Prince George's County Public Schools

The Eagle Express

University Park Elementary

February 23, 2012 

Principal’s Corner: Our 3rd – 6thgraders will be taking the Reading and Math Maryland School Assessments (MSA) on March 13th, 14th, 20th and 21st in the morning. Please help your children be successful by coming to school on time with a big, healthy breakfast to start their day on these dates.  Also, please schedule doctors’ appointments around testing times, if at all possible.   We appreciate your support!  Last year we missed making Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) by a very small margin, and we are determined to make it this year!!

To pump our students up for the test, we are having these school spirit days for the whole school!

·       Friday, March 9th: Wear your UPES t-shirt or school colors (blue and white) and jeans!

·       Monday, March 12th:  Don’t Sweat the Test, Just Do Your Best!  (Wear Sweats!)

·       Friday, March 16th:  Sock It To the MSA! (Wear Crazy Socks!)

·       Monday, March 19th:  Dress For Success (Dress Nicely!)

Many thanks to the PTA for sponsoring the YoJo Show MSA Assembly on Feb. 23rd to get our students revved up for the test!  Thank you, PTA, for also sponsoring the Blue Sky Puppet Theater for our PreK – 2nd Grade students!  They loved it!

By the way, thelast day for the MSA Club is March 8th.

Next week is Reading Week, and we have planned special activities for every day, ending with Read Across America Day on Friday!  Check out the letter in this Wednesday folder for details!

I hope you will come to the African American History Month Instrumental Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 29th at 7:00 p.m.!  Mr. Spitzberg and the instrumental students have been practicing faithfully, and they sound fantastic! It’s a wonderful evening that you don’t want to miss!

Save the date – Saturday, April 21st – for the 11th Annual Azalea Classic!!  This is a 1 mile, 1K and 5K race sponsored by the PTA to raise funds for our school! The Northwestern High School Band will be there, as well as many businesses, food, and a DJ!

Our 3rd Quarter Book Log Event is a 1970’s Dance on March 29th during the school day – think DISCO!  Oh, yeah!!  All students who turn in a book log by March 23rd will attend!

Please join us at the PTA Meeting on Wednesday, March 7th at 7 p.m. for a presentation from the Office of Constituent Services, where you’ll hear about the process of how parent concerns are now taken care of by the school system.  In addition, Mrs. Schickner will be giving a presentation on Student Based Budgeting (SBB), and specifically, how this affects UPES’ school budget for next year.   

Mark your calendars for the UPES PTA Silent Auction on Saturday, March 3 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Wallace Presbyterian Church! This is one of their major fundraisers, and just about every penny comes back to the school! If you would like to volunteer or have an item to donate for the auction, please contact this year's co-chairs, Kris Moss at 301/277-1340 or Sarah Treado at satreado@aol.com.  We hope to see you there!!

We are holding our Annual Career Day on Wednesday, May 16th from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.! If you would be willing to speak during Career Day, please fill out the form in this Wednesday Envelope, or contact Christy Neff (Christy.neff@pgcps.org) or Dawna Phillips (dawna.phillips@pgcps.org).   Even if you only have a half hour to spare, we’d love to have you!

Reminder:  Please do not bring dogs on school property for the safety of our staff and students, as well as for the cleanliness of our school grounds.  Thank you.

Upcoming Events:

Feb. 27th – Read My Shirt Day (Reading Week)

Feb.  28th – Take a Bite Out of a Good Book Day

                    (Bring a snack to eat while reading!)

Feb. 29th – Cuddle Up and Read Day (Wear

                    Pajamas & Bring Stuffed Animal)

                    Instrumental African American

                    History Concert,  7 pm

March 1st – Crazy About Books Day (Wear Crazy

                     Clothes)

March 1st – 2nd – Camp Schmidt for 5th Graders

March 2nd – Hats Off to Reading (Hat Day) and

                      Bring Dr. Seuss Books to School Day

March 3rd – PTA Silent Auction, 5-8 pm, Wallace

                     Presbyterian Church

March 7th – Progress Reports Go Home

                     Wednesday Envelope Goes Home

                      PTA Meeting, 7 pm

March 9th – School Spirit Day – Wear UPES t-

                      shirts & Jeans

March 12th – Don’t Sweat The Test,   Just Do Your Best!  (Wear Sweats)

March 13th & 14th – Reading MSA