CEDARMERE SCENE FAMILY NEWSLETTER

Don't forget to check out "The Cedarmere Scene," our monthly newsletter sent out regularly. It contains vital information and important dates related to our school. You can also access this newsletter in multiple languages by clicking on the translate link above. Thank you for staying informed!

No olvide consultar "The Cedarmere Scene", nuestro boletín mensual que se envía periódicamente. Contiene información vital y fechas importantes relacionadas con nuestra escuela. También puede acceder a este boletín en varios idiomas haciendo clic en el enlace de traducción de arriba. ¡Gracias por mantenerte informado!

September 23, 2025 - Systemwide Professional Development Day – Schools Closed for Students – Teachers on Duty – Rosh Hashanah

BCPS has launched a new cell phone policy entitled “Off and Away.” As a reminder, students should not have their cell phones out during the school day at Cedarmere ES. Cell phones must remain in lockers or school bags throughout the day.

To ensure this expectation is upheld, consequences will be in place for students who do not follow the policy. Please review the attached one-pager for a quick overview. The full policy is also available on our school website.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a focused and distraction-free learning environment.

Our school has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Students and staff will be training, practicing, and drilling the protocol. COMMON LANGUAGE The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on an all-hazards approach as opposed to individual scenarios. Like the Incident Command System (ICS), SRP utilizes a clear common language while allowing for flexibility in protocol. The premise is simple - there are five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a “Term of Art” and is then followed by a “Directive.” Execution of the action is performed by active participants, including students, staff, teachers, and first responders. The SRP is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.

Please find attached below more information for families, available in both English and Spanish, for additional translations of this safety protocol for parents. Please click the button below, and you will be rerouted to the Maryland Safe Schools website.

At Cedarmere ES, keeping our students safe is always a top priority. Throughout the school year, we will practice different safety drills such as fire, severe weather, evacuation, and lockdown drills. These drills help students and staff know exactly what to do in case of an emergency.

Our first lockdown drill will take place in December.

We’re excited to share that Cedarmere Elementary School has officially launched a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)! Our first meeting took place this past Wednesday and was a great success—thank you to all who attended and contributed to the conversation.

We understand that life is busy—between work, family, and extracurriculars, time is limited. But now, more than ever, we need your support. Together, we can build a stronger school community and create enriching experiences for our children.

Unlike a PTA, a PTO offers greater flexibility with fewer restrictions, allowing us to focus more directly on the unique needs of Cedarmere.

Let’s work together to make a difference for our kids, our school, and our community.

PTO meeting Sept. 8th from 6-7pm in the library. There will be an option to join virtually, the link will be sent out through email and posted in the Facebook group -https://www.facebook.com/share/1CRJLNadCt/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We also just launched our spirit wear fundraiser! All orders will ship directly to the home and proceeds benefit programs for our school. https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMkO2hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnZNnJpBRQStkp9rycFaCSndW-_d_S02svYOccWzbB6QNNwMEVPZEb3ddfC7_aem_k2LjMpdecVZUOz2bcHR6DQ#/lockers/cedarmere-elementary-2653239

In case your child needs to be absent, kindly provide a note—whether handwritten or through email. Submitting written documentation helps us keep accurate records. Remember, not all absences are considered lawful. Let's make every school day count!

Our current percentage for our school is 94%!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!

As many of you know now, Cedarmere became one of Baltimore County's 110 Community Schools in July. The goal of the Community Schools initiative is to bring together community resources to support student success. Over the course of this first year, we will be collecting data to support long-range decisions. Your input is extremely important! If you have not done so already, please complete the parent survey (en español). Very soon, we will begin to hold meetings with small groups of parents to have conversations about the direction you want the school to go in. We look forward to working with you this year. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Dear CES Families,

We understand that many families wish to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays, with treats. However, to ensure the safety and well-being of all students—especially those with allergies—we kindly ask that you refrain from providing any sweet or edible items in the classroom.

Instead, we encourage you to consider non-edible fun items that all students can enjoy together. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone!

Non-Food Celebration and Reward Ideas ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT IDEAS Parent Ideas—

• Give small favor bags (pencils, stickers, glow sticks, erasers, notepads, etc.). •
• Donate a book to the class and schedule a time to read it to them. •
• Donate classroom supplies (books, games, musical items). •
• Provide supplies and directions for a craft (bonus if parents come to class to help with the craft). •
• Donate recess items (balls, hula hoops, etc.) to the class in the student’s honor. •
• Coordinate a book swap – students bring in a book to “trade” with classmates. •
• Create a treasure box with donations of non-food items for students to choose from as a reward.

Families please make sure to complete your volunteer training now. All training must be done 2 weeks prior to any event you would like to participate in with your child. Per BCPS policy this training must be completed and you must be an approved volunteer to partake in any school activities, including field trip, classroom support or helping out in the school for PTA events. Please do not delay do your training today! You can drop off your application or email it to sgrosscassell@bcps.org. Please click the above link to complete application.

Thank you.

Parents please be advised that early dismissal ends at 2:45! We need to ensure that our dismissal process is safe and uninterrupted. If you would like to pick up your child early please send a note to your child's teacher or call the office. If you arrive after the 2:45 time we kindly ask that you wait in your vehicle until 3:30 pm to pick up your child, and if you have sent a note or called the office we will have them waiting for you in the office.

Please remember when you are picking up your child you must show a picture identification to the office staff prior to receiving them.

Please remember to have your child check the lost and found.

Location: 17 Nicodemus Road, Reisterstown, MD, USA
Phone: 443-809-1100