January 2010
Albert P. DuPont, Ed.D., Principal
Stacey F. Rogovoy, Assistant Principal
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe that a few days ago I was watching the ball drop once again from
Times Square in New York. The amazement of another year passing and the possibilities
of the future is always a moment of hope.
The new year brings an opportunity to renew our personal goals. I would like to give you
some additional thoughts when reflecting on your 2010 goals. I encourage you to renew
your commitment to your children in school. Their education is critical to all of us, but
we need your help to continue the work we have begun in 2009. We would like you to
renew your commitment to volunteer in school. We need tutors, photocopiers,
recess/lunch monitors, bulletin board decorators, etc. The roles are endless. The bottom
line, we need you!
So, please contact your child’s teacher to see how you can help. If they have the needed
volunteers, please ask another teacher or get in touch with the office so we can help you
get started.
To the regular volunteers – thank you. We appreciate all that you do. Without you, we
cannot be the success that we are. Please continue to help us.
Happy 2010. We look forward to seeing you more and renew our commitment to having
you join us in the vision.
Sincerely,
Albert P. DuPont, Ed.D.
Principal
IB PYP Corner
Megan
Second
Grade: May
the Force Be
with You!
Karl
Second
Grade: May
the Force Be
with You!
Maya
Third Grade:
Let’s
Get
Energized
Jinah
Third Grade:
Let’s
Get
Energized
Meghan
Fourth
Grade:
Are
World
We
the
Fourth
Grade:
Are
World
We
the
PYP Corner
It is hard to believe but, we are currently on the
third unit of inquiry for the Primary Years
Programme. We have so many things that we
are learning about in each unit of inquiry. These
are a few of our favorite things:
Favorite Things
What is your favorite thing that you are learning
about in your current unit of inquiry?
Student
Justin
Sarah
Grade
Kindergarten:
Let’s
Find
Out
Kindergarten:
Let’s
Find
Out
Kyle
First Grade:
Roam
Around
Anisha
First Grade:
Roam
Around
Favorite Thing
I am learning about
Dolphins.
I am
questioning:
-Where do Dolphins
sleep?
-What do they eat?
My favorite thing about
this unit is going to the
computer
lab
to
research.
I
am
researching
monkeys. My research
questions are:
-What do monkeys
look like in real life?
-Why do they eat
bananas?
-Where do they live?
My favorite thing is
finding answers to my
questions.
I like looking at the
states on a map. I like
learning about where
each state is. I like
Colorado
the
best
because I was born
there.
My favorite thing about
the unit is looking at
the different countries
Cook
Corey
Fifth Grade:
People
on a map. I found
India!
I like learning about
incline planes. They
make things easier
because you can pull
the object. I can now
find incline planes
outside the classroom.
I like learning about
pulleys the best. They
remind me of cranes
and building things. I
might want to be an
engineer when I grow
up.
I like when we used
Web Blender to make a
web page to present our
information on Bio
Mass.
I like when we did
Smart Town. This was
when we made a map.
There was a certain
amount of mileage for
our pretend person to
travel on the map. We
had to make a travel
log for 30 days.
I
like
making
presentations. We are
learning about Native
Americans.
We are
using Power Point to
present on the Inuits.
We are researching
what they ate, tools
they used, clothing, and
beliefs of the Inuits.
My favorite part of the
unit is learning about
Native Americans. I
am researching the
Cheyenne Indians. I
am researching the
food they ate, the
animal
life,
and
clothing they wore.
I like that we are
learning about different
Revolt
types of governments.
We can learn from past
government
types.
Until this unit I never
knew
what
a
dictatorship was. My
mom is proud of me
when I come home and
tell her what I learned.
Angelina Fifth Grade: We liked when we
and Sarah People
learned
about
Revolt
dictatorships.
We
learned how many
there were and how
many are still in
existence.
Chinese Immersion News
The January Chinese Immersion Parent Information
Night will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2009
from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Applications for the 2010 – 2011 school year will
be available on the MCPS website beginning
February 1, 2010. New family interest meeting will
be held on February 23, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
Some recommendations for online dictionaries are
as follows: http://de.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php
also,
http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/chinesedictionary.php.
Student Transfer Season
Student Transfer Application Season Scheduled
from February 1, 2010 through April 1, 2010
Parents who wish to request a change in school
assignment for their children from their home
school may begin the process during the upcoming
transfer season.
Students in Montgomery County Public Schools
(MCPS) are assigned to a school on the basis of
their place of residence and are expected to attend
their home school. Assignment changes of students
from one school are permitted under the following
limited circumstances:
 Older sibling in the requested school
 Continuation in a feeder pattern from
middle school to high school, except
when affected by boundary changes
 Admission to Chinese, French, or
Spanish immersion programs
 Admission to a center for the highly
gifted
 A documented hardship situation
The transfer process begins in the home school,
where parents may request a change of school
assignment information booklet that describes the
process and provides useful information.
Assignment change forms and the information
booklets are available in schools the first week in
February and on the school system Web site at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org. The booklet will
be available in both English and Spanish. Special
programs that do not fall under the transfer
guidelines are listed in the information booklet.
Every effort will be made to notify parents of the
assignment decision by May 15, 2010.
For more information about the transfer process,
parents may contact the school office staff. NonEnglish speaking parents may receive more
information by calling the Spanish hotline at 301279-3073 or the ESOL parents center at 301-2300674. Language lines are also available to leave a
message for someone to return the call. They are:
Spanish 301-230-5403; Cambodian, 301-230-5427;
Chinese, 301-230-5428; French, 301-230-5429;
Korean, 301-230-5430; and Vietnamese, 301-2305432.
Lean on Me: NAACP Meeting
The NAACP Parents’ Council invites everyone
who shares the goal of equal education for all
children to join with us as we advocate for quality
education for minority children.
Meeting Information:
 Thursday, January 28, 2010
 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
 Room- TBD
Topics will include:
 Success in Math
a. Pathways to Success in Mathematics
c. School math intervention/support
strategies
d. MCPS parent math resources
With all of ths uncertainty, it is more important than
ever that our parents and community members are
fully informed about the budget and know exactly
how to make their voice heard. A budget website
has been created that includes a video presentation
by Dr. Weast; the full budget book, as well as a
summary; frequently asked questions and much
more. Please take the time to learn more about Dr.
Weast’s proposal and make sure the members of the
Board of Education and County Council know your
priorities and your concerns. You can visit the
website at
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budg
et/.
As we all know, even in difficult times, we must
continue to invest in education to secure the future
of our children and our community. Thank you for
your continued support!
Congratulations!
MCPS Operating Budget 2010
Superintendent, Dr. Jerry D. Weast, has released his
proposed operating budget for next school year.
The recommended budget proposes no new
initiatives but allows our school and our school
system to maintain the services and programs we
are currently providing. The only increase – about
1 percent – is to help fund MCPS’ continued growth
in enrollment.
Given the economic challenges at the state and
county levels, the future of Dr. Weast’s proposal is
very uncertain and before the budget receives final
approval from the County Council and the Board of
Education, the district could be forced to make
some very difficult cuts. With his recommendation,
Dr. Weast and the budget team – which included
our employee associations and PTAs – released a
list of areas that could be impacted should cuts to
the budget need to be made. These are not final
recommendations and we are hopeful that we will
not need to make any reductions. We want to
maintain the high level of service to our students
that has yielded such outstanding results in our
school and our system. However, we must be
prepared.
Congratulations to Ms. Alison Matuskey and Ms.
Jill McDonald, College Gardens music teachers, for
a wonderful grade 5 and grade 4 choral concerts.
The student performance was exemplary. A special
thanks to all parents who assisted to make these
performances outstanding.
Cultural Arts
Thank you to the PTA for a wonderful cultural arts
program. The children enjoyed the reptile biomes
program.
News From the Media Center
Special Occasion Book Club
Don’t forget that you can donate a new book to the
Media Center as a way to celebrate a birthday,
holiday, special achievement or to show teacher
appreciation. For a minimum donation of $10.00,
your child will be able to select a book from one of
our new arrivals. A bookplate will be placed inside
the front cover identifying the student and occasion
being honored. A certificate will be given to the
honoree, and the student will be the first person to
check out the book. Once it is returned, the book
will be available for general circulation. This is a
great way to recognize a special occasion or person
and also help increase our Media Center collection.
Please Note
Dismissal
Please make all afternoon arrangements prior to the
beginning of the school day. The end of the day is
a very busy time as we want to be sure all children
go to the proper after school location. If your child
is going to have alternate arrangements, please be
sure to send a note to the teacher in the morning. If
your child is to ride the bus home with another
student, a note is required for the bus driver.
Winter Weather Delays
On days that school is delayed, children are not
permitted in the building before the scheduled time.
Please do not call and ask for exceptions due to
work schedules and appointments; we do not have
direct supervision for children before the scheduled
time.
Remember, information about school
operations is announced publicly on local radio and
television stations, on the MCPS cable Channel 34,
a telephone information service at 301-279-3673,
on the internet at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org
or by signing up for MCPS QuickNotes on the
school system’s home page. Your full cooperation
regarding this matter is appreciated.
Home School Communication
Please remember to check your child’s home-school
folder daily. All important information will be
placed in your child’s folder.
Safety
The safety of the students at College Gardens is of
utmost importance. We are continuing to be
diligent in making sure our students are kept safe at
all times. Please be sure to remind your child of the
importance of following all rules set up for their
safety. For the safety of our students, it is important
for you to remember to sign in at the main office
and always wear a visitor badge while on school
property.
Early Dismissal
An early dismissal means that schools will close 2.5
hours earlier than scheduled. College Gardens will
close at 1:00 p.m. All buses operate on that same
early schedule and, therefore, drop-off times are 2.5
hours earlier than normal. Head Start students will
be dismissed at 10:30 a.m.
Public Announcements
Information about school operations is announced
publicly as soon as possible on area radio and
television stations, Montgomery County Cable
Channel 6 or Cable Channel 34 – MCPS TV, on the
Internet at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org, and on
a taped telephone message service at 301-279-3673.
Emergency e-mail announcements are available by
signing up for MCPS QuickNotes on the school
system’s home page. If schools are closed or
delayed, the announcement is made no later than
6:00 a.m. (or the night before if possible). If
schools are closing early, the announcement is made
by 11:00 a.m.
Saturday Discoveries
school nurse at Patricia_F_Sapp@mcpsmd.org. Any
assistance is greatly appreciated.
Winter Health Tips for Children


Montgomery College continuing Education Youth
Programs is holding a one day enrichment program
for gifted and talented students in grades 4 and 5 on
Saturday, January 9, 2010. For more information or
registration,
visit
the
web
site
at
www.montgomerycollege.edu/youth or call 240567-7917.


Kids College
Montgomery College spring Kids’ College program
begins January 22, 2010. Classes will be held after
school and on Saturdays at the Rockville campus
and Germantown campus too!
For more
information or registration, visit the website at
www.montgomerycollege.edu/youth or call 240567-7917.




From The Health Room
Greetings from the Health Room. We hope all
families had a safe, warm, and healthy winter break.
We will be conducting Hearing and Vision Testing
on January 26th and 27th. We need 2-3 parent
volunteers to assist with the screenings. If you can
spare a few hours on one or both days, please call
the health room at 301-517-5874 or e-mail the


Wash hands often. Keeping hands clean is
one of the most important steps you can take
to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to
others.
Stay warm. Cold temperatures can cause
serious health problems.
Hypothermia
develops when a child’s temperature falls
below normal due to exposure to cold
temperatures. Dress warmly with several
layers for outdoor activities and limit
exposure to extremely cold temperatures.
Eat healthy and stay active. Find ways for
children to stay active and choose healthy
foods and snacks which boost the body’s
immune system.
Encourage good sleeping habits. Children
need rest to adequately recover from the
days activities. Adequate rest is another
immune booster.
Use sunscreen to protect from sunburn.
Remember that the sun reflects the winter
snow.
If your child suffers from nosebleeds,
consider using a humidifier in your child’s
room at night. If the bleeding is severe or
recurrent, contact your pediatrician.
Most residential fires occur during winter
months. Keep candles and matches away
from children.
Never leave fireplaces,
stoves, or candles unattended.
Make sure your smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors are tested and have
working batteries. Test them monthly, and
replace batteries twice a year.
Make sure your child’s health exams and
screenings are up to date. They can detect
problems before they start and help find
problems early.
If your child participates in winter sports
such as, ice skating, sledding, snow skiing,
or snowboarding, make sure reasonable time
limits are set to prevent hypothermia and
frostbite.
Allow children to skate on
approved surfaces only. Also wear helmets
and other protective gear as necessary and
have parental supervision at all times.
Giant/Safeway
Many thanks to everyone who sent in their Giant
and Safeway card numbers. We currently have 200
families registered with their Giant card and 141
families registered with their Safeway card. If you
have not yet sent in your card numbers, please send
them in to the main office. It is an easy way to
make a donation to the school and it does not cost
you anything.
Volunteers Needed
If you have TV/Video experience we need your
help get our television studio up and running. If
you are interested in helping out please contact Mrs.
Stacey Rogovoy at 301-279-8470.
After School Clubs
Please remember to send a healthy snack with your
child when they are staying for an after school
activity.
The Lunch Room
When sending in a check for your child’s lunch
account, please include the following information:
 Your child's full name, not their nickname.
 Your child’s pin # (4 digits), not their
student ID.
 Your telephone number
If you give your child lunch money in the morning,
please remind her/him to bring it to the cafeteria
first thing in the morning.
Just a reminder, if needed, you may apply for free
or reduced lunch at any time during the school year.
Applications are available, in multiple languages, at
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments
/foodserv/farms/application.shtm
Spirit Wear
If you are interested in purchasing College Gardens
Spirit Wear, a small supply is available in the main
office. Please contact Mrs. Connie Boorstein for
more details.
Special Events in January
January 12
January 14-15
January 14
January 18
January 19
January 20
January 22
January 25
January 26-27
February 3
Grade 4 Choral Concert
Class pictures
Grade 1 Math Chat
No School – MLK Jr Day
CI Parent Information Night 6:00 pm
Snow date for Choral Concert
End of second marking period
No school – Professional Day
Hearing and Vision Screening
Instrumental Music Concert 7:00 pm