Greetings SJLES Families,
I hope this communication finds you well on this Fall-ish Friday afternoon. As we approach the end of this second week of virtual learning, I wanted to extend my gratitude to our staff and our families for their collaboration and support of our students and each other thus far. Our students are off to an outstanding start, are settling into thier new routine, and it is awesome to see how our teacher-student relationships have grown in a short amount of time in this virtual setting. Way to go, SJLES!
Next week, we will host our Virtual Back to School Nights. You will find an overview of the events below and detailed information including meeting codes via a Canvas Announcement today. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions. I hope you and your family have a great weekend and Mrs. Redd and I look forward to seeing you all next week!
Sincerely,
Dan Notari
SJLES Principal
NEW NEWS
Related Arts/Asynchronous Updates
We understand that there have been many questions about the asynchronous tasks students should be completing on Wednesdays, and have been working to make the expectations for those days more clear for all involved. Starting next week, you will see the list of asynchronous lessons your child(ren) should be completing at the top of their ELA home page. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we navigate this new world of virtual teaching. We welcome and appreciate your input and feedback!
Calls of Care
Our homeroom teachers continue to reach out to all of our families to introduce themselves, check-in, share celebrations, and discuss how we can best be of service to each individual family. We have extended the window for teachers to make these initial calls through Friday, 9/25. For privacy reasons, Calls of Care will likely come from an unknown/blocked number.
SJLES Virtual Back to School Nights Next Week
Our staff is excited to connect with our families at our upcoming Back to School Nights (BTSN) next week. These Google Meets will allow our families the opportunity to meet the entire grade level team and provide insights to virtual learning and our curriculum. Details including meeting codes for these Google Meets will be shared by individual teams via Canvas Announcements today with reminders scheduled for next week. Here is an overview...
Accessing BTSN Google Meets
We are meeting virtually using Google Meet.
You will receive communication from your child’s teacher with meeting codes for the grade level meet, and our GT and Music Back to School Night meeting codes, as necessary.
For security reasons, families MUST use your student’s HCPSS credentials to access the google meets. As with all of our Google Meets, we will not accept any outside email addresses into our sessions.
Joining with or without your camera on is your choice, but due to the large number of families that will be joining, we do ask that you please mute your microphone during the sessions.
BTSN Schedule
9/22 @ 6:30 - K-2 Virtual Back to School Nights
9/23 @ 6:30 - 3-5 Virtual Back to School Nights
9/23 @ 7:30 - 3-5 Virtual Back to Music Night (Band, Orchestra, & Chorus)
9/24 @ 6:30 - Gifted & Talented Program Virtual Back to School Night
We will post each presentation after our Google Meets for our families who could not attend our Back To School Nights or simply want to review the content. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions.
New Student Lunch Bunches
Mrs. Poirier, our SJLES School Counselor, will begin inviting NEW students to lunch bunches in the coming weeks. Students will receive a Canvas Inbox message from Mrs. Poirier in advance with the invitation to join on a specific date and time, along with the meeting code. Parents will be copied on these messages to help you plan your student's day and add the login time to their schedules. These Lunch Bunches are completely optional and simply help our new students make more connections at SJLES. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Poirier at Rebecca_Poirier@hcpss.org.
Free Flu Clinics
HCPSS, the Howard County Health Department and the Maryland Partnership for Prevention again this year will offer flu clinics at no cost for both students and staff. Students/staff do not have to go to a clinic at their home school and may attend any clinic. For additional information please click the link below…
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
On Wednesday October 7 and Wednesday, October 14th, students in grades 2-8 will take the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The data from the MAP assessment will help schools and teachers measure where your child is starting the year academically. HCPSS intends to also give the assessment in winter and spring to measure how your child’s learning is progressing throughout the year. The MAP test does not affect grades and the difficulty adjusts depending on how your child responds. It is normal for students to only answer about half the questions correctly. To learn more about the MAP assessment, please visit: https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/common-questions-families/
The reading assessment will be offered on Wednesday, October 7th. The math assessment will be offered on Wednesday, October 14th. Teachers will share additional information as we get closer to the Oct 7th date.
PTA NEWS
PTA Membership & Spirit Wear
Support the SJLES PTA by becoming a PTA member today! This year, you can purchase PTA membership, make donations and buy your Spirit Wear online. Your donation helps us reduce fundraisers and increases the quality of our events throughout the year. As always, your donation directly benefits our teachers, staff and students. Our approved 2020-2021 budget outlines the ways your donation will support our school.
St John’s Lane Elementary School PTA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 52-1333666). All donations are 100% tax-deductible. Your store receipt will be your donation receipt.
Buy SJLES Spirit Wear! Get your paws on the 2020-2021 SJLES Spirit Wear. All Spirit Wear is in SJLES colors (blue with yellow print). You can order now through October 15th. All orders will be delivered to your door (contact free, of course!).
Any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: sjlesptamail@gmail.com. GO JAGUARS!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
All dates will be posted on our SJLES Public Calendar.
9/9-9/25 - Homeroom Teachers Calls of Care to Families
Calls of Care will serve as an opportunity for teachers to share celebrations and check-in with our families to determine how we can best be of service to each individual family.
For privacy reasons, Calls of Care will likely come from an unknown/blocked number.
9/22 @ 6:30 - K-2 Virtual Back to School Night
9/23 @ 6:30 - 3-5 Virtual Back to School Night
9/23 @ 7:30 - 3-5 Virtual Back to Music Night (Band, Orchestra, & Chorus)
9/24 @ 6:30 - Gifted & Talented Program Virtual Back to School Night
9/25 - Spirit Day - #JaguarPride: Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors
9/28 - Schools and offices closed - Yom Kippur
9/30 @ 4:00 (UPDATED TIME) - Virtual Coffee & Conversation With Administration
10/2 - Super Hero Day: Dress up as your favorite super hero to celebrate our super first month of school at SJLES!
10/7 - MAP Reading
10/9 - Sports Day: Grab your jersey, t-shirt, medal, or trophy to show us your favorite sport!
10/14 - MAP Math
10/16 - Schools Close 3 Hours Early
10/16 - #JaguarPride: Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors
REPEATED NEWS
LAST CALL: Remaining Student Materials
If you are still in need of collecting your student’s personal items from last year please email Kathleen_Newberry@hcpss.org to schedule a mutually convenient time to pick up the materials. In the email please include your student's first and last name and last year's homeroom teacher.
HCPSS Google Meet Engagement & Behavioral Expectations
Adhere to HCPSS Policy 8080 Responsible Use Technology and Social Media and other relevant HCPSS policies.
Follow the school’s values (ex. Be Safe, Act Responsibly, Respect Self and Others, Keep Focused)
Students will only be permitted into a Google Meet session with a HCPSS email account. All students can be identified through their HCPSS email account.
Inappropriate/offensive/threatening comments, misrepresentation of identity, and/or disruptive participants (invited or uninvited) during Google Meet sessions will not be tolerated.
Sharing login information violates the confidentiality rights of other students and places them at risk of having to witness disruptive behaviors from students who are not members of the class or school community.
Students who are disruptive and/or “trespass” Google Meet sessions will be immediately reported to administration and will receive appropriate consequences in accordance with the HCPSS Code of Conduct. Consequences may result in temporary or permanent loss of technology access, which will also result in a student's inability to participate in Google Meet sessions; arrangement for receiving instruction and assignments will be established by administration communicated and arranged with parents.
Additional information can be found in the Safety Measures During the Google Meet Session on 20-21 HCPSS Virtual Teaching and Learning Page
Password Assistance
Password and Username Self-Service: Allows families to request a password reset or student’s username. New students can use this application to retrieve their account information. This application is also linked off the hcpss.me website, which also includes user directions.
Virtual Learning Student Attendance
Student attendance for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday will occur as follows:
At the elementary level, both the homeroom teacher and mathematics teacher will take attendance, noting whether students were present online for synchronous instruction.
A student must attend BOTH the ELA synchronous session and the Math synchronous session to be counted present for a full day.
If a student attends EITHER the ELA synchronous session or the Math synchronous session he/she will be marked present for a half day.
If a student DOES NOT attend the ELA synchronous session or the Math synchronous session he/she will be marked absent for the day.
Student attendance for Wednesday instruction will occur as follows:
A student will be counted as present for Wednesday if they do one or more of the following since the previous Wednesday:
Submit an assignment to one of their teachers
Engage in synchronous instruction with an HCPSS teacher
Complete work in the Canvas learning management system, DreamBox or Lexia Core5
Student Absences
Please email all student attendance notes SJLESabsence@hcpss.org to ensure that your student's lawful absence is marked as excused and they will have the opportunity to make up work. In your email, please include your child's name and grade. Please remember that you have up to 5 days after your child's return to school to submit an absence note. When emailing a note, you will receive an automated message to verify that your email was received. Please do not send attendance notes to your child's teachers. If you have any questions about your child's attendance, please email SJLESabsence@hcpss.org.
School Meals
The food services program during the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year will consist of Grab-and-Go breakfasts and lunches served Monday through Friday from 8–9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m..
Breakfast and lunch can be picked up at either meal time. Meals will be provided free of charge for all students, subject to USDA funding availability. SJLES is a food site and students may access Grab-and-Go meals at our front door each school day. Additional information regarding food services can be found on the HCPSS website.
Band & Orchestra Updates
Band and Orchestra registration has opened for the 2020-2021 school year! Please visit https://musicaljaguars.weebly.com/ to register your student. On this website, you can access instrument demonstration videos for all band and orchestra instruments, as well as learn more information about the band and orchestra programs. Please contact Ms. Kalivretenos at alexis_kalivretenos@hcpss.org if you have any questions.
FAMILY FILE REMINDER!
HCPSS utilizes Family File for parents/guardians to complete emergency information. Your Family File must be completed and updated in order for you to access the names of your child’s teachers prior to the start of the school year. Regardless of virtual or in-person learning, parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child. Parents/guardians can complete Family File by logging in to HCPSS Connect selecting the More Options tab on the left and then selecting Family File in the center column. Resources on how to access Family File may be found online, including instructions on how to reset passwords. If you need additional assistance, please complete this Connect Help Form.
Free Vaccine Clinics
Free vaccine clinics to be held at several HCPSS school locations during the week of September 21 from 4–6pm.
September 21, 4–6pm Howard HS Hollifield Station ES
September 22, 4–6pm Oakland Mills MS Longfellow ES
September 23, 4–6pm Cradlerock ES Bushy Park ES
September 24, 4–6pm Deep Run ES Ducketts Lane ES
September 25, 4–6pm Howard HS Laurel Woods ES
Parents/guardians may make appointments at any of these locations; whichever is most convenient for them. Multiple vaccines, many of which are required for school entry, will be offered. These vaccines will be provided at no cost. Upon registration, parents will be able to choose which vaccines their child needs.
Clinics will be held outdoors, and will utilize a virtual queue program so families can wait in their cars or away from the clinic. Families are encouraged to wear a face mask or other face covering. Families can check md.myir.net to see which vaccines your child has already had, or contact your school nurse at florence_hanssen@hcpss.org to determine what is needed. Pre-registration online (due to Covid-19, we will be paperless at these clinics) is required; go to www.vaccineconsent.com Registration is open from August 25-September 9.
Applying for Free & Reduced Meals for Children
The Coronavirus pandemic is causing hardship for many of our friends and neighbors. Many HCPSS families have been impacted financially by the pandemic, and may be eligible now to receive benefits through the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program. Qualifying families can take advantage of a wide range of additional resources and discounts, including testing fees, tuition, internet and more. Click here to learn more or to apply.