The Tiger Times

Dear Amazing CMIT South ES Tiger Families and Community,

As we step into the vibrant month of April, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible perseverance our students and parents show every single day. Your commitment to excellence is what makes our school community shine.

This month, our character word is Ambition. To kick us off, let’s reflect on this thought:

"Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." — Bill Bradley

Our Tigers are driving toward big goals this spring, and we are so proud of the persistence they demonstrate in their classrooms and beyond!

🐾 Celebrating Our Remarkable Assistant Principals

This week was Assistant Principal Week, and we had every reason to celebrate! A Pawww-rific big thank you goes out to our incredible leaders:

• Dr. Watkis (K-2nd Grade)

• Mrs. Patton (3rd-5th Grade)

We cannot thank you enough for your unwavering dedication, compassion, and the passion for education you bring to our halls every day. You make a world of difference for our students, staff, and families alike. We are beyond grateful to have you as the heartbeat of our CMIT South ES family!

🏛️ CLF Virtual Town Hall: Vital Funding Update

We invite you to a virtual town hall meeting with Mr. Yilmaz Ak, CEO of the Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation, to discuss important updates regarding our school system.

Date: Tuesday, April 14th

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Location: Join via Zoom Here

Agenda:

• Presentation by Mr. Ak: A deep dive into current funding challenges facing CLF and how PGCPS factors are impacting our specific school budgets.

• Context: An explanation of the recent changes outlined in the press release.

• FAQ Review: Addressing the most common community concerns.

• Q&A: If time permits, Mr. Ak will take live questions from attendees.

Important Links:

• Read the Funding Situation Update Here

• Take the Survey: We need your input! Please complete this survey before April 14th to help us understand your stance and contingency plans. Click Here for the CMIT Parent Survey

📢 School Updates & Testing

Leveling Up with Principal Lewis: Please note that our Chat & Chew for the 3rd quarter will be combined with the 4th quarter session. The date is currently TBD; stay tuned for more details!

MCAP Testing Season: The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for 3rd–5th graders is nearly here. Our Tigers have been preparing all year to "show what they know!"

How you can help at home:

1. Charge Up: Ensure Chromebooks are fully charged each night.

2. Gear Up: Students must bring a pair of wired headphones (no Bluetooth allowed).

3. Show Up: Please ensure students are in school on time during testing days to avoid missing instructional time for make-ups.

MCAP Timeline:

• April 20 – 24: MCAP Spirit Week!

• April 27 – May 1: MCAP Math (3rd-5th)

• May 4 – 8: MCAP ELA (3rd-5th)

Thank you for your continued partnership and for being an essential part of the CMIT South Elementary journey.

Warmly,

Grade Level Blurb:

Hello Kinder Families,

As we are entering warmer weather, many students have their allergies reawakened and sometimes it can be severe; if your scholar is one of those students and needs medication please remember to fill out a doctor’s form for medication to go to the nurse. Also families, please have your scholar’s shoes tied when they come to school and continue to assist your scholar in their efforts of learning to tie their shoes independently. Students should have a school approved sweater or jacket to wear in the classroom, in case they get chilly.

PGCPS_medication_form.pdf

Please remember when your child has been absent please communicate to the teacher and complete the online document submission form, because we are not taking paper notes:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lp2fJsfDLjWNINllvX10OKjiGDn443yAB8Hq8BMBa-E/viewform

Exciting news please save the date for our next planned out of school field trip. The next field trip will take place on April 24, 2025 and will have students learn and explore the MD Science Center in Baltimore, Maryland. This conflicts with Vocabulary Parade so Kindergarten will not participate as we would have to leave early in the school day.

Families we ask that if you have received your approval email to chaperone/ volunteer that you have let Ms. Resse know by filling out the Volunteer/Chaperone Google Form, if you have not already. Please complete and upload your saved PGCPS approval email to the form above. You’ll need to request access, and Ms. Reese will share it with you. This is the final step. We will only be reaching out to these families for any volunteer or chaperone concerns.

IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-

April 16: 3rd Quarter Ends

April 17: 4th Quarter Begins

April 22: Now a full day of school

April 24th MD Science Center Field Trip

April 24: Birdhouse pictures Due, check on Dojo for how to submit

May4 - May 8: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 11: Tea-rific time w/ moms; details to come

May 15: Save the date: Field Trip to the Natural History Museum in DC

May 25: School Closed

May 27: Now a full day of school

May 29: Career Day

June 5: Field Day

June 11: Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony

Reading Updates:

UNIT 3- Week 5: Mosni Can Help

Essential Question: Why do we like certain kinds of stories?

• Phonological Awareness: Initial and Final Sounds; Segment and Blend Phonemes

Blend and Segment: Onset and Rime

• Phonics:Vowel sounds - short i (/i/) and long i (/i_e/)

• High-frequency words: were, some, funny

• Story Vocabulary: octopus, jellyfish, creatures

• Unit Vocabulary: choose, explain, meaning, character

Learning Goals:

• Learn about different types of stories

• Visualize details from a story

• Syllables and compound words

• Find details in a text

• Capitalization for the beginning of a sentence

• Possessive pronouns

• Prepositions, adjectives, and articles

• Organize the story element: character, setting, plot

Math Updates:

Topic 9: Count to 20

Essential Understanding: What types of situations involve subtraction? What types of situations involve addition?

• Show numbers in many way

• Count and write numbers 11-20

• Represent groups of objects with a number to 20

• Practice counting on from any number within 20

• Show different numbers using number lines, ten frames and pictures

Vocabulary: eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, patterns

Science Updates:

TOPIC 1: Push and Pull

Experience 2: How do objects move?

• Investigate the cause and effect of using pushes and pulls to change the motion of an object

• Tell ways that a push or pull can move objects

• Observe how an object speed can change

• Use directional words to describe movement

Vocabulary: motion, speed, direction, compare, predict

Social Studies Updates:

Chapter 5 : Time and Chronology

Essential Question- How do we track time?

• Understand different that different words tell about time

• Look into measuring time

• How do we make a timeline

• Interpret how to we use a timeline

• Explore sequencing of events

Vocabulary: future, past, calendars, months, week, year, decade, seasons, weather, pattern generation and century

Health Updates:

April Topic: Getting Sick

• Describe what it means to be healthy, sick and why is it is important to stay well

• Encourage confidence in knowing how to show concern for others that might be sick

• Demonstrate respect for our bodies and encourage others to practice proper hygiene.

• Explain what is medicine what is not medicine, the explore the consequences of taking medicine not meant for you

Vocabulary: well, medicine, healthy, sick, ill, safety rules

Grade Level Blurb:

We’re Back and Better Than Ever! 🌟

Welcome back, families! We had a wonderful first week back from spring break, and it was so great to see all of our second graders return with such high energy and big smiles. 😊

Believe it or not, the countdown is officially on—we only have 48 days left of second grade! 🗓️ To make sure we finish the year strong and stay focused on all our big learning goals, please help your student stay on track by arriving prepared each morning:

• Charged Up: Please ensure Chromebooks are fully charged and ready for a full day of learning.

• Homework Check: Remind your student to double-check that their completed homework is in their folder.

• Ready to Learn: Make sure they have their daily school supplies (pencils, folders, etc.) packed and ready to go.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Let’s make these last 48 days the best ones yet!

Reading Updates:

The Home Stretch: Starting Our Final Reading Unit!

Can you believe it? Our second-grade scholars have worked so hard this year, and we are officially almost finished with our reading curriculum! 🌟

Beginning this week, we will be diving into our very last unit of the year. 📖✨ This final unit is a wonderful opportunity for students to apply all the incredible decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills they’ve mastered since August.

We are so proud of the growth our readers have shown. Let’s finish the year strong and keep that reading momentum going!

Math Updates:

Master Builders: Subtraction Assessment This Week!

Our scholars have been working incredibly hard on their subtraction skills, and we are officially wrapping up our current topic! 🎒 To celebrate all they’ve learned, we will be taking our Subtraction Assessment this week.

To help your scholar feel confident and prepared, please spend some time at home practicing our three big strategies:

• Number Line 📏 – Hopping forward and back to find the difference!

• Break Apart 🧩 – Decomposing numbers to make subtraction easier.

• Compensation ⚖️ – Adjusting numbers to find a "friendly" number and then balancing it out.

A little extra practice goes a long way in building those math muscles! Thank you for your continued

support in your scholar's learning journey.

Let's get ready to show those subtraction skills!

Science / Social Studies Updates:

We are officially wrapping up our current Science and Social Studies units! Our scholars have done an amazing job exploring new concepts and curious wonders over the last few weeks.

As we move into this next phase, each class will begin to fine-tune the skills we’ve already learned. 🛠️✨ Instead of jumping into brand-new topics, we are taking the time to:

• Deepen our understanding of key concepts 🧠

• Strengthen our problem-solving and critical thinking skills 🔍

• Polish up those essential second-grade foundations to finish the year strong! 💪

It’s all about moving from "learning it" to "mastering it!" Thank you for your continued support as we sharpen our skills and get ready for the final stretch of the year. 🏁🌟

Grade Level Blurb:

Welcome back! We hope all of our families and students had a terrific spring break. Now, we are in ‘learning and testing’ mode as we prepare to finish strong on all of our end of the year tests. Please keep a check on the school’s weekly newsletter for additional important events and dates.

Reading Updates:

This week in Reading, students focused on identifying the main idea and supporting details, as well as reviewing the author’s purpose (persuade, inform, entertain) to strengthen comprehension skills.

In Writing, students practiced explaining their thinking in complete sentences and using text evidence to support their answers. We are officially in MCAP test prep mode, so students are engaging in daily practice to build confidence, stamina, and strong testing strategies.

Math Updates:

This week in Math, students are working on Geometry. We have explored polygons, quadrilaterals, parallelograms, lines, and triangles. We, too, are in MCAP test prep mode as we squeeze in as many concepts as possible to have our mathematicians ready for success.

Social Studies Updates:

Students learned about the three branches of government. We discussed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches, what each branch does, and how they work together to make sure no one branch has too much power.

Science Updates:

In Science, the students spent time exploring world climates. We will be wrapping up the weather unit and moving on to a new topic next week.

Health Updates:

The students started the new Health unit on “Things You Might Catch.” We explored germs and how to prevent them from spreading to others.

Grade Level Blurb:

Greetings Team 4Ward,

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back! We are officially in our final countdown till the end of the school year. The third quarter ends next week on Thursday April 16, 2026. At this time no late will be accepted due to there only being less than five days till the end of the quarter. In the upcoming weeks we will begin our MCAP testing that will last for two weeks. It is imperative that your scholars arrive at school on time everyday for testing. Students will utilize computers for testing they will need to also have headphones.

Writing is being incorporated in all subjects this year. Students will practice expressing ideas in reading, science, social studies, math, and specials. Encourage your child to talk about what they write and ask questions about their work that supports growth and confidence. Our Student Government Association has launched activities this week. Student leaders are already planning ways to support classmates and school spirit. We’re excited to see their ideas come to life and welcome family support at upcoming events.

💻Many class activities use online tools. A charged computer ensures your child can fully participate in lessons and complete assignments. Our students also need a pair of wired headphones to complete activities and for testing. Students who arrive on time are better prepared for learning and reduce classroom disruptions. Please plan to have your child at school a few minutes early each day. A healthy breakfast helps students focus and have energy for learning. School breakfast is available daily until 8:00 when students arrive in the morning.

In our classrooms, we will be working on a variety of assignments and projects designed to challenge and inspire them. We encourage you to check in regularly with your scholar about what they are learning.Your support at home is greatly appreciated and makes a significant difference in their academic success.

We are grateful for your ongoing support in helping students feel safe, prepared, and excited about learning. Thank you for partnering with us to make this a positive school year. Let’s finish strong together!!

Warmly,

Team 4Ward

Important Upcoming Dates:

• MCAP Spirit Week April 20-24, 2026

• Vocabulary Parade Friday April 24, 2026

• MCAP Testing (Math) April 27-30, 2026

• MCAP Testing (Reading) May 4-7, 2026

Fourth Grade Information:

i-Ready:

i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. This program will be available all summer for students to continue to utilize in both reading and math. Please help your child complete at least 45 minutes of math and reading to grow their abilities.

Absences:

This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school. If a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.

If your scholar is absent, please complete the CMIT South ES Absence Google Form within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. https://forms.gle/euXzCpDvNGbLwb8U6 In order for students to receive make-up work you must provide a note stating; the student’s name, the date of absence, and reason for absence. Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an absence note.

Communications:

Students must bring their agenda book each day. Teachers will note the agenda book and it should be signed nightly by the adult at home.

Please allow up to 48 business hours for all responses to emails and Classdojo messages. Teachers are not actively monitoring their emails during the day because we are engaged in instruction. Emails are not monitored over the weekend or in the evening hours when teachers have gone home. If the message sent relates to dismissal changes please call the school directly to leave a message with the front office.

Grading:

Please check Synergy weekly to see scholar’s updated grades. Canvas is a Learning Management System in which scholars utilize to complete assignments and get access to materials.The grades entered in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.

It is imperative that work is complete and turned in on time in order to receive full credit. Our district has set policies regarding assignment completion and make-up assignments. Only students that have an excused absence will be given an opportunity to receive and complete missing assignments. Assignments not completed will receive a final grade of “0.”

Uniforms:

We are a uniform school. Students must be in the proper uniform each and every day. Students are expected to have mostly black shoes. They may wear a navy blue or school logo jacket or pullover during class. Students will be asked to remove any jacket or sweater that is not following the uniform policy. Students are not allowed to wear Crocs on school grounds.

Reading Updates:

We have concluded Unit 4 in Volume 2 Impacts and will return back to Volume 1 to work with Unit 2 Adaptations. In this unit students will learn about how different living things adapt to the environment using informational and literature texts.

This Week:

We have begun our unit on Poetry. We began by reading a collection of poems that spoke about how living things depend on one another. During this time students have viewed the characteristics that make a poem a poem. We also have discussion about sensory language and how speakers use this to help the reader create mental pictures. This week our students also had an opportunity to create their own original poems following the formatting rules for each poem. Students will use the poems that they create for our Poetry Cafe.

Next Week:

We will continue in our poetry unit by creating poems that include sensory details and figurative language. Students will create multiple lined poems that conveys their feelings about different subjects. Next week we will have our word study assessment on Greet Root Words. Knowing the meaning of root words will support students decoding unknown words. We also will have our poetry collection quiz.

Math Updates:

In math, scholars are continuing to strengthen their number sense and problem-solving skills while working with division and multi-step problem solving.

Students have been learning to divide multi-digit numbers by one-digit numbers using a variety of strategies, including:

• Area models

• Partial quotients

• Traditional long division

• Using multiplication to check division

A major focus has been helping scholars explain their thinking and justify their solutions using math vocabulary and written responses in their math journals.

Students are also practicing how to:

• Break apart multi-step word problems

• Identify important information in a problem

• Choose the correct operation

• Explain their mathematical reasoning

We are also strengthening math literacy through Daily Reviews, problem-solving tasks, and math journals, which allow students to reflect on their thinking and analyze mistakes.

Parents can support learning at home by encouraging scholars to:

• Explain how they solved a problem (not just the answer)

• Practice multiplication facts regularly

• Complete assigned IXL skills that reinforce division concepts.

Science Updates:

In science, scholars are exploring the unit Human Uses of Energy.

Students are learning how energy plays an important role in our everyday lives and how humans harness different energy sources to power technology and systems we depend on.

Topics we are exploring include:

• Types of energy

• How energy is transferred and used

• Real-world examples of energy in transportation, electricity, and machines

• How energy systems help communities function

Scholars are also engaging in research-based activities and project tasks where they apply math skills such as division, measurement, and data interpretation to scientific situations.

This interdisciplinary approach helps scholars see how math and science work together in real-world problem solving.

💡 Skills We Are Building

Across both subjects, scholars are developing important academic habits including:

• Perseverance when solving challenging problems

• Explaining and defending their thinking

• Collaborating with peers

• Using academic vocabulary

• Applying knowledge to real-world situations

📌 Helpful Reminders for Families

Please encourage your scholar to:

• Check Canvas regularly for assignments and resources

• Complete IXL practice to reinforce skills

• Bring their math journal to class daily

• Ask questions when they need clarification

Social Studies Updates:

This week, we began Chapter 4 “The Nation’s Economy.” In this chapter students will learn about how the economy satisfies our needs and wants. We began lesson 1 that explained what an economy is. Students will also use their learning from this chapter to create a business plan. This week students determined the difference between consumers and producers. We also were able to discuss whether a free market or command economy is best for them.

Next week, students will continue in Chapter 4 and read lesson 2 that focuses on trade and markets. In this lesson students will explore that businesses supply goods and services to match demand. We will also discuss different forms of currency and how entrepreneurs take risks to start businesses.

Grade Level Blurb:

We had a great week full of learning, growth, and positive energy in our classroom! We are looking forward to our Camp Schmidt trip next Thursday and Friday—students are very excited!

Please be sure to review previous ClassDojo messages for the packing list, what to bring, and check the weather (it’s expected to be nice and a bit warm). Also, don’t forget to check your email and ClassDojo for important updates regarding baby pictures and teacher shirt sizes for all scholars.

As a reminder, students should continue to bring their charged Chromebooks daily, stay focused, and demonstrate their best behavior as we finish the school year strong!

Reading Updates:

Students are learning about realistic fiction, focusing on stories that could happen in real life. We are building comprehension skills by analyzing characters, settings, and how events unfold in these texts.

Math Updates:

• Ms. Jenkins’ Class: Students are learning how to divide unit fractions by non-zero whole numbers. We are preparing for a final chapter assessment in two weeks, so continued practice is important.
  

• Mr. Barr’s Class: Students are working on multiplying fractions and building strong problem-solving strategies.

Science Updates:

Students are exploring ways to protect Earth’s systems, with a focus on recycling and environmental responsibility. We are discussing how human actions impact the Earth and what we can do to make a difference.

Social Studies Updates:

We are working on Chapter 7, Lesson 1, where students are learning new content and building connections to past lessons. Ask your scholar what they’ve learned so far!

Health Updates:

Students are learning about emotions and how to manage them in different situations. We are practicing strategies to help us recognize, understand, and control our emotions in a positive and healthy way.

Thank you all for your continued support and for taking the time to stay connected and informed. We truly appreciate it!

Have a wonderful weekend! 🌟

General CARTS Updates:

Due to weather related closing and delays affecting class times, there will be a limited amount of grades in CARTS for report cards. Specifically, Art, P.E., Music, Technology, and LEGO. Thank you for your understanding!

Please remember to check your student's Canvas assignments and Synergy grades regularly as report cards go in next Tuesday!

Art:

Hello! In line with Maker’s Lab, 2nd grade students are working on making technology based art! Their creations are robots made in a program called Piskel! Also on April 30th, there is the CMIT South Art Extravaganza Night. More details will come shortly.

Music:

Hey there CMIT Family!

As we approach the end of the term, I can feel the excitement of spring in the classroom. I kindly ask for your support in reminding our scholars to adhere to all school rules and expectations, with a particular emphasis on showing respect to one another.

Additionally, students will be taking a quiz this week that we have prepared for in class. Please encourage them to focus on the remarkable women we discussed in honor of Women’s History Month, including Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Sheila E., and Tina Turner.

PE:

Hello Families! We are now working on a striking unit in Physical Education. This works out students’ hand-eye coordination. They practice this by learning how to kick a ball in a straight line!

Technology:

Hello CMIT Families! Just a quick heads up: There will be 2-3 projects coming in Q4. Let’s get ready for the home stretch!

Maker’s Lab:

Hello families! This week we worked on our “Elementary game designs” on Coding.org!

Library/Media:

2025-2026 School Calendar

School Meals

School Violence Resources and Support

PGCPS TV

CMIT South ES Enrichment Program

Vendor Managed Child Care

Parent Handbook

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

Synergy ParentVUE Support for Parents and Guardians

Student Absence Form