Sept 4: Schools Closed: Labor Day

Sept 6: PTA General Membership Meeting: 6:30 pm

Sept 21: 2 Hr Early Dismissal: No Pre-K classes

Sept 20: Back To School Night: 6:30 pm

Sept 22: No School for Students: Professional Day

Sept 26: Fall Picture Day

• Submit the Acceptable Use Policy agreement
• Consider registering to receive Text Alerts from LES
• Put our Back-To-School Night on your September Calenda

Our student attendance policy is based on the overriding premise that success is dependent upon a continuous and consistent classroom instructional experience.

We realize some absences are unavoidable, but we also know when students miss too much school, regardless of the reason, it can cause them to fall behind academically. Documentation of an absence must be sent to school within three (3) days of an absence, either with a written note, phone call, or through the school website portal. If you would rather submit an email, please make sure it is sent to our records secretary, Cory Hiles at cjhiles@smcps.org

We respect the many different ways that families choose to recognize their child’s birthday. In addition to class recognitions of birthdays, our entire school community recognizes birthdays at our monthly Community Gatherings.

Some families choose to provide a small trinket to mark their child’s birthday. If you are planning on providing something for the class on your child’s birthday, we ask that you follow these guidelines:

• Inform your child’s teacher if you intend to provide something for the class on your child’s birthday. The teacher may suggest an alternate day (in close proximity to your child’s birthday), if other items are already scheduled to be provided on your child’s birthday.

• Trinkets/non-food items will be passed out by the child and the teacher near the end of the school day. This helps to minimize distractions to instruction and ensure that items are not lost or broken during the course of the school day.

• Classroom teachers will not disseminate party invitations. Furthermore, confidentiality laws prevent school staff from sharing contact information with adults other than the parents or legal guardians.

• Flowers, balloons and other celebratory deliveries will not be taken to the classroom and cannot be sent home on buses.

We offer at least 20 minutes of recess/outdoor activity on a daily basis. During this recess period, we encourage students to be active and social. If your child cannot participate in physical activity, please provide documentation of the reason and the period of time that a physician has ordered this restriction.

Indoor recess is considered when the heat index rises above 105 degrees, when temperatures drop below 32 degrees and are potentially further lowered by wind chill, or when outside temperatures and conditions are deemed to be at unhealthy or unsafe levels.

Please help your child learn to choose clothing that they will need for changing weather conditions and provide them with a refillable water bottle.

Stay up to date on events, closings, and alerts.

To participate in this free service*:

1. Ensure your preferred mobile device is on file with your school(s); and
2. Text “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.

You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”

We are happy to have the opportunity to offer Chorus, Band, and Strings music instruction to LES 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

Chorus (singing/voice) is open to all interested 4th and 5th grade students. Chorus singers will meet once a week for 45 minutes. Sign-ups for the LES Chorus are located inside Music Room 224 (Ms. Beard).

Band instruction begins in 4th and 5th grades, and is offered for the following instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, and percussion/bells. BAND ENROLLMENT FORM

Strings instruction begins in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, and is offered for the following instruments: violin, viola, cello, string bass. STRINGS ENROLLMENT FORM

Students may participate in either band or strings, but not both. However, Band and Strings students can also participate in the elementary school Chorus program.

We hope that you will take time to seriously consider this matter. Participating in a musical ensemble and/or learning to play a musical instrument can be one of your child's most cherished learning experiences. Attached below are invitations to information nights at Leonardtown High School regarding Strings and Band programs. There is also a letter from the Supervisor of Instruction for Fine Arts that outlines information about acquiring instruments.