Principal's Message (May 24, 2026)

Good afternoon, Viers Mill families! This is Mr. Hawkins, Principal of Viers Mill Elementary School, with our weekly Sunday message!

As a reminder, we have no school for students on Monday, May 25 or Wednesday, May 27. With the rainy weather and cooler temperatures, we hope that our Jaguars will consider enjoying a good book (or two or three) to practice their reading at home! Parents and caregivers, you can also read aloud to your child or take turns with them (e.g., child reads left side, adult reads right side) so that they can acquire new vocabulary, build comprehension, learn how to read with expression, and make more memories with you.

Please read our message below for additional reminders and information.

Events this Week!

Here are the events/activities taking place this week:

Monday, May 25: Schools and offices closed (Memorial Day holiday)
Wednesday, May 27: No school for students and staff

We will continue to include a full list of events/closures for the upcoming month at the bottom of each Sunday Message.

Wednesday, June 17: Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony

Our Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 17 at 9:30 a.m. in our All-Purpose Room. After the ceremony, our fifth grade students will walk throughout our school for a "clapout" and then join their families in our courtyard for a reception. We anticipate concluding this event by 11:00 a.m. Your fifth grade child should still arrive to school between 8:45-9:00 a.m. Finally, please be aware of and adhere to the "no parking" signs posted throughout our school neighborhood.

Important to Know

We have 83 fifth grade students this year which is our largest grade level. In order stay under our All-Purpose Room's maximum occupancy level, we cannot accommodate younger Viers Mill siblings in the ceremony area. Instead, younger Viers Mill siblings will remain in their classrooms where all students and staff will be able to watch the ceremony via Zoom using a closed link for in-school viewing (i.e., not available to the public). If you would like these younger Viers Mill siblings to join your family in the courtyard for pictures and celebration in our courtyard area after the "clapout," that is permitted. Please write a note or e-mail to your child's teacher so that they know to provide your child with a pass to the courtyard.

Sample Questions & Answers

Can my VMES school-age child (e.g., PreK-4th grade student) attend the ceremony in the All-Purpose Room? No. They can join the reception afterwards in the courtyard.
Can I bring my infant/toddler to the ceremony in the All-Purpose Room? Yes.
Can I bring my middle school or high school-age child to the ceremony in the All-Purpose Room? Yes.
Can I bypass this rule by not sending my VMES school-age child to school and, instead, bring them with me to the ceremony? No. Please remember that we must stay under maximum occupancy levels. Your school-age child will enjoy watching the ceremony in their classroom. While other schools often restrict attendees to 2 family members per student, we believe that this small adjustment will allow us to still accommodate everyone.

Bus Stop Change for the 2026-2027 School Year

Montgomery County Public Schools notified our school that one bus stop will be eliminated from our Green Bus (Route 3108) for the 2026-2027 school year. Effective August 24, 2026, there will no longer be a bus stop at the intersection of Garrett Park Road and Ivy Glen Road. If you have questions concerning these changes, please call Ms. Sharon Stream, depot manager, Randolph Transportation Depot, at 240-740-2610. Families may appeal this decision. Appeals for stop eliminations should be sent using the Complaint from the Public Form (Form 270-8) which can be found on the MCPS website.

3rd Quarter Performance Letter–Check Your Inbox

Families with students in kindergarten through grade 8 who are below grade level for math and/or reading received a letter from MCPS with information and steps to take to get back on track. A letter was sent only if your student is below grade level. Please check your e-mail from MCPS to determine if a letter was sent to your family, and we look forward to partnering with families to support your child's success.

New MCPS ParentVUE App

Would you like to check your child's grades and attendance on your personal device? If so, please download the upgraded ParentVUE app! An upgraded version of the app was developed last week. A step-by-step guide is linked below and can explain all of the new features, including notification preferences, enhanced account management, and quick access for what you use most. Watch the video. Learn more.

Spanish flyer - New Parentvue App - SPANISH.pdf

Summer Learning Opportunities

Rising Kindergarten through 5th Grade Students

Are you interested in having your rising Kindergarten through 5th Grade child attend a free summer school program? This past week, students received a flyer for our upcoming Extended Learning Opportunities-Summer Adventures in Learning (ELO SAIL) Summer School Program that includes registration information. This free summer school program will run from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. from July 7-30. Please be aware that there is no summer school on Fridays. Simply return the completed flyer to our main office. Families can also register online through ParentVUE by clicking on the "Online Registration" tab and scrolling down to the "2026-2027 Summer School Year" area shown in the image above. Families are required to register their child for this program so that we have accurate enrollment data and staffing.

Rising 6th Grade Students

Our current fifth grade students who will be promoted to sixth grade will also have an opportunity to attend a summer school program. The MCPS IGNITE Middle School Academy is offered at various middle school locations (with Argyle Middle School as the closest location for our students). This academy is a 9:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. program (with afterschool options available) that will run from July 7 - August 6 (no summer school on Fridays). To learn more and register, please click HERE.

Prekindergarten Registration for the 2026-2027 School Year

Free prekindergarten is available to income-eligible families with children who will be 3 or 4 years old by Sept. 1, 2026. Prekindergarten and Head Start registration is happening online or in-person at community locations. For more information, please call (240)740-4530.