Panther Press
Friday, January 12
Dear Running Brook Families,
This is the time of year when the winter season takes a toll on school attendance. Common illnesses such as colds, flu, fevers, earaches and Covid-19, along with unpredictable winter weather, can result in students having to miss school.
These absences, even when they are excused, break the routine of daily attendance that contributes to students feeling connected and engaged in learning. As we are seeing many students missing school, we ask that you please consider these steps to keep your children healthy this winter.
If your children get sick or you are concerned about Covid or the flu, please visit the Howard County Health Department’s (HCHD) website or talk to your child’s medical provider or the school nurse for guidance.
If you feel that other factors beyond physical health are playing a role in your child’s ability to attend school, talk to your child’s teacher, the school nurse, counselor or your medical provider about how best to support your child.
Encourage children to wash their hands before and after eating and after using the restroom.
Avoid sharing cups and utensils with other individuals.
Dress your children for the cold weather. If you need help with winter clothing, please let us know. Visit the HCHD website for cold weather safety information.
Encourage healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking fluids and getting exercise.
If your children need to stay home for a prolonged period due to illness, please reach out to your child’s teacher to find out about resources they can use at home to keep learning once they feel well enough.
Let us know how we can help you. If you need resources or guidance, please contact the school at 410-313-6893.
Thank you for partnering with us and we look forward to seeing your children in school all year long.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Spivey
Important Dates
January 15
January 18 & 19
January 19
Purple Friday! Wear any shade of Purple.
January 22
January 30
Report Cards Issued.
February 7 & 8
Elementary Schools 3hrs. Early. Students will be dismissed at 12:55.
Parent Teacher conferences.
NEW INFORMATION
A Message from Our Assistant Principal:
Over the course of 1/8-2/5 students in grades 1-5 will take the Measured Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The data from the MAP assessment will help schools and teachers measure your student’s academic progress. The MAP test does not affect grades and the difficulty adjusts depending on how your child responds. It is normal for students to only answer about half the questions correctly. To learn more about the MAP assessment, please visit: https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/common-questions-families/
Your child's teacher will communicate specific dates and times as the dates become closer. If your child is unable to attend, makeup testing will be offered during school hours.
Road to Kindergarten Workshops!
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2024? Please save the date and join us for an upcoming Road to Kindergarten parent information session. All sessions will run 6:30-7:30 p.m. and cover the same content.
At this session you will learn:
- Expectations for school readiness (and receive a Ready for Kindergarten toolkit);
- Details about the HCPSS kindergarten program;
- Information about HCPSS kindergarten registration and website;
- Ways that families and children can be supported during the transition to kindergarten.
Information sessions will be offered at the following times:
- Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, Centennial High School**
- Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, Hammond High School*
- Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 Wilde Lake High School*
- SNOW DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, Hammond High School**
* Spanish interpreter will be present at these sites.
** Chinese, Korean, and Spanish interpreters will be present at these sites
If Howard County Public Schools are closed for inclement weather, the session is canceled.
Child care is available at each session for children ages 2 and older; the session is designed for adults only. Please note, the session will include information regarding Kindergarten readiness, program components, and registration that is applicable to all HCPSS schools; specific school information will be shared by schools after registration is finalized.
Large crowds are anticipated; please allow ample time for parking, childcare drop off, and check in. Doors open at 6pm.
For more information, visit www.hcpss.org/enroll/kindergarten/ or call 410-313-5693.
Second Half of the Year Reminders:
Now that we are moving into a 2nd half of the year we would like to provide a few reminders:
- School starts @ 9:25. We encourage students to arrive at 9:10 so that they can eat Breakfast and prepare for the school day.
- Please make sure to wear the appropriate shoes to school. While Heely's are the current trend, we ask for students not use their wheels in school for safety reasons.
- Update your family file! This is needed for field trips, and emergency school closures.
PURPLE OUT DAY! Friday, Jan 19, 2024
Let's get excited as the Ravens head into the play-offs!
Wear your Ravens gear, Running Brook gear, or anything purple. We can't wait to see all the purple!
Family Involvement Team
On Wednesday, February 14th from 8:40 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. we will host our monthly Family Involvement Team meeting.
Teachers, parents and family partners come together to build constant collaboration between home and school. We meet virtually via Google Meet.
Please use this link to join: https://meet.google.com/xax-rtgq-pfd
From the Art Room:
Please stop by the Columbia Art Center between 1/4-1/30. Check out Alena Trent and Logan Chan from 5th grade, who have their artwork displayed at the art show.
Field Day- 5/16/24
Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, May 16th with a rain date set for Tuesday, May 28th.
Recess & Cold Weather Reminders
Students will be outside for recess (30 minutes), physical education , or any other outdoor activity when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees fahrenheit. Please be sure to dress your student for cold weather. Contact Mrs. Hartlove, Family Liaison, at Jane_Hartlove@hcpss.org if you are in need of a coat or gloves for your student.
Winter 2024 Before & After School Classes at RBES
There are Winter 2024 Before/After School Classes Running Brook ES, provided by Howard County Recreation & Parks. These classes provide fun, structured, educational, and enriching activities for students, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents!
CLICK HERE the the link to view & register for the Running Brook ES Before/After School classes:
MD State Accredidation of our PreK Program
Let's keep cheering on our Pre-K team while they complete the Maryland State Accreditation process! This month they focused on the following standards.
- 2.3.2 & 2.3.7-Co-create classroom rules, referring to C4L expectation posters. These should be hung and available to reference daily with students. The team will also be addressing the difference between expectations and rules.
- 2.1.3(a)-Environment reflects students, families and staff (windows & mirrors): pictures of students, staff and families around the room, diversity/ability posters around the room (may need to take down other items on wall for space), puzzles of families/people groups, dolls of variety of skin tones, books around the room, skin tone materials around room (crayons, paper, etc.)
Keep up the hard work Pre-K!
PTA News
Message from the President
Thank you to everyone who came to Panther Winter Wonderland last week. We had a great time and hope to continue this tradition for many years to come.
Thank you to Rehoboth Ethiopian Market and Great Harvest Bread, Co. for supporting the event with very generous donations.
2023-2024 PTA Meetings - All Meetings Start at 7pm
- February 12th - In person
- March 11th - Virtual
- April 15th - Virtual
- May 13th - In Person
Join the PTA
Why join the PTA? We strive to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and the community to advocate for ALL Running Brook Elementary School students. But we can't do it without YOU! Not sure you want to join? Come to a meeting to find out more about our organization and how best to participate. memberships available HERE