The Elkster

Hello EES Families and Community,

This school year, Elkridge Elementary transitioned into a Targeted Title I school. This shift provided us with critical resources and staffing to better support our students and families. Specifically, these targeted funds allowed us to:

• Expand our Instructional Team: We added an additional Reading Specialist and three Math Specialists to provide focused academic support.

• Strengthen Family Connections: We introduced a FACE (Family & Community Engagement) Liaison and created engagement opportunities geared specifically toward the needs of students receiving additional services through Title I.

Why Your Feedback Matters

This was our first year with these additional resources, and we want to know how it’s working for you. This feedback will allow us to determine family satisfaction with our Title I programming and help us plan for the future. Please take a moment to complete the HCPSS Title I Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Input Survey. Your input is vital in providing feedback on the district’s engagement plan and how parent engagement funds are used.

☕ Looking Ahead: Coffee & Conversation

Please be on the lookout for an invitation for a Coffee and Conversation event. We value your perspective as we discuss the potential transition to a schoolwide Title I model. Please join us to share your vision for how these resources can best serve our families.

• English Survey: tinyurl.com/TitleI-Eng
• Spanish Survey: tinyurl.com/TitleI-Span
• For more info, visit: www.hcpss.org/academics/title-i-program/involvement-plan/

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Lashonne Wright, Assistant Principal

A HUGE thank you to all of our families who joined us for Belonging Night on Friday night! It was so wonderful to see everyone enjoying food together, learning about our different cultures, watching performances, and participating in the Fashion Show. Special thanks to the Towstopiat and Yau families for sharing their performance skills with the community!

We hope you all had a great time! Please fill out this feedback form if you have any suggestions or concerns about the event: Belonging Night Feedback Form 2026

You and your future Kindergartener are invited to learn about how you can support your child as a whole learner to help prepare them for Kindergarten in the fall. You will also get the opportunity to connect with other Kindergarten families, you'll meet the teachers, and your Kindergartener will get to meet their classmates. We will provide dinner and you will leave with resources, games, and books to continue the learning at home. Please RSVP here.

We are seeking volunteers to help make this day a success. If you’re interested in assisting for all or part of Field Day, please sign up using the link below.

If you have not yet completed the required HCPSS volunteer training, please be sure to do so before Field Day. The information for the trainings is included below.

We truly appreciate your support in helping make Field Day a fun and successful experience for our students! Field Day Volunteer Sign Up

Volunteer Trainings:

• Confidentiality Training Course:

Thank you for your interest in volunteering within the Howard County School System! We value our volunteers and the contributions they make to our students and schools.

According to HCPSS Board Policy, all parent volunteers must complete a Confidentiality Training Course about protecting the privacy of our students, staff, and schools.

View the brief training presentation and print out a certificate of completion.

• Child Abuse/Neglect Training Course:

To volunteer at Elkridge Elementary School, please watch the attached slideshow, print the HCPSS certificate, and bring it in to one of our school secretaries when completed.

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.

Teacher Appreciation Week is right around the corner, and we’re excited to celebrate our incredible staff!

• Please consider signing up to donate items or volunteer your time using our SignUpGenius below:
• Dates: May 4-8, 2026
• 👉https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0849AFAB2FA46-62509238-eat

Thank you for supporting our school community, we couldn’t do this without you!

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!

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

Looking for fun ways for your child to stay active and engaged this spring? Howard County Recreation & Parks is offering a variety of after-school programs right here at Elkridge Elementary!

Click the link below to view the full schedule of spring offerings and register your student today:

[More Info HERE]

At Elkridge Elementary, our priority is ensuring every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn. To maintain that environment, we want to share a few important reminders about our school-wide expectations and the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct.

The “Get an Adult” Strategy

We teach our students that their first and most important move in a conflict is to seek help. Sometimes, students are told to “defend themselves” if someone puts their hands on them. While we understand the intent behind that advice, at school we teach a different approach:

If someone puts their hands on you—and you can get to an adult—go to an adult immediately.

Why “Engaging Back” Can Escalate the Situation

When a student responds physically, it often escalates the situation and can lead to consequences for everyone involved. Under the Student Code of Conduct, physical retaliation is not considered a safe or appropriate response, even when a student feels provoked. Our goal is always to keep students safe and to resolve conflicts in ways that prevent further harm.

Managing Bodies and Emotions

Our Elksters are still learning how to manage their bodies and navigate big emotions. Our staff works closely with students to build these skills through restorative practices and conflict resolution. We ask for your partnership in reinforcing this message at home: Walking away and finding a trusted adult is one of the most powerful choices a student can make.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school a safe, supportive, and peaceful place for every child.

At Elkridge, safety and belonging go hand in hand—every child deserves both.

All testing sessions begin promptly at 9:30 AM. To ensure your student is settled and ready:

• The "All In" Arrival: Please allow extra time for the car line. Arriving early allows students to eat a healthy breakfast, greet their friends, and start the day with a focused mind.
• The "Closed Door" Policy: Once a testing session begins, late students cannot be admitted to the classroom. To protect the focus of the group, late arrivals will wait in the office and must make up their test at a later date at the discretion of the Testing Coordinator. Students always perform their best when they are with their own teacher and classmates!

• The Ideal Window: Please schedule medical or personal appointments before 9:00 AM or after 3:55 PM.

Do you have a little one getting ready to start school? It is already time to begin the Road to Kindergarten! While registration for the upcoming school year officially begins on March 2, 2026, there are several steps you can take now during the winter months to prepare.

Key Eligibility & Details:

• Age Requirement: Children must be five years old on or before September 1, 2026, to enroll in kindergarten for the upcoming fall.

• Full-Day Program: Please remember that HCPSS kindergarten is a comprehensive, full-day program.

• Mandatory Enrollment: Every eligible child must be enrolled in a kindergarten program this fall or have an approved waiver form.

Steps You Can Take Now:

• Locate Your School: Use the HCPSS School Locator to confirm the school that serves your neighborhood.

• Attend an Info Session: We highly encourage you to attend a Road to Kindergarten parent information session to learn about readiness, the program, and registration.

• Gather Documents: Start collecting the required registration documents now to ensure a smooth process in March.

• Support Readiness: Visit your local Howard County Library System branch for book recommendations and classes, or work through the Early Learning Adventures booklet to help your child prepare.

Link to Flyers: CLICK HERE

• 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!

Guilford Park High School Boosters is proud to offer summer camps in football, cheer, volleyball, soccer, softball, basketball, baseball, football, and field hockey! Registration is now open for rising 4th through 9th graders! Camps are open to ALL rising 4th through 9th graders (you DO NOT) have to be a future GPHS student to attend. See the link below for registration information. Questions...reach out to the GPHS Athletic Director @ Michael_Lerner@hcpss.org.

• GPHS BOOSTERS CAMP FLIER LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJqOtmfUI5ms5mhRPUNAlawLpy2hK8po/view?usp=sharing

Through T-Mobile’s Project 10Million, eligible families can apply for free internet for five years and one free hotspot. To learn more and see if your student/family qualifies, visit T-Mobile online.

• April 28: National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
• May 1: National School Principal Day
• May 4-May 8: National Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 5: Elkridge Elementary Transition to Kindergarten Event
• May 6: National School Nurse Day