BWES BEAR FACTS August 18, 2026

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We are excited to partner with you as we begin another year of learning, growth, and success.

Please take a few minutes to read through this newsletter carefully. It contains important information, key dates, required forms, and updates to help your family have a smooth start to the school year.

We look forward to an amazing year with our Bryant Woods students and families. Thank you for being an important part of our school community!

The Front Office Team is here to help!

• Principal, Dr. Khaleel Desaque Khaleel_Desaque@hcpss.org
• Assistant Principal, Ms. Deanna Mingo Deanna_Mingo@hcpss.org
• Community Schools Site Coordinator Ms. Christina Hines christina_hines@hcpss.org

• Principal's Secretary, Ms. Jomika Tatum Jomika_Tatum@hcpss.org
• PreK-5 Registrar/Teacher Secretary Ms. Debra Eleam Debra_Eleam@hcpss.org
• Teacher Secretary Ms. Stephenie Arcido Stephanie_Arcido@hcpss.org

• Monday, August 24: First Day of School (Grades K-5)
• Thursday, August 27: First Day of School (Pre-K)

• Monday, September 7th: Schools and offices closed – Labor Day

• Tuesday, September 8: Back to School Night - Please note time change!
  • PreK–Grade 2 & Grades 3-5 (5:00-7:30) Specific times to be determined.

• Monday, September 21st: Schools and offices closed –Yom Kippur

https://www.hcpss.org/f/news/calendars/calendar-202627.pdf

HCPSS: 26-27 School Calendar Dates Only

https://www.hcpss.org/f/news/calendars/datesonly202627.pdf

HCPSS: School Closure Status

https://status.hcpss.org/

🚨 ACTION REQUIRED: Complete Your Family File & FARMs Application

Every Bryant Woods Elementary family must complete a new Family File and submit a FARMs application for every student each school year.

Family File

Updating your Family File ensures we have current emergency contacts and medical information if your child becomes ill or there is an emergency. It is also required for students to participate in field trips.

FARMs Application

Even if you don’t think your family will qualify, please apply. The application may provide eligible families with benefits such as:

• Free or reduced-price meals
• Discounted internet service
• College application fee waivers
• Reduced JumpStart tuition
• And other valuable resources

Just as importantly, every completed FARMs application helps Bryant Woods maintain critical funding for programs that benefit all students, including free breakfast, Title I services, Community Schools programming, and other state and federal resources.

Please complete both items as soon as possible.

Family File: https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2026/08/update-your-family-file-emergency-information-for-the-2026-2027-school-year/

FARMs Application: https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new?identifier=GA4UME

LINK TO SIGN UP: https://families.talkingpts.org/welcome

TalkingPoints is a free communication tool and app that connects families with their children's teachers and schools. It translates messages into over 150 languages so parents can read and reply in their home language.

Key Features for Families

• Two-Way Translation: Receive school updates in your language and reply in that same language.
• Flexible Access: Use standard text messaging (SMS) on a basic phone, the mobile app, or the web.
• No Cost: The platform is free for families, though standard carrier text rates may apply.

What Families Can Do

• Get direct updates from teachers about classwork and events.
• Track student progress and learning goals.
• Respond to school polls, alerts, and announcements.

Pre-Kindergarten Team:

The safety of our students is our highest priority. Each morning and afternoon, Bryant Woods Elementary staff members are stationed throughout the building and campus to help ensure students arrive and depart safely. Homeroom teachers will greet students as they enter the building to help start each day with a warm welcome.

To help keep arrival and dismissal safe and efficient for everyone, we ask all Bryant Woods families to follow the procedures below.

Morning Arrival

School doors open at 8:25 a.m. Students should not arrive before 8:25 a.m., as staff supervision is not available prior to that time.

• Bus riders should enter through the designated bus entrance.
• Walkers and car riders should enter through the main entrance unless otherwise directed by school staff.
• Families walking students to school should say their goodbyes outside the building so students can enter independently.

Instruction begins promptly at 8:45 a.m. Students arriving after 8:45 a.m. (who are not arriving on a late bus) will be marked tardy.

If your child arrives after 8:45 a.m., a parent or guardian MUST accompany them to the front entrance, ring the bell, and sign them into the office before they receive a late pass. Please do not send in late students by themselves.

Dismissal:

Please plan to be at the designated walker zones or car rider line by 3:15 p.m., and your child will come directly to you. If your child is a car rider, remain in the car line, and follow all traffic patterns. For safety reasons, staff will not buckle seat belts or car seats, so now is a great time to practice this skill with your child. Also, please remember that dogs are not permitted on school property, including during arrival and dismissal times.

Arrival & Dismissal Reminders

• The playground is closed before school and should not be used during arrival.
• Please follow all directions from Bryant Woods staff during arrival and dismissal.
• Help us model safe behavior by using designated crosswalks and remaining alert in all traffic areas.

CAR RIDERS

To help keep traffic moving safely:

• Follow the established traffic pattern and all staff directions for both arrival and dismissal. (see map below).
• Please remain in your vehicle during arrival and dismissal.
• Do not park and walk students to or from the building unless you are signing in a late arrival or conducting school business.
• Display your car rider tag each afternoon so staff can quickly identify your student. To register for this years car tag click here. All families must re-register yearly.
• COMPLETE YOUR CAR TAG REGISTRATION HERE AND PICK UP TAG AT TABLE DURING OPEN HOUSE! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHKcT9mOzh3GAz9teVccwGIDsSijg0vQ2tYy8m6qLFsEw0Xg/viewform?usp=header
• Pull forward as directed before loading or unloading your child.
• Have your child ready to exit or enter the vehicle promptly to keep the line moving.

BUS/VAN RIDERS

• Bus/van riders will be dropped off in the bus loop in front of the building. No cars are permitted in the bus loop during arrival or dismissal.

To find your child’s bus number and estimated pickup and drop-off times, please use the HCPSS Bus Locator. https://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=HCP2IOASIJVW

Please remember that posted times are estimates. We recommend arriving at the bus stop 10 minutes early and allowing up to 10 minutes after the scheduled time for buses to arrive.

WALKERS

• Please use designated crosswalks when crossing streets surrounding the school.
• Students will be dismissed to the designated walker meeting area on the black top.
• Families should wait in the designated pickup area rather than walking to the building entrance.

Thank you for your patience and partnership. By working together and following these procedures, we can provide a safe, welcoming, and efficient start and end to every school day for all Bryant Woods students.

2026-27 Supply List

🏀⚽🎾🥎🏐🏈BWES RA Schedule 2026-2027 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER. 🏀⚽🎾🥎🏐🏈

CHECK IT OUT!

HCPSS COLOR DAYS Week of 8/24- 9/30

NO Food Deliveries to the School:

We do not accept food deliveries from DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, or any outside vendors. We have received a high volume of student lunch deliveries, and we are unable to manage them without risking students missing lunch. In addition, frequent deliveries create safety and security concerns.

Bryant Woods Elementary provides free breakfast and lunch for all students. If there is an emergency regarding your child’s lunch, please contact the front office to discuss your situation.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please see the following link for the updated 26-27 lunch schedule and select Bryant Woods ES for the daily lunch offerings. School lunch menus can be found online via LINQ Connect, the program HCPSS uses for purchasing lunch.

🌟 Stay Connected with BWES PTA! 🌟

📲 One easy link for everything: https://LinkTr.ee/bwespta

From our Linktree, you can:

🐻💚 Sign up or renew your PTA Membership

Stay connected, get involved, and support our BWES Bears!

• Kindergarten and New Student Registration is Open!

  Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1? If so, now is the time to register for kindergarten at Bryant Woods Elementary School!

  We are excited to welcome our newest Bears, and we encourage families to register as soon as possible.

  Why register early?

  Student enrollment directly impacts Bryant Woods’ staffing. The number of students registered determines how many teachers our school is allocated, and staffing adjustments can occur throughout the first quarter. Registering early helps ensure we have the appropriate number of teachers and resources in place to support every student from the very first day of school.

  Please help us spread the word! If you know neighbors, friends, or family members with a child entering kindergarten or students new to the Bryant Woods attendance area, encourage them to register today.

  Click the button below to begin the registration process. We can’t wait to welcome our newest Bryant Woods learners!

  Registration Information & Reminders

  • Registration is required for all students who are new to Bryant Woods Elementary School.
  • Students entering Grades 1–5 who are new to Howard County should register as soon as possible. Please don’t wait until the first day of school.
  • Current HCPSS Pre-K students do not need to register again for kindergarten. They are already enrolled.
  • Moving this summer? Please contact your child’s new assigned school to begin the transfer process and verify your school assignment.
  • Moving during the school year? Families may choose to remain at their current school for the remainder of the school year or transfer to their new assigned school. Please update your Family File with your new address and contact your child’s current school for assistance.
  • Families who need English Language Development (ELD) services or language assistance with registration should contact the Multilingual Family Registration Center at 410-313-1297.

  We look forward to welcoming all of our new Bryant Woods students and families to the BWES community! 🐾

• Start your registration here: rhttps://www.hcpss.org/enroll/

The Health Room is seeking the following donations:

• Small bottles of water

• Individual packets of Goldfish Crackers

• Clorox Wipes

Medicating Students

Any medications required during school hours including prescription, “over-the-counter” (OTC) and homeopathic/herbal medications require a medication order signed by an approved health care provider and are subject to the HCPSS medication policy and procedure.

Approved Non-Medications Students are allowed to bring to school:

The items below are not considered medications. Students may bring the items to school without a medical prescription. Health Services requests that a parent/guardian note accompany the item to serve as permission to bring to school.

• Sunscreen - Sunscreen must be supplied by an individual student and is not to be shared with other students due to potential allergens and skin reactions

• Chapstick

• Hand lotion

• Non-medicated cough drops

• Saline contact solution

Please ensure that you update the Health Room with any new health concerns for your student during this school year. If your student requires medication at school, please have a completed medication form from your physician. The completed form and medication must be brought to the Health Room by a parent or legal guardian. Applicable forms and general Health Services information can be found HERE. All students, staff, and visitors are required to perform daily health checks and may not enter any HCPSS building or assigned bus if they exhibit any signs of a communicable disease. Our communicable disease guidelines, including infection control protocols, are listed HERE.

• For additional Health Room questions, please contact our School Nurse.

• Robin Schwartz - Robin_Schwartz@hcpss.org

COMING SOON!

https://app.smore.com/n/wnj2g

Resources or information that may be provided is not sponsored or endorsed by HCPSS, but serves to extend resources for students and families.

Coming Soon!

School Website & Links

HCPSS 26-27 School Year Info https://www.hcpss.org/2026-2027/

Bryant Woods Elementary School Home | Bryant Woods Elementary School

School System Calendar and Closings

What Your Child Will Learn Guides – HCPSS

Canvas for Parents: How-To Guide

HCPSS Community News and Programs