Centennial Lane Elementary:

Centennial Lane Elementary School

Mrs. Debra Anoff, Principal

Mrs. Siobhan Drumgoole, Assistant Principal

3825 Centennial Lane

Ellicott City, MD 21042

(410) 313-2800

(410) 313-2804 - Fax

(410) 313-1710 (Health Room)

Student Hours: 8:45a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

cles.hcpss.org

Dear Centennial Lane Families,

As the days grow longer and the air begins to feel a bit warmer, we are thrilled to welcome the arrival of Spring! It has been wonderful to see our students enjoying more sunshine during recess. The change in season always brings a renewed energy to our classrooms, and we are eager to march through until Spring break strong with that same brightness and growth.

March is also Women’s History Month, a time for us to honor the vital role women have played in our history and the incredible contributions they continue to make today. We also acknowledge the women that are making positive impacts on our Dolphins both at home and in the school building.

A Few Spring Reminders:

Layer up: Spring weather can be unpredictable! Please continue to send your child with a light jacket or sweatshirt for those chilly morning recesses. Check the Lost-and-Found if you are missing any outerwear!
Muddy grounds: With the thaw comes a bit of mud. Please be prepared on those muddy days to send your child with footwear you don't mind getting dirty.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and for being such a vital part of our school community. We look forward to a vibrant and inspiring week ahead.

With Dolphin Pride,

Debra A. Anoff, Principal

Siobhan Drumgoole, Assistant Principal

For a complete list of dates and events visit cles.hcpss.org/calendar

March

2-6 Kindergarten Registration for 26-27 School Year Opens
3 -Full Day of School -UPDATED
4-19 CLES Read-A-Thon Fundraiser-Information coming soon!
4-Ada Ari Signed Book Orders Due (see details below)
4-Scholastic Online Bookfair ends
9- Applications for PK for 26-27 School Year Opens
10-PTA Meeting
11-PTA Reflections Celebration
19-5th Gr. Panoramic Picture-Teachers will send home info closer to date.
20 - Professional Work & Development Day, schools closed

March 30th - April 5th- Spring Break, schools closed -UPDATED

April

6-School Reopen after Spring Break UPDATED
7-PTA Meeting
11-PTA Internation Festival
15-Professional Work Day Schools Closed for Students
22-PTA Science Fair

Newsletter Translation

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice at the top of this page.

Spanish

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

Korean

다른 언어의 경우 뉴스 레터 번역을 클릭하고 원하는 언어를 선택합니다.

Chinese

对于其他语言，请单击翻译新闻通讯，然后选择所需的语言。

Urdu

دوسری زبانوں کے لئے ، نیوزلیٹر کا ترجمہ کریں پر کلک کریں اور اپنی پسند کی زبان کا انتخاب کریں۔

HCPSS Calendars

There will be no printed 2025-2026 calendars. Staff, students, and families may add our online calendar to their own mobile/online calendar by

Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
Scrolling down to Subscribing to a Calendar
Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
Adding to your calendar of choice (See your calendar for specifics on adding a new calendar)

You also may view and/or download printable PDFs of the full calendar and/or important dates only. Updates to the PDFs will be noted on the HCPSS calendar page .

PLEASE NOTE! The calendar is subject to change. The online calendar reflects the most recent version.

Calendars in Spanish, Chinese, and Korean

Calendario en español

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

HCPSS Calendar

The HCPSS Pre-K program is provided, per Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) regulations, to any child who meets first priority criteria (income eligible, homelessness, and foster care). This eligibility is based on information submitted on the HCPSS Pre-K Early Admission application and the supporting documentation that is provided.

The Pre-K application will be available online for families beginning Monday, March 9, at 9:00 am. The online application is the preferred method of submission. However, families may request a downloadable application by emailing hcpss_pk@hcpss.org.

For more information on Pre-K Eligibility and Requirements, please visit the HCPSS website Pre-K Registration page here.

Our AWESOME READ-A-THON Donation Fundraiser is going on right now! Our students are doing some extra reading and using teamwork to unlock incentives and rewards! Go to the special donation page we have created for your student & check it out!

Click on this link and type in your student's name! --->

https://app.pledge-drive.net/Campaign/centennial26

The student Donation website and e-mail correspondence will be the primary method of communication throughout the program. We hope we can count on your generous support. With 100% participation, we will be able to reach our donation goal.

Don’t forget to Click on the Daily Reading Challenge Video Button on your student's page!!

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Here are some tips:

Make your donation now to set a good example for other potential donors to follow. SHARE your donation page with at least 10 family and friends with the email function on your donation page. Forward this e-mail and the link to family and friends. From your donation page you can easily post on FACEBOOK, send TEXTS, and post to SOCIAL MEDIA!

Can’t find your student by name? Click HERE to register your student!

https://app.pledge-drive.net/Campaign/centennial26/register

Thank you for your generous support!

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year begins Monday, March 2, 2026. Parents/Guardians of children who will be five on or before September 1, 2026, must enroll their children in kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year.

Current HCPSS prekindergarten students do not need to register for kindergarten.

Please visit www.hcpss.org/enroll/. to begin the enrollment process.

Brainfuse HelpNow is now available 24/7 for all library users, expanding access beyond the previous 2 p.m.–midnight live tutoring hours. This means students and caregivers can connect with live online tutoring and academic support anytime that fits their schedule. Brainfuse HelpNow is available on the HCLS website, and video and written instructions on how to use the resource are available here. First-time users will need to create a username and password.

Biz Kidz Academy Celebrate Your Talents! This engaging opportunity invites students ages 8–14 to submit a short essay or video showcasing a creative talent or business idea, or to participate as vendor exhibitors to pitch and sell their products and services. Participants can win prizes such as laptops, gift cards, art supplies, and trophies; entries and registrations are due by March 31, with an awards ceremony on April 25. See this flyerLinks to an external site. for details.

The Gifted and Talented (G/T) Summer Institutes for Talent Development offers additional advanced-level instruction and enrichment experiences not regularly available during the academic school year for students entering grades 1-8. Rigorous instruction focusing on talent development is offered in mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, technology, and fine arts.

No testing nor prior G/T coursework is required for enrollment in these enrichment offerings.

Location: Burleigh Manor Middle School

Session 1: June 29 - July 10 (no class July 3)

NOTE: The G/T Summer Institutes will offer one 2-week session for Summer 2026.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Cost: $470 per session (Financial assistance is available for students participating in the Free and Reduced Meal Program.)

While the program is half-day, after care is available on site via Howard County Recreation and Parks. Snack is provided.

A few highlights ---

Bus transportation to area collector stops!
Exciting courses in Humanities, STEM, and the Arts!

Registration is now open for families of HCPSS students through HCPSS Connect. The first registration request window will close on February 27 at 12 p.m.

For more information on how to register, please see this registration guide.

G/T Course Listing

Contact: GTSummer@hcpss.org or 410-313-6671

As a reminder, for the safety and security of our students and staff, all visitors must sign in at the Sign-In computer located in the front lobby using a government-issued photo ID. Please be sure to bring your ID with you whenever you visit. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and secure learning environment for everyone.

Want to help Centennial Lane and clear out your closets at the same time?

Drop your items in our yellow donation bins! Our donation box collects clothing, shoes, and textiles, and Centennial Lane earns money based on the total weight collected each month.

Please note: All donations must be bagged before being placed in the bin.

HCPSS SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCE FAIR

The HCPSS Special Education Resource Fair provides families with information available from the community and HCPSS to support their students receiving special education and related services. Get connected to services for students with a developmental delay or disability including:

Services within HCPSS
Recreational Activities
Camps
Community Groups
Service Providers
Transition Information
Assistive Technology
Behavioral Health
Howard County Government Resources
And Much More!

For information, please contact FSRC@hcpss.org. Registration is not required. This event is part of the HCPSS Parent Empowerment Series including training sessions related to special education and events for families of students with an IEP or IFSP.
Free

Parents can email CLESabsence@hcpss.org to report a student’s absence. Please include your child(ren)’s full name, parent’s/guardian’s full name and phone number, the date your child(ren) was absent and the reason. Parents may instead choose to send in a paper excuse note to their child’s teacher with the same information when the student returns to school.

For families requesting local discretionary absences, please complete a Local Discretionary Absence Request Form and submit it to the front office at least one week in advance.

PTA Executive Board

President - Karen Franchetti: president@clespta.org

1st VP - Karen Patel: 1stvp@clespta.org

2nd VP - Tanya Smith: 2ndvp@clespta.org

Treasurer - Mike Reed: treasurer@clespta.org

Secretary - Victoria Ahn: secretary@clespta.org

PTA Questions: Questions@clespta.org

PTA website: www.clespta.org

PTA EVENTS SECTION

PTA Reflection Artist Celebration

Wednesday March 11, 2026 at 6pm in the Cafeteria!

The CLES PTA invites students, parents and the community to celebrate our CLES Student Artists who participated in this 2025-2026 Reflections Program. Come see the songs, paintings, dance, videos, literature, and artwork created by CLES students. We will recognize our student artists, reveal next year’s theme, and finish the night with desserts.

Questions@clespta.org

Yearbook - we need your photos!

We NEED MORE CANDID PHOTOS to be included in the yearbook layout. We rely heavily on parent/guardian submissions for these candid shots, so take some time to submit please!!!

Please go to our PTA page for more details: https://www.clespta.org/yearbook

PTA Book Fair

The Book Fair Committee would like to extend a BIG thank you to the CLES community for making this year’s Book Fair a huge success! Through all of your donations the PTA was able to provide a book to each Pre-K student, make sure that every student was able to go home with a new book, and purchase almost $300 worth of books for the Media Center!

We especially want to thank our numerous volunteers for helping us keep the fair up and running! We would not be able to share the book joy without you!

PTA BMMS/CLES International Fest

Saturday 4/11 from 12:00-2:30 p.m.

CLES PTA and Burleigh Manor Middle School (BMMS) PTA will co-host this year’s International Festival Family Event on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 12-2:30 p.m. at BMMS. The event will include: cultural performances, a fashion show, table displays, food tasting, and other activities which celebrate the rich cultural heritages and diversity of CLES & BMMS families.

All families interested in participating should complete the BMMS/CLES International Fest - Family Interest Survey (Google Form) to indicate your family’s level of interest in participating in the event, including the cultural performances, fashion show, and volunteer opportunities. Families who complete the interest survey by March 15th will receive early access to sign-up and registration information the week of March 16th. For questions please contact: social@clespta.org.

Crowd Managers Needed for Large PTA Events!

The CLES PTA needs trained Crowd Managers to support upcoming large PTA events (all you have to do is be present at the event). Please consider supporting our CLES PTA by becoming trained - especially if you already plan to attend an upcoming event (e.g., International Fest April 11, Spring Fair May 16, etc.).

Training is FREE for HoCo residents if you get trained by HoCo Fire & Safety -- click here for upcoming training dates/times (2-hour class): https://www.howardcountymd.gov/.../crowd-manager-safety

Please email social@clespta.org if you are already trained, or willing to get trained, and can help out the PTA!

Spring Fair Sponsorship Opportunities for Families and Businesses!

We are actively seeking businesses, community organizations, families, groups, and individuals to support our biggest fundraiser of the year. If you are interested, or know a business interested in sponsoring the Spring Fair please click here:

If sponsorship isn't for you, but you have a service or item to donate– like a piano lesson, tickets to a sporting event, or other special experience– please consider it for our silent auctions.

Please contact us to arrange drop-off: silent.auction@clespta.org

Spring Fair website: clespta.org/spring-fair

Spring Fair Volunteer Needs!

We still need to fill many volunteer positions in order to hold a successful Spring Fair, including:

Ticket Sales - Organizes ticket and wristband sales, pre-sales, and cash handling
Volunteers Captain - Organizes and leads our army of day-of volunteers
Silent Auction on-site Lead - Organizes set up and coordinates day-of
We also need volunteers to co-lead food, prizes, entertainment and more!

Email Spring Fair Co-Chairs Katy Long and Rica Liu if you can help: spring.fair@clespta.org

——————————————

ADVOCACY SECTION (Stay connected)

Howard County PTACHC (PTA Council of Howard County)

Budget:

Superintendent Barnes is presented his budget request at the 1/8/2025 BoE meeting. Additional dates and public hearings are listed on our PTA advocacy page.

Effective Advocacy for Budget/School Funding:

Superintendent Barnes attended the 1/5/2026 PTACHC meeting. When asked how we can most effectively advocate for school funding, he recommended asking for dollars that we can use toward interventions and support in math and reading.

Write to council members and the executive. Follow up with phone calls.
Attend public hearings or write in testimony at BudgetTestimony@howardcountymd.gov.
Important dates can be found on our PTA advocacy page.
Email your state senators and delegates.

More info: https://www.clespta.org/advocacy

Questions: contact our PTACHC chairs at ptachc@clespta.org

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Howard County SECAC (Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee)

SECAC is a parent-driven advisory council advocating for special education issues in HCPSS. It collaborates with community groups to enhance special education services and outcomes. All community members are welcome to attend the SECAC monthly meetings. SECAC also regularly appears before the Howard County Board of Education to ensure the voices of students with disabilities, their families, and educators are heard at the decision-making table.

More info: https://www.clespta.org/sped

Questions: contact our SECAC chair Shirley at SECAC@clespta.org

——————————————

PTA Committee Leads Needed

Communications (ongoing - newsletters, etc.)
Treasurer (needed ASAP)
Community Outreach (flexible commitment)
International Festival (April)
Fundraising Chair (ongoing)
And more…just ask!

Without you, these events can’t happen. Reach out to learn more about these roles or any others: Questions@clespta.org

The PTA Website is linked HERE.

Join the CLES PTA

In alignment w/ Policy 10010, the following announcements have been approved by the Public Information Office for distribution.

The below community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the HCPSS.

HCPSS Community Programs

Centennial Lane Elementary: