Hello, Sussex families!

It is hard to believe that this Friday, May 16th, is the middle of the fourth marking period! It has been a fun and exciting school year! We have seen an incredible amount of growth in our students socially, emotionally, and academically! We could not be more proud! As we head into the last few weeks of the school year, we remind all students of the importance of coming to school every day ready to learn and be QUACK-tastic! Although the school year is quickly coming to an end, our determination to represent ourselves as respectful, responsible, safe, and kind citizens never ends!

Be sure to read below about end of year events! We are super excited to share that our PTA is raffling off two bikes as students return their BCPS issued devices and charges (details below)!

Thank you to the families that sent photographs from spring break! Such a cool way to stay connected as a school family. Be sure to check out the pictures below and be on the look-out for information on where to send summer pictures for our back to school edition of 'What's Quackin' at Sussex?' in the fall!

As always, Ms. Bissell and I are here to serve you and welcome your communication. The best way to reach us is via phone at the main office, 443-809-0182, or email at jszymanski2@bcps.org and mbissell@bcps.org.

Sincerely,

Jen Szymanski

Principal

Check out some of our ducks having a blast over spring break! We love seeing what you're up to outside of school! We love knowing you are being respectful, responsible, safe, and kind everywhere you go!

Our doors open for students at 9:00 a.m. * The late bell rings at 9:15 a.m.

For safety purposes, early dismissal of students ends at 3:40 p.m.

Dismissal begins at 4:00 p.m. * Dismissal ends at 4:15 p.m.

Reminder/Overview of Our Procedures

Please park legally at all times!

During dismissal:

• Vehicles are not allowed to enter the car rider line from Cedar Ave. as it impedes the flow of the car rider line (no right turn from Cedar Ave. into the bus loop).
• Vehicles are not allowed to make a left when exiting the car loop (no left turn from the bus loop onto Cedar Ave.).
• Be sure to follow Maryland traffic laws when coming to and from school to pick-up/drop-off your student.
• Do not block driveways of our community members when you arrive for dismissal.

Dismissal begins at 4:00 p.m., during which our car rider line moves along and last year was generally complete between 4:10-4:13 p.m.

• We encourage families to not line up in the car rider line significantly before 4:00 p.m. as it is causes stand-still traffic on Woodward Drive.
• This creates a chain reaction of events such as: buses are not able to reach the school, families trying to park are unable to reach the school, and community members are unable to get to/from their homes.
• Our dismissal line moves efficiently once it begins at 4:00 p.m.
• We encourage families to arrive at 4:00 p.m. to join the car rider line in an effort to prevent the length of time stand-still traffic occurs on our neighborhood streets.
• Students will not be dismissed from the gym to a caregiver picking up at the door. You must pick up your student from their classroom door or use the car rider line. Thank you for your support in creating a safe and efficient dismissal for our students!

We greatly appreciate everyone's support, patience, and flexibility!

Photo ID Required

Per BCPS Policy and for the safety of all students, photo ID is required when picking-up students. For the safety of your student, your child will not be released unless a photo ID can be presented by the individual picking up. Please be mindful that this includes parents and guardians. As we welcome many new staff members to Sussex, there may be new faces when picking up your child- Please do not assume someone will be able to recognize you.

Students Called to Office Upon Arrival

For the safety of students and to minimize the loss of instructional time, students will be called to the office for early dismissal once the adult picking-up the child arrives at Sussex. All adults picking-up students must come in to the main office and show photo ID.

Early Dismissal- Ending Time

To ensure all students are dismissed safely, all early dismissals will end at 3:40 p.m. This will help alleviate any miscommunication or confusion at the end of the school day. If you are picking a student up for a doctor appointment, please be mindful of the 3:40 p.m. end time for early dismissal.

May 16th* Smile Partners

Sussex Elementary

http://www.myschooldentist.com/

Please see flyer below.

May 16th* PTA Orioles Fundraiser

@ Camden Yards

https://www.gofevo.com/event/Sussexelementary2

See flyer below

May 17th* Community Connections Fair

Sandalwood Elementary

See flyer below.

May 20th* First Fruit Farms

Food distribution at Sussex Elementary

Begins at 4:00 PM

First come, first served.

May 22nd* Last Day for OST clubs

Last day for Soccer, Dance, Y Fit n Fun

May 28th* Zombies The Musical

6:00 pm

At Sussex Elementary

May 30th* Field Day

At Sussex Elementary

More details to come.

June 2nd* Spring Concerts

At Sussex Elementary

More details to come

June 11th* Fifth Grade farewell

At Sussex Elementary School

10:00- 11:00 AM

June 12th* First Fruit Farms

Food distribution at Sussex Elementary

Begins at 4:00 PM

First come, first served.

June 12th*- Last Day of School

For Preschool and Pre-K

June 13th* 3 Hour Early Dismissal

June 16th* Last Day of School

3 hour early dismissal

Field Day will take place on May 30th!

Please consider volunteering to make sure this day is a success!

Please see the flyer below and use the link to register to volunteer.

Thank you!

Greetings,

We have many events to help close out the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Please look for opportunities to volunteer or attend an event on campus! We can't wait to see you!

On May 16th, Smile Maryland will come to our school for dental examinations and fillings if needed. In order to participate, you must sign up. See the flyer below.

May 17th is our annual Essex Community Connections Fair! Please see the flyer below!

Community food pantry information (please call ahead to confirm):

Essex UMC Food Pantry

524 Maryland Ave. Essex, MD

410-686-2867

Hours: Wednesdays from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

* Must meet income qualifications

St John's Food Pantry

518 Franklin Ave. Essex, MD

410-687-4621

Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. by appointment only

Community dinner and pantry on the last Tuesday of the month from 4-6 p.m.

Love Thy Neighbor

155 Orville Rd Essex, MD

443-915-6449

Hours: Every Tuesday 12-3 p.m.

Additional supports available through our community school. Please complete the Google Form or reach out to me directly.

Sincerely,

Liz McLaughlin

Community School Facilitator

https://forms.gle/kbhuAbHKof2WGeCP7

emclaughlin3@bcps.org

443-809-3751

We need all devices and chargers returned to school by next Friday, May 16th. BCPS is collecting ALL student devices and chargers. Students will stull have access to their device and charger while in school, but they are being collected and inventoried for BCPS’s redistribution plan next school year.

SUMMER BIKE RAFFLE!

Students will receive two raffle tickets as they return their items- 1 for their device and 1 for their charger, if returned by May 16th! The raffle tickets will go into a drawing for a brand-new bike from our PTA! The PTA is going to purchase two bikes- one for a boy and one for a girl! They are going to wait and purchase the bikes once the winners are selected so that they can purchase the perfect size!

See flyer below for details.

Please join us on May 28th, at 4:30 p.m. in the school library for our final meeting of this school year to vote for the new PTA board. The PTA would like to thank the Sussex school community for all of the support throughout this year! Please be on the lookout for upcoming events from the PTA!

Pre-registration for SRC starts tMay 5th via Beanstack. Starting on June 7, children can begin logging their books and earning points for prizes. This is also the day students can pick up paper gameboards from any Baltimore County Public Library.

See flyer below

Check-out the flyers below for information on BCPS's summer food program! The flyers are linked for easier reading!

If you need support with attendance, please feel free to reach out!

Liz McLaughlin

emclaughlin3@bcps.org

443-809-3751

"My Role" (Schools and School System):

• Develop and enforce safety guidelines and outline those expectations in the BCPS Student

Handbook and Code of Conduct.

• Create and implement a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses the specific needs

of each school.

• Address disruptive student behaviors swiftly to preserve and protect teaching and

learning. Providing clear expectations, consistent responses and shared accountability across

schools will protect and preserve safe learning environments.

• Use all legally available tools and resources to protect students and hold accountable those

who break the rules.

• Assign school safety managers and safety assistants to support school safety efforts and

provide additional positive adult presence.

• Provide access to expanded mental health resources and comprehensive behavioral services.

• Partner with state and local officials, the Baltimore County Police Department, School

Resource officers and other county agencies to keep students safe.

"Your Role" (Students and Families):

• Attendance matters! Come prepared to fully engage in the instructional program.

• Review the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct and follow all system and school safety

rules and guidelines.

• “See something, say something.” Report any safety concerns to teachers or

administrators. Students/families can also report concerns to Safe Schools Maryland.

• Be respectful and responsible towards peers and staff.

• Participate in safety drills and training.

• Seek help from adults if you are experiencing bullying, harassment or intimidation.

• Work collaboratively with school staff and administrators to address concerns.

• Be a good digital citizen.

• Use the mental health services provided by BCPS.

• Participate in extracurricular activities, clubs, PTAs and more!

"Our Role" (Community):

• Create a culture of safety and respect within the community.

• Engage in open dialogue about community concerns and school system needs.

• Collaborate on systemwide safety initiatives.

• Maintain open reporting alerts from state and local school safety platforms,

• Alert school administrators and staff when an ongoing community issue may cause

problems in the school community.

• Monitor and supervise youth.

• Ask questions and engage with youth about daily experiences.

• Model positive behaviors in the community.

• Report concerning behaviors in the community to the police.

• Teach students to be safe, secure, and responsible when using technology for learning or for

fun.

• Develop partnerships and programs that help meet the needs of students and families.

• Provide access to safe and welcoming evening and weekend activities for children and

youth.

• Volunteer in schools.

As you have heard/referenced above, after three full school day closures due to inclement weather, BCPS will shift to virtual learning on proceeding inclement weather days. Currently, we are not at that point and while we do not anticipate needing to shift to virtual learning anytime soon, Sussex wants to be proactive in sharing information with students and families! Please note, our plan is currently like last year’s plan and will remain the same unless we receive new information and/or guidance from BCPS.

At the beginning of January, the following information was shared with students and families:

• Students have been instructed to bring their BCPS issued devices to and from school each day. This includes their device and charger!
• Devices should come to school fully charged each day.
• All students were given a sticker with their BCPS username and password.
• Students were also given information about their grade level’s schedule on virtual learning days and their teacher’s Google Meet code!

You can access Sussex’s virtual learning resources below!

We remind everyone that these resources will not be needed until BCPS announces the official transition to virtual learning on inclement weather day, we wanted to share the information. We will continue to be in communication regarding inclement weather as needed.

Arrival

Each morning, students will turn in their cell phones at the front desk upon arrival at school. Students will be assigned a number for their cell phones. When students turn in their cell phones, they will place a checkmark with their name and number for their cell phones. Cell phones are locked in a cabinet throughout the school day.

Dismissal

Students will be dismissed to the front desk at dismissal and sign out their phones. A staff member will give the phone to each student based on his/her number. Students will place a check by their name and number when they pick their phone up at the desk.

Each year, BCPS provides an updated version of our Student Handbook to students and families. All families are required to review and acknowledge the Student Handbook each year. The following resources are linked below:

• 2024-2025 BCPS Student Handbook
• BCPS Student Code of Conduct 2024-2025
• BCPS Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Information

(Information shared by BCPS)

As a direct response to recent behaviors exhibited by students across the nation, BCPS staff from the Department of School Safety have created an addendum to the 2024-2025 Student Handbook – Code of Conduct. This addendum directly addresses disciplinary action that will be taken when students violate the code of conduct in specific ways. Students who engage in these behaviors will be subject to all legally allowable consequences including, but not limited to, suspension and expulsion. School system consequences are in addition to action taken by law enforcement.

(Information shared by BCPS)

On January 23, 2025, the Maryland State Department of Education provided local school systems with guidance on how school-based personnel should respond to requests from immigration or law enforcement officials while upholding student rights. BCPS will follow the state’s guidance—as well as our established procedures and processes for law enforcement requests at schools—and we will work closely with local, state and federal partners.

The safety and well-being of our 110,000 students remains our top priority, and we want to share important reminders for all members of our community that underscore our commitment to fostering safe and inclusive learning environments where all students thrive—

• All children have a right to equal access to a free public education, regardless of the immigration status of the child or their parent/guardian. The 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe ensures equal access to education for children regardless of status.
  
• While our schools require proof of residency in Baltimore County, BCPS does not ask about a child’s immigration status at any time.
  
• Federal and state laws protect education records and personal information. BCPS does not release student information without consent from parents/guardians unless we are required to respond to a court order or subpoena.
  
• BCPS does not tolerate bullying, harassment, discrimination or intimidation for any reason, including immigration status. Students, parents/caregivers, and staff are urged to promptly report incidents of bullying and harassment to school administrators and/or complete the online Bullying, Harassment ( Formulario de denuncia de acoso ) , or Intimidation Reporting Form ( hostigamiento o intimidación en línea).

BCPS will continue to closely monitor developments at the local, state and federal level, and work with county and state partners to provide resources and updates and ensure that we address the needs of our school communities.

Thank you for your support.

Resources

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has identified several resources for families:

• Parents/guardians can identify a “standby guardian” to care for their child if they are detained or deported, by completing this Maryland Judiciary form ( completar este formulario judicial ) and providing a copy to schools, health care providers, and family members.
  
• Families trying to locate someone who has already been detained, may use the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee locator.
  
• Legal assistance is available from a variety of sources, including immigration lawyers in private practice, accredited representatives (non-attorneys who assist individuals in immigration proceedings), and legal-aid organizations:
• The People’s Law Library of Maryland Immigration Advocates Network
• Immigration Advocates Network

• Several immigration organizations have provided guidance related to preparing for and/or responding to immigration action.
• Family Preparedness Plans – Michigan Immigration Rights Center.
• ACLU.
• Immigrant Resource Center.
• USAHello.

For more information or support, please contact Mrs. McLaughlin, Community School Facilitator at emclaughlin3@bcps.org or 443-809-3751.

Friendly reminder that per BCPS Policy and Rule 5470, all food and beverages provided to students during the school day must meet the same nutrition standards as the school meals program. This means that outside food is not allowed for celebrations. Please do not send in items such as (but not limited to) cupcakes, cookies, and/or juice boxes for celebrations. Wellness Policy and Rule 5470 Updates document is attached below for your reference. You may also reference complete Policy and Rule 5470 on the BCPS website.

If you would like to celebrate your child's birthday, please consider donating a book to your child's classroom library! Other ideas include donating items for recess or mindfulness resources. If interested, please contact your child's teacher and/or administration to discuss possible/appropriate donations.

Don't forget, BCPS volunteer training is required annually! All volunteers must complete the BCPS volunteer training. Click the link below for easy access to information and directions on this process!

Our Sussex Volunteer Coordinator is Ms. Tate, school counselor.

As many of you are aware, there are currently outbreaks of measles in parts of our country. While most students are fully vaccinated against measles and should be immune, the following people may want to consult with their health care provider about whether additional vaccines and/or precautions are needed:

• Parents of young children who have not had two doses of MMR vaccine,

• Parents of children on "catch-up schedules" for vaccines,

• Parents of students who have had health or religious exemptions to vaccines, and

• Adults who did not have two doses of measles vaccines when they were children (typically persons vaccinated prior to 1989.)

The Baltimore County Department of Health can assist persons who do not have insurance for vaccines as well as those have Medical Assistance. The attached flier provides more information about measles and health department resources.

Looking for dental health resources?! Please see below for local dental resources for you and your family!

Eastern Family Resource Center
9150 Franklin Square Drive, Third Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21237

To schedule an appointment, call 410-887-2780.

Please see flyer below for full description of services offered.

Website: https://sussexes.ss3.sharpschool.com/
Location: 515 South Woodward Drive, Essex, MD, USA
Phone: 443-809-0182
Twitter: @Sussex_ES