Category: CougarClips

Friday, June 4 – All Library Books Due to the CJMS Media Center
Tuesday, June 8 – Virtual PTSA Meeting – Elections
Wednesday, June 9 – Virtual Celebration for 8th Grade students and parents in our Special Education programs, details will be shared by your teacher
Wednesday, June 9 – 3:00 pm – CJMS Virtual Author visit with Jason Reynolds
Friday, June 11 – 8th Grade End of Year Celebration
Monday-Tuesday – June 14-15 – 6th and 7th Grade End of Year adjusted schedules
Wednesday, June 16 – Half Day Virtual Schedule; Last Day of School

Classes will run from July 6-30 from 8:00 to 12:30.  Transportation and lunch will be provided.  All students will take Math, English and an elective class that will prepare them for the coming year. Parents can find information about the MCPS Virtual Summer School and programs at Churchill and Wootton on our website and in the weekly email.

You can now order your STAPLES SCHOOLKIDZ SUPPLY KITS for the 2021-2022 school year!  This program allows families to order pre-packaged supplies for CJMS students, and have them delivered directly to your home. To order, visit www.shopttkits.com and use account #32303. There is a choice to purchase the supply kit with or without a zip up type binder. The deadline to order is June 18, 2021. Supply kits will be delivered by August 20, 2021. Email Erika at schwartzerm@gmail.com with any questions.

If your child is not returning to CJMS or will not attend one of our feeder high schools for the 2021-2022 school year, please email Ms. Tamara Hardy, Counseling Secretary & Registrar, Tamara_A_Hardy@mcpsmd.org with the school’s name and address, your child’s full name, MCPS student ID number, current grade level, and a forwarding address.  

Thank you everyone for volunteering to serve on the Cabin John PTSA for the 2021-2022 school year.  We have some fantastic parents to assist in support the needs of our school community and hopefully will be able to restart some of the in-school events we have all come to appreciate.

Please join us on Tuesday, June 8th at 7pm for a special general election and to hear more about your board for next year.

Tekia Stokes has been nominated for president.

Erika Schwartz has been nominated for 1st vice-president.

Martine Kiazand has been nominated for 2nd vice-president.

Cher Serhal has been nominated for treasurer.

Geeta de Silva has been nominated for the office of secretary.

For families who need to register for ELO, virtual K-8 summer program, or the high school central program, registration takes place in ParentVUE.More information about how to register for various programs, as well as ParentVUE support, is provided in multiple languages here.  

Join Cabin John MS alum Amy Smith on Tuesday May 11th at 7pm for a presentation – “Connecting with Meaningful Activities in Middle School and Beyond.”  Amy will share ideas to help middle school students pave an activity path that is meaningful to them without getting caught up in the college stress too early. In other words…do you have to join 50 clubs and start a business? Absolutely NOT, and here’s why! You CAN find activities that are meaningful & relevant to YOU (and SAFE during the pandemic). Amy, a journalist, publicist, and college essay coach, owns Power Hour Editing and helps college-bound students jumpstart their process, stand out, amplify their voices, and power to the finish line. Amy will share middle school-specific information about…

·      What will colleges eventually look for, and how/if should this affect your decisions now?

·      Pandemic Pivots – With so many restrictions, how can you STILL participate, get involved, and give back to your community in a SAFE way?

·      What is a deep dive, and what does that mean to you?

·      How have other students “pivoted” and done new things during the pandemic?

·      What are some creative resources to help you find programs/online classes/community service/and more?

www.PowerHourEditing.com

Register here, and you’ll receive an email follow-up with additional tips after the presentation -> https://forms.gle/EwRJjkxZhqGkLzKU9

A webinar link will be sent out prior to the meeting.

The CJMS PTA is in urgent need of a few CJMS volunteers for Board positions for the 2021-22 school year. The majority of our current Board will be transitioning from the school so please volunteer to support our community.  Our election is scheduled for May so please don’t delay!  Please email Ms. Nicole Di Resta, PTSA President at pres.cjms@gmail.com if you can help.

In order to support this process, we need to organize a nominating committee per our by laws.  If you are interested in serving in this short term capacity, please email Ms. Nicole Di Resta, PTSA President at pres.cjms@gmail.com

Gaithersburg, Md. – April 26, 2021 – Beginning on Saturday, May 1, children, teens and families can jump on board the 2021 Gaithersburg Book Festival ride to enjoy literary stops at multiple “Inspiration Stations” throughout the City and on the Festival’s YouTube channel throughout the month. 

________________________________________________________________________________________

“Even though we’ve gone virtual again in 2021, we’ve put together a variety of interactive activities across Gaithersburg that we hope will inspire children and adults alike in their love of reading and great books,” said Festival Founder and Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman. “We invite you to explore neighborhoods across our great city, while adventuring into great literature.”

Inspiration Stations include:

GBF StoryWalk®!  

Get outside and enjoy this in-person and safe reading adventure by visiting five locations around Gaithersburg. At each location, you’ll find the first page of a story and follow along the StoryWalk® track until you reach the end of the book. Snap photos and share the family fun on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with #GBF and #GBFStoryWalk.  

All participants must follow local COVID safety protocols and are encouraged to wear face coverings, stay six feet away from others, and enjoy with members of their own household.

The GBF StoryWalk® is sponsored by The Basics, a Nonprofit Montgomery and Montgomery Moving Forward pilot program for young children. 

There are four StoryWalk® tracks at five Gaithersburg locations available during the entire month of May. Visit them at: 

• Constitution Gardens (112 Brookes Ave.) – “Carry Me!” by Susan Stockdale. A beautifully illustrated book for very young scientists to begin to explore adaptations, habitats and life cycles.
• Diamond Farms Park(857 Quince Orchard Blvd.) – “Bears in a Band” by Shirley Parenteau. An adorable storyof little bears who have fun making music with their instruments.
• Griffith Park and City Hall Grounds (31 South Summit Ave.)and rio Lakefront Shopping Center (9811 Washingtonian Blvd.) – “Stripes of All Types / Rayas de todas las tallas” (bilingual)bySusan Stockdale. Gorgeous illustrations introduce readers to a wide range of striped animals through bouncy, alliterative rhyme in both English and Spanish.
• Downtown Crown (119 Crown Park Ave.) – “Astro Girl” by Ken Wilson-Max. The stars are the limit for a little girl who brings space travel up close for young readers and offers an inspiring ending.

Children’s and YA Author Presentations

Readers ages 2-16 will want to make this stop at the Virtual Gaithersburg Book Festival to tune in tochildren’s and young adultpresentationsby 17 of today’s most popular authors. Look over the schedule and be sure to add your favorites to your calendar! Presentations premiere on the Festival YouTube channel every weekday Monday, May 17 to Friday, May 28 and remain available for viewing for a minimum of 30 days. 

As a bonus,at the end of each author presentation, blossoming writers will be given three Story Starters to “choo” upon for writing inspiration. Stories can be emailed to the Festival at gbfstories@gaithersburgmd.gov to be entered into a random drawing on May 31, 2021 for a chance to win a special prize!   

Writing Workshops for Elementary School Students. 

Registration opens Saturday, May 1, for two special children’s writing workshops, hosted on Zoom:

• Astronauts Zoom! Astronauts Write! (Saturday, May 8 at 11 a.m. EDT) – Discover how real astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) live and work every day (and night) in the new book, “Astronauts Zoom!.” You’ll imagine you’re an astronaut on the station and write a letter or email to your family or friends. This workshop will be led by Deborah Lee Rose, an internationally published, award-winning children’s author whose newest book, “Astronauts Zoom! An Astronaut Alphabet,” is illustrated with “you are there” NASA photos of female and male astronauts on the ISS. 
• Create Haiku Poetry! (Saturday, May 15 at 11 a.m. EDT) – Make artworks and create haiku poetry! Haiku poetry is about one breath long, and often focuses on nature. After reading sample poems and discussing the craft of writing Haiku poetry, you will create mini artworks and write your own. This workshop will be led by Jenny Klein, who has worked as a classroom teacher, gifted and talented teacher, staff developer and reading specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools. 

Several Workshops for Teens and Adults are also available and can be found on the Festival website. All workshops are free and will take place via Zoom. Spaces are limited, so register soon. 

Virtual Tours of Authors’ Creative Spaces

Take a virtual tour of your favorite authors’ Creative Spaces from the Festival YouTube Channel. These pre-recorded virtual tours may include the desks, unique tools, art, or even a plant or a pet that helps an author write. 

Playlists from YA Authors

YA readers can enjoy creating or listening to playlists curated by GBF’s Young Adult authors with motivational, inspirational, and empowering songs they use to help them write. These too will be available on the Festival YouTube Channel.

View the High School Poetry Contest Finalists’ Poems

Visit Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm (506 South Frederick Ave.) to get outdoors and view the poems written by the 12 finalists in the Festival’s High School Poetry Contest.Poets are students at high schools throughout the Metropolitan Washington Area. 

Pick your favorite poem, then visit the GBF websiteto vote for it by May 31. The poem with the most votes will win the Fan Favorite Award, and will be announced on June 4.  The first-, second-, and third-place winners will be announced on the Festival website Friday, May 14, by 2021 Sandra Beasley, a local poet who served as the contest judge.

And there’s more….

The 2021 Festival has plenty of programming for adults too. During the first two weeks of May, Festival programming will focus on a variety of genres for adults, including fiction, non-fiction, mystery, science fiction and poetry. Among the featured authors are Ishmael Beah, Sandra Beasley, Jeanine Cummins, Cory Doctorow, Pam Fessler, Robert Jones Jr., Dr. Michio Kaku, Jon Klassen, Carole Lindstrom, Carlos Lozada, Susan Page, Lisa Scottoline, Karen Tumulty, and more.

Keep up with GBF programming developments on the Festival website at www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org. You can also subscribe to the GBF newsletter and follow the Festival on Facebook and Twitter @GburgBookFest for the latest updates. 

About the Gaithersburg Book Festival

Founded in 2010, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of books, writers and literary excellence. It is one of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The 2021 Festival will take place virtually throughout the month of May, featuring author appearances, panel discussions and writing workshops. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. The event is sponsored in part by The David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on Twitter @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.

The PTSA Nominating Committee is seeking new board candidates for next year. If you are interested in getting involved at your child’s new school, there is nothing better than joining the WCHS PTSA Board! Every Board Role is Open for NEW Officers. 

Please reach out to one of our 2021 WCHS Board Nominating Committee members if interested!

OUR 2021 WCHS PTSA BOARD NOMINATING COMMITTEE INCLUDES:

Dara Johnson – dyfjohnson@msn.com

Eva Kreisler – evakreisler@gmail.com

Patricia McKeon – stpatrick107@hotmail.com