Dear Ivymount Families
After a snowy start to Sunday, a reminder to review our inclement weather policy below regarding remote instruction.
Thank you for participating in our latest family/caregiver survey regarding a return to onsite instruction. We have received 174 results out of 201 students. If you have not completed the survey please do so now. Click here - Family Intent Form. We will call families in the morning that we have not heard from. Your information helps us update our plans, which we will communicate in the coming days.
We also want to thank our staff and many families with students age 16 and above for your dedication to learning about COVID vaccines and searching for opportunities to receive one for those who are comfortable doing so. See below for more information from Montgomery County about the vaccine process and providers.
Throughout February, we will continue to provide examples of ways the Ivymount community is celebrating Black History Month and IvyCares month. Keep scrolling for some highlights.
Finally, we hope you'll plan to attend this Thursday's PTA Parent/Caregiver Hangout on Feb 11 at 7 pm. See below for the Zoom link.
Sincerely,
Susan Holt
Executive Director
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Upcoming Events
Thursday, February 11
Ivymount PTA
Parent/Caregiver Hangout
Monday, February 15
President's Day
No School for Students/Staff
Wednesday, February 17
Mental Health Lecture Series
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Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, virtual learning, including Related Services, will continue as scheduled. We plan to follow our schedule independent of decisions made by Local School Systems.
Should weather conditions impact your ability to participate, due to power or connectivity challenges, please notify your Program Director when you are able, or call 301-469-0223 and leave a voicemail.
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Vaccines will be one variable in Ivymount's layered mitigation strategy and we're pleased that many staff, and some students age 16 and above, have been able to schedule vaccinations.
The vaccine roll-out continues to be slow and confusing due to the number of doses made available each week and the differing phases announced at the state and county levels. Parents and certain county officials are advocating for families of individuals with disabilities. In Montgomery County, Carolyn Chen, a Legislative Analyst for the county council, organized a listening session on COVID and the IDD/DD population. She has started an IDD Outreach listserv to broadcast information.
To Get Vaccinated at a Clinic Operated by Montgomery County Health and Humans Services:
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Everyone must pre-register. We are currently pre-registering all groups in Phase 1A, 1B and 1C. Check the County vaccine webpage for pre-registration information.
- Pre-registration is not a vaccination appointment—it places you in the queue by priority group. When vaccine doses arrive, we contact residents from the pre-registration list and invite them to make an appointment.
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When invited to make an appointment, pre-registered individuals will receive an invitation to make an appointment by phone call or email directly from the County’s Department of Health and Human Services. Email invitations will come from c19vaccination@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Other Vaccination Locations:
In addition to the clinics operated by DHHS, hospitals and several community partners have COVID-19 vaccines available to the public. These clinics follow the State guidelines, and not the rules issued by the County. Therefore, they may be vaccinating priority groups that the County-operated clinics are not. Vaccine supply continues to be limited at all venues in Montgomery County.
Hospitals include:
Retail partners include:
Pre-registering on the County’s vaccine page does not mean you are registered with other venues.
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#BHM Highlights Cultural Icons
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Throughout February, Ivymount programs are celebrating Black History Month by discussing its importance, the role of advocacy, and the rich history of Black Americans. This past week, some students learned about the influence of cultural luminaries. Here are two examples:
Room 180 in the Autism program is discussing and celebrating achievements by African Americans each day during morning meeting. For example, they learned about Maya Angelou and read a poem by her. Others included Louis Armstrong and Ruby Bridges.
The Post High School is learning about Black Americans who have helped shape the country and captured important national conversations through their work. They read poems by Phillis Wheatley and Amanda Gorman and discussed the contributions of leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.
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IvyCares Promotes Kindness |
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Ivymount is committed to ensuring a culture of kindness through our IvyCares Initiative. Through IvyCares, we celebrate caring as a priority by creating opportunities for our students, staff, and our community to:
- Reflect on the positive impact our actions can have on others
- Practice daily concern and kindness to others
- Show care and kindness for ourselves
- Value our relationships with each other and invest in these friendships/partnerships
- Embrace diversity by appreciating qualities and experiences that are different from our own and celebrating our individual differences
- Expand our circle of care by taking steps to make positive changes in our community
Practicing kindness in many forms is a central theme of IvyCares month. BCBA's who are part of the MLN Journal Club attended a workshop on self-care and mindfulness given by Ivymount’s Mental Health Lead, Michael Stromberg. Participants completed two mindfulness meditations, one focusing on unhooking from thoughts and one focused on self-compassion. Next, participants learned other practical mindfulness strategies they can incorporate into their daily routine.
Being kind to oneself is critical, especially during periods of prolonged stress, and this workshop is a step to educating staff on how to better respond to the ongoing challenges facing each and every one of us.
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Best Buddies Hosts Events |
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In January, Ivymount Best Buddies students enjoyed two virtual events. The buddies played trivia and a Zoom version of "Simon Says", completed Mad-Libs, and had the chance to do a little show and tell. They were asked to share an item that they could find near them. The buddies shared pets, stuffed animals, artwork, and sports-related items.
The Buddies gave a big thumbs up to the virtual Mad-Libs. The buddies worked together to come up with different nouns, adjectives, and verbs to complete a wacky story. There was plenty of laughter and smiles. We look forward to having more fun during our next event.
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Final Week of MAP Food Drive |
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It's the final week to drop off food items for Ivymount's school-wide food drive for Manna Food Center, organized by MAP students. We're accepting items until Feb 12.
Use the contact-less donation box located in the Ivymount vestibule from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Please wear a mask when entering the vestibule. Watch as MAP Director Jennie Kampf invites us to make a difference!
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- Instant Oatmeal
- Brown Rice
- Whole Grain Pasta
- Canned Vegetable & Fruit
- Fruit cups
- Tuna, Salmon, & Chicken in water
- Dry or Canned Beans
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- Natural Nut Butters
- Shelf Stable Individual Milk boxes
- Cooking Oil & Spices
- Infant Formula & Baby Foods
Manna will not accept soda, cakes, cookies, or candy.
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Parent/Caregiver Hangout
Thursday, February 11
7-8 pm
We hope you will join us for our next Parent and Caregiver Virtual Hangout. This is a great opportunity to get together for casual conversation with other parents who "get it." We also share resources and ideas. So, grow your network of friends with shared experiences by logging on this Thursday.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 893 5906 2656
Passcode: 083313
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Are You on the PTA Listserv?
Do you know what you're missing if you're not on the Ivymount PTA listserv? Here are some of the topics shared in just the past five days:
- Advocacy for services in DC
- Ways to earn SSL hours
- Autism and trauma education
- Coronavirus vaccine information
- Theater camps
- Project SEARCH internship and job training opportunities
Join the PTA listserv and stay in the know about community health and advocacy, parent education presentations, arts/athletics sessions, upcoming Ivymount School and Outreach events, and more. Listserv members include current and alumni Ivymount families.
How to Join
You will receive an invite to join which you will then need to accept prior to joining. *Be sure to check your spam folder for the invite.
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Ivymount
School & Programs
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