The Tiger Times
Dear Amazing Tiger Families and Community,
What an incredible journey we've had together, and now we're entering the final stretch of 2025! As I reflect on all we've accomplished this semester, my heart swells with gratitude for your unwavering partnership, your children's remarkable growth, and the extraordinary spirit that defines our Tiger community. December may be short, but it's packed with opportunities to celebrate, learn, and create lasting memories together. Your continued support and engagement make every achievement possible, and I couldn't be more excited about finishing this year strong!
December's Character Word of the Month is Generosity! I'm inspired by the beautiful words of Winston Churchill: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." This December, let's embrace generosity in all its forms; giving our time, sharing our talents, offering kindness, and supporting one another. True generosity flows from grateful hearts, and our Tiger community has already shown remarkable generosity and countless acts of kindness. Let's continue this spirit throughout the season!
📅 December: A Short but STEMTastic Month!
December is indeed a short but mighty month! We have only 10 more days of school left before Winter Break and the arrival of the New Year! Let's make every single day count as we finish 2025 with excellence, joy, and Tiger pride!
🎉 Day 67 Celebration - December 9th!
Tuesday, December 9th marks the 67th day of school—and we're going to celebrate in true Tiger fashion!
We'll be celebrating Sixxx… Sevennnnn… with fun activities throughout the day to keep our school spirit ROARING! Just a little mid-December fun to energize our Tigers and remind everyone that learning can be joyful, engaging, and celebratory. Get ready for some STEMTastic surprises!
🛍️ Shark Tank Holiday Bazaar - This Saturday!
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: CMIT South Elementary School
Our talented Shark Tank Club presents the Holiday Bazaar—a festive community event showcasing the generosity and entrepreneurial spirit of our Tiger community!
What to Expect:
🎪 Vendor booths showcasing local businesses and student entrepreneurs
🍔 Food trucks with delicious options
✂️ FREE haircuts for the community (What a generous gift!)
🎄 Holiday shopping and festive atmosphere
And so much more!
Vendor Opportunities Still Available: If you'd like to be a vendor for $50, contact Club Coordinator Ms. Pinkard at mawerdi.pinkard@pgcps.org or Shark Tank Club Leader Dr. McCannon at jeanine.cadet@pgcps.org.
Please join us for this wonderful celebration of entrepreneurship, community, and holiday generosity. Let's support our Shark Tank scholars and make this event a tremendous success!
🏆 1st Quarter Honor Assembly - December 16th
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
We're excited to celebrate our academic achievers at our 1st Quarter Honor Assembly! This special event will recognize Tigers who demonstrated outstanding academic performance, exceptional character, and dedication to excellence during the first quarter.
Format: The assembly will be virtual for parents and families to tune in and celebrate your scholars from home or work. Zoom link and viewing details will be shared via ClassDojo closer to the date.
Get ready to celebrate our amazing Tigers who are Leveling Up the STEMTastic Way!
🎵 2nd Annual Holiday Concert - December 18th
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Mark your calendars for our 2nd Annual Holiday Concert—a joyful celebration of music, talent, and the season's spirit! Our Tigers have been working hard preparing beautiful performances under the leadership of Mrs. Duncan that will warm your hearts and fill you with holiday cheer.
This concert is a wonderful example of our students generously sharing their talents and gifts with our community. More details about timing, location, and performance lineup coming soon. You won't want to miss this festive showcase of Tiger talent!
⏰ Early Dismissal - December 19th
Friday, December 19, 2025 is an Early Dismissal Day
Dismissal Schedule:
Regular Students: 11:25 AM
Afterschool Enrichment Students: 3:00 PM (Star Students at 1:00 p.m.)
Please make appropriate arrangements for pickup at these adjusted times. This early dismissal allows our staff to prepare for Winter Break while giving families extra time to begin their holiday celebrations.
❄️ Inclement Weather: Be Prepared and Stay Informed
As we head into colder months, it's important to stay updated on potential weather delays, early dismissals, and/or closures.
How to Stay Informed: 📱 Monitor official PGCPS communication channels
📧 Check your email for school announcements
📺 Watch local news stations for updates
🌐 Visit the PGCPS website for real-time information
👉 Click here to view the inclement Weather reminder
Remember: We are Leveling Up the STEMTastic Way! Let's make every day count by leading with gratitude, prioritizing safety, and showing appreciation for the community that makes our school exceptional.
With Grateful Tiger Pride and Endless Gratitude,
Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis
Your PAWW-rific Principal
Legend Taylor
2nd Grade
Jayden Mathis
1st Grade
Latham Douglas
1st Grade
Please take note of these important calendar reminders:
- December 13 - Shark Tank Club Holiday Bazaar
- December 15 - Claws for a Cause- ALL GIFTS DUE!
December 15 - December 19 - Art Gallery/Show (Media Center)
December 16 - 1st Quarter Honor Roll Assembly
December 17- PTO General Body Meeting 6 - 7 PM
December 18 - Winter Concert
December 19 - Teacher Planning Day – Early Dismissal for Students
December 19 - PTO Dress Down Day
December 22 - December 31 - Winter Break & Christmas Holiday – Schools and Offices Closed
January 1 - New Year's Day- Schools and Offices Closed
January 2 - Winter Break- Schools and Offices Closed
January 7 - STEM Fair Projects DUE
January 19 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day- Schools and Offices Closed
January 26 - End of Second Quarter (46 Days)
January 26 - Grading & Reporting Day- Early Dismissal for Students
Attendance in school each day is important. Let’s stay in school.
In order for an absence to be considered excused, the following Google Form must be completed no later than three (3) days after return to school.
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.
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.
School Meals
2025-26 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.
Grade Level Updates:
Unfortunately, the Kindergarten field trip did not happen yet. We will let you know once a new date is given to us. Thank you for your understanding and support.
IMPORTANT KINDERGARTEN DATES-
DECEMBER 15- Homework Due
DECEMBER 18- Winter Concert
DECEMBER 19- 3 hour early dismissal
DECEMBER 22- JANUARY 2: Winter Break
JANUARY 7- STEM project Due
Reading Updates:
UNIT 2- Week 4: Open Wide
Essential Question: How do some living things make what they need?
Phonological Awareness: Initial and Final Sounds; Segment and Blend Phonemes
Blend and Segment: Onset and Rime
Phonics: Consonants blends and letter Gg
High-frequency words: four, five here
Spelling words found in weekly readings: shark, turtle, hummingbird
Unit Vocabulary: grow, need, share, depend
Learning Goals:
Identify the main idea to understand informational text
Find the Main Idea and Supporting Details
Ask and answer questions about text structure
Learn what animals need
Looking prefixes and suffixes
Making a place to live
Adjectives and Articles
Rhyming Sort
Math Updates:
Topic 6: Understanding Addition
Essential Understanding: What types of situations involve addition?
Show numbers in many way
Express smaller parts of a bigger number with actions
Represent addition as putting two or more numbers together
Practice using an addition equation
Vocabulary: plus, addition, equal sign, altogether, in all, patterns
Science Updates:
TOPIC 4: Changes to the Environment
Experience 1: How do Plants and Animal change their environment?
Review living vs non-living things
Inquiry about the relationship between plants and animals and where they live.
Demonstrate the relationship between the needs of plants and animals and the places they live, which together make up a system.
Describe habitat relationships using relational language and simple adjectives.
Vocabulary: environment, system, model, change
Social Studies Updates:
CHAPTER 2 LESSON 5- American Holidays
Essential Question- What are the important symbols of America?
Recognize the American Flag, what it looks like, and what it represents
Identify important national symbols that represent the U.S.
Recognize different holidays that are important to the US
Vocabulary: Thanksgiving, holidays, special
Health Updates:
DECEMBER TOPIC: Families
Define the words family and team.
Recognize that each family is different
Identify the elements of love, trust, and caring in families.
Name personal family members and the roles they play to help the family
Compare a family to a team.
Understand the rules of the community
Vocabulary: family, team, rules, special, community
Grade Level Updates:
As we turn the calendar to December, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your continued support and involvement in our school community. This month, we are excited to celebrate the season with lots of learning, fun activities, and opportunities for growth. Our students are working hard in the classroom, and we can’t wait to share their progress with you.
We also have some exciting events lined up, from holiday-themed projects to special class celebrations. Please stay tuned for updates on how you can get involved and help make this month extra special for our students.
Thank you for being such an important part of our school family. We look forward to a joyful December together!
Updates:
1. Spelling homework continues this week and is DUE Tuesday, December 9th!
2. Topic 3 math homework continues. This topic packet will be DUE before break! Stay tuned for an update from your scholar's teacher.
Reminders:
1. Students should bring their yellow take home folder to school and home every day. Parents, please sign their behavior calendar in acknowledgment of daily behavior. Please also remove all papers on the "Keep at Home" side.
2. Check ParentVue regularly and review all graded work.
3. Students may eat one, DRY snack at the end of the day. If your student would like to participate in snack, please be sure to send them with one.
4. The weather has changed DRASTICALLY. Please ensure your scholar comes to school dressed in accordance with the weather. We go outside as long as the temps are about 32 degrees.
Reading Updates:
Students will continue to explore informational text this week by learning more about how baby animals grow and change!
Phonics
Students will read and decode words with final blends.
Math Updates:
We are continuing to work through Topic 3. In this topic, students are learning strategies to add within 20.
Science Updates:
We have begun Chapter 4. In this chapter, students are learning more about how animal parts help them to survive.Social Studies Updates:
Continuation...
Students have begun Topic 2: Geography of the Community. Students will learn more about locating places using absolute location and relative location. They will also learn more about maps and models.
Health Updates:
We are wrapping up our November Issue on healthy eating!
Second Grade Tiger Families 🐯💛,
Thank you for another great week of your partnership — we truly appreciate your support! 🌟Your scholar now has a tailor-made learning plan based on their MAP test scores. This plan highlights the specific skills identified as areas of need. Students can access their personalized practice through IXL. They should already be logged in with their new credentials.
Please make sure you are checking Synergy regularly to stay up to date on your scholar’s grades and progress. 📘✨
As the weather is changing, please ensure that your scholar is properly dressed. ❄️🧥
Important Updates & Dates:
📝 iReady Testing: Monday, December 8th, 2025
🏆 Honor Roll Assembly: Tuesday, December 16th, 2025
Reading Updates:
We have begun our new unit on traditional tales.Students will explore legends, folktales, and fables.
Math Updates:
We will continue practicing strategies for adding two-digit numbers within 100. Students are learning about how to add using open number lines as well as the break apart method.
Science Updates:
Our grade level will be taking a brief break from the regular curriculum to focus on the scientific method. This will help provide support and guidance for all STEM Fair projects.
Health Updates:
We will be learning about the different food groups and how they affect the body, helping students make healthier choices.
Grade Level Updates:
Not only is it the holiday season, it’s also our testing season! Please make sure your third grader has their Chromebook each day and it is fully charged! The students should be on time, well nourished, and rested to put forth their best effort. Remind your third grader to slow down and read each question carefully. If you need stocking stuffers for your student, please consider replenishing some of their school supplies. Dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, and glue sticks are at the top of the list! Don’t forget, our holiday concert is quickly approaching. Mrs. Duncan has supplied information on Class Dojo. Also, keep a check on our school newsletter for all of the latest updates!
Reading Updates:
This week in Reading/RELA, we read the realistic fiction story Wolf Island. Students practiced:
Identifying and using compound words
Using context clues to figure out unfamiliar word meanings
Discussing characters, setting, and events in the story
Social Studies Updates:
In Social Studies, we learned about the government. Students explored:
The roles of leaders such as the President, Governor, and Mayor
How government helps communities
A brief introduction to the three branches of government and what each branch does
Math Updates:
Our Math students are working on multiplication. They have learned several strategies and properties to assist them in solving multiplication facts. Measurement to the nearest quarter inch is an additional topic we are learning. Both topics need practice. Don’t forget to use IXL regularly for practice.
Science Updates:
The third grade scientists have been exploring life cycles and traits. They have learned that traits and characteristics are inherited from our parents. Most recently, we discovered that traits can be influenced by the environment rather than being inherited from parents.
Health Updates:
We have started our new unit on “Community Health.” This week, we discussed and reviewed how community workers help to keep us healthy.
It was another great week of learning! We want a strong finish to 2025!
Grade Level Blurb:
Greetings Team 4Ward,
I hope this message finds you well. We have had our first snow day of the school year. We have a lot of events planned at the school before we leave for winter break. Each class will be having a Winter Break Celebration. Please check your scholar’s homeroom teacher Classdojo for more information about how you can help and be a part of the celebration.
4th Grade Testing Information:
All students that have not been TAG Identified will be taking the CogAt Census Assessments December 9-11, 2025. Students will need to have a charged computer and headphones to complete this test. Please ensure that your scholar arrives to school on time as we are testing in the morning on each day.
Field Trip:
4th Graders will attend our second field trip of the year to the Howard B. Owens Science Center on Friday January 16, 2026. Here students will deepen their understanding of the universe by learning in an immersive environment. This lesson helps to build on the virtual field trip our student had about Cosmic Collisions. Field Trip permission slips will be sent home with students on Monday. All payments must be made through the MySchoolBucks link provided on the permission slip. All money is due by Monday January 5, 2026.
Chromebooks:
Many class activities use online tools. A charged computer ensures your child can fully participate in lessons and complete assignments. Our students also need a pair of wired headphones to complete activities and for testing. Students who arrive on time are better prepared for learning and reduce classroom disruptions. Please plan to have your child at school a few minutes early each day. A healthy breakfast helps students focus and have energy for learning. School breakfast is available daily until 8:00 when students arrive in the morning.
In our classrooms, we will be working on a variety of assignments and projects designed to challenge and inspire them. I encourage you to check in regularly with your scholar about what they are learning.Your support at home is greatly appreciated and makes a significant difference in their academic success.
Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey. We are grateful for the partnership between home and school — together we help every student thrive.
Educationally Yours,
Team 4Ward
Important Upcoming Dates:
i-Ready Math Winter Diagnostic Monday December 8, 2025
CogAT TAG 4th Graders Test December 9-11, 2025
Uniforms:
We are a uniform school. Students must be in the proper uniform each and every day. Students are expected to have mostly black shoes. They may wear a navy blue or school logo jacket or pullover during class. Students will be asked to remove any jacket or sweater that is not following the uniform policy. Students are not allowed to wear Crocs on school grounds.
Fourth Grade Information:
i-Ready:
i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. This program will be available all summer for students to continue to utilize in both reading and math. Please help your child complete at least 45 minutes of math and reading to grow their abilities.
Absences:
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 a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.
If your scholar is absent, please complete the CMIT South ES Absence Google Form within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. https://forms.gle/euXzCpDvNGbLwb8U6 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.
Communications:
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 allow up to 48 business hours for all responses to emails and Classdojo messages. Teachers are not actively monitoring their emails during the day because we are engaged in instruction. Emails are not monitored over the weekend or in the evening hours when teachers have gone home. If the message sent relates to dismissal changes please call the school directly to leave a message with the front office.
Grading:
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 entered in Synergy are those that will be used to calculate progress reports and report cards.
It is imperative that work is complete and turned in on time in order to receive full credit. Our district has set policies regarding assignment completion and make-up assignments. Only students that have an excused absence will be given an opportunity to receive and complete missing assignments.
Reading Updates:
We are moving into Volume 2 of our textbooks Unit 4: Impacts. Within this unit students will explore diverse literature styles from all over the world.This year writing is a main focus within our school. As we enter the second quarter scholars' writing will increase in frequency and length. We are expecting them to write at least 8 sentences per essay. How they organize and how clearly they share their points and ideas will also be important in scoring their writing.
This Week:
This week we are continuing in Unit 4 Impacts. This entire unit focuses on traditional literature stories. This week's story is a tall tale called “Thunder Rose.” In this story students will read about a girl with powers and how she uses them to help others. We will seek to answer the question: How can being different be an advantage? Students will monitor their inner conversations as they focus on the character and how her actions affect the events in the story. We will also determine a theme that is shown in this story. Students will also begin working with the suffixes -able & -ible for our Word Study.
Next Week:
Next week we will continue with our text of the week “Thunder Rose.” In this story students are seeking to answer the question: How can being different be an advantage? During last week’s reading students were able to identify elements of the story that make it a tale tall. Students also were able to determine themes and lessons that readers could learn from the story. This week students will write an opinion essay about Thunder Rose and support it with evidence from the text. Students will also have a Word Study Assessment on the prefixes -able and -ible.
Math Updates:
This week in Math, scholars continued working through Topics 3 and 4, focusing on using strategies and properties to solve 1-digit and 2-digit multiplication problems. Students practiced identifying whether numbers were prime or composite, used multiplication facts to create pixelated art, and engaged in fluency warm-ups to build speed and confidence.
Students are also strengthening their understanding of the Distributive Property, Area Models, and partial products, which help them solve more complex multiplication problems. We will continue within Topic 4 after the Thanksgiving Break to deepen their conceptual understanding before shifting into division.
Please encourage scholars to practice their facts at home using Prodigy, IXL, i-Ready, and XtraMath to boost automatic recall. A few minutes of daily practice goes a long way!
Social Studies Updates:
This week, students read The U.S. Since World War II and examined how the United States has continued certain traditions while also experiencing significant changes. They identified key events, discussed how daily life and government policies have evolved, and explained the continuity and change our country has faced in the decades following the war.
Next week, students will begin their Chapter 2 In-Class Quest project, where they will research and present information about an important American who helped shape our nation. Students will explore their figure’s contributions, analyze their impact on U.S. history, and create a presentation to share their learning with the class.
Grade Level Blurb:
We had a great week of learning!
📢 Announcements
Baltimore Aquarium field trip has been approved!
Permission slips will go out soon.Please make sure students read daily and practice IXL every day for Reading, and Math.
Reading Updates:
Students listened to and analyzed an informational text. They also practiced identifying open and closed syllables.
Social Studies Updates:
Students continued exploring early American colonies, focusing on interpreting details, building understanding of subject-verb agreement in language arts connections, and learning about French and Dutch colonizers in North America.
Math Updates:
Ms. Jenkins’ Class:
We are finishing Topic 1: Understanding Place Value and will take the assessment on Monday.Mr. Barr’s Class:
Students are working on Topic 1-5: Comparing Decimals.
Science Updates:
We are wrapping up our unit on Matter in the Ecosystem. Students explored how matter moves through food chains and food webs, learned about the role of decomposers, and practiced explaining how matter is transferred between plants, animals, and the environment.
Health Updates:
Students learned about making healthy choices by substituting unhealthy foods with healthier options.
General CARTS Message:
Please remember to check your student's Canvas assignments and Synergy grades regularly!
LEGO:
5th and 4th GRADE:
Students will design and build a motorized windmill model using LEGO components to demonstrate how mechanical energy is generated and transferred through gears, axles, and blades, and explain how the structure’s stability and efficiency can be improved through testing and redesign.
3rd and 2nd GRADE :
Students will design, build, and test a fan that can stand on its own and use gears or pulleys to make the strongest breeze possible. Students will investigate how mechanical energy transfers from the handle to the blades and record results from fair tests.
1st and Kindergarten:
Students will build a simple LEGO model by following step-by-step directions and explore how the propeller moves when they push or spin it.
Science Focus:
• Students will describe how wind energy can be converted into mechanical energy.
Engineering Focus:
• Students will follow a design plan and troubleshoot structural or mechanical problems.
Teamwork Focus:
• Students will collaborate with peers to build, test, and refine their windmill model.
Maker’s Lab:
We are working on studying our environment through growing plants in the Maker’s Lab!
Media:
The Kindergartners are working with rhyming words. First grade students will create songs using our list of keywords. Lastly, second, third, fourth, and fifth graders are working on research and research methods for debating!
P.E.:
We are working on non-locomotor skills such as personal space and standing still. These are important to learn in elementary school as they are expected more and more when navigating through life.
Technology:
We are creating a digital citizenship poster and PSAs to go along with them!
Birthdays are so much fun to celebrate with classmates. However, during the school day, the health and safety of each student are important, especially students with food allergies. Students are ONLY permitted to bring in NON-FOOD items to distribute to classmates at the end of the school day. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe at CMIT South ES.
Additionally, please note that teachers and staff are unable to participate in distributing communications/invitations or email addresses related to birthday celebrations. All planning for birthdays needs to happen outside of school so that it does not take away from the purpose of instruction.
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: Orange and Black
• Uniform Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue, or white Oxford tops and Khaki or Navy Blue bottoms
• School Mascot: "Roary" the Tiger• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information