The Glade Gazette

June 16: Last day of school for students - 2-hour early dismissal (1:30)

June 17: Last day for staff

Dear Glade Families,

As I prepare to retire, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on what an incredible privilege it has been to serve the Glade community.

Schools are built on relationships and shared trust. Over the years, I have been continually grateful for the partnership between families and staff in supporting children not only academically, but emotionally and socially as well. Together, we have celebrated successes, worked through challenges, adapted to change, and always kept students at the center of our decisions.

After more than three decades in education, beginning as a teacher and eventually serving as principal, one truth stands out above all others; children thrive when the adults in their lives work together with consistency, compassion, and high expectations.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children each day. Thank you for volunteering, advocating, encouraging, supporting, and believing in this school community. Public education remains one of the most important promises we make to children, and I leave this profession with deep pride in the work educators and families do together every day.

While retirement brings a new chapter for me personally, I know Glade’s future remains bright because of the incredible students, staff, and families who make this school so special.

It has truly been the honor to serve this community.

Gladefully,

Steve Raff

As we continue to grow and strengthen our school community, we are updating Glade’s vision, mission, and core values. We want these statements to reflect the hopes, aspirations, and priorities of our students, families, staff, and community. Your voice is an important part of this process. We invite you to share your feedback and ideas as we work to create statements that represent who we are and who we strive to be as a school community. Please complete this short survey and share about your family values and vision for Glade Elementary: https://forms.gle/QTfnp6GG8HjZARdi7

Consistent attendance is important for your child's academic and social success in school. MSDE sets the attendance goal at 95%. Below are the attendance percentages for each grade level and for the school overall as of June 12:

• Pre-Kindergarten: 93.2%
• Kindergarten: 96.2%
• Grade 1: 96.1%
• Grade 2: 96.0%
• Grade 3: 96.2%
• Grade 4: 95.8%
• Grade 5: 95.4%
• Overall School Attendance Percentage: 95.6%

You can support by sending your healthy child to school each day on time. Instruction promptly begins at 9:00 each morning and ends at 3:30 pm. You can also support by planning vacations around the FCPS calendar.

State assessments are tentatively scheduled for:

MISA - Grade 5 - April 5-14, 2027

MSTAR Reading (formerly MCAP): April 15-30, 2027

MSTAR Math (formerly MCAP Math): May 3-21, 2027

A Message from the Cafeteria: ALL the money left on student accounts will roll over to next year. 5th grade accounts will roll over onto the middle school they are attending for SY26-27.

Mira Ivanova

Assistant Principal

DON'T MISS OUT ON SOME SUMMER FUN!

LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP!

Camp Invention @ Glade Elementary!

Make a splash this summer at @CampInvention! Your child will design a custom paddle boat, team up with robotic capybaras, build a DIY space rocket and more. This action-packed program is coming to Glade Elementary on June 22-26.

Register your curious creator today!

Glade Elementary School | Camp Invention®

The Online Enrollment Portal for the 2026–2027 school year (SY’27) is now open! Frederick County Public Schools will transition to a new Enrollment Portal after May 29. The PreK program recommends that families who believe they may qualify under Tier 2 or Tier 3 wait until after this transition to register their student. If you register before this time and have not yet received an acceptance decision, you will need to re-register your student once the new portal becomes active.

Income guidelines for approval can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Oazmz_pAPSz2nn8dlJDzI9L0AynAQoi2/edit?gid=97339937#gid=97339937

To be considered for PreK registration, the following documentation is required:

● Birth Certificate

● Proof of Residency

● Proof of Income (W-2 forms, Tax Return, or SNAP Benefits letter)

For PreK registration, please visit: https://www.fcps.org/academics/early_childhood_education/pre-_k_application_process

For Kindergarten registration, please visit: https://www.fcps.org/academics/early_childhood_education/kindergarten_enrollment

Please pass this information on to your friends and neighbors with PreK and Kindergarten aged children at home. Early enrollment can support informed staffing decisions.

Hi Glade Families!

Counselors continue visiting classrooms and individually supporting students as they build their coping skills, study habits, and sense of belonging within our school community! Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s School Counselor with any concerns or questions.

• Primary (Pre-K → 2nd Grade)
• Lauren Gordon
• Lauren.Gordon@fcps.org
• Intermediate (3rd → 5th Grade; L4L)
• Kim Leahy
• Kimberly.Leahy@fcps.org

Thank you for your continued partnership and the many ways you support our school community. It is a privilege to work with your children and to be part of their learning and growth.

For families wondering: What Do School Counselors Do???

School counselors work alongside teachers and parents to help students develop socially and emotionally, and to help remove barriers to learning!

• This may look like:
• Classroom lessons focusing on social skills, resiliency, self-regulation/coping skills, and more
• Small group counseling
• Short-term individual counseling
• School-wide programming (kindness week, etc.)
• Community resources

Lauren Gordon

School Counselor

Important System Update: Volunteer Training Pause

To prepare for the upcoming school year and upload the new FY27 training modules, the platform must undergo a complete system reset.

• Blackout Dates: June 16 – July 15 (No new volunteer training or processing can take place).
• Volunteer Coaches: Keep an eye out for an email with special instructions.

Stay tuned for updates regarding the Volunteer training process.

Thank you for understanding and for your continued support of our schools!

Actualización importante del sistema: Pausa en el entrenamiento de voluntarios

Para prepararnos para el próximo año escolar y subir los nuevos módulos de entrenamiento para el año FY27, el sistema tendrá un reinicio completo.

• Fechas de cierre: Del 16 de junio al 15 de julio (Durante este tiempo, no se podrá empezar ni procesar ningún entrenamiento de voluntarios).
• Entrenadores de voluntarios (Volunteer Coaches): Estén atentos a su correo electrónico, ya que recibirán instrucciones especiales.

Les avisaremos cuando tengamos más noticias sobre el proceso de entrenamiento.

¡Muchas gracias por su comprensión y por su apoyo continuo a nuestras escuelas!

If your student is leaving early for an appointment, a written note to the office is appreciated. This not only lets the teacher know to have them ready, but assists the office with identifying the parent/guardian of the student and prevents delays. We must also be notified if someone other than the parent or guardian is picking up the child, or they will not be released.

Any changes in your child's transportation home needs to be shared with the front office before 2:30 with either a note, phone call or email at Glade.ES@fcps.org. Please CALL the office for dismissal changes made after that time. If you email the teacher only and they are absent, nobody will get that information. Thank you.

• Address change: Please provide a new proof of residency (a copy of a property tax bill, gas bill, electric bill, water/sewer, cable bill or a signed current lease/rental agreement; NO phone bill or mortgage statements).
• Custody change: If there is a change in child custody, please make sure you share that information with your child’s teacher and the office. It is extremely important that a copy of the court document be delivered to the school and placed in the child’s permanent record folder. Should the school not have this documentation, we have no recourse but to release your child to either parent upon request.
• Weapons: Possession of any firearm or other weapon by a student on school property is strictly forbidden. This also includes look-alike weapons. The penalties for violation are detailed in the Discipline section of the FCPS handbook. Please remember it is a serious offense to possess a weapon of any kind on school property.

Website: https://education.fcps.org/ges/

Location: Glade Elementary School, 9525 Glade Road, Walkersville, MD, USA
Phone: tel:227-203-1700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GladePTA
Twitter: @FCPS_GES