October 26 Family Newsletter
We are excited to share some upcoming events over the next few weeks as opportunities for families to come to Union Mill. This Friday, October 28th our PTA will be hosting Glowfest that will begin at 6:30 pm. The PTA is looking for some additional volunteers for Glowfest and if you are able, please sign using the link below. Looking ahead, we will be honoring our Veterans at our November 9th Principals Coffee with a performance from our chorus. Families are invited to attend any of the events on Wednesday, November 16th including creating a family charter guided by our members of our RULER committee, Multicultural Night, Family Life Education Preview and our Book Fair! Additional information regarding all upcoming events can be found below.
As a reminder, Friday, October 28th is a 2 hour early release for students and October 31st is a student holiday (teacher workday)
Sincerely,
Ashleigh, Jennie and Scott
The UMES Admin Team
#UMESBetterTogether
Upcoming Dates
Friday, October 28 - 2 hour early release for students
Friday, October 28 - PTA Glowfest 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Friday, October 31 - Teacher Workday (no school for students)
Friday, November 4 - Substitute Breakfast
Wednesday, November 9 -Principal's Coffee at 6:00 pm
- PTA meeting at 7:00 pm
Friday, November 11 - Veterans Day (no school for students)
Friday, November 11 - Nov. 18 - UMES Book Fair
Wednesday, November 16 - PTA Multicultural Night
- RULER Family Charter 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm
- Family Life Education Preview 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Thursday, November 17 - Family Fitness for a Cause 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Calendar Reminder
As a reminder, Friday, October 28, is the last day of the first quarter, and a two-hour early release for students. Also, schools are closed for students on Monday, Oct. 31, for a teacher workday. See the complete 2022-23 school year calendar.
RULER Family Charter Evening
“RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL)." Through training in the RULER approach, teachers and students at Union Mill create and sustain a positive emotional climate, as well as support individual development of emotion skills for students and adults.
The Charter is one of the four Anchor Tools RULER uses to build and sustain a positive climate through a shared agreement between people about how they want to feel at school.
At Union Mill, we are working on creating Classroom Charters and we invite you to share this tool in your home and create a Family Charter!
We invite you and your family to come to school November 16th to create a family charter together. We will have 2 sessions, beginning at 4:30 and 5:30. We look forward to seeing you there.”
Principal's Coffee
We will be hosting our next Principal's Coffee on Wednesday, November 9th at 6:00 pm which is prior to the 7:00 pm PTA meeting. We will be celebrating our veterans with a performance from our chorus then hearing from our School Based Technology Specialist on how families can support your child with technology at home. Members of our administrative team will be available to connect with families as well.
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UMES Book Fair
Our UMES book fair is coming soon. We will be open for a sneak peek and sales from 12:00-3:30pm on Friday November 11th (Veterans Day/teacher workday). We are in need of volunteers to help setup the book fair, run the book fair, work the book fair for the night event, November 16th (6-8pm), and to pack up the book fair on Friday Nov. 18th. If you are able to help, please sign up here: Thank you!
Family Fitness for a Cause
Family Fitness for a Cause started last week. Students, parents and staff had a great time! Our next meeting will be on November 17, from 3:45-4:45 pm. Wear your workout clothes and come us join us. We will continue to gather each month. The schedule is as follows: November 17, December 15, January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, and May 18. If you have questions, please contact Jenny Murray at jbmurray@fcps.edu.
Family Life Education
Students in grades K-6 participate in Family Life Education (FLE) instruction through their classroom teacher. Students in Kindergarten through grade three receive instruction in an emotional and social health unit. Students in grades 4-6 receive instruction in a human growth and development unit and an emotional and social health unit. For more information about the FCPS Family Life Education program, please see the detailed grade-level program descriptions at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle.
Grade level-specific curriculum lessons are available for viewing in Schoology. Parents/guardians login to Schoology using the same username and password as their Student Information System (SIS) Parent account. In addition, you are welcome to come preview the Family Life Education media and lessons here at school. This opportunity will take place on Wednesday, November 16 between 6:00 – 7:00 PM at Union Mill. All program materials and media for all grade levels will be available for your review at this time.
Parents/guardians who do not wish to have their child participate in FLE instruction may choose to opt their child out of any or all of the lessons. If you would like to opt your child out of one or more lessons, please fill out the form at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-family-life-education-fle. If you have previously indicated your desire to opt your child out of FLE lessons by using the form provided earlier in the school year, you do not need to complete another form.
An alternative non-FLE health instructional program is provided for children who do not take part in FLE instruction, and every effort is made to foster understanding and respect for family choices and to avoid peer pressure for or against participation in the program. Delivery of the instructional units occurs at various times during the school year. Please contact your child’s teacher for specific dates of FLE instruction or Jennie Skerker, Assistant Principal, with additional questions.
Critical and Creative Thinking Strategy Spotlight: Visualizing
Each month our Advanced Academic Resource Teacher, Melissa Paris-Hutchens will be highlighting one of the Critical and Creative Thinking strategies starting with Visualization. Visualization opens up student thinking by using sensory information to stimulate imagination with both spoken and written words. As a strategy, visualizing helps with planning, goal-setting, and organization. Research studies have show that visualization greatly increases the level of depth and comprehension of both spoken and written language. Visualization can be used to help your child set goals, picture the steps that need to be taken, consider alternatives, and visualize a plan to achieve their goals. The process of visualization can also help students plan out an experience before execution. Students can "see" roadblocks and problems before encouraging them. An additional overview of visualization can be found here.
Questions to Support Visualization
- How can I use my 5 senses to help me form an image in my mind?
- What did you see when you read the passage?
- What did you see for where the events happened?
- What steps did you see in your mind when...?
AAP Resources
Thank you to all the families who were able to attend our Advanced Academic Program overview last evening. For anyone looking for quick access to materials, they can be found here.
Sub Breakfast and Learning Save the Date
Each day we lean on substitute teachers to help support in the event a staff member is out for sick, family or personal leave. We could not make it through the year without amazing substitute teachers. Union Mill will be hosting our second substitute breakfast on Friday, November 4th from from 8:50 - 9:40 am for current, former substitutes and anyone considering substitute teaching.
Our meeting agenda includes:
- Breakfast and connecting with other substitutes and Union Mill staff
- Introduction to some of the high leverage strategies our staff utilizes to support student engagement and growth
- Additional information regarding substitute teaching in FCPS can be found here
If you are interested in attending, please email Traci Turkekul at tmturkekul@fcps.edu. Feel free to bring a friend too!
IMPACT AID FORMS REMINDER
The Impact Aid forms were sent home with all students on Friday, October 21st. Please complete and return this important form for EACH student you have at UMES. If sections 1 and 2 of the survey do not apply to you, just check the box in Section 3. All forms must be signed, dated and returned by Friday, November 4th. These survey results are kept confidential and directly result in funds used to support all FCPS schools and centers. If you need a replacement form, please contact the front office.
FCPS Cares
FCPS CARES is an opportunity for staff, parents, students, and community members to recognize FCPS employees for going above and beyond to help others. If you would like to acknowledge a UMES or FCPS staff member, click here. You can learn more about FCPS Cares by clicking the following link. We love our UMES staff members, let's tell them how we feel!
Union Mill PTA
 GLOWFEST is THIS Friday, October 28th! We are all excited to get back to fun, in-person events! This being said, Glowfest needs YOUR help! The roles that are vastly needed to provide a fun but safe environment, such as the supervisors for every pod and greeters for the door, are in need of adult help! We have had many enthusiastic volunteers for other roles at the event, which we are excited about, but without these safety positions filled the event may not be able to occur. To help us out, please sign up for the roles that are still left empty for this event in the sign up genius below. The top priorities will be the first few positions you see when you open the sign up form.
Thank you so much and hope to see many of you this Friday!
GLOWFEST Volunteer Sign Up Genius
Volunteers get FREE admission and a ticket for a FREE food item. We have plenty of high school volunteers, but we need one adult per station for the duration of the event. Sign up for 30 minutes if that's all you have, but please SIGN UP TODAY.
$10 per family, but admission is FREE for PTA members and nonmember volunteers.
Multicultural Night
Multicultural Night (November 16, 6:00-8:00 pm) will provide families an amazing way to learn about the various cultures represented in the UMES community. Travel around the world in just an hour or two! Students will receive passports, passport stamps, and country flags--plus there will be a raffle at each country/region for a culturally relevant book. Sign up to volunteer.
Give Thanks and Give Back - 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Meal Box Food Drive!
Since we cannot be together for Union Mill Elementary Thanksgiving lunches again this year, let's come together and support our local food bank in its Thanksgiving Meal Box Food Drive! Sign up to create a Thanksgiving meal box for a family in need. Meal box drop off will be Wednesday, November 16th 6-7pm at the kiss & ride loop/door. Millie the Bear will be there to say "thank you" as well! Sign ups and more details can be found here. If you have questions, please contact Kelly Hoffman at kellycarterhoffman@gmail.com
#UMESBetterTogether
Office Hours
Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:15 pm
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