Leonardtown Elementary
August 12, 2024
Open House
WHEN?
Monday, Aug. 19: Grades K - 5
- Last Names A-L 1:15 - 2:15
- Last Names M - J 2:30 - 3:30
Wednesday, Aug. 21: Pre-K
- Pre-Kindergarten Orientation 10:30 - 11:30 am (Parent attends with child)
Check List
- Bring school supplies.
- Meet the teacher(s).
- Communicate how your child will get HOME from school.
- Bus routes will be posted in the gym.
- Placard pick-up numbers will be available in the main hallway.
- Bring daily medications to the nurse.
Homeroom Assignments
How Do We Know Our Child's Assigned Teacher?
You can expect to find out your child's homeroom teacher assignment through HAC or at Open House.
Home Access Center (HAC) Opens on Friday, Aug. 16 at 5 pm.
Home Access Center allows parents and students to view student registration, scheduling, attendance, report card grade information, testing information and transcripts. .
Please try the “Forgot My Username or Password” link if you have forgotten either of these. This link will only work if you have an email address on file and you have already set up Challenge Questions. Please contact your school if you need further assistance. SMCPS does not currently utilize the “Click Here to Register with Access Code” link.
Open House: Student homeroom assignments will be posted in the school.
Grade 5 Special Note:
As anticipated, our 5th grade will have 3 primary homerooms. Gloss and Johnson homerooms will be "departmentalized", meaning they will receive instruction from 2 different teachers during the school day. Eccleston homeroom will be "self-contained", meaning this cohort will receive instruction in core subjects from their homeroom teacher. All 5th graders have been placed with careful consideration of a myriad of factors.
Grade 3 Special Note:
Class sizes during core academic instruction were reduced with the addition of a homeroom teacher. The students assigned to the Douglas homeroom will operate like the other 3rd grade homerooms, with the exception of specials. The specials classes will occur in combination with other 3rd grades in order to maintain consistency in the schedule. Ms. Douglas will communicate directly with families about the specials schedules.
First Day Jitters
How Will They Know Where To Go?!
Staff in hallways help students navigate to their homerooms.
Grades 1 - 2: Form a line single line and are escorted to the gym to meet their teachers. If students do not know their teacher's name, we will assist.
Kindergarten: Teachers and paraeducators meet students outside.
Students will enter the building after grades 1 - 5.
If your child has an older sibling who wants to help, the children can stay together until the younger child gets to their Kg line or the line for Grades 1 and 2 that goes into the gym.
Transportation Information
Buses
All students within the LES school boundaries have access to bus transportation. Your child's assigned pick-up/drop-off location is based on the 5-digit street address provided at registration. The bus stop locator and assigned routes are expected to be available on August 1, 2024.
Parent Pick Up
For safety reasons drivers must remain in the vehicle. Students will exit on the passenger side of the car. <<<THIS WILL BE ENFORCED>>>
There may be times when you need to exit the car to assist your child. Please plan to park and escort your child to a staff member on the sidewalk when this occurs.
Departure: 3:40 - 3:55 pm.
Present your placard number (visible on the rearview mirror), and your child(ren) will be escorted in groups to the carpool line. For safety reasons drivers must remain in the vehicle. Students will enter on the passenger side of the car. <<<THIS WILL BE ENFORCED>>>
Walkers: 3:40 - 3:55 pm.
Present your placard number (carried in-hand) to the staff member positioned at the carpool loop under the sidewalk awning by the mailbox. Your child(ren) will exit the building by the Kg playground and walk along the sidewalk to greet you. There is no daily sign-out for walkers. You must commit to parent pick-up and complete the form to receive a placard.
Lunch Schedule
Lunch and recess are times when students should be socializing with peers. For many students this is a highlight of each day! We want students to enjoy this time, with minimal adult interference. We provide staff supervision and provide structure, based on safety and student needs. For our youngest students, adult assistance is often needed to open containers, monitor eating habits, and maintain cleanliness. Our staff are well-versed in teaching students how to navigate cafeteria-style eating.
While we know that parents enjoy being able to engage in their child's school experience, we do not accommodate cafeteria or recess visitors. If you want to see your child during any part of the school day, let our safety assistant know, and we will have your child meet you in the office.
Meal Benefit Information
Breakfast and Lunch Served Daily
Elementary Breakfast: $1.75
Elementary Lunch: $3.00 (increases to $3.25 for middle and high school)
Applications for Free and Reduced Price School Meals
PLEASE consider applying for free/reduced price meals even if you will not take advantage of this program. Our school receives Federal Funding based on the percentage of students who meet the qualifications.
The form must be completed each year.
Questions can be directed to SMCPS Food and Nutrition Services:
Phone: 301-475-4256 x 2
Email: foodservice@smcps.org
Birthday Celebrations and Food Treats
We respect the many different ways that families like to recognize their child’s birthday. In addition to class recognitions of birthdays, our entire school community recognizes birthdays at our monthly Community Gatherings.
Some families choose to provide a small trinket to mark their child’s birthday. Edible treats are not distributed for student birthdays. If you are planning on providing something for the class on your child’s birthday, we ask that you follow these guidelines:
Inform your child’s teacher if you intend to provide something for the class.
Trinkets/non-food items will be passed out by the child and his/her teacher near the end of the school day. This helps to minimize distractions to instruction and ensure that items are not lost or broken during the course of the school day.
Flowers, balloons and other celebratory deliveries will not be taken to the classroom and cannot be sent home on buses.
Student Accident Insurance
The school system does not provide medical payment coverage for student accidents that result
from school-related activities. Instead, it is the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s) to
provide such coverage.
Plans are available to all St. Mary’s County Public School students regardless of
whether they participate in activities sponsored by the school or other sponsors. The Bob
McCloskey Insurance group’s website is www.bobmccloskey.com/k12voluntary and it provides
more information about the types of coverage available.
Premiums are not collected by the school. It is the parent’s responsibility to enroll for this coverage
online. Coverage becomes effective the date online enrollment is completed, the first day of school
or the date the enrollment and premium are received by the company, whichever is later. Once
effective, coverage continues until the policy expires (policy term being 8/01/2024 – 07/31/2025).
Detailed information is linked below in English and Spanish.
School Communications
Email, Phone and Emergency Contacts
At registration, you provided contact information that is linked in your student's record. This includes parent name(s), email and phone contact information. Our communication systems are designed to gather this information for message distributions. If you are not receiving email or phone communications from Leonardtown Elementary School, please contact our main office.
Email Communications from the Main Office will be sent on a weekly basis, beginning Aug.25 , 2024.
Phone Communications from the Main Office will be sent on a monthly basis, beginning Sept. 1, 2024.
Emergency Contacts are utilized when a parent cannot be reached. Emergency Contacts will not be included in all-school email or phone communications.
Text Messenging
You can OPT IN to receive text messages from SMCPS and LES.
SchoolMessenger does not charge recipients for the text messages that they receive; however, wireless providers may charge for individual text messages depending on the plan associated with the wireless device.
Text “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.
After you text the key word, YES, to the short code (67587), the system will respond back:
Opt-in Response: You are now registered to receive approx 5 msgs/mo. Txt STOP to quit, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply. schoolmessenger.com/tm
If you do not receive this automated response, contact the school to make sure SMCPS has the correct number on file. If not, your child’s school will be able to change it. Once it’s changed, you can text YES to 67587 the next business day.
FREE Back-To-School Vaccine Clinics
The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) is hosting free back-to-school vaccination clinics for children ages birth to 18 years living in St. Mary’s County. Appointments are recommended. The following vaccines will be available:
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough)
- Meningococcal (meningitis)
- MenB (Serogroup B Meningococcal)
- HPV (human papillomavirus)
- Varicella (chicken pox)
A parent or guardian must be present and bring the child’s immunization record and any related school forms. Marylanders can view and print their official vaccination records through MyIR, Maryland’s free immunization record portal. A Spanish-speaking interpreter will be on-site to assist community members as needed.
To make an appointment, please call 301-475-6807 or 301-278-1412. Clinics are still open on the following dates and locations:
Spring Ridge Middle School-Based Health Center
- Saturday, August 24, from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 21, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Margaret Brent Middle School-Based Health Center
- Tuesday, August 13, from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 14, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
For more information about vaccination recommendations by age, please visit smchd.org/immunizations or call the SMCHD Health Clinic at 301-475-4330.
Use the button above to navigate to the 2024-25 School Supply Lists.
Most families choose to bring supplies to the Open House.
Our PTA is looking for active members and supporters. Sign up or renew today for just $10.
Last school year, the LES PTA hosted a variety of events, including a holiday movie night and a Valentine MVP dance; provided grant funding to teachers for classroom needs, helped fund Club Osprey needs and much more. They hope to build upon last year's success with even more events and opportunities planned for the 2024-2025 school year.
If interested in learning more about the PTA, complete an interest form at lespta.fillout.com/2024interest or email their president, Beth Fuller, at pta@lesospreys.org.
Membership is only $10 for parents, guardians, grandparents and other community members, and $5 for LES teachers and staff.
Early Release of Students
Need to pick up your child between 9:15 am and 2:15 pm?
Upon your arrival and presentation of photo ID your child will be called out of class
to meet you in the office vestibule.
Need to pick up your child between 2:15 and 3:00 pm?
With advance notice by 12 noon and presentation of photo ID, your child will be called out of class
to meet you in the office vestibule.
You must provide a reason for sign out.
"Dentist Appt" or "Therapy" are examples of valid reasons. "Home" is not a valid reason.
Extenuating Circumstances
We cannot safely and efficiently account for students at dismissal without the full attention of our staff between 3:20 and 3:55 pm, and therefore, we will only handle emergency sign-outs during this time frame. If you have extenuating circumstances that warrant early release and you cannot abide by the above timelines, you must speak directly with the principal.