Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments

Jaime Gittleson - Assistant Principal

Website: cces.hcpss.org
Location: 10320 Quarterstaff Road, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: (410) 313-6866
Facebook: facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
Twitter: @hcpss_cces

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Spanish

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Urdu

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Dear Families,

It is that time of year when we enroll kindergarteners and new students to first grade for next year! If you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1st, please enroll them now! If you know anyone who has a child this age, please have them enroll their child now! The official date to begin enrolling is March 4th, but the enrollment link is already open. The link to on-line enrollment is below! Please feel free to call the office with any questions!

https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/#docs

Thank you!

Michelle Leader, Principal

Jaime Gittleson, Assistant Principal

February

• 26 - Hearing and Vision Screenings

March

• 4 - Kindergarten and New First Grader Enrollment
• 6 - Picture Day - Individual and Class Photos
• 6 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
• 7 - Wear green for "Think Green" Day
• 13 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early - Professional Work and Wellness Day
• 15 - PTA Scholastic Book Fair begins (through March 21)
• 15 - PTA International Night
• 25 - Schools and Offices Closed, Spring Break begins (through April 1)

To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.

Maryland State law requires that all Kindergarteners, all 1st graders, and any 2nd-5th grade student new to Maryland public schools are screened in school for hearing and vision. Please make every effort to send your student to school on Monday. If they usually wear glasses or contacts, please be sure to send them to school with their glasses on/contacts in. Parents can ONLY opt out of screenings for religious reasons with written notice. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Schrumm, the School Nurse, at 410-313-5609 or jschrumm@hcpss.org. Thank you.

Lifetouch School Photography, known for capturing school pictures from K-12 nationwide, will take our school photos this year. On March 6, class pictures will be taken and any individual pictures for students who order them. For more information about Picture Day, check out the flyer provided or visit: https://schools.lifetouch.com/for-your-families/

Order photos now at: www.mylifetouch.com

Picture Day ID for Class Photos: EVTV4WPC8

Picture Day ID for Individual Photos: EVT99JTXH

If you wish to “opt-in” to receive CCES and HCPSS texts with emergency information or reminders, please follow the directions below:

Send a text to the number: 67587

Text “Yes” in the message.

Reply “Yes” when prompted if you want to “opt-in”

Add these dates to your calendar! There are plenty of exciting PTA events coming up through the spring. All the details coming soon!

March 15 - International Night

March 15-21 - Scholastic Book Fair

April 1 Year Book online sales begin

April 25 - Talent Show (K-2nd)

April 26 - Talent Show (3rd - 5th)

May 6-10 - Staff Appreciation Week

May 10 - Spring Carnival

Saturday afternoon Feb 24th 2pm-4pm

Each year the Scouts run Pinewood Derby and they support our school community by giving the proceeds of the bake sale at the event to CCES PTA!

Would you be part of this great fundraiser by donating some baked goods to the bake sale?

Treats can be homemade or store bought!

Let us know what you'll bring by signing up here! Can you spare some time to volunteer?

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A4CA9AC29ABF49-48007373-ptabake

Mark your calendars for a vibrant celebration of our school's incredible diversity at the CCES International Night on Friday, March 15th! Immerse yourself in a global experience brimming with cultural exploration, delicious food, and electrifying performances.

The festivities begin at 6:30 pm with:

• Country Tables: Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes of different countries! Explore interactive displays, learn fascinating facts, and savor delicious treats from around the world.
• Rock Creek Steel Drums: Don't miss the electrifying performance by this talented group! Get your hands on a steel drum and learn a few beats in group lessons before they take the stage at 7:20 pm.
  
  

Become a Country Table Host: Share your heritage and connect with our community by hosting a country table! Showcase your culture with a colorful display, artifacts, interesting facts, and traditional food to share. Families are welcome to team up and represent a single region for a more impactful presentation. Each country table host will receive half a cafeteria table sized space for your display. Space is limited to 18-20 countries, so sign up below and be sure to indicate your country. Once you sign up, we will reach out with additional details and answer any questions that you have.

Volunteer Opportunities: Make this event even more spectacular by lending a helping hand. We're searching for volunteers to assist with set-up and clean-up. Every contribution makes a difference!

Spread the Word and Join the Fun! We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the mosaic of cultures that make the Clemens Crossing community so vibrant.

Details:

Date: Friday, March 15th
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (Country table hosts arrive at 6 PM for set-up)
Location: Clemens Crossing Elementary School

Questions? Contact us at: culturalarts@clemenscrossingpta.org

Who doesn't feel a bit peckish throughout the workday? And who wouldn't get excited to find something tasty or fun in the lounge? For sure our CCES teachers & staff love a good pick-me-up and we want to give it to them!

Please consider helping the PTA "Stuff the Staff Lounge" with goodies throughout the year. It's an easy way to show our appreciation for all the hard work that goes on in our school! You can signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49AEAE2DA5F8C07-45327230-stuff

Do you want to get a head start on the school year? We encourage all parents/guardians to visit the link below to learn what your child will learn this year in grades PreK-5! Once you click on your child’s grade level, use the yellow “course navigation” box in the top right corner to navigate standards, free games, and family activities for each subject area. Happy learning!

https://www.hcpss.org/academics/what-your-child-will-learn-guides/

The Howard County Public School System is committed to providing a safe, engaging and supportive learning environment where all policies are enforced fairly and consistently. HCPSS policies and regulations emphasize instruction and rehabilitation rather than punishment and are designed to foster and reward appropriate behavior and keep students connected to school so they can graduate college and career ready. Please read and review the HCPSS student code of conduct with your child(ren) before the school year begins:

https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/student-handbook/student-code-of-conduct.pdf

HCPSS parents/guardians are required by Board of Education Policy 9000 Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment to notify HCPSS if they move to a new home address by submitting residency documentation to their student’s current school. Students who have a change of residence on or after the first day of the 2023-2024 school year must request a student reassignment in order to complete the school year at their previous school.

Listed below are the many ways to stay informed at Clemens Crossing Elementary School.

Twitter

• Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hcpss_cces
• We use Twitter to inform, celebrate, and engage our community.
• Twitter is used to share what is going on in our school, our community, and throughout the Howard County Public School System.
• Turn on notifications to get information the second it is tweeted.
• We live-stream our concerts on Periscope through Twitter.

• Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
• We have found that Facebook is the social media most used by our parents so we are now on Facebook, too!
• Our Facebook page is updated automatically from our Twitter feed.
• Please use Facebook to share the good news from CCES with your friends and families.

Instagram

• We use Instagram periodically. We do post pictures and information there.

Website

• Our website, cces.hcpss.org, is updated regularly.
• Important news and information is located on the main page of the site including an archive of our weekly newsletter, Cougar Comments.
• Staff information and email is located under the "Our Staff" tab.
• A subscribable google calendar is located on the "Calendar" tab.

Email

• Email is our main form of communication.
• You will receive news and information automatically to the email address you provide in your Family File. We will not inundate your inbox with email. Look for the weekly Cougar Comments on Friday mornings.
• If you would like email sent to different email addresses, update your email in Family File with the email address you prefer.
• You can subscribe additional email addresses by visiting the HCPSS News site here. http://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/
• Weekly announcements, important information and updates, and more will primarily be sent through email.
• You also have the opportunity to opt-in for text messaging

Date: April 6th, 2024

Time: 12 pm - 3 pm

Location: Howard High School (8700 Old Annapolis Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21043)

Who? 3rd to 8th graders in Howard County (parents will need to stay at the event)

THERE WILL BE PRIZES AND CERTIFICATES FOR ALL WHO COMPETE

About the Fair

This STEM fair is a platform designed to inspire and showcase the creativity and talent of young students from grades 3 - 8. This event invites participants to present their projects across various STEM categories, with the opportunity to win exciting prizes! The purpose of this event is to encourage a passion for learning and exploration, allowing children to express their unique ideas. Judges will score each project, provide constructive feedback, and give out medals at the end of the event but all participants will nevertheless receive certificates.

Parents/Guardians must stay during the entire event.

PLEASE READ ALL THE GUIDELINES HERE:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mlbzNFQOPIateiW2pUyp_b4gA6IbhJkxpPGcDULSxfk/edit?usp=sharing

Contact Information:

Email - hohs.stemroots@gmail.com

Mark your calendars for the big race! This Saturday, February 24th at 2pm in the school cafeteria, Pack 618 will be holding our annual Pinewood Derby, where scouts become racecar designers and drivers. Come and support your friends as they compete with their homemade cars for fastest time and best design. This year, the best design and the three speediest cars all get to compete in the first district-wide Pinewood Derby! Don't forget to bring a dollar or two for a tasty snack at the PTA bake sale, and support the scouts and the school at the same time! If you want to do more than watch, join us, and we'll help guide your racecar creation and even provide the necessary tools. To check us out, go to our website at www.pack618md.com and contact us at Cubmaster@pack618md.com.