Dear Parents and Guardians,

Building community is the pathway to progress, turning adversity into opportunity through shared strength, collaboration, and trust. When we unite in community, we create momentum that propels us forward, even in the face of hardship, transforming setbacks into steps toward a stronger future. Progress is rooted in connection—by building community, we harness collective resilience to move beyond adversity and shape what comes next together.

Belonging Night:

Thank you to everyone who participated in making Belonging Night an evening to remember! We had beautiful fashions and tasty foods from many cultures throughout the world. The evening involved tastings from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Kenya, India, Hungary and many other cultures. The cultural fashions represented Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, and many other nationalities.

National Reading Month:

Ms. Powell, Ms. Wright, and Mr. Swann have been having a great time hosting Cozy Reading Nights all throughout March! Our last Cozy Reading Night is happening this Wednesday, March 26 ar 7:00 PM! Be sure to look at the flier for Google Log in codes. This Wednesday, Mrs. Harmon is reading!

EES Has Talent! Come see our Annual EES Talent Showcase!

Please join us in the EES Cafeteria THIS FRIDAY, Friday, March 28 at 6:00 pm for our Annual Talent Showcase! You'll see singing, dancing, juggling, instrument playing of all kinds, and some really funny skits performed by some of our amazing 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students!

Tickets are $4 per person (ages 4 and up) are on sale now by visiting this link: https://osp.osmsinc.com/p/DA053-413

You can also purchase tickets at the door (cash only please.) All proceeds go to our Music Department to purchase and replace sound equipment, instruments, and other classroom materials. Thank you so much for your support! We look forward to seeing you there to cheer on our fabulous performers!

MESA Matters:

This is just a reminder that we do not have MESA meetings after school until the last week of April.

April 28th is the 5th grade MESA end of year gathering (4:00 - 5:30pm)

April 29th is the 3rd grade MESA end of year gathering (4:00 - 5:30pm)

April 30th is the 4th grade MESA end of year gathering (4:00 - 5:30pm)

We look forward to seeing everyone on those dates. Families are welcome to contribute snacks (individually packaged) for the gatherings.

Please consider coming out to cheer on our MESA teams at Regionals. Regionals will be held at Howard High School on April 5th (9am - 1pm). Our teams will set up at 8:30am and will be showing off their project until approximately 11:30am. There is an awards ceremony following those presentations. Go EES MESA teams!

Family Reading Night - Thursday, April 3, 2025:

Blast off into an unforgettable night of reading at our Space-Themed Literacy Night! Join us at EES for an exciting journey through the stars, where books take you to new galaxies and beyond. Explore out-of-this-world stories, enjoy fun space-themed activities, and discover how reading can be as thrilling as a rocket launch! Bring the whole family for a night filled with creativity, learning, and cosmic fun. It's a stellar event you won't want to miss—prepare for lift-off! 🌠🚀📚

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.
  

🎉 Teacher Appreciation Week: May 5-9! 🎉

Calling all parents, grandparents, guardians, and supporters of EES! The EES PTA is excited to host a special Teacher Appreciation Week to celebrate our amazing educators.

We need your help to make this week extra special! Whether you can assist with event planning or day-of support, every contribution makes a difference.

💌 Interested in helping? Reach out to us at officers@eespta.com to get involved. Let’s show our teachers how much they mean to us! ❤️

Please remember there is a full day of school on Monday, March 31, 2025.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Kelley Powell, Principal

LaShonne Wright, Assistant Principal

Jonathan Swann, Assistant Principal

📚 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. Go to the HCPSS Web site to review information about the school system volunteer process.
   
   
2. Review the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” PowerPoint.
   Sign the Certificate of Completion for the “Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures Online Training” form and provide it to the school when signing in.
   
   
3. Review the "Confidentiality Training for Volunteers" PowerPoint
   
   
4. ​​​​​​​Sign the Confidentiality Agreement and provide it to the school when signing in.
   Sign in at the front office using the Lobby Guard sign-in system (a valid photo I.D. must be provided). Before entering the cafeteria, please sign in at the front office to obtain a visitors pass.
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
6. When dining with your child, please sit at a table that is either empty, or that has a few students at it.
   
   
7. 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.
   
   
8. 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.
   
   
9. 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.

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