Dear Ellicott Families,

Happy New Year! We hope you had a joyful and restful holiday season. As we move through January, we are excited for all the opportunities this new year brings for our students to learn, grow, and shine!

The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on our progress and set fresh goals. At Ellicott, we are committed to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment where every child feels valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. We are truly grateful for your partnership in this journey. Your support at home, your involvement in school activities, and your encouragement make a tremendous difference.

As winter settles in, please remind your children to dress warmly for outdoor recess and cold temperatures as they go through daily arrival and dismissal procedures. They can also leave extra snow related clothing at school if that is easier. If you need outdoor clothing for your child, please let us know!

We look forward to working together to make 2025 a year of growth, kindness, and success for our Ellicott community!

Thank you for all you do to support our students and staff. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!

Diana and Alecia

Thursday, January 16th - PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm in the small cafeteria (All are welcome!)

Monday, January 20th - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 29th - NO SCHOOL - Lunar New Year

Wednesday, February 5th - 5th Grade Musical @7pm

Thursday, February 6th - 5th Grade Musical @7pm

Friday, February 14th - Elementary Half Day - Dismissal at 11:15am

Monday, February 17th - Friday, February 21st - NO SCHOOL - Mid-Winter Break

If your child needs winter gear like a coat, gloves, hat, boots, or snow pants, contact our school Social Worker, Kelly Wagner (kwagner@opschools.org) for assistance.

• Ticket information will come home the second week of January and tickets will go on sale on Saturday, January 18th.

• Performances will be at 7pm on Wednesday, February 5th and Thursday, February 6th.

• For information about the rehearsal schedule, please see the website sent out by Mrs. Holden.

The Great Kindness Challenge focuses on one immersive week of kindness. Throughout the district, students from UPK through 12th grade will concentrate on spreading kindness by sharing smiles, expressing gratitude, and performing thoughtful acts of compassion throughout their school and community! We are fortunate to already be surrounded by acts of kindness from the amazing students at Ellicott, but we're excited to discover what more we can accomplish! See the chart below for the spirit days we will have, starting on FRIDAY, January 24th!

Please see the link below to order this year's Ellicott Elementary Yearbook. Sales will be ongoing but it's never too soon to order!

Parents/guardians with a Parent Portal account 📢

Did you know that you can access the grades 3-5 New York State ELA, Math, and Science assessment score reports for your child(ren)? Follow the steps below if you are interested in viewing that information:

• Select "Student Portfolio" from the menu on the left. A new screen will open.
• Select "NYS Assessment Reports" from the menu on the top left. A drop-down menu will open.
• You can then select either ELA or Math and then the year you are looking for.

As we start the new year, it’s a great time to review safe and healthy technology habits with our children. With more access to devices, apps, and online content, it’s important to guide our kids in using technology responsibly. Here are some tips to help monitor screen time and ensure a safe online experience:

Set Screen Time Limits – Establish daily time limits for recreational screen use and encourage a balance of activities, including reading, outdoor play, and family time.

Use Parental Controls – Enable parental controls on devices and apps to filter content and monitor usage. Many platforms offer built-in tools to help parents manage what children can access.

Talk About Online Safety – Remind children never to share personal information online, avoid talking to strangers, and think before clicking links or downloading apps.

Keep Devices in Common Areas – Encourage device use in shared spaces like the living room rather than bedrooms to promote transparency and accountability.

Model Healthy Habits – Children learn by example! Set family-wide tech-free times, such as during meals or before bedtime, to encourage mindful usage.

By working together, we can help our children develop healthy digital habits and stay safe online. Thank you for your partnership in supporting our students both in and out of the classroom!

Our Lost and Found collection is plentiful at Ellicott! If you are missing an item, reach out to your child's teacher or remind your child to look through the collection. We are happy to help!

Download the MySchoolBucks app right to your phone and sign up for free or visit www.myschoolbucks.com for more information!

On the app, you can see what your child is purchasing, add money to your child's account and receive notifications when the account is running low.

To add specific restrictions to an account or for all food related questions, contact the Personnel Touch Food Service Director at 716-209-6209. Calendars and pricing can be found on our district webpage under Food/Service tab.

If you feel you are eligible, use the Free and Reduced lunch application to apply for assistance with breakfast and lunch purchases.