Panda Nation News

As we settle into the rhythm of a new school year, mid-September brings both excitement and routine. Our Panda Nation scholars are finding their groove, learning new things, and making connections that will shape their school experience. We are so grateful for the support, partnership & energy each family brings. We know it's not always easy for you, but we truly appreciate your dedication our shared mission!

We all know that the first rule of school success is to be at school each day, on time and ready to learn!. Help us reach our attendance goal of 94% this year! EVERY DAY COUNTS!

Be sure to join us at Back to School Night on Sept 26th at 5:00! You'll learn everything you need to know about the school year, including our attendance incentives and how regular school attendance benfits your child, you, and our entire school!

Thank you for being our partners in making sure this year is the very best year Panda Nation has ever had! We are better together!

Panda Love to All!!🐼❤

Mrs. Schou, Principal

Mrs. Mashburn, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Bean, Academic Dean

Effective communication is critical to the success of every student in St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is October 31st, 2024. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact The Department of Student Services at 301-475-5511 ext.32150.

• 9/18: 5:00: Judy Center Welcome Event
• 9/18: 5:00: Title I Family Event with Shauna King
• 9/19: 2-hr Early Dismissal
• 9/20: School closed for students/Professional Day for Staff
• 9/26: 5-6:30: Back to School Night
• 10/1: Texas Roadhouse Panda Nation Night
• 10/11: Fall Pictures
• 10/14:
• 2-hr Early Dismissal
• Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 3:00: Title I Parent Advisory: Virtual and/or In Person
• 3:30: PTO Mtg.Virtual and/or In Person

Bus Routes are now available through the SMCPS online look-up feature. These routes and stops will be constantly updated between now and the start of school.

Select this link to learn how to view the real-time location of your child's bus. We highly recommend signing up for this helpful app!

BUS SAFETY REMINDERS

• Stay seated in your assigned seats and NEVER leave your seat while the bus is
• moving
• Always face forward
• Use indoor voices
• Use appropriate language
• Listen to your driver
• Raise your hand if you need the driver’s attention

Please use this link to learn all you need to know about successfully dropping off and picking up your child if you plan for them to be a car rider! Thank you!

Join our team! Select this link for more information.

• SMCPS has multiple positions available to support our students and staff, including full-time and part-time positions in various areas. Employment opportunities can be found on the SMCPS website: https://www.smcps.org/hr/employment-opportunities

• The Abacus Corporation provides part-time/temporary positions to support SMCPS as well. Various positions are also available through the Abacus Corporation and can be found on their website: https://www.abacuscorporation.com/find-jobs

Please update your contact information with the office by clicking on the link below. It is critical that we have the most recent information for contacting our families.

UPDATE MY INFORMATION

To help you navigate all the new elements of the school year and keep you informed about upcoming programs & events, we will communicate information frequently and in several ways. They are listed below for your reference.

• Weekly Phone/Email & Schoology Message: At 6:00 on Sunday you will receive a phone message & email from us sharing information about the upcoming week.
• Class DoJo: Very soon your child’s teacher will invite you to join Class DoJo. We use this platform because it is secure/members only and allows us to share a wide variety of information with you. Please join our DoJo family!
• Our LPES Website and Twitter feed: The LPES website has a wide variety of information for you and is updated regularly. We love to share all the wonderful things our students & teachers are doing, so we tweet just about every day. Follow us on Twitter @lpes_smcps
• Technology Needs: if you are new to the school or need a device from SMCPS please complete the survey here.

Email: raschou@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/lpes/
Location: 46763 South Shangri La Drive, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653
Phone: (301) 863-4085
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smcps.org/posts/971720426301468
Twitter: @lpes_smcps