Dear Parents/Guardians: I would first like to take this opportunity to share how

excited I am to step into the role of Principal for the

2013-2014 school year at Reisterstown Elementary

School. As quickly as summer came and went, it is

already October. The students have adjusted well to

their new routines and expectations. As we begin the

second half of the first quarter, routines are in place

and it is clear that rigorous instruction is happening in all

classrooms. I can’t stress enough the importance of an

actively involved school community and the direct link to

student success. I am encouraging 100% staff member-

ship in our Reisterstown PTA and encourage parents and

all members of the school community to join and partici-

pate in the wonderful activities provided. I appreciate

the many hours our PTA volunteers give for the benefit

of the students. In closing, I look forward to working

with all students, parents, and families to ensure that

your child has a very successful school year. We encour-

age you to become involved as we strive to provide the

best educational experience possible in a safe and

nurturing environment. Here’s to a great year!

Here are some things to remember:

The school building is open to students at 8:10 a.m.,

and the late bell rings at 8:25 a.m. Unless you have

registered your child for the Playkeepers, teachers

are not on duty until 8:10. There is no supervision for

students who arrive earlier than this time.

PLEASE, for the safety of the children, NO CARS

MAY ENTER THE BUS LOOP DURING STUDENT

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL. Please be considerate

of those staff members on bus duty, and understand

that the enforcement of this policy is to ensure the

safety of our children. Thank you in advance for your

cooperation in this matter.

October 2013 Volume X, Issue 1

http://reisterstownes.bcps.org/

“Principally Speaking…”

Important Dates

10/1 – Volunteer Training (Library) 8:40 a.m.

10/2 – Volunteer Training (Library) 6:00 p.m.

PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.

10/11 - Moving and Grooving (rain date 10/16)

10/15 - Picture Day

10/18 - NO SCHOOL for Students

10/21-10/25 Book Fair

10/22 - Reading Night 6:00 p.m.

10/29 - Pumpkin Run (rain date 10/30)

10/31 - End of Marking Period (school closes 3

hours early)

REISTERSTOWN ELEMENTARY REPORTER

Lynne Palmer, Principal Marlana Mathis, Assistant Principal

Dismissal is at 2:55 every day. If your child is

late (after 3:10), they will need to be signed out

in the office by an adult. Students in Grades

1-5 will walk out the front doors to the crossing

guard if parents are not present at the start of

dismissal. Please make sure that they are

dressed accordingly with a coat, umbrella or

raincoat.

Please be aware that regular tardies and/or

early dismissals cause students to miss

important parts of the instructional day. If

this becomes a pattern, it will be addressed by

the attendance committee. Maryland law

states that it is mandatory for students to

attend school. If your child is sick, please send

in an absence note. Attendance is monitored

closely by the administration. If you have any

questions or concerns, please contact the

administration.

Ms. Palmer

Reisterstown Elementary

Classroom News

Pre-School 3 News: Preschool friends have done a wonderful job getting acquainted with their class-

room routines. In just a short time, they are already learning how to unpack their backpacks, walk in line, find their seats,

and follow basic daily routines! We began the year by reading the book The Kissing Hand where we learned about a little

raccoon who was going off to school for the very first time. Ask your child to show you his or her kissing hand and see

what they do! We have also been working with the books Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Dog's Colorful Day. Our vocabulary

focus has been on English color words and identifying common animals. Now that fall has officially arrived, we will begin

our fall theme including leaves, apples, pumpkins, and scarecrows! Try to plan some family time that includes going outside

and exploring this time of year. Your little ones will love pointing out what they are learning about in preschool!

Pre-Kindergarten News: We are learning each other’s names and making new friends in Pre-K.

We love to sing songs and have learned many new ones. We are orally expressing our ideas and letting everyone know why

each of us is special. In math we are learning our shapes and learning to count. We have two Luna moth cocoons and one

Black Swallowtail butterfly chrysalis we are observing in our classroom.

Kindergarten News: Fall is upon us and with that brings fun trips. We will be going to the pumpkin

farm October 22, 2013. Parents who have taken the volunteer class can chaperone. All parents will ride the bus with us to

the farm. In reading we will be learning about the life cycle of the pumpkin, colors, families, ourselves, our five senses,

community helpers, and weather. In math we will be counting and comparing numbers. Please practice counting with your

child at home. Also please remember to read each night and fill in the reading log for homework. Please send in a change

of clothes for your child that will be appropriate for the cooler weather.

First Grade News: Our first reading theme has focused on the concept of friendship. Our shared

reading experiences have utilized the books: That’s What Friends Are For by Valeri Gorbachev and Chester’s Way by Kevin

Henkes. The class has explored the essential question “What makes a good friend?” Using these stories the students

have been introduced to the concepts of story elements, cause and effect, character traits, and fact and opinion. We

have also practiced identifying common nouns, proper nouns, and verbs. These are all great skills to practice and review at

home as the students complete their daily 15 minutes of reading. In our first math investigations unit the students have

learned to count to 20, identify sets of 1-20 objects, identify numbers greater and less than other numbers, sequence

numbers to 20, and find sums using pictures or manipulatives. Don’t forget to sign your child’s planner each night and re-

turn homework to school the following day.

Second Grade News: There are a lot of changes this year in second grade. We are finishing up the

first unit of our new reading curriculum. Your child has been reading about characters and real people who have taken

risks. Our next unit will focus on beloved characters, Henry and Mudge, as well as biographies. We hope to have the Pizza

Hut Book It program up and running soon, so make sure to practice reading for 15-30 minutes every night. In math we will

also be wrapping up our first unit on Counting, Coins, and Addition Combinations. Through the workshops and discussion,

your child should be fluent in making addition combinations to make 10. During computer lab students have been partaking

in MAP testing, which will inform us of their individual progress throughout the school year. Also, please do not forget to

wear green every Wednesday to support our school being Earth friendly! For the month of October, please help your child

come to school with a waste-free lunch, as we are having a competition to see which grade brings the LEAST amount of

…more news continued

trash to lunch on Wednesdays. Lastly, please remember that if you are interested in being a chaperone for upcoming field

trips or if you wish to volunteer in school, you must take the mandatory volunteer training.

Third Grade News: We are off to a good start in third grade. Our students continue to adjust to

the routines and expectations for third graders. Please remember to sign your child’s planner each night as well as making

sure their reading log is signed by you. A Math assignment and reading for 15 minutes a night is the weekly homework that

is being given at this time.

Our students enjoyed their first visit by Mr. Anderson from the Snyder Foundation for Animals. He had a superb presen-

tation on “Aquatic Critters of the Chesapeake Bay” region. Since we had our first math unit on multiplication, it would be

helpful if you would work with your child to help him/her memorize their beginning multiplication facts. Students also

need to continue to memorize basic addition and subtraction facts for accuracy.

Finally, ask your child what GBTTT (pronounced G B triple T) means. It stands for Go Back to the Text to get text

evidence. As always, we greatly appreciate your support!

Fourth Grade News: Congratulations! We have made it through the first month of the school

successfully, and we are halfway through the first quarter. Thank you for your patience as we all get accustomed to the

new BCPS curricula. Please remember to check and sign your child’s planner each night. Your child should be reading for at

least 15 minutes each night.

Fifth Grade News: Well the first month of school has come to an end and, overall, the fifth grade

students are adjusting nicely to the curriculum and new routines. In reading we are all currently in the middle of our

novels, Out of My Mind and When I was Your Age. Students are completing daily work in their classroom, which includes a

significant focus on writing and discussion groups. In math we are working on the skill of place value. Our next unit will be

multiplying whole numbers and decimals. In science we are finishing up our first unit of Weather and preparing to start

Geology. Please make sure that you are checking and signing your child’s planner each night, as it is the best means of

communication between teacher, student, and parent. Please check the monthly newsletter for upcoming events both

throughout the school and in fifth grade. Your child should be reading at night and completing homework consistently

when assigned.

Reading News

Welcome back to a new school year full of opportunities for your

child! We look forward to partnering with you to make this year a

productive, wonderful year. Success in reading is very important for

success in school and life. In order for this to happen, parents need

to play a major role in determining the success their child will enjoy.

One way that you can help your child is with reading at home.

Encouraging them to read daily is so crucial for all grades! Remember, 10 ways to become a

better reader are to READ, read, READ, read, READ, read, READ, read, READ and read!

Thirty minutes a day is a great goal, with 15 minutes being a minimum. If you can make time for

15 minutes of that independent reading and read to your child for the other 15 minutes, that

would be ideal. We are participating in Pizza Hut Book It to reward those who read at home. A

calendar should arrive soon from your child’s reading teacher.

In the Reporters coming home this year, we would like to support your efforts to read at home.

We’ll be looking for ideas to make reading at home more fun and meaningful. If you have any

ideas or requests, bring them to Family Literacy Night to share.

Family Reading Night

We hope that you can join us Tuesday evening, October 22, from 6:00 – 7:00 for an evening of

reading. We will have 3 reading stations, the Scholastic Bookfair to visit, and of course, snacks!

Clifford, the big red dog, will be making an appearance! Feel free to wear pajamas, bring a

blanket and/or teddy bear, and enjoy reading together. During the times that your child will

visit the reading stations, members of the Literacy Committee will be available to share ideas

and answer questions about reading. Homework passes will be given. Hope to see you there!

Vocal Music News

Happy fall! We are off to a great start in vocal music! Fifth graders are working hard in

chorus to prepare for their winter concert. Both the chorus and band will perform on

December 19th at 6:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars as ALL fifth graders are expected

to attend!

Grades K and 1 will be attending a concert at the BSO this year. They will hear a perform-

ance of “The Snowman” on December 5th. Look for permission slips to be sent home in

early November.

Three classes have an extra music period per week this quarter – Ms. Cicero’s class, Ms.

Cumming’s class, and Ms. Lauber’s class. During their “extra special” these classes are having a great time learning folk

dances from around the world!

After-school recorder club meets on Fridays and is in full swing. Fourth and fifth grade students participate by

invitation only, and we have an outstanding group of 15 students this year. Hopefully, you will have an opportunity to

hear them perform throughout the year.

I’m looking forward to a fun and productive year in vocal music with your children at RES!

—Ms. Blank, Vocal Music

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Art News

Hello Reisterstown Families.

Each grade level has been working very hard on their Square 1 Art fundraising project. A

note will be coming home shortly with more information, but you can expect to see the art

packets and stickers coming home around November 7, 2103. Last year was the first time

Square 1 Art offered online ordering, and I know that the site was very slow for many

parents. They have stated that they have worked out many glitches, and the online

ordering should run much faster this year.

I appreciate your support. I was able to purchase many items such as blocks and other

materials for students to use during free choice art. They are working hard each class to

earn politeness poms in an empty Gatorade bottle for good behavior. When the bottle is

full they get a free choice art class.

The classes are working on the following projects for Square 1:

5th - Koi fish

4th - Jungle pictures

3rd - Keith Haring inspired figures

2nd - collaged owls

1st - Paul Klee cats

Kdg - Georgia O’Keeffe inspired flowers

Hopefully you have seen your child sketching out some of the things we have learned how to draw in art. I have received

many extra drawings of koi fish and jungle scenes from our students! I love to see them drawing outside of the

classroom!!

—Ms. Aus, Art

Library Media News

Thanks in advance to all of our Reisterstown parents, students, staff,

and volunteers who will be supporting the upcoming Scholastic BookFair!

It will run the week of October 21st through 25th, and students will visit

during regular scheduled Library classes. Families may also make a

purchase during Reading Night on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Kindergarten students are learning about proper library book care and

check-out procedures. They will begin checking out books this month. Remember that books are due

back each week. The best place to keep a book when it is not being read is in each student’s book bag

or backpack.

First grade students are checking out books on a weekly basis. They will continue to select books

independently and on grade level. If your child occasionally selects a book that is a bit harder—please

read it aloud to them and help them to recognize new words. Remember that great library customers

return their books in good shape and on time!

Second grade students are great readers and many are enjoying chapter books already. They are

completing a unit called “Just Right Books” and are learning how to navigate the BCPS Destiny Online

Catalog! Please continue to remind students to be responsible by returning books on time.

Third grade students are applying comprehension strategies to make connections with self, the world,

and other texts while completing a unit called “Off to Adventure! Chapter Books.

Fourth grade students are learning and discussing how to use safe and ethical behaviors online during a

unit called “Staying Safe in Cyberspace”.

Fifth grade students are discussing and practicing safe and ethical behaviors online while also learning

about cyber bullying through an “Online Safety” unit.

Enjoy the season of autumn and Happy Reading,

—Ms. Singer, Library Media Specialist

-Ms. Sandra Besser, School Nurse

Medical Forms

Thank you to all the parents who sent in all of the medical forms. If you have not yet sent in your child’s

forms please do so.

Flu shots

Please think Flu shot!! It is getting to the time of year to get a flu shot!

Healthy Living

This year we have started out with big plans for a healthy year. Ms. Coburn has many healthy activities

planned throughout the year. Reisterstown students, staff, and families are participating in Marathon

Kids! We are enjoying the exercise as well as the healthy food. Stop by and see the nurse’s “Mileage Log”

posted on the health suite door! Please consider joining one of this year’s healthy activities and begin

working toward better health for you and your family! Look for the nurse’s link on the Reisterstown Web

site. It provides links to health forms, policies, and flu information. Have a healthy school year!

Sick Day Protocol

Remember our BCPS health policies:

Stay home with fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit

Stay home with vomiting or diarrhea

Don’t forget to bring in absence notes for each absence

Bring in a doctor’s note for any physical activity restrictions

DO NOT send your child to school WITH MEDICINE!!!

Mrs. Chisholm, Guidance Counselor

Magnet School Events and Deadlines

2013 Middle School Magnet Showcase Events October

(Specific dates and times can be found in the brochure that was sent home to all Reisters-

town 5th graders the beginning of September or www.bcps.org/offices/omp)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 – Magnet Application Deadline - Applications must be post-

marked by the deadline. Applications may also be hand-delivered to the Office of Magnet

Programs, 105 W. Chesapeake Avenue, Jefferson Building, Towson, MD 21204 by 4:30 p.m.

on November 26, 2013. (certified mail strongly recommended)

Middle School Magnet Assessment: Takes place in January

All applicants receive written notification of their status from the Office of Magnet

Programs by early March.

Please refer to the Office of Magnet Programs’ web site for the most current information

(www.bcps.org/offices/omp).

A Maryland Green School

Reisterstown Elementary is continuing to think green. We are implementing practices that make our school,

community, and homes more environmentally friendly. In school we are doing a myriad of things such as recycling

products, reusing items, and reducing our use of items. Students should wear green every Wednesday and bring a

waste-free lunch to school. Mom and Dad - Why don’t you take a waste-free lunch to work? What can you do at

home to help the environment?

Easy Tips for Creating a Waste-Free Lunch:

An inexpensive washcloth is a perfect substitute for a napkin!

Plastic baggies are fine for dry food…just don’t throw them away after one use. Bring the baggies back

home and reuse them for similar items (chips, pretzels, cookies, etc.).

Small plastic containers are perfect for carrots, grapes, yogurt, etc.

Use utensils that can be washed and used again (the dollar stores have inexpensive options).

Reusable drink bottles are great, and come in a variety of sizes. Buy two -- one for water, one for juice/

other drinks.

During the month of October we will be weighing each grade’s trash in the lunchroom every Wednesday to see who

has the least amount of trash. Please help by sending your child in with little or no trash. We will announce the

grades with the least amount of trash each week.

Green School Tee Shirts for Sale

Due to popular demand we have ordered more tee shirts that we designed with the Save the Earth message on the

front. This order is an Irish Green colored shirt with yellow lettering. We have youth small, med, large, and extra

-large. We also have adult small, med., large and extra-large. V’s Tee’s in Reisterstown has been very generous by

keeping the cost to only $7.00.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Clip and Return with $7.00 per shirt (Green School Tee Shirt)

Student Name: Homeroom Teacher Name:

Please circle size desired:

Youth small Youth medium Youth large Youth extra-Large

Adult medium Adult large Adult extra-large

Emergency Information:

The school year is underway and much

can happen in the next few months.

If you have changed jobs or have a

new cell phone #, please send that

new information in to the school. It

is not safe to have your child in school

without up-to-date contact

information.

Quarterly School-Wide Award Assemblies

Perfect Attendance Award

Honor Roll Award (All As and/or Bs)

W.O.W. Award (What an Outstanding Work

ethic)

B.U.G. Award (Brought Up Grade)

Special Area Awards (Art, PE, Music)

* Letters to the parents will be sent out approximately 2 weeks

before the next assembly.

LOST AND FOUND

From time to time, we have

many articles that have been

lost. We will be keeping them

for a month and then sending

them off to Goodwill. We

cannot keep clothing in piles as

there is a health issue that we

want to avoid. Please check

often.

Picture of students and their families that came to the

Marathon Kids Kick-Off at Poly Western High School on September 21st

Information on the Marathon Kids Program We have over 100 students from our school that have signed up for the free Marathon Kids

Program!!! This program is dedicated to provide motivation to children throughout the United

States so that they may live healthier and happier lives! During the school year your child will

track how many miles they run or walk on a Mileage Log that is provided. Once they complete a

full marathon they hand in their Mileage Log paper and will be given another one. All Finishers

receive a free Marathon Kids Finisher Shirt in the spring. If your child has not signed up for

this program, there are extra registration forms on the table behind the showcase.

Information on the After School Running Club The activity this month after school on Tuesday and Thursdays is for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade

students. Students that signed up are trying to earn “footies” by running on the upper field

from 3:15-3:45. Students that participate can also color in their mileage logs if they are also

part of the Marathon Kids Program!!!

REISTERSTOWN KIDS

HELPING OTHERS!!!

This October, make Halloween count by

Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF

Doing so will help us get things like water, education, and medicine to the children who need it

most!

Students at Reisterstown will be given the opportunity to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. This

program is a fundraising initiative that gives U.S. kids the opportunity to raise money to provide

medicine, provide better nutrition, provide clean water, better education, and provide emergency

relief and other support to children in more than 160 countries. Students were given a UNICEF

box to take home in their homeroom classes on October 1st. Interested students and their

families are encouraged to have their families put their UNICEF box on their kitchen counter

and drop loose change in the box throughout the month of October. Another way UNICEF

suggests to collect money is to have children collect money on Halloween if they go Trick or

Treating. All Trick or Treat UNICEF boxes are to be brought in to school on November 1st.

Families and students may also donate the money they have collected in a local Coinstar and

bring in the receipt so that, as a school, we can see how much we have collected.

With your help, your son or daughter can have the opportunity to help make a difference in the

lives of their global peers. For further information about UNICEF’s work look at http://

youth.unicefusa.org/trickortreat/ Thanks in advance to everyone who is participating! Again, all

UNICEF boxes or receipts from the Coinstar will be collected at the door on Nov. 1st. Any

questions or need of extra UNICEF boxes, please contact Ms. Coburn at lcoburn@bcps.org.

Make October your family's month for focusing on

giving back to the community.

REISTERSTOWN ELEMENTARY’S 2nd

“MOVING AND GROOVING”

FUNDRAISER FOR PBIS Friday, October 11, 2013

(Rain date: Wednesday, October 16, 2013)

Our goal through this fundraiser is to raise money for our school’s PBIS program. The money

raised will help pay for our PBIS Store items and help to give school-wide rewards for our

students.

RES continues to prioritize physical fitness and encourage kids in motion. Every student will be

participating during their “Specials.” Please sponsor a student and help make “Moving and

Grooving” a success. Students that collect $20 or more will earn a hula hoop.

Students that collect $20

in donations will earn a no-kink sturdy hoop

All students that raise money will have a chance to win a Bean

Bag Toss game.

(See next page for pledge sheet)

SPONSOR’S NAME DONATION SPONSOR’S NAME DONATION

1. $ 6. $

2. $ 7. $

3. $ 8. $

4. $ 9. $

5. $ 10. $

“MOVING AND GROOVING”

Pledge Sheet

We need your help to make our program successful.

Thank you in advance for your support!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Please fill out and tear off the form below. Make sure you put your donation in an envelope with your child’s name, how much the donation is for, and also your child’s homeroom teacher’s name.

***All forms and donations are due no later than Wednesday, October 9th ***

***If paying by check, make payable to Reisterstown Elementary School

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

My child is donating a total of $ toward the

Moving and Grooving Fundraiser. My child’s homeroom teacher is .

***DON’T FORGET: All forms and donations should be brought in by Tuesday, October 9th.***

“Kids Helping Kids”

FOOD DRIVE

What: Harvest for the Hungry Kids Helping Kids Food

Drive to benefit food banks statewide

When: October 14th – November 1st

Where: Reisterstown Elementary

Why: One-third of the people served by emergency

food programs are children. We need you to

help those hungry children have a good meal so

they can learn. Kids Helping Kids provides

students with an opportunity to learn about

hunger and help other children in need.

How: COLLECT NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS!

Most needed items this year are peanut butter,

macaroni and cheese, canned

vegetables, and rice. A table will

be set up in the lobby for dona-

tions.

Reisterstown Elementary School will join thousands of schools nationwide in celebrating American

Education Week! American Education Week is from Monday, November 18th, through Friday,

November 22nd. Your child’s grade level has a special day when you can visit your child’s classroom

and observe what a typical school day is like for your child. This initiative is designed to spotlight

the importance of parental involvement in a child’s education.

American Education Week Schedule:

Monday, November 18th 4th Grade 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Tuesday, November 19th 2nd Grade 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

5th Grade 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Wednesday, November 20th 1st Grade 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Kindergarten 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Thursday, November 21st 3rd Grade 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Friday, November 22nd Pre-K 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Pre-School 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

We encourage you to participate in this important event in your child’s education. Please share

this letter with your employer. We hope that he/she will agree that everyone benefits when

parents are involved in their child’s education. We ask that you try to abide by the above

schedule. However, please know that you are welcome to visit your child’s classroom anytime

during American Education Week if the above schedule does not work for you. We look forward

to seeing you in our classrooms.

*We are unable to accommodate adults in the cafeteria during lunch times. Also, we ask

that siblings not be brought to school as they can be a distraction to our students.

NORTHWEST AREA EDUCATION

ADVISORY COUNCIL

OPERATING AND CAPITAL PRE-BUDGET

HEARING

WE NEED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!

Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m.

At: Franklin High School

12000 Reisterstown Road

Reisterstown, MD 21136

Northwest Area residents are invited

to our public hearing to present

testimony on capital budget requests

such as building renovations,

equipment purchases/repairs and

operating budget requests such as

books, staff, and technology that they

want included in the BCPS FY 2015

Operating and FY 2016 Capital

Budgets. Each person will be given

three minutes to present testimony.

Anyone who wants to testify must

sign up beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Contact Clifford Collins, Chair, Northwest Area

Education Advisory Council at 443-629-6281 or

cjacob123@aol.com