Mays Chapel Elementary

The Mays Chapel family congratulates Ms. Counsell for her achievement as the 2020 - 2021 BCPS Elementary School Counselor of the Year! She was honored today on behalf of all of BCPS at Mays Chapel, by the Baltimore County Association for Counseling and Development (BCACD) for this annual award.

A high quality school counseling program is so much more than a reactionary anecdote to solving problems. At the core of its success is proactively developing lifelong social emotional and character skills that empower students to better understand themselves so that they can productively work together as a larger community with compassion and positivity.

As the first school counselor at Mays Chapel, Ms. Counsell was instrumental in grounding our school counseling programming in this work. She and her colleague, Mr. Jason Rubin, stay true to those core principles while supporting our students with the transfer of those skills into real life situation.

Ms. Counsell has also had a significant impact on the larger community by working with our staff, PTO, and faith based and community business partners to ensure that every family in our school community has equitable access to resources and help when needs arise. In this unpredictable pandemic year, her ability to rally networks of support and maintain a community mindset have been more important than ever! We are proud to work alongside Baltimore County's 2020-2021 Elementary School Counselor of the Year...Ms. Lori Counsell. Thank you and congratulations!

Steve Coco

Principal

"The COVID-19 pandemic proved that Mrs. Counsell is never far from the thoughts of her students, as was made clear by the number that reached out to her individually even when the building was closed. This belies the comfort and support her students feel from positively-developed relationships and maintained interaction, which speaks to students beyond just a face in the hallway. With every kind word and friendly smile, her willingness to always do her utmost to help or assist in any way she can makes her both outstanding and

invaluable to our school and surrounding community, "

Ms. Lanier, School Nurse

"Ms. Counsell has had a tremendous impact on our students, families, teachers and school community. She is the model for what it means to be a school counselor.

We are incredibly lucky to have her at Mays Chapel,"

Mr. Rubin School Counselor.

Mays Chapel is in the process of selecting a new before and after school childcare provider as our previous provider has gone out of business. As part of this BCPS developed process, we are seeking up to 3 parent volunteers to serve on our Childcare Evaluation Committee. We would like to have parents/caregivers of students from a few different grade levels participate on this committee. Parents/caregivers who would like to be considered will be verified through our Student Information System and should have plans to utilize the before and aftercare services of the selected vendor during the 2021-2022 school year. The committee will meet virtually for about two hours on June 14th during the school day. If you are interested, please contact Rorrie Fortier at rfortier@bcps.org by Wednesday, June 9th.

All K-8 BCPS students will receive a bundle of grade level appropriate paperback books to support summer reading and build home libraries. These books will be for students to keep, they will not have to return these books. Students who are participating in virtual learning may pick up their books from Mays Chapel on Monday, June 7th from 4:05 – 6:00 pm. All students that are attending face-to-face instruction will receive their books during their library class.

Please check around your house and your car for any MCES library books. We are currently searching for about 900 missing books! Please help them find their way back to Mays!

Who can participate?

Students who will be returning to MCES for the 2021-2022 school year

What is it?
Students may borrow up to 10 school library books to take home over the summer.

When is it?
During library classes the week of June 14th - 18th.

How do I participate?
Step 1: Return all currently checked out library materials by Friday, June 11th.

Step 2: Complete the permission slip (See PDF below)

Step 3: Select summer books during library media class the week of June 14th

Important Details

• All books must be promptly returned at the beginning of the school year.
• Have your child bring in a sturdy reusable grocery bag/tote bag to carry the books home.
• A return box will be in the school office if you would like to return books before the beginning of the school year.

Submission of Documents

• Option 1: Online Applications - Create an account online using the BCPS Parent Portal

https://baltimore.focusschoolsoftware.com/focus/auth/

• Option 2: Individual Appointment - On June 10th MCES staff will be available to assist you in creating your online account and completing all necessary documents. Call Mays Chapel at 443-809-4134 to schedule an appointment.

Please submit or bring the following documents:

• Parent Photo ID
• Child’s Birth Certificate/Birth Registration, or Passport
• Mortgage/Lease Copy
• 3 pieces of current business mail
• Immunization Record
• New Student Health History
• School Registration Form
• Prior Care Form (K Only)
• Income Verification Form (PreK Only)

June 17th at 10:00 a.m.

• Outside celebration - Bring your own blanket/chair
• 2 guest per students

Invite friends and family members to watch via livestream

Click Here to Access Livestream Link

Your child's Kindergarten teacher will be reaching out next week with additional details and information regarding mitigation and safety protocols.

June 18th at 10:00 a.m.

• Outside celebration - Bring your own blanket/chair
• 2 guest per students

Invite friends and family members to watch via livestream

Click Here to Access Livestream Link

Your child's 5th grade teacher will be reaching out next week with additional details and information regarding mitigation and safety protocols.

Baltimore County Public Schools’ policy requires that all students transitioning from Grade 5 to Grade 6 and Grade 8 to Grade 9 verify residency prior to the start of the school year. Provisions for student’s enrollment and attendance are outlined in

The residency verification process must be completed before June 30, 2021

to avoid withdrawal.

Proof of Residency Documents

• Lease, which must include all pages and required signatures.
• Rental agreement with a private party owner, which must include proof of ownership from the landlord.
• Business mail, which must include (3) three pieces of business mail within 60 days.
• Photo Identification, which may include a work photo identification or student identification. If you are using a driver’s license as photo identification, the address must match the address of the current domicile.

Submission of Residency Documents

Documents can be submitted by email, in-person appointment or the MCES dropbox

• Email - Send all documents to Ms.Johnson, office secretary, at mjohnson33@bcps.org
• Individual Appointment - Call Mays Chapel at 443-809-4134 to schedule an appointment during school office hours - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 8:30am - 3:30pm.
• MCES Dropbox - Place documents in the secure drop box outside the main entrance.

Additional Resources

Board of Education Policy and Superintendent’s Rule 5150

Students: Enrollment and Attendance

https://scs.bcps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_31979837/File/PPS/SPT%205150/RULE5150.pdf

BCPS Residency Liaison Office

https://scs.bcps.org/departments/social_emotional_support/office_of_school_climate/pupil_personnel_services/residency_office

June

• 10th PreK/Kindergarten Registration Support Sessions
• 17th Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony - 10:00 a.m.
• 18th PreK Last day of School
• 18th 5th Grade Farewell Ceremony - 10:00 a.m.
• 21st K-5th Grade 3 Hours Early for Students
• 22nd K-5th Grade 3 Hours Early for Students/Last Day of School

If it is necessary for you to pick up your child before the end of the school day, please plan ahead and send a handwritten note with them to school. This will ensure their safety and avoid confusion during dismissal. If you prefer to send an email, please copy all office personnel along with your child's teacher: Patsy Jacobs pjacobs3@bcps.org, Michelle Johnson mjohnson33@bcps.org, and Jackie Hurtt jhurtt@bcps.org. If an email is being sent after 2:00 p.m. you MUST follow up with a phone call to the front office 443.809.4134. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure a successful and safe dismissal.