CMIT South Elementary School
Dear CMIT South Elementary Tiger Parents and Guardians,
Can you believe we're already heading into the 4th week of school? Time flies when you're having fun and learning! I hope this message finds you and your scholars thriving in our vibrant learning environment. I have several important updates and reminders to share, so please take a moment to read through this information carefully.
Before we dive into our updates, I want to highlight an important date for your calendars: Monday, September 16, 2024. On this day, school will be closed for students to allow for a professional development day for our dedicated teaching staff. We appreciate your understanding as we invest in enhancing our educators' skills to better serve your children.
First and foremost, I want to address an important safety concern regarding our dismissal procedures. For the well-being of all our students, we must emphasize that parents are NOT permitted to walk up and collect students from the back parking lot. We kindly ask that you remain in your vehicle and follow the established dismissal process. This policy is in place to ensure a safe and orderly dismissal for everyone. We cannot release students to parents in unauthorized areas or outside of our established procedures. Please be sure to follow all posted signs and staff instructions during pickup. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated and helps us maintain a secure environment for all our tigers.
On a brighter note, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the tiger families who attended our recent in-person Back to School Night. The turnout was fantastic, and it was truly wonderful to see so many engaged parents and guardians. We understand there were some challenges with parking, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding. Your presence and participation mean the world to us and contribute significantly to our school's success.
To help us continue improving our events and overall school experience, we would greatly value your feedback. Please take a few minutes to complete our brief survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2lIc8ku55NAtmigEL1dl7Ge37GdC3ntiyx22_xrhfeZG6A/viewform. Your honest input is crucial as we strive to enhance our school community and provide the best possible experience for our families.
Looking ahead, I want to provide you with an overview of the 2024-2025 District and State Tests. These assessments play a vital role in gauging our students' progress and helping us tailor our instruction to meet their needs. Here's a quick rundown:
i-Ready Reading and Mathematics Diagnostic Test: Administered 3 times per year (Kindergarten only in winter and spring)
MAP Growth Reading and Mathematics Diagnostic Test: 3 times per year (Kindergarten only in winter and spring)
MAP Growth Science Test: 3 times per year for grades 2-5
DIBELS Reading Test: Ongoing throughout the year for grades K-3
OLSAT (TAG Test): October 21 - November 6 for 1st grade
CoGAT (TAG Test): December 9 - 17 for 4th grade
MISA (Science) State Test: March 3 - 21 for 5th grade
MCAP (Reading and Mathematics) State Test: April 7 - May 23 for grades 3-5
Rest assured, we'll provide more detailed information as we approach each testing window. You can expect to receive parent letters prior to each assessment, outlining specific dates and any necessary preparations.
Additionally, some students may participate in other assessments, including ACCESS for English Learners, OLSAT, and CoGAT for new 2nd, 3rd, and 5th graders in the county, and the Maryland School Survey for 5th graders.
On an exciting note, we're gearing up to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th! This year, we're introducing the CMIT South Hispanic Olympics, where each class will represent a different Hispanic country. We have a range of engaging activities planned, including:
A door decorating contest showcasing each class's assigned country
Daily morning announcements featuring interesting facts and trivia about Hispanic culture and history
A grand parade to cap off our celebrations (Flag Day: students are encouraged to wear their country's colors - date to be determined)
We'll be awarding prizes for the best door decoration and the class demonstrating the most spirit throughout the month. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about and celebrate the rich diversity of Hispanic cultures.
As always, remember that the STEM Journey Begins Here at CMIT South Elementary! We're looking forward to a year filled with exciting learning opportunities, personal growth, and impressive achievements for all our scholars. Your support and partnership in this journey are invaluable.
Have a Paww-Rific Day, and see you all on Tuesday, September 17, 2024!
Educationally,
Ms. Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis
Acting Principal
Chesapeake Math & IT Academy Elementary South (CMIT)
Please take a look at these September calendar reminders:
- 9/15 -10/15 - National Hispanic Heritage Month
- 9/16 - Professional Development – Schools Closed for Students
- 9/18-9/19 - NWEA MAP Growth Testing for Reading and Math (Grades 1st-5th)
- 9/23 - DIBELS Testing Begins for K-3rd Grade
- 9/24 - MAP Growth Testing for Science (Grades 2nd-5th)
- 9/27 - Teacher Planning Half-Day – 3-Hr. Early Dismissal for Students (11:25 a.m.)
As we get into testing season, here are some excellent resources to help you understand the data coming home and also how to best support your scholar with the resources we have available!
KVS is our school's dismissal tool for car riders. All parents MUST fill out their KVS number when picking up their scholar. It is imperative that numbers are entered once you reach the car line. If your scholar is a car rider, please take time to help him or her practice memorizing his or her number as this will make the dismissal process much quicker!
In November 2020, PGCPS launched an online volunteer application and approval process. Click here for more information on becoming a volunteer and to access the application.
Attendance in school each day is important. Let’s stay in school.
In order for an absence to be considered excused, a written note must accompany the student no later than three (3) days after return to school. The note should include:
- date(s) of absence
- scholar’s name
- Reason for absence
Late or make-up work will not be accepted unless the absence is an excused absence. Please review Administrative Procedure 5113 AP 5113 - Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy for further information.
Students who are absent for ten consecutive days will be withdrawn on the 11th day and will need to re-enroll.
Lawful Absences
Students enrolled in public schools are considered lawfully absent from school for any portion of the day, only under the following conditions:
- Death of a family member
- Illness of the student
- Court appearance
- Work approved or sponsored by a school
- Observance of a religious holiday
- State of emergency
- Suspension from school
- Mental Health (Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence
- in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs.
- Other emergencies
- Deployment-related absences
Unlawful Absences
Unlawful absence – any time a student does not attend school that does not qualify as the above-listed reasons for a lawful absence.
Tardy
Scholars will be officially tardy if they are not in the building at 8:05 a.m.
If your scholar enters the building after the 8:05 a.m. bell, a parent must escort them into the building and electronically sign them in the late arrival portal. Scholars will be given an orange tardy slip to be permitted to class.
Parents of students who have 10 or more tardies in a semester will be required to meet with the principal/designee to discuss the reasons for the tardies and to develop a plan for improvement.
School Meals
2024-25 School Year Meal Prices
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5)
Breakfast: $1.60/day
Lunch: $2.75/day
How to Pay
MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, make tuition payments for Before and After School Extended Learning programs, and receive email notifications for low-account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
Principal Lunch Account
ALL breakfast,lunch, and Principal lunch payments should be made via www.myschoolbucks.com.
All money comes/goes to 1 account (child's). All that is needed to set up account (if not done) is
students lunch pin or student id.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
We encourage all families to consider applying for free and reduced-price meals! Visit www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict to apply online today!
To apply, you will need:
- The name, school, and grade of your school-age children
- The name of all adults living in the home
- Income information for all adults living in the home
- Student ID Numbers for your school-age children
Applications will also be sent home with students the first week of school. Applications are available at all PGCPS schools and can be submitted at any time.
This week, I visited the 2nd grade classrooms and gave a brief overview of the school counselor's role. I reminded the students about the ways in which the school counselor can assist them throughout the year.
We then moved on to the lesson, which focused on bullying. The students learned the definitions of bullies, bystanders, and victims.They are now able to recognize bullies, report them, and understand the consequences.
I will meet with our 3rd grade scholars this upcoming week.
ATTENTION 4TH AND 5TH GRADE PARENTS
Thank you for submitting your safety patrol applications. I will review them over the coming week, and the selected candidates will be announced next week.
Kindergarten Grade Level Blurb:
Thanks to all our families who attended Back to School Night. It was great to see you. If you did not have a chance to attend, there will be more opportunities throughout the school year for you to visit. This week classes received our first monthly project that will help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15th- October 15th. The project is due September 26; the information was sent home with students. If you did not receive this information, reach out to your scholars teacher.
Reading
UNIT 1 WEEK 2- Going Places
Essential Question- What is exciting about moving to a new place?
Phonological awareness: Middle Sounds; Recognize Alliteration; Blend and Segment, Onset and Rime
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Phonics: Short Aa, Consonants Ss
High-Frequency Words: like, to, a
Spelling words found in weekly readings: crawls, peeks, unpacks, plunks
Unit Vocabulary: map, move, land, special
Learning Goals:
Ask and answer questions about plot in literary text
Demonstrate phonological awareness.
Identify and match the common sounds that letters represent.
Identify and read common high-frequency words by sight.
Identify real-life connections between words and their use
Describe plot
Parts of a Book: Front Cover, Back Cover, and Title Page
Math
TOPIC 1 LESSON 7- Numbers 0 to 5
Count objects and write numerals 1-5.
Counting tells how many are in a group, regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.
Understand that counting is cumulative.
There is a unique symbol that goes with each number word.
Understand the order of numbers
Science
TOPIC 1 LESSON 3- Change movement with pushes and pulls
Essential Question: What does motion mean?
Investigate how objects move
Tell ways that a push and pull can move an object
Use directional words to describe a movement
Vocabulary: motion
Social Studies
CHAPTER 1 LESSON 3- Rules and Laws
Essential Question- How do people best cooperate?
Recognize why we need rules and laws
Know the consequences of breaking the rules
Identify community laws
Compare past/present rules and laws
Vocabulary: community, rule, law
Health
SEPTEMBER TOPIC: Safety at play
Tell how to avoid certain unintentional injuries at play
Explain how to show respect for the safety of oneself and others when playing
Demonstrate safety routines and how you would respond to danger
Predict what happens when one plays in safe and unsafe ways
Vocabulary: stay, safe, helpers, danger, emergency
Grade Level Blurb:
Week 3 has come and gone and 1st graders are moving right along. Here are some updates and reminders going into next week!
Updates:
1. We are officially in testing season. iReady testing is complete with the exception of some make-up tests. This week we will take MAP reading and math tests. DIBELS testing is also approaching. Please see Class Dojo for specific dates for your scholar's class.
Reminders:
1. Monday, September 16th is a professional development day for teachers. There is no school for students.
2. Math homework continues. Students should complete ONLY the page associated with the lesson taught in class that day. The associated lesson can be found on your class' digital agenda:
Ms. Brown-Taylor's Digital Agenda
3. Please check green folders nightly and sign behavior calendars to acknowledge daily behavior. Please also be sure to empty and review all papers on the "Keep at Home" side.
4. Please send a healthful, DRY snack for your scholar to enjoy at the end of the day.
5. As we head into cold and flu season, please be sure to listen to your scholar when they say they do not feel well. Students should be symptom and fever free for 24 hours, without medication, before returning to school. We are doing our best to keep our classroom safe and healthy, but we need your help! Please refer to the PGCPS sick policy for additional information:
https://www.pgcps.org/globalassets/offices/school-health/docs---school-health/When-to-Stay-Home-From-School-or-Work.pdf
Reading:
Unit 1 Week 1 Continued
This week in reading, we will focus on the question, "How can neighbors help each other?" Students will evaluate the elements of a realistic fiction text as they read their first story of the unit, The Blackout. In this story, neighbors help one another when the power goes out! Students will focus on characters, setting, and events that seem real.
Phonics:
We will focus on the following letters and sounds: Aa (short a), Mm, Ss, and Tt. Our heart words are see, a, is, his, and i.
**Spelling tests will be given on Friday, September 20th. Homework will also be checked on this date. Students should complete 3 additional homework assignments this week for a total of 7 by Friday.
Math:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students will add and subtract within 20. They will also learn to construct math arguments and evaluate the work of others. Please consider practicing addition and subtraction within 10 at home.
Science:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students will describe sound, make sound, and explain the uses of sound.
Social Studies:
Continued...
Topic 1
Students will focus on what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens.
Health:
Continued...
Students have begun learning about safety this month. They are focusing on following rules and directions, how to identify safe and unsafe situations, and about different hazards (fighting, poisons, matches, and fire safety).
Grade Level Blurb:
Thank you to all those parents who came out for back-to-school night! This week your scholars completed both iReady Reading and Math. This upcoming week your scholars will take their MAP Growth Assessments on September 18, 2024- September 24, 2024..
Week 3 was amazing! Thank you for sending your scholars to school well-rested and ready for testing!
Reading:
Week 2 of this unit focused on Realistic Fiction. In the story Maybe Something Beautiful the students worked on understanding character. Also, students were able to develop the technique of asking and answering questions based on the text. Students learned long vowels CVCe words.
Math:
Lessons 3, 4 and 5 of this week focused on counting on to add and using near ten frames, addition chart and number lines to solve equations.
Science: The current lesson in Science students are learning how to describe the traits and characteristics of matter.
Social Studies:
Students will learn about extended families and generations. .
Health:
Students will learn what an emergency is and who is a trusted adult they can seek out in the event of an emergency.
We look forward to another fantastic week! Stay tuned for pictures of your scholars!
Students have started reading an additional folktale (Why the Sky is Far Away), in addition to working on changing singular nouns into plural nouns and writing a personal narrative! Testing occupied most of of our week, so we will continue teaching these concepts next week!
Math: Students have been working on solving multiplication equations using arrays (rows and columns)! For example 3x4 is equivalent to three rows of four markers. Science: Students have continued our lessons on push and pull! Specifically, students understand that push is the force of moving an object away from someone or something, and that pull is the force of moving an object towards someone or something. Social Studies: Students have continued our lessons on landforms and bodies of water. Unit 1 is focusing on geography and building on geographical content taught in 2nd Grade!
Health:
Students are continuing to work on safety in the home/home setting!
Grade Level Blurb:
Greetings Tiger Family,
We wanted to say thank you to all those that joined us on Back to School Night. We appreciate your continued support of your scholar. It was a pleasure to meet you new families and to see families we have worked with previously. In this newsletter we have attached our slideshow from Back to School Night and other materials for you to reference throughout the year. We are looking for parents that want to support the 4th Grade throughout the year. Please complete the Google Form below to find ways you can help us this year.
Back to School NIght Slideshow
Important Upcoming Dates:
Professional Development No School for students- Monday 16, 2024
MAP Testing/ Make-ups- September 18-24, 2024
Friday September 27, 2024- 3 Hour Early Dismissal for Students
Important Information:
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 your scholar is absent please send an email to your homeroom teacher, and to our attendance managers at jbull@cmitsouthes.org, and lreese@cmitsouthes.org. Classdojo messages cannot be accepted as excuse notes.
Fourth Grade Reminders:
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 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 provided in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.
If your scholar is absent, please share a note with the homeroom teacher within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. 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
Reading Updates:
This Week: We completed i-Ready testing in reading. We also brought a close to the first story we read “Reaching for the Moon.” Students were able to analyze pictures to determine how the image helped the reader understand the text. Students also created their own graphic feature to explain their point of view.
Next Week: Students will begin to read closely the text “Rare Treasures.” This is a biography story about Mary Anning, one of the first female paleontologists. This week students will attempt to answer the question: “In what ways can a place enrich our lives?” While students are reading closely they will monitor their inner conversations to ensure that they are fully comprehending the text. Students will also take the MAP Reading diagnostic test.
Math Updates:
Last week we continued with our first math topic this year, Topic 1: Generalized Place Value and Base Ten Understanding’ focusing on number names, expanded form and place value relationships. This week as we wrap up our topic we will dive further into place value relationships focusing on rounding and number comparisons before we close Topic 1. Wednesday and Thursday we will have MAP testing.
Science Updates:
This week we began exploring Topic 1 Energy and Motion. In this topic we will learn about energy, how it is related to motion, its different forms of energy, how it is transferred as well as examples of kinetic and potential energy as well as how they are used in everyday life.
Social Studies Updates:
This week: Students explored primary and secondary sources. Students determined the differences between the two and answered questions based on information obtained from primary sources. Students viewed a primary source and analyzed what they saw
Next week: We will launch our first chapter “Geography of the United States.” In this chapter students will explore: “How does geography affect the way we live?” Students at the conclusion of this chapter will have a Quest project that will have them research and create a brochure U.S.
Health Updates:
In health we are learning about our Incredible Ears! How does the ear work? How do our ears and brain make connections to each other?
Let’s keep up the great work! Our students are making wonderful progress, and we are excited for the learning ahead in the coming weeks.
Reading:
This week, students explored historical fiction, focusing on how authors blend historical facts with creative storytelling. In addition, we worked on improving sentence structure, emphasizing how well-constructed sentences enhance the narrative flow in this genre.
Math:
We are wrapping up our place value assessment, focusing on digit values, rounding, and number comparison. To reinforce these concepts, students will pick a project that applies place value in a creative way, such as creating real-world problems or interactive activities. This will help solidify their understanding before we move on to the next topic.
Science: This week, students reviewed matter and its properties through hands-on experiments. We revisited the states of matter and how scientists model changes in states.
Social Studies: In social studies, we continued our unit on Native Americans, exploring how geography influenced their cultures and traditions. Next, we’ll look at how European colonization affected these communities.
Upcoming: MAP Testing
We will be taking the MAP test in reading and math this week. Please ensure students get a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast to help them do their best.
PE:
Hello Families!
This week in PE, we introduced locomotor skills. Students had fun practicing different skills around the gym while playing locomotor games. Next week we will continue this unit!
Music:
Reminders:
Kennedy Center
Attention all singers! Here is an opportunity to audition for the Kennedy Center. They are gearing up for a production of Jungle Book. Please see the details and any additional information at https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/about/opportunities/ .
Julliard Opportunities
Additional Opportunities for Students Ages 8-18
Have students who aren’t yet ready to apply for college? Juilliard offers year-round opportunities for students as young as 8 years old. Follow the links below to explore program and application information as well as financial aid opportunities available for many of our programs, including the tuition-free Music Advancement Program.
Pre-College and the Music Advancement Program (MAP), two Saturday music programs in our Preparatory Division designed for ages 8-18 and held at our Lincoln Center campus in New York City. Learn more at juilliard.edu/prep.
A variety of summer programs including Juilliard Summer, a series of intensives at Juilliard’s campus designed for high school musicians interested in pursuing advanced music study at the college level. Learn about recent summer programs at juilliard.edu/summer and check back this fall for summer 2025 details.
Year-round virtual and in-person Music Theory and Ear Training courses with the potential for high school students to earn college credit. Learn More: juilliard.edu/extension/highschool.
CHESAPEAKE MATH AND IT SOUTH ELEMENTARY
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
• Grades: K-5
• Uniform: Yes
• Before After School Enrichment: Yes
http://clfmd.org/enrichment-2/
• School Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue
• School Mascot: "Roary" the Tiger
• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information