A word about our WAAG - Watershed also uses a cultural calendar to ensure visibility of all holidays, holy days, and national days of recognition, across various backgrounds. Watershed continues to be a space of learning, dialogue, and safety for all people. If you have a comment or correction regarding the WAAG, please contact our Turtle Talk editor, Sage Magness-Hill.

These past couple of weeks at school have been full of changes and excitement. Students are outside more than ever, our character parade was a huge hit! the PTO book fair was so much fun, and we celebrated our students of the month on Friday April 4th. There was an underground spirit week as well - but we won't talk about that 😆

From all of the staff to you and your family - we hope the spring break is rejuvenating and fun! We can't wait to see you when you return on April 22nd!

https://cdnsm5-ss3.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_2744/File/Calendars/Edited_2024-2025_School_Calendar_050724-WEB.pdf

At the end of fifth grade, every student in the state of Maryland must re-verify their residency information to remain enrolled in their current county. This is required for every student regardless of when they registered in a public school.

Fifth grade students at Watershed must provide residency documentation by June 1 to the front office to remain enrolled for th 25-26 school year. Letters were sent home this past week to all fifth grade students. Please bring your documents to the main office as soon as possible this includes students who are enrolling at another Baltimore County school for the 25-26 school year. We can process your documents in less than 5 minutes minutes if you arrive after 8:30 am (avoiding arrivals).

Hey 7th grade parents - you will have to do this at the end of 8th grade (just a heads up!)

We know that the world is constantly changing and with it, so might your plans for next school year. As soon as you know your child will be attending a different school for the 25-26 school year, please tell the front office. The more time we have to process the withdrawal, the more information we can share with your child's next school. Please note that withdrawal packets will be distributed on the last day of school or your child's last day of attendance.

• Always park in a parking space - never the fire lane or in a non-line spot - to pick up your child.
• Slow and steady wins the race (it's how the tortoise beat the hare!) - please make sure your speed is between 5-10 mph on the lot.
• When there is the food pantry, please avoid parking at the end of the parking spot lines so that the pantry line moves easily.

https://bcps.nutrislice.com/menu/bcps-weekly-menus

The two kindergarten classes have been brainstorming names for our new chicks and voted on our top two! These will be our new Watershed chickens and now it's up to you to help decide what each chicken should be named! Please only vote one time and the poll will close after Spring Break. Thank you for your help!

https://forms.gle/GiNZ1Cb1eKx6o3uWA

More information about these dates will be available from your classroom teachers but here are some of the major events happening at Watershed from now to the end of the year:

Kindergarten Conference Day (no K students) - 4/25

Career Day – 5/28

Kindergarten Round up (newly enrolling kindergarteners) – 6/2 & 6/3

5th grade End of Year (EOY) celebration – 6/6

6/7 and 1st EOY celebrations – 6/9

Earth Field Day – 6/10 (board president chat and chew 8:15-9)

K EOY celebration – 6/11 AM

4th grade EOY celebration 6/11 PM

3rd and 2nd grade EOY celebration 6/12

Ms. Lauren has created a plant propagation station in the Watershed front doorway. Plant cuttings are growing in the window and available for anyone to adopt a plant cutting and take it home. Families are also welcome to leave their own plant cuttings for others to take. If you are looking for a new houseplant, check out Ms. Lauren's display!

Watershed has recycled 291 lbs of plastic this year as part of the NexTrex Recyling Challenge! Way to go! Our goal is to recycle an additional 709 lbs by September 10, 2025. If Watershed recycles 1,000 lbs of plastic in a year, our school would receive a composite bench made out of plastic bags like the ones that we have been recycling. Please help us reach our goal and bring your clean, dry, and food-free plastic to recycle in the 2 tall white containers in the school's lobby. Thank you!

Watershed was founded in a cooperative space - where students, teachers and families work together to ensure that our children are learning and safe. When you applied to Watershed, you agreed to contribute 40 hours each year in service to the school. There are many families to fulfill this requirement every year - and go above and beyond the expectation! This Turtle Talk will be the space where we note the names of the students whose families have tracked hours so far this year. Next Turtle Talk, we will include the number of hours each family has completed. Please track your hours here: https://forms.gle/Z3SposySt2wtbrmt7

Please see the attachment below for a list of students and families that have completed volunteer hours.

Seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis, is around the corner. Symptoms occur when airborne irritants enter the eyes, nose and throat, setting off an allergic reaction. In the Spring, flowers and tree pollen are the common culprit. Grass pollen starts in late spring and peaks in the summer months. Ragweed (weed pollen) and mold spores occur late summer and fall. Symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, sore throat, cough and dark circles under the eyes.

• Have your child wash their hands and face as soon as they come in from playing outside.
• Better yet, have your child take a shower or bath right away after coming from outside or coming from school.
• If showering or bathing is not possible, have your child change clothes right away, to prevent the transfer of allergens from their clothes to the house, couch or bed.
• Outside shoes should stay outside for the same reason.
• Consult with your healthcare provider for the appropriate medication (antihistamine) that can help in decreasing symptoms of seasonal allergy.
• Although Benadryl is an antihistamine, it is not as effective and can cause drowsiness. Most antihistamines take time before becoming effective, the same is the case with your steroid nasal spray. Take the medication as directed until the season is over.

If your child failed Vision screening or hearing screening, a letter will go home in their bookbag. Nurse Flor will also call you.

What to do if your child failed:

Vision: Your child will need a Comprehensive eye exam done by an Optometrist. Please bring the failed letter during the appointment, the optometrist will complete that form for the recommendation or treatment needed and return the form to Nurse Flor.

Hearing: if your child failed Hearing screening, please reach out to your pediatrician/health care provider and let them know that your child failed the hearing screening done at school. Your health care provider will guide you if your child needs to see a specialist (ENT). Please bring the failed letter form during the visit and return it to nurse Flor if recommendation or treatment is needed.

*Nurse Flor will follow up in 30 days after sending the Failed letter notification*

Your child will need one dose of Tdap Vaccine and one dose of MCV vaccine (to prevent Meningococcal disease), it is usually given at age 11 or 12. Please reach out to schedule these vaccinations with your child's doctor or nearby clinic. Letters were sent to students who were missing vaccines as of March. Please make sure that vaccines are completed before school starts this fall, to prevent exclusion of your child.

An updated physical examination form is required for 6th graders in all BCPS schools. If your child is planning to join school sports, a pre-participation form needs to be completed by your HCP/pediatrician. Nurse Flor will send the forms in May. If you need the forms sooner for an upcoming HCP visit, please reach out to Nurse Flor at ftorres@bcps.org

• 24 hrs. fever-free without the use of any medication
• 24 hrs. diarrhea-free
• 24 hrs. vomit-free

• Send in a note, an email, or a doctor's note to your child's homeroom teacher or school nurse when they are absent. You will still receive a BCPS phone call or voice message that your child is absent regardless of notifying school, teacher or school nurse. It is a safety feature.
• If your child received clothes loaned by Nurse Flor, please be sure to wash them and return them to the school.
• Make sure your child has an extra, clean set of clothes at school.

As always, I’m here to support not only our students but also our families. I can share local mental health resources as well as connect families directly to therapists through our school-based mental health partnerships with Thrive Behavioral Health and Lighthouse Youth Services. If I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out at rhennessy@bcps.org.

Hi Turtle Families!

I hope you had a wonderful spring break with your families! We have some exciting events and student opportunities ahead this spring including our upcoming college and career day, April Student of the Month celebration, and Middle School Student Service-Learning Opportunities!

School-Wide College and Career Day on May 28th: Thank you to those who signed up to support our upcoming college and career day! We are looking forward to having our parents and community members sharing their career journeys and insights with our students. Stay tuned for more updates to come!

https://forms.gle/tZn6K6xS7uSPE3qn8

Please complete this form if you have interest in volunteering for our college and career day!

Upcoming SSL Hour opportunity with JUMP, Inc: Interested in earning hours?

JUMP Inc. is a Double Dutch nonprofit organization offering Service-Learning hours to students in Baltimore County, through a teaching method that combines meaningful service to the community related to health. See the attached flyer for more details and access the JUMP, Inc Intake Form Here.

The Maryland State Department of Education requires that all high school diploma seeking students complete 75 hours of Student Service-Learning (SSL) hours. Students can begin earning hours in 6th grade.

All student service-learning hours must be pre-approved by the school student service-learning coordinator prior to completion to guarantee hours meet BCPS requirements. Students and families can find both the Student Service Learning pre-approval and post volunteer reflection forms on the Watershed Website under "For Families" as well as on the BCPS website. I can also provide hard copies of these forms when requested. For a detailed understanding of SSL hours and the criteria specifications, please visit the BCPS website linked below. Upon completion of SSL hours, student must complete a reflection form, along with their hour verification form signed by the site supervisor and turn into Ms. Rives to be documented into their student Focus portal.

May Virtue of the Month - Determination:

What is Determination, and Why Does It Matter at School?

At Watershed, we believe determination is a powerful virtue that helps students grow into confident, capable learners. Determination means sticking with something—even when it’s hard. It looks like a student who keeps working on a challenging math problem, practices a skill until they improve, or sets a goal and works toward it step by step.

We encourage determination because it builds resilience, self-confidence, and a growth mindset. When students learn that mistakes are part of learning and that effort leads to progress, they become more willing to take on challenges and support one another. Celebrating determination helps our students see that success comes not just from being smart—but from being strong, focused, and never giving up.

April's Student of the Month Celebration - Empathy!

Our April student of the month nominees will be honored at our student of the month breakfast celebration Friday, May 2nd at 8:15 in the auditorium. This month's students are celebrated for showing empathy, understanding and caring about how someone else feels so that we all feel seen, heard, and valued, helping build strong friendships and a kind school community. Our students of the month will receive an invitation with the link to RSVP!

Our April Students of the Month are:

Qairo David

Violet Russell

Treasure Atemkeng

Teagan Jamison

Pheonix Renshaw

Mila Epps

Brandon Hector

Harlee Hines

Maci Taylor

Ahrion Dunaway

Aidan Johnson

Joenais Willis

Calvert Watts

Anisha Aremu

Liam Kendall

Sophia Smith

Alieah Gilmore

Kayden Roy

Journee Kirkpatrick

Benjamin Stevenson

Kamryn Frazier

Jalon Patton

Khalilah DeBellotte

August Cousley

Stella Moro Noriega

Winter Wenck

Avery Doughty

Legacy Simmons

Blake Rembert

Liliana Murray

Priestly Shuler

Izaiah Hall

Storm Scribner

Bria Wilkerson

Ayo Obayanju

Kaedin Ganger

Ayden Francis

Wishing everyone in the Watershed Public Charter School community a joyful and restful spring break! Thank you for an incredible school year so far—your continued support, dedication, and hard work have made it a truly special one. We’re looking forward to an energized start to the fourth quarter and a strong finish to the year together!

Our April Board of Directors meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM. All members of the Watershed community are welcome and encouraged to attend. If you'd like to provide input on the facilities expansion or speak during the Public Comments portion of the meeting, please email board@watershedpcs.org to request time on the agenda.

Just like spring brings a fresh start, our campus got a seasonal refresh of its own! Huge thanks to the Watershed parents, students, and staff who volunteered on March 31 and April 4 to help spread mulch, weed garden beds, clean up outdoor spaces, and prep classrooms for MCAP testing.

In addition to the volunteer effort, we’ve also completed several key facility improvements over the past two weeks:

• Installed a new front door intercom and buzzer system

• Added a new electrical circuit to better support our IT network

• Installed a new exterior light near the kitchen

• Added two new LED lights in the hallways

Great news—our elevator renovations are now complete! 🎉 We’re currently awaiting the final Maryland state inspection before putting it into use.

Thank you once again to our amazing students, staff, and families for your patience and partnership as we continue to invest in and improve our campus this year!

Ideas/Questions/Concerns Contact us at PTO@watershedpto.org

Thank you for joining us at the April PTO General Meeting both in person and virtual. We had an exciting meeting full of updates from scheduled events, a facilities update from Ms. Widney and Mr. Miller, and elections for the office of Vice President and Treasurer.

Be sure to check out the Meeting Minutes here!

The Watershed PTO Executive Board would like to wish everyone a happy, restful, and safe Spring Break!

Are you ready to put your talents to use in a leadership role on the PTO Executive Board? If so, you're in luck! We are currently accepting nominations for the positions of President and Secretary for the 2025-2026 school year.

If you love Fall Fest, Dances, Book Fair, Game Nights and other fun events and want to ensure that these beloved activities continue next year, we need dedicated volunteers to step into these critical leadership roles.

If you're ready to get involved, you can submit your nomination using the form linked here

Congratulations to Laryn Rollhauser on being elected Vice President, and Kristi Eybs on being elected Treasurer at the April 1st PTO Meeting.

Should you have any questions about the responsibilities of these positions, please feel free to contact us at pto@watershedpto.org or visit our website to view detailed officer descriptions.

Join the Watershed PTO virtually on April 29th from 7-8PM for an introduction to environmentally-friendly home cleaning! This event features Jane Vincent from Ecolistic Cleaning, who will share tips on products that are green, cost effective, and efficient. The session will also explore durable equipment that can help you clean faster while using less water and products. Jane is excited to share some eco-friendly methods and techniques that she and her team have learned while cleaning homes and offices, which will help you clean your home green and in less time.

Ecolistic is a woman-owned, eco-friendly, living-wage company that has served clients in Baltimore County and across Maryland for 20+ years. Use this link to join: https://meet.google.com/nxu-uzsj-jcn

We want to thank everyone for a wonderful Book Fair Week! We are grateful to the staff for their flexibility and support and to our volunteers for the help they offered the student shoppers. We also appreciate the generosity of our community in donating to Share the Fair and purchasing books for staff from their wish lists. If you were unable to attend the book fair, you can still make purchases through April 20th here. In the next PTO email, we will share the fair totals once the book fair is finalized. Stay tuned!

Staff Appreciation Week is May 5-9, 2025 and Watershed PTO's Hospitality Committee is planning and preparing a week full of activities, treats, and TLC for our staff and teachers. We need your help to make it fabulous. You can help by volunteering to support an activity or donating something from our list of needed supplies. These sign-ups are coming soon! You could also offer a monetary donation or support your child's teacher by ordering from their Amazon wish list.

The Watershed PTO Spring Dance planning is underway and we are in need of some fantastic volunteers ready to hit the floor and groove with us! If you’d like to help plan this spectacularly fun event, sign up here to help bring this event to life. The next meeting is scheduled for April 23rd at 6pm. Hope to see you there!

We are thrilled to try again to bring the Repair Shop to Watershed on Friday, May 23rd! It’s time to start gathering up those bikes, scooters, or even your favorite summer shirt in need of a new button. Let’s get those toys fixed up and ready for summer fun! This event wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our volunteers and wonderful families, working together to reduce waste by giving a second life to broken items. Keep an eye out for more details and a sign-up sheet coming soon. In the meantime, if you’d like to volunteer or have something you’d like repaired, feel free to reach out to us at secretary@watershepto.org with any questions or requests.

Join us as we kick off planning for our End of Year Bash! This special event is a celebration of our children's successes and a heartfelt thank you to all of our incredible volunteers. The planning committee will meet on April 23rd at 7 PM. If you're interested in joining the committee, please email Elizabethrtrimm@gmail.com. Click http://meet.google.com/grw-pmmq-cgo to join the meeting and be part of making this year's bash unforgettable!

End of the year planning is getting underway and we have some great things in store for our 5th-7th graders. Mark your calendars for the upper school committee meeting scheduled for April 24th, 2025 at 6pm via google meet to receive updates and assist with making this event a success!

There are just a few more months to get the required 40 volunteer hours in. Sign up to volunteer through the link below and to get a few more volunteer hours in and for a chance to win a $10 in our monthly raffle! We've already selected three lucky winners, and the next one could be you! April sign-ups are now open, with the raffle drawing taking place at the PTO meeting on May 6th.

The more times you sign up, the higher your chances of winning! Don’t wait—sign up today and help make a positive impact at Watershed before summer starts! 👉 https://tinyurl.com/Watershed-School-Volunteer

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to support our school? We are excited to announce that Watershed Charter School is now part of the Box Tops for Education program!

When you buy participating products, use the Box Tops app to scan your store receipt. The app identifies eligible products and earnings are credited to your designated school online. Even if you’re shopping online or doing grocery pickup, you can still submit your digital or email receipt with the Box Tops app and earn. Twice a year, the school gets a check! Box Tops earnings really add up, and the more people that participate, the bigger the impact we can make.

See a list of participating products at BTFE.COM/PRODUCTS. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Melinda Warth.

Did you know that the Watershed PTO has a linktree? Visit https://linktr.ee/watershedpto to find an up to date list of all our links including the Fall Fest RSVP, Room Rep Contact Information, volunteer sign-ups, our Mabel’s Labels fundraiser, and more!