The Panther Press
Mr. Christopher P. Nunzio- Principal
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9
Ms. Tana Ellis – Assistant Principal
Mr. Ron Dada – Dean of Students
May/June 2015
The month of May has finally arrived. If the saying ‘April showers bring May flowers’ is true, then
we should have an abundance of flowers for the month ahead. What we are really hopeful for
are warmer days ahead. Mother Nature just doesn’t want to let go of the cooler temperatures;
however, I know we would certainly enjoy daytime highs in the 70’s and say farewell to the 50’s
and 60’s. That way we know summer is on the horizon. However, we still have a good 6 weeks of
school before the buses roll out of here on June 17th, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There
are still a lot of instructional days filled with fun and exciting activities planned for the remaining
weeks of school.
The months of May and June are very busy times at Prince Street Elementary. Please take a
minute to review the Dates and Events at the end of this publication. These are all the
highlighted events that will take place during the next two months. This will be the last Panther
Press News for the 2014-2015 school year. If there are any changes in the schedule or
information, a special communication will be sent home with your child or you will receive a
school messenger (phone call) notification.
This school year has been filled with many productive and rewarding experiences. The students
continue to work extremely hard on their studies and the teachers and staff will continue to do a
wonderful job. It is with great pride that the Prince Street family can reflect back on another
rewarding and successful year.
Once again it is time for our counties thirty-eighth annual art show at the Wicomico
County Free Public Library. The Art Show Reception is Friday May 1st, 2015 from 7:00 PM
to 8:30 PM. The show runs from April 23rd until May 2nd. The artwork is amazing from
elementary to secondary! We are excited that from the works displayed, some may be
chosen for the superintendent’s collection and be put on display at the local Board of
Education. Congratulations for being chosen! Our school wide Evening with the Arts;
where every student’s artwork will be displayed in the hallways and on 3D work on their
desks in the classrooms, will take place May 11th, 2015.
Kindergarten
Jasmine McNealy
Emonni Branch
Grade 1
Alyssa Djarnette
Dave Paulifond
Elijah George
Saniyah Leonard
Katy Endres
Helen Weng
Erick Sanchez-Cruz
Neftali Romero Sanchez
Alicia Tepehua
Paul Parsons
Anaiya Hill
Ana Gonzalez
Taneia Weever
Grade 2
Zuri Guerrero Jose
Catarina Matul
Kevin Zheng
Tyrick Schlehofer
Trent Johnson
Aristides Lovo
Vincent Zhang
Grade 3
Corina Nava
Grade 4
Key’Nya Smith
Austin Elliott
Rachael Funchess
Steven Garcia-Ramirez
Mathaba Alaalla
Jamie Zheng
Grade 5
Jason Sterling-Peek
Amyria Osborne
Esbeidy Snachez-Flores
Zahmyra Harris
Danielle Kirby
Braya Carter
Brandon Vazquez-Fiqueroa
Instructional Leadership Team – School Improvement Plan
In reviewing next year’s School Improvement Plan, we will continue with many of the academic initiatives
that were in practice this year with regards to the new Maryland College and Career Content Standards.
In addition, we will be revising a few facets of our plan to assure it continues to align with the county’s
master plan and the school-wide Title 1 components. Next year, we will continue with our goal in
advancing the use of technology in the classroom. This is really exciting to see and the children are really
becoming very proficient in this area. This year we continued to make inroads in this venture and it made a
huge impact in the instructional delivery in our classrooms. The use of technology is very important in
preparing our students for function in a global economy of the 21 st century.
In addition, we will continue to implement the use of Professional Learning Communities with the goal of
ensuring that all students are learning to their true potential. In our PLC meetings, teachers, PD coaches,
administrators and staff members work interdependently in a collaborative manner to achieve common
goals for which they are mutually accountable. The focus of each team is to seek new and modified
methods of teaching (differentiated instruction and explicit instruction), test the methods for concept
attainment, delivery and finally reflect upon the results. Teams do this by focusing their efforts to solve four
essential questions:
 What do we want each student to know?
 How will we know when each student has learned it?
 How will we respond if they don’t know it?
 How will we respond if they do know it?
Finally, we will continue with our school-wide programs: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS),
Implementing Why Try program. These programs are designed to meet the needs of our students by
accentuating the positive and minimizing the negative. Each program compliments each other and works
in harmony to promote a cooperative and safe learning environment for all our children.
The faculty and staff at Prince Street are committed to seeing that all children are provided with rigorous
and challenging academic content as well as providing an environment that is conducive to learning.
Therefore, we have set our goals and expectations for the coming school year based on these standards.
This will allow us to grow as a school and build on our successes in order to meet the changing needs of our
students. On behalf of the entire Prince Street faculty, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our
parents, grandparents, community partners and volunteers who have given of their time in making our
school a special place to learn and grow.
Last Day of School – June 17, 2015
Wicomico County Public Schools have received a waiver from the Maryland State Department of Education for
the days Wicomico schools were closed due to inclement weather. The last day of school for students will be
Wednesday, June 17th - (half-days on June 15, 16 and 17 with dismissal beginning at 12:30 PM)
From the Cafeteria Manager: Mrs. Griffith is asking all parents who owe on their child’s account that
this debt be settled before the close of school. Children who have a balance of negative $5.00 or more will
not be allowed to add to the balance and will receive a cheese sandwich instead of a platter. Also, the
last day checks will be accepted or to place money on your child’s account will be May 22, 2015. If you
have any questions regarding your child’s account, please contact Mrs. Griffith at school. Letters
concerning monies owed to Food Services are sent home in Friday folders.
Reminder:
Money owed to the school for the following: pictures, lost books, book fines, field trips, breakfast/lunch
accounts or any other debt incurred this year will result in your child not receiving his/her report card.
Please see that these debts are taken care of before the end of the school year. Thanks.
Important Dates
May
May 1 – Third Grade Field Trip to Pemberton Park, 8:30 – 1:30 PM
BMS will visit with individual students to begin middle school scheduling, 8:30 AM
May 4 – Staff Appreciation Week
Leadership Conference at Salisbury University, Grade 5 students, 8:45 – 1:00 PM
May 5 - STEP team to Baltimore, Step Afika, 10:00 – 7:30 PM
Awards & Recognition Program, WiHi Auditorium
May 6 - National School Nurse’s Day
May 7 – Daddy Daughter Dance, Grades 2 – 5, 5:00 PM
May 8 – Second Grade Field Trip to Smith Island, 8:15 – 2:15 PM
Mid-term Reports are to be sent home, all Grades K – 5
May 11 – PTA Meeting, Spring Arts Night and Performance, 6:30 PM
May 12 – Grade 5 Field Trip to Baltimore Zoo, 7 – 5:00 PM
May 13 -Kindergarten Field Trip, Beechnut Farm, 8:30 – 12:30 PM
Grade 4 Field Trip to H. Tubman Museum, 11:00 – 3:15 PM
May 14 – PBIS Talent Show
May 19 – SIT Title 1 Peer Review Meeting, M. Rickards and April Guard
McDonalds Spirit Night, this will be held at the McDonalds in Fruitland, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
May 21 – Headstart will visit with our Kindergarten, 10:30 -12:00 PM
Field Trip- Washington DC, STEP/DOVES/Gentlemen’s Club, Honor Society,
Safety Patrols and CAT Club
May 22 – Reading Logs are due to Mrs. Deal by the close of the day
May 25 – School Closed, Memorial Day Holiday
May 27 – Fifth Grade Math Placement Assessment, to be given during math instruction
Math Assessment Grade 1 & 2, scan by 6/3
May 28 – Fifth Grade Math Placement Assessment, to be given during math instruction
Math 24 Tournament at Westside Intermediate School, 6:00 PM
Math Assessment Grade 1 & 2, scan by 6/3
May 29 - Transition Day, 8:10 – 9:30 AM
June
June 2 – Awards and Recognition Program, WiHi Auditorium, 6:30 PM
June 4 – Kindergarten Field Trip to Salisbury Zoo, 10:00 – 1:00 PM
June 5 – Field Day
June 6 - Nothin but Net Finals at Salvation Army Henson Center, 12:00 – 5:00 PM
June 9- Nothing-but-Net Awards program, 5:00 PM
June 10 – Reading Incentive Celebration, 1:00 – 2:00 PM, more details to follow
June 11 – Multicultural Fashion Show, more information is forthcoming
June 12 – Awards Assembly, 8:00 AM – Kindergarten, 8:45 – 2nd Grade & 9:30 – 1st Grade
PBIS End of the Year Celebration, Hawaiian LUAU, Prim.– 8:45 – 9:30 AM/ Interm. – 1:15 – 2:15 PM
June 15 - Awards Assembly, 8:00 AM – 3rd Grade & 8:45 – 4th Grade
Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 PM
½ Day for Students, Dismissal begins at 12:30 PM
June 16 – ½ Day for Students, Dismissal begins at 12:30 PM
June 17 - ½ Day for Students, Dismissal begins at 12:30 PM
Media Center Corner
Six Flag tickets should arrive by mid- May for those students who
participated in the Six Flags Read to Succeed program.
Fourth Quarter Reading Logs are due on or before May 22, 2015.
Last day for students to check out books is May 22nd.
The end of the year Reading Celebration will be held June 10th for students
who have turned in 3 or more reading logs and/or have reached 100% in
AR. The criteria to determine who these students are will end May 22nd.
Parents a large number of library books have gone missing or have been
returned severely damaged. Books checked out by your child are their responsibility, even if you
don’t see them. If books are damaged beyond repair or lost, you will be charged the price of
replacing it. If fines are not paid by June 12th, the 4th quarter report card may be held.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
Mrs. Deal, Media Specialist
CONGRATULATIONS
Our team of 5th graders – Ashley Etienne, Erika Hurwitz, Jasmine Layfield,
and Murtaza Aqil won 1st place in their category at the 2nd Annual Battle
of the Books competition, held April 8th at Fruitland Intermediate School.
We are proud of them. Thank you to our coaches – Kristen McKim and
Gina Deal.