Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments

Michelle Leader - Principal

Jaime Gittleson - Assistant Principal

Website: cces.hcpss.org
Location: 10320 Quarterstaff Road, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: (410) 313-6866
Facebook: facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
Twitter: @hcpss_cces

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice in the upper right-hand corner.

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۔

For a complete list of dates and events visit cces.hcpss.org/calendar.

August

• 17 - Kindergarten Playdate, 10:00 - 11:00am on the playground
• 23 - Open House - 10:00-10:45am - Kindergarten (Last Names A-L)
• 23 - Open House - 11:00-11:45am - Kindergarten (Last Names M-Z)
• 23 - Open House - 12:00-12:45pm - Grades 1 & 2
• 23 - Open House - 1:30-2:15pm - Grades 3, 4, 5
• 26 - First Day of School

September

• 2 - Labor Day - No School
• 9 - Back-to-School Night - 6:30-7:30pm - Grades K, 1, 2
• 11 - PTA Meeting - 7pm
• 12 - GT Info Session - 6:00-6:30pm
• 12 - Back-to-School Night - 6:30-7:30pm - Grades 3, 4, 5
• 18 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal, Professional Work and Wellness Day, 12:55pm

To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.

There will be no printed 2024-2025 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

Calendario en español

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

Dear Families,

We hope everyone has been having a wonderful summer! We are so excited for the 2024-25 school year!!!!

We want to remind you that Open Houses are on Friday, August 23rd during the following times:

• 10:00-10:45am - Kindergarten (Last Names A-L)
• 11:00-11:45am - Kindergarten (Last Names M-Z)
  
• 12:00-12:45pm - Grades 1 & 2
  
• 1:30-2:15pm - Grades 3, 4, 5
  

Open House is a time for students to meet their teachers, meet their classmates, and to drop off school supplies.

We look forward to seeing parents/guardians on Back-to-School Nights:

• September 9 - Back-to-School Night - 6:30-7:30pm - Grades K, 1, 2
• September 12 - GT Info Session - 6:00-6:30pm
• September 12 - Back-to-School Night - 6:30-7:30pm - Grades 3, 4, 5

If you have any questions or need any help, please reach out to us. We look forward to a great partnership with you this year!

Mrs. Leader, Principal

Mrs. Gittleson, Assistant Principal

Each year, families update/complete their child's Family File with all emergency information. Please complete this info ASAP so that we have this information prior to school starting. This is required EACH year. We appreciate your assistance! Anyone who has it completed by Wednesday, August 21st will be able to access their child's teacher information later that day.

https://www.hcpss.org/connect/

Family File Directions.pdf

The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for Free and Reduced Meals receive both breakfast and lunch for free.

Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility. Click the button below to apply.

The supply list for the 2024-25 school year can be found on the main page of our school's website.

We encourage you to drop off your school supplies during Open House on August 23. Please be sure to clearly label your child's supplies with his/her name.

Beginning Friday, August. 9, families with students new to HCPSS and whose registration has been finalized will begin to receive emails from security_notifications@hcpss.org with the subject “Technology account information for new HCPSS student.” The communication will be sent to the parent/guardian email address used during the student registration process and contains personalized and important information regarding new students’ technology accounts.

Families with a child new to HCPSS that do not receive the email and/or cannot locate the email in the junk/spam folder of the email account they used during registration can use the Forgot Password or Username button on the hcpss.me student landing page to retrieve both their child’s username and password.

Direct questions to TechSupport@hcpss.org with any questions.

Here are some translated messages for new Synergy families:

English

Chinese

Korean

Spanish

We love our teachers and staff at CCES! Let's give them a huge welcome back to school with our annual Welcome Back Breakfast on Thursday, August 15, 2024. The breakfast is a way to show our appreciation and assure they start the school year with a smile. We need your help, so please sign up below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4AAEAD29ABFE3-cces2

If you would like to make a financial donation to this event, please make a donation under Teacher Appreciation at our store:

https://clemens.givebacks.com/store/items/1035895

As you know, the PTA coordinates many after-school activities throughout the year for students. We would like your input on the types of activities and days of the week that are best. Please complete the survey at the link below! Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-mISAUCR8NF_Zyx8nF7VhYCr2kixhghoILPHiV9_7igqRdw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Listed below are the many ways to stay informed at Clemens Crossing Elementary School.

Twitter

• Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hcpss_cces
• We use Twitter to inform, celebrate, and engage our community.
• Twitter is used to share what is going on in our school, our community, and throughout the Howard County Public School System.
• Turn on notifications to get information the second it is tweeted.
• We live-stream our concerts on Periscope through Twitter.

Facebook

• Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
• We have found that Facebook is the social media most used by our parents so we are now on Facebook, too!
• Our Facebook page is updated automatically from our Twitter feed.
• Please use Facebook to share the good news from CCES with your friends and families.

Instagram

• We use Instagram periodically. We do post pictures and information there.

Website

• Our website, cces.hcpss.org, is updated regularly.
• Important news and information is located on the main page of the site including an archive of our weekly newsletter, Cougar Comments.
• Staff information and email is located under the "Our Staff" tab.
• A subscribable google calendar is located on the "Calendar" tab.

Email

• Email is our main form of communication.
• You will receive news and information automatically to the email address you provide in your Family File. We will not inundate your inbox with email. Look for the weekly Cougar Comments on Friday mornings.
• If you would like email sent to different email addresses, update your email in Family File with the email address you prefer.
• You can subscribe additional email addresses by visiting the HCPSS News site here. http://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/
• Weekly announcements, important information and updates, and more will primarily be sent through email.
• You also have the opportunity to opt-in for text messaging