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

As we reach the end of our first quarter, I am filled with pride and admiration for the incredible start our students have had to the school year! It has been a joy to see their enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment to learning each day. We’ve seen students grow, try new things, and build lasting friendships, making our school a vibrant and welcoming place to learn.

The end of the quarter is a wonderful time for reflection. Just as our teachers review and give feedback on each student’s progress, this is a valuable moment for students to look back on their own accomplishments, set new goals, and renew their commitment to growth. Every piece of feedback is an opportunity to celebrate successes and to identify ways to keep building on them. We encourage you to use this feedback to help guide your child not just in reviewing where they are but in planning for where they want to go.

As we enter the second quarter, let’s continue to support our children in setting goals that inspire them. Whether it’s working a little harder on a challenging subject, improving study habits, or simply being kinder and more helpful to classmates, each step forward is meaningful. With your continued support at home, we are confident your child will thrive.

Thank you for being such an integral part of our school community. Together, we can help each child reach new heights and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Mrs. Anoff & Mrs. Drumgoole

November

• 3-Gobble Gobble Give: Food Drive starts

• 4- PTA Meeting (hybrid)7:00 p.m @ CLES
• 5- Walk and Wheel (walk or bike to school)
• 5- Gr. 5 Band Field Trip
• 7- Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling Window Opens to Everyone at 8:00 am
• 10-Report Cards Issued
• 11-CLES Veteran's Day Celebration 9:45 am- Information below
• 12-Picture Retakes and Pictures for new or absent students
• 12-Professional Learning/Wellness Day, schools close 3 hours early (12:15 p.m.)
• 12-PTA Restaurant Night (Yama Sushi)
• 13-PTA Math Night @ CLES (2 sessions: 6:15 pm and 7:15 pm-Pre-registration required!)
• 17-21-American Education Week
• 18- 2nd grade FT to Maryland Science Center-more information coming soon.
• 20-Parent Teacher Conference Schedule Window Cloes at 4 pm
• 20-Gobble Gobble Give: Market Night (NEW Family Community Service Event!)6:30 pm @ CLES
• 24 & 25- Parent/Teacher Conferences-schools close 3 hours early (12:15 p.m.)
• 26-Parent/Teachers Conferences-schools closed for students
• 27 & 28- Thanksgiving Break-schools and offices closed

December

• 15-Band/Orchestra Concert @ CHS-more information coming soon
• 24-Winter Break-Schools closed, reopens January 5, 2026

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۔

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

1. Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
2. Scrolling down to Subscribing to a Calendar
3. Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
4. Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
5. 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

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

Next week is National School Psychology Week (NSPW), a time to celebrate the vital contributions school psychologists make to student success. This year’s theme, “Finding Your Path,” captures the important role our school psychologists play in helping students, families, and staff navigate pathways to learning, growth, and well-being. We want to thank Mr. Previn Verghese for all he does to support the students, staff and families at Centennial Lane.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, November 20th, and join us for a CLES Community Volunteer Event! We’ll gather at 6:30 p.m. in the CLES Cafeteria to package up all the groceries that will make delicious meals for those in need. Families and groups will receive a “shopping list” to box up all the food using all the donated items our community gathered.

Enjoy an evening of family fun, community service, raffle prizes, and small crafts! This is a wonderful opportunity for you and your children to give back and make a difference—together.

Dear CLES Families,

As the holiday season approaches, we know this time of year can bring both joy and added stress. Our school community is committed to supporting one another, and we want to ensure that all families have what they need to enjoy the season.

If your family could use some extra support this holiday season—such as food, gift cards, or other essential items—please let us know by clicking here to complete this form.

We will do our best to assist as many families as possible, though resources may be limited. All information shared will remain confidential and will only be used to connect families with available support.

If you are interested in helping to support CLES families this year, please keep a lookout for more information on how to donate coming soon.

Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance in any way.

Once again, CLES is proud to support Candy for the Courageous!

From November 3–7, please bring any extra wrapped Halloween candy to school in a ziplock bag. The candy will be packaged and donated to the USO, who will distribute it to our troops before they travel overseas.

Letters and cards showing your support and appreciation for our service members are also welcome!

There will be a collection bin in the CLES vestibule for donations.

Thank you for helping us share some sweetness and gratitude with our courageous troops! 🇺🇸

CLES is very excited to invite and honor the veterans and active-duty service members of our CLES students to an assembly and breakfast on Tuesday, November 11th @ 9:45am. If you or a family member can attend with their CLES student, please RSVP using the link below by Friday, October 31st so that we can plan accordingly.

RSVP for CLES Assembly & Breakfast

If you have not yet sent us pictures of your veteran and/or active-duty service member from your family, please do so that we can share these in the hallways for all of our students to see and read about throughout the month of November. Please complete this link by Friday, October 24th so that the pictures can be printed and added to our wall together.

2025 Veterans Day Community Pictures

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Lawson at Carrie_Lawson@hcpss.org

Families can begin signing up for parent-teacher conferences on November 7th. Conferences will take place on November 24-November 26. For your planning purposes, please note the schedule below:

• In- person conferences will be held on Monday, Nov. 24th only
• Virtual conferences will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 25th and/or Wednesday, Nov. 26th only, depending on teachers' schedules

• Additional Information:
• Fall conferences will focus on ELA
• Mr. Pellegrino(GT) will hold math conferences for his 4th Grade GT Math class only. Math conferences for all other grades/teachers will be available in February.
• Related Arts teachers will have a limited number of conferences slots available as well as offering office hours.

To schedule your conference, please log in to HCPSS Connect to view and select your time slot:

1. Go to https://www.hcpss.org/connect/
2. Select “Conference” from the left menu.
3. Choose “Parent Scheduled Conferences” at the top right.
4. Pick a convenient time slot.

If you have trouble accessing HCPSS Connect, please contact the front office for assistance. The scheduling window will remain open from Friday, November 7th, at 8am through Thursday, November 20th, at 4pm.

Lifetouch Pictures will be on campus Tuesday, November 12th to photograph:

• Students who were absent on the original picture day

• Students who registered after the original picture day

• Students who were photographed on the original day and would like a retake

If your student would like a retake, please make sure they return their original picture package or proof envelope to the photographer on retake day.

📘 Note: Any students photographed on retake day will have their original photo replaced with the retake photo.

The message below was shared to all of HCPSS, but we are reposting to ensure that folks who need the assistance know what is available:

As many Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) families are impacted by the federal government shutdown, we understand that many people in our community may experience financial hardship or uncertainty. HCPSS remains committed to supporting all students and families during this time.

Howard County families who have lost pay due to the shutdown may apply for the Free and Reduced-Priced Meals (FARMs) program and the HCPSS Food and Nutrition Office will determine their eligibility status within 24-48 hours. Families that would not ordinarily qualify for the FARMs program could be eligible for the remainder of the school year because of the current loss of income.

Families that are adversely impacted, including those who do not receive FARMs assistance, will have the remainder of the school year to pay off any meal balances incurred during the government shutdown.

Additionally, many students may be suffering fear or anxiety about their family’s current financial situation. Student Services staff at each school are prepared and available to assist students at any time during the school day. Numerous resources are also available for families on the HCPSS website, and other supports are available through the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services.

The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest. Please see the attached Young Authors’ Contest Guidelines PDF for information about the rules and guidelines.

All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet sent as a PDF. Submissions may be emailed to jaimie_shirokobrod@hcpss.org by December 15, 2025. Contact Jaimie Shirokobrod with any questions.

Please save and email documents in the following format:

5 SS My Story Title or 3 P My Poem Title

(student names should ONLY appear on the Cover Sheet)

*SS- short story *P- poem

All Young Authors’ Contest information can be found on the HCLA website.

Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.

Volunteers coming to CLES or chaperoning a field trip are required to complete two training sessions. Please follow the steps below to complete and submit the training certificates.

Step 1: Complete the required Confidentiality Training for volunteers & chaperones.

https://www.hcpss.org/parents/volunteer-information/

Step 2: Complete the Confidentiality Training Certificate to verify you completed the training. https://www.hcpss.org/f/parents/volunteer-confidentiality-certificate.pdf

Step 3: Review the Training Powerpoint about How to Report Child Abuse

MD State Law & HCPSS Policy 1030 (PDF)

• Reporting Form

• Reporting Procedure (PDF)

Step 4: Complete the Abuse Training Certificate to verify you completed the training. Abuse Training Certificate (PDF)

Step 5: Complete and submit this Volunteer & Chaperone Google form below to submit your certificates: https://forms.gle/EJwVvp2sqq4isZS98

Students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price. Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees, and many others in addition to free or discounted meals. Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year. Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program, including a link to apply, are available online.

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 General Meeting (hybrid)

November 4, 7-8pm

CLES Cafeteria and googlemeet

This is only for members so please join the PTA so you can join the fun!!

Questions@clespta.org

Walk-N-Wheel
November 5, 2025

8:15 AM 8:45 AM

Safely walk, bike, run, scooter to school today.

Sign volunteers, please put out your signs on Monday 11/3.

Gobble Gobble Give: FOOD DRIVE

November 2-20, Anytime

CLES

Support Centennial Lane Elementary Schools annual Gobble Gobble Give where we provide Thanksgiving meals for local families in need! Last year, the CLES community donated 20 meals! This year, help us meet our new goal of 30 Thanksgiving meals!

Please use our sign up genius to help us keep track of donations (Gobble Gobble Give Sign Up Genius). After signing up, you can also visit our Walmart registry to easily purchase, but it is not required. (Gobble Gobble Walmart Wish List).

Food collections will be 11/2-11/20

Drop-Off Options:

1. By Mail:
   Attn: Gobble Gobble Give
   3825 Centennial Ln, Ellicott City, MD 21042

2. In-Person Drop-Off:
   Drop off Options

• Math Night (November 13)

• PTA Meeting (November 4th)

• School vestibule during regular school hours

• Send in the items with your child

For more info, https://www.clespta.org/events-list/ggg

We are so grateful for any donations to support this meaningful cause. However, we understand that this year is particularly difficult for many in our community. If your family is struggling, please reach out to guidance counselor Kevin Gillespie kevin_gillespie@hcpss.org

Yama Sushi Fundraiser

November 12, 2025, 11:00 AM 10:00 PM

Yama Sushi 4725-G Dorsey Hall Drive Ellicott City, MD, 21042

Support a local restaurant and the CLES PTA by enjoying a meal at Yama Sushi. Part of your purchase goes directly to the PTA to fund our programs, like Dolphin Dash, Trunk or Treat, Winter Dance, Science Fair and so much more! Just mention CLES when you visit for lunch or dinner.

MATH Night

November 13, 6:15 PM - 8:15 PM (2 separate sessions)

CLES Cafeteria

Math Night helps kids explore math at their own level through exciting games and activities!

Get ready for an evening full of hands-on games, puzzles, and math magic for the whole family. Whether you love counting, measuring, estimating, or problem-solving, there’s something for everyone—no calculators required!

NOTE: PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED to ensure you have a spot.

Please pre-register for one of two identical sessions: session 1 (6:15-7:10pm) or session 2 (7:15-8:10pm).

SIGN UP HERE

For more info, https://www.clespta.org/events-list/math-night

Gobble Gobble Give Market Night: MEAL PACKING EVENT

November 20, 2025
6:30-8:00 PM
CLES Cafeteria

Mark Your Calendar for 11/20 and participate in our community volunteer event! We will meet at 6:30 pm in the CLES Cafeteria to package meals. Families and groups will be provided a "shopping list" to make a meal in our donated food grocery store. There will be raffle prizes and small crafts. We hope you enjoy this family fun community service event where you and your children can work on a community project together!

PTA Committee Leads Needed

• Community Outreach

• Winter Bazaar (Dec) - CANCELLED, no chair

• 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.

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.