The Weekly Update #4

Hello EES Families and Community!

Thank you to all of our Elksters, staff, and families for an incredible, smooth, and energizing first week of school at the Ridge! It has been such a joy seeing our hallways filled with enthusiasm, smiles, and great learning routines already taking shape.

To keep this amazing momentum going, we are kicking off the year in the biggest way possible with our first whole-school Pep Rally this Friday, September 4th at 10:00 AM! We have had such a strong start, and we cannot wait to celebrate our Elksters for showing up every day ready to Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible! Our "Big 3" is alive and well across our building—and Friday is our chance to celebrate that school spirit together as one community.

Help your Elkster show their grade-level pride on Friday by wearing their assigned color:

⚪ PreSchool/Pre-K: White

🟡 Kindergarten: Yellow

🟠 1st Grade: Orange

🟣 2nd Grade: Purple

🟢 3rd Grade: Green

🔴 4th Grade: Red

🔵 5th Grade: Blue

Don't have the color? No worries at all! EES spiritwear works perfectly, or your scholar can simply bring their grade-level pride, positive energy, and loud cheers—that is what it is truly all about. Trust us, you are definitely going to want to hear all about it when they get home on Friday afternoon!

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Jayme Brewrink, Assistant Principal

As we establish our daily routines, we want to remind all families of district-wide visitor guidelines. Per updated HCPSS policy, parent lunch visits are no longer permitted at any school, joining the HCPSS established policy prohibiting parent visits during recess.

Limiting access during these times is essential for maintaining safe and secure school buildings. It helps reduce disruptions, supports structured student routines, and minimizes non-essential foot traffic in high-density areas.

We deeply value our family connections and encourage parents to stay engaged through regular communication with teachers, attending school-wide family events, or serving as official, certified volunteers within our building. For more comprehensive details on district guidelines, please review the HCPSS School Visitation Guidelines.

Thank you for your understanding, partnership, and continued support in keeping our school environment safe and focused on learning!

Join us for an evening built around getting to know your child's teacher and classroom, hearing the essentials for the year ahead, and connecting with school resources and staff.

We will have 3 rotations each evening:

• Classroom Visit — Meet your child's teacher, see the classroom, and connect with other families in your child's class as we talk about our goals and hopes for the year
• Cafeteria Presentation — The nuts and bolts: schedules, routines, and what to expect this year
• Resource & Partnership Fair — Library and Boy Scouts tables, Family File, Title I info, and a chance to meet our Student Support Team and administration

A few notes for both nights: childcare will not be provided, so we kindly ask that children stay home so families can fully engage. The Resource & Partnership Fair is optional — skip that window if it's not a priority for your family. And for families with children in multiple grades who can't make every session, copies of the presentations will be made available.

Grades K, 1, 2 — Tuesday, September 8 | 5:00–7:30 PM

• 5:00–6:00 PM — ELD Family Info Session (for our Multilingual Learner families)

• 6:00–7:30 PM — Grade-Level Rotations:

Grades 3, 4, 5 — Thursday, September 10 | 5:30–7:30 PM

• 5:30–6:00 PM — Accelerated Academics Presentation (with our Advanced Academics teacher). Formerly known as GT.

• 6:00–7:30 PM — Grade-Level Rotations:

👉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.

• School Hours
• Student hours: 9:25 AM – 3:55 PM
• Cafeteria Doors open for breakfast at 9:10 AM.
• Breakfast/Lunch: Students must pay for breakfast unless approved for free/reduced-price meals. Visit HCPSS Food & Nutrition Services for pricing, and complete the FARMS form to check eligibility.

• Monday, September 7: Labor Day - Schools & Offices Closed

• Tuesday, September 8: Primary Back to School Night (Grades K–2), 5:30–7:30 PM
• Thursday, September 10: Intermediate Back to School Night (Grades 3–5)
  • GT Presentation: 5:30 PM
  • Grades 3–5: 6:00–7:30 PM

Missed New Student Orientation? You can view the full slide deck here.

• TalkingPoints Messaging: We will communicate regularly via TalkingPoints, HCPSS's two-way translated messaging platform. No registration is required—messages automatically route using the phone number and primary language in your HCPSS Connect Family File. If you prefer app alerts over SMS, download the free TalkingPoints for Parents app. Learn more: TalkingPoints Info | Communication Technology Guide

We love and value our family partnerships, and volunteers play an essential role in supporting our Elksters throughout the year!

Annual Volunteer Certification Required

Per HCPSS policy, all volunteers and chaperones must complete two brief, mandatory annual trainings before assisting in the building or attending field trips:

1. Confidentiality Training Course: Reviews student and staff privacy protections.

2. Child Abuse and Neglect Training: Covers critical safety reporting procedures.

   
   

Please visit the HCPSS Volunteer Information Page to complete both modules. Once finished, print, sign, and return both completion certificates to our front office. (Note: Trainings must be renewed every school year.)

Important Policy Update: Lunch & Recess Visits

Per updated HCPSS district policy, parent lunch visits are no longer permitted at any school, joining the existing policy that prohibits recess visits. Limiting visitor access during these unstructured times ensures safe and secure school environments, minimizes disruptions, preserves daily student routines, and reduces non-essential foot traffic.

• Want to help during lunch/recess? While informal lunch visits are not permitted, we welcome parents who would like to serve as regular, trained volunteers to support cafeteria or recess operations. If you are interested in serving as an official volunteer, please reach out directly to Assistant Principal Mr. Swann at jonathan_swann@hcpss.org.

  
  

Classroom Observations

For any formal classroom visits or observations (by parents/guardians or outside agency representatives), HCPSS requires a specific observation form to be downloaded, completed, and submitted to administration for prior approval. You can access the form on the HCPSS website or contact our front office with questions.

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding, and commitment to keeping our school environment safe, structured, and focused on learning!

To keep all of our scholars safe, active, and fully engaged during Physical Education, please ensure your child wears athletic sneakers on their scheduled P.E. days.

Sneakers with rubber soles and closed toes provide the necessary grip, support, and protection for running, jumping, and gym games. For safety reasons, shoes such as Crocs, sandals, flip-flops, boots, slides, or dress shoes are not safe for gym activities, and students wearing them may have limited participation for the day.

Tip: Check your scholar’s Related Arts color rotation schedule each week, or consider packing a pair of sneakers in their backpack so they are always ready to move!

Sign up today for Elkridge Elementary School Band, Chorus, and Orchestra! All 4th and 5th-grade students are eligible to join Chorus plus one instrumental ensemble (Band or Orchestra).

• Deadline: Registration closes Friday, September 4th.

• Sign-Up Forms & Details: Access the registration links, explore instrument choices, and view supply/rental guides at the EES Music Website.