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

cles.hcpss.org

Dear Centennial Lane Families:

We are so excited to welcome you and your children to the 2025–2026 school year! Our dedicated CLES staff has been working hard to prepare for a fantastic year, and we’re looking forward to partnering with you to support your child’s success.

We hope to see tomorrow at our Open House sessions on Friday, August 22nd. This is a great opportunity for you and your child to visit classrooms and meet teachers. To help lighten backpacks on the first day of school, you’re welcome to bring in any school supplies during your visit.

Families new to CLES with students in grades 1–5 are also invited to attend our New Student Orientation at 12:30 PM that same day. We look forward to helping you and your child feel comfortable and connected from the start.

Our theme for this year is Shining Bright Together at CLES!

Warmly,

Mrs. Anoff, Principal

Mrs. Drumgoole, Assistant Principal

August

• 22 - Open House for Kindergarten - 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• 22 - Pre-K & Kindergarten PTA Popsicle Playdate - 9:30-10:30 a.m.
• 22 - New Student Orientation - 12:30-1:00 p.m.
• 22 - Open House for 1st-5th Grades (Last Names A-K) - 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
• 22 - PTA Popsicle Playdate for Grades 1-5 - 1:30-2:30 p.m
• 22 - Open House for 1st-5th Grades (Last Names L-Z ) - 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
• 25 - First Day of School
• 28 - First Day of School for PreK

September

• 1 - Labor Day, schools & offices closed
• 10- Back to School Night G/T Orientation/Information Session 6:15-7:15 p.m.
• 17- Professional Work & Wellness Day, schools close 3 hours early (12:15 p.m.)
• 23-Rosh Hashanah, schools & offices closed

October

• 2 -Yom Kippur, schools & offices closed
• 17 - Professional Work Day, schools closed for students
• 20- Diwali, schools & offices closed
• 31 - Professional Work Day, schools close 3 hours early (12:15 p.m.)

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

A Fond Farewell

Please extend a fond farewell to the following staff members embarking on a new journey for the 2025-2026 school year:

• Matthew Carr
• Erika Columbel
• Shreeshakthi Deenadayalan
• Jenna Fiala
• Tiffany Gaugh
• Kevin Gillespie
• Sarah Grippando
• Faith Nalepa
• Mary Naleps
• Christina Pasternak
• Natalie Ricketts
• William Rose
• Lynne Smoot
• Shefali Srivastava
• Kathleen Will

Please Welcome

We are very excited to be welcoming a few new staff members to Centennial Lane! Please be sure to send a warm greeting to:

• Matthew Burke — ELD Teacher
• Thomas Cicmanec — Physical Education (0.4 split with Longfellow ES)
• Jeanne Deboy — Media Paraeducator (0.6)
• Tracy Ellerby — Health Assistant (0.5 split with Swansfield ES)
• Rachel Garrett — MINC Pre-K Special Education
• Jaeun (June) Hu — Lunch/Recess Monitor
• Sarah Lahan — Strings Teacher (0.6)
• Maher Asif Naqvi — Lunch/Recess Monitor
• Subbalakshmi Mannargudi Ganesan — Temporary Employee Special Education

Please find our K-5 grade level supply list here for the 2025-2026 school year! Families may recycle and reuse your previous year's supplies when possible.

"Kiss and Wave" : We ask parents to say goodbye at home and at the front door of the school. We do not permit parents in the building during the drop-off times.

Please do not drop your child off without supervision prior to 8:30 a.m.
There is no supervision of students before 8:30 a.m.

Kindergarten Students: All kindergarten students will be escorted to their kindergarten classroom upon arrival at school.

Kindergarten Walkers: All walkers will come to the side door closest to the front of the building and enter.

Kindergarten Car Loop: Parents are to remain in their vehicle, a staff member will assist your child and they will be walked to their classroom.

Kindergarten Bus Riders: All bus riders will be gathered by a staff member when they exit the bus and will be walked to their classroom.

Thanks so much for your flexibility! Please ensure that your child's teacher has received accurate information regarding dismissal on the first day of school no later than noon today.

Students in Grades 1-5:

Bus Riders: It is very important to put your child on the bus on the first day. Students who ride buses will have their bus number tagged onto their backpack with a wristband strip.

Please leave the bus tag on their backpack. This helps us help students get on their buses in the afternoon throughout the school year. Additionally, students in Kindergarten will have a luggage tag attached to their backpack. The luggage tag helps bus drivers know which students are Kindergarten students so they can help them situate on the bus in the morning and get off the bus in the afternoon at the correct bus stop. Please let your child's teacher know if they will be using a different mode of transportation for arrival and dismissal.

If you have a bus service to your home, please have your child ride the bus to and from school.

If your child is designated as a walker, please walk to school when possible to help reduce the congestion in the car line each day.

ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL Important information

1. Buses and cars/vans are lined up side by side in our parking lot. Buses park against the sidewalk, and cars line up next to them on the other side of the yellow line.
2. There is a yellow line separating the bus and car/van lines. The speed limit is 10 mph, but please drive as slow as possible and always be on the lookout for pedestrians.
3. Do not park anywhere along Centennial Lane during arrival and dismissal. PARKING ALONG Centennial Lane to exit and walk your child to the building is PROHIBITED.
4. Vehicles CANNOT turn left into the parking lot after 8:15 AM and after 3 PM, which prevents the buses from entering.
5. Staff will direct vehicles during arrival and dismissal.
6. During arrival, students must wait in the vehicle until it reaches the car drop-off area with staff.
7. STUDENTS MUST EXIT FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE where staff are located.
8. Cars MUST remain in a line. Cars CANNOT go around another car to ensure safety.
9. Again, cars MUST remain in line.

10. For dismissal, please attend to the staff for directions on leaving the parking lot.

DISMISSAL

We will be dismissing in the following order:

1) The first dismissal announcement will be for PK and K at 3:06 PM

• PK and K walkers will line up along the brick wall to the right of the blacktop facing the building from the playground and wait for a parent or caretaker.
• PK and K car riders will be escorted to the car rider pad.
• PK and K bus riders will be escorted to their buses.

2) Students in after care with Columbia Association, after-school activities, and van riders are dismissed at 3:07 PM

3) The students in grades 1-5 who are car riders will be dismissed at 3:08 PM

• Walkers will meet their caretaker on the blacktop or walk straight home.
• Students should not play on the play equipment unless they have contacted their caretaker to ensure that no one is left behind.
• Walkers will be brought to the front office at 3:20 PM if a caretaker did not pick them up.

*Crossing guards will be responsible for the safe crossing of students across Centennial Lane. *

As soon as you have all your children, please move away from the doors/ building to lessen congestion in one area. You may want to designate a location for your children to come and meet you, especially our older students. For example, you might have a first grader who you pick up at the first grade door, but then you move to a location to meet with your third grader. This is an idea to help with congestion.

4) The final dismissal announcement will be for the bus riders at 3:09 PM

For the 2025-2026 school year, HCPSS will be using LINQ Connect for all things food and nutrition. LINQ Connect is a secure, online portal that allows families to make online payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more.

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.

This summer, the Board of Education agreed to continue with the policy that implements strict limitations on the personal use of devices by students during the student day. Per the policy, 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. More information about the policy may be found on the HCPSS website.

Parents, Guardians, and Families,

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal. HCPSS Policy 9460 states that bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation are prohibited in HCPSS. Our administration and staff have been trained and made aware of this policy as well as preventative and responsive measures.

We know how important your role is in not only supporting your children, but also reporting possible incidents as you become aware of them. The Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment and Intimidation (BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report all alleged incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation that occur at school or have a connection back to the school setting that create a risk of harm to other students while they are at school, or interfere with the educational environment. An online version is available and can easily and confidentially be used by students, staff, and family members. Hard copies of this form are available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office. If you believe your child has been bullied, please complete and submit this form as soon as possible and/or assist your child in doing so.

Once the form is submitted, school administrators will ensure the parent/guardian of both the alleged target and alleged offender are aware of the report and will begin an investigation within two school days of receiving the report. Parents/guardians can expect a school administrator to reach out to them during the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, parents/guardians will be provided written notice of the outcome of the investigation within fifteen days of receiving the complaint, excluding extenuating circumstances.

There are times when incidents of peer conflict or code of conduct offenses may occur that may not be bullying, but may need follow up action. If you become aware of something that falls under conflict and/or a code of conduct offense, please notify a school administrator via email or phone call so that they can become aware and follow up as needed.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to specifically lift up cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic media like computers, cell phones, and game systems. Our digital interconnectedness makes bullying different and more damaging than it’s ever been before. It allows hatred and publicly humiliating gossip or photos to be instantly far-reaching and inescapable as electronic media is everywhere. It can NOT simply be ignored. In October 2013, the State of Maryland enacted Grace’s Law, making misuse of interactive computer services a criminal offense. Its purpose is to prohibit anyone from using electronic media (computers, tablets, phones, etc.) to maliciously engage in conduct that inflicts serious emotional distress on a minor and/or places that minor in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. A person who is found guilty of violating this law is subject to imprisonment and/or fines.

While all of this information will be reviewed with students at school, we are asking you to do the same at home. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring all of our students feel a sense of safety and belonging in their school communities! More information can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact a school administrator.

Please assist us by completing your Family File ASAP.

• Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates including how and where to access. Full details on updating your Family File are available online.

One exciting new feature is that families now can submit a change of address via Family File, rather than completing a separate form and sending it to their school. Full directions and information for families on this new process can be found online.

The online HCPSS bus locator application on the transportation web page is now available to view. Eligible families can access bus stop locations and pickup/drop off times.

New Date: Friday, Sept. 27, 9:00 am–12:00 pm

Location: Oakland Mills High School

This districtwide event is open to all HCPSS families and will feature:

• A session with Superintendent Bill Barnes
• Resource tables hosted by HCPSS offices and local organizations
• Information on programs, resources, and services available throughout the school year
• Childcare and language access provided

For additional information, please visit the Family Academy Kickoff HCPSS News Post.

Flier: English | Spanish | Chinese | Korean

Any medications required during school hours including prescription, “over-the-counter” (OTC) and homeopathic/herbal medications require a medication order signed by an approved health care provider and are subject to the HCPSS medication policy and procedure.

Medication form

• Have a student with allergies? Learn more about ordering an epipen and our allergic reaction protocols.

School health room staff administer medications, store medications in the school’s health room and keep records of when medications are taken by the student.

Approved Non-Medications:

The items below are not considered medications. Students may bring the items to school without a medical prescription. Health Services requests that a parent/guardian note accompany the item to serve as permission to bring to school.

• Sunscreen
• Chapstick
• Hand lotion
• Non-medicated cough drops
• Saline contact solution

Sunscreen must be supplied by an individual student and is not to be shared with other students due to potential allergens and skin reactions.

Please contact the health room at 410 313-1575 if you have any questions.

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.

The PTA Website is linked HERE.

Please visit the HCPSS website Community News and Programs site for upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.