The Panther Post

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice in the upper right-hand corner.

Spanish

Para otros idiomas, haga clic en Traducir Newsletter y elija el idioma que prefiera.

Portuguese

Para outros idiomas, clique em Traduzir Boletim Informativo e escolha o idioma que preferir.

Greetings LWES Community!

Last week, we shared that we are excited to introduce Grade-Level Family Nights at LWES this year. Now, it’s time to pencil in the dates! ✏️📅

Grade-Level Family Nights are an opportunity for families to come together with our teachers, connect with one another, and learn more about what your child is learning at school. Each grade-level experience will focus on Reading, Math, or Social-Emotional Learning and will include information and strategies that families can use to support learning at home.

~Dr. Burks, Ms. Geiser, & Dr. Andrade

We are so excited that some of our LWES Panthers, along with Ms. Hendricks, one of our 2nd grade teachers, had the opportunity to attend today’s Baltimore Ravens game!

The Baltimore Ravens are honoring Best Buddies Maryland at today’s home game through the Honor Rows program, and we are thrilled that some of our Panthers were able to be part of this special experience! 🐾

What an exciting opportunity to celebrate friendship, inclusion, and belonging- while cheering on the Ravens! 🏈💜

As we plan for this school year and as resources and programs come our way, we want to hear from you! What do you need? How can LWES support your family?

Please note that the information shared in this form is accessible only to members of our Student Support Team and will be kept confidential within that team.

Students in Grades 1–5 will participate in the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment during our fall testing window. Please review the testing schedule below:

Arriving at school on time on testing days is very important. If your child is absent, however, makeup opportunities will be provided within the testing window.

There is no need for students to study or prepare for the MAP assessment. As always, we encourage students to get a good night’s sleep and eat their normal breakfast before coming to school.

MAP results help our teachers and school teams understand each student’s current academic performance and measure their growth over time. The assessment does not impact students’ grades and is adaptive, meaning the difficulty of the questions adjusts based on how each student responds.

To learn more about the MAP assessment, families can visit the NWEA MAP Family Toolkit. https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/common-questions-families/

Classic Photography will be onsite to photograph our Panthers for individual fall portraits. Students should arrive at school dressed and ready for their photos.

All students will be photographed for our school yearbook, regardless of whether a photo package is purchased. Please note that retakes will only be available for students who are absent on Picture Day or for students who purchased a photo package and request a retake.

Families who would like to purchase pictures may do so by:

• Completing the paper order form sent home with students on Friday, or

• Ordering online through Classic Photography’s electronic ordering form.

The electronic ordering form will be shared through TalkingPoints on Wednesday, September 23, and again in next weekend’s community newsletter.

We look forward to seeing our Panthers’ smiles! 📸🐾

💙 Hello Laurel Woods Families! 💙

The PTO has some exciting events and ways to get involved for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year;

PTO Events September

*9/23/26- Chipotle Dine Out 🌮🌯(Location: 11811 W. Market Pl, Fulton, MD 20759)

*9/30/36-PTO General Membership Meeting and PTO Ice cream social at 6-7pm

****We will have a Hispanic Liaison Table to assist with any questions****

Upcoming PTO Events October

*10/15/26- Trunk or Treat 5-8pm

*10/22/26-Noodles and Co Dine Out- 🍜 (Location:Towne Centre at Laurel 14700 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707)

Join Us & Get Involved!

We believe our school community is stronger when families come together! 💙 We encourage all families to participate in school events, activities, and celebrations throughout the year. Whether you can volunteer your time, attend an event, share your talents, or simply show your support, every contribution makes a difference.

We also invite you to become a PTO member! PTO membership is a wonderful way to stay connected, support our students and teachers, and help make meaningful experiences possible for our school community.

Your voice. Your involvement. Our students. Our community.We hope you’ll join us at upcoming events and consider becoming a PTO member. Together, we can make this a wonderful school year for every child! 🌟

September

• 09/21:Schools & Offices Closed - Yom Kippur
• 09/23: 4:00-8:00PM Paws for Cause: PTO Dine Out at Chipotle;
• 09/29: 10:00am-12:30pm LWES Farmers Market 2026; 4:00pm- 6:00pm Annual Title I Night
• 09/30: 12:15pm 3 hour Early Dismissal- LWES closes; 6:00pm-7:00pm PTO Ice Cream Social & General Meeting

October

• 10/01: LGBTQ+ History Month Begins
• 10/12- 10/16: National School Lunch Week
• 10/16: School closed for students- Staff Workday
• 10/28: School closed for students- Staff Professional Learning/Workday

For a complete list of dates and events visit https://lwes.hcpss.org/events

Families are reminded that students must abide by Board of Education Policy 8080 Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media, and specifically Standard E. Student Use-Technology, please see below for additional information or visit the linked policy above.

No students, PreKindergarten-12, will be permitted to use cell phones and other personal technology devices during the student day except for reasons detailed in a student’s IEP, 504, or health plan.

Students may be in possession of personal devices, but they must be “away and silenced,” meaning devices are not able to be seen by either the student or staff member and are set to make no noise. Additionally, devices may not be a distraction.

Smart watches will be permitted to be worn to check time but may not be a distraction.

School administrators and school administrators’ designees may authorize use of a personal device in rare instances such as an emergency for communication purposes.

Each year, all families must verify and update their Family File in HCPSS Connect. This is more than just a form—it’s essential to keeping your child safe and fully included in school experiences.

Accurate Family File information ensures we can quickly and effectively respond in the event of an emergency. It is also required for students to participate in field trips—and some grade levels already have trips scheduled early in the school year.

Please take a few minutes to complete this important step now. Click the button below to update your Family File today!

What you need to know:

• Family File must be completed every school year for every student.
• Parents/guardians must log in using their own credentials (not their child’s account).
• Your username is the email address provided at registration. If needed, you can reset your password directly from the login page.

What you’ll update:

• Family and parent/guardian contact information
• Emergency contacts
• Student information, including health details
• Permissions (directory, media release, etc.)
• Arrival/dismissal procedures
• Technology and program-related information

Please be sure to identify phone numbers as mobile to receive important text messages, including emergency alerts and weather-related updates.

New this year: Families can select additional race categories, including a Middle Eastern/North African option, in alignment with state guidance.

If you need support, members of our Family Resource Center will be available between Tuesday- Friday 8:45am-9:30am and 2:30pm-3:00pm this week to help. Please stop by the front office to log in.

Many HCPSS families may be eligible to receive benefits through the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program.

Qualifying families can take advantage of a wide range of additional resources and discounts, including free college applications, free or reduced JumpStart dual enrollment tuition, discounted internet through the Comcast Internet Essentials program, and more.

Families must submit a new application every school year. During the first 30 school days, students with FARMs eligibility from the prior school year will continue to receive benefits. Any student whose family has not filled out an application by the 30th school day will have their status changed to full pay until a new application is received.

Parents/guardians are highly encouraged to fill out the applications as soon as possible. It is very important that applications are filled out accurately and completely.

• Apply online (and you can change the language of the form on the top left of the page)
• Apply by mail: Paper applications will be available at all school front offices. Applications can be returned to the school or mailed to HCPSS Food & Nutrition Services, 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042

Additionally, school staff are available to support you and your child. Please stop by the front office and we would be happy to assist you.

Answers to frequently asked questions on HCPSS meals and additional meals/nutrition assistance programs can be found on the HCPSS Help site. If you have questions regarding the program, please visit www.hcpss.org/FARMs or contact Food and Nutrition Services at 410-313-6743 or foodsvc@hcpss.org.

Resources to help with this program

• Direct link to apply for Free and Reduced Meals
• FARMs paper applications - In print production, to be delivered to schools and made available to families
• HCPSS Free and Reduced Meals webpage
• FARMs participation additional opportunities
• HCPSS FARMs FAQs

Morgan State University is hosting a STEM Expo on Saturday, September 26, from 10:00am–3:00pm. Students and families will have opportunities to participate in hands-on STEM activities, games, demonstrations, and workshops while learning about STEM careers and pathways. The event will also feature industry engagement, giveaways, and guided campus tours.

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore STEM beyond the classroom, engage with STEM professionals and organizations, and make connections to future STEM careers and pathways.

Families and Community are invited to join HCPSS in partnership with the LGBTQIA+ Commission of Howard County and CARY to bring you this hybrid FAMILY Read the Rainbow and LGBTeaQi&A on Thursday, October 1, 2026 @ 6:00 pm. The first 50 families with children in grades 5 and under who register and attend the program will receive a free copy of the book, Rainbow Cookies by Lesléa Newman. FAMILY Read the Rainbow is a 30-45 minute virtual program in which participants get to meet an LGBTQIA+ inclusive author to hear them read their book aloud, and have a discussion with the author and our LGBTeaQi&A is an activity to bring together families and community who are looking to connect and learn together. This special combination program will provide attendees with the opportunity and option to join us in person at the Miller Branch Library. Registration is required as space is limited. Thursday, October 1, 2026 @ 6:00PM; HYBRID - in person at Miller Branch Library or virtual (select when registering). Registration is required.

Hopeful Voices will bring together youth, families, community members, and organizations in a welcoming environment where people can talk openly about mental wellness. The afternoon will feature artwork created by youth and community members, personal stories of hope and recovery, short films about mental wellness, a shared meal, access to mental health resources, and opportunities for meaningful conversation.

Taking care of our mental health is just as important as taking care of our physical health. Sometimes that means recognizing when we're overwhelmed. Sometimes it means checking on a family member, friend, neighbor, or colleague. And sometimes it simply means creating spaces where people know they can talk, be heard, and find support without judgment.

Learn more and register:
https://bit.ly/hopefulvoiceshoco

Please help us spread the word with families! The Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) Saturday Math Academy is returning for the Fall 2026 session.

Certified teachers will provide engaging math instruction and enrichment for HCPSS students in grades 3–12 of all ability levels.

📅 Saturdays, October 10 – November 21
⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
📍 Lake Elkhorn Middle School
💲 $80 or $40 for FARMS-eligible families

Registration opens Saturday, September 19 at 9:00 a.m. and will remain open until capacity is reached.