NEES Star News- Parent Update

Welcome to the North East Star News -Family Edition for North East Elementary. Each Sunday, this email will be delivered to your inbox with information about what is happening at North East. We hope to be able to provide you with important information on a regular basis to help you support your student. Please feel free to email us with any questions!

Read Across America Week!

Monday, March 2nd

• Judy Center Playgroup 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
• PJ Day

Tuesday, March 3rd

• Judy Center Playgroup 10:00 a.m.
• Wear Green Day

Wednesday, March 4th

• Dads at the Door 8:40 a.m.
• Family Olympic Game Event 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Mismatched Clothes and Crazy Hair Day

Thursday, March 5th

• Early Dismissal 1:30 p.m.
• Silliest Sock Day

Friday, March 6th

• School Closed

This calendar is to help families plan ahead. Details for the listed events will be released closer to the dates. Please be advised that event times and dates may change from time to time. Please check back regularly for updates.

We had a wonderful time at our Donuts with Grown Ups Event this morning! 🍩

It was great seeing parents and students come together to learn about internet and phone safety. We appreciate everyone who attended and engaged in such important conversations about staying safe online!

If you weren’t able to attend but would like the resources that were shared, please contact Mrs. Handy or Mrs. Kennedy, and they will be happy to send the information home with your student.

We’re excited to kick off our House Nightly Reading Competition! Students are encouraged to read at home each evening and log their nights to help their house earn points. This is a wonderful opportunity to build strong reading habits, improve fluency and comprehension, and foster a lifelong love of books.

Families can support by setting aside 15–20 minutes each night for reading. Whether your child reads independently or you read together, it all counts! The competition will run from March 2nd to March 27th. The winning house will get a prize!

You can submit the number of nights read on the weekly reading log that will be sent home on Monday or through this form!

Let’s work together to make reading a fun and consistent part of every evening. Happy reading!

All month long, classes will compete to see who can come out on top with the best attendance. Every day counts and each day you show up helps your class advance. Let the friendly competition begin and let’s make March our strongest attendance month yet!

Mrs. Handy will be selecting random students each week to be recognized for good or improved attendance and/or tardiness.

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Show your school pride and support our students by

purchasing custom spirit wear!

Click the star to shop!

We’re excited to kick off our House Nightly Reading Competition! Students are encouraged to read at home each evening and log their nights to help their house earn points. This is a wonderful opportunity to build strong reading habits, improve fluency and comprehension, and foster a lifelong love of books.

Families can support by setting aside 15–20 minutes each night for reading. Whether your child reads independently or you read together, it all counts! The competition will run from March 2nd to March 27th. The winning house will get a prize!

You can submit the number of nights read on the weekly reading log that will be sent home on Monday or through this form!

Let’s work together to make reading a fun and consistent part of every evening. Happy reading!

• March ELA Express - This month’s newsletter focuses on comprehension—the bridge between sounding out words and enjoying a great story. Inside, you’ll find easy tips to help your child dive deeper into what they read and strengthen their understanding.

In alignment with Maryland’s Math Policy Standard 4 to support ongoing family and community engagement with Maryland math program initiatives, MSDE’s Mathematics Branch will host virtual Math Policy Family Engagement Sessions throughout June 2026. These sessions will focus on Math Policy initiatives that families should expect to be implemented in the 2026-2027 school year and an overview of how they can use the Numeracy Development Framework and Family Guides to support their students. Participants will be required to register to receive the link to join each session. More information and a flyer with registration information will be shared via MSDE’s website by March 2026.

Dates and times for these sessions are:

• Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – 8:00- 9:30 a.m.

• Wednesday, June 10, 2026 –12:00- 1:30 p.m.

• Thursday, June 18, 2026 – 6:30- 8:00 p.m.

• Saturday, June 27, 2026 – 9:30- 11:00 a.m.

In 2026, the United States will mark our Semiquincentennial: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In celebration of our nation’s 250th Anniversary, the Historical Society of Cecil County is challenging everyone to travel Off The Beaten Path – a fun way to learn about our great county and its history! Many of the landmarks still exist, but do you know where they are? The Historical Society collaborated with dozens of people involved in history, restoration, preservation and local government to create a list of historically significant sites. We are challenging the public to find the hidden treasures in Cecil County by searching out the historic sites on this list. First, you will need to visit our website at www.cecilhistory.org to get the details of how this challenge works.

Passports can be picked up at the following locations:

• Library branches

• Historical Society of Cecil County

• Cecil County Tourism

• Fair Hill Nature Center

There are 27 sites to visit to complete the passport. You will need to take a selfie at the site or a marker. We would suggest that you visit the site’s website or Facebook page for their hours of operation and if there is an entry fee. All sites have been visited to make sure there is a safe area to pull over to take your selfies.

Children under 14 who are participating in this challenge will need proof of 14 visits to receive a Junior Historian Certificate and a gift.

Passports can be submitted to the Historical Society, 135 East Main St., Elkton on Monday and Thursday from 10-4 and the 1st Saturday of every month from 10-2. You will need to bring proof of your visit, i.e. a selfie on your phone or photograph. Passports must be submitted by December 1, 2026 to receive a prize.

This event is being supported by Cecil County Government, Cecil County Tourism, ServPro, Cecil County Public Library, East Nottingham Antiques and Integrity Electric.

Ready for an adventure? Pickup a Passport and head out to the destinations on the list to discover remarkable historic sites and celebrate our unique heritage.