Veterans Elementary
Newsletter
The Eagle Express
Calendar Events:
Sept 15th - Oct. 15th Hispanic Heritage Month
Wed. Sept 17th Schools Close 3 ½ hours Early
Fri. Sept 19th Tie-Dye Day - Wear your tie-dye gear
Fri. Sept. 19th PTA Back to School Social 6:00-8:00 pm
Tues. Sept 23rd Rosh Hashanah Schools and Offices Closed
Fri. Sept 26th Coffee and Conversation with Admin @10:30 am
Thurs. Oct.2nd Yom Kippur School and Offices Closed
Dear Veterans Families,
We are off to a strong and positive beginning this school year! Classrooms are filled with energy, and students are actively engaged while practicing our SOAR expectations each day. We also enjoyed welcoming families during Back to School Nights. Partnerships between home and school are essential, and we truly value the role you play in supporting your child’s learning and well-being. If you were unable to attend your child’s teacher’s session, please don’t hesitate to connect directly with them. The administration’s presentation can be accessed here. Thank you for helping to make the opening weeks of school such a success.
We also want to extend our appreciation to the families who have already updated their Family File. If you have not yet done so, we encourage you to take a few minutes today or over the weekend to finish your Family File. Your timely attention ensures we have the most accurate information to support your child’s safety and needs.
As a reminder, all HCPSS schools will dismiss three hours early on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Sincerely,
Alexcia Redd, Keri Golibart and Jessica Legambi
Announcements
Military-Connected Families at VES
We are looking to identify any active-duty or recently retired military-connected families. Our Purple Patriots, a student-led group, will be offering support and building connections for our military students. Some activities may include quarterly get-togethers and other opportunities to celebrate and support our military community.
If you are a military connected family, please complete this form. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy_Lane@hcpss.org.
DIBELs Universal Screener Notification
Students in Grades K-5 will be participating in the Beginning of the Year (BOY) DIBELs Universal Screener. The purpose of the screener is to identify potential reading difficulties in students. Please find more information regarding the DIBELS Universal Screener here.
Discretionary Days
HCPSS students are granted 3 days a year to use at their discretion for scheduled interviews with prospective employers, visits to post-secondary institutions, family trips, civic engagement, and other special events.
Such absences may not occur during exam or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the principal/designee.
A written request for such absences to be lawful/excused should be submitted at least one week in advance to the principal/designee. Please download the PDF fillable Discretionary Absence Form and email it to vesabsence@hcpss.org. The form is also available in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish
If you are requesting a day for a religious holiday not identified by the Howard County Public School System school calendar, please download the PDF fillable Religious Obligation Form and email it to vesabsence@hcpss.org
Safety Protocols for After-School Hours
We ask for your cooperation in maintaining a safe and secure environment after school hours by adhering to the following protocols:
Classroom Access:
After school, classrooms are closed to students and parents. If an item is forgotten, students and parents must first seek permission from a building administrator and the Night Chief Custodian before entering a classroom.
After-School Programs and Parks and Recreation After Care:
Once after-school programs have concluded (such as Girl Scouts), an adult or staff members will escort students to the front door for pickup. For students in Parks and Recreation aftercare, parents are asked to enter the building from the blacktop, ring the bell, and wait for authorization from staff before entering.
Students on School Grounds:
Students not involved in a supervised activity are expected to leave school grounds at the end of the school day.
Rodent Control In Schools
We are reaching out to ask for your help keeping our school pest-free all year long and want to share a few things to keep in mind as you send your child to school each day. Since food is one of the main reasons rodents try to get inside a building, please consider the following guidance:
Send snacks and lunches in sealed, hard plastic or metal containers rather than loose in bags. Rodents can easily chew through paper and thin plastic.
Use reusable lunchboxes with zipper closures, and make sure the zipper fully closes.
Send foods with strong odors like peanut butter and sweet treats in airtight containers.
Remind your child to bring home any uneaten food daily—don’t store snacks in desks, lockers or cubbies overnight.
Make it a routine to empty and wipe down lunchboxes every day.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for helping to make this a great year for your child.
Animals on School System Property & Service Animals
Animals in schools or offices, whether leashed or not, present health, safety, environmental and liability concerns. Students and staff may be exposed to potential physical health hazards, such as bites and/or allergy-related health problems. As a result, animals are prohibited from HCPSS building (there are a few exceptions). Animals are also prohibited from school system property during arrival, dismissal, recess and other Howard County Public School System sponsored events.
Use of Tobacco or Electronic Smoking Devices on School System Property
As a reminder, when attending events on school property, adults and visitors are expected to follow HCPSS policy. This includes smoking cigarettes or the use of electronic smoking devices, such as vapes, within the building and on the school grounds.
Policy 1050 states: The use, sale, promotion, or distribution of any tobacco product, cigarette rolling papers, or electronic smoking devices by students, HCPSS employees, and visitors is prohibited at all times and on all property owned, leased, or under the control or sponsored by HCPSS at all times.
Zum App
Using the app will allow you to track your child’s bus in real-time, receive pick-up notifications if you choose, and view the driver for each ride.
To start using the Zum app, please follow these instructions:
Log in to your account with the phone number or email address you have listed on your child’s record in Family File in HCPSS Connect
Verify your access by entering the one-time code sent to your device
Check the notification settings to ensure you’re receiving Zum notifications, if desired, so you’ll know when the bus is
Hispanic Heritage Month September 15th - October 15th
September 15 marked the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month! During this time, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by appreciating the rich history, culture, heritage, and contributions of individuals and their family members who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South and Central America.
Student Behavior Intervention
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is committed to providing a safe, engaging, and supportive school environment that fosters the social and emotional safety, dignity, and well-being of all students. HCPSS acknowledges the need for employees
to use an array of research-based positive behavior interventions, strategies, and supports to address student behaviors and keep students safe
to minimize the practice of exclusion from the classroom environment
to minimize the practice of physical restraint (which may only be used when necessary to protect a student or other person from imminent, serious, physical harm and only after other less intrusive, nonphysical interventions have failed or been determined inappropriate).
It is an expectation that HCPSS employees will be responsive to all incidents of exclusion or physical restraint and appropriately case manage impacted students to minimize unsafe behaviors and maximize instructional engagement.
Additional information can be found at HCPSS Policy 9400 - Student Behavior Intervention. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact a school administrator.
Friendly Reminders
Lunch with your child
You must complete the Confidentiality Training Course and Child Abuse and Neglect Training. Return the 2 signed certificates to school. Once completed, sign-up to have lunch with your child using the Reservation Form. No siblings are L=
Arrival & Dismissal
Student arrival is from 9:10am- 9:25am. Students should not be dropped off or left unattended before 9:10 am. Parent/Guardian is responsible for their child’s supervision until the VES school doors open at 9:00am in the morning.
If your child has a change in their dismissal plans, please provide VES office staff AND the classroom teacher with this information by sending us an email to vestransportation@hcpss.org. We ask that you make your request no later than 2:00 pm. We will not honor a change in dismissal plans without parental approval. Please indicate the student's name, the date of the transportation change and the details of the transportation change in the email. (ie. will be a car rider instead of bus rider)
Early dismissals require you to sign your child/ren out by scanning the QR Code located on the table and near the door bell. Complete the Google Document and be ready to present your ID/License to the secretary. Early dismissals should be requested prior to 3:15pm.
Please bring your cell phone to scan the QR code.
Please be prepared to present your Photo ID.
Please plan accordingly. Students will be dismissed from class upon their parents’ arrival and after they have signed the student out from the front office. We cannot have the student dismissed ahead of parent arrival.
Student Absences
Send absent notes to vesabsence@hcpss.org including the child's full name, teacher name and explaining why your child will or was absent. If your child is ill for 5 days or more, you must provide a doctor’s note.
Lunch with your child
You must complete the Confidentiality Training Course and Child Abuse and Neglect Training. Return the 2 signed certificates to school. Once completed, sign-up to have lunch with your child using the Reservation Form. No siblings are allowed.
Reminders for P.E.
Sneakers for PE!
The PE department is asking that families pay super close attention to what shoes you are sending your children into school every day. As part of HCPSS safety policy for Physical Education class, all students must wear sneakers in order to participate in PE. Since students have recess daily, we recommend that they wear sneakers every day in order to play safely on the playground, however it is especially important for PE class. We have had an alarming number of students wearing crocs to PE class, which even in "sport mode", are unsafe for dynamic physical activity.
Safe shoes include sneakers, running shoes and tennis shoes. Unsafe shoes include boots, sandals, crocs (or any croc like shoe), flip flops and anything with a heel. If your child wears other shoes on PE days, please make sure to send a pair of sneakers in their backpack for PE class. Please check your child's PE canvas page to find out what days they have PE class. If your child does not have fitting sneakers or if you have any questions, please email your child's PE teacher and we can assist in making sure they have access to sneakers for PE.
Family to Staff, Feel-good Feathers
Have you been impressed with the efforts of a VES Staff member? If so, take a moment to send them a Feel-good Feather to brighten their day! Some Family to Staff shout outs will even be highlighted in each Eagle Express and shared with staff. Thank you for the encouragement! Click here to give a shout- out!
HCPSS Policies
HCPSS Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, and Intimidation
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal. HCPSS Policy 9460 states that bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation are prohibited in HCPSS. Our administration and staff have been trained and made aware of this policy, as well as preventative and responsive measures.
We know how important your role is in not only supporting your children but also reporting possible incidents as you become aware of them. The Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, and Intimidation (BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report all alleged incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation that occur at school or have a connection back to the school setting that create a risk of harm to other students while they are at school, or interfere with the educational environment. An online version is available and can easily and confidentially be used by students, staff, and family members. Hard copies of this form are available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office. If you believe your child has been bullied, please complete and submit this form as soon as possible and/or assist your child in doing so.
Once the form is submitted, school administrators will ensure the parent/guardian of both the alleged target and alleged offender are aware of the report and will begin an investigation within two school days of receiving the report. Parents/guardians can expect a school administrator to reach out to them during the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, parents/guardians will be provided written notice of the outcome of the investigation within fifteen days of receiving the complaint, excluding extenuating circumstances.
There are times when incidents of peer conflict or code of conduct offenses may occur that may not be bullying, but may need follow-up action. If you become aware of something that falls under conflict and/or a code of conduct offense, please notify a school administrator via email or phone call so that they can become aware and follow up as needed.
Lastly, I want to take a moment to lift up cyberbullying specifically. Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic media like computers, cell phones, and game systems. Our digital interconnectedness makes bullying different and more damaging than it’s ever been before. It allows hatred and publicly humiliating gossip or photos to be instantly far-reaching and inescapable, as electronic media is everywhere. It can NOT simply be ignored. In October 2013, the State of Maryland enacted Grace’s Law, making misuse of interactive computer services a criminal offense. Its purpose is to prohibit anyone from using electronic media (computers, tablets, phones, etc.) to maliciously engage in conduct that inflicts severe emotional distress on a minor and/or places that minor in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. A person who is found guilty of violating this law is subject to imprisonment and/or fines.
While all of this information will be reviewed with students at school, we are asking you to do the same at home. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring all of our students feel a sense of safety and belonging in their school communities! More information can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact Alexcia Redd, Principal at Alexcia_Redd@hcpss.org, Keri Golibart, Assistant Principal at Keri_Golibart@hcpss.org, or Jesscia Legambi, Leadership Intern at Jessica_Legambi@hcpss.org.
HCPSS Weapons Policy
The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities. Therefore, I want to remind you that weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited on school grounds. Students found in possession of a weapon, or any object used as a weapon, will face serious disciplinary action in accordance with our policies.
We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students. Any reports of weapons or threats to bring a weapon to school will be thoroughly investigated to ensure the safety of our community. It is essential for our students to feel safe in order to learn and thrive. I encourage you to speak with your children about the importance of fostering a secure school environment. Please review HCPSS Weapons policy here
HCPSS Student Code of Conduct
HCPSS Code of Conduct
The HCPSS Student Code of Conduct provides a framework to support behavioral goals and disciplinary policies. All students are expected to be aware of and abide by this Student Code of Conduct. They are designed to foster a sense of belonging and affirm positive behaviors. At Veterans, we implement programs such as social-emotional learning, Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and restorative conversations to help teach and reinforce school-appropriate behaviors and build community amongst our students and staff. We encourage you to read the Student Code of Conduct carefully and discuss the information with your children. Click here to learn more about the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct.
