Press Opportunity on August 2: Parents Will Receive Training on Using the Toolkits with their Kindergartners

Approximately 1,000 parents – and their kindergarten students who attend the ELO SAIL summer learning program at Title I schools in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) – are receiving a special gift from MCPS retirees.

Thanks to the efforts of the Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association (MCPSRA) and the leadership of former MCPS employee Joan Donovan, the students will receive kits especially designed to extend the learning experiences that were part of the summer ELO SAIL program into the home environment. Each kit contains a calendar, ruler, crayons, magnetic letters, number line, Play Doh, flashcards, glue stick, pencil, and a book. Parents will receive guidance on how to use the toolkits with their children.

A toolkit training with some of the parents and students who have participated in ELO SAIL will take place at Twinbrook Elementary School on Thursday, August 2, at 10:00 a.m. The school is located at 5911 Ridgeway Avenue in Rockville. Members of the news media are welcome to attend.

The retirees raised approximately $15,000 for the toolkits for kindergarten students and for books that are being given to each fourth and fifth grade student who attended the ELO SAIL program. Contributions were received from retirees in Maryland and also from those living in 28 other states.

The ELO SAIL summer program is available to students in kindergarten through grade 5 attending Title I schools. It was designed to help students attending MCPS schools with the highest poverty levels improve their reading, writing, and math skills in a fun and enriching setting and extend the learning process of the school year into the summer months. Transportation, breakfast, and lunch also are provided to students.