Eagles' News from the Lake
28 January 2024
A message from Dr. Kelly, Principal
Dear Lakewood Elementary School Community:
As February begins, I am delighted to share with you the warmth and positivity that fills our school. This month is not only a celebration of love but also an opportunity to reflect on the bonds that connect us as a community.
Our scholars continue to inspire us with their curiosity, resilience, and creativity. As we navigate the educational journey together, I am reminded of the incredible support and dedication that emanates from our community. Your involvement, whether as parents, guardians, teachers, or friends, contributes immensely to the success and vibrancy of our school.
In the spirit of this month, let's take a moment to appreciate the love for learning that unites us all. It is through this shared passion that we create an environment where our scholars feel valued, encouraged, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Throughout February, our dedicated educators will be implementing engaging activities that not only foster academic growth but also promote values of kindness, empathy, and understanding. We aim to instill in our scholars the importance of embracing diversity and nurturing a compassionate community.
Let us extend our appreciation to everyone who plays a role in shaping the educational experiences of our scholars. Whether it's a teacher who goes the extra mile, a parent volunteering their time, or a scholar showing kindness to their peers, these acts of love contribute to the vibrant tapestry of our school community.
I encourage you to stay connected and involved in the various events and activities planned for this month. Your support is invaluable, and your presence adds to the sense of unity that defines Lakewood.
Wishing you all a wonderful February filled with growth, joy, and accomplishment.
Yours in enthusiasm and partnership,
Dr. Kelly, Principal
#OneBandOneSound
Lakewood ES Community (Parent/Caregiver) Voice Survey: Quarter 2
Your Voice Matters!
As a reminder the surveys will go out at the end of each quarter, this is our second quarter distribution and the window will be Monday 29 January 2024 to 2 February 2024. Please take a few minutes to complete our Quarter 2, community survey. We value your feedback.
Here is the link to the survey.
Black History Month
Black History Month is time to honor and recognize the significant contributions of African Americans throughout history. Stay tuned for details on this celebration of heritage and achievement for our scholars and school community.
Lakewood ES Calendar Check - February Events
Community: Lakewood SY24 Master Calendar (Table Form)
Community: Lakewood SY24 Master Calendar (Table Form) This is a live comprehensive calendar for the entire school year. We will continue to make updates as events are added. I hope this helps in knowing what is happening at Lakewood, as well as supporting schoolwide programs.
If you have not already done so, please check out our Lakewood Community Playbook. We want to provide easy access to the information you need. Please feel free to share any suggestions and feedback. We want to make this work for you! Click the photo below.
Action Items, Updates & Reminders
- 8:40 am - Scholars enter the building - they can eat breakfast, check out books, or join the line outside of their classroom.
- 8:55 am - Scholars enter classrooms, unpack and order lunch.
- 9:00 am - Instruction begins
Cultural Arts and Heritage Assembly Donations
Please Donate- We need YOU!
As we continue our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment, we are excited to announce opportunities for our scholars to engage in enriching cultural arts assemblies. These assemblies aim to educate and inspire our scholars by showcasing various cultural perspectives, traditions, and artistic expressions.
In order to make these enriching experiences possible, we are reaching out to our wonderful community to seek your support. Your generous donations will directly contribute to bringing professional and engaging cultural arts assemblies to Lakewood Elementary, creating memorable educational experiences for our scholars.
Why are cultural arts assemblies important?
Promoting Diversity: Cultural arts assemblies expose our scholars to a wide range of cultural backgrounds, fostering an appreciation for diversity and encouraging acceptance and understanding.
Educational Enrichment: These assemblies provide unique opportunities for scholars to learn about different cultures, traditions, and historical events through interactive and captivating performances.
Building Inclusivity: By embracing a variety of cultural perspectives, we contribute to creating a school environment that is welcoming and inclusive for every scholar.
How can you contribute?
Financial Donations: Your financial contributions will directly fund the cost of cultural arts assemblies, ensuring that we can bring high-quality and educational performances to our school. You can donate HERE AT THIS LINK.
Volunteer Support: If you have connections with cultural performers, artists, or organizations that align with our mission, vision and goals, we welcome your assistance in coordinating or recommending potential performers.
Spread the Word: Help us reach our fundraising goals by sharing this message with friends, family, and local businesses that may be interested in supporting Lakewood’s cultural arts assemblies.
Here is the online donation link, again. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on the success of this initiative.
Let's come together as a community to provide our scholars with the enriching experiences they deserve. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to making these cultural arts assemblies a continuous reality for Lakewood Elementary. You can donate HERE AT THIS LINK.
MCPS Inclement Weather Decisions
MCPS is working to create a plan for virtual learning in the event that there are inclement weather days. In the interim, I want to share important information for our school community. At this point, it appears that virtual learning would happen only if there were multiple days off in a row. If this scenario arises, we will inform families with enough prior notice that there would be virtual learning for the next day. The homeroom teacher would send out a zoom link for scholars to access. Our elementary start time would be 11 am, with 4 hours of learning available. Scholars would have an ELA period, a lunch period, and a Maths period. Please stay tuned for more information as needed if winter weather approaches.
Ever wonder how decisions are made behind the scenes for weather-related school closures? Click HERE to discover the thoughtful process that goes into making these important decisions for the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community.
Amid the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, we kindly request your attention to the MCPS community message. In the event that your child tests positive for COVID-19, we urge you to follow the necessary protocols.
Please promptly inform your child's classroom or homeroom teacher via email, ensuring to copy Mrs. Winifred Robinson, our dedicated attendance secretary, and registrar, and our assistant principal, Mrs. Leah Levy. This will help us take immediate and appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all scholars and staff. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Newsletters
Check out what's going on this month in our classes!
Volunteering
*Please consider volunteering. Many classrooms still need room parents.
Interested in becoming a Lakewood Volunteer? We would LOVE to have you! You can volunteer helping the teacher in the classroom or we also need volunteers at lunch and recess. There are a few steps to complete before beginning your service as a volunteer in our school.
Volunteer Form
Complete the MCPS Parent/Guardian and Community Volunteer Form . The form serves as an introduction of yourself, your interests and availability in volunteering, and some important reminders about volunteers in schools. Turn in this form to the teacher or the main office.
Online Training
Complete the mandatory online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training. This training is required for any volunteer who regularly supports schools, chaperones a field trip, etc. and is available in multiple languages. When the course is completed, a report is created to serve as proof of satisfying the training requirement.
Contact the teacher or lunch/recess volunteer coordinator
After you have completed the volunteer form and the online training, contact your child's teacher if you would like to volunteer in the classroom or Mrs. Chanel Press for volunteering at lunch or recess at - Text: 785-979-3863 or Email: chanellee39@gmail.com .
Technology Help
Staff Roster
Looking to contact a staff member? We welcome two-way communication! Click the picture below for our staff roster.
PTA International Night
PTA Pizza Night Bingo Rescheduled. Stay tuned for details.
Spiritwear
CHECK OUT OUR SPIRIT WEAR ONLINE STORE!
Community Agreements
Code of Conduct, Behavior Flow Chart, and our Community Agreements
Please review our Community Agreements, the Code of Conduct, and Behavior Flow Chart with scholars.
MCPS & Lakewood use Restorative Justice practices. What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice is a mindset and philosophy toward school climate and relationship building. Important components are:
- Proactively and intentionally developing relationships and building community.
- Restoring, repairing, or healing the school community when harm has occurred
The focus is on education, learning from mistakes, identifying and working on the root of the behavior, making deep-level change, repairing relationships, and restoring students and staff to the environment.
The Key Values of Restorative Justice include:
- Nurturing healthy relationships built on trust
- Fostering mutual respect between individuals
- Feeling a sense of responsibility for your community
- Repairing harm and transforming conflict
- Reintegrating back to your community if harm has been caused
Principles of Restorative Justice
We work together to foster the physical, social, psychological, and academic well-being of students, staff, and families through:
Community Building: Building caring communities and healthy relationships based on mutual trust, respect, and responsibility
Self Care: Learning to recognize and regulate our emotions, so we don’t cause harm to ourselves or others
Conflict Resolution: Recognizing when our words or actions have harmed others and taking steps to repair that harm
The state of Maryland passed House Bill 725 in 2019, which requires school systems to incorporate the use of restorative approaches. The majority of the work in Restorative Justice is preventative and proactive. Montgomery County Public Schools has worked diligently to incorporate restorative justice and restorative practices in all of our schools to better serve the needs of our students.
The MCPS Restorative Justice Unit will prepare and engage all stakeholders in restorative practices through meaningful trainings, school-level support, collegial collaboration, and supported community partnerships. CLICK HERE for the RJ website.
Planet Aid
Please donate your gently used clothing and shoes. You will see the yellow bin near our entrance to the parking lot. This is a positive way to contribute to the environment and community. Partnering with Planet Aid makes it all so easy! Lakewood earns 10 cents per pound and will use this money for scholars and staff. Planet Aid accepts clothing, shoes, and other textiles (for example, bedding, towels, and curtains). This means that there is no need to separate items based on their condition. Even items that are stained, torn, or frayed can be recycled, so drop off your worn-out items, too! The only articles of clothing we cannot accept are those that are dirty, wet, or moldy.Thank you in advance.
Dr. Kelly, Principal
Yours in Partnership.
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakewoodes/
Location: 2534 Lindley Terrace, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
Phone: 240.740.5750
Twitter: @PrincipalLES5