Leonardtown Elementary
August 26, 2024
Calendar Items
August 26 - 30: B Week
Tuesday: Scheduled Safety Drill (Bus Evacuation, front door)
Thursday: Gr 5 (Johnson/Gloss) Field Trip: Sotterley Plantation
Friday: Gr 5 (Eccleston) Field Trip: Sotterley Plantation
4th Grade Math Partners
Friends New and Old
Reading with Buddies
September Events Preview
Sept 2: Labor Day: No School
Sept 10: PTA General Membership Meeting and Chalk-the-Walk Event
Sept 19: 2-Hr Early Dismissal
Sept 20: Professional Day, No School for Students
Sept 26: Fall Picture Day
Student Handbook and Code of Conduct
Each year, SMCPS publishes an updated copy of the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. Some of the most important information contained within the handbook is reviewed with students at the beginning of the school year. This includes information about Attendance, Bullying, Illegal Drugs/Weapons, Medications, Dress Code, Computer and Cell Phone Use, and much more! The Elementary Presentation is linked here.
If you have questions or want clarification about any of the information in the Student Handbook or Code of Conduct, please reach out to one of our school administrators.
Apple Tree Book Club and Gold Apple Readers
The Apple Tree Book Club is a program to encourage reading through in-school recognition. Here’s how it works:
Your Summer reading and school year reading count toward your total.
Give your Reading Log to your Teacher when you have read at least 10 books.
You MUST have your whole name (first & last) Teacher, grade, book title and number of pages for each book on your Reading Log.
Everyone who reads 10 books receives a pink blossom.
Pre-K and Kindergarten:
Parents may read to their children.
- 25 books=green apple
- 50 books=yellow apple
- 75 books=red apple
- 100 books=gold apple
1st and 2nd Graders:
Twenty-five pages of a chapter book or magazine are considered 1 book.
A 50 page book is considered 2 books.
- 25 books=green apple
- 50 books=yellow apple
- 75 books=red apple
- 100 books=gold apple
3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders:
Books or magazines should be at least 50 pages.
A 100 page chapter book will be considered 2 books.
- 25 books=green apple
- 50 books=yellow apple
- 75 books=red apple
- 100 books=gold apple
Every Gold Apple Reader gets ONE book donated to the school library in his/her name. A child receiving 2 or more Gold Apples will be acknowledged, but only 1 book is donated in their name per school year. You can watch our tree in the hallway grow and grow! You can also follow the progress of each class by looking at the branches outside each of the classroom doors.
Lunch Menus and Cafeteria Spending
The Nutrislice Webpage has links to all SMCPS school menus for daily breakfast and lunch options.
MySchoolBucks will allow you to pay student fees and monitor cafeteria purchases from your computer or phone! You can monitor cafeteria purchases and submit funds electronically to your child's account.
Meal Benefit Information
Breakfast and Lunch Served Daily
Elementary Breakfast: $1.75
Elementary Lunch: $3.00 (increases to $3.25 for middle and high school)
Applications for Free and Reduced Price School Meals
PLEASE consider applying for free/reduced price meals even if you will not take advantage of this program. Our school receives Federal Funding based on the percentage of students who meet the qualifications.
The form must be completed each year.
Questions can be directed to SMCPS Food and Nutrition Services:
Phone: 301-475-4256 x 2
Email: foodservice@smcps.org
Birthday Celebrations and Food Treats
We respect the many different ways that families like to recognize their child’s birthday. In addition to class recognitions of birthdays, our entire school community recognizes birthdays at our monthly Community Gatherings.
Some families choose to provide a small trinket to mark their child’s birthday. Edible treats are not distributed for student birthdays. If you are planning on providing something for the class on your child’s birthday, we ask that you follow these guidelines:
Inform your child’s teacher if you intend to provide something for the class.
Trinkets/non-food items will be passed out by the child and his/her teacher near the end of the school day. This helps to minimize distractions to instruction and ensure that items are not lost or broken during the course of the school day.
Flowers, balloons and other celebratory deliveries will not be taken to the classroom and cannot be sent home on buses.
Student Accident Insurance
The school system does not provide medical payment coverage for student accidents that result
from school-related activities. Instead, it is the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian(s) to
provide such coverage.
Plans are available to all St. Mary’s County Public School students regardless of
whether they participate in activities sponsored by the school or other sponsors. The Bob
McCloskey Insurance group’s website is www.bobmccloskey.com/k12voluntary and it provides
more information about the types of coverage available.
Premiums are not collected by the school. It is the parent’s responsibility to enroll for this coverage
online. Coverage becomes effective the date online enrollment is completed, the first day of school
or the date the enrollment and premium are received by the company, whichever is later. Once
effective, coverage continues until the policy expires (policy term being 8/01/2024 – 07/31/2025).
Detailed information is linked below in English and Spanish.
School Communications
Email, Phone and Emergency Contacts
At registration, you provided contact information that is linked in your student's record. This includes parent name(s), email and phone contact information. Our communication systems are designed to gather this information for message distributions. If you are not receiving email or phone communications from Leonardtown Elementary School, please contact our main office.
Email Communications from the Main Office will be sent on a weekly basis, beginning Aug.25 , 2024.
Phone Communications from the Main Office will be sent on a monthly basis, beginning Sept. 1, 2024.
Emergency Contacts are utilized when a parent cannot be reached. Emergency Contacts will not be included in all-school email or phone communications.
Text Messenging
You can OPT IN to receive text messages from SMCPS and LES.
SchoolMessenger does not charge recipients for the text messages that they receive; however, wireless providers may charge for individual text messages depending on the plan associated with the wireless device.
Text “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.
After you text the key word, YES, to the short code (67587), the system will respond back:
Opt-in Response: You are now registered to receive approx 5 msgs/mo. Txt STOP to quit, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply. schoolmessenger.com/tm
If you do not receive this automated response, contact the school to make sure SMCPS has the correct number on file. If not, your child’s school will be able to change it. Once it’s changed, you can text YES to 67587 the next business day.
Early Release of Students
Need to pick up your child between 9:15 am and 2:15 pm?
Upon your arrival and presentation of photo ID your child will be called out of class
to meet you in the office vestibule.
Need to pick up your child between 2:15 and 3:00 pm?
With advance notice by 12 noon and presentation of photo ID, your child will be called out of class
to meet you in the office vestibule.
You must provide a reason for sign out.
"Dentist Appt" or "Therapy" are examples of valid reasons. "Home" is not a valid reason.
Extenuating Circumstances
We cannot safely and efficiently account for students at dismissal without the full attention of our staff between 3:20 and 3:55 pm, and therefore, we will only handle emergency sign-outs during this time frame. If you have extenuating circumstances that warrant early release and you cannot abide by the above timelines, you must speak directly with the principal.
Just $10 for an annual membership! The button below will take you to the registration for PTA.