Rockburn Report

Dear Rockburn Families,

Hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend! Get ready for an eventful month starting with Back To School Nights this upcoming week!

As a reminder:

Tuesday, September 8 - Grades 1,2&3 - 6:00pm

Wednesday, September 9 - Grades 4&5 - 6:00pm

Accelerated Academics (formally GT) - 5:30pm both nights (same presentation)

There is NO kindergarten or Pre-k - both had their BTSN before the year started.

As a reminder, this is a night to learn about what your child's day looks like and what they will be learning. This is not a time for personal parent conferences. Should you have additional questions, don't hesitate to email your child's teacher. Thank you.

Let's ROCK this week!

Dear Parents/Families:

Attendance is crucial for student success from kindergarten to high school. Missing school impacts academic and social achievements.

• Significance: Missing 10% or more can harm academic success. In 6th grade, absenteeism signals a higher risk of dropout. By 9th grade, regular attendance is a strong predictor of graduation.

• Maryland Focus: The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) set a 10% absenteeism threshold for intervention, starting 2023-2024.

• Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) aims for 94-96% attendance for all students.

HCPSS Attendance Interventions:

1. 5% Absence: Care and Concern Call or letter sent to parents/guardians to improve attendance.

2. 10% Absence: Attendance conference may be arranged. Additional supports deployed.

3. 15% Absence: Attendance support plan may be required.

4. 20% Absence: Attendance Commitment Agreement may be required. Potential referral to the Central Attendance Team or State’s Attorney’s Letter may be sent.

With parents, staff, and students working together, we can improve attendance and student success.

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 prohibits bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, including hate/bias incidents, and intimidation.

HCPSS recently launched a new Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, or Intimidation (BCHI) Reporting Form that allows students, staff, and families to easily and confidentially report concerns. The BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report known or suspected incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, and hate/bias incidents. These may include physical aggression, threats, retaliation, teasing or name-calling, rumors, exclusion, threatening gestures, online/social media behavior, or conduct related to a student's identity or characteristics.

What happens after you report?

The school will address any immediate safety concerns. The targeted student's parent/guardian will be notified as soon as possible and an administrator will begin the investigation within two school days. Both families will receive written notice of the outcome within 15 calendar days, excluding extenuating circumstances.

A Note About Cyberbullying

In today's digital world, bullying can extend beyond the school day. Cyberbullying can occur through social media, text messages, group chats, gaming platforms, apps, and other digital spaces. Online behavior that occurs outside of school may still require school intervention when it has a connection to the school setting and impacts a student's safety or educational environment. Families are encouraged to talk regularly with their children about responsible online behavior and to save screenshots, messages, posts, or other evidence when concerns arise.

Not sure if it's bullying? Please still tell us. Peer conflict or other concerning behavior may not meet the definition of bullying but may still require school support and follow-up. Students and families do not need to decide whether something “counts” as bullying before asking for help.

For additional information or to submit a report, visit the HCPSS Stop Bullying website or review HCPSS Policy 9460.

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

Links to an external site.

.

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

• Links to an external site.

• 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

Answers to frequently asked questions

Links to an external site.

Information 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

Links to an external site.

or contact Food and Nutrition Services at 410-313-6743 or foodsvc@hcpss.org.

🚗 Car Loop Reminders

• Please follow the directions of the staff members managing the car loop. They are there to help keep everyone moving safely and efficiently.

• Please do not park and walk your student into the building during car loop.

• For the safety of everyone, no dogs are permitted on school grounds.

• Walkers should arrive at the designated walker entrance before the school doors open. (We can add the specific location here if you'd like.)

• Please do not pull around another car unless directed to do so by a staff member.

• K–5 students may exit their cars all along the building sidewalk. Cars do not need to wait to pull all the way to the front of the building. This helps us keep the line moving!

• For K–5 students, please have your child ready to exit the car independently. Parents/guardians need to remain in their vehicles during car loop.

🚌 Bus Reminders

Please plan to arrive at your bus stop 10 minutes early in both the morning and afternoon. Our bus drivers are still getting familiar with routes and stops at all of the schools they serve, so arrival times may vary a little during the first week or two.

Thank you so much for your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we get our routines up and running! We know the beginning of the school year can take a little time to settle into a rhythm, and we truly appreciate everyone's help in keeping our students safe.

Thank you for helping us ROCK a great start to the school year! 💙

Parent lunch visits are no longer permitted at any HCPSS school. Limiting access during the school day ensures safe and secure school communities by removing unnecessary access to students and school buildings, reducing disruptions, supporting student routines, and minimizing non-essential traffic in student areas. Parents are encouraged to communicate with school staff to stay engaged in their child's learning and seek opportunities to volunteer in an official capacity at the school.

We are once again looking for volunteers to help at recess with our prize cart. Once a month, students in grades 1-5 have the opportunity to trade in tickets for prizes. If you are able to help, please add your name to this sheet. Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eYB2wJ-O-vribButVYYfo103jTsSvP0hSOBbx1iRAQU/edit?usp=sharing

Please make sure you complete your Volunteer Training paperwork:

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

and email it to Nicky Wolf - Nicole_Wolf@hcpss.org before coming to volunteer. Thanks!

HCPSS Seeks Advisory Committee Members by Sept. 11: HCPSS is seeking community members to serve on curriculum advisory committees, which provide a forum to share ideas and support continuous academic excellence. Interested stakeholders should submit an online interest form by September 11. Please click hereLinks to an external site. for more information and to submit your application.

Get your Rockburn gear here! Happy Shopping!

*New designs coming soon! Will update when they are ready!

RES Spirit wear

September

• 8th - Back to School Night. GT: 5:30 1,2,3 6:00pm
• 9th - Back to School Night. GT: 5:30. Grades 4 & 5 6:00pm
• 21st - Schools Closed
• 30th - 3 Hour Early Dismissal

August 31 - https://app.smore.com/n/kvyzd-rockburn-report

August 24 - https://app.smore.com/n/d3h1at-rockburn-report

Our 2026-2027 PTA membership drive is officially underway, and we are a bit under 50% of our membership goal. Every membership helps us support our students, our staff, and our school. Join today and take advantage of the best pricing. Bundle membership prices will increase by $5 and classwear t-shirts will increase by $3 after September 13th. Don't delay and join today at https://rockburnpta.givebacks.com/shop

The Rockburn PTA is once again partnering with TGA to offer pickleball classes at Rockburn after school on Fridays (unfortunately they do not have tennis classes at this time but we will add those once they start offering them again). Pickleball classes will start September 25th and last for 8 weeks. See the flyer for more information. Sign up today at https://registration.youthathletesunited.com/events/fall-rockburn-pickleball-club-3-15-4-15-pm-fridays as there are limited spots.

Please save the date for our September restaurant night happening at the Shipley's Grant Chipotle (5715 Richards Valley Rd, Suite C3) on Wednesday, September 23rd. 25% of all sales between 4-8 pm will be donated to the RES PTA when you show the flyer below or use the code XX9CXTD when ordering online.

Please mark your calendars with the following dates for our PTA meetings. This year, every other month will be virtual. Join us at 7 pm in the Rockburn Media Center for the September, November, January, March, and May meetings. Then, join us virtually at 7 pm for the October, December, February, and April meetings.