Veterans Elementary Eagle Express

Veterans Elementary School promotes life-long learning by embracing its diversity, providing students with dynamic classroom experiences and exposing them to the cultural arts in a climate that is rigorous, safe, nuturing and respectful.

Robert Bruce, Principal

Amy Green, Assistant Principal

Derek Lewis, Administrator

School Start and Dismissal Times: 9:25 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.

Email: robert_bruce@hcpss.org
Website: ves.hcpss.org
Location: 4355 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City, MD, USA
Phone: 410-313-1700

As we complete the month of October, just a few general comments.

1. Please monitor the use of social media applications on student phones. It is crucial that students understand that posting video of an obscene or threatening manner has consequences. We need to raise children who are media smart and know the difference between right and wrong on social media.
   
2. If you take your children "trick or treating", remember to ensure their supervision. While certainly you may trust your children, they may encounter others who do not follow the same norms.
   
3. Report Cards will be issued on Monday November 11th for the first quarter.
   
4. Bus behavior- please stress to your children that it is crucial that student bus behavior is excellent. This means following directions of the bus driver. While the first few offenses may result in consequences in school, if a student can not control their behavior on the bus, this could result in a temporary or permanent suspension of bus riding privileges. Student safety is our primary concern.
   

OCTOBER

• 31 - Annual Children's Celebrations

November

• 11 - Q1 Report Cards go home with students
• 12 - PTA Board Meeting, 7:00p.m. in VES Media Center
• 25 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal for Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 26 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal for Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 27 - Schools Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences
  
• 28 & 29 - Schools and Offices Closed
  

Click to download and print the HCPSS calendar in a monthly format. The calendar will no longer be distributed in first day folders. The 2019-2020 School Calendar is available to be printed online: https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/

Media Center News

The Media Center is off to a very busy start with our students checking out hundreds of books every day!
If you would like to volunteer in the Media Center, we especially need help on Friday mornings. Please contact robin_lauren@hcpss.org or carolee_kinloch@hcpss.org if you can help out.

Young Authors’ Contest: All students in Grades 1-5 have received information on the Young Authors’ Contest for 2019. Students may submit an original poem (25-150 words) or short story, 100-400 words (Grades 1-2) and 300-800 words (Grades 3-5). All entries must be typed and submitted with a completed cover sheet. Entries are due to the Media Center by December 3rd, 2019. All parents will receive a canvas announcement from their media teacher with more details on this contest, along with links for the cover sheet. We have sent several canvas announcements this year from the Media Center, but If you have not received any Media canvas announcements, please contact carolee_kinloch@hcpss.org or robin_lauren@hcpss.org.

Battle of the Books Registration: Online registration for the 5th grade reading competition begins this Monday, October 21st. Please remember to register your team early because the registration may close before Nov.4th if all spots are filled. No late registrations will be accepted. More detailed information on this program can be found on Howard County Public Library’s website: http://hclibrary.org/new-a-main/battle-of-the-books/

Interested in joining Girl Scouts? A new Kindergarten Daisy Troop will be forming, and spots are available in existing troops for other grades. Please contact VeteransGS@gmail.com for more information!

Attendance Notes: Please send all attendance notes to VESattendance@hcpss.org.

Extended Absences: If your child will be absent for more than 3 days, please fill out an HCPSS Extended Absence Form and send it to the front office: https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/absence_request.pdf

Note that an Early Dismissal is not considered a transportation change.
Early Dismissals are considered an Attendance issue.

DISMISSAL TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: VEStransportation@hcpss.org

The school should be notified whenever a child’s dismissal transportation changes.

Please send all Transportation Changes on the day it applies to by 2:00 p.m.

Accommodations for Religious Observance:

If a religious observance requires a student to miss all or part of a school day, parents should complete the Religious Obligation: Request for Absence form and submit the request to the principal/designee documenting the need for the absence.

11/12 - Next PTA Board Meeting, 7pm Media Center

PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE - Still Ongoing
Thanks to all who have signed up already! Becoming a member (just $10 per adult) ensures we are an official PTA organization within the national structure and helps support all that we do here at the school.

Membership forms came home last week. If you can’t find yours, it’s available online (and you can sign up online too if you prefer). Just copy and paste the link below into a browser window.
https://www.veterans-pta.com/online-membership-form.html

Our goal is to get 300 PTA members at VES this year - We are well over halfway there already! Please help us meet our goal.