Mammoth Mailing

November 1st - School Closed for Students for Professional Development

November 5th - School Closed for Election Day

November 11th - Veterans Day

November 14th - Report Cards Distributed

November 18th - November 22nd - American Education Week

November 27th - School Closes 3 Hours Early for Thanksgiving Observation

November 28th & 29th - School Closed for Thanksgiving Observation

Dear Winfield Families,

As November rolls in, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful activities and achievements we’ve shared so far in the 2024-2025 school year. We are wrapping up the first quarter, and it has been an exciting start filled with learning, joy, and community engagement. I want to thank you all for your continued partnership in making these moments so special for our students.

Here are a few highlights from the past months:

• Fall Festival: A huge success! Thank you to all families and volunteers who made this event such a joyful celebration for our students.
• Kindergarten Phonemic Awareness Parent Night: It was wonderful to see our youngest learners and their families engaged in early literacy skills together.
• Active Minds Math and After-School Clubs: These programs are in full swing for grades 3-5, offering students enriching experiences beyond the school day.
• Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration: We proudly recognized the rich cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans with music, art, and classroom activities.
• Kindness Weeks: Students and staff came together to promote kindness through daily activities, learning that small acts of kindness can make a big impact.

We are grateful for the time, effort, and enthusiasm that our families, teachers, and students have poured into these events, creating lasting memories and building a stronger school community.

Reminder: Birthday Celebrations at Winfield Elementary

As we look forward to celebrating your child’s special day at school, I’d like to remind everyone of the guidelines for birthday celebrations, in alignment with the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Wellness Policy and Rule 5470. These guidelines encourage healthy eating habits and offer creative, non-food ways to celebrate. If food is included, it must meet the BCPS nutritional standards.

Important Information:

• Birthday celebrations may only take place during your child’s designated lunch time.
• All foods or beverages must meet the BCPS Smart Snack and Maryland Nutrition Standards, following the guidelines provided below.

Supporting Documentation:

The full Wellness Policy and Rule 5470 documents provide details on food and beverage standards. You can find these policies in Section O of POLICY 5470 Wellness_Overview_Final.pdf and RULE 5470_091322_Finalized.pdf.

Key Points to Remember:

• All foods and beverages offered at school must comply with the Smart Snack and Maryland Nutrition Standards.

• The Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) offers tools to help parents:

  • A Smart Snack calculator to ensure snacks meet the standards.
  • Lists of healthy and non-food celebration ideas, as well as foods that align with the policy.

• Accepted foods must be stable at room temperature, in original packaging, and include nutrition labels.

Healthy Celebration Suggestions for Families:

Here are a few ways to celebrate while promoting good nutrition:

• Fruit Platters or Fruit Kabobs – Fresh, colorful, and naturally sweet.
• Yogurt or Smoothie Bars – Let students create their own healthy snacks with yogurt, fruit, and granola.
• Veggie Trays with Hummus or Guacamole – A savory, nutritious option that’s also fun.
• Mini Muffins or Low-Sugar Baked Goods – Opt for whole grains and reduced sugar in homemade treats.
• Healthy Snack Packs – Individually wrapped snacks like popcorn, whole-grain crackers, or granola bars.

Non-Food Celebration Ideas:

• Classroom Games: Organize fun group activities for students to enjoy.
• Craft or Activity Kits: Provide materials for students to make something special.
• Book Donations: Donate a book to the classroom library in your child’s name—teachers can read it to the class as part of the celebration.

We truly appreciate your support in creating a healthy, inclusive, and fun learning environment for all students. Please review the attached documents for further details on the wellness policies. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our front office.

American Education Week

As we prepare for American Education Week (AEW), traditionally held from November 18-22, 2024, I want to share an exciting update on how we will engage with our school communities this year. While AEW has traditionally been a week-long celebration of public education, Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) is adopting a more flexible approach, based on feedback from staff, administrators, parents, and caregivers.

Rather than limiting celebrations to one week, we encourage schools to spread meaningful family and community engagement opportunities throughout the year. This shift gives schools the flexibility to design events that meet their communities' unique needs and maximize opportunities for connection.

November Opportunities (November 4th-29th)

To kick off our year-round engagement efforts, we will be inviting families to participate in activities throughout November, including:

• Be a Mystery Reader 📖 – Surprise your child’s class with a special read-aloud session.
• Join their child in the cafeteria for lunch 🥪 – Share a meal together in the school environment.
• Play alongside their child during recess ⚽ – Engage in outdoor fun and peer interaction.

* Please note-Your child's teacher will send out more information on signing up for these opportunities during the month of November.

Year-Round Engagement Opportunities

In addition to November activities, schools are encouraged to plan a variety of events throughout the year, such as:

• Curriculum-Based Grade Level Reading/Math Nights 📚✏️
• Multicultural Celebrations 🌍
• Parent Workshops in Partnership with Parent University 🏫
• Performing and Visual Arts Showcases & Concerts 🎨🎭
• Field Trips 🚍
• Classroom Volunteer Opportunities 👩‍🏫
• Spring Fling 🌸 – Celebrate the season with fun activities for students, families, and staff.

This flexible, year-long approach aligns with our system’s theme of Engage, Empower, Excel, giving us more ways to celebrate progress, accomplishments, and the diverse cultures of our school communities.

Warm regards,
Dana Bisker
Principal
Winfield Elementary School

As we close out Bullying Prevention and Hispanic Heritage month, we are reminded of the healing power that comes from acts of kindness. Whether through spoken word or deed, witnessing acts of kindness captures humanity at its best! We would like to congratulate the following students who have displayed this virtue with ease during the month of October by standing up against bullying, displaying empathy, and being kind to others:

Pre-K:

Eliam Hernandez

Amokeye Ugbong

Kindergarten:

George Isidore

Deshawn Chase

Jan Steven Subiaga

Grayson Barnes

First Grade:

Ramla Jarju

Kyon Fields

Bryson Jones

Davion Jonese

Second Grade:

Kristian Johnson

London Duckett

3rd grade:

Alayyah Lee

Journi Jones

4th grade:

Ava Pack

Abdulaziz Jarju

5th grade:

Fola Salau

Alayna Shannon

Eryn Hendrickson
Samuel Akinduro

Hunter Hughes

Kharyn Moore

October has been an exceptional month filled with incentives and learning! This month, we introduced math rotations into instruction and my students have responded beautifully! Our ELA lessons consisted of high frequency sight words, writing sentences, and reading about our constitution! Our life skills have been centered on establishing boundaries and being kind to one another.

We want to send a huge thank you to our school community for helping with our Halloween/LifeSkill activity! Our students had a great time, but most importantly they had a chance to engage and get loved by our loving staff and students!

Mrs. Gregory, Ms. Riggs, and I are overjoyed to have colleagues who care for and support our efforts to help move our students.

As we approach November, we are excited to share with you all in the upcoming weeks our plans for this season of gratitude!

The Pre-K students had a wonderful month of learning! We just finished our first unit Connecting with School and Friends. Our scholars were introduced to the alphabet. They were able to identify objects that begin with the letters Mm and Aa. Additionally, we are learning the sounds each letter makes. This month we will begin unit 2 “Our Environment”. In this unit the term environment is used to describe the area in which children or animals live.

In reading: students will listen to stories that come from an environment: how animals, plants, and the earth's features are connected. They will be able to compare and contrast, engage in the process of predicting observing, and recording through drawing and writing.

In math: students will work on verbal counting objects contribute to comparison of the number of items in a group. Children will also compare and contrast shapes that are two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D).

Social Skills: students will build on their knowledge of the classroom rules and behavior expectations as they interact with peers.

Our scholars are enjoying recess!

Happy Autumn Kindergarten families!

In ELA, the students are finishing Module 2. Our essential question was “What makes each of us special?” They were learning about the story elements of character, setting, problem, and solution. We read fiction texts and focus on the strategies of asking and answering questions and checking for understanding while we read.

In phonics, the students have been working on blending syllables in spoken words, recognizing how the alphabet and words work, and practicing writing letters with vertical, horizontal, and curved lines. We have also been learning to read in our pre-decodable books. We have learned many new sight words. Please practice reading these colorful little books regularly.

In Math, the students have been working on representing and writing numbers through 10 and building sets to 10 using different math tools. We had fun using mini number racks to help us count and add. We also are learning about making tally marks. The children enjoyed using popsicle sticks to represent their tally marks.

We are also working on our 1st science unit. Students will learn to identify forces of motion like pushes and pulls. We will be conducting experiments using forces to move objects in different directions.

We are so thankful to work with wonderful children and parents. We wish everyone a very “Happy Thanksgiving” holiday!

REMINDERS:

-Send in a change of clothes to keep at school.

-Send in a full water bottle and 1 SNACK every day.

-Return the blue “Take Home” folder to school every day.

-When your child is absent, they must return with an absent note.

Happy Fall! Your children have been working hard and showing up each day. For that, our first-grade team is grateful for all the support you provide for your children.

In math, we will be working with number racks to solve addition and subtraction equations within 20. We will be working on word problems and give students strategies to create equations and solve word problems with numbers within 20.

In ELA, reading books about animals (both fiction and non-fiction) to discover characteristics about animals and how they build their homes for protection.

In phonics, we review letters and sounds and use them to blend unknown words. Additionally, we will work on identifying rhyming words and final consonant sounds in a word.

Your child is encouraged to practice addition and subtraction facts within 10 to build fluency. Additionally, it is encouraged that you read with your child each night for about 15-20 minutes. You can ask your child questions about the story they have read to build their comprehension. Please check your child’s blue folder for homework each night. Teachers can be reached via email. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response.

If you plan to volunteer or chaperone any field trips this school year, please complete the BCPS volunteer application and training as soon as possible. Go to www.bcps.org. Click Parent tab, scroll to Family and Community Engagement, then choose BCPS Volunteers. This must be completed each school year that you volunteer or chaperone. It will remain on file until June 2025. Email or send the completed application and certificate to your child’s teacher.

Thank you in advance!

Thank you for your continued support and for checking blue folders nightly. Students are encouraged to complete homework independently as much as possible. Please support as needed.

In math, your child will: identify the place and value of a 3-digit number, read, write, model, and compare 2- and 3-digit numbers, measure and compare the lengths of objects, model problem solving strategies on a number line, and practice math strategies to add and subtract fluently.

ELA module 2 will provide the foundation necessary for students to comprehend informational texts of increasing complexity. Students will ask questions to demonstrate an understanding of key details and ideas. Students will continue to identify the central idea of a text and use details and evidence to support the central idea. It's important and beneficial for your child to read every night. Have your child recall what they’ve read. They can draw pictures and/or use words to explain their thoughts. Model good reading strategies for your child.

Conferences will be held in November. Look for information from your child’s teacher(s).

Our next trip is tentatively planned for early February. More information will be sent home next month. If you plan to chaperone any field trips or volunteer in the classroom this school year, please complete the BCPS volunteer application and training. Go to www.bcps.org. Email or send the completed application and certificate to your child’s homeroom teacher. Thank you in advance!

The cold and flu season has arrived. Please remember to send a note if your child is absent. If you would like a mask for your child, please let us know. Thank you to the families who’ve donated tissues. We go through them quickly! Any donation of tissue and wipes is appreciated.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving season!

Our third graders have really been working hard and getting settled into our new classroom routines and learning. They have been working with each other within the classroom learning new skills emotionally and academically.

In math, we have just finished working on multiplication. We built arrays, made equal groups, used a number line, and used repeated addition. We were able to learn new vocabulary, rules and facts that help understand how multiplication works. We are starting our new unit on multi-digit addition and subtraction.

In advanced math, we have just finished out unit on multi-digit addition and subtraction. We were able to learn about rounding to the nearest 10 and 100 and finding multi-strategies to help us add and subtraction 3-digit numbers. We are starting our new unit on measurements and fractions.

In ELA, we are working on point of view, character traits, elements of poetry, spelling patterns, and vocabulary. We are reading new stories and working on comprehending how the elements of the story affect the characters and the theme of the story. Please send in headphones with a mic so students can use Amira during class if you haven’t already.

Reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

As the first quarter winds down, please encourage your child to check his/her grade report to be sure their assignments are up to date. If your child is missing any assignments, please have them check with their subject area teacher. Please be sure to check your child’s take home folder each night for any correspondence as well as papers that have been graded and returned.

In grade 4 math, we focused on building students' understanding of multi-digit multiplication and introduced division concepts. In ELA, we focused on the module “Making Connections, and students are encouraged to think about how characters interact and the lessons they learn from each other.

To build upon our science unit, “Turtle Trouble,” we visited the National Aquarium where we engaged with marine life and participated in lessons facilitated by marine biologists! If you plan to be a chaperone on any of our field trips, please visit the BCPS website to complete the volunteer training as soon as possible. Upon completion, please return your certificate and application to the school.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s subject area teacher.

For the month of October, our focus in math has been on fractions; adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. An important part of adding and subtracting fractions is understanding equivalent fractions and how to create new equivalent fractions.

Students also learned how to use ratio tables to multiply a 2-digit number by a 2-digit number. Students are also working on becoming fluent with their basic multiplication facts to help improve speed and accuracy.

In science, our unit, Blast Off, focuses on how matter interacts to launch a rocket. At the end of the unit, students will launch their own rocket.

In the month of November, students will engage in experiences both on and off the computer with opportunities to work collaboratively in applying their computer science knowledge and computational thinking skills to physical computing challenges like programming and building robots.

Concepts Covered During eCSI class:

Online and Offline Safety

How the Internet Works

Parts of Computers and their Functions

Troubleshooting

Block Code Programming (Sequences, Events, Loops, Conditionals, Variables, Functions)

Screen-free Coding

Casual Robotics

Cybersecurity

Artificial Intelligence

What can parents do to help in their child's learning process?

• Ask your student to show and explain to you the program(s) they have built in class using ScratchJr or Scratch. Both programs can be used at home for free!

• If available, encourage your student to sometimes use computers with a traditional mouse/trackpad and keyboard to complete school work.

• Ask your student to assist you in connecting or hooking up any electronic equipment.

• Sign your student up for additional coding, robotics, or STEM experiences. There are a variety of coding classes, robotics clubs, and online coding programs available

As we move towards the end of the first marking period, I would like to seize this opportunity to thank all the teachers and resource staff who have reached out to me about how to best meet the needs of our MLL’s.

Please take note of the following:

1. Grading Policy for MLLs

In response to inquiries about NGs and Pass/Fail, the Office of Multilingual Achievement has included some more clarifications and guidance to teachers and school leaders through a link which has been shared with all teachers of our multilanguage learners. Please contact me with your concerns and questions.

2. Language Supports and Parent Engagement of Multilingual Families

The two-way communication application, Talking Points, is now available to schools. Currently, teachers and school administrators have access since August 9. The Department of Instructional Technology is working on expanding the use of this resource to all school-based staff and they are still working on the roll out. However, schools will continue to have access to Language Line and other interpretation services.

BCPS and BCPL Working Together to Make Learning Easier!

Learning just became easier with Student Accounts—a partnership between Baltimore County Public Library and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) to give all BCPS students access to library resources including print, audiobooks, downloadable books and online resources.

Students can check out up to five items using their BCPS Student Account.

How It Works

You can get your BCPS Student Account number from your account profile in Schoology, from your school's library media specialist or by visiting the Service Desk at any library branch.

You can use self-checkout stations by scanning or typing in your Student Account number. You may also visit the Service Desk at the branch to have items checked out by staff, who can look up Student Account information.

Online resources, such as Brainfuse and other Homework Help sites, can be accessed by using your Student Account number as the username and the password 0000.

To Learn more, watch this video: https://youtu.be/MBlHlr4__sw?si=0dbHL71ByQY1CF-c

Fall has arrived and with that comes weather changes and increased time indoors. More time indoors can lead to more exposure to germs and illness. Please keep this in mind as you decide whether to send your child to school on a given day. Here is a guide to help parents decide when to keep a child home from school. Please also keep in mind that if a child is absent due to illness for up to 3 days, a parent can write a note and send it into school to excuse the child's absence. If the absence is greater than 3 days, please send doctor's note to excuse it.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nurse Newmark: 443-809-4711 or lnewmark@bcps.org

As part of our School Counseling Program, students will have the chance to engage in a counseling core curriculum each month. During the month of November, students will discuss the topic of relationship skills. The primary & secondary grades will increase their ability to use coping skills to deal with interpersonal conflict to support a positive and supportive school climate.

Ms. Robertson: PreK (Ms. Mchugh), 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade

Mr. Carothers: PreK (Ms. Northern), K, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade

In Art, the students learned and practiced line design as one of the elements of art. We celebrated “Doodle Day” by creating line doodles. Fourth and Fifth grade practiced with rulers making straight lines to create their identity project. Second and Third grade used curved lines to create pumpkin designs. PreK, Kindergarten and First grade used long and short lines to create spiders and spider web designs.

As we continue into November, please make sure you are sending your students to school with tennis shoes on their gym days. I know as the weather gets colder that boots will start to be worn more, but in order to keep everyone safe in PE please try to have them wear shoes that are easier to move in.

October was an amazing month for our students here at Winfield! As each grade has almost completed their first unit they began in September, October has been a month they have been able to take their learning to higher levels! Each grade has shown a better understanding of classroom procedures and expectations. During our weeklong observation of Anti-Bullying Month, each grade level has participated in age-appropriate conversations and learned how music can not only be entertaining, but also inspirational and encouraging.

Primary grades and our ISDM classes have begun using beanbags, music scarves, egg shakers and rhythm sticks as tools to express and perform what they have been learning in each of their units.

Intermediate grades and our integrated ISDM students have begun learning the parts of a xylophone and through playing, how to demonstrate different dynamics of sound through the instrument. Our 4th grade students have learned a lot from Mr. Carter, our Instrumental Music teacher, during their exploration classes. Our 5th grade students have already started taking instruments home as they will begin their private lessons!

For families of students in grades K-2, we are looking forward to our first concert of the school year! Please start preparing your schedule as the date of the concert is Thursday, December 12, 2024, at Windsor Mill Middle School. More information to follow as the date draws nearer!

We are all looking forward to another exciting month so stay tuned!

Thank you to all our families and community members Community Partners who attended our annual Fall Festival. Attendees were able to enjoy arts and crafts, games, a dance performance, food, and have access to community resources and support.

Spotlight on Community Partners for the Month:

Thank you to our Community Partners for your generosity shown to our school family and community. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Upsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter along with the United Way and the Baltimore Ravens donated 500 hundred snack bags for five Baltimore County Community Schools. Families will receive the bags weekly to provide food for the weekend. Northwest Hospital/Lifebridge Health and Morning Star Baptist Church facilitated awesome Trunk or Treat events for the school community. Families and Community members came in their costumes and enjoyed food, candy, and fun activities. We are so thankful for our partnerships.

We are looking for stakeholders to join the Community School Advisory Team. The team is led by the Community School Facilitator and includes administrators, staff members, families, students, community members and community partners. The goal of the Community School Advisory Team is to improve student achievement by enhancing the school’s instructional program and support services. The team will work together to develop a vision for the school and community, determine programs and activities for the school, implement and assess activities, and make budgetary decisions regarding the Concentration of Poverty Grant. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 29th from 5:15 – 6:15 pm in the Community School Resource Cottage.

The Community School Resource Cottage is open and has resources for families that include school supplies, shoes, school uniforms, non-perishable food items, toiletries, household items, winter accessories and more. If you need resources, please contact Cortly Witherspoon at cwitherspoon7@bcps.org to make an appointment.

Families and Community Members interested in volunteering must complete a new volunteer application and complete the volunteer training each school year. Please use the following link to complete the application and training. All completed volunteer applications and certificates must be turned into your child’s teacher or Volunteer Coordinator, Cortly Witherspoon.

Volunteer Application and Training Link: https://www.bcps.org/cos/communications/FACE