Happy New Year Newsletter

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Spanish

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Urdu

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Good morning Fulton Families,

As you may know every year Maryland releases the Maryland Report Card. This year, they released them in December.

Schools receive ratings based on:

• Academic Achievement (Proficiency in Math and English Language Arts as measured by MCAP.)

• Academic Progress (Growth)

• Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency (the amount of English Learners on track to achieving proficiency in English Language)

• School Quality and Student Success which includes Attendance, School Surveys both students and educators, access to a well rounded curriculum

We are so excited to announce that Fulton Elementary School earned a star rating of 5... 5 out of 5 stars with 94th% rank!!!!!

To learn more about our Star rating, please visit the Maryland Report Card.

Please partner with us at to keep everyone safe by refraining from U-turns.

Happy New Year Fulton Family! We hope you had a restful break!

This month at Fulton, students will be thinking about what the new year means to them through the lens of one of our values: learning. At Fulton, we define learning as engaging and adapting by gaining and sharing diverse knowledge. How does your family kick off the new year? What other customs or traditions do you or your family participate in? What does the beginning of the year mean to your family? https://forms.gle/cDGDxSNpo17sdRkAA

• Belonging Committee

Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2024? Please save the date and join HCPSS 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.

Believe it or not, middle school is just around the corner! Save the date for middle school orientation where you’ll learn about how to register, course selection, the track to graduation and so much more!
January 18 * 6-7pm * LKMS

Does this feel intimidating? Join the FES PTA to hear from a panel of middle school parents who will give advice to prepare you for orientation - what to expect for the spring - class selection and more.
January 10 * 7pm * Virtual (link coming soon)

For a complete list of dates and events visit https://fes.hcpss.org/calendar.

January

• 1.02 1st Day of School in 2024
• 1.10 7:00PM PTA Meeting, Virtual
• 1.11 FES Literacy Night
• 1.15: Schools & Offices Closed
• 1.17: Schools close 3 hours early. No half-day PreK/RECC
• 1.18: No half-day/PreK/RECC; LKMS Rising 6th grade Parent Orientation
• 1.19: No half-day/PreK/RECC; End of Second Marking Period
• 1.22: Schools Closed for Students/Professional Work Day
• 1.23: 6:00PM Winter Instrumental Concert
• 1.30: 6:30PM 4th & 5th Winter Concern; Report Cards Issued

Save the date if you have a current 5th grader. LKMS will have their rising 6th grade student Parent Orientation on January 18 from 6:00-7:00 PM (January 25 snow date). Families can learn about middle school, the academic schedule, and the Gifted and Talented program.

Check out the Winter 2024 Howard County Recreation & Parks Before/After School classes for students at Fulton ES. They fill up fast, so sign up today! 👇

The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program Saturday Math Academy Winter Session is approaching!

This year, the BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an in-person enrichment program for Howard County Public School System students in all levels of math for grades 3-12 based on course availability. Registration will take place online Saturday, January 6, 2024 from 9:00 a.m.- until capacity is reached. Class space is limited. Families can register by accessing the HCPSS Connect Website

For more information, please visit: https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2023/12/black-student-achievement-program-bsap-saturday-math-academy-spring-2024-program/

Flyers for distribution:

BSAP SMA Spring 2024 Flyer (English)

BSAP SMA Spring 2024 Flyer (Spanish)

BSAP SMA Spring 2024 Flyer (Chinese)

BSAP SMA Spring 2024 Flyer (Korean)

Last week we had an amazing week at FES! As some of you may know we have a Mentor/Mentee program at FES this year. We were able to have some winter fun with hot chocolate and games this past week. Thank you to all of our Mentors and Mentees for joining in the fun!

Join us in congratulating Hana K., Trombone (4th Chair) on her acceptance into this year's HCPSS Elementary School Gifted and Talented Band!

Great job!!!

Fulton Elementary School is a diverse school and it is important to us that everyone feels that they belong at FES and see themselves throughout our building. One way that we are doing this is by writing "Welcome" in all the different languages represented at Fulton. As you may have noticed when you enter FES, we have began these efforts and want to continue this throughout our school building and need your help.

If you speak a language other than English at home, please share with us the language and how you say welcome via this form. Thank you!

As we prepare for possible winter weather, please take a moment to double check your family file. This will help our school-based team to ensure your child gets home in your preferred manner in the event of unexpected early dismissal.

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with HCPSS Emergency Notification Procedures. In emergency situations, including inclement weather, information will be shared with the community only through the HCPSS website, email and text, Twitter and the HCPSS weather hotline. If you have not already, take some time to opt into texts to receive emergency messages.

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. Please consider these steps to keep your children healthy and in school this winter.

1. 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.

2. Sometimes, stomach pain and headaches can be signs of anxiety and may not be reasons for keeping a child home. If you feel that anxiety or stress is 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.

3. Encourage children to wash their hands before and after eating and after using the restroom.

4. Avoid sharing cups and utensils with other individuals.

5. 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.

6. Encourage healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking fluids and getting exercise.

7. 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 410-880-5957.

Thank you for partnering with us and we look forward to seeing your children in school all year long.