Welcome New Tigers!
 
Hello to all our new Tiger families!  We can’t wait to welcome you into the Langley family, especially our brave PK-3 Tiger Cubs!
 

Welcome Playdate
Our first get-to-know-you playdate will be on Saturday, April 7th, on the school playground from 10 AM to noon.  School leadership and current parents will be there to welcome you and answer questions.  Waitlisters, please come!  
 
 
Rec Center Cleanup and Enrollment Saturday
Langley will be accepting Enrollment Packets at the front desk during school hours each weekday.  As a convenience for busy parents, Langley will also be open on Saturday, April 21, from 9 AM to 12 PM, to collect your enrollment forms.  At the same time, the PTSA will be sponsoring a Rec Center Cleanup and Parade on Harry Thomas Rec Center playground, adjacent to the school.  The bike and scooter parade around the track will begin at 11:30 AM!
 

PTSA Meeting
The next PTSA meeting will be Tuesday, May 15th, at 6 PM at Langley.  If you can't make the meeting but still want to join the PTSA, just send a quick note to LangleyPTA101@gmail.com.  Please reach out with any questions, or just to say hi!  

Q. Where are you from? 
A.  I was born in Washington, DC.  However, I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the small, rural town of Marydel.

Q. How did you become a social worker?
A.  I obtained a master's degree in social work over 20 years ago at Howard University.

Q. What's a typical day for you at Langley?
A. Each day varies for me at Langley depending on the students' needs for that day.  There are a number of students that receive direct behavioral support on a weekly basis.  Outside of those students, I provide intervention for all students with any type of social or emotional need.  

Q. What types of problems do you help solve?
A. I help students with building positive peer relationships, conflict resolution, peer mediation, character development, grief/loss issues, coping skills and address any basic need that interferes with the student's ability to learn.

Q. How can families get in touch with a school social worker?
A.  I am available daily from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm.  Arrangements to meet outside of those time may be scheduled.

Q. What do you love best about your job?
A. I absolutely love working with children.  I look forward to interacting with them, talking to them about the important things in their lives and trying to make a positive impact everyday.

My daughter was one of a few preschoolers recently recognized by her Principal and her teachers for mastering a special new skill. I'm sure you're thinking it was writing her name legibly, counting by 10s to 100 or tossing her juice box in the trash.

This recognition (which came with a certificate and everything!) was for mastering the skill of assertiveness. A mother couldn't be more proud - first, that my kid is assertive at school and second, that she goes to a school that teaches such an important method of communication. "Be nice, be nice!" That's pretty much the extent of my own early childhood social training.

Telling preschool kids to be nice doesn't cut it. According to Dr. Becky Bailey, founder of Conscious Discipline, the third and fourth years of our lives are the most aggressive. When conflicts arise, children use the problem-solving tools at their disposal: often hitting, kicking, biting and screaming. Expulsion rates for preschoolers is 1,300% higher than any other grade level. I've known parents who have declined to send their children to preschool, for fear of exposing them to violence. 

Langley parents, enrollment for Spring enrichment activities is now open! Tigers can get centered on Tuesdays with Young Yogis, lead by Breathing Space Yoga, and polish their coordination and soccer technique on Thursdays with The Players Soccer Academy. Classes begin the week of April 9 and welcome kids in Pre-K-3 through first grade.

This is an awesome opportunity for students who are already enrolled in aftercare or children who do not attend aftercare, but could use an extra energy outlet at the end of the school day. The Langley PTSA has chipped in to bring the cost of these courses down, and there is one free scholarship available for each, so please see Ms. Wiggins or Ms. Wortham if you'd like your child to be considered. 

Check out the flyer below for more info! Click here to register.

Q. What is your role at Langley?
A. I am the speech pathologist who provides speech services for students in grades K-5 here at Langley Elementary.  My colleague, Brittany Rasansky, is the speech pathologist who provides speech services for the preschool students here at Langley.
 
Q. How did you become a speech therapist?
A. At a very young age, I knew that I wanted to work with children and help them achieve their optimal potential. I ventured into speech-language pathology because it would be a wonderful opportunity to facilitate a child’s ability to communicate efficiently and effectively. I obtained my undergraduate degree and put my skills into action.  I worked as a pediatric speech therapist for over eight years.  After many years of experience, I decided to pursue my master’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University, to refine and further enhance my skills.  I have over 17 years of experience and I am passionate about what I do for a living.  I am known to be fun-loving, silly, energetic, kind, and compassionate and I adore all children.
 
Q.  What is speech therapy, and how do you provide it?