Ashburton Elementary School 6314 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817 * 301-571-6959
PRINCIPAL’S NEWS
October 1, 2014
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We are off to a great start to the school year! Ashburton’s enrollment continues to increase across all
grade levels and our first grade enrollment was large enough to warrant a seventh teacher during the
beginning of September. We welcome Ms. Taylor Garber to our first grade team and Mrs. Robyn
Goldman as our new Reading Initiative teacher. We’ve also needed to re-do our bus routes several times
with almost 600 students riding the bus now. We know that the changes can be difficult and appreciate
your understanding that each bus needs to be safe and not overcrowded.
We are thrilled that the expanded parking lot provides many more spaces; including three visitor spots
across from the main entrance. Please note that the parking lot remains closed to cars during arrival of
buses (8:20-9:00 a.m.) and dismissal (2:45- 3:20 p.m.). During the PEP mid-day pick-up and arrival, from
about 11:15- 12:45 p.m., please be very careful in using our parking lot and drop-off loop. The buses have
priority over cars and we ask that you avoid parking in the loop so that buses may pass through safely.
I had many parents report that cars are parking in ‘No Parking Zones’ or blocking driveways on Pomona
Drive in the back of the building. Please be respectful of our neighbors and obey the signage. Also, please
remember to only make a Right-Turn when exiting the back loop.
We had a fantastic turn-out for both the Back to School picnic and our Back to School Night. We heard
many positive comments from parents about the smooth start—thank you!
We have many exciting things happening this month and this year. Please refer to your calendars that
were sent home in the summer (also listed on the Ashburton website). In the past few years many of you
requested that you receive the newsletter electronically and we appreciate your efforts to help us save
paper. Following in this newsletter is a form to complete and return
if you prefer to get a paper newsletter. We are a green school and
this effort saves printing at least 650 copies of the newsletter, but if
you prefer a paper copy, we are happy to get one to you. If you do
not return the form, you are agreeing to get the newsletter
electronically through the list-serve or on our school website. We
urge you to join the list-serve in order to receive timely and
important information from the PTA and school throughout the
month. To subscribe send an email to AshburtonESPTA-
We will take part in Walk to School Day on October 8th. We have
participated in this International Walk to School Day for a number
of years to promote pedestrian safety and a healthy lifestyle. We will
celebrate it a little differently this year and encourage families to
walk directly to the school, if they can. As noted earlier we have so
many families that depend on the bus for transportation and have
grown so much, the tradition of driving/walking to the library and
then walking to school needed to be updated. We will do a variety of
Important Dates:
October 7-Volunteer Training 9:30
a.m. or 7:00 p.m.
October 7- PTA Meeting 7 p.m.
October 8- Walk to School Day
October 13- Open House 9:00-12:00
for Parents
October 17–No School for Staff and
Students- Statewide Teacher’s
Convention
October 22- Dine Out with Ashburton
at BGR
October 24-Family Fall Festival 6:30-
8:30 p.m.
October 30- Halloween Parade and
Parties 1:45- 2:45 P.M.
October 30- End of the First Marking
Period
October 31 –Professional Day- No
School for Students
activities at school that include all children about healthy lifestyles and pedestrian safety.
October 13th, Columbus Day, is our annual Open House. All parents are invited to visit classrooms from
9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (Afternoon PEP class parents may come in the afternoon.) To make the visit
enjoyable for all and so that you do not disrupt instruction, please do not bring younger siblings and silence
cell phones when in classrooms.
Thank you to our parents who have been able to volunteer at lunch and recess, especially for our large
kindergarten group. We appreciate your support and need your helping hands. Contact your child’s teacher
for classroom volunteer opportunities. I look forward to seeing you at our many events this month!
Sincerely,
Charlene Garran, Principal
Ashburton Updates and Reminders:
Absences:
Please remember: State regulations require us to have a written note when your child is absent. Please call
the school and leave a message on the answering machine or email the teacher or Mrs. Lynch
([email protected]) to let us know when your child is not at school. Mrs. Lynch may need to
call you if you do not call us.
Arrival Time:
School starts at 8:50 a.m. and children are marked late if they enter the classroom after that time.
Children miss critical instructions and organization for the day when they come in late, which can impact
the rest of the day. Please make every effort to send children to school on time and plan to keep afternoon
appointments to a minimum. Teachers plan instruction until the end of the day. Please note that a record of
your child’s attendance becomes part of their permanent school file.
Emergency Contact Information:
Please update emergency information as needed. We’ve already had a number of instances where children needed to
call home for forgotten lunches, where the office needed to contact parents regarding transportation, or the health
room has needed to contact parents regarding illness. We must have current phone numbers in case of a real
emergency.
Lice:
We are a typical school and have occasional cases of lice. We urge parents to call the school and let the
health room know if you find lice in your child’s head. The health tech tracks the number of cases so that
we may be proactive in notifying parents in classrooms or for the whole grade level (if there are multiple
classes involved or the students switch classes). Our Health tech, Mrs. David needs to check students after
they have been treated in order to return to class. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. You can
find more information and treatment procedures by using the following websites:
http://www.cdc.gov/lice/head/index.html and www.KidsHealth.org.
Air Conditioning to Heat Change-over:
MCPS will change over schools from air conditioning to heating after October 1st. During this period of
unpredictable weather and indoor temperatures, please have your child wear layers so that they can be
comfortable. Additionally, please note that we send children out for recess every day unless it is raining or
temperatures are below 32 degrees. Children should come to school prepared to go outside for recess with
coats, hats, gloves each day.
Cafeteria Supplies: Please provide your children with forks, spoons, and napkins when they bring
lunch from home. The cafeteria is not required to provide utensils for children not purchasing school lunch.
Please label lunch boxes. There are many that look alike and we’ve had some mixed up lunch boxes already
this year.
Halloween at Ashburton:
Halloween is celebrated at Ashburton with a parade and class parties on October 30th. All parents and
siblings are invited watch the parade which starts at 1:45 p.m. We know you will not only be impressed with
our students parading as they show off their costumes, but will also enjoy the Walter Johnson jazz ensemble
during the parade. Classroom parties start immediately after the parade ends and end about 2:45 p.m.
Room parents will request either monetary donations or food for class parties. Please keep in mind healthy
snacks, all food must be store-purchased, and ask the teacher about any food allergies. Please do not bring
balloons to school as they cannot go home with students (they are not allowed on the bus). Please choose a
costume that is appropriate for your child. It should fit and not impede movement. Please do not send masks
to school and do not choose a costume that is gory. We do not allow any weapons as part of costumes even if
the weapons are plastic. Leave costume weapons at home. If you have any extra costumes that can be
donated for children who may not have a costume, please send them in to the school office. Forms will go out for an alternative activity for families who do not celebrate Halloween.
Walk to School Day:
Join Ashburton students, staff, & community by walking to school (or to the bus stop)
on October 8th. We are not meeting as a school at the Davis Library this year, but hope you join us
in this walk from your home to school or home to bus stop.
Why?
1. It’s Fun!
2. Healthier Habits
3. Cleaner Environment
4. Promoting Safety
5. Community Benefits
PEP
(Preschool Education Program)
Theme of the month: My Family
Dear Parents,
We are wrapping up our first unit:
Ready for School, and now we are moving
on to our next unit for
the month of October,
which is “My Family”.
This Theme will run
from October 3rd until
October 31st. We will
be learning about
family structures,
family roles, family fun and how our
families are different from one another.
Key Messages
Week 1: Who’s in my family?
Week 2: We take care of each other.
Week 3: Family Fun
Week 4: All kinds of families.
VOCABULARY: family, kindness,
mother, father, brother, sister,
grandmother, grandfather, cousins,
relatives, thankful, together, celebrate,
tradition, alike, similar, love.
STORY TIME & SUGGESTED
READING:
Bear’s Busy Family by Stella Blackstone
Herman the Helper by Robert Kraus
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna
Dewdney
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
We Are All Alike…We Are All Different
by Cheltenham Elementary School
Daddy Calls Me Man by Angela Johnson
Mama Zooms by Jane Cowen-Fletcher
Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
You and Me Together by Barbara Kerly
Building a House by Byron Barton
Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins
Celebrating Families by Rosmarie
Hausher
Evening Meals Around the World
by Michele Zurakowski
Bedtime Hugs for Little Ones by Debby
Boone
Families by Ann Morris
What a Family by Rachel Isadora
Who’s in a Family? by Robert Skutch
SONGS/FINGER PLAYS:
The More We Get Together This is My Family Eat it Up Mommy Took Me to the Store My House With My Family On Our Camping Trip Grandma and Me We’re a Happy Family
ACTIVITIES/PROJECTS:
Identify who’s in your family
Play pretend/act out family roles
Build a house for your family out
of blocks
Create a family tree
Name and identify shapes when
creating a house.
Count how many members are in
your family.
Sort pictures of family members in
to categories of boy or girl.
Create an All About My Family
book
Draw and label life portraits of
families
Look at old family photos and talk
about how we grow
Help set the dinner table, or do
household chores
together
Read stories together
as a family
Go on family outings
(grocery shopping, out
to dinner, to the zoo)
SNACK/COOKING IDEAS:
Make food from different cultures and
talk about how different families eat
different things.
Make a family meal together: Give
your child opportunities to mix, Have
your child give you suggestions for a
shopping list. Write a list and then
take it to the
Store and work together to find all
your items.
Pour, roll…etc. to make a healthy
family meal.
*Although we include special theme-related snacks in our monthly units we also provide daily healthy choices for snack such as fresh fruit, pretzels, yogurt, etc.
NOTES & REMINDERS:
Picture Day is on Thursday,
October 2nd and Friday October 3rd.
No school on Friday, October 17th
No school on October 31st
Thank you for your support! Please feel
free to contact us with questions,
concerns, good news, etc.
- - The PEP Team
October
Happenings in
Kindergarten
Language Arts
Early emergent readers will compare the similarities and differences of literary and informational books as they identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book. Students use their listening skills to confirm understanding of a text read aloud by asking about key details. With prompting and support, students ask and answer questions about key details in a text and describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear.
Writing We will continue to work on handwriting and learning the correct way to form letters. Please reinforce this at home, it makes a big difference! We will also be working on writing concepts such as leaving spaces between words, sounding out unknown words, and using details in our pictures to tell a story. Math We have been counting and writing numerals, sorting, and collecting data. In the upcoming weeks, we will continue to collect data and compare numbers using greater than, less than, and equal to. Don’t forget to practice counting and number sense with your child every night! Science We will use our five senses to observe weather patterns and changes. October Focuses:
The seasonal change to fall, and its effect on the living world around us.
The Water Cycle
Weather tools and data collection
Social Studies Students have been working on identifying symbols and practices associated with the United States of America. They will also learn about people important to the American political system. Halloween Festivities There will be a school-wide parade in costume, and will be followed by a Halloween party in each classroom. Room parents will be in contact for ways you can help out! Field Trip Kindergarten will be visiting Imagination Stage on October 14th to see the Night Fairy. --The Kindergarten Team
First Grade News Dear First Grade Families, We are off to a fabulous start! Our students are already working hard learning in first grade.
As we begin a new month, we wanted to let you know what we will be focusing on in all areas of the curriculum. Reading and Writing: Teachers have begun to pull students into small groups for reading. First graders will be reading at their own level and continue to progress at their own pace. Each night students will be coming home with reading homework. Please be sure to have students complete their reading homework each night and return it
back to school the next day. In Writer’s Workshop, students will be participating in a shared research project about an animal. This project relates to our upcoming field trip to the National Zoo on October 7th. It also integrates with reading and science. Math: First Graders are learning how to decompose numbers leading up to ten. Also, they will be solving various types of word problems that can be solved using addition or subtraction. At home, students can continue to
practice counting-on or back from a selected number up to 120. Science: First Graders will have the opportunity
to investigate, observe, and record observations
of class lima beans. Also, students will be
learning about food groups and how to eat
healthier. They will continue learning about how
animals meet their needs, along with how
animals protect themselves using their senses.
Social Studies: In social studies students will learn about leaders from the past and present. They are also going to learn about important American symbols.
Reminders:
1. National Zoo
field trip is Tuesday, October 7th. The permission slip and money are due on Friday, October 3rd.
2. Our spelling program will be starting this month. Teachers will provide more information as it approaches.
We are excited for a great month
of learning in October. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely, The First Grade Team
Second Grade Town News
The second graders have had a busy first
month of school. We have learned how to work
together to solve problems, create class rules and
learn new routines.
In reading, we’ve been working on
literary text. Students have been learning about
point of view, character traits, problem and
solution, story elements and comparing and
contrasting different versions of a story. Next we
move into nonfiction text where we will be
discussing main idea, text features, vocabulary
and author’s purpose.
We are all finishing up our personal
narratives in writing. Students were asked to
write about a personal experience. Next we will
learn about healthy eating as we begin our units
on writing to inform and opinion writing.
In math, we’ve been spending time
discussing place value including writing
numbers in different forms (expanded form,
standard form and written form), number
comparisons using <, > and = and mental
strategies for computing ten and 100 more and
less than a given number. Next we will be
moving into word problems and graphing.
Social Studies focused on problem
solving through evaluating differing points of
view and creating rules. We have also been
evaluating responsibilities that students have in
the classroom and at home. Next we move into
civics, where we will be discussing leaders,
democratic symbols and rights and
responsibilities of citizens.
In science, we’ve
learned about different types
of rocks and soil. We are
currently discussing the
water cycle, as well as the
dangers of water pollution.
We are off to a great
start in second grade! If you
have any questions or concerns, feel free to get
in touch with your child’s teacher through email,
handwritten notes or phone. We’re all looking
forward to a great school year with your support
and collaboration.
-Miss Ashin, Ms. Bouquet, Ms. Fox, Mrs.
Holder, Ms. Locke and Mrs. Murshed
Third Grade News
We have had a great start to the
school year! Third graders are
becoming accustomed to new routines,
curriculum, and expectations. We
encourage you to discuss your child’s
weekly behavior with him or her on
Fridays when the reflections come
home.
Math:
In Math, we will be starting our
unit on multiplication and
division. Students will be learning the
connections between multiplication
and division as well as various strategies
to solve problems. We will be working
on solving for the unknown variable and
solving multi-step word problems. At
home, we encourage you to practice
facts with your child. You can use
flashcards, websites, tablet applications,
or other games to help your child with
his or her facts in all operations. You can
use the following link for some great
math websites:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org
/departments/hiat/websites/math.shtm
Reading:
In reading during the month of
October, we will begin to study non-
fiction texts. Students will learn cause
and effect relationships as well as
comparing and contrasting topics. We
will also be working on identifying text
features (both in print and on the
web). At home, you can support your
third grader by reviewing everyday
cause and effect relationships (i.e. it
rained very hard so there was a flood).
Writing:
In writing, we will be working on
an inquiry project about how we can
contribute to create a thriving
community. Students will use a variety
of sources to research an environmental
or human issue to write an informative
opinion piece. We will be working on
conventions of writing as well as adding
descriptive words to our writing
pieces. At home, we encourage you to
look for examples of other community
members working to make a difference
in our community!
Social Studies:
In social studies, students will be
working on history and economics. We
will be comparing the US
government of today
with that of the Roman
Empire. We will also be
exploring public goods
and services and the role
of taxes to pay for these
goods and services. At home, we
encourage you to follow the upcoming
November elections and review with
your child the voting and election
process in our democracy.
Science:
In science, students will continue
our study of force and motion. We will
be discussing gravity and factors that
affect the motion of an object – friction,
pushes vs. pulls, etc. The end project for
this unit will allow students to build their
own marble run using various
variables. At home, you can help your
third grader by practicing to change
the motion of different objects.
Reminders:
If you have not signed up for a
parent/teacher conference, please
contact your child’s teacher. Please
continue to sign the Friday Reflections
each weekend and work with your third
grader to master his or her spelling
pattern through their Words Their Way
Word Sorts when they come home.
Thank you for your support and
dedication!
The Third Grade Team
News 4 You
It has been a wonderful start to the new
school year and getting to know each and every
one of the fourth grade students! We enjoyed
meeting all of the parents that came to Back to
School Night and are so grateful for all of the
support we received. We are looking forward to
an enjoyable year ahead! We are working hard
to meet your student’s academic needs. During
the month of October, fourth graders will be
covering several concepts across all academic
areas.
The Reading /Language Arts curriculum
has been focusing on Historical Fiction. Your
students are currently writing a Historical
Fiction story in which they researched a setting
to support their information. Our Informational
Text unit focuses on Science and Social Studies
concepts. This month your student will study
spelling and vocabulary words on alternating
weeks with a quiz at the end of the week. Your
child is expected to read at least 20 minutes a
day and 25 self-selected books by the end of the
school year, which averages to be 2-3 books per
month.
We have been studying geography in
social studies. Students learned how Native
Americans in the 1600s used the environment
for food, clothing, and shelter. Students will be
comparing Native Americans who lived in
several different regions to Native Americans
who lived in Maryland. Students will continue
to examine how these groups used the
environment to meet their needs.
Students are currently working on items
related to Number and Operations in Base Ten.
This includes adding and subtracting multi-digit
whole numbers using the standard algorithms, as
well as solving multi-step addition and
subtraction word problems. Students will soon
move on to concepts related to Operations and
Algebraic Thinking which includes interpreting
a multiplication equation as a comparison, and
multiplying or dividing to solve word problems
involving the multiplicative comparison.
Students will wrap up the first marking period at
the end of the month with representing and
solving comparison word problems using all
four operations. Please remember that students
have a graded check-up at the end of each week.
Look for it the following week in your student’s
data notebook so it can be reviewed by you. This
is just one of many types of assessments.
Our first science unit is centered on
ecosystems. The students have built aquariums
and terrariums in class and make observations of
the changes occurring regularly. Students will
also be exploring the web of relationships that
link organisms to each other and to their natural
environment. Our first field trip to the
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in
Edgewater, Maryland will take place this month.
Many thanks to the parent volunteers! We will
also begin the “Our Neighborhood Our
Watershed” program in which we explore the
impact of our schoolyard on the health of the
Chesapeake Bay.
Students are taking home Friday
Folders at the end of each week. Empty folders
are expected to be returned the following
Monday. If you have yet to schedule a Parent/
Teacher conference for either Monday,
November 10th, or Tuesday, November 11th,
please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
Data Notebooks will go home with each student
a couple of times a month. Please review the
items in the Data Notebook but do not remove
any items. Please do not remove any papers
from your student’s multi-subject binder either.
We will do routine binder cleanouts and tell the
students what can be removed. We appreciate
your understanding.
The Fourth Grade Team,
Mrs. Brenner, Mrs. Burton, Ms. Greco, Ms.
Imhof, Ms. Leiser, Ms. Schultz, and Mrs.
Weaver
Fifth Grade’s Fabulous News
Here is what will be going on in the
classrooms in the month of October:
Math
Math 5 students will continue their
exploration of decimals. Using their
understanding of place value, students
will learn how to compare decimals,
round decimals, and add and subtract
decimals. To practice these skills at
home you can play around with money!
When shopping, ask your student which
item costs more, which item costs less,
and you can ask your student to round
the cost to the nearest dollar or to the
nearest dime. A great website to check
out is:
http://www.mathsisfun.com/decimals.ht
ml
Towards the end of the month, the
students will transition to division and
explore how to divide multi-digit
numbers by two-digit multiples of ten.
This month in compacted math, the
students will be extending the work they
have been doing with fractions during
the first half of the quarter. That work has
stressed understanding what it means to
multiply fractions, rather than merely
completing the algorithm. During the
second half, they will apply similar
strategies in the domain of division. The
students also will be using their
foundational work with the division of
whole numbers to divide unit fractions
by whole numbers and whole numbers
by unit fractions. They will be using
visual fraction models and relating
multiplication and division to solve
division word problems and create their
own word problems.
The students also will use their
understandings of fractions to show and
interpret a data set of measurements
using a line plot. Then the class will draw
upon their previous work with place
value and operations with both whole
numbers and fractions to perform
operations with decimals, again
emphasizing the meaning of the
operation over the algorithm. During the
last week of the marking period, the
students will work on measurement
conversions, within the customary and
metric systems, to solve multi-step
problems.
Reading
In reading, students are already
switching genres to Tall Tales. This is
leaving a lot of students disappointed,
since they were incredibly enthusiastic
about studying the genre of adventure
with the book Fearless by Elvira
Woodruff. Students will finish reading
Fearless as they work in their Literature
Circle groups. As they share
responsibilities of roles in Literature
Circles, students are working on their
collaboration and flexibility skills. As we
study Tall Tales such as John Henry,
students identify hyperbole and analyze
the mood, tone, and theme as well as
the elements of plot. To build
vocabulary skills, students used context
clues to identify the meaning of
homographs.
In order to extend your child’s learning
at home, consider the ideas listed
below:
read a variety of texts including
adventure stories and tall tales
o Adventure stories include
action, antagonists vs.
heroes, and have
experiences that are real
or fantasy. (example: Julie
of the Wolves by Jean
Craighead George)
o Tall Tales are traditional
tales that may extend
truths and often explain
events in nature or origins
of mankind. (example:
Paul Bunyan and Other Tall
Tales by Jane Mason)
identify and explain the mood,
tone, or theme in movies and
music
o tone: the author’s attitude
toward a subject
o mood : the feeling the
author creates for the
reader
o theme: the author’s
message
Listed below are some possible
questions to ask your child:
How does your favorite song or
book affect your mood?
How do multimedia (movie)
elements (lighting, dialogue,
sound/music, camera angles)
deliver the author’s message?
How do a character’s actions
influence the plot of the story?
Writing
The students have shifted from the
narrative writing of their first writing
projects to informative (explanatory)
writing. After learning about both
renewable and non-renewable sources
of energy, they are researching, taking
notes, and organizing their research
notes. The students will be sharing the
knowledge of energy sources by
presenting their research findings about
an energy source in an informative
writing piece.
In both the informative and opinion
writing, the students will be working on
using information from other sources
effectively in their writing and taking
their writing through all the steps of the
writing process, so that it is organized
and presented logically, and with
respect to the opinion writing, most
convincingly. They will work on how to
use information from sources, as well as
the conventions of English to make their
writing clear, coherent, and powerful.
Science
In science classes, the students are
developing their understandings of
motion, describing it qualitatively and
quantitatively. They are applying the
laws of motion, as they are observing
the effects of forces on motion in class
investigations and in the world around
us.
As their understandings of the physics of
motion are growing, they are working
collaboratively to design amusement
park rides, considering how the laws of
motion would affect the movements of
their proposed rides. The students are
cooperatively critiquing and revising
their ride designs. By doing so, they are
gaining a sense of how engineers work
to identify and solve design problems.
In coordination with their writing work on
energy, the students are learning about
forms of energy, renewable and
nonrenewable. They are discovering
how resources are converted into
power sources for homes, transportation
and the conveniences of modern
life. They also are delving into the costs
and benefits of different forms of
energy, environmental as well as
financial ones.
Social Studies
In Social Studies, students have been
focusing on the time right before the
American Revolutionary War. They just
finished learning about the Boston Tea
Party. In October, students will study the
Boston Massacre. They will read primary
and secondary sources about the event
and decide who they think was
responsible for the massacre - colonists
or soldiers. Also, in October, students will
analyze the roles and viewpoints of
individuals and groups involved in the
battles at Lexington and Concord.
Students will then analyze viewpoints of
people and groups during the writing of
the Declaration of Independence.
Finally, students will read about different
people during the Revolutionary War,
and describe how experiences
influenced their opinions and choices
related to the Revolutionary War. For
Economics, students will focus on the
British and economic policies in the
American colonies. Students will analyze
impacts and challenges of becoming a
new nation after the Revolutionary War.
In order to extend your child's learning
at home, consider the ideas listed
below:
~To reinforce Boston Tea Party events:
http://www.havefunwithhistory.com/act
ivities/btp.html
~To reinforce Boston Massacre events:
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ameri
can_revolution/boston_massacre.php
http://www.ushistory.org/us/9e.asp
Reading Corner -Ms. Weigle
The school year has started, reading
tests have been taken (see below), and students
are learning. What are they learning? Here is an
overview of the Reading/Language Arts
Program.
Reading is the ability to get information from
print. Students learn to “figure out” words AND
understand what they mean. This understanding
(comprehension) is the largest part of our
reading instruction. Students learn to answer
literal, inferential, and evaluative questions.
Writing is the ability to share thoughts with
others through a written format instead of
through talking. Since others need to be able to
read what has been written, writing involves
spelling, grammar, handwriting, and
keyboarding, as well as the writing process.
Listening is an active process that goes well
beyond just hearing. Listening involves hearing
and paying attention to spoken words, as well as
understanding syntax and vocabulary. All of
this must be done in order to make meaning of
what has been said.
Speaking involves the ability to communicate
effectively with a variety of audiences and for
different purposes. This includes the ability to
use appropriate vocabulary and grammar for the
situation.
How do teachers know just what your
child needs to learn in these 4 parts of the
Reading/Language Arts Program? We observe
students and their work. We also give tests.
Tests can show your child’s strengths and
weaknesses. Tests can also show the teacher
what your child already knows and what your
child needs to learn. Here is an overview of the
county’s 2 main reading assessments:
Montgomery County Public Schools Assessment
Program – Primary Reading (MCPSAP-PR) and
Measures of Academic Progress – Reading
(MAP-R).
All kindergarten, first and second
graders take the MCPSAP-PR. This is an
individual test, given by your child’s teacher.
This test begins with beginning reading skills,
such as identifying letters, identifying beginning
sounds in words, showing basic knowledge
about books, playing with sounds, and reading
sight words. As the child’s reading skills
increase, the test includes reading books, orally
retelling the story, answering oral
comprehension questions, and finally, writing
answers to questions. Books start out at a
beginning level and increase in difficulty. The
three testing windows for this test are September
2 - 26, January 5 - 30, and May 5 -29. This test
is one indicator that shows the student’s
reading/writing level and also shows areas of
strength and weakness. This helps teachers plan
for appropriate instruction.
MAP-R is given to all third, fourth and
fifth grade students to assess reading
achievement. It is given on the computer. This
means that the computer can personalize the test
for each student, depending on his or her
answers. This is also a nationally normed test.
The three testing windows for this test are
September 8 to October 30, January 5 to
February 27, and March 30 to June 10. The
purpose of this test is to help teachers identify
students’ strengths, and weaknesses, thereby
helping teachers focus instruction so all students
can become better readers.
These two reading tests are in addition
to PARCC (given to third, fourth, and fifth
graders) and WIDA (given to English Language
Learners). As you can see, MCPS is trying to
insure that all students have focused instruction,
so they can become better readers.
As we help your children develop skills
in Reading/Language Arts, we need your
support. Please continue to read to your children
and encourage them to read. Remember, the
more they read, the better readers they will
become.
Ashburton Elementary School
6314 Lone Oak Drive * Bethesda, MD 20817 * (301) 571-6959
Dear Ashburton Parents,
In an effort to conserve paper and our resources, in an effort to conserve paper we will not send home the
multi-page monthly newsletter to each family except for families who choose to receive paper copies. We
understand that some families may not have computer access at home or prefer to receive a paper copy.
We need families to indicate in writing if they prefer to receive a paper monthly newsletter by checking
off below and returning the form by October 10, 2014. Please return the form ONLY if you prefer
to get a paper copy; otherwise we will not send you one. The newsletter contains important information
from the principal, calendar updates, curriculum information from each grade level, and columns from
our specialists in addition to the PTA newsletter. This information will be posted on the school website
and the PTA list-serve. If you select and join the PTA list-serve, the newsletter will be sent directly to
your email.
To access the website go to montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/ashburtones/. The newsletter is
posted on the home page and you can click on the tab on the left labeled Principal’s Newsletter.
To join the PTA list-serve, please email [email protected] and you
will receive notices from the PTA.
We will continue to send home paper notices of important and timely information. Please feel free to
contact me or Laura Chace, Ashburton’s PTA President, if you have any questions or concerns about this
process.
Sincerely,
Charlene Garran, Principal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
Please return to your child’s teacher by October 10, 2014.
RETURN THIS FORM ONLY if you prefer to receive a paper newsletter.
Parent’s Names: ______________________________________________________ (Please Print)
Parent Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________
Children’s Names & Teachers: _____________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS(October 2014)
Oct 7(Tuesday): 9:30 am Parent volunteer training session
PTA Meeting and Volunteer Training 7pm -8pm (free childcare provided)
Oct 8(Wednesday): Walk to School Day
Oct 13(Monday): Open House for Parents 9am - 12pm
Oct 17(Friday): NO SCHOOL. Statewide Teachers Conference
Oct 22(Wednesday): Dine Out at BGR in Cabin John
Oct 24(Friday): FALL FESTIVAL!!
Oct 30(Thursday): Class Halloween Parties and Parade 1:45pm
Oct 31(Friday): NO SCHOOL. Professional day for teachers
News from our President and PTA Board
Dear Ashburton Families,
The first month of school has flown by and it is hard to believe that October is here! The PTA
has been hard at work signing up new members and hosting events. The best way to stay
informed about happenings at Ashburton and to take an active role in your child’s education is to
join the PTA. Dues are only $10 per member, but donations are always appreciated. Please
keep in mind that you have to renew your membership each year. Joining the PTA has
never been easier - we are now online!
Visit https://sites.google.com/site/ashburtonpta/home to join the PTA now!
The new PTA website is a valuable resource for all parents. We are now able to post
information about upcoming events, announcements and more. The PTA website also houses
our fabulous after school activities website where you can find out all about the PTA sponsored
after school activities. Please spend a few minutes getting educated on all that Ashburton has to
offer.
If you have not done so already, subscribe to the PTA list-serve to stay informed about events
and happenings at Ashburton. Ashburton is a green school and we do not send home flyers on
all of our events and activities - they are posted on the list-serve and on our PTA website.
There are actually two list-serves - the PTA list-serve and the Ashburton Community list-serve:
To subscribe to the PTA list-serve, which only sends out information about school and PTA
sponsored events and after school activities, please send an email to: AshburtonESPTA-
PTA Insider – October 2014
To subscribe to the Ashburton Community List-serve, which has information for and from the
overall community, please send an email to:
Some of you have asked how the PTA spends the money that it raises each year. In addition to
holding school events such as Tea & Sympathy, Back to School Picnic, Fall Festival (please
note: this year it is on Friday, Oct. 24th), Family Bingo Night in January, International
Night in March and Spring Fling in May, the PTA also offers a number of grants to the school
community to host cultural arts activities, the Young Authors Conference and other special
events for the students. We also pay for things such as library and media center equipment,
computer equipment, Ashburton clubs, reducing cost for field trips for all students, scholarships
for children/families in need and this year we will continue to fund projects, activities, and
events as requested by the administration on behalf of the students and staff. Once approved, the
budget will be posted on the PTA’s website, and Board members are happy to answer any
questions you might have.
We are fortunate to have a very engaged community here at Ashburton and we hope that you
will all take advantage of the many events we host each month. October is a busy month and we
kick it off with a PTA Meeting on October 7th that will focus on Volunteer Training for anyone
who wants to volunteer in a classroom or at lunch and recess. We will hold two Volunteer
Training sessions on October 7th - one at 9:30am and one in conjunction with the PTA
meeting that evening, at 7pm. Childcare is always available free of charge during PTA
meetings.
I hope that you were able to participate in some of the fun events we held last month, such as the
Ledo’s Dine out (record attendance!), Skate Night (also record attendance) and the Back to
School Picnic. Many more events are on tap for October so mark your calendars!
We are looking forward to another wonderful year at Ashburton!
Have Fun, Make Memories, Get Involved!
All the best,
Laura Chace Ashburton PTA President on behalf of the PTA Board
Support Ashburton Through Grocery Store Programs Every time you shop at Giant, Safeway, or Harris Teeter’s, you can help raise money for Ashburton through their
grocery store programs. Please look for a flyer to send back in with your information, and our wonderful Bonus
Bucks Chairperson – Mary Miller can input your data, or you can follow the link provided by the listserv and
register directly. Please keep in mind that you need to re-register each year, so even if you registered last year, you
need to do it again. This is such an easy way to support your school, and our goal is to have 90% of Ashburton
registered within the next month!