Turtle Talk 03/14/2025

A word about our WAAG - The use of the 'x' in our description of March's history focus is to be more inclusive of all gender identities. It was purposeful to ensure that we validate all lived experiences and continue to include all members of our community. 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.

Did you borrow a device for your child to use in case of inclement weather? Please send that device back to the school by spring break! We want to make sure that all devices are ready and in working order for next year and maybe a little less snow? Reach out to the front office if you have any questions.

Like in previous years, Watershed will continue to engage all stakeholders in choosing teaching and support staff. In the next few weeks, we will be offering Q&A times with candidates for Assistant Principal of Watershed, special educator and special education paraeducator. These events will be virtual through google meet and we will send texts through Talking Points to ensure that all stakeholders can participate. Students and parents are invited to these Q&A sessions and will provide school leadership with feedback about the candidates.

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

Knowing when to reach out and approach another parent about a student to student concern can be a tricky subject. We want all of our families to feel safe and wanted at school. If you have a concern that you want to address with another parent, please reach out to the front office to share your request. We can facilitate access to a trained community building mediator who will meet with you and your family, connect with the other family and build an agreement to ensure that all involved are heard, validated and respected. We want to make sure that our families can connect and community conferencing is a free support that helps our families work through concerns and building understanding. Check out their website: https://crcbaltimorecounty.org/

One of the greatest things about being a Baltimore County Public School is that we are able to provide free breakfast for all students every day. We open our doors 15 minutes before the school day starts for students to eat the provided meal from BCPS food and nutrition services. We are not able to accommodate seating for students who bring breakfast from home or a restaurant. Staff has been asked to ensure that students attending breakfast are eating the provided food so that we have enough seating for all students who need the nutrition provided by the meal service. Thank you for helping ensure all of our students start the day off with a full belly so they can concentrate and be their best selves!

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

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!

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.

Screening will be done by a Baltimore County Department of Health representative for Kindergarten, First, and Fourth Grades April 9-11, 2025. If your child wears eyeglasses or hearing aids, please make sure they are wearing them during the screening. Spring Break will be the following week, so please check your email from time to time to see if your child failed the screening. Information on what to do will be provided then.

Incoming 7th graders for school year 2025-26 (current 6th graders) are required to have specific immunizations. Your child will need one dose of Tdap vaccine and one dose of the MCV vaccine (to prevent Meningococcal disease), it is usually given at age 11 or 12. Please reach out to your healthcare provider to schedule your child's vaccinations. Letters will go home this week.

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

Below are the names of the students whose families and friends have tracked hours below:

Alexander Owusu

Ashlee Gitau

Shane Tormollan

Aidan Johnson

Yunha Park

Olivia Bowie

Donald Evans

Aiden Argo-Johnson

Jaxton Johnson

Rowan Palewicz

Syann Morales

Layla Jenkins

Monrow Claiborne

Violet Searcy

Elijah Rodgers

Riley Mann

Jace Lawson

Lawrence Patterson

Fletcher Coleman

Lola Thomas

Quinn Rice-Jones

Olivia Cousins

Teagan Jamison

Stella Moro-Noriega

Jameson Dupuis

Kai Stewart

Bralen Thompson

Avery Friedman

Belle Carter

Donald Weston

Riley Morrisey

Keri Alston

Jason Doughty

Ethan McMillan

Ayomide Obayanju

Eleanor Ganger

Joenais Willis

Isaac Eugene

Jacob Coley

Austyn Liely-Baker

Kai Roulhac

Ean Agurs

Winter Wenck

Morgan Dixon

Cyrus Bolling

Harlee Hines

Anna Eddy

Zoe DeBolt

Enzo Ponlaroche

Greta Jones

Sophia Milam

Anna Bauer-Cascio

Wolf Lyon

Joey Readmond

Nolan Trimm

Davion Williams

Liam Wise-Meyer

Dominick Daughety

Kaylee Pallante

Khaleesi Bailey-Smith

Ruby Norfolk

Tristen Richardson

Ada Craig

Ari Anderson

Nora Billingsley

Mary Furth

Dillon Gaines

Alice Dugger

Adelyn Eybs

Elias Coleman

Dylan Graham

Elliyah Snowden

Joshua Wiggins

Grace Edwards

Dean Warth

Daphne Pilarinos

Mackenzie Miller

Jada Farrington

Miles Hyppolite

Brailyn Jones

Amelia Rollhauser

Gibson Adams

Keller Sandusky

Aurora Young

Isreal James

Chloe Pollock

Benjamin Stevenson

Greta Jones

Winter Wenck

Ronin Saunders

Ayden Francis

Joey Readmond

Anna Eddy

Karsyn Williams

Caden Beasley

Dominick Daughety

Sophia Milam

Gianna Featherstone

Arielle Toner

Tristen Richardson

Nolan Trimm

Greta Keniston-Joo

Spencer Chernow

Mary Furth

Kaylee Pallante

Cole Sawyer

Marloe Bivens

Elias Coleman

Ada Craig

Anna Chavis

Will Hope

Grace Edwards

Dillon Gaines

Dean Audy

Jada Farrington

Dylan Graham

David Smith

Gibson Adams

Dean Warth

Chloe Pollock

Miles Hyppolite

Ronin Saunders

Keller Sandusky

Karsyn Williams

Benjamin Stevenson

Gianna Featherstone

Ayden Francis

Greta Keniston-Joo

Caden Beasley

Cole Sawyer

Arielle Toner

Anna Chavis

Spencer Chernow

Dean Audy

Marloe Bivens

David Smith

Will Hope

John Clark

Harlee Hines

• To return loaned clothes to Nurse Flor once washed.
• Make sure your child has an extra, clean set of clothes at school.

Dear Watershed Families,

Spring is in full swing, and we are excited for the opportunities ahead! In April, our counseling lessons will focus around social-emotional well-being, helping students build healthy coping skills and resilience.

As we move into May, we will shift our focus to college and career exploration, preparing students to think about their future goals.

One of the highlights of the season will be Watershed's first School-Wide College and Career Day on May 28th.

This exciting day will include:

• A Career Fair for upper-level students, where they can explore different career paths and higher education opportunities.

• Guest career speakers for K-3 classrooms, giving our youngest students a chance to learn about different professions in an engaging way.

We invite parents and community members to participate as classroom speakers or exhibitors at a table to share their career journeys and insights with our students. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up using the link below. Your involvement can help spark curiosity and inspire our students as they think about their futures!

Thank you for your support in making this a meaningful experience for our students. Stay tuned for more updates as we head into the final stretch of the school year!

MCAP testing season is here, and you can help set your student up for success with a few simple steps.

• Ensure they get a good night’s sleep, (8-10 hours ideally) so they feel rested and ready.
• Provide a healthy protein/ good carb-based breakfast to fuel their brain (avoid overly sugary meals to avoid the crash)
• Hydration station - encourage your child to drink a full glass of water when they wake up and have a water throughout the day.
• Encourage a positive mindset by reminding them that effort matters more than perfection.
• Help them practice stress management by taking deep breaths and using calming techniques.
• Make sure they arrive on time, so they start the day feeling prepared and confident.

To support students, I recently visited 6th and 7th grade classrooms to share a lesson on how stress affects our bodies and brains, coping skills for managing stress, and test-taking strategies.

Encourage your student to use these tools to stay calm and focused during testing.

Thank you for your support in helping our students do their best!

As part of our school-wide commitment to character development, we continue to recognize students who embody the Watershed Way Virtues. This month, we are focusing on HONOR—which means acting with integrity, respecting others, and taking responsibility for one’s words and actions.

At school, honor can be seen when students:

🌟Take pride in their work and do their best, even when no one is watching.
🌟Show respect to peers and teachers by listening, using kind words, and helping others.
🌟Keep their promises and take responsibility for their actions.
🌟Stand up for what is right, even in difficult situations.

We look forward to celebrating our March Student of the Month' at our celebration Friday, April 4th! All families will receive an invitation and a message with the invitation link to RSVP. Each student of the month may bring two adults to the breakfast celebration.

March Students of the Month

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.

Thank you to all the members of the Watershed community who joined us to support and celebrate our Watershed Turtles at the Unit 2 Showcase on March 12. It was inspiring to see the creativity, hard work, and dedication our students put into their projects throughout Unit 2. Events like these truly bring Watershed’s mission to life—creating an interconnected learning environment where hands-on exploration and creative expression drive the learning process!

We’re excited to share that 37 new students have enrolled for the 2025-2026 school year following Watershed’s lottery on February 6. It’s wonderful to see so many Baltimore County families eager to join our community!

This month’s Watershed Board Meeting will be held in person in the Art Room at Watershed on Tuesday, March 25, at 6:00 PM. If you would like to speak during the Public Comments section, please email board@watershedpcs.org in advance. To join virtually, please use this link: https://meet.google.com/pit-ixxm-nyh

Our elevator contractor has been troubleshooting final issues with the lift over the past week. Once resolved, the state inspection will be scheduled. Thank you for your patience as we work to ensure everything is fully operational!

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

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the March PTO meeting on Tuesday, March 4th. We had a great discussion about our exciting events, including the Read-A-Thon, Family Night, a wrap up of the Spelling Bee, and our upcoming fundraisers at Five Guys and Skyzone, along with much more! A special thank you to those who voted on the budget, which will support PTO initiatives that directly benefit our students and Watershed.

You can review the meeting minutes HERE!

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Tuesday, April 1st at 7:00 PM! Join us in person at the Watershed gym or virtually at: meet.google.com/uvx-zqmz-rcd

The PTO is planning an exciting lineup of events for this spring and we can only make it happen with help from our amazing members! You’re invited to help plan a spectacular week of appreciating Watershed’s amazing staff, to create a fun night for our students at the spring dance, or to prepare an end of year bash to send everyone off on their summer break. Or sign-up for all 3! Help us finish the year strong and click here to join a committee today!

Looking to cultivate potential and possibilities, the elections committee is seeking dedicated, innovative members of the PTO to fill the PTO Executive Board positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer for the 2025-2026 school year!

Why become a board member? Your time and energy are valuable, and what better way to invest them than by contributing to a community focused on enriching and uplifting our students! As a board member, you'll have the chance to work with other passionate volunteers to bring ideas to life, lead initiatives that benefit your child’s education, advocate for the unique needs of our school, and build a strong support network for tomorrow’s leaders. Together, we can demonstrate to our children that our voices matter and that our efforts make a difference.

The committee began accepting nominations for next year’s officers at the March 4th PTO meeting, and the election will be held at the upcoming PTO meeting on April 1st. You must be an active member of the Watershed PTO to run for a position on the Executive Board and also to vote in the election.

Intrigued but want more information? Check out our bylaws here, or reach out to any of our current PTO officers for perspective!

Be inspired, be engaged, and sign up to nominate yourself or someone who you think would be amazing for the position at the nomination form here!

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Watershed PTO 2025 Spelling Bee. Our 23 spellers did a fantastic job and came prepared to spell! The spelling bee went a whopping 26 rounds and our winners are as follows:

1st Place: Sage Clark - 4th Grade

2nd Place: Victoria Amoah - 5th Grade

3rd Place: Willow Palewicz - 3rd Grade

Sage and Victoria will compete in the regional competition starting next week. We are proud to have them represent Watershed. We wish them lots of luck as they continue their spelling journey!

A heartfelt thank you to our Pronouncer, Ms. Widney, and our judges—Ms. O’Brien, Mr. Miller, and Ms. Willey. A special thanks to Ms. Rives for ensuring that each student received well-deserved recognition for their incredible achievements, and to Lisa Eddy for her outstanding work as our record keeper for the second consecutive year. Lastly, a huge thank you to all the volunteers whose support made the spelling bee possible!

Family Game Night is back! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 20th, from 6:15 - 8:00 PM in the Watershed gym, where all the fun will take place. Get ready for an action-packed evening with your favorite family games, delicious pizza, and thrilling "Minute to Win It" challenges that will ignite your competitive spirit while strengthening our Watershed community!

We couldn’t pull off these awesome events without the support of our amazing volunteers. Want to be part of the fun? Sign up here to help make this game night unforgettable! 🏆 Expect prizes, laughter, and a whole lot of family fun! Don’t miss out—RSVP now and grab your slice of pizza! 🍕🎲 See you there!

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming! SAVE THE DATE for April 7-11 and get ready to empower your reader with book choice.

Sign up to volunteer at this highly anticipated event here!

Watershed will host its spring dance on May 16th and we are in the beginning stages of planning. The first committee meeting will take place on April 10th from 6-7pm. Interested in joining the dance committee? Sign-up here!

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families, students, teachers, and staff who made the Watershed PTO Read-A-Thon week such a success! Whether you donated, logged reading minutes, participated in the themed days, submitted a drawing, joined us for the bookmark-making and obstacle course after school activity, or even picked up a book from our "Little Library," we are truly grateful for your involvement and support. Your participation made all the difference!

As a school we were able to raise $8,484. 75% of those donations, or $6363 will be going to the PTO to help fund some of the amazing initiatives voted on at the March 4th PTO meeting, directly benefiting our students, school, and community.

Students read a combined total of 41,410 minutes!! Way to go Turtles! Stay tuned for more details on when prizes will be delivered to students who logged reading minutes, as well as information on Read-A-Thon Store prizes and other exciting updates!

Top 3 Classrooms (Highest Average of Reading Minutes Logged):

1st Place: Ms. Wright with an average of 350 reading minutes per student

2nd Place: Ms. Chapman with an average of 312 reading minutes per student

3rd Place: Ms. Palmer with an average of 293 reading minutes per student

A huge congratulations to these outstanding classes! Top fundraising class will be announced soon.

Important Reminder: The Watershed PTO Readers who fundraised need to be sure to spend their RAT Bucks by Friday, March 21st, 2025. Any RAT Bucks not spent by Friday, March 21st, 2025 will no longer be available. The prize store cannot be reopened once it is closed. All prizes will be shipped to the Watershed PTO to be distributed.

https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/login/

We are absolutely blown away by the dedication of our students and the incredible support from friends, family, teachers, and staff. Thank you all for making this Read-A-Thon such a success!

We would like to say a huge thank you to all the families who were able to join us for the Watershed PTO Five Guys Fundraiser on March 12th! We hope everyone had a wonderful time enjoying a delicious dinner after the Unit Showcase. Your support helps to make our restaurant nights a success.

Looking for a fun way to spend time with the kids while supporting the Watershed PTO? Join us next Wednesday, March 19th, from 4:30–6:30 PM at Skyzone in Columbia! 20% off each purchase of a 90-minute jump pass and new membership purchased during this time will go to the PTO. Please note: all jumpers must wear grippy socks, which are available for purchase at Skyzone if needed.

Can’t wait to jump with everyone! Address: 7175 Oakland Mills Rd. Columbia, MD 21046

Planning for a middle school end-of-year event will begin on April 24th from 6-7pm! 5th, 6th, and 7th grade families are encouraged to attend to assist with making this event a success! Keep an eye out for more information and a Google meet link in the next Turtle Talk!

Love a $10 gift card? Sign up to volunteer through the link below, and you’ll be entered into our monthly raffle! We’ve picked 2 winners already, and the next one could be you! March entries are now open, and March’s raffle will be drawn at the PTO meeting on April 1st. We didn’t have any raffle winners last month, so let’s make the March Raffle one to remember!

The more you sign up, the more chances you have to win! Sign up today and make a difference at Watershed! Sign up, and make a difference at Watershed today! 👉 https://tinyurl.com/Watershed-School-Volunteer

We are still looking for some awesome ideas for after-school clubs. Do you have a passion or hobby you would like to share with the students? There is still time to make your awesome idea a reality!

The PTO is currently looking for enthusiastic members of our community to lead some clubs. We’re excited to offer Parent/Caregiver Led Clubs for Watershed students, and we’d love for you to share your talents, skills, or hobbies! If you're interested in running an after-school club, please check out the details here. For any questions, feel free to

contact us at president@watershedpto.org.

Girl Scout Troop 4071 out of Dogwood Elementary has invited us to help support their Cookie Drive Thru on March 19 from 6-7pm. Customers can also pre-order cookies for pick up the day of the drive thru to ensure that the cookies that they would like are available. Please view the additional information on the flyer.

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!