Carrie Weedon Early Education Center

911 Galesville Road

Galesville, MD 20765

Carrie Weedon Compass

September, 2019

School Hours

7:45 a.m—3:45 p.m. Office

Hours

8:25 a.m.—2:50 p.m. Student

Hours

Principal’s Message ,

Dear Carrie Weedon Parents,

Welcome to the Carrie Weedon Family! We are so delighted to provide the

foundation of your child’s formal educational journey. We will provide a

welcoming environment with developmentally appropriate experiences that

stimulate learning and prepare every student for success. As a team, we

have the privilege to instill the love of learning and to share with students

how to become good citizens. Carrie Weedon students will SAIL into suc-

cess.

Students will:

Show Responsibility

Always be Respectful

Include Everyone

Listen, Learn, and Love

Parents, we also want our students to become Attendance Heroes! Here

Everyday Ready, On-time.

Here are some highlights of our school routines. First, bus riders will enter

the building followed by car riders at 8:25 a.m. The instructional day be-

gins at 8:40and ends at 3:25. Please make sure your child is here by 8:40

a.m. or he/she will be considered tardy.

The PTA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday October 22,2019, from 6:00 to

7:30. I ask that you bring your ideas, enthusiasm, and patience, as we

determine the most effective way to support children of Carrie Weedon

Early Education Center.

Our first event for the year will be the Carrie Weedon Family Breakfast! It

will be held on Friday, October 11, 2019, from 8:00– 9:00, in your child's

classroom. Bring your child too have a light breakfast and conversation

with the staff at Carrie Weedon.

Carrie Weedon Early Education Center looks forward to working with all

families and students. If you have any questions or concerns, please do

not hesitate to call or email me.

(sboysaw@aacps.org)

Parents, let us work together to prepare our children to reach their

dreams!

Mrs. Shirlette Boysaw

Dates To Remember:

Upcoming September Events

9/15-10/15 Hispanic Heritage Month 23 First Day for All Students 24 Back to School Night (6:00-8:00) 30 Schools & Offices Closed-Rosh Hashanah

Upcoming October Events 1-31 Harvest for the Hungry Drive 2 Custodian Appreciation Day 8 2 Hour Early Dismissal 9 Schools & Offices Closed-Yom Kippur 11 Carrie Weedon Family Breakfast (8:00-9:00) 15,16 No Students-Conferences 23 Unity Day-Wear Orange 25 Fall Pictures & Staff Picture 31 Fall Festival

About Attendance

• If your child arrives after 8:40 a.m., he/she will be

late.

• If your child leaves before 11:15 a.m., he/she will

be absent for the day.

• If your child leaves after 11:15 a.m., but before

12:45 p.m., he/she will receive an early dismissal

with half day absence.

• When a child is absent, please send a note. When

these procedures are not followed, the absence

code must be assumed to be unlawful and will be

coded as unexcused.

• After 12:45p.m., early dismissal will be given any

student who leaves before 2:50 p.m.

Parents, keep in mind that habits are formed early. It

is more difficult to break a bad habit. For example,

when a child begs to stay home and parent says, “just

this once” rather than saying “no” in the beginning.

Cafeteria News

Meal Prices for 2019/2020 School Year

Breakfast/Reduced: $1.50/Free

Lunch/Reduced: $2.75/$.40

Milk: $.55

NOTE: Applications for free and reduced lunches are accepted

online at applyformeals.aacps.org throughout the school year. Paper

applications are available to families without access to smart phones

or computers. Check out the online payment system for setting up a

lunch account by visiting MyPaymentsPlus.com. Menus are sent

home every other month, ( i.e. Sept/ Oct.) and are available on the

AACPS website.

Emergency Forms

Emergency Forms and other important documents were

distributed at Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please re-

turn these forms ASAP. Make sure the forms are com-

plete with up-to-date phone numbers, email and emer-

gency contacts. Also remember to sign the form.

This is vital information for the office, health room, and

the staff in case of an emergency.

EMERGENCY DRILLS

During each school year, various drills are conducted at every school to ensure

that staff and students are prepared in the event of an emergency. These drills

include monthly fire/evacuation drills. In addition, five drills with scenarios

developed by the school system’s Office of School Security and based upon

various possible emergency scenarios are done each year. These include, but are

not limited to: evacuation for natural gas emergencies; shelter for tornado and

earthquake; shelter for outside hazardous materials release; lockout for danger

outside of the school building, reverse evacuation back into the school for stu-

dents and staff outside; and lockdown for a dangerous situation inside of the

school.

These drills are discussed with staff prior to the drill and evaluated once the drill

is complete. In some cases, age-appropriate essential drill information may be

discussed with students before they take place. Please know that visitors may

not be able to access the building for a few minutes during the drills.

From The Health Room

Please keep your contact information updated with office, as well as the

health room. Also, if your child is absent because of a visit to the doctor, we

must have a doctor's note for that date. Also, no over-the-counter medicine is

permitted without a doctor’s note This includes cough drops

If your child has a fever, is ill, or has vomited, please do not send them to

school the next day. Students should be fever free for 24 hours, without fever

reducing medicine. We can’t prevent the flu, but we can do our best to keep

it at bay.

Check out the complete newsletter on our website for important information

from our Nurse, Tracy Marcalus, and our Health Assistant, Brenda Robinson.

On Tuesday October 1, 2019, your child will bring home a Feder-

al Impact Aid Survey form. Please assist us by filling out the in-

formation requested on the form and return it to Carrie Weedon

Early Education Center.

The U.S. Department of Education has now requested a separate

survey form for each child and the complete address of the

parent/guardian’s employer if they work on federal property,

and the complete address of the federal property on which

they work, and each survey form must be signed and dated by

the parent/guardian. If needed, additional forms may be ob-

tained from the school or downloaded from the AACPS website

(www.aacps.org) under Students, Forms. The school system

receives approximately $2 million in funding from the Federal

government in support of our children after the forms are pro-

cessed. Thank you in advance for your support and assistance.

Should you have any questions regarding this information, please

contact Ms. Donna Barker at 410-222-5200.

Important Visitor Information

For the safety and security of our students and staff, all visitors

are required to show a photo ID and have your driver’s license

scanned in our Raptor System.

Thank you for helping to ensure our student’s safety.

Extra Clothes

Please be sure your child has an extra set of seasonally-appropriate

clothes (including socks and underwear) to keep in his/her locker

in the event of accidents, spills,

etc.

Thank you!

Camera Notification

Carrie Weedon Early Education Center is equipped with

a video camera system. It covers selected interior and

exterior public portions of the building and grounds. It

is NOT monitored constantly, but it is monitored during

emergency situations. During certain events, when the

safety or security of students may be in question, au-

thorized personnel from local, state, or federal police

or fire emergency units may be given access to view

images projected on the camera system. If you have

any questions about the system, you should call the

Supervisor of School Security at 410-222-5083.

Greetings from the Carrie Weedon Media Center! I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are ready to begin the new school year. I am very excited to work with your children and introduce them to the li-brary. Pre-Kindergarten classes will all be learning proper ways to behave in the media center. In the month of September, classes will also be discussing how to care for books in preparation for borrowing the books I am looking forward to a wonderful school year and sharing literature with students.

Sincerely,

Ms. Knode

Media Specialist

From Mr. Brumfield:

Hello Carrie Weedon families. I look forward to working with your little one this year. Here are a couple things to keep in

mind on P.E. Days.

• Thursday’s are P.E. day.

• Please remember to send your child in the appropriate shoes. (No boots, flip flops, etc.) Thank you!

• Please dress them in comfortable clothing, that will be easy for them to move in and participate in class.

The Counseling Connection

With School Counselor Mrs. Zitofsky

Attendance

Research shows that too many absences - excused or unexcused - can keep students from suc-

ceeding in school. Carrie Weedon Early Education Center will be implementing a school-wide

program to support daily school attendance, where every student strives to be an “Attendance HERO”- Here, Everyday, Ready,

On-time. This program will kick-off in October. More information will be sent home soon!

Balanced Lunches and Healthy Snacks

Be sure to pack balanced lunches and healthy snacks for your children to enjoy at school each day. Children

who are exposed to balanced meals and snacks will develop healthier eating habits and maintain a healthy

weight.

Structuring Your Child’s Bedtime Routines

Establishing daily routines is an important tool for helping children to manage their behavior. More specifically, having a predicta-

ble nighttime routine will help them understand and learn to expect what comes next and may prevent future bedtime struggles.

Brush, Book, Bed, a program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), has a simple and clear message for parents. Each

night:

Brush

All young children need help with brushing and flossing from an adult to make sure a good job is done. When possible, teach chil-

dren to spit out extra toothpaste, but don't rinse with water first. The little bit of toothpaste left behind is good for their teeth! Visit

your dentist regularly starting with your child's first birthday or sooner if there are concerns. The last thing to touch the teeth be-

fore bed is the toothbrush!

Book

Set aside 15-30 minutes with the TV off for sharing books as part of your regular bedtime routine. Reading aloud together will help

improve your child's language development and social-emotional skills. Make up your own stories, use silly voices, sing songs, and

enjoy this special bonding time with your child. Visit your local library/bookstore to allow your child to explore different kinds of

books.

Bed

Sleep is very important to your child's health and well-being. However, getting young children to sleep (and to stay asleep) is often

one of the most daunting tasks of parenthood. The key is to have a predictable series of steps that help him wind down from the

day.

Set regular bedtimes and stick to them. Do not wait for your child to start rubbing his eyes or yawning - that's probably too late.

Putting your child to bed even 15 to 20 minutes earlier can make a big difference and ensure everyone has a good night's rest.

Children who do not get enough sleep regularly often display difficult behaviors and health problems including irritability, difficul-

ty concentrating, hypertension, obesity, headaches, and depression. Children who get enough sleep have a healthier immune sys-

tem, and better school performance, behavior,

memory, and mental health.

1. BRUSH

Help your child to brush their teeth.

2. BOOK

Read a favorite book (or two)!

3. BED

Get to bed at a regular time each night.

A message from the Pre—K Team: Mrs. Barber, Mrs. Frank, and

Mrs. Pumphrey:

Hello Families! We are off to a great start in pre-K. The students have been doing a wonderful job learning the routines and procedures of Carrie Weedon. Thank you to all the families that came to Back to School Night. It was wonderful to see so much support and interest from all that were able to at-tend. As we mentioned, please feel free to reach out with any questions at any time. In Language and Literacy, we will be reading books and discussing how we are special and unique and what makes our family special and unique. We will be exploring the letters Nn, Ww, Pp,Hh, Mm, and Aa. We will be identifying the letter, the sound it makes and words or objects that begin with that sound. The words we will be introduced to are: see, we, I like, to, and am. In Math, we will continue with sorting and counting objects. Students will work with counting 1-5, identify numerals 1-5 and make sets of 1-5 objects.

Reading Corner with Mrs. Kasulke, Carrie Weedon Reading Teacher

Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is Library Card Sign-Up month. It is free to sign up for a library card in Anne Arundel County. This is a

fantastic way that you can support your child’s academic success. By signing up, your child will have access to thousands of

books and other online resources. Also, your local library is staffed with extremely knowledgeable and helpful librarians that

love assisting patrons with almost anything! Here is a link that you can use to sign up for a free library card: https://

catalog.aacpl.net/MyAccount/SelfReg

National Literacy Month

September is National Literacy month. Reading books together at home is a wonderful way to promote literacy.

This is an excellent way for children to build their vocabulary. Also, it allows adults the opportunity to ask children questions

about the illustrations in books and to make predictions about what will happen next. Research shows that children grow up

to become better readers when they are consistently read to at home. Other ways to promote literacy at home include us-

ing a mixture of songs, poetry and storytelling, too.

Read a New Book Month

September is Read a New Book month. This would be a great reason why you should visit your local library. The

library is always receiving new books. Maybe you could try to find a genre or topic that you have never tried before? It is

exciting for children to search through the shelves for books that interest them. It is also powerful for adults to read their

own books in front of children. Children like to mimic their parents and other adults. Parents that enjoy read-

ing often have children that enjoying reading, too!

Please let me know if you ever have any questions! I am always available and happy to help!

Mrs. Kasulke

skasulke@aacps.org

Step #1

On-line Background Investigation Please note, if you have completed the background check within the past 2 years, your clearance is still good. Clearances expire 2 years from the date requested.

To access the on-line background investigation:

• Go to https://www.aacps.org/.

• Click the “Families” tab.

• Scroll down and look to the left hand side under “Resources/Links.” Click on “Chaperones/Volunteers Background Investigations”.

• Scroll down and hit “Apply for a Background Check.”

• Complete Form.

Note: You are required to fill in both a date you wish to start volun-teering and a date and location of a field trip. If you do not have an exact date or are not going on a field trip the form requires you to put in something. Put in a date that is 2-3 weeks out or an approximate date you think you will be starting to volunteer/chaperone.

Are you planning on being a Chaperone or Volunteer this Year?

Anne Arundel County Office of School Security requires perspective Chaperones AND Volunteers to com-plete BOTH steps below:

Step #1: On-line Background Investigation

Step #2: Watch the Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Video

Step #2

Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Video

To watch the Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Video:

• Go to https://www.aacps.org/.

• Click the “Families” tab.

• Look to right of screen, under the heading “Getting Involved in Your School.” Click on “School and Family Partnership”.

• At top of page to left, click on “School Support/Volunteers tab.”

• Look to right of screen under “New volun-teers can view the: Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse Presentation (YouTube version).” Click on YouTube version link to view video.

Once you have completed the on-line background investigation and viewed the Sexual Harass-ment and Child Abuse Video, please sign the form your child brought home and send it in to

school with your child and his/her teacher will forward it to the front office. Forms are also availa-ble in the front office.

VOLUNTEER CODE OF ETHICS

As a volunteer, I am a member of an educational team. As a volunteer member of that team:

• I understand that all information concerning children, teachers, and the school is confidential and should remain in the school setting.

• I shall maintain the dignity necessary to gain the respect of students and set a good example at all times.

• I will show high regard for each child by being courteous, impartial, and fair.

• I will respect those with whom I work.

• I will not impose my own religious or political views upon students.

• I understand that I will work under the supervision of one or more staff members.

Communicating with your School Nurse

Parents/Guardians—Keep your School Nurse up to date:

1. Please be sure to inform your School Nurse about your child’s health conditions or other special health needs in order to plan for safe management at school. Chronic health condi-tions including but not limited to: asthma, seizures, diabetes or life threatening allergies.

2. Tell your School Nurse if your child’s health condition interferes with school attendance.

3. Make sure to tell your School Nurse about medications and medical treatments your child requires during the school day.

4. Tell your School Nurse about any changes in your child’s health or mobility status, or about any infectious disease.

5. Speak to the School Nurse if you need to obtain information about health insurance for your child.

Any questions or health related concerns? Please contact your School Nurse,T racy Marcalus RN, or Brenda Robinson, Health Assistant, at 410-222-1625.

Working Together for a Safe and Healthy School Year!

Anne Arundel County Department of Health

School Health Services