Greetings SJLES Families,
Please note that our Back To School Nights are scheduled for tonight and tomorrow here SJLES and available concurrently on Google Meet. This is an important opportunity to hear all about the 2021-2022 school year from our administrators, PTA, & teachers.
Thanks to our PTA for hosting a wonderful Back to School Picnic this past Friday Night. It was great seeing so many students, families, and staff members enjoying the good weather and even better company while celebrating the return to school. Please continue to support our PTA by becoming a member. We hope to see you at our Back to School Nights tonight and tomorrow and here’s to a great week!
Sincerely,
Dan Notari
SJLES Principal
NEW NEWS
SJLES Back to School Nights Overview
Our Back to School Nights (BTSN) are scheduled for Monday, 9/13 & Tuesday, 9/14.
This year will be facilitating concurrent Back to School Night presentations so parents have the option of attending in-person or virtually via Google Meet.
For security reasons, families MUST use your student’s HCPSS credentials to access the Google Meets. Parents can visit https://account.hcpss.org, type in your HCPSS Connect account information, and it will display your students login information.
If attending virtually, we ask that you please mute your microphone during the sessions and use the chat feature. An additional SJLES staff member will be monitoring the Google Meet throughout each presentation to assist our virtual families.
The intended BTSN audience is solely parents. You may bring your children to the in-person option, but it is not likely they will find the evening engaging no matter how hard we all try. We will facilitate information-based presentations and answer parent questions. Child care is not provided during the presentation.
Please note the dates, times, and Google Meet naming conventions below.
9/13 @ 6:00-7:30 - Primary (K-2) Back to School Night
6:00-6:30 - Administration & PTA Welcome & Overview
Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome
In-Person Location: Cafeteria
6:30-7:30 - Staff Presentations
Google Meet Code: SJLES(teacher last name)
Ex: Mrs. Shoff: SJLESshoff / Mrs. McWatters: SJLESmcwatters
In-Person Location: Homeroom Teacher Classrooms
9/14 @ 5:30-6:00 - Gifted & Talented Back To School Night Overview
Google Meet Code: SJLESgt
In-Person Location: Media Center
9/14 @ 6:00-7:30 - Intermediate (3-5) Back To School Night
6:00-6:30 - Administration & PTA Welcome & Overview
Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome
In-Person Location: Cafeteria
6:30-7:30 - Staff Presentations
Google Meet Code: SJLES(teacher last name)
Ex: Mrs. Coffey: SJLEScoffey / Ms. King: SJLESking
In-Person Location: Homeroom Teacher Classrooms
Schools & Offices Closed THURSDAY!
Please note that all HCPSS Schools & Offices are Closed THIS THURSDAY, 9/16.
Changes in Lunch Seating
We are receiving many requests to change student lunch seating because students wish to eat where their friends are eating. While we understand the importance of lunchtime being a key source of social interaction for children, indoor seating charts have been finalized at this time for contract tracing purposes. We will not be making changes unless absolutely necessary for several weeks. If you request that your child be moved indoors, please be aware that they may not be seated with friends at this time.
If you have made change requests to your child’s lunch seating location, indoor or outdoor, please help us by reminding them where your new request is for a few days after the change. Our younger students need reminding until they are used to the change. Thank you!
Modified Lockdown Drill
This morning our students engaged in our first modified lockdown drill of the year. Teachers prepared students for this drill and closely monitored students to ensure their safety, and well-being during this drill. Our students did a wonderful job remaining quiet in their classrooms while administrators checked on each classroom!
The engagement and completion of emergency drills are required by the HCPSS Office of Safety & Security. Prior to the evacuation drill, students discussed the drill and learned how to:
Remain calm during an emergency
Follow the teacher's directions to stay in place in the classroom with the lights out and window shades closed
Wait quietly with their teacher and class until directed to resume normal activities and restore the classroom lighting.
We are so proud of our Jaguars for completing their first modified lockdown drill of the school year! If you have any questions about this drill and/or other emergency drills, please contact Erin Coleman at erin_coleman@hcpss.org
COMMUNITY NEWS
Community News & Programs
Please visit the Community News and Programs page at http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.
Cub Scout Pack 944
Cub Scout Pack 944 invites SJLES families of kindergarten to fifth grade boys AND girls to join us for a night of fun and games and to come learn about the world of Scouting.
We will meet on Wednesday, September 15th from 7:00-8:30 pm at Bethany United Methodist Church located at 2875 Bethany Lane in Ellicott City. Please feel free to contact Bhavik Hukmani at 410-916-5628 or b2hukmani@yahoo.com if you have any questions or for additional information
HC Recreation & Parks After School Classes
Click here to view the Fall 2021 After School Classes by HCRP at SJLES
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Access our SJLES Public Calendar at https://sjles.hcpss.org/calendar
9/13 @ 6:00-7:30 - Primary Back to School Night
6:00-6:30 - Administration & PTA Welcome & Overview
Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome
6:30-7:30 - Staff Presentations
Google Meet Code: SJLES(teacher last name)
9/14 @ 5:30-6:00 - GT Back To School Night
Google Meet Code: SJLESgt
9/14 @ 6:00-7:30 - Intermediate Back To School Night
6:00-6:30 - Administration & PTA Welcome & Overview
Google Meet Code: SJLESwelcome
6:30-7:30 - Staff Presentations
Google Meet Code: SJLES(teacher last name)
9/16 - Schools and Offices are Closed
9/17 - Spirit Day: Favorite Sport! Grab your jersey, t-shirt, medal, or trophy to show us your favorite sport.
9/20 - 9/24 - MCAP Window for Grades 4 and 5
9/21, 9/22, & 9/23 - PTA Paint Nights
9/24 - Spirit Day: Superhero Day! Dress up as your favorite superhero to celebrate our super first month of school at SJLES!
9/27-9/29 - MCAP Make Up Window
10/1 - Spirit Day- #JaguarPride: Wear your SJLES Spirit Wear or blue & yellow
REPEATED NEWS
Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP)
As part of continued COVID-19 recovery efforts, the Maryland State Department of Education is conducting an early fall student assessment as one of several strategies to identify how students are performing academically. The results will help educators better understand student needs, so that we can address disrupted education and accelerate learning opportunities for all students. These results never stand alone in assessing student growth, and will be used in combination with other assessments and class work to gauge overall student performance.
MCAP is the overarching term used for all state assessments. MSDE will administer assessments in the Early Fall for English Language Arts/Literacy & mathematics. Our 4th & 5th graders will be assessed in ELA & Math on 9/20, 9/21, 9/23, and 9/24, during the ELA, Content, & Math blocks. Make-up assessments will be held on 9/27-9/29.
Students need to bring a fully charged laptop, corded headphones, & a positive attitude! Please contact Ms. Coleman at erin_coleman@hcpss.org with any questions about the MCAP assessment.
Lunch Volunteers
SJLES is ready for lunch volunteers! Our wonderful PTA has organized a way for parents to sign up to help us support our outdoor lunch location this year. Lunch Times at SJLES are as follows:
Kindergarten: 11:15 - 11:45
2nd grade: 11:45 - 12:15
1st grade: 12:15 - 12:45
3rd grade: 12:45 - 1:15
4th grade: 1:15 - 1:45
5th grade: 1:45 - 2:15
Some specific lunch tasks that we need help with are:
Helping students in the cafeteria open lunch item packaging, refilling water cups, obtaining spoons when needed
Responding to students when they raise their hand for a need (utensil, restroom, etc).
“Traffic control” in our hallway intersection when outdoor lunch students transition back into the building
Assisting school staff in wiping down tables in the outdoor tent in between lunch shifts
All volunteers must complete an online training prior to serving as a volunteer. This year, there are additional requirements for HCPSS volunteers related to vaccination status. Please find all of this information here.
If you are still interested in volunteering with us for lunch, please sign up using this Sign-Up Genius link. Please indicate if you will volunteer for outdoor (tent and picnic tables), indoor, hallway (to help with transitions), or “no preference” (and we will ask you to help where it’s most needed that shift. Thank you! You can also email Jane Fisher at jane.gribble@gmail.com with any questions.
Text Message Access
HCPSS & SJLES often communicate important information that we need parents to know immediately via text messages. If you receive our texts, then you do not need to do anything else! If you do not, we highly recommend that you opt-in. Here are the instructions on how to opt-in to text messaging...
Text the word “YES” to 67587 from the wireless device you wish to receive texts on.
You will receive an "opt in" message from HCPSS sent from SchoolMessenger.
Text Y and hit send.
You will now begin receiving text alerts from SJLES and HCPSS.
Consider having a close relative or family friend sign up for HCPSSNews alerts. This is a helpful safeguard on unexpected early dismissal days. Community members or any non-HCPSS can sign up to receive messages by visiting this sign-up page.
Umbrellas / Dress For the Weather / Dismissal Impact
Thanks for always sending your child dressed for the day’s weather conditions. When students have umbrellas and clothes to keep dry in the rain it expedites our entire dismissal process. Our goal this year is for students to dress appropriately for the weather and use their umbrellas to stay dry while waiting outside for cars, vans, and buses. Depending on the severity of the weather, we may have to dismiss student by student in the car loop, which creates a potential for additional long delays. This is only a last resort if the weather is unsafe due to the impact it has on St. John’s Lane in both directions.
We Need You!
SJLES is still in need of a Lunch/Recess monitor and a Close Adult Support position. Please email Erin Coleman (erin_coleman@hcpss.org) if you are interested in joining our outstanding staff!
Procedures for Visitors and Volunteers
Parents & visitors entering the school for a brief visit to pick up or drop off their child, or for other reasons, are not required to show proof of vaccination or testing. They are, however, required to be masked regardless of their vaccination status.
Parents are not permitted to eat lunch in the school cafeteria with students at this time.
Parents who are conducting classroom visits or observations must provide proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test (within seven days of the current date) to school administration when they check in at the front office.
Visitors should perform a COVID-19 health check every day before coming to an HCPSS building and should stay home if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease.
Effective 9/20, all volunteers entering HCPSS schools to interact with or support students must provide proof of vaccination status or a negative COVID-19 test (within 7 days of the current date) to school administration when they check in at the front office.
Volunteers must be masked regardless of their vaccination status. Volunteers may be able to access the free weekly testing offered within school and office buildings, subject to availability of tests. Volunteers should perform a COVID-19 health check every day before coming to an HCPSS building and should stay home if they are experiencing any symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease.
Additionally, all volunteers must complete a Confidentiality Training Course about protecting the privacy of our students, staff, and schools, and the Child Abuse and Neglect Training about reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect to Howard County Department of Social Services.