Lutherville Lab Report
What's gone down & what's coming up at the leopards' lair.
August 26th, 2022
We are so excited for Monday!
It has been a whirlwind of a week getting everything in place for Monday, but we are ready to go! A highlight of our week was a staff field trip to Marshy Point Nature Center in Middle River. Our day was centered on learning about human impact on the environment and identifying sustainability practices that we can bring back to our campus and allow our students to implement. We enjoyed a scavenger hunt through the center, kayaking and canoeing through Dundee Creek, and personalizing pots and planting a MD native flower species for our classrooms. Lutherville has been a Green School since 2004, earning the rare status of Brone Sustainable Green School, and we have big plans to grow from here!
Our staff was also "wow'd" this week by the beautiful mural that our Art Club students helped to design and inspire! Our visiting artist, Becky Borlan, came in over the summer and worked from the students designs to develop this beautiful, welcoming mural. We are grateful to the PTA and the BCPS Art Office for their funding and partnership in making this happen!
Finally, I have been asked to pass along the attached letter from The Office of Transportation. They recognize the issues with getting information generated and have provided information on how to get in touch with needs or concerns next week. We are grateful to Mrs. Hart for spending most of Friday as a liaison between families and the Office of Transportation to resolve issue for families.
Some last minute reminders:
1. If you have not communicated your dismissal plan through the Transportation Survey, please let your child's homeroom teacher know directly. If we don't have communication, we may try again to get in touch if time permits Monday, otherwise we will assume they will depart the way that they arrived.
2. Lutherville's school lunch menu can be found here. If you have not already, please upload funds to your child's MySchoolBucks account -- directions are below.
3. Please review bus expectations with your child, or arrival routines for car riders and walkers. That information is also below.
We'll see you soon!
-Mr. McComb
Room Parents Wanted!
Room parents coordinate parental involvement for class events and activities throughout the year. They also work in partnership to disseminate information among classroom parents. This year, we are fortunate to have Mrs. Christie Miller organizing and supporting room parents in partnership with the PTA.
If you would like to become a room parent, please let your child's homeroom teacher know that you are interested.
We're Hiring a Front Office Secretary!
If you know someone with exceptional organizational skills who is a quick learner, can multi-task, and wants to serve our community with excellence, please share our job posting with them! The posting closes August 29th.
Transportation Updates
BCPS Transportation Update
For their own safety and the safety of others, please also take the time to reinforce bus riding expectations with your child.
Students receiving transportation services have the responsibility to follow all bus rules. These rules include:
- At the bus stop, wait in an orderly manner, out of the way of all traffic, until the bus stops, and bus driver opens the door.
- Stand at least five (5) feet back from the stopping position of the bus.
- Wait until the bus stops completely before moving forward to board it.
- The aisle of the bus must be kept clear, so that the rear emergency exit is always accessible. Large objects such as musical instruments, athletic equipment, and school projects are prohibited, unless the student can carry the object themselves, hold the object on his/her lap, or place the object on the floor between his/her legs.
- Once on board the bus, follow the Bus Rules as posted:
- Follow directions the first time they are given.
- Stay seated, facing forward at all times.
- Keep all body parts inside the bus.
- Keep hands, feet, legs, arms, personal property, and your voice to yourself.
- No eating, smoking, drinking, or vulgar language at any time on the bus.
- Wait until the bus stops moving before getting out of the seat and moving forward to get off the bus.
- Always board your assigned bus and get on and off at your regularly assigned bus stop.
- Once off the bus, proceed immediately away from the bus.
Arrival and Dismissal Information
Car Riders: Registration for Car Riders will be available at Sneak-A-Peak at a table in the car loop. We will be issuing numbers 40 and above for this school year. If you kept your materials from last year, those special items can be safely stored in a memory box/time capsule. =) Please refer to the image below for directions on the car loop. Again, our major focus with car loop is safety and efficiency to minimize backup onto York Road.
Reminders:
- Please pull forward as far as possible (leaving a pass through for staff in the morning as designated in the image below)
- Supervise your children in morning until staff on duty come to the loop
- In the afternoon, wait until staff bring or direct your child to the car for them to enter (please don't call them over to you, as we are trying to direct and monitor student movement for safety).
Walkers: We will continue to use the back door by the rec room for parent drop-off. Please wait for Ms. Vincenet/staff to open the door at both arrival and dismissal. We are aware that the sidewalk there can flood in heavy rains and have bumped our request from Grounds to regrade the grass for better drainage.
Arrival Traffic Pattern
School Meals Update!
During the pandemic, the USDA made it possible for school nutrition programs to serve all students free breakfast and lunch through “waivers.” Congress did not extend these waivers for the upcoming school year, so meals are no longer available free of charge to all students across the country. Lutherville is designated as a school qualifying for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)and School Breakfast Program (SBP). These are the “standard” meal programs for schools that do not qualify for additional support. The cost of meals this year is $1.40 for breakfast and $2.90 for lunch.
To put funds on your child’s account to purchase meals, visit www.MySchoolBucks.com. You can also add funds through this site for snacks. Don’t worry about lost lunch money ever again!
Families may be eligible for assistance to reduce the cost of meals, but must complete an online Free and Reduced Meal Application, to determine eligibility. To apply for assistance with the cost of school meals, please complete the Household Meal Benefit Application (HMBA) by visiting www.myschoolapps.com. If applicable, please complete your meal application as soon as possible to expedite process. The information you supply is confidential, and applications will be processed upon receipt.
If you need help finding your child's student ID for their account, this can be found on the Parent Portal. Please see the screen shot below.
FOCUS Parent Portal
It is important that all parents are connected to the student information system through the parent portal. Please use this link to access the portal and click “sign up now” if you haven’t already. Additional support documents are linked to this newsletter.
Through the parent portal, families can:
- Access teacher assignment and student schedule
- Update student privacy preferences
- View transportation (bus stop) information
- View report card information
- In the fall, you'll receive information from BCPS on the opportunity to update emergency contacts through the Annual Student Review Form, this will be through the Portal as well.
If you are having issues, please contact the Technology Help Desk at 443-809-4672
