CHES CUB NEWS

This school year, we're inviting every CHES family to hop on the CubStrong Bus as we journey toward a year filled with learning, growth, and success! Every stop along the way is an opportunity for our students to build new skills, make lasting memories, and reach their full potential.

We need your partnership to keep our bus rolling! By making attendance a priority, encouraging a positive attitude, staying connected with your child's teacher, and supporting learning at home, you're helping every Cub arrive at their destination ready to succeed.

So grab a seat, buckle up, and join us—we're excited to travel this CubStrong journey together!

The Judy Center Early Learning Hub provides resources to help parents and caregivers prepare their children for success in school and life. We serve children and their families living in the Church Hill Elementary School zone from birth through age five. We also serve children who reside anywhere in Queen Anne's County IF they have an IEP/IFSP or if they are experiencing housing insecurities.

We provide home learning kits, playgroups, home-visits, field trips, parent/caregiver support and food assistance. All of these services are FREE!

In addition, we can connect families to other services such as adult education classes, childcare support, healthcare services and much more.

Contact us to learn more!

stacey.woodworth@qacps.org 410.556.6681 ext. 302

443.988.3688

Please complete your cubs infosnap for the 26-27 school year. We want to make sure all your information is updated and ready for the new school year.

https://secure.infosnap.com/family/message...

You will need your child(s) Snapcode to continue the registration process. (This was printed on the back of the end of the year Progress Report. If you cannot locate that, please feel free to email Brenda.Spence@qacps.org to obtain that code).

We can't wait to welcome our CubStrong families back for an evening of meeting teachers, exploring classrooms, and learning about the exciting year ahead! Strong home-school partnerships help our students thrive, and we look forward to seeing you there.

PreKindergarten and Kindergarten students have scheduled family conferences on August 24th and 25th. The teachers are so excited to meet you and hear about your child. Your designated time was included in your teacher assignment letter. Contact the school if you need assistance with your conference time.

At Church Hill Elementary School, we believe that learning happens best when every child feels safe, respected, and supported. This year, we will continue to teach and reinforce our ROAR expectations in every classroom, hallway, cafeteria, bus, playground, and school activity.

ROAR stands for:

🟢 Respect – We treat ourselves, others, and our school with kindness and care. We listen, use kind words, and value everyone's differences.

🟢 Ownership – We take responsibility for our choices, actions, and learning. We come prepared, complete our work, and learn from our mistakes.

🟢 Attitude – We approach each day with a positive mindset, do our best, and persevere through challenges. A positive attitude helps us learn, grow, and encourage others.

🟢 Responsibility – We make safe choices, follow school expectations, and contribute positively to our classrooms and school community.

These expectations are taught, modeled, and celebrated throughout the school year. Students who demonstrate ROAR behaviors will be recognized for making positive choices and helping make CHES a welcoming place for everyone.

How Families Can Help

You play an important role in reinforcing these expectations at home. We encourage you to:

• Talk with your child about what Respect, Ownership, Attitude, and Responsibility look like at home and at school.
• Celebrate positive choices and effort.
• Encourage your child to solve problems respectfully and take responsibility for their actions.
• Partner with us by communicating with your child's teacher and supporting our shared expectations.

When school and home work together, students thrive. Thank you for partnering with us as we help every Cub learn, grow, and ROAR each day!

Together, we are CubStrong! Every Cub. Every Day.

https://www.myschoolapps.com/

3rd and 4th grade students may purchase snacks Monday-Friday and ice cream on Wednesdays.

Prices are listed below. If you would like your child to purchase snack please add money to their account of send them with money. Prices will be coming soon.

Chips, Cookies, Rice Krispy Treats

Wednesday only

Ice Cream Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches and Push Pops

We love our cubs and we love celebrating their birthdays. We recognize them on the morning announcements and each one receives a special birthday pencil, a song at lunch, and lots of high fives and "Happy Birthdays" throughout the day. Due the number of food allergies and our wellness policy we are asking that families refrain from sending in any cupcakes or treats. If you would like to provide your child's class a party favor such as pencils, erasers, or stickers to celebrate please feel free but not obligated.

Our school doors open at 8:40 am. Bus riders and car riders are permitted in the building at that time. Students are available for pick up 3:30 pm. Students board buses beginning at 3:30 as the buses arrive.

If a 90 minute delay is announced, our students may enter the building at 10:10 am.

On early dismissal days, students are dismissed at 1:00pm.

If you are picking up your child before dismissal, 3:15 PM is the latest time to sign out in the office. After 3:15 PM, they will be in the car rider line.

Please call the office by 3 PM if your student will be a pick up that day. Please reach out to the front office as the teachers do not always have a chance to check their email throughout the day.

Please let the front office know in advance. We ask that you call the school by 3:00 pm for any changes to your child's regular departure from school.

Car riders will be dropped off and picked up on the parking lot side of our school.

Doors open at 8:40 am and close at 8:55 am. If you arrive after 8:55 am please come to the front entrance with your cub.

There are two lanes in the morning and three in the afternoon.

No need to get out of your car. The staff on duty (Ms. Quigley, Mrs. Hosler, Mrs. Phelps, Officer Patrick and Mrs. Kusmider) will help get our cubs out of the car.

You can assist by having seatbelts off and backpacks on when you get to the departure area.

Once your child is in the building other staff are available to escort them to class.

RIGHT TURNS ONLY WHEN YOU ARE LEAVING OUR PARKING LOT.

You will receive a pink card with your child's name on it. Please have it displayed in he front dash of your car. Having your pink card displayed helps the process move quickly and smoothly/

Dismissal Time begins at 3:30 pm.

If you are having someone else pick up your child, please call the office and let them know they will need to display ID at pick up time.
You will not need to get out of your car. Cars will move forward and your student will be escorted to your car.

WHEN YOU LEAVE OUR SCHOOL PARKING LOT PLEASE TURN RIGHT. RIGHT TURNS ONLY!

PLEASE BE PATIENT AND FOLLOW OUR STAFF ON DUTY. OUR CUBS SAFETY IS NUMBER #1.

We are so fortunate to have safe and caring bus drivers. Driver routes are still a work in progress. Your child's driver should contact you with approximate pick-up and drop-off times. If you have questions for your child's driver, their contact information is below.

Thank you for giving your drivers a 10 minute window for morning and afternoon arrivals. Please remind your students of bus expectations. We want our drivers to keep their eyes on the roads at all times. Our students can help them by following the expectations below.

We are pleased to notify you that in accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, you have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s teacher. Specifically, you may request the following:

● Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

● Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria has been waived.

● Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline or the certification of the teacher.

● Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

Additionally, we will provide you with information on the level of achievement and academic growth of your students on each State academic assessment required and provide timely notice that your student has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

Regular school attendance is one of the greatest predictors of student success. Every day your child is in school, they build important academic skills, strengthen friendships, and participate in learning experiences that can't be fully replaced when they're absent.

At CHES, we encourage every Cub to be here, on time, and ready to learn each day. While we understand that illnesses and emergencies happen, we ask families to schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible and to make attendance a priority.

Together, we can help every student grow, learn, and thrive. Thank you for partnering with us to make attendance a priority—because every day is an opportunity to learn, connect, and be CubStrong!

At CHES, being CubStrong means showing up ready to learn! We ask for your partnership in making daily attendance a priority so every Cub has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Thank you for helping us build a stronger school—one day at a time!

The safety of our students, staff, and support personnel is a top priority at CHES. To maintain a secure environment for learning, we conduct regular training and drills throughout the school year. These practices are crucial to ensure that we are prepared for any emergency situation.

This year, we will be participating in various safety drills, including:

• Fire Drills

• Evacuation Drills

• Severe Weather Drills

• Lockdown Drills

• Earthquake Drills

Each type of drill is designed to address specific safety needs and will be announced to staff and students in advance.

Lockdown Drills: We will conduct five lockdown drills during the months of September, November, October, January, February, and May. During a lockdown drill, the school building will be secured, and all students, staff, and visitors will be sheltered inside. The purpose of this drill is to protect everyone from potential threats either outside or inside the building. All perimeter doors will be locked and will remain locked until the drill is complete. No one will be allowed to enter or exit the building during any school safety training or drills. I will be notifying you after every Lockdown drill through our school messenger email.

These drills are essential for keeping our school environment safe and ensuring that everyone knows how to respond effectively in an emergency. If you or your student have any concerns about participating in these safety practices, please feel free to contact me directly.

For more information on QACPS school safety drills, you can click [here].

Thank you for your support and understanding.

If you have any questions regarding safety drills or other safety concerns, please email Joe Saboury, QACPS Coordinator of School Safety and Security, at shawn.richards@qacps.org.

Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17th.

Students are invited to wear Red, White, and Blue.

Classrooms will learn about the constitution. They will establish classroom rules and their own classroom constitutions.

Third and Fourth grade students will hear Student Council Speeches and vote for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer offices. There will be more information about becoming a Cub Council member when school begins. Thank you to Mrs. Wright and Nurse Claire for leading our Cub Council this school year.

Goal: Build meaningful, two-way communication that strengthens partnerships between school, families, and the community to support student success.

School Will:

• Send a monthly Cub Connection newsletter.

• Maintain active communication through Facebook, Remind, and the school website.

• Ensure teachers communicate weekly with families regarding academic and behavioral progress.

• Offer translation services and communication in families' preferred language when possible.

Families Will Have Opportunities To:

• Complete beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year family surveys.

• Attend Family Engagement Activities and PTO meetings.

• Participate in Parent-Teacher Conferences and Back to School Night.

• Submit questions and suggestions through QR codes, email, phone calls, or the school office.

School Leadership Will:

• Review survey feedback each quarter.

• Share results with staff.

• Develop action steps based on family input.

• Communicate back to families using a "You Said...We Did" section in newsletters or on the website.

Measures of Success

• Increase family survey participation by 20%.

• Achieve 90% participation in Parent-Teacher Conferences.

• Increase attendance at family engagement events.

• Reduce unresolved family concerns by responding within 24 hours

• Families report feeling informed and valued on annual climate surveys.

Choptank Health's School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, provide medical, dental, nutrition, music therapy and behavioral health services to students and staff in partnership with the County Public Schools. The SBHCs are staffed by licensed clinicians, including physician assistants and certified nurse practitioners.