Centennial Lane Elementary:

Centennial Lane Elementary School

Mrs. Debra Anoff, Principal

Mrs. Siobhan Drumgoole, Assistant Principal

3825 Centennial Lane

Ellicott City, MD 21042

(410) 313-2800

(410) 313-2804 - Fax

(410) 313-1710 (Health Room)

Student Hours: 8:45a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

cles.hcpss.org

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to realizing the dream of freedom, equality, peace, and economic and social justice. At Centennial Lane Elementary School, we are committed to advancing that dream by ensuring equitable access to education for all our beautiful and capable students, and we thank you for the work you do to help.

School is closed on Monday, January 19 in recognition of Dr. King. Each year, instead of having a day off, the third Monday in January is a day "on" for volunteerism to help communities all over our country. I encourage you to learn more about Dr. King and find ways to further his vision through service to our community. There are many opportunities throughout Columbia, Howard County, and Maryland (click here for ideas) to help make January 19 a "DAY ON" and a day of service.

Upcoming Calendar Dates

The first two weeks of January were excellent. We had two full five-day weeks in a row. The next few weeks have quite a few calendar events. Next week, there is a half-day on Thursday, January 22 where all schools close three hours early for professional learning for school staff. Elementary schools have a full day of school on Friday, January 23 while middle school and high schools have a half day due to mid-term exams. Please remember, half days count as full days for attendance purposes. If your child is absent on a half day, it counts as a full day absence.

Warmly,

Debra A. Anoff, Principal

Siobhan Drumgoole, Assistant Principal

January

• 19-Schools & Offices Closed-Martin Luther King Jr. Observance
• 22-Professional Learning Day-3 hr Early Dismissal (12:15 pm)
• 22-Scheduling for Winter Parent/Teacher Conferences Opens @ 8am
• 23-REGULAR School Day for Elementary students.
• 26-Professional Work Day-Schools Closed for students
• 27-Dream of Kindness-Wear your favorite pajamas
• 27-PTA Restaurant Night (Ernesto's)
• 28-Wild for Kindess-Wear animal prints
• 29-Hats off to Kindess-Wear your favorite hat, headband or head gear
• 30-Color our World with Kindess-Wear a colorful outfit
• 30-Scheduling for Parent/ Teacher Conferences CLOSES @ 4pm

February

• 3-PTA General Meeting (hybrid) 7pm
• 4- Schools Closed for students-Professional Learning Day
• 5-Elementary School Parent/Teacher Conferences-3 hour Early Dismissal
• 6-Elementary School Parent/Teacher Conferences-3 hour Early Dismissal
• 10-CHS Jazz Feeder Concert featuring the CLES Jazz Band, as well as other CHS feeder schools. CHS Auditorium 7pm
• 12 - PTA Family Fit Night
• 16-Schools & Offices Closed, President's Day
• 17-Schools & Offices Closed, Lunar New Year

March

• 3 - Professional Learning/Work & Wellness Day, schools close 3 hours early (12:15 p.m.)
• 20 - Professional Work & Development Day, schools closed

March 30th - April 6th - Spring Break, schools closed

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice at the top of this page.

Spanish

Para otros idiomas, haga clic en Traducir Newsletter y elija el idioma que prefiera.

Korean

다른 언어의 경우 뉴스 레터 번역을 클릭하고 원하는 언어를 선택합니다.

Chinese

对于其他语言，请单击翻译新闻通讯，然后选择所需的语言。

Urdu

دوسری زبانوں کے لئے ، نیوزلیٹر کا ترجمہ کریں پر کلک کریں اور اپنی پسند کی زبان کا انتخاب کریں۔

There will be no printed 2025-2026 calendars. Staff, students, and families may add our online calendar to their own mobile/online calendar by

1. Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
2. Scrolling down to Subscribing to a Calendar
3. Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
4. Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
5. Adding to your calendar of choice (See your calendar for specifics on adding a new calendar)

You also may view and/or download printable PDFs of the full calendar and/or important dates only. Updates to the PDFs will be noted on the HCPSS calendar page.

PLEASE NOTE! The calendar is subject to change. The online calendar reflects the most recent version.

Calendars in Spanish, Chinese, and Korean

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

February 5th and 6th are designated for Parent Teacher Conferences this year. We will be holding 15-minute conferences. Parent Teacher Conferences are a terrific opportunity for staff and parents to partner together for each child’s success. All conferences will be held with your child’s Math teacher. Below are the details about how they will be held based on the date of the conference.

Thursday, February 5th:

- Conferences from 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. will be IN PERSON at CLES.

- Conferences starting at 3:30 p.m. will be VIRTUAL. A Google link will be sent.

Friday, February 6th:

- ALL Conferences from 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. will be VIRTUAL - A Google Meet link will be sent.

The Google Meet link will be sent to you with your confirmation email. If you have questions, please email your child’s math teacher.

*Some teachers may have alternative schedules based on their individual availability, so times may slightly vary.

If your conference is virtual, once you enter the Google link, you will be put in a “holding space” until the teacher admits you. Because many conferences will be back-to-back, please only log on one minute before your designated time. If you have technology challenges, check your email, as your child’s teacher will reach out to you that way. You can also log in to our CLES Help Desk at https://meet.google.com/vmt-zuei-qst for assistance.

Scheduling Conferences:

Beginning Thursday, January 22 at 8:00 am, you can log into HCPSS Connect to view and select from the time slots provided by the teacher for conferences. Step-by-step directions are below. If you do not have access to HCPSS Connect, please call the school for assistance at 410-313-2800.

Directions to Select a Conference Time:

Login to hcpss.org/connect

Select Conference from the left-side choices

Select Parent Scheduled Conferences at the top right

Select a time slot for your conference

You will have access through Friday, January 30 at 4:00 p.m. to schedule your child’s conference by logging into HCPSS Connect.

HCPSS families are invited to save the date for the 2026 Family Academy Conference on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from 6:00–8:30 pm at Long Reach High School. Families can look forward to a light dinner, a community resource fair, and interactive workshops focused on academic achievement, well-being, and family engagement. Workshop topics will include college and career readiness, special education supports, curriculum updates, hands-on learning strategies for use at home, and more. For more information, visit HCPSS News

Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2026? Please save the date and join us for an upcoming Road to Kindergarten parent information session.

Families can begin signing up for parent-teacher conferences on January 22, 2026 at 8:00a.m. Conferences will take place on February 5th & 6th. For your planning purposes, please note the schedule below:

• In- person conferences will be held on Thursday, February 5th from 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• Virtual conferences will be held on Thursday, February 5th starting at 3:30 p.m.
• Virtual conferences will also be held on Friday, February 6th depending on teachers' schedules

• Additional Information:
• February conferences will focus on Math
• Mr. Pellegrino(GT) will hold math conferences for his 5th Grade GT Math class only.
• Related Arts teachers will have a limited number of conferences slots available as well as offering office hours.

To schedule your conference, please log in to HCPSS Connect to view and select your time slot:

1. Go to https://www.hcpss.org/connect/
2. Select “Conference” from the left menu.
3. Choose “Parent Scheduled Conferences” at the top right.
4. Pick a convenient time slot.

If you have trouble accessing HCPSS Connect, please contact the front office for assistance. The scheduling window will remain open from Thursday, January 22nd, at 8am through Friday, January 30th at 4pm.

Below are the Virtual office hours scheduled for each of our Related Arts teachers.

Mrs. Beyer Virtual on Feb 5th from 4-5

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/wqa-bqvf-idk

Mrs. Kallemyn Virtual on Feb 6th from 1:15-2:15

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/tyg-cemt-eun

Mr. Kilberg Virtual on Feb 5th from 4:00-5:00

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/wqa-bqvf-idk

Mr. Henley Virtual on Feb 6th from 1:30-2:30

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hhx-izfk-yiz

Mr. Long Virtual Feb 6th from 1:30-2:30

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

https://meet.google.com/otw-qkbs-chc

Ms. Thomas Virtual Feb 6th from 5:00-:00 pm

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

https://meet.google.com/jzd-xbzm-piv

Mr. Pusloskie, Mr Watts and Mr. Cicmanec Virtual Feb 5th 3:30-4:30

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/whh-ossp-fsx

Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Travers Virtual on Friday Feb 6 from 1-2.

Conferences Office Hour Google Meet joining info

Mr.Hopkins- meet.google.com/nxy-asuc-zvi

Mr. Travers- TraversArtFebOHH

Practice-A-Thon Fundraiser for CLES Music Boosters:

During the month of January, our CLES music students are having a Practice-A-Thon Fundraiser! This helps raise funds for our music programs to purchase instruments, supplies, music, and hire guest musicians to work with our students. Sponsor a student's practice or make a flat donation using the link below!

https://go.rallyup.com/32f092/Campaign/Details

As we continue to experience snowy winter conditions, we want to remind families and students of the importance of staying safe on school grounds. Students are expected to stay out of the snow and refrain from throwing snow or ice, especially during arrival and dismissal times.

Recently, a student was accidentally injured during dismissal after being struck by ice. While the injury was minor, it serves as an important reminder that situations can become unsafe very quickly, even when actions may seem harmless.

We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations with your children and partnering with us to ensure a safe environment for all members of our CLES community. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe this winter!

In the event that schools need to close early due to an unexpected weather event, please be sure to share with your child how he/she will go home if it is different than their normal dismissal routine.
All parents were asked to indicate how children are to go home in the event of an emergency/unscheduled closing when they completed their Family File information in August or September.

Parents can email CLESabsence@hcpss.org to report a student’s absence. Please include your child(ren)’s full name, parent’s/guardian’s full name and phone number, the date your child(ren) was absent and the reason. Parents may instead choose to send in a paper excuse note to their child’s teacher with the same information when the student returns to school.

For families requesting local discretionary absences, please complete a Local Discretionary Absence Request Form and submit it to the front office at least one week in advance.

CLES PTA Winter Dance - TONIGHT: Friday Jan. 16th

The CLES PTA Winter Dance is TONIGHT Friday, Jan. 16th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Burleigh Manor Middle School (BMMS). This annual event is well loved by CLES families and students. Festivities include a live DJ, hula hoop contest, tasty treats, glow sticks, and an opportunity to give back to the community. Come have fun, connect and build community with your CLES family! More details are on the PTA Winter Dance event website. This year we are gathering winter clothing donations for families in need in our CLES community. Please consider donating new or gently used coats, jackets, hats, scarves, gloves & socks, or make a monetary donation here to support this cause. If you’d like to help volunteer at the dance, please contact Annette Bartlett at: social@clespta.org.

Yearbook SY2025-2026

• Check it off your list early and order your yearbook NOW! (Last day Feb 28, 2026)

• Please help us out and submit your candid photos soon after each school or PTA event

• Click link for more details, including how to order/submit and the rules for candid photos: https://www.clespta.org/yearbook

International Festival - NEED VOLUNTEERS NOW OR NEED TO CANCEL

We are in desperate need of volunteers to be on the planning committee for the International Festival. We will need to cancel events like the fashion show or performances if we do not fill these needs ASAP. We are already behind vs. where we were last year. Please email Volunteer@clespta.org if interested. This year the event will be combined with BMMS.

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Family Fit Night
Thursday 2/12 Time TBD
SAVE THE DATE

Get ready to move, stretch, and have fun together at this year's Family Fit Night! Registration will be required to hold your place - keep an eye out for a separate email! There will be a variety of 30 minute fitness/wellness sessions to choose from. See our website for more info: www.clespta.org/events-list/family-fit-night

If interested in volunteering or if you have questions, please email Health@clespta.org

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ADVOCACY SECTION (Stay connected)

Howard County PTACHC (PTA Council of Howard County)

Prefiles for Legislation that will affect school funding:

CB3-2026 ZRA 218: Accessory Dwelling Units. Public Hearing on 1/20/2026

CB4-2026 ZRA 219: Age Restricted Housing. Public Hearing on 1/20/2026

Upcoming Candidate Forums for State and Local Elections:

March: TBD

August: TBD

Budget:

Superintendent Barnes is presenting his budget request at the 1/8/2025 BoE meeting. Additional dates and public hearings are listed on our PTA advocacy page.

Effective Advocacy for Budget/School Funding:

Superintendent Barnes attended the 1/5/2026 PTACHC meeting. When asked how we can most effectively advocate for school funding, he recommended asking for dollars that we can use toward interventions and support in math and reading.

1. Write to council members and the executive. Follow up with phone calls.

2. Attend public hearings or write in testimony at BudgetTestimony@howardcountymd.gov.

3. Important dates can be found on our PTA advocacy page.

4. Email your state senators and delegates.

More info: https://www.clespta.org/advocacy

Questions: contact our PTACHC chairs at ptachc@clespta.org

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Howard County SECAC (Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee)

SECAC is a parent-driven advisory council advocating for special education issues in HCPSS. It collaborates with community groups to enhance special education services and outcomes. All community members are welcome to attend the SECAC monthly meetings. SECAC also regularly appears before the Howard County Board of Education to ensure the voices of students with disabilities, their families, and educators are heard at the decision-making table.

More info: https://www.clespta.org/sped

Questions: contact our SECAC chair Shirley at SECAC@clespta.org

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PTA Committee Leads Needed

• Spring Fair Chairs (all levels of commitment)

• Communications (ongoing - newsletters, etc.)

• Treasurer (ongoing)

• Community Outreach (flexible commitment)

• International Festival (April)

• Fundraising Chair (ongoing)

• And more…just ask!

Without you, these events can’t happen. Reach out to learn more about these roles or any others: Questions@clespta.org

The PTA Website is linked HERE.

In alignment w/ Policy 10010, the following announcements have been approved by the Public Information Office for distribution.

The below community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the HCPSS.