The Cougar Connection

Dear Cold Spring Families,

Our Quest for Excellence has officially begun and we are off to a fantastic start! The halls of Cold Spring are once again filled with laughter, learning, friendship, and Cougar PRIDE. From the very first day, our students have been embracing new adventures, reconnecting with friends, meeting new teachers, and showing what it means to be Purposeful, Rigorous, Inclusive, Driven, and Empathetic.

As we begin this journey together, we know there will be challenges to conquer, discoveries to make, and plenty of moments to celebrate. We are excited to partner with you every step of the way as we help every Cougar grow, learn, and shine.

We can't wait to see where our Quest takes us! Here’s to an incredible year ahead!

With so much Cougar PRIDE,
Principal Hambrecht

Cold Spring Elementary School Website

Cold Spring Elementary School Phone Number: 240-740-4390

September 1st - PTA Meeting, 7:00pm

September 2nd - Instrumental Music Assembly (Grade 4 and Grade 5) 2:00pm

September 3rd - Marking Period 1 Town Hall Meetings, Patrol Meeting 12:40pm

September 4th - House Color Day

September 7th - No School, Holiday

September 9th - Practice Fire Drill 2:00pm, PTA Back to School Bash 5:30pm, Instrumental Music Parent Presentation 5:15pm All Purpose Room

September 11th - Cold Spring World Market (available at all lunches)

September 14th - Grade 3 Climate Change Presentation 2:30pm

September 16th - Back to School Night (Grades 1-5)

September 18th - Early Release (students dismissed at 12:55pm) PTA Volunteer Information Session 9:00am All Purpose Room

September 21st - Non Instructional Day

September 22nd - PTA Room Parent Information Session 7:30pm Zoom

September 25th - Cougar House Meeting 9:30am

September 30th - Cougar House Elections

Amplify Desmos

This school year, students in Pre-K through Algebra 1 will use Amplify Desmos Math, a new curriculum designed to help students understand not only learn how to solve math problems, but also why different strategies work and how to apply math to real-world situations.

Students will learn through engaging problems, discussion and collaboration and opportunities to explain their thinking. Teachers will provide support when students need additional challenges based on their needs. The goal is for every student to build strong math skills, deepen understanding, and grow as a confident and capable math learner.

At home, families can help by asking questions, such as “What did you learn in math today?” “How did you figure that out?” or “How do you know your answer makes sense?” These conversations can help students strengthen their mathematical thinking. Throughout the year, families will also find resources in the Parent HUB that explain what students are learning and offer ways to support math learning.

Visit the Parent Hub in English: https://mcpsmd.info/ParentHubEnglish
Visite el Centro para Padres en español: https://mcpsmd.info/ParentHubEspañol

CKLA

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for Grades PreK–5 that combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—so that students learn to read and read to learn at the same time.

Built on the Science of Reading research, CKLA sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills. Every day in Grades PreK–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In Grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.

CKLA Program Guide K-5

CKLA PreK Overview

CKLA Caregiver Hub

Focused Instructional Time (FIT)

All students will engage in 20 minutes of FIT during the school day to support literacy and/or mathematics review, extension, or enrichment based on daily student data. Our students who receive addition supports in school (Tier 2 and Tier 3) will be notified and communicated with while those supports are in place.

Social Emotional Learning

Our first Town Hall of the year shared key messages with students on how we will achieve excellence together. Students shared qualities we need for a successful quest. We then highlighted our PAWS behavior expectations for all students and how our PAW tickets work, along with how we identify Cougars of the Month. We introduced two new tools for students, DEBUG and Wheel of Choices. These strategies will serve as common language for our community when challenges arise, specifically during less structured times like lunch and recess. Feel free to use them at home! Finally, we celebrated our diversity and shared how great things happen when we come together. New this year, is our Cold Spring World Market, which will run the week after our Town Hall assemblies. The market will offer students various tastes from around the world, because let's face it...food brings us together. A huge thank you to our NAACP parent representatives, Ms. Natasha Bakarat and Ms. Kristine Weeks who are leading this effort. Feel free to view the presentation below and ask your children about the Town Hall!

Town Hall Presentation

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our assessment schedule and expectations for the 2026–2027 school year. Ms. Clark, our School Testing Coordinator, works closely with grade-level teams to support the assessment process and ensure that all required student accommodations are appropriately provided.

There have been several changes this year regarding how and when students will be assessed, and these procedures will be implemented across all MCPS schools. To help ensure everyone has a clear understanding of these updates, Ms. Clark has created a helpful one-page reference that outlines the key information.

Please take a few minutes to review this resource by clicking the link below.

CSES Testing One-Sheeter

MCPS is seeking your input as it works to develop the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school calendar. Please complete this survey by Sept. 20 to share your input.

Your feedback is critical to the process. MCPS will consider educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, and assessment schedules aligned to MCPS Board Policy IDA, School Year Calendar.

Take the survey.

Calling All 4th and 5th Graders!

Are you ready to make music, learn a new instrument, and be part of an exciting musical team? Join the instrumental music program at Cold Spring and discover the fun of playing an instrument, performing with friends, and building new skills. All students are encouraged to join, and no experience is necessary—just bring your enthusiasm!

For those that are interested, Mr. Poet will be hosting an informal parent meeting on Wednesday September 9th at 5:15pm in the APR. I will be sharing important information about the program, including information on renting/purchasing instruments for your child. I really encourage any parents who are new to the instrumental music program to attend. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there!

PLEASE JOIN THE PTA FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR-

Our PTA supports academic needs for the students, is an active voice on decisions that impact your child, and builds a stronger, more inclusive school community.

Cold Spring ES PTA supports the teachers, staff, and students — which is why your support is needed now more than ever. We invite you to join the PTA because we can do more together than apart.

Visit here to join: https://coldspringes-pta.membershiptoolkit.com/

Back to School Bash, Wednesday 9/9 5:30-7:30
Come celebrate the new school year with the Cold Spring Community at the Back to School Bash! There will be a DJ, games, and inflatables with pizza and ice cream for sale.

We need a couple of people to sign up to help distribute pizza and drinks as well as a cleanup crew. Help the PTA at the Bash

Before and After-School Activities

Registration for fall after-school activities is now open on Kiddo. Activities begin Tuesday, September 8th. Please make sure your children and their classroom teachers know what club they are attending and what day.

• Monday: After-School Soccer; Mad Science (NASA: Academy of Future Space Explorers)

• Tuesday: Clayful Ceramics Studio for Kids; After-School Cooking Classes

• Wednesday: Creative Writing Club; Basketball; Chess Club

• Thursday: Paint Like the Masters; Comic Creation Club

• Friday: Before-School Chess; LEGO® Print Lab

Register for activities through Kiddo: https://schools.kiddo.us/s/coldspring-md

CSE Girls On the Run

Girls on the Run will have a Cold Spring team again this fall! Practices will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:30, starting 9/29 and ending with the 5K on 11/22. Registration is open now: https://www.pinwheel.us/register/index/fall26prgrmreg?sid=66f5e24c3d13457c8e1eca2a5e9e3df6

PTA Calendar

View this year's PTA events on one convenient page. Print out to hang on the fridge or input into your calendar app!

Volunteer Breakfast, Friday 9/18 @ 9am

Join us for breakfast in the APR after you drop off your student(s). Come learn all the ways you can support our school community and let us know how you want to help. We would love to have you support our PTA and the Cold Spring Community.

Room Parent Information Session: VIRTUAL 9/22 at 7:30pm

Mark your calendar for this virtual info session. It's for those who signed up as Room Parents in each classroom. It's a helpful start for newcomers and a great refresher for returning Room Parents. Exact details will be shared as we get closer.

Restaurant Night: Shake Shake 9/29

Support the PTA by attending restaurant night at Shake Shack in Cabin John Village!

Cold Spring Fall Family Photo Fundraiser with Abby Kelly Photography, Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18
Cold Spring PTA is partnered with Abby Kelly Photography on a wonderful opportunity for you to get some beautiful family pictures while everyone still has that summer glow. This is a great time to easily get those family pictures for your holiday cards and make money for Cold Spring in the process. It's simple. Sign up, using the link below, for your 30 min session. Choose a slot that works for you at Woodley Gardens Park on Saturday, October 17 or Sunday, October 18. The sitting fee is $200 and automatically, 50% goes directly to Cold Spring Elementary School. Each family receives a complimentary high res (digital file). Then later, at the Ordering Session, you'll have an opportunity to purchase more products and give more back to your school. It's a win-win for everyone. Sign up for your slot by clicking here.

The Department of Food and Nutrition Services has made it easier than ever to see your school’s breakfast and lunch menus and get nutritional details. Visit the MealViewer webpage.

Families can also learn how to add money to your child’s account through MySchoolBucks. This optional online service is for parents/guardians to make prepayments with a credit or debit card to a student's cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch and à-la-carte items.

Please contact Principal Hambrecht or Assistant Principal Clark with any questions!

Email: Natalie_M_Hambrecht@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/coldspringes/
Location: 9201 Falls Chapel Way, Potomac, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-4390