The Lisbon Lines

We are here to help!

Principal, Mrs. Anoff Debra_anoff@hcpss.org

Assistant Principal, Ms. Wright Lashonne_wright@hcpss.org

Principal's Secretary, Mrs. Johnson Christine_Johnson@hcpss.org

Teachers' Secretary, Mrs. Linda Drews Linda_drews@hcpss.org

Teachers' Secretary, Mrs. Johnson Karen_johnson@hcpss.org

Website: les.hcpss.org
Location: 15901 Frederick Road, Woodbine, MD 21797, USA
Phone: (410) 313-5506
Twitter: @hcpss_les

We are so excited to get the 2020-21 school year started on Tuesday! As of today, 99% of our students have a HCPSS issued Chromebook. This is great news. Thank you for helping us make sure the majority of our students have their device so they are ready for Tuesday.

If you registered this past week, please give us a call before you come to the building to make sure we have your device assigned to you and ready to go. If you do not have your device and/or your bag of instructional materials as of today, please come by Lisbon on Tuesday morning starting at 8:15 a.m. and we will be sure to bring it out to your car. Please call us from the parking lot and let us know that you have arrived!

Thank you to all our families who attended our Back-to-School Nights and Open Houses this past week. It was AWESOME to see all of our students and their families! On behalf of the Lisbon Staff, we thank you for all the love and support you have given and continue to give us daily! As promised, ALL our Back-to_School Night Presentations are now posted on our Lisbon Website

Please continue to look for and review these Lisbon Lines each Friday. We hope the information will help you navigate through this semester and year.

Mrs. Anoff, Principal

Ms. Wright, Assistant Principal

Dear HCPSS Community,

On August 25, I was privileged to welcome back our teachers to the start of the 2020-2021 school year and in just a few days I look forward to welcoming back our students.

I wish that I could continue the tradition of visiting as many schools as possible on the first day of school to greet students, staff and families in person. Instead, I hope that you will watch the video message that I created specifically for families and community members.

Virtual Learning This Fall
While our students will not be returning to the classrooms, I appreciate our families' efforts to cultivate a learning space at home to the best extent possible and am grateful for your partnership in nurturing and guiding your children to be successful this fall.

HCPSS staff have benefitted from lessons learned from the spring model to develop a more robust and engaging learning experience for the fall. We must still operate in a far from ideal state as the pandemic continues, and we ask that HCPSS staff, students and families continue to be flexible and understanding as we begin the new school year in a virtual format.

When students return to virtual school this fall, they are going to engage in live instruction and support on most days and have access to school staff five days a week. Parents/guardians now have access to view student's schedules in Synergy and students will be able to view their schedules in Canvas on Saturday, Sept. 5. Schedules include opportunities each week for students to receive 1-on-1 or small group instructional support if they are absent or require additional instruction to ensure understanding. Additionally, these are times when students can access the many student services that continue to be available with counselors, school psychologists, and other student services staff.

When students enter the virtual classroom, they will have a teacher and classmates to engage with and learn from. Students will have the ability to ask questions, provide answers to the teacher's questions, and learn from one another. Students will also be expected to participate fully in their virtual class discussions and learning activities. I encourage families to view the Google Meet Expectations for virtual learning for more details about helping to ensure all virtual classrooms operate smoothly and effectively.

Mostly, I want to emphasize that your child is going to be supported and challenged academically and continue to have access to the many student services available from our schools and school staff. Our school system's stated mission to ensure academic success and social-emotional well-being for each student in an inclusive and nurturing environment that closes opportunity gaps does not pause because we must function virtually for the time being. There will be bumps in the road along this journey but I am confident that students will experience levels of growth, stimulation, development and support that families have come to expect from HCPSS.

There are a number of items on which I would like to provide greater details to prepare for the start of the school year.

• Student Participation Expectations
  One important difference this fall as compared to the spring Continuity of Learning program is that students are expected to take an active part in synchronous learning activities throughout each week. For example, students may be called on by their teachers to respond to a question or asked to share feedback by using the chat box. The use of the video camera will still be primarily optional for students but teachers may ask students to turn the video camera on for short periods of time in order to engage in an activity or assessment.
  
• Chromebook and Internet Access
  All students in grades prekindergarten through five have been provided with a device. Chromebook distribution to middle and high school students is ongoing. Families may request Chromebooks and internet access by notifying the school system.
  
• Attendance and Grading
  Attendance will be taken daily and more details can be found on the website. Your child's grade level will determine when attendance will be taken and what constitutes being present. Changes to the HCPSS grading policy will be discussed at the September 10 Board of Education meeting. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
  
• Fall Meal Distribution
  Meals will be provided at no cost to all students through December 31, 2020, subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture funding availability. Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMs) program application as soon as possible to ensure they will have access to free and reduced meals throughout the school year along with a wide range of resources and discounts, including testing fees, tuition, internet and more. Learn more about the meal locations, pick up procedures, FARMs information and more.
  
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
  The HCPSS Help site is grouped by subject to allow quicker and easier navigation, and includes a keyword search function, making it easier to quickly find answers to frequently asked questions.

Again, welcome back to the start of the school year. Please don't hesitate to reach out to staff at your child's school with questions or if there are any supports required by your child that they are not currently receiving.

I look forward to leading our school system with grace, courage and kindness, and I wish each of you a joyous beginning to another wonderful school year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael J. Martirano
Superintendent

For a complete list of dates and events visit les.hcpss.org/calendar.

September

• 7 - No School - Labor Day
• 8 - First Day of School
• 15 - Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month Begins
• 28 - No School - Yom Kippur

Active student participation is the key to student achievement, both in the classroom and during distance learning. Teachers will design engaging lessons and activities, both for virtual live classes and online assignments. Regular participation is essential for student growth, and students are expected to engage in learning activities every week.

Student attendance for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday instruction will occur as follows:

• At the elementary level, both the Homeroom teacher and Mathematics teacher will take attendance, noting whether students were present online for synchronous instruction.
• Daily attendance will be based on teacher-recorded attendance for the entire school day.
• If there is a technical difficulty, a student may submit asynchronous work for a particular day to receive credit for attendance.

Student attendance for Wednesday instruction will occur as follows:

• A student will be counted as present if they do one or more of the following since the previous Wednesday:
• Submit an assignment to one of their teachers
• Engage in synchronous instruction with an HCPSS teacher
• Complete work in the Canvas learning management system, DreamBox or Lexia Core5

If your child is absent, please send a note explaining the absence to this email address: LESattendance@hcpss.org

Important Links for Attendance

Attendance Notes: Please send all attendance notes to LESattendance@hcpss.org
An absence note is required for every absence, within 24 hours of your child returning to school. The note should include:

• Your child's first and last name
• Your child's grade
• Your child's homeroom teacher
• The date of the absence
• The reason for the absence

Extended Absences:

If your child will be absent for more than 3 days, please fill out an HCPSS Extended Absence Form for approval and email the form to Mrs. Drews at linda_drews@hcpss.org. The form can be found at https://www.hcpss.org/f/aboutus/absence_request.pdf.

Please take the time to learn about Canvas and Synergy. Canvas pages for each child will be available on Saturday, September 5. Please become familiar with Canvas and explore the dashboard, calendars, and set up notifications.

Behavioral Expectations for Students

Students at all levels are now engaging in virtual class check-in sessions on Google Meet. To ensure a positive and productive learning environment during these sessions, it is important that all students adhere to the following behavioral expectations.

• Always be respectful and courteous to other students and teachers during Google Meet virtual check-in sessions. Inappropriate, offensive or threatening comments; misrepresentation of identity, and/or disruptive behavior by any participants during Google Meet virtual check-in sessions will not be tolerated.
• Students must use their HCPSS email account to log into a Google Meet virtual check-in session.
• Login credentials must not be shared. Sharing of login information violates other students’ and teachers’ rights to confidentiality and could allow class participation by unauthorized persons and/or lead to disruptive behaviors that detract from a productive and positive learning environment.
• Students who are disruptive and/or “trespass” Google Meet virtual check-in sessions will receive appropriate consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Consequences may result in temporary or permanent loss of technology access, which would prevent the student from participating in Google Meet virtual check-in sessions. Students receiving this consequence would have assignments provided to the student’s parent/guardian.
• Students should adhere to the provisions identified under Individual Responsibilities in Board of Education Policy 8080 Responsible Use Technology and Social Media. Other applicable policies include:
  • Policy 1000 Civility
  • Policy 1010 Anti-Discrimination
  • Policy 1020 Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct
  • Policy 1060 Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, or Intimidation
  • Policy 9210 Student Dress Code

Privacy Guidelines for Parents/Guardians

To maintain a positive, productive learning environment and assure confidentiality for students and teachers during distance learning, all parents/guardians are asked to follow the following privacy guidelines.

• Google Meet virtual check-ins are designed for students. To prevent disruptions to the learning environment, parents/guardians should not actively participate in check-in sessions, although parents/guardians may assist their child with technology and/or remain nearby.
• Do not video record, audio record, photograph, live stream, or transmit in any other way any part of a Google Meet virtual check-in, including not posting on any social media platform.
• Any confidential or personally identifiable information related to students participating during Google Meet virtual check-ins should not be collected, discussed or shared.
• Parents/guardians should not engage with students during Google Meet virtual check-ins. If you need to speak with your child during a check-in session, first mute your child’s microphone.
• If a parent/guardian has a question, please email your child’s teacher.

Parents/guardians should email your child’s principal with any questions or concerns regarding privacy or virtual classroom expectations.

Thank you for your support and cooperation in ensuring that distance learning is a positive, productive and enjoyable experience for all participants.

Meals will be provided at no cost to all students through December 31, 2020, subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture funding availability.

The food services program during the 2020-2021 first semester (Sept. 8, 2020-Jan. 28, 2021) will consist of Grab-and-Go meals served Monday through Friday from 8–9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m., beginning Tuesday, September 8. Breakfast and lunch can be picked up at either mealtime.

MEAL LOCATIONS

Lisbon is a site for meals. Grab-and-Go meals will be distributed at the cafeteria door (to the right of the Lisbon Mural) in the front of the school building . For convenience, meals may be picked up at any location where meals are being served.

Details and updated information on meal service for all school locations is provided on the HCPSS Nutrislice website and mobile application.

MEAL PICKUP

Children do not need to be present; parents/guardians may pick up meals for their child(ren). Those with children attending multiple schools may do a single-stop meal pickup.
Parents must indicate their child(ren)’s name(s) when picking up meals.

ASSIGNING A DESIGNEE

Some families may find it difficult to pick up meals for their children at the locations or times when meals are served. Parents/guardians may pick up meals for their children and up to one other family without completing a request form. Families also may authorize a designee, who may pick up meals for up to three families, by submitting an online or paper form.
See guidelines for meal pickup by designees for detailed information.

Visit the Food Services website for all the information about Food Distribution during the first semester.

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for reduced-price meals pay $0.10 for breakfast and $0.20 for lunch. More information is on the HCPSS Website.

The application is also on the last page of the Family File when you update your emergency contact information.

Just a quick reminder:

All google meet sessions with the Howard County School System must be done through a student's account log in. You may NOT join a meet from an outside email address. Please know that all outside email or access will be denied.

HCPSS News emails and text alerts keep families up-to-date on news and events, and delivers real-time notices of emergency closings and information. All HCPSS News subscriptions are generated from the information provided in Family File and have been automatically updated for the 2020-2021 school year.
Parents/guardians new to the system are automatically enrolled for email notification, however must opt in to receive text alerts

Canvas orientation videos, along with student and family guides, are now available for you to explore as we prepare for the 20-21 school year. Please take some time to review prior to September 8th. There are 2 parts to the video. Part 1 reviews the global navigation settings and Part 2 reviews the course structure. Translations of the videos will be available soon. Please ensure that your student is logged in with his/her login credentials and visit https://hcpss.instructure.com/courses/9495

All students need the required State of Maryland immunizations in order to attend school. Parents are responsible for providing proof of immunization to the school prior to the start of school or proof of an appointment for necessary immunizations within 20 calendar days of the first day of school.

The health room will contact families directly if their student still requires additional vaccinations to meet state requirements. Please see Vaccine Flyer for upcoming immunization clinic opportunities.

Immunization records can be emailed to the school nurse at leslie_williams@hcpss.org. Please also use this email for any health-related questions you may have. Thank you!

Below you will find those schedules for each grade level. This will help you plan for learning times for each grade level.

Visit the account self-service website to help you with login information. You can also view the Student Self-Service Password Reset You Tube video below.

https://hcpss.me/account-self-service/

Below are some tips that you may find helpful or useful as you prepare your child for this year of learning. We recognize that all families are at a different place at this time in terms of school readiness, but for those of you who are curious as to ways you can support your child, we have compiled a beginning list for you.

• Provide a designated learning space for your child. This will help your child with understanding that school is important. If your child has their own area that is strictly for their schooling, they are less likely to be distracted and it will help your child get in the zone for learning. This can be a small table, a small tv tray, a corner table in a kitchen, etc. Please do whatever works best for you, however, we recommend that this area has a “permanent” spot in the house.
• Within the designated space, have organized items that your child will be able to find, put away and use. This will allow students to work in their area without needing to leave it to find needed materials.
• Schoolbox or bin for crayons, pencils, scissors, glue and markers.
• Headphones are helpful to avoid distractions to others AND they will block out distractions from the house.
• Small whiteboard or thick paper in sheet protectors and black expo markers. Often teacher will ask your child to hold up their work and paper can be hard to see in an online format.

It is time to update your child's Emergency Contact information in HCPSS Connect even though we are starting the school year online. This is the most important step as we prepare for the start of the 2020-2021 School Year. Your Family file needs to be updated every school year.

Families that update and complete their Family File will be able to view teacher assignments prior to the start of school. In addition, having this information is critical to us as soon as the first day of school: HCPSS Connect

You will be asked to update or provide the following information:

• Parent/guardian contact information.
  
• Emergency contacts.
• Medical information
• Arrival and Dismissal procedures.
• Media coverage.
• Data confidentiality.
• PTA Directory.

You can access HCPSS Connect here http://www.hcpss.org/connect/

Parents who have forgotten their login credentials for Family File may click the “Forgot Password” link on the sign-in page.
If you need additional assistance, please fill out this Connect Help Form.

Below, please find the LES Supply List for the 20-21 school year. These are suggested supplies to have available for your child/children. Please replenish the supplies as needed.

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Those eligible for reduced-price meals pay $0.10 for breakfast and $0.20 for lunch. More information is on the HCPSS Website.

The application is also on the last page of the Family File when you update your emergency contact information.

Website

• Our website, les.hcpss.org, is updated regularly.
• Important news and information is located on the main page of the site including an archive of our weekly newsletter, Lisbon Lines.
• Staff information and email is located under the "Our Staff" tab.
• A subscribeable google calendar is located on the "Calendar" tab.

Email

• Email is our main form of communication.
• You will receive news and information automatically to the email address you provide in your Family File. We will not inundate your inbox with email. Look for the weekly Lisbon Lines on Fridays.
• If you would like email sent to different email addresses, update your email in Family File with the email address you prefer.
• You can subscribe additional email addresses by visiting the HCPSS News site here. http://www.hcpss.org/hcpss-news/
• Weekly announcements, important information, updates, and more will primarily be sent through email.
• You also have the opportunity to opt-in for text messaging

Please visit the Community News and Programs page (http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/) on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.