Welcome

Welcome Letter | Carta de Bienvenida | Lettre de Bienvenue

WELCOME TO THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR

Believe. Belong. Become.  |  Rooted and Rising

Ronae Smith, Principal   •   Dawn Riddick, Assistant Principal

Dear Calverton Families,

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! On behalf of the entire Calverton Elementary School team, I am excited to welcome our returning families and extend a special welcome to those joining the Calverton community for the first time.

This year, we continue our journey under the theme Believe. Belong. Become. — Rooted and Rising. We want every child to believe in what is possible, belong to a school community where they are known, valued, and supported, and become the confident learners, thinkers, and leaders they are capable of being. “Rooted and Rising” reminds us that our students rise because of the strong roots we build together through high expectations, strong relationships, excellent instruction, and partnership with families.

Our goal is simple and important: every Calverton student will experience high-quality instruction and meaningful thinking every day. Across classrooms, students will explain their thinking, engage in academic conversations, use evidence, tackle challenging problems, read and write deeply, and receive feedback that helps them grow. We will also strengthen support for multilingual learners and students with disabilities so every student has access to rigorous grade-level learning.

Families are partners in this work. Ask your child what they learned and how they know. Encourage reading, writing, problem solving, curiosity, and perseverance at home. Remind your child that challenging work is part of learning and growing.

One of the most important ways families can support student success is to get children to school, on time, every day. Consistent attendance matters academically, socially, and emotionally. Missing just two days of school each month can add up quickly and create significant gaps in learning. Please schedule appointments and family travel outside of school hours whenever possible. When an absence is unavoidable, communicate with the school and provide appropriate documentation.

Every day matters. Every minute matters. Every Eagle matters.

PGCPS has introduced the Chipmunk school bus tracking app for 2026-2027. The app provides real-time bus location, estimated arrival times, and instant alerts for delays, cancellations, and other transportation updates.

• Make sure you have an active ParentVUE account.
• Download the Chipmunk app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Select Prince George's County Public Schools as your district.
• Sign in using the same email address associated with your ParentVUE account.
• Your student's transportation information will automatically sync once available.

Important: PGCPS advised that students needed to be fully enrolled by July 31 to be assigned a school bus for the first day of school. Students enrolled after July 31 may not have transportation in place on Opening Day.

Calverton Elementary is a MANDATORY uniform school. Students are expected to arrive each day in the appropriate school uniform.

• Keep your telephone number, email address, emergency contacts, and ParentVUE information current.
• Monitor ClassDojo, School Messenger, ParentVUE, and the Calverton Elementary School website for updates.
• Additional information about arrival, dismissal, walkers, car riders, visitors, meals, safety procedures, and other school operations will be shared as we move closer to Opening Day.
• Health and immunization requirements must be current so students are ready to attend school.

Families, we have ambitious goals for our Eagles, and we know schools do their best work when families and educators work together. We ask you to partner with us by ensuring your child attends consistently and arrives on time; communicating with teachers; reinforcing reading, writing, mathematical thinking, and academic conversation at home; attending school events and conferences; and reminding your child that effort, perseverance, and learning from mistakes are part of becoming stronger.

In return, we commit to providing your child with a safe, welcoming, challenging, and supportive learning environment where they are known, valued, and expected to grow. Our Eagles are rooted in a strong community—and together, we are ready to rise.

We look forward to welcoming you on Calverton Day, August 24, and beginning an outstanding 2026-2027 school year together on August 25.

Believe. Belong. Become.  •  Rooted and Rising.

Warmly,

Ronae Smith
Principal, Calverton Elementary School