College Gardens Elementary School

5th Grade Parent Information Night is tonight, Monday, Feb. 6

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. in our All Purpose Room.  Topics to be presented and discussed include our 5^th grade students’ Family Life unit, Math and IB Exhibition.

PTA Meeting is tomorrow night, Tuesday, Feb. 7th

Join us for the February PTA Meeting this Tuesday, February 7th at 7:00 pm in the All Purpose Room.  Our agenda items will include:

• The proposed delay of RM#5 Elementary School
• Family Fun Night (2/24)
• Cultural Heritage Night (3/23)
• Science Fair Expo (4/28)
• Special Presentation by Mrs. Dian Rubiera, CGES Staff Development Teacher  - "Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in a Nutshell"

If you will need baby-sitting to attend this meeting, please email Jen Green at hahleewude@verizon.net by 12-noon today, Monday, February 6th.

We Can't Wait TWO More Years!!  Come to the County Council Public Hearing this Thursday, Feb. 9, 7:00 pm

In fall 2011, MCPS's Board of Education approved a plan to build a new elementary school in the Richard Montgomery HIgh School Cluster (a.k.a RMES#5) with an opening date of 2015. As you know, when this school opens, it will be filled immediately with students because of the high number of students in the rest of this Cluster. However, a few weeks ago, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett recommended to the County Council a TWO-YEAR DELAY in opening RMES#5.

The reasons stated by Leggett's office do not add up. (See article in Rockville Patch) For example, a two-year delay in construction will cost the county more because of the increase in construction costs. Additionally, there are many places the County can readily relocate the Children's Resource Center. The delay will not only effect the children already enrolled and those coming into our schools but it will have an effect on our excellent teachers and staff who may decide that they do not want to work in such crowded school anymore. Our elementary schools are extremely crowded! We can't wait TWO more years!!!

The County Council is having a public hearing on this budget issue on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 7 pm at the Council Office Building 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. Our RM Cluster Coordinator Cheryl Pierce will be speaking on our behalf to urge the County Council to support the Board of Education's approved plans NOT the County Executive's recommendation. We need YOU to support our cluster and demonstrate this by the following ways: 

1.  Be there physically next Thursday with 8.5 x 10 signs saying "RM" or "RMES#5 in '15" or "RM Cluster". Bring your students and future students. The exact time and agenda comes out on 2/9.

                   AND...

2.  Write to the County Council to express your support of the Board of Education's recommendation to build and open RMES#5 in 2015. Please see the email address and example letter below. Please CC info@cgespta.org to keep us in the loop.

Please let your neighborhood groups, parents' groups, preschools, teachers and everyone know! The number of people who show up and the number of polite emails to the County Council will get the Council to notice. Don't let our children's education (and your home value) decline because of silly excuses by the County Executive. 

The list and contact information for all Councilmembers are here, but he general County Council email is below with the sample email. Don't forget to CC info@cgespta.org 

Gegi Leeger & Nancy Paul

College Gardens MCCPTA Reps.

Example letter only. Feel free to edit:

E-mail: county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov 

Dear Council Members:

My name is XXXXXXX. I am a homeowner in Rockville, Maryland and my children attend (OR will attend) a very crowded College Gardens Elementary School in the RM Cluster.

I would like to kindly urge the County Council to approve the Board of Education's Recommendation for the building and opening of RMES#5 in 2015. It will help alleviate the overcrowded conditions in our RM Cluster.

Regards,

XXXXXXX (your name)

XXXXXXXX (your address)

Our Children (This week's feature article)

"The Building Blocks of Positive Behavior" by Matthew Cregor © 2008

The Three B's are found posted on almost every wall at Blossomwood Elementary School in Huntsville, AL, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Resourceful. 

The Three B's are part of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS; www.pbis.org), a systems-based method for improving student behavior, is being implemented at Blossomwood.

"For us, it is about consistency," said Carol Costello, Blossomwood's assistant principal. "We needed to set school wide expectations for student behavior. PBIS gives our students, teachers, and staff a common language for discussing students' actions."

The same words adorn the walls of Lincoln Elementary, another school implementing PBIS. In some ways, Lincoln is similar to Blossomwood. Both schools score well on state testing, consistently meet the Adequate Yearly Progress requirements of No Child Left Behind, and have top-end attendance rates. Demographically, however, the schools are different. About 80% of Lincoln Elementary students receive a free or reduced-price lunch, while about 15% of Blossomwood students do.

Lincoln and Blossomwood are among more than 7,000 schools nationwide implementing PBIS. The program was developed at the University of Oregon and has been shown to work at all grade levels and be effective in districts with greater concentrations of poverty and higher percentages of "at-risk" students. For those schools that effectively implement PBIS, the list of demonstrated rewards is long:

• reduced office referral rates of up to 50% per year;
• improved attendance and school engagement;
• improved academic achievement;
• reduced dropout rates;
• reduced delinquency in later years;
• improved school atmosphere; and
• reduced referrals to special education.

(read full article)

Clothing Drive for the Health Room

The CGES Health Room is in dire need of used, donated clothing.  Many students have "accidents" during the day and come to the Health Room for clothing changes.  Please donate pants, sweatpants, or jeans, particularly for grades K to 3rd.  Clothing can be brought in directly to the Health Room - across from Mrs. Armi's desk.  Any donations will be greatly appreciated.

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Family Fun Night is Coming!!

The PTA’s Family Fun Night will be on Friday, February 24^th.  College Gardens will be turned into a Winter Wonderland!  We need volunteers to help plan and work this event that is fun for the whole family.  There will be food, games, crafts, a DJ, a raffle and more!   The proceeds from the raffle help fund this event.  If you are interested in donating to the raffle, helping out or know students who need SSL hours, please contact Gegi Leeger on 301-879-2219 or at GegiPTA@hotmail.com.

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CGES Cultural Heritage Night 2012 is coming!

March 23, 2012 will be an exciting night!  It’s College Gardens Cultural Heritage Night!  We all have ethnic heritage, so come celebrate yours and enjoy the flavors of other cultures.

• Cultural Heritage Night 2012 - Flyer 

   
• Cultural Heritage Night 2012 - Participation & Volunteer Form

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Science Fair Expo - April 28th - Parent Volunteers Needed

It's February, but planning for the Annual CGES Science Fair Expo in April has begun.  Our current need is a parent (or two) to Co-chair this event with CGES staff members.  If you are interested or wish to be on the planning committee, please contact PTA President, Jen Green at hahleewude@verizon.net, or Mr. Ewald at: John_D_Ewald@mcpsmd.org.

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Parent Volunteers Needed

• The College Gardens Art Program seeks a publicist to help make sure information about art contests and shows is distributed to all families.

• Mr. Cousin also seeks a Parent Liason for the CGES Conservation committee. 

Please consider helping out. Email veronicasfoley@yahoo.com or contact Mr. Cousin for more information.

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Get a free kid's meal at California Tortilla in February when you bring your child and his/her current report card

Our friends at California Tortilla in Rockville (at Rockville Town Center, next to the Regal Movie Theaters) would like to reward our hard working students with a free kid's meal.  Parents, bring your child and his/her current report card to California Tortilla in Rockville and receive a free kid's meal. Offer valid during the month of February 2012.  This offer is valid only at the Rockville location.

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Clip those Box Tops!

Be sure to continue to help your school earn easy money by clipping Box Tops for Education and bringing them into school. College Gardens receives 10 cents for every box top we turn in for this program. That doesn't seem like much, but considering the fact that we received a check for over $1000 last year says plenty! Please continue to look for Box Tops on products that you normally buy - brands such as General Mills, Kleenex, Ziplock, Hefty, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, and so much more!  Then, cut out the official box top rectangle (not the whole top of the box), and make sure the expiration date has not passed. Finally, send them in an envelope or a baggie to your teacher as soon as possible. Easy as pie! Thanks so much for all the support you have given to this program.  There has been an increased activity of Box Tops flowing to the school this year, and we know its all due to our dedicated and supportive parents and teachers.  Thanks for all that you do!