The Falcon Flier
Vol 51, Issue 33 - April 12, 2024
Phelps Luck Elementary School
Sandra Anderson, Assistant Principal
Jennifer Stairs, 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
From School Administration
Planning for the 2024-25 School Year
The Phelps Luck staff is looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year. As part of this process, we would like to give you the opportunity to share some information that you would like for us to consider as we begin to make class groupings for the next school year. This consideration form is for you, as parents, to relate specific information about your child that you feel would be beneficial as our teachers meet to determine next year's placement.When placing students, the staff, and administration utilize a wide range of criteria that support the Howard County philosophy of heterogeneous grouping. Some of these criteria include, but are not limited to:
- the personality of the child
- the gender balance in each classroom
- math strengths and needs
- written output
- test results
- reading strengths and needs
- special education requirements; IEP goals
- structured versus non-structured needs
- information from previous teachers and school counselor.
There are certain concerns that we cannot consider as part of this Consideration Form. Therefore, we ask that you not use this form to propose the following:
- specific teacher requests
- grouping based on siblings’ experience
- grouping based on friends
- grouping based on hearsay
Your input on this form will be used in our planning for your child rather than a letter requesting a specific teacher. Your response is OPTIONAL but is a very valuable source of information to the school staff and to the next teacher.
The form is embedded in this newsletter program below. If you cannot see the form below, you may need to use a computer.
The form closes on May 10. Thank you for your help.
Mr. Cosentino, Ms. Anderson, and Ms. Stairs
Calendars and Important Dates
For a complete list of dates and events, visit ples.hcpss.org/calendar.
April
- 12 - School Spirit Day - Wear pajamas
- 12 - Multicultural Night , 6:00 p.m.
- 15 - School Spirit Day - Wear purple for military families
- 16 - PTA Restaurant Night - @ Crazy Masons in Ellicott City
- 17 - Wear PURPLE for military families
- 19 - Earth Day - Wear green
- 24 - Science Night
May
- 1 - First day of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- 1 - Mental Health Awareness Month
- 1 - PK HC Library visit
- 1 - PTA Meeting (hybrid), 7:00 p.m.
- 3 - Spirit Rainbow Color day - Wear Light Blue
- 6 - Teacher/staff appreciation week
- 7 - Picture Day
- 8 - National School Nurse's Day
- 9 - 5th grade Simulated Congressional Hearing
- 9 - Wear Red, White, and Blue
- 10 - Bowie Baysox "Read and Hit a Homerun" Night
- 11 - PTA 5K at LRHS, 9:00 a.m.
- 14 - Primary Election Day - Schools and Office Closed
- 15 - 5th grade class photo
- 16 - 5th Grade field trip to Washington DC
- 16 - PK Field Trip to Clark's Farm
- 17 - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:10 p.m. - Professional work day
- 23 - Spring Concerts: Band, Orchestra, and Chorus at Howard HS
- 24 - School spirit day - Wear red, white, and blue
- 27 - Schools and offices closed - Memorial Day
- 29 - GT Enrichment fair
- 30 - Middle school visitation for 5th grade
June
- 1 - First day of Pride Month
- 3 - Spirit day: mismatched socks and shoes day
- 4 - Spirit day - wear sunglasses
- 5 - Spirit day - wear beach/Hawaiian shirt
- 5 - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:10 p.m.
- 5 - PTA Meeting (hybrid), 7:00 p.m.
- 6 - Spirit day - wear rainbow colors
- 6 - Family Rainbow Night
- 7 - 5th grade in-school conservancy field trip
- 7 - Spirit day - wear PLES spirit wear
- 7 - Kindergarten EOY celebration, 9:30 p.m.
- 10 - PK EOY celebration, 9:30 a.m.
- 12 - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:10 p.m.
- 12 - 5th grade promotion ceremony, 2:00 p.m. Howard High School
- 13 - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:10 p.m.
- 14 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Schools close 3 hours early, 12:10 p.m.
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.
New Information
HCPSS Title I Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Input Survey
Howard County Public School's Title I Office receives Title I funds to provide additional support and resources to Title I Schools. The Title I Office supports family engagement through the implementation of its Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Plan and by providing schools with funds to support family engagement. Please take a moment to complete the HCPSS Title I Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Input Survey, providing feedback on the district's Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Plan and parent involvement funds.
La Oficina de Título I de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Howard recibe fondos Título I para proveer apoyo y recursos adicionales a Escuelas Título I. La Oficina de Título I apoya el compromiso familiar mediante la implementación de su Plan de participación de padres, familias y la comunidad y proporcionando a las escuelas con fondos para apoyar la participación familiar. Por favor, dedique un momento para completar la Encuesta de opinión sobre participación de padres, la familia y la comunidad del HCPSS, realizando comentarios sobre el Plan de participación de padres, familias y la comunidad y los fondos para la participación de padres del distrito.
PTA News and Information
2024-2025 School Year Board Positions
President- Vacant
VP1 Membership- Patricia Parra Zillmer
VP2 Fundraising- Vacant
VP3 Staff Liaison- Allison Cotilla
Treasurer- Cara Martin
Secretary- Danielle Gold
PTACHC Representatives- Kimberly Hampton, Alisa Holbert
DEI Chair- Valerie Logan
If you are interested in filling a vacant board position for next year, please email board@phelpsluckpta.org
The Crazy Mason Dine Out- Tuesday, April 16th 4-7 pm
Join us at The Crazy Mason (8225 Main Street, Ellicott City 20143) for a sweet fundraiser! PLES PTA will receive a portion of all sales from 4:00-7:00 pm on Tuesday April 16th.
Yearbook pictures needed!
Do you have pictures of school events (such as Trunk or Treat, School Picnic, Girls on the Run, etc.) that you can share with us? Please email pictures to jenplesyearbook@gmail.com. Please include your name and the grade level of the students being featured. Pictures due by Friday, April 19.
We’re #1! - Clothing and Shoes Collection Center
PLES collected 2,047.0 lbs of clothing and shoes in March, the highest in Howard County, earning us a $100 bonus and a total of $325.17. Let’s try for two months in a row! Clean out your closets and deposit cloth items and shoes in plastic bags in the white bin by the bus loop.
Photo Mini-Sessions Coming Soon
Photo Mini-sessions fundraiser at the Howard County Conservancy on Monday, May 20th and Tuesday, May 21st from 6-8PM. Info here: https://hello.jillbushphotography.com/public/form/view/65dfa306094f38003a24f3f2
Booking opens May 1st.
Order your PLES Yearbook Today
Paper orders are due by April 12, and online sales are open now through May 5. Books cost $22 each! Order now at www.ybpay.com, code: 14755424. Questions? Please email jenplesyearbook@gmail.com.
April 24th- Spring Science Night
Wednesday, April 24th 6:00-7:30 PM. Outside on the PLES Side Parking Lot.
Join us for a fun night of science experiments and demonstrations. Community organizations will also provide information about their work and how they are supporting the many "green" efforts at PLES. Three food trucks will be onsite.
Volunteers Needed: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4FA4AC2CA4FF2-48406800-ples
Phelps Luck - PTA 5K/1 Mile Fun Run
Come join your Phelps Luck Elementary School community and run the 8th annual Phelps Luck 5k and One Mile Fun Run!!
Race Date: Saturday May 11th, 2024 at Long Reach High School
Packet pick-up starts at 8:15 am and activities begin at 9:00 am with an energetic warm-up session led by KidStrong Columbia. All race entrants for both the 5k and 1-mile Fun Run will be entered in a raffle to win a full week of summer camp at KidStrong Columbia!
One t-shirt and light refreshments included for each registered participant
Registration for the 5k is $25 per person and the Fun Run is $10 per person with discounts for multiple person registrations.
Registration, additional information, and volunteer signup at www.runsignup.com/PLES
Free for PLES staff - Email 5k@phelpsluckpta.org if interested!
Questions? Email 5k@phelpsluckpta.org
Direct Donation Fundraiser
The spring PTA calendar is full of exciting events! Help us fund the fun activities and provide support for upcoming field trips, 5th grade Simulated Congressional Hearings, continued classroom reimbursements, and Staff Appreciation Week.
Donate using: Venmo: @plespta
PayPal: president@phelpsluckpta.org
PTA Givebacks Store: https://phelpsluckpta.memberhub.com/store/items/732047
Information Worth Repeating
Community News and Information
The Council of Elders Summer Basketball Camp 2024
Place: Clarksville Middle School – 6535 S. Trotter Road, Clarksville, MD 21029
Date: June 24 - Aug. 9, 2024
Time: 9:00 – 3:30 (Half Day sessions 9am -12pm or 1pm -3:30pm)
Cost: $250 per week - $150 Half day
Weekly Cost: Camp Highlights 3 plus paid weeks ($200 per week) Experienced Coach’s / Camp T-shirt
Before / After Care Available $50 each (8am -9am / 3:30pm -4:30pm)
Visit Website to enroll online: MCDUFFIECAMPS.com
Email : mcduffiecamps34@aol.com or 443-474-4200
Columbia Community Care:
This group gives out food at the Long Reach Village Center, Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, and Oakland Mills Middle School on Wednesdays from 5-8pm and Saturdays 10:30am-1:30pm. If you need food delivered fill out the form for food and they can deliver or you may have someone pick up for you as well.
Website: https://columbiacommunitycare.org/
Form for food:
OMHS Food Pantry
The OMHS Food Pantry is open the last Wednesday of the month unless otherwise noted, from 3:00 - 5:00pm. You will need to bring a photo ID. Please do not arrive prior to 2:30pm to allow for student dismissal. Also, please remain in your car and a volunteer will come to your vehicle. More info can be found at the link below:
The below community notices are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the HCPSS.