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Aacps.org

Crofton Woods Elementary School May 2015 Newsletter
Mark Your
Calendar
5th Grade PARCC End of Year Mathematics Assessment Mrs. Truly & Mrs. McSweegan's classes 9:00 am – 11:00 am Mr. Incorvati & Mr. Furlow's classes 11:00 am – 1:00 pm PTA Meeting – 7:00 pm CWES Homepage
2nd Grade field trip to Science Center Band & Strings Concert – 9:15 am and 6:30 pm Interims sent home Steve Williams, Editor
5th Grade panoramic picture Community Service Day 3rd Grade PARCC End of Year English Language Arts Assessment 9:00 am – 11:00 School Hours
3rd Grade PARCC End of Year Mathematic Assessment 9:00 am – 8:40 AM – 3:10 PM Chorus concert – 9:15 am and 7:00 pm 4th Grade field trip to Fort McHenery 4th Grade PARCC End of Year English Assessment Mrs. Heinlen & Ms. Pedley's classes 9:00 am – 11:00 am Mr. Lynch & Mrs. Parker's classes 11:00 am – 1:00 pm 4th Grade PARCC End of Year Mathematics Assessment Mrs. Heinlen & Ms. Pedley's classes 9:00 am – 11:00 am Mr. Lynch & Mrs. Parker's classes 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Kindergarten field trip to Clark's Eliok Farm Kindergarten Conferences – no school for kindergarten students International Night – 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Kindergarten Conferences – no school for kindergarten students Memorial Day – School Closed 1st Grade field trip to the National Zoo Poplar Island field trip – selected students

Principal's Letter
Each year, our school musical productions seem to get better and better. Congratulations to Mr. Hughes on a simply
outstanding production of "Kids on Broadway". For the theater lovers among us, this production, which Mr. Hughes
put together, provided nonstop entertainment featuring one outstanding Broadway selection after another! From
"The Music Man" to "Les Miserables", Crofton Woods's fourth and fifth grade students shined at every turn under
Mr. Hughes' outstanding direction! This was surely an experience students will remember for years to come! In the
process, some truly outstanding talent was evident!
Mr. Nicholas and Ms. Dreyman provided equally outstanding programs as our strings and band students performed
their spring programs. Once again, audiences were treated to excellent programs by students displaying clear
evidence of sound musical instruction. I'm very pleased by the outstanding level of the cultural arts programs at our
school!
Crofton Woods is the outstanding school it is as a result of numerous factors. Alongside a great staff and parental
support is the outstanding base of parent volunteers! From computer coding classes to Art Club, outstanding
opportunities exist for our students because of caring, talented adults!
I want to express my gratitude to Mrs. Chris Jackson! For years, she has served the students and staff of Crofton
Woods tirelessly in support of the many programs we value so much. Once again this year, Community Service Day
was a huge success. Under Mrs. Jackson's outstanding leadership and with the support of countless parent
volunteers and staff members, students once again spent an afternoon developing an appreciation for community
service along with an understanding of the value of serving others!
In addition, Mrs. Jackson has worked extensively with our "Drama Club", providing hands on support and coaching to students and adults alike! As her youngest child completes his time at Crofton Woods, we will surely feel her absence. However, we count on the ongoing support of new parents to sustain and inspire new programs and enrichment opportunities for our students. Thank you, Mrs. Jackson! It's hard to believe that June is just around the corner! Enjoy this wonderful time of year! Sincerely,
John Barzal, Principal
[email protected]

Watch D.O.G.S.
Dads Of Great Students

WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) is a safe school initiative of the National Center for Fathering that
involves fathers and father figures to help create a more safe and secure learning environment in our
nation's schools.
Who are Watch DOGS? Fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, uncles, and other father figures who volunteer
to serve at least one day each year in a variety of school activities as assigned by the school principal or
other administrator.
The WATCH D.O.G.S. Program strives to:
 Raise the banner of positive fathering through the forum of schools.  Awaken fathers to the values and benefits of committed fathering.  Change culture by which every child has a father or father figure to connect with in a positive way at  Help every school in America be positively impacted by the committed involvement of fathers and father figures in their children's life. WATCH D.O.G.S. perform a variety of tasks during their day. Examples include  Monitoring the school entrance and exits  Assisting with buses and cars  Small group or individual students  Assisting at recess  Eating lunch with the students and  Other activities that engage the WATCH D.O.G.S. with not only their own children but other children Please contact us to sign up for the newsletter and communications to learn more! If you have questions or would like to be a CWES Watch Dog for a day, contact:  Watch D.O.G.S. Coordinator and School Counselor, Mrs. Angie Martin, [email protected]  Watch D.O.G.S. Assistant and Communications, Steve Williams, [email protected]

Counselor's Corner
Each year may children lose some of their reading ability during the summer vacation. They neglect to practice the reading strategies and skills they've learned in school. If parents and children work together, children can not only maintain, but also improve their reading ability over the summer. Here are some ideas you can use:  Read to your child every day. Be sure to make reading a relaxing and enjoyable family event. Choose books with your child's interests in mind.  Make lists for everything. Your child and you can make lists of groceries to buy, items to pack for vacation, books to get at the library, and chores to be done.  Share your reading. When you find an interesting newspaper article, comic strip or selection from a book, read it aloud to your child to share both the information and the enjoyment of reading.  Keep a word bank. On strips of paper or note cards write words your child has trouble reading or words of interest. Then find enjoyable ways to practice these words.  Get excited about children's magazines and read them together. Read the articles, work the puzzles, and play the games together. Remember that subscriptions to favorite magazines make great gifts.  Write stories or letters with your child. Sit together so that your child can share their ideas with you. You can write it for your child or you can assist your child when they are writing.  Encourage reading for pleasure. Getting children "hooked" on a particular author, series, or subject area is one good way to get them excited about books. Summer reading programs at the local library can also make reading fun.  Encourage reading for meaning. Invite your child to ask questions if he or she doesn't understand something. Children comprehend more when they thing about what they read, and they learn to reread things that don't make sense. Becoming a good reader requires practice and most children will want to practice only if the task is enjoyable. The ideas listed here can help you work with your child to improve his or her reading ability while building positive attitudes toward reading. Have an enjoyable and safe summer!!!!
Mrs. Angie Martin, School Counselor
(410) 222- 5805
[email protected]

From The School Nurse
Allergy season is here and a lot children are visiting the health room with red, itchy, watery eyes, coughing, and rashes. As the weather has gotten warmer and plants start to bloom, trees, grasses and flowers release pollen into the air, triggering allergic symptoms in people with seasonal allergies.
Here are some remedies for spring allergies:
 Take allergy medicine early. Once your nasal airway passages are inflamed, it reduces the chances of the
medication working. If you have nasal congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose, a nasal spray like Astelin is often recommended. If allergies make you feel itchy, non-sedating oral anti-histamines, such as Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec is recommended. If allergies make it hard to sleep, Benadryl or Chor-Trimetin may be suggested by your physician.  Limit pollen exposure. Wear sunglasses and a brimmed hat. Keep windows closed at home and avoid the
outdoors at midday when pollen is at its highest. When you come in from the outside change your clothing before going into your bedroom and shower and wash your hair before going to bed.  Try natural remedies. If you do not like to use over the counter medications you may want to consider natural
remedies. These may include natural supplements, teas, spices, and vitamins. Contact a Naturopathic or Homeopathic health care provider for more information.  Rinse your nasal passages regularly during pollen season. Keeping them clean and clear is a helpful practice.
Rinsing with a salt water solution decreases inflammation in the sinuses and rinses away pollen and molds in your nasal passages.  Commit to a healthy diet and exercise. Exercise can bolster your immune system and help fight your allergies.
 Immunotherapy. Allergy shots increase your tolerance to a trigger and is something your child's health care
provider may consider.  Give your home a thorough spring cleaning.
 Keep windows and doors closed to prevent pollen from drifting into your home.
 Keep car windows closed when traveling.
 Stay inside if pollen count is high or it is windy.
 Air purifiers help with pollen and molds that enter your house through open windows, doors and cracks.
Mrs. Stocker, R.N., School Nurse

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