We would like to officially welcome all of our Elkridge Elementary School families to the 2024-2025 school year! We hope that you and your family enjoyed your summer and had some time to relax. This is the first Elkster Examiner of the school year. When schools are closed on Mondays, like this coming Monday, September 2, 2024 for Labor Day, the Elkster will be sent out on Fridays. For our families who are new to Elkridge Elementary, the Elkster is published weekly in order to provide our families with current information about upcoming events, activities, dates.

We have changed the look of the Elkster so that information is provided in an easy to access and read format. In the news letters, we have some new headings for you! Our HOT LINKS section, which is right below, provides you instant website access to important information such as attendance notifications, Family File, PTA Newsletters, and Transportation.

We are all excited to have students back in the classrooms and hallways filling them with energy and enthusiasm for learning. As we begin this school year, focusing on our theme of Engage, Excellence, and Spirit, it is our mission to help every child feel welcomed, valued and connected as a part of our Elkridge Elementary School Community.

Please read over the information below pertaining to arrival and dismissal procedures, school lunches, important dates and updating your child’s emergency information. In addition, our school website is updated regularly.

We are looking forward to seeing all of our families during wonderful upcoming events. Please see the dates below. In addition, attached is our PTA newsletter. Partner with us and get involved with the PTA. It is going to be an amazing school year!

Sincerely,

Kelley Powell, Principal

LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

At Elkridge Elementary School, we follow the Big 6.

Throughout the building, posters are displayed showing the BIG 6. They are:

• Responsibility
• Perseverance
• Collaboration
• Safety
• Initiative
• Respect

Every morning our students recite the following pledge:

I pledge to follow the BIG 6 through and through. I will be responsible and respectful and persevere too. I will take initiative, collaborate and be safe. We can make our class and school a better place.

Thank you for your support in making Elkridge Elementary a thriving school!

• All bus riders have been tagged on the first day of school with their bus number when they get off the bus.

• All students are expected to behave appropriately, use appropriate language and be respectful and courteous to fellow students, staff and the bus driver while riding the bus. Please have a conversation with your children about safety on the bus.

• Students should remain in their seats for the duration of the bus ride and keep their hands to themselves. This will help establish a positive climate where students feel safe when they are riding the bus.

• The speed limit on school property is 10 miles per hour.

• Please have your CAR TAG in the window visible for staff to see.

• All HCPSS Schools are smoke-free zones. The campus begins at Montgomery Road.

• All cars must be in the right line of the driveway.

• We ask that you wrap around the middle school bus loop along the curb (avoid hugging the curb) which leaves the path open for buses to get through.

• All students exit their cars on the right at the gym entrance. Students may not get out of cars and walk down the sidewalks or across the median.

• Please refrain from using handheld devices while operating your vehicles.

• Please keep your attention on the staff in Safety Vests and the car in front of you.

• EES and ELMS Bus Loops are for buses and daycare vans only. There should not be any parking in either bus loop between the hours of 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

• Dismissal changes need to be called into the office by 3:00 pm on full days and 11:30 am on half days.

• If your child is a car rider, and changes aren’t noted before dismissal then you will need to go to the front office to get your child.

• To ensure the safety of all, students will NOT be dismissed from the gym as a walker or bus rider unless the front office has contacted staff in the gym first.

Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees and many others in addition to free or discounted meals.

Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year.

Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program, are available online. Use the link below to apply.

It's time to join orchestra, band, and chorus! All Elkridge ES 3rd graders are eligible to participate in orchestra (string instruments). All Elkridge ES 4th and 5th graders are eligible to participate in band (wind and percussion instruments), orchestra, and/or chorus (singing voice). During the first week of school, 3rd and 4th grade students will learn about the new performing arts options available to them during school hours. The orchestra presentation will be held Thursday, August 29 for 3rd grade; the band presentation will be held Friday, August 30 for both 4th and 5th grades since we are welcoming a new band director for the 2024-2025 school year, Ms. Strohl!

Enroll your child in orchestra, band, and chorus online by Friday, September 6! All interested students must sign up, even if they participated last year.

For more information about orchestra, band, or chorus, please visit the orchestra website, band website, or chorus website. For additional questions, please email Ms. Taschenberger (orchestra) at meghan_taschenberger@hcpss.org, Ms. Strohl (band) at julia_strohl@hcpss.org, or Miss Ross (chorus) at devaney_ross@hcpss.org.

We can't wait to make music with your students this year!

Ms. Strohl, Ms. Taschenberger and Miss Ross

We are interested in receiving your feedback on the set up for Meet Your Teacher & Back To School Night this school year. Please take a few moments to complete the form below.