Greetings SJLES Families,
Anyone have an excited Jaguar at home today? The kids were buzzing yesterday about the idea of another opportunity to play in the snow and they sure are getting their fill this week. I often tease our students on days leading up to a possible snow day that it is in my principal handbook that all SJLES Jaguars have to build a Snow-tari, which is basically a snowman resembling their principal because it has a tie on it, every snow day. Their reactions are always great to this little back-and-forth. So, if your Jaguar actually decides to build one of these creatures to appease their ole’ principal please email me a photo with your child and their Snow-tari and I will post it in my office and follow-up with them personally. Hope it brings an additional opportunity for fun on these snow days that the kids really look forward to.
For the short amount of time we had with our students in the building this week, it was truly AWESOME! The vibe they brought to the building reminds every staff member why we do this work and what is most important. Everyone enjoys time away from work and a snow day here or there, but the overt and contagious smiles, laughter, hugs, knuckle-bumps, “good mornings” and “happy new years” really caught my eye and the attention of our staff. I witnessed multiple students simply skipping in the hallways and stopped myself from giving them a reminder to “use walking feet” and just enjoy the moment. It was so evident that your children were so happy to be back at school.
This week at our PTA meeting I shared the results of our Family Feedback Survey. Your feedback was very positive, thoughtful, and filled with gratitude to our staff and administrative team. You also provided insights on some opportunities for us to improve. However, the climate of our building this week coming off of winter break offered me and our staff some very meaningful and beautiful data on our current state and a reminder of the meaningful impact we can have in this work. Thank you to the 67 families who completed the survey and please click here to offer your feedback if you missed the postings in December. Your feedback is important to us and please remember Ms. Coleman and I are a call or email away for any question or concern you have!
We understand COVID is on everyone’s mind and impacting so much. Our goal is to continue to do all we can to ensure a healthy and safe environment at school. Please visit the HCPSS Health and Safety page on the HCPSS website for comprehensive information and please remember to conduct health checks before sending your child to school. Let’s continue to all do our part to ensure the safety of your child and all of the children and staff here at SJLES. On behalf of Ms. Coleman and our entire staff, Happy New Year, a sincere thank you for your continued partnership and support, and here’s to a healthy and successful 2022 together!
Sincerely,
Dan Notari
SJLES Principal
NEW NEWS
Vaccine Clinic
HCPSS is working with the Howard County Health Department and several local pharmacies, to provide students ages 5-11 the opportunity to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Information about upcoming clinics is available on the HCPSS website and will be updated as new clinics are added. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy to save lives and end this pandemic so I encourage you to make an appointment for your child if you have not already done so.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine can be found on the Howard County Health Department’s website. Additional information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Thanks for your support to help
Coat Drive through January 14!
Do you have some coats your kids have outgrown? Donate any clean, gently used, or new coats (children's or adult sizes) to help our local community. There will be a bin outside the front office starting January 3 through January 14. Thank you for sharing the warmth! Click here for additional information.
BSAP Saturday Math Academy Virtual Spring Program Registration Opens 1/8
Families of students in grades 3-12 are invited to register online for this virtual enrichment program, which will be held Saturdays, January 29 through March 12, 2022. Registration opens Saturday, January 8, at 9 a.m. and continues until capacity is reached. Families can request enrollment by registering their child(ren) for the program in HCPSS Connect. Space is limited, and notification will be emailed to families whose registration request was accepted. Additional program and registration information is available online.
Young Authors' Contest Submissions Due 1/21
The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest . Please see the attached YAC Flyer Announcing Contest for information about the rules and guidelines. All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet sent as a PDF. Submissions may be emailed to Mrs. Taylor by January 21, 2022. Contact Mrs. Taylor with any questions at elizabeth_taylor@hcpss.org.
Young Authors’ Contest information can be found on the HCLA website Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
1/11 @ 6:30 - BMMS Rising 6th Grade Orientation
1/12 @ 6:30 - PMS Rising 6th Orientation
1/14 - Spirit Day - #JaguarPride - Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your spirit wear or colors
1/17 - MLK Day - HCPSS Schools & Offices Closed
1/19 - Schools Close 3 hours Early (12:20 Dismissal)
1/20 @ 6:00 - HCPSS/Council of Elders Virtual Celebration of Academic Achievement
1/20 @ 6:00 - DMS Rising 6th Grade Orientation
1/21 - End of 2nd Marking Period
1/21 - Ocean of Blue Day: Wear as much blue as you can to celebrate kindness!
1/24 - Schools Closed for Students
1/25 - 1/31 - PBIS Spot-O-Gram Store Open
1/28 - Spirit Day - Inside Out Day: Wear your clothes inside out!!
1/31 - Report Cards Issued
2/1 - Schools Closed for Students - Countywide Professional Learning Day
REPEATED NEWS
Do you love books? Do you enjoy keeping things in good order?
The SJLES media center could use a few adult volunteers to help shelve books. Even an hour or two is a big help to us. All volunteers must adhere to Covid protocols and complete HCPSS volunteer training. Aside from that, we can teach you how to shelve books or complete any other library tasks. THANK YOU for considering this valuable service! Questions? Contact Maggie Fischer (margaret_fischer@hcpss.org) or Vicky Pauller (vicky_pauller@hcpss.org).
Book Donations
We have had several students ask about donating books from home. Yes! We do accept book donations. Our students especially love graphic novels! The books need to meet certain criteria:
1) Hardcover
2) Excellent Condition- no tears, stains, unidentified sticky areas, etc.
3) Recent copyright date- must be published in the last five years (2016-2021)
Beyond that, the Media Staff must evaluate books to make sure they fit the criteria for being included in a Howard County Public School Library, including accuracy, positive professional reviews, and age-appropriateness. If a donated book doesn’t meet these criteria, we can return it to you.
We do not expect anyone to buy books to donate; but if you have books at home and your students are finished with them, we can find new readers for them at the library. If you have any questions, please reach out to Maggie Fischer (margaret_fischer@hcpss.org) or Vicky Pauller (vicky_pauller@hcpss.org). Thank you!
Daily Health Check Reminder
Parents/guardians MUST perform a COVID-19 health check every day before your student leaves home.
Community News and 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.