Message from Principal Wall

August 5, 2025

Dear Deerfield Run Elementary Parents and Community Members,

Welcome back to the start of the 2025-2026 academic school year. I am very excited to begin this school year. This year marks the official 50th school year that Deerfield Run has been operating as a proud PGCPS public school. Fifty years ago on September 2nd the doors of Deerfield Run opened for its very first school year. When I think about the school turning 50 and that I have had the opportunity to lead our school as an administrator for 22 of those years my heart fills up. I have a sense of pride and love for the Laurel Community and am honored to be able to continue this charge during this celebratory year.

Deerfield Run will continue to aspire to engage our students by providing instruction that is not only engaging but student centered and facilitated. Students will be challenged to become leaders within their classrooms and will be provided academic rigor that expands student thinking and problem solving skills. There will be a strong instructional focus on literacy and numeracy as these two content areas are needed to understand just about any other domain or content area. Our students will be celebrated for their successes, growth, and efforts towards reducing gap deficits. Students will be challenged to set academic goals and will be held accountable for their part in their learning journey. It is the goal of our CORE LEADERSHIP TEAM to provide all students that attend Deerfield Run Elementary School the best possible learning environment that is safe, secure, and encourages students to take risks and to make mistakes without fear or ridicule. Mastery comes with the commitment to practice skills regularly, to persevere, ask questions for clarity, and by having a positive attitude towards learning.

In order for us to have an outstanding 50th school year, we need a partnership and a commitment from all of our parents. Remember that the most successful school models are when parents, staff, and community members rally together to serve the needs of our youth. We will be soliciting your input, support, volunteer services, and commitment to invest in your child during the academic 2025-2026 school year.

Prior to the first day of school, Deerfield Run will open its doors to all pre k and kindergarten families to join us on Monday, August 25th at 8:30 to learn about your child’s school program for the year. This day will allow students to meet their teachers and to see their classrooms. In addition this time will be spent sharing important back to school information with our parents so you can be informed, engaged, and a partner in your child's learning journey. Following our Pre K and Kindergarten orientation, all new and returning kindergarten through grade five students may drop in for a meet and greet your teacher anytime between 9:00-10:00am.

The first day of school is Tuesday, August 26, 2025 instructional day begins with the bell ringing at 7:30am day at 1:40pm. with our doors opening at 7:15am. Our official and the dismissal bell ringing to close each school day.

Our school day is just six hours and ten minutes a day. Our neighboring counties attend school approximately 20 more minutes each day than us, thus making it crucial for our students to arrive on time. We are already at a disadvantage when compared to other surrounding schools due to a lack of equity in hours of service. I strongly encourage all families to make school attendance a priority by making sure your students are arriving at school on time. Students can not close gaps if they are not present in school. Our students deserve the same opportunities as all other students in Maryland so I am pleading to each family to help us help your child by making sure they show up daily and on time so we can maximize our learning time together. Missing just 15 minutes of school each morning results in an hour and 15 minutes of missed instruction per week. If we add that up based on the number of weeks per school year, that student would miss more than 45 hours of instruction, not counting the 60 hours PGCPS students are already losing because we are not aligned with the same amount of student hours across the state.

For a third year in a row, Deerfield Run is PROUD to share that ALL SCHOOL SUPPLIES will be provided to your student on behalf of our community schools funding. We only request families to purchase school uniforms and a backpack and lunchbag if your student is bringing lunch from home.

As a Title I school, ALL STUDENTS, regardless of income status are offered breakfast and lunch free of cost. Our breakfast program is grant funded and is only offered to students arriving at school on time between 7:15 and 7:35. All students may also have lunch free of charge based on our Title I status. If your child is a picky eater or has food allergies you may wish to send your child to school with a packed lunch from home.

Finally, for our returning families please be reminded of our new Kiss and Go Lane and the procedures for utilizing this lane. We will be sharing details with families during orientation, on Class Dojo, and during the first weeks of school so all staff, students, and parents remain safe during drop off and pick up.

New this year, we are returning to the way our students entered the building before the Covid 19 Pandemic. Pre K and Kindergarten students will be dropped off at the cafeteria doors. All students that wish to get breakfast are to report to the far cafeteria doors to pick up their breakfast and will then walk to their class with their breakfast. Students not eating breakfast or arriving after 7:35 are to enter the school using the main front door in the front of the schoolhouse. Staff will be present and eagerly waiting to greet your student.

This year is going to be a wonderful year of celebrating our successes and gains over the past 50 years of servicing our youngest community members. We are making history together, and we are making the gains to show we are WINNING! Here’s to a fruitful and successful 25-26 school year!

Sincerely,

Mary F. Wall

Principal

5 de agosto de 2025

Estimados padres y miembros de la comunidad de la escuela primaria Deerfield Run:

Bienvenidos de nuevo al inicio del año escolar 2025-2026. Estoy muy emocionado de comenzar este año escolar. Este año marca el 50.º año escolar oficial en que Deerfield Run ha operado como una orgullosa escuela pública de PGCPS. Hace cincuenta años, el 2 de septiembre, Deerfield Run abrió sus puertas para su primer año escolar. Al pensar en el 50.º aniversario de la escuela y en los cuales he tenido la oportunidad de dirigirla como administradora durante 22 de esos años, siento un gran orgullo y cariño por la comunidad de Laurel y me siento honrada de poder continuar con esta responsabilidad durante este año de celebración.

Deerfield Run seguirá aspirando a involucrar a nuestros estudiantes mediante una instrucción que no solo sea atractiva, sino también centrada y facilitada en el estudiante. Se les retará a convertirse en líderes en sus aulas y se les brindará un rigor académico que amplíe sus habilidades de pensamiento y resolución de problemas. Se hará un fuerte énfasis en la lectoescritura y la aritmética(matemáticas), ya que estas dos áreas de contenido son necesarias para comprender prácticamente cualquier otro dominio o área de contenido. Se reconocerá el éxito, el crecimiento y el esfuerzo de nuestros estudiantes por reducir las brechas. Se les retará a establecer metas académicas y se les responsabilizará de su participación en su proceso de aprendizaje. El objetivo de nuestro EQUIPO DE LIDERAZGO ESENCIAL es brindar a todos los estudiantes de la Escuela Primaria Deerfield Run el mejor entorno de aprendizaje posible: seguro, protegido y que los anime a tomar riesgos y a cometer errores sin miedo ni burla. El dominio de las habilidades se logra con el compromiso de practicar las habilidades con regularidad, perseverar, hacer preguntas para aclarar las dudas y mantener una actitud positiva hacia el aprendizaje.

Para que nuestro 50.º año escolar sea excepcional, necesitamos la colaboración y el compromiso de todos nuestros padres. Recuerden que los modelos escolares más exitosos se dan cuando padres, personal y miembros de la comunidad se unen para atender las necesidades de nuestros jóvenes. Solicitaremos su opinión, apoyo, servicios voluntarios y su compromiso para invertir en su hijo/a durante el año escolar 2025-2026.

Antes del primer día de clases, Deerfield Run abrirá sus puertas a todas las familias de prekínder y kínder. El lunes 25 de agosto a las 8:30 p. m., podrán conocer el programa escolar de sus hijos. Este día, los estudiantes podrán conocer a sus maestros y sus aulas. Además, compartiremos información importante sobre el regreso a clases con nuestros padres para que estén informados, participen y colaboren en el aprendizaje de sus hijos. Después de nuestra orientación para prekínder y kínder, todos los estudiantes nuevos y antiguos de kínder a quinto grado podrán conocer a su maestro entre las 9:00 y las 10:00 a. m.

El primer día de clases es el martes 26 de agosto de 2025 y nuestras puertas abren a las 7:15 a. m. Nuestro horario escolar oficial comienza con el timbre a las 7:30 a. m. y el timbre de salida a la 1:40 p. m.

Nuestra jornada escolar dura solo seis horas y diez minutos. En los condados vecinos, la asistencia a clases es de aproximadamente 20 minutos más que en el nuestro, por lo que es crucial que nuestros estudiantes lleguen puntualmente. Ya estamos en desventaja en comparación con otras escuelas cercanas debido a la falta de equidad en el horario de servicio. Recomiendo encarecidamente a todas las familias que prioricen la asistencia escolar, asegurándose de que sus hijos lleguen puntualmente. Los estudiantes no pueden cubrir las brechas si no asisten a la escuela. Nuestros estudiantes merecen las mismas oportunidades que todos los demás estudiantes