Weekly update for February 21, 2025
 Dear CES friends and families:
We were so excited to see so much engagement, learning, and fun with families, staff, and guests at this year's Columbia STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Night. A special THANK YOU goes out to Mrs. Dumont and all the staff on the Technology committee for doing a wonderful job planning, organizing, and leading this effort.
I am also excited to share that After-School Club programming, for the Spring Season, is back! This spring, we will be offering Soccer Club on Wednesday afternoons and STEAM Club on Thursday afternoons. See flyers below for more details and register soon.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Mike Astudillo
Proud Principal
Columbia Elementary School
PTA News & Notes
2025 Read-a-Thon
We are excited for the upcoming Read-a-thon that will take place February 24th – March 2nd. Our goal is to get students reading everyday for at least 30 minutes. Prizes will include gift certificates to the spring book fair and pizza party for the class that reads the most minutes.
What Parents and Guardians can do to help:
- Please encourage your child/children to read independently for AT LEAST 30 MINUTES each day or more! Families reading aloud to younger children will count toward their goal. Older siblings can read aloud to younger ones and both can record the minutes. Students can call grandparents and read aloud to them.
- Contact your teacher and ask if you can come in to be a guest reader.
- Remind your child to enter his/her minutes into the reading log AND to bring it to school on March 11th. Paper logs will be distributed next week.
PTA Wish List
We have a spring full of events ahead of us. Please see our wish list that includes things such as concession stand supplies, bookmarks for Read-a-thon, paper bags for school use, and items to stock the teachers lounge. Items do not have to be purchased from Amazon. Feel free to purchase elsewhere and drop it off in the front office. Thank you!
Online Spirit wear Store is Live
Students, family and staff can now order spirit wear all year long. See more information below along with a direct link.
Upcoming
2/26 Family Night Out Dominos Pizza
FCPS Region6 CARES Award Winner
Earlier this week, we celebrated 5th Grade teacher, Ms. Laura Steib, as she was recognized as the FCPS Region 6 CARES of the Month winner. A Columbia parent submitted her name, including a recent story of what makes her such a wonderful educator. We took time to celebrate Ms. Steib during a staff breakfast on Wednesday morning, where she was presented with a recognition certificate and enamel pin. We are so thankful for all the wonderful, caring, and talented adults who work at Columbia ES. Additionally, thank you to all the families who support these wonderful teachers to be their very best. #SmallSchoolBigHeart
Attendance Matters
Regular attendance is crucial for the academic success of all students. Studies have repeatedly proven that students with better attendance records perform better in school and are more likely to graduate high school on time. When scheduling trips or potential extended days out of the area, please remember to carefully review FCPS calendars and make plans to limit days away from school.
Did you know?
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10% (or about 2 days per month) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Attending school even if your student arrives late is valuable for their academic success.
If you need support, or even just to talk with someone to brainstorm ideas, in helping your student attend school on time and regularly, please reach out to your child's teacher or our school's wonderful counselor, Ms. Jenna Julian. jljulian@fcps.edu
Specials Spotlight
Music with Mrs. Eggleton
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders continue practicing steady beats with body percussion and instruments while celebrating Groundhog’s Day, 100 Days of School and Valentine’s Day. We have shared movement using a circle, line and partner dance, while using scarves and candy canes. We learned about a musician named Trombone Shorty, who performed at this year's Super Bowl pregame show. We love performing with instruments while reading a book.
3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are exploring the relationship between music and math, listening to and describing music using music terms and identifying the form of the music. We are revising and refining our performance in singing and playing instruments. Students are using their ideas to make the compositions their own. Our music students are very creative and work well as a group. We learned about a musician named Trombone Shorty, who performed at this year's Super Bowl pregame show.
In March we will celebrate “Music in Our Schools Month” The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children-and to remind everyone that school is where all children should have access to music.
STEAM Night Feedback Form
Thank you for joining us at STEAM night! We appreciate your feedback and ideas for future events. Please complete the optional feedback survey about last night's event!
Columbia Spirit Gear available online!
Click on the image below to see new, and favorite, styles and items:
| 
