Preston Elementary School -

Today at Preston Elementary, our students from Pre-K3 through 5th grade experienced an exciting STEAM assembly filled with hands-on science learning! From interactive experiments to engaging demonstrations, the day was packed with opportunities to explore and discover. This event is just one of the many ways we’re using our Community of Schools funding to bring meaningful and enriching experiences to our students and families. We’re so proud to support programs that spark curiosity and a love of learning—check out the highlights from today’s event in the photos below! #PrestonProud #STEAMatPreston #CommunityOfSchools #HandsOnLearning

📸 Attention 5th Grade Families! 🎓 Mark your calendars—Preston Elementary’s 5th Grade Panoramic Picture Day is coming on April 29, 2025! Don’t miss this special keepsake moment for our graduating Panthers! To get updates when photos are ready, text 30039PAN25 to 90738 ! Stay in the loop and be the first to view and order your student’s panoramic picture. Let’s celebrate our amazing 5th graders! 🐾💙

We’re excited to celebrate Mrs. Gancasz as our Educator of the Week! Mrs. Gancasz brings 26 years of experience to her role as an Intensive Support Special Education Teacher here at Preston Elementary. She supports students from Pre-K through 5th grade and is an active member of several school committees, including the Positive Behavior Committee, PBIS, and CDAT teams. With a BS in Early Childhood Education from Buffalo State University and a Master’s in Reading Curriculum and Instruction from Phoenix University, Mrs. Gancasz is also trained and certified in OG–Reading, OG–Math, and LETRS. Her passion for education shines through her goal of continuing to make a lasting impact on her students. One of her favorite quotes, by John Lennon, says it best: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Thank you, Mrs. Gancasz, for all you do for our PES students and community! 💜📚

This week, we’re celebrating Roselyn, Jaedyn, and Calvin for letting their Panther PAWS and positive choices shine with shimmer! Each of these students has gone above and beyond—Practicing responsibility, Acting respectfully, Working hard, and Staying safe. Your dedication and positivity light up our school, and we’re so proud of the way you leave your PAWprint wherever you go! Keep shining, Panthers! 🐾✨

Shoutout to our Lexia Level-Up Superstars! ⭐📚 This week, our K-5 Panthers have been putting in the work and leveling up in Lexia! We are so proud of their dedication to building strong literacy skills. Keep up the amazing effort—learning never goes out of style at PES! ✨🐾 #PESLexiaSuperstars #PESPantherPride

Thank you to all of our wonderful families in grades 3–5 who joined us for Breakfast with Buddies this morning! It was such a joy to see our students spending quality time with their parents, grandparents, and special guests—what a heartwarming way to start the day ☀️. We’re also incredibly grateful to our amazing cafeteria and custodial teams whose hard work and dedication helped make this event possible ❤️. Check out some highlights from this special morning below—we’re so proud to have such a supportive and connected Preston Elementary community! #PrestonPride #BreakfastWithBuddies #GratefulHearts

Day One of the Kids Heart Challenge Obstacle Course at PES! Our Panthers had a blast in PE with Mrs. Saylor as they took on the first day of the Kids Heart Challenge obstacle course! From jumping and balancing to racing through the course, they gave it their all while learning about the importance of heart health. We’re so proud of our PES Panthers for showing their energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to raising heart-healthy awareness. Let’s keep the momentum going! ❤️‍🔥 #KidsHeartChallenge #HeartHealthyPES #PantherPride #PESPride

Preston Elementary is all in for Food Waste Prevention Week and CCPS Composting Day! Our students are leading the way in our cafeteria today—sorting, composting, and showing how small actions make a big difference ♻️🌱🍎➡️🌍 Check out our photos of them in action and join us in making our planet greener! #PrestonComposts #CCPSGoesGreen #FoodWastePreventionWeek

This week, we shine our PES Educator Spotlight on Mrs. Amy Riley! Mrs. Riley is a 2nd-grade teacher at PES and is in her 13th year of teaching in CCPS! She holds an Associate's Degree in Elementary Education, a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, and a Master's Degree in Early Childhood. Mrs. Riley is a member of our SIP PBIS/CDAT Committee. She plans to open her own school for birth to 2nd grade based on the Montessori methods of education. We are so thankful that Mrs. Riley has made the Panther Pride Den her home! #PESEducators #PESPantherPride

Hey, Preston Elementary families! This is a final reminder to please join us for Breakfast with Buddies on Friday, April 11, at 8:00 AM! This is a special time for Grades 3-5 students to enjoy a delicious breakfast with a loved one. Please enter through the cafeteria entrance and park in the rear ballfield lots behind the school. We can't wait to see you there for good food and great company! 🥯🍩☕ See you soon! 😊 #PrestonProud #BreakfastWithBuddies

This week, we are proud to celebrate Mrs. Deanne Waters, our incredible Assistant Principal here at Preston Elementary! Mrs. Waters is the heart of our school—her dedication to our students, support for our staff, and unwavering commitment to our entire school community make Preston a truly special place. Whether she’s encouraging a student, leading with compassion, or stepping in wherever she’s needed, Mrs. Waters leads with kindness, strength, and a servant’s heart. Thank you, Mrs. Waters, for all you do. We are so lucky to have you as part of the Preston family! #AssistantPrincipalsWeek #ThankYouMrsWaters #PrestonPride #PrestonElementary

Our official Safety Patrol has launched just in time for Quarter 4! These dedicated 5th graders are stepping up as leaders to help keep our hallways, bus loop, and car rider line safe and orderly during arrival and dismissal. Thank you for being role models for our Panther community—what a way to finish the year strong! 🌟🐾

We wrapped up Quarter 3 with our awards assemblies today! Congratulations to all of our PAWSitive Panthers, Shining Stars, Glimmers of Greatness, and Specialist Award winners. Your hard work, kind hearts, and determination do not go unnoticed. Check out some photos of our incredible award recipients—way to shine, Panthers! 🥇❤️ #PESPantherPride

This week, we’re celebrating Noah, Evie, Eliza, and Elliot for letting their Panther PAWS and positive choices shine with shimmer! Each of these students has gone above and beyond—Practicing responsibility, Acting respectfully, Working hard, and Staying safe. Your dedication and positivity light up our school, and we’re so proud of the way you leave your PAWprint wherever you go! Keep shining, Panthers! 🐾✨

📚✨ Celebrating Mrs. Linda Blackmon on Media Specialist Appreciation Day! ✨📚 Today, we want to give a HUGE thank you to our amazing media specialist, Mrs. Linda Blackmon, for all she does to inspire a love of reading and learning at Preston Elementary! From helping students find the perfect book to creating a welcoming space in the library, she makes a difference every single day. Join us in showing appreciation for Mrs. Blackmon in the comments below! 💙📖 #ThankYouMrsBlackmon #MediaSpecialistAppreciation #PrestonElementary

Shoutout to our Lexia Level-Up Superstars! ⭐📚 This week, our K-5 Panthers have been putting in the work and leveling up in Lexia! We are so proud of their dedication to building strong literacy skills. Keep up the amazing effort—learning never goes out of style at PES! ✨🐾 #PESLexiaSuperstars #PESPantherPride

🌿✨ Happy IA & Paraprofessionals Day! ✨🌿 Our incredible support staff at PES go above and beyond every day, making a difference in the lives of our students in countless ways. A simple "thank you" will never be enough to express our gratitude! As a small token of appreciation, we gifted them mini pots and flower seeds—because just like them, their impact continues to grow! 🌱❤️ #PESPantherPride

Our Panthers wore blue today for World Autism Awareness Day! Thank you for participating in this spirit day and for bringing awareness to an important cause! #PESPantherPride

This week, we shine our PES Educator Spotlight on Ms. Laura Glessner! Ms. Glessner is a Pre-K 4 teacher at PES and is in her 20th year of teaching! She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood from Frostburg State University and a Master's Degree from Wilmington University in Applied Technology. Ms. Glessner is a member of our SIP Social Committee. She plans to complete National Board Certification this year and will start classes for Speech Pathology certification next year! We are so thankful that Ms. Glessner has made the Panther Pride Den her home! #PESEducators #PESPantherPride

📚🥗 Reading for Health in Kindergarten! 🥗📚 A big thank you to the The Maryland Snap-Ed Program, Mid-Shore Region for bringing hands-on learning to our kindergarteners today! They practiced safe knife skills, learned about healthy eating, and even made their own delicious salads. What a fun and tasty way to learn! 🥕🥒🍎 #ReadForHealth #HealthyPanthers #HandsOnLearning #MDSNAPEd #PESPantherpride