Dear Parents and Guardians,

As the air begins to cool, we find ourselves engaged in learning and attending many activities.  It has been a busy month!  Thank you to those of you who were able to attend the Autumn Harvest Festival.  It was perfect weather for picnicking, visiting, playing and face painting.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone.   Each month there will be some parent and/or family activity that welcomes your participation.   As a school, we cherish our families and encourage you to participate as often as possible.   Your students love seeing you as part of their schooling experience!  The amount of parent participation in this first month and a half of school has been astounding!  Parents have attended First Day, Volunteer Orientation, Autumn Harvest, the Salsa Dance Assembly, various field trips, Boat Show Parking and more.  We had tremendous support from faculty, parents and friends of Eastport during the Boat Show Parking.  Our students did their part by giving up their playing fields for recess.  So, thank you all for your help!

Our new Treasures Language Arts Program is going well.  You may be seeing some different reading materials and/or homework coming home.  Take the time to review these materials with your child.  Some fast facts:  Treasures is 60% nonfiction and 40% fiction.  The nonfiction portion includes Time for Kids.  Treasures also includes phonics and word study in all grade levels.  In addition, it has a strong writing component.  As many of you know, the state of Maryland has adopted, along with 42 other states, a common core curriculum.  The Treasures program was chosen because of its high correlation to the common core standards.

In math the standards are being supported through the Envision Math Program, as well as supplemental materials.  STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is being infused across the curriculum.

Our vision states that we aspire to provide a world class education, while nurturing a love of and a commitment to learning. We continue to reflect on that vision each and every day.  That vision extends to learning in and outside the actual school building.  Environmental experiences, participating in Read for the Record (to break the current record in The Guinness Book of World Records!),Chesapeake Champions (Extended Day), Paint Annapolis (N. Hammond’s work with 5^th graders), research projects etc. all help our students make connections to their learning.