RIDERWOOD
RACCOON
TRIBUNE
May 2015
Achieving Excellence Together - Educating Students for Success in a Changing World
May
4
5
Monday
Tuesday
6
7
8
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
11
Monday
12
Wednesday
14
18
19
Thursday
Monday
Tuesday
20
21
Wednesday
Thursday
22
Friday
25
26
27
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
28
Thursday
Night of Innovation
Cinco De Mayo
Teacher Appreciation Day
Art Show – rescheduled (6:30 – 8:30)
National School Nurse Day
A.C.E.S – All Children Exercising Simultaneously
Grade 3 –Tour of Baltimore (to be determined)
Grade 5 – Philly
T-Shirt Message Spirit Day
Kindergarten Conference Day – school closed for kinders
5:30 - Awards in Excellence Banquet – Good luck Mr. Monahan
9:00 – Chinese Acrobats – Intermediate
10:00 – Chinese Acrobats - Primary
Grade 4 to St. Mary’s City
Spring Concert for the School
SCA Work Meeting
9:00 – Spring Concert for the school (Night Performance at 7:00)
Grade 1 to Goucher for Fly guy
9:00 – Grade 1 – Science Center Visits
12:30 – BMA Visit – Mrs. Everett/Mrs. Levitt
Last day for seniors
Patriotic Spirit Day
9:30 – Articulation Visit to Ridgely for Grade 5 students
12:30 BMA Visit – Mrs. Buchman
School Closed for Memorial Day
9:30 – Mrs. Vincent/Mrs. McDonnell to Camp Puh’tok
9:30 – Mrs. Fisher to Camp Puh’tok
9:00 - Grade 3 – What’s the Matter?
2:10 – Marathon Runner’s Celebration (in the gym)
Variety Show – 9 AM for school and 7PM for Parents
A Look Ahead to June
2
4
5
Tuesday SCA – Final meeting of the year
12:30 - Cromwell Valley Park – Mrs. Levitt and Mrs. Buchman
6:30 – PTA Executive Board Meeting
Thursday
12:30 – Mrs. Everett to Cromwell Valley Park
Friday Caribbean/Hawaiian Spirit Day
9th Annual Art Show – “Wild About Art”
ART SHOW FEEDBACK
Wildly wonderful – and oceans of fun! What a
fabulous evening, and one of our largest crowds
ever! If you were not here - you missed an awesome
experience. Student work was on display in every
nook and cranny. My favorite – the Ocean Corridor –
sound effects, mosaic turtles swimming overhead,
delicately woven and colorful fish, and sea nettles
dangling just above my head. The ocean backdrop
with the dolphin was nothing short of spectacular!
The main lobby was a tangle of jungle scrub and palm trees - I passed through hanging
vines, watchful parrots, and many and varied wild animals watched my every move as I
stealthily made my way through the underbrush. The papier mache animals and clay
snake eyed me suspiciously as I passed the lobby display case. There were gorgeous
butterflies of every variety adorning the ceilings throughout, and the view from the
window of the birds in the branches was eye-catching, as was the adorable valance
that set off this delightful scene from nature. The zoo dress up station was a big
draw, and the zoo backdrop gave parents the chance to take a picture that will be the
perfect addition for a memory book. The detail work on the clay animals in the fifth
grade hallway was astonishing – so much effort and thought went into these creations.
The sock monsters as well as the way they were displayed was so attention-grabbing
and appealing, it drew quite a large crowd who oohed and aahed over such a creative
assortment of unusual creatures. As always the cave paintings were a huge draw, and
flashlights could be seen bobbing around in there all night long. The forest of pine
trees drew birds of a feather, and what a variety there were, all colors and sizes as
they nestled in for the evening and stared out at the crowds who visited. Our crafty
kids also showed off their artistic talents at the craft center – there they had the
choice of a variety of activities from which to choose: Jungle Jotters, Origami
Animals, Bottle Cap Bugs and Frogs, Flying Carp Kites, and Raccoon Bags! And
I would be remiss if I did not mention the ever popular fashion shows with the
latest in trendy jungle wear. And did I mention it was standing room only!? (If
only I had of charged a few dollars a head – I could have raised enough to be
on a jungle safari this summer!) At any rate – as always, Mrs. Kirschnick and
her loyal, talented, and creative art committee have yet again outdone
themselves! The theme based art work and activities were a wonderful blend
enjoyed by all. Mrs. K and her clever crew also added a bit of excitement to
the evening with an unscheduled fire drill – thanks to the fog machine. The
students were priceless as they knew just what to do – the parents not so
much! All was salvaged, the fire department notified that it was a false alarm
and that everything was under control – and it was! Great evening, great fun,
great company! Thanks for sharing in our pride for the work of our students,
(your children), and our master mind art teacher – Mrs. Kirschnick.
In additional, thank you to the countless individuals who assisted with this
massive undertaking. A project of this magnitude could not have gone on had
it not been for the myriad parents, faculty and staff members who assisted
with the set-up and clean-up, and who manned the stations spread throughout
the building and gym. We loved the clever way in which the items were
displayed, it certainly transformed Riderwood for the night (and the lobby for
over a week (to our delight) – and we were only sorry we could not leave more
of it up so we could all continue to enjoy the jungle ambiance.
 Transition-Year Residency Re-verification
Fifth grade parents – a reminder that you need to re- establish residency prior to the start
of the 2015-2016 school year. Students enrolled as homeless, shared domicile, or students
in state-supervised care, are exempt from this process, as verification for them is
completed annually. When you have the needed documentation for proving residency, you
may bring it to the main office so that your child’s records can be updated. We would hope
that you would meet these guidelines in a timely fashion. Once school is over records are
packed up to be sent on to the feeder middle schools. At that time residency verification
would need to take place at the receiving school as opposed to Riderwood. Any questions,
please feel free to call the main office.
 Supply Lists
Supply lists for the 2015-2016 school year have been posted on our website.
 Kindergarten Registration for 2016-2017
You guessed it; it is posted on the website!
http://riderwoodes.bcps.org/parents/kindergarten_round_up
 End of School
You have received information both via Connect Ed from the Office of Communications and
e-mails with the emergent bulletin that the last day of school for elementary students will
be Thursday, June 18th. Both the 17th and 18th will be half days for students.
 Farewell Assembly
The Farewell Assembly will continue to be held on Thursday June 18th. Doors will open at
8:30. Formal invitations to follow. Please mark your calendars.
 Sneaks – Summer Reading Program – keep your skills sharp and keep reading

A reminder about the reading program at
the Baltimore County Public Library this
summer. It is called Every Hero has a Story
(Summer Reading Club 2015)
Come join Sneaks and his friends so you can
participate in fun crafts, play games … enter
to win prizes … and be entertained! Join and
have a fun-filled summer! Visit:
http://www.bcpl.info/kids-teens-parentsteachers/kids-summer-reading and explore
the website. There is even a pre-school
Read-To-Me-Club for our up and coming
kindergarteners. Come one, come all, and
join in the summer reading fun! I hope you
are as motivated to join the summer reading
program as I am.
Notable News:
 Science MSA testing for fifth graders has been completed – and we are
survivors! But hold onto your hats, because End of Year PARCC is being
administered May 4th – May 15th.
 The One Card seems to have become a non-issue with both students and staff
having theirs and wearing it – and none of us seem to pay it a second thought as
it has become a routine accessory.
 Riderwood will not be a summer school again this year.
 Only Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade will be taking the spring MAP tests.
 We currently have only 48 completely registered kindergarteners for next year,
which only supports two teachers. We are hopeful that the people who have not
yet brought in their documentation will follow through on it, and that those
parents who have not yet come in (and we know of at least 5 current Riderwood
families) will do so before we have to contemplate losing any staffing. These
numbers also play into the number of students in each classroom. If you know
of anyone who needs to register – please, please, please send them our way.
Sincerely,
Kathy DeHart
Principal
Honor Our Military
Let's honor our military,
The men and women who serve,
Whose dedication to our country
Does not falter, halt, or swerve.
Let's respect them for their courage;
They're ready to do what's right
To keep America safe,
So we can sleep better at night.
Let's support and defend our soldiers,
Whose hardships are brutal and cruel,
Whose discipline we can't imagine,
Who follow each order and rule.
Here's to those who choose to be warriors
And their helpers good and true;
They're fighting for American values;
They're fighting for me and you.
By Joanna Fuchs
New episode of “BCPS News Show”
airing on BCPS-TV
Student fitness and Kids Helping Hopkins among show’s features
TOWSON, MD. – A new episode of “BCPS News Show” is on the air on Comcast Cable Channel
73 and Verizon FiOS Channel 34 in Baltimore County and will continue airing through Sunday,
May 10, 2015. The show is hosted by Mary Beth Marsden, a local Emmy Award ®-winning
broadcaster.
The newest episode includes segments about:

The 10th year in which BCPS has been named one of the nation’s “Best Communities for
Music Education” by the National Association for Music Merchants Foundation.

The Washington Post’s “High School Challenge” list, which this year placed 15 BCPS
high schools on its list of the nation’s most rigorous schools.

The school system’s “State of the Schools” event in which the BCPS superintendent,
Board of Education president, and students discussed the successes of the district and
where BCPS is headed in the future.

The school system’s longstanding partnership with Kids Helping Hopkins and how it
evolved from small beginnings in 1994 to becoming the districtwide support system it is
today for children battling illnesses.
In a feature called “What’s Trending,” the show takes a look at the third annual “Fit Friday”
5-kilometer run at Mars Estates Elementary School, where students from Grades 3, 4, and 5, along
with staff members, have been training for the event since November.
The show also will highlight a visit from celebrity chef Duff Goldman to Red House Run
Elementary School to celebrate the school’s winning the county competition for the Maryland
Breakfast Challenge as well as an interview segment with Physical Education Coordinator Sally
Nazelrod about the importance of staying physically fit.
BCPS-TV, the school system’s television station, produces a new episode of “BCPS News
Show” every two weeks during the school year. The program airs daily and the programming
schedule may be found at http://www.bcps.org/apps/edchannel_schedule/. The show is
available online at
http://www.bcps.org/bcpstv/programs/ and https://vimeo.com/bcps.
Since 1983, BCPS-TV has produced original and instructional programming, interactive DVDs,
commercial satellite downlinks, and live telecasts to serve the informational needs of students,
parents, educators, and citizens of Baltimore County. The television station also provides
opportunities for BCPS students, staff, and stakeholders to learn about and gain experience in
television and video production.
Original programs airing on the television station include “High School Sports Scene,” “Math
Homework Helpers,” “Kid Conversation,” “Parent University,” “Student Art Break,” “Student
Production Showcase,” “Brain Gain,” “Up Beat,” and “The Chalkboard.” BCPS-TV also records
and airs systemwide music and recognition events as well as recorded and live stream broadcasts
of the public meetings of the Baltimore County Board of Education.
Counselor’s Corner
Jennifer Meyer-Niquette,NCC
Tip—Expect an easily-frustrated child to back off when the going gets
tough. Assume he will need help to
follow through.
Becoming frustrated from time to time
is a fact of life—especially if you're
attempting to learn a new skill or
accomplish a task. If low-frustration
tolerance is part of a child's
temperament, imagine how difficult
many aspects of daily life are. "The
easily frustrated or discouraged child
quickly loses interest in a toy or activity
that doesn't work easily, so he browses
from one thing to another. As a
preschooler, he throws the blocks that toppled over, or won't try the
scissors because they didn't cut the paper yesterday," "He demands
help when getting dressed because it's too hard to do alone. Your
necessary limits make him angry instantly. He loves watching videos
because 'success' is guaranteed." Parenting a child who is easily
frustrated can be difficult.
Think of it this way. For the easily frustrated child, many of life's
routine goals, getting dressed, putting on a seat belt, tying her shoes,
lie at the bottom of a 12-foot swimming pool. During the long dive to
fetch them, their importance diminishes and she feels increasingly
motivated to come up for air. So she backs off, either discouraged or
angry. She needs a patient, supportive parent who will help her
manage her frustration. Otherwise, she will stick with the goals that
float accessibly on the surface and never obtain the ones on the
bottom.
Tools—below are a few suggestions that a parent can use with an
easily frustrated child to help them learn to tolerate frustration long
enough to reach their goals.

Say, "How can we break this job down into smaller, easier
parts?" Show him how a puzzle goes together easier if you find the
corner pieces first. If you're struggling to fasten your own seatbelt, the
first step is to make sure you're sitting all the way back in the seat.
Teach him how to think this way.


Ask, "What part can you do? What part do you need help with?"
Encourage him to state what he can do first, then ask for the exact
thing he needs help with. For example, "I can tie my shoes till this
point, but then I need help with the loop." He will feel more capable
this way and others will be more willing to help him.
Say, "Let's take a short break and then come back to this."
Encourage your child to give himself short, frequent breathers and
then try again.
Temperament Tools: Working with Your Child’s Inborn Traits
We Are Here FOR you and BECAUSE of you!
News from your Parent Support Teacher Liaison!~May
(Parent Support Services)
In the March newsletter you learned that we have great supports
for you with regards to preparing your child for the PARCC assessment. It
is my hope you took the opportunity to visit the parent support services
website or some of the other websites I made available to you and listed
them on your “favorites” to support your child regarding this area.
Summer Learning Day is Friday, June 19, 2015. This is a national advocacy
day recognized to spread awareness about the importance of summer
learning for our nation’s youth. To help support parents to ensure their
children are learning while having fun over the summer, I have enclosed
numerous websites to gather materials. Please help us prevent your child
from being a part of the “summer slide.”
http://www.summerlearning.org/?page=summer_learning_day
http://www.bcps.org/offices/dpd/summer-learning-resources.html
http://www.pta.org/programs/FamilyEngagement.cfm?navItemNumber=
562
http://drrickblog.com/
http://www.bcpl.info/summerreading
According to the “Blueprint for Progress,” it is our mission to “engage
parents/guardians, business, and community members in the educational
process.” It is my hope that I can continue to make this bridge stronger in
our Riderwood community. Please feel free; especially new parents to
Riderwood, to contact me if you have questions regarding BCPS schools. I
have also included the website address directly to The Office of Family
and Community Engagement for your convenience.
http://www.bcps.org/offices/FamilyCommunityEngagement.htm
Thank you,
Laura Wingate