Dear Families,

It is hard to believe 2019 is already upon us. January is a month filled with goal setting through New Year’s resolutions! The month of January also allows for a reenergized focus on using multiple data points to ensure our students are making educational progress. Now is a great time to celebrate what has been achieved and refocus on what still needs to be accomplished. In order to meet the goals set, it is important for students to attend school regularly and be on time. According to Maryland State Department of Education, a student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more (18+days) of the entire school year. At McNair, we mark students tardy if they are not in the building when the bell rings at 9:25. For optimal performance in school, students should be in the building by 9:20 to allow them five minutes to prepare for their day.

As the colder weather and possibility of more snow are upon us, we wanted to remind you of the ways to stay informed. Information about school operations is announced publicly as soon as possible on area radio and television stations, Montgomery County Public Schools Cable TV, Outlook, on the Internet at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org, and on a recorded telephone message at 301-279-3673. Emergency e-mail announcements are available by signing up for MCPS QuickNotes on the school system’s home page. If schools are closed or delayed, the announcement is made no later than 5:00 a.m. (or the night before if possible). If schools are closing early, the announcement is made by 11:00 a.m. Please make sure you have a plan for delayed openings and early closings. All students should be prepared each day for outdoor recess by wearing hats, scarves, mittens or gloves, and boots, if needed. Normally, students go outside if the temperature is 32 degrees or above, including wind chill, and the blacktop areas are clear of ice and snow. Please remember to label your child’s clothing for easy return.

Finally, I wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2019! This will be another year filled with success through the hard work and dedication to each student. The mission statement for Ronald McNair ES states: We, the staff of Ronald McNair, are dedicated to inspire all students to reach their fullest potential. We will work collaboratively to provide the most effective instruction and support for all members of our school community in a safe and secure environment. The hard work is the responsibility of everyone – teachers, students, staff, families, and administrators. It takes all of us working together to make our students’ success a reality!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses Principal

The first page and

calendar from the

Principal’s Newsletter is

sent home during the first

week of each month. You

may access the newsletter

in its entirety on the

school’s webpage at

http://www.montgomerys

choolsmd.org/schools/ron

aldmcnares/ or by coming

in to the front office..

STUDENTS

RETURN TO

SCHOOL, JAN. 2

MARTIN LUTHER

KING JR DAY, NO

SCHOOL JAN. 21

CLUB PICTURES

TAKEN, JAN. 23,

ALL DAY

S. T. E. M. NIGHT

JAN. 24, 7:00

P.M.

EARLY RELEASE

DAY, JAN. 25,

STUDENTS

DISMISSED AT

1:20

PROFESSIONAL

DAY, JAN. 28, NO

SCHOOL FOR

STUDENTS

Sherilyn “Sherry” Moses, Principal January 2019 Amanda E. Dali, Assistant Principal

BELL TIMES

Our important school times are as follows:

9:00 a.m. – students eating breakfast at school are

allowed in the building

9:05 a.m. – Students are allowed on school grounds

(adult supervision begins)

9:15 a.m. – bell rings to admit students to class

9:25 a.m. – tardy bell rings (students must be in their

seats before this time)

3:50 p.m. – dismissal begins**

**This also means that middle and high school

students who come to pick up siblings at McNair will

be waiting for 45 minutes or more until our

dismissal. Please remind your middle and high school

students that our students are still learning during that

time. We ask that they are quiet while waiting outside

the school and stay off of the play equipment. We also

need to remind them to take care of their needs before

leaving their school, as they will not be allowed to enter

our building.

IMPORTANT ITEMS

Emergencies can arise at any time. It is important to

your child’s safety that we have your current address

and current home and work numbers on file. If you

have not already done so, please remember to sign and

return all important forms that were sent home on the

first day of school.

Please label all of your student’s personal items with

their name (especially lunch boxes and jackets.)

Remember to check our Lost & Found rack outside the

front office periodically for missing items.

Parents should keep children at home when an illness is

suspected, a communicable disease has been diagnosed

or lice nits have been found. The child must bring a

note from home upon his/her return. After five

consecutive days of absence, a physician’s note is

required. Parents will receive an attendance call for

students who are absent without notice.

SECURITY SYSTEM

All doors to the building, including the main entrance,

are locked between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

If you need to enter the building during that time, please

come to the main door by the bus loop and follow the

directions to be admitted.

All visitors wishing to gain access to the building

beyond the main office, will be required to have a

photo identification. Your photo ID will be scanned into

our Visitor Management System and you will receive a

visitor’s badge. This badge must be worn at all times

when in the school. Any, and every, time you are entering

McNair your photo ID will be required to gain access

beyond the main office, including coming to visit your

child(ren) during their lunch time.

TARDY BELL

Students who arrive at 9:25 a.m. or later are tardy.

All students who are tardy must have an ADULT sign

them in at the office and receive a pass to enter the

classroom. Please do not drop your child off, if they are

late, without walking him/her into the office. We would

like to remind parents that they must sign their

child(ren) in at the office if they are not in their

classroom by 9:25 a.m.

SAFE ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL

If you drive your child to or from school, you know the

importance of following the posted signs and the traffic

flow. In addition, if you are walking your child to

school, you are a model for your child. Please

remember to cross at the cross walks and follow the

directions of the staff. The biggest safety issues in the

morning are parents and children crossing the roads

not at the crosswalks, and parents and students walking

into our bus lane. Both of these issues are easily solved

by crossing only at crosswalks and listening to the

directions of staff on duty.

The biggest safety issue in the afternoon is parents

parking illegally. Please don’t park on Eternity Court

or where the signs are posted along Eternity Road.

Finally, children cannot walk through the parking lot at

any time without an adult.

I have included a link for Back to School Safety Tips. I

hope you will read and follow so that we can be safe

coming and going from school:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcfrs-

info/news/2013/08252013.html

WINTER HAS ARRIVED Now that the cold weather has arrived, students need to

be prepared to be outside for recess but, also be in warm

classrooms. Please remember to dress your child for the

changing temperatures. Layering clothing works best. A

shirt with a sweater over top is great for the classroom

and then, he/she can add a heavy coat for recess. Please

remember to label EVERYTHING with your child’s name.

That way, as they shed their layers, we can make sure the

items make their way back to the correct children.

WINTER WEATHER INFORMATION

Winter weather emergencies, such as snow and ice, may

cause disruptions in school operations, including the

closure of school, a delayed opening, or an early

dismissal. Information about school operations is

announced publicly as soon as possible on area radio and

television stations, Montgomery County Public Schools

Cable TV, Outlook, on the Internet at

www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org, and on a recorded

telephone message at 301-279-3673. Emergency e-mail

announcements are available by signing up for MCPS

Quicknotes on the school system’s home page. If schools

are closed or delayed, the announcement is made no

later than 5:00 a.m. (or the night before if possible). If

schools are closing early, the announcement is made by

11:00 a.m. Please make sure you have a plan for delayed

openings and early closings.

CLUB PICTURES

Club pictures will be taken on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd. Each

of the following clubs/groups will take a group picture

for the yearbook:

Patrols, 5th Grade Chorus, 4th Grade Chorus,

Beginning Band, Advanced Band, Beginning

Strings, Advanced Strings, SERT Patrols, Group

Piano, SGA, Coding Club, Young Rembrandts,

Girls on the Run, Life Zone, Chess Club, Yoga Club,

i9 Sports, Avanti Sports, Club SciKidz, and

Chinese Immersion

Look for an order form to come home a couple of days

before the picture day.

KIDS HEART CHALLENGE (formally known as Jump

Rope for Heart)

Parents, it’s time for your child to show heart! Before

winter break, all students brought home a packet of

information about the Kids Heart Challenge. On January

4, every student will attend an assembly to learn about

this great cause! It’s your child’s chance to be a Heart

Hero by learning about heart health, spreading the word

and raising funds to save other children. If you would

like to donate, please have your child register at

http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=3997&pg=co

mpany&company_id=179232 so they can take one of

the three challenges and email family and friends to ask

for donations. Your child will earn a glow-in-the-dark

wristband just for registering online. When they get

donations, they will receive Echo, Finn and a clasp.

There’s also an app titled “Kids Heart Challenge” where

you can keep track of special rewards and donations on

the go! From February 11-15, all students will

participate in a special Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

during their regularly scheduled Physical Education class

as the culminating event! Students may start donating

now and all donations are due by February 15, 2019. All

students who raise $150 before the kickoff on January 4,

will be recognized at the assembly and receive Finn, one

of our Heart Heroes plush characters! Thank you for

supporting the physical and emotional well-being of our

students and the American Heart Association.

FIELD TRIPS

There are no field trips this month.

As with all field trips, please make sure you return the

permission slip and field trip fee by the deadline.

CENTER FOR ENRICHED STUDIES PROCESS

Information regarding the Center for Enriched Studies

(formerly the Center for the Highly Gifted) was mailed

directly to all parents of Grade 3 students in Montgomery

County Public Schools (MCPS) the week of December

10th. All Grade 3 students in our school will be centrally

reviewed for potential candidacy for the CES rather than

parents submitting an application. MCPS offers both

regional and local programs. All Grade 3 students will be

considered for a regional CES program, which is based

on their address, unless they attend a school that houses

a local program.

Schools that currently house a regional program include: Lucy V. Barnsley, Chevy Chase, Clearspring, Cold Spring, Charles Drew, Fox Chapel, Mill Creek Towne, Oak View and Pine Crest elementary schools.

Schools that currently house a local program include: Rachel Carson, Piney Branch, Spark Matsunaga, and Stonegate elementary schools.

Students who demonstrate an overall above average

academic profile will be considered for one of the seats

in the CES. You will be notified in early February as to

whether your child will be considered for CES. Upon

notification, you will have the option of requesting or

declining CES testing. Testing will occur in February

2019, at your child’s school, with the selection results

occurring in late March.

There will be a parent information meeting about the

CES on January 23, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. at:

Richard Montgomery High School 250 Richard Montgomery Drive Rockville, MD 20850

The meeting also will be live streamed on the MCPS

homepage and will be posted on the MCPS website.

VOLUNTEERING

All volunteers must complete online training on the

prevention, recognition, and reporting of child abuse and

neglect. Volunteers may access the training,

“Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: for

Volunteers and Contractors,” by visiting training found at

www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/childabuseandneglect.

If you completed this training last year, you do NOT need

to take the training again. The training is valid for three

years!

ONLINE SCHOOL PAYMENTS

Would you like to be able to pay for your child’s field

trips online via your debit or credit card? Well, you can

do that! On the front page of McNair’s website is a link to

Online School Payments. Look for your child’s field

trip, make sure you have the correct teacher and follow

the prompts to make your payment. It’s super-easy and

you don’t have to worry about sending in cash or a check.

Please remember to still send in your child’s permission

slip. If you have any questions on how to use the Online

School Payment system, please call the school at 301-

353-0854.

PTA INFORMATION

STEM NIGHT – All students in

grades K-5 are invited to

participate in the 3rd Annual

Ronald McNair STEM Expo! The goal is for students to

have a fun and safe experience conducting an experiment

or researching the answer to a Science, Technology,

Engineering, or Math problem. Please note that work will

be done at home. Students can pick any project they are

interested in and can pursue the project on their own or

in teams. Students will showcase their completed

projects with a display during the STEM Expo on

Thursday, Jan. 24th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This will be an

Expo, not a competition! For ideas and inspirations, see

examples at:

www.sciencemadesimple.com/projects.html or

www.all-science-fair-

projects.com/school.discoveryeducation.com/scienc

efaircentral/

Look for registration forms to come home soon with all

students. Extra forms will be available in the main office.

MCPS NEWS

BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS

In order to ensure a safe, productive, and positive

learning environment, Montgomery County Public

Schools (MCPS) publishes two documents that help

students, parents, and staff and understand school rules

and regulations; the expectations for student conduct;

and the possible consequences for violating the rules.

A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities is an

overview of the rights and responsibilities students

enjoy in MCPS and a summary of the laws and

regulations that affect students.

The MCPS Code of Conduct provides an overview of

discipline procedures and protocols and the range of

consequences students could face for violating various

policies, regulations, and rules. The guide also discusses

the MCPS philosophy to discipline and defines the

various disciplinary responses.

Both booklets came home with students the first week of

school. Additionally, all students have met with Mrs.

Moses, Ms. Dali, Mrs. Privman, and Mrs. O’Malley to go

over behavior expectations. Parents and guardians are

encouraged to review these document with their

child(ren) so that our students understand their rights

and responsibilities and the district’s expectations for

student conduct. If you have questions, please feel free to

contact the school at 301-353-0854.

MCPS QUICKNOTES

MCPS QuickNotes is a free e-mail service that provides

subscribers with important news and information about

MCPS programs and activities, plus emergency

information. MCPS QuickNotes is offered in six

languages: English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese,

and Vietnamese. Visit www.mcpsquicknotes.org to

subscribe.

ALERT MCPS

Alert MCPS allows you to receive text messages or e-mail

from the school system during weather-related

emergencies and other major events that impact school

system operations. Signing up for Alert MCPS is free, but

please check with your wireless provider about charges

associated with text messages. Sign up at

http://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov.

WHAT DOES YOUR SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

The physical classroom and school environment affects teaching and learning and MCPS wants to know how students use those spaces on a daily basis. Students in all grade levels are invited to participate in a survey for them to share their feedback. Parents/guardians of elementary students are encouraged to talk with their children about their learning environments and help them complete this survey: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerCMOXTGuVCeThRki6Dz7I4m2eVha_A5Ba_MSNmiurPUkv-w/viewform. Middle and high school students may share their feedback here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAH--vClE-36XnLccMmss3MaB0GPtMRF1u3nBujsxaewr4Dg/viewform. MCPS will collect survey results through the beginning of January and the information will be used to support continuous improvement of its educational facilities. After results have been collected, students will have the opportunity to participate in a contest to envision the future of schools and help influence future design. More information about the contest will be provided in the coming weeks. Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. The Board will approve a CIP amendment request on November 27. The request will then be submitted to the Montgomery County Executive and the Montgomery County Council for consideration. For more information on the hearings and to sign up to speak, visit the Board of Education website.

COMMENT SOUGHT ON FOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICIES The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking

comment from parents and members of the community on

four policies—Policy BBB, Ethics; Policy BFA, Policysetting;

Policy IGK, Career and Technology Education; and Policy

KEA, Political Campaigns and Political Materials. Visit

www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/polic

y-for-public-comment.aspx to read the draft policies and to

offer comment.

Public comments on Policy KEA, Civic Engagement, Political Campaigns, and Political Materials are due by Sunday, December 16. Comments on Policy BBB, Ethics; Policy BFA, Policysetting; and Policy IGK, Career and Technology Education must be submitted by January 13, 2019.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WORKSHOP SET FOR DECEMBER 4 Parents/guardians and community members are invited to attend a workshop on Tuesday, December 4 at Neelsville Middle School from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to learn more about the district’s restorative justice vision and how this social justice platform allows students to actively engage and problem-solve physical, psychological, social, and disciplinary issues that affect their lives and the community at large. Please contact 240-740-3951 for more information about the first of three parent workshops this school year. SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT WORKSHOPS SET FOR DECEMBER 5 MCPS is holding special education workshops for parents and guardians to learn more about the Individualized Education Program (IEP) documents and process. The workshops will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, in three locations—

Gaithersburg High School, 101 Education Boulevard in Gaithersburg

Northwood High School, 919 University Boulevard West in Silver Spring

Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville

Interpretation services are available on request. For more information, call 240-740-3884. COMMUNITY FORUM—MEASURING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP The Montgomery County African-American Student

Achievement Action Group is hosting a community forum

on Wednesday, December 5, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at

Argyle Middle School. MCPS parents, guardians, students,

and staff are invited to attend to learn more about the

district’s efforts to close the achievement gap; learn about

the new Maryland State Report Card and what it means

for MCPS students; and hear from newly elected County

councilmembers and Board of Education members. To

register for the event, visit

www.eventbrite.com/e/aasaag-community-forum-

tickets-3635919132.

MCPS STUDENTS TO HOLD USED CAR AND COMPUTER SALE Students in the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) and Information Technology Foundation (ITF) will be selling used cars and computers that they have refurbished on Saturday, December 8, at Gaithersburg High School, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. A list of available cars for purchase is available at: www.cars2purchase.org/. For information on the computers that will be sold, call 240-740-2050. The cars and computers are refurbished and reconditioned by the students as part of their classroom and lab studies. The sales provide students with the opportunity to practice their sales skills, earn Student Service Learning hours, and develop a deeper appreciation for community involvement. Members of the community are welcome to donate vehicles to the program. Vehicles may be donated at any of the automotive programs located at Damascus, Gaithersburg, Seneca Valley high schools or Thomas Edison High School of Technology. Donations may be tax deductible. MCPS FOUNDATION LAUNCHES DINE WITH DIGNITY CAMPAIGN The Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation launched the Dine with Dignity Campaign October 29 to raise awareness and funds in support of preserving student dignity in the lunchroom. Last year in MCPS, 34,000 traditional school lunches were exchanged for alternative meals and provided to students who did not qualify for the free lunch program and whose lunch account balances were negative $10 or more. The alternative meal identified the students to their peers as not having money for lunch, increasing the possibility for the student’s embarrassment. In response, the Foundation created a fund to help the district settle unpaid lunch balances and to allow students with negative account balances to enjoy traditional lunch choices. Families are still asked to pay off, or to contribute within their means, toward the outstanding balance on their student's lunch account; the Dine with Dignity Fund pays the remainder. To raise awareness about this special childhood hunger issue and awareness about the campaign, The Foundation enlisted help from Starbucks and now through December 2, messages about the Dine with Dignity campaign will be on coffeehouse tables and condiment bars in 46

Montgomery County Starbucks’ locations. Learn more and donate today at www.mcpsfoundation.org/dine206. WINTER COAT DRIVE UNDER WAY The Prekindergarten/Head Start Programs is seeking donations to provide students with new winter coats. They are collecting coats for boys and girls in sizes 5, 6, and 7, along with other winter wear, such as hats and gloves. Monetary donations are welcome. Donations can be sent to Rocking Horse Road Center, 4910 Macon Road, Room 141, Rockville, Maryland 20852. For more information, contact Lisa Conlon at 240-740-4530. HOMEWORK HOTLINE LIVE CELEBRATING 33RD SEASON Need homework help? Then call Homework Hotline Live. With HHL, you get free after-school homework help from MCPS teachers. You can call the live TV show at 301-279-3234 or send a question online via text or e-mail. When school is in session, watch teachers answer your homework questions live on MCPS-TV from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. You can also get online help from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. Go to www.AskHHL.org for more info and to download the free HHL app! If you call in and correctly answer a BrainTeaser question, you could win an HHL 8GB Flashdrive! Tune in to see the HHL Mathema-Chicken pluck out some math questions.

HHL General Info:

o Telephone: 301-279-3234 o Text: 724-427-5445 o Live TV show on Comcast 33, Verizon 35,

RCN 88 o www.AskHHL.org

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday/ Sunday

1 2 3 4 5/6

NEW YEAR’S DAY HOLIDAY

NO SCHOOL BAR-T CLOSED

Students return to school 1:20 Patrol Meeting

4:15 Basketball 4:15 Chinese Immersion

Begins

Kids Heart Challenge Kickoff Assemblies

9:45-10:15 Gr 3-5 10:25-10:55 PreK – 2

NO CHESS CLUB

7 8 9 10 11 12/13

Mobile Science Lab at McNair Thru 1/14

4:15 Chinese Immersion 8:40 – 9:10 SERT Meeting 4:15 Basketball Ends

4:15 Chinese Immersion

NO CHESS CLUB

14 15 16 17 18 19/20

4:15 Young Rembrandts Begins

4:15 Chinese Immersion

4:15 Yoga Begins 8:10 Coding Session II Begins

4:15 Chinese Immersion 4:15 i9 Sports Begins

4:15 Chess Club

21 22 23 24 25 26/27

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY

HOLIDAY

4:15 Young Rembrandts

4:15 Chinese Immersion

Club Pictures 8:30 Building Tour for New Families (by appointment

only) 4:15 Yoga

6:30 Center for Enriched Studies Parent Meeting at Richard Montgomery HS

8:10 Coding 4:15 Chinese Immersion

4:15 i9 Sports 6:30-8:00 KMS Incoming Gr

6 Parent Meeting 7:00-9:00 S.T.E.M. Night

EARLY RELEASE DAY STUDENTS DISMISSED AT

1:20 2nd Marking Period Ends

28 29 30 31

PROFESSIONAL DAY NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

3rd Marking Period Begins 4:15 Young Rembrandts 4:15 Chinese Immersion

4:15 Yoga 8:10 Coding Grade Level Newsletters sent

home 1:20 Patrol Meeting

4:15 Chinese Immersion 4:15 i9 Sports