Originally delivered on 1/3/2022 4:48 pm

SUBJECT: SCES PTA Post Jan. 3 - Jan. 7

PTAPostHeader
Week of Jan. 3 - Jan. 7

Important Upcoming Dates:

Jan. 3Snow day!
Jan. 4PTA Meeting
Jan. 12Early Release 
Jan. 17MLK Day  - No School

This is a weekly e-newsletter compiled by the Sligo Creek Elementary School (SCES) PTA to share current and upcoming school events and other information important to our school community. Please subscribe directly under your profile on the PTA website. We encourage all SCES families to sign up. If you have questions, contact communications@scespta.org.

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Para leer el boletin, de click con el boton derecho del raton (mouse). Elija "traducir" seleccionando "espanol". Use el navegador the internet Google Chrome o MIcrosof Edge.  

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Pour lire la newsletter en français, ouvrez-la à l'aide du navigateur Internet Chrome ou Microsoft Edge. Faites un clic droit et choisissez "Traduire" puis sélectionnez le français. 

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።berarÄ« werek’etuni be’āmarinya lemanibebi ye Chrome yebeyinemerebi āsashi bemet’ek’emi yikifetuti ፡፡ bek’enyi t’ek’i yadirigu ina “terigumi” ni merit’ewi kezÄ«ya āmarinyani yimiret’u።    

በራሪ ወረቀቱን በአማርኛ ለማንበብ የ Chrome የበይነመረብ አሳሽ በመጠቀም ይክፈቱት ፡፡ በቀኝ ጠቅ ያድርጉ እና “ተርጉም” ን መርጠው ከዚያ አማርኛን ይምረጡ   

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The PTA Post is online here: https://scespta.membershiptoolkit.com/pta-post-newsletter 

Image of calendar with
PTA Meeting - Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6:30 PM

Please join us for the next PTA Meeting via Zoom

Jan. 4, 2022  - 6:30 PM   

The vote to amend the PTA budget is postponed until February. Thanks so much to those who registered to vote; hold that thought, and we'll circle back once we've had more time to review the budget. 


The PTA Meeting log-in is below. 

Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93121471349?pwd=WEM4emJUR1hkTFpwSWZqNzJBYmtMQT09


Meeting ID: 931 2147 1349

Passcode: SD6q4p


AGENDA  

1. New Business / Other Items

  • Outdoor classroom presentation 
  • MCCPTA updates

2. Acting Principal’s Update - Ms. Nesmith

3. Treasurer’s Report

4. President’s Report

5. Old Business

  • Vice President position vacancy

6. Committees’ Reports

  • Wellness Committee
PTA Executive Vice President Needed

Our PTA has an immediate opening for the position of Executive Vice President.  

The job description follows:  

Executive Vice President  

The Executive Vice President assists the President(s) as needed. Their main function is to ensure succession planning for the position of President. Ideally, this person will run for President in the next possible election, but doing so is not required.  

Responsibilities include:  

• Assist the PTA President(s) and become familiar with the administrative, budget, and liaison responsibilities of the President.  

• Attend monthly Board meetings.  

• Work closely with VPs of Communication and Academic Affairs.  

• Collaborate with the VP of Events and Fundraising.  

• Assist with recruiting volunteers for the various PTA committees and events.  


Please consider whether you might contribute to the school in this way, and reach out to one of us if you have any questions or are interested in the position.  

president@scespta.org  (Rick Bacon)  

treasurer@scespta.org  (Laura Fruge)  

communications@scespta.org (Brenna Thibault)  

events@scespta.org  (Jennifer Meyer)  

MCPS COVID Response

Information from the most recent MCPS Community Update   https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2021-2022/Community-Update-20211230-final.html follows:  

  • Home rapid test kits for all students and staff
    The Montgomery County Government will provide at-home rapid test kits for all students and staff over the next two weeks. Families will be asked to administer the tests to their children and report any positive test results. 
  • Masks for staff members  
    All staff members will receive KN-95 masks this week.  
  • In-school testing for students continues  
    MCPS plans to increase screening tests for students who do not have symptoms and focus on schools with higher rates of cases. 
  • Current quarantine guidelines still in effect  
    MCPS will continue to use the same quarantine guidelines until further guidance is provided from the Maryland Department of Health.   
  • Criteria for transitioning to virtual learning  
    If 5 percent or more of unrelated students/teachers/staff* (minimum of 10 individuals) tests positive in a 14-day period, a determination will be made as to whether the school should be closed for 14 calendar days and transition to virtual instruction. The 5 percent threshold does not automatically result in school closure; the primary factor to consider will be the level of the spread of the virus in the school. 

*Many have questioned whether "unrelated" refers to familial relationships or school relationships (classroom, sports team, etc.). According to Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Earl Stoddard, "Unrelated students, staff and faculty means there is 'uncontrolled spread' throughout the school -- not contained to a few classrooms, activities, athletics or similar groupings." This quote suggests that MCPS is using "unrelated" to refer to school-based relationships. 


Resources

Cartoon image of pile of board games, including Life, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Monopoly and Clue
Game Drive for Indoor Recess

As we look ahead to the colder (and perhaps snowier/rainier) winter months, when some days of recess will inevitably be held indoors, the PTA would like to provide our teachers and classrooms with additional indoor recess activities for the students. It appears that over the last several years the supplies have significantly dwindled.  

We will dedicate some PTA funds to this cause, but the costs add up quite a bit for 27 classrooms. We have put together an Amazon wish list with games/puzzles/crafts for indoor recess/classroom use and we are grateful to any families that wish to contribute!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FZL07CTKOGQ8?ref_=wl_share   

Our goal is to collect the games/activities and gather them for teachers to "shop" for what they think would be good for their students/classrooms. We will also happily accept gently used games that you are ready to pass on. I'll send a note shortly with more details on that.

Many thanks and happy new year!

Emily Bleimund, SCES PTA Wellness Committee Chair

Chess Club and Panda Programmer Classes Temporarily on Hold

Please note that extracurricular activities such as Chess Club and Panda Programmer are temporarily on hold due to the uptick in COVID cases.

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Photo of baskets of fruit and box of croissants in Staff Lounge at SCES
Stock the Staff Lounge

Please consider signing up to show our hard-working staff lots of love in January! Homemade cookies or any other treats are very welcome and thoroughly appreciated (as in, gone within the hour!). Please wrap for individual takeaways.  

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/4090949a5ad2fa3f58-stock  

The Teacher Appreciation Committee prefers that items are dropped off or mailed to Katie's house. Please contact Katie for the address at katevdk@gmail.com.  

Thanks,

PTA Teacher Appreciation Committee  

Katie Ryan & Tracie Siddiqui 

Easy Ways to Support SCES


SCES has received nearly $300 from AmazonSmile so far this year. Please turn on AmazonSmile and point your donations toward SCES!  

Sign Up for AmazonSmile:  

1. http://smile.amazon.com

2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials.

3. Choose Sligo Creek Elementary School as your charity of choice.

4. Add a bookmark for http://smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

Turn on AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app:

1. Open the App and find 'Settings' in the main menu.

2. Tap on 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile in the App.  


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Scan Receipts for BOX TOPS  

1. Download the BOX TOP$ for Education App  

2. Select Sligo Creek Elementary School (zip code 20910).  

3. Look for the BOX TOP$ logo when shopping.  

4. Scan your grocery receipts within 14 days of purchasing.


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Mabel's Labels  

If you find yourself needing some personalized name labels, please consider supporting this fundraiser, and the PTA will earn 20% from your purchase! Your labels will ship to your house for free. They're great for lunch boxes, backpacks, clothes, shoes -- you name it!  

To purchase, go to campaigns.mabelslabels.com and search for "Sligo Creek ES PTA." 

This fundraiser will run continuously, so it will be there whenever you have a labeling need.

AmazonSmile, BoxTops, CocaCola GIVE and Harris Teeter logos
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