Clemens Crossing Cougar Comments

Jaime Gittleson - Assistant Principal

Website: cces.hcpss.org
Location: 10320 Quarterstaff Road, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: (410) 313-6866
Facebook: facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
Twitter: @hcpss_cces

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice at the top of this page.

Spanish

Para otros idiomas, haga clic en Traducir Newsletter y elija el idioma que prefiera.

Korean

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Chinese

对于其他语言，请单击翻译新闻通讯，然后选择所需的语言。

Urdu

دوسری زبانوں کے لئے ، نیوزلیٹر کا ترجمہ کریں پر کلک کریں اور اپنی پسند کی زبان کا انتخاب کریں۔

October

• 30 - End of 1st Marking Period
• 30 - PTA Trunk or Treat, 5:00 - 7:00pm
• 31 - Schools Closed for Students - Professional Work and Development Day

November

• 5 - Schools and Offices Closed - Election Day
• 8 - Conference Scheduling Opens at 8am
• 8 - Q1 Report Cards Issued, 4:00 p.m. via HCPSS Connect
• 11 - Veteran's Day - wear red, white & blue to school
• 13 - World Kindness Day - wear a hat or shirt with kind messages on it
• 13 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
• 19 - Picture re-take day
• 21 - Conference Scheduling Closes at 4pm
• 25 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early - Parent/Teacher Conferences (in person)
• 26 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early - Parent/Teacher Conferences (virtual)
• 27 - Schools Closed for Students - Parent/Teacher Conferences (virtual)
• 28 - Schools and Offices Closed
• 29 - Schools and Offices Closed

To subscribe to the CCES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system use the calendar ID sqspkjkbr6v6arss44js3n21eg@group.calendar.google.com.

There will be no printed 2024-2025 calendars. Staff, students, and families may add our online calendar to their own mobile/online calendar by

1. Going to https://www.hcpss.org/calendar/
2. Scrolling down to Subscribing to a Calendar
3. Right-clicking on the calendar you wish to subscribe to
4. Selecting Copy Link Location/Address/Shortcut
5. Adding to your calendar of choice (See your calendar for specifics on adding a new calendar)

You also may view and/or download printable PDFs of the full calendar and/or important dates only. Updates to the PDFs will be noted on the HCPSS calendar page.

PLEASE NOTE! The calendar is subject to change. The online calendar reflects the most recent version.

Calendars in Spanish, Chinese, and Korean

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

Dear Families,

Parent-Teacher Conference time is quickly approaching! Conferences with Homeroom/Language Arts teachers will take place on November 25-November 27. For your planning purposes, please note the schedule below:

· In- person conferences will be held on Monday, November 25th only

· Virtual conferences will be held on Tuesday, November 26th or Wednesday, November 27th only

Families will sign up for conferences using Synergy beginning November 8th. The sign up window will close on November 21st. After November 21st, families must call the front office secretaries directly to schedule a conference. More information will be shared in a separate email as the date approaches. We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you!!!

Mrs. Leader, Principal

Mrs. Gittleson, Assistant Principal

Student Progress reports are available in ParentVue. Please use these directions to access your student's scores.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month! We are spending time this month and throughout the year reminding our staff and students about the importance of preventing and reporting bullying. The role of our parents, guardians, and families is essential in addressing this issue with our students. StopBullying.gov has many great resources for adults and children related to preventing and responding to bullying. Please remember to reach out to your child’s administrator or counseling if you’d like to discuss anything further, and any acts of bullying can be reported through this form Report an Instance of Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation | Stop Bullying | Howard County Public Schools (hcpss.org). Thank you for being our partners in this important work!

Why: Our school will be participating in the “Pull Tab Program” to help benefit the Maryland Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Who: Everyone! Lead by our very own 5th Grade Eco-Leaders.

Where: Send your tabs in with your student and have them place them in the labeled bin in their pod area.

When: The entire school year!

Our Eco-leaders would like to remind you that it is “time to be Green”!

For more details be visit https://rmhcmaryland.org/pull-tabs/.

Please email Mrs. Seifert with any questions. jhonna_seifert@hcpss.org

The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest. Please see the attached Young Authors’ Contest Guidelines for information about the rules and guidelines. All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet sent as a PDF. Submissions may be emailed to stephanie_pazornick@hcpss.org by December 20, 2024. Contact Stephanie Pazornick, CCES Reading Specialist, with any questions. All Young Authors’ Contest information can be found on the HCLA website.

Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.

The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. 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 Free and Reduced Meals receive both breakfast and lunch for free.

Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility. Click the button below to apply.

Health Services information can be found online and will be continually updated. All students, staff and visitors should perform daily health checks and may not enter an HCPSS bus or building if they exhibit any signs of a communicable disease. Details, including infection control protocols for communicable diseases like COVID-19, are available online.

Saturday, October 26 in the Wilde Lake Village Center Parking Lot near the Swim Center from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Safely dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medication, EpiPens and other sharps, vitamins, pet meds, vape devices, inhalers, and more! Need student, adult, and medically-trained adult volunteers. Giving away 25 medication lockboxes purchased by HCPSS. For more information and to volunteer, go to : https://hcdrugfree.org/currentevents/

5pm-7pm Wednesday October 30th

Sign up and more details here: https://evite.me/2YrTUKVNXV

Do you want to give your child a unique and exciting first look into STEM? Enroll your child in the Science Olympiad Division A program! Last year, students on the CCES Division A Science Olympiad team left the annual Maryland States Division A Science Olympiad Tournament with many medals, smiles, and a new appreciation for science. The school also received a trophy for finishing 6th place overall of all the Maryland teams that competed.

Science Olympiad (SciOly) is a fun and competitive organization built around the world of STEM, with opportunities for student teamwork, problem solving, and more. SciOly’s hands-on, inquiry-based activities (Events) challenge students in grades 3-5 to build their own understanding of basic scientific concepts including measurement, force, engineering design and energy. Each student typically competes in 2-3 events and will have 1 or 2 partners that they work with for each event. You can check this document for a brief description of each of our 19 competition events for the 2025 season:

These are the meeting dates for SciOly this year:

Please check this document for a brief description of each of our 19 events: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12lGD0_wtmIvO1mUgVbpgoqO4wxPHdL7p_FjEuImKI4s/edit?usp=sharing

In late April 2025, students will participate in the Maryland States Division A Science Olympiad competition with the opportunity to compete in 2-3 events and receive ribbons, medals, as well as earn a trophy for their school if the team performs well overall.

We will be meeting every other Tuesday starting November 12th from 4pm-5pm in Ms. McBrien’s classroom (in the 2nd grade pod). At these meetings, trained and passionate high-school volunteers from River Hill HS will come to CCES to teach the children about their events, offer resources, and do interactive science activities. If your child is interested in participating in this exciting science program, please fill out this form to indicate your interest and receive more information: https://forms.gle/srRvBdZvsJbwe9FQ7. Thank you!

Our annual PTA Read-a-thon is on now! Running until November 15th.

Encourage your child in their reading! There are great prizes - all based on the number of minutes kids read (each class is competing against the other classes in the same grade level)

Register your student here! https://app.givebacks.gives/ccesreadathon2024

You will get a unique URL to share with family & friends to sponsor your child as they read.

All money raised goes to Clemens Crossing PTA, to run enrichments, programs and events right here at CCES.

Questions? Email Mary Monroe at mfmayo@gmail.com

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaHQ_vyQpZT2FEhHRTfUp0Xz7A7-bBn0QpcBsVsTK67uwYGw/viewform

Join here: https://clemens.givebacks.com/

The single most important thing you can do to support PTA this year is to join! Your $15 membership goes a long way to help us run programs like the Science Fair, International Night, Talent Show, Trunk or Treat, the Book Fair, Holiday Shop and so much more. Did you know that our PTA helps reduce the cost of school field trips through direct sponsorship? PTA also offers scholarships for students to participate in after school activities. All of these things and more are made possible through families and staff joining our PTA!

Our CCES PTA makes a big contribution to our school through family events, student enrichment and staff appreciation. Be part of it! Becoming a member does not obligate you to volunteer your time. There are many ways big and small to be involved in PTA throughout the year but if there is only ONE thing you're able to do for PTA , simply become a member and make a contribution to the excellence of our Clemens school community.

Join here: https://clemens.givebacks.com/

We’d like to invite you and your children to join us in the Atholton High School Homecoming parade this Saturday, October 26th at 10 am. We will be meeting at the Hickory Ridge shopping center parking lot. The parade will begin at 10:30. The parade route takes us down Freetown, turning on to Quarterstaff, then up Fair Oaks to Atholton’s parking lot in front of the school.

Please have your child wear Clemens spirit wear if possible. Mrs. Billingsley (4th grade teacher/PTA Liaison) will be organizing this event. If your child is in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade they may walk in the parade without a parent (please be prepared to pick your child up in the bus loop in front of Atholton H.S. when the parade is over at approximately 11:15). We ask that younger students be accompanied by a parent. Mrs. Billingsley will be in the parking lot waving a Clemens flag so you know where to bring your children at 10am.

Also, as a way to bring more of the community together, Atholton has agreed to allow Clemens students (wearing Clemens clothing) into the Homecoming game for FREE. The game is at 1pm. A parent must accompany their child. You can buy your ticket online at the GoFan site, select Atholton HS.

Please contact Mrs. Billingsley at Eileen_Billingsley@hcpss.org if you have any further questions.

In addition, Atholton has invited us to their annual Homecoming Pancake Breakfast that will be held from 8-10am on Saturday in their cafeteria. They hold this important annual event just to provide a chance for students, families, and our Atholton community to spend some time together before the day starts. All are invited!!!

Also this year, AHS had 2 students design special limited-edition Homecoming T-shirts. They are for sale now.

Homecoming Pancake Breakfast tickets

https://www.atholtonboosters.org/packet/152714982

Homecoming T-shirt sales

https://www.atholtonboosters.org/packet/156582674

GO RAIDERS!

Union Church would like to be a blessing to families in the Howard County area and provide a Thanksgiving Meal 🍽 kit during this holiday season. If you are in need of a Thanksgiving meal, please complete the registration at the link below by October 29th. They will either personally deliver a Thanksgiving meal kit on Saturday November 16th or invite families to pick up their Thanksgiving meal kits on Sunday, November 17th during the Sunday Worship Experience.

Family Registration Form (Columbia/Howard County Area)

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

Are you looking for a family activity that enriches the lives your child(ren) in everything from outdoorsmanship and appreciation of nature, to physics, to civic duty, that fosters both independence and interpersonal skills? Look no further than Cub Scouting! We provide weekly and monthly activities on a huge variety of topics, so there's guaranteed to be something fun for everyone! We accept all boys and girls in grades K-5. To find out more, email us at Cubmaster@pack618md.com or go to our website at www.pack618md.com.

* For assistance with registering, call 410-313-2273 (voice/ relay) or email children@howardcountymd.gov

* To request sign language, interpreter or other accommodations to attend, call at least one week in advance.

The Basics Howard County

Research shows that 90% of brain growth happens by age five. The Basics provide five simple things parents can do to make the most of these early years. Parents in Howard County can receive free tips directly to their phone to support their child by signing up for Basics Insights. These weekly text messages provide suggestions based on your child’s developmental stage, from birth to age five (available in English or Spanish).
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/children-families/basics

Howard County Parent Pages Newsletter

Sign up for the Parent Pages, a newsletter published by the Howard County Office of Children and Families for parents, caregivers and agencies working with families. Each monthly issue features information to help parents and caregivers learn how to promote positive parenting for children’s development. It highlights workshops, local resources, events, parenting information, and agency programs targeted to help families grow and thrive in Howard County. This newsletter is a part of the Howard County Family Institute, an education, information and community outreach program.

Listed below are the many ways to stay informed at Clemens Crossing Elementary School.

CCES Family Guide

Find answers to all of your questions here in our Family Guide.
https://cces.hcpss.org/news/2024/08/cces-family-guide

Twitter

• Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hcpss_cces
• We use Twitter to inform, celebrate, and engage our community.
• Twitter is used to share what is going on in our school, our community, and throughout the Howard County Public School System.
• Turn on notifications to get information the second it is tweeted.
• We live-stream our concerts on Periscope through Twitter.

• Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ClemensCrossingElementary
• We have found that Facebook is the social media most used by our parents so we are now on Facebook, too!
• Our Facebook page is updated automatically from our Twitter feed.
• Please use Facebook to share the good news from CCES with your friends and families.

Instagram

• We use Instagram periodically. We do post pictures and information there.

Website

• Our website, cces.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, Cougar Comments.
• Staff information and email is located under the "Our Staff" tab.
• A subscribable 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 Cougar Comments on Friday mornings.
• 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 and updates, and more will primarily be sent through email.
• You also have the opportunity to opt-in for text messaging