Elkster Examiner

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Hello EES Families and Community!

What a celebration! Our first Elk Day was a huge success, and it was so much fun to see our Elksters recognized for all their hard work in Quarter 1.

Students were celebrated in classroom awards ceremonies, including our Perfect Attendance award for students who didn't miss a single day, and our Exemplary Attendance award for students who missed no more than 2 days in Quarter 1. Our reading award winners got to visit our new PTA-purchased Book Vending Machine to pick out a free book of their own. The Elkster himself stopped by every classroom, and our pod parties had something for everyone, from arts and crafts to outdoor fun.

The school store was a big hit, too! Students were excited to trade in their hard-earned Elk Bucks for prizes and special experiences, like lunch bunch with their favorite teachers and administrators.

Days like Elk Day are about more than fun. At EES, we're committed to building a school where every Elkster feels like they truly belong. When students feel connected to their teachers, their classmates, and their school, they're more excited to come every day, and that's when they do their best learning. Celebrating together is one of the ways we build that sense of belonging.

Help us keep the school store stocked! If you'd like to contribute, you can find items on our EES School Store Amazon Wishlist. Every donation helps us celebrate our Elksters all year long. Thank you for being 100% ALL In with us!

Sincerely,

Danielle Shanks, Principal
Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal
Jayme Brewrink, Assistant Principal

Got a pile of candy from the weekend? Make it count! This week, Elksters can turn their treats into a week of math fun, with a quick activity each day for estimating, sorting, graphing, grouping, and sharing. No candy? Cereal, pasta, or small toys work just as well!

Share a photo or drawing of your math by Friday, November 6, and every Elkster who participates earns a math tattoo or sticker!

👉 See the daily activities and how to share

This Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, EES wants to recognize the veterans and service members in our school community. If you, a family member, or a friend has served or is currently serving in the military, we’d love to honor them!

Please submit a photo here along with their name, branch of service, and anything special you’d like to share. Submissions will be featured on our morning announcements in a slideshow.

By submitting, you agree to share this information with our school community.

All submissions are due by Friday, November 6.

This month, Elkridge is celebrating Native American Heritage Month! It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American and Alaska Native communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation. For more information, please look at the Native American Heritage Month Newsletter.

We will be celebrating as a school with activities from the National Museum of the American Indian. There is also a display in the Media Center with books that students can check out to learn more!

We invite you to attend these celebrations planned in our community:

• Howard County Native American Heritage Month Celebration

• November 7 in Columbia

• FREE!

• Registration suggested but not required for this event

• Howard County Native American Heritage Month Celebration

• Baltimore American Indian Center Pow Wow:

• November 21 at Timonium Fairgrounds

• https://calendar.powwows.com/events/annual-baic-pow-wow/

As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we want to highlight the rich cultures, traditions, and backgrounds of our school community. If your family celebrates Native American heritage, we invite you to share a favorite family picture to display on our school’s morning announcements.

How to participate:

1. Choose a picture of your family celebrating a holiday, sharing a meal, visiting family, or enjoying everyday time together.

2. Email the photo to Megan Tiralla, megan_tiralla@hcpss.org with the following details:

• Student’s Name and Grade

• Family Members' Names in the photo

• A short caption (1-2 sentences) about your family or tradition (e.g., "The Rodriguez family celebrating vibrant traditions from Colombia!")

American Education Week is one of our favorite weeks of the year — it’s our chance to open our doors and show families what learning looks like at EES every single day. From literacy to math to the relationships our staff builds with every Elkster, there is so much to be proud of, and we want you to see it firsthand.

Each grade level has a special family event planned, and families are welcome to visit classrooms any day that week between 9:45 AM and 3:25 PM.

• Check out our American Education Week page for the full schedule of events, visitor guidelines, and FAQs. We can’t wait to welcome you in! 🦌

☕ Coffee & Conversation (All Grades, PreK–5)

• Monday, November 16 · 9:40–10:30 AM · EES Cafeteria
• Grab a cup of coffee and join us for a relaxed conversation about the standards-based report card. We'll walk through what the codes mean, how to find the standards behind each grade, and simple ways to practice at home.
• Have a question about report cards? Send it in with your RSVP and we'll answer it during the session.
• RSVP and submit your question: https://forms.gle/bACD4cCunPKz9No86

🍽️ Family Learning Night (Grades 3–5 Families and Students)

• Monday, November 16 · 5:30–7:00 PM · EES Cafeteria
• Dinner starts at 5:30. Then families learn how to read the report card and what questions to ask teachers, while students learn to read their own report card and set a goal.
• We'll finish together so your child can share their goal and you can make a plan for home. Students attend with their adult. Childcare is not provided; younger siblings stay with their adult.
• RSVP: https://forms.gle/kS8u3do7RYgV8Nvv7

Please let us know on the RSVP form if you'd like an interpreter.

Sponsored by Title I

Tuesday, October 27: End of Quarter 1

• Thank you for all you do to support your Elkster’s learning at home this quarter!

Wednesday, October 28: No School for Students

• Schools are closed for students so staff can take part in professional learning and work on report cards.

Tuesday, November 3: No School (Election Day)

• Schools and offices are closed.

Friday, November 6: Report Cards Available (after 4:00 PM)

• Quarter 1 report cards will be available in HCPSS Connect. You can also check your child’s Canvas page anytime to see their grades and progress.
• Sign in to HCPSS Connect
• How to view grades in HCPSS Connect
• Guides for Synergy, Canvas, and Family File (Emergency Cards)

Fall conferences focus on English Language Arts (ELA) and homeroom; math conferences take place in February. Conferences are one of our best chances to partner together, talk through report cards and reading progress, and celebrate your Elkster’s growth.

• Friday, Nov. 6 at 8:00 AM: Sign-ups open in HCPSS Connect.
• Thursday, Nov. 19 at 4:00 PM: Sign-ups close.
• Monday, Nov. 23: In-person conferences at school, including evening sessions.
• Tuesday–Wednesday, Nov. 24–25: Virtual conferences.
• All conferences are 20 minutes.

Our Boosterthon Fun Run is back! Last year, our amazing community raised over $15,000, and this year our goal is $18,000 for field trips, student activities, and class picnics for our Elksters.

Why we love it:
✅ An easy-to-use fundraising platform
✅ A character-building program for students
✅ A fitness celebration for every student

How it works: Families collect donations on MyBooster.com by sharing their student's page with friends and family. Every share makes a difference! Every student gets to run, whether or not they collect donations, and will earn a fun EES Fun Run bracelet!

Students will also enjoy Global Kitchen Club, a character-building adventure where they'll learn important values through recipes and activities from around the world.

⭐ Key Dates
💻 Tuesday, Oct. 27: Sign-up opens at MyBooster.com
🎉 Tuesday, Nov. 10: In-school kickoff
👟 Monday, Nov. 23: Fun Run Day!

We'll celebrate with a Fun Run at school during the half day on Monday, November 23, before conferences. It replaces our traditional Turkey Trot. This is a students-and-staff event, so no parent volunteers or spectators are needed. Stay tuned for more details!

New this year! School policies can be hard to find and even harder to read. Each week, "Have You Herd?" will break down one HCPSS policy into what families really need to know.

Technology is a big part of learning, and HCPSS policy sets clear expectations so it stays safe, focused, and helpful for every student. Here’s what families should know:

• Phones stay away and silenced. During the school day, personal devices like phones and tablets must be put away where they can’t be seen or heard.
• Smartwatches: time only. Students may wear smartwatches, but only to check the time, not for calls, texts, or games.
• What happens if a device comes out: The first time, it’s held until the end of the day. After that, a parent or guardian must pick it up from the office.
• Need to reach your child? Please call the front office, and we’ll make sure your message gets to them.
• School tools protect student privacy. Students use HCPSS-approved tools like Canvas and Google, which follow student privacy laws, and students are never required to use social media for school.
• Digital citizenship is part of learning. Students learn how to be safe, kind, and responsible online.

Elkster tip: With winter break coming up, it’s a great time to talk at home about screen time limits and staying safe online.

Full details: HCPSS Policy 8080 and Student Personal Device Use. Thank you for being 100% ALL In with us!

These classes provide fun, structured, educational, and enriching activities for students on site at Elkridge ES, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents!

• Elkridge ES Fall 2026 Before & After School Classes Flier).

👉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.

Thursday, November 12, 2026 6:30-7:30 p.m.

💻Virtual Event 💻
Are you new to the IEP process and feeling overwhelmed? Join Chris Mathews, HCPSS Facilitator of Special Education Compliance to discuss:

• An overview of the IEP and how an IEP can help your child
• Your role in the process
• Questions to ask at your next meeting
• Timeline and IEP process

The goal of this workshop is to help parents and caregivers new to the process to feel empowered, informed, and comfortable in their role advocating for their student. Bring your questions, we are here to help you navigate your child’s next meeting.

• Visit registration page. This event is sponsored by HCPSS and aligns with the question about the school or school system offering training about special education issues on the MDSE Parent Involvement Survey that is sent to families of students with an IEP or IFSP annually.
• Free

Register Now

• Canvas Check: Now is the perfect time to log in and check Canvas for your child's current grades and any missing assignments. If you have questions about specific grades or assignments, please reach out directly to the teacher.

• Standards & Learning Resources: To better understand what your child is learning and how to support them at home, we encourage you to explore the grade-specific Family and Community Resources on Canvas. These links provide overviews, how-to videos, learning goals, worksheets, games and resources for all academic areas:

• Pre-Khttps://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34453
• Kindergartenhttps://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34447
• Grade 1https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/32029
• Grade 2https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34428
• Grade 3https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34429
• Grade 4https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34430
• Grade 5https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/34431

• Homework & Grading: Homework (assigned to all grades except PK/K) reinforces classroom skills. If you notice your child struggling to complete homework in a reasonable time, please contact their teacher. For an in-depth look at how we assess learning, visit our resource on Standards-Based Grading: https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/208494.

Open, effective communication is vital for student success. You can find all staff email addresses on our website. To ensure our teachers can provide thoughtful and thorough responses while focusing primarily on instruction during the school day, please keep this guideline in mind: Teachers have 24–48 hours to reply to emails during business hours.

We appreciate your understanding. This dedicated time allows our staff to focus fully on teaching during school hours and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Thank you for your continued partnership!

• November: Native American Heritage Month
• November 1: Daylight Saving Time Ends
• November 3: Schools & Offices Closed - Election Day
• November 6: Report Cards Issued @ 4:00 pm
• November 9-13: National School Psychology Week
• November 11: Veterans Day
• November 13: World Kindness Day
• November 16-20: American Education Week
• November 18: Educational Support Professionals Day
• November 20: Substitute Educators Day