Town Creek Elementary School

Welcome Letter from the Principal

September 2018

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Town Creek Elementary School - Home of the Terrapins! We are home to approximately 220 students from Kindergarten through Grade 5. We strive to provide an environment conducive to learning in order to maintain high academic achievement for all students. Our goal is to develop life-long learners who are college/career ready. Our students are encouraged to develop healthy habits and lead environmentally conscious lives. As a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) School, we value Respect, Responsibility, and Safety; so we are Ready to Learn! Members of our school community are encouraged to model and reinforce positive school behavior and school character. The staff and I are committed to providing an appropriate learning experience for your child. Below is a list of important documents/papers for you to review.

-SMCPS 2018-2019 Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (Review with your child)

-Student Accident Coverage Enrollment Information from Tammy McCourt, Asst. Supt. of Fiscal Services and HR

-Letter to Households National School Breakfast and Lunch Program with attached Meal Benefit Application for Free and

and Reduced-Price School Meals (please note that a new form must be completed each school year regardless of previous

year’s status).

I invite you to be part of the learning environment. Our School Improvement Team (SIT) Meetings are held during PTA meetings. SIT meetings are open to interested parents/guardians/community members.

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has made a commitment to the implementation of the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards. St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) began this transition in 2011. We will continue to implement the standards in order to prepare our students to be college and career ready by the time they graduate high school. You can find more information about the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards on the MSDE website: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/

Lastly, our PTA needs your support. Please consider a membership to our PTA. Our PTA Board Members are:

Jessica Chamberlain, President

Jazmin Carey, Vice President

Dawn Schmidt, Treasurer

Sammantha Bowen, Secretary.

Thank you for your continued support of Town Creek Elementary School as we work hard to provide the best possible education for each of our students. Please visit our school website at: http://schools.smcps.org/tces to familiarize yourself with our school activities, programs, and procedures. You can also follow us on Twitter @TCES_SMCPS

Have a wonderful school year!

TCES~Together Committed to Excellent Students!

Mrs. Marie Hankinson, Principal

Town Creek Messages

Click here for 2018-2019 Student Handbook and Code of Conduct

Standards Based Report Cards

St. Mary’s County Public Schools formed a report card committee in 2015 and included representation from every elementary school in the county. The committee revised the pre-K – grade 2 Standards Based Report Card to reflect recent curriculum changes, which was successfully implemented this school year.

The work of the committee continues as we focus on creating a Standards Based reporting system for grades 3-5. We recognize the need to provide ongoing professional development for our staff, as well as the need to educate and communicate with families in order to prepare for the transition.

We are committed to a successful implementation and, therefore, we will gather feedback and provide training during the 2017-18 school year and begin implementation for 3rd grade during the 2018-19 school year. Standards Based Report Cards for 4th and 5th grades will follow in consecutive school years.

Please contact me if you would like additional information about Standards Based Report Cards. Town Creek Elementary will have various options for parents throughout this process to keep you informed.

PARCC Score Reports

Click here for information about reading the PARCC Score Reports. http://understandthescore.org/score-report-guide/

Click Turtle Below

to print the Town Creek Elementary

Alternative Fundraiser Form

Town Creek News

- Anyone with a St. Mary's County library card can get free homework assistance using HelpNow! through the public library. Click here for more information!
- Free tutoring for Military Children. Click here for more information.
- Follow Mrs. Hankinson on Twitter @ TCES_SMCPS
- Click here for a Parent's Guide to New Assessments in Maryland.
- Looking for more information about the new PARCC assessment? Check out these great resources
- Click here for a video about the PARCC Assessment

Together Committed to Excellence

Town Creek Elementary School, home of the Terrapins, is located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland approximately 75 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. As one of the oldest and smallest schools in St. Mary’s County, Town Creek was opened in 1958. The school includes kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms with a student enrollment of approximately 250 students. Eligible prekindergarten students attend nearby Green Holly Elementary. Our population represents a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. In partnership with parents and the community, Town Creek teachers and staff strive to create a child-centered learning environment enabling all students to become successful, healthy, active learners who pursue their own, individual level of excellence. Like a treasured antique, Town Creek represents the warmth and tradition of a neighborhood school.