St. Leonard Judy Center

SLES Judy Center July 2026
The St. Leonard Elementary School Judy Center Early Learning Hub
5370 St. Leonard Rd
St. Leonard, MD 20685
443-550-8077
SLES Judy Center Website: Judy Center - Saint Leonard Elementary
About the Judy Center Early Learning Hub
The Judith P. Hoyer Center for Early Childhood Education (Judy Center), located at St. Leonard Elementary, is one of the new early childhood partnerships in the state. It is the third in Calvert County joining the Judy Centers at Patuxent-Appeal Elementary and Calvert Elementary. The number of Judy Center Partnerships has increased to over 50 in the state. The Judy Center was named after the late Judith P. Hoyer, an early childhood educator, and wife of Maryland congressman Steny Hoyer.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Judy Center is to provide services designed to promote school readiness to children ages birth through five. We accomplish this through partnerships with community agencies in the county. The goal of the Judy Center is to increase the number of children who enter school ready to learn.
📅 Our Schedule for the Month 📅
Wolftrap & Arts for Learning Maryland Presents:
Sight and Sounds of African Percussion with Kofi Dennis
Thursday July 2, 2026
SLES Gym
10:15am
Participants take an imaginary trip to visit the queen mother of an African village and explore the sights and sounds of various traditional percussion instruments while experiencing the “djembe-storytelling” tradition. This highly energetic and interactive experience involves a lot of role-play, singing, drumming, and dance movements!
Registration is required. Register here: Wolftrap and Arts for Learning Maryland presents: Sight and Sounds of African Percussion – Fill out form
Silly Songs with the Barnyard Bard
Thursday July 9, 2026
SLES Gym
10:15am
In the assembly “Silly Songs with the Barnyard Bard,” Mr. Alden uses various animal-themed songs like ‘Everybody’s Wakin’ Up,’ along with vibrant visuals and animated narratives, providing students with an enjoyable way to develop an understanding and appreciation for farms. This interactive experience includes activities like ‘The Breakfast Game’ and the ‘Where Did it Come From?’ game, designed to highlight farms’ significant role in our daily lives.
Registration is required. Register here: Wolftrap and Arts for Learning Maryland presents: Silly Songs with the Barnyard Bard – Fill out form
Caps for Sale: Counting on You
Thursday July16, 2026
SLES Gym
10:15am
Kevin Alan Brown is a Wolf Trap-trained Early Childhood teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. He is an actor, director, and teaching artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds an MFA from the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy at the George Washington University. He is also the co-artistic director of Red Key Dance Theatre with his wife, Robin Neveu Brown. He has performed internationally in Russia and Greece, as well as stateside in New York, DC, Maryland, Colorado, and numerous other theaters across the US.
Registration is required. Register here: Wolftrap and Arts for Learning Maryland presents: Caps for Sale with Keivn Alan Brown – Fill out form
A Crocodile's Tale
Thursday July 23, 2026
SLES Gym
10:30am
Join Katherine Lyons for an engaging and enlightening workshop that delves into the intricate dynamics between human and animal families. Embark on a captivating journey as we bring to life the narratives of two distinct tales: “A Crocodile’s Tale,” hailing from the Philippines, and “The Hunterman and the Crocodile” from West Africa. Guided by the expertise of Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist and accomplished actor Katherine Lyons, this workshop promises an immersive story dramatization experience.
Registration required. Register here: Wolftrap and Arts for Learning Maryland presents: A Crocodile's Tale – Fill out form
An Amazing, Incredible, Impossible Seeming Adventure
Thursday July 30, 2026
SLES Gym
10:15am
Kevin Alan Brown is a Wolf Trap-trained Early Childhood teaching artist with Arts for Learning Maryland. He is an actor, director, and teaching artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds an MFA from the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy at the George Washington University. He is also the co-artistic director of Red Key Dance Theatre with his wife, Robin Neveu Brown. He has performed internationally in Russia and Greece, as well as stateside in New York, DC, Maryland, Colorado, and numerous other theaters across the US.
Registration is required. Register here: Wolftrap & Arts for Learning Maryland Kevin Alan Brown – Fill out form
World Dance: Rhythm and Melody from across the Globe
Thursday August 6, 2026
SLES Gym
10:15am
Celebrating over 45 years as a performing arts ensemble, Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble is an internationally recognized, roots-based music and dance company showcasing the cultural diversity of percussive dance. Footworks has a reputation for exceptional performances, bringing the joy and energy of percussive dance and music to audiences worldwide. All of Footworks programming is a celebration of cultural diversity and the joy of live music and dance!
Registration is required. Register here: Wolftrap & Arts for Learning Maryland presents: Footworks! – Fill out form
🌸 Mindfulness and Me 🌸
Mindfulness & Me
(Mindful Moms)
Date: Thursday July 23, 2026
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Location: PAC Judy Center in the Appeal Elementary School building
11655 H. G. Truman Rd. Lusby
A 1-hour interactive support group to learn the benefits of mindful parenting, deep breathing, journaling, how to handle tough moments with a clear mind, and so much more.
Mindfulness & Me and Crystal Hall are such a loved resource that we are now opening it up to our Calvert and St. Leonard Judy Center families!
Children are welcome and will participate in fun activities and play next door in the PAC Judy Center playroom.
Registration is required. Please register here: Mindfulness & Me (Mindful Moms) 10:00am - 11:00am PAC Judy Center – Fill out form
🍲 Meals with Mayea 🍲
Meals with Mayea
Wednesday July 15, 2026
5:30 - 6:30pm
Virtual Teams Meeting
Join us for Meals with Mayea, a fun and interactive virtual cooking class designed for families! Together, we'll explore simple, delicious, and healthy recipes that everyone can enjoy making at home. Mayea will guide you step-by-step through each dish, sharing cooking tips, tricks, and ways to get kids excited about helping in the kitchen.
This month's recipe is Black Bean Burgers!
The SLES Judy Center will provide ingredients to confirmed registrants. Ingredients will be available for pick up at the Judy Center prior to the event. Once your registration has been confirmed, you will be sent a link to join online and details regarding ingredient pickup times and dates.
When you submit this form, it will not automatically collect your details like name and email address unless you provide it yourself.
Registration is required. Please register here: Meals with Mayea July 15, 2026 5:30 - 6:30pm – Fill out form
🦁 Playgroups 🦁
Tummy Time (Baby Lions)
Tummy Time (Baby Lions)
Wednesday July 15 & 29, 2026
10am
SLES Judy Center playgroup
Playgroup is open to children ages 0 to 12 months old.
Space is very limited and registration is required. If you are unable to attend, please contact us as soon as possible so that we may offer your spot to a family on our waiting list.
🚩 Registration is required to attend. Register here:
July 15th: Baby Lions Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am – Fill out form
July 29th: Cruisers (Baby Lions) Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:00am – Fill out form
Cruisers (Young Lions)
Young Lions
Wednesday July 15, 2026
11:15am
SLES Judy Center playroom
Playgroup is open to children ages 13 months to 2 1/2 years old.
Space is very limited and registration is required. If you are unable to attend, please contact us as soon as possible so that we may offer your spot to a family on our waiting list.
🚩 Registration is required to attend. Register here:
July 15th: Cruisers (Young Lions) Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:45am – Fill out form
July 29th: Cruisers (Young Lions) Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:45am – Fill out form
Future Lions
Future Lions
Wednesday July 8 & 22, 2026
10:45am
SLES Judy Center playroom
Playgroup is open to children ages 2 1/2 - 4 years old
Space is very limited and registration is required. If you are unable to attend, please contact us as soon as possible so that we may offer your spot to a family on our waiting list.
🚩 Registration is required to attend. Register here:
July 22: Future Lions Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am – Fill out form
📣 Upcoming Community Events 📣
📣 Community Resources 📣
HIPPY/Healthy Families/PAT
Parents can enter the Healthy Families program prenatally or before a baby is three months old. Family Support Workers partner with parents to help build a nurturing relationship between parent and child, provide information on how children develop, and suggest ideas for activities for parents to engage with their child. Services are provided where it is most convenient for the participant – usually at home.
Healthy Families Participants receive:
- Connection to needed services such as help with food, housing, medical, education and training so that parents can focus on themselves and their children.
- Information on how children develop and learn.
- Materials and ideas for activities to do with children to strengthen the bond between parent and child.
- Knowledge and skills to help parents prepare children for success in school.
- Support for parents with children up to age 5.
Home Instruction of Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
Support through Healthy Families can continue until a child is age three and eligible for the HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program. Parents of children ages 2-4, not already enrolled in the Healthy Families Program, may be eligible to enroll in HIPPY. The HIPPY Program continues to focus on supporting parents through home-visiting but with an emphasis on school readiness.
HIPPY Home Visitors meet parents weekly for 30 weeks providing the HIPPY curriculum, books and educational materials. Parents are trained to use the curriculum and educational materials with their child, supporting the parent’s ability to be their child’s first teacher. The curriculum provides activities for parents to do for 15-20 minutes daily for five days. The suggested activities include language/literacy, math, science and motor activities.
For more information:
Learning begins at home HIPPY | Home Instruction for Parents and Preschool Youngsters (hippyus.org)
Infants & Toddlers
Infants and Toddlers is birth to age 3 years of age and provides an array of early intervention services for children and their families birth to the age of three. Children, birth through the age of three, who are experiencing a developmental delay, or who have an established condition or disability are eligible. Early intervention services are family-centered, functional and based on individual family routines and activities. Services may include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Special Instruction, Audiology, Family Counseling and Training and Vision Services. The goal of the Calvert County Infants and Toddlers Program is to provide family-centered support and services to infants and toddlers with delays/disabilities to help them reach their potential and be prepared for school.
The Calvert County Infants and Toddlers Program (ITP) serves children birth through two years of age who reside in Calvert County and meet state eligibility requirements. Services are provided year-round at no cost to families. If your child is found eligible, the Infants and Toddlers Program (ITP) can target the following areas:
- Cognition
- Communication
- Social/Emotional
- Self-help
- Fine Motor
- Gross Motor
- Hearing
- Vision
To be eligible for our program, children must have a 25% delay in at least one area of development (cognitive, communication, social-emotional, self-help, fine & gross motor), atypical development, or a high probability of delay due to a diagnosed medical condition. Services offered:
- Audiology
- Family Counseling/Training
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Special Instruction
- Speech & Language Therapy
- Vision Services
Services are provided in home, community, or center-based settings depending on the needs of your family and child. Sessions are scheduled with your individual service provider(s) Monday through Friday.
Infants and Toddlers - Calvert County Public School District
Child Development/Special Education
Are you concerned about your young child’s development? Do you think your child has difficulty with movements, talking, understanding, learning, socializing, playing, or eating?
For more information, contact one of the following programs.
Infants and Toddlers Program (Birth to 35 months) Call 443-550-8405 for a developmental evaluation or visit the website at: Infants and Toddlers Program - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Child Find (35 months to 5 years/prekindergarten) Call 443-550-8373 for a developmental evaluation or visit the website at: Child Find - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Southern Maryland WIC Program
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program provides healthy supplemental foods, as well as nutrition and breastfeeding education and counseling for pregnant and post-partum women, infants and children under age 5. The Southern Maryland WIC Program serves participants in Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s Counties at 5 sites located in White Plains, Leonardtown, Lexington Park, Solomons, and Prince Frederick.
SMILE
SMILE is located at 10290 H.G. Truman Rd in Lusby. SMILE offers various services to its community.
You Must Register to Receive SMILE Services
- SMILE Food Pantry
- SMILE Thrift Store: Children of registered clients may be eligible to receive a seasonal clothing allotment.
- SMILE Thanksgiving Basket Distribution
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Help to Avoid Foreclosure
HOW TO REGISTER TO BECOME A SMILE CLIENT
A current SMILE ID card must be presented to receive any SMILE services, including the Food Pantry, Thrift Store, and Emergency Services.
To obtain a SMILE card, you must register at the SMILE Thrift Store during its normal hours of operation
What to Bring to Register for SMILE services
The following information is required at the time of registration:
– Description or explanation of need
– Proof of residency in SMILE’s service area (zip codes: 20615, 20629, 20657, 20676, 20685, and 20688). Please be prepared to show one of the following that shows your address: a copy of a mortgage bill, lease agreement, SMECO or Comcast bill, etc.
– Proof of Identification (Driver’s license or other State ID)
Once registered, you will receive a SMILE ID card which is good for 6 months. You must renew and update your registration every 6 months. A current SMILE ID card must be presented whenever asking for any SMILE services, including the Food Pantry and Thrift Store, and when requesting Emergency Services.
Calvert County Library
Who Can Have a Library Card?
Everyone! Calvert Library cards are free for Maryland residents and are valid for ten years. Out-of-state residents may apply for an account that is valid for one year at a cost of $20.00 per year.
We welcome library cardholders of all ages, but a parent or guardian must sign for applicants under the age of 16 to obtain a full borrowing privileges card. A child must be present to sign the card. Your signature indicates that you accept responsibility for supervising your child’s use of the library. The borrower or adult is responsible for the card’s security, for any materials checked out and for any charges incurred.
We offer special library cards for children that allow them to check out up to five books fine free and have access to downloadable items and premium online resources.
- Kid’s card – no proof of address required, no parent/guardian signature required.
- CRAB card – the virtual CRAB card is automatically issued to Calvert County Public School students.
CRAB cards: Calvert Research Access & Books
All Calvert County Public School students now have special Calvert Library accounts. Virtual CRAB cards give every child access to:
- Calvert Library online research databases
- Free online homework help
- Bookflix – digital literacy resource that pairs more than 120 animated stories from Weston Woods with a best-selling nonfiction eBook from Scholastic on a similar subject. The fiction and nonfiction pairings are designed to strengthen early literacy skills while exposing young learners to real world concepts.
- Foreign language programs
- Hoopla ebooks, audiobooks, comic books, streaming media
- Testing Help
- ebooks & audiobooks & eMagazines
- LinkedIn Learning – leading online learning platform covering business, technology and creative skills.
AND
Checkout up to 10 print books, including audiobooks, from any Calvert Library location with NO FINES!
To login to Calvert Library research resources with your CRAB card use the prefix: calv and your student ID. ex: calv23456. Your initial password is your 8 digit birthdate (MMDDYYYY) and can be changed at any time.
Southern Branch
13920 HG Trueman Rd
PO Box 559
Solomons, MD 20688
410-326-5289
Prince Frederick
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
301-855-1862
Calvert Library Prince Frederick
STORY EXPLORERS: 10AM M - Th 11AM WED
ADAPTIVE: 11:15AM TUE & THUR
SATURDAY: 10AM
Calvert Library Southern Branch
STORY EXPLORERS: 10:15 AM MON, TUES & SAT
ADAPTIVE: 10AM WED
Calvert Library Twin Beaches Branch
STORY EXPLORERS: 10AM MON & WED
ADAPTIVE: 9:15AM & 10:15AM TUES
SATURDAY: 10AM & 11AM
🔔 MSDE Tidbits 🔔
Recalls Announced for Infant and Children's Products
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of several products designed for infants and children. Stop using the products listed below and keep them away from children. More details about each of the product recalls can be found using the links provided. Find more recalls at cpsc.gov.
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- 4our Kiddies Plastic Tip Restraint Kits
- AirClub Convertible Bassinets
- Sunnyyes LED Mini Lights
- GLMZZ Fidget Magnet Ball Toys
- FUNTOK 24V 2-Seater Ride-On Trucks
- NIOIIKIT Rocking Chairs
- Beestech Children’s Spiral Tower Toys
- Gavoyeat Halloween Light-Up Rings Party Favors
- Coluans Christmas Light-Up Rings Party Favors
- Member’s Mark Children’s Valentine SS Notch Collar Pajama Sets
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🧷 Maryland Diaper Bank 🧷
- All families currently receiving assistance from the Calvert Diaper Bank will be required to reapply.
- Changes have been made to qualifying requirements.
- Families in need of diapers will need to contact the Diaper Bank each month to set up their pickup date and time.
- Diaper Bank contact Jessica Johnson at johnsonjl@calvertnet.k12.md.us
PLEASE NOTE:
- We are unable to serve walk-ins. Appointments only.
- You must contact the diaper bank via phone or email to ensure that we have sizes in stock.
- This is a monthly service, we cannot provide diapers more than once per family, per month.
- The Diaper Bank is a donation-based program and as such, our sizes and availability vary. We do not guarantee diapers will be available.
Did you know that the Judy Center is a hub for the Maryland Diaper Bank? The diaper bank provides support to families across Calvert County. Maryland Diaper Bank participants will receive 50 free diapers and a set of wipes each month. There are qualifications to be able to access the diaper bank. To see if you or another family qualifies, please contact Jessica Johnson at johnsonjl@calvertnet.k12.md.us or call 443-550-9752
📆 Important Dates 📆
CCPS, the Judy Center and the Diaper Bank will be closed on the following date(s):
Friday July 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31, 2026
CCPS Summer Hours
🌞Calvert County Public Schools will be starting the week of June 21st. During Summer hours school buildings will be open 8am-4pm Mon-Thurs and closed Fridays until mid-August.🌞
⭐ SLES Judy Center Staff ⭐
If you have any questions or concerns about your child's development, we would love to help.
Need a referral to outside agencies or clothing/food/financial assistance? Please feel free to contact us.
Karen Jordan
Judy Center Multi-Site Coordinator
Phone: (443) 550-8083
Email: jordank@calvertnet.k12.md.us
Jessica Johnson
Family Service Worker
Phone: (443) 550-9752
Email: johnsonjl@calvertnet.k12.md.us
Christina Herrick
Judy Center Multi-Site Administrative Assistant
Phone: (443) 550-8077
Judy Center Programming is developed with funds from the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood
The content and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Maryland State Department of Education