Glen Haven Elementary School PTA

This Week and Beyond:    

• Sept 21 – Glen Haven Beautification/ Friends of Sligo Creek Annual Sweep the Creek
• Sept 27 – 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• Sept 30- No school for students and teachers
• Oct 1 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)

Announcements:

• Glen Haven Beautification/ Friends of Sligo Creek Annual Sweep the Creek:  This Saturday September 21, we will meet at the end of Windham Lane by the footbridge (behind Glen Haven Elementary School) and work our way back to Glen Haven Park and the school grounds. Gloves and trash bags will be provided. Event will be from 9am to 11am – rain or shine. Let’s help pick up the area around our school and work on building our community! Students will receive 25 Dojo Points for a minimum of 25-30 minutes of clean up! Please sign in upon arrival.
• First Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting: Please join us Tuesday October 1 for our first Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting of the year! We hope all families will be able to join us Tuesday evening- FREE pizza will be served at 6:30 PM and the presentation/meeting begins at 7:00 PM. Alphabest will provide supervision for school-age children from 7-8PM. ***PTA meetings are hosted by the PTA and OPEN TO EVERYONE- membership is not required to attend!!***
  • Wanna join the team? We are still looking for volunteers to lead Membership, Audit, or Read-a-Thon; and to serve as a Delegate to the larger regional PTA or bilingual volunteers for the Translation committee.
  • For your future planning: Parent Information Sessions/PTA Meetings convene on the first Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise noted.
    • Save the dates! Oct 1, Nov 5, Dec 3, Jan 7, Feb 4, Mar 3, Apr 14, May 5, Jun 2

• Meet the new PTA Leadership for 2019-2020

Reminders:

• School Hours are 9:00 am – 3:25 pm (doors open at 8:40).  Please be mindful that instruction for students begins at 9 am.  Because we want to assure that students have the entire school day to use for lessons and school work, parents who need to be in the building at or after 9 am will need a guest sticker.

• MCPS provides meals for students with negative account balances through Dine with Dignity program.  Launched in November 2018, the Dine with Dignity program allows students with negative account balances to enjoy traditional breakfast and lunch choices at no cost. Families will be asked to pay off, or to contribute within their means when they can, toward the outstanding balance on their student’s lunch account; the Dine with Dignity Fund pays the remainder. Community members who would like to contribute to the Dine with Dignity Fund can donate online at: https://www.mcpsfoundation.org/pages/our-programs/dine-with-dignity-program

Other ways to help out the PTA:

• Help our PTA by purchasing items with the Box Tops for Education logo then clip and send them to school to be collected.  The classroom that submits the most Box Tops each month will celebrate with a popcorn party and an overall winner will get a class pizza party at the end of the school year!
• Sign up for eScrip at www.escrip.com earn special savings for you and money for the Glen Haven PTA.
• We now have a new way to support your Glen Haven PTA!  If you shop on Amazon, use our Amazon Smile link (https://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-6018965) to donate some of the proceeds for your purchase to Glen Haven PTA.   You’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to the Glen Haven PTA!
• Register your Giant card at https://giantfood.com/school-rewards/.  For each purchase that you make, Giant will donate to Glen Haven Elementary.

Class Dojo:  Please make sure you set up a Class Dojo account for your child.  Your child’s teacher has the information regarding how to set this up or you can click on this link- https://classdojo.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205417305-Create-a-Parent-Account#web. The school uses Class Dojo for most communications so it is very important for you to have access to your child’s account and check for announcements daily.

Like us on Facebook!  Glen Haven PTA @glenhavenpta (https://www.facebook.com/glenhavenpta/)

Community Events and News:
Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly & Caterpillar exhibit (until 9/22)
at Brookside Gardens (1800 Glenallan Ave). Brookside Gardens is fluttering with butterflies at the seasonal Wings of Fancy Butterfly and Caterpillar exhibit. Interact with hundreds of native and exotic butterflies North America, Costa Rica, Africa, and Asia. 10 am – 5 pm Daily.

Annual Children’s Day Festival (9/21 at 11 am – 4 pm). at Brookside Gardens (1800 Glenallan Ave).  Join us for a fabulous family fun-day! The annual event is held each year to offer the community an active and engaged experience in Montgomery Parks. Focused on children’s games, crafts and education, you can explore Brookside Gardens and participate in numerous different activities throughout the day. With live music, food trucks and plenty of green space, you are sure to enjoy a full day of entertainment. This event is free.

Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival (9/22 at 10 am – 5 pm).  The Wheaton Arts Parade is a day for citizens, artists, businesses, and civic organizations to come together, walking to celebrate art and the Wheaton community. At the end of this March for Art, the community gathers at a festival to continue the celebration. The day is inspired by the parade and the closure of roadways to motor vehicles so that people can walk and dance, play music and show off their art. The parade liberates the community’s creative spirit from the confines of everyday life. Freed from their cars, people can appreciate Wheaton at a slower pace, as a walkable community. The highway becomes a path toward creativity and the arts parade calls the community to follow.  The parade leads to a festival that continues the celebration of art and Wheaton’s diversity. It is a time to gather in one place and eat together, to listen to music and readings, watch dance, view paintings and sculpture, to talk to each other and even make art. It is a chance for artists to exhibit and sell their work, but most importantly it is a time for local artists to be appreciated by the community and each other and for the community to see Wheaton’s potential as an arts destination.

Story Time at the National Postal Museum. Taking place every Monday, the program includes a book reading and activities for little ones in the museum’s education space. Stay to explore the rest of the museum, which is full of interactive exhibits that all ages can enjoy. Story Time is at 10:30am and repeated at 11am. Admission is free.  Check out their calendar: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/visit/calendar.html

Montgomery Parks Programs and Activities – Montgomery County Recreation and Montgomery Parks have hundreds of exciting programs and classes to promote active and healthy lifestyles. For more information, visit ActiveMONTGOMERY (https://apm.activecommunities.com/montgomerycounty).
Local Libraries (http://host.evanced.info/montgomerycountymd/evanced/eventcalendar)
Silver Spring Library
Special Events:

• Early Learning with the Infants and Toddlers Program (10/07 at 10:30 am)
  • Does your child have difficulty following the activity of a typical storytime? Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers will present a special early learning program for 24 months- 4 years for a very limited group of families. Please register starting September 30th (8pm) for an eight week session. Families will be expected to attend all eight sessions. 5th floor program room.

Ongoing:

• Chess Club (Tuesdays at 3:00 pm)
• Baby Storytime (Tuesdays at 10:30 am and 11:30 am)
• Preschool Story Time (Tuesdays 1:30 pm)
• Pajama Story Time (Tuesdays 6:30 pm)
• Toddler Story Time (Wednesdays at 10:30 am and 11:30 am)
• Lego Weekend Play (Saturdays at 12:30 pm; Sundays at 1 pm)

Wheaton Library
Ongoing:

• Toddler Storytime (Wednesdays at 10:30 am)
• Building Block Time (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 am)

Kensington Park Library
Special Events:

• How to Prepare for a Disaster (9/19 at 4:30 pm)
  • September is National Preparedness Month. Please join us as Joe Corona, Outreach Coordinator from the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, helps children ages 5-9 learn how to prepare for a potential disaster.
• Yoga and Mindfulness for Preschoolers (10/05 at 10:30 am)
  • For ages 2-5 and their families. Bring your own mat or towel as there will only be a limited supply available. Join us for 45 minutes of uninterrupted, tech-free family time in which every single person gets to stretch, move, laugh and relax. This Yoga event is presented by Starlight Family Yoga.
• Yoga and Mindfulness for Elementary Age (10/05 at 11:30 am)
  •  For ages 6-10 and their families. Bring your own mat or towel as there will only be a limited supply available. Join us for 45 minutes of uninterrupted, tech-free family time in which every single person gets to stretch, move, laugh and relax. This Yoga event is presented by Starlight Family Yoga.

Ongoing:

• Pajama Storytime (Mondays at 7 pm)
• Chess Club (Tuesdays at 6 pm)
• Storytime for Babies (Wednesdays at 10:30 am)
• Storytime for Toddlers and Preschoolers  (Wednesdays at 11:15 am)
• Homework Help (Thursdays at 5:30 pm)

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School Information for Parents:
Parent guides to the Elementary school curriculum:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/elementary/guides.aspx

The MCPS Parent Academy – Sign up for FREE workshops at www.mcpsparentacademy.org

Student safety: As parents and caregivers, we often have questions about student safety.  You can find information about how Montgomery County Public Schools approaches student safety at https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2018-2019/Ensuring-Student-Safety.html

A Look Ahead:

• Oct 2 – National Custodial Worker’s Recognition Day; Drama Club parent meeting (5:30 pm – 6:30 pm)
• Oct 4 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm)
• Oct 9 – No school for students and teachers
• Oct 14 – Columbus Day: Open house for parents & guardians (9 am – 11 am)
• Oct 17 – Fall Academic Night (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Oct 25 – 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• Oct 23-31 – Red Ribbon week
• November is Military Family month!!
• Nov 5  – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Nov 8 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm)
• Nov 11 & 12 – Early release days for all students (12:55 pm); Parent-Teacher conferences
• Nov 20 – Report cards distributed
• Nov 22 – 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• Nov 25 – Coat Drive begins!!
• Nov 26 – International Night (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Nov 27 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm)
• Nov 28 & 29 – Thanksgiving; offices and schools closed
• Dec 3 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Dec 16-20 – PBIS Spirit week
• Dec 20 – 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am); Winter Sing-a-Long (Prek-2nd; 2 pm – 2:45 pm); Winter Wonderland class activities (2:45 pm – 3:15 pm)
• Dec 23-31 – Winter break: No school for students and teachers; Offices closed Dec 24-25
• Jan 1 – New Year’s Day: offices and schools closed
• Jan 7 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Jan 14 – Winter Concert (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Jan 20 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: offices and schools closed
• Jan 24 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm); 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• Jan 27 – Professional day for teachers; no school for students
• Jan 27-31 – The Great Kindness Challenge
• Feb 4 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm); Report cards distributed
• Feb 7 – Drama Club Carnival!! (6:30 pm – 8:30 pm)
• Feb 17 – President’s Day: offices and schools closed
• Feb 28 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm); 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• March is the Month of the Military Caregiver!!
• Mar 3 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• Mar 27 – Early release day for all students (12:55 pm); 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am)
• Mar 30-April 3 – College and Career Awareness week!!
• April is the Month of the Military Child!!
• April 2 – Light it Up Blue (Autism awareness)
• April 3 – Career Day (9:15 am – 11:15 am); STEAM Day (1:15 pm – 3:15 pm)
• Apr 6-13 Spring Break: No school for students and teachers; Offices closed April 10 and 13
• April 14 – Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm); National Assistant Principal’s Day!!
• April 15 – Drama Club parent meeting (7:30 pm – 8 pm); Report cards distributed
• April 22 – Secretaries Day!!
• April 23 – Take your Child to Work day!!
• April 24 – 2nd Cup of Coffee- Merienda- Principal’s Book of the Month (8:40 am – 9:40 am); Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast (9:45 am – 10:45 am)
• April 28 – No school for students and teachers
• April 30 – Spring Academic Night (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• May is National Military Appreciation Month and Children’s Mental Health Month!!
• May 1 – School Principal’s Day!!
• May 4-8 – Teacher Appreciation Week!!
• May 5 ­- Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• May 6 – National School Nurse Day!
• May 12 – Spring Concert (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• May 22 – Drama Club performance (7pm – 8:30 pm)
• May 25 – Memorial Day: Offices and schools closed
• May 29 – Drama Club performance (7pm – 8:30 pm)
• June 2 – PreK-2^nd Field Day; Parent Information Session/PTA Meeting (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• June 3 – 3-5 Field Day
• June 10 – Pre- K Promotion Celebration (9:30 am – 10:30 am)
• June 11 – Grades 1 & 2 Awards Assembly (2 pm – 3 pm); Grades 3 & 4 Awards Assembly & Picnic (9:30 am – 10:30 am); Grade 5 Promotion (6:30 pm – 8 pm)
• June 12 – Kindergarten Promotion & Picnic (10 am – 11 am)
• June 15 – Last day of school for students!!! Early release day for all students (12:55 pm)
• June 16 – Professional day for teachers
• **June 23 –  Report cards mailed home