January 14, 2024

A Note from the Director

Dear Families,

A reminder that there is no school tomorrow due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

On behalf of the staff, I would like to thank the PTA and all Ivymount School families for your continued recognition of the efforts of staff. The abundant snack bar this past Wednesday was a real treat thanks to your generosity. Scroll to the PTA section to see the bounty you donated!

We hope to see many Ivymount families next Saturday for our IvyMoves community event featuring ZamDance. It's an invigorating hour of joyful movement and music. Scroll down to RSVP.

Mark your calendars now for our 11^th Annual Ivymount Outreach Resource Fair on Sunday, March 3 from 12-3 pm. We look forward to welcoming organizations and families in the community for in-person connection and lvymount-led presentations. Additionally, we will unveil the 2024 version of our electronic Resource Guide. Click here to view the 2023 guide full of local resources and service providers. If you know of any services in the region who should be in the guide or at the fair, or topics you would like to see covered, email [email protected].

Sincerely,

Susan Holt

NEWS YOU NEED!

Dates to Remember

January 15

MLK Day

No School for Students and Staff

January 20

IvyMoves Community Event

February 16

Professional Day

No School for Students

February 19

President's Day

No School for Students and Staff

Top PTA News

March 9

St. Patrick's Dance

Join the Dance Committee to help with planning and night-of coordination.

Email [email protected]

to fill a volunteer timeslot.

April 12

Onsite PTA Meeting

9:30 am to 10:30 am

Scroll down to the PTA section to see Staff Appreciation Snack Drive photos.

Weather Reminder

With the potential for winter weather this week, a reminder that Ivymount follows MCPS for delays and closings. Sign up for MCPS alerts. In addition to messages we send through the CrisisGo app, you can also check Ivymount's Facebook and Instagram pages, our websites, and local media such as NBC, Fox, and WTOP.

Let's Keep Movin' this Month

Ivymount's goal this month is to improve the community’s overall health and wellness by creating positive lifelong habits that support our physical, emotional, and mental health.

Our in-school step challenge has students moving throughout the day to reach 1 million steps. So far, students have reached a total of 289,317 steps!

High School students in the Aspire Social Program visited Lower School classrooms, and taught them a few exercises to help everone meet their daily movement goals.

Better When We're Dancin'

The APE team created a dance for everyone to learn. Students are practicing in their classrooms and PE classes. You can practice these moves at home too!

Join Our IvyMoves Community Event

Saturday, January 20

11 am at Ivymount

RSVP Now!

Warm up your morning with an hour of music, movement, raffle prizes, and community at the Ivymount campus next Saturday. ZamDance is a high-energy blast of fun, featuring exercise and dance moves set to contemporary and Latin music. Jackie Zamora, a former Ivymount employee, created ZamDance as a place for all ages and abilities to move at their own pace and style.

Click to watch how much fun friends had showing off their Ivy "Moves" during Shine Time at the 2023 event.

Ivymount Outreach Programs invites you to bring the whole family to this complimentary event! Bring a water bottle and a set of headphones if your student is sensitive to loud music. Note that participants must be supervised by parents/caregivers.

Donate to the Clothing/Sneaker Drives

Aspire Winter Clothing Drive

The Aspire Post High School is collecting coats, blankets, and winter clothing for men, women, and children from now until February. Items should be new or gently used but in good condition. They will be delivered to Stepping Stones Shelter.

PTA Sneakers for a Good Cause

The PTA is working with GotSneakers to recycle and rehome used sneakers. Must be athletic sneakers in pairs. Send with your student, drop in the bin, or if you have more than 12 pairs, email Ivymount parent, Trish Stone at [email protected] for a labeled shipping bag.

If dropping off winter wear or sneakers, look for the bins located in the front lobby.

PTA NEWS AND UPDATES

Thank You PTA & Ivymount Families

Thank you to the many Ivymount Families who donated to the all-staff snack bar. We had an incredible array of snacks and treats. We are excited and grateful to report that your generous donations enabled us to provide an abundant Grab-and-Go Snack Bar across all programs. Also, a special thank you to the parents who donated their time on-site to organize all of the treats. It was so great to see you and work together on this project.

Join the St. Patrick's Day Dance Committee

The Ivymount School PTA is excited to host a St. Patrick's Day Dance on March 9, 2024. This dance is open to all programs and ages across the whole school.

We are looking for a few parent volunteers for the Dance Committee to help with planning and coordination, which can be done remotely. We will also need to fill short volunteer shifts for the evening of the dance. If you are able to volunteer, please email [email protected]

PTA Treasurer Needed

We are currently looking for a parent who can take on the role of PTA Treasurer. Basic duties for this role can be performed remotely. If you would like more information or are interested, email Ivymount parent Cindy Gottfried at [email protected].