The Weekly Update #4

Hello EES Families and Community!

Thank you so much to all of the families who joined us last week for our Back to School Nights! It was wonderful to fill our building with so many engaged conversations, shared goals, and community excitement as we set the stage for an incredible school year together. Your voice and perspective help us continually improve, so please take a moment to share your thoughts with us by filling out our Back to School Night Feedback Form.

Mark your calendars for our next big community gathering: our Title I Family Kickoff on Thursday, October 1st! We will begin the evening with dinner provided for families from 5:30–6:00 PM, followed by our kickoff presentation and collaborative activities - 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Link to flyer and RSVP form.

During the session, we will explore the history of Title I and walk through our School Improvement Plan. Families will have the opportunity to discuss and share the commitments they can make to support our academic goals. Scholars are warmly invited to attend as well—students will spend time with our staff reflecting on their own commitments to school growth, and then we will all reconvene as one community to share our collective vision and finalize our schoolwide Title I Compact. This evening is a wonderful way to stay informed, understand our school's priorities, and directly provide input.

We hope to see everyone there as we remain 100% ALL In for our Elksters!

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Jayme Brewrink, Assistant Principal

As we prepare to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), we want to highlight the rich cultures, traditions, and backgrounds of our school community!

If your family celebrates Hispanic or Latino heritage, we invite you to share a favorite family picture to display on our school’s morning announcements.

How to participate:

1. Choose a picture of your family celebrating a holiday, sharing a meal, visiting family, or enjoying everyday time together.
2. Email the photo to Megan Tiralla, megan_tiralla@hcpss.org by 9/15 with the following details:
• Student’s Name and Grade
• Family Members' Names in the photo
• A short caption (1-2 sentences) about your family or tradition (e.g., "The Rodriguez family celebrating vibrant traditions from Colombia!")

Thank you for helping us make our school a welcoming place where every culture is honored!

• Canvas Check: Now is the perfect time to log in and check Canvas for your child's current grades and any missing assignments. If you have questions about specific grades or assignments, please reach out directly to the teacher.

• Standards & Learning Resources: To better understand what your child is learning and how to support them at home, we encourage you to explore the grade-specific Family and Community Resources on Canvas. These links provide overviews, how-to videos, learning goals, worksheets, games and resources for all academic areas:

• Pre-Khttps://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34453
• Kindergartenhttps://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34447
• Grade 1https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/32029
• Grade 2https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34428
• Grade 3https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34429
• Grade 4https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34430
• Grade 5https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34431

• Homework & Grading: Homework (assigned to all grades except PK/K) reinforces classroom skills. If you notice your child struggling to complete homework in a reasonable time, please contact their teacher. For an in-depth look at how we assess learning, visit our resource on Standards-Based Grading: https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/208494.

Open, effective communication is vital for student success. You can find all staff email addresses on our website. To ensure our teachers can provide thoughtful and thorough responses while focusing primarily on instruction during the school day, please keep this guideline in mind: Teachers have 24–48 hours to reply to emails during business hours.

We appreciate your understanding. This dedicated time allows our staff to focus fully on teaching during school hours and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Thank you for your continued partnership!

Families can now join us for our daily school morning announcements—anchored and produced by our amazing 5th graders! Each broadcast features birthdays, classroom shout-outs, daily highlights, and much more. Announcements run from 9:20–9:25 a.m. on Google Meet using the code eesnews. It’s a fun way to start the day with school spirit and celebrate our community together—don’t miss it!

Dear Parents/Guardians of students riding HCPSS school buses,

We need your support in reiterating the rules of riding safely on the bus. Recently there have been some concerns brought to our attention from the bus driver regarding student safety while the bus is driving. The driver shared that multiple students are standing up at their seat and in the aisle, as well as seat hopping. In addition, objects (ie. a jacket, etc.) have been thrown around the bus as part of a game. Obviously, this is not only a distraction to the driver while the bus is in motion, it is a significant safety concern should the bus need to come to an abrupt stop.

We ask that you please take some time to review the bus safety expectations with the children. Bus safety expectations include:

1. Follow directions from the driver the first time they are given.

2. If your bus driver or school staff have assigned seats, stay in your assigned seat at all times.

3. Keep all parts of your body inside the bus.

4. Keep hands, feet, legs, arms, personal property, and your voice to yourself.

5. No eating, drinking, or unacceptable language at any time on the bus.

6. Keep language and conversations school appropriate.

In order for the bus driver to travel safely to and from school, students must understand the importance of following the bus rules. School buses are an extension of school. As such, students are expected to adhere to the same standards of behavior on a school bus as they do in the classroom. And just like students obey teachers and instructors while at school, so also are they expected to obey the bus driver who are their instructors while on the way to and back from school.

Remember, riding the school bus is a privilege for most students, but it is not a right. That privilege can and will be revoked if the student fails to observe the basic standards of conduct and safety required of them.

Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Brewrink (Jayme_Brewrink@hcpss.org).

As our Elksters practice our Big 3—Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible—navigating disagreements is a normal part of growing up. To help families understand how we address student behavior, we distinguish between peer conflict and bullying:

• Peer Conflict: A mutual disagreement between students with equal standing. Both students are often upset, neither is trying to control the other, and both want to resolve it. Our staff uses these moments to teach communication and restorative problem-solving.

• Bullying: In alignment with HCPSS Policy 9460, we use the helpful framework PIC to determine whether behavior constitutes bullying:

• P – Purposeful: The behavior is intentional, meant to hurt, exclude, or intimidate.

Recess is an essential part of our Elksters' day—it gives our scholars time to recharge, play cooperatively, build social connections, and stay active!

To help keep our playground fully stocked with engaging, fun, and durable gear for all grade levels, we have created an EES Recess Equipment Amazon Wishlist. If your family is able and interested in contributing, items purchased directly from the list will ship straight to our school building. Every soccer ball, jump rope, sidewalk chalk pack, and playground game makes a big difference in ensuring our students have a joyful, active recess experience. Thank you so much for your generosity and continuous support of our school community!

As of this week, 288 of our 744 Elksters still do not have a completed Family File. That means if we needed to reach a parent, confirm a pickup, or respond to a medical situation, we may be working with last year's information — or none at all.

Please take five minutes to update your Family File today: Update your Family File

🏆 Grade-Level Challenge: Whichever grade reaches 100% completion — or has the highest completion rate — by October 15 earns an extra recess!

Kindergarten is out front at 84%, with Grade 5 close behind at 69%. PreK and PreK-3 families, we need you — right now those grades are at just 23-25% completed.

Please also complete your FARMS (Free and Reduced-Price Meals) application: Apply for FARMS

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which can save your family real money:

• Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential.
• All children in SNAP households qualify for free meals regardless of income.
• Students from households meeting federal income guidelines are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
• Eligibility can also unlock discounts for summer programs, the SAT, recreation programs, Maryland's CHIP, internet programs, and more.
• FARMS participation also helps bring important federal funding to our school.

Please complete this form even if you don't think your family will qualify. Elkridge Elementary is a fully-funded Title I school, and maintaining that status depends on a complete count of FARMS forms from every family — not just those who expect to qualify. Every submission matters, regardless of the outcome.

This must be completed every year. In past years FARMS status carried over automatically for some families — that did not happen for everyone this year, so please don't assume you're already enrolled.

We are now accepting requests for Thanksgiving/December Holiday support. Please complete the form below by Thursday, October 15th if interested.

🌟EES Holiday Assistance 2026🌟

If you have questions, please contact our school counselor, Angie Szalecki (angie_szalecki@hcpss.org)

• Must have some experience working with children or with disabilities.
• Minimum of High School Diploma or GED required. Some college coursework is preferred.
• Must pass State/Federal criminal background check and Global Homeland security check as well as Maryland CPS background check.
• Hours are Mon-Fri./Daytime. Average hours 24-30 per week.
• Opportunities to network within the school system.
• Pay rate is $ 16.81/hourly.
• No Summer hours. School schedule.
• This is a NON-benefit position.

We are pleased to share a wonderful local learning opportunity hosted by the non-profit organization Restorative Justice Partnership (led by Executive Director Dwanna Nicole Gilbert).

This fall, they are hosting a free Saturday Freedom School for Black youth in grades 1–5 at the historic Harriet Tubman Cultural Center. Please note that students do not need to reside in Howard County to participate, making this accessible to families across our broader community. If you are looking for enriching weekend programming that fosters empowerment, community, and learning, please see the attached flyer for registration details and additional information!

Join us Thursdays after school for a fun, welcoming hour where kids build character through timeless stories, games, songs, and hands-on activities! Good News Club helps children grow in kindness, honesty, respect, and courage—values every family can embrace. Through engaging Bible-based lessons, kids explore what it means to be a good friend, make wise choices, and treat others with compassion.

All students are welcome, regardless of background or belief. Our goal is simply to support your child's character development in a positive, encouraging space led by caring volunteers.

To sign up, email us to request a parent permission slip. We can't wait to see your child there!

• Organization: Child Evangelism Fellowship
• Ages: K-5th grade
• Location: 7075 Montgomery Road, Elkridge, MD 21075

Check out permission slip HERE.

👉The PTA is all about connection—parents, teachers, and staff coming together to make our school a place where every child thrives. Even 30 minutes or an hour of your time can make a big difference!

👉 Join the PTA: Becoming a member helps strengthen our community and gives you a voice. Link to Join the PTA: https://elkridgepta.givebacks.com/shop/items/1205656

👉 Get involved in events: Want to help with planning or volunteering? Send us a quick email at info@eespta.com, and we’ll add you to our event planning list.

As we establish our daily routines, we want to remind all families of district-wide visitor guidelines. Per updated HCPSS policy, parent lunch visits are no longer permitted at any school, joining the HCPSS established policy prohibiting parent visits during recess.

Limiting access during these times is essential for maintaining safe and secure school buildings. It helps reduce disruptions, supports structured student routines, and minimizes non-essential foot traffic in high-density areas.

We deeply value our family connections and encourage parents to stay engaged through regular communication with teachers, attending school-wide family events, or serving as official, certified volunteers within our building. For more comprehensive details on district guidelines, please review the HCPSS School Visitation Guidelines.

Thank you for your understanding, partnership, and continued support in keeping our school environment safe and focused on learning!

As we plan for the school year, your voice matters most! What are your family’s needs? How can we best support you, and what programs and learning sessions would you like to see Elkridge offer this year?

Please take a few minutes to complete our EES Family Needs Survey / Encuesta sobre necesidades familiares. Your input directly shapes our community partnerships, basic-needs supports (such as holiday assistance, food pantry access, coats, and eyeglasses), and our Title I family learning workshops in areas like math, reading, and social-emotional growth. The survey also highlights exciting ways to get involved this year, including our Family School Partnership Team, Coffee & Conversation with Administration, Classroom Coordinators, and Watch D.O.G.S.

The survey is available in both English and Spanish. If you have any questions or need assistance connecting with resources, please feel free to reach out to our Family and Community Engagement Contact, Joanna Paterson (joanna_paterson@hcpss.org), or our Multi-Achievement Liaison, Bawi Tial (bawi_tial@hcpss.org). Thank you for partnering with us to ensure every Elkster and family has the resources they need to thrive!

• September 15-Oct.15: Hispanic Heritage Month

• September 17: Constitution Day

• September 21: Schools & Offices Closed - Yom Kippur

• September 25: SIP-at-a-Glance Posted to School Website

• September 28: Fall Picture Day

• September 30: Schools Close 3 Hours Early; No half-day Pre-K/RECC - Staff Professional Learning/Workday

• October: National Principal Month