Greetings SJLES Families, 

We are quickly approaching the return of our staff and many of our Jaguars to our storied SJLES building. Mrs. Redd and I could not be more excited to reconnect in-person with our staff and students. We are in high gear preparing our building, PPE, schedules, logistics, routines, and so much more to make this a smooth and welcoming transition for students, families, and staff.

As we approach this transition we will be facilitating student and parent orientations to provide Hybrid Learning insights and information. Mrs. Redd and I will host parent orientations for our families focused on the most current plans, safety precautions, and schedules. Although our parent orientations will focus on logistics for students returning to our building, all families are welcome to attend. Our grade level teams will facilitate orientations for both our in-person and our virtual students.  Here is an overview of our orientation and return to in-person learning schedule…

Students in Group E 

• Group E Parent Orientation: Wednesday, 2/24 @ 6:30

  • Group E Families Only 

  • Google Meet Code will be emailed to families of students in Group E

  • Log in using your child’s HCPSS Account

• Group E Student Orientation Thursday, 2/25 @ Synchronous Support Time

  • Group E Students Only 

  • Google Meet Code will be shared directly with students in Group E 

• Students in Group E Return to SJLES for In-person Learning: Monday, 3/1   

 Primary (K-2) Students 

• Primary Parent Orientation: Wednesday, 3/3 @ 7:30 (Following PTA Meeting)

  • Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome

  • Log in using your child’s HCPSS Account

• Primary Student Orientation: Thursday 3/11 @ Content Block

  • Google Meet Codes will be provided to students who will be attending hybrid learning in-person and to students who are remaining virtual 

• Primary Students Return to SJLES for In-person Learning: Monday, 3/15 

Intermediate (3-5) Students 

• Intermediate Parent Orientation: Wednesday, 3/17 @ 6:30  

  • Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome

  • Log in using your child’s HCPSS Account

• Intermediate Student Orientation: Thursday 3/25 @ Content Block

  • Google Meet Codes will be provided to students who will be attending hybrid learning in-person and to students who are remaining virtual 

• Intermediate Students Return to SJLES for In-person Learning: Monday, 3/29  

I know this in-person decision has not been an easy one for many families. I understand that there are many questions as to what this newest version of school will look like. These orientations are another step in helping provide our families answers. Please continue to monitor the HCPSS Help pages for frequently asked questions and answers and, as always, email me at dnotari@hcpss.org if I can be of any service to your family. 

I want to thank all of our families for their support of our staff and students during this time. Over the past year we have transitioned from school as we have always known it, to Continuity of Learning in the Spring, to Virtual Learning in the Fall, and now to our Hybrid In-Person Model. We have all adapted to the realities of this pandemic and its impact upon teaching and learning together as a community to best support our Jaguars. Mrs. Redd and I are so proud of and thankful for our resilient families, our dedicated staff, and our outstanding students.  

We will continue to do all we can to ensure the academic success and social-emotional well-being of your child regardless of the setting. We will continue to be thoughtful in our practices, monitor all aspects of our program, make improvements, communicate in an open and transparent manner, and continue to be the best little school you ever did see! On behalf of Mrs. Redd and our entire staff we thank you for your continued partnership, encouragement, and support. We got this, SJLES! Stay safe, stay well, and stay tuned. Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Dan Notari

SJLES Principal

NEW NEWS 

Black Student Achievement Program and The Council of Elders Workshops

BSAP Workshops:

• March 6 6:30-8:00 p.m. – Re-Entry to School (more details to follow)

• March 20 6:30-8:00 p.m. - BCAP CCON Webinar – Virtually Expanding Your Horizons – Jumpstart (more details to follow)WC

TCOE Workshops:

 Please click here(Links to an external site.) for detailed flyers:

• February 20 9-10:30 a.m. - Family Financial Education Series

• March 13 9-10:30 a.m. – TCOE Community Academy– Suicide Prevention & Substance Abuse

• March 20 9-10:30 a.m. -Family Financial Education Series 

PTA Staff Appreciation Drive Reminder

A huge thank you to each and every family that has contributed to our PTA Staff Appreciation Drive. Your generosity and thoughtfulness is so appreciated!

Please visit the MemberHub site and select any amount to contribute.

Early Dismissal on 2/25 & 2/26

With the March 1st transition to a hybrid instructional model, the BOE has approved changing Thursday and Friday, February 25 & 26, to early dismissal days for students to allow staff returning to school buildings time to prepare. Students will follow THIS SCHEDULE.

MAP Report Access

Families will be able to access MAP Reports via HCPSS Connect during the first week of March. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Access our SJLES Public Calendar at https://sjles.hcpss.org/calendar  

• 2/24 @ 6:30 Group E Parent Orientation 

• 2/25 - Group E Student Orientation 

• 2/25 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal

• 2/26 - 3 Hour Early Dismissal

• 2/26 - Twin Day! Twinning TWINNING! Find a friend to match with for the day

• 3/1 - SJLES New School Day Hours Begin - 9:05-3:35 

• 3/1 - Students in Group E Return to SJLES for In-person Learning

• 3/3 @ 6:30 - PTA Meeting 

• 3/3 @ 7:30 - Primary Parent Orientation

  • Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome

• 3/8-3/12 - Kindergarten Registration Week

• 3/11 - Primary Student Orientation 

• 3/15 - Students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and grades 1-2 return option

• 3/17 @ 6:30 Intermediate Parent Orientation 

  • Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome

• 3/25 - Intermediate Student Orientation 

• 3/29 - Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and students attending programs at the ARL return option

REPEATED NEWS 

Join Our Team!

Are you interested in working with the best students and staff in the whole wide world? Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of our kids each and every day? Well, we have outstanding news to share. SJLES is currently hiring for the following positions...

Lunch/Recess Monitor 

• This position would begin on March 1st for Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

• The hours are 11:05am - 2:05pm 

• The pay rate is $14.50/hour.

Classroom Monitor  

• This position would begin on March 1st  

• The hours would be 9:00am - 3:40pm (M,W,TH,F) and 9:00 - 12:00pm on Wednesdays 

• The pay rate is $14.50/hour. 

Close Adult Support 

• This service is provided to some of our students receiving special education services 

• Applicants will apply through an outside agency that staffs these positions at SJLES. 

  • Mrs. Redd will guide you through the process!

• The position is a 6 hour daily position. 

• We also frequently need substitutes for this role, so if you are looking for just occasional work please let us know! 

If you are interested in any of these positions here at SJLES please email our Assistant Principal Mrs. Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org.

Kindergarten & Pre-Kindergarten Registration for School Year 2021-22 Begin in March

Kindergarten Registration for next school year begins Monday, March 8th, and will be conducted ONLINE (scroll down to the green Begin Online Registration link). Students must be five years old by September 1, 2021 to register. If your child will be attending Kindergarten in the fall, please visit the HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness.  We also encourage families to visit our Grade K Family and Community Resources page for more information about the kindergarten instructional program and ways families can support their children at home.

HCPSS Chromebooks DIgital Tools

An Opt-In letter was sent home requesting parent/guardian consent in order for students to have access to the HCPSS authorized set of digital tools used for virtual instruction.

Update: The following digital tools do not require consent because they are already available to students in HCPSS computer labs: Book Room, Word Work, Scratch BluBot, Scratch JR, Sketch-Up, Collector Classic, JamBoard, and Google Earth.

These supplemental digital tools are approved by HCPSS and comply with federal, state and Howard County Board of Education student data privacy policies. Please note that your student(s) will have access to these digital tools through the Google Play Store icon on the Chromebook when logged in with an HCPSS account.

If your elementary school aged child has not been issued a Chromebook, one can be picked up at a Technology Support Center.  

Please note:

• HCPSS cannot guarantee that apps are available on devices other than HCPSS Chromebooks.

• Teachers may or may not choose to use any or all of these apps during instruction. Students will be notified when a particular app will be used for instruction.

• In addition to these Google tools, HCPSS has approved a robust set of supplemental digital tools. Your child’s teacher will notify you of the particular supplemental digital tools being used in each class via email or on their Canvas course page.

New Chromebook Care Webpage

Please be aware of a new webpage for students, Chromebook Care, which includes tips on caring for and transporting Chromebooks, as well as student mobile technology duties and obligations and additional resources. 

Introducing Lightspeed

Beginning February 8, 2021, our school is participating in the use of Lightspeed, a platform and instructional support tool that helps teachers keep students on track and safe as they navigate online learning.

Lightspeed enables teachers to link students’ HCPSS or personal Chromebooks and HCPSS Dell laptops into a single virtual classroom for synchronous lessons, giving teachers the ability to monitor students’ screens and share resources. Lightspeed allows teachers to:

• Assist students with using the technology

• Monitor live independent work 

• Lock screen to transition between live whole group activities and live independent work

• Close browser tabs and automatically navigate to websites

Teachers will only have access to Lightspeed during regularly scheduled class time. Teachers do not have the ability to control computer screens, including clicking buttons and changing settings. However, teachers can direct and lock a student’s computer to specific websites. If the website turns on the student’s camera and/or microphone, the teacher would be able to observe the video and audio the web camera picks up. For example, if a student was on a site viewing their own image via the web camera the teacher would be able to see that content. 

Additionally, to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, HCPSS uses Lightspeed to filter ​inappropriate content and monitor ​general usage of the Chromebooks, during and beyond the school day. There will be no opt-out option for Lightspeed. HCPSS-issued devices and accounts are governed primarily by HCPSS Board policies: 8080 Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools and Social Media, 3040 Technology Security, and 3060 Student Data Governance and Privacy. If you have any questions, you can contact our technology teacher Mrs. Kennedy at shannon_kennedy@hcpss.org.

New Community News and Programs Site

Families can quickly discover educational and recreational resources, events and after-school programs offered by community non-profits on HCPSS’ new Community News and Programs website.

Get Answers! 

Updated FAQs to Share with Families and Staff: FAQs are being continually being added online and may be shared with families. Additionally, FAQs dedicated to staff may also be shared with staff in your schools and offices.

SJLES Technology Help

If you experience any technology issues, remember to fill out our SJLES Technology Form and a member of our team will help you. Additional details can be found on sjles.hcpss.org