September 2019
Tuesday, September 3 - First Day of School!!
Ruth Ann Monroe Primary's attendance goal for each month is 95%.
How will you help us reach this goal?
REGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is important and required by Maryland Law. Every child in Maryland five years old (by September 1) shall attend school daily unless the child is lawfully absent. When combined absences (lawful and unlawful) total twelve (12) days, the school requires a parent note AND official, legal documentation (i.e. doctor's note and/or legal summons) in order to be accepted as excused absences.
ATTENDANCE
I hope you and your family are settled in after the holidays. This is the time of year when winter takes a toll on school attendance. Snow and slushy weather can keep parents from getting their children to school. So can the colds, fevers and earaches that often come with the winter months.
These absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. If it is a snowy or rainy day but school is still open, students miss out on learning if they aren’t in class. These absences can result in lower test scores and grades.
There’s not much we can do about the weather, but there are two key steps every family can take to help avoid absences this year.
These absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. If it is a snowy or rainy day but school is still open, students miss out on learning if they aren’t in class. These absences can result in lower test scores and grades.
There’s not much we can do about the weather, but there are two key steps every family can take to help avoid absences this year.
- Develop back up plans for getting your children to school in winter weather. That could mean checking with other families who have a car that can manage in the snow or forming a “walking school bus” to walk your children to school with other parents. If you’re stuck, call the school. We can connect you with other parents or staff members who can help.
- Keep your children healthy. Dress them warmly for the cold weather and make sure they’ve got hats and gloves. Encourage them to wash their hands regularly, and send them to school with a bottle of hand sanitizer. If your children do get sick, talk to a doctor or the school nurse about whether they should come to school and when it is okay for them to return. Below, you will find some tips about when children are too sick for school.
- Above all, let us know how we can help. We want your children and all our students to succeed. And that means attending school every day possible.
Ruth Ann Monroe Attendance Newsletter
January 14th, 2019 NEW ATTENDANCE INITIATIVES We wanted to share with all of our families some new initiatives for Attendance. The SST Team is very excited about sharing the information with you!! We have initiated some new programs to help support our students with improving their attendance and rewarding them for perfect attendance as a classroom. Here are the components of the Attendance Program: ●For every day a class has perfect attendance they may hang outside their room a special sign that acknowledges their perfect attendance for that day!!! (Perfect attendance= All students are in the class when attendance is taken.) ●Each month the class with the highest percentage of attendance will have "the HONOR" of hanging a special Attendance Reward outside or inside their room. This gives them bragging rights for the entire month! The design of the award is our very own RAMP Wreath and is a hand crafted special award just for this! The winning class will have the opportunity to pick a class reward guided by the teacher! EX: PJ day, extra recess, etc.... the class and teacher decide!!! ●Students with perfect attendance for the month will continue to be recognized with their name on a special bee and posted on our school wall in the hallway. ●We are adding a special reward for those students who have had challenges with attendance. It will be a punch out card for 10 days of attendance. If the student has 10 CONSECUTIVE days of attendance punched out on their card then they may turn in their card to our Attendance Secretary in the office for a reward (from a assortment of prizes). Their name will also go on the bulletin board as well. If they miss a day then they will be given give a new card to restart and toss the old card! They must have 10 consecutive days to get the reward and their name on the bulletin board. They must be in their classroom when the teacher takes attendance to be eligible for counting the day. ●We will continue 90 day and 180 day perfect attendance "breakfast" for the students with perfect attendance. ●We want to recognize our students for coming in to school every day, and celebrate those who are working on improving their daily attendance!Ruth Ann Monroe Primary attendance goal for each month is 95%. How will you help us reach this goal? |
REGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Regular school attendance is important and required by Maryland Law. Every child in Maryland five years old (by September 1) shall attend school daily unless the child is lawfully absent. When combined absences (lawful and unlawful) total twelve (12) days, the school requires official, legal documentation (i.e. doctor's note and/or legal summons) in order to be accepted as excused absences. REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE A PERFECT ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATE To earn a perfect attendance certificate your child must have been present in school from 9:15 am until 3:45pm everyday that school was in session for the month. If your child is tardy or leaves early, he/she will NOT be receiving a perfect attendance certificate. CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM The Maryland accountability system measures the percent of students that are not chronically absent. Chronic absenteeism measures the percent of students at each school who are absent at least ten percent or more of school days. All absences -- including excused absences of any kind -- are included. Students are included in the measure if they have been enrolled in the school for at least ten days. The chronic absenteeism measure is part of each school's Quality/Student Success indicator on the State School Report Card. The Attendance rate at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary reflects 21% of our students are considered chronically absent. Please make every effort to ensure that your child comes to school. Every minute and second of everyday counts!! Don't let your child miss out on any learning opportunity! If you have questions regarding chronic absenteeism and/or you may be in need of assistance improving your child's attendance, please reach out to your child's teacher, school counselor or administrator. |
2019 - 2020 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION BEGINS MARCH 11TH!
Beginning March 11th, you may register your upcoming kindergartner at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary's front office between 8:00am - 3:00pm.
Call 301-766-8668 if you have any questions.
To register children for school a parent/legal guardian must go to the school district that they live in,
the following documents are required to register:
1. Copy of Parent/Legal Guardian Photo ID
2. Copy of Child’s birth certificate
3. Copy of Child’s Social Security Card
4. Copy of Immunization records
5. Copy of Health inventory completed by child's doctor within last 6 months
6. Copy of Proof of residency (mortgage/rental agreement, electric, water or sewer bill, current within the last three months. Telephone bills, cable bills, and driver’s licenses are NOT ACCEPTABLE proofs of residency.
Beginning March 11th, you may register your upcoming kindergartner at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary's front office between 8:00am - 3:00pm.
Call 301-766-8668 if you have any questions.
To register children for school a parent/legal guardian must go to the school district that they live in,
the following documents are required to register:
1. Copy of Parent/Legal Guardian Photo ID
2. Copy of Child’s birth certificate
3. Copy of Child’s Social Security Card
4. Copy of Immunization records
5. Copy of Health inventory completed by child's doctor within last 6 months
6. Copy of Proof of residency (mortgage/rental agreement, electric, water or sewer bill, current within the last three months. Telephone bills, cable bills, and driver’s licenses are NOT ACCEPTABLE proofs of residency.
YOU MUST SHOW PHOTO ID TO RECEIVE A PASS TO THE FOOD PANTRY!
Eastern Elementary and Ruth Ann Monroe families in need of emergency food may visit The School Food Pantry located at Eastern Elementary. All visitors MUST enter through the main office and show PHOTO ID at Eastern Elementary to receive a pass to the pantry. Each family may visit only once per month. When: THURSDAYS, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Where: EASTERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Compliments of the Maryland Food Bank Coordinated by Title I Parent Involvement |
We are asking for donations of unopened packages of boys and girls socks and underwear. We have already exhausted our supply for this school year. We are in need of sizes to fit grades K – 2.
Parents could greatly help us by keeping a full set of clothes in their child’s book bag for emergency use. We greatly appreciate it! Please feel free to call the Health Office at 301-766-8672 with any questions. Thank you. Angie and Celena |
School Bus Transportation
Riding the bus is a privilege and one that we encourage all families to utilize.
Students are required to ride the bus to which they are assigned. School staff and bus drivers are not authorized to accept a note from a parent requesting that their child/ren ride a bus other than the one he/she is assigned.
All Pre-K and K students MUST have a parent present at the bus stop daily or the student will be returned to school. A parent or emergency contact must then pick the student up at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School.
Bus information for drop off and pick up times may be found on the WCPS website in the parent section by clicking on the ‘Bus Routes’’ link.
Riding the bus is a privilege and one that we encourage all families to utilize.
Students are required to ride the bus to which they are assigned. School staff and bus drivers are not authorized to accept a note from a parent requesting that their child/ren ride a bus other than the one he/she is assigned.
All Pre-K and K students MUST have a parent present at the bus stop daily or the student will be returned to school. A parent or emergency contact must then pick the student up at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School.
Bus information for drop off and pick up times may be found on the WCPS website in the parent section by clicking on the ‘Bus Routes’’ link.
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Student Birthdays
While we understand that birthdays are an exciting time for all children, we ask that families celebrate birthdays at home rather than at school. Please note that due to allergies, ‘food treats’ (cookies, cupcakes, cakes, brownies, etc.) are not permitted. Alternatives to food treats that are acceptable might include:
GENTLE REMINDERS
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Visiting Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School
In order to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff, please note the following:
- All persons wishing to enter the building will be asked to provide/show valid photo ID
- Parents are not permitted to walk students to their classrooms after the first week of school.
- Parents/relatives/visitors are not permitted to eat lunch with their student/s.
- When necessary to meet with your child’s teacher, please schedule an appointment with the teacher in advance. Teachers may not be pulled from classroom instruction to meet with parents.
- To be a volunteer, you must have an approved application on file in the front office. Volunteers must also sign in at the front office upon their arrival and sign out at the front office at time of departure. Please see our secretaries for assistance.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR 2018 - 2019 SCHOOL YEAR
Communication between home and school is the key to success!
Ways to keep the lines of communication open include:
Ways to keep the lines of communication open include:
- Please keep parent, guardian, and emergency contact phone numbers current so that we may reach you in the event of an emergency.
- Checking your child’s folder daily for notes, fliers, school info, and community events
- Sending notes to school in your child’s folder; calling the school office (301-766-8668) and leaving a message for a staff member; and/or emailing a staff member
- Class DoJo - an instant messaging account for communication (information provided by your child’s teacher)
- ParentVue account - allows you to view attendance, grade book and access your child’s report card each marking period. Stop by the front office to activate your account.