Colt Connection

Week of: February 20, 2017 Everyone is talking about PAINT NIGHTS and how much fun they are! Join us at Leeds for our very own Paint Night with Mr. Skudalski on Friday, March 3 at 6:00! Registration forms were sent home last week with a $10 canvas purchase per painter to be paid in advance to ensure enough supplies. We hope to see you there! Please contact school or PTO at leedspto@aol.com for more information. Admission that evening cannot be guaranteed without advance registration.

Leeds is excited to welcome MS. KALI DUOBINIS to the 4th grade team! Be on the look-out, 4th grade families, for a special meet-and-greet opportunity after Ms. Duobinis begins on the 27th! FREE Special Education Resource Fair on Saturday, March 4th at Bay View Elementary School will include: Puppeteer show for all ages, special education interactive sessions, information from over 30 local resource agencies, and door prizes for those who register and attend! You can register with the following link or contact prc@ccps.org for more information. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LHK6DRS SAVE THE DATE: STEM and BEYOND NIGHT at EHS! This hands-on event will take place on Tuesday, March 14th from 5:30-8:00. Registration opens March 3. Stay tuned for more details...

Testing Time is quickly approaching! This year the 5th graders will take MISA, Maryland Integrated Science Assessment, instead of MSA Science. Fifth Grade will test for 4 days, March 20, 21, 23, and 24 from 12:30-2:15. Please make every effort to have your 5th grader here for testing each day.

The PARCC Assessment window will be in late April and May. More information will be shared in the next few weeks. All students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will take a PARCC Reading and Math assessment.

Check out these ROCKIN’ READERS from Ms. Pawlicki’s 2nd grade! Super job with partner reading!

Mrs. Williams’ class has won yet another contest! This time it was the PTO readathon. Here they are enjoying their PTO prize of a pizza party!! Way to go, Mrs. Williams’ class!

Mr. Dominick from Orbital ATK was busy at Leeds this week! First, he worked with Mrs. Williams’ class to complete a SPACE SUIT SIMULATION where students had to wear large gloves and assemble two soda bottles into one structure to compare it to an astronaut working in space. Then they did a MICROGRAVITY SIMULATION where students (and Mrs. Williams) sat in office chairs and had to get themselves from one end of the classroom to the other without touching the floor! Students talked about why it was so difficult and the strategies they could use to move; just like the astronauts do in space! The student are already excited for Mr. Dominick’s next visit when he works with them to make and launch their own rocket!

As if that wasn’t enough, Mr. Dominick was back to welcome Mr. Joe from The Franklin Institute as he talked to us about SPACE LIFE! The students enjoyed launching a rocket, hearing about living in zero gravity and learning about all of the gear required for astronauts! Thank you to Mr. Dominick, Orbital ATK, and The Franklin Institute!

By now you know all about our marking period green zone celebrations, but have you heard about SPONTANEOUS GREEN ZONE? On any given day or time, staff will call out a spontaneous celebration for all students being respectful, responsible, and safe as identified on the classroom chart for being on green or blue. This week, the 3rd grade teachers hosted a Cupid Shuffle dance party! What a great way to celebrate following school expectations!

CAFETERIA UPDATE: Unfortunately, due to the high volume of requests, packed lunches will not be able to be heated for individual students. Thank you for your understanding.

The 2017-2018 CCPS School Calendar is now available! Click here:

Calendar

It’s never too early to think about SUMMER CAMPS! SAFETYVILLE The Cecil County Department of Parks and Recreation, together with the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office, will hold two Child Safety Programs for four and five year olds at Rising Sun High School and Elk Neck Elementary School.

Each two-week program is designed to develop safety habits and awareness through hands-on participation using a miniature town with buildings, crosswalks, and traffic signs. Classroom activities include stranger awareness, fire safety and poisons. Special visitors, movies, songs, art activities and a Community Helpers Day event are planned at each location. The registration form is attached. GEMS 1 and GEMS 2:

CERDEC Summer Camps This seasons themes are: July 24 - July 28: Rising 5th & 6th Grade: Lego MindStorm Robotics: Mars Rover Challenge July 31 - Aug 4: Rising 9th & 10th Grade: Natural disasters and bridges: Shark Tank edition! Aug 7 - Aug 11: Rising 7th & 8th Grade: Sports anD Science- Let's Play Ball! Applications are currently being accepted. In order to improve your experience, there have been some changes to the application process for this year. As part of this new process, you are now able to access and complete the application from your mobile device. A full description of the new process including detailed instructions are available on the website for your review: http://www.cerdec.army.mil/student_programs/math_and_science_summer_camp/.

Special Education Parent Involvement Survey Parents or guardians of children receiving special education and related services were mailed the Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services during the week of February 1. Parents are asked to complete the survey and return it in the postage paid envelope by April 30, 2017. The Survey may also be completed online. Please look for details in your survey packet. Your feedback will help guide efforts to improve special education and related services in your local school system. Your voice can make a real difference for your child and many other children across the state of Maryland. To learn more, please visit https://www.mdparentsurvey.com.

The University of Maryland School of Dentistry will be offering free dental sealants on Saturday, February 25 at Principio Health Center in Perryville. The event will begin at 8:30 and is for students ages 4-12. Be on the lookout for flyers coming home with your child.

SAVE THE DATE: CCPS Parent Resource Fair at Bay View Elementary School on March 4, 2017 from 9:00 AM -12:00 PM. In addition to local agency tables, interactive sessions will be available for parents, children, and those who work with children with disabilities or challenges. This is a FREE resource fair with door prizes for those who register and attend! Contact the PRC at 410-996-5637 for more information. DO THESE LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU?? LOST AND FOUND! Please remind your child to take a look if you are missing anything! We have lots of hats and single gloves! It is always a great idea to write your child’s name on the inside tag, if possible.

Interested in purchasing school spirit wear? Simply go to the Leeds webpage and click on SCHOOL SPIRIT! This will take you to My Locker where you can personalize your very own Leeds Spirit Wear! Or, just use: http://www.mylocker.net/maryland/elkton/leeds-elementary-school/index.html

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

20 CCPS Schools

Closed for PRESIDENTS’

DAY

21 -Students off

-Staff

Professional Development

Day

22 -Oral Health Impact Project -2:00 5th grade Genius Hour

23 -8:15 All Pro Dads (K&1st) -Oral Health Impact Project -4th&5th Grade Chorus

24 -Career Day: Grades 3-5 -Oral Health Impact Project

27 -Interims sent home **Please contact your teacher to schedule a conference if you have any questions or concerns. -4th&5th Grade Chorus -3:45 Homework Club

28 -Rocky visit for grades K-3 -5:30 Chess Club -6:30 County Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting at Board of Ed

1 -2:00 5th grade Genius Hour

2 -Read Across America Day!

-3:00 DEAR: Drop

Everything and Read!

3 SPIRIT DAY: Inside Out! -6:00 PTO Family Paint Night!

6 -3:45 Homework Club

7 -5:30 Chess Club

8 9 -4th&5th Grade Chorus

10 -End PreK Trimester2 -Bolte/Duobinis to FairHill

WANT TO RECOGNIZE A STAFF MEMBER OR EVEN YOUR OWN CHILD WITH A COLT COUPON? Please send a note or e-mail to Ms. MacDowell at ndmacdowell@ccps.org with the staff/student name and a brief message to be included on a shout out!

POWERSCHOOL is an outstanding way to stay current on your child’s grades, attendance, or even personal messages from your teacher. Be sure to look in your information packet coming home the first week of school. Parents are encouraged to use the mobile app for PowerSchool. Want a simple way to earn cash for your school?? Collecting BOX TOPS is one of the easiest ways! Simply cut the box tops from your packages and send them to school to be dropped off in the media center! It is just that easy!