Student Privacy Policies and Regulations
*Please make sure to review the entire message from MCPS on Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security.   MCPS has created an At A Glance Sheet about Personal Mobile Device (PMD) use for students. Click here for more information. 

MCPS has strict policies and regulations governing the use of its computer systems. Under Regulation IGT-RA, User Responsibilities for Computer Systems, Electronic Information, and Network Security, all users are prohibited from knowingly participating in the unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information about minors, and any material or information purposefully posted or linked from an MCPS system or Internet site must be consistent with the educational purpose. During the in person learning that occurs in the school day, the MCPS Student Code of Conduct; Regulation JFA-RA, Student Rights and Responsibilities; A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities in MCPS; and all existing Board of Education policies and MCPS regulations continue to apply. We take student privacy seriously, and we maintain the right to discipline students or staff that violate this regulation consistent with our disciplinary processes. Student Code of Conduct Overview Framework

SchoolCash Online helps parents and guardians pay school-related fees that are not for their lunch account — such as field trip costs — safely, quickly and easily. This service will increase efficiency and security by making payments directly into schools’ bank accounts and eliminating the need for teachers to handle money. The new system puts all school-related fees online so payments can be made using a credit card or e-check. Cash and check payments directly to schools are still an option.

To register, visit: https://mcpsmd.schoolcashonline.com/ 

Helpful Resources

• Parent Registration Instructions - English

• Parent Registration Instruction - Spanish 

Birthdays
In the interest of health and wellness, our student birthday celebration policy is as follows:

•  Student birthdays will be recognized during our morning show.

  • Birthdays falling on a weekend or holiday date will be announced the last day before the weekend or holiday, or the first day after returning.

  • Summer birthdays will be announced over a period of days at the end of the school year.

• Birthday students receive a birthday pencil.

Birthdays are NOT celebrated with food items brought into the classrooms or cafeteria during lunch time. Please do NOT send or bring in food, gifts, or other items for your child’s birthday.

Class Parties​: Halloween and Valentine’s Day
Information will come out from the school closer to the events.

Report Cards

The report card for students in Grades K-5 gives parents information about what a student knows and is able to do in relation to grade-level expectations. This standards-based report card will break subject areas into groups of related skills or topics and provide specific information about how a student is doing in each area. See the MCPS website page on report cards for more information. 

Curriculum

Instruction will follow the MCPS approved curriculums of CKLA (Literacy), Eureka Math (Mathematics), and Next Generation Science Standards (Science).  In grades 4 and 5, some students will participate in the MCPS ELC Reading Curriculum.  More information on the ELC can be found here.  Parent letters for the reading and math curriculum have been linked.  Parent Tip sheets can be found here for Eureka math

Teachers will be sharing the unit letters for CKLA and the Eureka Module Parent Tip Sheets in their weekly newsletters throughout the year.   The letters are also linked here. For more information on curriculum, visit the Montgomery County Public Schools website. 

Directions for accessing the CKLA home resources 

Chromebooks

Students in grades K-2 are assigned a Chromebook on a cart in their classrooms for their use during the school day. Students in grades 3-5 are assigned a Chromebook that they are responsible for taking to and from school each day. Devices should be charged every night at home and should be used for school purposes only.

At the beginning of each school year, parents and students are responsible for reviewing, signing and returning the Potomac Elementary Chromebook User Agreement and Online Digital Tools Consent Form. This ensures safe and responsible use of school devices. 

MCPS identifies the costs associated with fixing or repairing a Chromebook due to accidental damage, intentional damage, theft or loss. If a chromebook is damaged, it should be given to Mrs. Hazel who will put in a ticket for the damages (If this includes a broken/cracked screen, please tightly wrap it in a plastic bag to ensure no one is exposed to broken glass). 

The following steps should be followed if a student has broken their primary Chromebook device, and returns it to the school for repair.

1. If a chromebook is broken and there is a fee associated with repairing this device, due to accidental or intentional physical damage, the parent will be sent an obligation email informing them of the fee and how to pay online.​​

​​-If the parent would like to dispute the obligation, they can send an email to communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org to appeal. 

4. Parent or guardian will receive an email receipt from the Online School Payment Management Portal, which they can present to school staff to confirm payment.

5. Once payment is confirmed, the school checks a new primary device out to the student and checks the loaner device back in.

Student Passwords

Students are responsible for their own passwords and should work to memorize them, along with their student ID numbers. While students have the ability to change their passwords, we discourage this except when necessary to avoid getting locked out of their accounts.  MCPS policy is 365 days. 

What will this look like? 

Students are returning to school with their same/current passwords. 

The MCPS Student Password Manager allows students to change their passwords from within an MCPS building or from home. Classroom teachers also have access to this tool.

When students change their MCPS passwords using this new system, their Google passwords will immediately change. Student password reports and lists will be immediately updated. There will be no interruptions in accessing other online platforms.  

If necessary to change a student password: 

Student navigates to SPM.mcpsmd.org. 

Student logs into SPM with their current userid and password. 

Student enters new password.