Falcon Flier

Sandra Anderson, Assistant Principal

Kelly Grenzer, Assistant Principal

Website: ples.hcpss.org
Location: Phelps Luck Elementary School, Old Stone Court, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: 410-313-6886
Facebook: facebook.com/phelpsluckelementary
Twitter: @hcpss_ples

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We are excited to announce the implementation of the Zum Student Bus Card Program at Phelps Luck Elementary School, starting February 25. This program is being introduced to enhance the safety, efficiency, and accountability of student transportation on our seven Zum buses (Zum buses have a 7 digit bus number (i.e. 233231).

With the new Student Bus Cards, students will simply scan their card when boarding and exiting their assigned bus. This will allow real-time tracking of ridership, helping ensure that every student is safely accounted for during their journey to and from school. Additionally, families will have access to timely updates regarding their child’s transportation status.

What This Means for Families:

• Each student assigned to a Zum bus will receive a Student Bus Card prior to the start of the program.
• Students must scan their card when getting on and off the bus each day.
• Parents/guardians will be able to track bus arrival times and their child's ridership status via the Zum app.
• This system will help improve communication, reduce delays, and enhance overall transportation safety.

We appreciate your support as we work to make school transportation more secure and efficient for all students. Additional details, including how to access the Zum app and what to do if a card is lost, will be shared soon. If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Thank you for your cooperation in making this transition smooth for our students!

Sincerely,

Mr. Cosentino, Principal

Dr. Anderson and Mrs. Grenzer, Assistant Principals

For a complete list of dates and events visit ples.hcpss.org/calendar.

February 2025

• 12 - 3rd grade field trip to MD Science Center
• 14 - Valentine's Day - Spirit Day, wear hearts, pink, or red.
• 17 - President's day - Schools and offices closed
• 19 - 5th grade field trip to BSO

To subscribe to the PLES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system, click the plus sign + at the bottom right-hand corner of the Google Calendar or click this link.

Girls on the Run Spring 2025 registration opens February 9, at noon!

The program runs from March 18 through June 3 with a celebratory 5K on May 31. We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:45 p.m. after school at Phelps Luck E.S.

For more information and to register visit Girls on the Run Central Maryland at https://www.gotrcentralmd.org/3rd-5th-grade-program-details

For PLES team-specific questions, contact Deb Sharkey at Deborah_Sharkey@hcpss.org

Poems and short stories that won at the school level were submitted to the county level of the Young Authors' Contest. Students in grades 1 through 12 from public and private schools participated in this writing contest. The names of all winners are posted on the Howard County Literacy Association website. Congratulations to all the winners!

On January 30, 2025, the Board of Education approved adjustments to Policy 8080 - Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media that changes the ability for students to use personal devices during the school day. The Board approved the following changes related to the use of personal devices by students at school:

• No students, PreKindergarten-12, will be permitted to use cell phones and other personal technology devices during the student day (first bell to last bell of the day or posted school hours) except for reasons detailed in a student’s IEP, 504, or health plan. Under the prior version of the policy, elementary and middle school students were not permitted to use personal devices during the school day at any time. For high school students, this policy removes access to personal device in between classes and at lunch. For all grade levels, the addition of consequences for violating the policy is new.

• When a personal device is used in violation of the new policy, the device will be confiscated for the remainder of the student day. Following the first violation, the student may retrieve the device at the end of the student day. For all subsequent violations, a parent/guardian must retrieve the device from the school.
• A device that is confiscated during the final period of the student day will be confiscated for the entire next student day. The student may retrieve the device at the end of the day it was originally confiscated to take home but must provide it to the front office upon arrival on the next student day.
• Students may be in possession of personal devices, but they must be “away and silenced,” meaning devices are not able to be seen by either the student or staff member and are set to make no noise. Additionally, devices may not be a distraction.
• Smart watches will be permitted to be worn to check time but may not be a distraction.
• Personal laptops may be used for instructional activities in high school when permitted by the teacher.
• A staff member on a school-sponsored field trip may permit the use of a personal technology device by a student in limited situations where capturing a picture or video may be appropriate or contacting a parent/guardian is necessary.
• School administrators and school administrators’ designees may authorize use of a personal device in rare instances such as an emergency for communication purposes.

These new expectations will take effect on Monday, March 3, 2025. The complete changes and expectationsLinks to an external site. may be found online. Please take time to review these new expectations with your student to ensure they do not violate the new policy.

Our school will adhere strictly to the policy with hopes that the elimination of the distractions that personal devices cause use will result in healthier and more productive learning and social environments during the school day. More information will be shared before the implementation date.

Now Available, Our 2025 Parents Guide

Through its family workshops, local resources, events, educational programs and more, DCRS' Office of Children and Families (OCF) aims to help Howard County families grow and thrive all year long. If you were not able to attend OCF’s annual Child Care Fair this past Saturday, to learn more about child care, preschool, school-age, and summer program opportunities in Howard County, don’t fret as OCF has just released its “Parent’s Guide to Howard County” for 2025. This comprehensive guide serves as a resource to link parents, caregivers, and others to services in our community to help all children grow and thrive.

You can also learn more about the latest happenings, activities and programs for children and families offered by OCF, by checking out its latest Parent Pages issue. If you need individual assistance, such as finding childcare, guidance with parenting issues, mental and emotional health support, special needs resources, food access, housing, and more, contact OCF’s free CARE line at 410-313-CARE (2273) to learn more about what’s available.

Calling all students! In celebration of Women’s History Month this coming March, DCRS’s Howard County Commission for Women is hosting an essay contest and poster contest to commemorate the month and this year’s national theme: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.” This year’s theme celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship and leadership.

The essay contest is open to all Howard County middle and high school students – public, private and homeschooled, while the poster contest is open to all Howard County elementary, middle and high school students. Both contests call upon students to write about or create an original piece of artwork that shows a female educator, mentor or leader who has inspired them and why. All contest entries must be submitted by no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 21st, to women@howardcountymd.gov with “Essay Contest” or “Poster Contest” in the email subject line.

For more information about the student essay and poster contest, including the Submission Terms and Agreement Form, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/CFW2025contest. For questions, contact DCRS at 410-313-6400. First and second place prizes will be awarded in each educational level of the essay and poster contests.

The Phelps Luck Elementary School’s Early Childhood Classes are making preparations for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year and are accepting applications for general education students to participate as peers through the Learning Together Program (LTP). These classes include general education and special education students. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills. For parents of children who currently are three years old (birthdays after 9/1/2021) or will be three years old by September 1st 2025, applications will be available and accepted in mid-February. Please click the following link for more information: LTP Information - Google Docs

Please find the Spirit Day Schedule for the year below. We hope this helps in the planning and participation in our fun spirit days this year.

To ensure smooth end-of-day procedures, please plan to pick up your child no later than 2:45 p.m. This helps us maintain a focused learning environment and ensures the safety and smooth dismissal of all students. Picking up students after this time can disrupt classroom activities and interfere with dismissal procedures.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us provide the best possible environment for all students!

If your student is absent or will be absent, please contact us at the following email address to explain the reason: PLESabsence@hcpss.org. In the email, please Include the following information:

• Student First and Last Name

• Grade

• Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation)