Falcon Flier

Edward Cosentino, Principal

Sandra Anderson, Assistant Principal

Kelly Grenzer, Assistant Principal

Website: ples.hcpss.org
Location: Phelps Luck Elementary School, Old Stone Court, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: 410-313-6886
Facebook: facebook.com/phelpsluckelementary
Twitter: @hcpss_ples

For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" tab and select the language of choice in the upper right-hand corner.

Spanish

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Korean

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Chinese

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Urdu

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

The Howard County Public School System released the annual report highlighting Educational Partnerships throughout the county and here at Phelps Luck.

We are extremely fortunate to have educational partnerships at Phelps Luck Elementary School. Business partnerships benefit our school in many ways. Whether the business partnerships provide financial assistance, help enhance the curriculum, or allow students to learn basic life skills, everyone benefits from these collaborations.

In addition to the wide range of At-Large partners, our school benefits directly from a group of businesses and organizations. Please support the organizations that partner with our school.

We would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for their commitment to our school and students:

• AOK Mentoring & Tutoring
• Bowie Baysox
• Bridgeway Community Church
• Columbia Association
• Crosswalk Lutheran Church
• Dunkin’, Centre Park Drive
• Free Bikes 4 Kidz Maryland
• Fulton Bank, Columbia
• Howard County Health Department
• Howard County Library, East Columbia Branch
• Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Green Schools Program
• Okinawan Karate Dojo
• Prepare for Success, Community Action Council of Howard County
• Ready At Five
• St John Baptist Church
• The Kindness Pantry

If you have any business or organization that would be a great partner with us, please reach out to me.

Mr. Cosentino, Ms. Anderson, and Mrs. Grenzer

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

September

• 30 - PTA Restaurant Night - Coal Fire

October

• Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• 3 - Schools and Office Closed - Rosh Hashanah
• 7 - Dental Clinic through 10/10
• 9 - Walk & Roll to School Day
• 9 - PTA Meeting (Hybrid), 7:00 p.m.
• 11 - Fall Individual Picture Day
• 15 - Flu/COVID Vaccine Clinic
• 16 - Watch D.O.G.S. Kickoff, 6:30 p.m.
• 17 - Field Day - Wear Field Day team colors
• 21 - PTA Restaurant Night at Ledo's
• 25 - Field Day rain date
• 28 - SPIRIT DAY - Crazy Hair Day
• 29 - SPIRIT DAY - Hat Day
• 30 - End of 1st Quarter
• 30 - SPIRIT DAY - Wear Phelps Luck ES gear or colors
• 30 - Trunk or Treat, 6:00 p.m.
• 31 - Schools Closed - Professional Work Day

To subscribe to the PLES calendar on your smartphone, electronic device, or email system, click the plus sign + at the bottom right-hand corner of the Google Calendar or click this link.

HCPSS Calendars in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean
Calendar in English

Calendario en español

西班牙语日历

스페인어로 된 달력

We’re excited to announce that Fall Picture Day will be held on Friday, October 11!

This year, we have a new photography partner—Lifetouch. Lifetouch, now part of the Shutterfly family, is committed to helping families capture, preserve, and share life’s most precious moments. Thanks to their connection with Shutterfly, you’ll have access to a wider variety of products to showcase your child's school memories.

Did you know that purchasing a picture package also benefits Phelps Luck Elementary School? This program serves as our only fundraiser. The proceeds help us purchase important supplies and support programs that otherwise wouldn't be available to our students.

Paper fliers will go home soon. You can order your picture package online, or you can preview the packages with the digital pdf version of the flier under the graphic below.

We hope you enjoy the new offerings from Lifetouch and take advantage of this opportunity to capture some great school memories!

Each year, the Howard County Public School System partners with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention to bring flu immunizations into our schools for students. This year, they will also be offering the latest Covid vaccine if it is available at the time of the clinics. The clinic at Phelps Luck Elementary will be held on October 15, 2024 during school hours. If you would like your child to be vaccinated against the flu and/or Covid at this clinic, please register at this link:https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/2672519109 You are not required to provide your child’s insurance information. If you have any concerns about the new Covid vaccine, you are advised to speak with your child’s pediatrician. All in-school clinics will be closed to registration one week before the clinic date to allow our health room staff time to review and prepare the consents and make sure enough vaccine is ordered. If you wish to cancel your child’s appointment after then, please call the nurse at your child’s school. If you have any questions, please call your school’s health room at 410-313-7439

Cada año, el Sistema de Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Howard se asocia con la Asociación para la Prevención de Maryland (Maryland Partnership for Prevention) para llevar las vacunas contra la gripe a nuestras escuelas para los estudiantes. Este año, también ofrecerán la vacuna contra Covid más reciente de encontrarse disponible al momento de las clínicas. La clínica en October 15 tendrá lugar el Each year, the Howard County Public School System partners with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention to bring flu immunizations into our schools for students. This year, they will also be offering the latest Covid vaccine if it is available at the time of the clinics.

Please help your student prepare for PE class! Starting Tuesday, October 1, students wearing unsafe footwear (crocs, sandals, boots, anything with a heel, etc) will not be allowed to participate in PE activities. From HCPSS: "Appropriate athletic and supportive footwear is needed for safety, protection, and performance. Students should wear an athletic shoe that can be tied or velcroed."

Thank you!

-Mr. Deppen, Mr. Nunn, and Ms. Cromwell

In an effort to improve efficiency during arrival, please help your child be ready to exit the car quickly. Depending on their age, children can unbuckle their seatbelt as you enter the car loop and have their backpack and lunchbox in hand before stopping. There's no need to wait for staff to open the door—your child can safely exit when you stop at the designated point, especially older students. As always, staff will be available to assist if needed.

Policy 9210-Student Dress Code Reminders

We wanted to bring to your attention our county policy focused on Student Dress Code.

• Students will wear attire that contributes to a safe school environment conducive to learning.
• Students may wear attire of their choice.
• Students must wear: Shirt, Bottoms, and Shoes.
• Students are permitted to wear hats, hoods and headwear as long as their face is visible and it is safe to do so.
• Students bodies must be covered and clothes must be worn in way such that the chest, midriff, pelvic area and buttocks are covered with opaque material.

Thank you for supporting our students as they choose clothing each day that allow for them to participate in learning throughout the building and during recess and PE activities.

The Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) contains several provisions that promote a parent/school partnership through communication. One such provision gives parents of Title I school students the right to ask for and receive information about the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teacher, paraprofessional, and/or long-term substitute teacher. Please find copies of the superintendent’s Parents’ Right to Know letter below. These letters are in English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

The Howard County Literacy Association invites

writers in Grades 1 - 5 to submit an original

short story or poem for the Elementary School Young

Authors’ Contest 2024-25!

Submissions, along with a Cover Sheet (sent as a PDF)

are due in an email to Mrs. Williams

by Friday, December 6, 2024. Contest Guidelines

For more details or questions, contact your child’s teacher

or Mrs. Carolyn Williams, PLES Reading Specialist. (carolyn_william@hcpss.org)

For more information: Howard County Literacy Association

Our PTA sponsors the Watchdogs. We need Watchdog Top Dog(s) to represent the Watchdogs at the PTA meetings monthly. Here are the PTA Meeting dates for the remainder of the 2024-2025 SY: 10/9; 11/6; 12/4; 1/8; 2/12; 3/5; 4/2; 5/7; and 6/4. If you are interested in being a Top Dog, please complete this form.

The Watchdogs Fall Kickoff will be on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Please look for the registration forms to come home soon."

Phelps Luck is pleased to be collaborating with Nothing Bundt Cakes (Columbia, MD location) to

celebrate reading with Books and Bundts. This incentive program will take place from September 2024 - May 31, 2025.

Students will receive a FREE Bundtlet for each month that they read 400 + minutes. To earn a Free Bundtlet: record your child's time spent reading on the monthly tracker, bring the completed reading tracker to Nothing Bundt Cakes located in Columbia, MD, and celebrate your child's accomplishments with a Free Bundtlet and an award certificate. If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Williams, PLES Reading Specialist, carolyn_williams@hcpss.org or the Nothing Bundt Cakes Columbia location email Columbia-MD@nothingbundtcakes.com.

The Mobile Dentist is coming to PLES October 7th -10th. Please see below link to register.

Save the Date-The annual Flu Clinic will be at PLES on October 15th.

Please contact the Health Room with any questions 410-313-7439

Please find the Spirit Day Schedule for the year below. We hope this helps in the planning and participation in our fun spirit days this year.

School-based clinics are located in 10 elementary, middle and high schools in the Howard County Public School System including Phelps Luck Elementary School. They are made possible through a partnership between the Howard County Health Department and Howard County Public School System. The goal of the program is to keep kids in school, healthy and ready to learn. All student in Phelps Luck are eligible to be part of the School-Based Wellness Center. In order to do that, your child(ren) must be enrolled in the School-Based Wellness Center.

We are very excited that, as a school with a Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC), PLES has been allocated a Learning Together Program (LTP) for this school year!

RECCs provide special education services for preschoolers with disabilities in classes that also include children who do not have disabilities. This program enables all young children to play with each other, develop long-term friendships, and benefit from a diverse and stimulating environment. The purpose of the Learning Together Program (LTP) is to include children who do not have disabilities in the RECC classes located within elementary schools.

We are accepting applications for LTP Peers (students without disabilities) with birthdates from 8/31/2020 through and including 9/1/2021.

A limited number of openings are available for children without disabilities. Children are selected based upon screening information given on the application form and space availability. If necessary, a lottery process is conducted. The fees listed in the application will be collected monthly regardless of the learning model determined by HCPSS throughout the upcoming school year (virtual, hybrid, or in person).

Please click on the link below for detailed information about the program and a link to the application:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uLv1R3GIFWJTForGglkqdsBGaSkW0Rb7o5OZLR4OHog/edit?usp=sharing

To qualify for Free and Reduced Meals, families will need to apply for that benefit.

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provides 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 lunch pay $0.10 and breakfast is free.

Free and Reduced Meals eligibility provides discounts for summer programs, SAT, recreation programs, Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and internet programs.