Dear Parents and Guardians,

We love seeing our students and families participate in our afterschool events! However, we have noticed an increase in students being dropped off without a parent, children left unattended, excessive talking during presentations, and a lack of adherence to school rules.

Please be reminded that all school rules apply during after-school events just as they do during the school day. To ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone:

• Students must be accompanied by an adult—drop-offs are not permitted.
• Children must be supervised at all times.
• Respectful behavior is expected. Talking during presentations and disruptions will not be tolerated.
  
  

We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations so that all attendees can enjoy these events in a positive and respectful manner. Thank you for your cooperation!

Calendar Adjustment:

Please remember, Friday, March 14, 2025 is an 3-hour early release day. Students will be dismissed at 12:55. Early pick-up from school will end at 12:15.

National Reading Month:

Staff members will be hosting Cozy Reading Nights online at 7:00 PM every Wednesday evening in March! Be sure to look at the flier for Google Log in codes. This Wednesday, Mr. Swann is reading!

MISA Testing - Grade 5:

The Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) is administered to all students in fifth grade, eighth grade, and high school. The MISA is aligned to the Maryland Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS integrates three dimensions necessary to understand science. The dimensions are the Science and Engineering Practices, the Crosscutting Concepts, and the Disciplinary Core Ideas. To assess the three dimensions of the NGSS, a set of interrelated items is required. All items on the MISA are part of an item set.

5th Grade students at Elkridge will sit for the assessment on March 13, 17, 18 and 19th. Testing will take place during their content time. Please be sure to have a conversation with your children about the best practices of getting a good night’s sleep, eating breakfast, getting to school on time, doing their best and thinking about what the question is asking for. For additional information, please access the Maryland State Department of Education here.

Test Taking Tips and Reminders:
As we begin the testing season, please remind your children of the following:

• Please try to have students here and on time on testing days so they do not need to be pulled out of class instruction for make-up sessions.
• Please avoid coming to sign students out early during testing sessions. Once a student leaves, they are not about to restart the test session.
• Personal electronic devices (cell phones, iPads, smart watches, etc.) are not permitted in the testing areas.
• Routine is important when calming any nerves when it comes to testing. Keeping to normal routines both at home and at school helps the students do their best.
• Students need plenty of sleep to maintain the stamina needed to do their best.

Belonging Day & Night - Friday, March 21, 2025:

Annual EES Belonging Night is coming up on Friday, March 21st from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Let’s celebrate what makes our community special with food, fashion, and history about our cultures. If you wish to participate, use the link to sign up for what you are interested in: 2025 Belonging Night Family Sign Up

We look forward to seeing you there! Please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

Breakfast Update:

Please note that all breakfast items, including students who come to school with breakfast, will conclude by 9:30 AM. Any uneaten portion of breakfast for students who bring breakfast to school will be stored for lunch. Instructional minutes are very valuable and instruction begins promptly at 9:25 AM. If your child participates in breakfast at school, please make sure they are at school between 9:10 AM and 9:25 AM.

2025-2026 School Registration:

If you have a child who is approaching Kindergarten age or will be attending Howard County Public Schools for the first time in Fall 2025, please refer to the HCPSS Enrollment page for valuable information, which can be found here.

Safety Reminders:

Please remember the importance of safety habits while on HCPSS Property. Please remember the following when you are on HCPSS Property:

• Drive slowly (10 mph is recommended) to ensure that in the event something unexpected happens, you have enough time to react.
• Please refrain from (handheld) cell phone use and texting while in a moving vehicle.
• Please ensure that all passengers are wearing seatbelts to ensure their safety.
• Animals, including the walking of dogs, are also prohibited on school system property during arrival, dismissal, recess, and other HCPSS-sponsored outdoor activities. Shared campus hours are 7:50 AM – 3:55 PM, Monday – Friday.
  
  

Cold and Flu Season:

To keep our community healthy, it’s essential to practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water or using hand sanitizer when needed. Always cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, and dispose of tissues properly to protect others. Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs and shared devices, to reduce the spread of germs. If you’re feeling unwell, stay home and encourage others to do the same to help prevent illness from spreading. Supporting a healthy environment also includes staying vaccinated, eating well, staying hydrated, and ensuring good ventilation in shared spaces.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Kelley Powell, Principal

LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

Saturday, March 15, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Cedar Lane School
11630 Scaggsville Road
Fulton, MD 20759

The HCPSS Special Education Resource Fair provides families with information available from the community and HCPSS to support their students receiving special education and related services (those who have an IEP or IFSP). Get connected to:
Recreational Activities
HCPSS Speech, OT, PT, Vision, and Adapted PE
Camps
Community Groups
Service Providers
Transition to Adulthood Information
Assistive Technology
Behavioral Health
Howard County Government Resources
And Much More!

For information, please contact FSRC@hcpss.org. Registration is not required. The event will be cancelled if HCPSS has an inclement weather closure. This event is part of the HCPSS Parent Empowerment Series including training sessions related to special education and events for families of students with an IEP or IFSP.

📚 Book Donations Needed for Literacy Events!📚

We're collecting new or gently used books to support our upcoming literacy events, including our exciting Reading Night in April! If you have books to donate, please drop them off at school in bags or boxes labeled with either Mrs. Cooke or Mrs. Barr's name. Your generous contributions will help foster a love for reading in our community. Thank you for your support! 📖✨

Arrival & Dismissal Reminders:

Student Arrival and Breakfast:

Students will be admitted into the building between 9:10 and 9:25 AM. Breakfast service will end promptly at 9:30 AM. Please ensure students arrive on time, especially if they plan to eat breakfast, as the kitchen doors will close at 9:30 AM.

Dismissal:

Student dismissal begins promptly at 3:55 and is completed by 4:15. Recently, we have noticed an increase in students waiting to be picked up at 4:30 and beyond. Late pickups can disrupt school operations and create unnecessary delays for staff and administration. We kindly ask for your cooperation in ensuring students are picked up on time. Thank you for helping us keep our dismissal process efficient and ensuring the safety of all our students. Please call the front office by 2:30PM if you are changing the way your child is being picked up from school. Also, only students who are car riders are dismissed from the gym. If you are walking up to meet your child at the car rider door, you will need to go to the main office to pick them up.

The Howard County Public School System welcomes visitors to our schools. To limit interruptions and distractions to teaching and learning, and to maximize safety for all:

• Anyone wishing to visit a school is asked to contact school administration or the appropriate staff member to establish a convenient time for both the visitor and the school.
• The school will arrange for an escort for the visitor.
• To avoid interrupting instruction, no students are allowed to shadow HCPSS students.
• Understandably, interactions between visitors and school staff and students will be limited.
• If a follow-up meeting with school staff is desired, the visitor will schedule it for a mutually convenient time.
  
  

Safety Protocols for Visitors

Please be aware of the following procedures for any visitor to a school/office:

• The front door is the only entrance point for all visitors.
• Please ring the bell and look into the camera.
• Be prepared to state your name and purpose for visiting.
• All visitors must walk directly into the front office with a valid photo I.D. and sign in using our LobbyGuard system.
• A visitor’s sticker will be given to visitors following the above procedures and must be worn and prominently visible.
• Any visitor in the school without a visitor sticker will be escorted directly to the front office by a staff member.
  
  

In some cases, it may be more convenient for a prospective visitor to acquire information in other ways. The following may be helpful:

• Information about the Howard County Public School System is available on the HCPSS website and the HCPSS News site.
• Visit our Schools page to find school locators (attendance areas), school profiles, bus stops and much more.

We thoroughly enjoy when parents come in to enjoy lunch with their child. We ask that you remember the following when visiting:

1. Before entering the cafeteria, please sign in at the front office to obtain a visitors pass.
   
   
2. Food may not be shared with other students in the cafeteria. Food that is brought in from outside sources (fast food lunch, cupcakes, etc. etc.) cannot be guaranteed to be allergen free. Therefore, to protect students, any food that is brought into the cafeteria may only be shared with the child you are visiting.
   
   
3. When dining with your child, please sit at a table that is either empty, or that has a few students at it.
   
   
4. When having lunch with your child, please refrain from interacting with any other children. If you need assistance, please request to speak with an administrator before you attend lunch.
   
   
5. If you choose to eat a school lunch with your child, you may not use your child's account to purchase a lunch for yourself. Adult lunches are $4.50, payable in cash (preferably exact change) at the time of purchase.
   
   
6. Elkridge Elementary does not accept student lunches from services such as Door Dash and Uber Eats. If you are bringing outside lunch for your children, please bring lunch to them around their lunch time.

As a general reminder for our students who sit at the allergy table, it is important that the same student(s) should sit at this table everyday. If two friends are going to sit at the table with a friend who has a peanut allergy, it should be the same students. If one student brings lunch that day they will not be able to sit at the allergy/peanut table that day.

If you have concerns about your child's development - whether it's their speech, motor skills, social skills or learning - it's important to act now. Waiting until the summer for a referral can delay crucial support that your child may need before starting kindergarten.

Contact us today to schedule a screening. Let's work together to ensure your child has the best possible start in kindergarten!

Call 410-313-7046 or email ChildFind@hcpss.org

The After School Belonging Group will be meeting on the following days after school. Please reach out to Ms. Harmon for additional details.

March 18, 2025

April 22, 2025

May 20, 2025

Open to parents, guardians and grandparents residing in Howard County or with school-age children/grandchildren residing in the County. Evidence-based, interactive prevention program that provides families with the skills and knowledge to reduce the risk that their children will use drugs and alcohol or engage in other dangerous behaviors. The curriculum was written for families with children 9-14 years olds, but we believe it is appropriate for K-12 families. Class dates: March 18, 21, 25, 28 and April 1 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. Visit HC DrugFree’s website for more information and register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Spring2025GGC