Eagle Express
Eagle Express 4/24/26
Calendar Events:
Fri. April 24th Report Cards Issued
Wed. May 13th 5th Grade SCH
Thurs. May 14th School is Full Day
Thurs. May 21st Spring Chorus Concert 7PM
Mon. May 25th No School
Wed. May 27th No School
Fri. May 29th Field Day
Mon. June 15th Last Day for Half-Day Pre-K/RECC
Tues. June 16th 12:55 Dismissal for Students
Wed. June 17th 12:55 Dismissal for Students
Thurs. June 18th 12:55 Dismissal and Last Day of School for Students
Fri. June 19th Schools & Offices Closed
Tues. June 23rd Schools & Offices Closed for Primary Elections
Dear Veterans Families,
We want to take a moment and celebrate Veterans for being recognized as a Purple Star School! Mrs. Lane, Mrs. Lavallee, and Mrs. Kinloch have taken the lead to ensure that Veterans Elementary meets the specific requirements, including appointing a Military Liaison, facilitating a peer-led transition program, providing the community with digital resources, and implementing staff training. Our student group, called the Purple Patriots have been an integral part of making his recognition possible. We are proud of the dedication and hard work our staff, students, and community members have done in order to make this possible for Veterans Elementary.
Please continue to share pictures and stories to commemorate our active military and Veterans using this link.
Also, we want to remind you that families who wish to share placement considerations are invited to email Mrs. Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org no later than Friday, May 1, 2026. While we are not able to guarantee requests, all input received by the deadline will be carefully reviewed and thoughtfully considered as part of the placement process.
Warm regards,
Alexcia Redd, Keri Golibart and Jessica Legambi
PTA President Needed for Next Year
VES is strongest when families help lead alongside us, and we’re currently looking for a PTA President for next year. This role is about bringing people together, sharing ideas, and helping make great things happen for our students. You don’t need to have all the answers, only a willingness to step in and be part of the work. You’ll have plenty of support from both the PTA team and the school.
Testing Update:
All intermediate grades have completed their ELA MCAP assessments. Students who missed part of this assessment will be pulled sometime before the end of May to make up the parts that they missed. Below is the Math MCAP schedule.
MCAP Math Grade 3 Date Time Session 1 5/8/26 9:25-10:40 Session 2 5/11/26 9:25-10:40 Session 3 5/12/26 9:25-10:40 Session 4 5/14/26 9:25-10:40 Grade 4 Date Time Session 1 5/4/26 10:40-12:05 Session 2 5/5/26 10:40-12:05 Session 3 5/6/26 10:40-12:05 Session 4 5/7/26 10:40-12:05 Grade 5 Date Time Session 1 4/28/26 9:40-11:40 Session 2 4/29/26 9:40-11:40 Session 3 4/30/26 9:40-11:40 Session 4 5/1/26 9:40-11:40
Lockdown Drill Impact Survey
Throughout the year, we conduct a variety of emergency drills, such as fire and extreme weather drills, to ensure our school community is prepared for different situations. On March 25th, we held a required lockdown drill. Teachers prepare students in advance, and when the drill is announced, we remind them that it is only a practice. Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) is conducting an anonymous survey. Information collected from surveys after a lockdown drill occurs is being used to better understand the effectiveness and impact of lockdown drills on students, parents, and school staff.
This survey will collect feedback on K-12 parent experience after a lockdown drill occurs. It is also designed for parents of K-5 students to inform K-5 student experiences. bit.ly/LockdownParent
Announcements From the VES Staff
PE REMINDERS
Coming Soon! Learning Together Program Applications:
The Veterans Early Childhood Classes are making preparations for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. Beginning in mid-February applications for general education students to participate as peers through the Learning Together Program (LTP) will become available. These classes include general education and special education students. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills. Parents of children who will be 3 by September 1st, may apply.
Pre-Kindergarten Registration:
The Pre-K application will be available online for families beginning Monday, March 9, at 9:00 am. The online application is the preferred method of submission. However, families may request a downloadable application by emailing hcpss_pk@hcpss.org.
Kindergarten Registration:
Open now for the 2026-2027 School Year!
Registration assistance will be available throughout the school day during the kickoff week. Please consult the HCPSS website for updated information on Enrollment and Registration.
Age Eligibility for Kindergarten:
Kindergarten is a mandatory grade in the state of Maryland.
Children must be five years old on or before September 1st to attend kindergarten.
Children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2026 must have been born between September 2, 2020 and September 1, 2021.
Students will be enrolled in the attendance area in which they live. Please refer families to School & Bus Locator to confirm the assigned school.
Every child who is 5 years old on or before September 1 must be enrolled in a kindergarten program this fall or have an approved waiver.
Veterans and Active Military Family Recognition!
Veterans Elementary School would like to honor any current or former community residents who are serving or have served in the U.S. Armed and Uniformed Services. Please help us celebrate you (or a close family community member) by completing the survey below.
We will create a special display to honor our Veterans or current service members in the main hallway throughout the month of April. Please reach out directly to Kathy_Lane@hcpss.org if you have any questions.
Access the survey through this link.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS
Arrival & Dismissal
Student arrival is from 9:10am- 9:25am. Students should not be dropped off or left unattended before 9:10 am. Parent/Guardian is responsible for their child’s supervision until the VES school doors open at 9:00am in the morning.
If your child has a change in their dismissal plans, please provide VES office staff AND the classroom teacher with this information by sending us an email to vestransportation@hcpss.org. We ask that you make your request no later than 2:00 pm. We will not honor a change in dismissal plans without parental approval. Please indicate the student's name, the date of the transportation change and the details of the transportation change in the email. (ie. will be a car rider instead of bus rider)
Early dismissals require you to sign your child/ren out by scanning the QR Code located on the table and near the door bell. Complete the Google Document and be ready to present your ID/License to the secretary. Early dismissals should be requested prior to 3:15pm.
Please bring your cell phone to scan the QR code.
Please be prepared to present your Photo ID.
Please plan accordingly. Students will be dismissed from class upon their parents’ arrival and after they have signed the student out from the front office. We cannot have the student dismissed ahead of parent arrival.
Student Absences
Send absent notes to vesabsence@hcpss.org including the child's full name, teacher name and explaining why your child will or was absent. If your child is ill for 5 days or more, you must provide a doctor’s note.
Discretionary Days
HCPSS students are granted 3 days a year to use at their discretion for scheduled interviews with prospective employers, visits to post-secondary institutions, family trips, civic engagement, and other special events.
Such absences may not occur during exam or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the principal/designee.
A written request for such absences to be lawful/excused should be submitted at least one week in advance to the principal/designee. Please download the PDF fillable Discretionary Absence Form and email it to vesabsence@hcpss.org. The form is also available in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish
If you are requesting a day for a religious holiday not identified by the Howard County Public School System school calendar, please download the PDF fillable Religious Obligation Form and email it to vesabsence@hcpss.org
Lunch with your child
You must complete the Confidentiality Training Course and Child Abuse and Neglect Training. Return the 2 signed certificates to school. Once completed, sign-up to have lunch with your child using the Reservation Form. No siblings are allowed.
Family to Staff, Feel-good Feathers
Have you been impressed with the efforts of a VES Staff member? If so, take a moment to send them a Feel-good Feather to brighten their day! Some Family to Staff shout outs will even be highlighted in each Eagle Express and shared with staff. Thank you for the encouragement! Click here to give a shout- out!
Military-Connected Families at VES
We are looking to identify any active-duty or recently retired military-connected families. Our Purple Patriots, a student-led group, will be offering support and building connections for our military students. Some activities may include quarterly get-togethers and other opportunities to celebrate and support our military community.
If you are a military connected family, please complete this form. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy_Lane@hcpss.org.
Safety Protocols for After-School Hours
We ask for your cooperation in maintaining a safe and secure environment after school hours by adhering to the following protocols:
Classroom Access:
After school, classrooms are closed to students and parents. If an item is forgotten, students and parents must first seek permission from a building administrator and the Night Chief Custodian before entering a classroom.
After-School Programs and Parks and Recreation After Care:
Once after-school programs have concluded (such as Girl Scouts), an adult or staff members will escort students to the front door for pickup. For students in Parks and Recreation aftercare, parents are asked to enter the building from the blacktop, ring the bell, and wait for authorization from staff before entering.
Students on School Grounds:
Students not involved in a supervised activity are expected to leave school grounds at the end of the school day.
Rodent Control In Schools
We are reaching out to ask for your help keeping our school pest-free all year long and want to share a few things to keep in mind as you send your child to school each day. Since food is one of the main reasons rodents try to get inside a building, please consider the following guidance:
Send snacks and lunches in sealed, hard plastic or metal containers rather than loose in bags. Rodents can easily chew through paper and thin plastic.
Use reusable lunchboxes with zipper closures, and make sure the zipper fully closes.
Send foods with strong odors like peanut butter and sweet treats in airtight containers.
Remind your child to bring home any uneaten food daily—don’t store snacks in desks, lockers or cubbies overnight.
Make it a routine to empty and wipe down lunchboxes every day.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for helping to make this a great year for your child.
VES Bus Expectations
At Veterans Elementary School, student safety is our top priority. We would like to emphasize the importance of expected student behavior on the bus to ensure a safe and positive ride. We greatly appreciate your support in reminding your child(ren) of the following expectations:
Students must remain seated for the entire bus ride. Standing, moving from seat to seat, hopping over seats, jumping on seats, or engaging in other unsafe behaviors will not be tolerated.
Students should use an inside voice when talking with friends.
Students must follow all directions given by the bus driver at all times.
Students are expected to follow all school rules while on the bus, including:
Keeping cell phones put away in backpacks
Keeping hands and feet to themselves
Using kind and respectful words with peers
We truly appreciate your partnership in helping our students demonstrate safe and school-appropriate behavior on the bus. Working together ensures that our drivers can safely transport students to and from school each day.
Thank you for your continued support.
Animals on School System Property & Service Animals
Animals in schools or offices, whether leashed or not, present health, safety, environmental and liability concerns. Students and staff may be exposed to potential physical health hazards, such as bites and/or allergy-related health problems. As a result, animals are prohibited from HCPSS building (there are a few exceptions). Animals are also prohibited from school system property during arrival, dismissal, recess and other Howard County Public School System sponsored events.
Use of Tobacco or Electronic Smoking Devices on School System Property
As a reminder, when attending events on school property, adults and visitors are expected to follow HCPSS policy. This includes smoking cigarettes or the use of electronic smoking devices, such as vapes, within the building and on the school grounds.
Policy 1050 states: The use, sale, promotion, or distribution of any tobacco product, cigarette rolling papers, or electronic smoking devices by students, HCPSS employees, and visitors is prohibited at all times and on all property owned, leased, or under the control or sponsored by HCPSS at all times.
Zum App
Using the app will allow you to track your child’s bus in real-time, receive pick-up notifications if you choose, and view the driver for each ride.
To start using the Zum app, please follow these instructions:
Log in to your account with the phone number or email address you have listed on your child’s record in Family File in HCPSS Connect
Verify your access by entering the one-time code sent to your device
Check the notification settings to ensure you’re receiving Zum notifications, if desired, so you’ll know when the bus is