Dear Parents,

Welcome back to the 2017-2018 academic year! On behalf of CMIT Elementary Public Charter School Team members, I would like to congratulate all parents and students for a successful first week of the school. I proudly announce that we began the year with much anticipation and excitement! The first week was a very impressive beginning for our school community which proved we are a family who supports each other. I believe we will have a tremendous success story with your amazing support and our teachers' dedication. I greatly extend my deepest welcome to the kindergarten families and great welcome back to all returning families.

Our first two week goals are centered creating safe and orderly school environment. For that reason, Ms. Fryson, program coordinator, has organized several trainings for our students to ensure that every child is aware of the expectation in the class, hallways, cafeteria, etc. Overall, it is our understanding that having an orderly school environment will help to increase learning moments in the classroom. I encourage every parent to take time and explain the importance of school and education with you child at home. It will help increase their motivation about school, and further higher education.

Parent involvement is a critical part of a functioning school. I am looking forward to seeing all CMIT Elementary families at the Back to School Nights, on September 14, 2017. Also, I am planning to have a ‘Breakfast with the Principal’ event and another parent workshop focuses on college readiness in elementary school level. You will receive the dates and invitations soon. My "main reason to create such partnerships is helping all students succeed in school and in later life." (Epstein, 1992).

To receive the invitations and communications, please update your contact information soon as possible in the school system.

Another key focus is technology integration, as a tech school, we will do our best to integrate technology into an effective style. Technology is a great resource to keep students engaged in daily classroom practices and we look forward to seeing all of the innovative ways our staff will develop tech-based lessons.


One of the challenges we face is traffic and it will take a while before everything is settled. Let us make it easy for everybody and deal with the situation at hand. It will be easier for our students if we follow the set of rules about traffic and try to keep everything in order.

In continuation, we are aware that our website is outdated and we are on our way to buy a new website template. The update is on the way!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Sincerely,

References
Epstein, J.L. (1992) School and Family Partnerships. John Hopkins University Framework of Parent Involvement.

Gonul Ozturk, M.Ed
Principal

Dear CMIT parents

Welcome back! I am so excited to see all of the scholars after the long break. I am truly honored to continue to serve you in Program Coordinator role and look forward to another successful school year. I have been here at school during summer, working on educational excellence by providing technology integrated education. I am confident that we will continue to provide our scholars a rigorous and enriching school experience. CMIT is a special community of which I am proud to be part of.

I am eager working closely with parents, community members, and staff to create an environment at CMIT Elementary that promotes the focus on learning for every student every day. I am dedicated to promote a positive learning environment for all students and am excited to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that student learning is our main focus.

Feel free to stop in and say hello, as my door is always open. If there is anything I can assist you with, please let me know.

Sincerely

Adam A. Akpinar M.Ed
Program Coordinator
aakpinar@cmitelementary.org

Greetings Parent(s),
It is a pleasure to serve as one of the Program Coordinators this year. It is my job to make sure the school wide plan is designed and implemented to create a safe environment for learning. I am eager to provide you with CMIT Elementary policies and procedures that will ensure a safe environment for all faculty and staff, but most importantly your child. There are school wide expectations that will be taught the first two weeks of school by your child’s teacher. These expectations will be posted throughout the school building. You will find in our parent handbook steps the teachers will take to correct behavior and reward behavior and steps that I will take to ensure a safe, positive environment. You can find the handbook on the school website.
Parents, you are my teammates in making sure CMIT Elementary School is the best it can be. I look forward to working with you this year. If you have any questions after you have read your handbook, please contact me using the contact information listed below.
Respectfully,
Tenika Fryson M.Ed., ABD.
tfryson@cmitelementary.org

Tenika Fryson

Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome back to school where we read all day long. My name is Mrs.Watkis. This school year I will work with all teachers and students to support learning.

Reading is an integral part of all learning. I am challenging you to read with your scholar for at least 20-30 minutes each and every day. Start the conversation around books you are reading and watch them grow into readers and leaders.

Each week I will message you to see how the challenge is going. I will keep you motivated by posting a reading quote-Watch out for this!. Please stay informed with school and give us your full support as we Power Up to become successful tigers.

Lesma Watson Watkis

September 14th: Back to School Night @ 6:30p.m - 8:00p.m
September 18th - 29th: NWEA MAP Fall Testing - All grades
September 18th - October 10th: KRA testing - KG students only
September 29th: Professional Development Day - 2 Hr. Early Dismissal for Students (School Dismissal @ 12:25p.m, Enrichment: 1:00p.m - 4:00p.m)
October 2nd - 13th: I-Ready Diagnostic Assessment - RTI students only

We made it through the first week of school!!! Please give your Kindergartener extra love for being so fantastic all week!

For the second week of school, we will be discussing "respect" each morning. We will focus on how respect our classroom, our school, and eachother. Please continue to encourage your scholars to follow school and classroom rules and procedures!

A few reminders:
- If you have not done so already, please send your child with an extra pair of uniform clothes (including underwear and socks!) to keep in his/her cubby. It is important we have something students can change into in the event of accidents or spills! This also keeps us from disrupting your day for a set of clean clothes.
- Uniforms are enforced daily. This includes uninterrupted black shoes. If you have questions, please refer to the school website: cmitelementary.org/uniform-policy/
- Please remember to read nightly! A love of reading starts at home, and it is an easy (and educational!) way to spend quality time with your child. ;]
- Back to School Night is September 14th at 6:30 for Kindergarten. See you then!

-The Kindergarten Team

We had a successful first week back! We are so excited for what the rest of the school year holds!

Coming up in first grade...

We will continue to review school and classroom procedures, as well as, review and refresh the student's skills from Kindergarten.

Don't forget Back to School Night is on Thursday, September 14th!!

First Grade Team

The Second Grade team is glad to welcome our new second graders. We are off to a great start for the 2017-2018 school year!

We'd like to remind parents to:

-Send in school supplies no later than next week.

-Have students wear appropriate uniform (including PE uniforms and only uniform fleece/jackets. This means no hoodies, jean jackets, etc.).

-2nd grade has lunch at 11:45 AM daily, which is quite late for our students. If you can send in a healthy snack (solid food that is mess-free), this may be eaten with the teacher's permission around mid-morning time. Water bottles are also acceptable as long as they are taken care of.

-Homework will begin next week!

We look forward to meeting you at Back to School Night next Thursday, September 14th at 6:30 p.m.

*2nd grade will present as a team in the Media Center and then we will visit individual classrooms.

2nd Grade Team

Welcome back and we hope that you all had a great summer!! Third graders are off to a great start! The first week of school has been wonderful and we hope that this momentum continues.
Next week, we will continue practicing classroom and school procedures, and test taking strategies. Students will also take benchmark assessments in both Language Arts, Science and Math, so that we can assess their prior knowledge.
Gentle Reminders:
-Our lunch is at 12:15, we have snack at 10:00. Please ensure that your scholar has a healthy snack.
-Please ensure that your scholar has money on their lunch accounts.
-On the day that your scholar has P.E., they must wear a gym uniform.
-This is a uniform school, students should have on the proper shirt (maroon or royal blue), pants (khaki or navy blue), and shoes should be all black.

Our Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 14th, at 6:30 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you then!

Field trip information coming soon.

Please explore our grade level website.
http://grade3.cmitelementary.org/

Ms. Tolbert-Math/Science (Team Lead)
Ms. McCain-Math/Science
Ms. Daniel-Language Arts/Social Studies
Ms. Nick-Language Arts/Social Studies

It was a GREAT first week in fourth grade! We learned a lot of school wide and classroom rules and procedures. Students should be ready to continue to apply these procedures as the school year progresses. Next week we will dive headfirst into our ELA, Math, and Science curriculum. Students will also begin to receive homework next week. We look forward to seeing all parents at back to school night next Thursday, September 14. Teachers will discuss rules, procedures, classroom expectations, and we will do our best to answer as many questions as time allows. We look forward to a great year!

Dear 5th Grade Parents;

On behalf of the staff at CMIT Elementary School, it is my distinct pleasure to serve as your child Math and Science teacher. I welcome you to the 2017-2018 school year as we embark on a productive partnership with you to ensure our children can achieve their highest potential. We recognize that to be successful in school, our children need support from both the home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in your child’s education. As partners, we share the responsibility for our children’s success and want you to know that I will do my very best to carry out our responsibilities.

On a personal note. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and a Master’s in Business Administration from Strayer University. Although, my career did not start in the educational spectrum. I spent the last 8 years of my career as a multi-unit and district manager for various companies. Although, I took this route right out of college my desire has always been to eventually teach and help shape our children’s future. Over the last 5 years I have had the honor to serve in capacities where it served children in underprivileged communities. I also was a long-term substitute in the Jersey City School district.

I am looking forward to a great year with your students! My goal is to give all students a strong background in science and mathematics, as well as an enjoyment and appreciation of the world around us as we manipulate numbers in both areas. I strongly encourage the students to take science discussions home to share with you. Teaching your child is a tremendous responsibility and I will do my very best to ensure that each student has a safe and motivating learning experience this upcoming year.

Sincerely;

Lionell Leak

Welcome Tigers!

Here we go (again)! I am thrilled to be serving the CMIT Elementary School community in the capacity of Professional School Counselor once again, now for our 2017-2018 school year together!

I am eager to partner with you, brainstorm and engage with you, in all areas of support of your children’s education. With focus on Academic, Career and Social/Emotional development, we will work together as a team to support our tigers to be successful during their time at CMIT, and beyond our school hallways.

The Elementary age is a critical time in learning and developing self-concepts and understanding capabilities. From tying one’s shoes to knowing how to research and write a formal essay, our scholars are ever-changing, growing and maturing, during their time in elementary school.

This year, we are going to delve deeply into the meaning of our school motto and work through focused Character Education to understand what it looks like, sounds like and feels like, when we “R.O.A.R” and are truly behaving and living as a CMIT Tiger.

Respect Others... Opt to be Scholarly... Act Responsibly... React with Kindness

I will be working with our students on their capacity for understanding Social Emotional Language (SEL) and how we communicate effectively with others, and within ourselves.

I will provide Individual Counseling, Group Counseling, Classroom Guidance, and also Parent Workshops this year. I will host opportunities to volunteer, as we have seen the greatest, strongest, most successful way to communicate the importance of school and education to our children is to show up. Research shows that students whose parents are involved in their education have better grades and fewer discipline problems, Wow!

Whether you have minutes or hours, your ideas, your talents and your presence is critically important, and I will work with you to ensure you are able to share your unique skills and character with our community.

It is with great excitement that I get to introduce you all to ::drum roll::

Ms. Dionne Davis!

She is joining us at CMIT Elementary from now through December, in the capacity of a School Counseling Intern, and I know that you all are as thrilled as I am to have another person in our (regular) Counseling Department of 1 ;) She will work with groups, individuals, push in to classrooms for guidance lessons, and much more! We welcome Ms. Davis and are so eager to utilize all of her skills and talents in our Tigers' Den.

Who Are We?

Name: Mrs. Whitney Green

Position: Prof. School Counselor (PSC)

Stats: 7th Year as PSC in PGCPS

Education/Degree(s): Washington College, BA Sociology; Loyola University, M.Ed K-12 Professional School Counseling

Loves: Coffee; Partnership; and Empathy

Dislikes: The word “can’t”; Assumptions; & Lack of Accountability

Email: writchie@cmitelementary.org




Name: Mrs Dionne Davis

Position: Intern for Professional School Counseling.

I recently retired from the Army after serving 21 ½ years on active duty. I am excited to learn and implement the development of young bright minds with Mrs. Green through the effective manner of Professional School Counseling along with our amazing parents, staff and students.

Stats: First Semester Intern

Education/Degree(s): Park University, BS Industrial Psychology with a minor in Sociology

Liberty University-Current M. ED Professional School Counseling

Loves: Shopping..shopping..and more shopping,taking selfies, reading, spending time with family and traveling

Dislikes: Excuses-Excuses are a foundation for incompetence, and the lack of learning and growth.

Email: ddavis197@liberty.edu

Graciously,
Your School Counselor

Dear CMIT ES Family,

Please help me welcome our newest member to the SPED team, Ms. Megan Aliya! She comes to us from The University of Maryland, College Park. We are so excited to have her with us and are looking forward to a great year!

If you are in the building and see her, please give her a HUGE CMIT family welcome!!

Let's have a great year!!

Shannon McVeigh

Welcome back CMIT Tigers and Family! I am Mr. Hamms and I am your new physical education teacher this year. I look forward to a great year and working with your children this year to help develop and grow through physical activities in my class. Just reminder for all third - fifth grade parents that students can wear the PE uniform, that you can purchase at the uniform store (CMIT t-shirt and either the black shorts or sweatpants) on PE days.

There will be PE homework that will be assigned at least 1 time per month and the students will need to complete the homework online using the Edmoto website. Your child will be bring home a paper to help you register and sign up for my class.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me on Class Dojo, school email, or call. I look forward to a great year and I am very excited to be working at CMIT Elementary with all the staff, students, and parents.

Transportation: Student Drop Off /Pick Up and Early Departure
Note: The parents/guardians are responsible for the daily transportation of their child(ren). CMIT-Elementary does not provide transportation during student arrival or student dismissal. Please update the authorized person(s),including the bus company or the childcare business, that will pick up your child(ren)by submitting an email or written notice to , Crystal.Dubon@pgcps.org and the Principal’s Secretary, Stefanie.Powers@pgcps.org.

Q: What is the earliest that I may drop off my child?
A: 7:35 a.m.

Q: Where should we drop off students in the morning?
A: All car riders should be driven to the rear of the building and dropped off at the cafeteria entrance. Parents must remain in the car in order to keep the process constant and mobile. Carpoolers that include 3 or more students may be dropped off at the main office entrance along with the bus riders.

Q: What is the earliest time that I may pick up my student?
A: Student dismissal begins around 2:30 p.m.

Q: What is the latest time that I may pick up my student?
A: Student dismissal ends at 2:55 p.m. Otherwise, students will be sent to Enrichment and charged Enrichment late fees.

Q: Where should we pick up students in the afternoon?
A: All car riders should be picked up in the rear of the building at the cafeteria entrance. Parents must remain in the car in order to keep the process mobile. Please notice the flow of traffic and refrain from stopping in the middle of the pathway. If you need to buckle in your students we ask that you do not block the flow of pick up so that we can dismiss all students in a timely manner.

Q: What is the latest time that I may pick up my student for early departure?
A: Student dismissal ends at 2:55 p.m. Otherwise, students will be sent to Enrichment and CHARGED ENRICHMENT DROP IN FEES (PAYABLE UPON PICK UP).

Q: Where should we pick up students in the afternoon?
A: All car riders should be picked up in the rear of the building at the cafeteria entrance. Parents must remain in the car in order to keep the process mobile. Please notice the flow of traffic and refrain from stopping in the middle of the pathway. If you need to buckle in your students we ask that you do not block the flow of pick up so that we can dismiss all students in a timely manner.

Q: What is the latest time that I may pick up my student for early departure?
A: Students should be picked up from the Main Office no later than 2:10 p.m. To expedite the process, please send an email to the classroom teacher, the receptionist, Mrs. Virgil, EVirgil@cmitelementary.org and the School Secretary, Crystal.Dubon@pgcps.org and the Principal’s Secretary Stefanie.Powers@pgcps.org or submit a handwritten note in order to expedite the process.

Q: What is the process for walkers?
A: CMIT-Elementary does not recognize walkers since there are no residences within walking distance. Please call the Main Office at 240.573.7240 if you have unique circumstances relevant to the pick up of your child. Please consider that CMIT-Elementary does have a student body of 500 and we are unable to accommodate 500 different unique circumstances.

Uniform Policy
Q: How do I order uniforms?
A: All uniform shirts and tops are handled by the All American Wear. Please call 301-459-5000. All khaki or navy uniform bottoms may be purchased here or at any retail store that sells uniform pants, shorts (except cargo pants), skorts, etc. Full dresses are not allowed for females. The CMIT-ES logo must show during the school day.

Q: When will the uniform policy be enforced?
A: The uniform policy will begin during the first week of school. Please ensure that students are wearing a burgundy or royal blue polo until official uniform tops are received prior to September 19, 2016.

Q: When does the student wear the Physical Education uniform?
A: Please confirm the day of the week that the students enrolled in Physical Education class. Then, students report to school and wear the gym uniform all day. Parents may wish to send the students with wipes for sanitary purposes.

Q: Must the uniform shoe have all black?
A: Yes, the shoe worn with the uniform must be ALL BLACK. Any tennis shoes can be worn for PE and PE only.

Visitations and Volunteers
Q: How does a parent make an appointment to visit a class?
A: Please email EVirgil@cmitelementary.org to request an appointment. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response to the email. All classroom observations will be limited to 15 minutes.

Q: How does a parent volunteer for classroom assistance, chaperone of field trips, etc?
A: Please email the classroom teacher to express an interest in volunteering. The classroom teacher will contact the parent to establish a date, time, and the nature of the task(s). however, we ask that parents participate in a brief orientation sponsored by the PTO prior to volunteering. Please contact the PTO at cmitespto@gmail.com for assistance.

Parent’s Corner

Parent Teacher Conferences
Q: How is a Parent Teacher Conference scheduled?
A: Please email the classroom teacher to request a conference date. The parent will have no more than 30 minutes to meet with the teacher. The conference date scheduled by PGCPS is November 11, 2016. Any other conference requests must be scheduled with the teacher.

Parent Teacher Organization
Q: When will the Parent Teacher Organization Meet?
A: The PTO is scheduled to meet on Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. except when a holiday, school closing and/or early dismissal has been scheduled. The following dates have been designated for PTO meetings: September 13, 2016; October 4, 2016; December 6, 2016; February 7, 2017; ; April 4, 2017; and June 6, 2017.
Student Academic Performance

Q: How do I know if my student is missing assignments and/or homework? How do I follow up on my student’s progress in the class?
A: Please check the School Max website first. If there are further questions, email the teacher for information on your child’s academic progress or call 240.573.7240 to leave the teacher a voicemail message.

Q: To whom do I express my concerns about academics?
A: Please contact the teacher first. If the teacher fails to respond, then contact the Program Coordinator, ProgramCoordinator@cmitelementary.org. The next line of communication is the administration.

Home Visits
Q: When will the home visits begin?
A: Parents should submit a request to the teacher. A teacher and/or staff member will contact the parent to schedule a date and time that is convenient for the parent and the CMIT Staff.

Student Breakfast/Lunch

Breakfast/Lunch
Q: What time does breakfast begin?
A: Breakfast is served from 7:35 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. in the cafeteria. Students arriving at 7:50 a.m. or later should have breakfast prior to being dropped off.

Q: How much are the breakfast/lunch?
A:

ELEMENTARY (Kindergarten - 5)
	Daily	Weekly	Monthly
Reduced Price Breakfast	$0.30	$1.50	$6.00
Full Price Breakfast	$1.60	$8.00	$32.00
Reduced Price Lunch	$0.40	$2.00	$8.00
Full Price Lunch	$2.75	$13.75	$55.00

Q: How do I pay for the breakfast/lunch?
A:

METHODS OF PAYMENT
Cash	Send Cash payment to the school cafeteria so your child’s account can be updated.
Online Payments using a debit or credit card	Visit www.MySchoolBucks.com to set up, review, and add money to your child’s account. The account balance follows the student as long as they are enrolled in a Prince George’s County Public School.

Q: Where can I find the menu for the breakfast/lunch?
A: Please click on the link for the School Menu.