IvyNotes

January 8, 2023

A Note from the Director

Dear families,

I hope you had a good first week back from winter break.

We're setting a good pace for 2023 with activities around our annual IvyMoves Month throughout January. Check out the details about our step challenge below and save the date of January 28 for our IvyMoves community event here at Ivymount.

This coming Wednesday, we also hope you'll attend the PTA's in-person family hangout, and for those with teens and young adults, learn about Project SEARCH through our virtual information session.

We encourage you to mark your calendars and attend the MANSEF Advocacy Day in Annapolis, MD on Friday, Feb 3. Parent representation is crucial in helping us explain to legislators and department officials the important role of nonpublic schools and the crucial need for salary parity for our highly-trained and educated staff. Register at this link.

Have a great week.

Sincerely,

Susan Holt

NEWS YOU NEED RIGHT NOW!

Ivymount School

Dates to Remember

January 11

Project SEARCH Info Session

January 16

No School

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

January 28

IvyMoves ZamDance Family Event

Let's Get Moving in January!

January is #IvyMoves month! Our goal is to improve the Ivymount community’s overall health and wellness by creating positive lifelong habits that support our physical, emotional, and mental health.

This year, the PE team has organized an in-school step challenge for the month that has students stepping out of this world and reaching 1,000,000 steps. You can follow Ivymount's step count each week on our space tracker. So far, students have accumulated 190,000 steps!

The US Department of Health and Human services recommend children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 should be getting 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily. Below are some examples of activities that meet that requirement.

Click Here for More Movement Activities

Get Your Steps in and Your Zam Moves On!

Saturday, January 28

10 am - 11 am at Ivymount

Let's see how many families will come out and get their recommended daily movement all in one hour as we wrap up IvyMoves Month at Ivymount with a community event at Ivymount.

Current families, alumni, and Outreach families are invited to join us for a one-hour ZamDance session that combines fitness moves with basic dance moves, set to high-energy music. Bring your sneakers, water bottle, and a move you want to show off during Shine Time. Designed for children and adults of all abilities!

Project SEARCH Hosts Info Session

Project SEARCH provides employment readiness training through intensive internships and classroom instruction for young adults ages 18 to 30 with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Families who are interested in applying should make plans to attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, January 11, 6 - 7 pm.

The session will provide a program overview, information on host businesses, the application process, and real-world advice from a previous intern and family.

ZOOM LINK

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84933942813

Meeting ID

849 3394 2813

Bowling is Right Up Their Alley!

This week, middle school students in the Endeavors School Program participated in their quarterly field trip to the bowling alley. Prior to the trip, students had been hard at work practicing bowling skills in P.E. class. Try it, you'll strike it!

Order Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the Vocational Center is now accepting orders for Valentine's Cards! Order forms were to be provided to classrooms this week and there will be extra order forms on a cart outside of the Voc Center (Room 210).

Simply fill out an order form, place your form and cash money (no checks) in an envelope, and send it in your student's backpack or have them place it in the folder labeled Gator Card Business Order Forms on the window outside of the Voc Center (Room 210). Each card is handmade by our high school students, comes packaged with an envelope, and is $1.00 per card. Orders are due by the end of the day on Monday, January 23.

Click Here for Order Form

PTA NEWS AND UPDATES

Join the PTA this Week for Coffee and Conversation

Parent/Caregiver Hangout

Wednesday, January 11

Corner Bakery (across from Westfield Mall)

9:15 - 10:15 am

Bring Your Ideas to PTA Meetings

All families are represented by the PTA. Our goal is 100% participation in our various events and activities. The PTA would like your input when planning for future events. To meet the needs of all families, we will schedule PTA meetings at different times and onsite or virtual. Stay tuned for the date of our first in-person PTA meeting since 2020, coming soon! We hope you will attend.