ELC KNOWS
August 6th, 2023
ELC General Info
Phone #: 240.776.5804
Fax #: 301.944.1005
Instagram: elc_laplata1
Physical Address:
8730 Mitchell Rd.
Bldg. CL
La Plata, MD 20646
Mailing Address:
5980 Radio Station Rd.
La Plata, MD 20646
Coordinator:
Candice Adam: cvallandingham-adam@ccboe.com
Students enter the building starting @ 9:30am (tardy time: 9:45am)
Students will dismiss @ 4:00pm
💗 WELCOME to the ELC Cub Family! 💗
Students rocked out the first week of school, and they dd a fantastic job! Hopefully you had a chance to pop onto Instagram to see what students were up to this week!
TO ALL PARENTS - please help us guide our next Cub Community parent meeting by filling out the Needs Assessment using this link 👉PARENTS - We Want Your Input! – Fill out form. As of right now, we do not have any responses...who will be the first???
Thank you so much for your patience and showing our bus drivers grace as they get into the swing of their routes. We are in constant communication with transportation in an effort to get bus routes to be as efficient as possible. If you have a concern with your child's bus route, please put in a help ticket on transportation's website, linked here 👉 Transportation | Charles County Public Schools. We will continue to get new students over the next few weeks. Please be aware that this could adjust the car rider line or the bus routes!
SCHOOL LUNCH
If your child will be eating lunch provided by the school, you can access the payment system at: MySchoolBucks. You can place money on their account using their 6-digit school ID. You can find their ID on your ParentVue.
BUS INFORMATION:
REMEMBER to give our buses some grace as they get to know the students, families, and the routes. If we anticipate a change in stop times we will send out a message. Otherwise, please plan to be at the stop at least 10 minutes before and after the time that was communicated while the bus settles in!
CAR RIDERS:
Please see procedures outlined below. Families who didn't follow the procedures caused car accidents last year - to be as proactive, and safe, as possible please follow the procedures.
Helpful links:
MySchoolBucks: To put $$ on your child's lunch account
Charles County Public Schools - School Nutrition And Fitness: Free & Reduced Meal Application
In this Newsletter, you will find:
Calendar of Events
Breakfast Menu
Lunch Menu
What Is Your Child Learning?
Link to Parent Handbook
Tell us what YOU want to hear about! Use this link 👉PARENTS - We Want Your Input! – Fill out form or the QR Code to guide our Parent Meetings this year! How can we support your child and you as we navigate Pre-K together?
September Events
7th: Labor Day - School Closed
18th: FAIR DAY - No School for Students!
24th: 2 Hour Early Dismissal (Students dismiss at 2pm!)
25th: Virtual Parent Meeting @ 3pm
28th: Interims Post (K-12th)
30th: Open House (6:00 - 7:30pm)
October Events
Week of 5th: Practice Bus Evacuations
15th: Dental Screenings
16th: Fall Festival Rotations - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
21st: UNITY DAY - Wear Orange to Unite Against Bullying
23rd: Virtual Parent Meeting
28th: Q2 Begins
29th: Fall Picture Day
30th: 2 Hour Early Dismissal (Dismiss @ 2pm) / Book Character Parade
November Events
1st: Daylight Savings - Turn Your Clocks BACK
3rd: No School - Election Day
6th: No School for Students - Parent/Teacher Conference Day
9th: Report Cards Post (K-12th)
11th: Veterans Day - Schools Closed
12th: Sampling of Family Traditions (6pm - 7:30pm)
13th: World Kindness Day
19th: 2 Hour Early Dismissal (Dismiss @ 2pm)
20th: Virtual Parent Meeting
25th - 27th: School Closed / Thanksgiving Holiday
December Events
2nd: National Special Education Day!
3rd: 2 Hour Early Dismissal (Dismiss @ 2pm)
7th: Interims Post (K-12th)
10th: Academic Night (6:00 - 7:30pm)
21st - Jan. 1st: No School - Winter Break
Pre-K 4 Curriculum
Unit 1:
Project: Class Book
~ project focuses on building a classroom community
~ supports the important work of building a safe, respectful, and fun learning environment from the start of the year
~ students will learn how to be a friend, how to ask to play, and how to welcome someone into play
~ will consist of students working together, being engaged, behaving, and learning about each other and their names.
Week 1:
Reading Standards: RL.PK.1 With modeling, prompting and support, answer questions about details in a text. PK.RF1.d Recognize and name some upper and lowercase letters. PK.RF3.d Recognize own name in print.
Math Standards: PK.NOS.A.1 Count to 20 by ones. PK.NOS.A.4 Identify written numerals 0-10. PK.NOS.B.5 Use the relationship between numbers and quantities within 10 to count objects with one-to-one correspondence and verbalizing the last number stated is the total when asked "How many…?” (cardinality). PK.NOS.B.6 When counting objects within 10, recognize that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.
Writing Standard: W.PK.7: Participate in shared research and shared writing projects
Speaking & Listening Standards: SL1.a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns; speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). SL4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with modeling, prompting, and support.
Week 2:
Reading Standards: RL.PK.1 With modeling, prompting and support, answer questions about details in a text. PK.RF4.b Demonstrate developing accuracy and automaticity with naming letters and producing their corresponding sounds. RF.PK.3.c Recognize name in print as well as some environmental print. PK.RF4.b Demonstrate developing accuracy and automaticity with naming letters and producing their corresponding sounds.
Math Standards: PK.NOS.B.8 Recognize the number of objects in a set without counting (subitizing) with both unfamiliar patterns within 3 and familiar patterns within 5. PK.NOS.A.4 Identify written numerals 0-10. PK.NOS.B.6 When counting objects within 10, recognize that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger. PK.NOS.B.5 Use the relationship between numbers and quantities within 10 to count objects with one-to-one correspondence and verbalizing the last number stated is the total when asked "How many…?” (cardinality). PK.NOS.A.1 Count to 20 by ones.
Language Standard: L5.a Sort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent. L2.a Recognize that their name begins with a capital letter.
Speaking & Listening Standards: SL1.a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns; speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). SL4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events with modeling, prompting, and support.
Tiger Cubs
Theme 1: Marvelous Me
Week 1: Physical Me
Social and Emotional Development
SE.RA.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with familiar adults.
SE.RC.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with other children.
SE.RC.2: Develops relationships with peers through interactions over time.
SE.EF.3: Responds with care and concern towards others.
SE.SR.1: Develops the ability to manage own emotions and their expression.
SE.EF.1: Develops an understanding of one’s own emotions.
Language and Literacy
L.VO.1: Understands an increasing number and variety of words heard in familiar environments, play, and routines.
L.EL.2: Demonstrates interest and attention to language and structure used in books, rhymes, and storytelling.
L.EL.3: Understands meaning communicated through stories, pictures, and informational books.
Approaches to Learning
ATL.IC.2: Shows curiosity and interest when engaging with new objects, people, and experiences.
ATL.IC.1: Shows initiative in interactions, routines, play, and other experiences.
ATL.EF.3: Develops the ability to manage impulses and reactions (inhibitory control).
Early Cognition and STEAM
C.STE.1: Demonstrates curiosity about the world through exploration and investigation of physical objects and materials.
C.GCD.1: Develops the ability to store, recall, and share information about people, objects, and previous experiences.
Week 2: Feeling Me
Social and Emotional Development
SE.RA.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with familiar adults.
SE.RC.1: Initiates and engages in interactions with other children.
SE.RC.2: Develops relationships with peers through interactions over time.
SE.EF.3: Responds with care and concern towards others.
SE.SR.1: Develops the ability to manage own emotions and their expression.
SE.EF.1: Develops an understanding of one’s own emotions.
Language and Literacy
L.VO.1: Understands an increasing number and variety of words heard in familiar environments, play, and routines.
L.EL.2: Demonstrates interest and attention to language and structure used in books, rhymes, and storytelling.
L.EL.3: Understands meaning communicated through stories, pictures, and informational books.
Early Cognition and STEAM
C.MT.4: Explore the similarities and differences between objects and compares, sorts, and creates simple patterns with objects.
C.STE.2: Develops an understanding of the causes and effects of actions and events.
C.GCD.1: Develops the ability to store, recall, and share information about people, objects, and previous experiences.
Approaches to Learning
ATL.IC.1: Shows initiative in interactions, routines, play, and other experiences.
ATL.EF.3: Develops the ability to manage impulses and reactions (inhibitory control).
Special Areas
Specials Schedule:
Monday - P.E. - wear tennis shoes
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday - Art
Thursday - Art
Friday - Library
Counselor Corner
Mrs. Moore
Staff have tagged your child's backpack with a tag for what their daily dismissal will be - please do NOT remove the tag. If the tag comes off, please communicate with your child's teacher so that we can replace it. It helps us to ensure that we are getting our students home safely and in the manner you have communicated!
Each and every time that you come to the ELC, bring your photo ID. In order to enter the building and/or pick-up your child, you MUST have an ID. Pictures of an ID on your phone DO NOT COUNT! Please also let others who you may be counting on to pick up your child that this will be required. While this may on occasion be inconvenient - it is for the safety of the staff and students - including yours!
Ms. Brindle - Secretary
Mr. Goldring - Building Service Manager
Hello! I have been working for Charles County Public Schools since 2007.I have worked at Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School and PISOTA. I like to drink sweet tea and my favorite treat is cinnamon rolls. I enjoy talking with students and seeing what is on their mind, and I believe that kids are just special. I spend my spare time with my two sons and three grandsons.
Mr. Fenwick - Building Service Worker
Hello, I have been working for Charles County Public Schools since December 2018. While working for CCPS I have worked at various schools in the county such as Gale-Bailey, North Point, St. Charles, Wade, Malcolm, Neal, Mt. Hope, Gwynn Center, Brown, and Davis before eventually settling here at the ELC. In the rarity that I have free time, I am an avid reader of fiction, a writer, and poet.
Ms. Krupa - Instructional Specialist for Early Childhood Accreditation
Hi! I will be supporting the staff and students at the ELC. I have been teaching in Charles County for 18 years. I most recently was a Kindergarten teacher at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary. I am excited to watch your children grow and learn this year! I have a loving husband and two amazing middle school daughters. I love the beach, reading, and chocolate.
Ms. Maynard - School Nurse
HI! I have been a Nurse for 16 years. I have one son in elementary school. I enjoy nature, relaxing on the porch, and I run on coffee!
Mr. Ford - Computer Analyst
Greetings! I came on board with CCPS in March 2025 as a Computer Analyst. I have been in the IT field in various capacities for over 30 years, working with the Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, and commercial banking industries. I am a retired veteran having served in the U.S. Air Force in many worldwide locations. My wife, April, and I have two children, Andre (son) and Adrienne (daughter), and one granddaughter, Maridienne (age 5). I enjoy history, reading, relaxing travel and an interest in board gaming (an old interest being renewed)!
Ms. Rose - Food Service Manager
I started as a volunteer for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) sometime around 2004 when my three children were enrolled in the school system. Since January 2006, I have worked in the Food Services department of CCPS in various capacities to include a Food Service Worker, Assistant Food & Nutrition Manager, and more recently, served as the Food & Nutrition Manager at a Charles County elementary school. I look forward to serving as the Food & Nutrition Manager at the Early Learning Center. I have three adult children and three grandchildren.
Ms. Mocco - IEP Facilitator
Hi! I’m Alexis Mocco (think “taco” with an M 🌮). I’m Southern Maryland born and raised and am excited to join Charles County Public Schools as an IEP Facilitator! I have 15 years of experience in special education and love helping students, families, and school teams work together. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, bargain hunting, and probably buying more snacks than any one person needs. I love to laugh, don’t take myself too seriously, and am always happy to help—especially if you need a snack! 😊
Ms. Elder - PPW
Hello, I've been working with Charles County Public Schools since January 2002. During that time, I have taught in classrooms with grades Pre-K through 5th grade. This time has included teaching science, being an instructional coach and an assistant principal. I have 2 children, Jacob (23) and Jackson (15). I enjoy hiking, fishing, and spending time with my family.
Ms. Adam - Coordinator
Hello! I have been working for Charles County Public Schools since January 2009. I have taught in classrooms from 1st through 6th grade in CCPS. I also taught 6th grade Math and Science in the state of California straight out of college. My husband, Nick, and I have 3 kiddos, 1 boy (Jamison) and 2 girls (Dawsynne & Ellyette). I enjoy reading, hiking, and love coffee and chocolate!