Welcome to the Katherine Thomas School Parents Association web site!
(Last Updated 06/21/08)
End of Year Surveys! End of year surveys were mailed last week. If you have not received your survey or would rather complete you survey on-line, you may do so by clicking here. Surveys must be completed by May 28th.
Meet the New Interim Director of the KTS Lower/Middle Schools! TLC Executive Director Richard Pavlin has invite parents to an evening coffee at 7:30pm on Tuesday, May 13, offering the opportunity to meet Mr. Thomas Sweet before he begins on July 1. The coffee will be held in the KTS High School Music Room (near the Black Box Theater on the ground floor). KTSPA Co-chairs Julie Hunter and Pam Peckinpaugh hope you will be able to attend! Please RSVP Julie Hunter by e-mail at BJAHunter@aol.com or by telephone (301) 983-2904. We look forward to seeing you on the 13th!
2008 Spring Bedding Plant Fundraiser! Find your plant ordering form in that pile of school papersk and get your order in by Wednesday, May 7th! Orders can be turned in at the front desk or sent to Karen Beveridge. Contact Karen at karbbev@gmail.com or 301-983-0079. Thanks for setting this up Karen!
Fundraiser at Ledo's on Darnstown Road, May 19-20! Great News! We are all set for Ledo's Pizza, Monday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 20, from 4:00- 9:00pm, at 10058 Darnestown Road! Enjoy Delicious Pizza, Superb Subs, Perfect Pasta, and Super Salads! 20% of our sales will go to KTS students and High School Graduation. Please bring your relatives, neighbors, and friends! The flyer must be presented.
KTS Grandparents and Special Visitors Day was May 2nd, from 10am-1pm. A great time was had by all, including pictures and the "Wax Museum" biography book reports with the students 'coming to life." Wow!
The 2007-2008 Katherine Thomas Yearbook ordering is now over, and will be out soon! Keep an eye out, they’ll be here soon! (See the Order Form!)
The KTSPA is accepting nominations for officers for the next school year, 2008-2009! Know someone you'd like to nominate? Why not nominate yourself? Link to the nominating form and print it out!
The latest KTSPA fundraiser was eating out at Cheeburger Cheeburger on March 5, 2008! 15% of the proceeds went to KTS, and we did great! See the flyer! Thank you, Robin Handleman (rhandleman@ttlc.org for organizing!
There is an after school class on puppeting that began January 18th. See the Flyer!
There was a TLC/Parents Meeting (Agenda) led by Dick Pavlin on November 27, 2007, 7:30pm, at the Katherine Thomas School. Mr. Pavlin updated parents on the status of space for the expanding high school and on the progress of recruiting a Director for the Lower/Middle School.
The KTSPA held a fundraiser by eating out at Armand's Pizza on November 8th!! A percentage of the proceeds went to the parents association! See the Pizza Flyer !
The 3rd Annual Parents Soiree was held on November 3rd! The parents and staff had lots of fun! It was great for the adults to get a chance to hang out! Thanks once again to Shelly and John Bogasky for organizing this great auction once again. For more information on what you missed, see the 2007 auction list, or the 2006 auction list for the 2nd Annual Soiree.
The Katherine Thomas School has worked hard at implementing a new reading initiative. See the reading initiative results!
During May, 2007, The Katherine Thomas School was monitored by the Maryland State Department of Education for compliance with Maryland school law. This visit was conducted by Dr. Cathy Larner from the Nonpublic School Approval Branch, and Brenda Aswall, MCPS Placement Specialist. This site monitoring occurs every three years as required by Maryland state law.
In addition to classroom observations, the following were carefully reviewed:
· Student records
· Related services documentation
· Compliance with educational program requirements
· Classroom instructional materials and equipment
· Curriculum guides/curriculum
· Certification/Licensure of staff
· Library media collection
We are thrilled to inform you that we passed with flying colors! We even received commendations in several areas.
· Teaching – we were complemented for our academic rigor – curriculum was followed, activities were appropriate, TAs were appropriately involved, and related services personnel were integrating in the classrooms. The use of multi-sensory instruction was an integral part of the program. They also loved all the student work displayed in the hallways.
· Behavior Management: There was a good rapport between staff and students and between students. Behaviors were well-managed and staff was pro-active.
· Library/Media Center: According to Dr. Larner and Ms. Aswall, we have one of the top libraries of all the schools they monitor. The materials are supporting the students’ education, and it is a very inviting place.
It took a tremendous team effort to get ready for the visit, and all staff pitched in. Special thanks go to Sylvia Valdivia, Delma Benjamin, Christina Bernabe, and Gwenn Blau for their extra input.
Please join us in congratulating the KTS staff for such outstanding work. We are proud of our school, and we are pleased to have our feelings validated by this site visit!
View the Power Point Presentations on the technology and reading initiatives from the KTS Parents Association Evening Meeting on Wed., March 7, 2007: Click here for the Technology and Reading Initiative sideshow.
Past Seminars: The Katherine Thomas School held its winter series of parent workshops on parenting special needs kids (winter series flyer). The series began in January and ran through March 2007. The Katherine Thomas High School held a seminar on finding a college for special needs kids (seminar flyer) on January 25th, 2007.
