The Elkridge Elkster

EES Families,

We hope that everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable weekend! Our year is getting into full swing. As we are getting settled into our school year, we would like to provide some very important reminders for our families.

Supplies:

We want to make sure that every child has what they need to be successful in the classroom. If you have a need for any backpacks and school supplies, please reach out to Ms. Ekert.

Car Loop:

Please be sure not to have any cell phones in your hands as you move through the car loop, as this is against the law. Moving through the car loop, it is important to stay alert to the staff members guiding you safely in and out of the school in the morning and afternoon. Please support our staff and students by ensuring that we are refraining from using cell phones while driving on campus.

Concerns:

As the school year progresses, we understand times where there are challenges between students in school, and parents, guardians and families must reach out to connect. We encourage you to reach out to your child's teacher first. Building open lines of communication with the teachers will allow opportunities for conversations and discussion of best practices to support our students.

Reaching out to the grade level team leaders and grade level administrators may provide benefit with concerns that may require additional support. This includes times during dismissal, lunch, and recess.

Our first PTA meeting will be held this Wednesday evening at 6:30 in the Media Center at Elkridge Elementary. Partner with us and get involved with the PTA.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Kelley Powell, Principal

LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Community members are invited to attend one of these meetings to help inform the system’s new strategic plan by providing their input about stakeholder values during this virtual, hour-long opportunity facilitated by HCPSS staff. No registration is required.

• September 9, 2024 – 5:00–6:00 pm – Google Meet linkLinks to an external site.

• September 10, 2024 – 7:00–8:00 pm – Google Meet linkLinks to an external site.

• September 17, 2024 – 5:00–6:00 pm – Google Meet linkLinks to an external site.

HCPSS parents, guardians and family members are invited to join HCPSS Superintendent Willliam J. Barnes, school system leaders and community organizations for this valuable information night to prepare for a successful academic year. The event will also feature various workshop topics which provide access to resources and support.

The 2024-2025 Parent Academy Kick-Off will be held Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 6-8:30 p.m at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia. Dinner will be provided from 5:15-6 p.m. Registration is encouraged.

Workshop topics include:

• College and Career Readiness/Career Exploration

• Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future

• Navigating the School System for Student Success

• Mental Health

• Advanced Programs K-12

• Social Media Safety & Security

• Elementary ELA, Reading, and the Library

• Math Programs

• Financial Literacy

• Immigration Law

• Early Childhood Programs

Fliers and additional information can be found below:

In accordance with Maryland’s Ready to Read Act (2019), COMAR (2021) and the direction from the Howard County Board of Education, all Howard County Public School System students in kindergarten to grade 5 will participate in the 2024 - 2025 administration of the Amplify mClass with DIBELS 8th Edition universal screener to identify potential reading difficulties during the following windows.

Beginning of the year (BOY)
September 16, 2024- September 30, 2024

Middle of the year (MOY)
January 13, 2025 - January 31, 2025

End of the year (EOY)
May 19, 2025 - June 2, 2025

Amplify mClass DIBELS 8th Edition has identified students for whom mClass is not an appropriate assessment. Students for whom this is true include those with limited verbal language skills, with fluency-based speech disorders or oral apraxia, and/or who are blind and/or deaf.

Please see below for screening areas measured in each grade. Students will complete the screener in four to twelve minutes and will be screened three times this year during the windows indicated above in the chart.

How will the results be used?

Performance is an indicator of overall reading status and is not intended to be an in-depth or comprehensive measure of reading. Just like using a thermometer to take a temperature, which provides a quick indicator of general health, these quick assessments provide information about reading health on particular early reading skills.

A student’s scores on the screener give school staff information about whether or not a student is on track for grade-level reading success. School staff can quickly identify students who may require extra help. Parents and guardians will receive a home report with their child’s scores.

Some information on this parent notification is taken directly from the Ready to Read Act and COMAR, while other content was summarized to reflect HCPSS procedures.

• All bus riders have been tagged on the first day of school with their bus number when they get off the bus.

• All students are expected to behave appropriately, use appropriate language and be respectful and courteous to fellow students, staff and the bus driver while riding the bus. Please have a conversation with your children about safety on the bus.

• Students should remain in their seats for the duration of the bus ride and keep their hands to themselves. This will help establish a positive climate where students feel safe when they are riding the bus.

• The speed limit on school property is 10 miles per hour.

• Please have your CAR TAG in the window visible for staff to see.

• All HCPSS Schools are smoke-free zones. The campus begins at Montgomery Road.

• All cars must be in the right line of the driveway.

• We ask that you wrap around the middle school bus loop along the curb (avoid hugging the curb) which leaves the path open for buses to get through.

• All students exit their cars on the right at the gym entrance. Students may not get out of cars and walk down the sidewalks or across the median.

• Please refrain from using handheld devices while operating your vehicles.

• Please keep your attention on the staff in Safety Vests and the car in front of you.

• EES and ELMS Bus Loops are for buses and daycare vans only. There should not be any parking in either bus loop between the hours of 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

• Dismissal changes need to be called into the office by 3:00 pm on full days and 11:30 am on half days.

• If your child is a car rider, and changes aren’t noted before dismissal then you will need to go to the front office to get your child.

• To ensure the safety of all, students will NOT be dismissed from the gym as a walker or bus rider unless the front office has contacted staff in the gym first.

HCPSS participates in the Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMs) program. Qualification. is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential.

Participation in FARMs qualifies students for a wide range of opportunities and resources beyond breakfast and lunch, including free college applications, free or reduced JumpStart tuition, discounted internet through the Comcast Internet Essentials program, and more.

Families must submit a new application every school year by Oct. 31. 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. Families can:

• Apply Online by clicking the link below
• Apply by mail: Paper applications can be picked up in the Food and Nutrition Service Office (5451 Beaverkill Rd, Columbia, MD 21044). Applications can be returned to your child’s school or mailed to: HCPSS Food & Nutrition Service Office, 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042.

If you have questions regarding the program, please visit www.hcpss.org/FARMs or call Food and Nutrition Services at 410-313-6743.

We thoroughly enjoy when parents come in to enjoy lunch with their child. We ask that you remember the following when visiting:

1. Before entering the cafeteria, please sign in at the front office to obtain a visitors pass.
   
   
2. Food may not be shared with other students in the cafeteria. Food that is brought in from outside sources (fast food lunch, cupcakes, etc. etc.) cannot be guaranteed to be allergen free. Therefore, to protect students, any food that is brought into the cafeteria may only be shared with the child you are visiting.
   

Want an exciting after-school activity for your kids? Good News Club is the perfect place for them to have a blast! At our club, your children will enjoy captivating Bible stories, sing uplifting songs, and engage in fun, interactive games—all while making new friends and memories. This club is available for students in grades K - 5th.

Good News Clubs are a trusted, non-denominational organization active in 50 states and 150 countries. It provides a safe, welcoming environment where every child is celebrated as God's unique and precious creation. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for your child to grow, learn, and thrive. Sign up today, and let the adventure begin!

The club meeting on Thursdays starts October 10, 2024, from 4 PM to 5:30 PM in the Art Room 109.

If you are interested in more information, please email Heather Radney at GoodNewsClubEES@gmail.com.

Girls on the Run is coming to Elkridge! Girls on the Run has fun, evidence-based programs that inspire participants to recognize their inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and others. Girls in Grades 3-5, who would like to build camaraderie sign up through the link below.