Folger families,

Thank you for your continued support of our school! April is going to be a busy month, as well as May and into June! It will be filled with many fun activities, and also important events. Spring is in the air! The countdown to spring break is in full swing. When we return from that, everyone will be buzzing about the end of the school year and summer. Yes, it will come fast! But we have much to do each day. We must focus on the now and be present so that students can learn and grow, have a positive experience, and of course, be safe. We cannot lose sight of the basics. Below are a few things I would like to highlight and request the assistance of families as we turn attention to a successful close out of the school year.

• First, April is volunteer appreciation month! Folger could not provide all of the events and activities that we offer without its dedicated volunteer force! Also,the impact of lunch and recess monitors, room parents, classroom helpers, and field trip chaperones, to name a few of the many vital volunteer roles, is immeasurable! Thank you so much for the support you give! We are grateful and our school would look vastly different if we didn’t have that assistance! ☺️  We hope you can join us on Wednesday, April 2 from 9-10am for our Volunteer Appreciation event. RSVP here if you are able to attend. 

• State and federal required testing will take place in April and May. The MCAP schedule is linked here, with more details in this newsletter. AACPS has mandated all of its schools give the assessments on specific dates. We will need all families to assist us to ensure we are able to get this completed. We will continue to provide updates about assessments.  Please contact Mrs. Smith, Assistant Principal and Folger testing coordinator, with any questions.

• There are many events forthcoming in the spring. Please carefully review the calendar items, as it is a busy time of year. Once AACPS announces the last day of school, a few more calendar items will be communicated. 

• Spring is a great and necessary time to review the student handbook. With much of the year under our belts and the finish line around the corner, spring fever hits and behaviors are often not what they should be.  When sitting around the dinner table (or maybe mornings/breakfast table or any family time), please take a moment to chat about this. It would greatly assist our school to have families provide these critical reminders to their children. In particular, thank you for opening family conversation as it relates to being a good Folger Owl regarding the following items: 

  • Think about what we say before we do so and ensure that it is positive and builds people up

  • Keep hands to yourself at all times 

  • Reinforce the AACPS directive that students are not to have cell phones, including smart watches, in class. Phones, if a student does have one, are to be off and away in backpacks during school, and watches are off/away or in school-mode. These devices are leading to classroom disruptions, distracted students who are missing instruction, and numerous behavioral issues.  Additionally, if your child has access to a cell phone, it is recommended that families engage with and monitor the usage during non-school hours.  

I have been making regular appearances on morning announcements to thank and compliment our amazing students and staff for their hard work and efforts. I also remind everyone of the crucial basics of HOOT-ing behaviors which must be consistently practiced by all students so that everyone can have the learning experience all students deserve. Thank you for your partnership and support by reinforcing these expectations with your children.

As we foray into spring, I want to sincelrely thank all families again for the great year we are having. Each and every day, we are appreciative of the hard work of our students, families, school staff and community! Please don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Smith or me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jason Otte, Principal

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month and we want to start the month by celebrating our incredible volunteer community on Wednesday, April 2 from 9-10am. We hope you can join us! Please RSVP here. Every volunteer contribution makes a difference to our students, staff, and school! We are grateful! Please join us for coffee, refreshments, messages of thanks from staff and students, and the chance to get together to celebrate you! THANK YOU!

We’re so close to Spring Break but we’re not taking any days off (yet)!!  

Our next group of HOOTing Hall of Famers will be recognized during lunches on Thursday, April 10th.  All recognized students will hear what their teachers/nominators appreciate about their excellent contributions to our school.  Students will also receive a certificate of recognition, an Otte and a Smith HOOT buck (worth 5 each!), and will see their Hall of Fame “plaque” in the main hallway.

It's hard to believe it’s already the 4th marking period!  During this time, students will focus on the “T” in “HOOT” which stands for “Taking Action.”  This expectation is described in our HOOTing promise as, “I do something right away, when I’m asked.”  This is an extremely important expectation for students to follow.  Respect, trust, and teamwork are foundations of this. When a teacher or any staff member addresses a student and directs them to do something, students need to respect that this is for the betterment of that student or group, be it for academics, safety, or the culture of the community. They are always given guidance, direction, and support as part of what they are being asked. It's about being an active participant in making things better. By promoting the idea of taking action, we strive to develop indepent, confident, problem-solvers. Age and developmentally appropriate opportunities abound at school and home. A forgotten homework, lunch, or instrument and spilled water bottle are just some of the situations that afford students the opportunity to put the "take action" ideal into practice. We need to give our students room to figure these situations out, take responsibility, and move forward. Of course, one of the greatest actions we should encourage children to take is to know that it's ok to ask for help and that we are here to provide it.

Isn't it amazing to see the progress our students are making? This time of year, we look at our youngest students and marvel at how far they have come so quickly and similarly find it hard to believe that our 5th graders were kindergarten students only a handful of years ago.

As a reminder, according to the Folger HOOTing matrix, students are expected to act in the following manner:

• Classroom – “Be an active participant.”

• Cafeteria – "Stay in your personal space & double check for trash.”

• Playground – "Invite others to join.”

• Hallway – “Stay on the silver line.”

• Bathroom – “Clean up after yourself.”

• Bus – “Follow bus safety’s example & keep the bus clean.”

Here are some resources to help discuss the “Take Action” expectation at home, which will help to reinforce and foster buy-in for the appropriate school behaviors:

• “How to Open Class Participation to Everyone” – Edutopia - This is a great way to understand how our teachers are using methods to encourage and include everyone.

• “What to Do When a Student Refuses to Work” – Pathway 2 Success - Work refusal is becoming more prevalent in school and at home. This is especially true when students experience dysregulation in their emotional/executive functioning. It's also a product of spring fever. We still have a quarter of the school year remaining. We want our students to make the most of it!

• “Following Directions: How it Helps Kids Develop Critical Thinking” – Begin Learning

• “Healthy Role Modeling at Home” – Action for Healthy Kids blog - Our children take cues from us, in what we say and do. You are their greatest teacher and we are grateful for you!

• “10 Tips to Help Your Child Follow Directions” – Understood.org

The Folger PBIS/HOOTing Team will be working on developing some schoolwide celebrations of our students’ efforts on state testing (MCAP).  Stay tuned for announcements!!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Folger HOOT team (PBIS) if you have any questions about HOOTing and the expectations for Folger students.

This time of year brings a rise in rashes, allergies, bug bites and stings. Here’s what you need to know:

Rashes in young children can be upsetting, but they’re common and are usually not serious, unless there are other symptoms in combination with the rash. If other symptoms are present, this could signal a communicable disease which means that a doctor must diagnosis and provide a note for the student to return to school.

If your child suffers from seasonal allergies, now is the time to contact your child’s primary care provider or allergist to review and update their medications for seasonal allergies to reduce breakthrough symptoms. If your child requires medication, please administer the medication at home every day. 

If any medication, including over-the-counter medicines, must be taken during school hours, please deliver the medication in its original unopened container, with the pharmacy label attached, along with the completed medication form, to the school nurse. Both the student’s physician and parent must complete the medication form. Students may not carry medication to or from school. 

Bugs love warm weather. Before bedtime is always a good time to check for any bites. Most insect bites and stings are mild and can be treated at home. They might cause itching, swelling, and stinging that go away in a day or two. To treat a mild reaction to an insect bite or sting:

• Remove any stingers.

• Gently wash the area with soap and water.

• Apply a cold pack or ice to the affected area for 10-20 minutes. This helps reduce pain and swelling.

• Consider applying calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to the affected area several times a day until symptoms go away. This helps reduce itching.

• Consider taking an antihistamine medicine to reduce any itching.

Some bites or stings can transmit disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Stings from bees, yellow jackets, wasps, hornets, and fire ants might cause a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Call 911 if your child is having a serious reaction that suggests anaphylaxis, even if it is just one or two of the following symptoms: 

• Trouble breathing.

• Swelling of the lips, face, eyelids, or throat.

• Swallowing difficulty, or drooling.

• Dizziness, fainting, or unconsciousness.

• Confusion.

• A weak and rapid pulse.

• Hives over body, itching. 

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

• Abdominal cramping.

As a reminder, please review the Health Room guidelines and scroll down the page for box, “How do I know when to keep my child home from school because of an illness?”.

The CKLA curriculum has brought a wide variety of fascinating reading to our students across all grade levels. Hoepfully you have enjoyed some interesting conversations about all they are reading and learning! Students can access the CKLA stories from class at home. This can be helpful for for those needing repeated practice with the materials, to strengthen the school-home connection, and can also be used if a student is absent.

In addition to the stories, there are other activities and materials from CKLA to support students learning.

Check out this parent brochure to learn about CKLA access at home. 

Here is the April edition of AACPS' Family Link. This newsletter contains a great deal of important information from the District, as well as helpful tips and resources. This month includes details about redistricting, including upcoming workshops and a community survey.

School starts at 8am - Students need to be in class by then. Doors close at 7:55am to ensure students are in the building, unpacked, and in class on time.

Drivers must remain in your vehicle when using the car loop. Students exit and enter cars on the side closest to the building. Please park your vehicle if you need to exit it for any reason.

Proceed to the top of the car loop - use the whole loop to accommodate all cars. Please don't just stop by the doors. April showers bring may flowers and an increase in the number of cars in the car loop. It's crucial to use the entire car loop, moving forward to maximize the car loop and to keep the traffic moving efficiently and safely.

Do not use bus loop - Cars must use the car loop via Arundel Beach Road. The bus loop is reserved for buses only.

Please listen to a message before calling. This will help direct your call. Staff always leave a message. Thank you for taking the time to listen to a message so that we can best assist you.

No glass water bottles.

A fever means stay home, rest & get better! Yes, we want improved attendance but a fever requires that a student be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school. This is for your student's well-being as well as those around them. Here is guidance about when to keep a child home for health reasons.

All medication must go through the health room. Students are ONLY permitted to take medication at school when deemed necessary and under the supervision of school health staff. A Parent’s Request to Administer Medication at School (PDF) form must be on file for each medication. No medication can be accepted or allowed to be self-administered without the receipt of this authorization form. Also, please be prepared to check in and proceed to the Health Room for this process.

Change of clothes in your student's locker. All students should have change of clothes (in their locker) appropriate for the season. Bathroom, cafeteria, and playground accidents happen all the time. This applies to students in upper grades too.

Off & Away During the School Day. Cell Phones and Smart Watches are not permitted to be used during the school day.

Please PRINT and COMPLETE forms for late arrival and early dismissal. We are not able to update your student's attendance without properly completed, legible forms. Thank you for your attention to this. Too often the forms do not include the student's name. Again, we cannot update your child's attendance without your partnership in this process. Thank you for doing your part!

Lost & Found - fluctuating temperatures mean the Lost & Found grows so fast! Please remind your children to be mindful of their belongings and encourage them to check the Lost & Found. Please label items.

Have a wonderful spring break!