SJLES Updates 4/1/2021

Thu, 04/01/2021 - 11:36am

Greetings SJLES Families, 

It’s another “first day of school” here at The Lane as we welcome back our Cohort B intermediate in-person Jaguars. Mrs. Redd and I finished our rounds in grades 3 through 5 and we are happy to report that we are fairly sure there are big smiles behind all those masks. Our entire staff has truly enjoyed re-engaging with our students over the past few weeks. We hope that our students learning in-person are enjoying their time with us and that our students remaining virtual continue to rock virtual learning!

We wanted to share just a few important updates and reminders with you as we approach Spring Break, which begins tomorrow and continues through Tuesday, April 6th. On behalf of Mrs. Redd and our entire staff we hope you all have a great Spring Break, enjoy quality time with your loved ones, and get some well-deserved rest and relaxation!

Sincerely,

Dan Notari

SJLES Principal

NEW NEWS

2021-2022 Digital Education Center - Log In to Express Interest

The Howard County Public School System is planning for a virtual school option for students entering grades K-12 who wish to learn virtually for the 2021-2022 school year. Once finalized, the Digital Education Center (DEC) program will give students the opportunity to take all classes and earn credits virtually, while receiving support services from the student’s designated home school. The DEC is intended to function as an additional, separate K-12 center, which will continue to operate even after fully in-person learning resumes throughout the county. The final DEC scope and options are subject to funding, staffing and final Board of Education approval. If the program is not funded, students who enroll in the DEC instead will access instruction through their designated home school.  

The Digital Education Center is scheduled to begin in the 2021-2022 school year. Any student entering grades K-12 during the 2021-2022 school year will have the opportunity to enroll in the Digital Education Center. Students must commit to the DEC for the full school year to participate. Students who want to return to in-person learning at a HCPSS school location during the 2021-2022 school year should not sign up for the DEC. Decisions on the 2021-2022 academic year—in terms of students returning in person, hybrid or virtually—have not yet been determined, and will be communicated as soon as possible.

Via HCPSS Connect Synergy, HCPSS is seeking to understand families’ intentions regarding enrolling their children in a virtual school option (if that option becomes available) or having their children attend their traditional HCPSS school. This form is separate from the hybrid survey that families received earlier this school year and is not a commitment for the 2021-2022 school year. Parents/guardians will be asked to commit to enroll their children in the DEC at a later date. Your interest at this time will help facilitate planning.

Please complete this form no later than 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 14. Contact  if you require assistance completing the form.

To complete the form:            

  1. Log in to HCPSS Connect Synergy

  2. Select More Options from the left panel

  3. Select Digital Education Center Interest Survey from the bottom of the menu

  4. Complete the question in the form for each child. Families may select different school options for each child.      

Details on the Digital Education Center can be found online. Additionally, answers to frequently asked questions regarding the DEC can be found online and are being continually updated as new information becomes available.

Health Guidelines for Students

To ensure students are healthy enough to attend in-person instructions and activities, parents/guardians should perform a symptom check every day before the student leaves home. Please review the information below related to COVID-19, Flu and Flu-like Illnesses, and Gastrointestinal (GI) Viral Illnesses. 

COVID-19: If you believe your child has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or your child is a close contact with someone with COVID-19 symptoms, including anyone who lives in your home, please keep your child home from school and contact your child’s School Nurse or Principal immediately.

The Maryland Department of Health defines a COVID-19-like illness as when a person has any one of the following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell; OR at least two of the following: fever of 100.4 degrees or higher (measured or subjective), chills or shaking chills, muscle aches, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and congestion or runny nose. For more information, please visit the online message from HCPSS Office of Health Services.

Flu and Flu-like Illnesses: Students displaying symptoms of fever, vomiting or diarrhea should stay home until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication. Additional symptoms of the flu include cough, headache, chills, sore throat, fatigue, and body aches. Please visit the HCPSS website for more information.

Gastrointestinal (GI) Viral Illnesses: Students displaying symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps should stay home until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication. Students with a confirmed lab diagnosis of norovirus should not return to school until they have been symptom free for 48 hours. Please visit the HCPSS website  for more information.

If your student becomes ill during the day and it is determined that they need to be picked up and taken home from school, it is extremely important that the student be picked up as soon as possible. To make this process easier, we are asking all parents/guardians to take these steps now:

  1. Please be sure that your Family File is updated with your most CURRENT contact information. It is imperative that we have a means to get in touch with you in a timely manner.

  2. Also in your Family File, please make sure your emergency contacts are up to date, with current contact information.

There is nothing more important to us than the safety and health of our students, our staff, and their families. These guidelines were developed in conjunction with the State of Maryland and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thank you for working with us to keep our students safe. 

End of Quarter Three

Our Third Marking Period comes to a close on Wednesday, 4/14.  Related Arts teachers will provide a semester grade at the close of the school year.  All unsubmitted work from this marking period should be submitted no later than by 4/14.  Report cards will be prepared in alignment with HCPSS Policy 8010 - Grading and Reporting.

REMINDER: School Pictures

SJLES will host our annual student picture day on Wednesday April 21st from 8 am - 6 pm.  Please note that, in collaboration with our PTA, we decided that we would not publish a yearbook this year due to several factors. However, we wanted to offer this opportunity to our families to purchase school picture keepsakes. 

Families can sign up for an appointment by clicking on the link below.  

Please use the link below to place your picture order.

We will be adhering to all safety protocols and guidelines. Thank you for reading the information below carefully.

  • When you arrive for your photo appointment please park in the upper parking lot 

    • Please see the map below.

  • Enter through the “Before and After Care Door” also known as the door where you pick up school meals.

    • Please see the yellow arrow on the map below.

  • Be sure to have your order confirmation with you upon arrival.

  • Please wear a mask and maintain social distancing while at SJLES.

  • Please follow the directions of the photographer and signs toward the cafeteria where pictures will be taken. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Access our SJLES Public Calendar at https://sjles.hcpss.org/calendar  

  • 4/1 - Gr 3-5 Cohort B Hybrid Students Return In-Person

  • 4/2 - 4/6 - Spring Break: All HCPSS Schools Closed

  • 4/7 - All HCPSS Schools reopen

  • 4/9 - #Jaguar Pride - Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors

  • 4/14 - 3-Hour Early Dismissal: End of 3rd Marking Period 

  • 4/16 - Disney Day: Celebrate all the magic at SJLES by dressing up as your favorite Disney character or wearing your favorite Disney apparel

  • 4/21 - School Picture Day

  • 4/22 - Quarter Three Report Cards Issued

  • 4/23 - Green/Blue Day! Wear green or blue to celebrate Earth Day

  • 4/30 - #Jaguar Pride - Celebrate our SJLES Pride and wear your Spirit Wear or school colors

REPEATED NEWS

SPREAD THE WORD! 2021-2022 Kindergarten & Pre-K Registration is OPEN!

Kindergarten Registration for next school year is now being conducted ONLINE. Please scroll down to the green Begin Online Registration link. Students must be five years old by September 1, 2021 to register. If your child will be attending Kindergarten in the fall, please visit the HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness.  We also encourage families to visit our Grade K Family and Community Resources page for more information about the kindergarten instructional program and ways families can support their children at home. 

Pre-K Registration begins this Monday, March 15, 2021 and will also be conducted ONLINE. Please scroll down to the green Begin Online Registration link.  Children must be four years old by September 1, 2021 to attend. Please call the school front office at 410-313-2813 with any questions.  

Join Our Outstanding SJLES Team!

Are you interested in working with the best students and staff in the whole wide world? SJLES is currently hiring for a lunch and recess monitor. Here is the information…. 

  • Workdays: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

  • The hours are 11:05am - 2:05pm 

  • The pay rate is $14.25/hour.

If you are interested in any of these positions here at SJLES please email our Assistant Principal Mrs. Redd at alexcia_redd@hcpss.org.

2nd HoCo VIRTUAL Rainbow Conference

Please join us virtually to learn more about how to be better advocates for the LGBTQ+ Community at our second HoCo Rainbow Conference. With over 24 concurrent sessions and local as well as national speakers, we have a full day of fun and learning lined up for Saturday, May 15, 2021. Session speakers include Jane Clementi and Joshua Patel of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, Rae Sweet of the It Gets Better Project, Maryland House Majority Leader, Eric Luedtke, Kevin Naff of The Washington Blade, Ying Matties and Robyn Page of Community Allies of Rainbow Youth (CARY), and many more! Registration for this FREE conference will go live on Friday, April 2nd. Until then, you can browse our conference website to learn more about the sessions and view the conference schedule here. We hope many of you will join us!

Get Answers! 

Updated FAQs to Share with Families and Staff: FAQs are being continually being added online and may be shared with families. Additionally, FAQs dedicated to staff may also be shared with staff in your schools and offices.

SJLES Technology Help

If you experience any technology issues, remember to fill out our SJLES Technology Form and a member of our team will help you. Additional details can be found on sjles.hcpss.org