SLES Family Roar: October

Dear St. Leonard Elementary Families,

As we welcome October, we want to thank you for your partnership and support during a wonderful start to the school year. Our students have been working hard to establish routines, build relationships, and engage in meaningful learning experiences each day. If you were unable to attend our Open House presentation, please take a few minutes to review the attached slideshow. During Open House, our school team, along with our Title I and Judy Center staff, shared important information and resources to support students and families throughout the school year. We encourage you to review the presentation to stay informed and up to date.

This month brings many exciting opportunities for learning, growth, and school community events. As the school year gains momentum, we encourage families to continue supporting strong attendance, establishing consistent homework and bedtime routines, and staying connected with classroom and school communications.

October is also a time to celebrate kindness, respect, and belonging. We will recognize Unity Day later this month (10/21) and reinforce the importance of creating a school environment where every child feels valued, included, and supported. Together, we can help our students develop the skills and character needed to be successful learners and caring citizens.

Thank you to the families that completed the survey regarding communication. Based on your feedback, you feel that monthly newsletters are enough. This year, we will continue to email a newsletter once a month. When we have upcoming events or other important information to communicate, we will send them out as necessary.

Thank you for all you do to support our St. Leonard Lions. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside you and look forward to an exciting month ahead.

With gratitude,

Dr. Nicole Jimney
Principal
St. Leonard Elementary School

🦁 Every Child Matters. Every Moment Counts. 🦁

Monday, October 5- Unity Day. This is a wonderful opportunity to promote kindness, inclusion, acceptance, and standing up for others. Let's come together and try to wear orange to support this special day.

Friday, October 12- 2-hour early dismissal-Parent Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, October 14- Fall in Love with Literacy event (see details below)

Friday, October 16-School Closed for students

Monday, October 26-30- Red Ribbon Spirit Week

Friday, October 30- 2-hour early dismissal

Calvert High School: October 14, 2026

Northern High School: October 22, 2026

Patuxent High School: October 28, 2026

At St. Leonard Elementary School, we value opportunities to celebrate our students and make their birthdays feel special. To support student health, safety, and inclusion, we are updating our birthday celebration practices.

Beginning immediately, food items, including cupcakes, cookies, donuts, candy, and other birthday treats, will no longer be permitted for classroom/lunch celebrations. This change helps us better support students with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and health concerns while maximizing instructional time.

We still want birthdays to be recognized and celebrated! Families are welcome to send in non-food items for the class such as:

• Stickers
• Pencils
• Bookmarks
• Erasers
• Small school supplies
• Individual note cards or birthday messages

Teachers will continue to acknowledge and celebrate student birthdays in meaningful ways throughout the school day.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to create a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for all students. If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Thank you for your partnership.

At St. Leonard Elementary, we are committed to ensuring that every child, every day, has every opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. As part of this commitment, our staff has been working collaboratively to develop and implement our School Improvement Plan, which serves as a roadmap for strengthening student achievement, attendance, school culture, and family engagement.

This year, our goals focus on improving student learning through high-quality instruction, using data to meet students' individual needs, fostering a positive and inclusive school environment, and strengthening partnerships with families. Throughout the year, our School Improvement Leadership Team will regularly review student progress and make adjustments to ensure we are meeting the needs of all learners.

Families play an important role in the success of our school. Your support with attendance, communication, learning at home, and participation in school events helps create the strong home-school partnership that our students need to thrive.

Please take a moment to review the attached final School Improvement Plan. To start, we have developed a math and an ELA goal. We look forward to sharing updates and celebrating our progress throughout the year. Together, we can ensure that every St. Leonard Lion feels supported, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Thank you for your partnership and continued support of our school community.

The SLES Judy Center is thrilled to open our doors to the community! Join us for an official ribbon cutting ceremony and refreshments, as well as a chance to see our space.

Highlights:

• Opening remarks & ribbon cutting ceremony
• Light refreshments will follow
• Sing and Swing a Story will follow for families
• Special promotions for first 100 visitors

Please RSVP by October 12, 2026

This was sent via School Messenger on 9/29, however please complete the survey if you have not yet.

As a parent/guardian of a child attending a Title I school, you are an important part of the Title I team. Your input is vital when it comes to parent and family engagement. After reviewing the 2026-2027 Calvert County Public Schools Family Engagement Plan, please complete the short survey using the link below.

2026-2027 CCPS District Level Family Engagement Plan Feedback Tool – Fill out form

Playgroups at the Judy Center (Registration Required)

• All Age Play | 10:00-11:00 AM | October 6, 13, and 27
• Tummy Time | 10:00-10:45 AM | October 7, 14, 21, and 28
• Cruisers | 11:00 AM-Noon | October 7, 14, 21, and 28

Judy Center Family Engagement Events (Registration Required)

• Sing & Swing | 12:00 PM | October 9
• Storytelling | 1:30 PM | October 20
• Meals with Mayea (via Microsoft Teams) | 5:30-6:30 PM | October 21
• Pumpkin Patch | 10:00 AM-Noon | October 22

Special Event

• Judy Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony | 11:00 AM | October 15

Mark Your Calendars!
On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, CCPS' Family Support System is thrilled to present the “Fall in Love With Literacy” Festival at Calvert Middle School!

This fun-filled evening is designed for the whole family and features:

• Interactive games and stations to spark a love of reading
• Free books for children
• Exciting prizes

Registration is encouraged but not required.

Hi Families!

Coming soon, your students will bring home their Square 1 Art ordering catalog, sticker sheet, and you can visit the web page to scope out possible products for ordering. Currently, our artwork is scheduled to be shipped to Square 1 Art in early October, then the company will send us the stickers and catalogs by October 23rd. Once the catalogs are received, orders will be due early November (the 6th is our current deadline). Please reach out to Mrs. Branch (branchs@calvertnet.k12.md.us) with any questions. I look forward to sharing their beautiful work with you soon!

Volunteer with us! CCPS uses the Raptor system for volunteers and visitors to sign in and out of schools. All volunteers (anyone interacting with children for activities such as field day, field trips, VIP Day, etc.) will need to review the volunteer handbook, watch the volunteer training video, and apply to be an approved volunteer each year before volunteering in any school.

Click HERE to become a volunteer!

Make sure you are following our Facebook Page: St. Leonard Elementary School-CCPS

Please see the below attachment for important NEW car rider arrival and dismissal procedures. If your child will be an EVERYDAY car rider, please complete the forms survey using the QR code or link within the attachment.

Reminders:

• You will need to show your ID everyday.
• Car riders will not be released from the classroom until the bell rings (4:10).
• Students will not be checked out after 3:45 in the front office. You will be asked to wait in the car rider line.
• Please do not block the handicap parking spots. You will need to park in a spot or go down the back hill to park if there are no extra spaces.

Currently, SLES has a 94.87% attendance rate according to the end of September. We need to keep our attendance rate at 95% or above. It takes all of us working together to make this happen. If you need support, please reach out and let us know.

Information for you to know regarding attendance:

• When your child is out sick, notes must be submitted within three days from the date of absence for the absence to be marked excused.
• When email is used to provide documentation, the parent/guardian's first and last name should be in the signature at the bottom of the email.
• Vacations will not be marked as excused absences.

A truant youth is one who is unlawfully absent from school for more than:

• 8 days in any quarter,
• 15 days in any semester, or
• 20 days in a school year.

CCPS and SLES are committed to supporting military-connected students and their families. We strive to make school transition as smooth as possible for our military-connected students and their families. Click the link below to find additional information to assist you along the way. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Student Services if you should have any questions.

Military-Connected Student Support - Calvert County Public School District

NAS Patuxent River

Office Line : (443)550-9760

Fax: (410) 286-4022

Principal Dr. Nicole Jimney: jimneyn@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Assistant Principal Ms. Debra Baker: bakerde@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Dean Ms. Lindsay Woodard: woodardl@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Counselor Ms. Marybeth McDermott: mcdermottm@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Location: 5370 St. Leonard Rd, St. Leonard, MD 20685

Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth programs.

Calvert County Public Schools does not refuse enrollment of a prospective student, expel a current student, or withhold privileges from a current student, or prospective student, or the parent or guardian of a current or prospective student because of an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, age, national original, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Calvert County Public Schools does not discipline, invoke a penalty against, or take any other retaliatory action against a student or parent or guardian of a student who files a complaint alleging that the program or school discriminated against the student, regardless of the outcome of the complaint.

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ø Director of Student Services

Ø Director of Human Resources 443-550-8000

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

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Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals.

Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability. Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that they have been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678

Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678

Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.

Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.