The Panther Post

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Dear Laurel Woods Community,

Please be on the lookout for The Panther Post. The Panther Post will be shared the first school day of the week. For example, it will mostly be shared on Mondays; however, if we do not have school on Mondays, you will receive it on Tuesdays. The Panther Post will include:

• A message from administration
• School-wide announcements
• Community Corner, messages from our Family Resource Center
• Related Arts Color Days for the Week
• Upcoming Dates and Events
• In cased you missed it... (Repeated reminders)
• Happenings around town

If you miss it, don't worry- The Panther Posts can also be found on our website.

With Pride,

Dr. Burks, Ms. Braxton, & Ms. Lee

Stop by the LWES Back-to-School Community Event on August 18th from 1:30 to 4:30 pm for school supplies and more.

Click here for more information - English Spanish

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 states that bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation are prohibited in HCPSS. Our administration and staff have been trained and made aware of this policy as well as preventative and responsive measures.

We know how important your role is in not only supporting your children, but also reporting possible incidents as you become aware of them. The Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment and Intimidation (BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report all alleged incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation that occur at school or have a connection back to the school setting that create a risk of harm to other students while they are at school, or interfere with the educational environment. An online version is available and can easily and confidentially be used by students, staff, and family members. Hard copies of this form are available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office. If you believe your child has been bullied, please complete and submit this form as soon as possible and/or assist your child in doing so.

Once the form is submitted, school administrators will ensure the parent/guardian of both the alleged target and alleged offender are aware of the report and will begin an investigation within two school days of receiving the report. Parents/guardians can expect a school administrator to reach out to them during the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, parents/guardians will be provided written notice of the outcome of the investigation within fifteen days of receiving the compaint, excluding extenuating circumstances.

There are times when incidents of peer conflict or code of conduct offenses may occur that may not be bullying, but may need follow up action. If you become aware of something that falls under conflict and/or a code of conduct offense, please notify a school administrator via email or phone call so that they can become aware and follow up as needed.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to specifically lift up cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic media like computers, cell phones, and game systems. Our digital interconnectedness makes bullying different and more damaging than it’s ever been before. It allows hatred and publicly humiliating gossip or photos to be instantly far-reaching and inescapable as electronic media is everywhere. It can NOT simply be ignored. In October 2013, the State of Maryland enacted Grace’s Law, making misuse of interactive computer services a criminal offense. Its purpose is to prohibit anyone from using electronic media (computers, tablets, phones, etc.) to maliciously engage in conduct that inflicts serious emotional distress on a minor and/or places that minor in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. A person who is found guilty of violating this law is subject to imprisonment and/or fines.

While all of this information will be reviewed with students at school, we are asking you to do the same at home. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring all of our students feel a sense of safety and belonging in their school communities! More information can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact a school administrator.

Please join us in welcoming the following Panthers to our school community:

• Tim McAneny: 5th Grade Teacher
• Maria Arroyo Sanchez: Lunch & Recess Monitor

We truly value the input of our families and community partners as we continue to grow and improve. Your feedback helps us better serve our students and community. While you’re always welcome to email or stop by, we’ve also created this feedback form so you can share your thoughts at any time. The link can also be found on our website. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—we love hearing from you!

New Date: Friday, Sept. 27, 9:00 am–12:00 pm

Location: Oakland Mills High School

This districtwide event is open to all HCPSS families and will feature:

• A session with Superintendent Bill Barnes

• Resource tables hosted by HCPSS offices and local organizations

• Information on programs, resources, and services available throughout the school year

• Childcare and language access provided

For additional information, please visit the Family Academy Kickoff HCPSS News Post

Flier: English | Spanish| Chinese | Korean

Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates, including how and where to access. Full details on updating your Family File are available online.

If you have recently moved, please contact LWES at 410-880-5960 as soon as possible as we need to update your address in our files as well. Parents who have forgotten their login credentials for Family File may click the “Forgot Password” link on the sign-in page. If you need additional assistance, please call the school at 410-880-5960.

Click on this link to update your Family File!

Stay in the loop with all the exciting events hosted and organized by our Family Resource Center — you won’t want to miss what’s coming up! 👀📅

Click on the link below! 👇

We are bringing families and students together for our Back to School Events. Instead of the traditional Back to School Night, we are going to have Back to School Events where families and students come together to learn about the upcoming school year. There will be time for our students to connect with their grade level peers as a community.

To ensure all families are able to attend, we are providing daycare for school aged children only if they are not a part of the grade level event for the two evenings. Daycare will not be provided on Friday.

August

• 08/18: 1:30-4:30 Back to School Supply Event
• 08/19: 5:00-7:00 Kindergarten Family Connections; 5:10-7:30 4th & 5th Grade Back to School Night
• 08/21: 5:10-7:30 1st-3rd Grade Back to School Night
• 08/22: 8:20-1:00 Kindergarten Family Connections; 9:30-10:30 PreK & RECC Open House
• 08/25: 1st Day of School, Grades K-5
• 08/28: 1st Day of School, PreK & RECC

For a complete list of dates and events visit https://lwes.hcpss.org/events

Laurel Woods will continue to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for SY25-26 where all students enrolled are eligible to receive healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge each day.

The menu for Laurel Woods Elementary is located on the HCPSS Food Services website. Please view the link to see what is served for breakfast and lunch.

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs) eligibility provides discounts for summer programs, SAT, recreation programs, Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and internet programs. FARMs eligibility can also provide our school with much needed Federal funding.

Families must submit a new application every school year

Please submit only one application per household.

Online Applications for the 2025-2026 School Year are available on the new LINQ Connect website.

This annual Howard County Library System program will help incoming kindergartners ease into school with stories and activities, including boarding a real school bus. Registration is required. Each session lasts one hour. Check the HCLS website to register and for additional details.