INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

CALENDAR 2

INCLEMENT WEATHER

INFORMATION 2

EARLY DISMISSALS 2

HONOR ROLL 3

KEYS TO COMMUNICATION 3

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER 3

VACATION ABSENCES 3

PARCC and MSA PREP 3

HONORS CHORUS 4

WINTER CONCERT 4

RUNNYMEDE ART SHOW 4

HOLIDAY OF TREES 4

NOTES FROM THE NURSE 5

NATIONAL INCLUSIVE

SCHOOLS WEEK

5

VOLUNTEER TRAINING 5

BUS STOP SAFETY 5

STUDENT BANKING 5

PTO HIGHLIGHTS 6

SUMMER ENRICHMENT 6

EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY 6-7

COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS 8

DECEMBER 2016

Dear Runnymede Families:

This month, our school community celebrated our selfless and courageous Veter-

ans. On November 11th, those who volunteered their services for our country were able to

join us for a delicious Chicken Dinner. In addition to honoring them in this way, their val-

iant displays of courage were acknowledged in our front showcase bulletin board for all our

students and families to see. Our staff and families are truly grateful for their service!

We would also like to thank all those families who visited our school during American Edu-

cation Week. Our teachers have been working hard with your children and we welcomed

the opportunity for our families to witness their successes in the classroom.

Runnymede is proud to have earned recognition of “gold” status for our PBIS pro-

gram! Students are working hard to demonstrate the three R’s: Respect, Responsibility, and

being Ready to Learn. The most recent PBIS event was the Turkey Trot. Students could use

earned tickets to participate in this obstacle course race. Fun was had by all! Thank you for

your continued support of our program to engage and enthuse our students as they demon-

strate appropriate and exceptional behavior!

We have some very special events happening this month and these events will be shared in

further detail in our newsletter:

RUE Winter Concert

Tree Lighting Ceremony in Taneytown

Art Reception at the Taneytown Library

Holiday of Trees, Wreaths & Centerpieces

Thanks for all you do to support our students and staff. We value our parent communi-

ty! Be looking for a parent survey in the new year. We are eager to hear your feedback and

suggestions. Here’s to a happy and fulfilling Holiday Season!

Sincerely,

Debra H. Benner

Amanda K. Johnson

Home of the Hawks

Runnymede Elementary

RUNNYMEDE ELEMENTARY PAGE 2

Late Openings/Early Dismissals

2016-2017

Inclement Weather Procedures

Listen to the radio, tune in the TV for local stations, check

cable channel 21 or check www.carrollk12.org.

Please do not call the school.

School opens 1 hour late: All students in Grades K-5 will start at 10:15 am and dismiss

at the regular time.

All AM Pre-K Programs are cancelled.

PM Pre-K Programs will run on their regular schedule.

School opens 2 hours late: No breakfast is served

All students in Grades K-5 will start at 11:15 am and dismiss

at their regular time.

All AM Pre-K Programs are cancelled.

PM Pre-K Programs will run on their regular schedule.

School closes 1 hour early: AM Pre-K Programs will run on their regular schedule.

All students in Grades K-5 will be dismissed one hour early

(2:45 pm).

All PM Pre-K Programs are cancelled.

School closes 2 hours early: All AM Pre-K Programs will dismiss at 11:00 am.

All students in Grades K-5 will be dismissed two hours early

(1:45)

PM Pre-K Programs will be cancelled.

School closes 3 hours early: All AM Pre-K Programs will dismiss at 10:00 am.

All students in Grades K-5 will be dismissed three hours early

(12:45 pm).

PM Pre-K will be cancelled.

Please make your child aware of the procedures he/she will

follow should there be an early dismissal due to weather con-

ditions. There must be a plan for your child’s return home

from school.

Runnymede Elementary School’s Website

Please take a minute to visit our website: http://www.carrollk12.org/rue/ We will be updating our

web page monthly throughout the school year.

Calendar of Events

December 2016 - January 2017

December

Dec 1 Themed Thursday–

Dress like your favorite animal

Dec 5-9 National Inclusive Schools Week

Dec 6 Instrumental/Chorus Concert– 7 pm

Dec 9 PTO– Family Bingo Night

Dec 12-16 Project Linus Week

Dec 13 Student Banking-Café- 8:50-9:15 am

Dec 13 PTO Meeting– 6-7:30 pm –

Media Center

Dec 14 Interim Reports sent home

Dec 15 Themed Thursday– Pajama Day

Dec 23-

Jan 2

Schools/Offices Closed-

Winter Holiday

January

Jan 3 Schools/Offices Re-open

Jan 5 Themed Thursday– Formal Day

Jan 10 PTO Meeting-6-7:30 pm-

Media Center

Jan 10 Student Banking-Café- 8:50-9:15 am

Jan 16 Schools/Offices Closed–

Martin Luther King, Jr Day

Jan 19 Themed Thursday– Tie Day

Jan 24 Student Banking-Café- 8:50-9:15 am

Jan 26 Marking Period Ends

Jan 27 School Closed for Students

2016-2017 School Calendar

Early Dismissal Dates

Please take notice of the remaining three (3) early dismissals

which are built into this year’s calendar. The following dates

are scheduled to have a 2 hour and 45 minute early dismissal

(1:00 pm):

March 10 April 5 June 14

***There will be no Pre-K on these dates

HOMEWORK REQUESTS

Request for work to be sent home or picked up during a stu-

dent’s absence should be called into the school before 9:30

AM and only if there is an absence of more than one day.

Calls made after that time will be forwarded to the teacher,

but we cannot guarantee the work will be sent home that

same day.

PAGE 3 DECEMBER 2016

Vacation Absences

It is strongly recommended that parents plan vacation(s) for times when school is not in regular session. It is recognized, however,

that occasionally students are absent for necessary or important family activities. When this occurs, it is the parents’ responsibility

to contact the principal in writing and in advance to arrange an excused absence. Please include the child’s name, the date of the

absence, and the reason for the absence in the note to your child’s teacher. Even though the absence may be excused, students are

required to make up work missed during that time.

Dress for the Weather

Throughout the winter months, students will continue to go outside

for recess as much as possible. The physical activity, fresh air, and

break from the classroom will help our students to be at their best.

Students will participate in outdoor recess each day unless one or

more of the following conditions are present:

Wind chill factor below 32-degrees

Precipitation

Wet or muddy conditions

In addition to recess, students often spend time outside at the bus

stop or when making trips to and from the vehicle and the school

building. On occasion, a class may even take a trip outside on a

cold day for a science lesson or other activity. Please help your

child to dress appropriately for the weather, including coats, hats,

and gloves on those cold winter days.

Preparing for PARCC and MSA Science Students in grades 3 through 5 will participate in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers

(PARCC) testing again this spring. The assessment window for PARCC is from April 24th – June 5th. Students in grade 5 will be

participating in a new a new Science assessment called MISA. This assessment window will run from March 13 th – 31st. Please try

to refrain from scheduling vacations and appointments during this time.

PARCC and Science assessment will continue to be taken on the computer. Students respond to questions by clicking on

selected response answers, typing answers or essay responses, or interacting with the information such as a “drag and drop.” In

addition, students may use interactive tools such as rulers, protractors, and calculators on portions of the test. In order to prepare

our students for the assessments, teachers in grades 3 through 5 are taking time throughout the school year to familiarize students

with the types of questions they may see on the test and the features available for use. Sample test items, practice tests, and more

can be found at http://parcconline.org/. Parents are welcome to work with children on these items. In addition, parents can help

students to be prepared for the test by providing exposure to a keyboard and computer-based text. Familiarity with scrolling, click-

ing, and basic typing can help a student navigate the test items smoothly.

As the spring testing windows approach, more information will be sent home about specific testing schedules for our stu-

dents. We look forward to seeing our students show everything they have learned in Math, ELA, and Science! Thanks so much for

all your support at home.

Keys for Communication

We are committed to creating and maintaining open lines

of communication and partnering with parents to better

meet the needs of our students. If you have a concern,

please contact the school. If it is an academic or class-

room concern, please make contact with the teacher(s)

first. If the issue cannot be resolved with the teacher or is

a safety or bullying concern, ask to speak with an admin-

istrator. Please do not expect that we will respond to

concerns aired via social media, however we are eager to

problem solve any issue brought to our attention in writ-

ing or through a telephone conversation. What you can

expect from us? You can be sure that we will:

Respond to a concern in a timely manner

Listen to a concern to better understand your per-

spective

Investigate or gather needed information to make an

informed decision or develop a plan of action

Follow board policies for progressive discipline

Maintain confidentiality for all involved parties

Partner with you to problem solve the situation

Maintain open lines of communication between the

school and home

We look forward to establishing and/or continuing posi-

tive home school communications.

Honor Roll

Students at Runnymede are always encouraged to do their best. Be-

ginning this quarter (2), our fourth and fifth graders have the oppor-

tunity to earn honor roll status and receive recognition for their hard

work. We anticipate a long list of deserving students!

To earn quarterly honor status a student must:

earn only As or Bs in a quarter (no Cs, Ds, or Fs on the report card)

&

earn only Os, Ss in a quarter (no Ns on the report card)

RUNNYMEDE ELEMENTARY PAGE 4

Honors Chorus

Runnymede Honors Chorus members performed for the Golden Crest Assisted Living in Westminster to an appreciative audience

on November 12. They sang many patriotic pieces, including “Thank You, Soldiers”. We especially thank the parents, too, for

having transported their children to this event!

On Saturday, December 3 at 6:00 p.m. the Honors Chorus will be singing for Taneytown’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Cere-

mony at the Police Station in Taneytown. Students are asked to be bundled up and wearing a red hat while they perform “Winter

Fantasy”, “Christmas Wishes”, and “Holly Jolly Christmas” under the direction of Mrs. Sirian. Taneytown Elementary School

Chorus will also be singing a few of their own songs, and then both schools will lead the audience in a Christmas Carol sing-along

as Santa arrives. Hot chocolate and cookies are also available to keep you warm during this exciting evening of fun! Come on out

and join us!

Holiday of Trees, Wreaths & Centerpieces This is a contest hosted by the Taneytown Heritage and Museum Association and is held at the New Windsor State Bank in

Taneytown. Runnymede has entered a 4-foot tree into this contest! Please stop by and place your monetary vote for our Maryland

themed tree! All monies donated will come back to the school. The funds raised will be used to purchase a mascot costume.

While there, don’t forget to place your suggestion for a name for our mascot, the red-tailed hawk. In January, students will also

have the opportunity to make suggestions and vote for the mascot’s name.

Public viewing, voting, and silent auction hours follow:

Mondays – Thursdays, November 28 – December 15 (9 am – 3 pm)

Fridays, December 2, 9, & 16 (9 am – 6 pm)

Saturdays, December 3 & 10 ( 9 am – noon)

Saturday, December 17 (9 – 11:30 am)

BE SURE TO STOP BY AND SUPPORT RUNNYMEDE!!

Runnymede Art Show

The annual Runnymede art show at the Taneytown Library will take place during the months of December and January.

The art will be installed during the first week of December. Join us for a reception on Monday December 12th from 5:30-7:30.

Mrs. Cash and Mrs. Johnson will be there to meet and greet everyone who attends. The PTO will be suppling light snacks. If your

child’s artwork will be on display, you will receive notice before the reception. All Runnymede families are invited to join us in

celebrating some of our fabulous art!

Winter Concert

Our fifth grade students will participate in this year’s Winter Music Program on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednes-

day, December 7 at 9:30 a.m. Fifth grade chorus and instrumental students will perform a variety of music sure to put concert go-

ers in the holiday spirit! This year's program includes ALL fifth graders, not just students who are chorus or instrumental-

ists. Students are reminded to wear dressy white tops and dark bottoms. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the evening program.

Mrs. Sirian and Mrs. Douglas are proud of how hard these students are working! Please join us!

**Please note that there will be no Honors Concert scheduled in the spring, as we've had in the past.

PAGE 5 DECEMBER 2016

From the Health Room

Cold weather is here, to keep your child healthy and prevent the discomforts of winter, please make sure your child is

dressed for the cold weather and provide chapstick in their book bag.

Along with the cold weather comes flu season, if you have not received a flu shot yet, please contact your physician to

arrange to get this protection as soon as possible. Please remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly and keep them

away from your eyes. This is your best protection against illnesses of all kinds.

If you have not done so, please send in a set of clothes for your child to keep in his/her locker. I am seeing lots of chil-

dren with spills, etc. and have had to call parents to bring changes of clothing, which is an inconvenience for you and interrupts

your child’s learning until the clean clothing arrives. If your child has outgrown elastic waist pants, please consider donating them

to the nurse’s office.

Have a wonderful holiday season, enjoy the “goodies” and make wonderful memories with your family.

National Inclusive Schools Week

December 5th

– 9th

is National Inclusive Schools

Week. The purpose of this week is to highlight and celebrate

the progress of our nation’s schools in providing a supportive

and quality education to an increasingly diverse student popu-

lation. The National Institute characterizes inclusive schools

as those that:

Make sure each and every student feels welcome and is

learning,

Embrace the understanding that every student is unique

and, therefore, learns differently,

Make sure that all children – students with and without

disabilities, English language learners, those with special

talents – learn better.

Each grade level at Runnymede will celebrate this

week through various learning activities. You can find out

more about National Inclusive Schools Week through

http://www.inclusiveschools.org. At Runnymede, we are

committed to providing an environment in which all students

can learn.

Safety At The Bus Stop

Several bus stops in our school’s area serve large numbers of

students. It is great to see so many parents doing their part in

supervising their children to and from the stop and while they

are waiting at the stop. Please review the following points in

making this a safe experience for everyone.

Please make sure your child stays with you walking to

and from the bus stop and while waiting for the bus.

Please make sure while waiting at the bus stop students

are respectful of the property of others and traffic in the

area.

If you must drive to the bus stop, please park far enough

away as to not block the sight distance of the bus driver

and other motorist in the area.

After the students have loaded on the bus please make

sure the area is safe for the bus driver to leave and other

traffic to resume before pulling out or walking away.

Student Banking

Currently, we have 9 students participating in our Student

Banking Program through PNC Bank. These students have

already saved $467.00 collectively. We thank Sandra Sulli-

van and her colleagues at the Taneytown Branch of PNC

Bank for visiting Runnymede twice each month to receive

deposits. It’s never too late to get in the habit of saving –

think about enrolling your child in the program. For more

information, please contact Sandra Sullivan at 410-756-

2371 or sandra.sullivan@pnc.com.

REGIONAL VOLUNTEER

TRAINING SCHEDULE

Level II Volunteers (classroom helpers, chaperones, men-

tors, etc.) are required to attend an annual training session

at least seven (7) school days prior to volunteering.

For a more complete list please refer to the Carroll County

Public School website. Also, check with the training location

to verify there have been no changes in the schedule.

Dec. 1 Mt. Airy Middle 6:00 pm

Dec. 6 Eldersburg Elementary 8:30 am

Dec. 13 Mechanicsville Elem. 10:00 am

Jan. 5 Piney Ridge Elementary 6:30 pm

Jan. 10 Ebb Valley Elementary 6:00 pm

Jan. 18 Mt. Airy Elementary 6:15 pm

Jan. 18 Mechanicsville Elementary 6:15 pm

Jan. 18 Sandymount Elementary 6:15 pm

PTO Highlights

The holiday season is upon us and the PTO has lots of fun planned!

First is our Free Bingo Night! On Friday December, 9th from 6:30 – 8:30pm, the PTO is hosting our annual Free Bingo Night for

Runnymede families. Bring your whole gang and enjoy a great evening of yelling “BINGO” and getting awesome prizes. We’re

also doing a Kennie’s Sub Sale that evening and will be selling light snacks and water. Hope to see you there! Doors open at 6pm.

Another wonderful event that will benefit local businesses and our school is Shop Taneytown. On Saturday & Sunday, December

10th and 11th, several Taneytown businesses will donate 20% of all their sales to RUE when you shop that weekend. Businesses

involved include: Jumble Thrift Store, Rust by Justin, Red Door Barn Gift Boutique and Grandma Gems Restaurant. So get out

there and get your Christmas shopping done while helping out our school! Don’t forget your flier.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our last Dine Out Night at Chick Fil A. We made $85! For December, our Dine Out

Night will be at No Anchovies, on December 15th. Be on the look out for more details.

A thanks goes out to everyone who participated in our Charleston Wrap fundraiser. Orders will be ready for pick up this month.

Stay tuned for the specific date to pick up your order.

Keep those Box Tops coming in! Our last submission made over $1,300!! Wow! During Bingo Night, we will draw a winner for

a gift card out of those who participated this past fall.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 13th at 6pm in the Media Center. Hope you can fit it in your busy schedule!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year with your family and friends!

RUNNYMEDE ELEMENTARY PAGE 6

Summer Enrichment Program

The Carroll County Public Schools’ Summer Enrichment Program, open to students in Grades K-8 will begin registration on

Monday, December 5th . Please register your child early, as spaces fill quickly. Session 1 will be held June 26th - 30th and July 3rd,

5th - 7th at Westminster Elementary School. Session 2 will be held July 11th - 21st at Linton Springs Elementary School. Students

can choose from an array of topics including: Drama, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Languages and Sports (just to name a few).

Please check your email for the program booklet and the link to register or visit www.carrollk12.org. Don’t miss this fantastic

opportunity to have your child become engaged, excited and eager to learn over the summer break!

Employment Opportunity

Throughout the school year, Runnymede is often in need of help for the support of individual students. Responsibilities of an

adult assistant vary, but often include helping the student to remain on task, repeating directions, helping with transitions through-

out the school building, and assisting with and tracking behavior using a tally chart. These are hourly positions for the year and

do not include benefits. Hours vary depending on the needs of the student, but often range between 2.5 – 6 hours per school

day. The rate of pay is $10.91/hour. If you would be available and interested, please contact the school office at 410-751-3203 or

complete the information section below and return to Runnymede. More information about these opportunities can be obtained

by calling the school.

Name: ________________________________________

Time Availability: _____________________________________________

Phone #: ___________________________

PAGE 7 RUNNYMEDE ELEMENTARY

CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ADA ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT The Board of Education of Carroll County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment or provision of services,

programs or activities. Persons needing auxiliary aids and services for communications should contact the Office of Community

and Media Relations at 410-751-3020 or publicinfo@carrollk12.org, or write to Carroll County Public Schools, 125 North Court

Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, use Relay or 7-1-1.

Please contact the school system at least one (1) week advance of the date the special accommodation is needed.

Information concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act is available from the Director of Facilities or the Supervisor of Com-

munity and Media Relations. Raymond Prokop, Director of Facilities, 125 North Court Street, Westminster, MD 21157, (410)

751-3177, Carey Gaddis, Supervisor of Community and Media Relations, 125 North Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157,

(410)751-3020.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

The Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) is firmly committed to creating equal employment and educational opportunities for

all persons with regard to its employment practices and in the provisions of services, programs, and activities.

The CCPS does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, an-

cestry or national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. The CCPS provides non-discriminatory access to school facili-

ties in accordance with its policies and regulations regarding the community use of schools (including, but not limited to, the Boy

Scouts).

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Gregory J. Bricca, Di-

rector of Research and Accountability, 125 North Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157, (410)751-3068.

Asbestos Notice The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) management plans for all buildings owned or leased by the

Board of Education of Carroll County are available for review at the individual Carroll County school locations and at the Office

of Plant Operations, located at 191 Schaeffer Avenue, Westminster, Maryland 21157.

Management plans are required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and depict the location, amount, condi-

tion, and response action projected for any asbestos-containing materials, if any are located in the school building.

Moment of Silence It is the policy of the Board of Education of Carroll County that all schools are required to have a moment of silence or meditation

for approximately one minute each school day. During this moment of silence, the Carroll County Public Schools shall neither ad-

vance nor inhibit silent religious activity. Following the pledge of allegiance to the flag and before the completion of the opening

exercise, all students will observe approximately one minute of silence, before continuing with the day’s activities. In exercising

his or her individual choice, each person may meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity which does not interfere with,

distract, or impede others in the like exercise of their individual choice. The following is a list of inappropriate activities: (1) talk-

ing or any audible sounds, and (2) gesturing, using sign language, or writing notes for the purpose of person to person communica-

tion. Administrators shall enact appropriate administrative procedures in the event that individuals do not follow the established

policy.