare them for high-wage, high-demand careers. So, what does this mean? Some CTE programs will be integrated into our new six-region high school model, helping expand access to high-demand programs across the county. The programs will also align with Maryland’s new 14-career-cluster model.

If your student is already enrolled in a CTE program, there’s no disruption. They’ll be able to complete their existing program and earn their intended credentials.

Learn more: English | Spanish | Amharic | Chinese | French | Korean | Portuguese | Vietnamese

Are You Getting the Most Out of ParentVue?
ParentVUE: it’s one of the easiest ways to stay connected to your student’s school experience. Families can monitor grades and assignments, check attendance, find bus information, access report cards and assessment results, complete online registrations and communicate directly with teachers.

Download the new ParentVue app, customize your Gradebook and favorite shortcuts, and check ParentVUE regularly. You can even schedule parent-teacher conferences directly through the app. And remember: each parent or guardian should use their own ParentVUE account and password.

Learn more: English / español / 中文 / français / Português / 한국어 / tiếng Việt / አማርኛ

Student Opportunities

• Game Changer Conference: Male students in Grades 4–12 are invited to attend this event from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Montgomery College, Germantown Campus, Bioscience Education Center, 20200 Observation Drive in Germantown. Register.

• Marching Band Showcase: Starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Albert Einstein High School. Free and open to the public.

• Mary Howard Day of Service: From 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Projects will include beautifying gardens and pavilions, maintaining trails and building projects. RSVP.

• Middle School Winter Sports Registration: Opens at noon on Monday, Oct. 26 for boys’ and girls’ basketball.

• Mental Health & Wellness Fair: From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 at James Hubert Blake High School. Free and open to staff, students and families.

• Share Your Vision for America: Make Your Speech calls on students in Grades 5–12 to imagine they’ve just been elected president and are delivering their inaugural address in a 2-3 minute video. Win prizes up to $1,000. Learn more. Deadline: Friday, Oct. 30

• Capital Weather invites K-8 kids to submit original artwork inspired by weather, seasons, climate or nature to its Kids Art Showcase. Learn more.

Stay Connected to MCPS

• VISIT the MCPS homepage.

• CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845). Visit the AskMCPS website.

• READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.

• FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages:
  x.com/mcps / facebook.com/mcpsmd / instagram.com/mcps_md facebook.com/mcpsespanol / x.com/MCPSEspanol / instagram.com/mcpsenespanol

• SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.

• WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89

More MCPS Resources

• School calendar

• Parent resource page

• News and Information page / Noticias en Español

• Latest photo galleries

• MCPS TV videos

• MCPS TV español

The PTA is having an election day bake sale outside of the PCES Polling Center and WE NEED VOLUNTEERS. Please use this sign up genius to let us know how you can help make this a success!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Family Yoga Night! We had an incredible turnout, and it was absolute magic seeing our students, staff, and families coming together to relax, stretch, and move.

A very special thank you goes out to our very own talented 4th-grade teacher, Ms. Kern, for leading the session and helping all of us find our inner yogi! The night was filled with so much fun, laughter, and community spirit.

We are so grateful for your continued support and participation in making events like this a success. We can't wait to see you at the next one!

Look out for a Read-A-Thon Flyer in your student's take home folder this week!!

If you haven't already - make sure to join your grade level WhatsApp!

3rd Grade -

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ci59i3txQTtGPhKDBBcAO4?s=cl&p=i&mlu=4&ilr=4

4th Grade -

https://chat.whatsapp.com/ELVzrtO9yanCviImm3426W?s=cl&p=i&mlu=4&ilr=4

5th Grade -

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cdta1DbOzcd1pNyaVoykeI?s=cl&p=i&mlu=4&ilr=4

The MKPC PTA is a parent-volunteer organization dedicated to providing Montgomery Knolls and Pine Crest Elementary School ongoing support to achieve excellence for our students, teachers and the community.

Check out our fabulous PTA's website.

Join the PTA here.

MKPC Family Calendar

PTA October News

Noticias de octubre de la PTA

October 28 3rd Grade Field Trip to Butler’s Orchard

October 30 Marking Period 1 Ends

November 1 Daylight Savings!

November 2 Grading & Planning / No school for students

November 3 Election Day - Schools/offices closed

November 3 PTA Sponsored Bake Sale at PCES

November 5 PTA Sponsored In-House Assembly: Word Play to Kick Off the Read-a-Thon

November 5-11 PTA READ A THON

November 6 Food Market @ MKES

November 10 PTA Meeting @ PCES 7:00 pm

November 10 Marking Period 1 Report Cards Available in Synergy

November 11 Open House 9:30-11:30 & 1:30-3:30

November 12 MP1 Report Cards Distributed

November 16-20 PCES Book Fair