Weekly Firefly Newsletter

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Dear Flower Valley Community,

It has been wonderful having all of our students back at FVES this week! The building is filled with learning, smiles, and laughter - the way it should be. :)

Next week is a bit of a different week at school. We have incoming kindergarten orientation Monday and Tuesday. On those days, there is no school for our current kindergartners. There is also a professional day for staff Friday, April 21st, so there is no school for students Friday.

I hope you all enjoy the weekend and the glorious weather we have been experiencing. Spring is here!

With Firefly Pride!

Dr. Fish

• STEM Day at FVES: April 20th
• Art Contest
• FVES Spring Pictures
• Book Fair
• Testing Update
• Counseling Corner
• PTA Corner
• Important Dates in April
• Save the Date
• Helpful Resources
• Summer School
• Bus Transportation Updates
• Attendance, Early Dismissals, and Transportation Changes
• Covid and OUTCLASS: Out of Class On Demand Resources for Students
• Available Tutoring Opportunities for Students
• School Visitors and Volunteers
• School Cash Online
• School Contact Information

STEM Day is April 20th! The FVES 4th grade students host an annual Caine's Arcade on this special day. The inspiration for the arcade comes from Caine, a 9-year-old California boy, who used his imagination and burgeoning engineering skills to pass the time at his dad's Autoparts shop over the summer months. Given free reign over the cardboard boxes in the storeroom, Caine put together intricate arcade games. A short filmmaker happened to stop in for a part and stumbled upon the arcade.

This will be the 10th Anniversary of the Grade 4 Caine's Arcade at FVES, and our 4th graders have been working diligently since February to plan for the event. Students have been working in groups through the engineering process to determine what type of game they can build, what materials they will need, how the game is won, how it can be adapted for players (kindergarten versus fifth grader), who will provide each needed material, and so on. The students are very excited to share this experience with all of the students at FVES!

Please check your child's class newsletter for information about the activity they will do on April 20th. Make sure to ask your Firefly what they learned from our 4th graders. They will have some fun facts and experiences to share.

To add onto the STEM excitement, our PTA will be hosting a STEM Night April 27th. Come out and enjoy the fun on the 27th!

Spring picture information came home in Thursday folders. Class pictures, the 5th grade panoramic, and individual pictures will be taken on this day. Please see below for details.

Individual Pictures: Individual pictures will only be taken for students who complete the online order form prior to the 26th or the paper order form, which must be returned to school the day of the pictures.

Class Pictures: All students will participate in class pictures. These can be ordered online or with the paper order form.

5th Grade Panoramic: All 5th graders will participate in this, and a copy of this picture will be provided to all 5th grade students free of charge.

If you have any questions, email Ms. Peckoo at Nevine_A_Peckoo@mcpsmd.org.

Skip the order form and click the

link below to pre-order before picture day:

https://classicphotographyimaging.simplephoto.com/search/flowervall23

Please Note:

Pre-ordering will close at 6am on picture day.

The PTA is excited to host our spring Buy One Get One Free Book Fair, April 24th-28th. The fair will be open each school day and Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 pm. Visit our Book Fair webpage here for more information and to set up an eWallet - an easy way for students to purchase books without bringing money to school! We love and need volunteers so please sign up here to help.

Students in grades 3 to 5 will take the MCAP assessments in May. The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) provides information to educators, parents, and the public on student progress towards proficiency on the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards. Students will test on the following days and times. If you can avoid appointments during these times, it would be greatly appreciated.

Mr. Bunge and Ms. Pearcy shared information about testing at the last PTA meeting. If you were not able to attend, check out their presentation here.

If you have an incoming kindergartener or know of anyone who has an incoming kindergartener, please spread the word. Families can now enroll incoming kindergartners online. Details about online enrollment can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Sintetos at 240-740-1780.

Helpful Resources:

Employment Information:

• Maryland Job Genie
• https://worksourcemontgomery.com/mobile-job-center
• https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/_documents/workforce-development-continuing-education/english-language-skills/esol-flyer.pdf
• https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/_documents/workforce-development-continuing-education/english-language-skills/esol-general-information-spanish-version.pdf

Health Information:

• https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/healthconnect/
• How to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
• COVID Testing this week

Grief Resources, Including Summer Camps: https://www.caringmatters.org/

SNAP to end in Maryland: SNAP customers should ensure that they are claiming all expenses to receive the highest SNAP benefit possible, including shelter expenses (rent and utilities), childcare expenses, and medical expenses for those with disabilities. Customers can report changes through the online portal, by phone at (240) 777-1003, by email at oess.moco@montgomerycountymd.gov, or by stopping by a local DHHS office.

Mental Health Resources:

• DCC Student Services Team Site
• 988 is our new Behavioral Health Crisis Response Hotline. Here’s more information

FARMS 22-23 Application

Food Distributions this week

This Mon. April 17 is our Aspen Hill Chipotle fundraising night! From 5:00pm-9:00pm, use the online code 9BM8MHM at https://www.chipotle.com/order/find-a-chipotle or mention FVES PTA in person!

The spring "Buy One, Get One" book fair is coming up! Sign up to join the fun and volunteer for set up on Fri. April 21 or on any days during the following week: https://bit.ly/FVESBookFair2023SUG

April 17th and 18th: Incoming Kindergarten Orientation (No School for Current Kindergartners)

April 20th: FVES STEM Day

April 21st: No School for Students

April 24th-28th: PTA Sponsored Book Fair

April 26th: Spring Individual, Class, and Grade 5 Panoramic Pictures

April 27th: PTA Sponsored STEM Night

May 6th: 10:00-2:00pm - PTA Sponsored SAVERS Donation Drive

May 16th: Time 6:30-8:00pm - FVES International Night and Art Expo

May 19th: K, 1, 2 Field Day (rain date - May 30th)

May 21st: 2-5pm - PTA Sponsored Carnival

May 24th: 3, 4, 5, Field Day (rain date - May 31st)

May 29th: No School

June 1st: Spring Instrumental Music Concert at FVES, 7:00pm

June 6th: 6:30-7:00pm- PTA General Membership Meeting

June 14th: 5th Grade Promotion at Rockville High School

*Please remember these dates are subject to change.

FVES Letter to Families

School Supplies

School Website

MCPS Things to Know (Community Messages)

Parent Handbook

Student Rights and Responsibilities (Spanish Version Available in Main Office)

Student Code of Conduct (English) (Spanish Version Available in Main Office)

Summer school will be by invitation only on a limited basis this year for MCPS. The focus will be to support students who are identified by the county as struggling to meet the grade level academic standards. We will be sending out invitations in the near future for families of students who have been identified to attend summer school. Our cluster's local summer school program will be at Barnsley Elementary School.

At the PTA meeting this month, Mrs. Cheeks shared information about the Zones of Regulation. This is a social-emotional strategy we are using at Flower Valley to help students understand and verbalize how they are feeling and to develop a toolbox of strategies to support how they are feeling and how their emotions impact others. A link to the full presentation can be found here.

MCPS has created a transportation dashboard where you can check on the status of any bus delays or cancellations. Click here to access the dashboard.

If your child is going to be absent, please email your child's teacher and Mrs. Sintetos at Catherine_G_Sintetos@mcpsmd.org or call the office at 240-740-1780. When your child is absent, please send in a note explaining the reason for the absence within 3 days of the return to school. If your child sees the doctor, please bring in a doctor's note.

If your child is going to be arriving late, you need to bring your child to the main office and sign them in. If you will be picking up your child early or changing your child's dismissal process, please let your child's teacher and Mrs. Sintetos or Ms. Peckoo in the main office know in advance.

Beginning school year 2022-2023, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for lunch - meaning that students who qualify for reduced-price meals will eat for free! To learn more about eligibility for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) and apply for FARMs, click here. Deposits into lunch accounts can be made by any student and can be made ahead of time via the MCPS online payment system, My School Bucks. Details about how to add money to your student’s account can be accessed here. Menus can be accessed here.

When your child is symptomatic, it is encouraged that a home or PCR test is administered. Only positive test results need to be reported using the MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form. Individuals who have a positive COVID-19 test should report their positive result and follow CDC guidelines for isolation. Details regarding the MCPS back to school Covid safety protocols can be accessed here.

Please see the letter linked here. It provides information about the available learning tools while a student is out of school due to Covid.

There are several types of free tutoring services available for MCPS students. FVES has teachers who will be tutoring some of our students as part of the CARES Act services. Students are selected based on their current reading and math data including their levels of proficiency. If your student is identified, we will work to secure a tutor and contact you to coordinate dates and times for tutoring. During these sessions, FVES staff will provide additional support using Benchmark/and or Eureka curriculum, as well as Tier III evidence-based intervention programs.Students not selected for CARES tutoring may sign up for online tutoring services through FEV Tutor or Tutor Me Education.

Anyone visiting FVES must sign in at the main office and bring identification with them. We aren't able to have parents eating with students in the cafeteria due to space, but you can certainly sign your child out for lunch if you would like to enjoy lunch together.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, please contact Mrs. Atanda at Jennifer_T_Atanda@mcpsmd.org.

MCPS transitioned to a new online payment system called School Cash Online as its preferred method of payment for all school-related fees, except for meals. Detailed information about how to register can be accessed here.

Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:30PM Below are emails and phone numbers for the following departments:

Administration (240) 740-1780

Mrs. Angie Fish, Principal – Angie_L_Fish@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Angela Castillo, Assistant Principal - Angela_M_Castillo@mcpsmd.org

Main Office Staff (240) 740-1780

Ms. Nevine Peckoo, School Administrative Secretary – Nevine_A_Peckoo@mcpsmd.org

Mrs. Cathy Sintetos, Attendance Secretary – Catherine_G_Sintetos@mcpsmd.org

Counseling Office (240) 740-6680

Mrs. Jennifer Atanda - Jennifer_T_Atanda@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Colleen Smith - Colleen_B_Smith@mcpsmd.org

All Staff Directory

Be bright! Be kind! Be you!

We inspire all children to become critical thinkers who are imaginative, adaptable, and collaborative. We strive to cultivate peaceful, life-long learners who contribute positively to the community around them.

Email: Angie_L_Fish@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/flowervalleyes/
Location: Flower Valley Elementary School, Sunflower Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-1780
Twitter: @AngieFish_FVES