The Weekly Update #4

Hello EES Families and Community!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying prevention starts at home, too. Families can make a difference by keeping the lines of communication open and regularly talking with children about friendships, school experiences, group chats, social media, and how they and their peers treat one another.

Encourage your child to identify trusted adults they can turn to when something doesn't feel right. Talk about what they can safely do if they witness someone being mistreated—such as getting an adult, refusing to join in or laugh, checking on the student afterward, or reporting what they saw.

Being an upstander applies online, too. Remind children that liking, sharing, forwarding, commenting on, or reposting hurtful content can increase its impact. Instead, encourage them to avoid participating, save evidence when appropriate, support the person being targeted, and tell a trusted adult.

Children also learn from what they see. Modeling kindness, empathy, inclusion, and respect for others helps reinforce the behaviors we want to see in our schools and communities.

Talk. Notice. Include. Speak Up. Together, we can help create communities where every student feels safe, supported, and valued.

More bullying prevention information and resources can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website.

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal
Jayme Brewrink, Assistant Principal

This month, Elkridge is celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month and National Bullying Prevention Week. This month celebrates LGBTQ community members and allies. We also learn about bullying and how to prevent it. For more information, please look at the LGBTQ+ History Month Newsletter. See below for ways we will be celebrating as a school community.

Spirit Week:

• Monday, Oct. 19: Pajama Day. Be comfy! Everyone should be comfortable with who they are.
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Identity Day. Wear clothes that represent your culture and identity.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21: Unity Day, Wear Orange. Send a visible message of kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to prevent bullying. pacer.org/unityday
• Thursday, Oct. 22: Dress Loud, Stand Proud. Celebrate Disability Awareness Month by wearing bright, vibrant, or mismatched clothing to celebrate diversity.
• Friday, Oct. 23: Team Up Against Bullying. Wear your favorite sports team or school colors.

While we celebrate National Bullying Prevention Week, consider taking some photos of your spirit week outfits to share on the morning announcements!

How to participate:

1. Choose a picture of your family celebrating a holiday, sharing a meal, attending a festival, visiting family, or enjoying everyday time together.

2. Email the photo to Megan Tiralla, megan_tiralla@hcpss.org by 10/ 24 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!")

Next time you visit, you might notice something new and exciting in our hallways—our stairwells have been transformed into a giant 120-chart, thanks to our amazing PTA!

We are so excited to bring math to life by turning everyday transitions, like walking to lunch or Related Arts, into an active learning adventure. As our students physically climb the stairs, they aren't just moving their feet—they are building spatial number sense. By tracking how numbers grow vertically by tens and horizontally by ones, abstract place-value concepts become a concrete, physical experience. It’s a wonderful way to turn "hallway time" into an engaging, collaborative moment where students naturally spot number patterns and talk about math with their peers!

The Math Team has included some quick math questions and activities you can do with your child that connects to our new Stairway to Math!

EES Math Team (Kourtney Gains, Math Coach; Kaitlyn Runge, Rachel Benne, and Tracy Stansbury, Math Specialists)

Tuesday, October 27: End of Quarter 1

We can't believe the first quarter is already wrapping up! Thank you for all you do to support your Elkster's learning at home.

Wednesday, October 28: No School for Students
Schools are closed for students so staff can take part in professional learning and work on report cards.

Friday, November 6: Report Cards Available (after 4:00 PM)
Quarter 1 report cards will be available in HCPSS Connect. You can also check your child's Canvas page anytime to see their grades and progress.

• Sign in to HCPSS Connect
• How to view grades in HCPSS Connect
• Guides for Synergy, Canvas, and Family File (Emergency Cards)

Reading Updates: DIBELS Home Connect Reports
Last week, every K–5 Elkster brought home a DIBELS Home Connect report in their Friday folder, showing how they're growing as a reader. Families of K–3 students who will receive a Student Reading Improvement Plan (SRIP) were also notified last week. If you have questions about either, please reach out to your child's teacher. To learn more, visit HCPSS Ready to Read Act.

Save the Date: Parent-Teacher Conferences, November 23–25
It's a great chance to talk through report cards and reading progress together.

This round of conferences focuses on ELA and homeroom; math conferences will take place in February.

• Conferences are 20 minutes.
• Monday, November 23 conferences are in person, and Tuesday–Wednesday, November 24–25 conferences are virtual.
• Sign-ups open Friday, November 6, at 8:00 AM and close Thursday, November 19, at 4:00 PM.

We don’t hold Halloween activities during the school day at EES. This helps us respect the many beliefs and traditions of our school community and keep the day focused on learning, so please have your Elkster leave costumes at home.

Looking for some spooky fun? Join us for the PTA Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 23, at 6:00 PM at EES! It’s a great chance for families to dress up, enjoy treats, and celebrate together as a school community. 🦌

What a night! More than 300 families joined us last Thursday for Family Science Night with the Maryland Science Center. The gym was buzzing with Elksters exploring, experimenting, and discovering together. A special shout-out to Dr. Swann, who organized the event and welcomed every family through our doors!

We love having families in our building, so keep an eye out for more chances to join us, starting with the PTA Trunk or Treat this Friday!

The first Elk Day of the school year will be Friday, Oct. 30. There will be activities including pod parties and an Elk Buck trade in! Quarterly awards will also be presented within classrooms. We are asking that students wear their grade level colors, if possible.

It's going to be a day of fun, so we can celebrate all the great things students have done this quarter!

New this year! School policies can be hard to find and even harder to read. Each week, "Have You Herd?" will break down one HCPSS policy into what families really need to know.

HCPSS believes students should be able to dress comfortably for school, and that choosing what to wear is mainly up to students and their families. Here are the basics:

• Every day, students need a shirt, a bottom, and shoes. Bottoms can be pants, sweatpants, shorts, a skirt, a dress, or leggings.
• Clothes need to cover. The chest, midriff (stomach), bottom, and private areas should be covered with non-see-through fabric, and underwear shouldn’t be visible.
• Hats and hoods are okay, as long as your child’s face stays visible. Masks or headgear that cover the face aren’t allowed, except for religious reasons or school activities.
• Keep it kind and school-friendly. Clothing can’t show violence, weapons, profanity, or messages that put down a person or group.
• Need an exception? If your child must wear something for religious or medical reasons, please reach out to administration.

Elkster tip: Recess is outdoors as the weather turns colder, so send your child in layers and shoes they can run and play in!

Full details: HCPSS Policy 9210. Thank you for being 100% ALL In with us!

These classes provide fun, structured, educational, and enriching activities for students on site at Elkridge ES, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents!

• Elkridge ES Fall 2026 Before & After School Classes Flier).

👉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.

Register Now

Link to Flyer

• 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!

• October 19-23: Fall Bus Evacuations & National School Bus Safety Week
• October 27: End of 1st Quarter
• October 28: Schools Closed for Students - Staff Professional Learning/Workday
• November: Native American Heritage Month
• November 1: Daylight Saving Time Ends
• November 2-6: National School Psychology Week
• November 3: Schools & Offices Closed - Election Day
• November 6: Report Cards Issued @ 4:00 pm