Janu

ary

2015

UPCOMING EVENTS: February 10 Yearbook: Picture Make-Up Day February 12 Report Cards sent Home February 15 Schools closed—President’s Day February 26 MEA Family Fun Night

Mrs. Laura Seck, Principal

Mrs. Jeanie Showalter, Assistant Principal

Meadowland Elementary School 29 Sugarland Run Drive, Sterling, VA 20164 571-434-4440 (Absentee: 571-434-4441) www.loudoun.k12.va.us/school/meadowland

Bell Schedule MORNING 7:40 a.m.—First Bell 7:50 a.m.—Tardy Bell DISMISSAL 2:35 p.m.—Bus Riders 2:40 p.m.—Walkers

January, 2016 Happy New Year! The staff and I would like to thank you for all the treats and gifts you gave us during the holiday season. We are still enjoying cookies and candies. We love sampling foods from your native countries! Our fabulous PTO was able to purchase 55 Chromebooks with money from all of our fundraising events. The “books” will allow the children to use technology more frequently, which will enhance instruction. Beginning in February, each grade level will present a One to the World (OttW) project at a PTO meeting. At our monthly Gatherings, and during our Morning Show, the children have pre-sented OTTW projects on earthquake-proof structures, anti-bullying strategies and commercials on how to conserve water in the building. Our first grade and kindergarten students have written books to share with our preschool class. A few reminders:

As winter is upon us, please make sure you are familiar with early dismissal proce-dures and that you have notified us if your phone number has changed, or if you now have a different plan for where your child is to go in the event of an early closing.

It is COLD outside, however students will still be going outside for recess. Please make sure your child has the proper clothing to wear on cold days.

The lower parking lot is for parents to drop off children in the morning. If it is be-low 30 degrees out, there will be no patrols. Please make sure your child knows how to safely exit your car, on the passenger side, without adult assistance. Do not pull into a parking spot and drop your child off, or run your child across the lot, as it is not safe. Cars move too quickly in the morning. On cold days below 30 degrees, allow yourself a few extra minutes to wait in line. It usually takes 3-5 minutes to drop off a child in the “Kiss and Ride” lot.

Staff does not arrive until 7:30 AM. Students should only be dropped off in the low-er lot if you see an adult present. Try to aim for 7:35 AM to ensure that there is adequate supervision of students.

Sadly, we will be saying good-bye to our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Showalter, who will be retiring at the end of this month. Mrs. Showalter has been a wonder-ful Assistant Principal and we will all truly miss her wonderful smile and great sense of humor! Mrs. Anna Purdy will join us on February 1st as our new assistant principal. Please stop by and meet her! Stay warm!!!! Fondly, Laura

The Mustang Monthly Ja

nuar

y 20

15

Meet Our New Assistant Principal!

Welcome our new AP at Meadowland.

My name is Anna Purdy and I am the new assistant principal of Meadowland Elementary. Becoming an assistant principal at a school in Sterling has been a long‐ me dream of mine. I grew up in Loudoun County and a ended Rolling Ridge Elementary. As a young girl, I spent many a ernoons on the fields at Meadowland watching my brother play li le league baseball. Upon gradua ng with my Bachelor's from Virginia Tech, I returned to Loudoun and taught in Ashburn for three years. A er returning to school for a Master's Degree in General Educa on, Special Educa on and Educa on of Eng‐lish language learners, I returned to Sterling. The past ten years I've served the Sterling community as a teacher and member of the leadership commi ee at Guilford Elementary. I recently received my cer fica on in Educa on Admin‐istra on. Elementary educa on is my passion and I love serving the families of Loudoun County as I raise my own fami‐ly here. It is a pleasure to join principal Laura Seck and this team of dedicated educators. Anna Purdy Assistant Principal Meadowland Elementary School

Meadowland ES is now officially Common Sense Media certi-fied for 2015-2016. Students in grades 3 through 5 worked real hard to become digitally certified. Students went through lessons in proper research methods, cyberbullying, and how to properly use technology in general. The Common Sense Media site was useful in guiding our students to become better digital citizens in the community. Recently the news show was relocated during the library renovation. The news show is how held in a room toward the back part of the library. The crew is hard at work with the use of our new wirecast software. We now have the ability to showcase better audio and visuals with green screen software. We will be using this program with the news show to incorporate One to the World Projects and student work after the holiday break. Our school was also busy with the Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics of building programs and games. Teachers signed their students up and their courses were placed on our Meadowland web page. Students were able to work on decision making skills to solve problems at increasing levels of difficulty. Students really en-joyed and appreciated what goes on behind the scenes of their fa-vorite games. The Minecraft and Star Wars classes were a big hit in the building. There will be a camp starting the week of January 11th, after school for students interested in building and creating levels in different gaming environments.

Jay Raines Technology Resource Teacher Meadowland Elementary School

Recycled Gardening Project

Mrs. Green is collecting 2 liter bottles for a recy-cled gardening project. Students and staff can help by saving empty 2 liter bottles, so that they can be reused to grow plants in! If you can remove the la-bel, too, that would be helpful! http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/soda-bottle-wall-garden-5.jpg

Character Word: Respect

The “Character Word” for the month of January is Respect. At Meadowland we reinforce this message each

day by showing Respect for our self by taking good care of oneself. Respect for others means being kind to

others and treating others as you would like to be treated. Respect for property means using school equip-

ment’s appropriately and safely. Respect for learning means following directions the first time and doing your

best every day. Guidance lessons will emphasize the concept of respect as it applies to the three areas of fo-

cus-- academic, social and career. Please ask your children to tell you about what they learned in their guid-

ance lesson.

On another note as we are approaching the holiday season, research showed that more than 8 out of 10 Ameri-

cans anticipate getting stressed during the holiday season. Money, in particular, can be a cause of stress, as

parents feel demands to purchase gifts, decorations and other items associated with holiday

celebrations. Additionally, APA’s 2011 Stress in America survey found that 75 percent of Americans report money as a significant source of stress.

APA offers these tips to help parents deal with holiday stress

Set expectations – Talk to your kids about expectations for gifts and holiday activities. Be open with

them if money is an issue. Depending on a child's age, parents can use this as an opportunity to teach

their kids about the value of money and responsible spending and be realistic. Take small concrete

steps to deal with holiday tasks instead of overwhelming yourself with goals that are too far reaching

for a busy time.

of proportion and teach your kids how to keep things in perspective, including what type and the num-

ber of gifts they receive.

Make connections – Good relationships with family and friends are important. So, view the holidays as a

time to reconnect with people. Additionally, accepting help and support from those who care about you

can help alleviate stress. Even volunteering at a local charity with your kids is a good way to connect

with others, assist someone in need and teach your kids about the value of helping others.

Take care of yourself – Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday season. Engage in

activities that you and your family enjoy and find relaxing. Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind

and body healthy and primed to deal with stressful situations. Consider cutting back television viewing

for kids and instead, get the family out together for a winter walk. It promotes activity and

takes kids away from sedentary time and possible influence from advertisements

Source: http://www.apa.org (American Psychological Association).

Keep things in perspective – Try to consider stressful situations in a broader context and keep a long-

term perspective. Avoid blowing events out of proportion and teach your kids how to keep things in

Character Word: Respect

perspective, including what type and the number of gifts they receive.

Make connections – Good relationships with family and friends are important. So, view the

holidays as a time to reconnect with people. Additionally, accepting help and support from

those who care about you can help alleviate stress. Even volunteering at a local charity

with your kids is a good way to connect with others, assist someone in need and teach

your kids about the value of helping others.

Take care of yourself – Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday sea-

son. Engage in activities that you and your family enjoy and find relaxing. Taking care of

yourself helps keep your mind and body healthy and primed to deal with stressful situa-

tions. Consider cutting back television viewing for kids and instead, get the family out to-

gether for a winter walk. It promotes activity and takes kids away from sedentary

time and possible influence from advertisements

Source: http://www.apa.org (American Psychological Association).

Project‐Based Instruc on HIGHLIGHTS FROM GIFTED SERVICES AT MEADOWLAND

January, 2015

Students in Mrs. Goff’s FUTURA program have just finished up their “Genius Hour” projects. Students picked a topic that they wanted to know more about or just re-ally enjoyed, do extensive research, share with the class, and do evaluations on not only themselves, but classmates. Topics ranged from Greek airplanes, pianos, video games, and much more. They were to form an essential question to answer as well. The sharing tools were very diverse ranging from computer programs such as Animoto, Prezi, Glogster, power points created on Office 365, to handmade books, demonstrations, story boards, and magic tricks. Cheers to all the hardworking FUTURA students!

Some examples of projects:

This project is about Koko, the gorilla, who speaks sign language. This project is a Prezi on the history of video games. This is a power point project on turtles.

SEARCH CLASSES: This year, we have added fourth grade SEARCH. It has been going really well. One of the favorite activities this past semester was writing a story to the worldless picture book called Chalk, as well as putting music to the background of the stories. EDGE GROUPS: All of the groups are doing different creative and critical thinking activities. The third graders have been constructing gingerbread man traps using principles of STEM. First graders have been writing a story about being trapped in a snow globe. Gifted Information Nights: Please check out my SEARCH and FUTURA website for information on countywide up-coming Gifted Information Nights in 2016.

Any questions on gifted services, please contact Mrs. Goff at trudie.goff@lcps.org

Happy Holidays! Sincerely, Trudie Goff

Please bring in used ink cartridges of all types to be recycled through Meadowland's ink recycling program. All funds received will be used for the Computer Lab and technology needs. You can leave your used ink cartridges in the computer lab or in the front office. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Raines. Thank you for your support!

Ink Recycling Program

Parent Resource Center Winter-Spring 2015 Event Schedule

All events are held at the LCPS Administrative Building 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, 20148

Events are cancelled when schools are closed or after school activities cancelled. Call 571-252-2185 or go to www.lcps.org/prc to register. Titles are linked to event flyers.

Introduction to American Sign Language for Parents and Caregivers

An informal and fun series of lessons to learn basic sign language to communicate with your child For parents of children who are deaf/hard of hearing or receiving Special Education Services

On Fridays beginning January 9 through February 13 from 7-8:30 pm in room 420/421

Autism Series: Promoting Independence in Activities of Daily Living For children with Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities

Thursday, January 15, 9-11 am (morning session)

Executive Functioning Skills – What’s the Big Deal?

Wednesday, February 11, 9-11 am (morning session)

Keys to Successful Toileting Determining readiness, developing routines, overcoming fear, pre-teaching

Thursday, March 19, 9-11 am (morning session)

MANDT for Parents

Building Healthy Relationships, Communication and Conflict Resolution Saturday, March 21, 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Autism Series: Developing Play Skills and Building Communication through Play For young children with Autism and related developmental disabilities

Designed for children who are just acquiring or have not yet developed play skills Wednesday, April 15, 9-11 am (morning session)

PATH to Employment Panel presentation by public agencies about how and when to access services to

ensure a timely and smooth transition to employment for students with disabilities Thursday, April 16, 6:30-8:00 pm

A Will is Not Enough- Legal Planning for Your Child’s Future Thursday, April 23, 6:30 pm

If due to a disability, you need assistance or an interpreter, call 571-252-2185 5 Business Days before an event.

Centro de Recursos para Padres Horario de Eventos de Invierno-Primavera 2015

Todos los eventos se llevarán a cabo en el Edificio Administrativo de LCPS 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, 20148

Los eventos son cancelados si las escuelas están cerradas o las actividades después de escuela han sido canceladas. Llamar a 571-252-2185 o ir a www.lcps.org/prc para matricularse,

los títulos están ligados al evento de su volante.

Introducción de Lenguaje de Señas Americano para los Padres y Cuidadores

Una serie de lecciones informales y divertidas para aprender lenguaje de señas básico para comunicarse con su hijo Para padres de niños sordos/pérdida de audición o que reciben servicios de Educación Especial Los viernes a partir del 9 de enero hasta el 13 de febrero de las 7-8:30 pm en el aula 420/421

Series de Autismo: Promoviendo Independencia en Actividades de Vida Diaria

Para niños con autismo y discapacidades de desarrollo relacionado Jueves, 15 de enero, 9-11 am (sesión por la mañana)

Habilidades de Funcionamiento Ejecutivo – ¿Cuál es el problema?

Miércoles, 11 de febrero, 9-11 am (sesión por la mañana)

Claves para ir al Baño con Éxito Determinación de disposición, desarrollando rutinas, superando el miedo, pre-enseñanza

Jueves, 19 de marzo, 9-11 am (sesión por la mañana)

“MANDT” para Padres

Construyendo Relaciones Saludables, Comunicación y Resolución de Conflicto Sábado, 21 de marzo, 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Series de Autismo: Desarrollando Habilidades de Juego y Construyendo Comunicación a través del Juego Para niños menores con autismo y discapacidades de desarrollo relacionadas

Diseñado para niños que están comenzando a adquirir o que no han desarrollado aun habilidades de juego Miércoles, 15 de abril, 9-11 am (sesión por la mañana)

CAMINO hacia el empleo Presentación de panel de agencias públicas acerca de cómo y cuándo acceder servicios para garantizar una transición a tiempo y

sin problemas para el empleo de estudiantes con discapacidades Jueves, 16 de abril, 6:30-8:00 pm

Un Testamento no es Suficiente – Planificación Legal para el Futuro de su Hijo Jueves, 23 de abril, 6:30 pm

Si debido a una discapacidad, usted necesita ayuda o a un intérprete, llamar al 571-252-2185 5 días laborables previos al evento.

OFFICE REMINDERS The school day begins promptly at 7:50 AM. Students MUST be in their classrooms at 7:50 AM, arriving after that time results in an UNEXCUSED tardy, unless a doctor’s note is provided. Students coming in after 7:50 AM must be escorted into the building, by an adult. School dis-misses at 2:35 PM. Parents picking up students prior to dismissal are required to sign them out in the main office. All visitors to the building should begin their visit in the main office. Once in the office , you may sign them out in the main office. Any forgotten items should be brought to the office. This will cut down on interruptions to the class. ABSENTEE/TARDY Please call the Meadowland Absentee line at 571-434-4441to report the absence or late to school information for your child. AFTER SCHOOL PLAN Anytime your child has a change in his/her after school plan, please send a note in with your child in the morning. The office cannot redirect children after school on the basis of a phone call. If an emergency necessitates a change during they day, you may fax the instructions to us at 571-434-4440

MSAAC

The Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee (MSAAC) works in partnership with Loudoun County Public schools staff, parents and community to further the academic, social, and cultural development of every student and to ensure that the needs of all minority stu-dents are met. More information can be found on the school system website at www.lcps.org under the “Parents” tab and then select Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (SIP)

The Meadowland staff is dedicated to improving our strategies for increasing student achievement and in closing the achievement gap. A formal School Improvement Plan is developed by staff, with parent input. If parents are interested in participating in this pro-cess please contact Laura Seck at 571-434-4440. The plan is reviewed and revised throughout the year according to the results achieved.

School Board Representatives

Debbie Rose, Algonkian District-Debbie.rose@lcps.org. You can also follow her on Facebook, “Debbie Rose– School Board” Brenda Sheridan, Sterling District—Brenda.sheridan@lcps.org Tom Reed, at Large—Thomas.reed@lcps.org

Dear Family & Friends, Meadowland is participating in the Giant A+ BonusBucks Program. Meadowland can earn CASH through this exciting program. You can help! Fill in the Registration Card below and return it to the Customer Service counter at your local Giant or log on to www.giantfood.com/aplus and choose “Register your Card” from the menu on the left to designate online. Then, each time you shop at Giant using your GIANT CARD, you will earn CASH for our book club! Our school ID# is #02103