SMALLTALK NEWSLETTER January 2019

Fort Smallwood Elementary

1720 Poplar Ridge Road

Pasadena, Maryland 21122

410-222-6450

Vision, Mission and Values Statement

Parents, please review our school’s Vision, Mission and

Values statement:

These are not just words to us. These are our beliefs. Eve-

rything that we do is based on them. Please read them and

know we do have your child’s best interest at heart.

What are we about?

Vision

In partnership with parents, teachers, and the community,

Fort Smallwood students will be provided the opportunity to

achieve and maintain a solid educational foundation that

stimulates thought, celebrates diversity, and prepares stu-

dents to have a positive impact on their community, country

and world.

Mission

We are committed to fostering each child’s full academic

potential by providing instruction that is engaging, challeng-

ing, appropriately supported, and promotes life-long learn-

ing.

Values

We value a school supportive of:

• High expectations for learning and behavior

• Instruction that appeals to a variety of learning styles and

experiences

• Maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment

• Fostering positive, open, and effective home/school com-

munications

• Promoting parent involvement opportunities within the

school

• Respecting all members of the Fort Smallwood School

community.

Principal’s Message Greetings, Fort Smallwood Elementary Community!

As the midway point of the school year approaches, there are some dates of which you should be aware. The second marking period comes to a close on January 29th, and report cards will be distributed shortly thereafter on Friday, February 8th.

I would like to thank the PTA, especially Ms. Jeanette Smith, for organizing and hosting our Holiday Craft Night in December. Thanks, also, to the teachers who attend-ed to make the night possible. Please note that at PTA events, parents are expected to remain for the duration of the activity, actively monitoring their children. We must work together to maintain a safe and orderly envi-ronment in order to continue having such events. This must be a collaborative effort, and such events will not continue without parental support in monitoring stu-dent behaviors.

January has some scheduled early dismissals (for stu-dents) and one student closure, all of which will be used by teachers to finalize grades and plan for meaningful, high-impact instruction for the days ahead. January 29th and 30th are scheduled two-hour early closings for schools with no afternoon ECI or Pre-K classes; and Jan-uary 31st will be closed for students.

Please plan to attend our third annual Math and STEM Night, scheduled for Tuesday, February 5th from 6-7:30 PM. There, you will be able to enjoy different activities that will highlight what students are doing in math clas-ses and how STEM is incorporated throughout their in-structional experience.

Please remember to visit your child’s grade level

blackboard site, which is updated monthly, for

any and all pertinent information regarding, as-

sessments, units of study, field trips, etc.

Respectfully,

Mr. David Sembly

Principal

The Anne Arundel County Public Schools System

does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex,

natural origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orienta-

tion or familial status in matters affecting employment

or in providing access to programs. Questions regard-

ing nondiscrimination should be directed to Mr. Leslie

N. Stanton, Specialist in Human Relations, AACPS,

2644 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, (410) 222-

5318, TDD (410) 222-5500 or www.aacps.org

Lake Shore Youth Baseball Spring 2019 Registration is

Now Open online, for ages 3 thru 18 yrs old! Please go to the link below to register players:

https://lakeshorebaseball.sportngin.com/register/form/837596906

Or visit: www.lakeshorebaseball.org Walk-In Registrations will be held in the multi-purpose

room (adjacent to the snack shack) at the Lake Shore/Woods

Rd. Complex: Sunday, January 13th 12-2pm

Wednesday, February 13th 6-8pm

Saturday, February 23rd 12pm-2pm For more information please contact:

Jessica Beers at jmlupi5377@yahoo.com *These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Board of Education of Anne Arundel County, the Superinten-dent, or this school.

Fort Smallwood School is

equipped with a video camera

system. It covers selected inte-

rior and exteriors public por-

tions of the building and

grounds. It is NOT monitored

constantly, but it is monitored

during emergency situations.

During certain events, when the safety or security of

students may be in question, authorized personnel from

local, state, federal police or fire emergency units may

be given access to view images projected on the camera

system. If you have any questions about the system,

you should call the Supervisor of School Security at

****PICK-UP REMINDER!**** Please help our dismissal run smoothly by

following this guideline:

If you need to pick up your child for ear-

ly dismissal OR if you are calling to have your

child be a car rider, please notify the office by

3:15 PM. After that time, children will be dis-

missed at 3:35 (our usual dismissal time) and in-

tercom messages to the classroom will not be

made.

Inside this issue:

G U I D A N C E N E W S L E T T E R 3 - 6

C H I C K - F I L - A E V E N T 7

R E A D I N G N E W S 8

C A L E N D A R 9

A S K T H E P R I N C I P A L L A S T

P A G E

WELCOME WEDNESDAYS When you come to visit your child for Welcome

Wednesdays it is for lunch only and not for recess! Please bring a bag lunch from home or you may buy a lunch from the cafeteria, do not bring in lunches from fast food restau-rants.

You also cannot take pictures during lunch times.

Newsletter

SAY IT:Choosing to do what you should even when you don’t want to.

KNOW IT:ASK A KID:• Have you ever wanted to keep playing video games at night but your mom or dad said it

was time to get a bath and get ready for bed? How did you act? What did you say?• Think of someone you know that lacks self-control. Think of someone that you know that has

great self-control. What are the main differences in their attitudes and behaviors?

ASK A GROWN UP:• Think of a time when you lacked self-control. What happened?• How does it feel to choose to do what you should even when you don’t want to? • What do you have trouble resisting? What do you do to avoid being tempted?

SEE IT:The Disney movie, Finding Nemo, portrays a great example of self-control. When Marlin and Dory are searching for Nemo they come across a few sharks along the way. The sharks are de-termined to break their habit of eating fish. While they are talking with Marlin and Dory, a drop of blood sets one of the sharks into a frenzy and he abandons his self-control and attempts to go after the two fish. youtube.com/watch?v=XWuPGKLJXe8

BE IT:Make a list of things in your life that you want to do but are unhealthy for you. Think of ways that you can avoid this temptation. Examples might be you really like to eat greasy foods or chocolate but they are unhealthy food options. What are some things that will help you choose to do the right thing, even when you don’t want to? Are there certain places that you should avoid? Or are there specific times that you could avoid these places? Come up with some practical strategies to help you sharpen your self-control.

January 2019Self-Control

JANUARY 2019 | Cr�

Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to

©2018/2019 CORE ESSENTIALS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDCoreEssentials.org

Newsletter

JANUARY 2019 | Cr�

Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to

©2018/2019 CORE ESSENTIALS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDCoreEssentials.org

In the elementary years, a child develops skills that equip their future. Here are three questions that all elementary-aged children are asking:

1. Do I Have Your Attention? In Kindergarten and first grade, a child craves adult attention

and approval. 

2. Do I Have What It Takes? In second and third grade, a kid wants to know how their abilities

compare with peers.

3. Do I Have Friends? In fourth and fifth grade, a kid begins to prioritize friends in a

new way. 

Relationships create a safe place to resolve who we are. Relationships bring clarity. When kids see themselves the way a loving adult sees them, it changes how they see themselves

PHASEJanuary 2019Self-Control

hoja informativa

ENERO 2019AUTO-CONTROL

JANUARY 2019 | Cr�

Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to

©2018/2019 CORE ESSENTIALS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDCoreEssentials.org

DILO:Escogiendo hacer lo que debes hacer incluso cuando no lo quieres hacer.

CONOCELO:PREGUNTA A UN NIÑO:• ¿Alguna vez has querido continuar jugando video juegos toda la noche pero tu mamá o tu

papá te dijo que era hora de tomar un baño y alistarte para dormir?¿Cómo actuaste? ¿Qué dijiste?

• Piensa en alguien que tú conoces que le falta auto-control. Piensa en alguien que conoces que tiene un gran auto-control. ¿Cuáles eran las principales diferencias en sus actitudes y comportamientos?

PREGUNTA A UN ADULTO:• Piensa en la vez cuando te falto auto-control. ¿Qué te pasó? • ¿Qué se siente escoger lo que deberías hacer, incluso si no los deseas hacer? • ¿Qué es en lo que más te resistes de no hacerlo? ¿Qué haces para evitar ser tentado?

MIRALO:LapelículadeDisney,EncontrandoaNemo,representaelmejorejemplodeauto-control.CuandoMarlinyDoryestánbuscandoaNemo,secruzanconvariostiburonesensucamino.Lostiburonesestándeterminadosaromperelhábitodecomerpeces.Mientras,hablanconMarlinyDory,unagotadesan-gre pone a uno de los tiburones en un frenesí total, abandona su auto-control y hace muchos intentos decomersealosdospeces.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWuPGKLJXe8

PRACTICALO:Haz una lista de cosas en tu vida que deseas hacer pero que no son sanas para ti. Piensa las maneras

de que puedas evitar esa tentación. Algunos ejemplos son: comer cosas grasosas o dulces como el

chocolate que son opciones no muy sanas de alimentos. ¿Cuáles son las cosas que te ayudaría a es-

coger lo correcto, incluso cuando no quieres hacerlo? ¿Existen algunos lugares que deberías evitar? ¿O,

hayciertashorasespecíficasquepodríasevitaresoslugares?Piensaenalgunasestrategiasprácticas

para ayudarte a mejorar tu auto-control.

Newsletter

JANUARY 2019 | Cr�

Choosing to do what you should even when you don't want to

©2018/2019 CORE ESSENTIALS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDCoreEssentials.org

En los años de primaria, un niño desarrolla habilidades que le van a servir en el futuro. Aquí hay tres preguntas que todo niño de edad elemental se están preguntando:

1. ¿Tengo tu atención? En Kindergarten y primer grado, un niño ansia la atención y aprobación

adulta.  

2. ¿Tengo lo que se necesita? En segundo y tercer grado, un niño quiere saber cómo están sus habili-

dades comparadas con las de sus compañeros.

3. ¿Tengo amigos? En el cuarto y quinto grado, un niño empieza a priorizar los amigos en

una nueva forma.

Entonces, no te olvides: Las relaciones crean un espacio seguro para resolver quien eres. Relaciones traen claridad. Cuando los niños se ven a sí mismo de la manera que un adulto amoroso los ve, entonces cambia la manera de como ellos se ven a sí mismos.

PHASEhoja informativa

ENERO 2019AUTO-CONTROL

As 2019 rings in, consider starting the new year by renewing y0ur family’s investment in reading together!

How much time spent reading do children need? The exact amount of time is hard to determine. There is no agreed upon standard of measurement because the amount changes across developmental stages. The optimal amount of time spent reading is often measured in the following ways:

minutes of time spent reading number of words read pages read books read

Regardless of how the amount is measured, there is a strong relationship between the amount of time spent reading and achievement. As you would expect, children whose reading skills are behind their peers read far less than the higher-achieving peers. The volume of daily reading is below an optimum level for many children. Use the new year as a time to set reading goals for all of your family members.

January

2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5

School & Office Closed – New Year’s Day

Welcome Wednesday

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Vision & Hearing

Rescreening Chick-fil-A Day 5th Gr. Chorus to CHS –

9:30 AM-2:15 PM

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 5th Gr. Instrumental to

CHS-9:30 AM-3:00 PM

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 School & Office Closed-

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

27 28 29 30 31 Instrumental Concert

2 & 7 PM 2-hr. Early Dismissal 2-hr. Early Dismissal

End of 2nd Marking Period

Schools Closed for Students

ASK THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Do you have a question or concern regarding a school matter? This form is provided as a means of open communication with parents/guardians to keep informed of school-related topics. Simply, complete the form and send it back to school. I will respond via a phone call, letter, or e-mail.

Thank You,

Mr. Sembly

Principal

My question

is:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian’s Name_______________________

Child’s Name______________________

Grade________

Teacher____________________