The Elkster

Hello EES Families and Community,

We are officially in the home stretch with just 8 days of school remaining, and what an exciting time it is to be an Elkster! As the school year draws to a close, our calendar is filled with special celebrations, grade-level picnics, and opportunities to recognize our students' incredible accomplishments

Last week, our 4th and 5th graders truly shone and made us incredibly proud. On Wednesday, our 5th graders participated in a highly successful Simulated Congressional Hearing, demonstrating impressive knowledge, confidence, and poise as they showcased their learning about citizenship and democracy.

Then on Friday, our 4th and 5th grade band, orchestra, and chorus students took the stage at Guilford Park High School for their spring concert and delivered an outstanding performance. Watching our students share their talents and celebrate the results of their hard work is one of the greatest joys of this time of year.

As we celebrate these final days together, we are grateful for the many ways our scholars continue to learn, lead, and shine.

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Lashonne Wright, Assistant Principal

Please take a moment to read the attached announcement confirming Elkridge Elementary's transition to a Title I Schoolwide Program for the 2026–2027 school year.

Following our thorough planning process with the district office, MSDE, and your invaluable survey and in-person feedback, we have received formal approval — and we couldn't be more excited to move forward together. This schoolwide designation gives us far greater flexibility to strengthen supports, enhance educational opportunities, and serve every scholar across our entire community. We are so grateful for your partnership in shaping this path forward for our hive, and we look forward to sharing more details about expanded supports and services at the start of the new school year!

As we head into the final weeks of the school year, please review these important reminders and procedures to help us keep our routines running safely and smoothly:

• 📚 Library Book Returns: Student book checkout has ended for the school year. Please take a few moments to check around the house, under beds, and in backpacks for any library books and help your child return them to the Media Center as soon as possible.

• ⏰ Finish the Year Strong with Attendance: We have so many exciting activities and important learning opportunities planned during these final weeks! Please help your child maintain strong attendance and arrive on time each day as we finish the school year together.

• 🧸 Leave Toys & Cards at Home: As we finish out the year, please remind your child that toys, balls, and playing or trading cards should stay at home. These items can become a distraction and a source of conflict during the school day. It's always a good idea to do a quick backpack check before heading out the door!

• 🕛 Half Days — Tuesday through Thursday Next Week: Please note that the last three days of school are half days for students, with dismissal at 12:55 PM. Please plan accordingly and make sure your child's pickup arrangements are in place!

• 👕 Lost & Found: Don't let those missing hoodies and water bottles spend the summer with us! Please remind your child to check the lost and found, or stop by when you're in the building. Any remaining items will be donated after the last day of school.

• 🪪 Safety First — Photo IDs Required: Student safety remains our top priority. Please remember that a valid photo ID is always required when volunteering at school or checking a student out early. Thank you for your partnership in helping us keep our building safe and secure!

Students with medications in the health room this year will be receiving letters home in their backpacks reminding families that medications must be picked up by a parent/guardian prior to the end of the school year. We cannot send medication home in student's backpacks. Any medication not picked up will be destroyed.

As a reminder for the next school year, medication orders must be dated after July 1. All medications must be in properly labelled containers that include the following information:

• Student name

• Medication name

• Time and frequency of medication

• Date of medication order

• Prescriber's name

• Expiration date of medication

Pharmacy bottles will include all of this information. Over the counter medications should be labelled with the student's name in black marker and brought to the health room in new, unopened containers. Please ensure the medication orders state why the student is taking the medication, the parent signs the order, and if "as needed/PRN", the symptoms are listed!

Please feel free to reach out to the Health Room at 410-313-8506 with any questions!

It is hard to believe, but the end of the school year is just around the corner! To celebrate our scholars' hard work and growth, each grade level will be hosting an end-of-year picnic.

Please note that these grade-level gatherings are 30 minutes long (with the exception of Pre-K) and will be held outside, weather permitting. Families are welcome to join their students on the grass, so feel free to bring a beach towel or blanket to sit on!

Please save the date for your scholar's specific picnic time below:

• Pre-K 3: Friday, May 29th @ 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM (This time applies to BOTH AM and PM classes!)

• Pre-K 4: Wednesday, June 10th @ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

• Kindergarten: Thursday, June 11th @ 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

• 1st Grade: Friday, June 5th @ 10:40 AM – 11:10 AM

• 2nd Grade: Thursday, June 4th @ 11:40 AM – 12:10 PM

• 3rd Grade: Friday, June 12th @ 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM

• 4th Grade: Monday, June 1st @ 1:10 PM – 1:40 PM

• 5th Grade: Tuesday, June 9th @12:40 - 1:10 pm

Stay tuned for any specific lunch or volunteer details from your child's homeroom teacher as their date approaches!

The HCPSS Pre-K Program is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 school year! The Pre-K Program is offered at no cost to families who qualify and is made available to eligible children in all attendance areas. Children must be four years old on or before September 1, 2026, to be considered for fall 2026 enrollment and must also meet the eligibility criteria.

Please visit the HCPSS Pre-K Program website for information about the program, eligibility criteria, and how to apply. If you have additional questions about the program, please contact the Office of Early Childhood Programs at 410-313-6836.

It is bittersweet to say, but the time has come to prepare our amazing 5th graders for their final weeks as Elksters! We are incredibly proud of the leadership, growth, and perseverance they have shown this year, and we look forward to celebrating their hard work, memories, and next steps with a series of special end-of-year events.

Please review the important dates, activity details, and reminders below to help our oldest scholars finish their elementary journey strong. Thank you for your partnership in making these final weeks meaningful, memorable, and full of celebration for the Class of 2026!

• Wednesday, June 3: Simulated Congressional Hearing (SCH)
• Friday, June 5: Band, Orchestra and Chorus Concert @ GPHS
• Tuesday, June 9: 5th Grade Picnic @ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm (lunch is 12:40 - 1:10 pm)
• Friday, June 12: 5th Grade Promotion @ 10 am.
• Due to space, we can only alot 2 tickets per student. We apologize for any inconvenience.

• Friday, June 12: PTA Sponsored 5th Grade Social. ELMS @ 6:30 pm.

We frequently receive inquiries from families asking how they can show their appreciation and gratitude to our dedicated teachers and staff members throughout the year. We are fortunate to have such a supportive community!

To help guide your thoughtful gestures, we have compiled a "Staff Favorite Things" list. This Google Form contains specific preferences submitted by our EES staff, which you can use for ideas if you choose to show your thanks! EES Staff Favorite Things List

Please note: Staff members are continuing to submit their information, so check back occasionally for updates!

Take a look below at the upcomming events!

👉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.

There are a lot of fun upcoming events for EES families. Click on the images to link to the folder of PTA flyers.

• 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!

• June 11-15: Full Day for Students
• June 12: 5th Grade Promotion
• June 14: Flag Day
• June 15: Last Day for ½ Day PreK/RECC
• June 16-June 18: Schools Close 3 Hours Early - Professional Work Day
• June 18: Last Day for Students
• June 19: Schools & Offices Closed - Juneteenth