Dolphin Whistle

Mrs. Cynthia Alvarado, Registrar

Cynthia_Alvarado@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. Evelyn Campos

Evelyn_R_Campos@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. M. Deneise Hammond, Principal

MDeneise_Hammond@mcpsmd.org

(240) 753-9472 work cell

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

As we move forward in supporting children and families, we want to highlight one area that urgently needs our collective attention: student attendance. Consistent attendance is directly tied to academic success, social-emotional growth, and students’ long-term confidence in school.

Our current absenteeism data shows that 25.48% of students at Waters Landing Elementary are Chronically Absent (missing 10% or more of the school year). This means nearly 1 in 4 students is already at risk for significant learning loss. We must work together to slow, stop, and reverse this trend. To that end, in an effort to slow this rate and support our community, the Attendance Team has collaborated to create an Attendance Matters Incentives Program.

Starting Monday, October 27th, we will launch a school-wide initiative focused on improving daily attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism. Our approach will include:

• Positive Attendance Incentives (class shout-outs, weekly and monthly recognition, class celebrations)

• Family Engagement (personal outreach, connection to resources, check-ins, and solution-focused conversations)

• Visible School Messaging (posters, announcements, classroom trackers, and consistent language around “Every Day Counts”)

• Data-Driven Support (early identification, attendance conferences, and attendance success plans for our most at-risk students)

Our GOAL is to decrease our chronically absenteeism rate by 2% by the end of Marking Period 2, January 23rd, 2026.

How can families help?

Please make sure that students are in school, every day, ready to learn. We understand that everyone gets sick, so we provided the resources below to assist with the decision of sending a student to school versus keeping them home.

Waters Landing Elementary School is excited to invite you to join our first Parent and Family Engagement Committee meeting of the year. This committee is vital to ensuring a strong partnership between our school and families and is a requirement of all Title 1 schools. During this first committee meeting, our task will be to meet and review, discuss, and update the current Waters Landing Parent and Family Engagement Plan, and review the School Parent Compact that will be shared at parent conferences. Your input is crucial to making sure this plan truly supports all of our students and families! Our Title 1 Instructional Specialist, Julie Kelly, will facilitate our first committee meeting. All are invited to attend. Please see the MCPS Title I Parent & Family Engagement District Level Plan below.

Please join us on Zoom, Wednesday, October 29th, at 6:30 PM.

If you have questions about this committee, please reach out to Julie Kelly at Julie_K_Kelly@mcpsmd.org

Please use the link and Zoom info provided below to join.

Topic: Parent and Family Engagement Committee Meeting MP1

Time: Oct 29, 2025 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84682476896?pwd=GBfcRLLyKFtxAPlw50TeEncbrgbOYR.1

Meeting ID: 846 8247 6896

Passcode: 404851

MCPS Tutoring webpage:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/tutoring

MCPS Math resources for parents :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18bVr4dHGGWIf-INgXfD60pcgIYWeATNZ/view

MCPS ELA resources for parents:

https://sites.google.com/view/mcpsreadingathome/home

Xminds tutoring options for students with Special Needs:

https://xminds.org/Tutoring-Services

MCPS pathway and Core Competencies:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/pathways/

The Refrigerator Curriculum — instructional materials for the second quarter, which begins on Nov. 4 — are now available online. This curriculum is a one-page overview of what students will learn each marking period. These guides help families stay informed about key themes and texts, stay engaged in their student’s education, and, if needed, request alternative assignments if a text conflicts with religious views.

Riding the bus is a privilege, so it’s important to ride by the rules — stay seated, keep the aisle clear, and always listen to the bus driver. Remember, the bus is like a rolling classroom, and good behavior keeps everyone safe. Parents, please help reinforce these rules at home, and try to arrive five minutes early in the mornings and afternoons. Read more.

The Division of Specialized Support Services and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association are co-hosting the 2026 Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) from Nov. 3-8. The Mental Health and Wellness Fair will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Blvd. in Gaithersburg. Open to staff, students, and families, this free event will include workshops, community partners sharing information about mental health and wellness, a student forum, and line dancing, Zumba, and yoga. RSVP to attend.

The Chat & Chew with the Principal has been rescheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025 from 6:15-7:00pm, followed by the POD/PTA meeting from 7:00-7:30pm. The topics for the Chat & Chew are Benefits of Community Schools and Title I, School Improvement Plan Goals and Feedback from Families. The meeting will be hybrid. A link will be forthcoming.

Please remind your children to visit the Lost & Found to check for missing items. Our Lost & Found is humungous! It is located in the All Purpose Room in the front corner.

We appreciate all of our Parent volunteers at the Landing! Please sign up to volunteer at lunch and/or recess by clicking here. Here is the Waters Landing Elementary School Volunteer Handbook. Please review it prior to volunteering at the Landing. Make sure you have done all that is outlined on the MCPS website prior to coming to school to volunteer. Always bring your state identification when you come to volunteer at school. You will not be allowed to volunteer without it.

Providing high quality math instruction for our students is important for all of our Waters Landing Elementary students. We want each student to be given what they need to grow as a math student. As a result, some students may be provided with small group instruction outside of the grade level math block to ensure we are meeting each of their needs. These blocks will be around 15-20 minutes. These groups will be flexible and can change based on needs. Please reach out to your child’s math teacher or Kevin Sandell with any questions.

The tutoring sessions are available to students in K–12 in math and English/Language Arts and have in-person and virtual options. Click here for additional information.

Join the POD by clicking here.

Click here for the Back to School version of the PODcast.