Welcome Back!

 

August 12, 2025

Dear Francis T. Evans Elementary School Families,

Welcome back to an exciting new school year! I am thrilled to greet each of you as we embark on another year of learning, growth, and achievement together. This year’s theme is “Focused on Scholar Success!”, and it will guide everything we do as a school community.

At Francis T. Evans Elementary, we are committed to building a community of culture, clarity, and high expectations, along with Interim Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph’s theme for Prince George’s County Public Schools. This means:

• Culture – Fostering an environment where every child feels safe, valued, and inspired to do their best.
  
  
• Clarity – Communicating expectations and goals clearly so students, families, and staff work together toward success.
  
  
• High Expectations – Encouraging every scholar to reach their fullest potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
  

We know that when we partner with families, our scholars thrive. Together, we will ensure that every student receives the support, encouragement, and opportunities they need to excel. This year, we will focus not only on academic growth but also on cultivating resilience, character, and a love of learning in all our students.

Our long-term vision is to create a school community where all stakeholders—families, educators, and community partners—are pouring into our children, empowering them to apply their learning in meaningful ways so they become confident, compassionate, and successful lifelong learners.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. I look forward to an incredible year of partnership and progress.

Key Highlights for the Upcoming School Year

1. Curriculum and Instruction

Our curriculum continues to evolve to meet the needs of all learners. We have introduced new programs that focus on literacy, STEM education, and social-emotional learning. These initiatives are designed to cultivate critical thinking skills, creativity, and resilience in our students. Our school goals remain in alignment with Superintendent Joseph's priorities:

• Improving Special Education and supports for Multilingual Learners
• Accelerating outcomes in mathematics and literacy
• Tackling chronic absenteeism with intentionality and urgency
• Expanding access to internships and dual enrollment opportunities
• Building a positive, accountable, and inclusive organizational culture.

2. Parent and Community Engagement

We recognize that parents are our partners in education. This year, we are committed to strengthening our collaboration through regular communication, parent workshops, and volunteer opportunities. Join our Parent Teacher Organization! Be an active participant so we can continue to have a positive impact on our children’s education. If you would like to be a part of the executive board, please express your interest. We are in need of a Secretary and a Treasurer. Stay tuned for more information from our President, Mrs. Layla Boodie. She can be reached at francistevanspta@gmail.com. 

Please mark your calendars for our Back-to-School Night on September 22 at 6:00 p.m., where you will have the chance to meet your child’s teachers and learn more about our plans for the year.

● School Visitors/Volunteers: Safety! Safety! Safety! Prince George’s County Public Schools are open for visitors, volunteers, and one-time volunteers. Visitors and one-time volunteers must have a scheduled appointment due to the requirement of being escorted and supervised by PGCPS employees at all times. Please visit the Volunteer page on the PGCPS website to begin your approval process. 

3. Student Well-being

The well-being of our students is our top priority. Our school counselor and support staff are here to provide guidance and resources to ensure a safe and nurturing environment. We encourage open dialogue and welcome your feedback to ensure that every child feels supported and valued.

● School Times: 7:30 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.

○ Doors open at 7:15 a.m. 

○ Instruction begins at 7:30 a.m.

• • • Students are marked tardy at 7:35 a.m.

○ Dismissal begins at 1:40 p.m. (Early dismissal ends at 1:25 p.m.)

Practice new routines prior to the beginning of school, so it will not be a shock to their system to wake up earlier.

● Have a Bus Rider? Download Chipmonk. Bus information should be available the week of August 18-22. Bus route cards will be mailed to the last address of record in Synergy. Schools do not manage buses or assign students to buses. Transportation questions and concerns are best addressed by the PGCPS Transportation Office or 301-952-6570.

● Immunizations

○ Remember: No Shots, No School! Make an appointment for routine immunizations today! Kindergarteners in the state are required to get a second dose of the chickenpox vaccine, while students in the seventh grade must get the vaccination for Meningococcal and Tdap, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

4. Community School Designation

We are excited to become a Community School. The Community School Model is a national model where schools serve as the community’s hub, providing academic and social-emotional support for students and their families. As defined by the Coalition of Community Schools, “A Community School is a public school - the hub of its neighborhood, uniting families, educators, and community partners to provide all students with top-quality academics, enrichment, health, and social services, and opportunities to succeed in school and life.” The goal of Community Schools is to help ensure students and their families are resilient, successful, ready to learn, and prepared to be involved in their communities.

● The Meal Benefit Application (Lunch Application) is required to determine eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. Please fill out an application. This is how we received our Community School Status. We must complete the applications. They may be found here: https://www.pgcps.org/offices/food-and-nutrition/free-and-reduced-meals.

● Students not eligible for free or reduced-priced meals must pay for their meals.

Important Dates

● Orientation Day: August 25, 2025 - In person, Pre-Kindergarten Orientation (8:00-9:00), Kindergarten Orientation (9:00-10:00), and Grades 1-5 Sneak-a-Peak (9:45-11:00). There are pre-sessions 15 minutes before each start time. Topics for these sessions include Synergy/Parent Vue, Transportation/PikMyKid App, English Language Development Classes, Attendance/Community Schools, and School Visits/Volunteering. We ask that you adhere to the appointed times. We also encourage families to bring student supplies with them to orientation, as parents will not have an opportunity to walk scholars to class on the first day of school.

● First Day of School: August 26, 2025

● Back-to-School Night: September 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM

● Parent-Teacher Conferences: November 11, 2025 (Schools Closed for Students)

Staying Connected

Communication is key to our partnership. Please make sure to update your contact information with our school office to receive newsletters, announcements, and important updates. You can also stay connected by following us on our school website and social media channels.

● Use your ParentVue, powered by Synergy, to stay connected. We will continue to use Class Dojo as well. You will receive an invitation from your child’s teacher to join their classroom.

● FTE remains a uniform school. We will have plenty of Spirit Days for scholars to dress outside of their uniform.

● Technology will continue to be a part of daily instruction. Devices will be used at school only.

● Cellphones: Our cell phone policy aligns with the policy established by PGCPS. While students are allowed to bring cell phones to school, they must remain turned off and stored away during school hours. The same goes for the electronic watches. If students need to contact their parents, phones are available for their use. The presence and potential misuse of cell phones can significantly disrupt the instructional environment, making it crucial to monitor student usage. We respectfully ask parents to support our no-phone-in-the-classroom expectation to ensure a focused and productive learning experience for all students. Please do not text your child during the school day!

Together We Thrive

As we embark on this new academic year, let us remember that we are stronger together. By working collaboratively, we will remain focused on scholar success. We encourage our families to stay connected by joining the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) to use their talents, skills, and resources to benefit our school community.

I am truly honored to serve as your principal and look forward to an amazing year filled with growth, learning, and success.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at sonya.gaston@pgcps.org or Assistant Principal Sewell at luther.sewell@pgcps.org.

Sincerely,

S.Gaston

Mrs. Sonya Gaston

Principal