Heron Update
Week of October 28 - November 1
Hollywood Families,
A HUGE thank you to the HES PTO for a FANTASTIC Trunk or Treat event! Thank you to all of the families who decorated trunks and donated candy and treats.
Next week is Red Ribbon Week! We are looking forward to a great spirit week!
We kicked off our Boosterthon Fundraiser this week. Our students are excited and motivated!
Take Care,
Mrs. DiRenzo
Important Events and Dates
October 28 - November 1: Red Ribbon Spirit Week
October 31: Book Character Parade - Bus Loop (9:30 am) Parents are welcome to attend, please do not park in the bus loop. However, in the event of inclement weather, it will be a closed event indoors.
November 4: Boosterthon Fun Run Event Day - Parents are welcome to cheer for their student(s) from the Spectator Zone (Soccer Parking Lot)
- 10:00 - 11:00 PreK, K, & 1st
- 12:30 - 1:30 2nd & 3rd
- 1:45 - 2:45 4th & 5th
November 5: Election Day – No School for Students
November 6: Marking Period 1 Report Cards Available on HAC
November 8: 2 Hour Early Dismissal
November 11: Veteran's Day - All Schools and Offices Closed
November 14: Picture Retakes
Thank You HES Bus Drivers!
HES Trunk or Treat
October STEM Challenge in Media
4th Grade STEM Lesson
PTO Info and Updates
Thank you for your support and participation in Trunk or Treat! A great time was had by all!
Boosterthon is coming! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. It's a two-week event where the kids go to daily assemblies for the first part of specials class and then there's a big Fun Run out on the soccer fields on November 4th. Stay tuned for details on how you can help out on 11/4.
November 13: Red Robin Fundraiser - this is an ALL DAY event so make your colleagues go to lunch with you or grab a family dinner and dine in or place a pick up order. So flexible and PTO gets 20%!
Weekend Challenge: Help Us Reach Our Fundraising Goal!
Dear Hollywood Elementary Families,
Who’s ready for a weekend challenge?!🙋♀️ Get a $60 flat donation or $2 per lap donation before Monday and you’ll score a GOLDEN EDITION Dude Perfect keychain! 😮 Good luck!
Help us reach our $15,000 for Primary Playground Shade and New Picnic Tables for the Intermediate Playground ⬇️
1. SIGN UP your student(s) on MyBooster.com today.
2. SHARE with your family/friends using the SHARE tools on MyBooster.com.
3. GIVE a donation.
Every donation counts and brings us closer to Primary Playground Shade and New Picnic Tables for the Intermediate Playground for our students!
Reminder: Our big Hollywood Fun Run is coming up on 11/04/2024! We can’t wait to celebrate with you. Parents are welcome to cheer for their student(s) from the Spectator Zone (Soccer Parking Lot)
- 10:00 - 11:00 PreK & 1st
- 12:30 - 1:30 2nd & 3rd
- 1:45 - 2:45 4th & 5th
Thank you again for supporting our school! Let's make this weekend a huge success!
Best regards,
Hollywood Elementary School PTO & Mrs. DiRenzo
FINAL CALL - DUE by October 31st
Online Emergency Information Update Messaging
Effective communication is critical to the success of 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.
HES Focus on ATTENDANCE
ATTENDANCE Incentives
Hollywood Families, To encourage our students to attend school daily we are introducing a new attendance incentive. We are happy to introduce our "Hollywood Heron Attendance All-Stars." Each homeroom has a strip that spells the word "ATTENDANCE." If a homeroom has all students on time and present they get to color in one of these letters. The goal is to complete strips in a timely manner. Each grade level will be working together. The grade level with the most strips turned in each month will receive a celebration and a special badge of recognition for them to display in their house area.
Harris Teeter Together in Education Program
Hungry Herons! - School Breakfast & Lunch Information
School Lunch Highlights
My School Bucks
Click here to check your child's breakfast/lunch balance and add money to their account
Updates & Information from Around the Heron's Nest
From the Counselor
Attendance: This is the last week of the month! This means we will have a possible new house area to celebrate for being our Hollywood Attendance All-Stars! Check out next week's newsletter to see who won.
Red Ribbon Week: This week is Red Ribbon Week! Join HES in celebrating healthy lifestyle choices by having your students participate in our fun themed spirit days. We can't wait to see everyone's outfits!
Our November Character Trait will be: PERSEVERANCE.
October Character Trait - Responsibility
November Character Trait - Perseverance
From the Media Center
Looking For Overdue Books
There are many books that are still checked out from August and September. Overdue notices were sent by email and students were given a paper copy on Friday, October 25th. Please try to return them as soon as possible. If they cannot be found, please pay for them so that we can try to replace them. You can send in cash, check (made out to HES), or pay on My School Bucks. If you want to pay on My School Bucks, please email Miss Hazuda (sjhazuda@smcps.org).
From the School Nurse
Hello HES families,
Hello HES families,
As a reminder if your child has an injury that requires a cast, splint, or sling we do need documentation from the doctor stating any restrictions they have. We also need documentation from the doctor when the student no longer needs restrictions. This is for the safety of the students to prevent further injury. If you have any questions please reach out to myself or Mrs. DiRenzo.
As a REMINDER if your student is out for two consecutives days I will be reaching out to you. This is to ensure that we are doing what we can on our end at school to support your students' attendance. Please review when to send your student to school and when to keep them home. I know it's a tough time of year and a lot of sniffles are going around!
Finally, as a reminder if your child is out for three days we do ask for a doctor's note to excuse the absences. Have a great weekend!
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out!
Thank you!
Nurse Briggs
School Based Health Clinics
The school based health clinics has updated their website with a new link to register students. The link can be found at https://smchd.org/sbhc/ and then you would click the blue button that says "Click Here to Enroll now for Faster Service". The school based health centers are a great way to see a provider without the long wait times at urgent care! See their website for more information.
PTO News
- If you are interested in being involved with the HES PTO, please email heronpto@gmail.com
- HES PTO has a new Spirit Wear company. On top of the company getting amazing reviews for their customer service and quality, our HES PTO earns 10% in commissions for all our sales!! Woohoo!! Items will ship directly to your house as well. https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/MD/Hollywood/Hollywood+Elementary+School
Birthday Treats
Birthday treats present the potential for allergic reactions for many of our students. They also interrupt instruction. However, we understand that some students enjoy celebrating their birthday with their friends at school. Because of all of these factors, birthday treats may NOT be edible. Gift bags with stickers, pencils, crayons, erasers, and/or other small toys are acceptable. They can also be shared at recess or the end of the day which doesn’t compromise instructional time. Parents who wish to provide birthday treats to a class are asked to notify the homeroom teacher in advance and to drop them off in the front office as early as possible.
SMCPS Resources & Helpful Links
SMCPS Volunteer Application
Both new and previously registered volunteers must complete a new volunteer application. The application process will end on May 1 of each school year. There is no application fee for school volunteers. Parental involvement is a key component to student success. Thank you for your support.
Home Access Center / HAC
If you have any questions about your HAC account, please contact the HES office for assistance.
Please note that HAC opens at 5:00 pm on August 16, 2024.
Schoology
Schoology is a very helpful tool and resource for teachers, students, and families. Please ensure that you are able to access Schoology for updates and information from the school and your child's teacher. If you need support in obtaining your Schoology log in information please email schoology@smcps.org for support. Please click Parent Notifications for directions to ensure your notifications are set to receive important information about your student.
Do you have the Schoology App?
Log Into the Schoology Mobile App
If you already have a Schoology account, download the Schoology app from Apple App Store, Google Play or the Amazon App Store. Tap the app icon to open it on your device.
You can use an email address or username to log into the application, depending on how your account was set up:
Log in through your School
Use the keyboard to enter SMCPS. As you type, matching choices populate in the list. The name, ID number, city, state, and zip code for the school should appear below.
Tap the name of your school or organization when it displays.
Use the email address or username to log in to the application, that was sent to you via email from Schoology with an app password. If you are an SMCPS student or teacher this is NOT your SMCPS password.
Tap LOG IN to complete.
If you are able to sign in with Google, and you are an SMCPS student or staff, please use that login process and follow the provided instructions in the prompts.
Want to enable notifications? Please check this document
SMCPS 2024 - 2025 Student Handbook, Code of Conduct
Student Handbook - A Guide for Students & Families
Code of Conduct - A Guide for Students & Families
SMCPS Updated Cell Phones Implementation VIDEO
SMCPS Devices
Please review laptop expectations by sharing this presentation with your child. Classroom teachers will be reviewing laptop expectations with students at school as well. Thank you!
Need to purchase a laptop charger?
You can do one of two things:
1. Email your child's teacher or the Library Media Specialist Miss Hazuda (sjhazuda@smcps.org) that you wish to pay for the missing laptop charger. A fine then can be assessed so that you can pay using My School Bucks, sending in cash, or a check (made out to SMCPS).
OR
2. Go directly to the DELL store. You can purchase directly from their website and have it shipped to your home.
Ensure one of these links is being used:
www.dell.com/mpp/smcps (click Shop Recommended Solutions to get to the discounted power cords)
www.dell.com/mpp/smcps-chargers (leads directly to the purchasing portal)
If you purchase from Dell, please make sure that you label the charger with the student's first and last name before sending it to school. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or the Library Media Specialist Miss Hazuda (sjhazuda@smcps.org).
School Messenger Text Messaging
School Messenger Text Messaging FAQ's
Hollywood Elementary School...
...provides a rich educational experience that focuses on preparing well rounded students that are ready to succeed in their future college and career endeavors. Hollywood educates and inspires our diverse population in a safe and respectful environment. Students are engaged in authentic learning experiences that foster work habits and skills necessary to become collaborative, dedicated, and productive citizens.
Ms. Erin DiRenzo, Principal
Email: eedirenzo@smcps.org
Mr. Chris Rodkey, Assistant Principal
Email: cnrodkey@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/hes/
Location: 44345 Joy Chapel Road, Hollywood, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4350
Twitter: @hes_smcps