Dolphin Whistle
WLES Family Newsletter
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Thank you...
...to our PTA, Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. Hernandez for an amazing Book Fair Week!
...to all the families who joined us for Awards assemblies this week!
...to Mrs. Keith for facilitating the Girls on the Run program at the Landing each year!
...to Mrs. Williams for attending the Oceans 25 Instructional Leadership Team meeting this week! She was our only parent representative. We need more!
...to Mrs. Creef and her volunteers for another successful Family Market!
...to everyone who took part in the Glow Run! We raised $14, 371! Almost half of our students registered and made donations themselves! Wow! The money will be used for student and staff wellness. In the past this has included such items as field trips, fees for events, assemblies, and treats for the staff.
What's Happening at the Landing?
Let's clear up dismissal confusion for our students and staff
Our students need to know how they are getting home before they leave the house in the morning. Changes should be the exception not the rule.
By this time of the year our students who go home by car should know their car number. With the exception of Kindergarten, the car riders wait in their classrooms until their number appears on the dismissal screen.
If a student is a walker, he/she should know that they are to go to the walker door and either wait for the adult who walks home with them or start walking home.
Students who ride a bus, stay in the classroom until the bus icon appears on the dismissal screen.
When we return from Spring Break, we will not be making announcements to call students to the walker door, car rider door or to join a bus. Start practicing dismissal procedures now. Parents will have to pick up students in the main office if they miss the bus or do not go out to meet their car by 4:10p.m.
Information from the POD
Join the POD by clicking here. Our next meeting is Tuesday, March 10, 2026 from 6:30-7:30pm.
PTA/POD Meeting Meeting in person (Media Center @ WLES) with virtual option
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84130778754?pwd=bXkBsrH6kcBitahzmMhn6pddd5qkqf.1
Meeting ID: 841 3077 8754
Passcode: 178124
We hope you can join us! The meeting is after the event with Principal Hammond.
Phone: (240) 740-1020 Fax: (301) 601-0392
School Office Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm
Mrs. Cynthia Alvarado, Registrar
Mrs. Evelyn Campos
Mrs. M. Deneise Hammond, Principal
(240) 753-9472 work cell
Mr. David Kim, Assistant School Administrator
Mrs. L. Orinda Nelson, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Padma Radhakrishnan, Administrative Secretary
Free Math Help - 21 WLES families are registered for this FREE resource
MCPS is funding the IXL memberships for Elementary for the first time. Middle and high schools have it already. This can help your student with Math. Please take a moment to sign up. Last week we had 11 families registered and this week we have 21 families registered. It's not too late to register your student.
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Girls, Sign up for Girls on the Run before March 18, 2026
Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering an after-school program for girls in 3rd through 8th grade, designed to build confidence, emotional skills, and physical health through running. The 8-10 week curriculum, led by trained coaches, uses games and discussions to teach life skills—such as managing emotions and resolving conflict—culminating in a celebratory 5K event. Click below to register:
The first practice is 3/9/26. The 5k is on 5/17/26. The last practice is 5/20/26.
Interested in Volunteering for Lunch and/or Recess at the Landing?
We appreciate all of our Parent volunteers at the Landing! Please sign up to volunteer at lunch and/or recess by clicking here. Here is the Waters Landing Elementary School Volunteer Handbook. Please review it prior to volunteering at the Landing. Make sure you have done all that is outlined on the MCPS website prior to coming to school to volunteer. Always bring your state identification when you come to volunteer at school. You will not be allowed to volunteer without it.
Are you interested in working with Oceans 25, the WLES Instructional Leadership Team?
Oceans 25 meets monthly. We'd love to have a parent perspective. Feel free to join us on any of the following dates/times to collaborate with us:
- 4/7/26 4:20-5:50 pm in Ms. Tung's room, #169
- 5/6/25 8:00-9:05 am in Ms. Buckley's room, #131)
- 6/2/26 4:20-5:50 pm in Mrs. Armogida' s room, #205
