Greetings SJLES Families,

 

Just a few items to share today to keep our community up to date with all things SJLES. Thanks to our PTA volunteers and our Media staff for all of their hard work this week with our Scholastic Book Fair. Our students have been very excited about the return of the Book Fair. For your convenience, we have included the information from yesterday's PTA News in our Repeated News section below. Here's to a great week at home and at school!

 

Sincerely,

Dan Notari

SJLES Principal

 

NEW NEWS

Outdoor Lunch Requests 

Due to the increase in outdoor lunch requests and the need to update seating charts indoors and outdoors to reflect each student request, all new requests to eat outdoors will go into effect each Monday. If a parent sends a request for outdoors on a Tuesday, for example, their child will be on the updated outdoor list beginning the next Monday. This allows us to appropriately plan for staffing and ensure seating is available for all students. Thank you for your patience. Please use this link to request outdoor seating.

Elementary School Outdoor Tents

Our outdoor tent is back in place next to our blacktop recess area. We will continue to offer the outdoor lunch option as long as weather and staffing permits. 

 

SJLES MLK Dream Maker’s Contest

In February, we had many Jaguars submit essays, poems, and artwork for our SJLES MLK Dream Maker’s Contest! Congratulations to these students for winning among their grade level areas…

• Kindergarten Essay: Oorja R.

• First Grade Poem: Grant M.

• First Grade Essay: Sanaa M.

• Fourth Grade Poem: Bryn M.

• Fifth Grade Essay: Saanvi K.T.

• Fifth Grade Artwork: Muminah T.

Tentative Last Day of School

As of Wednesday, March 16, 2022, HCPSS has used four inclement weather days this school year and made up one of those days by opening schools February 21. As such, the last day for pre-K/RECC students is currently Tuesday, June 14, and for K-12 students is Friday, June 17, 2022. Full details on the calendar are available online.

 

Details related to end-of-year activities and information can be found online. That page will be continually updated as new information becomes available.

 

End-of-Year Updates

Details related to HCPSS end-of-year activities and information can be found online. This page will be continually updated as new information becomes available.  

 

3 Hour Early Dismissal - Friday 4/1/22

Please mark your calendar! Friday 4/1 is the end of the third quarter and is a 3-Hour Early Dismissal for HCPSS schools. SJLES will begin dismissal at 12:20 PM.

 

Class Photos - 3/29/22

Strawbridge will return to SJLES for Class Photos on Tuesday, 3/29/22. Families can place orders through their online ordering system at www.strawbridge.net by clicking on Order Pictures & Yearbooks, and entering code FM369985 or by using the order envelopes that are in the process of being sent home with your child. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• Click here to access/subscribe to our SJLES Public Calendar 

• Click here to access/subscribe to the updated HCPSS calendar

• Click here to access the HCPSS Related Arts Color Schedule

• 3/21-3/25 - Scholastic Book Fair 

• 3/21-3/25 - Grade 5 Maryland Integrated Science Assessments (MISA) 

• 3/23 - Vision & Hearing Screening

• 3/25 - Favorite Book Day: Bring your favorite book to class and be ready to share at morning meeting!

• 3/29 - Class & Spring Individual Portraits

• 3/31 - Vision & Hearing Rescreening

• 4/1 - #JaguarPride: Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors

• 4/1 - End of Quarter 3 - HCPSS Schools Close 3 Hours Early (SJLES 12:20 Dismissal)

• 4/6 @ 8:00 PTA Zoom Meeting 

• 4/8 - Disney Day: Dress up as your favorite Disney character or wear your favorite Disney apparel

• 4/8 - Report Cards Issued

• 4/11 - 4/18 - Spring Break - All HCPSS Schools Closed

• 4/19 - HCPSS Schools Reopen

• 4/20 - Kindergarten Visits Miller Branch Library

• 4/22  - #JaguarPride: Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors

• 4/22 @ 6:00 PM - PTA Outdoor Bingo Night

REPEATED NEWS

The “BOOKS BRING US TOGETHER!” Book Fair is Here - THIS WEEK!

Students will have a chance to shop during their Media class THIS week! You can also let us know if you want them to buy books only, or other non-book merchandise through this optional form or by filling out the info on the baggie that was sent home with your student. There are multiple payment options to use for the Fair:

1. Students can bring cash 

2. Use e-wallet (a cash-free digital account that parents can load in advance). Create an account and add funds for your student through https://www.scholastic.com/bf/sjles

3. Students can fill out and bring home a wishlist (they will be given this form during Media class) and you can then select from it and send in a check payable to the SJLES PTA.

Family shopping is also available after school on Wednesday from 3:35-7:30 PM. Cash, e-wallet, credit card, or checks payable to SJLES PTA will all be accepted. And online shopping is available from March 21-April 3 through https://www.scholastic.com/bf/sjles - convenient, expanded book selection, and free shipping to your home for orders over $25.

Check out this FAQ for all the details or email SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com with any questions. 

 

Young Author’s Contest Winners

We are proud to announce that we have two County-level winners from St. John’s Lane for this year’s Young Author’s Contest! A HUGE congratulations filled with lots of #JaguarPride goes out to fifth grader Kylie K. who won first place for her 5th Grade Short Story and to Julia X. who earned second place for 2nd Grade Short Story. Kylie and Julia will soon be recognized at a special event this spring hosted by the Howard County Literacy Association. Congratulations to both of our young authors! 

 

Related Arts Color Day Rotation Survey

HCPSS is seeking feedback on the elementary related arts color rotation schedule. The color rotation schedule was implemented to mitigate loss of instructional time due to school closures for related arts classes scheduled on Mondays and Fridays, sometimes up to nine classes per school year. This feedback will be utilized in conjunction with additional stakeholder input to determine the 22-23 related arts schedule model. Thank you for your time in completing this feedback form by March 25, 2022. https://forms.gle/qz2JZGtophiXPT7h8

 

SPREAD THE WORD! Kindergarten Registration Is OPEN!

​​Parents/guardians of a child who will be five years old on or before 9/1/22 must complete an online registration to enroll their child in Kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year. 

It is recommended that you work on a laptop or desktop to complete registration. 

For details about registration and enrollment, visit https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/ If you are without access to a computer or have questions please contact our teacher secretaries Mrs. Wolfrey or Mrs. Smith at 410-313-2813 for assistance in completing the registration. Please ensure you are on the screen for 2022-2023 to register for next school year.

The following forms are needed in addition to the online registration:

• Health Forms should be completed by your child's pediatrician and dentist and emailed to amy_leisner@hcpss.org or dropped off to our front office once your child has their 5-year-old check-up.

  • https://www.hcpss.org/f/files/form_health_dentalexam.pdf

  • https://www.hcpss.org/f/files/form_health_physicalexam.pdf

  • https://www.hcpss.org/f/files/form_health_lead.pdf

• Additional HCPSS Resources for Kindergarten

  • https://www.hcpss.org/f/schools/kindergarten/kindergarten-here-we-come-2021.pdf

  • https://www.hcpss.org/f/schools/kindergarten/off-to-kindergarten-guide-kids-families.pdf

  • https://www.hcpss.org/schools/transportation/

The HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness and online registration and provide additional information and resources for families. This will include the information that is typically covered in the Road to Kindergarten live event, which includes information about kindergarten readiness, the kindergarten program, and registering children for school.

 

We Need You: SJLES Close Adult Support position

• 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. 

• If you are interested in learning more please contact our Assistant Principal Erin Coleman at erin_coleman@hcpss.org and visit this link to apply. 

• Hours are typically 8:45-3:15.

• This position now pays an hourly rate of $13/hour.

• This Close Adult Support position is a great pathway to HCPSS employment. Many current full time staff members began their journey in this position. 

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

SJLES Daily Outdoor Lunch Status 

For interested families, we will communicate our Outdoor Lunch Status on our SJLES website landing page daily. Please be sure to check our website for our daily outdoor lunch status. 

 

Daily Health Check Reminder

Parents/guardians MUST perform a COVID-19 health check every day before your student leaves home.

 

COMMUNITY NEWS & PROGRAMS

Please click here to visit the Community News and Programs page for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.