Happy Labor Day, SJLES Families! We hope the long weekend is treating you all well and that you are enjoying the beautiful weather. Believe it or not, the BIG DAY is fianlly here! We wanted to connect with you today to ensure you had everything you needed for the first day of school tomorrow. Enjoy the day and here's to an outstanding 2020-2021 school year at SJLES! 

NEW NEWS

Accessing Your Child’s Homeroom Teacher 

• Sign into HCPSS Connect Parent Portal

• Click “Class Schedule” on the left hand panel

  • If you have more than one child, click on his/her picture and repeat these steps

Daily K-5 Student Schedules K-5

• The Daily Schedules for each grade can be found here.

• For security reasons, teachers will not start their meeting sessions until 5-7 minutes before the meeting time. 

• Students should sign in no more than five minutes early.

• This VIrtual Learning Template provides another tool to help organize your student’s day.

Canvas & Google Meet Tutorials

• Video directions: How to access Canvas and google meetings- video tutorial

• Written Directions:

  • Log into HCPSS.me

  • Go to “G Suite” and click the 9 dots in the top right-hand corner

  • Click “Meet”

  • Enter the session code name 

  • Learn more by click here  

Canvas Tutorial & Resources

• Please watch this Canvas video tutorial for parents in preparation for Tuesday

• All parents and students should review this updated HCPSS Canvas Resource here

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.

If you need additional support feel free to contact our front office at 410-313-2813 or contact our technology teacher Ms. Kennedy at shannon_kennedy@hcpss.org. 

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

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., beginning Tuesday, September 8. 

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.

Virtual Back to Music Night 

We will host a Virtual Back to Music Night for students in grades 3-5 who may be interested in joining Band, Orchestra, or Chorus. Virtual Back to Music Night will follow our Intermediate Back to School Night on 9/23 @ 7:30. More details to follow. 

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.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All dates will be posted on our SJLES Public Calendar. 

• 9/7 - Labor Day

• 9/8 - First Day of Elementary School for Students

• 9/9 @ 3:00-6:00  Collection & Distribution of Student Material 

• 9/10 @ 6:30 - PTA Meeting  

• 9/10 @ 3:00-6:00  Collection & Distribution of Student Material RAIN DATE

• 9/9-9/18 - Homeroom Teachers Calls of Care to Families  

• 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 

• 9/30 @ 6:30 - Virtual Coffee & Conversation With Administration 

REPEATED NEWS

Additional Student Materials Collection & Distribution - Wed 9/9 @ 3:00-6:00

Families, thank you so much for your patience, cooperation, and kindness during today’s Collection & Distribution Extravaganza! It was awesome to see so many of our students and families. A HUGE thank you to our outstanding staff volunteers who helped organize all of our materials over the past few days and took time away from their personal work time today to make the event run as smoothly as possible. Another big thank you to our PTA for providing our volunteer’s lunch and keeping us hydrated throughout the day! 

We will host an additional Collection & Distribution event on Wednesday 9/9 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at SJLES. Families can choose to stop by anytime during this three hour window. We will distribute Chromebooks, instructional materials, class pictures, yearbooks, and students’ personal items that were left behind last school year. Just a reminder, all elementary students will be provided and are required to use an HCPSS Chromebook for instruction. You can also return borrowed items such as SJLES media books, instruments, safety belts, and teacher classroom library books.  If you did not visit us today please plan to visit SJLES on Wednesday 9/9. Our rain date for this event is Thursday 9/10 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm.

9/9 Process & Procedures: 

• Items to be returned to SJLES must be placed in a plastic/shopping/grocery bag or box labeled with the student’s first and last name. 

  • Please note that the bag/box will not be returned. 

• Please place a paper with your students’ last name, last year’s grade level(s) and homeroom teacher(s) on the passenger side of your dashboard. 

  • New families please write students’ full name and “NEW GRADE” # on the paper. 

• Students and families should remain in their cars throughout this process.

• Staff, students, and family members must wear a mask while on school grounds and remain at least 6 feet apart at all times.

• Upon entering the bus loop entrance please…

  • follow the directions of staff as you enter the bus loop  

  • roll down your passenger window 

  • ensure the paper with names, former grade levels, and homeroom teachers is clearly visible

  • make space on your passenger seat for items

• At each zone, staff members will provide student belongings/collect school items. 

• Each vehicle will travel through an admin check, distribution zone and collection zone during this process as shown below…

PTA Meeting Thursday @ 6:30

Our first SJLES PTA meeting of the school year is scheduled Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020 at 6:30 pm in the SJLES Parking Lot.  Please RSVP by emailing SJLESPTAMAIL@GMAIL.COM. Please make every effort to attend!  A quorum (minimum of 15 members) is required to elect a new board.  We have many activities planned for this year but need everyone's help to make it possible!  If you are interested in offering your time to the PTA please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Carolyn Adams (Volunteer Coordinator) sjlesptavolunteer@gmail.com. Hope to see you there! 

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.

Once logged in, parents/guardians will be asked to update or provide the following information:

• Student Information

• Parent/Guardian Contact

• Emergency Contacts

• Medical Information

• Arrival/Dismissal Procedures (for when in-person classes/supports resume)

• Photo Approval

• Data Confidentiality

• PTA/PTSA Directory

Changes of address may not be made through Family File. If you have recently moved, please contact Mrs. Wolfrey at robin_wolfrey@hcpss.org as soon as possible.

Resources on how to access Family File may be found online, including instructions on how to reset passwords. 

Get Ready for 2020-2021!

The first day of school is fast approaching. Complete details on the school year, including information on Google Meet expectations, attendance and more can be found online. Visit our SJLES or HCPSS website for what you need to know to prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

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.  

Jaguar Summer Stories 

Thanks to all of our SJLES staff members who shared weekly read alouds with our Jaguars throughout our summer break. Please check out each of our Jaguar Summer Stories by visiting our website at sjles.hcpss.org